Hello from Bali! I’m currently writing from the veranda of a villa outside of Ubud, listening to roosters crow, plows till, cicadas drone, and Mandy snore. (Just kidding—she sleeps very soundly.) She has been in Indonesia now for several weeks on a work trip, and fortunately I was able to get a few days off to join her.

This place reminds of Ningyuan so much that it hurts. The motorcycles, the heat, being an expat again (if only for a few days)—it’s all bringing me back. I’ve even been toying with the idea of writing Daniel and/or Guillard into a third and final Asia book, in which we find the former working as a rice farmer, the latter married to an Indonesian woman. These are just musings at this point, though; the sort of things I only tell my backers...

While I’ve got you, here are a few updates about the book:

1) The reading at The Tattered Cover in Denver was a success. Had 25+ people show up. A big thank you to everyone who was involved. The store is extremely supportive of emerging authors, so please take a few minutes to stop by and pick up a read if you’re ever in Denver.

2) UMDC was featured in the San Jose Mercury News’ "Books by the Bay" column: 

http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_29400081/books-by-bay-michal-mcclures-cuba-photos-show

3) It’s going to be included in the Expat Bookshelf section of the next issue of Global Living Magazine, due out in March.

4) I’ve submitted the novel to several book awards and blogs—just waiting to hear back. It is always a long shot, but you never know. Here’s one reviewer’s take:

http://kirti-m.tumblr.com/post/137509943052/new-year-new-read

5) The last event I have on the books is a reading at the Boston Public Library on April 7th. I’m also trying to set up events in Madison, CT and Philadelphia that week. Stay posted via Facebook, Twitter and these e-mail updates.

That’s it. Hope you’re all doing well. If you haven’t left a review of #upMdownC on Amazon or Goodreads yet, please consider doing so. Here are the links. THANKS!

http://www.amazon.com/Mountains-Down-Countryside-Quincy-Carroll/dp/1941758452

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26219934-up-to-the-mountains-and-down-to-the-countryside

Quincy

When I kicked off the 120-day pre-order campaign for These are my Friends on Politics on January 3rd, my hope (even though I had little idea how to do it) was to reach Inkshares’ light publishing goal — 250 copies sold and distribution to Amazon — by campaign’s end.

89 days early, and exactly one month and four hours later... 

...we got it there. And I say “we” because the majority of you reading this update are responsible for getting it there. Barring an unforeseen circumstance on the level of an alien invasion or the cancelation of the election (both of which admittedly have their upside), the book will go into production this spring and into your hands not too long after that. I can’t thank any of you enough for making that a reality. 

With that said, there’s more work — specifically, 497 more copies’ worth of work — for me to do before May gets here. Reaching Inkshares’ light publishing goal is wonderful. But achieving the larger goal of 750 copies pre-sold — which means the book will go to national and independent physical bookstores all over the country, among other benefits — is a whole other layer of exciting. 

So with that said, if you’re willing, I have a few uncomplicated favors to ask (that don’t involve ordering more copies of the book, though of course I won’t stop you if you do that): 

1. If you know someone whom you think would enjoy the book, please tell him or her (or them) about it. The vast, vast majority of sales so far haven’t come from all-encompassing Facebook or Twitter posts or other impersonal tactics, but from one person telling another person about the book. If I’ve learned anything about sales in the first 31 days of this campaign, it’s that classic, personal appeals work like nothing else. Some of you have already done this favor for me multiple times over. But if you know someone who would enjoy this and don’t mind telling them about it, every recommendation helps immensely. Feel free to give them this easy-to-remember URL: FriendsOnPolitics.com. (That’ll lead them to the right place.) 

2. If you’ve followed the book but haven’t yet ordered a copy, please consider doing so. I won’t twist your arm but the support is greatly appreciated. And if you’re an author on Inkshares, I absolutely will return the favor.

3. If you know ANYONE who has ANY aspirations about being a writer, please tell them about Inkshares. I received several congratulations from people I’ve known forever when I reached 250. But I received just as many from other Inkshares authors whom I didn’t even know 32 days ago, but who have supported my work wholeheartedly since almost the instant I arrived here. I cannot overstate how valuable this place is to anybody who has any aspirations of writing a book and seeing it get published. The prospect of breaking into publishing, even finding an agent to represent you, is daunting and possibly alienating. Self-publishing is a lonely, frustrating proposition. Inkshares offers the potential possibilities of working with a publisher, combines it with the freedom of self-publishing, and surrounds you with a community of writers who understand what you’re trying to do (because they’re trying to do the same thing). More than simply an innovative way to shake up the publishing industry, it is a gratifying community that rallies around itself to give aspiring and talented writers (and illustrators) a chance that may not otherwise exist. The proof is right here. 

If you know someone who might benefit from such a place, tell them to pay a visit and get involved. If they do, they will thank you later — possibly in the pages of their first book. 

(Photo of Nina included for no reason. Thanks for reading all of that.)

I ordered books!  For the first time I placed an order for my own books, for the express purpose of signing them and sending them out to the winners of my DHM raffles.  (I am three orders away from my next one, btw, so I ordered an extra just in case).