Success...what is it?

I would like to say that my books are successful in terms of sales, but being self-published, it's difficult to publicise and persuade people to even have a read. I'm getting to triple figures...slowly. But is it all about sales? For the people I owe money to, I guess so. For me, well...I'm very happy that whoever has read even a small part says they're very good/fantastic/great,etc...(see my website for the comments on 'Man by a tree' - http://www.djc.yolasite.com/comments-about-man-by-a-tree.php).
It's strange that my 2nd is getting even better reception than the 1st, but no one wants to write any reviews or comments anywhere...perhaps it's the 'mud sticks' attitude.
Anyway, still dawdling with the 3rd book, working out little things here and there, wondering just what exactly am I trying to say. It's wonderful how if you just 'have a go', something happens. Then something else happens. I could just be sitting down, watching TV, but no. I'm trying to write, to say something to the reader, to give another view, to expand the box. Isn't that what it's all about? 42 is just as good an answer, though.

Inspiration again...mood

Don't know why, but I was down today. And then I wrote about 1500 words. This 3rd book is tricky, so many things to work out, little plot holes to fill. But nothing is impossible, there's a great story waiting to get out - all based on 'true' events, of course - well, a spin on them :-) Have about 3500 words, I might put them on jottify.com, see if anyone bites. Authonomy.com needs 10k+...next week, probably.

ebooks!!

My books are now available in a lot of places in ebook form, it might be fun to keep up with it all, but probably not. They're in Amazon Kindle (co.uk), Smashwords.com and Goodreads.com. Exposure is what I need. I know I've written good books, surely someone will want to read them. The 1st is basically about Hope, Ambition, the 2nd is about Religion, belief, and the 3rd (still writing) is about politics and power. Well, that's just one way to look at them. They can be seen in a lot of ways. The 1st is about death or life, the 2nd is about Jesus and that rotten Judas, and the 3rd is about...okay, no other way to see THAT one. All of them sardonic, quirky, funny as in hehe rather than haha, and with no bad words, with respect for their topics.
If you can't get a book, at least tell people about it, maybe they can get one for ya :-)

Double bladed post

Children are the future...voters. Educate your children the right way...the way of the right. Give them what they want...no, don't need to change that one, that one is already done. Many many people still think that education is 'education', what can change? It's only a place to learn things...no. As you should all know, it's the foundation of politics, right from the nursery and up. So the third book includes education :-)
Inspiration - I have a 'seed' of an idea, I think about it, grow the main 'trunk' of the story, then while listening to music or watching the world go by on the metro or tram, I have a 'branch', maybe some 'leaves', and write them down. Pretty soon I have a 'tree', which I put in a cover and show to the world. "Look at this tree, ain't it nice."

Kindle Editions

Finally decided to put my 2 books on Amazon Kindle. I set the price lower than it shows, so I don't know what's going on there. They're also in the 'KDP Select' system, which is like some kind of library...I think.

Man by a tree
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=man+by+a+tree+dani+j+caile&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aman+by+a+tree+dani+j+caile&ajr=0
The Bethlehem Fiasco
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=bethlehem+fiasco+dani+j+caile

Writing - who for? Editors?

I've just received some constructive criticism on my introduction from a few authonomy.com members, and one of them rewrote it, taking out what he considered to be unnecessary. It looked good, stripped to the bone, but it got me thinking. Who am I doing this all for? Am I writing to satisfy the needs of an agent / editor looking for a fast buck and publish my books? Am I writing for myself, my friends and aquaintances?  Am I writing to make money? Am I writing for the pleasure of writing? The dream is to be published and make money. The reality is to have fun and spread it around. But I looked at the stripped-down version of my writing, and that isn't me. What's the point of writing a book which isn't me? Taking out bits like "the crowds of fancy-free flag waving freaks" and things like "with blood reaching his black buckled boots", never to be seen again. That's just not me. That's a machine. That guy can be a machine. I'll be me.

Writing has begun...

The first 1000 words of the 3rd book have slipped out, and it's...different from the 1st and 2nd books. I can see the humour, but so far, it's closer to the 1st than the 2nd, in that there are less one-liners. And definitely no jokes about camels. I guess 'political' humour comes out another way...actually, what's written scares me. Where will it go? Well, I know the main plots, but the interactions are what's interesting..."It's not where you go, it's how you get there"...all that kinda stuff. I think the 'usual' crowd of hobgoblins and angels will add some of my typical humour. These Atlantians are too serious and utopian. But that's the funny bit...???...satire is the word, yes.