I almost wish I was back in the days when I indulged in the fantasy of becoming an author. The fantasy was that I would write something and people would flock to my book en masse, instantly rocketing me to Bestseller status. Snort. What a fantasy that is.
I am years past that now, and learning things I never thought I would need to know. Currently, today, I have so far spent an hour researching some things regarding steampunk and such, because of the impending tidal wave that is my first convention as an author panelist at Geneva Steam.
My takeaway is that I will review some of the classic steampunk, I am okay with forgetting the author names, as I never remember anyone’s name for anything, and that steampunk costume is important for this community I am being dropped into. Thank goodness for friends and my steampunk co-author, Nan Bach.
Then I also need my author website ready for this convention, for anyone who wants to look me up before the con, during the con, and after the con. Which means I have the basic site up, but the convention I attended last weekend I figured out I don’t need two separate websites. I need my primary author name, Susan Wachowski, and a page off that with my other pen name, Susan Kovacs. I should have two email lists, as the worlds of Cozy Mystery and Steampunk/SF/Fantasy are very different.
Most important thing I am trying to work my way through, is the set up of email lists and subscriber information. I’m with Mailchimp, and I made a nice little form, but now I have to work out things like landing pages, subscriber emails and confirmation emails, and dang, I need the FB pages with an email list sign up, and I need it all like yesterday.
Right after I get groceries as we’re going to experience another snowstorm tonight.
Back at work. MailChimp…mailchimp? Mailchimp? Whatever, it was the most recommended by my author friends, so I got that right. I need to make sure I write down my sign in info somewhere, because I could not even remember that part from what I did last year. And wallah, on my website now is a sign up pop up form! of course, I have not yet figured out confirmation emails, and how to have two separate email lists on the same site, but I feel accomplished today. Tomorrow is info on cool websites, links lists and testing the subscriber/email list system!
Susan Wachowski 
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