Brett’s War Journal #1
Good News Everybody!
My final review of At All Costs is nearing completion. Everything is just about ready for launch day, and the day has been chosen. I will be making my official debut as a published fiction author on February 1st, 2025.
Wasn’t it going to be out on News Years Day?
Yes, I had originally planned to release the novel just in digital format via amazon kindle on January 1st with paperback and hardcover editions following on June 1st. This was due to money constraints and the high cost of an ISBN and barcode necessary for physical editions. However, Amazon supplies those key elements free of charge. Long story short, At All Costs will be available in your preferred on Day 1. As for the change in date, I felt it was better to release the book after the holidays. Something tells me no one is going to be thinking about buying a political drama while nursing a hangover.
Will it Be in Stores and Libraries?
Yes, but not right away. Though Amazon supplies the ISBN and barcode, the tradeoff is a non-compete clause. In other words, while I own the rights to the book, by accepting Amazon’s offer of a free ISBN and barcode, I can only use those on Amazon and its subsidiaries. As well, bookstores won’t buy from Amazon since it’s technically their competition and they wouldn’t be able to get a wholesale rate. That being said, I’ll be purchasing a separate ISBN and barcodes to get the books into traditional bookstores, libraries, and online stores like Barnes and Noble. I’m aiming for June 1st for this edition.
How’s Marketing Coming Along?
Better than expected! I reached out to a couple of media outlets I had worked for in the past. While some haven’t bothered to reply, I’m happy to announce that the UWM Post will be writing up a full feature article on myself and At All Costs. I’ll have that posted as soon as it’s ready. Beyond that, I am planning a mini press tour around Southeast Wisconsin, and possibly even a stop or two in Waupaca County. I plan to be at craft and farmer’s markets for impromptu meet and greets, and if all goes well, I’ll be renting a booth at Polish Fest in Milwaukee.
What’s Next in Your Journey?
My plan is to market this book for at least a year and hopefully conjure up the funds for an audiobook version. While I do that, I’ll be working on the revisions of the direct sequel to At All Costs, Hallowed Ground.
What About Polybius?
Polybius needs a bit of work. While it’s part of my upcoming SMASH! series, it was written as something of a Halloween special, so it didn’t hit quite right with beta readers. The biggest gripe people had was the lack of explanation of why the monkey can talk. While I can rectify this by simply finishing and releasing the earlier SMASH! stories, I could also cut the scenes with Giu and make this into a prequel to SMASH! itself. Honestly, I’m torn on what to do and I haven’t had the time to do any work on SMASH! due to preparing At All Costs. Hopefully I can have it out for Halloween 2025.
