Anam is out!

Anam is now available for Nook, Kindle, and on paperback. Here is the link http://www.amazon.com/Anam-Marysvale-Jared-Southwick/dp/0984788344/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367091711&sr=8-1&keywords=jared+southwick

Almost Here!!!

Anam will be available April 9th. I needed a little more time to do one last round of polishing. If all you care about is the ebook, you can stop reading now and save yourself a somewhat boring story.

Personally, I don't want to get into this, but I also don't want a bunch of angry readers. Those who have physical collections deserve an explanation. My experiences may also be of value to the other authors who are reading this, and I know you're there.

The overwhelming, not even close, majority of you are ebook readers. We're talking a few hundred ebooks to one physical. Last I added things up, which was many months ago, Marysvale had well over 100,000 downloads. Based on what was downloaded just last month alone, it's significantly more now. Maybe when I get bored, I'll go though all the reports and add them up again. What about the print copies, Southwick? Well they're so small it would render it embarrassing to tell you. So, I'll just try to look cool and move along without giving you those numbers.

Here is my very condensed story. I started out with a small upstart press. Things started with a bang, but quickly fizzled. At my initiation, we parted ways. I got my rights back all to myself. So, I decided to do Alyth on my own, but tried to keep the same experience. Turns out, I really don't have distribution channels for physical books. This time, I didn't get into Costco, Barnes and Noble, etc. Because of these two experiences, I have a significantly lighter wallet and a lot of lessons learned. Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely thrilled the way things are working out...for the ebooks.

In short, Anam will be ebook initially. As soon as I can figure out an on-demand printing service, you'll get paperback as an option. But why no hardbacks? Well, without drawing the story out any longer, it's about money. No, I don't even have to make money off the physical books, it's more about not wanting to lose money off them. They're really expensive to print, and you have to print a lot to make it worth it. The market for them is waning, they're hard to get into stores, and into the hands of readers. As much as I love, and I mean love, the ebook world, it bothers me not to have a complete set of hardbacks. Someday, I suspect I'll print some of Anam, but not now. Who knows, I may even wade back into the dangerous waters of agents and publishers with another story that I've been thinking about.

Don't shoot me!

I’m kind of a private guy, so I didn’t really want to write this. The only reason I’m doing so now is because I feel I owe you all an explanation; and I can’t do so without letting you into my personal life. Anam, although complete, won’t be available by the end of February. It should be ready by the end of March, most likely sooner, but for now I’m sticking with end of March.

Now, before you start the hate mail and get too distraught, let me throw myself on your mercy and understanding. I was well on my way to having Anam done and out before February, maybe even by the end of January. As I was driving down to the library to finish Anam during the first week in January, I was in a serious auto accident. No, it wasn’t my fault, thank goodness! You were wondering, weren’t you? However, it was my last day of writing before I started editing. I broke some stuff and lost the use of my left arm. I was unable to move it or really type for a few weeks. A month later, a nephew, who was just a few years younger than me, passed away. We lived together for much of our young lives. During that time, we were really more like brothers. It’s a very sobering experience to watch life support be pulled and see someone slip into the afterlife. I didn’t feel like writing during that rough week.

Up until a few days ago, there was still hope I’d make it. I’m very close, but there is still some polishing to do. And I want to get it as good as I can. So, I’m bumping it back. I hope you understand.

Best wishes,

Jared