Rights

Picture of a demolished ATM

Lately in lockdown I have been busy. I requested rights reversion to my two published novels and got a recommendation for a graphic artist for new covers. I’ve been slogging through the novels jotting down backstory and world-building notes so I can finish the third novel in the trilogy, and I took a canned course on publishing through Amazon Kindle Direct. While waiting for an answer from the publisher (they haven’t gotten any more efficient since I first got published), I formatted my books for uploading.

This week the publisher said they were sending a letter with my rights reversion, and the graphic designer got back to me.

My regular teaching job had not told me whether or not I was coming back for the fall term and so I was industriously chasing down leads. This week, I heard back from a job I was applying to, and I was scheduled for a Zoom interview on Monday.

I thought about it a bit, though, and realized my decision was already made.

A few years ago my financial advisor told me I couldn’t afford to retire. Since then I’ve been working part time for less than a fifth of what I was making and we have been doing just fine–and all that without taking any money out of my 401(k).

Also, my partner and I are both at high risk for COVID-19 (respiratory problems), and my university adjunct teaching job involves working in public schools supervising college students and thus exposing myself to every infectious disease you can get. In addition, though I love working with young people, I have a grandchild now and all my nurturing needs are being met.

Meanwhile, in addition to the third novel, I have in draft two novels in another series, a stand-alone novel, and an anthology of short stories. And I have proved to myself by repeatedly winning NaNoWriMo that I can crank out novels on a moment’s notice.

So I don’t need to make money, it’s dangerous for me to do my day job, the world is going crazy, I’m getting older, and it’s about time I got back to writing before I get too old.

See? Decision made. I dropped a line to the people who were going to interview me and told them I had accepted another opportunity.

It’s not the first time I’ve stepped into space and trusted. It won’t be the last.

4 thoughts on “Rights

  1. JHG Hendriks says:

    Sorry to hear about your woes, but good news about the third novel.
    I’ve been slogging through my bookcases to make an inventory, first time since I reduced my collection by 75%, and came across your Nameless Magery and Of Swords and Spells, and wondered if you had taken up writing again.

    Stay save and I’ll be looking forward to to new books by you.

    Btw,
    Ever looked into Kickstarter, btw?
    Quite a lot of authors have financed books through that.

  2. DMT says:

    Oh, it’s so wonderful to reduce our collections of books from time to time; I did that not too long ago and all I have at the moment are books I actively love or will absolutely read, re-read, or refer to. There’s nothing nagging at me, reproaching me, or just taking up space any more.
    You are the second person this year to tell me you remember my books! That gives me hope. Thank you for telling me.

  3. Alison Bradbury says:

    I’d like to add to this conversation to say that I too really like your books, re-reading Nameless Magery now, and just looked you up to see if you were writing anything these days. Good news! I enjoy the two you’ve written very much, have kept them and have read and reread them both several times. best wishes, Alison

    1. DMT says:

      That’s SO COOL! Thank you for telling me. I didn’t even remember my own books that well and had to reread them to find out what I said.

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