Gerald W. McFarland

Nearly every day I devote some time to promoting my books. The latest development on that front is a reading scheduled for September 10, 11am-12:30pm, at the Book Club Bookstore & More, 2 Main Street, Westfield, MA (413) 579-5383. Come support this newly opened independent bookstore!

Monday I joined ten other authors at a READLocal author's event put on by Agawam Public Library. Since I've never joined a writer's group, this is the best way for me to get to know other authors. The event drew quite a variety of authors who work in various genres. I even sold a few books. "A Scattered People" seemed to have the most appeal, in part because several of the families launched their cross-country migrations from nearby towns. The New Mexico novels drew less interest. Typically, when I asked one person who was looking over my table whether she had any interest in the Southwest, she said, "Not much."
Many thanks to Wendy McAnanama and the other staffers who organized the event. They did a great job! Read More 

A couple of things: I'm just beginning to speculate on the focus of a Book Four, should I write it. What would Carlos's response be to being nearly 100? Then, there's a little revival of interest in A Scattered People; 30 years in print and still going!

A mild spring meant that signs of the real start to a new year -- the early varieties of bulbs putting up green shoots, the sap rising in the maple trees, the lack of snow cover on the back lawn, and frogs vocalizing in the swamp -- came early this year. No complaints from us!

I'm looking forward to my April 10 reading at Collected Works Bookstore in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It's a classy place that plays an invaluable role in the culture of Santa Fe and beyond. I urge everyone to check out their website and to buy books from them or from an independent bookstore in your area.

Busy, busy recruiting reviewers from Twitterland. So far I've had contacts from New Mexico and Ohio in the U.S. and South Africa, Bangladesh, Spain, France, and the U.K. Wondering what reviewers from varied nationalities will say.

I'm basically a 19th-century fellow, but my wish to get my novels is forcing me to try social media to publicize them. I'm unsure about the results. Twitter folks are friendly, but they're selling not buying. Goodreads, which I checked last night, might help some. The Literary Net seems like Twitter. Lots of self-published books and their authors.  Read More 

"The Book Marketing Bible," a very useful eBook by Norm Schriever, urges authors to post frequent blogs. Resolution for 2016: Post blogs more frequently.

2015 was a good year (except for a few short-term health problems). Best of all, the Buenaventura Series trilogy was completed, and the second volume was a finalist in a competition. Some readers found the series delightful. Now the problem is how to bring the trilogy to the attention of other prospective readers. Any suggestions?

One problem with having a protagonist with superpowers is how to make him human. Probably in most fantasy fiction that's not a problem. The hero is either physically all-powerful or, like Gandalf, so wise he or she is perfect or nearly so. But I didn't want Carlos to represent either of those extremes. His task is learning to live in the world, not holding himself aloof from it. Read More