Delays, distractions and a revival

Even after the paid edits in 2016, I lost the drive to resuscitate the novel for a small print run in 2023. I felt that it served its purpose as a creative outlet while I learned to manage PTSD symptoms since the life-altering incident in 2003. 

In 2024, I removed the novel's and Flo's presence from Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Smashwords and was ready to enter a quiet retirement with less ambitious creative activities. 

Enter 2025 which brought a random inquiry through email from an interested party searching for a copy of the novel. After confirming real life existence and exchanging polite emails about writing and publishing, I have been converting chapter files from Microsoft Word to PDF, one by one. I can't bring myself to confirm each change by the editor (my Ma. Eng. Lit. daughter). I trust her judgement so I just approved all changes before converting and sharing with the audience of one. I cannot read the details of each chapter because I get misty-eyed when revisiting the reactions between Father Gio and Sera. 

Even with the glowing and somewhat obligatory reviews from family and friends who read The Year of the Rabbit after it was published in 2011, it's a heartwarming feeling that a total stranger has sought out your story, ready to consume one chapter at a time then sharing personal reactions through email. 

This has been an interesting twist as we enter the Year of the Wood Snake this month. 

Thanks for following along. 

T

Hard decisions in the year of the pandemic

 Retiring the Ebook: January 2021

Happy New Year, eh?

We are in the process of removing the Ebook from online platforms, reconsidering that bright idea of publishing a limited print edition before 2023.

Apologies in advance for any broken links and rabbit holes on this blog and related pages.

Stay well. Stay safe.

T

Speed reading or gauged pleasure

As an avid reader who likes to relax with a good book, would you want an app that helps you speed read through a novel on a smart device?

Something like the Spritz app would be helpful in circumstances when you need to study a short article or story summary of a book.  I don't think it can compete with the pleasure of sitting down with a good book or taking a novel to bed.  Would you agree?

I'm the kind of person who likes to read printed books in paperback and hard cover format.  I have progressed with the times by reading books on my iPad Mini as well. I find that paperbacks work best when reading in bed.  They make less noise or risk less damage if they were to drop from my sleepy grip.
 
In The Year of the Rabbit, Sera Fletcher loved to read and would often go to the local library to soften the pains of loneliness and escape into other worlds she discovered through books.  

She would also find herself sorting and re-shelving the books from the return carts.  She loved this sense of order and control since her world was falling apart around her.

• If you would like to download the first few chapters of the eBook version for free, visit this page at Smashwords.
• If you want to read more, you can set your own purchase price (above 99 cents) at Smashwords.
• If you’re not sure but would like to first see what others thought of the book, start here. 
• If you don’t own one of those newfangled eBook readers yet, you can purchase a Portable Document Format (PDF) version of the novel and read it on your computer, laptop or tablet.

Although it took me four years of drafts, edits, love and tears, I will allow you the right to read it as fast as you want. 

If you’re waiting for the next print edition, it may be ready before 2023.  

Thanks for dropping by.

T