I discover business cards at the Halifax Shopping Centre Coles…

Last night I had a wonderful time signing books at the Halifax Shopping Centre Coles.

I always enjoy going out to signings and meeting folks who want to buy my books. It’s a really unique experience. You’ve got to remember – being a writer is a job with a serious lack of actual personal feedback. Unless you count the times the cat comes into your office, asking to be fed.

My cat, Kismet.

As I have mentioned, Mother’s Day weekend is ALWAYS a good time to sell books. And I always seem to have pretty good luck signing my books at the Halifax Shopping Centre.

The fact that I actually live across the street from the mall means that I frequently walk by the bookstore – and when I say “walk” by I actually mean “walk into” and when I say “walk into” I actually mean “walk in and BUY”.

Yes folks – my name is Steve Vernon and I AM a book addict.

I talked to a lot of cool and interesting people and sold about a dozen books. My big seller was Halifax Haunts, followed by Maritime Murder – but I also sold copies of Haunted Harbours, The Lunenburg Werewolf, and EVEN sold a copy of my children’s picture book Maritime Monsters.

Today I will be signing at the Chain Lake Chapters from 12 noon to 2pm. I hope to see some of you folks there.

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I also got a chance to try out my new secret weapon – my business card.

I know, I know – you are reading this right now and you are wondering just WHEN this bearded dude actually thought he discovered business cards.

Hi – my name is Steve Vernon and I was born in the days when giant prehistoric beaver walked the earth.

Back in the beginning of April I took part in a local Book Fair with about thirty other authors and I talked to all of them – including Kobo guru Mark Leslie Lefebvre and ALL of them had business cards.

So I went home from that Book Fair and order a box of business cards from Vistaprint. I chose Vistaprint after taking a short intensive survey with each of the writers I talked to that went something like this…

Steve – “So where did you get your business card printed?”

Author 1 – “Vistaprint.”

Steve – “So where did YOU get your business card printed?”

Author 2 – “Vistaprint.”

Steve – “So WHERE did YOU get your business card printed?”

Author 3 – “Didn’t you just hear those first two authors? Are you stupid or do you just have a build-up of wax in your ears? I got my business card printed at Vistaprint.”

So I took a hint and went home and Googled up “Vistaprint” and came up with the business card you see below.

I am really excited about discovering business cards. I think they might actually catch on with other folks. Mark my words – before you can say “obvious”, nearly every self-employed writer in North America and the known world is going to start carrying business cards.

All kidding aside I am REALLY excited about this simple idea.

You see – I have been trying for a very long time to bring the two facets of my writing together. As a traditionally-published author I can see my books in bookstores right across the Maritimes and Canada.

And, as an indie author I can see my self-published books in Kobo and Kindle and e-book distributors across the world.

But the two realms rarely mix.

I’d like to change that.

I’d like to be able to simultaneously promote both my independently-published work as well as my Nimbus books – and I am hoping this business card is one step towards making that dream a reality.

Best thing is that if you scan that funky-looking square with your smartphone (it’s called a QR or QUICK RESPONSE) it will take you DIRECTLY to my Kobo page where you can see all of my Kobo releases – independent and traditional alike.

This isn’t rocket science. In fact I had been thinking about it for some time now but had never got around to doing it.

So that’s what I want you to get out of this blog entry. Stop trying to get around to doing things and TAKE ACTION NOW!

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Lastly, let me get you up to speed on my Kindle Countdown Promotion for UNCLE BOB’S RED FLANNEL BIBLE CAMP – THE BOOK OF GENESIS.

Click this cover to order UNCLE BOB’S BOOK OF GENESIS at Amazon.com for only NINETY-NINE CENTS this weekend!

The book is now sitting at #70,572 ranking and the promotion ends this Monday. I’ve sold 35 copies over the last five days – which isn’t bad at all.

yours in storytelling,

Steve Vernon