Next Time You See Me

"Next time you see me
things won't be the same" – Earl Forest/William G. Harvey

This song typically runs through my head when I'm leaving to go get my hair cut, meaning I haven't had it running through my head since about 2016. Yes, it's time I updated my photo. It's appropriate thought here, as next time I post, things won't be the same.

I started this blog in May of 2011 mainly because that was what you did in 2011 if you were a writer—you blogged. As I recall the main idea behind it was to connect with the readers who would eventually buy your books, as they would want to know what was on your mind, peek behind the curtain, get to know you as a person. Blogging was the way to do that, though I suppose it was already in its death spiral when I started doing it. I am cursed to be forever and always be behind the trends, though I suppose if I stick with it long enough, it will become popular again.

The problem, of course, is that unpublished writers have no readers. Instead of connecting with readers we end up connecting with other writers who are all in the same boat, and we end up swapping war stories from the query trenches, hopes and dreams, and gripes about all the flaming hoops we have to jump through to get there. Not only did I learn wasn't alone, I was also able to adjust my expectations, gain some perspective, and gain beta readers, critics, commiserators (I think I just made up a new word) and cheerleaders.

One of the people I met in the early days of the blog is Lisa Regan. I don't remember who found whom, but we became frequent commenters on each other's blogs and then beta readers for each other, even though we really don't write in the same genre at all. Lisa has read every one of my manuscripts and given excellent feedback on them, and I've read several of hers and tried to do the same. Lisa has offered encouragement at every step of the way, and though we've never met in person, we've become friends. Many years ago, Lisa left the treadmill of agents and queries and submissions and struck out on her own. She is now a best-selling author with--good gosh, is it 20???--books to her name. Boy, howdy, that decision worked out!

About a year and a half ago, Lisa reached out to tell me she had formed Breaking Night Press, a small publishing house dedicated to #ownvoices and niche genres and that she wanted to publish me—was I interested? The short answer is I said yes, and that means that in August of this year I will have my debut novel published by Breaking Night Press! Am I excited? Yes. Am I petrified? Oh, you betcha. I have five months to wait for final copies and reviews and blurbs, five months to worry myself into knots. But before that, I have a cover and a description and I hope that you will join me at my new website, jeffohandley.com. There isn't much visible yet but a big ticker clock counting down the hours to the cover reveal, which will be on March 31. jeffohandley.com will be the new base of operations for me. The blog will not be going away, all the posts have been archived and will be viewable over there (and, presumably, here), but new posts will be happening over there. So yes, next time you see me, things WON'T be the same.

I feel like I should say a lot more about all of this right now, but as always, this post is way too long, so I'll stop it there. However, as I prepare for this next phase of the journey and the move to new digs, I need to say "Thank you" to each and every one of you who has come here to spend some time and share some thoughts. Despite the long droughts and disappearances it has been fun, and I hope you will meet me next week at the new place.