For those familiar with story structure you've probably heard the term "rising action" before. It's used to denote the section in the story when there is a series of events and/or interactions that rise the level of action from where the conflict was first introduced to the climax of the tale, from which the story begins its process of winding down to its conclusion. It's an apt term for what I'm experiencing now with things leading up to the forthcoming book tour for As the Sparrow Flies.
I don't think I've done this much work before for a tour. There's always work, don't get me wrong, but there just seems to be much more of it this time around that has me wondering when I'll finally be free enough to get back to some more writing and other things again. The biggest increase seems to be in the realm of marketing and PR—namely, I'm doing much more of it than in previous years. I've been blessed with some better connections and opportunities that have allowed me the means to reach out even further than before. The idea, of course, is that I'll be reaching more people, making them aware of both the new title and the tour connected to it.
And the tour itself is something different than I've yet undertaken. I'll be heading into new parts of the country and locations for the first time in many cases, returning to a few friendly locales in others. But in short I'm looking forward to how things unfold while learning to manage the chaos in the process. For whereas in previous tours when I'd think I finally had something finished in planning stages, this time around there's always something that seems to pop up and squeeze itself into the process—whether media opportunities, a new venue, or something else—not that I'm complaining (too much). It's just been a very interesting and educational part of the journey which I'm certainly learning from to put into practice for the next tour with Rainier's Legacy later this year.
For those curious about where I'm headed you can check out the events page and see if you wanted to stop by. I'm looking forward to meeting new faces, greeting returning fans, and seeing just where this big, crazy journey is going to take me in the weeks ahead...
Have a great April, everyone.