I don't know why this is, but I seem to work best doing one thing at a time--if my focus is fractured, I have a hard time actually accomplishing anything. So while I've gotten some editing done on Trust, I haven't been nearly as productive as I know I could be, and I think a big part of it is that I keep having to do stuff for Trang.

But at this point? I may tweak the new cover a little, but I like it enough that I told that artist (who did get back to me) that I wouldn't be using his images after all--I'm going to use the new cover on the paperbacks. That's not because I think my work is prettier than his (it's not), but I think the portal is a distinctive visual that can be used on other covers in the series as well as in advertisements. I also think the description and the formatting issues have been largely put to rest.

So basically, once I finish everything with the cover and drop the price, Trang will be REALLY done. I've got some more decent marketing ideas, but the thing is, at this point, I think the best thing I could do for Trang is to finish Trust. There is tremendous reluctance to read the first book of a series when the other books haven't been written, because a lot of authors crump out after the first one and don't ever finish the series (there are review bloggers who refuse to read books from unfinished series for this very reason). And if I have more than one book, I can do things like hook readers in with freebies or get the books into a less-populated category.

I tend to get wrapped up in the DO MORE NOW MORE MORE NOW NOW!!! mentality, but looking at things objectively, I think if I spend money advertising Trang now without a second book out, that's going to be money that could be more effectively spent after Trust is released. One of Joe Konrath's mantras is, "self-publishing is forever"--it's not like traditional publishing, where you have to sell sell sell in the first six weeks or you're screwed. I can let Trang sit, and it's not going to hurt anything.

So I think what I need to do now is 1. put Trang to bed, and 2. take a break! I've been dedicating an awful lot of my waking hours and head space to this, to the detriment of some other things I also enjoy, and I'm beginning to resent spending so much time in front of the computer. I think a short vacay is in order, and then I'll (hopefully) be all over Trust.