(Almost)Two Weeks In
Almost two weeks in. Into what? Well, so-called retirement, for one thing. And the launch of Adventures in the Radio Trade, for another.
Brief recap. After 35 really quite rewarding years I retired from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. I retired on a positive note after a few years helping the fine folks in the real estate division and then, this past year, CBC Nova Scotia. The past year was especially terrific as I was a little closer to the core business, from whence I came, and the folks in Halifax and Sydney were so welcoming and helpful. There was a lot to do and we got it done. As a result, there will always be a special place in my heart for CBC Nova Scotia. You will often catch me streaming CBC Halifax Radio.
Anyway, I had long planned to release my memoir, Adventures in the Radio Trade (a behind-the-scenes glimpse of working for CBC Radio), the day after I retired. So I did, on August 1st. I had wanted to release it while I was still working for CBC, but they wouldn’t let me. I suppose this was prudent on their part, even though the memoir is decidedly pro-CBC. I don’t blame them. But I didn’t want to wait another 3-5 years to publish it, so this contributed to my decision to retire.
But when I write “retire” I just mean retire from the CBC, not retire from working. I’m only 58. I know that sounds old when you’re 23 but I assure you it ain’t old when you’re 58 (okay, it’s a bit old, maybe, some mornings). So, working for now means writing and publishing. I have always wanted to devote more time to that. So I created my own company, Donovan Street Press Inc., through which all my books are published, for now at least (A Time and a Place was originally published traditionally, and I will continue to explore that route with some work). And I have not ruled out consulting or other work in my field, should something interesting come along.
So here I am, retired almost two weeks now. And I have never been busier. I don’t know how I ever fit work in. There’s writing to be done, lawns to be cut, daughters to transport hither and thither, Prince Edward Islands (and family) to visit, dogs to walk, microwaves to dispose of, decks to stain, and so on. The trick will be to institutionalize that precious writing time. I’ve had a couple of good days writing in the gazebo but I need to ramp that up big time. And I will.
And two weeks into the launch of Adventures in the Radio Trade it’s going well (one aborted Facebook Live event notwithstanding). The response has been positive. As I write this it’s still the Number One Hot New Release in Radio (and related categories) on Amazon. Positive texts, emails, comments and reviews trickle in daily.
As with all new books the challenge is discoverability. It’s easy to get word out to family and friends. Reaching that wider audience is trickier. I’m experimenting with Facebook Ads and encouraging anyone who has anything positive to say (or write) about it to spread the word. And it will either catch fire or not.
In the meantime, it’s onto the next book. And the next, and then the one after that. All the while juggling the “demands” of retirement. :-) Such as walking the pooch.
Off we go…
