So, continuing the week-long run of “I’ve got news and stuff to say!” here we are at Wednesday. And, to no one’s surprise, there’s still stuff going on.

So, today’s post? A financial update. Effectively, I’m tightening my belt and going into drought mode.

Why? Simple. The part-time job I have has hit some dry spells in these summer months. Said part-time job already cut corners where it could, but now that we’re in the realm of little business for the next month, that means fewer hours for everyone. Fewer hours means less pay and, well … yeah, a tighter belt for the month. And odd gigs around town.

The interesting bit about this is that Shadow of an Empire launched just around the time everything started to slow down. And while Shadow of an Empire‘s launch wasn’t as strong as Colony‘s (the Sci-Fi Epic continues to wear the crown) it was strong, and as of right now has left a longer-lasting tail.

The catch is, as usual with royalties, you don’t see them for a few months. Thankfully, indie is where you get them the fastest. So I just have to hold out to the end of August. August is when the boom from Shadow kicks in.

And honestly? It is a boom. Shadow and Colony together seem to have pushed one another to much higher heights of monthly sales than ever before. Heights that will put me in a much better financial state in a few months’ time … but first I’ve got to get there.

The good news here is that I just have to get there. Shadow and Colony are both doing well. If they keep going at the current rate (part of which is driven by advertising, more on that later), then in a few months I’ll be better off than I have in a long time. I won’t be buying a car or moving above the poverty line anytime soon, but I’ll be moving toward “mid-tier” author profits.

Which actually says a lot about how poorly authors are paid by publishers, but that’s another topic for another time.

In the meantime? If you’ve not read Shadow of an Empire yet, check it out! The reviews for this one have been glowing (with more coming; add your own!), with a lot of readers praising the book for its unpredictable (but painstakingly foreshadowed) story and characters, as well as its subversion of common cliches and tropes. Shadow is a hit.

Plus, how often do you read a good Fantasy-Western? Not often enough! And if you’ve already read it, let the world know! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Tweet about it! Note it on Goodreads!

Anyway, I need to get back to work. Gotta make it through August!

Tomorrow? We talk about Amazon Advertising, and how that’s gone for me several months in.