Welcome to my new and vastly improved website prestonlewisauthor.com. This year is shaping up to be the most momentous in my writing career, so it was time for a change.
First, I had planned to release my magnum opus Too Much the Lion: A Novel of the Battle of Franklin in 2025. Second, last month the Will Rogers Medallion Awards announced that I would be receiving their Lifetime Achievement Award in November. Third, there are some exciting announcements on the 2025 horizon so I decided it was time for an upgrade.
When I retired from higher education communications and marketing eleven years ago, I knew I was going to continue writing because I loved telling stories, but I also realized I had to keep learning, not just about the writing craft but also about publishing and promotion in the digital age.
My father, a child of the Great Depression, was frugal and a do-it-yourselfer, so I followed his example and started a website through a packaging firm. It was functional, though far from stellar, but at least gave me a web presence. In 2021 Harriet and I also started the award-winning Bariso Press, which now has another functional but packaged website at barisopress.com.
So, with Too Much the Lion and some other unforeseen possibilities looming on the horizon, I decided in January to seek professional help. With the release of Too Much the Lion: A Novel of the Battle of Franklin pending this year, I decided to contact Krista Soukup, who operates Blue Cottage Agency, a Minnesota marketing firm which represents authors and promotes the literary arts. I first met Krista through Western Writers of America.
Krista and I had a Zoom meeting in January, and I signed on with Blue Cottage. Since then, I have been excited to work with her on overall marketing. She linked me with her Minnesota-based associates Janell Madison, who is providing social media graphics for my projects through her Clicks by Madison, and with Corey Kretsinger, who owns and operates MidState Design and has done the bulk of the work on my vastly improved prestonlewisauthor.com website.
Their expertise and support have freed me up to do more writing and will allow me to blog more consistently in the future. You have already seen Janell’s work in the graphics on my social media platforms. And, with the debut of my new author website, you will be impressed with Corey’s work as well because of the site’s fresh look and functionality. Krista has provided wonderful guidance in moving forward with my writing career. Thank you all.
I started writing 49 years ago and with Krista’s, Janell’s and Corey’s professional assistance, I feel like I am on the verge of becoming an overnight success!
