Norway 3: Oslo Art + Self-Pub Video: Lisa Oliver + Aithal’s Inspo

Recognize this painting? It’s a perfect mirror for the joy-crushing turmoil I suffer whenever I research how to self-publish the two novels I’ve written. The initial plan to release them traditionally fizzled amid a zillion rejections from publishers and literary agents. The Internet is rife with everyone and their uncle promoting books and courses on self-publishing that supposedly guarantee best-sellers. But it’s hard to muster any confidence in them, particularly since my books are general fiction.

Before I chat further about self-publishing, if you don’t already know, Edvard Munch is a national icon of Norway.

And before I further discuss my visit to Norway, here’s a video from Lisa Oliver, a fellow novelist whose channel I discovered only a couple of days ago. Her down-to-earth, first-hand explanations from her home in New Zealand, regarding her 10+ years of self-publishing have calmed my nerves. Not completely, but immensely, so mwah! to her!

Okay, back to Munch….

(Note: all posts about our visit to Norway are here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here.)

Munch is king of “misery loves company.” He stared his demons square in the face and stood naked to the world about them. Whichever “The Scream” you know best is one among multiple variations he created from 1893 to 1910. All the explanations I’ve read about “The Scream” focus on his emotional struggles. Given our times now in the United States and his times back then, I can’t help but imagine he had inklings about world wars and environmental challenges ahead…

Munch Museum is big and tall, every floor with amazing views, like this of its environs…

The lobby café sells cookies as eye-catching as they are mind-catching; the vendor closes ahead of the museum and leaves them out (covered), and no one steals them! That, my friends, is Norway in a nutshell or rather a Munch munch…

Norway is thoroughly committed to the necessity of art. Here’s a new friend I made at the entrance to Oslo Central Station…

This week’s guest blog post is thanks to Aithal, who has overcome fierce challenges of his own. He’s guested here before and also here before, as well as here. Check out his site for more about him and his books.  Today, he shares some inspiration…

My web development, immigrant experience, and more by Aithal

I immigrated to the US in 1989 from India as a programmer. Looking back, it was a different time. I’m sure each immigrant has a story to tell. Recently, I penned my first memoir of my journey. The summary of the book is available as an audio format.

In 2000, I had a massive stroke. It was a challenging journey. I then wrote my second memoir, A Stroke of Luck: My Journey Through a Traumatic Brain Injury.

Although I am a programmer, I had no knowledge or experience of developing websites. I was a programmer on IBM mainframes and midranges.  I taught myself by reading articles, watching videos, and using other resources. I’m proud to say that I’ve now developed several websites, covering various industries. My choice of website platform is WordPress. Like me (when I was a newbie), most newcomers don’t realize that there are two distinct versions: WordPress.com and WordPress.org. One is a paid version, and one is free. I’ll be more than happy to impart my knowledge (of whatever I know). BTW, did you know WordPress powers almost thirty percent of the internet worldwide?

I’m not trying to brag. I intend to inspire others. Nothing is impossible in life if you apply yourself. You, too, can do it.

I’m not trying to brag. I intend to inspire others. Nothing is impossible in life if you apply yourself. You, too, can do it.

I’d love to hear your journey. Email me at author@thegalaxyseries.com

How do you learn about self-publishing?