From the Mailbag - August 2025
After more than twenty years in the (self-)publishing world—and eight consecutive New York Times bestsellers—I still get a little thrill every time I open my inbox. It’s not the awards, not the movie deals, not the lavish praise from critics that keeps me going. No, it’s YOU, the readers. Your loyalty, your encouragement, your passion for my work—it means the world to me.
That’s why I cherish every single message I receive. I even print them out and hang them on my office wall, a daily reminder of why I do what I do. And today, I’d like to share an example of the kind of heartfelt fan mail that keeps my keyboard clacking.
Want me to answer your email live (🤔) on my blog? Drop a note here.
Sandra from America writes:
Subject: Positioning Vise Manor for Maximum Reader Impact (via Letterbird)
Hi Daniel,
Vise Manor brilliantly blends the intrigue of a locked-room murder mystery with the edge of cyberpunk innovation. The eerie premise of Winston Vise’s AI experiment turning into a deadly night captivates and keeps readers on edge a perfect crossover for both thriller and sci-fi audiences.
Dear Sandra,
Wow. Just… wow. You really get it. You’ve managed to capture in a single paragraph what I’ve been trying to explain to my own family and Natalie Portman for years. The way you described Vise Manor—as a locked-room murder mystery fused with cyberpunk innovation—honestly gave me chills. That’s exactly what I was going for!
And yes, the whole "deadly night at Winston Vise’s AI demonstration" thing? It does captivate. It does keep readers on edge. Sometimes I even reread it myself and think, "Verastiqui, you beautiful man-child, you really cooked up something special here." But to hear it back from a loyal reader like you—it’s everything.
You called it "a perfect crossover for both thriller and sci-fi audiences," and I couldn’t agree more. In fact, I sometimes think it should be required reading for both camps, a kind of literary peace treaty uniting two genres under one neon-lit, blood-spattered roof.
I help authors expand their reach and grow visibility with services like:
Goodreads promotion to spark community discussion
Sandra, you absolute gem. You wouldn’t believe the Goodreads maelstrom surrounding Vise Manor. Whole discussion threads have erupted over whether Winston Vise’s AI is more HAL 9000 or Alexa-with-an-attitude. I stopped counting at 17 separate book clubs arguing about Carter Price’s moral compass. Truly, the community discussion is… sparked.
Kindle optimization to boost discoverability and conversions
You're absolutely right! Luckily, my conversions are through the roof! My Kindle page is so optimized I’m fairly certain it loads before you even click it. Readers don’t just discover the book—they’re compelled, nay, entranced into pressing that Buy button. Bezos actually called me last week to ask if I could "please slow down" and "feed him some fresh flies."
Book positioning insight to connect your work with target readers
Couldn’t agree more. Vise Manor is already perfectly positioned: on the nightstand of every cyberpunk enthusiast, the coffee table of every mystery lover, and in the glove compartment of at least one sitting U.S. representative (can’t say which one, but it rhymes with Shmoshmasio-Shmortez). Target readers? Hit dead center. Like a paint bucket to the forehead.
Book design & mockups for striking presentation
The design! The presentation! Sandra, if you saw the hardcover edition of Vise Manor—with its holographic dust jacket and self-folding flaps—you’d faint straight away. And don’t get me started on the mockups: Book People did a floor-to-ceiling display shaped like a giant smoking gun. Striking? Absolutely. Possibly illegal? Not in Texas.
Book teasers/trailers to generate buzz and intrigue before readers even open the book
Funnily enough, my ChatGPT-whisperer son, Matador, has already whipped up more teasers and trailers than he’s lost teeth. And he’s eight. Last week he cobbled together a thirty-second masterpiece featuring Lego minifigs reenacting the Vise Manor murder scene. It got more views than the remix to the remix of Chocolate Rain. Buzz? Intrigue? Around here, that’s just a Tuesday afternoon before Super Mario Bros Wonder.
I’d love to prepare a Discoverability Audit for Vise Manor and share a Tailored Growth Blueprint designed to expand its impact in the competitive thriller/sci-fi space.
Would you like me to draft this preview for you?
Best regards,
Sandra from America
Sandra, I cannot thank you enough for the offer, but the ACME Discoverability Audit Premium Plus is already complete—it came back stamped “MAXIMUM VISIBILITY.” As for the Tailored Growth Blueprint? NASA borrowed my copy to use as a model for interstellar colonization strategies.
Still, I appreciate your hustle, but I must walk this path alone. The life of a beloved science fiction author is, alas, a lonely one. Fans see the glory, the washboard abs, but they don’t see the endless nights lit only by the glow of a Word document and half a bottle of Kraken. And yet, I still appreciate you and every fan. It’s like I’m Forrest Gump, and you’re one of the day players jogging behind me in the wide shots: not the star of the film, but part of this legendary journey nonetheless.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. DFV.
That's all from the mailbag today.
And as always... ugh.
