Jumping into YouTube

In my never-ending quest to find new ways to promote my books, I’ve now started a YouTube channel. I have had an author’s site and travel site for years. Neither have resulted in even one bestseller. I tired Facebook – three times – and ended up deleting them each and every time.  (I can’t abide the voyeuristic aspect of Facebook.) A month or so ago, I delved into Twitter. Although my account is still up, the initial semi-excitement wore off on me after a few weeks. Again, it just feels too creepy. It was then that someone mentioned that I needed to promote my books on YouTube. So I set out to explore this new promotional avenue.

I came up with what I wanted to do fairly quickly; short videos showcasing each of my seven books. Then came the planning stage. I already had a good camera, although I had never even shot one video. That would take a bit of research, but I did know I needed a tripod and a separate microphone.

After deciding that, I popped onto Amazon to see what was available. I looked at various tripods and mics, read reviews, searched around for more information. It became inundating. I do not like purchasing anything that I have no idea about. And I really did not want to buy anything on Amazon. It was then that I found B&H Photo in New York.

B&H Photo carried the tripods and mic I had been looking at, but I really had no idea which was the best, and most economical, for my needs. So I sent an email to customer service explaining what I would be doing and what I was looking for.

To my surprise, I got a response the same day. Lenny listed the items that would serve my needs. The tripod he had suggested was a bit more than I had wanted to spend. I wrote back and asked if the lower priced tripod would work. Again, a quick response, this time from Yaakov. He suggested that I stick with what Lenny had recommended. Something about you get what you pay for in tripods. The mic was cheap and cheerful, so was never a cost problem.

I highly recommend B&H not only for their wealth of products, but for some of the best customer service I have ever experienced. 

As soon as I got the equipment, I set about figuring out how to make a video. I had already watched several videos on the subject and figured I could only really learn by trying it out.

My first trial run I filmed without the microphone. I was only seeing if I could actually hit the start button, sit down, film myself, then turn it off. Surprisingly, I pulled it off. But I could also clearly hear my voice. All those years of teaching in rowdy classrooms means my voice carries, so that must have been why the built in mic worked.

Nevertheless, when I got down to filming the real thing, I sat down to attach the on-camera microphone. I slid it into the bracket on top of the camera, then attempted to attach the thin cable. Oops… it cannot be attached to an EOS Rebel T1I. The slot I thought was for a mic was for a remote start cable. Or something. Since I did not seem to need a mic, I was not concerned.

It took more than a few attempts to get the video where it was reasonably acceptable. I added background music – another new skill set – and after three days, I had finished my first author video.

I figure by the time I get to my seventh book, I’ll be a pro. Whether or not this will lead to increased sales, only time will tell. But it can’t hurt.

Kate's YouTube Channel

My purchases: Magnus VT-300   Andycine MI on-camera microphone

Don't Assume You Know How I Think

My zip code does not define my world view, and certainly not my politics. Yet if one lives in the self-proclaimed Progressive Capitol of the World, the San Francisco Bay Area, people assume they know how the residents think.

Stand in line at the grocery store and the person in front of you will invariably turn around to make a disparaging remark about Trump. Conversations in front of Peet’s Coffee, (BLM posters plastered in the windows), often involve similar accusatory proclamations about the President. I could challenge their statements but there is no benefit. There is, in fact, possible retaliation.

Several months ago I received a call from a Nancy Pelosi campaign worker asking for donations to defeat Trump because of all the horrible things he has done. How did you get my number? I asked. The person said I must be on a list of democrats. I said I was not. He continued that it must have come from another concerned democrat who cared about the future of this country. At that point, I stated that if Nancy was so concerned about the country, why had she remained silent when they tore down statues in San Francisco? Where was her voice regarding all the violence and looting? I waited a second, got no reply, and hung up.

Last week I got a letter from Nancy’s office. Opening lines: Someone had to do it. Someone had to stand up to the bully in the White House…

Apparently, Nance thinks she is a hero and deserves your money for Standing up to Trump. She included a postcard of her having a tantrum when she stood up and pointed at him during a meeting a year ago. I believe that was right before she stormed out of said meeting like a petulant child.

The entire letter, filled with Democrat talking points, could be easily countered should any of the True Believers care to listen. Nancy continues on in her letter to say that, …Trump “cannot do Vladimir Putin’s bidding.” It would even be laughable were it not that most everyone in this town still believe Trump is an agent of the USSR.

Nancy goes on to bring up the ACA, gun control, the environment, women’s rights, tax cuts for the rich. Who honestly believes all her misrepresentations? To me, this is what is so shocking; in this university town, populated by Nobel Laureates and Intelligentsia, no one seeks the truth.

Possibly I am wrong. Possibly people here actually do the research to find out where the truth lies. But I doubt it. This has become a town full of lemmings. They drive cars, ride bikes, and walk in the park all masked up twenty-four hours a day. Businesses and schools remain closed after more than six months.  I can only conclude that their concept of self-determination got lost in a haze of weed and commune mentatlity. 

How I long for the days when one could debate topics that impact our society, a time when people accepted another’s point of view without screaming at them and calling them names. Regrettably, I am unable to envision a time in my life where I will ever be able to do this. At least not in Nancy Pelosi’s California.