Monthly Recap: July 2026

Last month I said that it might be the last month where I break down all the specifics. I've been weighing things, and what I've settled on is I am going to give all numbers still, just in aggregate instead of the specifics. And for the expenses I will list out the items, but not the amount per expense. I will give that total though. 

Why? Because your boy is busy, mostly. This takes a lot of time each month, and I need to find some ways to cut down that time. To be clear, I will still be more detailed on things like event recaps and items like the newsletter breakdown.

But yeah, the newsletter promo led to a bunch of sales, which was nice. My online sales are what saved me, or this would have been a hella expensive month where I lost a ton of money. Instead, I only lost some money lol. 

My big expenses were a new computer (over a grand), facebook ads (over 300), then setting up my LLC. Also I had Everlance come due for my yearly subscription. It's 99 a year, but it pays for itself many, many, many times over with helping me write off my business travel on my taxes. 

The thing I'm most excited for though is I had my first like, real deal sale through my website store. I'd sold the odd book or two here and there by folks reaching out on my contact form to buy a signed copy. But now folks can straight up order them, and it charges shipping, taxes, all that jazz! 

May it be the first of many thousands. 

So yeah, I spent a lot of money, but I'm still comfortably in the black for the year. Fingers crossed I finish out the year strong!

Income - Book Sales:

(Amazon, Website, Ingram, In Person, Audiobooks, Consignment)

Total: $1,713.14

Income (Other):

(Patreon, Appearances, Affiliate, Pod Shirts, Freelance)

Total: $98.78

Expenses:

• Computer

• Schedhie

• Banners

• LLC Filing

• LLC Formation

• Scale/Label Printer

• Everlance

• Facebook Ads

Total: $2025.24

Monthly total made:

• Income: $1,811.92 ($867.41 last month)

• Expenses: $2025.24 ($3364.57 last month)

• Net Income: -$213.32

Yearly Gross Total Made:

• $13,429.62

Yearly Net Total Made:

• $2,792.15

If you would like to leave a comment on this blog, a version of it has been posted on my Patreon and my Subreddit.

Ok so two things of note.

First, the big newsletter push did not really translate into increasing my socials. Which makes sense, it didn't link to them. But I had wondered if I would get a knock on effect from it. 

Secondly, should I close down my Threads and Bluesky? I mean, what's the point? I don't use them, and they don't grow because of that. Should I just chunk them? 

Anyway, here are the numbers:

Social Media Growth:

• Facebook Page Follows: 1112 (+18) 

• Instagram: 920 (+14)

• Facebook Fan Group: 408 (+2)

• Youtube: 152 subscribers (+1)

• Email List: 650 subscribers (+9)

• Discord Server: 80(+3)

• Threads: 290 (+1)

• Bluesky: 210 (+0)

• Patrons: 26 paid/52 free (-2/+3)

• r/Talesbybob: 25 (+1)

• Total: 3798 (+49)

Podcasts:

• Podcast Downloads (Monthly): 95 (-193)

• Podcast Downloads (Since April 2022): 6,944

Here's what I am thinking I will do:

• I will finish my editing pass on Black Water Reqiuem.

• I will start increasing my spend on my Facebook ad.

• I will finish writing my scripts.

Here is what I planned to get done this month (copy/pasted from last months recap), with its status:

• I will write at least 10,000 words on Jubal County 7. (Yep!)

• I will start increasing my spend on my Facebook ad. (Yep!)

• I will do my first major newsletter campaign push. (Yep!)

I got a lot done:

• Worked on some scripts.

• Set up my new online store.

• Ordered the equipment, and set up Pirateship, to help me get items ordered mailed quickly.

• Set up my new LLC.

• Made art card bundles to sell on my website.

• Took down my data dashboard page on my site. 

• Did a paid 10 page critique.

• Made two draft covers (BWR and JCS7)

• Made a number of ads and assorted images.

• Did a big newsletter push across six different newsletter services.

• Did a blog about the results of said push.

• Worked on background worldbuilding documents for Jubal County.

• Unloaded and signed the last big book order.

• Paid taxes.

Alright, alright, alright!

So my second month in a row with no in person event. But that wasn't intentional: I got a kidney stone which meant I couldn't make it to Fanboy Expo Knoxville. Womp. 

The big news though is I finished draft one of the seventh book in the Redemption of Howard Marsh! If all goes well it will come out in January. This has allowed me to start editing Black Water Requiem a few days earlier, and I'm already 40 pages in!

This was also the month with my big promo newsletter push. You can read the break down of that in the previous blog post, but yeah, it went well! And also my Facebook ad seems to still be working well. I'm not gonna be quitting my job anytime soon, but it's neat to see the numbers going up.

I had some big expenses this month, primarily a new computer. I needed something a little bit more robust to keep up with my graphic design work that I do, but also my laptop was starting to show it's age.

All in all, it was a slightly unprofitable month, and I am exceptionally happy with it. Go figure. 

Quick summary:

• Word Count: 28,454

• Hours Writing: 26.75

• Hours Working: 17.5

• Pages Edited: 40