IWSG: How Long Does Your Story Cook?

I'm making gnocchi right now, and it's all simmering and stewing together, so that's probably why my title came out the way it did :) Pour yourself a glass of wine and join me! It's the monthly Insecure Writer's Support Group blog hop. Check out the other bloggers here, and the fearless Alex Cavanaugh, creator of the hop.

So, how do you know when your story is ready? I have two schools of thought on this. On the one hand, no matter how many times I edit something, if I go back and read it later there are always things I want to change. But you have to find that balance between proper editing and never finishing something because you're searching for perfection. I think critique partners are vital to this. Especially if you're not so good at self-editing (which you should hopefully know about yourself). I happen to have LOVELY CPs. Don't be jealous :)

How about you guys?

In other news, Vengeance and Vermouth came out since my last IWSG post, and I'm announcing a new series very soon!! Plus working on a third thing for my agent. LOTS of stuff going on.

TTFN, friends!

Finding Time to Write

Hi, friends! It's IWSG time - Insecure Writers Support Group, headed up by Alex Cavanaugh. Check out the other blog hoppers here.

This month's question is: How do you find the time to write in your busy day?

I work full time and so I write in the evenings. If I'm writing a first draft, I set an overall goal for a completion date, and then break that down into a daily word count goal. That might typically be 750-1000 words a day, which is about an hour/hour and a half typically. 

However, at times I've found that counting words stresses me out, so sometimes I'll hide the word count and just write each day until I feel "done". This could be 300 painfully pulled out words or 2,500 written fast and furious because I was really on a roll.

To me, the important part is just to set parameters - a word count, a length of time (30 minutes a day, etc.) and stick to it. Otherwise our lives get in the way and it's too easy for weeks and then months to go by without writing. 

How about you guys? Everyone is different. What works best for you?

As far as my anxieties for the month... just have the third Zyan Star book coming out on the 16th, and the usual worry about sales and whatnot. It's my third book launch this year, so it's been intense!

Hope everyone is doing well! TTFN!

IWSG - The Nicest Thing That's Been Said About My Writing

Hi, writer friends! It's July! Fireworks, beach and popsicle time! One of my books came out yesterday! My birthday is next week! It's definitely one of my favorite months :)

For this month's IWSG post, there is now a question you can answer if you want, which is: What's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about your writing?

Well, two from recent book reviews spring to mind. The first is a review of Martinis with the Devil, and the person said:

"I just love the story line and the characters to pieces, to death, to the end of the world, whatever..... man I wish it never ended and just went on forever."

And then a very recent review of Whiskey and Angelfire, which came out yesterday (three snippets from one review):

"I am completely in love with this series. Earlier this year, I read both the prequel novella and the first book in a frenzy of insomnia and emotions and I've been dying a little ever since then because I needed to know what happened with these characters and this world...." and "This group is so great because it feels like you fell right in the middle of a family and you can't help but love them all and want to make sure they're happy." and "I'm seriously considering selling my soul to Lucifer so I can read the next book right now..."

So, that's all INCREDIBLY flattering and I'm SO happy people are loving the book. On the flip side of that though, you get bad reviews... so I guess that's my insecure thing for the month. Whenever you release a new book, you want everyone to love it, or at least most people. So, as these first few reviews start coming, there's a lot of nail biting going on for me :)

How about you? How's your month going?

Don't forget to visit the other IWSG posts, and of course our lovely host Alex Cavanaugh! (I nearly made a corny joke there about our lovely host Alex Trebek) (I'm probably not the first to go there).

TTFN!

I'm Co-hosting IWSG! Plus, Cover Reveal for Whiskey and Angelfire!

Hi, friends! This month I'm helping co-host IWSG with creator Alex Cavanaugh. I'm pretty excited about it!! IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group, and we support each other through the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to #writerslife. Go say hi to the other participants here!

My big focus/insecurity this month, as it was last month, and as it will be for probably the foreseeable future, is launching my Zyan Star urban fantasy series. I released a prequel novelette last August, and the first book this April. I've been very encouraged to see that with the release of the second one, I'm getting a lot more sales, and cross-over sales with the novelette. The next book, Whiskey and Angelfire, is releasing on July 4th, and I have a tentative date of Labor Day (9/5) for the third. Hopefully sales will continue to grow, and the ripple effect I'm already seeing will spread more! So that's my nail biter for the time being :)

Speaking of Whiskey and Angelfire, I am extremely stoked to reveal the cover!!




Drumroll......

What do you think?? I absolutely adore it.

So, what are your big plans/focuses/insecurities this month? Any books coming out soon? Whatever your writing focus at the moment, all of us are here for you!

TTFN, friends :)

IWSG and Zyan Star Series, Character Profile: Donovan

Hi, friends! Today my Zyan Star character profile series continues with Donovan! If you missed the previous three, you can see them here: Quinn, Riley and Pan.

But it's also IWSG day, our monthly blog hop of insecure writers led by Alex Cavanaugh. The last month for me was an intense one, because I released Martinis with the Devil, the first book in my Zyan Star urban fantasy series. It came out in two parts, part one on the 11th and part two on the 25th. With book releases comes a lot of checking of your sales numbers and rankings, and wondering if you're doing well or not. Well, compared to well established authors my numbers aren't anything special, but that's the key to happiness - don't compare yourself to others! I'm pretty happy with my humble numbers as a newbie author. And the adventure just keeps on, with the second book in the series coming out next month (exact date TBD)! Click here to see the other lovely IWSG posts.

And now back to the sexy Irishman Donovan!

Name: Donovan

Supernatural powers: Shapeshifting Panther

Appearance (when not a steel gray panther): Tan skin, short medium brown hair, jade green eyes

See my Pinterest board here for more pics 

Favorite drink: Whiskey

Weapon of choice: Claw and teeth

Donovan is Zy's ex-boyfriend. They first meet in Black Magic & Mojitos, the prequel to Martinis with the Devil. They're both from Ireland, and both bounty hunters, so the sparks fly instantly. In Martinis, it's about five years later and they've broken up. Donovan wants to get back together, but he's got some competition this time around: Eli, the hot angelic warrior. Zy doesn't really want to work with him, but she needs some help, and Donovan's the best in the business (other than her).

Here's one of my favorite Donovan excerpts from Martinis with the Devil: 

Donovan took us into a large room that looked like a library. “Have a seat.” He gestured towards the empty chairs across from his seat at a large mahogany desk.

“You’ve gotten all high-brow, huh?” I asked, folding into one of the chairs and kicking my feet up on the desk. Good thing I’d had some extra boots in the Porsche since I tossed my heels into the ocean. And was tracking down my archenemy tonight.

Donovan shrugged, leaning back in his chair. He was playing it cool, too. “What can I help you with?”

“I want to kill my ex,” I said casually. When he tensed, I clarified. “My first ex. He’s almost two thousand years old. Riley thought I might need some help.”

“Forced your hand, did he?” Donovan said with a smirk. “I didn’t think that was possible.”

“Well, Riley and Quinn can be quite persuasive.”

Donovan shot them both a grin. “I know they can.” He sighed, fingers laced behind his head as he contemplated the ceiling. “It’s like old times, all of us in the same room, planning some crazy suicide mission.” A chuckle escaped his lips as he looked at me. “Remember when we were trying to bring in that rogue harpie, and she spewed green goo all over your face?”

“I think the Nightmares were my favorite,” Riley said, sharing a conspiratorial smile with Donovan. “The first mission we worked with you. Though Rio de Janeiro was hot as Hell itself.”

I shot Riley a look and he wiped his smile.

Donovan smiled even bigger, his eyes lingering on mine. “Yes, back when we first met. But that was a long time ago. Why would I risk my ass to help you now?”

“Why, money of course,” I answered without hesitation. “Alexander, the delight that he is, has been trying to assassinate the HR. They contacted me to protect him. I’m just trying to get some good mercs.”

Donovan smiled. “Okay. Fifty percent of your take.”

“Please,” I scoffed. “Try thirty.”

“Forty-five.” His lips turned up even more. He was enjoying this.

I rolled my eyes. “Forty.”

“Forty and a favor.” His eyes had a gleam in them I didn’t care for at all.

Mine narrowed. “What kind of favor?”    

He leaned back even further in his chair. “I’ve missed the taste of those lips something awful.”

Riley busted out laughing and even Quinn’s lips twitched upwards. “Excuse us a minute?” I said to them without turning my eyes from Donovan’s wolfish grin. They got up and walked for the door. Riley cast one last look over his shoulder.

I looked up at Donovan. God, but Irish boys could be such trouble…

“Zyan, what happened to us?” Donovan’s green eyes burned into mine.

Okay, so apparently he wasn’t playing it cool. I smiled sweetly. “You cheated on me, remember?”

“I can’t imagine now why I ever would have done such a foolish thing,” he said, his voice low. I had long ago lost my Irish lilt, but he’d kept his and it was sexy as hell. Damn him.

“Well, you did. So the way I figure it, you owe me a favor, not the other way around.” I stood up and placed my palms on his desk.

“I never said you owed me a favor,” he said, his grin returning. “I just asked for one.”

I walked slowly around the edge of his desk, the heels of my boots sinking down into the carpet. Stopping before him, I rested my hands on his arms and leaned forward until my lips hovered right over his. His breath washed warm over my skin, and with it the scent of aftershave and a tang of whiskey. I heard his heartbeat quicken. “You should have thought of how much you’d miss me before you cheated,” I murmured.

“I’ll remember that next time,” he said, his lips brushing into mine as he spoke. One hand reached up to cup my cheek.

“There won’t be a next time,” I whispered. Then I was standing across the room. He blinked in surprise at my little disappearing act, which was pretty satisfying, even if it was the most basic of Anam Gatai tricks. “So, are you in or are you out?”

“Ah, hell, Zyan,” he said, “I’ll always be in if you are.”

Hope you enjoyed that taste of Donovan! If you want more, Martinis with the Devil Part One is free on Smashwords, B&N, iTunes and Kobo for the forseeable future, and only 99 cents on Amazon. 

IWSG friends and other friends, have an awesome rest of the week!

Almost Here!!!!

Hi, friends! I'm posting with the IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group) today. And my insecurity of the month is classic. I have a book releasing Monday - how will it do??? Unless you're Neil Gaiman or something, I think all of us have that butterfly feeling in our stomach for weeks before and after one of our books releases. You're exposing a piece of your soul to the world and hoping everyone likes it. Plus, making a pinch of money would be nice, right?

Well, Martinis with the Devil is definitely a piece of my soul. It was the second book I wrote, and I wrote it in 2012. It went through a major rewrite and dozens of rounds of edits over the next couple years. It had some near misses with agents that liked it a lot, but urban fantasy is a hard sell in the traditional market now. So I decided to self-publish it last year. And then I got an agent for a different series, and postponed its release. But now the time is nigh - it's coming out Monday, April 11th!!

It's going to be free for the first couple of weeks, so if you want to stroke my ego, download a copy, check out Zyan's fan page (link on the menu above), or add to Goodreads. Or all of the above and you'll be on my rock star list forever!

Also, show some love to the other IWSG bloggers, and of course the IWSG captain Alex Cavanaugh. See the other posts here!

What's up in your literary world this month?

The Unique Hell of Writing a Series

I was under the weather yesterday so my post is a bit late for Insecure Writers Support Group, but here it is!

Series. Have you written one? If so I imagine you'll totally feel me on this. There are so many things that are great about writing a series. You know the characters. Hopefully you like some of them, since you created them. Or at least hate them in that good way that our best villains and anti-hero(ines) make us hate them. Worldbuilding should be pretty set. Plot should somewhat be easier - even if you have a different story each book, there should be overall characters arcs and relationships that carry on and deepen with every book. It's sort of like a favorite pair of shoes that you can slip into, well worn and comfortable.

But then you start comparing the books to each other, like picking a favorite child. Shit, book two is way shorter than book one. Is everyone going to notice it's shorter and be annoyed? Book two doesn't have quite the carefree humor of book one. Well, everything got more serious on a very personal level. But I don't want it to be too different. Then my readers will be disappointed. What if book three is the same? What if I get sick of the whole thing and kill off all my characters like George Martin?

I've said before that each first draft process is a little bit to a LOT different than the ones before, but within a series, it gets even more crazypants. It still won't keep me from writing them - I love series. But it's a learning process, that's for sure. 

What about you? Have you written a series, and did you like it more or less than a stand alone?

TTFN, writer friends!

Cloaked Release + IWSG

Hello, writing friends! Happy New Year, if I haven't crossed paths with you yet this year! My official New Year's post is here if you're so inclined.

Today I'm celebrating with a friend on the release of her novella on January 4th - Cloaked by T.F. Walsh. I had the pleasure of reading an ARC and it's such a fun book, guys! Werewolves and romance in Romania. Good stuff, super steamy and saucy :) You can read my lengthier review on Goodreads here.

Check it out, only 99 cents!! Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Google Play | iTunes

Publisher: Crimson Romance

Blurb: Raised by an overly protective wulfkin pack, Daciana leaps at the chance to venture into the human world for her one-year independence ritual. But after someone steals the endangered bear cubs she’s been assigned to protect, she must locate them or lose her job and return home in disgrace. The sexy inspector on the case isn’t making this any easier. He knows nothing of her kind, and wulfkin rules forbid relationships with humans.

Newly divorced Inspector Connell Lonescu trusts no one but himself. He’s convinced relationships are a waste of time and thinks burying himself in work will ease the pain. Yet he’s attracted to the gorgeous and mysterious Daciana, even if there’s something slightly odd about her. Can Connell learn to trust the sexy but secretive woman? 

Now, on to IWSG! I suppose what's been on my mind most the last month is book marketing. I released my first novelette in August, and I've learned a TON about marketing since then. What to do, and a lot more of what NOT to do (stuff that's a waste of money and time). I'm a bit bummed because things were plugging along pretty well until December, and then my sales dropped off to practically nothing. It was especially disappointing because I had just announced that ALL of my book proceeds from Thanksgiving to Christmas would be donated to Heifer International to fight world hunger. I was looking forward to raising some money for them, and that totally didn't happen. Luckily for them I'll give my usual annual gift anyways, but still, kind of a bummer. 

Early in December I emailed the lovely self-pub rockstar RaShelle Workman, who has sold over a million of her e-books, and asked her for advice. She said that her biggest piece of advice, and probably what my problem is, is that I only have the one novelette out. She said she suggests people have 5-7 books in a series, have at least half of them totally ready to go (edited, covers, etc.) and then release them two weeks apart to keep momentum going and build up a devoted readership. I had already guessed that having just the one was hurting me, though at the moment I can't do anything about that since my agent wants me to wait to release the subsequent novels in that series until we land a deal on my other series. So, I'll need to wait, but in the meantime I'm furiously working on finishing the second novel in the series, which should be done by mid month, and then I'll be on to the third. I'd also like to write another novella for the series, and release the first three novels and the novella later this year.

So, that's the plan, and that's my writing life at the moment! How about you? Oh, and click here to read other IWSG posts for the month.

Every WIP is Different

Hello, writer friends! Today I’m posting for IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group). Click here if you want to learn more about this awesome monthly blog hop. Each month we talk about something to do with our writing process.

Last month I talked about being on sub, and this month I’m going to talk about first drafts. Specifically how all of them are different. Even if you think you have a pretty good pattern down. I’ve written five books, and am now drafting the sixth. Usually I write quick and dirty, and have a first draft churned out in 6-12 weeks. Then I edit my ass off until it resembles something decent!

But my current WIP, the second novel in my Zyan Star series, is not coming out with my usual speed. Part of it is that now I’m balancing marketing my Zyan Star prequel novelette that came out in August with writing. It’s tough, I’m not gonna lie. And part of it is that I’m not quite happy with my plot, and I usually have NO issues with plot. All of this simply reminds me that each book is different. Even the great Neil Gaiman has said it. You only think you know how to write a novel… until you start on the next one. It’s all part of the fun of being a writer.

So, what’s up with you this month? How’s your #writerslife?

Oh, and if you want to learn more about my world hunger fundraiser, visit my previous post!! Lots of good stuff happening.

The Thrills and Chills of Being on Sub!!

Hi, writer friends! I'm posting today for the Insecure Writers Support Group monthly blog hop. My topic for the post, appropriately since it pervades my thoughts each day: being on submission with publishers! 

I signed with my lovely agent Sandy Lu in August, and after a couple rounds of minor edits on my contemporary fantasy, Huntress Found, we went on sub in mid September! It's true what they say - in the life of a writer, you rarely achieve such heights that you never have to worry about rejection again. When you're querying agents, you just want to get that agent. Then when you get an agent, it's on to possible rejection by publishers. And once you get published, there are always people that don't like your book. It really never ends, which is why I try to stay as relaxed as possible about the whole thing. If we let ourselves get sucked down in that maelstrom, jumping from one insecurity to the next, it sucks a lot of the joy out of writing. So, for now I wait patiently for news. Sandy says it usually takes editors eight to twelve weeks to read a manuscript, so we might start hearing back this month. If you'll bear with me for an Oprah moment, I like to use positive visualization and imagine hearing the news that editor(s) love my book. And that's how I stay sane with it all! That, and gratitude for the things I do have and the lessons I've learned.

In the vein of agents, I've started doing query brags and critiques as my way of paying it forward to the writing community. On Friday I'm posting the query that got my agent's attention. If you have a query you want help on (MG, YA, NA or adult), or a query that brought you success, let me know! Otherwise, I hope everyone's having an awesome week. 

Click here to visit the other IWSG posts or to sign up! TTFN!