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To update or… Wait. There is no Option B

How to tell when a writer is working: you don’t see her for months on end. Ever make a detailed, step-by-step action plan, only to have it get derailed at every single freaking step? That’s pretty much been my year so far. My plan was to write and finish Prince of Deceit and Dearest Love, and make some progress on Sweetest Kiss, all while doing the barest minimum on the business side. Well, Dearest Love is done and out, so yay for that. As for the rest… imagine me laughing anxiously while holding back frustrated growls. Instead of finishing my novel, I ended up writing a whole lot of other stuff (which I loved!), restructuring my entire business model (not so much with the love), and doing a bunch of stuff I hadn’t planned on, but which turned out to be necessary (long-suffering sigh).

Long story short, due to technical reasons with which I won’t bore you, I am having to change the Dragonblood series name. I did not come to this decision lightly. I’m not doing this just to get prettier covers (although they totally are!!). I’m doing it to correct a problem I’ve had with the series since before book 2 came out last year. The original series name had to be changed at the last second and because I was rushed for time, I ended up slapping on a new one that doesn’t really fit the series story line. This is something that has been pointed out by readers, reviewers, friends, and family, and has bothered me for almost two years.

So why now, rather than after Prince of Deceit? Because I recently started the process of moving/expanding my print distribution to IngramSpark, and a part of it involves reformatting the covers. So I can either make the change now, or duplicate my work later. For the sake of my own sanity, I’m opting to do it all now in one fell swoop.

Mind you, the stories themselves are not going to change. The book titles are not going to change. All that’s different is the series name and the covers. If you already have a previous print version of The Royal Wizard and/or Dragonblood, congrats. They are now limited first editions that could potentially be worth a lot of money in a few…decades. 😉 If you don’t, give the eBooks a gander. Check out the previews and see if they strike your fancy. Ya never know until you try! (*hint hint*)

Okay, that about covers the boring stuff. And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce you to the newly revamped Dawn of Ragnarok series, and reveal the cover for the third and final (planned) book: Prince of Deceit.

Read More »To update or… Wait. There is no Option B

The thorn on the rose (and in my side)

I write this post for authors. Forgive me, dear readers, for pulling back the curtain behind which you may or may not want to see. I don’t do it to garner sympathy–I don’t do that–I just think better on paper, so to speak, so this is my way of trying to work through an issue I know other writers share. Maybe someone out there knows of a solution I haven’t thought of yet. Never hurts to ask, right?

Last chance to close the tab before we begin…

Still here?

Cool. 🙂 Read on.

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The 10-Step Checklist for Self-Published Authors

Dear aspiring authors,

This post is for you. This post applies to especially those of you who are considering self-publishing your book. I write it, because it needs to be said, and because I want you to avoid the frustration, upset, and anger I see boiling up in the Indie community every day.

For those of you who don’t want to read through the entire list, here’s the main idea: Do your homework. It’s not just about putting your book out there; it’s about doing it in a manner that will reflect well on you as an author and publisher–because that is what you will become. It’s not just about the art of creating something out of nothing; it’s about conducting your business professionally–because that’s what it is: a business. It’s hard work, and it doesn’t stop when you hit the Publish button. Are you ready for that?

If you’re planning to self-publish, you should be. By going this route, you are taking on the responsibility for everything you put out there, from this moment forward. It’s all on you. Even if you hire professional editors, cover artists, formatters, etc., the final published product is yours, and no one else’s. Readers won’t see what you intended, or what you wanted to do. They won’t see your financial or personal struggles–and they shouldn’t. Your readers are your customers; they’re paying for a product that has your name on it, and you owe it to them to give them the best product you are capable of producing.

For those who want more details, here’s my little 10-step decision tree:

Read More »The 10-Step Checklist for Self-Published Authors

#IndieBooksBeSeen

Today (I am told) is a day for Indie authors to show their pride and their self-published books. The hashtag is trending all over, and social media is getting flooded with photos of authors and their books. I like it!… Read More »#IndieBooksBeSeen