Monthly Archives: December 2017

All I want for Christmas

Is a million books sold.

Laugh with me. Go ahead.

However, that isn’t really hard. All I need to do is–put my name out there, become a YouTube or podcast star, write tons of critically acclaimed books, and voila! A million books sold.

Becoming famous is either a lightning strike or slogging through mud. The ones who slog through the mud aren’t heralded as loudly or as much as the lightning strikes. But while the lightning strikes last only a short time, the ones who slog last forever. I suppose I would rather be one who slogs. But most of my fame will be posthumous, I guess.

Next blog I will reflect on the year and give you an update of what’s coming up for next year. My Goodreads giveaway was a success–over 600 people entered the sweepstakes and about 10% of them put my book on their to-read list. I sent out the winner with Thursday’s mail. I think in February I’ll do another giveaway, with books 1 and 2 along with “Self-Defense”.

“Virgo” just had its big reveal…at 6K words. I’m at the point of “Now what?” I guess I’ll throw in an explosion, because I have about 25K words to go. I’ve been thinking about Capricorn and might sit down to write that one instead of Virgo, and let Virgo sit for a little while. Not sure. Taurus I need to do some research for. Queer Romance Ink, here I come.

Full Crone

You know you’re old when you have to wear glasses to drive now.

I just celebrated my birthday this Friday. I am officially supposed to be a crone (yep, showing my age), but I don’t feel that way. I write YA stories, speculative fiction, not tedious memoirs and cozy mysteries. I listen to hard rock from the 1990’s and 2000’s (Turbo and Lithium on Sirius XM). I play video games. I don’t feel my age. Go figure.

Episode 11 of the Dark Mystic Quill podcast should be up by the time you see this. It’s about altars and what goes on them. There’s also a cameo appearance from Tom, my cat.

I’m still writing Earth. I’m feeling the time crunch. I have some scenes in mind to put in, but they’re not sex-related, they’re story related. I don’t know if what I’m writing is erotica or a story with explicit sex. The sex is not what drives the story, the paranormal elements are. Oh, Water is going to be an audio book, and the narrator is wonderful. That, hopefully, will be available soon.

I got the cover for Grimaulkin Redeemed, and OMG…it’s beautiful. Just what I pictured. Now I have to write it. But I’m not going to write it until I get to War Mage. The publisher said he doesn’t think I’ll end at three books. I might not. But that’s all I have in mind, and I can’t see myself going something like ten or fifteen books like the Dresden Files. Eventually, you get to a point when both you and your readers are bored. Though I’ve had Grimaulkin around for ten years, so I  don’t think I’ll get bored with him anytime soon.

So, in the meantime, I get to yell, “Get off my lawn!” and be official about it.

The Joint

I just released a new short story taking place in the Grimaulkin world called “The Joint“. It’s a free download, and it’ll be a free story that I’ll give away at my appearances.

So far, no appearances are coming up. Except for WorldCon 76 in San Jose, CA in August. More about that in March.

Working on Earth, Virgo in particular. I’ve read two M/M novels within the last week, and both of them have sex within the first 10% of the book. I suppose I have to get sex within the first 5% since it’s a novella. I consider the story in erotica to be more important than the erotica. There has to be a little lead up, not just sex, sex, sex, right? Maybe it’s from being a girl writing gay stories.

Grimaulkin Redeemed may be ready for August. Sure. I can do that.

So go pick up “The Joint” and review it on Goodreads. Oh, by the way, I am on Goodreads, too. (They just fixed me so that my author name comes up on a search.)

 

Expo success!

I had the best spot at the Author Expo. First row. People saw me when they first came in and took a left from the entrance.

I sold 8 books, the most I’ve ever done. Most of them were bundles. I’m going to try and do the bundles from now on. They were a really good draw.

Grimaulkin Tempted went well, also. Sold five over the course of the week (both at the Expo and to people at work). At the Expo, I had two people who actually came there looking for me! I have fans! (Welcome if you’re new here.)

I’m right now working on Earth. Virgo, in particular. I hope to have that done this month.  Then there’s Capricorn and Taurus. Then…War Mage. After that, Grimaulkin 3 (Grimaulkin Redeemed).

I have a busy year coming up. I’ll also be at WorldCon in San Jose from August 15-20–planning on buying my tickets this week for the flight. Although I’m not nominated for any awards, I plan on being there with Paper Angel Press to sign books and to help at the booth.  I’m excited and nervous at the same time. It’s my first big Con.

Episode 11 may come out next weekend for Dark Mystic Quill. At least that’s what I’m aiming for. It will be about witchy stuff, since I haven’t been doing much of that lately.