The Big Time

Happy birthday to my middle son! Pooh is eighteen today. Each week, his health improves. We visited him yesterday and he smiled so much. A year ago, we couldn't get him to eat anything solid. During our visit though, he chowed down on fresh fruit plus cupcakes. Pooh loves cupcakes.

This week was wild publishing-wise. I had everything planned perfectly until Amazon decided I might not own the copyright for Rebound Biker.

I really should have prepared for this issue since Miranda pointed out such problems can arise from box sets. I admit I was freaking out a bit on Thursday evening and Friday morning. Fortunately, Laramie Briscoe followed up my messages to Amazon with one of her own since she was the account holder for the box set. Once she sent her message, Amazon quickly published Rebound Biker and I was able to get everything in order for my free promo.

With Rebound Biker's short length (just under 20,000 words) and so many of my regular readers already owning a copy from the box set, I figured I'd use free days to reach new readers. Also for those core readers who missed the box set and subscribe to my mailing list, I sent them a copy. Hopefully, the new readers who grab a free copy will like RB enough to try out a few of my other books. 

Broken Memphis has sold well even at a 3.99 price point. I'm always nervous about going that high since romance buyers tend to be voracious readers. Budget becomes a concern for them and I don't want to price myself out of top of the to-read pile. One reason Broken has solid numbers was through the help of a blogger who is a member of a lot of romance groups. I kept seeing her posts coming up (I get FB notices when my name is tagged) and I got to thinking she'd be perfect to help me.

I always lag with marketing. While I'm getting the hang of using promos, I still only utilize a few sites (BookBub, Romance Reads, and Bknights). I need help getting the word out. So I asked Nicole if she would like to be my Virtual Assistant. I'm super thrilled she agreed. Now I'll have help with organizing ARCs and other marketing avenues. I suspect one reason most of my books only rank as high as the 800's is from a lack of marketing. I have my core group of readers. If I want to reach 500 and below on Amazon, I need to expand my core group. Now I have Nicole to help me get organized.

In totally random news, an author I was chatting with on FB mentioned how she was lunching with an editor from Harlequin and they talked about MY writing. This is a best selling author and an editor who regularly works with top notch YA romance authors saying how they love my books and my unique voice. Talk about a boost for the ego.

I have met so many positive people on FB. The reality is when I was interviewing authors and pimping them on my blog I just didn't have enough reach to make a difference. On FB though, I know of readers of mine who've tried the books of authors I've pimped. They're now fans of those authors. Contrary to what many authors (usually unsuccessful ones) believe, there is a great amount of harmony and cooperation in the indie author world.

It's been a year since I put aside my blogs (besides this one and Bijou's). At first, I really missed blogging, but I lacked the time to keep up with the work involved. Now I love using FB and BookLikes to share info about sales and new releases. The interviews were a lot of work too and often I'd never hear from the authors again. Some of them seem to have even quit writing. So while blogging was fun, I prefer the kind of interactions I have now with authors and readers.

May will be a busy month. I need to finish writing In the Wind and begin editing. I'm also preparing for the Alabama signing on June 6. I ordered a new banner designed by Kari Ayasha. Meanwhile, Miranda is working on the bookmark designs. She's completed the Damaged bookmark and is trying to work with the picture I want for the Memphis series. I'm also ordering other swag for the signing.

In two weeks, I'll head to Louisville, Kentucky for another author lunch. This time, I'll travel alone. Even Moms with awesome kids need private time. I haven't been on my own for more than a few hours in a very long time, so this will be a new adventure for me. During the weekend visit, I'm meeting one of my beta readers for lunch too.

May is also Roo's last month of school. He's thrilled summer is nearly here. I'm pretty damn excited too. I like homeschooling, but everyone enjoys a bit of a break. He'll finish school the week before we travel to Alabama. Tigger will remain home with Sally for this trip. Let's hope those two don't throw any wild parties while we're gone. :P

Well I should return to writing Sawyer and Jace if I want to make my planned release date. June is just around the corner after all.

Enjoy a few new songs by my fave singer Dwight Yoakam!

Don't Tell Me What To Do

Spring is here! What a difference a year makes too! Last April, Pooh was in the hospital for two weeks. Even after his release, my baby's troubles were far from over. This year though, he's doing so well. His health has improved greatly and he's actually put on a little weight.

Also last year at this time, I was emotionally stuck and had trouble focusing enough to write. This year, I was doing final edits for Broken Memphis while beginning to write In the Wind. Yeah for productivity!!!

Last year was the first time I did my taxes with any real income as an author. It was a little overwhelming to be honest. I hoped 2014 would improve my brand. Even with the late start publishing last year, my income increased by 20,000. Yah!!! Then I was shocked by the reality of paying more in taxes this year than I made in all of 2012. Wowzer! Self-employment has many benefits, but taxes ain't one of them.

With the release of Broken Memphis, I have finished two romance series. The three book signings coming up later in the year could prove distracting, so I'm planning on writing only a short series and standalone books in 2015.

Today is the two-year anniversary of publishing Damaged and the Beast. With that one book, I went from fifteen sales a month to thousands. Twelve Bijou stories later, I am still learning and improving. Marketing is my bane and I suck at it. Fortunately, many great readers, bloggers, and authors have helped me get the word out about my books. Nothing like having best selling authors such as Aurora Rose Reynolds and Jen Frederick pimping your books. It really makes me feel like the geeky girl in the corner getting a nod from the cool kids.

Miranda gets much of the credit for my success. Her feedback makes me a better writer. Her covers help me stand out in a crowded market. Her support keeps me from turning bitch on stressful days. She's awesome enough to have already completed the cover for In the Wind. Candy Girl is on fire. ;)

April is a happy month so far. Getting into a groove, I'm even writing at Denny's again. In fact, I should get back to writing right now. I plan to publish In the Wind in June. That'll be one busy month, so I better get my ass in gear.

Hold On Tight

I'm writing this blog from Lexington, Kentucky on my last day of a trip to meet with a group of awesome authors. As most of you know, I took part in my first box set this month. Laramie Briscoe and Christina Tomes from Blue Colla are authors I met in Jan '14 at a Houston book signing. This weekend I was also able to meet fellow box set contributors Stella Hunter, Seraphina Donavan, and Aimie Grey along with several cool local authors.

Talking about writing, marketing, and life, we enjoyed lunch at a little dive called Willie's Locally Known. They're a great bunch of chicks in varying stages of their careers. We had so much fun that we're talking about organizing another author lunch. The May get-together will be in Louisville, Kentucky. Fingers crossed that everything works out.

While many of the girls are from Kentucky and drove home last night, I decided to make a weekend of the trip. Roo and I are staying at a Holiday Inn Express with an indoor pool. We've tried new restaurants like Firehouse Subs (brisket sandwich was yum) and Zaxby's. This mini-vacation allowed for one-on-one time with my youngest.

March has always been a wild (and sometimes sad) month for me. This time around, I've been really busy with the box set release plus finishing Broken Memphis. My goal for an early April release is out of reach. It's looking like mid-April at this point. Afterwards, I'll start on "In the Wind" with Sawyer and Jace from the Damaged series. They'll be all grown up and out of Ellsberg, Kentucky. Can't wait to see what happens with those two.

Well I had better finish this short, happy post. Need to get packing so I can spend a few hours writing before bed. Tomorrow I head back to Indianapolis. As nice as Kentucky has been to us, home is where my heart aches to be.

I'm On Fire

February is one of those months where not a lot happens. I tend to use the month to catch up and this year isn't any different. I do have lots of good news to report.

In personal news, Pooh is doing better each week. He's now eating only solids after nearly a year of dietary issues. On our last visit, he devoured the fruit we brought. He's even put on a little weight and is closer to the ideal weight for a young man of 6'3. We are thrilled with all his improvements but know he still needs professional help to keep him healthy.

Work-wise, March looks like it'll be a strong month. The Blue Colla Make Ya Holla box set will finally be released. I had a little trouble writing such a short story (20,000 words), but I managed to give a solid HEA to my couple. Laramie Briscoe was quite a machine. When another author dropped out, Laramie wrote a second novella in less than two weeks. I bow to her speed and focus.

Broken Memphis should be finished next month and published in late March/early April. In marketing news, I was stoked to be approved by BookBub. Knowing how difficult approval can be, I avoided requesting a spot for over a year. Finally, I popped my BookBub cherry and expected the worst. Instead, I was offered a spot in March for Little Memphis! Very cool. There was lots of happy dancing around the house and internet high-fiving with Miranda. Oh, and the box set was approved by Romance Reads. March looks to be an eventful month publishing and promotion-wise.

I planned to work on Bad Men Rising after I finished Broken Memphis, yet the first book in the Devil's Hollow MC Series just isn't calling to me currently. I'm considering skipping it and working on Thunderstruck for the Ramsey Security Series. Might write a standalone book too. This is one of the benefits of being an indie author. I have the power to decide what I write.

Also in March, I'm driving to Kentucky to join Laramie and several of her author friends for lunch. I'm making a vacation out of it and staying the weekend. Found a hotel with an indoor pool for the boys and I'll see more of the state where my first romance series was based.

I feel a little guilty leaving Sally home with three cats and her dumb dog. The chick cats Tinker and Pixie remain deeply in hate. Fortunately, we have a large enough house to separate the gals. Poor Bow just wishes the drama would end. I plan to leave a large bottle of water for Sally, so she can go spray-crazy on the misbehaving cats while we're out of town.

I'll leave you with one of my fave songs from the 1980's and now Roo loves it too!

Bad Reputation

My busy January is nearly over. The month began with my birthday and it proved to be one of my best. I enjoyed my free Denny's breakfast. My new laptop was my Christmas/birthday gift, so I was already deeply in love with Pheebs. Later in the week, I enjoyed a wonderful dinner with Sally, Tigger, and Roo at Cheddar's. Finally, I was able to visit Pooh for the first time in a month.

Damaged and the Saint has sold well and most readers seem happy with it. I admit I was nervous to finish the Damaged series since it was what put me on the map as an author. In 2014 though, my best selling books were Gator and Little Memphis. The time had come to say goodbye and try new things.

Rebound Biker is now nearly complete. The novella is with my beta readers currently and I'll finish the final edits next week. Before I start Broken Memphis, I plan to write my first erotica short. I have the plot and characters sketched out. I only need to get writing. It'll be a fun exercise, but I won't publish the short until I have a few ready. Miranda came up with that idea based on what she's researched in several author forums. Candy Girl remains a badass.

This month, the boys and I adopted a cat from the local shelter. Pixie is a year old Tiger and super sweet. She's smaller than our other two cats. So far, Tinker and Bow aren't thrilled with her. Tinker especially isn't happy with another chickadee in the house. A lot of hissing and growling, but Tinker tolerates Rafe (who she still doesn't like after two years) so she'll learn to get along with Pixie.

February will be a turning point month for me. I need to keep up the momentum of Saint's release and finish my second series with Broken Memphis. In 2014, I got bogged down with personal issues during the beginning and end of the year. My specific goals for 2015 won't allow me to lose focus for a few months. I need to produce books fast and keep them varied. February will be a glimpse into how quickly I can transition from one book to another.

I also need to start designing new swag for this year's signings. I've added a third one for August in Charlotte, North Carolina. Things certainly have changed since my first signing a year ago. Back then, I only had four books out from a single series.The idea then was to sell the series. Now I need to sell the Bijou brand. I can't believe by the two year anniversary of Beast's publication in April that I'll have published twelve books. Well, assuming Broken Memphis is completed as planned. I've decided to frame my series when they're complete. My first inclination was to create large posters, but figured I'd run out of wall space in a year or two since I don't have a designated office space yet.

I'll finish up by sharing my mama pride. My eleven year old Roo showed me new tricks he's learned about Photoshop. He's also promised to help me create book trailers. The little man has mad skills.

Miss World

Hello 2015! Here's hoping we'll get along just fine.

I finally published Damaged and the Saint after over three months of unfocused writing. My readers remained incredibly patient and understanding while I struggled to overcome personal problems. Of course, romance chicks are notoriously loyal and prolific readers.

I have already begun writing Rebound Biker. The novella is the shortest story I've worked on before. RB is for a box set, so the word count is out of my hands. I'm working with several talented authors too. I decided to use the Rebound Biker idea because the story is lighter. The plot will be easier to wind up in the allotted word count rather than something with a lot of angst.

The deadline to hand in the novella is Valentine's Day. I'm hoping to finish RB much sooner, so I can begin Broken Memphis. I'm looking forward to returning to Little Memphis and spending time with the Reed brothers and the girls they love.

I'm praying this year is productive. I get such a surge of energy when a new book is released. All I want to do is write more and create new worlds and characters.

Contrary to commonly accepted wisdom, I want to stay away from long series in the future. I enjoyed each of the Damaged books. I worked hard to ensure each story existed on its own, rather than relying on cliffhanger gimmicks to keep readers coming back. Yet the same world gets creatively tiring after awhile. Plus, new readers have trouble signing onto such a long series.

For 2015, I want to vary things up, writing series of two or three books along with standalone romances. I'm hoping by keeping things "fresh" I can write and publish more quickly than I did in 2013-2014.

I do plan to continue with both darker themes (Gator) and lighter vibes (Little Memphis). I also plan to try my hand at writing short erotica. Doesn't hurt to improve my sexy times and get more creative. I don't want to fall into the trap of only writing what readers liked yesterday and assuming they'll want the same elements tomorrow. As I wrote above, romance readers are prolific. They aren't simply reading my books, but hundreds of others. So as an author, sticking with trends and what was hot before will get very old very fast for these readers.

I'm stoked to have a new laptop even though Queenie remained in solid shape. Now Roo can stop bugging me about borrowing her. My new one has a bigger screen. Better for my old lady eyes. It's taking some getting used to with the different key placement, but I've already finished Saint on the laptop and started Rebound Biker. Princess Consuela Bananahammock has been officially broken in.

Despite all my big plans, real life remains the wild card. I never would have guessed Pooh's health would deteriorate so quickly last year. Nothing is really set in stone with writing either, yet I have some control. 

One thing I know is my family will always support me. They endure my bunker mentality when I'm working against a deadline. Sally gives me pep talks when I'm feeling overwhelmed. My boys hug me when I'm feeling down. In a few days, we'll go out to celebrate my birthday and a new year together.

Miranda and I met two years ago this month. Such an accidental encounter led to her becoming my sounding board and BFF. The other day she was offline for most of the day because of internet problems and I felt like I was suffering through Candy Girl withdrawal.

2014 really kicked my ass, but I struggled my way to the other side. Now, I'm left feeling optimistic and powerful. If I could survive the last few months, I can get through pretty much anything.

Happy New Year!

 

We've Got Tomorrow

2014 is nearly over and I've spent the last few weeks celebrating holidays, missing Pooh, and finishing (finally) Saint. In a few days, I'll publish my 7th book of the year and the final one in the Damaged series. Candy Girl, Sally, and my beta readers saved my ass with this one.

Let me get nostalgic and look back at the year. I had planned to blog less because of time constraints. The BBA blog took a lot of my time. Making those idiots seem funny ain't easy, you know? Fortunately, the main BBA imploded, turning on her allies. In her heyday, she posted private emails and group conversations. After she pissed off enough people, her emails and group conversations were posted. She threw whiny fits and played the victim, but no one was impressed. Especially not karma who is known to be a bitch.

Miranda and I were able to put the BBA blog on vacation after posting our payback (you know, for them posting our private info). STGRB stayed around for a while longer, running with paranoid accusations. All we had to do was not refute them and the dorks lost their minds. It was pretty funny.

Other bloggers now focus on the leftover BBAs since STGRB went silent. We share our info when someone asks for help, but otherwise the entire scene is old news.

Professionally, I had a weird year. Aiming for ten books, I was lucky to publish seven. Gator and Little Memphis expanded my Bijou brand. I enjoyed a productive late spring/early summer when I published three books in three months. This year, I also had long stretches when I didn't publish anything. Saint alone took over three months to finish. Not cool.

In 2015, I'm aiming for eight books since the last three years I've published seven. I plan to focus on both series and standalone novels. I'm also expanding my brand by working on a box set with a lot of really cool authors.

I tried a few different marketing avenues with varying success. I've never requested a spot on Bookbub, so it's something I'll try next year. I know it's tough to get approved, but I should have plenty of books to submit. Fingers crossed that one of them will make the grade.

Next year, I need to stay focused and keep doing what's worked. I also plan to try new things like marketing towards non-Amazon outlets and international markets. Finally, I'd like to get a few audio books out.

If I had one major publishing problem this year, it was my lack of consistency. Even with the large gaps when I didn't publish, I earned $15,000 more than in 2013. The readership is out there, despite the naysayers. I just need to keep my fanbase while reaching new readers.

My resolutions aren't so different than last year's. Write more. Expand my marketing techniques. Focus on positive people. Ignore the negative ones.

This year was full of stress and sadness along with peace and joy. I have a wonderful family, a great BFF, and awesome readers. With so many blessings, can I really complain?

Happy New Year!