Wednesday, February 1, 2023
February 2023 $100 PayPal Cash #Giveaway #Contest
Book Cover Options for Authors #IWSG #writinglife #indieauthors #bookcover #writingcommunity #coverart
The first Wednesday of every month is officially
The Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It's a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
IWSG Asks: If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish trad, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover?
I've had the good fortune to have experience with all three of these options.
I started as a traditional author with The Wild Rose Press. During the publication process, they supplied a questionnaire for me to fill out with details such as the subgenre of the romance, the hero and heroine's hair and eye color, what kind of clothes the characters wore, and any specific items or objects that were important in the story. They also asked for any details I would like to see on the cover. I provided as much information as possible for the cover artist to create stunning covers for my books. In every case, I was quite pleased with the results.
A few years ago, I decided to self-publish my books. This gave me more freedom with the publication process, as well as control over my own book covers. While I don't have many skills in designing covers, I decided to keep it simple. Simple works for me. And when I began, I was testing the waters so to speak. I didn't have a lot of money to invest in expensive covers as I was just starting out.
Some of my stories needed a cover that required more skill than I could provide. For these books, I needed the aid of professional cover designers. Most of these, I bought as premade so I had no input to offer in the design. I simply stumbled upon them and they kinda shouted at me to buy them. For those I commissioned, I again offered the details that were necessary for the artist who then created beautiful works of art for my stories.
I prefer to make my own covers, but I really need to invest more time into learning the art. So far, I've been using Canva which has gone above and beyond my expectations, but I'd really like to invest in a better program where I have more design options and grow my skill set.
While I love the idea of traditional publishers taking the responsibility of creating book covers out of my hands, the truth is, I like the control. Waiting for the cover art was almost like waiting for lucky numbers to hit on the lottery. It was a gamble. Either I get a cover I like, or dare I hope love, or I'm stuck with a cover I hate and there's nothing I can do about it. Traditional publishers don't redesign covers if the author isn't satisfied with the work. You get what you get. Also, book cover trends can change drastically after a few years. A book cover that was marketable ten years ago, might not be so attractive now. But unless you're a big name making lots of moolah, traditional publishers don't typically update their covers. You're stuck with that cover for as long as you're with that publisher.
For now, my favorite option of these three is commissioning an art cover designer for my self-published books. The artists I've dealt with are talented and professional, and easy to work with. I've had no problems with getting changes done. While it can get pricey, I'm always on the lookout for premade covers that match my story. They're usually cheaper and sometimes the artists have sales that make the work more affordable.
I hope this helps anyone who is looking to decide which option is suitable for them. The best part of publishing in this day and age is there's no one-size to fit all. There are so many choices and options. As an author, you get to decide which one works best for you.
Be sure to visit the other writers in the
I write sensual paranormal, sci-fi and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Become a VIP Reader by signing up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!
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Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Something I'm Proud of Doing
This week's topic: Something I'm Proud of Doing
As I think about this week's topic, I realize there are many things I'm proud of doing in my life.
I'm proud of being a mom of four amazing kids. Not only that, but I'm a single mom. My journey in life hasn't been easy, but I'm happy where I am now. Of course, things aren't perfect. Life is never perfect, and there are certainly struggles. But I'm proud of who I am, the journey I took to get here, my successes, and yes, even my failures. It's all what makes me, well... me. I'm proud of who my children are becoming, the decisions they're making, and knowing I help guide them.
Also, I'm proud of my career as a romance author. This, too, has been a struggle. I've been writing all my life, always with the dream of becoming a successful author. As I look back, I see the mistakes I've made in this journey, the many times I nearly gave up. But here I am! Still writing! Still learning! Still growing! Still working toward my dream. At this point in my life, I know many people who've given up on their dream careers. I haven't. And I'm proud of my determination and persistence.
I'm also proud that I've achieved many of my writing career goals. I wrote a book! I wrote many books. I'm published! Many times now over the last decade. One of my biggest goals was to become a USA Today Bestselling author. And I did it! Even if I'll only ever see my name on that list just one time, it was worth it. I'm still a little fish in a ginormous pond, but people are reading my books. Better yet, they seem to enjoy them! How cool is that!? I'm proud of each book I write and publish, as each work is a huge accomplishment for me.
What are you proud of?
Be sure to check out the other blogger's suggestions at ...
Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: New Things I've Tried Recently
This week's topic: New Things I've Tried Recently
I like trying new things whether it's food, books, movies, or traveling to new places. You never know when you will discover your next favorite (fill-in-the-blank). It's part of what makes life an adventure!
Food:
I'm a chocolate lover. I'm always happy to find new chocolate to eat! :) Shortly after Christmas, I found a bar of extra-dark mocha chocolate in the discount section. It was so yummy with bits of coffee flavor mixed into the bitter dark chocolate. Better yet, my kids are not fans of dark chocolate like I am (the darker the better for me!), so when they asked to try a piece, they didn't care for the taste. That meant more for me! Unfortunately, I think it was just a Christmas-gifty kind of thing, so I'm not sure if they stock this chocolate on a regular basis at the store. I'll have to remember to check next time I'm there.
Books:
TV/Movies:
I've recently discovered two new-to-me shows that I'm simply crazy about!
I was super excited when I heard that HBO was filming The Last of Us. And with Pedro Pascal as Joel! Oh, I thought he was perfect! (Yes, I'm a Mandalorian and Game of Thrones fan, too!) This news interested my 16 year-old son. He already knew of my interest, so he brought his Playstation 4 into the living room so I could watch him play. Finally! After all these years of waiting, I know what happens to Joel and Ellie. Last Sunday, HBO released the first episode of The Last of Us. I was thrilled that they kept the characters and the storyline so close to the game. It was heartbreaking, breathtaking and nail-biting! And I can't wait to see more!
Since I have to wait for the next episode of The Last of Us to release (one episode every Sunday... Ugh! The wait!!), I decided I needed another show to watch. So, on Monday, I was scrolling through Netflix, looking for something to interest me when I found The Blacklist. I've heard of this show. I've seen a few clips and I knew James Spader played in it. I loved James Spader in his role as Daniel Jackson in the movie, Stargate, although he's not on my auto-watch list. With Netflix's little preview portion, I watched the opening scene of the first episode of The Blacklist where James Spader as Raymond Reddington walks confidently into FBI headquarters, requests to see Assistant Director Harold Cooper, then calmly sets down his briefcase, slips off his jacket to fold over his briefcase along with his hat, then waits in a room full of people. When the lady at the desk gets the notification that she is talking to a criminal on their Most Wanted list, the alarms sound and men with guns surge into the room. Reddington simply places his hands on his head and slowly gets onto his knees.
I was so intrigued by this beginning. Who is Reddington? What has he done? Why has he turned himself in? So many questions! I had to find out more. My 15 year-old son and I started watching The Blacklist on Monday. We're only up to episode 11 in Season 1, so no spoilers! But I am so hooked on this show! The storylines are intriguing, the characters are compelling. It's filled with action, suspense and mystery. It's definitely addictive! I can't believe I haven't watched this show before now!
That's enough for now! As you can see, I love talking about the new things I find, too! What have you tried new recently?
Be sure to check out the other blogger's suggestions at ...
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Take It One Day at a Time #NewYearsResolutions #WritingGoals #LongandShortReviews
It's been a while since I've participated in the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge! Well, I'm back! I've always enjoyed blog challenges, and this one was always one of my favorites. I missed last week's topic which was to share my goals for 2023 which I did in another post.
This week's topic: What I Think of New Year's Resolutions
I enjoy making New Year's Resolutions, but I don't think it's good for everyone. So many people make tremendous goals for themselves only to find them too overwhelming and then quit halfway through January.
Quitter's day falls on January 13 this year if anyone was curious. Yes, I looked it up.
I've found making small, more achievable goals is necessary for my success. Yes, I would love to write 20 books this year! But can I actually do it? Being a single working mom of four kids? No, probably not. It might be possible for some people, but not for me.
Ten books? Maybe. If I push myself, I know I can write a book in a month. But I don't want to do that every month. Although rewarding, writing a book is equally exhausting. I'll need to plan some breaks in between so my brain doesn't implode. And if I fall behind, I don't want to get upset with myself either.
So I'm not going to start the year telling myself I'm going to write ten books. Ten seems overwhelming to me. I have anxiety, depression and procrastination issues. Ten in a year is intimidating knowing what I'll have to go through to get that done. I don't want to set myself up to fail.
So, I'll trick myself, or more like ease myself into it. Well, let's try for five, I can definitely achieve five, but I'll push for ten.
That sounds better.
Five is doable. I know I can write five books this year. I've done it before. Then I'll re-evaluate where I am with my goals quarterly and readjust if necessary. If I can squeeze one more than five, it's celebration time! Even more than that? Hooray!!
I'm making five my goal because I know I can do it.
But to start off, I'm focusing on only one book at a time. I'm not going to even think about the rest.
Each month, I'm giving myself three weeks to write and one week to take a break. I'm planning to repeat this process throughout the year. Hopefully, it will stick. On paper, it looks good, especially because I have so much other stuff going on.
But if I fall behind because life gets in the way, no problem! My goal is five books. I'm good with that. I'm not going to get upset if I can't do more. I want to have fun with this. If it starts feeling like a chore, I'm not going to do it.
Will I get ten books written? Will I even get five done? Who knows? My life often comes with unexpected plot twists that I need to work around. But I'm breaking up my goals into smaller, more manageable chunks. One month at a time. One week at a time. One day at a time.
By the end of the year, hopefully, I'll see progress.
Goal-making isn't for everyone. And it's not even necessary at the beginning of the year! You can make goals anytime! Or don't even bother with goals at all! It's up to you! It's your life. Your sandbox. Do what you want! :)
I want to have fun with my writing. Ultimately, that's my main goal. I want to create stories that feel fun to me. Create worlds where I lose myself and fall in love with the characters I meet there. I want to bring joy into my life through writing.
The finished books are actually a by-product of my success with my goal of having fun with my writing. As long as I'm having fun with my writing, it really doesn't matter to me how many books I write.
Be sure to check out the other blogger's suggestions at ...
Wednesday, January 4, 2023
What's Your Word of the Year? #IWSG #NewYear #Goals #Resolutions
The first Wednesday of every month is officially
The Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It's a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
IWSG Asks: Do you have a word of the year? Ist there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year?
I've given this some thought. I even read a few blog posts about choosing a word for the year, because I've never done such a thing before.
I think my word for 2023 is CREATION.
It seems appropriate seeing that I want to create several new series. For two of them, I even have the book covers ready to go. All I need are the stories themselves. Which means I need to write them.
And the word CREATION feels fun! It invokes new ideas, exciting things! That's just such a word that I need for this year.
I've struggled with a lot of personal and family issues in the past, but I'm ready to move on. I want to create, not only new series and new books, but a new and better life for myself and my kids. I'm discovering what makes me happy! And creating is definitely on that list!
Be sure to visit the other writers in the
I write sensual paranormal, sci-fi and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Become a VIP Reader by signing up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!
You can Follow me on ...
Looking for a little escape? Check out these stories!
Monday, January 2, 2023
Happy New Year 2023! #AuthorUpdate #WriterGoals #Resolutions
Happy New Year!
Another year is over, and a new one has begun!
Do you have any goals or resolutions?
I always make lists throughout the year with projects I want to work on and complete. While I've learned over the years not to overwhelm myself, I still give myself lofty goals hoping to inspire me.
This year, I want to keep it simple.
I want to have fun.
Somehow, during these last few years, I've pushed myself so hard that I started to not get excited about my writing time. Writing was becoming work. And that mindset wasn't helping me get my word count goals. I was becoming too concerned about what others wanted from my writing that I lost focus on what I wanted.
I started writing because I had stories to tell. Somewhere along the way, I became too concerned about the process of writing and the marketing that followed.
I realized recently, that writing wasn't feeling fun anymore. It was becoming a chore.
And like my kids, I'm not a fan of chores.
So, this year, I want to bring more fun into my writing. I want to enjoy losing myself in the worlds I create, going on adventures with these characters, and falling in love with the heroes and heroines of my stories.
My goal this year is to feel joy with creation!
If it's not bringing me joy, then skip! I don't need it.
I'm not going to compile a list of books that I'm going to write this year. I'm going to take it one project at a time and see how it goes. From a business viewpoint, that's probably not ideal, but I want to have fun.
Hopefully, my readers will enjoy this journey as much as I do!
So, instead, I'm adding a list of books I completed in 2022! It's not as impressive as some previous years. I didn't get as much writing done as I'd hoped. But, I'm still pleased with my accomplishments!
Some of the boxed sets were limited-time collections and are no longer available.
Here are the links for the books still available at this time...
Monday, December 19, 2022
Hot and Sweet Holiday Romances #ChristmasRomance #HolidayRomance #HolidayReads
Christmas is one of my favorite times of year and I have three holiday books that celebrate this lovely season! What better time of year to fall in love than Christmas?
Find your new book boyfriend to keep you warm during those cold winter nights!
SHIFTER CHRISTMAS HOWLIDAYS
'Tis the season to get furry!
Join USA Today Bestselling & Award-winning authors as we come together to celebrate the Howlidays with steamy Shifter Christmas stories just for you.
Lions, Tigers, Dragons, Bears, Wolves, and more await you in this collection of holiday paranormal romance and urban fantasy tales.
Naughty or nice, escape between the pages and get swept away with the new book boyfriends waiting under the tree.
Stories guaranteed to jingle your bells.
But you have to hurry, this anthology won't last forever...
★★★ Authors Featured in Shifter Christmas Howlidays ★★★
Mistletoe Kisses by Erzabet Bishop
Moongate Island Christmas Claim by C.D. Gorri
An Alpha Christmas by Julie Morgan
A Catmas to Remember by Pepper McGraw
Demon by Day by Lulu M. Sylvian
Snowshifter by P.Mattern
Dreaming of a Yuletide Wolf by Georgina Stancer
Curse of the Snowman by Tricia Schneider
Tiger Love by E.J. Powell
Winter's Thaw by Marie Harte
THE ALIEN AND THE ELF
A STEAMY SCI FI HOLIDAY NOVELLA
My name is Noelle, and I'm an elf.
I was minding my own business, testing a newly installed engine on Santa's sleigh when it suffered a slight malfunction. I found myself spiraling out of control. Then a beam of light hits from above, and I'm taken on board a spaceship.
Jaxar is a sexy, to-die-for, green-skinned alien who thinks I'm stealing his salvage.
He's never met an elf.
Well, I've never met an alien.
With no way to get home, I need Jaxar's help. Can we work together to fix Santa's sleigh in time to save Christmas?
A HAUNTING FOR CHRISTMAS
A SWEET PARANORMAL ROMANCE NOVELLA
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Will a ghost bring them together for the holidays?
Ava has called the police countless times to report hearing footsteps in her home but an intruder is never found. When she again calls for help, her police officer brother-in-law finally shows up to check out the situation.
Jared promised he would look out for Ava after his brother died, but he's been avoiding her for months, too fearful of betraying his brother's memory as his feelings for her have grown into something more than friendship. When he hears the emergency dispatch, he knows it's up to him to help her.
Jared promises Ava he will get to the bottom of the mysterious footsteps. But can he help her without revealing he's fallen in love with her?
Friday, December 2, 2022
New Release! Shifter Christmas Howlidays #ShiftersUnleashed #HolidayPNR #Shifters #Christmas #HolidayShifters
‘Tis the season to get furry!
Join USA Today Bestselling & Award-winning authors as we come together to celebrate the Howlidays with steamy Shifter Christmas stories just for you.
Lions, Tigers, Dragons, Bears, Wolves, and more await you in this collection of holiday paranormal romance and urban fantasy tales.
Naughty or nice, escape between the pages and get swept away with the new book boyfriends waiting under the tree.
Stories guaranteed to jingle your bells.
But you have to hurry, this anthology won't last forever...
★★★ Stories and Authors Featured in Shifter Christmas Howlidays ★★★
Mistletoe Kisses by Erzabet Bishop
Moongate Island Christmas Claim by C.D. Gorri
An Alpha Christmas by Julie Morgan
A Catmas to Remember by Pepper McGraw
Demon by Day by Lulu M. Sylvian
Snowshifter by P.Mattern
Dreaming of a Yuletide Wolf by Georgina Stancer
Curse of the Snowman by Tricia Schneider
Tiger Love by E.J. Powell
Winter's Thaw by Marie Harte
Friday, November 25, 2022
He's never met an elf. Well, I've never met an alien. #99cents #SciFiRomance #sfr #HolidayRomance #HolidayAliens #ElfRomance #AlienRomance
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My name is Noelle, and I'm an elf.
I was minding my own business, testing a newly installed engine on Santa's sleigh when it suffered a slight malfunction. I found myself spiraling out of control. Then a bright beam of light hits from above, and I'm taken on board a spaceship.
Jaxar is a sexy, to-die-for, green-skinned alien who thinks I'm stealing his salvage.
He's never met an elf.
Well, I've never met an alien.
With no way to get home, I need Jaxar's help. Can we work together to fix Santa's sleigh in time to save Christmas?
A short, steamy, happy-for-now romance between a quirky elf and a brooding alien.
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