Kyle Michel Sullivan's Blog: https://www.myirishnovel.com/, page 92

In process...

Got notes back from my editor on Blood Angel...and there were some typos that were so damned obvious, it's embarrassing I didn't see them, myself. I did another skim over the story as I input her corrections, and got it ready to upload to Smashwords...so just did. It's passed the autovetter and now I'm awaiting a final review before it's totally ready to go. Link is above.

I'm a bit nervous about that because in the middle of the book, Léonidès is murdered while being raped. Prior Pious strangles him, thinking he's ending Léon's chance of becoming a Blood Angel...but it doesn't work. They may see this as snuff or something and say they won't carry it.

Then Leon feeds on two men in the course of the second half, killing them. One after raping him, like Pious did to him. He's realizing this enhances the feeding. The second man is condemned to die, anyway, for having murdered a merchant, but it's still difficult to deal with.

Anyway, I've informed them up front that this is a work of gay erotica and horror, but since Smashwords merged with D2D, I'm unsure about what their reaction will be. I did notice that under its listing is the warning taboo erotica. And since the story is being told in first person, by Léon, I'm hoping it's obvious his death isn't absolute.

On a positive note, I got a 4-Star review for How to Rape a Straight Guy on Smashwords:

A confused and angry character, a riveting read. The writing was amazing, as were the characters. I consider this an unforgettable story.

Not very detailed but positive. I'll take it.

I'm currently reading Strong About it All, about how the Troubles and issues with the authorities affected both Catholic and Protestant women in the Derry area. I've got half a dozen more to go through before I turn back to the story...but this is for a specific reason and it's time to make it happen.

What did I do all day?

I honestly have no idea. I paid some bills, balanced my checkbook, bought a few groceries, had a chili-dog at Ted's because they make onion rings that are like crack, worked on the synopsis for BA...and that's it. How does that take up a full day?
I mean, aside from the political junk I do on Twitter?
Oh...and I had an idea for the beginning of BA's 2nd book and wrote that out. Then I read a fascinating piece about William Caxton and his printing of Le Morte d'Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory. Which also gave me some ideas for the lead-up to the story. Malory was a real criminal...whoa. But I'm holding off doing anything more. Let the story percolate for a while.
Oh...wait...I did spend an hour making popcorn in an air-popper that doesn't really work. You put the kernels into this container, they swirl and get hot...and then half the damn things spit out before they begin to pop. I used a 1/4 cup of kernels to start with, which was half what they suggested, then tried it with two tablespoons; the second one I got 7 kernels popped while the rest went everywhere. It was easier to deal with a pot on the stove, using olive oil, and nowhere near as messy, overall.
Tomorrow, I'm diving back into my Irish books for A Place of Safety. My focus, as mentioned many, many times, is to make the characters as real to locals as I can. I know I'll never achieve perfection but if I can get them close...
I'm also back to having discussions with Brendan about his character. I was thinking of making him lightly autistic and he's not having it. "I don't need an excuse to be solitary or do as I want," is his response. "I am who I am, and that's what drives too many mad." I think the only characters I really need to work hard on are his mother, Bernadette, and his older brother, Eamonn, named after his father. The neighbors already have a bit of an attitude and love their gossip. I just need to keep it from sounding too twee...
Oh, right...that'll be easy...

Rude dude...

In a weird mood off bad food and feelin' crude, it's time to be all misconstrued.
Or not.
Worked this up as a synopsis for Book One of Blood Angel:
Near the end of the 11th Century, after the Norman conquest of England, a young carpenter named Léonidès is raped and murdered by several men he trusts. Only he doesn't die; he becomes a Blood Angel, the highest caste of vampire, with greater abilities than the rest. But he doesn't want revenge; he's seeking control.
This is the first of seven volumes following his story up to modern times, as he grows in power and wealth and struggles against those who want to destroy him...including his own sister.
Just to make it fun, this is how I see the beginning of Book Two - Thirty Years, which is set in the east of France as Germany collapses into all out war, early 17th Century. Léon's got six former monks/vampires as his retinue and he's kept them on a tight leash. Metaphorically speaking, not actually. There are too many around who would read that as a master/servant setup.
Oh, and I see the blond guy in the middle as Léon, with silvery-haired Gregory lying on his chest.
I didn't make it to Canada, today. Felt too weird and edgy, like I sometimes do before having intestinal problems. And I did not want to be caught midway between Buffalo and Niagara Falls in need of a bathroom. I hate to waste food, but the remains of the chili I had for lunch probably should have gone into the trash instead of my belly.
Feeling much better, now. And weird.

Done and off to the editor...

Blood Angel-Book One-Léonidès is set as tight as I can make it. 25,260 words, but that includes the title, acknowledgements, copyright info and table of contents. I've already set it into proper format to be readied for transfer into ebook form. Just waiting for feedback and notes. 
Three deaths are detailed in this book -- Léon, himself, a Viking he feeds upon, and an unnamed criminal in Alexandria who'd been condemned to death. This image pretty much shows how I pictured the last one, because Léon not only feeds on him, he rapes him, first. He finds that mixing semen in with his blood is far more satisfying in nourishment.
This book is going to have so many triggers...but they all are. I can already tell. They're also going to be a light review of European history as well as a bit of American and British expansionism.
I'm still planning to release it only in ebook, and if I don't get good response to it, no telling when I'll get to Book 2, which is set during Germany's 30 years war in the 17th Century. Guess we'll see what happens.
If response is really good, I may do a coloring book to accompany the series, but that's well in the future.

Errands, today...

Printed out a copy of BA to do a red pen edit, again. Crisp it up, some more...maybe closer to 24,000 words. That's my goal for tomorrow and Sunday. My birthday is Sunday and I want to have a steak at Ruby Tuesday's in Niagara Falls, Canada, to celebrate. I'm headed over at about 5pm. Got my info set up online and my permit printed out, so should be okay.
There used to be a Tony Roma's, over there, but last time I was able to go the building was empty. Too bad; they had a good filet and baked their potatoes just right. They do have a Ruth's Chriss, which is brutally expensive but amazingly good. I had a gift card for there and took my nephew, for dinner. And even with $150 off it was nearly $300. No steak is worth that much.
I realized, today, I've put less than 1000 miles on my car since the beginning of the year, that's how little I drive it around Buffalo. TBH, the city doesn't interest me enough to go exploring, and I have so many things I want to write and know I'm very slow in that, it seems a waste of time to do so.
The Smashwords sale is almost over, and while I've done all right with it, the vast majority of the books chosen were free copies of Hunter 1-4. CK did not get picked up once while A65 was minimal. Which really disappoints me. Granted, there isn't much I can do to change that since it would take a lot of time and effort, and in August I have to set up my website, again, thanks to GoDaddy upgrading their system and refusing to migrate my current onto it. I would dump them, but I've for over $300 wrapped up in that company...so it stays.
And I just keep plugging along.

Beginning of the last chapter of BA

This takes place after Leon's met with the Oiym council and his new life is set to begin. I've trimmed the story down to just over 25,000 words by removing more repetition than I'd thought was in there.
This is going to be the Smashwords avatar. Oh, and this bit has a hint of gay sex in it, FYI.
-----
The next evening, I was sent home. Same ship. Same crew. Without Nethys but with Gabrielle. I still had my love of the prow of the ship, which worked out well; she preferred the stern to watch the coast slip past, silent and unapproachable. 
Not that I didn't try to speak with her. Our first morning en route, as the sun rose, I saw her seated in her chair, regal as ever, so had approached, saying, "You traveled with no one?" 
She had not moved as she said, "I do not think my ladies in waiting would have enjoyed being part of this ensemble." 
Which made sense. I doubt they would like to have seen her feed, like she had the night before. 
Our sustenance had turned out to be condemned men from Cairo and Alexandria. The Oiym had a quiet arrangement with Caliph Al Afeal, which basically boiled down to, We'll take some of your prisoners and dispose of the bodies; that way you don't have to pay the executioner or undertaker. No questions, please. 
I had been led into a simple room with high windows, where nine men had been chained to the walls, all well-cleaned and barely clothed. All standing. Most swarthy, strong and beefy while others were trim, and none slovenly in body. Shopping had been good in the cities' jails. 
Seeing them had brought a flood of hunger washing over me, filling every pore of my being. It had been weeks since my Viking, so every bit of control I had was needed to keep me from tearing into them. On top of this, all of them had been howling with anger and fear. They had thought they could intimidate us with their curses and scowls and fists and kicks as they yanked against their chains. All that had achieved was for couple to have their trousers fall to reveal genitals that could have been...well, acceptable. 
Anileh had given an overly dramatic huff and said, "Oh, Uttah, no females, again? It seems you're falling into a rut of the same offerings over and over..." 
"Hardly," she'd smiled back. "Our last gathering was eleven months ago." 
"You gave me a fine murderess, who was both useful and tasty...and who thought she could cut my throat with her lengthy fingernails. It was enjoyable. The gathering before that, I had to make do with a runaway slave. He was merely adequate." 
"You are always free to forage for yourself," Nethys had said, her voice on the cool side. Then she had turned to me. "The newest of our kind is allowed first choice." 
I knew she had noticed I'd already locked in on a beardless man with short hair, fine shoulders, full chest and a hint of paunch to his belly. He'd had a sharp scowl of a face and had worn tight knitted breeches cut to below his knees and held in place by a cord, showing off fine legs and a rich crotch. Dark hair swirled over much of his body. The need that grew in me was for far more than just his blood. 
"What was his crime?" I had asked, pointing to him. 
A scroll had appeared in her hand. She'd unrolled it and read, "Murder. He was robbing a merchant's home and was caught by the man, so killed him. He claimed the man had cheated him of his wages." 
"That's rather an overreaction." 
"That could be said of all humans." 
The rest of the ensemble had agreed. 
So he and I had wound up in a finely appointed bedroom with him unchained. The one door had been bolted and the two windows both looked at a drop of perhaps two-hundred feet to jagged rocks. He could not escape me. 
I had figured I was not the only one planning to have fun with his dinner before feeding; Nishu and Ninsira had taken a pair of well-endowed men who were larger than my choice, while Uttah's lad was probably the youngest and slimmest of the group. Nethys had chosen to join the male Oiym in just feeding, if the screams and cries of terror after I had left the chamber were any indication, while I did not want to know what Gabrielle had done. 
I had stripped down to my leggings, my dick pressing against the cloth, showing I was very ready for more than just a meal from this man. 
He'd stood in the center of the bedroom, watching me with fear and anger, asking what I think were questions in his language. I had circled him and he had turned to keep me in sight, his stance wary and filled with warning. 
Then I had pounced and we'd wrestled...and the feel of his body next to mine had sent fire exploding through me. He had gripped me around the torso, thinking to throw me, but instead we'd wound up rolling across the floor. 
After some twisting and turning and kicking and fighting, I had grabbed him from behind, my arms around him, my wrists crossed, and I had pinched his tits as I licked the back of his neck. 
He had howled and struggled more, then we had rolled apart. He'd staggered to his feet, his eyes wide and wary, as I circled him, again...and pounced...and grabbed him around the waist to lift him up...and licked and kissed his tits, this time. 
He had pushed against me, kicking and struggling, and I had grown lost in the glorious feeling of his body crushed next to mine, twisting and turning and pressing even harder against me. I had heard the pounding of his heart. His howls of anger and disgust had only made my emotions wilder. The sweat on his body, trickling through his hair and soaking us both, had only added to the eroticism of the moment. 
We'd kept going like this for several minutes. Perhaps even an hour. Together. Apart. Fighting. Rolling on the floor. Me grabbing his ass and his thighs and pinching his tits and groping his crotch. Him pushing me away. Kicking me away. 
Needless to say, I never wanted it to end.

I'm insane...

Another draft done on BA...and another 2000 words added. Plugging in the origin of the Oiym, the first Blood Angels, and settling Léon with his six monks, once Prior Pious is dealt with...it just kept going and going and going. It's now 118 pages and 26,500 words.
I'm going to print it out, again, and see if there is anything I can drop that isn't necessary...like maybe the last 5 pages. It's just getting to be too much...because I can see where I'm cutting corners on parts of the story just to get past it, and I do not want to add more. Sometimes I can get lost in the detail and forget the scope of the tale.
Aw, fuck it. The book will be what it's going to be. There's fun gay sex in the first half of the book, then Léon is raped and turned and there is vicious gay sex in the second half of the book. So why am I worried about making this literature on the level of Hemingway or Cheever? A lot of self-importance there.
I do like combining gay sex in with solid stories and writing. That's what I've aimed for in all my books...well, except for Carli's Kills and The Alice '65. Blood Angel is going to be no different. I'll write it as best I can then publish it and see what reaction I get.
There's some gay sex in A Place of Safety, but only alluded to in Derry and dealt with more directly in Houston. None of it is in Return. I think part of my issue with BA, right now, is I'm getting antsy and want to turn back to APoS. But I can't until BA is published...which will only be in ebook form so it's not as intense a process.
Another couple of joys, at the moment, are being about to hit 70 years old (on the 31st) and being on antibiotics thanks to what my doctor thinks might be a light case of bronchitis due to the smoke from that fire a few weeks back. I've been hacking up a lung for a couple weeks, so I guess it's good I can take the damn things. But I'm on them for another 10 days.
Oh, and a packing job in Ketchum, Idaho is on, middle of the month. I'm not looking forward to this one.

Envious?

I admit I get a bit jealous of people who can churn out book after book after book and get lots of sales. I'm only human...ish...sort of. But I finally started checking into some of these multi-book authors in the gay erotica area...and I'm finding more than half of them are really short stories or novellas published separately, not even part of a series but stand-alones.
This one author duo I looked at, who said they had written 15 books...their wordage ranged from 6500 to 12,000. And at the same prices I charge for my work. And they seem to be selling, fairly well. I checked through Smashwords' newest offerings and many were in the 80-90K range, but 1/3 were 25-45K.
Right now, the first book of Blood Angel is keeping at between 24,000 and 25,000 words, and I'm thinking that's short. And if I do all 7 within this range, which is not guaranteed, that's 175,000. I need to get over myself when it comes to comparing myself to other authors' offerings and sales. After all, I'm in a very small niche area of publishing. I'll never make a living at it, as CK and A65 have shown, but I'm have my own version of fun.
Going through BA on this draft caught me finding a logical error. I had Prior Pious feeding on Léon in an attempt to kill him, because he thinks that what he has to do to stop a Blood Angel. But Léon hasn't turned, yet. In fact, feeding on him is guaranteed to turn him. So...I changed it to where Pious strangles him...not realizing that won't work for reasons he cannot know.
This happens at about the midway point. So far, not one vampire has fed, yet...but I have indicated that Gabrielle, Léon's sister, has been turned. Don't actually say it, but it's pretty damned obvious. It's from this point that the story turns cruel...and yet, not.
I'm gonna be getting away with a lot, here...

47 more drafts to go

You may think I'm exaggerating, but that's how I write. I rework my work and rework it again and again and again until I'm sick of it then walk away, become un-sick of it and rework it some more. But...I like to think that means I turn out something good.

Each pass through the project adds and streamlines and clarifies...I hope. I really don't know. I just know inputting my red-pen draft is making for more adjustments in the story. What I've posted, so far, is now much changed but getting to be tighter and more clear. At least, it is in my own head. And it's breaking down into the usual components. First, second and third acts, with a major shift in the middle. For all the times I've bitched and moaned about the three-act structure, most of my writing falls neatly into it.

Not all...but most.

I'm considering a couple of possible images for the ebook's avatar, right now. I got both of them for a deal so could potentially use one for the first book and one for the second, if I decide to write it., I'm not guaranteeing anything, right now.

This is the one I'm leaning towards, right now...but with a bit more work to remove the rings under his eyes. Though I do like the haunted aspect of it. This bit of colorizing is what I did on my laptop. I'll make it closer to what I want in photoshop, with lettering.

Book One is now Blood Angel - The Turning, with chapter headings. Not sure how many I'll wind up with, yet, because I've already broken one chapter into two as I'm inputting.

On top of this, the story is turning out to be quite casually cruel...but also honest. Vampires feed on people, which is simple reality. The cutesy versions, like True Blood, and clever ones like Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, dance around this. I'm not going to. I'm taking my cues from Interview With the Vampire, where Lestat is an outright bastard.

Guess we'll see how far I go.

Returned...

New plan. I've just rewritten the first book of Blood Angel, and it seems settled at around 24,000 words. I just completed a red-pen edit of it, dumping most of the first chapter because it was just word-salad meant to set the time and scene but was actually detracting from the story. Tomorrow, I'm going to input the changes, which will be the equivalent of draft 5. I think I'll have it ready to go in a couple weeks.
I'm going to post it solely on Smashwords as an ebook and see what kind of response I get before I move forward with the following books. If things go well and I wind up doing all 7, I'll combine them into a single paperback. I don't think making a series of books this slim is really worth the trouble or expense, and I wouldn't like the look, anyway.
Oh, and I'm thinking of licensing this image for the cover.
Some subtle changes in Léonidès and his monks. Initially, they are taking sexual advantage of him...but also get him to learn how to read and do math. And their turnings are spacing out a bit more. Geoffrey is now Gregory, and he was an ecclesiastical scholar for a king that lived 200 years before Léon. The others were taken, one by one, and forced into becoming vampires by the Prior because he wanted them. They've accepted it, but it's not until they become bound to Léon that they truly enjoy being that way.
I'm also explaining the beginning of the Oiym, the oldest Blood Angels. So far, it's a case of a pack of wolves who roamed Sumaria and those they bit or attacked were infected with vampirism. A woman brought forth a baby during the change, and that's where the bloodline comes from. The Oiym decide to keep the purity of their group by making rules all vampires must follow, under threat of eternal imprisonment, to keep the world from being overrun, and the Prior ran afoul of these rules when he turned Gabrielle, Léon's sister, and then tried to kill Léon.
Dunno if this will make sense in the morning, but we'll see.