B.L. Dayhoff's Blog, page 7

Research, Research, Research

I’d like to say I’ve spent the last 13 days being extremely productive and doing lots of marketing research. But I don’t want to start this relationship off with a lot of lies…

I have been doing a bunch of writing (and getting some great feedback from the writers’ group!!) and…other things? Summer is so hectic!

As for marketing. I made a spreadsheet. It feels like the first great step in any sort of task. So I tracked down the places where my book has already been reviewed or mentioned (and then kept them in mind for future books), then started finding other blogs by searching for keywords. I found a few more. The spreadsheet is coming around. Progress!

I’m just glad all of this can be done from the comfort of my couch. Now, back in the day I suppose the publisher would handle all this, but with smaller publishers that can’t be promised. And it can’t hurt to be prepared to have to give your book that extra little push, right?

Incoming and Outgoing

So I’ve been delinquent in checking my email lately, so I found two emails of interest.

Submission response.
Royalty statement

Right. So I checked the second first, because I was just wondering how it was doing. And I was hoping for a little better, but I’m a new author and this was just pub sales mainly. So not great, but it got me thinking: What should I do? How can I get the word out there?

My first thought is to have a Goodreads giveaway. And then give away my book to some review blogs, or else offer it to some blogs in the genre who do giveaways. I’m just so out of touch with things that it’s a little hard. But when you go with a small press, there is only so much attention they can give. They have other books to put out too.

So I’m getting my hand on various formats of the story and I’m going to do some giveaways. Hopefully get my name out there and get some fresh interest in my kinky little cowboys.

And get my name out there, because the press has accepted my second manuscript!

Yep, that’s right, my second work is out there and accepted. Compared to the tiny little 16,000 of my first one, this is 47,000 and VERY different. Still M/M, but more sweet and casual than rough and sexy.

OMG. I have a backlist!

The Nerves Strike Back

1. I’m terrible at social media…and I apologize. I’m putting it on my mid-year resolution list to get better at doing stuff. At least blogging, if nothing else.

2. I have exciting news! I have the email and the files all set to submit my next book. This one is over 40K and thus is an actual book rather than a novella. I’m a tiny bit nervous (you know, just a little) since I haven’t seen royalties for the first one so I have no idea what’s happening.

And yes, I could look at GoodReads and see what people are saying there…but I’m terrified to do that. Like…if they are saying bad things, do I want to know? Will it screw with my head and I’ll never write again? I think I’d rather see how big/small the royalty check is and base it off that. More than $20? Yay!

I know…I set such high goals for myself.

3. So everything is set up and ready to be sent, but I’m waiting a week to see if I want to read it one more time before sending it off. Or wait until after august (when theoretically royalties would come in). Or hunt down a beta reader and get another set of eyes on this. ALSO, this story is super sweet and very calm (hopefully not boring) compared to my last one. So I hope people like it!

Extra Scene!

I’m on the M/M Romance Group on Goodreads, and they have a flash fiction challenge, which I’ve taken part of. One time it was a cowboy with a little girl, so I wrote a short (100 word) piece.

Because it takes place LONG after Sometimes the Cowboy Falls, I’ve put it under the cut. Enjoy!

Blake wooshed his niece into the air, kissed her temple, and listened to the giggles as his scruff rubbed her soft skin.

“Don’t think she’s quite big enough to be riding that pony yet,” Ivan drawled from his perch on the fence.

He glanced over and leveled his best shut-the-hell-up look. Ivan smirked.

“Your sister said she wanted half an hour with Savanah not being underfoot. She didn’t say what to do with her.”

“So you decided to take her to the rodeo?”

“Not quite a rodeo.” He winked. “Anyway, how else is she going to meet a cute cowboy?”

Release Day!

Today is Release Day for Sometimes the Cowboy Falls!

I am, of course, super excited! I actually have a 100-word drabble that I wrote for a prompt, and I think I’ll post that later this week.

I’m going to go jitter in my chair now :)

Book available for preorder!

I’m excited to announce that Sometimes the Cowboy Falls is available for preorder! You can find it on the Torquere Books website.

Otherwise, life has been HECTIC around here. Nothing terrible, just lots of tiny things throwing various tools in my plans. Poor weather, sick relatives, and friends who need a hand. I’m happy to be able to help everyone and lend a hand, but it sure has taken a lot out of me this week.

Cover reveal!

I’ve been quiet, I know ;)

Part of it is because it’s cold and I don’t want to be dragged out from my blankets. I’ve also been writing and revising and having a life (Shhhhh).

I’m so excited today, though, because I’m through edits for my nearly-a-novella! And I have a cover finished! My artist was really great and worked got me the background image I wanted and dealt with a few rounds of “okay, but a slightly more yellow/gold/brown and what about…”

So hopefully this cover looks as lovely on your screen as it does on mine!

 

Venturing out

I know, I’ve been quiet.

I’ve mostly been busy with non-writing things, so I don’t want to bore you. But I did start attending a local writer’s group that my previous boss got into and when I left that company, he invited me to come (he’d invited me previously, but it felt odd to see him outside of work like that).

It’s a small group. And I’m in a small town. The group in general seems nice, but on my first night, one of the older gents, in response to hearing about queer literature, said, “What next, romance books for dogs?” Everyone else seemed a little horrified by it, so I take heart there. But I’m also pretty tentative on what I take now.

I mean, I wasn’t planning on taking hot sex scenes, but…

Also, After listening to some readings, romance feels so much else literature than what they write. I know romance can be great literature (with depths, blah blah blah), but I’m super nervous.

Thankfully, they only meet twice a month (one meeting is line/copy edits, one meeting is developmental), so I have a month to figure my shit out. And get over my nerves. Oi!

Rooftop Confessions

[image error]

Clay leaned back, closing his eyes to the setting summer sun and Will’s frustrated face. Plus, he hoped it would make it easier when he asked, “So, what is it?”

He heard Will slump down beside him, their hips touching. When Will didn’t say anything, Clay nudged him with this thigh. “Go on.”

Bits of cement tumbled to the roof as Will played the worn fragments. For a while, it was the only noise. Will cleared his throat. More gravel fell. “Remember how you said you’d always have my back?”

Clay opened his eyes and slid one arm behind his head to prop it up, furrowing his brow. “Yeah, of course I do.”

“I’m…I’m gonna need to call in that favor.”

Clay frowned and sat up. “What is it? Some guys giving you shit? Audrey isn’t still texting you dirty pics, is she?”

“No. No, it’s nothing like that.” Will looked away, over the tops of buildings and to the far horizon. “My mom kicked me out.”

“What the fuck?” Anger, and confusion, rose up, tightening his chest. “What the hell? Why?”

Will slowly turned his gaze to Clay. Met his stare with hard eyes. “Because I told her I was gay.”

“And she kicked you out for that? What a fuckin’ bitch!” He grabbed Will and hauled him into a hug.

He almost didn’t hear him whisper against his shoulder, “You’re not pissed. Or disgusted?”

“No, why the fuck would I be.” He squeezed tighter, keeping his friend safe, holding him together when he hiccuped a cry. “You’re my best friend, Will. I will always be here for you.”

There was a laugh mixed in with the noises Will was making. “Even if I check out your ass?”

Clay chuckled. “Man, I’d check out my ass.”

He held Will until the shaking stopped, not asking if it was tears or laughter. Letting Will keep that if he needed to. When he was done, they pulled apart and Clay thumped him on the shoulder. “All better?”

Will nodded. “We’re still… we’re still good?”

Clay rolled to his feet and offered his hand down to Will. “Absolutely.”

The End

© 2014 BL Dayhoff

Submitted!

I decided to take the plunge, not get this story beat read and just submit it. >.<

I'm not sure if it was the right decision, but it's the one I made for this story. I have others in the works, and I think they'll get beta readers (especially if this doesn't go well).

I also should probably go to this local writers' group. But I'm kinda scared. Not fear-for-my-life scared, but I wonder how they'll react to my queer stuff. –sigh– That's for the future. Right now I'm celebrating!