Apollo Blake's Blog, page 9
June 29, 2018
Book Reader Magazine Author Interview
Hey y'all! A while back an interview I did went live at Book Reader Magazine and I don't think I ever posted it! You can read it here!
I know in my last post I promised an update soon, and I will write one, but tonight I'd rather be working on a story I can publish soon. No offense or anything. :P I'll try to post info about my next project soon! I have a lot of things planned.
I know in my last post I promised an update soon, and I will write one, but tonight I'd rather be working on a story I can publish soon. No offense or anything. :P I'll try to post info about my next project soon! I have a lot of things planned.
June 7, 2018
I'm Always Internally Screaming
So. New Blog theme. Again. The old one wasn't really fitting for an author blog; this one has a simpler layout and I feel like it will make it easier for people to browse old posts, so for ease of access (and aesthetic needs) here it is.
I have a lot to do tonight, including writing two new short stories and a bit of fanfic, so I'm just going to keep it short and say I have new content coming soon. I'll post a new blog later today or tonight about what I've been up to--I've been playing a cute new game I found and binge-watching The 100 so it's nothing too exciting, but it's something.
Later, y'all!
I have a lot to do tonight, including writing two new short stories and a bit of fanfic, so I'm just going to keep it short and say I have new content coming soon. I'll post a new blog later today or tonight about what I've been up to--I've been playing a cute new game I found and binge-watching The 100 so it's nothing too exciting, but it's something.
Later, y'all!
May 30, 2018
TinyLetter! ...and Dragons.
I have a new (kind of new) mailing list! It looks prettier than my old one. You can find it here. Right now I'm starting work on a new project, and all I can say about it is: dragons. It also has a beautiful cover. I'm having a lot of fun with it, unlike other projects, where I've been dragging my feet in the mud for weeks.
I really wanna write a Blood of Midnight sequel soon, and I have to rewrite Storm of Masks entirely to republish it as Fated Bites, so the next Liesmith book may get pushed back to 2019 or even 2020...but now that I say that it sounds ridiculous and no way am I waiting until 2020, lol. I'll just have to work my ass off and cram.
Right now I've been listening to a lot of Doja Cat and QVEEN HERBY while I write, but I've also been producing some new stuff of my own :)
You can listen to Trap here.
I make original instrumental music, and I started posting some of it under the banner of my IMVU avatar, Mila. Because of course. I went through a huge IMVU phase when I was thirteen, spending time at my aunts house. I didn't have home internet and I'd stay with her because she let me use the computer 24-7.
So like any closeted Gen-Y kid would do in God's years of 2006-2009, I stumbled onto IMVU and made a string of accounts to get free promo-credits, all while drama ensued between me and various strangers twice my age, along with my friends who I convinced to join and meet up with me via Facebook Chat, only to abandon them whenever I got tired of the room we were in.
Ah, the memories.
Anyway I downloaded it again recently and made a new account to see how much the graphics and designs have improved, and was pleasantly surprised how nice things look and how much fun it still is building an avatar. And I will fully admit I threw down 20 bucks on IMVU credits to get Mila the fashion stunts she deserves, okay?
YASSSS QUEEEEN!!!
I'm probably too attached to this digital human, but she can afford a decent wardrobe and I can't (Probably because I spend my money on digital clothes instead of real ones. Or books, always books.) so she provides me with iconic looks, which we all need to survive in this harsh life. Or something.
I've also been sinking cash into Lords Mobile, but I'm done now and I put myself on a strict ban. It's still addicting though, even though they make it next to impossible to level without waiting for hours and hours to recharge or spending cash on it. Don't you love a scam?
Anyway, I came here to write a post plugging my new mailing list and ended up plugging my IMVU avi and forcing my music on y'all, so I'm gonna cut this short and go write something new. Probably fanfiction, because of course I'll spend my time on that instead of my original works. I have no common sense, and if you think I did it's because I pulled the wool over your eyes!
Later, folks <3
I really wanna write a Blood of Midnight sequel soon, and I have to rewrite Storm of Masks entirely to republish it as Fated Bites, so the next Liesmith book may get pushed back to 2019 or even 2020...but now that I say that it sounds ridiculous and no way am I waiting until 2020, lol. I'll just have to work my ass off and cram.
Right now I've been listening to a lot of Doja Cat and QVEEN HERBY while I write, but I've also been producing some new stuff of my own :)
You can listen to Trap here.I make original instrumental music, and I started posting some of it under the banner of my IMVU avatar, Mila. Because of course. I went through a huge IMVU phase when I was thirteen, spending time at my aunts house. I didn't have home internet and I'd stay with her because she let me use the computer 24-7.
So like any closeted Gen-Y kid would do in God's years of 2006-2009, I stumbled onto IMVU and made a string of accounts to get free promo-credits, all while drama ensued between me and various strangers twice my age, along with my friends who I convinced to join and meet up with me via Facebook Chat, only to abandon them whenever I got tired of the room we were in.
Ah, the memories.
Anyway I downloaded it again recently and made a new account to see how much the graphics and designs have improved, and was pleasantly surprised how nice things look and how much fun it still is building an avatar. And I will fully admit I threw down 20 bucks on IMVU credits to get Mila the fashion stunts she deserves, okay?
YASSSS QUEEEEN!!!
I'm probably too attached to this digital human, but she can afford a decent wardrobe and I can't (Probably because I spend my money on digital clothes instead of real ones. Or books, always books.) so she provides me with iconic looks, which we all need to survive in this harsh life. Or something.
I've also been sinking cash into Lords Mobile, but I'm done now and I put myself on a strict ban. It's still addicting though, even though they make it next to impossible to level without waiting for hours and hours to recharge or spending cash on it. Don't you love a scam?
Anyway, I came here to write a post plugging my new mailing list and ended up plugging my IMVU avi and forcing my music on y'all, so I'm gonna cut this short and go write something new. Probably fanfiction, because of course I'll spend my time on that instead of my original works. I have no common sense, and if you think I did it's because I pulled the wool over your eyes!
Later, folks <3
May 21, 2018
I'm not dead, just fighting writer's block
I think the title explains itself so I'll just leave you with a bop, lol. Hopefully I start hating the shape/size/positioning of my desk less in the near future. It doesn't help that this house is built on a big hill and is inevitably a little slanted, because of course it is.
April 18, 2018
The April EP
I posted an EP on SoundCloud earlier this month that I never talked about here. It's a little ambient/instrumental EP.
And yeah, that's lil me on the cover. I think that's when I was five or six.
Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't been active here much; I'm planning Shadows book 2 so I can start writing it very soon, but I have to reread the first book before I get too far into outlining. I'm also balancing two novella projects on the side. So, yeah, I have my hands full.
You can listen to THE APRIL EP here...
I'm going to try and get it up on Spotify in the next couple of weeks, but it's a real dick to get the file conversion right for my distributor, which is why I never posted any of my old music there. Either way, you should check it out if you like relaxing synth sounds and pop stuff.
I'm going to come back here and redesign this blog soon because it needs a new layout. Or I might do it tonight while I procrastinate actual work...
March 26, 2018
Differently
The new Marion Hill song is amazing. All their music is, but this is just...wow.
I'm gonna play this on repeat while I work tonight :)
But There Are Good Days Too
Last night I complained about marketing being too much work. I complained about writing being hard. I wrung my hands in frustration because every word I put on the page felt like I was stepping in mud, and it was weighing me down, and I'd never be able to finish another book.
Then, I took a break. Counted to five. Opened my wip. And I wrote 6000 words, almost without stopping.
There are good days.
You can power through writers block.
It just takes a lot of willpower. And lots of coffee. And maybe the chapter you put down isn't your best, but it has something special to it, some little flair you love, that's keeping you excited for when the time to edit comes. Sometimes that can be enough.
Rewards are little things when you write all day. We work alone. It's stressful, and tiring, and sometimes the best feeling in the world is knowing you hit the 6k mark, and that tomorrow might be a little easier.
Then, I took a break. Counted to five. Opened my wip. And I wrote 6000 words, almost without stopping.
There are good days.
You can power through writers block.
It just takes a lot of willpower. And lots of coffee. And maybe the chapter you put down isn't your best, but it has something special to it, some little flair you love, that's keeping you excited for when the time to edit comes. Sometimes that can be enough.
Rewards are little things when you write all day. We work alone. It's stressful, and tiring, and sometimes the best feeling in the world is knowing you hit the 6k mark, and that tomorrow might be a little easier.
March 25, 2018
The Struggle Is Real
Marketing is torture. Seriously. It's the worst part of being self-published.
My books won't sell if I don't push them on people, but my anxiety refuses to let me. It also makes writing painful sometimes. Like tonight. Which is why I'm writing this blog post instead to rant about it.
Sometimes when I'm writing it feels like I'm flying, and I hammer out like seven thousand words in a sitting and walk away glowing, feeling like a boss. And then sometimes, like tonight, literally nothing sounds more painful than writing.
I'm struggling to put down a single chapter, let alone more than a thousand or two words. It's uncomfortable and it has me on edge.
Normally when it isn't flowing, I just do something else. Tonight I'm forcing myself to keep going, because I'm determined to put out two novellas next month, but I have to be honest, every word feels painful. Even this blog post is giving me difficulty.
Sometimes I can sit down and write about whatever is in my head--I talk about stupid tv shows I like or what I'm listening to. And sometimes that's fun. Most of the time it is. Then there are nights like this, where it feels pointless, like I'm just adding to the noise and I have nothing important or useful or meaningful to say.
The truth is, some of the joy goes out of writing once you start having to constantly stress over the financial aspects of it. I'm worried about how good my writing is or what vibes I should go for with a project, and then it's compounded with whether or not it will even sell, or how I'll get reviews for it when I can't even email a book blogger without having a mild identity crisis.
I know I'm not the only one who goes through it, either, but this can be a really lonely profession. We all feel that. I get it.
Still, it sucks.
For tonight, I'm just going to remind myself I've done this before and I can do it again, too. I've written 50,000 words in five days. I've written 75,000 words in fourteen days. I can do this. I've finished seven books, what's one more, in the grand scheme of things?
I'm going to take a deep breath. Keep writing. And hope for the best.
My books won't sell if I don't push them on people, but my anxiety refuses to let me. It also makes writing painful sometimes. Like tonight. Which is why I'm writing this blog post instead to rant about it.
Sometimes when I'm writing it feels like I'm flying, and I hammer out like seven thousand words in a sitting and walk away glowing, feeling like a boss. And then sometimes, like tonight, literally nothing sounds more painful than writing.
I'm struggling to put down a single chapter, let alone more than a thousand or two words. It's uncomfortable and it has me on edge.
Normally when it isn't flowing, I just do something else. Tonight I'm forcing myself to keep going, because I'm determined to put out two novellas next month, but I have to be honest, every word feels painful. Even this blog post is giving me difficulty.
Sometimes I can sit down and write about whatever is in my head--I talk about stupid tv shows I like or what I'm listening to. And sometimes that's fun. Most of the time it is. Then there are nights like this, where it feels pointless, like I'm just adding to the noise and I have nothing important or useful or meaningful to say.
The truth is, some of the joy goes out of writing once you start having to constantly stress over the financial aspects of it. I'm worried about how good my writing is or what vibes I should go for with a project, and then it's compounded with whether or not it will even sell, or how I'll get reviews for it when I can't even email a book blogger without having a mild identity crisis.
I know I'm not the only one who goes through it, either, but this can be a really lonely profession. We all feel that. I get it.
Still, it sucks.
For tonight, I'm just going to remind myself I've done this before and I can do it again, too. I've written 50,000 words in five days. I've written 75,000 words in fourteen days. I can do this. I've finished seven books, what's one more, in the grand scheme of things?
I'm going to take a deep breath. Keep writing. And hope for the best.
