Auryn Hadley's Blog, page 7

I’ve been thinking about Cyberpunk

I’ve always been fascinated with Cyberpunk. The gritty worlds hidden under neon signs and bright clothes, the technology, criminology, morally grey characters… It’s just lovely.

My problem is how close Cyberpunk has become to reality. Nah, we don’t need to enhance our brains. We just clip the tech onto our faces, ears, wrists… We don’t have to speculate about massive corporations. We have phrases for them, and political backlash if you talk about that sort of thing. Our economy is more digita...

This isn’t about politics, it’s about language.

I write about women. I write strong women, seductive women, and sexually naive women. I write about women in trouble, women who save themselves, and women who sometimes need a little help. I’ve written about women who were raped, men who were, and people who have absolutely no sexual trauma. I use words to make my point, to instill emotions, and to wring a response from the reader.

And then, the political season happened. Words are my life. They are my way of reaching out to others, of being...

And then Life Happens

Have you ever noticed how things happen in clusters? First, I moved. Packing, hauling, unpacking, and the finishing touches all took time away from my writing. Somehow, I kept going, but I slowed down so much.

Then, Inseparable came out. I’m hoping my fans enjoy it as much as I loved writing it. The release went nice and smooth, but sadly, I didn’t get to enjoy it as much as I wanted (or had with my previous books).

Why? Because my dear father had complications with his last surgery. So far,...

Interrupted When Writing

This is how I feel when someone interrupts me while I’m in the middle of a new book. Now, I don’t mean something like asking if I need anything from the store, or bringing me dinner. I’m talking about the big interruptions. The kind that break my stride for days at a time.

I have no idea how others do it. All too often, I hear about writers who work full time (I’m a part-time day-jobber and full-time author). They go in for the 8-5 job, slave away, come home, take care of their families, and...

Writing is addictive

I am an addict. I have a problem, but it’s ok. I’m in control… Well, mostly. At least, I like to pretend I am.

See, over the last few weeks, I have been moving into my new “old” home. A decade ago, my husband and I purchased the most adorable little cottage, farmhouse, thing. One bedroom, just under 1000 square feet, with a gorgeous view of the sunset outside my writing window. I love it, but, being over 100 years old, it needed a little love.

He spent his free time doing things like tearing...

Writing, moving, and creating

So, I’ve been busy. Spending this weekend trying to finish moving into my new little old house. I also have a few last minute corrections to make to Inseparable before it comes out. A comma here, a blatant “oh, glad someone pointed that out” there. Then there’s the books I’m still writing, the ones I’m editing, Kitty’s book I’m helping with, and a part-time day job. My clock is ticking, and something has to give.

Typically, that’s sleep, but lately,it’s been connecting with my fans. Trust me,...

Things I’ve learned Making Covers

When I first started making covers for my books, I took the concepts literally (Ha! Punny). With each one, I’ve learned. Every genre has its own style. Every reader has their own preference. Every author wants to brand their work. Trying to get all of that to happen every time? I’m convinced it’s a small miracle.

After being a published author for a whole year – and releasing 8 books – I’ve learned a few things.

First: Vague is best. Never, EVER, try to tell the entire story in a single image...

In full swing!

Defiance comes out on the 19th, at midnight. That means just a little over a day away! I can’t tell you how excited I am for this. Sal’s journey still has a ways to go, and I think you all will understand a lot better around… oh… chapter 4. And that’s all the hint you’re getting!

But, the next book in the series, Inseparable, is proving to be in a lot better shape. If you’re a follower of my blog, you might remember that I had to do a WHOLE lot of editing on Defiance. Early writing, crude for...

Rape Culture is all over our Romance novels!

Now, I’m not a prude or anything – I mean, have you READ my books? But, I still have some very strong opinions on what makes something romantic, and our job as authors to influence people (another blog post all its own). I think the one thing that bothers me the most in “romance” stories of any length/genre is that NO should always mean NO!

No shouldn’t mean “Throw me against the wall and tear my clothes off until I submit.” See, in today’s world, that’s called rape. Granted, it can be pretty...

Writing Love Stories

It doesn’t matter what genre the story is in, Love Stories are compelling. Women love them. Men do, too. Not everyone will admit it, but we’re biologically wired to want love. Notice I said love, not sex.

The problem is being true to the characters. Oh sure, hot and steamy sells really well – to a subset of the market. Not everyone wants penises thrusting into places. Dripping and moist can get awkward fast. But that has nothing to do with a love story. LOVE can be so much more. Maybe it’s f...