Shawna Hunter's Blog, page 6
July 18, 2018
Ce la vie I suppose
Isn't publishing fun?
No, no publishing is probably the most brutal thing an author can go through.
Case in point. I have a 120k MASTERPIECE of a Lesbian thriller/erotica novel that I languished over for a year sitting in publisher limbo. 3 have rejected it, 2 have ghosted me. If one of those ghosts doesn't email me back by Friday I'm going to the sixth publisher to try to get that book out there.
The worst part? That book is the 7th in the Brooke's Hollow universe. It's meant to kick off a major three story arc that will fundamentally change my kinky small town and blow my readers socks off.
But, as I said, it's in publisher limbo so (like all of you) I have to wait, and wait, and wait....and I freaking HATE waiting. So to keep myself busy I've been writing other works. As I don't know what changes a publisher may make to my Brooke's Hollow book, however, I can't really start in on the planned books 8 and 9 (and, before you ask, I can't afford editing and cover art to self publish. I'm broke) so what to write?
Well first I decided to amuse myself with a silly fairy comedy story. It was envisioned as a collection of short stories but I couldn't help giving it an overarching narrative and a few week later I had a book. The best part? It got picked up by the first publisher I sent it to! That's right my actual 7th book will be the little diversion book I wrote while waiting to hear from publishers!
Sucks right? Well you know what sucks worse? This is the SECOND time this has happened! Submission Backstory was written while I was waiting to hear from publishers about Their Meddling Aunt! That's the world of publishing for you. Work hard, pour your heart and soul into something and get nowhere but pump something out in a couple weeks and oh it's great.
I mean it is great, it's actually a really fun read but it's frustrating you know?
Ah well, at least I've got another non-Brooke's Hollow standalone I'm working on while I wait for more publishers on the story I took seriously and I've got the prep work for promoting this book when its released in a few weeks. That'll keep me sane. Because I'm not giving up and if that means a bunch of shorter, fun little books in the mean time then so be it.
Fairies, Sword and Slavery adventures, hell maybe I'll write some superhero sex. Why not have some fun? While I wait to reveal a story that will take your breathe away.
No, no publishing is probably the most brutal thing an author can go through.
Case in point. I have a 120k MASTERPIECE of a Lesbian thriller/erotica novel that I languished over for a year sitting in publisher limbo. 3 have rejected it, 2 have ghosted me. If one of those ghosts doesn't email me back by Friday I'm going to the sixth publisher to try to get that book out there.
The worst part? That book is the 7th in the Brooke's Hollow universe. It's meant to kick off a major three story arc that will fundamentally change my kinky small town and blow my readers socks off.
But, as I said, it's in publisher limbo so (like all of you) I have to wait, and wait, and wait....and I freaking HATE waiting. So to keep myself busy I've been writing other works. As I don't know what changes a publisher may make to my Brooke's Hollow book, however, I can't really start in on the planned books 8 and 9 (and, before you ask, I can't afford editing and cover art to self publish. I'm broke) so what to write?
Well first I decided to amuse myself with a silly fairy comedy story. It was envisioned as a collection of short stories but I couldn't help giving it an overarching narrative and a few week later I had a book. The best part? It got picked up by the first publisher I sent it to! That's right my actual 7th book will be the little diversion book I wrote while waiting to hear from publishers!
Sucks right? Well you know what sucks worse? This is the SECOND time this has happened! Submission Backstory was written while I was waiting to hear from publishers about Their Meddling Aunt! That's the world of publishing for you. Work hard, pour your heart and soul into something and get nowhere but pump something out in a couple weeks and oh it's great.
I mean it is great, it's actually a really fun read but it's frustrating you know?
Ah well, at least I've got another non-Brooke's Hollow standalone I'm working on while I wait for more publishers on the story I took seriously and I've got the prep work for promoting this book when its released in a few weeks. That'll keep me sane. Because I'm not giving up and if that means a bunch of shorter, fun little books in the mean time then so be it.
Fairies, Sword and Slavery adventures, hell maybe I'll write some superhero sex. Why not have some fun? While I wait to reveal a story that will take your breathe away.
July 17, 2018
Their Meddling Aunt (free)
Hello lovers,
So Their Meddling Aunt is FREE on Amazon until Thursday July 19 at noon.
You can get it at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Their-Meddling...
Because of that I thought I'd revisit the back story to this novel. It is not the most professionally edited (I freely admit) and this can be tough for some readers. The reason for this is that I edited it personally. I didn't have the money to pay for an editor, or a cover artist, or anything. I tried to go through professional publishers but....well read below and you'll see why that didn't work.
When it comes to Their Meddling Aunt the story of how we got to this point is just as interesting as the story within the pages. You see this book almost didn't happen.
Their Wild Little Girl was a phenomenal success. Its net earnings in its first three months dwarfed all of my other books combined and although its had its detractors the majority of readers have loved it. Its only flaw was that the story was incomplete. You see when I first decided to turn an over long short story into a novel I figured that a series would be better than a stand alone. As I was to learn, however, the original publisher did not agree. To their way of thinking sequels never earned enough to justify the cost of editing. So Their Meddling Aunt was rejected.
Now ordinarily that wouldn't be a big deal. Rejections are part of the publishing process after all but no other publisher would touch Meddling Aunt without the rights to Wild Little Girl which was under ebook contract. That didn't sit well with me. I know the unresolved questions of Wild Little Girl would bother me as a reader and I couldn't stand the thought that if Their Wild Little Girl had earned even a single fan that they would be left disappointed. That is no way to embark on a writing career. So, in my profound naivite, I decided to self publish.
Now, in all fairness, I originally planned to put it out for free but amazon wouldn't let me. So I made this book as cheap as I could and hoped for the best. Sadly my best at the time was awful. I had no knowledge of cover art designs, no editing skills and no clue about the formatting for ebooks. The original version of Their Meddling Aunt was damn near unreadable. I did later edit it and fix many of these mistakes but the book still didn't live up to its potential and I am profoundly thankful to those readers who put grammar aside to read and review the story for what it was.
That said my greatest thanks must go to Wordwooze Publications who have given my little story that could new life on audible. Working with me to correct the grammar in the process they've produced a high quality, well performed version of my story that nearly brought me to tears. This book was published with love for those fans I hoped one day to have and now it has been reborn with the quality those fans so rightly deserve.
The ebook, as well has been greatly improved and, although still flawed, is something I am no longer ashamed to put out there. A lot of Brooke's Hollow story elements have their seed in this story and I'm glad that those who love my kinky town can have this glimpse into some of its luminaries.
So Their Meddling Aunt is FREE on Amazon until Thursday July 19 at noon.
You can get it at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Their-Meddling...
Because of that I thought I'd revisit the back story to this novel. It is not the most professionally edited (I freely admit) and this can be tough for some readers. The reason for this is that I edited it personally. I didn't have the money to pay for an editor, or a cover artist, or anything. I tried to go through professional publishers but....well read below and you'll see why that didn't work.
When it comes to Their Meddling Aunt the story of how we got to this point is just as interesting as the story within the pages. You see this book almost didn't happen.
Their Wild Little Girl was a phenomenal success. Its net earnings in its first three months dwarfed all of my other books combined and although its had its detractors the majority of readers have loved it. Its only flaw was that the story was incomplete. You see when I first decided to turn an over long short story into a novel I figured that a series would be better than a stand alone. As I was to learn, however, the original publisher did not agree. To their way of thinking sequels never earned enough to justify the cost of editing. So Their Meddling Aunt was rejected.
Now ordinarily that wouldn't be a big deal. Rejections are part of the publishing process after all but no other publisher would touch Meddling Aunt without the rights to Wild Little Girl which was under ebook contract. That didn't sit well with me. I know the unresolved questions of Wild Little Girl would bother me as a reader and I couldn't stand the thought that if Their Wild Little Girl had earned even a single fan that they would be left disappointed. That is no way to embark on a writing career. So, in my profound naivite, I decided to self publish.
Now, in all fairness, I originally planned to put it out for free but amazon wouldn't let me. So I made this book as cheap as I could and hoped for the best. Sadly my best at the time was awful. I had no knowledge of cover art designs, no editing skills and no clue about the formatting for ebooks. The original version of Their Meddling Aunt was damn near unreadable. I did later edit it and fix many of these mistakes but the book still didn't live up to its potential and I am profoundly thankful to those readers who put grammar aside to read and review the story for what it was.
That said my greatest thanks must go to Wordwooze Publications who have given my little story that could new life on audible. Working with me to correct the grammar in the process they've produced a high quality, well performed version of my story that nearly brought me to tears. This book was published with love for those fans I hoped one day to have and now it has been reborn with the quality those fans so rightly deserve.
The ebook, as well has been greatly improved and, although still flawed, is something I am no longer ashamed to put out there. A lot of Brooke's Hollow story elements have their seed in this story and I'm glad that those who love my kinky town can have this glimpse into some of its luminaries.
June 26, 2018
Giveaway June 26-30
Hey lovers,
Great news (for you) my publisher has put my bestselling Beauty and the Bitch on FREE GIVEAWAY from June 26th - 30th. All I ask is that you be cool and leave a review on #Goodreads and/or #Amazon
Description:
Finding her job at risk after an embarrassing mishap, Isabelle is forced to embark on a path to physical fitness, a path, she soon finds, she can't traverse alone. Seeking out a trainer to help her change her body she finds herself in the grasp of the dominant, mischievous and oh so infuriating Rachel. Isabelle quickly learns that changing her body won't be her only challenge when she finds herself becoming attracted to Rachel, of all people. Temptations she'd never imagined possible dazzle her at every turn making it difficult to know which way is up.
Soon Isabelle is involved in a full fledged relationship with the enigmatic trainer, and before she fully understands her feelings toward Rachel they're already being tested. Isabelle's job was always on the line but when Rachel's is also threatened the two must come together like never before. A journey of sex, romance and struggle ensues as the two women are destined to rise or fall together. Can their fledgling relationship survive the road ahead? With Isabelle’s whole world turning upside down the only lifeline is a sexy, naughty, bitchy domme and the tiger within herself that she intends to drag out into the light.
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Bitch-B...
Great news (for you) my publisher has put my bestselling Beauty and the Bitch on FREE GIVEAWAY from June 26th - 30th. All I ask is that you be cool and leave a review on #Goodreads and/or #Amazon
Description:
Finding her job at risk after an embarrassing mishap, Isabelle is forced to embark on a path to physical fitness, a path, she soon finds, she can't traverse alone. Seeking out a trainer to help her change her body she finds herself in the grasp of the dominant, mischievous and oh so infuriating Rachel. Isabelle quickly learns that changing her body won't be her only challenge when she finds herself becoming attracted to Rachel, of all people. Temptations she'd never imagined possible dazzle her at every turn making it difficult to know which way is up.
Soon Isabelle is involved in a full fledged relationship with the enigmatic trainer, and before she fully understands her feelings toward Rachel they're already being tested. Isabelle's job was always on the line but when Rachel's is also threatened the two must come together like never before. A journey of sex, romance and struggle ensues as the two women are destined to rise or fall together. Can their fledgling relationship survive the road ahead? With Isabelle’s whole world turning upside down the only lifeline is a sexy, naughty, bitchy domme and the tiger within herself that she intends to drag out into the light.
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Bitch-B...
June 19, 2018
Indie Authors Need Your Help
Hey lovers,
Have you heard of #cockygate? How about #GetLoud? The Romance (and especially romance/erotica) genres are in trouble these days. Did you know that with 6 books published I struggle to make even $45 in a month. This month I made $4.
I write #LGBT erotica but lately the #LGBT tags have been stripped from my books, especially my Lesbian Romance, and (like many others) I’ve been tossed into a general BDSM Erotica category. This is Amazon trying to sweep a literary genre under the rug as if its no more than porn. It is not. I, like my contemporaries, work hard to write interesting and engaging narratives and we deserve to be treated like any other genre.
You can help. Use the hashtags, call attention to what’s happening, let people know. To help me specifically you can visit my fanpage for all my book links and descriptions but don’t stop with just me. Discuss your favorite authors, leave reviews, let people know that this isn’t a dirty subject. This is literature.
Here's a great explanation of what "book stuffers" are and why they are a problem:
https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/amaz...
facebook.com/ShawnaHunterErotica
Have you heard of #cockygate? How about #GetLoud? The Romance (and especially romance/erotica) genres are in trouble these days. Did you know that with 6 books published I struggle to make even $45 in a month. This month I made $4.
I write #LGBT erotica but lately the #LGBT tags have been stripped from my books, especially my Lesbian Romance, and (like many others) I’ve been tossed into a general BDSM Erotica category. This is Amazon trying to sweep a literary genre under the rug as if its no more than porn. It is not. I, like my contemporaries, work hard to write interesting and engaging narratives and we deserve to be treated like any other genre.
You can help. Use the hashtags, call attention to what’s happening, let people know. To help me specifically you can visit my fanpage for all my book links and descriptions but don’t stop with just me. Discuss your favorite authors, leave reviews, let people know that this isn’t a dirty subject. This is literature.
Here's a great explanation of what "book stuffers" are and why they are a problem:
https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/amaz...
facebook.com/ShawnaHunterErotica
June 17, 2018
To-Be-Read...forever?
My sales are in the toilet lately. I do have a lot of stuff coming. A new book being considered by publishers, a short story coming out as part of a Halloween anthology later this year, a golden flogger nomination for Master May I? Being announced in August, a new story being edited and 2 in the process of being written. I have a lot to announce...save for 1 vital necessity.
I do not have any new reviews. Checking my books on Amazon Author Central and Goodreads is a painful daily ritual lately. I can see that dozens of people have my books marked as to-be-read and some have clicked the star rankings but its those actual reviews that matter. Nothing boosts sales more than readers who share their honest thoughts on a book. Readers have my books, my one publisher does a week long giveaway every few months, but it seems that no one is (figuratively) cracking the spines. My sexy stories are languishing in the dust of to-be-read shelves and not getting the attention that they so desperately need.
How do I change this? How do I get people to select my stories from overstuffed kindle shelves? And, once they do, how do I get them to take a moment to type out their thoughts on what they've read (good or bad) so that the discussions can stay fresh? I have no answers at this time.
I do not have any new reviews. Checking my books on Amazon Author Central and Goodreads is a painful daily ritual lately. I can see that dozens of people have my books marked as to-be-read and some have clicked the star rankings but its those actual reviews that matter. Nothing boosts sales more than readers who share their honest thoughts on a book. Readers have my books, my one publisher does a week long giveaway every few months, but it seems that no one is (figuratively) cracking the spines. My sexy stories are languishing in the dust of to-be-read shelves and not getting the attention that they so desperately need.
How do I change this? How do I get people to select my stories from overstuffed kindle shelves? And, once they do, how do I get them to take a moment to type out their thoughts on what they've read (good or bad) so that the discussions can stay fresh? I have no answers at this time.
May 15, 2018
The Publishing Journey
With self publishing the eternally tempting easy road traditional or e-publishing's difficulties seem more and more pointless. They are not. Self-publishing is expensive, time consuming and more often than not you only get pennies in return.
So we jump through the hoops. This publisher wants submissions one way, that one an entirely different way. This pub accepts simultaneous submissions, that one won't even open your email if they don't have exclusive say for months. Wait 30 days for a reply, only 14 days here, up to 60 from us, etc, etc, etc and even when you do get a reply they want changes, always different changes, and throw more hoops your way.
In my current quest to bring A Girl Named Flower to you all I've been told to give up on Brooke's Hollow, that the book "isn't marketable to our readers" (understandable from that pub), and I've even been totally ghosted. Yep, they wanted changes, we discussed it for a couple days, I made changes, they said it wasn't enough, I asked for examples, they promised them within a week and never replied again. It's been almost 2 months and I consider them to have dropped me.
It's a rough process. One full of waiting, bitter rejections and self doubt. It is certainly the furthest thing from fun a writer can experience but it's worth it. Not just to bring a professionally published book to market or to get better sales. It's worth it because the struggle makes you a better author (all those changes are practice), it builds contacts and a professional reputation (how you handle applications and rejections) and it develops character. Being told that you're not good enough, that this book you've worked so hard on isn't worthy and to soldier on because you believe in it.
It's a long, hard road but, then, it is down those roads that the best stories are found.
So we jump through the hoops. This publisher wants submissions one way, that one an entirely different way. This pub accepts simultaneous submissions, that one won't even open your email if they don't have exclusive say for months. Wait 30 days for a reply, only 14 days here, up to 60 from us, etc, etc, etc and even when you do get a reply they want changes, always different changes, and throw more hoops your way.
In my current quest to bring A Girl Named Flower to you all I've been told to give up on Brooke's Hollow, that the book "isn't marketable to our readers" (understandable from that pub), and I've even been totally ghosted. Yep, they wanted changes, we discussed it for a couple days, I made changes, they said it wasn't enough, I asked for examples, they promised them within a week and never replied again. It's been almost 2 months and I consider them to have dropped me.
It's a rough process. One full of waiting, bitter rejections and self doubt. It is certainly the furthest thing from fun a writer can experience but it's worth it. Not just to bring a professionally published book to market or to get better sales. It's worth it because the struggle makes you a better author (all those changes are practice), it builds contacts and a professional reputation (how you handle applications and rejections) and it develops character. Being told that you're not good enough, that this book you've worked so hard on isn't worthy and to soldier on because you believe in it.
It's a long, hard road but, then, it is down those roads that the best stories are found.
April 5, 2018
Diversity
I was just commenting on a blog about getting more diverse winners for some romance award (see my twitter) and the suggestion was to create a "diversity romance" category. That irked me because it focuses on the author over the work but also because I wouldn't want my books in such a category. Yes I write diverse characters but that does not and should not define my work. For example:
The book I'm trying to get published, A Girl Named Flower, is about Jane Chen (from Submission Backstory) and her girlfriend Abeba (a tongueless black lesbian from Ethiopia who escaped a sex trafficking ring that caught her shorty after she came to America) trying to build a new life in Brooke's Hollow while hiding from a hitman (sent by the traffickers) and making a royal mess of it. Neither woman is defined by any of the above information. Abeba is strong, funny, caring and a great listener. Jane is manipulative and scheming but she's also a protector who is willing to put herself in danger for her love.
It's an erotic BDSM/Romance/Crime thriller. The identities of the main characters don't change that. If it were ever put up for an award I'd want it to be for one of these categories not for having an interracial couple. It's the same reason Master May I? Was nominated in Advanced BDSM for the Golden Floggers and not LGBT BDSM. despite Alyssa being torn between her attractions to a man and a woman (she is bisexual). Hell that's not even the main POINT of the plot.
Perhaps I am old fashioned in this regard. The world today does seem to be all about identity but for me the story matters, not the author. I don't choose to read a book based on who wrote it but on what its about and I wouldn't want someone to read one of my books for any other reason than that they want to read the story. Yes I have black characters, asian characters, gay and bisexual characters, disabled characters, etc, etc, etc but these are CHARACTERS. They have names, personalities, quirks. They are no more defined by what they are than I am.
And I would never want to change that.
The book I'm trying to get published, A Girl Named Flower, is about Jane Chen (from Submission Backstory) and her girlfriend Abeba (a tongueless black lesbian from Ethiopia who escaped a sex trafficking ring that caught her shorty after she came to America) trying to build a new life in Brooke's Hollow while hiding from a hitman (sent by the traffickers) and making a royal mess of it. Neither woman is defined by any of the above information. Abeba is strong, funny, caring and a great listener. Jane is manipulative and scheming but she's also a protector who is willing to put herself in danger for her love.
It's an erotic BDSM/Romance/Crime thriller. The identities of the main characters don't change that. If it were ever put up for an award I'd want it to be for one of these categories not for having an interracial couple. It's the same reason Master May I? Was nominated in Advanced BDSM for the Golden Floggers and not LGBT BDSM. despite Alyssa being torn between her attractions to a man and a woman (she is bisexual). Hell that's not even the main POINT of the plot.
Perhaps I am old fashioned in this regard. The world today does seem to be all about identity but for me the story matters, not the author. I don't choose to read a book based on who wrote it but on what its about and I wouldn't want someone to read one of my books for any other reason than that they want to read the story. Yes I have black characters, asian characters, gay and bisexual characters, disabled characters, etc, etc, etc but these are CHARACTERS. They have names, personalities, quirks. They are no more defined by what they are than I am.
And I would never want to change that.
March 24, 2018
Amazon Troubles
So I'm pretty sure I haven't run afoul of any algorithms. I think Amazon is just having server issues but this isn't the first time. Author central shows no sales and no predictions, my author rank won't show and my books don't show as available when I visit on my phone (only my computer).
For Their Wild Little Girl this is a minor annoyance. That book exists on multiple sites but (publisher decision) all of my other books are Amazon/Audible exclusives. If the site messes up then I lose out big time. It's really frustrating and, in retrospect, it's one of the things I regret most.
Kindle Unlimited and The Romance Package held such promise and they were great for readers but authors? We lose out big time. I barely see $50/month when all 6 of my books in 2 different formats (ebook and audiobook) are combined and a big part of that is that the actual book just isn't getting purchased. Going forward I'm going to be looking for publishers who diversify their mediums and this will hopefully help me reach a point where writing is a more reliable source of income. Until then I can only hope that Amazon gets it together soon.
For Their Wild Little Girl this is a minor annoyance. That book exists on multiple sites but (publisher decision) all of my other books are Amazon/Audible exclusives. If the site messes up then I lose out big time. It's really frustrating and, in retrospect, it's one of the things I regret most.
Kindle Unlimited and The Romance Package held such promise and they were great for readers but authors? We lose out big time. I barely see $50/month when all 6 of my books in 2 different formats (ebook and audiobook) are combined and a big part of that is that the actual book just isn't getting purchased. Going forward I'm going to be looking for publishers who diversify their mediums and this will hopefully help me reach a point where writing is a more reliable source of income. Until then I can only hope that Amazon gets it together soon.
February 27, 2018
Hollowerotica and Updates
Hello lovers,
I've taken a little step back from book 8 of the Brooke's Hollow saga while book 7 languishes in new publisher limbo (I have 2 weeks left in the time frame the first publisher requested). I do have a list of publishers to shop it out to but given that most hate simultaneous submissions it may take some time.
In the meantime I'm working on a short store (25-40k) for a Halloween erotica anthology that will come out (including in paperback) later this year. This will be my first story away from Brooke's Hollow and will look at a group of millennial witches setting out to contact the ancients and succeeding only in ticking them off...with sexy results (of course, it's me).
So be sure to follow my twitter and FB fanpage for updates and don't worry. Be it with a new publisher or via self-publishing Brooke's Hollow will live on.
I've taken a little step back from book 8 of the Brooke's Hollow saga while book 7 languishes in new publisher limbo (I have 2 weeks left in the time frame the first publisher requested). I do have a list of publishers to shop it out to but given that most hate simultaneous submissions it may take some time.
In the meantime I'm working on a short store (25-40k) for a Halloween erotica anthology that will come out (including in paperback) later this year. This will be my first story away from Brooke's Hollow and will look at a group of millennial witches setting out to contact the ancients and succeeding only in ticking them off...with sexy results (of course, it's me).
So be sure to follow my twitter and FB fanpage for updates and don't worry. Be it with a new publisher or via self-publishing Brooke's Hollow will live on.
February 11, 2018
Sultry Saturday
Hey lovers,
In an attempt to grow my social media reach and build a Brooke's Hollow fanbase (while I wait for new publishers to reply to my submission) I've decided to do a weekly short story post on my facebook fanpage (as well as my tumblr and Fetlife profiles if you follow me there). This will be referred to in my tweets and FB posts as "Sultry Saturday" and will often (but not always) feature characters from my existing and future works.
The first short "Cum Quietly" is already up (link below) and features Isabelle from Beauty and the Bitch (which is free Feb 11-15th btw) being punished in a delightful way after she forgot to do a chore at home. Rachel can be so...cruel ;) Check it out and be sure to invite your friends to like my fanpage. Big things are happening!
https://www.facebook.com/ShawnaHunter...
In an attempt to grow my social media reach and build a Brooke's Hollow fanbase (while I wait for new publishers to reply to my submission) I've decided to do a weekly short story post on my facebook fanpage (as well as my tumblr and Fetlife profiles if you follow me there). This will be referred to in my tweets and FB posts as "Sultry Saturday" and will often (but not always) feature characters from my existing and future works.
The first short "Cum Quietly" is already up (link below) and features Isabelle from Beauty and the Bitch (which is free Feb 11-15th btw) being punished in a delightful way after she forgot to do a chore at home. Rachel can be so...cruel ;) Check it out and be sure to invite your friends to like my fanpage. Big things are happening!
https://www.facebook.com/ShawnaHunter...
