Q. Kelly's Blog, page 21
December 29, 2011
2012: Writing, Teaching, Or...?
R.G. Emanuelle at Women and Words asked about writing goals for 2012. I went: "Hmm." Writing goals were something I had not thought about, which is kind of foolish, considering writing is what I do now. I guess I'm just good at planning unconsciously. I am a dang good planner and dang good at saving money, too.
Anyway, this is what I wrote over there: "Goals, huh? I had not thought about this, but I should! So thanks for the question. Hmm, I guess my goals (especially if I decide not to do teaching in the fall) are to get "Switch" finished and published in 2012. I have gotten much better at writing speedily (though writing full time helps), so my #1 writing goal is to basically continue putting out quality works at a good pace, which in turn leads to me continuing to be able to live entirely on my indie writing income."
That's it, basically ;-) I'm torn on whether I want to do teaching, especially since it means a move to a different city. I really like what I have going now, and if/when I teach, my writing is going down dramatically. The next few months will be pivotal in my decision.
Anyway, this is what I wrote over there: "Goals, huh? I had not thought about this, but I should! So thanks for the question. Hmm, I guess my goals (especially if I decide not to do teaching in the fall) are to get "Switch" finished and published in 2012. I have gotten much better at writing speedily (though writing full time helps), so my #1 writing goal is to basically continue putting out quality works at a good pace, which in turn leads to me continuing to be able to live entirely on my indie writing income."
That's it, basically ;-) I'm torn on whether I want to do teaching, especially since it means a move to a different city. I really like what I have going now, and if/when I teach, my writing is going down dramatically. The next few months will be pivotal in my decision.
"All in the Family" Proof Arrived
Here's a picture of my overthrilled weiner dog (and bookend) with the AITF proof. :-)
DRM License Plate
Earlier today, I saw this on a license plate: DRM EVIL.
Hmmm ;-) Wonder if it speaks of the same DRM we luvvvv (speaking sarcastically).
Hmmm ;-) Wonder if it speaks of the same DRM we luvvvv (speaking sarcastically).
December 28, 2011
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night Once Upon a Time
I'm supposed to be working on "Third," and I am. I swear I am! I have, however, taken the past week off, so easing back into work is sometimes not smoooooove for me. A little blog post usually helps me get into a more worky-work girl framework of mind, so here goes.
Part of the second-draft revisions I am doing for "Third" include switching the first and second chapters (and making the corresponding chronological changes). The first line of Chapter Two (the old Chapter Two, now Chapter One) read: "Anne awoke at six a.m." I knew I'd have to change that. Starting with an awakening scene is usually a big no-no. Besides, I can think of many better ways to hook a reader than that line.
My thinking on first lines...hmm. They're like everything else. Take care with them. Put forth the best line possible, but don't overthink it (or the first page). The book as a whole has to be good. That said, a bad first line and a bad first page will cause me to put a book down and read no more.
Here are the first paragraphs (with my comments below them) from my works so far. The short-story collections are not included.
"The Odd Couple": Morrisey Hawthorne could not believe June had come already. It did not seem possible that two months had passed since her father's heart attack. She had shivered through his funeral in April, had put up with overcast skies and that miserable, gray drizzle. Now the sky was blue and unblemished. The sun was out in full force for what promised to be a hot summer filled with trips to swimming holes and quality time with Gareth. But Morrisey wanted to go back to April—to April 20th. She could have stopped by her parents' house that day while her mother was out shopping. She could have called 911 and maybe...well, maybe her father would not have died alone.
My comments: The opening paragraph from my first published book has a bit of weather stuff, but I give it a purpose. It is not overkill. Writing books generally say to avoid weather-ish opening scenes. Is this the best first line/first paragraph ever? Nope, but at least there was a point to the weather references. Can you tell this is my first published book? Maaaayhaps.
****
"Strange Bedfellows": Frances hoped the prostitute would have alcohol. Surely she would. The other one, from three years ago, had. Every time. Besides, the agency had asked again about Frances's drinking preferences for a reason, right? High class, the agency. Their people knew that drinking preferences could change in three years. Not hers, though. A rum and Coke would hit the spot exactly, calm her nerves. She would have one glass. Maybe two. If she really needed a third, fine. Any more, and she refused to risk driving home.
My comments: Not bad, especially the first line. The opening few pages to "Strange Bedfellows" were something I kept changing. Heck, "The Odd Couple" first few pages too.
****
"Waiting": Caris sighed, trying not to say her wife's name, even if it was just in her mind. But she could not help it. Dale. Dale. Where are you? There's no excuse. It's 10 a.m.!
My comments: This was an opening I didn't sweat as much as the above two. It's generally not a good idea to open with a "thoughts" scene, but it works for "Waiting."As long as the interiority is compelling, I say go for it. Here, a mystery is raised: Where is Caris's wife? Also, why is Caris so scared she won't say aloud her wife's name?
****
"All in the Family" (publication begins January 1, 2012): Allison did not like the woman with the big black hair who bounced into The Addict a moment ago. Allison's dislike was not because of the nasal Jersey-accented voice that made her want to invest in good earplugs. Nor was the dislike because the woman, braying with laughter at her own indecision, kept changing her order, from a black coffee to a latte to a cappuccino then back to a plain coffee with a brownie.
My comments: You're generally supposed to write in "positives" language, not "negatives" language. This is to say that instead of writing: "He could not afford a car," you might want to write: "A bike was all he could afford." Something like that. So why is the AITF opening kind of a Negative Nellie? Well, this opening paragraph definitely has a purpose, which becomes clear quickly. One thing I've noticed about my openings is that I try to raise questions readers would like to see answered. Breaking the rules is fine as long as you do it with conscious purpose.
**** "Third" (rough draft): Anne's teeth used to be bad, so she had a workaround for when she brushed them. No matter that her teeth were marvelous now. In her mind, they would always be worn little pebbles. Her workaround was simple: no looking in the mirror. Anne wandered through her apartment, taking in the library, the neatly stacked books, the many paintings she had done and the living room with the security guard, who was usually Jordan. When she was almost finished brushing her teeth, she went back down the hallway. Afterward, Anne usually took a long, luxurious bath, complete with bubbles. This morning was no different except that after her bath, Anne used a Ped-Egg to touch up her heels.
My comments: This is a rough-draft opening. Could be risky. I mean, opening with bad teeth? Um...really? Bad teeth? But then again, back to the "unanswered questions." Why did Anne have bad teeth? Why are her teeth marvelous now? Why does she have a security guard in her living room? Is he related to the teeth?
I liked the old opening better. Maybe after "Third" is published, I'll explain why I switched the first two chapters. Here's the old opening (now begins Chapter Two):
Helen would have to kiss Devon good night. No doubt about it; after three dates, Devon had been giving Helen certain looks, certain touches. Helen tried to focus on her dinner—chicken and baked potato—but could not taste the food. The chicken probably was good; it was thick, succulent and juicy. And Devon was nice, with kissable lips: full and pouty. In other circumstances, kissing them would be no tragedy.
****
Well, OK then. This is my cue to get back to work on "Third." :-D
Part of the second-draft revisions I am doing for "Third" include switching the first and second chapters (and making the corresponding chronological changes). The first line of Chapter Two (the old Chapter Two, now Chapter One) read: "Anne awoke at six a.m." I knew I'd have to change that. Starting with an awakening scene is usually a big no-no. Besides, I can think of many better ways to hook a reader than that line.
My thinking on first lines...hmm. They're like everything else. Take care with them. Put forth the best line possible, but don't overthink it (or the first page). The book as a whole has to be good. That said, a bad first line and a bad first page will cause me to put a book down and read no more.
Here are the first paragraphs (with my comments below them) from my works so far. The short-story collections are not included.
"The Odd Couple": Morrisey Hawthorne could not believe June had come already. It did not seem possible that two months had passed since her father's heart attack. She had shivered through his funeral in April, had put up with overcast skies and that miserable, gray drizzle. Now the sky was blue and unblemished. The sun was out in full force for what promised to be a hot summer filled with trips to swimming holes and quality time with Gareth. But Morrisey wanted to go back to April—to April 20th. She could have stopped by her parents' house that day while her mother was out shopping. She could have called 911 and maybe...well, maybe her father would not have died alone.
My comments: The opening paragraph from my first published book has a bit of weather stuff, but I give it a purpose. It is not overkill. Writing books generally say to avoid weather-ish opening scenes. Is this the best first line/first paragraph ever? Nope, but at least there was a point to the weather references. Can you tell this is my first published book? Maaaayhaps.
****
"Strange Bedfellows": Frances hoped the prostitute would have alcohol. Surely she would. The other one, from three years ago, had. Every time. Besides, the agency had asked again about Frances's drinking preferences for a reason, right? High class, the agency. Their people knew that drinking preferences could change in three years. Not hers, though. A rum and Coke would hit the spot exactly, calm her nerves. She would have one glass. Maybe two. If she really needed a third, fine. Any more, and she refused to risk driving home.
My comments: Not bad, especially the first line. The opening few pages to "Strange Bedfellows" were something I kept changing. Heck, "The Odd Couple" first few pages too.
****
"Waiting": Caris sighed, trying not to say her wife's name, even if it was just in her mind. But she could not help it. Dale. Dale. Where are you? There's no excuse. It's 10 a.m.!
My comments: This was an opening I didn't sweat as much as the above two. It's generally not a good idea to open with a "thoughts" scene, but it works for "Waiting."As long as the interiority is compelling, I say go for it. Here, a mystery is raised: Where is Caris's wife? Also, why is Caris so scared she won't say aloud her wife's name?
****
"All in the Family" (publication begins January 1, 2012): Allison did not like the woman with the big black hair who bounced into The Addict a moment ago. Allison's dislike was not because of the nasal Jersey-accented voice that made her want to invest in good earplugs. Nor was the dislike because the woman, braying with laughter at her own indecision, kept changing her order, from a black coffee to a latte to a cappuccino then back to a plain coffee with a brownie.
My comments: You're generally supposed to write in "positives" language, not "negatives" language. This is to say that instead of writing: "He could not afford a car," you might want to write: "A bike was all he could afford." Something like that. So why is the AITF opening kind of a Negative Nellie? Well, this opening paragraph definitely has a purpose, which becomes clear quickly. One thing I've noticed about my openings is that I try to raise questions readers would like to see answered. Breaking the rules is fine as long as you do it with conscious purpose.
**** "Third" (rough draft): Anne's teeth used to be bad, so she had a workaround for when she brushed them. No matter that her teeth were marvelous now. In her mind, they would always be worn little pebbles. Her workaround was simple: no looking in the mirror. Anne wandered through her apartment, taking in the library, the neatly stacked books, the many paintings she had done and the living room with the security guard, who was usually Jordan. When she was almost finished brushing her teeth, she went back down the hallway. Afterward, Anne usually took a long, luxurious bath, complete with bubbles. This morning was no different except that after her bath, Anne used a Ped-Egg to touch up her heels.
My comments: This is a rough-draft opening. Could be risky. I mean, opening with bad teeth? Um...really? Bad teeth? But then again, back to the "unanswered questions." Why did Anne have bad teeth? Why are her teeth marvelous now? Why does she have a security guard in her living room? Is he related to the teeth?
I liked the old opening better. Maybe after "Third" is published, I'll explain why I switched the first two chapters. Here's the old opening (now begins Chapter Two):
Helen would have to kiss Devon good night. No doubt about it; after three dates, Devon had been giving Helen certain looks, certain touches. Helen tried to focus on her dinner—chicken and baked potato—but could not taste the food. The chicken probably was good; it was thick, succulent and juicy. And Devon was nice, with kissable lips: full and pouty. In other circumstances, kissing them would be no tragedy.
****
Well, OK then. This is my cue to get back to work on "Third." :-D
December 27, 2011
The Strange, Unpredictable Creature That Is Sales
Two blog posts from me in one day? Wow. Lucky you ;-) Fact is, my wife left a few hours ago for a several-days trip to West Virginia. Without her lounging around (and causing me to want to lounge around too), I feel the need to be halfway productive among all my Wii gaming sessions.
So!
Sales is a strange beast. You truly never know what will happen. Take "Harry Potter" for example. Or John Locke's books and Amanda Hocking's books. I am sure that many books just as good (or better) have languished on the sales pile. (This goes for TV, too. Many critically acclaimed shows do not get many viewers, while reality TV gets more eyeballs than an eyeballs factory. Disclaimer: I love "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." Commence egg throwing at me.)
Another digression! Since I typed "Creature" in the title, all I can think about is this thing I did a while ago (see picture on right). Might as well use this creature to represent the sales beast ;-)
Now, in the other blog post I did today, I tacked on an addition about sales. Here's the addition in its entirety:
*** Edited: Someone reminded me about the sales metric as regards promotion. Being deaf has not hurt me here either. My sales are very, very good. "Waiting" in particular I have to thank for letting me write full time. Since shortly after it was released, "Waiting" has been a mainstay in the Amazon top 20 lesfic and was even in there twice a few times as a print book and e-book. It outsells my other books combined and accounts for about 60 percent of my overall revenue.Why? I have a few theories (maybe that's a subject for another post) but bringing this back to the issue of me being deaf, the fact that I've been able to cut down on my other work and write full time pretty much tells you that being deaf is not hurtful at all. Again, the writing speaks for itself.
(End of addition)
I thought it might be interesting to analyze why some books do well and others not so well. I can tell you it's frustrating.
I released "Strange Bedfellows" in ebook at the end of August (print in September). I asked reviewers to do .... REVIEWS. Yes! Reviews. I could've asked the reviewers to cook for me or juggle clowns, but what they do is reviews ;-) So, some did reviews, and I got several reviews without asking for them. All reviews were overwhelmingly good. Great critical acclaim, yadda yadda. So how were sales? Not as good as I had hoped. "Strange Bedfellows" dipped in and out of the lesfic top 100 (it did hit #1 in Germany at one point for both gay and lesbian English books, which thrilled me to no end. However, there are not many German buyers). I'll admit I was discouraged. One thing that kept popping up was that readers thought from the blurb that the book was a comedy. I reworked the blurb to lend it a more-serious tone ("Strange Bedfellows" a comedy? Far from it).
OLD BLURB: What happens when the queen of the ex-gay movement decides to come out of the closet? The person who helps Frances Dourne with this enormous task is a call girl Frances hires. A call girl with a secret of her own. Can they learn to trust each other enough to find the love they seek in each other's arms?
NEW BLURB: Frances Dourne is apparently a shining example for ex-gays. She runs Gay is a Choice, a national ex-gays group. What people do not know is that she is deeply unhappy. She is ready to come out of the closet and be true to herself. She seeks help and feedback--and okay, maybe a sexual treat or two--from a high-class call girl.
Elena, the call girl, wants to escape from the realities of her past, and her job allows her to do so. She never gets attached to her clients, but her new client surprises her. Can Elena and Frances learn to trust each other enough to find the love they seek in each other's arms?
Sales picked up for about a week, then returned to the previous position.
Well, dang. Color me frustrated. I knew I had a great book, so why were people not buying it? I knew one factor was a backlist. The more books I had out, the more sales would go up (for all the books). I also felt the subject matter might have something to do with it. The main characters are an ex-gays group leader who is finally admitting she is gay and readying to come out AND a high-class call girl. These snapshots may have turned readers off to the point where readers would not bother to read the book reviews.
So, OK. This made me very fearful for "Waiting," which I envisioned coming out in mid-October. If the "Strange Bedfellows" blurb turned off people, I was dang tootin' sure the "Waiting" blurb would, too. Here's the blurb:
Caris Ismay, 30, is falling in love with a woman she dares not pursue, and at exactly the wrong time. Caris knew that life after having her baby would be different, especially since her wife did not love her anymore. But Caris never expected post-baby life to be this difficult. Dale, her wife of three years, is in a coma that turns into a vegetative state. Lena, Dale's 29-year-old daughter, is put in the awkward position of revealing Dale's secrets to Caris.
Caris and Lena share a perfect, passionate kiss that they cannot stop thinking about. Plus, they can help each other in ways no one else can. They try to build a friendship, but their growing attraction gets in the way. Can Caris and Lena move past the taboo of their attraction and find their path together?
I posted earlier versions on Facebook to get feedback. My immediate concerns were thus: how to get across that Caris, while, yes, she is Lena's stepmother, did not raise Lena, is about the same age as Lena, etc. to get rid of some/any "ick" factors people might have. Plus the fact that Caris is married -- how to get across in the blurb so it doesn't turn people off if they think she is cheating on her wife, and with her wife's daughter of all people?
The feedback I got from the people on Facebook helped me tweak the blurb to the italicized version above. I still thought it was likely to turn people off (some people said in the comments it bothered them). Nothing I could do, though. The story, and the plot, was what it was, and I was proud of "Waiting."
I was thoroughly prepared for sales at the same level as "Strange Bedfellows" or lower.
So, while I was getting "Waiting" ready for publication, I was working on the reissue of my first book, "The Odd Couple." It had been in print before but never ebook. I revised/improved it for a second edition (print and ebook) and released it about two weeks before "Waiting." Its sales were about the same as "Strange Bedfellows."
So, "Waiting" came out. It did decently the first couple of weeks. Better than "Strange Bedfellows," which I had expected in part because of the base I'd built with "Strange Bedfellows." (There was a three-year separation between the first issue of "The Odd Couple" and "Strange Bedfellows.)
Anyway, so, "Waiting" even got to #3 on Amazon lesfic before doing a swan dive out of the top 100 lesfic.
Then something happened. "Waiting" started to climb again. And again. And again. Until, bless my excited little heart, it hit the big number 1 in Amazon U.S. lesfic. Stayed there four days, and since then it has been a mainstay in the Amazon top 20 lesfic. The print edition even appeared in the top 100 lesfic, so I had "Waiting" there twice at the same time.
Meanwhile, sales of "Strange Bedfellows" and "The Odd Couple" had about doubled, but "Waiting" still outsold them combined. This is not to say "Strange Bedfellows" and "The Odd Couple" don't sell well. They are, more often than not, in the Amazon top 100 lesfic. But the phenomenon that is "Waiting" -- wow. I do not know how or why it happened, but it did. At the same time, I was (and am) thrilled and frustrated. "Strange Bedfellows" is just as good, I think, and deserves equal sales. (I did not expect too much for "The Odd Couple" because it had been out three years already. In this respect, its ebook sales are pleasantly surprising me. It's reached a totally different audience, I suppose.)
"Strange Bedfellows" then won two incredible awards. ("Waiting" was published too late for me to enter it -- next year I'll enter it). Did "Strange Bedfellows" sales pick up? No, not really, but "Waiting" continued plugging on.
So, let me toss around some theories for the sales disparity.
1) It may be as simple as someone told me: some books (or things) take on a wonderful, strange life of their own due to many lucky factors coming together. You can never know why for sure.
2) Maybe "Strange Bedfellows" just needs more time. I'm an indie author, and one big joy in this is that the rights are mine as long as I live (and then some). Maybe a few years from now, "Strange Bedfellows" will (see #1 above) pick up and do lots of leapfrogs.
3) Could be as simple as the fact that the ex-gay group leader/call girl thing simply turns some people off. However, there remains the fact "Strange Bedfellows" IS a top-100 seller. So I think the focus here really is not on why "SB" doesn't sell better but on why the heck "Waiting" sells so damn well.
4) Taboo? Could it be that what I thought might turn off readers (a stepmother/stepdaughter relationship) actually enticed them? One reader told me that she picked up "Waiting" because she wanted to see how these two women fell in love despite the sad times they were going through. It may just be that what I feared would hurt "Waiting" -- its plot -- is responsible for its tremendous sales.
It will be interesting to see how sales for "All in the Family" do (release next week!). Two stepsisters fall in love. Not as so-called taboo as "Waiting" (the stepsisters meet when they are 16 and 17, and the book continues until they are 23 and 24), but still a relationship some people might call taboo. So, these sales figures will be interesting.
5) Covers. It may be that the "Waiting" cover evokes something in readers that the "Strange Bedfellows" cover does not.
So!
Sales is a strange beast. You truly never know what will happen. Take "Harry Potter" for example. Or John Locke's books and Amanda Hocking's books. I am sure that many books just as good (or better) have languished on the sales pile. (This goes for TV, too. Many critically acclaimed shows do not get many viewers, while reality TV gets more eyeballs than an eyeballs factory. Disclaimer: I love "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." Commence egg throwing at me.)
Another digression! Since I typed "Creature" in the title, all I can think about is this thing I did a while ago (see picture on right). Might as well use this creature to represent the sales beast ;-)Now, in the other blog post I did today, I tacked on an addition about sales. Here's the addition in its entirety:
*** Edited: Someone reminded me about the sales metric as regards promotion. Being deaf has not hurt me here either. My sales are very, very good. "Waiting" in particular I have to thank for letting me write full time. Since shortly after it was released, "Waiting" has been a mainstay in the Amazon top 20 lesfic and was even in there twice a few times as a print book and e-book. It outsells my other books combined and accounts for about 60 percent of my overall revenue.Why? I have a few theories (maybe that's a subject for another post) but bringing this back to the issue of me being deaf, the fact that I've been able to cut down on my other work and write full time pretty much tells you that being deaf is not hurtful at all. Again, the writing speaks for itself.
(End of addition)
I thought it might be interesting to analyze why some books do well and others not so well. I can tell you it's frustrating.
I released "Strange Bedfellows" in ebook at the end of August (print in September). I asked reviewers to do .... REVIEWS. Yes! Reviews. I could've asked the reviewers to cook for me or juggle clowns, but what they do is reviews ;-) So, some did reviews, and I got several reviews without asking for them. All reviews were overwhelmingly good. Great critical acclaim, yadda yadda. So how were sales? Not as good as I had hoped. "Strange Bedfellows" dipped in and out of the lesfic top 100 (it did hit #1 in Germany at one point for both gay and lesbian English books, which thrilled me to no end. However, there are not many German buyers). I'll admit I was discouraged. One thing that kept popping up was that readers thought from the blurb that the book was a comedy. I reworked the blurb to lend it a more-serious tone ("Strange Bedfellows" a comedy? Far from it).
OLD BLURB: What happens when the queen of the ex-gay movement decides to come out of the closet? The person who helps Frances Dourne with this enormous task is a call girl Frances hires. A call girl with a secret of her own. Can they learn to trust each other enough to find the love they seek in each other's arms?
NEW BLURB: Frances Dourne is apparently a shining example for ex-gays. She runs Gay is a Choice, a national ex-gays group. What people do not know is that she is deeply unhappy. She is ready to come out of the closet and be true to herself. She seeks help and feedback--and okay, maybe a sexual treat or two--from a high-class call girl.
Elena, the call girl, wants to escape from the realities of her past, and her job allows her to do so. She never gets attached to her clients, but her new client surprises her. Can Elena and Frances learn to trust each other enough to find the love they seek in each other's arms?
Sales picked up for about a week, then returned to the previous position.
Well, dang. Color me frustrated. I knew I had a great book, so why were people not buying it? I knew one factor was a backlist. The more books I had out, the more sales would go up (for all the books). I also felt the subject matter might have something to do with it. The main characters are an ex-gays group leader who is finally admitting she is gay and readying to come out AND a high-class call girl. These snapshots may have turned readers off to the point where readers would not bother to read the book reviews.
So, OK. This made me very fearful for "Waiting," which I envisioned coming out in mid-October. If the "Strange Bedfellows" blurb turned off people, I was dang tootin' sure the "Waiting" blurb would, too. Here's the blurb:
Caris Ismay, 30, is falling in love with a woman she dares not pursue, and at exactly the wrong time. Caris knew that life after having her baby would be different, especially since her wife did not love her anymore. But Caris never expected post-baby life to be this difficult. Dale, her wife of three years, is in a coma that turns into a vegetative state. Lena, Dale's 29-year-old daughter, is put in the awkward position of revealing Dale's secrets to Caris.
Caris and Lena share a perfect, passionate kiss that they cannot stop thinking about. Plus, they can help each other in ways no one else can. They try to build a friendship, but their growing attraction gets in the way. Can Caris and Lena move past the taboo of their attraction and find their path together?
I posted earlier versions on Facebook to get feedback. My immediate concerns were thus: how to get across that Caris, while, yes, she is Lena's stepmother, did not raise Lena, is about the same age as Lena, etc. to get rid of some/any "ick" factors people might have. Plus the fact that Caris is married -- how to get across in the blurb so it doesn't turn people off if they think she is cheating on her wife, and with her wife's daughter of all people?
The feedback I got from the people on Facebook helped me tweak the blurb to the italicized version above. I still thought it was likely to turn people off (some people said in the comments it bothered them). Nothing I could do, though. The story, and the plot, was what it was, and I was proud of "Waiting."
I was thoroughly prepared for sales at the same level as "Strange Bedfellows" or lower.
So, while I was getting "Waiting" ready for publication, I was working on the reissue of my first book, "The Odd Couple." It had been in print before but never ebook. I revised/improved it for a second edition (print and ebook) and released it about two weeks before "Waiting." Its sales were about the same as "Strange Bedfellows."
So, "Waiting" came out. It did decently the first couple of weeks. Better than "Strange Bedfellows," which I had expected in part because of the base I'd built with "Strange Bedfellows." (There was a three-year separation between the first issue of "The Odd Couple" and "Strange Bedfellows.)
Anyway, so, "Waiting" even got to #3 on Amazon lesfic before doing a swan dive out of the top 100 lesfic.
Then something happened. "Waiting" started to climb again. And again. And again. Until, bless my excited little heart, it hit the big number 1 in Amazon U.S. lesfic. Stayed there four days, and since then it has been a mainstay in the Amazon top 20 lesfic. The print edition even appeared in the top 100 lesfic, so I had "Waiting" there twice at the same time.
Meanwhile, sales of "Strange Bedfellows" and "The Odd Couple" had about doubled, but "Waiting" still outsold them combined. This is not to say "Strange Bedfellows" and "The Odd Couple" don't sell well. They are, more often than not, in the Amazon top 100 lesfic. But the phenomenon that is "Waiting" -- wow. I do not know how or why it happened, but it did. At the same time, I was (and am) thrilled and frustrated. "Strange Bedfellows" is just as good, I think, and deserves equal sales. (I did not expect too much for "The Odd Couple" because it had been out three years already. In this respect, its ebook sales are pleasantly surprising me. It's reached a totally different audience, I suppose.)
"Strange Bedfellows" then won two incredible awards. ("Waiting" was published too late for me to enter it -- next year I'll enter it). Did "Strange Bedfellows" sales pick up? No, not really, but "Waiting" continued plugging on.
So, let me toss around some theories for the sales disparity.
1) It may be as simple as someone told me: some books (or things) take on a wonderful, strange life of their own due to many lucky factors coming together. You can never know why for sure.
2) Maybe "Strange Bedfellows" just needs more time. I'm an indie author, and one big joy in this is that the rights are mine as long as I live (and then some). Maybe a few years from now, "Strange Bedfellows" will (see #1 above) pick up and do lots of leapfrogs.
3) Could be as simple as the fact that the ex-gay group leader/call girl thing simply turns some people off. However, there remains the fact "Strange Bedfellows" IS a top-100 seller. So I think the focus here really is not on why "SB" doesn't sell better but on why the heck "Waiting" sells so damn well.
4) Taboo? Could it be that what I thought might turn off readers (a stepmother/stepdaughter relationship) actually enticed them? One reader told me that she picked up "Waiting" because she wanted to see how these two women fell in love despite the sad times they were going through. It may just be that what I feared would hurt "Waiting" -- its plot -- is responsible for its tremendous sales.
It will be interesting to see how sales for "All in the Family" do (release next week!). Two stepsisters fall in love. Not as so-called taboo as "Waiting" (the stepsisters meet when they are 16 and 17, and the book continues until they are 23 and 24), but still a relationship some people might call taboo. So, these sales figures will be interesting.
5) Covers. It may be that the "Waiting" cover evokes something in readers that the "Strange Bedfellows" cover does not.
That Deaf Lesbian Writer
OK, so earlier I did a post on how being deaf shaped my writing. This post will talk about how being deaf affects me as a writer. Lots of practicalities to consider here, such as promotion. Has my being deaf helped my promotion, hurt it, been neutral or...? I am an indie author, and promotion was a huge consideration when I was debating whether to sign the publishing contract I had in front of me or go indie. Not only am I deaf, I am an introvert. Uh oh! ;-)
The bottom line is, I'm generally a positive person. I believe strongly that people make their own luck, so my answer is: Being deaf has helped me in terms of promotion. First, though, let's talk about the cons, the bad stuff. Because people like the bad stuff! ;-)
Cons
-- I have plenty of promotional opportunities, and some I have not been able to use yet (if I will at all) because these opportunities are oral through and through. The folks at Cocktail Hour do podcasts and bar rags (listen to my "Strange Bedfellows" podcast here). Bar rags include readings authors send in themselves. Readings are from books, and the Cocktail Hour people have been urging me to send some in. I want to, but the fact is, it's really up to my wife/her schedule. She'll be the one reading, and I have no intention of pressuring her/rushing her, especially when she does so much for me already. And I love the woman! For Christmas, she got me the bestestestest gift I have gotten in a long time: a cardboard cutout of Queen Elizabeth II. Above is a pic of me with Her Majesty.
Anyway, if anyone is interested in doing a reading(s) for me, let me know! :)
-- Some loss of control. When we do oral interviews, I have to let go and put a lot of trust into my wife. She's worthy of it, but there are going to be (and have been) times when she answers a way I would not have. She readily admits she isn't the best at thinking quickly, on her feet. I am -- usually.
-- I can't listen to the oral interviews and see areas for improvement. My wife hates the sound of her voice (the West Virginia southern draaaaawl, she says), so she doesn't listen, either. I hope we're presentable. People say we are.
Pros/neutrals:
-- I may stand out more because I am deaf. Ya know, like people say: "That deaf writer" or "that deaf lesbian writer." In some areas of the lesbian community (and/or the d/Deaf community), I, Q. Kelly, probably am the only one who meets this definition.
-- The Internet is wonderful. Awesome. Stupendous. I can get so much marketing and promo work done from my computer. Some interviews are done online only (such as through email and chat), and it's easy to email reviewers and ask them to consider doing my work. Facebook, Twitter, G+ and other sites make networking easy.
-- I may have a bit of a bigger audience in the d/Deaf community for my work (especially for "All in the Family," which has a deaf main character).
-- My wife! She has been more than happy to do oral interviews for me and to help with in-person promotion at such venues as Pride festivals.
The bottom line, though...
-- My writing speaks for itself (signs for itself?). Quality work is much more likely to get recognized than substandard work. Going through my reviews tells you I can run with the big gals (not to brag). "Strange Bedfellows" was published about a couple of weeks before the Rainbow Awards. I didn't know about this awards thing until I happened to see something on Facebook. I hurriedly nominated "Strange Bedfellows" (the only book published before the deadline). "Strange Bedfellows" ended up in a tie for second for best traditional lesbian romance and FIFTH-best lesbian book overall. This still blows my mind. What I am trying to say here and what may not be coming across is that my being deaf is a secondary consideration. Good writing comes first, as it should.
So, there you have it. By the way, I've done some organizing on this blog. Should've done it a long time ago, but oh well. At the top of the right-hand column, I've added headers and links for my interviews and notable reviews of my books.
Until next time!
*** Edited: Someone reminded me about the sales metric as regards promotion. Being deaf has not hurt me here either. My sales are very, very good. "Waiting" in particular I have to thank for letting me write full time. Since shortly after it was released, "Waiting" has been a mainstay in the Amazon top 20 lesfic and was even in there twice a few times as a print book and e-book. It outsells my other books combined and accounts for about 60 percent of my overall revenue.Why? I have a few theories (maybe that's a subject for another post) but bringing this back to the issue of me being deaf, the fact that I've been able to cut down on my other work and write full time pretty much tells you that being deaf is not hurtful at all. Again, the writing speaks for itself.
The bottom line is, I'm generally a positive person. I believe strongly that people make their own luck, so my answer is: Being deaf has helped me in terms of promotion. First, though, let's talk about the cons, the bad stuff. Because people like the bad stuff! ;-)
Cons
-- I have plenty of promotional opportunities, and some I have not been able to use yet (if I will at all) because these opportunities are oral through and through. The folks at Cocktail Hour do podcasts and bar rags (listen to my "Strange Bedfellows" podcast here). Bar rags include readings authors send in themselves. Readings are from books, and the Cocktail Hour people have been urging me to send some in. I want to, but the fact is, it's really up to my wife/her schedule. She'll be the one reading, and I have no intention of pressuring her/rushing her, especially when she does so much for me already. And I love the woman! For Christmas, she got me the bestestestest gift I have gotten in a long time: a cardboard cutout of Queen Elizabeth II. Above is a pic of me with Her Majesty.Anyway, if anyone is interested in doing a reading(s) for me, let me know! :)
-- Some loss of control. When we do oral interviews, I have to let go and put a lot of trust into my wife. She's worthy of it, but there are going to be (and have been) times when she answers a way I would not have. She readily admits she isn't the best at thinking quickly, on her feet. I am -- usually.
-- I can't listen to the oral interviews and see areas for improvement. My wife hates the sound of her voice (the West Virginia southern draaaaawl, she says), so she doesn't listen, either. I hope we're presentable. People say we are.
Pros/neutrals:
-- I may stand out more because I am deaf. Ya know, like people say: "That deaf writer" or "that deaf lesbian writer." In some areas of the lesbian community (and/or the d/Deaf community), I, Q. Kelly, probably am the only one who meets this definition.
-- The Internet is wonderful. Awesome. Stupendous. I can get so much marketing and promo work done from my computer. Some interviews are done online only (such as through email and chat), and it's easy to email reviewers and ask them to consider doing my work. Facebook, Twitter, G+ and other sites make networking easy.
-- I may have a bit of a bigger audience in the d/Deaf community for my work (especially for "All in the Family," which has a deaf main character).
-- My wife! She has been more than happy to do oral interviews for me and to help with in-person promotion at such venues as Pride festivals.
The bottom line, though...
-- My writing speaks for itself (signs for itself?). Quality work is much more likely to get recognized than substandard work. Going through my reviews tells you I can run with the big gals (not to brag). "Strange Bedfellows" was published about a couple of weeks before the Rainbow Awards. I didn't know about this awards thing until I happened to see something on Facebook. I hurriedly nominated "Strange Bedfellows" (the only book published before the deadline). "Strange Bedfellows" ended up in a tie for second for best traditional lesbian romance and FIFTH-best lesbian book overall. This still blows my mind. What I am trying to say here and what may not be coming across is that my being deaf is a secondary consideration. Good writing comes first, as it should.
So, there you have it. By the way, I've done some organizing on this blog. Should've done it a long time ago, but oh well. At the top of the right-hand column, I've added headers and links for my interviews and notable reviews of my books.
Until next time!
*** Edited: Someone reminded me about the sales metric as regards promotion. Being deaf has not hurt me here either. My sales are very, very good. "Waiting" in particular I have to thank for letting me write full time. Since shortly after it was released, "Waiting" has been a mainstay in the Amazon top 20 lesfic and was even in there twice a few times as a print book and e-book. It outsells my other books combined and accounts for about 60 percent of my overall revenue.Why? I have a few theories (maybe that's a subject for another post) but bringing this back to the issue of me being deaf, the fact that I've been able to cut down on my other work and write full time pretty much tells you that being deaf is not hurtful at all. Again, the writing speaks for itself.
December 24, 2011
Year-end list of favorite passages!
It's the end of a year, which means LISTS!!! :-) I figured I would cobble together a little something with my favorite lines or sections from my books. Okay, maybe not my favorites per se, but lines that stand out (either to me or others).
This first one is from "Strange Bedfellows," and I'm picking this section because it got mentioned in a Goodreads book club discussion.
All these thoughts. Memories. Regrets. Was this what getting old was like? She certainly felt old. Not old in the sense that her body was achy, tired and cranky, although it got that way sometimes. But old in the sense that she had regrets, lots of them, and was not sure she had the courage to follow through on her plans to address them. She had taken an important step, but there was still room to backtrack. Oh yes, there was.
Regret filled the white spaces on the pages of her memoir.
This next one is from "Waiting."
Lena kept replaying the intensity in Caris's eyes during their conversation about domestic violence. Caris's touch on Lena's arm. Before, Caris would not have touched her. Caris had looked awful, no doubt about it. Purplish suitcases under her eyes. Limp hair. Until the car wreck, Caris had been too beautiful, too perfect, she had been elevated, she had been Lena's mother's wife. This post-pregnancy, grieving Caris was different. The old Caris would never have called Lena at one a.m.
Here's one from "The Odd Couple."
Charlene could not bring herself to say more. What she wanted to do was fall to her knees and take this other woman's son in her arms. She wanted to inhale his sweet little-boy smell. She wanted to feel him breathe and hear his heart beating. She wanted to tell him everything would be all right, that she was sorry, so very sorry for having failed him. What she wanted to do was trace his face, look into those familiar, lively blue eyes, and reassure him that everything would be okay now.
But she could not do that. That would be absurd. JP was dead, and no amount of pleading, no amount of tears and promises and deluding herself about this look-alike boy would change that.
"The Old Woman and Other Lesbian Stories" -- from "The Old Woman" A woman turned into the aisle, and my heart stopped. I froze. I wanted to die. Please don't let this be happening. The woman was a tiny mouse of a person. She was a light-skinned black, she was old, and by old I meant old as in she had a slightly stooped walk, wrinkles, a flowered dress, the whole enchilada. At least she did not have a cane. I had dated black women, and her race was not a problem. But her age. Gawd, her age! Ohnonono. Wait a second. Relief washed over me; surely Jessica would not make me ask this woman out. I was saved, at least for now.Jessica cocked an eyebrow and nudged me in the ribs. "Hunh. Well, have fun."
From "Miss Lucy Parker and Other Short Stories" (This is from the second story, "A Weird Situation.")"Do you want me to take my clothes off?" Louis asks. "So you can see better when it happens?"Louis and I have never really paraded naked in front of each other. We've showered and bathed together a few times, but he's always been shy about his body—though it's a good one. I'm not shy about my body. At the risk of sounding boastful, I have a body to die for. Curves in all the right places, breasts not too big nor too small, nice, firm muscles, a tight ass.Louis sees my hesitation and makes no move to strip. The clock strikes midnight, and nothing happens. But a couple of seconds later...OhGodOhGodOhGod.Louis' beard-scruff wilts and wanes. The just-a-bit-too-big nose is replaced in a flash with a petite nose—a woman's nose. The same nose on the woman last week. The short red hair becomes long, flowing, shiny hair. Beautiful, silky, smooth hair. Louis's face becomes a woman's. So does his body, and his clothes loosen.By twelve oh one a.m., Louis the man is gone.
*****
MILD-SPOILER ALERTS!
I'm gonna cheat a bit and look to 2012 ;-) The passages may contain mild spoilers.
Here's something from "All in the Family," due out the first week of January.
Allison saw herself going to Sam, hugging her, but she was paralyzed. She was getting married tomorrow. There would be no hugging Sam. "Why are you here?" Allison asked. Sam's responding gaze was as dark and powerful as she was. "Is that the question?" "What?" "Maybe the question is, why are you here? Why are you here and not inside with Helen?" "You're...fine. Fine." Allison was suddenly anxious for Sam to leave. Sam said: "Congratulations. I hope you will be happy." She went back inside, and Allison whispered: "I love you. I love you very much."
Here's something from "Third" (probable release in late February). Something shifted in Anne's expression. "Lady Yamaoto, I ask you this not to be forward but in case my days are nearly complete. What is kissing a woman like? What is making love to a woman like?"Yalia blinked. "Uh, well.""Is it different from kissing a man?""For me, it is.""Is it better?""Yes, much better. It is right.""Hmm." Anne's expression was thoughtful. Her lips were thoughtful.Yalia almost said: I will show you. She did not, though, and Helen came out of the bathroom. Yalia swallowed, and the image of her wife, her Helen, kissing faceless Devon, and then Anne, entered her mind. The desire that had reared between Yalia's legs during the fades ignited again, and Yalia was ashamed. Not deeply. Only slightly.Helen with another woman. Helen with Anne. Helen tearing Anne's clothes off, Helen on top of Anne. Helen's tongue meeting Anne's tongue.
This first one is from "Strange Bedfellows," and I'm picking this section because it got mentioned in a Goodreads book club discussion.
All these thoughts. Memories. Regrets. Was this what getting old was like? She certainly felt old. Not old in the sense that her body was achy, tired and cranky, although it got that way sometimes. But old in the sense that she had regrets, lots of them, and was not sure she had the courage to follow through on her plans to address them. She had taken an important step, but there was still room to backtrack. Oh yes, there was.
Regret filled the white spaces on the pages of her memoir.
This next one is from "Waiting."
Lena kept replaying the intensity in Caris's eyes during their conversation about domestic violence. Caris's touch on Lena's arm. Before, Caris would not have touched her. Caris had looked awful, no doubt about it. Purplish suitcases under her eyes. Limp hair. Until the car wreck, Caris had been too beautiful, too perfect, she had been elevated, she had been Lena's mother's wife. This post-pregnancy, grieving Caris was different. The old Caris would never have called Lena at one a.m.
Here's one from "The Odd Couple."
Charlene could not bring herself to say more. What she wanted to do was fall to her knees and take this other woman's son in her arms. She wanted to inhale his sweet little-boy smell. She wanted to feel him breathe and hear his heart beating. She wanted to tell him everything would be all right, that she was sorry, so very sorry for having failed him. What she wanted to do was trace his face, look into those familiar, lively blue eyes, and reassure him that everything would be okay now.
But she could not do that. That would be absurd. JP was dead, and no amount of pleading, no amount of tears and promises and deluding herself about this look-alike boy would change that.
"The Old Woman and Other Lesbian Stories" -- from "The Old Woman" A woman turned into the aisle, and my heart stopped. I froze. I wanted to die. Please don't let this be happening. The woman was a tiny mouse of a person. She was a light-skinned black, she was old, and by old I meant old as in she had a slightly stooped walk, wrinkles, a flowered dress, the whole enchilada. At least she did not have a cane. I had dated black women, and her race was not a problem. But her age. Gawd, her age! Ohnonono. Wait a second. Relief washed over me; surely Jessica would not make me ask this woman out. I was saved, at least for now.Jessica cocked an eyebrow and nudged me in the ribs. "Hunh. Well, have fun."
From "Miss Lucy Parker and Other Short Stories" (This is from the second story, "A Weird Situation.")"Do you want me to take my clothes off?" Louis asks. "So you can see better when it happens?"Louis and I have never really paraded naked in front of each other. We've showered and bathed together a few times, but he's always been shy about his body—though it's a good one. I'm not shy about my body. At the risk of sounding boastful, I have a body to die for. Curves in all the right places, breasts not too big nor too small, nice, firm muscles, a tight ass.Louis sees my hesitation and makes no move to strip. The clock strikes midnight, and nothing happens. But a couple of seconds later...OhGodOhGodOhGod.Louis' beard-scruff wilts and wanes. The just-a-bit-too-big nose is replaced in a flash with a petite nose—a woman's nose. The same nose on the woman last week. The short red hair becomes long, flowing, shiny hair. Beautiful, silky, smooth hair. Louis's face becomes a woman's. So does his body, and his clothes loosen.By twelve oh one a.m., Louis the man is gone.
*****
MILD-SPOILER ALERTS!
I'm gonna cheat a bit and look to 2012 ;-) The passages may contain mild spoilers.
Here's something from "All in the Family," due out the first week of January.
Allison saw herself going to Sam, hugging her, but she was paralyzed. She was getting married tomorrow. There would be no hugging Sam. "Why are you here?" Allison asked. Sam's responding gaze was as dark and powerful as she was. "Is that the question?" "What?" "Maybe the question is, why are you here? Why are you here and not inside with Helen?" "You're...fine. Fine." Allison was suddenly anxious for Sam to leave. Sam said: "Congratulations. I hope you will be happy." She went back inside, and Allison whispered: "I love you. I love you very much."
Here's something from "Third" (probable release in late February). Something shifted in Anne's expression. "Lady Yamaoto, I ask you this not to be forward but in case my days are nearly complete. What is kissing a woman like? What is making love to a woman like?"Yalia blinked. "Uh, well.""Is it different from kissing a man?""For me, it is.""Is it better?""Yes, much better. It is right.""Hmm." Anne's expression was thoughtful. Her lips were thoughtful.Yalia almost said: I will show you. She did not, though, and Helen came out of the bathroom. Yalia swallowed, and the image of her wife, her Helen, kissing faceless Devon, and then Anne, entered her mind. The desire that had reared between Yalia's legs during the fades ignited again, and Yalia was ashamed. Not deeply. Only slightly.Helen with another woman. Helen with Anne. Helen tearing Anne's clothes off, Helen on top of Anne. Helen's tongue meeting Anne's tongue.
December 23, 2011
"Switch"
"Switch" is the tentative (working) title of my new project. I'll dive into it after I finish "Third," but I figured I'd share the basic premise with y'all. I'm excited!
I envision the opening scene as two women (in their 40s) meeting for the first time -- probably at a restaurant or coffee shop, that type of place. The next day, each woman is slated to meet the other's family for the first time. These two women are part of a huge news story. The son of a dead hospital nurse was going through his mother's possessions. He found a journal, and in that journal, his mother recorded how she switched five pairs of babies during her tenure at the hospital. These two women are one of these pairs, and they're quite different in personality and upbringing. They DO look similar (one of the reasons the nurse chose to switch them). Anyway, since I write lesbian fiction that usually has two women end up together, you can guess where this goes :-D
Look for "Third" in February. February is probably when I'll start extensive writing on "Switch."
I envision the opening scene as two women (in their 40s) meeting for the first time -- probably at a restaurant or coffee shop, that type of place. The next day, each woman is slated to meet the other's family for the first time. These two women are part of a huge news story. The son of a dead hospital nurse was going through his mother's possessions. He found a journal, and in that journal, his mother recorded how she switched five pairs of babies during her tenure at the hospital. These two women are one of these pairs, and they're quite different in personality and upbringing. They DO look similar (one of the reasons the nurse chose to switch them). Anyway, since I write lesbian fiction that usually has two women end up together, you can guess where this goes :-D
Look for "Third" in February. February is probably when I'll start extensive writing on "Switch."
December 19, 2011
Which work is most popular with my readers (using email as a metric)?
So, mail. I love getting mail from my readers. (Well, not the attack emails. These I don't love.) But I love the telegrams, the faxes, the snail mails, the postcards, the airplane-in-the-sky trail messages and the airplane banner messages.
Okay, so I just get emails. No telegrams (yet) ;-)
Something interesting, though, and I wanted to share it with you all. I wrote here about why I love short stories and how I feel they're underappreciated compared with novels. Tell you something. The story that gets the majority of my email is a short. Yep, "The Old Woman" (in the "The Old Woman and Other Lesbian Stories" collection). Does it sell the most? Hardly, not even close. "Waiting" is my huge, top seller. My short story collections were dead last before I decided to make them free (might as well. They weren't selling much so I figured they would make decent loss leaders).
One interesting thing is that half the people who write about "The Old Woman" are not lesbians. I have gotten mail from straight women and straight men of all ages. Both types have said they finished the story crying/with tears in their eyes. This makes me quite happy, other than for the obvious reasons. It shows me that (I hope) more and more straights are appreciating lesbian fiction and that some themes transcend sexuality, race, gender, you name it.
Also makes me regret I decided against making a print copy of this collection and entering it into the awards that require print copies (Lammies, GCLS). Oh well.... :-)
**** You can get "The Old Woman" collection at Amazon, Smashwords and BN.
And yeah, the sole BN review is two stars and says this:
EhStories were too short and kinda dumb. Nothing special.
(Back to me) Can't please everyone, right? ;) If you enjoyed my collection, please post a review at BN (and/or elsewhere). I don't want that review at BN to be the only one. You don't have to have purchased from BN. And heck, even if you didn't enjoy it, go ahead, post a review.
Okay, so I just get emails. No telegrams (yet) ;-)
Something interesting, though, and I wanted to share it with you all. I wrote here about why I love short stories and how I feel they're underappreciated compared with novels. Tell you something. The story that gets the majority of my email is a short. Yep, "The Old Woman" (in the "The Old Woman and Other Lesbian Stories" collection). Does it sell the most? Hardly, not even close. "Waiting" is my huge, top seller. My short story collections were dead last before I decided to make them free (might as well. They weren't selling much so I figured they would make decent loss leaders).One interesting thing is that half the people who write about "The Old Woman" are not lesbians. I have gotten mail from straight women and straight men of all ages. Both types have said they finished the story crying/with tears in their eyes. This makes me quite happy, other than for the obvious reasons. It shows me that (I hope) more and more straights are appreciating lesbian fiction and that some themes transcend sexuality, race, gender, you name it.
Also makes me regret I decided against making a print copy of this collection and entering it into the awards that require print copies (Lammies, GCLS). Oh well.... :-)
**** You can get "The Old Woman" collection at Amazon, Smashwords and BN.
And yeah, the sole BN review is two stars and says this:
EhStories were too short and kinda dumb. Nothing special.
(Back to me) Can't please everyone, right? ;) If you enjoyed my collection, please post a review at BN (and/or elsewhere). I don't want that review at BN to be the only one. You don't have to have purchased from BN. And heck, even if you didn't enjoy it, go ahead, post a review.
December 18, 2011
My books (from most recent publication to oldest)
"Third" -- publication date early 2012 (February or March estimated) Helen Franklin is horrified when her dying father leaves her a most unusual inheritance: a woman. Furthermore, the woman, Anne, is anything but ordinary. Helen tells herself she does not have time for Anne. Yalia, Helen's wife, has been distancing herself from Helen for three years, and Helen needs to decide if she wants to save their marriage.
Then the unexpected happens; a romantic relationship develops among Yalia, Anne and Helen. Can the three of them figure out their lives together, especially when time might be running out for Anne?
**************
"All in the Family" -- publication first week of January 2012 Allison Albrecht and Samantha Cannizarro are thrown together when their parents become engaged. Sam is deaf, so Allison begins to learn sign language. Allison is eager to please Sam and to make a good impression on her. Sam does not care about good impressions. She is a loner, always has been. She resents her new instant family, especially her stepmother-to-be. Sam is also reluctant to bond with three-year-old Allen. However, Allison and Allen gradually crack Sam's facade, and the two girls fall in love.
But life in a stepfamily is rarely easy. Throw in romance between two stepsiblings, and the ride is going to be bumpy.
**************
"The Old Woman and Other Lesbian Stories" The Old Woman Jessica is a pretty good best friend, but she goes too far when she dares Rachel to ask an old woman on a date. Rachel has no choice; otherwise Jessica will do the asking, and Rachel has no intention of humiliating the old woman. Turns out maybe Jessica's idea was not so bad after all. There is a lot more to Ada than her age.
Funeral Olivia takes a drastic step to combat lesbian bed death.
The Lesbian Curse Becky and Katy are in middle school and tussling over a boy. Becky curses Katy, saying Katy will become a lesbian.
Polly Wanna Cracker Polly is a bird. A parrot, to be exact. She follows the goings-on of her human family, especially Faye, the daughter, and Glenda, the mother. Polly knows their secrets too. Will Polly spill the beans when she finds herself able to talk after bonking her head against a window?
What Girlfriend? Bobbie hopes her one-night stand won't pull the U-Haul trick.
Haunted Haunted people? Sure, they're everywhere. Haunted houses? Oooh, spooky. Good movie fodder. Excellent for campfire scares. Haunted cars? They're not unheard of. But haunted pens? Yep,
Fortune Best friends Jackie and Emma go to a fortune teller. Emma is shocked when the teller reveals to Jackie that Emma is her secret admirer. Lili from the Future It's a dream many people have; your future self visits you and fucks you.
Lizzie Twelve-year-old Shel is not sure if her best friend means it when he says he's going to kill a person. **************
"Miss Lucy Parker and Other Short Stories" (general fic collection) Miss Lucy Parker Miss Lucy Parker is a prim, proper elderly lady. When a Volkswagen Beetle—the new kind, and pink—PINK!—turns onto the winding road that leads to Lucy's farmhouse, Lucy is sure the car's occupants are lost. And that the car contains hippies, because hippies drive Volkswagen Beetles. Lucy plans to tell the hippies to get lost. She has no need for their odd speech, beads and marijuana aroma. Except hippies are not in the car. A woman is, a woman wearing a short, blood-red dress that hugs her body. Thus begins Lucy Parker's great adventure.
A Weird Situation Karen does not believe her boyfriend when he tells her that he turns into a woman for seven hours every day.
The Interview The person interviewing Debby has a giant booger. Should she tell him and risk not getting the job?
First Day at Work A security guard's first day at a bank has repercussions for him and three workers.
Every Day A man struggles every day to follow through on a promise to himself.
The Doctor A doctor salivates at the prospect of delivering bad news to a twelve-year-old girl and her mother.
Guardian Angel Gabriel fancies himself a guardian angel. But is he really? **************
"Waiting" Caris Ismay, 30, is falling in love with a woman she dares not pursue, and at exactly the wrong time. Caris knew that life after having her baby would be different, especially since her wife did not love her anymore. But Caris never expected post-baby life to be this difficult. Dale, her wife of three years, is in a coma that turns into a vegetative state. Lena, Dale's 29-year-old daughter, is put in the awkward position of revealing Dale's secrets to Caris.Caris and Lena share a perfect, passionate kiss that they cannot stop thinking about. Plus, they can help each other in ways no one else can. They try to build a friendship, but their growing attraction gets in the way. Can Caris and Lena move past the taboo of their attraction and find their path together?
**************
"Strange Bedfellows" -- Two-time Rainbow Award winner in 2011 Frances Dourne is apparently a shining example for ex-gays. She runs Gay is a Choice, a national ex-gays group. What people do not know is that she is deeply unhappy. She is ready to come out of the closet and be true to herself. She seeks help and feedback--and okay, maybe a sexual treat or two--from a high-class call girl.
Elena, the call girl, wants to escape from the realities of her past, and her job allows her to do so. She never gets attached to her clients, but her new client surprises her. Can Elena and Frances learn to trust each other enough to find the love they seek in each other's arms?
**************
"The Odd Couple" -- first edition released in 2008, finalist for Golden Crown Literary Society Debut Author award. Second edition and ebook edition released 2011Morrisey Hawthorne and her four-year-old son, Gareth, have a pretty good life. Then one day they meet Charlene Sudsbury, who is trying to move on from the suicide of her son, JP, three years before. Gareth is nearly the mirror image of JP, and Charlene connects instantly with him. Not quite so with Morrisey, who can't escape fast enough after Charlene shows her a picture of JP. Charlene is convinced Morrisey is hiding something and sets out in search of the truth.
Despite the circumstances, the two women form an unusual bond and end up with a lot more than they bargained for. But when an old friend of JP's resurfaces, he challenges the fragile trust Morrisey and Charlene have been building.
Can these two women overcome the obstacles that separate them from the happiness they seek?
