Ella James's Blog, page 7
November 10, 2012
Exalted is out + updates
Exalted is out - finally! It's been out for a while, but I've been neglecting my blog and my Twitter and updating only my Facebook pages. I spend most of my time on Facebook, so if you want to join me, you can friend me at www.facebook.com/ellajamesbooks, or you can follow me on my official author page at www.facebook.com/ellajamesauthorpage. The friendable page was created first, but I'm gradually moving to the official author page. For now, I maintain both of them, so you can take your pick. Oh, and did I mention I give free stuff away ALL THE TIME?
Okay. I give free stuff away all the time! :) Kindles, gift cards, jewelry, books... I've even given away two pairs of Julia's super cool Converse All-Stars. One of my future giveaways will include tickets to utopYAcon 2013. If you're here at the blog today, Saturday, November 10 (American time), be sure to go by my Facebook pages, because I'm giving away a Kindle!
Exalted is available right now at BN.com (for Nook), and at Amazon.com. You can find some of the links on the sidebar to the right of here. Exalted will soon be available at Smashwords.com and Kobo.com. I can post it to Kobo soon, but I have to have someone format it for me, for Smashwords. Still, I hope to have it for sale at both places very soon. It's distributed to the iBookstore via Smashwords, so as soon as I submit it there, it'll be on its way to the iBookstore.
Now that the Stained Series is finished, I've shifted my attention to the Here Trilogy. If you haven't already started Milo and Nick's story, you can find it at Amazon, and also at BN.com. It's YA paranormal romance, just like the Stained Series. The second book in the Here Trilogy is called Trapped, and I'm having a great time with it. Writing in first-person (from the "I" perspective, as if I am the character) is a lot easier for me than third-person (in Stained, I refer to everyone as "he" and "she", like I'm a narrator). It's been a refreshing change, after so many Stained books in third-person.
I'm hoping to have Trapped ready by the first week of December, but as always, I can't be sure. I'm not giving an official release date until my editor has done his first read-through of the story. Still, I'm super excited about this release, and I have a good feeling about the timeline.
Regina from Mae I Design is doing the Trapped cover, as well as a cover for my next release: January's Wilderness. I'm hoping to put that book out before the new year. It's different than what I've published so far, and I really think you'll like it. It's new adult/adult contemporary romance with a pretty big thrill/suspense-factor and a really hot hero. January is such a fascinating character with so many secrets. One day she just started talking in my head, so I've had to rearrange my writing schedule to accommodate her. I can't tell you much about her story without spilling some of her secrets, but I'll try to post a blurb sometime soon.
After that, it's Obsession's turn. That one is what I call a 'hometown love story', kind of like Jessica Sorensen's The Secret of Ella and Micah or My Heart for Yours, by Steph Campbell and Jolene Perry. The guy and girl go way back, and their obsession takes them all the way to Hollywood, where he's a musician and she becomes a celebrity photographer. I'll try to give you more info about that one soon, too, but it's classic contemporary romance, spanning about ten years. The way I plan to 'follow' the heroine, Paisley Gray, reminds me a little of author Lisa Kleypas's treatment of Liberty Jones in her contemporary romance, Sugar Daddy. Which is to say, Obsession is really Paisley's story, and there just so happens to be a whole lot of recurring Trent (the hero).
The Obsession cover can be found further down on this page (it's gray and white - a couple making out behind a car window). I'm excited to share the January's Wilderness cover with you, when Regina finishes it.
Oh, and in case you're a Here fan, don't worry - I'm going to finish that trilogy pretty soon: probably in February.
If you ever want an update on my release schedule, just check the top of this page! :)
More soon,
Ella
xoxox
Okay. I give free stuff away all the time! :) Kindles, gift cards, jewelry, books... I've even given away two pairs of Julia's super cool Converse All-Stars. One of my future giveaways will include tickets to utopYAcon 2013. If you're here at the blog today, Saturday, November 10 (American time), be sure to go by my Facebook pages, because I'm giving away a Kindle!
Exalted is available right now at BN.com (for Nook), and at Amazon.com. You can find some of the links on the sidebar to the right of here. Exalted will soon be available at Smashwords.com and Kobo.com. I can post it to Kobo soon, but I have to have someone format it for me, for Smashwords. Still, I hope to have it for sale at both places very soon. It's distributed to the iBookstore via Smashwords, so as soon as I submit it there, it'll be on its way to the iBookstore.
Now that the Stained Series is finished, I've shifted my attention to the Here Trilogy. If you haven't already started Milo and Nick's story, you can find it at Amazon, and also at BN.com. It's YA paranormal romance, just like the Stained Series. The second book in the Here Trilogy is called Trapped, and I'm having a great time with it. Writing in first-person (from the "I" perspective, as if I am the character) is a lot easier for me than third-person (in Stained, I refer to everyone as "he" and "she", like I'm a narrator). It's been a refreshing change, after so many Stained books in third-person.
I'm hoping to have Trapped ready by the first week of December, but as always, I can't be sure. I'm not giving an official release date until my editor has done his first read-through of the story. Still, I'm super excited about this release, and I have a good feeling about the timeline.
Regina from Mae I Design is doing the Trapped cover, as well as a cover for my next release: January's Wilderness. I'm hoping to put that book out before the new year. It's different than what I've published so far, and I really think you'll like it. It's new adult/adult contemporary romance with a pretty big thrill/suspense-factor and a really hot hero. January is such a fascinating character with so many secrets. One day she just started talking in my head, so I've had to rearrange my writing schedule to accommodate her. I can't tell you much about her story without spilling some of her secrets, but I'll try to post a blurb sometime soon.
After that, it's Obsession's turn. That one is what I call a 'hometown love story', kind of like Jessica Sorensen's The Secret of Ella and Micah or My Heart for Yours, by Steph Campbell and Jolene Perry. The guy and girl go way back, and their obsession takes them all the way to Hollywood, where he's a musician and she becomes a celebrity photographer. I'll try to give you more info about that one soon, too, but it's classic contemporary romance, spanning about ten years. The way I plan to 'follow' the heroine, Paisley Gray, reminds me a little of author Lisa Kleypas's treatment of Liberty Jones in her contemporary romance, Sugar Daddy. Which is to say, Obsession is really Paisley's story, and there just so happens to be a whole lot of recurring Trent (the hero).
The Obsession cover can be found further down on this page (it's gray and white - a couple making out behind a car window). I'm excited to share the January's Wilderness cover with you, when Regina finishes it.
Oh, and in case you're a Here fan, don't worry - I'm going to finish that trilogy pretty soon: probably in February.
If you ever want an update on my release schedule, just check the top of this page! :)
More soon,
Ella
xoxox
October 28, 2012
One Last Hoorah
Exalted recently got a new cover. I know, I know... it's not even out yet, but I went ahead and got Regina at MaeIDesign to make me a cover that looked more the other three. I think she did a fantastic job, and I can't wait for this book to go live on Amazon (and B&N, Smashwords, Kobo, and the iBookstore).
My copy editor and I have joked that Exalted is cursed. Since the initial virus/file issue that prompted me to have to re-type the whole book, it seems like everything that could possibly delay the book has happened... even to my editor.
Last night as I was creating the publication page inside Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing platform, Exalted decided to give me one last hoorah. My 14-month-old woke up sick, and spent the rest of the night getting sick with his first-ever tummy bug. Actually, his first-ever sickness of any kind. (As an infant, he skipped the colds and ear infections and went for the big ticket surgeries).
He seems to be feeling better today, so with the help of some Justin Bieber music videos, Team James is back on track to get you Exalted soon. It may end up being a Monday release, but I know this for sure: Every day until it's out (which I hope will only be today - Sunday, 10/28), I'm doing a giveaway on my FB page. Come join me! If you've waited this long, you definitely deserve it. ;)
October 20, 2012
Exalted Update & Lessons Learned
In case you haven't noticed, Exalted is still not out. We're dealing with more production-related issues. Nothing nearly as big as the virus that corrupted the original document file and forced me to re-type the whole thing. Just regular blips and a nasty case of bad luck, whereby everything is taking about five times longer than it should.
I keep saying it will be out in a few days, and some other random roadblock pops up. I think I understand now why traditional print books take a year to hit the shelves. =/ Before Exalted, I had always been pretty blessed on the ease-of-release front, but this book is testing my sanity. Kind of fitting, once you know what happens in it. ;)
I have all my fingers and toes crossed for a nonspecific but very soon release, and I want to thank you all again for your amazing patience. I've said it before, and I'll say it again now: I will find a way to make this up to you - probably with a giveaway (or ten)! :)
Big hugs,
Ella
P.S., if you have not already read HERE, you should. It's the first in my new YA paranormal romance trilogy, and most people seem to really like it. If you have read HERE, go grab a book I wish I could get my hands on at the moment: brand new release Unmaking Hunter Kennedy, by the amazing Anne Eliot, author of Almost. This is a contemporary YA read, but even if you don't normally read much contemporary, I have a feeling you will love it.
xoxoxox
I keep saying it will be out in a few days, and some other random roadblock pops up. I think I understand now why traditional print books take a year to hit the shelves. =/ Before Exalted, I had always been pretty blessed on the ease-of-release front, but this book is testing my sanity. Kind of fitting, once you know what happens in it. ;)
I have all my fingers and toes crossed for a nonspecific but very soon release, and I want to thank you all again for your amazing patience. I've said it before, and I'll say it again now: I will find a way to make this up to you - probably with a giveaway (or ten)! :)
Big hugs,
Ella
P.S., if you have not already read HERE, you should. It's the first in my new YA paranormal romance trilogy, and most people seem to really like it. If you have read HERE, go grab a book I wish I could get my hands on at the moment: brand new release Unmaking Hunter Kennedy, by the amazing Anne Eliot, author of Almost. This is a contemporary YA read, but even if you don't normally read much contemporary, I have a feeling you will love it.
xoxoxox
October 11, 2012
Another Exalted Update
Hi guys!
I know some of you are checking Amazon every day for Exalted, so I wanted to give you an update. I've finished re-typing the book. (If you have no idea what that means, you can read all about Virusgate 2012 here). Everyone involved in the process is looking over the book again, just to be sure no new mistakes were introduced during the re-typing. Unfortunately (for you, anyway!) I'll be out of town this weekend, hosting a baby shower for my sister, so the book will definitely not be live any time this weekend.
My hope is to press "publish" late Monday and have the book go live Tuesday, but this is just a goal. It's a goal I'm serious about, but still a goal, so don't mark your calendars just yet. If you want another update, check my Facebook Sunday night or Monday.
I want to thank everyone who's been checking and re-checking Amazon, my blog, and my Facebook pages, waiting patiently for Exalted to come out, and being so kind to me while you wait. You could be annoyed and angry that you've had to wait, but instead you've all been nothing but supportive as I dealt with the virus issue. You've all helped dramatically reduce my stress-level by being so sweet. I appreciate it more than you know.
I think that calls for some Exalted Release Day contests and swag, don't you? I'm going to spend my weekend away trying to think of some awesome prizes for you.
If you've already won a prize and are waiting to hear from me, please know that I haven't forgotten you. I've felt compelled to put the re-typing of Exalted first, but as soon as the book is live, I'm going to the post office! Promise.
In the meantime, if you're looking for something to read, check out Here, the first in my YA paranormal romance trilogy, which is next up now that I'm finished with the Stained Series. :)
Thanks again, so much, for your support, and I hope you guys have a great weekend!
xx,
Ella
I know some of you are checking Amazon every day for Exalted, so I wanted to give you an update. I've finished re-typing the book. (If you have no idea what that means, you can read all about Virusgate 2012 here). Everyone involved in the process is looking over the book again, just to be sure no new mistakes were introduced during the re-typing. Unfortunately (for you, anyway!) I'll be out of town this weekend, hosting a baby shower for my sister, so the book will definitely not be live any time this weekend.
My hope is to press "publish" late Monday and have the book go live Tuesday, but this is just a goal. It's a goal I'm serious about, but still a goal, so don't mark your calendars just yet. If you want another update, check my Facebook Sunday night or Monday.
I want to thank everyone who's been checking and re-checking Amazon, my blog, and my Facebook pages, waiting patiently for Exalted to come out, and being so kind to me while you wait. You could be annoyed and angry that you've had to wait, but instead you've all been nothing but supportive as I dealt with the virus issue. You've all helped dramatically reduce my stress-level by being so sweet. I appreciate it more than you know.
I think that calls for some Exalted Release Day contests and swag, don't you? I'm going to spend my weekend away trying to think of some awesome prizes for you.
If you've already won a prize and are waiting to hear from me, please know that I haven't forgotten you. I've felt compelled to put the re-typing of Exalted first, but as soon as the book is live, I'm going to the post office! Promise.
In the meantime, if you're looking for something to read, check out Here, the first in my YA paranormal romance trilogy, which is next up now that I'm finished with the Stained Series. :)
Thanks again, so much, for your support, and I hope you guys have a great weekend!
xx,
Ella
September 30, 2012
Exalted
Exalted is coming soon! I promise it is! :)
After my editor got the flu and we had some family stuff come up, I finally had the book all ready to go a few days ago, but when I tried to convert it into a Kindle file, all the punctuation marks kept turning into symbols. I originally thought it was because I was using OpenOffice instead of Microsoft Word, but after consulting a few people, I found out a virus had become attached to my document file.
I've been having to re-type the whole document since it can't be copied and pasted without giving us further formatting problems. It's been pretty tedious, but I'm making progress. I sometimes make my hubby take a turn, but in general I don't trust anyone but me to re-type my book. I wish I did, because I have at least one sweet friend who volunteered to do it for me. I guess I just feel too much like typing the book = writing the book. Even though that's really not true, I feel panicked at the thought of someone else doing it. (Well, except the hubs. I can stand over his shoulder and micromanage freely).
Anyway... I wanted you guys to know what the delay is all about. I like to keep you posted, even if it means including the boring details.
In the meantime, be sure to check out HERE, the first book in my other series!
Hope everyone had a great weekend,
El
After my editor got the flu and we had some family stuff come up, I finally had the book all ready to go a few days ago, but when I tried to convert it into a Kindle file, all the punctuation marks kept turning into symbols. I originally thought it was because I was using OpenOffice instead of Microsoft Word, but after consulting a few people, I found out a virus had become attached to my document file.
I've been having to re-type the whole document since it can't be copied and pasted without giving us further formatting problems. It's been pretty tedious, but I'm making progress. I sometimes make my hubby take a turn, but in general I don't trust anyone but me to re-type my book. I wish I did, because I have at least one sweet friend who volunteered to do it for me. I guess I just feel too much like typing the book = writing the book. Even though that's really not true, I feel panicked at the thought of someone else doing it. (Well, except the hubs. I can stand over his shoulder and micromanage freely).
Anyway... I wanted you guys to know what the delay is all about. I like to keep you posted, even if it means including the boring details.
In the meantime, be sure to check out HERE, the first book in my other series!
Hope everyone had a great weekend,
El
Stained is FREE!
Stained is free again on Amazon! Woohoo! Here's the link.
If you liked the Stained Series, tell your friends. :)
If you liked the Stained Series, tell your friends. :)
September 27, 2012
Exalted release + new contemporary
Oh, guys. Exalted is giving me trouble. The book is ready to go, but I'm having issues with formatting. I promise, you will have it in your hands soon, if I have to take my entire computer to a repair shop and pay someone to get this mess figured out for me. I can't wait for you to read it! For daily updates on when it will be out (and it WILL be very soon), follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/ellajamesbooks.
So here's my surprise:
Meet Obsession, my adult contemporary romance, which should be out in time for Christmas. :) The cover is a paparazzi shot of the hero and heroine through the window of his SUV. He's a famous musician, and she's a celebrity portrait photographer. They're from the same small, Southern town and they have a lot of history. You might even call it an obsession. ;) I'll try to release an official blurb soon, but for now it's back to formatting!
Hope everyone's had a great week and has fun weekend plans.
xx,
El
So here's my surprise:
Meet Obsession, my adult contemporary romance, which should be out in time for Christmas. :) The cover is a paparazzi shot of the hero and heroine through the window of his SUV. He's a famous musician, and she's a celebrity portrait photographer. They're from the same small, Southern town and they have a lot of history. You might even call it an obsession. ;) I'll try to release an official blurb soon, but for now it's back to formatting! Hope everyone's had a great week and has fun weekend plans.
xx,
El
September 20, 2012
Exalted Release Date
Hi guys,
I came to update the "tabs" at the top of my page today, and somehow I made them disappear. #techfail
If you're wondering about the Exalted release date and you haven't already heard my tale of woe, here it is: My editor got the flu and was out for five days, which made me miss my release on the weekend of September 15. We're shooting for release sometime in the next few days. The first 2/3 of the book is edited and ready to go, and my editor is working hard to finish the last 1/3. It shouldn't be much longer! :)
For up-to-date information, and to participate in some fun contests, follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/ellajamesbooks.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!
Ella
I came to update the "tabs" at the top of my page today, and somehow I made them disappear. #techfail
If you're wondering about the Exalted release date and you haven't already heard my tale of woe, here it is: My editor got the flu and was out for five days, which made me miss my release on the weekend of September 15. We're shooting for release sometime in the next few days. The first 2/3 of the book is edited and ready to go, and my editor is working hard to finish the last 1/3. It shouldn't be much longer! :)
For up-to-date information, and to participate in some fun contests, follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/ellajamesbooks.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!
Ella
September 17, 2012
Updates
Hi guys!
Since Stained went free, there are so many MORE of you, which is so awesome. :) I've gotten a few of the same questions, so here are some answers.
What is the Kindle Fire giveaway, and how do I enter?
The post about the Kindle Fire giveaway is the one right below this post. But here's the skinny: Be on my FB page every night through Wednesday, answer the Stained trivia question, and tell your friends about the giveaway on FB and Twitter. Each of those things earns you an entry. Wednesday night I'll use Random.org to choose a winner, and that person will get a Kindle Fire! For more details, though, read the post below.
When is Exalted (Stained book four) coming out? Why isn't it already out?
The original release date for Exalted was September 15, this past Saturday. That was before my editor got the flu and was unable to work for six days, which put the Exalted release about six days behind. We're shooting for this coming Saturday or Sunday, but I can't make any guarantees because I don't actually have the book right now (my editor does) and our timetable got messed up by the flu. However, I really think it will be out sometime this weekend. Wings crossed!
When is the second HERE Trilogy book coming out?
Hopefully at the end of October. It got bumped back a little because of the delays with Exalted, but I'm still hoping for a Halloween-ish release.
What are you working on after the Stained Series is over?
The HERE Trilogy. You can get HERE here.
I hope everybody is having a great week so far!
xx Ella
Since Stained went free, there are so many MORE of you, which is so awesome. :) I've gotten a few of the same questions, so here are some answers.
What is the Kindle Fire giveaway, and how do I enter?
The post about the Kindle Fire giveaway is the one right below this post. But here's the skinny: Be on my FB page every night through Wednesday, answer the Stained trivia question, and tell your friends about the giveaway on FB and Twitter. Each of those things earns you an entry. Wednesday night I'll use Random.org to choose a winner, and that person will get a Kindle Fire! For more details, though, read the post below.
When is Exalted (Stained book four) coming out? Why isn't it already out?
The original release date for Exalted was September 15, this past Saturday. That was before my editor got the flu and was unable to work for six days, which put the Exalted release about six days behind. We're shooting for this coming Saturday or Sunday, but I can't make any guarantees because I don't actually have the book right now (my editor does) and our timetable got messed up by the flu. However, I really think it will be out sometime this weekend. Wings crossed!
When is the second HERE Trilogy book coming out?
Hopefully at the end of October. It got bumped back a little because of the delays with Exalted, but I'm still hoping for a Halloween-ish release.
What are you working on after the Stained Series is over?
The HERE Trilogy. You can get HERE here.
I hope everybody is having a great week so far!
xx Ella
September 14, 2012
Stained-o-versary Big Giveaway
One year ago today, I had a beautiful newborn with a laundry list of scary health problems, and a drawer full of finished books that agents always liked, but never seemed to want to bet on. The writing ambitions I'd fostered since 2005 seemed a billion years away. I thought it would be a miracle if my husband, son, and I made it through our first year together intact. Probably to give ourselves a break from the issues going on with our son, my husband and I decided to take my oldest, dustiest book and post it for sale on Amazon. My husband thought it would be a fun diversion. Maybe it would sell a few copies, and I'd have something to focus on besides my calendar full of appointments with pediatric specialists.
We spent the next few months walking through hell with our baby. At every turn, we got more bad news. As Stained quietly built momentum, we were learning the hard way that God is capable of anything, including seeing our son safely through every single health challenge he faced. In March, our son had his last surgery, a much better experience than the one before it, and my husband and I left the hospital with a healthy baby, feeling like we'd won ten lotteries.
Finally, I could focus on my writing again.
I still can't quite remember how Stolen or HERE made their way from my brain to ebookstores, but somehow, it happened.
And something else did, too. A group of people - small, at first - started loving my books. Telling their friends about my books. Buying not just one, but all the books.
After years of rejection, years of being told that my books were good, but they weren't good enough, years of working low-income, low-potential jobs so I could come home with the brainpower leftover to spend the evening writing, this seemed almost as astonishing as the many miracles we witnessed with our son.
After the heartbreaking rejection of a book I'd worked on for three years, in the fall of 2010, I'd started to think my dream of becoming a fulltime fiction writer would stay just that - a dream.
That's where you came in. I know you thought you were just buying an ebook. And I know selling low-cost ebooks in a down economy isn't exactly walking on water, but the experience has been nothing short of miraculous for me.
I am and will always be so, so thankful for the readers who took a chance on a new author. To the readers who e-mailed me and messaged me. To the readers who liked my status updates when I only had five fans. To the bloggers who agreed to read and review a brand new book by a no-name author.
THANK YOU!
In celebration of my Stained-o-versary, I'm giving away a Kindle Fire. If you already have an e-reader you love, you can choose to get an equivalent gift card - to Amazon, to BN.com, to the Apple store. Whatever you want - it's your prize.
So here's how you win:
Starting today, Friday, and going through Wednesday, I'm going to give you quizzes. Don't worry - if you read my books, they'll be really easy. ;) Most of the questions will be from Stained, so if you haven't finished every book in the series, you can still win. A few bonus questions will be from Stolen and Chosen.
Every answer gets you one point. It doesn't have to be the right answer; if you answer a quiz question, you are entered once. You can answer questions Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and be entered to win the Kindle Fire six times. Pretty cool, right?
But this is really a contest for my readers - those of you who probably will get the answers right. Every correct answer gets you entered *two* times. So if you answer every quiz question, and get every question right, you'll be entered twelve times.
I'm going to make the questions easy, like I said, and I may also give you chapter numbers where the answers can be found. That way, if you're like me and you forget the details when you close the book, you can just go look them up. If you really want to win a Kindle Fire and you haven't read my books, you can go buy them. ;)
The first question will be posted at 5 p.m. today on my FB page (facebook.com/ellajamesbooks). The first, fifth, and tenth people to answer on my FB page win a 99 cent Amazon gift card.
You can get more entries by sharing about the giveaway on your FB or Twitter. Just let me know you did. Each tweet or share will get you one additional entry. So I guess you'll have to weigh that against your desire to keep the contest - and the Kindle Fire - all to yourself. ;)
Thanks again - so very much, and Happy Stained-o-versary!
