Emily Goodwin's Blog, page 5
November 6, 2012
Contagium updates
It's been a while since I've written a real post. A lot has happened in that time, a lot of stuff that's not too exciting as well as some pretty exciting news. First of all, I want to thank everyone who participated in the Reaper cover reveal blog tour. I had meant to compile a list of bloggers, but I've been sick for two weeks now and have fallen behind on pretty much everything. I have asthma, so when I get a cold it turns into a respiratory tract infection and then bronchitis (and sometimes pneumonia) pretty easily. Yes, I know how much this will suck in the ZA. I'm considering growing penicillin in my basement for this very reason. Preparation is the key to survival, remember? I have a bad habit of ignoring feeling sick and hoping it will go away. Makes no sense when you remember I'm in nursing school. I know the pathophysiology of bronchitis. I know I'm susceptible to it. Yet I ignore it and then end up really sick. Which is where I'm at now. I'll live and learn someday...I hope!
Speaking of school, I have a little over a month left until graduation! Yay! I cannot wait to be done but I'm nervous at the same time. Graduation means taking boards (which I'm really not too worried about...I've done well in school; boards shouldn't be any worse) and getting a job as a nurse. I'm really looking forward to working and being able to take care of patients. Once I don't have studying and homework, it should free up a lot of my time for writing. I have so many outlines and new stories that I want to write!
My current project is the third book in the Contagium Trilogy, and the point of this post. I've talked about this before, so I'll just recap really quickly. I made outlines for the three books in the series before I started writing. I knew what I wanted to happen, and I knew what I wanted to write to get to those things. I never intended on the books being as long as they are. I had planned on introducing Hayden's character around page 75 and it ended up being way past that. The characters literally took over and told me their stories. The first book goes beyond what I had imagined, but it was all in a good way. They characters had more depth, more to them that makes them relate-able, realistic, and gives you a better change to connect with them. I enjoyed writing the gross zombie scenes and got a little more descriptive than I wanted to as well, which added to the length.
The whole point of DC in outline form was to show that there are worse things than zombies left in the world. The ending of the book (spoiler alert!!!) where the guys find the prison is about halfway through DC's outline. Again, the characters had more to their stories and wanted to be heard. Though DC didn't get everything I had intended, I still think it's a good, solid read. I was worried about it, to be honest, and didn't want it to seem like a 'filler' book. I had many beta readers and got good feedback and since publishing, it seems to be doing well, though I'm still open to feedback about it.
I'm currently working on the third book, which was supposed to be the last book. This book was supposed to cover the second half of the out line for DC as well as everything I had for the final book. The ending is pretty epic and cannot be summed up quickly. If I were to put half of DC's outline with book number three, it would be really long. I don't have a problem with long books at all (I actually prefer them) so I'm really not worried about having the final book be 'too long'.
However, I say 'supposed to' in the above paragraph because I'm seriously considering making The Contagium Trilogy into a 4 book series. Obviously it wouldn't be a trilogy anymore. There was part of DC's outline that I was going to throw out/shorten to get a better flow of the third and final book. I really like that little section of plot and can develop it so much further. It adds a bit of a twist to the plot and shifts the main characters' attention to a different kind of problem. I really wanted to show that horrible events bring out the best and worst of people as well as show that desperation can make people do some terrible, unthinkable things.
Another thing I should mention is that I never thought I'd enjoy writing anything not paranormal. I had no idea I'd absolutely love the characters in The Contagium Trilogy as much as I'd do. I didn't anticipate totally loving writing about zombie fight scenes and the hardships of survival. But I do. I dream about zombies all the time, and they are always good dreams to me. I've become a bit of an obsessive 'prepper' and second guess wearing heels when I go out. (What if zombies attack?? Heels=bad getaway) Being able to write as Orissa and making myself learn new survival skills for the sake of my characters has been an unbelievable blast.Once this series is done I want to write another zombie series. (Or keep writing about Riss and Hayden...)
So, my plan would be to keep writing and sticking to the outlines, expanding on my above mentioned plot a little more (I have so many ideas for this!) and end the book when it feels right, which will probably be close to the end of DC's original outline. Then book number four will be the final book. I know I'm being vague, but that's because I don't want to give anything away. When you read the 3rd book, you will definitely understand what I'm trying to say...or at least I hope you will!
I cannot make up my mind. Three or four books? There is something nice and neat about trilogies, so I am a little hesitant to write four. But, I have so many ideas for where this could go. What do you guys think? Keep it as a trilogy? Or the more the merrier? I'd love to hear your input!
Speaking of school, I have a little over a month left until graduation! Yay! I cannot wait to be done but I'm nervous at the same time. Graduation means taking boards (which I'm really not too worried about...I've done well in school; boards shouldn't be any worse) and getting a job as a nurse. I'm really looking forward to working and being able to take care of patients. Once I don't have studying and homework, it should free up a lot of my time for writing. I have so many outlines and new stories that I want to write!
My current project is the third book in the Contagium Trilogy, and the point of this post. I've talked about this before, so I'll just recap really quickly. I made outlines for the three books in the series before I started writing. I knew what I wanted to happen, and I knew what I wanted to write to get to those things. I never intended on the books being as long as they are. I had planned on introducing Hayden's character around page 75 and it ended up being way past that. The characters literally took over and told me their stories. The first book goes beyond what I had imagined, but it was all in a good way. They characters had more depth, more to them that makes them relate-able, realistic, and gives you a better change to connect with them. I enjoyed writing the gross zombie scenes and got a little more descriptive than I wanted to as well, which added to the length.
The whole point of DC in outline form was to show that there are worse things than zombies left in the world. The ending of the book (spoiler alert!!!) where the guys find the prison is about halfway through DC's outline. Again, the characters had more to their stories and wanted to be heard. Though DC didn't get everything I had intended, I still think it's a good, solid read. I was worried about it, to be honest, and didn't want it to seem like a 'filler' book. I had many beta readers and got good feedback and since publishing, it seems to be doing well, though I'm still open to feedback about it.
I'm currently working on the third book, which was supposed to be the last book. This book was supposed to cover the second half of the out line for DC as well as everything I had for the final book. The ending is pretty epic and cannot be summed up quickly. If I were to put half of DC's outline with book number three, it would be really long. I don't have a problem with long books at all (I actually prefer them) so I'm really not worried about having the final book be 'too long'.
However, I say 'supposed to' in the above paragraph because I'm seriously considering making The Contagium Trilogy into a 4 book series. Obviously it wouldn't be a trilogy anymore. There was part of DC's outline that I was going to throw out/shorten to get a better flow of the third and final book. I really like that little section of plot and can develop it so much further. It adds a bit of a twist to the plot and shifts the main characters' attention to a different kind of problem. I really wanted to show that horrible events bring out the best and worst of people as well as show that desperation can make people do some terrible, unthinkable things.
Another thing I should mention is that I never thought I'd enjoy writing anything not paranormal. I had no idea I'd absolutely love the characters in The Contagium Trilogy as much as I'd do. I didn't anticipate totally loving writing about zombie fight scenes and the hardships of survival. But I do. I dream about zombies all the time, and they are always good dreams to me. I've become a bit of an obsessive 'prepper' and second guess wearing heels when I go out. (What if zombies attack?? Heels=bad getaway) Being able to write as Orissa and making myself learn new survival skills for the sake of my characters has been an unbelievable blast.Once this series is done I want to write another zombie series. (Or keep writing about Riss and Hayden...)
So, my plan would be to keep writing and sticking to the outlines, expanding on my above mentioned plot a little more (I have so many ideas for this!) and end the book when it feels right, which will probably be close to the end of DC's original outline. Then book number four will be the final book. I know I'm being vague, but that's because I don't want to give anything away. When you read the 3rd book, you will definitely understand what I'm trying to say...or at least I hope you will!
I cannot make up my mind. Three or four books? There is something nice and neat about trilogies, so I am a little hesitant to write four. But, I have so many ideas for where this could go. What do you guys think? Keep it as a trilogy? Or the more the merrier? I'd love to hear your input!
October 31, 2012
Double Cover Reveal!
Happy Halloween!! Halloween is by far my holiday; I love everything about it! Today is even more exciting than the usual All Hallow's Eve because Reaper is finally released!! This book has been in the works for a long time. As soon as I finished Unbound, I immediately began Reaper. Then I had a dream about mermaids and just had to write down the story that was in my head. Then I dreamed about zombies and had to write Contagious...and then Deathly Contagious.
When I finally got back into writing Reaper, I fell in love with the story and the characters in The Guardian Legacies all over again. I am so happy with how Reaper turned out, and I hope you guys like it too!!
What do you think about the cover? I LOVE it!! It was made my Mel at Mahdesigns.deviantart.com. She was a pleasure to work with and (obviously!) is very talented! The cover represents the novel so well. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't say too much. The background was inspired by a scene from the book. I think Anora's stance shows her apprehension yet willingness to face what lies ahead.
And...here is Unbound's new cover!
Anyway, to celebrate the happy release day of Reaper, Unbound is FREE on amazon today and tomorrow! And I will be having giveaways on the book's FB page (link). I am giving away print books, ebooks, and signed bookmarks! And a HUGE thank you to Lori Parker over at Contagious Reads for putting together a cover reveal blog tour and for managing the FB page tomorrow while I'm stuck at the hospital for clinicals. Stop by her awesome blog and show her some love!!
When I finally got back into writing Reaper, I fell in love with the story and the characters in The Guardian Legacies all over again. I am so happy with how Reaper turned out, and I hope you guys like it too!!
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What do you think about the cover? I LOVE it!! It was made my Mel at Mahdesigns.deviantart.com. She was a pleasure to work with and (obviously!) is very talented! The cover represents the novel so well. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't say too much. The background was inspired by a scene from the book. I think Anora's stance shows her apprehension yet willingness to face what lies ahead.
And...here is Unbound's new cover!
Anyway, to celebrate the happy release day of Reaper, Unbound is FREE on amazon today and tomorrow! And I will be having giveaways on the book's FB page (link). I am giving away print books, ebooks, and signed bookmarks! And a HUGE thank you to Lori Parker over at Contagious Reads for putting together a cover reveal blog tour and for managing the FB page tomorrow while I'm stuck at the hospital for clinicals. Stop by her awesome blog and show her some love!!
October 18, 2012
(Wo)man's best friend
"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace."- Milan Kundera
Back in 1999, my younger sister and I schemed on how to convince our mom to let us get a dog. We had conned her into going to the animal shelter a few times 'just to look' at the dogs. At that time, dog adoption fees were only $45. I saved my birthday money and waited, plotting out the best time to follow through with our plan.
Knowing that I wanted a dog, my mom told me I wasn't allowed to bring my money to the shelter. So, being the crafty child I was, I gave my money to my sister. With our master plan in the works, we went to the shelter after a half day of school. We walked through the rows of dogs. Something about Chrissy caught my eye. She was a year old and had thick, long, glossy black fur. (We decided her birthday would be a year before the day we got her) In my mind, she was sitting patiently in her kennel just waiting for the perfect family, though realistically, she was jumping and barking like the other dogs.
The only information written on Chrissy's ID card was 'Housebroken. Loves to play ball.' We had shelter volunteers take her into a run, and we got to throw a tennis ball for her. It didn't take long for my sister and I to fall in love. At that point, I had made up my mind. I turned to my mom with a huge guilty grin.
"Mom," I started. "I know you said that I couldn't bring any money..."
"So I did!" my sister blurted and pulled the money from her pocket. My mom didn't quiet know what to say. Luckily for her, we had to go and pick up our older sister from school. On the way, I called my grandma to get her help in convincing my mom to let us get a dog.
"All kids should have a dog," my grandma told me. Of course, I had her repeat that to my mother. After more convincing, another phone call to our dad, and some begging and promising that I'd take care of the dog, we went back to the shelter.
Chrissy was previously named Allyah and was abandoned by her previous owners. The shelter was pretty sure she had been abused (later on we would discover she was terrified of newspapers, esp if they were rolled up, and would cower when you raised your arms). I spent the rest of my birthday money on food, toys, collars, leashes and other dog supplies.
I showed Chrissy in the 4H dog program. (We always did horrible!) I slept in her crate with her a few times so she wouldn't have to be alone. I took her to the barn with me. She was a great family dog, got along with my older sister's (nasty) Chihuahua that she got the next year and pretty much left our cats alone.
Chrissy bonded with my dad the most. When I got married, we decided it would be best for Chrissy to stay in the home she was used to (and my dad didn't want to give her up!) and I got my current puppy, Vader. Chrissy never liked other big dogs, but she tolerated Vader and he, even still, respects her.
Chrissy is 14 years old. She is a Border Collie/Lab mix. Yes, that is old for a big dog. Still, this doesn't make it any easier. Chrissy hasn't been in good health the last year. She has hip dysplasia and pretty much has no muscle mass left. She can barely walk and needs to be carried. She hasn't eaten for about a week and barfs after just drinking water.
She is being put down tomorrow. I hate it. I hate that I question if it's 100% right. Our vet thinks it is, and she said that she doesn't want Chrissy to suffer like she is right now. I know very well that her body is shutting down. In the back of my mind, I'm still hoping she will wake up tomorrow with improvement; just anything to give us a good reason to give her more time. And I knew this day would come. I just didn't expect it to be so hard.
As Hayden says in DC, "Losing someone isn't easy. They say time heals everything but I think all it does is fill the wound with scar tissue; it will never heal but it won’t be the painful gaping hole it once was." Losing Chrissy isn't going to be easy. Being able to be there with her will be hard as well, but I want to be there with her until the very end.
I cherish every moment I have with Vader, and I know someday we will go through this with him...with all my animals. It almost makes me not want another animal so I won't have to go through the loss again. But the time spent together before then is wonderful.
One of my favorite things about animals is that they don't judge you. People say that someone is 'acting like an animal' like it's a bad thing. In some ways, we should act more like animals. Enjoy the little things. Take people for who they are. Love unconditionally.
I will always love you, Chrissy Lou
11/12/1998- 10/19-2012
Back in 1999, my younger sister and I schemed on how to convince our mom to let us get a dog. We had conned her into going to the animal shelter a few times 'just to look' at the dogs. At that time, dog adoption fees were only $45. I saved my birthday money and waited, plotting out the best time to follow through with our plan.
Knowing that I wanted a dog, my mom told me I wasn't allowed to bring my money to the shelter. So, being the crafty child I was, I gave my money to my sister. With our master plan in the works, we went to the shelter after a half day of school. We walked through the rows of dogs. Something about Chrissy caught my eye. She was a year old and had thick, long, glossy black fur. (We decided her birthday would be a year before the day we got her) In my mind, she was sitting patiently in her kennel just waiting for the perfect family, though realistically, she was jumping and barking like the other dogs.
The only information written on Chrissy's ID card was 'Housebroken. Loves to play ball.' We had shelter volunteers take her into a run, and we got to throw a tennis ball for her. It didn't take long for my sister and I to fall in love. At that point, I had made up my mind. I turned to my mom with a huge guilty grin.
"Mom," I started. "I know you said that I couldn't bring any money..."
"So I did!" my sister blurted and pulled the money from her pocket. My mom didn't quiet know what to say. Luckily for her, we had to go and pick up our older sister from school. On the way, I called my grandma to get her help in convincing my mom to let us get a dog.
"All kids should have a dog," my grandma told me. Of course, I had her repeat that to my mother. After more convincing, another phone call to our dad, and some begging and promising that I'd take care of the dog, we went back to the shelter.
Chrissy was previously named Allyah and was abandoned by her previous owners. The shelter was pretty sure she had been abused (later on we would discover she was terrified of newspapers, esp if they were rolled up, and would cower when you raised your arms). I spent the rest of my birthday money on food, toys, collars, leashes and other dog supplies.
I showed Chrissy in the 4H dog program. (We always did horrible!) I slept in her crate with her a few times so she wouldn't have to be alone. I took her to the barn with me. She was a great family dog, got along with my older sister's (nasty) Chihuahua that she got the next year and pretty much left our cats alone.
Chrissy bonded with my dad the most. When I got married, we decided it would be best for Chrissy to stay in the home she was used to (and my dad didn't want to give her up!) and I got my current puppy, Vader. Chrissy never liked other big dogs, but she tolerated Vader and he, even still, respects her.
Chrissy is 14 years old. She is a Border Collie/Lab mix. Yes, that is old for a big dog. Still, this doesn't make it any easier. Chrissy hasn't been in good health the last year. She has hip dysplasia and pretty much has no muscle mass left. She can barely walk and needs to be carried. She hasn't eaten for about a week and barfs after just drinking water.
She is being put down tomorrow. I hate it. I hate that I question if it's 100% right. Our vet thinks it is, and she said that she doesn't want Chrissy to suffer like she is right now. I know very well that her body is shutting down. In the back of my mind, I'm still hoping she will wake up tomorrow with improvement; just anything to give us a good reason to give her more time. And I knew this day would come. I just didn't expect it to be so hard.
As Hayden says in DC, "Losing someone isn't easy. They say time heals everything but I think all it does is fill the wound with scar tissue; it will never heal but it won’t be the painful gaping hole it once was." Losing Chrissy isn't going to be easy. Being able to be there with her will be hard as well, but I want to be there with her until the very end.
I cherish every moment I have with Vader, and I know someday we will go through this with him...with all my animals. It almost makes me not want another animal so I won't have to go through the loss again. But the time spent together before then is wonderful.
One of my favorite things about animals is that they don't judge you. People say that someone is 'acting like an animal' like it's a bad thing. In some ways, we should act more like animals. Enjoy the little things. Take people for who they are. Love unconditionally.
I will always love you, Chrissy Lou
11/12/1998- 10/19-2012
October 10, 2012
Let the voting begin!
I made two book trailers for Contagious. I didn't know how to add moving film at first (shameful...I know lol) but then I figured it out. So, I don't know which trailer is better. Since you guys are so awesome, I'll let you vote on which one you like better! The one with the most votes wins! (The beginnings are the same, FYI)
Option One:
And Option Two:
If there are any suggestions, let me know! I can still change things. Thanks in advance for helping me choose!
Also, my blog has surpassed 10,000 views by a couple hundred. I don't check my views that often so it was a happy surprise to see those numbers this morning! :)
Option One:
And Option Two:
If there are any suggestions, let me know! I can still change things. Thanks in advance for helping me choose!
Also, my blog has surpassed 10,000 views by a couple hundred. I don't check my views that often so it was a happy surprise to see those numbers this morning! :)
October 6, 2012
Mistakes
I was talking to someone today, who recently made a pretty big mistake. They acted out of anger and were facing some pretty serious consequences because of it. We got to talking about making mistakes in life in general, and how it's easy to get mad at yourself for something you've done (or did do...that can be just as bad if not worse). I'm sure everyone has at least one thing they wish they could undo. I know there have been time when I wished I had a rewind button on my life.
Of course, that will never happen. I told that person that instead of dwelling on our mistakes, we should learn from them. Learn how it made you feel and how not to do it again. It's such simple (and a bit cliche) advice. But it's so true.
You might be wondering how this relates to my blog right now. Now, I don't really feel like I've done things wrong when it comes to being an Indie author or anything, but there were things I definitely could have done better. Way better. My biggest mistake is putting too much on my plate. I set release dates and had to rush to get things done. I don't think my story line suffered, but the editing did. With trying to stick with the set dates, I cut my editing time in half. Yes, that is a big mistake. One I will not make again.
I also try to edit one book while working on another, which doesn't work out as well as I'd like. If I wasn't in school, it would probably be no problem. But I need to face reality and admit that my school work takes up a lot of time and I need to slow down.
So, I will no longer be setting release dates until the book is almost complete. I had hoped to have TIC done by the end of the year. While I might be done writing the book by then, I do not see it being edited and ready for publication in only 2 months. And for that, I'm truly sorry. I feel like I'm letting you guys down. I'd rather take the extra time and write a really good book with better editing than rush through it. I don't know why I set two release dates within two months of each other to begin with...(Reaper is 10/31 and TIC was supposed to be 12/21)
I'm having everything previously published re-edited/content revised too. Unbound is 100% done (professionally-yay!) and has a new cover. I think about 4,000 words got taken out of it, cleaning it up and making the story just better. Reaper is in the works now too, and will be ready for it's original release date of Halloween.
To celebrate the uh, better-ing?? of my books., I am having giveaways! I love giveaways but I never really knew good ways to go about doing them or what to give away. The awesome, amazing, Loir from Contagious Reads is helping me with everything (did I say she's awesome!) I'll post about it here, but check the FB pages for details. So far I have signed books, ebooks, book marks, and charm bracelets.
So, yes, I've made mistakes. I've learned the hard way. I've learned that I have limits, even though I don't want to believe it. And I want to take a second to thank all my readers. I appreciate the hell out of you guys. :)
Of course, that will never happen. I told that person that instead of dwelling on our mistakes, we should learn from them. Learn how it made you feel and how not to do it again. It's such simple (and a bit cliche) advice. But it's so true.
You might be wondering how this relates to my blog right now. Now, I don't really feel like I've done things wrong when it comes to being an Indie author or anything, but there were things I definitely could have done better. Way better. My biggest mistake is putting too much on my plate. I set release dates and had to rush to get things done. I don't think my story line suffered, but the editing did. With trying to stick with the set dates, I cut my editing time in half. Yes, that is a big mistake. One I will not make again.
I also try to edit one book while working on another, which doesn't work out as well as I'd like. If I wasn't in school, it would probably be no problem. But I need to face reality and admit that my school work takes up a lot of time and I need to slow down.
So, I will no longer be setting release dates until the book is almost complete. I had hoped to have TIC done by the end of the year. While I might be done writing the book by then, I do not see it being edited and ready for publication in only 2 months. And for that, I'm truly sorry. I feel like I'm letting you guys down. I'd rather take the extra time and write a really good book with better editing than rush through it. I don't know why I set two release dates within two months of each other to begin with...(Reaper is 10/31 and TIC was supposed to be 12/21)
I'm having everything previously published re-edited/content revised too. Unbound is 100% done (professionally-yay!) and has a new cover. I think about 4,000 words got taken out of it, cleaning it up and making the story just better. Reaper is in the works now too, and will be ready for it's original release date of Halloween.
To celebrate the uh, better-ing?? of my books., I am having giveaways! I love giveaways but I never really knew good ways to go about doing them or what to give away. The awesome, amazing, Loir from Contagious Reads is helping me with everything (did I say she's awesome!) I'll post about it here, but check the FB pages for details. So far I have signed books, ebooks, book marks, and charm bracelets.
So, yes, I've made mistakes. I've learned the hard way. I've learned that I have limits, even though I don't want to believe it. And I want to take a second to thank all my readers. I appreciate the hell out of you guys. :)
September 23, 2012
Reaper Betas
I just sent out a ton of emails to people who offered to beta read. So THANK YOU to any one who offered. If you emailed me or left a comment and HAVEN'T heard from me, email/comment again. I tried not to miss any emails/comments, but I know it is possible.
And if you'd still like to beta read, email/comment as well! A month and one week until this is out...ekk! I feel it's coming along great! And about 90% of the feedback I've gotten from betas has been consistent, which makes things easier on my end!
I'm sending it to the editor tomorrow so there is still lots of time to fix grammar/spelling mistakes before the launch day. I have a photoshoot this weekend for the covers! I'm kinda stoked right now!!!
Doesn't this look like it could be Anora's house??
And if you'd still like to beta read, email/comment as well! A month and one week until this is out...ekk! I feel it's coming along great! And about 90% of the feedback I've gotten from betas has been consistent, which makes things easier on my end!
I'm sending it to the editor tomorrow so there is still lots of time to fix grammar/spelling mistakes before the launch day. I have a photoshoot this weekend for the covers! I'm kinda stoked right now!!!
Doesn't this look like it could be Anora's house??
September 18, 2012
Quick Update
September 14th is my birthday. This particular bday was extra special because my niece was born that day! She gets to share her birthday with her crazy Aunt Emily! :) We needed more Virgos in the family. So 'yay' for healthy babies and fun upcoming bday parties!
Did I ever mention that I hate editing? I do. Well, not entirely hate it, but it's not the most fun thing in the world. I do kinda enjoy deciding on what to leave or cut from my works. Is that weird? I don't know...probably a little lol. So, I've been editing my little heart out.
If you haven't gotten an email from me yet and you emailed me about beta reading, don't worry. I will get back to you, I'm waiting to send out a 'round two' of Reaper after I've made some corrections. (Email me if you want to beta read!) It should hopefully be within the next week or two.
I'm getting a ton of crap put together. (Finally) Around Halloween, I should hopefully have tons of stuff to giveaway. I have a new admin on my GL facebook page, so it will be fun to get that page up and running again. I've been neglectful :( I'm just not good at managing pages, I suppose. Unbound was edited and a lot of changes/fixes were made. I am going to have a re-release party and give away all sorts of fun stuff. If anyone has any ideas of what would be fun to get in a giveaway, let me know!
DC is being looked at by an editor and some changes will be made. Nothing to the plot-don't worry- just in the flow and stuff like that. I'll post about it sometime in the near future...there's a lot to discuss in regards to DC and TCT in itself.
I'm excited to get things polished and in tip-top shape. I wish I had done that in the beginning, but I know I can't change the past (duh). I've lived and learned and have grown from my mistakes. I had no idea what all was involved in being Indie, and now that I do, I feel I can offer so much more. Again, if I had known all along what I know now, things would have been easier. I refuse to dwell and feel regret over it. I'm excited to move forward and give you guys the best!
Oh, and I want to say congrats to Samantha Young (a self pubbed author) for her success! On Dublin Street is currently the #1 bestseller on amazon.com!! :)
Did I ever mention that I hate editing? I do. Well, not entirely hate it, but it's not the most fun thing in the world. I do kinda enjoy deciding on what to leave or cut from my works. Is that weird? I don't know...probably a little lol. So, I've been editing my little heart out.
If you haven't gotten an email from me yet and you emailed me about beta reading, don't worry. I will get back to you, I'm waiting to send out a 'round two' of Reaper after I've made some corrections. (Email me if you want to beta read!) It should hopefully be within the next week or two.
I'm getting a ton of crap put together. (Finally) Around Halloween, I should hopefully have tons of stuff to giveaway. I have a new admin on my GL facebook page, so it will be fun to get that page up and running again. I've been neglectful :( I'm just not good at managing pages, I suppose. Unbound was edited and a lot of changes/fixes were made. I am going to have a re-release party and give away all sorts of fun stuff. If anyone has any ideas of what would be fun to get in a giveaway, let me know!
DC is being looked at by an editor and some changes will be made. Nothing to the plot-don't worry- just in the flow and stuff like that. I'll post about it sometime in the near future...there's a lot to discuss in regards to DC and TCT in itself.
I'm excited to get things polished and in tip-top shape. I wish I had done that in the beginning, but I know I can't change the past (duh). I've lived and learned and have grown from my mistakes. I had no idea what all was involved in being Indie, and now that I do, I feel I can offer so much more. Again, if I had known all along what I know now, things would have been easier. I refuse to dwell and feel regret over it. I'm excited to move forward and give you guys the best!
Oh, and I want to say congrats to Samantha Young (a self pubbed author) for her success! On Dublin Street is currently the #1 bestseller on amazon.com!! :)
September 3, 2012
Reaper is done! Beta readers needed!
Technically, I finished the MS last week. I had to go through and re-read plus make a few changes. But it's done!! :) It's longer than I thought it would be: 135,000 words. I'm always worried that my books are too long, which is weird, I suppose. I just like to write and have thick plots lol. But finally...it's done. I've been working on Reaper and then putting it aside for almost a year now.
And I feel very proud that this will be my fifth book I've written an published in a year. I published Unbound at the end of October (the 24th, I think). I cannot believe how fast the time as gone since then. And I cannot believe how much I've learned about being an author since then! I knew nothing about publishing, marketing, editors, the importance of cover art last year. I'm glad I went through it the hard way; I think it makes me more appreciative of what I've accomplished now, but I also wish I had gone into it knowing what I know now. I definitely took the plunge without looking into everything that goes into publishing. Live and learn, right?
I always feel a little sad when I finish a book. Reaper wasn't so bad because it is in a series and I will be able to spend time with Anora and Ethan later in the next book (plus like 5 after that; I have plans for this to be a long series). Writing TIC will be bittersweet. I'm so excited to get back to Orissa, Hayden, and the zombies but at the same time I don't want to write the end because that means it's over. It's like finishing a good book. You're glad you read it but sad it's over. For me, it's worse when I write because I am so incredibly attached to my characters.
Anyway, I need beta readers for Reaper. I'm looking for content beta readers who can pick the story apart and be brutally honest. I think beta reading is fun because it gives you a chance to voice what you want to happen/not happen or see more/less of in a novel and actually have a chance to see it changed that way. I take everything my betas have to say seriously.
So, if you'd like to beta read, leave your email address below and I will email you. Or, you can email me at emilykgoodwin@hotmail.com. Just put 'beta reader' in the subject line; a lot of fan email gets sent to my junk mail and I won't know it's not junk unless it has a specific subject line!
And thanks in advance; I appreciate the hell out of you guys who beta read!!!
And I feel very proud that this will be my fifth book I've written an published in a year. I published Unbound at the end of October (the 24th, I think). I cannot believe how fast the time as gone since then. And I cannot believe how much I've learned about being an author since then! I knew nothing about publishing, marketing, editors, the importance of cover art last year. I'm glad I went through it the hard way; I think it makes me more appreciative of what I've accomplished now, but I also wish I had gone into it knowing what I know now. I definitely took the plunge without looking into everything that goes into publishing. Live and learn, right?
I always feel a little sad when I finish a book. Reaper wasn't so bad because it is in a series and I will be able to spend time with Anora and Ethan later in the next book (plus like 5 after that; I have plans for this to be a long series). Writing TIC will be bittersweet. I'm so excited to get back to Orissa, Hayden, and the zombies but at the same time I don't want to write the end because that means it's over. It's like finishing a good book. You're glad you read it but sad it's over. For me, it's worse when I write because I am so incredibly attached to my characters.
Anyway, I need beta readers for Reaper. I'm looking for content beta readers who can pick the story apart and be brutally honest. I think beta reading is fun because it gives you a chance to voice what you want to happen/not happen or see more/less of in a novel and actually have a chance to see it changed that way. I take everything my betas have to say seriously.
So, if you'd like to beta read, leave your email address below and I will email you. Or, you can email me at emilykgoodwin@hotmail.com. Just put 'beta reader' in the subject line; a lot of fan email gets sent to my junk mail and I won't know it's not junk unless it has a specific subject line!
And thanks in advance; I appreciate the hell out of you guys who beta read!!!
August 30, 2012
My first vlog!
I've debated for a while now about doing a blog. They are getting more and more popular, and they are pretty fun to watch. I put it off because I'm a little camera shy (unless I'm in a costume lol) and I really didn't know what to say that I felt was worth watching. So, I have some questions from readers that I addressed here. I hope you find this at least a little entertaining! lol (And I love the face youtube froze it at...haha. I don't know how to fix that lovely expression...I assumed it would show me at the very beginning. Even I don't know what I'm saying there.)
August 25, 2012
One more chapter...
I have one more chapter to go in Reaper! I want to stay up and get it done tonight, but I'm really, really tired. I feel like my writing gets crappy when I'm tired. Plus I misspell really simple words lol. I'm excited to get it done so I can get it out there for you guys to read and because I can get back to TCT. Orissa is still on my mind and I have a feeling she won't leave me alone until her story has been told.
I started my LAST semester of nursing school this week! Woo-hoo!!!! I just want to be done! I have mental health nursing, so it will be interesting at least. I actually miss working in psych. I worked at a 'behavioral health facility' for youths a while back. It was residential, where the kids were stay for months up to a year or so. Some of the kids were awesome, and taught me just as much as I taught them. I'm excited to be able to get back into the psych world this semester, even if it's only for one day a week.
I have a million other projects right now too. I'm trying to read Ever Shade, which is really good. It's so nice to find a book with a strong female that isn't in love with vampires lol. I don't have much time to read, but once I finish Reaper, I'm gonna take some time off to get caught up on my TBR list :) I started a stock model account on deviantart.com. (link) Photomanipulation is such an amazing thing!
I've been considering doing weekly (or bi-weekly) vlogs. Idk if anyone would be interested in watching them lol, and honestly, the idea of getting in front of a camera makes me nervous! What do you think? Should I do it??
I started my LAST semester of nursing school this week! Woo-hoo!!!! I just want to be done! I have mental health nursing, so it will be interesting at least. I actually miss working in psych. I worked at a 'behavioral health facility' for youths a while back. It was residential, where the kids were stay for months up to a year or so. Some of the kids were awesome, and taught me just as much as I taught them. I'm excited to be able to get back into the psych world this semester, even if it's only for one day a week.
I have a million other projects right now too. I'm trying to read Ever Shade, which is really good. It's so nice to find a book with a strong female that isn't in love with vampires lol. I don't have much time to read, but once I finish Reaper, I'm gonna take some time off to get caught up on my TBR list :) I started a stock model account on deviantart.com. (link) Photomanipulation is such an amazing thing!
I've been considering doing weekly (or bi-weekly) vlogs. Idk if anyone would be interested in watching them lol, and honestly, the idea of getting in front of a camera makes me nervous! What do you think? Should I do it??
