J.L. Peridot's Blog, page 3

Jetting around from my computer chair

Phew! The last month has taken me all over the internet for Yet We Sleep, We Dream, jetting around from site to site with my butt in my computer chair.

Here���s where I���ve been lately:

The future is a midsummer night���s dream on Lyndi���s Adventurous Friends
Visiting Lyndi Alexander to share a bit about why I wrote this book.

The god-king's deepest secret on Beyond Romance
Visiting Lisabet Sarai, who also wrote the most gorgeous review of this novel.

Dust is a danger to starships (especially if it���s magic) on CoffeeThoughtsSharing Chapter 1���s opening beat on Coffee Time Romance.

A love letter to our future on Readers Roost
Visiting Readers Roost, Ella Braeme and Silver Dagger with tips for living a little greener. Not everyone has access to public transport and municipal composting, but we can still develop a personal relationship to our environment.

Meet Nick Button on Maggie Blackbird's blog
A whip-smart good boy dealing with bad news from home while he's out in space.

5 facts about Yet We Sleep, We Dream on Krissie Fortune's blog
A handful of notes from behind the scenes.

And interviews at Plain Talk BM and A Wonderful World of Words.

Thank you ever so much to everyone who���s celebrated this new book with me. Writing it, talking about it ��� heck, learning to talk about my work at all with other writing folk ��� has been such a journey over the past year and a half.

Right now, besides thinking about getting a standing desk one day, I���m waiting on a very small order of paperbacks so there���s a local stash in my city. It���s gonna be surreal seeing them on my bookshelf.

Yet We Sleep, We Dream ��� out now

Yet We Sleep, We Dream, an Australian space-fantasy retelling of A Midsummer Night's dream is available now. Here's the lowdown:

Love triangles get bent out of shape when restless gods come out to play.

Relationships are complicated enough when only humans are involved ��� something the crew of the starship Athenia know plenty about. These children of a changing climate are no strangers to conflicts of the heart. And it seems there's a lot of conflict going on, even out in space.

When an alien dust finds its way on board, the veil between realms begins to fray. Old gods of a long dead planet resume their own romantic bickering while ancient magic wreaks havoc across the ship. Grudges resurface, friends turn to enemies, unrequited love turns to passion ��� or does it? It's kinda hard to tell with everyone at each other's throats.

Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show; but wonder on, till truth make all things plain. Yet We Sleep, We Dream is a romantic space-fantasy inspired by Shakespeare's endearing hot mess, A Midsummer Night's Dream.

"I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was."��� Bottom, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Yet We Sleep, We Dream by JL Peridot
Publication date: 23 September 2023
Genres: Adult, SFF, Romance

Contains:

Friends to loversSecond chancesAussies in space (casual swears)Sex, weed & waking dreamsHot robot love action

Where to find this book!

My Five Bastards: a clash of values

Now that Yet We Sleep, We Dream is on track for launch, I���ve been thinking about how I approach my line of work. No matter where my thoughts travel, the question keeps coming back to my values, how I define a ���life well-lived��� and a ���business well-conducted���. I realise this is something I���ve struggled with for a long time with few answers for how to move forward.

I suspect part of the problem is that I���m dealing with it alone, with just my insecurity and self-doubt crashing around in my head. In the interest of trying something different, I���m going to share a bit of it here. Maybe sending such ponderings out into the universe will bring something useful back.

Values, then. Nothing stokes my cynicism quite like businesses that print and frame their corporate values and hang them in the boardroom. Much of that comes from having worked for businesses who end up flouting their values, and not wanting to be like them.

But it probably also comes from not really knowing what my values are when it comes to my work. I don���t know. What I do have an inkling of, however, is where my internal conflicts come from. It���s these factors, which I don���t have a proper term for, so I will refer to them as my Five Bastards:

Craftsmanship: Quality of work, treatment of ideas, approach to creativity, making an effort for my craft and ongoing education. Concern over this value often surfaces when I���m in the midst of a difficult draft, when my inner child, inner demons and inner critic all have a tea party and talk about how terrible my writing is.

Time and energy: Balancing the desire to get stuff done with the need for rest and recovery. Deadlines always rub in how much I���ve yet to learn and grow in my field, and part of me clings to the idea that if I can fix my process, I can win whatever battle I���m fighting on this front. But then, could the problem lie in seeing this as a fight, rather than adopting the zen-like acceptance that I���ll never do All The Things with my four thousand weeks of human life?

Financial practicalities: Self-explanatory.

Ethics and integrity: A difficult one, because while I can make immediate and direct choices on this basis, there are impacts further out that I have no control over. For example, I can take my business to a bank that does not invest in projects that violate human rights, but they can still get acquired by a larger bank that does. (This happened recently and I am rather annoyed.)

Sustainability: Impact on people and planet. Challenges are the same if not similar to the conflicts with ethics and integrity.

Every decision I must make about the craft and trade of writing seems to see two or more of these Bastards clashing together in a giant muddy scrum, each demanding to be the driving force behind the outcome. And there���s no easy way to tame their conflict, no perfect ���once and for all��� solution that���ll mean good decisions get made forever thereafter.

Recently, I read Tom Greenwood���s essay, Where are the A Corps?, the take-home message of which is that we���re not going to get things perfect, but we can still make things better. When you���re in the midst of everything being terrible, the Nirvana fallacy probably offers a dose of much-needed psychological comfort in the short-term. It���s nice to think one can reach a state of existence where one can do no wrong. But really, everything isn���t terrible even if a lot of things might be, and short-termism might be the thing that wears one out on the long journey of building something one can derive meaning from.

Well, writing this post hasn���t helped me figure out what my values are, but I guess knowing where my conflict comes from is a good enough start. Not a perfect start, but better than nothing.

Fine, then. I declare perfectionism bankruptcy. Let���s see what happens from here.

Status Update: September 2023

Oh boy, it's been a hot minute. Actually, a cold minute because despite the growing patches of warm days in Perth, it's still pretty freaking chilly most of the time, mostly due to the seasonal winds that start to pick up at this time of year.

My home and nasal passages are whirling with dust and pollen, but thanks to the magic of cetrizine hydrochloride, I can quite comfortably sit here and write this update.

Yet We Sleep, We Dream

My dearly beloved novel, Yet We Sleep, We Dream will be releasing later this month, on the 23rd although I'm not sure which time zone's 23rd it actually becomes downloadable.

I've given one and a half years of my life to this book, which makes me feel proud and panicked all at once. Anyone who hasn't erased the pandemic years from memory will likely relate to this surreal feeling of time. How does something that feels like a snail crawl also feel like a zippy race?

Well, at any rate, we are approaching launch and I am so stoked to be able to share it with you!

If you'd like to get a digital ARC copy, plenty of copies are currently available on BookSiren.

Project Lacewing

The first draft of this novelette is on a slow boil. I'm actually halfway through what my writer friends have called "discovery writing" -- how's that for a much nicer term than "first draft", "trash draft" and "dreck"? Even though an official submission-worthy draft is due in November, knowing it's half-written makes me feel less worried about taking some time off to deload from one story context.

Climate stuff

When I started learning about climate change last year, it was to answer one small question about our household. I thought it was just an "over there" interesting subject matter that I could dip into every now and then to nourish my brain. These days, I seem to be constantly thinking about it. Not with a sense of hopelessness or existential dread (at least not always), but more a very fired-up curiosity particularly around the impacts of late-stage capitalism and what kinds of influence our everyday decisions have on the bigger picture.

I've found it's really easy to get caught in negative spirals and feeling like the effort required to change things is too big and hopeless. Thus many people don't change what they're doing beacuse it feels like a raindrop in the ocean. But, you know, raindrops rarely fall in isolation.

So where I'm at right now is feeling satisfied with my raindrop of effort today. What's the raindrop, you ask? Inviting my neighbour to chuck her kitchen scraps in my compost. That means between us, our little pair of homes has just doubled its methane emission reduction, as well as doubled the amount of nutrients going into my garden, and I barely had to lift a finger to do it. I'm really excited to grow something edible to share with her at the end of next season. Teamwork makes the dream work ���

And then, some other day, I will try for another raindrop.

Other notesOut and about:

In July, I visited Amber Daulton's blog to share an excerpt from Yet We Sleep, We Dream. Here's the sneaky peek.

Headspace digestives: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess The Not So Nice Girl by Skye McDonald Blood of the Desert by B.K. Bass Warm Worlds and Otherwise by James Tiptree Jr.Cast Your Own Shadow by Scott NesbittWIP board: Yet We Sleep, We Dream , an Aussie space-fantasy retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream. LAUNCHES 23 SEP."Lacewing", a post-collapse time-travel SF romance. Draft in progress."Satine". The collection has been cancelled, but there is something coming on this front. Stay tuned.Sunset on a Distant World, a reverse age-gap adult-coming-of-age SF bodyguard romance. Under revision.Key dates:23 SEP: Yet We Sleep, We Dream release25 SEP: Visiting Lyndi's Adventurous Friends05 OCT: Visiting Beyond Romance12 OCT: Visiting Coffee Time Romance09 OCT ��� 23 OCT: Yet We Sleep, We Dream blog tour23 OCT: Visiting Postcards from the Ledge

80s retro romance and a woman���s right to choose

An interview with Skye McDonald, author of 80s retro romance, The Not So Nice Girl.

JL PERIDOT: The Not So Nice Girl has had a long and interesting road from conception to publication. Tell us a bit about that, and why this release is extra special for you.

SKYE MCDONALD: This book was first drafted in 2017 as a 1st person POV story. It was always meant to be the love story between Celeste���s parents in Not Suitable for Work. I drafted it and left it on the proverbial shelf for a long time. With the first 3 Anti-Belle books out in the world, I decided to pause and dive into the prequels.

It felt on time to do a book set in the 80s, especially since the book touches on a woman���s right to choose. But mostly I just wanted to wrap my arms around the 80s nostalgia and bring out a fun summer romp.

But this book is close to my heart for personal reasons too. I incorporated several elements of my family into it. Mac, the record store owner, is a characterization of my father, who was a regional manager of record stores in the early 80s. Many of the things Mac says are things my dad used to say to me all the time. The album he gives Elle, The Point!, is one of our favorites. I actually wrote myself into this book because of Mac ��� in a later scene, he has his daughter with him in the shop because his wife ���works nights at the hospital.��� My mom was a nurse. The baby is me. And, yes, it was super meta to compose that scene!

It was tough revising this book to be 3rd POV, but there are 2 standalone sequels to TNSNG that I drafted in 3rd. Because I wanted them to be Anti-Belle adjacent, I decided to switch to 3rd for these. But overall, this was not a hard book to edit. I added some elements to round out the plot thanks to feedback from beta readers, but the story is very close to it���s original form. (Not so for some of my books!)

JL: Give us the lowdown on your main characters, Eleanor and Sam. They have such a random yet compelling start. Why will readers fall in love with them?

SKYE: They���re both finding themselves and rejecting notions of what they should be. That���s the heart and soul of their ���deal.���

Sam is accepting that he���s a ���doofus��� because he doesn���t fit the (toxic) male stereotypes. Elle, bless her. Elle is running from her past. From the expectations that came with being a ���nice girl��� ��� and the trauma she experienced as a result.

Readers will love them because they are complicated, learning, and human. They are both finding their way in the world and learning to embrace what they want ��� and what they deserve (love!).

Speaking of characters, the other character based on my family is Nana. While my own Mimi didn���t quite have the clairvoyance of Nana, she was extremely insightful. The line where she says she ���had a feeling��� Sam would see Elle happened to my mom when she and Dad were broken up.

JL: It���s funny how things like that show up in fiction and you think it���s just a piece of story, but they very much happen in real life too. On that note, let���s get real. From one geriatric millennial to another, I���m almost insulted that the 80s is now considered retro, but here we are. Why did you pick 1986 specifically?

SKYE: Hahahaaaa, well, we can cling to the fact that it���s not technically historical fiction -- yet!

Setting The Not So Nice Girl in 1986 is a math flub by this point. I started writing Not Suitable for Work in 2014. At that point, it made sense that Celeste���s parents would���ve been falling in love in the mid 80s. Now, almost 10 years after that first draft, there is an obvious error to that timeline. However, contemporary Anti-Belles are not set in specified years, and I really wanted to do an 80s book. So, I just went with it.

The 80s are having a real moment right now. But there���s not a lot of new fiction coming out set in that time. So releasing The Not So Nice Girl now has been awesome because I���ve been able to connect with fans of the rad decade and help them have fun reliving old vibes and memories.

Although this isn���t historical fiction, I definitely did a lot of research to make it faithful to the year. Films, music ��� I even researched the Saturday morning cartoon lineup for the summer of 86. I will say that I had fun with the lack of constant contact the era provided. Mixups and missed info were a lot more plausible when everyone wasn���t on a group chat. (No spoilers!)

JL: Though The Not So Nice Girl is your first traditionally published release, you���ve actually authored six other books, haven���t you?

SKYE: Right, well. Three of the books, the Unlikely Pairings series, I co-authored with Sarah Smith. I could do a whole separate interview on what it���s like to co-author, but I���ll just say that finding the rhythm of writing with a partner was a very interesting, and fun, journey.

The Anti-Belle series contains many more books, but yes, three are currently available. Again, a whole other topic could be what I have learned via publishing! But regarding content, some interesting things I learned to write the books, here are a few:

how an album gets produceddate rape drugsKrav Maga moveshow to deliver a knockout punchcoding languages and web designer jobsbest places to go on a date in Nashville

I also learned about cars for many of the books (including The Not So Nice Girl). Many characters have a car that reflects their personality. (Many also have a go-to whiskey) It���s been fun choosing details like that!

Connecting with Small Town Girl Publishing was pure luck ��� and friendship. (Namely, YOURS.) You found STG���s open call for 80s stories, I submitted, and voila. I���ve gone from indie to trad published.

JL: When you���re not writing romance novels, you���re coaching people in how to be unashamedly themselves. Is there any crossover between your writer self and your coach self?

SKYE: The Romance genre requires a Happily Ever After (Or happily for now) ending to class as romance. Happily ever after in real life is all about loving yourself. And, you see my characters go on that journey before their love story can be complete.

I coach people to find the intersection of health, self-love, and their busy lives. Fitness, habit change, nutrition, sleep, intimacy, and self-care are all parts of a holistic wellness practice. Whether a client is in a relationship or not, the priority is on remembering that they deserve to feel good, to make friends with their bodies, and to enjoy life!

That���s romance. Romance is feel good. It���s enjoyment. It���s fun.

JL: Now that this book is in the hands of your readers, what���s next for Skye McDonald?

SKYE: Well, I am in revision and editing for Anti-Belle Book 4, which will spin off into a side-project and book 5 very neatly.AND, the sequel to The Not So Nice girl will release in May of 2024! Small Town Girl Press will publish Brian���s story (title tbd), set in the early 90s!

Between all of that, you���ll find me at several events over the next year. I���ve got appearances in NYC, California, and of course Nashville!

JL: Finally, what���s the last book you read that took your breath away?

SKYE: Anything you write steals my breath, love. Just facts. Other recent(ish) gems: The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth and Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.

The Not So Nice Girl by Skye McDonald

A love story set in 1986

Friendship shouldn���t be this hot.

Eleanor Field wants nothing more than to spend a drama-free summer in Nashville, listening to rock n��� roll and baking pastries. But her plans are derailed when she walks into a local record shop and meets Sam Greene, a newly graduated, newly single guy who���s looking for a stress-free summer of his own. Despite their instant attraction, neither of them is looking for anything serious. But as they continue to spend time together, their friendship lays the groundwork for something deeper.

Set in the summer of 1986, The Not So Nice Girl is a heartwarming romance about two people who find love when they least expect it. Eleanor and Sam share a mutual love of music, a deep connection, and a group of friends who bring them even closer. But can they overcome their baggage and fears to take their relationship to the next level? Can Eleanor, a free spirit who���s always on the move, admit that she���s found a home in Sam? And can Sam, a sweet guy who���s too nice for his own good, be bold enough to say what he really wants?

With its 80s setting and rock n��� roll soundtrack, The Not So Nice Girl is a nostalgic and romantic read that will transport you to a time of mixtapes, pastries, and first love. Don���t miss out on this charming story of friendship, love, and the power of taking a chance.

Buy this book

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Historical Fiction
Length: 314 pages
Publication Date: 30 May 2023
Publisher: Small Town Girl Publishing

About the author

Skye McDonald is a wellness coach, blogger, and contemporary romance novelist. She believes in the power of falling in love with oneself as the real path to a happily ever after. Her books and coaching draw on her own life experiences. Her novels are sure to make you laugh, cry, and swoon.

Skye���s first novel, Not Suitable for Work, won the Linda Howard Award for Romance in 2019. Her co-authored Unlikely Pairings series (written with Sarah Smith) have been Amazon bestsellers and #1 New Releases. Skye shares her thoughts on living life with an open heart in her "A Bit Much" Substack.

Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Skye now lives and works in Montclair, New Jersey. In her free time, she hikes with her dogs, runs Spartan races, travels, Scuba dives, and is learning to ski. Someday she���ll chill out, preferably on a beach. But not yet. There���s so much life to live first.

Skye McDonald���s website
Skye McDonald���s coaching substack

On working with a sensitivity reader

I���ve been getting questions about working with a sensitivity reader on Yet We Sleep, We Dream. My experience was by no means universal, but I figured it could still be helpful to other writers who find themselves in the position I was in after completing my first draft.

Background: Yet We Sleep, We Dream recasts Shakespeare���s theatrical Nick Bottom as Nick Button, an intelligent engineering student of Noongar Aboriginal heritage. I���m not Indigenous Australian, and there���s heaps about Noongar culture I don���t know. While my novel doesn���t lean heavily into cultural themes, culture still informs who we are as people, and I wanted Nick to portray an authentic character.

What a sensitivity reader is

According to MasterClass, "a sensitivity reader is someone who reads a book before it is complete and looks for cultural representation problems, biases, stereotypes, tropes, and language that a reader could consider problematic."

They are considered a specialised book critiquer or beta reader, though it can also help to think of them informally as cultural consultants, subject matter consultants, or lived-experience consultants. Typically, authors and publishers would hire a sensitivity reader at some point during the writing process ��� the earlier the better, but not so early that the characters and events could change in a way that would require another sensitivity read.

What a sensitivity reader isn't

Sensitivity readers aren���t editors or fact-checkers (though some might also offer that service), and they���re also not manuscript doctors or writing coaches. If they spot something amiss, they���re more likely to point out what didn���t work for them than to give you a dissertation on exactly what to fix. You���ll still have to do your own research for your story, characters and worldbuilding.

Sensitivity readers won���t take over your book, won���t rewrite your story, and won���t try to control how your characters behave. Depending on what you���re hiring them to review, you might not even need to send them your whole book, just the parts covering their area of specialisation. A sensitivity reader���s primary (if not sole) focus is advising on misrepresentation and insensitivity. The final decision about what to include in your book is still up to you as the author.

Finally, a sensitivity reader isn���t an elected representative for a whole group. Each reader brings different lived experience and different expertise, and provides one reasonably informed perspective on the matters in question. Likewise, a sensitivity reader familiar with one type of lived experience won���t necessarily be able to speak on others unless they have experience in those areas as well.

Why you might want a sensitivity reader

Let���s skip the bit about not wanting to offend or trigger people, since it���s kind of obvious. A sensitivity reader can help you craft deeper, more authentic characters as well as plausible and more engaging storylines with details that hit closer to reality.

They can help with your characters��� ���code switching��� for more believable dialogue and character relationships. Depending on their expertise, some can even help with ensuring historical accuracy and crafting magic systems based on real-life beliefs and folklore.

Something not often covered in advice about hiring a sensitivity reader is the impact it can have beyond the confines of your book. People with lived experience and specialised niche knowledge are often forced to pay the toll that comes with things like minority status, disability and marginalisation. As an author, your need for a sensitivity reader creates an opportunity for income that may otherwise be hard to come by, just like how your audience���s need for entertainment creates an opportunity for your creative output to put food on your table.

Additionally, more authentic and relatable characters and storylines can help normalise greater diversity in the real world. This in turn contributes to a larger cultural conversation whereby wealth and power become more evenly distributed throughout society ��� a rising tide that lifts all ships.

Finding a sensitivity reader for my book

It took me months to find a sensitivity reader with the specialty I needed. Web searches turned up mostly results United States covering mainly Black, LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent knowledge areas. But my need for someone who could read for a twenty-year-old Noongar Aboriginal man meant I should be looking more locally.

So the next thing I tried was reaching out to a couple of local writing organisations in my city, which could make sense for broader subject areas, but it turned out my niche was still too niche. Interestingly, the smaller organisation got back to me within a couple of days with helpful suggestions, but I never heard from the bigger one at all.

From there, I contacted Romance Writers of Australia���s diversity team and heard back from both their president and team leader. They gave me a couple of leads in the academic space (university lecturers and such) plus a couple of authors who might be open to questions. The academics were very sympathetic but broadly unable to help, save for one professor who gave me the name of a well-known local journalist who was his former student, along with the publisher who worked with her on a book covering related sensitivity reader expertise. Unfortunately, although I managed to get in contact with her, I hit another dead end very quickly.

Just as I was about to call it quits, I stumbled upon the top-dog organisation for supporting writers and illustrators in Australia. I don���t have a background or connections in the arts, and being an introverted self-made writer courtesy of the internet, I���m not particularly ���out there��� enough that I���d naturally come upon this organisation. These guys are probably as close as you���d get to a union, as they do a lot of rights advocacy and re-shaping of the industry to be fairer on creative people.

I joined, emailed their member services team, and received the details of one sensitivity reader in my state who reads with Noongar Aboriginal expertise: Bill Bennell of Kooyar Wongi. All up, it took me eight months to find him. He gave my book the thumbs up in a matter of weeks.

My advice to writers looking for a sensitivity reader

No one can tell you whether you must or must not have a sensitivity reader look over your book. If your research is tight enough, and any test readers with experience in potentially sensitive subject matter are comfortable with what you���ve written, you might be just fine without one. The choice is always yours.

But you���re obviously reading this to learn more about approaching your search, so here we go:

Start looking in your immediate network, as some people may have worked with similar subject areas, worked with sensitivity readers, or offer some level of sensitivity reading themselves.

Contact writing hubs and professional associations, especially if any of them are known to facilitate any kind of diversity education either within their organisation or externally. Check any industry guides they publish and maintain, as this could easily lead you to sensitivity readers who already have experience reviewing your type of story.

Depending on the subject area and nature of your book, it might also be worth reaching out to the university humanities or arts faculties. Academics tend to be super busy, but they may have people in their network who���d be willing to help.

Treat everyone with respect ��� yes, even if they were rude to you first. Everyone is busy and no one owes you their time and knowledge.

Don���t argue with your sensitivity reader. Remember they���re not there to debate your book or your skills, only to share their perspective based on their personal experience. What you do with their feedback is up to you.

When all your choices in life are bad, what else can you do?

An interview with Amber Daulton.

JL PERIDOT: Trevor's Redemption is about secrets and lies... and danger! Tell us more. What are we lying about? What are we running from?

AMBER DAULTON: Trevor���s Redemption takes place in the bustling city of Denver, Colorado, but unlike a lot of books set in the Centennial State, this one isn���t a cowboy romance. It���s fast-paced romantic suspense with an urban flavor, gritty undertones, and steamy love scenes amid a backdrop of organized crime. Onyx is a massive criminal organization with sets in several American cities, and the Capularia set controls the drug trade in Denver, Aurora, and the surrounding areas.

Trevor and Shea meet for the first time off-page and date for a few short weeks before a huge misunderstanding tears them apart. Fast forward a few months, and their story begins with them unexpectedly running into each other at a bar.

Trevor is a reluctant, guilt-ridden enforcer for Capularia, and he���ll do anything to keep that information on the down low. Shea is a graphics designer at a TV news station, so she���s up-to-date on the criminal activity in the city, but Trevor���s gang affiliations is news to her. When she uncovers his secrets, she���ll have to decide if he���s worth the trouble to fight for or if she should turn tail and run.

JL: Forgiveness and redemption are both excellent turns in a romance. What's the deal with Trevor and Shea? What pulls them apart; what brings them together?

AMBER: Shea has been lied to and cheated on before, so she when catches Trevor in the arms of another woman, she immediately assumes the worst and breaks off all contact with him without first hearing his side of the story. Once she learns the truth���that he was ending his on-again/off-again fling with the other woman because he wanted to commit to Shea���she then seeks his forgiveness for not giving him a chance to explain.

I think readers will enjoy Trevor and Shea���s romance because it���s an adventure story where the main characters have to learn how to trust each other and themselves to see another day. They���re flawed with a ton of baggage under their belts. Life happens, and you gotta do what you must to survive. Hopefully, readers can relate to that.

JL: It sounds like you researched more than just characters and setting. What else did you you uncover while writing this series?

AMBER: I researched various real-life American gangs and the problems they cause (and arise from), and though I took some liberties in creating Onyx to suit my needs as an author, it���s a realistic organization that could exist anywhere.

Most gangs seem to stem from the great social divide that has taken over this country, and most countries in the world. Poverty, prejudices, fear, intolerance, and a lack of basic resources and education has influenced the choices of so many people.

What I hope readers will understand is that circumstance more than ignorance, cruelty, or base desire will often drive poor choices. The world isn���t black or white, and when all the choices you have in life are bad, what else can you do?

JL: So, Arresting Onyx is a collection of hot romances set against the backdrop of organised crime. Where did you draw inspiration for the world of your novels and novellas? Have you ever had a brush with organised crime in real life?

AMBER: A brush with organized crime? Nope, thank goodness! I would hate to go through what I���ve put my characters through. I can dish it, but I certainly don���t want to take it.

The plot for book one, Arresting Mason, came to me in a dream, and as I was writing the story, I found myself entrenched in this new fictional world, in particularly all the trials and pitfalls of my crime organization. It was fascinating. More and more characters kept speaking to me, demanding a story of their own, so the series snowballed into what it is today. I���m grateful for that.

JL: Tell us a bit about life in North Carolina. What got you into writing? Where did your love of books come from? What has your writing journey been like?

AMBER: It���s so beautiful here in western North Carolina, USA. A five-hour drive east takes me to the beach, but an hour drive west takes me up the Great Smoky Mountains where I enjoy hikes and picnicking at a waterfall. I love waking up to thick morning fog, and at night, the stars are so crisp and clear.

I read my first romance book when I was 12 after I snuck a Harlequin paperback out of my mom���s bedroom. I couldn���t stop thinking about it, and I wanted to create my own story about two people having an adventure and falling in love. I wrote with pencil in a spiral-bound notebook and finished that 200-plus-page story in about six months. After that, I focused on writing short stories but jotted down a lot of ideas for future full-length novels, some of which I���ve actually written as an adult.

I published my first book almost eleven years ago, and Trevor���s Redemption is now my seventeenth book to date. I have several more manuscripts on my computer waiting to see the light of day.

JL: Obviously one doesn't release seventeen books without learning a thing or two. What would you say are some of the most important things you've picked up about writing and publishing?

AMBER: This isn���t the most recent thing I���ve learned, but it���s something I have to remind myself about far too often���don���t compare yourself to other authors. When I see on social media that an author friend won an award for a book, I���m truly happy for her (or him), but sometimes I feel like a failure because my book hasn���t won anything or was in the same contest and lost. Then I feel bad and petty for feeling bad.

It���s an endless, frustrating cycle that I���m struggling to break free from. I know I���m not alone in this since I���ve spoken to other authors who feel the same way, and that knowledge drags me out of my slump���at least until I see another celebratory post.

The writing and publishing business can be lonely and competitive, but luckily, the indie and small press market is full of authors who help and encourage their fellow authors. When I first started out, however, I wasn���t aware of writing groups and forums where I could talk with my peers and learn from them. And when I did find out, I was too nervous to communicate with anyone. As a natural introvert, I had to force myself to be more personal and outgoing. This was probably the hardest lesson that I had to learn.

JL: Finally, what what the last book you read that took your breath away?

AMBER: I can���t say. I���ve read a lot of books, and while several of them are wonderful and worthy of a five-star rating, I don���t have a favorite that I can reread again and again. Believe me, I wish I did.

Trevor's Redemption by Amber Daulton

The danger and lies are more than she can handle.

Shea O���Bannon feels like a fifth wheel around her romantically paired-off friends, but there���s too much slime in the dating pool for her to bother with it. Then she sees her two-timing ex, Trevor Madero, serenading the mostly female crowd at a live-music bar. God knows trouble follows him around, but her desire for him rushes back in anyway. After he rescues her from a handsy drunk, temptation takes over.

Determined to prove he never stepped out on Shea, Trevor slides back into her life���and her heart���with forever in mind. Even with the wall he keeps up to protect her, his secret criminal life weighs heavy on his soul and drives a wedge between them.

When the truth comes out and his enemies target them both, they���ll have to fight for their love, or kiss it goodbye.

Buy this book

Series: Arresting Onyx (book 3.5)
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 50k words
Heat Rating: 4 Flames
Publication Date: 22 August 2023
Publisher: Daulton Publishing
Cover Designer: Satin Rose Designs

Excerpt

He rolled his stiff shoulders and pushed aside pasta bags, crackers, and vegetable cans in the cabinets. Where were the croutons? After he checked the fridge, he pulled the cracker box off the shelf. ���I usually top the casserole with croutons, but this will have to do.��� He dumped the square bits of wheat into a bowl to crush.

���No worries. I���m already impressed you���re not feeding me a TV dinner. A man who can cook gets top notches in my book.���

He winked at her. After he drained the water, he layered the pasta-and-vegetable mixture with the chicken in a large casserole dish, topped it with crumbs and cheese, and popped it into the oven.

���Come here.��� He pulled her close and kissed her warm, welcoming lips. Her sweet taste rocketed through him. She twisted her fingers into his damp hair and tugged hard enough to sting his scalp. He groaned. This was real. Normal. The skanky women who flocked to him at clubs and after his gigs no longer thrilled him. Did he have a shot for something real with Shea?

She moaned into his mouth and nibbled on his lip.

Tingles shot through his jaw. ���Let me take care of you. I want to give you candles, music, the works.���

���You mean to seduce me?���

���I���ll only go as far as you���ll let me.���

A soft noncommittal noise rumbled from her mouth. He drew her hand up and kissed her knuckles. Was she weighing the pros and cons? Would she let him treasure her as she deserved? He licked the underside of her wrist.

���Oh, God.��� Her breathing sharpened, her chest rising and falling faster. She clutched his biceps as he planted light kisses along her nose and brow. ���Don���t stop kissing me, Trevor. I want to forget about everything, except you.���

���As you wish.���

About the author

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

Amber Daulton's website
Amber Daulton's newsletter
Amber Daulton's linktree

Interesting: RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, a standard format for text files that simplifies the task of publishing an item of news in multiple places. W3Schools has an excellent breakdown of what the RSS format looks like, but the tl;dr is that RSS:

lets content publishers share updates with anyone who wants to read them, andlets content readers easily follow a content feed.

It sounds a bit like Twitter, doesn't it? Someone posts an update to their profile, and anyone following that person sees the update in their feed. Only with RSS, the publisher who posted the update owns where the update gets posted, and the reader isn't bound to a particular platform in order to follow the feed.

Didn't RSS die?

Short answer: no.

Back in the beforetimes (from 1999 til around 2013), RSS was the duck's nuts, the big cheese, the primary way you could follow a blog, news site, podcast, and even websites that aren't time-sensitive. In 2005, Google launched its own RSS reading web app, Google Reader, only to discontinue it eight years later -- an event recognised as coinciding with a shift away from a decentralised, independent web.

RSS itself didn't fade away -- this technology continues just one step shy of the limelight -- but Google Reader's disappearence back then left millions of devoted users wondering what to do next. Many will have jumped ship to other RSS aggregator services like Feedly and The Old Reader, while others leaned into increasingly popular corporate monoliths like Facebook and Twitter.

What makes this old technology interesting right now?

Personally, I find RSS an interesting prospect, as it subverts some of the downsides of what the web has become.

RSS is a way for readers to stay connected with blogs, podcasts, etc. without being shackled to something like an "enshittified" social media platform -- they can still use those platforms if they choose, but it's not the price of admission to follow the updates of, say, a favourite author who posts on their own website.

For writers, RSS is a tool that helps facilitate independence on the web, rather than relying solely on digital sharecropping (creating content for a website you don't own) for connecting with an audience.

Personally, I adore RSS and love that I can offer my readers a way to follow me that doesn't expose them so readily to creepy tracking and greedy corporations. I use RSS to follow authors I love, even those still on Twitter through its bizarre decline.

How can I use RSS to follow people?

You'll need to use an RSS aggregator or feed reader: a website or app that can look up the feeds you follow and translate the content to something you can easily read. Here are a few RSS feed readers:

The Old Reader
A free, web-based RSS reader that not only offers its own app, but works with a bunch of different reader apps as well. The free plan lets you subscribe to 100 feeds.

Feedly
A free, web-based RSS reader with its own iOS and Android mobile apps. The free plan lets you subscribe to 100 feeds and inserts sponsored ads into the content.

Inoreader
A free, web-based RSS reader. The free plan lets you subscribe to 150 feeds and includes the ability to save webpages to read later.

Feedbin
A paid web-based RSS reader that also lets you follow newsletters and YouTube channels. Feedbin works with a range of different reader apps as well.

Thunderbird
A free and open-source all-in-one app for email, newsgroups (Usenet), and RSS. Thunderbird is run by a subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation, the same organisation that brings you Firefox and Pocket.

Newsboat
NERD ALERT: A free and open-source RSS reader for the text console, runs on Unix and Unix-like systems (including macOS). This is the RSS reader I prefer, but wouldn't recommend to someone unless they identify as at least semi-technical.

Reeder
A paid Mac/iPhone/iPad app. If you use iCloud, you can sync your feeds across your devices. Alternatively, this app works with both The Old Reader and Feedbin.

Inspiration and Madness with Pia Manning

A guest feature by Pia Manning.

���How���d you come up with that idea?���

I get asked this occasionally, and I���m never quite sure how to respond. Sometimes body language helps me frame a suitable reply ��� do they look as if they���d like to back away and then run like hell, or smiling enthusiastically? Often it���s a little of both, or they harbor a closely held wish to write a book of their own.

Writers I know keep lists of ideas, and consult them whenever they���re stuck. That���s not a bad thing, but it doesn���t answer the question. I mean, where did those ideas come from in the first place? I try to incorporate general themes that are important to me. For example, my heroines are resilient women whom you may encounter anywhere and who have well-defined goals in life. Elizabeth is a veterinarian; Sherry operates her own daycare; and Piper is a teacher and coach. So what matters to you? Goals? Struggles?

Settings are so much fun! Whether in creepy castles or small towns, the setting not only creates the scene but offers a treasure trove of interesting places and characters. It can be helpful to draw from places that you are familiar with. Pinecone Creek is a fictional town set in the Northwoods territory of Wisconsin where Friday night fish fries, winter weather, and pine trees abound. What���s unique about where you live? Or have vacationed? Is something living in that seashell you collected? Have you always wondered why that big ole house on the outskirts of town is abandoned? Hmmm, what could it be used for? A wedding venue? Senior center?

Lastly, ask yourself, "What if?" Yep, the madness part���what if all the cashiers at your local big box store were zombies? Or the esthetician at the local beauty salon told astoundingly accurate fortunes? (Would your character dare make an appointment?) See what I mean? Let yourself go!

Still a little scared to commit to a full-length book? Okay, try writing a short story for an anthology. They���re usually themed, so you have some initial direction.

Above all, enjoy and have fun!

Advantage: Home Team by Pia Manning

New junior high teacher and girls��� basketball coach, Piper Thomas, is brimming with enthusiasm and can���t wait for school to start. She wants to connect with her students and help them achieve their goals. One student, Maddie, struggles with her mother���s death and her father���s emotional collapse. Piper desperately wants to help Maddie. The last thing she needs is a romantic entanglement.

Pinecone Creek Deputy and dominant, Jaxon Cooper aches to find his forever woman-one that he and his best friend, dominant Deputy Rick Sanders, can share. The second he sees Piper, Coop���s heart knows she���s the woman for them. Rick isn���t so sure. Rick is all about control, and Piper is a free spirit who doesn���t need anyone���s rules ��� well, except when it comes to sex. Piper���s last relationship fizzled because she wanted to explore, and her traditional-minded lover couldn���t handle her needs. Can Rick and Coop give Piper what she craves?

Buy this book

Genre: Erotic RomanceLength: 28,719 wordsPublication Date: 13 February 2023Publisher: Siren Publishing

Excerpt

���Oh shit,��� Rick Sanders exclaimed. ���I think that���s her.���

���Yeah, that���s the Carter crew, so that���s probably the woman they texted us about. You don���t like red hair?��� Jaxon Cooper, ���Coop��� to his friends, asked puzzled.

���No. I mean red hair���s great. But I think that���s the woman I closed the shade on yesterday. The one staring in the windows. The brat who stuck her tongue at me.���

Coop laughed. ���Well, there���s a bright side. Or a bright red side. Think of all the fun spanking the brat out of her.���

���We���ll see,��� grumbled Rick.

���Do you want to go over there, or not? There���ll be plenty of other guys who won���t complain about her tongue," Coop joked. ���At least not for the same reason you are.���

About the author

Pia Manning is the erotic romance author behind the new Caveman Creek series. She is married to a wonderful man. Ride herd on four cats and a big yellow dog, raises monarchs, and plays Clash of Clans. Not a morning person.

Pia Manning's website
Pia Manning on Facebook
Pia Manning on Twitter

Interesting: DRM ��� Digital Rights Management

DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. It's a piece of software that's 'supposed' to prevent book piracy, but what ends up happening is that honest readers get locked into certain retailers and platforms.

You know how sometimes you buy a DRM-'protected' book through Apple Books, then can't read it on your Kindle or Kobo (or beloved retro hot pick Sony eReader)? That's DRM in action.

This isn't usually a problem if you only ever stick with one online bookstore. But if your situation ever changes, for example,

you get a different reading device (eg. a Kobo instead of a Kindle);you move to a part of the world not covered by your old store;your store shuts down and deletes all its books (this has happened);your store removes books without notice (this has happened too); oryour store's device/software releases an update that ruins your reading experience;you discover your bookstore behaves horrendously and no longer wish to support them,

you won't be able to take your purchases with you.

DRM means you never truly own your purchases. You just possess them on a loan-like arrangement where the rules are dictated by the bookstore you're renting them from.

DRM doesn't really prevent book piracy. People determined to steal a book only have to work a tiny bit harder to remove a DRM lock, which is considered against the law -- but the legalities also cause problems for readers who paid for the book.

Consider that ebooks rely on ebook reading software to work. If the ebook reading software you use gets updated (which can happen at any time), and the update is incompatible with your ebook file, the only way you can access your book would be by breaking the law, even though you paid for a copy of the book!

There's a downside for the authors of those books too, as they end up trapped in the bizarre "chokepoint capitalism" situation we now find ourselves in. DRM puts both creative people and booklovers at the mercy of Big Business.

Right now, it's impossible to completely avoid DRM, as authors and small publishers don't always get a say in how their book gets listed for sale. But DRM-free options are out there.

Here are some tips for finding them:

Check if the ebook you want is listed on Smashwords.com, Leanpub.com or available directly from the author (often via a third party like SendOwl, Payhip or Gumroad), as these channels don't automatically apply DRM.

When buying from Kobo, look for DRM-Free in the Download Options under eBook Details at the bottom of the listing page. By the way, sometimes books listed with DRM on other platforms can also be found DRM-free here.

When buying from Apple Books, look for the line "At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management)". Not all publishers and distributors have the power to do this with Apple Books, but some do.

When buying from Amazon, look for Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited in the book's product details. Books with this note in their listing are DRM-free.

Join author/publisher review teams. Indie authors and small publishers often provide advance reader copies for free without DRM in exchange for a review. Alternatively, join sites like BookSirens, HiddenGemsBooks and Booksprout for a variety of advance reader copies that don't tend to be DRM-locked.

Look for promotions through StoryOrigin, Bookfunnel.com and ProlificWorks.com. The freebies and ARC (advance reader copies) provided through these channels don't tend to be DRM-locked.

If you don't mind the price and wait, grab a paperback copy instead. Physical books don't come with DRM or creepy spying software.