Shai August's Blog, page 3

Books that Influenced Shai - February

I’m continuing sharing my vast list of books that have influenced me.

For February, I’m sharing Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone series. I found the titles catchy one day while I was a bored twenty-something pursuing the shelves of the downtown library. I checked out the first four, "A" is for Alibi, "B" Is for Burglar, "C" is for Corpse, "D" Is for Deadbeat, and finished them over a three day weekend.

The next day the library was open, I went back and checked out the next six in the series, "E" Is for Evidence, "F" Is for Fugitive, "G" Is for Gumshoe, "H" Is for Homicide, "I" Is for Innocent, "J" Is for Judgment.

The others that were in the series weren’t available, but I of course like a good library patron placed them on hold, and have been reading them every since. I haven’t read “Y” is for Yesterday yet, because of time and I’m really not ready for the series to end.

Truly, I thought I would tire of reading about the late seventies and early eighties, but I couldn’t stop loving the dry humor and all of the characters around Kinsey. Each of the mysteries kept me guessing until the very end, when normally I’d figured out the culprit of most mystery novels halfway through the books.

Kinsey herself didn’t do it for me. Her mind and tenacity were extraordinary but she was boring in a eat, sleep, work, no play kind of way to me who was lusting after adventure.

“L” is for Lawless has remained my favorite of the series, because it involves a treasure hunt and a cross country road trip. I’ve read this book at least three times, and even knowing the ending I still gasp.

Who is your favorite mystery novelist?

Dating Profile Language: A Cynical Romance Writer's Interpretation

In my corner boy from The Wire voice, or in my Eddard “Ned” Stark voice “Valentine’s Day is coming.” Either way accept the gloom that I’m trying to inject into those four words.

Single people all over the world have been trying to find someone to make this day not so lonely. Lately, my timeline has been full of dating apps, and articles, and listicles full of dating advice.

I myself have been known to dabble on the various dating apps seeking…well, we’ll leave that for another post.

Some things I’ve noticed are that the same words appear in almost all the profiles. It’s like there is an unofficial man’s glossary and most are reading from the same page (because it’s only a page long maybe?).

Here are a few KEYwords and my cynical romance writer’s interpretation

“Big Feet or Big Man”: This is supposed to be coded shorthand, and give the impression of a Big Dick. Don’t fall for it, they’re four inches at best.

Christian: Not the same as god-fearing, most likely raised in the church and has very conservative values and expectations of gender roles - except I want you to be a super freaky porn star in the bedroom.

Cook or Chef: Never expect a meal outside of my home because I want to “dazzle” you with my cooking. Likes to prey on plus sized women with this because a plate is the equivalent of sex.

Entrepreneur and it’s many misspellings: I can’t work a regular nine to five, so I sale (sell) a variety of products (some legal, some not so legal, some expired, some obsolete.) Check them out on my under construction website. Here is my business card with three scratched out numbers.

Free-spirited: I'm homeless and looking for somewhere to spend the winter since I beat up my Aunty's boyfriend and got kicked out.

Gamer: I‘m unemployed or underemployed & play video games between eight and ten hours a day because I’m bout to make it big as a gaming influencer but have not started a gaming channel because I’m still thinking of the besty-best-best name. Will still not have a channel in several years. OR I play poker and I'm in debt will need you to spot me.

God-fearing: Might be new to religion and was likely introduced to it through a 12 step program.

Good father: I haven’t seen my kids since birth because they mama mad that I don’t wanna be back with her. I also think child support is a scam.

Hard-working: I make minimum wage, OR I’m a truck driver, and I expect to go Dutch on our first three dates.

Homebody: I have poor social skills and I'm not taking your ass anywhere.

“I have a roommate”: I live with my mama, baby momma, girlfriend or wife.

Laid back: Wants a woman who isn’t afraid of speaking up, so they don’t have too.

Layed back: Not the same as laid back, looking for someone to do drugs with, and become their personal assistant filling out paperwork ranging from job applications to schoolwork.

“Likes to have fun”: I want sex, lots of sex and even drugged up sex.

Natural or All Natural: Don’t believe in contraception, and also pull out game weak. Has at least a handful of children with the requisite number of mothers for said quantity of children.

Nerd: I expect you to dress up as my favorite anime character for sex and I won't pay for the expensive ass costumes because I'm a lowlife with a small dick or I want you to perform oral sex on me while I play video games.

Outdoorsy: I want to hunt or fish and I’m not really interested in your hobbies unless they interfere with mine.

Quiet: I’ll rarely say anything, expecting you to carry ninety percentage of the conversation while I do ten percent of the listening.

Romantic: I want to do grand gestures, but will lose interest quickly once I have gotten your undivided attention.

“Searching for my Queen”: I want to lock you down, will get engaged after five to ten years and married when I’m about to fall into my grave. And have an oops baby on you, because we broke up for six hours.

Self-Employed: I'm a rapper and/or music producer and/or concert promoter. NO, I don't have a deal. NO, I don't do shows. NO, I don't have any talent. But, one day Imma make it. All I need is for Jayz to hear my soundcloud.

Sports fan or Die Hard Sports Fan: Bring me a sandwich and a beer and perform oral on me during halftime. I can remember stats from 1921 but I will forget to text you

If you have more terms you want defined, let me know in the comment section.

How Your Patron Monies Are Spent...

The original unredacted post was published in The Veil two weeks ago.

I was asked a question, by someone who wants to be a supporter, but they wanted to know “how” I would be spending the monies they pledged and donated in support of this thing called Shai August.

It is an amazing and very fair question, that I probably should have answered before now. This post is my attempt to be completely transparent and let others know how the R & U Membership levels work.

1. Paying myself an hourly wage to create. Point blank period, I hope that’s self-explanatory enough.

2. Bills. Bills. Bills. - Office space, internet, Canva, webhosting, editors, typesetting, stock images, models, cover designers, software, and other subscription services necessary to run a small business like accounting software. Because the bills come every month, but the money I make from sales turns up like a bad ex-boyfriend sixty days later.

For example, Undercover Bachelor released in December 2020. There were pre-orders (thank you), new orders (thank you), and page reads (thank you) that happened in December, but Amazon won’t pay my share of those royalties until February 2021. Your generous support or future donations, helps me with cashflow to keep the lights on and pay others while I wait for those direct deposits to hit my account.

Gather round kiddos, it’s True Confession Time.

The Shifter Bachelor was originally supposed to release in August 2018. You know that whole August in August thing…I’d envisioned it for well over a year, when I originally selected my pen name. I had this vision of how I wanted the flyers to look with a bright summer sun shining down on me holding a physical copy of my book with the caption, “Paranormal will never be the same, these are not your momma’s shifters…Buy Now.” I couldn’t even afford flyers so I ditched the idea when I had to move the book to a Halloween release date. I digress.

The Shifter Bachelor didn’t come out until October 2018 because of one reason. I couldn’t afford to pay my cover designer the remaining money I owed.

Paying the cover model for the use of his image cost more than I’d budgeted, so I scrimped and saved from my grocery budget, worked extra hours and found the money to finally get everything moving in the same direction at once.

Some of your donations sit in the bank every month to help with cashflow, so I can pay the cover designers and editors and other services that I use to produce this world the moment their invoices hit. They shouldn’t have to wait on me waiting on Amazon, they have families and bellies just like I do and none of us want to be starving artists.

3. Future projects - I freely admit to being overly ambitious but there are a ton of things I want to do in the future.

Audiobooks! Everyone asks for these. Everyone, but it’s cost prohibitive (audio equipment, sound engineering, etc etc etc) to do it correctly unless I read them myself which I’m warning you now would be a disaster.

{Redacted Project Number 2}

{Redacted Project Number 3}

{Redacted Project Number 4}

{Redacted Project Number 5}

All of these things listed above and more (lots more) are why your support is necessary, vital, and very much appreciated. Every sticker you buy, every Omega level and up donation, every review left, every time you nominate me for a book club book of the month, every time you recommend me to a reader friend, every social media share helps keep this creative train on the tracks and moving forward and I couldn’t do it without you. So again, and again, thank you times infinity. 

What I Binged This Month... January Edition

Between Prime, Netflix, and CBS All Access, I’ve spent an impossible amount of time watching and sometimes listening to shows this month.

Burn Notice - Seasons 2 through Season 7 - A full rewatch reminded me that I didn’t like Fiona and that the main reason for me watching was always Sharon Gless. I love all the other characters on the show and in this order: Maddie, Sam Axe, Jessie, Michael, Killer Larry, the money launderer, Nate, then Fiona.

I wish Cagney and Lacey was available to stream somewhere! Listen, remember how Cagney & Lacey was cancelled multiple times, and CBS tried to appease everyone with those made for television movies? Those four movies are available on Prime.

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe - I missed this the first time it aired so I was super excited to see it on Prime. I loved it. I was checking Bruce Campbell’s IMDb to figure out why I loved him so much, and realized it was from his days as Brisco County, Jr on The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

Imposters - Season 1 - I thought for sure I’d hate this show. It felt like early twenty something advanced angsty teenage drama, but it surprised me with its layers and I am a forever fan of con artist/caper/heist shows and movies. - Netflix

Star Trek Enterprise - Season 2 & 3 - Netflix - I decided I needed to do a full rewatch again of all the Star Treks in chronological order. (This isn’t my first full rewatch of all the Trek shows, and it won’t be my last.

Blown Away- Season 1 - Netflix - I love a good competition style reality show where people at the top of their craft compete. This didn’t disappoint, and spawned half a dozen ideas for me creatively. The second season is waiting for me!

19-2 - This is one of the best Canadian dramas I’ve ever watched, and one of my top ten police shows. I watched it years ago and almost lost my mind when I saw it on Amazon Prime. I dropped everything to watch Season 1.

When more time permits, I’ll try to recap my second watch experiences of these shows. Right now, The After Market, Volume 4 demands my attention.

Books that Influenced Shai - January

Let me start by explaining how all this came to pass. My writer accountability partner, Phoenix Williams always wants me to watch an anime!

Always, always, always! said in my Jan Brady voice.

She’ll be like just watch this one episode of “blah, blah, blah…” And I’ve explained to Phoenix time and time again I don’t like anime. Not from a lack of trying; my own children have tried to get me to watch anime for years. My son is a huge One Piece fan, and my daughter cosplayed her 16th birthday as Lucy from Fairy Tale.

Anyway, we’ll be talking characters, book development, pacing, whatever and every reference Phoenix makes is some anime she’s watched, more like devoured.

Well, my references are books and television shows that have human actors. We were talking (completely off topic of course) about how it has felt like forever with me working on this one novella, and how I need to finish it.

She said the months that I’ve been working on it, haven’t been that bad because it takes some authors years to write a book.. I laughed my terrible paint peeling laugh and said “Exactly.” then referenced my favorite slow author, Kristen Britain (well besides George R.R. Martin).

I first read Kristen Britian’s The Green Rider in 1998. Yes! 1998 and book seven, Winterlight in The Green Rider series is scheduled to publish September 2021!

If you’re doing the math, that’s three or four and in one case five years between books.

But I couldn’t stop talking about Green Rider when I first read it, because of the world building and the layering, and character development and just everything. I told Phoenix she had to read it and she tried to baulk. “I’m too busy!” etc etc etc.

So I struck a devil’s deal; I agreed to watch two hours of anime if she read The Green Rider.

She picked Jujutsu Kaisen for me as her part of the deal. I’ll let know how I feel about these four episodes. not looking forward to it!

Back to why I love The Green Rider, it’s the perfect blend high fantasy, sword and sorcery, and fantastical storytelling and I’m now recommending it to all of you.

5 Black Owned Businesses I Supported

Don’t let the title fool you, I supported way more than five black owned businesses in 2020, but not all of them were satisfactory experiences or deserving of a “public” recommendation. A few were local places to eat, and if you aren’t in New Orleans you’d become very frustrated…because two words, Mr. Potato or Pepperoni Ray’s or Buttermilk Drop or....

I’m doing this post because I want to highlight these businesses.

First is Afrohemian and her business is Karma Nutra - I first followed her on Insta because of my transition to decorating in an Afro-bohemian style. She sells cold pressed juice and a line of branded merch. I have her Tatts & Snacks jute tote (second version). This bag is a standout and whenever I go somewhere people look and ask about it.

Hiruna Soaps - I first met her at a natural hair show in the Dallas area years ago. (She’s a reader.) But I buy from her because her soaps are made in small batches and look like edible art pieces.

Just Playing Around NOLA - My friend, Rameisha (She’s also a reader too!) makes jewelry and her newest creation are upcycling cans with fabric to decorate your desk and workspaces. I ordered a custom piece for my other friend, a rosary. Go look at the JPA NOLA Etsy store for the cans, stay for the puns.

At Home with Quita or Little Miss Fancy Plans - I love watching her plan with me videos and planner set ups. I even copied her foldout vision board that I’ve tipped into my BuJo. I ordered her Instagram feed planner for use in my writer planner to try and become more consistent with my social media posting.

Black Authors! I know you didn’t think I would talk about supporting small businesses and not talk about the business of being an author. I’ve purchased books from so many authors and used the weight I have with my Kindle Unlimited subscription to support these authors.

The Truth About My Writing Break

Ever since Undercover Bachelor released on New Year’s Eve with it’s cliffhanger, all the questions and comments I’ve gotten have centered around the release date of the next book.

The truth is I don’t know. November 2020 made my two year bookaversary, but I was working on The Shifter Bachelor and the world of the Rare and Unknown for over a year before that.

That means I’ve been writing, thinking about writing and publishing for three years straight of me immersed into writing.

I’ve scheduled breaks at least three times, but still find myself with my computer in my hand fretting about a character or promotions and marketing or interacting on social media or or or…. Ad infinitum.

I need, my brain needs, even my imagination needs a true break. No writing, no plotting, no deadlines, no social media, no promo or marketing or trying to get interviewed by this magazine or podcast.

What does that mean for Book 11, Twice the Bachelors?

This writing break will start the moment I upload the final copy of The After Market, Volume 4 and go until I feel refreshed. What is my definition of “Refreshed”?

**insert dramatic teenage sigh**

This is the hard part to explain. I want the fun back in writing. I want to not wake up stressed about deadlines and make plans that don’t revolve around my writing schedule.

It might take days, weeks, or months for my brain to self clean itself which is why I haven’t picked a date or dates for Twice the Bachelors, Bachelor on Ice, The Bachelor War, and The Last Bachelor.

Yes, those are the titles for the last four books in the series.

Permalink

Cover Reveal: The After Market, Volume 4

Coming February 28th….

The aquatic Atlantis After Market only happens once a year. It is the major social event of the aquatic community like a combined Mardi Gras, the Super Bowl and Kentucky Derby.

So popular in fact is the happenings of the AM, that the couples united as a results of the battles spawn a series of side betting on the outcomes of the relationships for over a year and a day.

Thea Theriault's music career had just taken its death knell with her record company followed quickly by her boyfriend slash manager dropping her in the middle of her tour. She finds herself stranded on the island of Atlantis without a dime to her name and no way off the tropical prison.

Trenton Baptiste's time has run out. The jaws of the arranged marriage he has avoided for years have closed around him with the finality of a prison cell. A formal announcement has taken place, engraved invitations have been sent out, the date has been set for two weeks away, even his bachelor party has being planned to coincide with the main event of the year.

Will these two strangers find a solution to both their problems, or will their trips to the After Market keep them trapped forever?

Preorder Now

A Challenge: One Million Words

2020 was a rough year for me. I know, it was bad for everyone, but it was especially bad for me. I don’t mean just my bout with COVID-19, but the rest of my health too.

I’m making changes in my life because so many of the people who were infected, especially the ones who had medical conditions like mine didn’t make it. I was extremely lucky, and every day I’m grateful, but also saddened that it took me potentially being on my death bed to remember that I have a life outside of writing.

This year I’ve cut my publishing schedule way back, I don’t need the additional stress of trying to put out six to eight books a year as my body is still working to repair the damage I’ve done to it.

My one writing goal this year is to become a better writer. I want to work on my world building, my story telling, and getting better at this craft.

So I’ve set myself Herculean task to write 1 MILLION WORDS this year!

I’ll come back at the end of each quarter and give y’all updates on my progress. It is going to be difficult as I’m taking a break from writing. I’m not sure how long, but when I’ve said this before I found myself writing anyway!

Being driven and ambitious is great, unless you are like me and use it to distract yourself from all else.

I’m both nervous and excited to try and complete this challenge. I always seem to fail at New Year’s Resolutions and challenges. I can count on one hand how many I’ve completed successfully. But that’s okay, because I keep setting them and I keep trying.

As the proverb goes, Fall down seven times, stand up eight…

What are the parameters of my challenge?

I’m counting any fiction I write (except little white lies I tell the people at work), also blog posts, especially verbose newsletters, and personal journal entries.

What are your 2021 goals, challenges, resolutions?

Spoiling the Writer in Your Life: Gifts for the Author & Aspiring Author

Do you have an author or an aspiring writer in your life? If they are still aspiring then they may not know how expensive this writing life can be… if they are an author, then they definitely know how all of your royalties can be gobbled up quickly.

As a “indie” author and publisher, I have eleven author “bills” or expenses each month plus some annual subscriptions. Yes, I know eleven bills that’s more than many houses, but I run a pretty lean model, because I devour business books. There are authors and publishers with more and some with less.

Long gone are the days when all you needed was a good imagination, pen and paper or a typewriter and ribbon, even though many writers are closet journal and planner hoarders. And I’ve got dreams of finding a typewriter to sit in my writing space. I won’t use it, I’ll just stare at it for inspiration.

Here is my author gift guide for the holiday season that lets you spoil your author or future author.

Let’s start with the Free Stuff…

2020 has been a terrible year for almost everyone’s wallet. So, if you can’t shell out cash for a gift. How about sharing some information?

Connect your writer with local writer and author groups if they don’t already belong to one. Search your library and local bookstores for group postings, or introduce them to an organization like Shut Up & Write, or NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month.

Help them find writing contests and writing fellowships! Providing them with a list of places to start if they don’t know, or haven’t started to research can be a lovely gift.

Let’s shell out some money now… some under $10

A Kindle Unlimited subscription

I know this is gonna seem weird, but writers need to read. If you have a writer in your life who doesn't read, they're gonna burn out their creativity. Did you know you could purchase a Kindle Unlimited subscription for someone else? You can buy one month ($9.99) up to two years ($143.80)! Check out the different levels of KU gifting here.

If a two year KU subscription is a little too much, offer pay off their library fines!

 A Mug Warmer

My daughter FlamingoLegs got me one for my birthday and it's one of the best things that sits on my desk. I'd be one of those people who would go make myself a fresh cup of coffee, start writing, and then 40 minutes later look up to a cold cup of coffee. Check it out here

 A cord keeper

As much as I try to be paperless that means I have relied more on electronics. So the more things I have on my desk means the more cords I have - a digital picture frame, my laptop for home, my laptop for work, my charging cords for my phones, the printer cord, the headphones, all of these things just add up to me having a spider's web of electronic cords hanging everywhere! Detangle those cords!

 Here are a few more items…

Get them a custom designed logo with their pen name, book them a literary consultant or developmental editor, or even a photographer for headshots.

A wax seal

This is gonna seem really irreverent, but if you have an author who's a friend and they already have their own logo. You can order a wax seal or rubber stamp with their autograph or their logo on it for them to use. I know this because my friend, Alexis D Craig (check out her latest, A Sugar Moon) bought me one with the R & U logo!

There are also the standards - external hard drive, blank journals, lined journals, and my favorite dotted journals (I’m using a Vivid Scribbles), planners.  

Books on writing!

Dictionaries, thesaurus, and books on the writing craft.

Five of the top ones recommended to me, and I now recommend to others are –

1. The Art of War for Writers: Fiction Writing Strategies, Tactics, and Exercises

2. Manuscript Makeover: Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford to Ignore

3. Writing the Breakout Novel: Winning Advice from a Top Agent and His Best-selling Client

4. 365 Erotic Writing Prompts: A Journal Of Daily Creativity Exercises

5. If your writer is looking to do traditional publishing, Writer's Market 2020: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published

I sourced out to some of my other author friends for things that they would like to receive.  Marina J. (check out her latest, Speak. Say. Do. said she wants stuff that makes her office and her writing environment more peaceful. I couldn’t agree more, I have candles by the caseload, and often sage my space. Not everyone is into candles the way I am, but they may love this essential oil diffuser.

Nikki Clarke (check out her latest, Nothing but the Wolf in Me ) said cash!  Many of her other writer friends are doing fellowships and those may look inexpensive, but they are definitely not for those low on funds. Nikki also recommends a good writing chair.

All of my other writer buddies mentioned one subscription or another: everything from Adobe to Grammarly to Photoshop to Vellum. Stella Williams (check out her latest, Earnest) suggested a tea subscription.

I’ll add to the subscription list with a stock photo or bookkeeping software because we need some way to add up the money when those royalties start rolling in!

Disclaimer: Contained in this post are “some” affiliate links (Not all links are affiliate), if you purchase using the links I have here I may receive compensation at no additional cost to you.