Isoellen's Blog, page 3
January 13, 2020
Style and Encouragement
Did you get an ARC for Choosing Her Alpha? You can post reviews to goodreads and book bub now - and you can post reviews to amazon after it's official release on the 31st! Thank YOU. I am in final edits now, after getting it back from the professional. I want it to be perfect for you guys...and spend five minutes looking at a sentence wondering if I should leave a word in or out. We all know I'm a sloppy writer, so maybe you didn't know that sometimes I mean to leave a word out - stylistically, I often do it on purpose, chopping away at extra verbs, articles and contractions.
---- This sentence ----
"His self assurance and power were unlike any she had encountered before."
>>Sounds better to me without the verb 'were.' Maybe not alone, but add it to<<
"His aura chilled the room, a leashed threat. His self-assurance and power unlike any she had encountered before."
And I feel like the second sentence has more power. I'm writing romance. I'm writing smut. But I want readers to hear it in their heads like poetry.
Is that too much to ask? While the professional editor has helped me be more commercial, going through the MS again I find myself cutting things out. The grammar police are gonna hunt me down, I just know it. But I can't help myself.
ANYWAY! Don't forget your reviews! I appreciate you, and thank you for the time you take. It means so much to me!
---- This sentence ----
"His self assurance and power were unlike any she had encountered before."
>>Sounds better to me without the verb 'were.' Maybe not alone, but add it to<<
"His aura chilled the room, a leashed threat. His self-assurance and power unlike any she had encountered before."
And I feel like the second sentence has more power. I'm writing romance. I'm writing smut. But I want readers to hear it in their heads like poetry.
Is that too much to ask? While the professional editor has helped me be more commercial, going through the MS again I find myself cutting things out. The grammar police are gonna hunt me down, I just know it. But I can't help myself.
ANYWAY! Don't forget your reviews! I appreciate you, and thank you for the time you take. It means so much to me!
December 17, 2019
Book Release
The build up to your first book release is this amazing thing. First, you feel this grand sense of accomplishment from just finishing an entire story. No, it’s not like I built a house or made a car run, but still, I finished something that took hours of my time and effort, shaped into a whole story, with a beginning middle and end that people can now actually read.
Then the advertising, the sharing, the build-up. The gathering of the tribe who will read the story, which is a step by step, stair-master exercise that makes me feel like I’m going nowhere. At the beginning, I’m all dressed in my eighties exercise gear, plus the big hair and make-up in case someone actually sees me exercise. I look ready and sharp, but by the end I’m a melted mess, all leaned forward and sweating on the console, dragging myself forward. And by the end, I mean ten minutes later.
Then there are all the stages. The days of hell that I call editing. I hates the edits. Hates them. It’s a dragging, drawling mess of cut and piecemeal work where I feel like I’m chasing my tail.
Then the advertising, the sharing, the build-up. The gathering of the tribe who will read the story, which is a step by step, stair-master exercise that makes me feel like I’m going nowhere. At the beginning, I’m all dressed in my eighties exercise gear, plus the big hair and make-up in case someone actually sees me exercise. I look ready and sharp, but by the end I’m a melted mess, all leaned forward and sweating on the console, dragging myself forward. And by the end, I mean ten minutes later.
Then we have the Pre-Order and the Release Date. And every hour feels I’m Animal from the Muppets running back and forth, screaming, and shaking my head and hair. Like a crazy person.
With all that said, my first book Choosing Her Alpha is now available for Preorder at Amazon. Search Isoellen to find me.
It’s right there.
Just don’t lick the cover. I know at least three people have licked it already.
It’s just that awesome.
November 1, 2019
Works In Progress
Hello Readers!
I did a thing. On a whim, I put my earbuds in, created a pod bean account, and did my first podcast.
As you know, this is NaNoWriMo and a bunch of us writers are trying to get 50,000 in one month. I’ve started a new story, new world, as a way to conquer the challenge. I know you want more of my other characters. That melts my heart. But my muse is a stubborn, egotistical, selfish #itch who wants her own way in everything. To get to 50,000 starting fresh was easiest.
And a fun way to share it with you is via all the fumbling and mistakes of ONE TAKE read aloud broadcasting. I’d love for you to listen, and I’d love your feedback.
I will be posting this story to wattpad, that part is slower as my lovely beta readers coax me along with edits. Just a note however, once it’s finished this story won’t stay on Wattpad forever.
Since the podcast is live I make mistakes. Just wait till I get a phone call and see what happens then. (eek) I think I said the wrong title of the book. And I am not a perfect reader. But it’s a fun way for me to share what I’m doing.
In the story C A U G H T Anya is a young woman just trying to survive in a world that likes to chew women up and spit them out. She carries a secret gift inside of her that she doesn't want to acknowledge, much less let anyone else know about. But that gift also gives her an affinity for a pack of monstrous Hell Hounds, the fascinating and incredible animals that she can't resist.
Unfortunately, making friends with the hounds brings her to the attention of their Master, the Hunter Calix Argus.
Listen to what happens next.
This is a novel for adults. With adult situations and adult language. There will be (light) nonconsensual, forced seduction type situations, as well as spanking, getting licked in the face by a giant hound, food descriptions meant to make you hungry, and man whose kiss is literally magic.
Listen at your own risk.
https://isoellenwrites.podbean.com
on itunes: bit.ly/IsoellenWrites
https://www.facebook.com/Isoellen/
Newsletter:
https://isoellenwrites.blogspot.com/p...
Also, my publisher is hoping to have Choosing Her Alpha out before Christmas. (fingers crossed!)
I did a thing. On a whim, I put my earbuds in, created a pod bean account, and did my first podcast.
As you know, this is NaNoWriMo and a bunch of us writers are trying to get 50,000 in one month. I’ve started a new story, new world, as a way to conquer the challenge. I know you want more of my other characters. That melts my heart. But my muse is a stubborn, egotistical, selfish #itch who wants her own way in everything. To get to 50,000 starting fresh was easiest.
And a fun way to share it with you is via all the fumbling and mistakes of ONE TAKE read aloud broadcasting. I’d love for you to listen, and I’d love your feedback.
I will be posting this story to wattpad, that part is slower as my lovely beta readers coax me along with edits. Just a note however, once it’s finished this story won’t stay on Wattpad forever.
Since the podcast is live I make mistakes. Just wait till I get a phone call and see what happens then. (eek) I think I said the wrong title of the book. And I am not a perfect reader. But it’s a fun way for me to share what I’m doing.
In the story C A U G H T Anya is a young woman just trying to survive in a world that likes to chew women up and spit them out. She carries a secret gift inside of her that she doesn't want to acknowledge, much less let anyone else know about. But that gift also gives her an affinity for a pack of monstrous Hell Hounds, the fascinating and incredible animals that she can't resist.
Unfortunately, making friends with the hounds brings her to the attention of their Master, the Hunter Calix Argus.
Listen to what happens next.
This is a novel for adults. With adult situations and adult language. There will be (light) nonconsensual, forced seduction type situations, as well as spanking, getting licked in the face by a giant hound, food descriptions meant to make you hungry, and man whose kiss is literally magic.
Listen at your own risk.
https://isoellenwrites.podbean.com
on itunes: bit.ly/IsoellenWrites
https://www.facebook.com/Isoellen/
Newsletter:
https://isoellenwrites.blogspot.com/p...
Also, my publisher is hoping to have Choosing Her Alpha out before Christmas. (fingers crossed!)
September 30, 2019
More Omegaverse
shhhhh. Don't tell.
Hey friends. If you haven't seen it yet, I have another omegaverse story on wattpad. Different world. Different setting. Still omegaverse. But, I will be removing it not long after the final chapters are posted (which are going up this week.) I'd love for you to get a chance to read it. You guys mean so much to me. And I love your reviews. BUT please don't review or share it here on goodreads. I will be submitting it for publishing and since goodreads has a publish once you are published forever policy I don't want it to cause copywrite date, cover, blurb, and isbn problems farther down the road. If you want to leave me your thoughts, you can message me, make a note on my facebook page, or just wait until you see the book (hopefully) on your kindle.
The (unedited) story: https://www.wattpad.com/story/2001138...
My facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Isoellen
My Newsletter: https://isoellenwrites.blogspot.com/p...
Hey friends. If you haven't seen it yet, I have another omegaverse story on wattpad. Different world. Different setting. Still omegaverse. But, I will be removing it not long after the final chapters are posted (which are going up this week.) I'd love for you to get a chance to read it. You guys mean so much to me. And I love your reviews. BUT please don't review or share it here on goodreads. I will be submitting it for publishing and since goodreads has a publish once you are published forever policy I don't want it to cause copywrite date, cover, blurb, and isbn problems farther down the road. If you want to leave me your thoughts, you can message me, make a note on my facebook page, or just wait until you see the book (hopefully) on your kindle.
The (unedited) story: https://www.wattpad.com/story/2001138...
My facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Isoellen
My Newsletter: https://isoellenwrites.blogspot.com/p...
September 13, 2019
Overwhelmed
I was going to write a couple of stories. Put them out into the world..(imagine setting doves free...cue music,) never to think about it again.
But, it's not happening that way. The wonderful author of December, The Sacred Omegas, and owner of Reticent Desire Publications, Merel Pierce, has been encouraging me since day one to publish.
So that is what I am going to do. (Cue triumphant entry music.) With that comes all the help and the funding to improve my writing and write more stories.
Here's hoping I learn proper comma usage, defeat all homophones, and stop spreading about apostraphes like a skittle truck explosion.
I can't promise too much about the repetiion and run-on sentences. But I'll try. For, you? I'll try.
You can sign up for my newsletter to stay updated:
https://isoellenwrites.blogspot.com/p...
But, it's not happening that way. The wonderful author of December, The Sacred Omegas, and owner of Reticent Desire Publications, Merel Pierce, has been encouraging me since day one to publish.
So that is what I am going to do. (Cue triumphant entry music.) With that comes all the help and the funding to improve my writing and write more stories.
Here's hoping I learn proper comma usage, defeat all homophones, and stop spreading about apostraphes like a skittle truck explosion.
I can't promise too much about the repetiion and run-on sentences. But I'll try. For, you? I'll try.
You can sign up for my newsletter to stay updated:
https://isoellenwrites.blogspot.com/p...
July 15, 2019
New Author
I’m not really a published author. My stories are currently free on Wattpad. I wanted to know after forty years of dreaming if I could actually write something, finish it and see if people liked it.
Much to my delight I finished Choosing Her Alpha and some people liked it and said very encouraging things.
I have great ideas, but I’ll be the first to admit, my execution is a bit poor. I don’t have an editor or a big team to help me craft a really great product for readers. If I decide to publish and sell my writings, that will change, but currently, I don’t have the personal budget to pour money into what is essentially a late night hobby. I really wish I did. I promise you, every time a kind reader points out a typo, an awkward phrase, grammar, or spelling mistake, I clench a little bit inside. However, I’m grateful for the help to improve and edit what I have written and make it a more enjoyable reading experience for the next person.
It absolutely made my day to find my story on Goodreads. I feel like I am walking on clouds every time someone says they like my characters.
In Choosing Her Alpha and the next story set in the same world, Her Broken Alpha, I set myself a goal: make the reader feel the characters love for each other without ever having the characters say, “I love you.” I do say the word love, but the characters never say it out loud to each other - I’ve challenged myself as a writer to make their love and devotion so plain that the reader feels it without being told the obvious.
You will have to let me know if I reach my goal.
You can find Choosing Her Alpha (finished, with edits ever on-going) Here: https://my.w.tt/uTFVjmU2kY. Follow me to keep up to date on what’s next.
Yours Truly,
Isoellen
Much to my delight I finished Choosing Her Alpha and some people liked it and said very encouraging things.
I have great ideas, but I’ll be the first to admit, my execution is a bit poor. I don’t have an editor or a big team to help me craft a really great product for readers. If I decide to publish and sell my writings, that will change, but currently, I don’t have the personal budget to pour money into what is essentially a late night hobby. I really wish I did. I promise you, every time a kind reader points out a typo, an awkward phrase, grammar, or spelling mistake, I clench a little bit inside. However, I’m grateful for the help to improve and edit what I have written and make it a more enjoyable reading experience for the next person.
It absolutely made my day to find my story on Goodreads. I feel like I am walking on clouds every time someone says they like my characters.
In Choosing Her Alpha and the next story set in the same world, Her Broken Alpha, I set myself a goal: make the reader feel the characters love for each other without ever having the characters say, “I love you.” I do say the word love, but the characters never say it out loud to each other - I’ve challenged myself as a writer to make their love and devotion so plain that the reader feels it without being told the obvious.
You will have to let me know if I reach my goal.
You can find Choosing Her Alpha (finished, with edits ever on-going) Here: https://my.w.tt/uTFVjmU2kY. Follow me to keep up to date on what’s next.
Yours Truly,
Isoellen
