Jason Zandri's Blog: The GUNDERSTONE GOODREADS Review, page 15
November 12, 2015
Petitioning for Amazon to change it’s policy on review removal.
Originally posted on Kawanee's Korner:
I signed this because there are so many indie authors out there supporting each other I think it’s ludicrous for Amazon to assume we know each other personally. Writers are usually voracious readers as well, just because I follow an author or comment on their posts doesn’t mean I know the author on a personal level.
We support each other; we’re a pretty great bunch of people all struggling to swim in a massive ocean of bigger fish. The last thing we need is Amazon to harpoon us by removing our rightly deserved/earned reviews.
When I temporarily put them on my safe sender list for my kindle it means I won their book at a launch party, or in a contest somewhere. I’ve discovered new authors to read as well as to avoid reading in the future.
They should not assume to KNOW me personally by my contacts, comments or fandoms.
I Hate Women’s Fiction And I’ll Tell You Why
Originally posted on Tara Sparling writes:
Hey, you! Yes, you there, with the marketing degree! Or you, Creative Director with that massive advertising agency; hell, even you, person who spends more time than is healthy shouting at the TV when terrible ads come on, because you could do better. (Four monkeys with bad head colds could do better, you admit, but that’s not the point.)
I have a job for you. Are you ready? Good.
You have no time whatsoever, and 55% of a regular marketing budget, to repackage Women’s Fiction and sell it to the reading masses as something which is just as good as Men’s Fiction.
Because, well – you know Men’s Fiction, right? The genre listed on all the annual bestseller round-ups? You can see it right there, can’t you? Just underneath the 74th biography of Steve Jobs – which is listed as a ‘Biography’ – you can see it. It’s in the top…
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November 11, 2015
Are You A Published Author? Then I Have A Question For You.
Originally posted on Lit World Interviews:
When Ronovan initially started Lit World Interviews, his idea was that it would be a place where authors could promote themselves as well as their work. It’s also a place where authors come to seek help and advice from others. Of course there’s the book reviews as well.
I don’t know about you, but I often find that my pride gets in the way when I want to ask for some help. That’s where blogs like this can really help because I don’t feel as afraid to ask for advice especially as many of the readers here are published authors. I am sure that all of them will have been in a similar situation to where I find myself today.
As yet I have never published a book. However, I now find myself at the beginning of a road whose signpost says ‘Published Authors.’ The road ahead not only looks…
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November 10, 2015
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – now available for pre-order
“As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence” is now off to the editor and I expect to have it available just before the Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales right after Thanksgiving. It is the second book in the “As Life Goes” series; As Life Goes: Elementary is already available.
Excerpts for the books in that series are available via:
As Life Goes: Elementary – Links to Excerpts
As Life Goes: Elementary – Excerpt I
https://gunderstone.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/as-life-goes-elementary-excerpt-i/
As Life Goes: Elementary – Excerpt II
https://gunderstone.wordpress.com/2015/07/09/as-life-goes-elementary-excerpt-ii/
As Life Goes: Elementary – Excerpt III
https://gunderstone.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/as-life-goes-elementary-excerpt-iii-author-jason-zandri/
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Links to Excerpts
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt I
http://bit.ly/1knbsVe
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt II
http://bit.ly/1MycCaG
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt III
http://bit.ly/1M4duT0
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt III
“As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence” is now off to the editor and I expect to have it available just before the Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales right after Thanksgiving. It is the second book in the “As Life Goes” series; As Life Goes: Elementary is already available.
Excerpts for the books in that series are available via:
As Life Goes: Elementary – Links to Excerpts
As Life Goes: Elementary – Excerpt I
https://gunderstone.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/as-life-goes-elementary-excerpt-i/
As Life Goes: Elementary – Excerpt II
https://gunderstone.wordpress.com/2015/07/09/as-life-goes-elementary-excerpt-ii/
As Life Goes: Elementary – Excerpt III
https://gunderstone.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/as-life-goes-elementary-excerpt-iii-author-jason-zandri/
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Links to Excerpts
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt I
http://bit.ly/1knbsVe
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt II
http://bit.ly/1MycCaG
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt III
Matthew pulled away from Tim’s place on Valley Street and turned left up the steep hill to West Side Field. He took the right turn onto East Street and looked up in the mirror at Melissa who never came up front once Tim got out as she always did.
Matthew looked at the time on the clock, which read a little past nine and turned into the parking lot.
Melissa barely looked out the window and grabbed at her things around her seat. “Are you planning to make me walk down to Carlton Street from here?”
“Of course not,” Matthew answered, shutting the van off and turning to the side in his captain chair seat in order to look directly at her. “What’s going on with you today? You’ve been bi-polar all day. Happy half the time and upset the other half.”
Melissa fidgeted and tugged at her pull over. She then fussed with her hair. She tried to look up in the rear view mirror quickly and then fished through her bag for her brush.
“I presume you’re coming tomorrow and not seeing Paul tonight,” Matthew said looking at her affectionately, watching her combing out her hair.
“No, I’m not seeing him tonight. I have to comb out this rat’s nest of sand and salt water or I’ll look like hell tomorrow too,” she said, sounding agitated.
Matthew looked at her hair, “I get it, I suppose. You look fine. At least I think you do.”
“Ugh!” Melissa huffed pulling more of her hair with the brush.
“What?” Matthew responded defensively. “I meant that.”
“Of course you did; Matthew can do no wrong.”
“What the hell is going on with you?” Matthew said.
Melissa looked up at him, half mad and half upset. She dialed it back because she knew she was out of line. “Forget it. I’m sorry. Long day… it was fun and I want to go tomorrow but I’m tired a little and cranky. Too much sun and then too much pizza…”
“Anything else?” Matthew asked quietly.
A small grin stretched over her lips. “Well, I’m feeling a little crampy ahead of my monthly visitor…”
Matthew playfully winced. “I have to be the only male that gets subjected to this. Alecia and Carrie are getting to be TMI with me too.”
“What can we say,” she said softly and slowly moving up to the front seat. “We trust you. You’re a nice guy. You defend us. You never judge any of us.” She sat in the passenger captain chair sideways to face him and dropped her bag forward.
Matthew looked at her and just stared casually.
“Nothing to say?” Melissa asked. “I figured you’d chime in with one of your pearls of wisdom. We are going to have to start writing them down. Sanfordisms or something like that.”
Matthew shook his head. “No, I was waiting to see what you were going to say next.”
“You’re pretty humble, generally,” she quipped. “Did I miss something pertinent?”
“No,” he answered naturally, leaning backwards part of the way.
“Oh, no” she said in a mischievous tone and raising her right eyebrow upwards. “I am invoking friendship rules. You have to come clean with what you’re thinking…”
“You have to know the rule number,” Matthew said playfully.
Melissa scrunched up her nose and then rested her hands on her knees. “Four,” she said simply. “Unless divulging would break a trust, friends must speak what’s on their mind.”
“That rule can only be invoked once a day,” Matthew said glancing over at the clock. “Time limit?”
“Next five minutes,” she said boldly. “Communication; just the facts and no hurt feelings – go!”
“Okay,” Matthew said with a slight sigh. “I was thinking about the way you and the girls…”
“The guys do too; you’re like their rock,” Melissa quickly added.
Matthew held up his hand, “Okay.” He moved in the seat a little. “I was thinking about just the girls and two things dawned on me.”
“Go on,” Melissa said anxious to hear the rest.
“I realized that as nice as it was to hear, that you and the girls appreciate me and how and where I stand, it dawned on me at that moment that your opinions of me were the ones that mattered the most.”
Melissa smiled warmly. She started to reach over and then hesitated when she thought of Paul.
“Paul,” Matthew said, noticing her movement and then her stopping short. He looked into her deep brown eyes. “It’s okay, I understand.” Matthew looked to his left and casually out the windshield and then back to her. “So what were you so miffed about today?”
Melissa breathed in to respond but Matthew jumped back quickly. “And you can’t simply say, ‘dumb bitch Liz’ like you always do. I want you to tell me specifically what about her tagging along pissed you off today because I know that’s what it was in general.”
Melissa deflated her lungful of air and mulled over what she wanted to say. “Okay… honestly? No holds barred? No guilt involved? I speak my free mind and… you keep me as your best friend?”
“Yes,” Matthew said without hesitation.
Melissa flinched a little. She had tossed in the last part of her comment on a lark and it didn’t faze Matthew at all; he answered it wholeheartedly.
“Okay,” she said sitting upright. “It really pisses me off the way Liz is. Donna and Marie go to school with her at Lyman Hall and they hate how she is. She is conceited and inconsiderate. You made plans with Donna for tomorrow…”
“I made plans with everyone,” Matthew defended casually.
“Yes,” she retorted, tipping her head, “but you asked her in the vein of having her come specifically. Yes, you’d go if she couldn’t and she could have tagged along with Liz, but you asked her specifically so it’s sort of like a public date.”
“I wouldn’t presume to debate your point,” he said playfully smug.
“You would lose,” Melissa responded in kind with a smile. “I mean, you literally just finished asking her to go and Liz had to follow you all the way out to the water. Good thing when you came back out to cozied up to Donna. You scored back lost points…” Melissa trailed off in her comments as a brief unsettled look crossed Matthew’s face. “What happened out there anyway?”
“Oh you know, just chit chat; you know Liz,” Matthew said quickly.
Melissa pointed to the clock. “It’s never just chit chat with her; not since seventh grade when she was kicked out of Dag Hammarskjold Middle School for making out in the stairwell. You’re inside the five minutes.”
“No holds barred? No guilt involved? I speak my free mind and… you keep me as your best friend?” Matthew repeated Melissa’s ask.
“Yes,” she responded nervously. “Or course… to the end of our days.”
“She made a pass at me,” Matthew said quickly. He looked at Melissa’s blank stare. She really didn’t want to hear the rest; he could tell by looking at her.
“How?” she asked Matthew.
“Are you sure…” he started.
“How?” she repeated to him.
“Under the water…” Matthew said looking down and then away. He was somewhat embarrassed to tell her but it was what they both agreed. “I wanted to stop her and say ‘no’ but the second she touched me…”
“You had sex with her in the ocean? In plain sight of everyone?” Melissa said with a roar.
“No, no, no!” Matthew quickly defended. “No,” he continued squirming in his seat. “Firstly, I’ve never done that… I’m still… well… you know.”
A look of relief washed over Melissa’s face.
“She reached for my swim trunks under the water and touched me. I was excited. As much as I wanted her to stop, I wanted her to keep going. And she did. She reached inside.”
“And?” Melissa asked.
“And eventually I couldn’t take what she was doing anymore and I… well… you know.” Matthew said with a slight smile.
“Eeeww. In the water?” Melissa said puckering up her face.
“What?” Matthew said. “It’s the Atlantic Ocean, not a pool. There’s a ton of salt in the water already, and all the marine life, large and small, do far more than what I did in there.”
Melissa burst out laughing and Matthew was happy to have the tension broken so he laughed along with her.
He glanced over at the clock as it went past the five-minute mark.
“So have you ever?” he asked her. “You know… with a boy?”
“No,” she answered looking at the time as well. “Second base is as far as I let them go. If I touch them when we kiss it’s always on the outside of their pants, if at all.” She looked over at him and then at the clock. “So never?”
“No,” Matthew said. “I never tried entirely so I don’t know if I could have or not. I never went in prepared, you know, carrying a condom or anything, so I don’t know.”
“Third base?” she asked.
Matthew turned up the corner of his mouth slightly and Melissa asked nothing further.
“So I know we’re past our time and all, but why does my interest with Liz bother you?” he asked starting the van and turning around to face forward. “At some level it’s always bothered you. You’re the one with the steady boyfriends since ninth grade; what’s the big deal who I am infatuated with?”
“I don’t know really,” she said softly, moving to sit forward herself. “Maybe because I know it’s an infatuation and risky that I don’t want your feelings hurt… Maybe I think you’re this awesome person that deserves someone that can really appreciate all of you and what you offer to them.”
“She doesn’t?” He asked, dropping the van into drive.
“Hell no,” she answered loudly. “I supposed there’s someone for everyone but she doesn’t deserve you.”
“And you do?” he blurted out quickly and looked at her.
Melissa turned red and quickly responded “I never said I did. And I am seeing someone.”
“You never said you didn’t either,” Matthew said. He waited for her to follow up more but she stayed quiet the remaining two blocks to her house.
Once there Matthew turned off the van and hopped out. He grabbed the left over pizza for her to take in and she grabbed her things. The two of them walked toward the door of her mother’s apartment. Matthew looked up quickly to see the curtains move and come to rest. He smiled a little and then turned to Melissa.
Melissa opened up the front door and dropped her things inside. Matthew stepped inside to set the pizza carry out box down.
“So tomorrow then?” he said.
“Yep,” she responded brightly.
Matthew stood at the door and looked down into her eyes. He caught himself in the pause and taking half a step forward. He immediately stepped back.
“Okay,” he said leaning toward outside. “I’ll see you then.”
“Matthew,” Melissa said calling out quickly.
He turned around, looked right into her dark brown eyes, and only stared.
“We were talking just before, when I said how we girls thought of you. You said ‘two things dawned on me.’ You only told me one. I’d really like to know what the other thing was.”
Matthew breathed in deeply and turned to face her. “Do you remember fifth grade when we first met?”
“Yes,” she said, fondly recalling some of the memories that quickly flooded her thoughts.
“I was thinking of the kind things you were saying about me, that you and the girls thought. And then I thought about how it really only mattered to me what you thought.”
“Yes, you told me that,” she said softly. “What was the other thing?”
“I though how nice and warm it made me feel that you thought those good things of me. Like in fifth grade when you used to tell me I was the nicest boy you ever met. I realized suddenly that somewhere along the way, in middle school I think, you stopped saying it. I realized I missed it and I hoped I still was that ‘boy’ to you.”
“You remember that?” A flood of emotion poured over Melissa and she struggled to keep herself in check. “I still feel exactly that way about you.”
“It’s nice to know that.” Matthew smiled softly, took two steps backwards, and called out. “See you tomorrow.” Matthew hustled around the van and got in. Melissa closed the front door, pressing her right hand on it, leaving it there, and just stared at it.
Once she couldn’t hear the sound of the engine anymore because the van pulled away and around the corner, she burst into uncontrollable tears.
Thought for today – November 10, 2015
“The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.” – Chinese proverb
November 9, 2015
Heads up if you’re using Facebook Groups to spread the word regarding just about anything promotional
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,225853
I scraped the following from a couple of posts (in the event the thread, URL listed at the top, gets pulled):
“FB has been banning authors from posting in book related groups. We do not know what the actual trigger is, whether it’s the timing between posting or if it is the exact same post on the various groups or the number of posts done in succession, but once you are banned, you are out of the water for 14 days minimum. It’s a 14 day black out from any group activity, and what is worse, when they ban the user from posting to groups, they delete ALL their posts from the beginning of time, not just the ones that may have triggered their algorithms.
This includes deleting entries in groups that that author created, even closed or secret groups.
So if you use this option in your marketing strategy, you might want to think twice or at the very least, spread out your posting throughout the day to gain exposure without risking being banned.
Unfortunately, I got hit with this while trying to advertise my new release coming out this week. So any exposure through Facebook is completely gone.
Lesson learned and passing along so someone else doesn’t get slammed at a critical time if they use this strategy.”
————————
To recap/clarify some things:
1) No one is being told how much posting is too much
2) FB has a “for sale” option in groups, which makes it seem like they are OK with people using groups to sell things
3) The authors who were banned (myself included) spend TONS of money in ads an boosted posts, so in essence, they are p*ss ing off customers, not forcing them to use more ads, because it’s group posting that helps us have enough money to make adds (which often operate at a loss because the royalty on a book share versus FB promoted post conversion just don’t level out–it’s more used when you are willing to spend more to make the sale because you need the ranking boost)
4) It’s NOT spamming. It’s people posting book posts to book groups. I know a lot of non-author readers in groups like these and they have told me that is often how they browse for books. They just wait for something that looks good to come up in their feed from a group. I’ve met some of my most loyal readers through groups like these–the saw my book, bought it, then friend requested me and some have become close FRIENDS of mine, not just readers, but people I hope to meet some day. Also: 1) You can turn off group notifications for groups you are in and only see the posts if you GO to the group 2) You can leave the group if you don’t want to see the posts anymore also. Calling this “Spam” is a bit unfair. That’s a but like if you went to a book fair where the sole purpose was for authors to read excerpts from their books, and you started doing just that and they told you to leave because you’re spamming people. Come on.
5) Sorry, but since a lot of groups I am in are getting LEGIT spam (IE, porn videos and sun glasses) and FB hasn’t handled that but is stopping the book posts from being posted, I find it hard to believe that “all spammers are being dealt with”
Ultimately, if people don’t want this to be part of their marketing plan, that’s fine. But let’s not make things up or shame those because they use the tactic.
And you know, however you may feel about it, think about this:
Some of these groups have files that people can update. When this ban happens, the posts and files are being DELETED. Yes, deleted. Completely. Like even the pinned posts. So even if you think these people are spamming (which they aren’t) what about the people who AREN’T spamming, who are just in the group to READ, and now files that THEY helped create and contribute to have been deleted because ONE of the contributors were given a ban? Sorry, but as angry as I may get at other authors sometimes, I would NEVER say that a READER deserves to be punished because of their actions, and if you think it’s right that FB is blindly doing just that, then you are against the reader in that situation as well.
If you aren’t familiar with the group dynamics and the purpose they serve and the way authors and readers often work TOGETHER in these groups, then it may be best to not comment on it. Just sayin. Do what you want, but some of the things said here could actually be construed the wrong way by readers who are lurking these forums and were ALSO affected by FBs actions.
November 7, 2015
NaNoWriMo day seven – I, Hero: Phases – PROLOGUE
#NaNoWriMo day seven – I, Hero: Phases – PROLOGUE
Hephaestus stepped into the chamber and made his way toward Ares. “I make the assumption we are alone in here?”
“We are; is there some concern that you have?” Ares asked turning towards him.
“I always have concerns where your schemes are concerned; especially the ones that fly in the face of agreements with Zeus.” Hephaestus said lumbering into a seat near a large table.
Ares walked past him and around to the far side and sat. “You and I both know Ahzeem Ama’s eternal soul is still trapped between the Ethereal and Astral planes of existence. The evil essence that consumed him in the Prime Plane…”
“Is trapped within the mortal called Rebecca Farnsmith,” Hephaestus said, cutting him off. “The Olympians are aware of this. We are also aware that Lachesis finished her measuring work; that thread in now in Atropos’ hands.”
“Yes,” Hades proclaimed softly. “The issue is, the Hero Nathan.”
“Yes. He has become unpredictable to the point where the Watchers are confused and The Fates have been moved, continually. Even they are unsure of what force is re-guiding their hands.” Hephaestus replied.
“What is more likely is what has been seen regarding Rebecca Farnsmith. What we need to do is to be prepared for that end game.” Hades countered. “I do not have enough power alone; are you prepared to commit?”
“I am,” Hephaestus answered. “I will be here and ready when that time comes.”
“Are you also prepared to deal with Zeus?” Ares asked. “The time is near when the choice to close the circle is to be made; it will be the only way to eliminate Nathan.”
“The powers of the gods were meant for the gods; if a champion be needed I was always fine to go along with Zeus because it was never a permanent thing. I made one exception with Ahzeem Ama and we all know how that went. The total strain on the tie to the realms… I know that another will likely end our ability to hold our powers and our existence. The beings in the Prime Universe… as much as I find them interesting, I am not willing to end my existence in favor of allowing theirs.”
Ares nodded and said nothing further.
November 6, 2015
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt II
“As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence” is now off to the editor and I expect to have it available just before the Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales right after Thanksgiving. It is the second book in the “As Life Goes” series; As Life Goes: Elementary is already available.
Excerpts for the books in that series are available via:
As Life Goes: Elementary – Links to Excerpts
As Life Goes: Elementary – Excerpt I
https://gunderstone.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/as-life-goes-elementary-excerpt-i/
As Life Goes: Elementary – Excerpt II
https://gunderstone.wordpress.com/2015/07/09/as-life-goes-elementary-excerpt-ii/
As Life Goes: Elementary – Excerpt III
https://gunderstone.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/as-life-goes-elementary-excerpt-iii-author-jason-zandri/
In the meantime I’d like to remind folks that As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt I is available and I would like to introduce the next free excerpt below:
As Life Goes: The End of the Innocence – Excerpt II
The August summer sun moved high into the sky and Michael, Tim, and Matthew moved from the water back over to the blankets where everyone was sitting and laying out.
Liz sat up next to Marie and Donna. “How was the water?” she asked pulling her red hair back tighter in the pony tail and glancing over at Matthew who was still making his way up.
“Not too bad really,” Tim answered taking a seat next to Patti. “It’s never super warm but it’s a good break from the ninety plus degrees… HEY SANDMAN!” Tim yelled over to Matthew who was still lagging behind.
Matthew looked up at him. “We should come again tomorrow with whoever is off,” Tim shouted. “It’s going to be hot again and the summer is nearly over.” Tim looked back over at everyone nearby. “Anyone in?”
Marie looked at Donna. Marie shrugged, “Wouldn’t kill me to come again. Liz, can you drive again?”
Liz paused for a moment. “I’m not sure, maybe.” She looked up at Matthew who finally came all the way over. “Matthew,” she began, leaning in a little further and allowing her suit top to hang, “I like the idea of all going in one car; is there enough room in the van?”
“Mike,” Matthew said looking over and stretching his arms up over his head. “You said you were out for tomorrow… you have to work?”
Michael looked on while Lesley chimed in. “Me too. Well, not work, but I have to help my mother with some stuff during the afternoon so I’m out as well. But I’m in the next time for sure.”
Matthew looked over at Donna whose attention he was hoping to get, “Can you come with us tomorrow? I could come by and pick you up?”
Donna was pleased that Matthew asked her directly, which drew Melissa’s attention.
“Um… I think so,” Donna responded, trying to sound reserved and holding back a grin. “I would have to double check with my mother but I can’t think of a reason why I can’t go.”
Matthew grabbed his wallet from inside his sneakers, which were next to his bag on the beach. He took a pen out of the bag, but then tossed it back, and pulled a business card from his wallet. “This is my number at home in my room. Give me a call when you get home tonight; I’ll take your number then and we can square up the details for tomorrow.”
“You have your own line in your bedroom?” Donna asked looking at the business card.
“Well, I pay for it with the money I earn mowing the lawns,” he said proudly. “Speaking of which,” he said turning to Tim, “we can bag the lawns tomorrow to come to the beach again but it’s supposed to rain over the weekend. I’m going to need your help on Friday to finish up all the work.”
Tim flashed a ‘thumbs up’ and leaned in and kissed Patti, playfully tipping her over. Melissa watched the two of them kiss.
Liz glanced over at Matthew’s business card in Donna’s hand. She slowly slid over to Matthew. “Can I have one? I didn’t know your father set you up with a business already.”
“Oh no,” Matthew defended, “It’s nothing that formal. I started cutting lawns and I bought a trailer to hook up to the van to haul the mowers around. I got cards made because people kept asking for my information and that was easier. I pay the insurance for liability and such, and then the insurance and fuel for the van; the rest is just for whatever.”
“He’s being modest,” Tim said pulling away from Patti.
Michael looked over and chimed in. “He is,” he said standing up and taking Lesley’s hand. “He’s made more since April with Tim helping him than some people make all year at a fast food place.” Lesley brushed the sand off the back of her thighs and wrapped her arm around Michael as he continued. “He could probably get a couple of leaf blowers for the fall and a plow and blower for the winter…”
Matthew waived his hand in the air a little, “no, no, no… for the extra money it’s great but I don’t think I want to do this the rest of my life.”
“What do you want to do?” Liz asked, holding out her hand casually for her card.
A quick look of contempt came over Donna’s face once Liz began to monopolize the conversation with Matthew.
Tim smiled at Liz’s question and walked away with Patti toward the water and away from the group.
Carrie nudged Melissa, who then sat up and switched over to a kneeling position closer to where Patti was standing prior, taking up her space.
“Honestly?” Matthew said while handing the card to her and then closing up his bag. “I really wanted to be an on-air DJ on the radio. I even looked into the broadcasting school up in Bloomfield. It’s not terribly expensive and after the courses are done they offer job placement services.” He stood up and Liz followed his frame as he took a step away. “But I also looked into the future track of that career in the overall job market with Michael, sharp as shit he is with stuff like that, and what we figured out is that the career is in a decline. So… I guess I’ll have to look into something else.” Matthew took a few steps backward toward the water and looked over at Donna. “Of course I have all of senior year to think about it. Right now?” he said smiling at her. “I’m just looking forward to tomorrow, the warm weather, the beach, and the company.”
Lesley tugged at Michael and the two of them walked away and towards the parking area in the direction of the ice cream trucks.
Donna watched Matthew as he turned and headed over to the water. She watched him casually jog away, hoping he’d turn around to look at her one more time. He slowed a little and turned his head partly but never fully turned around. That was good enough for Donna as she noticed it.
Melissa watched Matthew head away as well. She let her thoughts drift only for a minute before Donna spoke up.
“What the hell, Liz,” Donna said moving closer to her.
“What?” Liz asked looking as innocently as she could come off.
Carrie and Alecia stopped what they were doing to pay attention, since it was now just the five girls on the blankets.
“Robert and Stan aren’t enough? Matthew shows some interest in me and you have to twat block me?” Donna exclaimed.
“Wow,” Melissa whispered to Carrie and Alecia, leaning in quickly. “A second ago I was pissed at Donna for getting Matthew’s attention and now I’m on her side.” Melissa leaned back and watched Matthew enter the water at the shoreline as light waves from the Atlantic Ocean crashed in.
“You know what Donna,” Liz said standing up quickly, “if he had a solid interest in you, I wouldn’t be able to pull his attention. Clearly it’s equal or at least divided,” she said tugging down on her own top. “The question you need to ask yourself is ‘how far am I able to go to get and keep his attention’?”
Donna couldn’t respond more than just opening her mouth. Liz smirked, turned, and followed Matthew’s path to the water.
Marie touched Donna’s shoulder while Carrie moved over to close up a tighter circle.
“You know what Donna?” Marie said quickly. “If Matthew is that easily swayed by her, you don’t want to waste your time with him.”
“Oh!” Donna exclaimed. “Yes I do. He’s a nice guy… mostly. He’s like everyone else when it comes to Liz. She’s like this siren that none of them can resist.”
“That’s because she’s a huge slut whore,” Alecia responded adjusting her sunglasses.
“She’s going to go out there now and just pull him into her web, you watch,” Donna said somewhat upset. “By the time she’s done with him, he’ll take her to the beach tomorrow and he won’t even remember to call me back,” she said looking at his business card.
“Look,” Melissa said, mustering all the confidence she could considering the emotional conflict she was having. “Matthew tends to “walk the walk’ as they say. He showed an interest in you; he’s going to follow up. Liz is going to be a challenge for him; he’s been infatuated with her since the first day he ever laid eyes on her, but that infatuation is the only power she has on him. He’s otherwise level headed.”
“Ah…” Carrie said, flipping her short brown hair. “But which head is more level!”
The girls were quiet for a second and then they all screamed and giggled at the comment.
***
Matthew swam out deeper into the ocean to a point where he was upper chest deep in the water when standing. He turned to look back to the shore when he saw Liz coming out toward him.
He stared at her wet, slicked back, red hair and was mesmerized looking into her eyes. She stopped a little further back from where he was so she could stand in the shallower water.
“Are you going to come back in a little?” she asked playfully with her back to the shore.
“I guess I could,” Matthew said innocently and looking around. “Other than the jet skiers way out there,” he said pointing across the way, “and the ones on the boogie boards, we’re the farthest out.”
Liz was pleased when he came in somewhat. She took two steps out toward him.
Matthew looked back over to where the girls were sitting. They were huddled up and talking. Liz glanced back at them. “They are talking amongst themselves.” She reached under the water and touched Matthew on both hips. “I’m right here and you have my full attention.”
Matthew flinched at her touch. Despite the fact that they had been familiar and friendly with one another, innocently, over the years, each time Liz touched him, it was like a static shock and he never could prepare himself for it.
“I’ve always meant to tell you,” she said with a slight tone of mischief in her voice, “that I am always turned on by your response to my touch.”
“I’m not sure I understand,” Matthew responded genuinely.
“All of you boys… well… I guess you’re all men now that you’re over eighteen… you all collapse when I touch you. You come at me and take me. You think I am all yours but you’re all really mine.” She smiled at him. “Not you though. Oh you want to give in,” she said lowering her hand across the outside front of his bathing suit under the water and tightly feeling exactly how excited he was. “But you resist… why.”
“I’m not like all the others,” Matthew said as best he could to maintain his composure. “I won’t be put into a box with everyone else.”
“No you’re not like everyone else,” Liz said in her playfully evil tone. “Still,” she said, loosening his drawstring and slipping her hand inside his suit, “you’re only so far removed.”
Liz tightly wrapped her right hand and played. She used her left hand to part her two-piece top and expose herself.
Matthew grunted. He partly took a step backward but Liz matched with a forward step.
“It’s pretty clear you’re excited,” she said. “You’re underwater. To the whole beach it looks like we are two people out here talking.”
Liz sped up her movements as Matthew’s resistance completely failed and he was captivated by what she was doing to him. Matthew tried to look back at Donna but Liz simply moved herself back into his view.
“You want her?” she said playfully. “She wants you; you can have her tomorrow. Right this moment, you’re all mine. I will have you.”
Matthew couldn’t look away anymore. His attraction to Liz was always very strong and with her right in front of him, doing what she was doing, he couldn’t break away. He also realized that even if he could, he really didn’t want to. What she was doing felt so wonderful and it was more than he ever imagined he’d have with her.
He swallowed hard and his breathing became short and shallow. Liz curled up her lips more at his response. She stepped forward and kissed him, still moving her right hand rapidly. With her pulling her top left and away with her free hand, and then touching her chest to his, it was more than Matthew could stand. He lost control and let go. Liz stopped kissing him and touched her forehead to his; she looked down into the water and squeezed her right hand in response and rhythm to him. She listened to him huff a couple of times and groan. He reached out with his hands and pulled her in from her hips.
“You can go now,” she whispered quietly. “All I wanted was your response… today. I have it. You can go back to Donna now.”
Matthew drew back as Liz let go of him.
“I love and hate the way you make me feel… you know that right?” Matthew said sounding irritated.
“I know,” she said. “And right back at you.”
Matthew slowly backed away and looked at her. “I don’t do what you do… the taunting and teasing. You do that intentionally.”
Liz said nothing and only smiled a little. She drew her right hand up, out of the ocean, and over her tight belly.
Matthew stopped walking away. “That’s it, isn’t it?”
Liz stopped and lowered her hand into the water and stared at him blankly.
“What you do to me intentionally… you do that ‘back’ to me. There’s something I do, or it’s just me in general, that invokes an emotional response from you.” Matthew stepped forward half a step. “Look, I didn’t mean to… I mean… we’ve known each other forever. Some feelings are tough to get away from. However, I never abuse it… I know what we mean to one another; friendship wise and then some.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Matthew,” she said quickly becoming irritated. “I enjoy exciting you and getting a response from you… and other men. Beyond that, it’s mainly meaningless.”
Matthew quickly studied her. He decided on what his thoughts were on the matter and knew she’d never confess or own up to anything more. “Of course,” he said with a smile. “And my response was…”
“A handful,” she said, with some of her prior emotional response returning. “Luckily,” she said, tracing both of her hands across the ocean surface, “I didn’t have to go far to wash my handful off.”
Matthew smiled at her and she returned it.
“Shall we meet out here again tomorrow?” she said playfully.
Matthew dropped his playful look. “As much as I enjoyed your attention, if I am formally here with Donna tomorrow, no.”
“You can say no to me?” she said playfully.
“Honestly?” Matthew asked, watching Liz. “Probably not. Given that, I’ll have no choice but to keep my distance.”
Liz initially didn’t know how to take his comments or how to respond but a slow and sly smile crept across her face.
Matthew smiled, turned away, and headed back to shore.
November 2, 2015
When Should I Start Publicizing My New Book?
Originally posted on Dan Alatorre - AUTHOR:
Advance marketing?
The book’s not even finished yet!
Occasionally I get a question from a fellow author with a problem and I answer it here.
Dear Dan,
My novel is still in its first draft. It´s long, I still have to finish it, and I write a LOT every day, but there´s still a lot of time before it will be published. Many months, probably. Do you think it’s right to start talking about it on my website? What if I don´t know its title yet?
Thanks,
Worried Writer
PS: I´d love to read your novel. Is it possible to get it in paperback?
.
Dear Worried,
Yes, you can start engaging readers now, so there is an interested fan base when the book comes out. A few months before the book comes out, up to maybe as much as six months, is about the right window for advance marketing.
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