Bianca Sommerland's Blog, page 17
October 6, 2014
Things are about to change...I hope. And the authors need YOU
Ellora's Cave vs Dear Author
So, I didn't jump on writing a post right away because there are so many others who are well informed and can give you the dirt. And seriously, that's what it is. I've been through this before when Noble was going under and I can tell you, there's no worse position to be in when you're an author.
Now, I can't say for sure it's exactly the same, because many EC authors are afraid to speak up and tell anyone how bad it really is. I'm doing my best to support them anyway because I can imagine what they're going through. For myself, since I became a full time author, late payments, or not getting payments at all threw my whole world into chaos. Suddenly money I was depending on to pay my rent, my bills, and food for my kids, wasn't there. I wasn't sure if it would ever come. Talk of bankruptcy filled me with dread because all my hard work, my books which are my babies, could be trapped with everything else the publisher 'owned'. Just another asset.
That's some scary shit. But in the end, I got lucky.
I don't know if the EC authors will get lucky, but I do know they've got some wicked support with big steel cojones. Dear Author, who I wasn't a huge fan of because they were mean to some of my favorites--gotta be honest here--is part of that support.
You might wonder how, and might even ask yourself WGAF about headbutting between a big pub and a big blogger. Well, it's simple. If the pub wins, and bloggers are afraid to report the truth--or share information in a way that makes it easier for people to LEARN the truth--then you won't see much of it in the future. You'll see exactly what the pubs, the powers that be, want you to see.
I could get into this, but instead, I'm gonna share some links and let you read more if you're interested. The point is I see a change coming. A lawsuit like this has never happened before. Authors, industry professionals (editors, cover artists, etc) and readers alike have put their money where their mouth is in standing behind Dear Author and raising enough money for a strong case with a damn good lawyer.
My biggest concern while all this is going down is how the authors are fairing. So I'm going to continue to share non-EC books by the Ellora's Cave authors and welcome them to share their books in the comments. PLEASE consider looking through the comments if you're looking for something to read.
There's also this list if you feel like adding a nice pile of books to your TBR: http://tinyurl.com/q8v8vhy
We're calling it The Blacklist. Some of the authors there aren't EC authors, but they have donated to the defense fund for Dear Author and have their fellow authors' backs! <g>
Before I share the links for info on everything, here's a pic I think is very fitting. Shows how many of us feel about how things were gonna turn out when EC tried to silence DA!
http://dearauthor.com/misc/elloras-cave-sues-dear-author/
http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.ca/2014/09/writer-beware-more-on-troubles-at.html
http://mfrw.blogspot.ca/2014/09/the-founder-of-mfrw-speaks-out.html http://www.kaetrinsmusings.com/2014/09/echoing-the-streisand-effect.htmlhttp://the-digital-reader.com/2014/09/26/elloras-cave-sues-dear-author-book-blog-defamation/http://www.badmenagerie.com/were-small-bloggers-but-were-feeling-the-fallout-elloras-cave-and-the-suit-against-dear-author/http://jennytrout.com/?p=8077http://herhandsmyhands.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/elloras-cave-dear-author-the-streisand-effect-and-freedom-of-speech/http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/09/little-miss-crabby-pants-is-almost.htmlhttp://deirdre.net/elloras-cave-author-exodus-support-thread/http://kbgbabbles.com/2014/09/the-wtfckery-report-elloras-cave-suing-dear-author-blog-for-defamation-why-book-bloggers-should-be-worried.htmlhttp://www.thepassivevoice.com/09/2014/elloras-cave-sues-dear-author-book-blog-for-defamation/
Again, EC authors, please feel free to pimp your hearts out with your non-EC books in the comments! And ((Hugs)) I know you all probably need a few.
So, I didn't jump on writing a post right away because there are so many others who are well informed and can give you the dirt. And seriously, that's what it is. I've been through this before when Noble was going under and I can tell you, there's no worse position to be in when you're an author.
Now, I can't say for sure it's exactly the same, because many EC authors are afraid to speak up and tell anyone how bad it really is. I'm doing my best to support them anyway because I can imagine what they're going through. For myself, since I became a full time author, late payments, or not getting payments at all threw my whole world into chaos. Suddenly money I was depending on to pay my rent, my bills, and food for my kids, wasn't there. I wasn't sure if it would ever come. Talk of bankruptcy filled me with dread because all my hard work, my books which are my babies, could be trapped with everything else the publisher 'owned'. Just another asset.
That's some scary shit. But in the end, I got lucky.
I don't know if the EC authors will get lucky, but I do know they've got some wicked support with big steel cojones. Dear Author, who I wasn't a huge fan of because they were mean to some of my favorites--gotta be honest here--is part of that support.
You might wonder how, and might even ask yourself WGAF about headbutting between a big pub and a big blogger. Well, it's simple. If the pub wins, and bloggers are afraid to report the truth--or share information in a way that makes it easier for people to LEARN the truth--then you won't see much of it in the future. You'll see exactly what the pubs, the powers that be, want you to see.
I could get into this, but instead, I'm gonna share some links and let you read more if you're interested. The point is I see a change coming. A lawsuit like this has never happened before. Authors, industry professionals (editors, cover artists, etc) and readers alike have put their money where their mouth is in standing behind Dear Author and raising enough money for a strong case with a damn good lawyer.
My biggest concern while all this is going down is how the authors are fairing. So I'm going to continue to share non-EC books by the Ellora's Cave authors and welcome them to share their books in the comments. PLEASE consider looking through the comments if you're looking for something to read.
There's also this list if you feel like adding a nice pile of books to your TBR: http://tinyurl.com/q8v8vhy
We're calling it The Blacklist. Some of the authors there aren't EC authors, but they have donated to the defense fund for Dear Author and have their fellow authors' backs! <g>
Before I share the links for info on everything, here's a pic I think is very fitting. Shows how many of us feel about how things were gonna turn out when EC tried to silence DA!
http://dearauthor.com/misc/elloras-cave-sues-dear-author/
http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.ca/2014/09/writer-beware-more-on-troubles-at.html
http://mfrw.blogspot.ca/2014/09/the-founder-of-mfrw-speaks-out.html http://www.kaetrinsmusings.com/2014/09/echoing-the-streisand-effect.htmlhttp://the-digital-reader.com/2014/09/26/elloras-cave-sues-dear-author-book-blog-defamation/http://www.badmenagerie.com/were-small-bloggers-but-were-feeling-the-fallout-elloras-cave-and-the-suit-against-dear-author/http://jennytrout.com/?p=8077http://herhandsmyhands.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/elloras-cave-dear-author-the-streisand-effect-and-freedom-of-speech/http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/09/little-miss-crabby-pants-is-almost.htmlhttp://deirdre.net/elloras-cave-author-exodus-support-thread/http://kbgbabbles.com/2014/09/the-wtfckery-report-elloras-cave-suing-dear-author-blog-for-defamation-why-book-bloggers-should-be-worried.htmlhttp://www.thepassivevoice.com/09/2014/elloras-cave-sues-dear-author-book-blog-for-defamation/
Again, EC authors, please feel free to pimp your hearts out with your non-EC books in the comments! And ((Hugs)) I know you all probably need a few.
June 19, 2014
RELEASE DAY for Iron Cross (The Dartmouth Cobras #6)
The plan was to release on June 20th, but we were trying to make sure Barnes & Noble people didn't have to wait for weeks this time. And we got a surprise!
Instead of taking 48 hours like we expected, the book was up the same day!
Which meant EARLY RELEASE!!!!
Readers knew it was up even before I did and news spread fast! My wonderful formatter from Illustrious Illustions rushed to get Iron Cross up on Amazon and...
Now it's up EVERYWHERE!!!!
Not only that, the INCREDIBLE fans of the Cobras have gotten Iron Cross up to #3 on the SPORTS FICTION list on Amazon! None of the books have ever gotten on the list this quickly!
Speaking of which, if you don't have it yet...
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00L3V8PI4
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/UfzFPT
All Romance: http://bit.ly/1pirfRl
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1uFjB4V
If you're on the fence about getting it, you should check out some of the reviews. Shayna Renee's Spicy Reads has an amazing review and an exclusive excerpt. here: http://shaynareneesspicyreads.com/201...
I was so excited when I read it this morning! Seriously, this is not just a reason to use another animated .gif! lol!
"When authors create characters like this, they become a part of that author, a part of their family, and a part of that author’s heart and soul. I feel the same way as a reader. These people have become a part of my family, and every time I finish a book, it hurts to say goodbye. To reach a reader on such an emotional level, with the characters alone, is just unbelievably amazing to me. Bianca Sommerland is a brilliant author who I know will continue to do great things. She will continue to pull at our heart-strings. She will continue to make our breaths hitch. And she will continue to bring us some of the most erotic, emotional, sex scenes that I have ever read."~Shayna
There's also a few other places that have been spreading the word about the release. Click the banner below for more!
So happy to finally get to share this with you all! Happy reading and...
Hope you enjoy getting into the game with the Cobras!
Instead of taking 48 hours like we expected, the book was up the same day!
Which meant EARLY RELEASE!!!!
Readers knew it was up even before I did and news spread fast! My wonderful formatter from Illustrious Illustions rushed to get Iron Cross up on Amazon and...
Now it's up EVERYWHERE!!!!
Not only that, the INCREDIBLE fans of the Cobras have gotten Iron Cross up to #3 on the SPORTS FICTION list on Amazon! None of the books have ever gotten on the list this quickly!
Speaking of which, if you don't have it yet...
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00L3V8PI4
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/UfzFPT
All Romance: http://bit.ly/1pirfRl
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1uFjB4V
If you're on the fence about getting it, you should check out some of the reviews. Shayna Renee's Spicy Reads has an amazing review and an exclusive excerpt. here: http://shaynareneesspicyreads.com/201...
I was so excited when I read it this morning! Seriously, this is not just a reason to use another animated .gif! lol!
"When authors create characters like this, they become a part of that author, a part of their family, and a part of that author’s heart and soul. I feel the same way as a reader. These people have become a part of my family, and every time I finish a book, it hurts to say goodbye. To reach a reader on such an emotional level, with the characters alone, is just unbelievably amazing to me. Bianca Sommerland is a brilliant author who I know will continue to do great things. She will continue to pull at our heart-strings. She will continue to make our breaths hitch. And she will continue to bring us some of the most erotic, emotional, sex scenes that I have ever read."~Shayna
There's also a few other places that have been spreading the word about the release. Click the banner below for more!
So happy to finally get to share this with you all! Happy reading and...
Hope you enjoy getting into the game with the Cobras!June 16, 2014
IRON CROSS (The Dartmouth Cobras #6) Cover reveal and Mega-author support CONTEST!
This is going to be a quick post, but I wanted to make sure to get you all caught up on what's been going on with our boys! <g>
First off, in case you haven't heard, IRON CROSS will be released JUNE 20th! That's right, only
The wonderful Shayna Renees Spicy Reads did the cover reveal here: http://shaynareneesspicyreads.com/2014/06/cover-reveal-giveaway-iron-cross-the-dartmouth-cobras-6-by-bianca-sommerland.html if you want to check it out.
She also made some wicked graphic snippets for your viewing pleasure!
So excited for this new release, and I'd also like to give you a heads up on a CONTEST that's coming together in support of all authors. The last I heard there are 50 authors involved and the numbers are growing. What do you have to do to enter? Well, first, grab one of these shirts:
http://teespring.com/InSupportofAuthors
And stay turned for all the different challenges you can take part in. The contest will run for about 6 months with many prizes along the way and an incredible grand prize at the end!
Just for fun, I decided to run a precontest for a chance to WIN one of these shirts. To enter, take a picture of yourself supporting your favorite author. You can be holding their book(s), wearing one of their shirts, holding up a sign proclaiming your undying love...get creative! Post this picture on Facebook and tag me, and the author if possible.
Good luck and have fun! I'll be giving you updates on the contest regularly! :)
Last, but not least, make sure to check out Shayna Renees Spicy Reads on June 20th from 8-10pm EST to celebrate the release of the latest Cobra book with me! I'll be answering questions and giving away tons of prizes! Hope to see you there and Happy Reading! :)
First off, in case you haven't heard, IRON CROSS will be released JUNE 20th! That's right, only
The wonderful Shayna Renees Spicy Reads did the cover reveal here: http://shaynareneesspicyreads.com/2014/06/cover-reveal-giveaway-iron-cross-the-dartmouth-cobras-6-by-bianca-sommerland.html if you want to check it out.
She also made some wicked graphic snippets for your viewing pleasure!
So excited for this new release, and I'd also like to give you a heads up on a CONTEST that's coming together in support of all authors. The last I heard there are 50 authors involved and the numbers are growing. What do you have to do to enter? Well, first, grab one of these shirts:
http://teespring.com/InSupportofAuthors
And stay turned for all the different challenges you can take part in. The contest will run for about 6 months with many prizes along the way and an incredible grand prize at the end!
Just for fun, I decided to run a precontest for a chance to WIN one of these shirts. To enter, take a picture of yourself supporting your favorite author. You can be holding their book(s), wearing one of their shirts, holding up a sign proclaiming your undying love...get creative! Post this picture on Facebook and tag me, and the author if possible.
Good luck and have fun! I'll be giving you updates on the contest regularly! :)
Last, but not least, make sure to check out Shayna Renees Spicy Reads on June 20th from 8-10pm EST to celebrate the release of the latest Cobra book with me! I'll be answering questions and giving away tons of prizes! Hope to see you there and Happy Reading! :)
April 10, 2014
Authors After Dark 2014
Authors After Dark is coming QUICKLY and OMG this year is
going to be INSANE!
As always AAD is about the readers, and the amount of
awesome we have put together for you this year, you would be INSANE not to
attend….
First, our amazing Master of Ceremonies is none other than
Alexandra Ivy ! She will be doing a cool little event to celebrate your favorite
gargoyle, Levet on Friday ! Wanna know more? Check out the FB group where Alex
will be talking about the awesome that she has going on!
Torquere and authors BA Tortuga and Julia Talbot will be
Sponsoring our Welcome event, the Midnight Rodeo… And it looks like We will
have some VERY COOL goodies and… Riding… happening… *SNICKER*
How about Parties? This year we have a special event called
the Leather and Lace Ball! Curious? We thought so! Take a ride on the wild side and let your
inhibitions fly with five New York Times Bestselling Authors of erotic romance.
Cuffs and corsets encouraged.
With: J. Kenner, Liliana Hart, Carly Phillips, Janelle
Denison, Jasinda Wilder and Lorelei James
The ladies will be talking more about
this on the FB group starting soon!
New for 2014 is the Paranormal Party!
Join over 20 Paranormal authors who will be giving away goodies, some books and
hanging out with you to snack and chat! Wanna know what authors are involved?
You will have to join the FB group to see!
And of course, we have the amazing
Masquerade Ball! This year it’s the SINS AND VIRTUES BALL! Are you a sin or a
virtue? Join us for a wild costumed event! Prizes for the best costumes,
including a 200$ gift certificate to Lori Ann Costumes!
Your Sins and Virtues Sponsors: Sin
Lust
Boone Brux
Opal Carew
Sin Pride
BA Tortuga
Andrew Grey
Sin Envy
Stella Price
TJ Michaels
Sin Gluttony
Desiree Holt
Saranna DeWylde
Sin Greed
Ann Mayburn
Heather Long
Sin Sloth
Lizzie T. Leaf
Julie Morgan
Sin Wrath
Stacey Kennedy
Marianne Morea
Virtue Charity
Kerry Adrienne
Trista Ann
Virtue Chastity
Jenn LeBlanc
Annabel Jospeh
Virtue Humility
Milly Taiden
Donna McDonald
Virtue Kindness
CJ Ellisson
Alexandra Ivy
Virtue Temprance
J. Kenner
Sidney
Virtue Diligence
Denise Grover Swank
Jenna McCormick
Virtue Patience
Lousia Bacio
Kallypso masters
And if THAT isn’t enough awesome that will be going on… This
year we have an amazing off site costumed event… the Ladies on the Green event
sponsored by the AAD Anachronistic Society! This will be an hour and a Half on
the famous GREEN in Charlotte (a half block from the hotel). It will be a
Costumed event (though Costumes are not required they are encouraged!) to
celebrate Gothic, Victorian, steampunk dark historical literature! Your hosts
will be: Sahara Kelly, Amanda McIntyre, Leanna Renee Hieber, A.L. Davroe and
S.A. Price. Prizes and readings will happen, as well as photo ops!
And NEVER forget the Amazing Open bar with Mel Schroeder and
friends! They have SO MUCH awesome set up for you just before the Bookies… you
do NOT wanna miss that!
Getting excited yet? How about some info on the AWESOME mini
events we have going on? Ready?
On Wed. Night, Join
Sasha White and Joey W. Hill for a wild party and Q&A, Also, the Blind Date
Book Party will be open to start your con right! (If you have never done a
BDBP, you are MISSING out! You need to attend, Get your blind date book, find
the author that wrote it, and hang out with them!)
Thursday? Panels up
the wazoo, and the Bookie Awards----- goodies and books to be given out! The
hangout with The GNO girls lead by CJ Ellisson and Boone Brux for some crazy
fun! And if that wasn’t enough? Readings
and a Blogger Sleepover party as well!
Friday? More panels, a games carnival with Nina Gooden and
Pals, Name that Author with Cat Johnson, and some other fun surprises!
Saturday? A few panels, the Big ass booksigning with 100
authors, the Cowboy Stampede party, the
Readers Mad Tea Party with Hildie McQueen, An after the bookies event with a
special publisher sponsor, And Jess Michaels’ Birthday extravaganza!
SEE? SO MUCH AWESOME! All the authors that are involved with
parties will be talking about their involvement on the FB group, so join up and
get ready to rock.
Oh? You say you’re not registered for AAD yet? You need to
be! All registrants get put in the hat for the welcome party prizes, and these
prizes are AMAZING! Breakfast with authors, Booze and Books, side trips to
Carrowwinds…. We have a minimum of 90 special prizes…. So…
You need to rock this con! And as if this wasn’t enough….
AAD will be giving away something really awesome to registrants…. Wanna know
what?
How about 5 VIP registrations for THE NOVEL EXPERIENCE 2015
in LAS VEGAS? YES… 5!
And…
How about this… If we hit 100 more registrations from TODAY
April 10th to June 10th, we will give away 2 AAD
registrations for 2015… 2!!!!! So get
registered, get your room and get ready for one HELL of an amazing year with
us!
JOIN US! WE CANT WAIT TO HANGOUT WITH YOU!
AAD REGISTRATION
going to be INSANE!
As always AAD is about the readers, and the amount of
awesome we have put together for you this year, you would be INSANE not to
attend….
First, our amazing Master of Ceremonies is none other than
Alexandra Ivy ! She will be doing a cool little event to celebrate your favorite
gargoyle, Levet on Friday ! Wanna know more? Check out the FB group where Alex
will be talking about the awesome that she has going on!
Torquere and authors BA Tortuga and Julia Talbot will be
Sponsoring our Welcome event, the Midnight Rodeo… And it looks like We will
have some VERY COOL goodies and… Riding… happening… *SNICKER*
How about Parties? This year we have a special event called
the Leather and Lace Ball! Curious? We thought so! Take a ride on the wild side and let your
inhibitions fly with five New York Times Bestselling Authors of erotic romance.
Cuffs and corsets encouraged.
With: J. Kenner, Liliana Hart, Carly Phillips, Janelle
Denison, Jasinda Wilder and Lorelei James
The ladies will be talking more about
this on the FB group starting soon!
New for 2014 is the Paranormal Party!
Join over 20 Paranormal authors who will be giving away goodies, some books and
hanging out with you to snack and chat! Wanna know what authors are involved?
You will have to join the FB group to see!
And of course, we have the amazing
Masquerade Ball! This year it’s the SINS AND VIRTUES BALL! Are you a sin or a
virtue? Join us for a wild costumed event! Prizes for the best costumes,
including a 200$ gift certificate to Lori Ann Costumes!
Your Sins and Virtues Sponsors: Sin
Lust
Boone Brux
Opal Carew
Sin Pride
BA Tortuga
Andrew Grey
Sin Envy
Stella Price
TJ Michaels
Sin Gluttony
Desiree Holt
Saranna DeWylde
Sin Greed
Ann Mayburn
Heather Long
Sin Sloth
Lizzie T. Leaf
Julie Morgan
Sin Wrath
Stacey Kennedy
Marianne Morea
Virtue Charity
Kerry Adrienne
Trista Ann
Virtue Chastity
Jenn LeBlanc
Annabel Jospeh
Virtue Humility
Milly Taiden
Donna McDonald
Virtue Kindness
CJ Ellisson
Alexandra Ivy
Virtue Temprance
J. Kenner
Sidney
Virtue Diligence
Denise Grover Swank
Jenna McCormick
Virtue Patience
Lousia Bacio
Kallypso masters
And if THAT isn’t enough awesome that will be going on… This
year we have an amazing off site costumed event… the Ladies on the Green event
sponsored by the AAD Anachronistic Society! This will be an hour and a Half on
the famous GREEN in Charlotte (a half block from the hotel). It will be a
Costumed event (though Costumes are not required they are encouraged!) to
celebrate Gothic, Victorian, steampunk dark historical literature! Your hosts
will be: Sahara Kelly, Amanda McIntyre, Leanna Renee Hieber, A.L. Davroe and
S.A. Price. Prizes and readings will happen, as well as photo ops!
And NEVER forget the Amazing Open bar with Mel Schroeder and
friends! They have SO MUCH awesome set up for you just before the Bookies… you
do NOT wanna miss that!
Getting excited yet? How about some info on the AWESOME mini
events we have going on? Ready?
On Wed. Night, Join
Sasha White and Joey W. Hill for a wild party and Q&A, Also, the Blind Date
Book Party will be open to start your con right! (If you have never done a
BDBP, you are MISSING out! You need to attend, Get your blind date book, find
the author that wrote it, and hang out with them!)
Thursday? Panels up
the wazoo, and the Bookie Awards----- goodies and books to be given out! The
hangout with The GNO girls lead by CJ Ellisson and Boone Brux for some crazy
fun! And if that wasn’t enough? Readings
and a Blogger Sleepover party as well!
Friday? More panels, a games carnival with Nina Gooden and
Pals, Name that Author with Cat Johnson, and some other fun surprises!
Saturday? A few panels, the Big ass booksigning with 100
authors, the Cowboy Stampede party, the
Readers Mad Tea Party with Hildie McQueen, An after the bookies event with a
special publisher sponsor, And Jess Michaels’ Birthday extravaganza!
SEE? SO MUCH AWESOME! All the authors that are involved with
parties will be talking about their involvement on the FB group, so join up and
get ready to rock.
Oh? You say you’re not registered for AAD yet? You need to
be! All registrants get put in the hat for the welcome party prizes, and these
prizes are AMAZING! Breakfast with authors, Booze and Books, side trips to
Carrowwinds…. We have a minimum of 90 special prizes…. So…
You need to rock this con! And as if this wasn’t enough….
AAD will be giving away something really awesome to registrants…. Wanna know
what?
How about 5 VIP registrations for THE NOVEL EXPERIENCE 2015
in LAS VEGAS? YES… 5!
And…
How about this… If we hit 100 more registrations from TODAY
April 10th to June 10th, we will give away 2 AAD
registrations for 2015… 2!!!!! So get
registered, get your room and get ready for one HELL of an amazing year with
us!
JOIN US! WE CANT WAIT TO HANGOUT WITH YOU!
AAD REGISTRATION
April 6, 2014
SEDUCED BY THE GAME-Video Intro and Early Release!
There are so many books you all are waiting for from me, but one has taken all my time and attention and it's not hard to understand why. My readers helped make me who I am and through them I saw I could do a lot of good. So while I'm still working hard on the other books, I'm fully devoted to this one! BLIND PASS (The Dartmouth Cobras 0.5) in the Cancer Charity Anthology, SEDUCED BY THE GAME.
Here's a little video I made to introduce the anthology. I hope you enjoy it! I was nervous about doing it until I reminded myself I was talking to the coolest people in the world! <g>
Now, I'm gonna keep this short, because I'm doing a lot of catch up on writing my other novels, but I had to share this with you. AND let you know about the EARLY release! Like I said in the video, I was out of town for a bit, but now that I'm back I'm grabbing all the links to share. I'll be putting up a page for the anthology on my website sometime tomorrow, but for now here are two links that you can grab it from:
Amazon:
http://amzn.com/B00JHP9BM2
And All Romance Ebooks:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-seducedbythegame-1470506-166.html
The site for the Anthology is:
http://www.seducedbythegame.com/
This is an amazing cause and 100% of the royalties are going to the charity. The time and effort that has gone into this is truly incredible. The stories are heartwarming and I couldn't imagine a greater group of authors to work with. They stepped up in every way and I'm so grateful to have my name up on the cover with each and every one of them.
I'd like to end this with handing the mic over to you guys. I'll be doing another video blog later in the week to answer any questions you might have. So comment here or on the video and I'll address everything in the next video.
Thank you so much for your support! :)
.jpg)
Here's a little video I made to introduce the anthology. I hope you enjoy it! I was nervous about doing it until I reminded myself I was talking to the coolest people in the world! <g>
Now, I'm gonna keep this short, because I'm doing a lot of catch up on writing my other novels, but I had to share this with you. AND let you know about the EARLY release! Like I said in the video, I was out of town for a bit, but now that I'm back I'm grabbing all the links to share. I'll be putting up a page for the anthology on my website sometime tomorrow, but for now here are two links that you can grab it from:
Amazon:
http://amzn.com/B00JHP9BM2
And All Romance Ebooks:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-seducedbythegame-1470506-166.html
The site for the Anthology is:
http://www.seducedbythegame.com/
This is an amazing cause and 100% of the royalties are going to the charity. The time and effort that has gone into this is truly incredible. The stories are heartwarming and I couldn't imagine a greater group of authors to work with. They stepped up in every way and I'm so grateful to have my name up on the cover with each and every one of them.
I'd like to end this with handing the mic over to you guys. I'll be doing another video blog later in the week to answer any questions you might have. So comment here or on the video and I'll address everything in the next video.
Thank you so much for your support! :)
March 5, 2014
SEDUCED by THE GAME Cancer Charity Anthology
First for the official stuff, then I'll give you the blurb for BLIND PASS (The Dartmouth Cobras 0.5) and a tasty little snippet! I've mentioned this anthology before, but now we've got more to share!A group of bestselling authors, myself included, has recently come together in a collection of original hockey romance stories called Seduced by The Game 2014. All of the proceeds from both the print and ebook sales of this anthology will be donated to various National Hockey League Foundations through “Hockey Fights Cancer” (more information can be found here http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=25343) This will be the first in an annual release of anthologies dedicated to raising funds for the initiative.
This cause is very dear to all of us, not only because of our love for the sport, but because we truly believe in what the NHL* is doing to help fund the efforts to find a cure. This will be an independently published project and time has been donated to assist in marketing, cover design, formatting and editing. There will be eight novella length stories included in the anthology.
Publication is projected for mid to late April, 2014.
So far we have one team on board, but more details from them will come later. What I'm most excited about right now is the wonderful authors involved and all the hard work everyone's put in for this amazing cause. For the same price as any other ebook, you, the reader, will get an great collection of stories from your favorite authors, and for the next YEAR every cent of royalties from the anthology will be donated to the cause. After the year is up, the authors get their books back to publish separately if they choose and the next 'Seduced by The Game' will take it's place.
I'm so honored to be part of this and I'm overwhelmed by the wonderful response we've gotten already. The readers are the only reason we're all able to share our work with the world and this is our way of giving back in a big way. With the power of our words. And our love of The Game.
My contribution, BLIND PASS (The Dartmouth Cobras 0.5) will be a prequel to Game Misconduct. Those who've read the series will recognize a few names. This story is very special to me and I can't think of a better place for it to be told than in this anthology.
Blurb:
Tim Rowe, the assistant coach of the Dartmouth Cobras, is drawn to the lovely flight attendant after the care she shows one of his rookie players. A glimpse of her submissive urges has him thinking she’s far better suited to his brother, but after a single night with her at his side, he’s determined to find a way to keep her there.
Madeline’s heart wants only Tim, but can her need to surrender control be ignored? Or is there more to her than even she knows. Tim proves he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy, but how far can they really go before the things they both crave destroy everything they’re trying to build.
Excerpt:
Tim, who’d been sitting at the edge of one of the last seats before the bathroom stall speaking to his brother, glanced over and stood quickly when he spotted her. His head hit the bottom of the luggage compartment. Hard.
“Fu—damn it! Ow!” Tim laughed at himself and rubbed his head as he moved closer to her. “I wasn’t expecting to see you again until we got back on the plane. Not that I didn’t want to, I—”
Dean snorted without looking up from the clipboard in his hands.
Usually, uncertainty in a man turned Madeline off. For some reason, it made Tim more approachable. She stopped worrying about how coming here looked and smiled at him. “Ian asked me if I could get his pillow back to him after the game tonight. We both agreed it would be easier if I met with you to return it.”
“The pillow . . .” He blinked. Nodded quickly. “Of course. We’re staying at the Marriott. I could meet you in the lobby—of course, White could meet you there himself.”
“Yes, he probably could.” Madeline decided to just go for it. She wanted to spend some time with Tim, away from his brother and the team. That he hadn’t taken over and asked her out didn’t change that. This would probably go nowhere, but she needed to see that for herself. So she went for blunt honesty. “I think he’s playing matchmaker, which is adorable. I couldn’t disappoint him.”
The skin around Tim’s eyes crinkled as he gave her a broad smile. “You do know he’s almost twenty-two, not twelve? And a big boy like that isn’t ‘adorable’.”
“Ha! I’ll have you know men don’t fully grow up until they hit their thirties. Most of your team is made up of children.”
“True.” Tim cocked his head slightly. “So you’re going out with me to make the boy happy?”
“I don’t know, Tim.” She grinned at him, having more fun just talking to Tim than she’d had on actual dates. “You haven’t asked me.”
Casually resting his hip on the arm of a seat, arms folded over his chest, Tim shrugged. “I said we could meet in the lobby.”
Something slapped a seat in the back of the bus. Dean made an irritated sound as Tim looked over at him. “You, brother, are an idiot. If you don’t ask for coffee, I will.”
Dean’s sharp tone made Madeline shiver. She could imagine him using that tone with her if he wasn’t pleased. Could see herself doing everything in her power to make sure he rarely had a reason to.
She’d been in the lifestyle for a few years, going to clubs in different cities, always sceneing with men more like Dean than Tim. There was no way she’d refuse if Dean asked her for coffee . . . or pretty much anything. He pushed all the right buttons by simply being in the same space as her.
Tim seemed to notice. He gave her a stiff smile. “He doesn’t say anything he doesn’t mean. He will take you.”
No mistaking his meaning. She frowned, irritated that Tim wasn’t making more of an effort. Even more irritated at herself for wanting him to. She took a deep breath. “I didn’t come here to see him. But I do think I’m wasting both our time. I’ll meet you in the lobby after the game. Good luck.”
Before she could turn her back on him, he put his hand on her arm. She went still. He spoke softly. “Wait.”
For several beats, she stood there, shaking with a strange mix of humiliation, frustration, and . . . anticipation. His grip on her arm was firm, not enough to hurt, but enough to keep her from walking away. She sensed something in him that she’d been missing before, a power that wasn’t quite as bold as his brother’s, but no less intense.
“I think I misunderstood—it doesn’t matter. Would you like to have coffee with me? Or we could go out for a beer.” He loosened his hold on her arm, but didn’t move it. “I’ll pick you up wherever you’re staying.” His lips twitched at the edges. “We’ll have to stop by the hotel to bring White his pillow though.”
“Naturally.” She wasn’t sure why it made her so happy that he’d finally stepped up, but it did. She turned to face him. “And I wouldn’t mind a beer actually. My treat if your boys win.”
“Hell no! I’ve made enough of a mess of this.” He lifted his hand, brushing his fingertips across her cheek, his gaze as soft and warm as his touch. “Let me show you I can be a gentleman.”
Dean covered a laugh with a cough.
Madeline ignored him. Which was so much easier now with Tim so close. All the Doms she’d been with were sure of themselves, took control of her easily, fulfilled her needs—and nothing more. She had a feeling Tim could give her more, which was frightening and thrilling all at once. She hadn’t gone on a date in a very long time unless one was to count a few meeting with a potential Top. Having a beer with a man who clearly wasn’t trying to get in her pants as quickly as possible, who wasn’t interested in her submission, would be a nice change.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever met a ‘gentleman’.” Oh, that sounded lame. She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Forget I said that. Going out for beer would be nice.”
“Nice?” Tim slid his hand into her hair, moving forward until she was trapped between a seat and his body. He brushed his lips over hers. “Nice sounds boring.”
She swallowed hard, waiting for him to kiss her. Knowing if he did she was a goner. “It does.”
“I promise not to bore you, Madeline.”
“Good.”
“I hope you enjoy the game.” He released her hair and took her hand. Bent down to press a kiss to the back of it. Smiled up at her when she stared at him. “The way you were looking at me, you were about to make me into a liar. You should go before I stop caring that this bus is about to get very crowded.”
____________
Hope you enjoyed! And more news coming soon!
*While all proceeds on the anthology will be donated to various charities through Hockey Fights Cancer, the authors claim no connection to the NHL or the NHLPA. All stories contained within the anthology 'Seduced by The Game' are the property of the authors. The Cover and the logo for 'Seduced by The Game' is the property of the artists. Credit will be given to those who've contributed in promotion or marketing with permission of involved parties.
February 3, 2014
SPORTS ROMANCE BLOG HOP with awesome NEWS and a GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to Cassandra for putting together this awesome Sports Blog Hop!
If you don't know me, I write hockey romance with more than a little heat
My latest, Delayed Penalty, is the 5th book in The Dartmouth Cobra's series which is best read in order.
Pick up Game Misconduct, Book 1, for FREE at all major retailers!
I am also putting together an anthology for charity.
http://www.illustriousillusions.com/p/hockey-fights-cancer-anthology.html
A few months back I came across the website for 'Hockey Fights Cancer'. It's been around for awhile, but this was the first I'd heard of it. So I thought a hockey romance anthology with all proceeds going to the charity for a year could be pretty awesome! I shared the idea with some other hockey authors and Cassandra Carr and Toni Mothereffin Aleo jumped right on board!
We are lucky enough to have the amazing Fiona Jayde as our cover artist and Lisa A. Hollett for editing. My amazing assistant Stacey Price is taking care of organizing everything and formatting for the anthology.
Myself, well I'm helping out too! But mostly I'm contributing a story I think will interest many of you...
After DELAYED PENALTY I got so many messages and emails about the story you'd all hoped would happen, but now never would. Without spoiling for those who haven't read it, you wanted the story of Tim Rowe.
The thing is, Tim had his HEA with his wife Madeline. Their story came before GAME MISCONDUCT.
And that will be the story that will be told in the anthology. BLIND PASS will begin when they first met and tell the story of how they fell in love. I think it's fitting that their story will be part of something that's for such a good cause.
Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this is because I'm so excited for this project! And hoping to get a few more authors on board that love hockey and are willing to donate their time and talent to the cause. Click on the link to sign up--we're looking for 4-6 authors and a short story from 15-20k.
Now that I've shared that, I'm gonna get back to the writing the words thing! lol! For those keeping count, that's FOUR books I'm working on now! Between hopping all over the continent.
Tell me I can't do it! I dare ya!
Finally, a giveaway for you :)
One winner will with their choice of a Dartmouth Cobra eBook any format. Leave a comment about your favorite hockey team, real or fictional for a chance to win!
Don't forget your email address or we can't contact you!!
Other stops on the BLOG HOP!
booksbycassandracarr.com/wordpress/sports-romance-blog-hop/ 1. Cassandra Carr
www.jamidavenport.com 2. Jami Davenport
nkuhnebooks.blogspot.com 3. N Kuhn
www.taoofliz.blogspot.com 4. Liz Matis
thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/ 5. V.L. Locey
ljterson.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/sports-romance-blog-hop/ 6. Laurie Peterson writing as Laurie Terson
www.michelprincebooks.com/the-little-people-in-my-head.html 7. Michel Prince
joachimbooks.blogspot.com 8. Jean Joachim
kate-willoughby.blogspot.com 9. Kate Willoughby
lilyharlem.blogspot.com/2014/01/sports-romance-blog-hop.html 10. Lily Harlem
donnagallagherromance.wordpress.com 11. Donna Gallagher
normandiealleman.com/2014/02/sports-romance-blog-football/ 12. Normandie Alleman
www.keiraandrews.com/ 13. Keira Andrews
melanieting.blogspot.com/ 14. Melanie Ting
wp.me/p3KFoq-3y 15. Raw Talent Series
www.suzanbutler.com 17. Suzan Butler
bit.ly/1aO16Yk 18. Megan Linden
If you don't know me, I write hockey romance with more than a little heat
My latest, Delayed Penalty, is the 5th book in The Dartmouth Cobra's series which is best read in order.
Pick up Game Misconduct, Book 1, for FREE at all major retailers!
I am also putting together an anthology for charity.
http://www.illustriousillusions.com/p/hockey-fights-cancer-anthology.html
A few months back I came across the website for 'Hockey Fights Cancer'. It's been around for awhile, but this was the first I'd heard of it. So I thought a hockey romance anthology with all proceeds going to the charity for a year could be pretty awesome! I shared the idea with some other hockey authors and Cassandra Carr and Toni Mothereffin Aleo jumped right on board!
We are lucky enough to have the amazing Fiona Jayde as our cover artist and Lisa A. Hollett for editing. My amazing assistant Stacey Price is taking care of organizing everything and formatting for the anthology.
Myself, well I'm helping out too! But mostly I'm contributing a story I think will interest many of you...
After DELAYED PENALTY I got so many messages and emails about the story you'd all hoped would happen, but now never would. Without spoiling for those who haven't read it, you wanted the story of Tim Rowe.
The thing is, Tim had his HEA with his wife Madeline. Their story came before GAME MISCONDUCT.
And that will be the story that will be told in the anthology. BLIND PASS will begin when they first met and tell the story of how they fell in love. I think it's fitting that their story will be part of something that's for such a good cause.
Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this is because I'm so excited for this project! And hoping to get a few more authors on board that love hockey and are willing to donate their time and talent to the cause. Click on the link to sign up--we're looking for 4-6 authors and a short story from 15-20k.
Now that I've shared that, I'm gonna get back to the writing the words thing! lol! For those keeping count, that's FOUR books I'm working on now! Between hopping all over the continent.
Tell me I can't do it! I dare ya!
Finally, a giveaway for you :)
One winner will with their choice of a Dartmouth Cobra eBook any format. Leave a comment about your favorite hockey team, real or fictional for a chance to win!
Don't forget your email address or we can't contact you!!
Other stops on the BLOG HOP!
booksbycassandracarr.com/wordpress/sports-romance-blog-hop/ 1. Cassandra Carr
www.jamidavenport.com 2. Jami Davenport
nkuhnebooks.blogspot.com 3. N Kuhn
www.taoofliz.blogspot.com 4. Liz Matis
thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/ 5. V.L. Locey
ljterson.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/sports-romance-blog-hop/ 6. Laurie Peterson writing as Laurie Terson
www.michelprincebooks.com/the-little-people-in-my-head.html 7. Michel Prince
joachimbooks.blogspot.com 8. Jean Joachim
kate-willoughby.blogspot.com 9. Kate Willoughby
lilyharlem.blogspot.com/2014/01/sports-romance-blog-hop.html 10. Lily Harlem
donnagallagherromance.wordpress.com 11. Donna Gallagher
normandiealleman.com/2014/02/sports-romance-blog-football/ 12. Normandie Alleman
www.keiraandrews.com/ 13. Keira Andrews
melanieting.blogspot.com/ 14. Melanie Ting
wp.me/p3KFoq-3y 15. Raw Talent Series
www.suzanbutler.com 17. Suzan Butler
bit.ly/1aO16Yk 18. Megan Linden
July 15, 2013
Delayed Penalty and a little warning...
This book cover is amazing. Reese Dante is a true artist and she captured everything in this book...And that's where the warning comes in. Those who've read the books know I don't shy away from tough subjects. Just to name a few without spoiling for those new to the series all I need to say is Silver, Landon, Dominik...Scott.
I'll keep this short, but I just want to let you know that it's not going to get easier. If you want a light, happy read...well, we have different tastes so I have nothing to recommend. I read books that contain real issues. I write the same. Those who follow me on FB have seen me post things that I probably shouldn't have. My betas usually save me from the worst, but sometimes, I rip open scars and just let them bleed.
Why? Because I was taught to keep my mouth shut about certain things most of my life. And as an author, I now have the power to shine light on things that may reach someone. Help someone. And that makes me feel good. Yeah, sometimes my muse throws something at me that tosses me back into my past and makes me want to drown myself in a bottle of whiskey, but I don't need to hide that from you guys. My experiences make me who I am. And damn it, I survived. And that's something to be proud of.
I look at other authors, like Kallypso Masters, and can't help but be thankful that we who had to be silent for so long now have a voice. We can write these books, expose our blood, sweat, and tears, and maybe make a difference. We are still authors, but more importantly, we are artist that can bring what we suffered into the light. We aren't just writing stories. We are showing a different perspective through the characters that speak so loudly in our heads.
I've seen things recently about a popular show and the reactions to ignorant comments and it really drove it home the power we authors have. We can stifle the ignorance. We can show that love, in whatever form, is beautiful. And by putting real characters out there, we can show how people can live through terrible things and come out stronger. Strong enough to make a difference.
Some may say there's not enough sex in my books. I'm sorry I can't give you what you're looking for. But my heart swells at that single message from a reader telling me I reached them. That I wrote a story with a character who touched them, who they could relate to. Who helped them take that next step towards healing.
This is my warning. You stood by Silver as she had her baby and went through PPD. You watched Landon deal with his son's death. You saw Dominik left alone. Akira heal from rape. Jami recover from addiction.
My books are not stroking material--for the most part!--Real issues come up. Life happens and I don't play directer as the characters tell me their stories. I write what I'm told. I'm the body behind the keyboard typing as fast as I can to get the story of the people you've come to love.
With that, I'll leave you with this unedited excerpt. And thank all those who've stuck with the Cobras this long. There's more coming. Much more. You'll get to experience the Cobras like I do. Moving forward. Falling back.
Just living.
Delayed Penalty
Copyright 2013, Bianca Sommerland
“Cort, you didn’t know.” Ford’s soft tone made Cort want to get up and punch him. How could Ford say that when so many had hated him—including Akira—for so long for his mistakes? Jami had almost been raped. But she hadn’t been. And she was still alive. So it was nothing compared to what Cort had done.
“Take her, Ford. Get her away from me.” Cort released Akira. As he should have done in the first place. He’d never be the man for her. At least she had Ford and Ford loved her. And Ford wasn’t too far gone to be there for her. He felt a gentle hand on the side of his throat and jerked away. “Get her out of here!”
“No.” It sounded like Ford and Sutter had spoken at the same time. Cort could almost feel them staring each other down. It was Ford that continued. “I think she might object. And I refuse to take her away from you, so that’s not gonna work. She had to watch us both be hauled in for bullshit. We’re both here now. I won’t have her feeling alone again.”
“She loves you.” That’s what Ford had wanted. Why couldn’t he just go with it? It would kill Cort to lose her, but better that than her being with someone whose hands would always be soaked in innocent blood. “You owe me, Ford. You better fucking remember that and give her . . . give her everything. Every fucking day you better look at her and know you’ve gotta work hard to deserve her.”
June 5, 2013
Should we ever meet, don’t ask . . .?
In a bit of a mood today. Not a bad mood, just the kind of mood that promotes total randomness. Which got me thinking, what shall I say to people I meet at the conferences this summer? And should I give them some warning that my answers might sound like I’m not all there? (Because I might not be—answers will probably be worse if you find me in the bar! <eg>)
Well, my answer to myself was yes. So here’s my warning: I claim no responsibility for what I may blurt out. I’m an author, I’m allowed to be weird! ;)
Here’s some of the questions I figured I might be asked, along with my possible answers. All replied with love! <3
Q: Oh, you’re an author?! What do you write?
Answer: Self-help books. All about how to help yourself to a hot hockey player. My former books are about how to handle seven men and/or enjoy captivity and torture.
Q: Can you name one of your books?
Answer: Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice, War and Peace, and . . .Oh, the books I’ve written! *blush* Here, have a bookmark.
Q: Do you have kids? That’s amazing! How do you do it?
Answer: The making of a child is described in full in all my self-help books.
Q: No! How do you raise kids and write books?
Answer: Duct tape.
Q: How do you write such hot sex scenes? Have you experienced everything you write about?
Answer: Absolutely. I write them so well because I’m a sex addict. It annoys the men when I stop midclimax to take notes, but I’m very dedicated to my job.
Q: When is the next in (insert series) coming out?
Answer: *using amazing godlike author powers, pulls out laptop and types 100k word in 60 seconds* As soon as I click publish! <g>
Q: You must have gained so much success after Fifty Shades came out! Don’t you love that book?!
Answer: *smiles and orders another drink* Fifty who?
I’m sure there will be many more questions, but these are the ones that have occurred to me so far. Feel free to leave more in the comments! I need to be prepared! ;)
*note* Just having a bit of fun, so I hope no one takes offense. I really do love answering questions, but I can be a bit of a tease! Take me with a grain of salt and a slice of lime. First shots on me! xoxo
May 21, 2013
Who told you to Quick your F-ing Day Job? An Author's Journey
It’s been a long time since I’ve written anything for my blog, so I figured I’d take another look at what has to be the information searched for most often by aspiring authors. Because really, when you’ve got your book all polished up and you’ve made sure to get the beta reads, ship it off to an editor, revise, rewrite, get it edited again, then lovingly pass it on to ‘The Gatekeepers’, you expect something to happen. So you wait.
And get rejected. Almost guaranteed, your first time you get rejected. You’ve got a better chance of winning the lottery than getting picked up by one of the BIG 6—or is it 5 now? So while you’re waiting on them, go pick out your numbers and really, don’t bother doing anything else because either you’re hitting the best seller’s list by the end of the week or climbing in a limo to accept that big assed check!
Wait, what??? Didn’t happen?
Okay. Give up. It’s hopeless. There’s really no point to trying anymore because there’s nothing between being a number one bestseller and starving on the street while scribbling your stories on paper you salvaged from the high school trash can. “I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you . . .” Come on! You know the song right? ;)
All right, time for a great big reality check. One of my series makes me enough to support myself and my kids as a single mother. I’ve made a career of my writing and I’m damn proud of where I’m at. But my first book? Well, some months I barely get enough for you and me, me and you, to grab a coffee and donuts at Timmies.But wait, I’m a success story, aren’t I? A rarity, a breakout, a bestseller!
Umm…no. I’m a self-published author that scraped her way up over years AFTER spending years trying to get my first baby out there. Still planning to publish THAT book, BTW, but here’s where the whole marketing thing takes over.
I love all my books. From Rosemary Entwined—my coffee money book—to Deadly Captive which has been called a classic in the making (Scared me more than made my head swell! Lol! Hard to top that!) to my beloved Cobras. All my WIP patiently (yeah right) waiting for my attention have pieces of my heart. But sales go up and down as the months go on after a new release and if I’m going to continue with my career I have to prioritize.
Now, readers often ask when the next Cobra book is coming out, but they also ask about the third Deadly Captive book. Deadly Captive is popular enough to rival my earnings from my hockey series if I put that next book out. I enjoy writing dark, so it would make sense for me to delve back into that world.Except, Deadly Captive is contracted with a publisher. So I only get about 40% of my earnings from them. That aside, there have been many other issues that I won’t address here because I’ve gone there before. The point is, I’m not going to sell my soul, or lower my standards, in how I expect to be treated as an author, by focusing on that book right now. No matter how much money it could make me. I’ve even stated that at some point, if I can’t get my rights back and I have the time, I will write the book and give it away.
This ain’t telling you too much about how you’re gonna make it though, right? How about this. You’ve got this book you’re so proud of. You put it out there. It sells 3 copies in a month. Depressing? Well, put out another one. Yes! Now you’ve gone up to 6 copies a month! Time to quit your job!
Ah…yeah. No. BUT what I can tell you is that as you keep putting books out, as you keep using social media and finding ways to connect with readers and other authors, those numbers will go up. Read everything you can find, and I don’t mean just books—though I can’t stress that enough. Read blogs, read FB posts by authors who don’t come across like car salesmen/women, find betas who will BE HONEST with you. If they always love everything there’s something wrong. I beta read for Cherise Sinclair. The first time I chatted with her online I got all giggly and told the man, my dad, my kids, and anyone who would listen that ‘OMG! Cherise Sinclair answered my letter!’
Ask her. I’m one of her toughest crits!
Do I believe each and every aspiring author out there will make it big? No. This line of work is no different from pro sports, acting, singing, and all those other things you can’t just go to school for and do well. The thing is, in this new world with so many different ways to reach your readers without worrying about gatekeepers, you WILL get that book you love so much into someone’s hands. If you continue to write, to improve, to work your ass off, doing the thing that didn’t make you a goddamn cent last year will start bringing in some money.
Stop and think about that. What does that money mean?
Umm, no. Stop trying to quit your job! Suck it up chuckles, and yes, they want fries with that. :PThe money means your baby is now a product. With value. We can get into the whole issue of hanging onto your baby and stalking all the readers who bought it some other time, but for now, I’m going to tell you what your next step will be…
Write another book. Yes, I’m repeating myself, but this is the end all. That first book might take off quickly, or, like me, you’ll have to get four or five books out to start getting noticed. Crazy, but some people still don’t know who I am! ;)
I would suggest that series are probably the easiest way to move into being a career author, but at the same time that series would have to resonate with enough readers. So I think it’s a good idea to explore all those shiny ideas your muse is flashing around for you. Try to publish a new book every 3-4 months (I’ve started breaking this rule, but my books are long!). Talk to your readers—or potential readers regularly. And no, don’t follow them around like a salivating dog looking for attention, posting on the walls and PMing them with ‘Buy my book? Don’t you wanna buy my book?’
Be YOU. Who you are with your friends, the person everyone wants to get to know. I’ve checked out a lot more books from people I could have intelligent conversations with than with people who spam my walls. I’m not saying don’t talk about your book ever, but if you’re gonna bring it up, make it interesting! Give me a picture and a bit of a scene. Share your excitement over an award or your word count. Yeah, the last one may seem weird, but I’ve never gotten annoyed over posts like that. My readers encourage me when I’m running a writing marathon. Call me fucking idealistic, but I truly believe most people feel good supporting others.
For the book itself, don’t aim to be one of the flukes. A shitty book that sold thousands or millions (not naming names here, could be a lot of books! <g>) because that’s the flavor people wanted at the time. Here’s the funny thing about how book sales works. One person picks up the book and finds something that snatches them out of a long boring day. Made them laugh or smile. They tell more people and on and on. Doesn’t mean the book is gold or that the author is better than you. Doesn’t mean the book is necessarily crap either. But it could seem like crap to you and that’s okay. Because you’re not worrying about being THAT author.
You’re writing your goddamn book! And the next one, and—who said stop?
Ready to give up? You sure, because if you don’t fucking love (sorry, one of my characters swears a lot, trying to keep the rhythm!) what you’re doing, you won’t be in this long enough to get where you wanna be. If you don’t bleed for your work at some point, you will be forgotten even if you DO make it. Not making much money is MUCH worse than being forgettable.
But passion? Passion is addictive. If you feel that, if you can drive that, then your name will be the one readers mention to their friends. Your book sales will mount and . . .
Yes. Now you can quit your day job!
So, while you’re doing all your homework reading and learning and taking steps towards the part of your future that YOU can control, I want you to keep one thing in mind. You will hear all kinds of different advice. You may be told adding sex to your stories will get you more sales.
The truth? No. It won’t. You may get lucky, but there are a long more struggling authors out there that tried that angle then there are on the bestseller list. If you like writing wet wild monkey sex, go for it. Have fun! But don’t expect the book to get you any further than if you wrote any other book. If whoring yourself out would make you rich, the street corners would be a bit more crowded. And I'd be out there because making money doing something I love anyway?
Just kiddin'. I wouldn't sell my body. I mean, lots of hot guys are broke, so I'd just give it away. I'm more of a slut than a whore! :PBut away from the slut shaming--I'm a proud wanna-be slut, thank you very much--this business is pretty straightforward. From your mind, to your fingers, to the virtual shelves. Then it’s out of your control. You can do your best to make sure you’re not invisible, but you cannot decide what will be the flavor of the week.
All you can do is offer up another scoop. And remember that readers are hungry for new books, for an author who will give them a story they can dive into and not want to surface for hours.
I know I do!
Questions and comments are welcome. As well as suggestions from other authors. I’ll pop in when I have a chance and answer anything directed to me. Or just because it’s my blog and I love reading comments! Lol!
