Cardeno C.'s Blog, page 79
December 7, 2015
Sufganiyot Pictures by Cardeno C.
Happy Monday! Last night was the first night of Hanukkah and I had a great time spending it with friends. I also had fun making sufganiyot for the first time. I can't share the flavor with you online, but I took lots of pictures.
For those of you who haven't had sufganiyot, they're a yeast doughnut sprinkled with powdered sugar and filled with jelly (or with Nutella these days, but I haven't tried that yet). My dad makes them every year and his are amazing. This year, I've made it my mission to learn how. I'm getting a hands-on less from my dad later this week, but before that, I wanted to test out a recipe I found online.
I stuck to the recipe completely except that I put the ingredients in the bread machine, had it knead the dough, and left it in the machine to rise. I also had a faulty thermometer so I had to eyeball the oil temperature (stress!).
I'm happy with how the sufganiot flavor and texture turned out. These are probably a third of the size of my dad's and I think I like that size better, but we'll see if I still feel that way after I have my dad's version in a few days. Before that happens, I might do a test run of another recipe I found. First though, I need to make a trip to the store to buy a working thermometer. And some Nutella.
Have a great week.
CC
www.cardenoc.com
December 5, 2015
The sad goodbye by Renae Kaye
Today I said goodbye to a furbaby. Tears are still rolling down my face as I say that.
She was a good cat. She was loving, affectionate, and never hurt anyone. She would greet visitors and ask for pats, and she would follow the kids around outside while they were playing, on the off-chance they would pat her too.
I had 12 years with her. She came to me as a dumped cat, probably because she was in heat and having already had a litter of kittens previously. I took her in, half-starved and so needy, and she gifted me with three kittens. Then another five before I could get her sterilised (hey – I thought I had another two months until spring!) She was a loving, caring, brilliant mother, and once sterilised, she looked at me and said, “I’m done. I’m going to lay on this bed for the rest of my life and that’s it.”
And that was what she did. She’d been through a lot, and she deserved it.
After nearly starving to death, she decided to eat until she popped, so I had to put her on a strict diet. She never blamed me.
She wasn’t lonely. Two of her sons kept her company, and after teaching them to hunt mice when they were little, they always had to bring her their presents. I frequently found all three of my cats curled up around my legs on my bed, or in a ball together when the weather was cold.
Did she enrich my life? Undoubtedly. Will I miss her? Absolutely. For the first time in 12 years I will only have two cats to feed tonight. [Still crying here].
But it’s those sorts of emotions that make us better writers. The decisions we make in life. The loss we suffer. The experiences we have.
As an author, I find I shelve many observations for the “one day I need it.” I enjoy talking to people about their lives, because I can take their experiences and put them in a character. I watch a lot and see different things. I feel many things, and remember so that they are there when I need it. For when a character needs it.
Many authors get very attached to their books. I’ve heard of authors who refuse to change a single word during editing. I’ve heard of authors who get upset with less than 5 stars. Why are we so attached? In part, it’s because it's our creation, but also because there is a piece of us in every book. By critiquing the book, you could (in the author’s mind) be doubting their experience.
I recently caught a one star review on one of my books. I wanted to torture myself and find out why the person gave me one star, so I read it. (Not recommended, but I’m a rebel). They started off by saying that they didn’t know why they decided to try to read another book by me, because they hated the first, and then went on to say that they didn’t think that I was Australian because my characters don’t speak like any Australian they’ve ever met. Immediately I could see the problem. This person was reviewing my book The Shearing Gun. My character tends to speak “ocker” as we call it here – a type of bush lingo that perhaps you don’t find in the city. I was fortunate enough to be able to shrug off the one star review, but I can see where other authors wouldn’t. The ocker the characters were speaking is pretty much the way they do in country Western Australia. The reviewer however was not from WA and probably (I’m guessing) lived in the city. Theirexperience is different from my experience.
Does that make the reviewer wrong? No. If they didn’t like the story, they didn’t like the story. It perhaps makes them a little less open minded than others if they couldn’t accept that bit, but not wrong.
Assuming that their experience is the only way could be hurtful to the author, especially if it is something close to their heart. At one extreme I’m thinking about stories such as those dealing with the loss of a parent, child or partner. At the other extreme I’m thinking about sexual relationships. How many reviews have I caught where someone says, “That’s not how gay men have sex.” I guess that unless it’s anatomically impossible, then that reviewer has been present at every single coupling of gay men? How one has sex is very intimate. One person’s experience is intimate too, and we shouldn’t doubt the validity of the sex on page. Perhaps that is the author’s experience?
Loss is also such a personal thing. How someone deals with the loss is personal too. My father died after a long illness, and seeing how differently we all reacted to the loss was eye-opening. One sister visits his grave every birthday, anniversary, Christmas, and special occasion. Another sister hasn’t been able to visit his grave at all, despite it being 3 years now. We deal in different ways.
As a teen, I learned a lot through reading of books. How to grieve was one of them. Preparing yourself for the time when you needed it was something that was golden.
So, perhaps in one of my books, one day, we will go through the grief and the agony of losing a parent. I will open that storage box in my author’s mind and let it all out. There will be tears from me while I write. It will rip my heart out. But I do it for two reasons. One, for the reader to experience. Entertainment (despite the sad theme) and experience is what the reader wants. They don’t want a bland story. And two, it helps me. Explaining the grief helps me heal, and knowing that it may somewhere, help someone with theirs, is a wonderful feeling.
So I’d better wrap up this blog before the funeral we’re about to perform. I’m sad, and will probably burst into tears [like right now] at odd times over the next week/month/year, but I will never forget the cat that gifted me by choosing me as her new owner. She could’ve chosen another house, another person, another life, but she chose me.
I’ll see you heaven, baby.
How to contact Renae:Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.auWebsite: www.renaekaye.weebly.comFB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9 Twitter: @renaekkaye
She was a good cat. She was loving, affectionate, and never hurt anyone. She would greet visitors and ask for pats, and she would follow the kids around outside while they were playing, on the off-chance they would pat her too.
I had 12 years with her. She came to me as a dumped cat, probably because she was in heat and having already had a litter of kittens previously. I took her in, half-starved and so needy, and she gifted me with three kittens. Then another five before I could get her sterilised (hey – I thought I had another two months until spring!) She was a loving, caring, brilliant mother, and once sterilised, she looked at me and said, “I’m done. I’m going to lay on this bed for the rest of my life and that’s it.”
And that was what she did. She’d been through a lot, and she deserved it.
After nearly starving to death, she decided to eat until she popped, so I had to put her on a strict diet. She never blamed me.
She wasn’t lonely. Two of her sons kept her company, and after teaching them to hunt mice when they were little, they always had to bring her their presents. I frequently found all three of my cats curled up around my legs on my bed, or in a ball together when the weather was cold.
Did she enrich my life? Undoubtedly. Will I miss her? Absolutely. For the first time in 12 years I will only have two cats to feed tonight. [Still crying here].
But it’s those sorts of emotions that make us better writers. The decisions we make in life. The loss we suffer. The experiences we have.
As an author, I find I shelve many observations for the “one day I need it.” I enjoy talking to people about their lives, because I can take their experiences and put them in a character. I watch a lot and see different things. I feel many things, and remember so that they are there when I need it. For when a character needs it.
Many authors get very attached to their books. I’ve heard of authors who refuse to change a single word during editing. I’ve heard of authors who get upset with less than 5 stars. Why are we so attached? In part, it’s because it's our creation, but also because there is a piece of us in every book. By critiquing the book, you could (in the author’s mind) be doubting their experience.
I recently caught a one star review on one of my books. I wanted to torture myself and find out why the person gave me one star, so I read it. (Not recommended, but I’m a rebel). They started off by saying that they didn’t know why they decided to try to read another book by me, because they hated the first, and then went on to say that they didn’t think that I was Australian because my characters don’t speak like any Australian they’ve ever met. Immediately I could see the problem. This person was reviewing my book The Shearing Gun. My character tends to speak “ocker” as we call it here – a type of bush lingo that perhaps you don’t find in the city. I was fortunate enough to be able to shrug off the one star review, but I can see where other authors wouldn’t. The ocker the characters were speaking is pretty much the way they do in country Western Australia. The reviewer however was not from WA and probably (I’m guessing) lived in the city. Theirexperience is different from my experience.
Does that make the reviewer wrong? No. If they didn’t like the story, they didn’t like the story. It perhaps makes them a little less open minded than others if they couldn’t accept that bit, but not wrong.
Assuming that their experience is the only way could be hurtful to the author, especially if it is something close to their heart. At one extreme I’m thinking about stories such as those dealing with the loss of a parent, child or partner. At the other extreme I’m thinking about sexual relationships. How many reviews have I caught where someone says, “That’s not how gay men have sex.” I guess that unless it’s anatomically impossible, then that reviewer has been present at every single coupling of gay men? How one has sex is very intimate. One person’s experience is intimate too, and we shouldn’t doubt the validity of the sex on page. Perhaps that is the author’s experience?
Loss is also such a personal thing. How someone deals with the loss is personal too. My father died after a long illness, and seeing how differently we all reacted to the loss was eye-opening. One sister visits his grave every birthday, anniversary, Christmas, and special occasion. Another sister hasn’t been able to visit his grave at all, despite it being 3 years now. We deal in different ways.
As a teen, I learned a lot through reading of books. How to grieve was one of them. Preparing yourself for the time when you needed it was something that was golden.
So, perhaps in one of my books, one day, we will go through the grief and the agony of losing a parent. I will open that storage box in my author’s mind and let it all out. There will be tears from me while I write. It will rip my heart out. But I do it for two reasons. One, for the reader to experience. Entertainment (despite the sad theme) and experience is what the reader wants. They don’t want a bland story. And two, it helps me. Explaining the grief helps me heal, and knowing that it may somewhere, help someone with theirs, is a wonderful feeling.
So I’d better wrap up this blog before the funeral we’re about to perform. I’m sad, and will probably burst into tears [like right now] at odd times over the next week/month/year, but I will never forget the cat that gifted me by choosing me as her new owner. She could’ve chosen another house, another person, another life, but she chose me.
I’ll see you heaven, baby.
How to contact Renae:Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.auWebsite: www.renaekaye.weebly.comFB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9 Twitter: @renaekkaye
December 3, 2015
Here I am by Felice Stevens
The common theme many of us here is to disengage from social media, spend more time writing or reading. I'm here to say that I don't entirely agree. Here's why.
I keep my writing life and my personal life separate; I don't talk to my friends or co-workers about my writing, my ideas for storylines or my fears of failure or discouragement.
If I disconnected from Facebook, I never would have met and fostered friendships with some of the authors and readers I have. These people have become very dear to me and I can say are instrumental in my ability to keep writing. Do I spend an inordinate amount of time on social media? Maybe. I don't know. I don't really use Twitter; I sporadically use Pinterest and Tumblr, and am starting to figure out Instagram.
But Facebook is where I socialize; I chat with author friends, bounce ideas of them and give and get advice. I love chatting with readers, and getting messages from them about my books still amaze me. Two people who were instrumental in my getting published were Facebook friends before I ever met them in person. They beta read and critiqued my books for me. I owe them, virtual strangers, everything.
If I cut off Facebook, I cut off my writing lifeline; my ability to grow as an author and as a friend. I can speak to my husband about things but it's different. No one but another author would be able to look at my pages and tell me I'm info dumping or head hopping.
So while many people talk about taking a Facebook break or a total break from social media, that's fine for them. But I'm going to continue to be on-line as long as I can.
You can choose to LIKE that or unfollow it.
My new holiday release, The Greatest Gift is now available for pre-order on Amazon:
http://amzn.to/1TDrJ3W
I keep my writing life and my personal life separate; I don't talk to my friends or co-workers about my writing, my ideas for storylines or my fears of failure or discouragement.
If I disconnected from Facebook, I never would have met and fostered friendships with some of the authors and readers I have. These people have become very dear to me and I can say are instrumental in my ability to keep writing. Do I spend an inordinate amount of time on social media? Maybe. I don't know. I don't really use Twitter; I sporadically use Pinterest and Tumblr, and am starting to figure out Instagram.
But Facebook is where I socialize; I chat with author friends, bounce ideas of them and give and get advice. I love chatting with readers, and getting messages from them about my books still amaze me. Two people who were instrumental in my getting published were Facebook friends before I ever met them in person. They beta read and critiqued my books for me. I owe them, virtual strangers, everything.
If I cut off Facebook, I cut off my writing lifeline; my ability to grow as an author and as a friend. I can speak to my husband about things but it's different. No one but another author would be able to look at my pages and tell me I'm info dumping or head hopping.
So while many people talk about taking a Facebook break or a total break from social media, that's fine for them. But I'm going to continue to be on-line as long as I can.
You can choose to LIKE that or unfollow it.
My new holiday release, The Greatest Gift is now available for pre-order on Amazon:
http://amzn.to/1TDrJ3W
December 2, 2015
End of the year by Riley Hart
I can't believe it's the last month of 2015. December is always a crazy/stressful month. I love the holidays but I always spend a lot of December thinking about the previous year, what I'd planned to accomplish and stressing over the things I didn't get done. It's a bummer that that's what the end of the year turns into. Every year I tell myself I'm not going to think about it, but every year I do.
This, THIS is the year I'm going to break the pattern though. I'm going to try and focus on all the things I DID accomplish this year. I'm going to keep working toward my goals until the very last day and I'm going to remember that January is just a new month. I can carry over my goals from this year into the next one.
Let's all do that, okay? Let's make this the best December we've ever had. The world could use a little more of that.
This, THIS is the year I'm going to break the pattern though. I'm going to try and focus on all the things I DID accomplish this year. I'm going to keep working toward my goals until the very last day and I'm going to remember that January is just a new month. I can carry over my goals from this year into the next one.
Let's all do that, okay? Let's make this the best December we've ever had. The world could use a little more of that.
Ask Andrew - Does Size Matter - By Andrew Grey
Dear Andrew
I read a lot of M/M books, two to three a day. I rarely put reviews out, I think I have four on Amazon. I'm a reader not a writer, I see other reviews that are pages long, mine might run three sentences. I know authors want to be reviewed, but do you want long detailed reviews or my short ones?
Ellen
Dear Ellen
Either size review is appreciated. Sharing is caring and when you read a book and care enough to write a review, long or short, that's pretty awesome. The review doesn't need to be a long detailed analysis of the book, just a short few sentences is wonderful. What really matters is that you took the time to say something and that helps the author.
There are many things that can be included in a review, a brief recap of the story, some of the highlights of what you liked, even a breakdown of what worked and what didn't, as well as an overall impression of the book. All of those can be included, but the overall impression of the story is what's important and that can be summed up in just a few sentences.
So please, write some reviews, short and sweet is just as appreciated as longer reviews, and show your favorite authors a little love.
Hugs and Love
Andrew
Ask Andrew is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author. The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture. I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.
So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net. This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost. I will answer one question a week.
Please remember this is meant to be all in fun. (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.) So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.
Visit Andrew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
I read a lot of M/M books, two to three a day. I rarely put reviews out, I think I have four on Amazon. I'm a reader not a writer, I see other reviews that are pages long, mine might run three sentences. I know authors want to be reviewed, but do you want long detailed reviews or my short ones?
Ellen
Dear Ellen
Either size review is appreciated. Sharing is caring and when you read a book and care enough to write a review, long or short, that's pretty awesome. The review doesn't need to be a long detailed analysis of the book, just a short few sentences is wonderful. What really matters is that you took the time to say something and that helps the author.
There are many things that can be included in a review, a brief recap of the story, some of the highlights of what you liked, even a breakdown of what worked and what didn't, as well as an overall impression of the book. All of those can be included, but the overall impression of the story is what's important and that can be summed up in just a few sentences.
So please, write some reviews, short and sweet is just as appreciated as longer reviews, and show your favorite authors a little love.
Hugs and Love
Andrew
Ask Andrew is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author. The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture. I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net. This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost. I will answer one question a week.
Please remember this is meant to be all in fun. (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.) So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.
Visit Andrew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
December 1, 2015
Is it December already? Sean, BA and Julia
Lord, Lord. Look for holiday craziness from us all month!
XXOO
BA, Julia and Sean
You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot and @batortuga.
Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com
BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com
Facebook:
Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelW...
November 30, 2015
I Tried it at Home - Cooking Pasta by Cardeno C.
Happy Monday! Today I'm sharing my experience trying another kitchen hack. I saw this video with a faster way to boil pasta. I've never had issues with my regular pasta boiling technique but this looked fun so I decided to to give it a go. Here's how it went.
Step 1. Put the pasta onto a frying pan.
Step 2. Pour in just enough water to cover the pasta & add salt.
Step 3. Turn the water on high and boil for 15 minutes, turning pasta occasionally.
Result: This method worked well to cook the noodles and it was faster than boiling water in a pot. The downside was that with the shallow frying pan, water splattered onto the stove every time I turned the noodles. I wonder if this would work better in a flat pan with higher sides. I might try that next time.
My tweaks: I was running late with dinner so the liquid from the tomatoes in my pasta sauce wasn't done cooking down yet.
I decided that I could move the process along by adding the pasta into the sauce for the last 5 minutes of the pasta cooking time, figuring the starch from the pasta would absorb the water and maybe the noddles would take on some of the sauce flavor.
I realized fairly quickly that I was going to encounter a problem: the saucepan wasn't big enough to hold the sauce and the noodles.
But I wanted to limit the number of dirty dishes I created in this cooking process, so I powered through.
Once I emptied the frying pan of the noddles, I drained the water and then poured the pasta into the pan. I put the heat on low and simmered until the sauce thickened, stirring the pasta occasionally.
End result: Yummy pasta, minimal time & dirty dishes. I call this one a success!
Have a terrific week & as a reminder, I have the box set of my seven Home novels on sale for $9.99 until Wednesday.
CCwww.cardenoc.com
Step 1. Put the pasta onto a frying pan.
Step 2. Pour in just enough water to cover the pasta & add salt.
Step 3. Turn the water on high and boil for 15 minutes, turning pasta occasionally.
Result: This method worked well to cook the noodles and it was faster than boiling water in a pot. The downside was that with the shallow frying pan, water splattered onto the stove every time I turned the noodles. I wonder if this would work better in a flat pan with higher sides. I might try that next time.
My tweaks: I was running late with dinner so the liquid from the tomatoes in my pasta sauce wasn't done cooking down yet.
I decided that I could move the process along by adding the pasta into the sauce for the last 5 minutes of the pasta cooking time, figuring the starch from the pasta would absorb the water and maybe the noddles would take on some of the sauce flavor.
I realized fairly quickly that I was going to encounter a problem: the saucepan wasn't big enough to hold the sauce and the noodles.
But I wanted to limit the number of dirty dishes I created in this cooking process, so I powered through.
Once I emptied the frying pan of the noddles, I drained the water and then poured the pasta into the pan. I put the heat on low and simmered until the sauce thickened, stirring the pasta occasionally.
End result: Yummy pasta, minimal time & dirty dishes. I call this one a success!
Have a terrific week & as a reminder, I have the box set of my seven Home novels on sale for $9.99 until Wednesday.
CCwww.cardenoc.com
November 28, 2015
Renae's thanksgiving by Renae Kaye
Happy Thanksgiving
I was chatting with someone over Facebook recently, and I spoke about Thanksgiving. I had to tell them that we really don’t have anything similar to this holiday in Australia. We don’t have any day where we stop with our family and give thanks for the previous year.
In Australia we celebrate the normal Christian festivals of Christmas and Easter. On the 25th of April each year we also celebrate ANZAC day – a day where we remember those who’ve fought and died for our country. We also have Labor Day, which celebrates the introduction of an 8-hour working day, and as a Commonwealth country we also celebrate the Queen’s birthday.
The 26th of January is our Australia Day, the date given as the First Fleet (European) settlers arrived in Botany Bay. However we celebrate the day more like the American Independence Day, by enjoying things that we feel makes us “Aussie.”
I guess that now is a good time for me to take stock of the world, and give thanks for the wonderful things that have happened to me as an author. Most of them are going to be trite – because I’m sure many, many authors feel the same way as I do, but just because they are oft said, it doesn’t mean they are not well felt.
What I give thanks for:
1. I need to thank Dreamspinner for giving me the chance to publish. Seriously. There were some things that came before this, and many things that came after, but without Dreamspinner publishing my work, none of it would’ve made any difference.
2. I want to thank Nic Starr for being there from the beginning. With a single contract under my belt, and a six month wait until I hit editing, I really had nothing to cling to. NR Walker introduced me to Nic, saying that she too was about to publish her first story through DSP, and so Nic and I struck up a friendship. Nic held my hand, encouraged me when I needed it, cheered me on at every milestone, listened (endlessly!) to my woes, guided me when I was lost, brainstormed with me when I was stuck, and was always happy to talk.
3. I am grateful for coffee with M/M friends. I was nervous the first time I met someone in real life and said, “Yes, I’m the one behind those books,” but oh, it was wonderful to talk about books, authors and writing, and have others nod and understand. Thank you friends for meeting me: Donna Jones, RJ Jones, Sean Kennedy, Toni Griffin, Nic Starr, Beany Sparks, Lily Lamb, CM Corett, Pia Hoey.
4. Thank you for readers. Oh, wow. Can I ever express how much? I tell people that when I wrote Loving Jay, I never expected to publish it. I was “practicing” writing, with the hope that one day I could publish. I never expected Loving Jay to be good enough. Once it was finished, I thought to myself, “Wow – this isn’t half bad. I wonder if a publisher would take a chance on me?” After DSP gave me the contract, I had modest hopes for it. I hoped for 200 sales in the first 6 months, with 1000 sales being its all-time movement. Since I have over 2000 ratings on Goodreads, I think I made it.
But you readers. OMG. You take my work, you read and believe and love and adore. But most of all, you tell me about it (which is rather goddamn humbling!) and then you recommend me to friends.I am immensely grateful for every single purchase, every single review, every single email.In case you missed it, I’ll say it again: I am immensely grateful for every single purchase, every single review, every single email.
5. Thank you to my family for putting up with me. During the months of April to September, I’m a footy widow as my husband abandons me for the football game on each weekend. Now the tables are turned and my husband is an author widower, as I regularly abandon him and the TV for the thrill of writing about two men falling in love.
6. And finally, I’m grateful for every Facebook friend who chatted with me. You know who you are. You keep me sane. You’re there at every hour of the day. You tell me what you want. You tell me your dreams. You tell me your stories. You make me laugh. Thank you for being my friend.
They are the top blessings I have as an author. Thank you.
In other news, today I’m celebrating the anniversary of the release of Safe in His Arms. Twelve glorious months. It’s been a whole year since I introduced everyone to Lon and Casey. Thanks for the great experience.
How to contact Renae:Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.auWebsite: www.renaekaye.weebly.comFB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9 Twitter: @renaekkaye
I was chatting with someone over Facebook recently, and I spoke about Thanksgiving. I had to tell them that we really don’t have anything similar to this holiday in Australia. We don’t have any day where we stop with our family and give thanks for the previous year.
In Australia we celebrate the normal Christian festivals of Christmas and Easter. On the 25th of April each year we also celebrate ANZAC day – a day where we remember those who’ve fought and died for our country. We also have Labor Day, which celebrates the introduction of an 8-hour working day, and as a Commonwealth country we also celebrate the Queen’s birthday.The 26th of January is our Australia Day, the date given as the First Fleet (European) settlers arrived in Botany Bay. However we celebrate the day more like the American Independence Day, by enjoying things that we feel makes us “Aussie.”
I guess that now is a good time for me to take stock of the world, and give thanks for the wonderful things that have happened to me as an author. Most of them are going to be trite – because I’m sure many, many authors feel the same way as I do, but just because they are oft said, it doesn’t mean they are not well felt.
What I give thanks for:
1. I need to thank Dreamspinner for giving me the chance to publish. Seriously. There were some things that came before this, and many things that came after, but without Dreamspinner publishing my work, none of it would’ve made any difference.
2. I want to thank Nic Starr for being there from the beginning. With a single contract under my belt, and a six month wait until I hit editing, I really had nothing to cling to. NR Walker introduced me to Nic, saying that she too was about to publish her first story through DSP, and so Nic and I struck up a friendship. Nic held my hand, encouraged me when I needed it, cheered me on at every milestone, listened (endlessly!) to my woes, guided me when I was lost, brainstormed with me when I was stuck, and was always happy to talk.
3. I am grateful for coffee with M/M friends. I was nervous the first time I met someone in real life and said, “Yes, I’m the one behind those books,” but oh, it was wonderful to talk about books, authors and writing, and have others nod and understand. Thank you friends for meeting me: Donna Jones, RJ Jones, Sean Kennedy, Toni Griffin, Nic Starr, Beany Sparks, Lily Lamb, CM Corett, Pia Hoey.
4. Thank you for readers. Oh, wow. Can I ever express how much? I tell people that when I wrote Loving Jay, I never expected to publish it. I was “practicing” writing, with the hope that one day I could publish. I never expected Loving Jay to be good enough. Once it was finished, I thought to myself, “Wow – this isn’t half bad. I wonder if a publisher would take a chance on me?” After DSP gave me the contract, I had modest hopes for it. I hoped for 200 sales in the first 6 months, with 1000 sales being its all-time movement. Since I have over 2000 ratings on Goodreads, I think I made it.
But you readers. OMG. You take my work, you read and believe and love and adore. But most of all, you tell me about it (which is rather goddamn humbling!) and then you recommend me to friends.I am immensely grateful for every single purchase, every single review, every single email.In case you missed it, I’ll say it again: I am immensely grateful for every single purchase, every single review, every single email.
5. Thank you to my family for putting up with me. During the months of April to September, I’m a footy widow as my husband abandons me for the football game on each weekend. Now the tables are turned and my husband is an author widower, as I regularly abandon him and the TV for the thrill of writing about two men falling in love.
6. And finally, I’m grateful for every Facebook friend who chatted with me. You know who you are. You keep me sane. You’re there at every hour of the day. You tell me what you want. You tell me your dreams. You tell me your stories. You make me laugh. Thank you for being my friend.
They are the top blessings I have as an author. Thank you.
In other news, today I’m celebrating the anniversary of the release of Safe in His Arms. Twelve glorious months. It’s been a whole year since I introduced everyone to Lon and Casey. Thanks for the great experience. How to contact Renae:Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.auWebsite: www.renaekaye.weebly.comFB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9 Twitter: @renaekkaye
November 25, 2015
HAPPY THANKSGIVING by Riley Hart
I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone who celebrates the holiday, a HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I hope you have a wonderful day filled with the people who make you happy.
Ask Andrew - Where to Buy - Andrew Grey
Dear Andrew
Are sales from the publisher better, such as Dreamspinner Press, or the same as from other vendors, such as Barnes and Noble or Amazon for an author?
Elizabeth
Dear Elizabeth
Personally, I don't really care where a reader buys a copy of my books. I'm thrilled for each and every sale. But that isn't the question you were asking. The best place for the author who publishes with a publisher like Dreamspinner, is to buy directly from the publisher. The author generally is paid a percentage of what the publisher receives. When you as a reader buy form the publisher, the author gets paid their percentage of the entire sale.
With Amazon or another site, they take a percentage off the top as their commission and then pass on the rest to the publisher who pays their royalty from what's left. So the author gets less from that single sale.
However almost any author that I know will tell you that to them, it matters less where you buy, but that you as a reader, purchase, read, and enjoy their work. As writers we love when others enjoy the fruits of our imagination.
Hugs and Love Andrew
Ask Andrew is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author. The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture. I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.
So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net. This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost. I will answer one question a week.
Please remember this is meant to be all in fun. (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.) So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.
Visit Andrew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
Are sales from the publisher better, such as Dreamspinner Press, or the same as from other vendors, such as Barnes and Noble or Amazon for an author?
Elizabeth
Dear Elizabeth
Personally, I don't really care where a reader buys a copy of my books. I'm thrilled for each and every sale. But that isn't the question you were asking. The best place for the author who publishes with a publisher like Dreamspinner, is to buy directly from the publisher. The author generally is paid a percentage of what the publisher receives. When you as a reader buy form the publisher, the author gets paid their percentage of the entire sale.
With Amazon or another site, they take a percentage off the top as their commission and then pass on the rest to the publisher who pays their royalty from what's left. So the author gets less from that single sale.
However almost any author that I know will tell you that to them, it matters less where you buy, but that you as a reader, purchase, read, and enjoy their work. As writers we love when others enjoy the fruits of our imagination.
Hugs and Love Andrew
Ask Andrew is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author. The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture. I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net. This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost. I will answer one question a week.
Please remember this is meant to be all in fun. (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.) So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.
Visit Andrew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
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