Z.L. Arkadie's Blog, page 10

Un-publishing and Revising Backlist Books

The Reason Last week I finished a 3-book series by an author whose previous two books I enjoyed. The 3-book series that I last read started fine but then ended awfully. So here’s the deal. I know that I would’ve never read the first two books for certain if I had started with that 3-book series first. And this series was his earlier work. The books I enjoyed were his later works.   How That Applies to Me For so long, I’ve been grappling with revising the bad stuff. Currently, my mom is helping me scrub out all the foul language and overwritten sex from everything I ever published. I’ve gotten to put my nose back in those stories. And let me tell you, they don’t rise to the standards of my new work.   What I’m Going To Do The new work that won’t be touched beyond cleaning up the language and sex scenes are The Sterlings, The Christmases, and The Valentines. Parched will be  (Slice fingers across throat). For those who want to finish it. I have a complete series boxset. I’ll publish for a set amount of time. I totally missed the mark with that Vampire WTH series. I mean, it’s out there. I wrote it too early in my writing career. And now, I have a better idea! But I haven’t written vampires in a LONG time, so I’m pretty sure my vampire readers are long gone. This new series is going under a pen name. LOVE in the USA, The Lords will be FIXED. I’m sorry, but as I read Find Her, Keep Her at the moment, I’m confused. Like–huh? I seriously missed the mark with this series. And I don’t want readers to think that’s how I tell stories today because I don’t. However, I love Daisy and Belmont. I want to do them justice. As I’m finishing up Soul Mates, I’m revising their first book, Find Her, Keep Her. So please, let me do them justice. Could you wait a while to get to know them again? I promise you won’t regret it.   LOVE In the USA, The Hesters didn’t come out quite right. First, I wish I wouldn’t have written the series in 3rd person. Also, by the end of Waiting on You, I learned a little something about bringing angst to the romance and STICKING to the romance and not mystery elements. I think the saying goes, “those who can’t write–you know the rest.” Well, in my case, it used to be, “she who doesn’t understand how to write romance, over-plot.”   My Conclusion To This Post The thing is, I love writing relationships and two people overcoming obstacles on the road to their HEA. I finally understand the delicacies of writing in the genre. But as far as my backlist goes, I have written great characters that I love in all the series, and I’m on a mission to do them justice! So stay tuned. I’ll update you often about the LOVE in the USA revision process. I’ll do it right this time. I’m planning to start with one couple at a time and then the end. No special agent Jack Lord… Sigh… I know, I know… Sorry about that. Talk about overplotting… I’ll also let you know when the individual books are down and the limited time box sets are up.   Regarding the Valentines, the story about the next brother will be one BIG book. No more three-book series about one brother. Hercules and I will be written in the trilogy format, but Orion and I, Achilles and I, and finally, the extra book, Max Grove and I won’t be written that way. That means It’s going to take me longer to release books that are upwards of 150k words. Until Next Time! Much Love🌹 Z.L.

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Good News! Soul Mates Release Update

I was able to secure an editing date for Soul Mates in mid-July! That means I’ll probably release Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I (Book 3) in late August or early September. I’m wrapping up my writing for the day but I’m working as hard as Santa’s elves on finishing the trilogy. It’s going to be a big ending. I don’t want to rush it. But I have all of these plot points I want to hit, leading to a killer ending that takes us into the next couple’s story. Ooh I want to tell you. But I can’t. Sigh… The thing about plot points is some of them I’ll hit, some will change and some will fade away. 😊 Anyway. TTYL (That’s talk to you later) It’s time to officially wrap up my workday and then relax with another cup of tea. I’ll let you know the official release date soon. It’ll probably be Tuesday, August 31st. If not 8/31, then it won’t be much later. Stay tuned! Z  

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Soul Mates Release Date Explanation

So I released The Deception, book 2 of Hercules and I trilogy. I’m finishing book 3 now but I don’t have an editing date scheduled until late August. I’ll see what I can do about securing an earlier date. I set the release date for Soul Mates as November 30, 2021 to appease the Amazon gods. They’ll let me move the release date up without penalty but not push it back. I should’ve followed my gut and released Tempting Fate when the entire trilogy was complete. But I got excited about the new series so I released it early. But, I did it so… There’s no use crying over spilled milk. However, the purpose of this post is to let you know that I’m going to get you Book 3 as soon as possible. I’m hoping by the end of August. For an August release date, I would have to land editing by next month. If I have to wait until the already scheduled August date, then I’ll have the book to you by late September. After a two-week edit, the manuscript clears two rounds of proofing. And the proofing is what takes so dang long. However, I can figure out different avenues of proofing to help circumvent how long it usually takes to clear proofing with my current editor. But never fear, Soul Mates will be released well before November 31st. So, please, don’t let the November 30th date spook you. That date is merely a placeholder. And actually, the book will be finished by early next month. But I can’t just put my book into just anybody’s hands. I have to know the editors, I’ll work with. And the ones I know, stay booked up. Therefore I’ll be praying for a cancellation. Just like I canceled. I had a June 25th date that I was not going to make or force myself to make. Basically, the race is on to find editing sooner rather than later. Wish me luck!🤞 Stay tuned! Z

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Giving Them A Scrubbing!

I mean my books, that is. So, if you’ve been with me since 2011, then you know I started with no curse words or strong language in my books. I figured I don’t speak that way, so why add it. Then, I started seeing reviews criticizing me for not being bold enough to use the P-word or D-word. So, I started using them. There’s something about stepping out on a slippery slope. At some point, we’ll slip and tumble down the rabbit hole. I feel as if that’s what I did. And even though the vocal readers, which is the smallest amount of readers, changed me–it’s taken a long time to get back to what I prefer. Also, back then, I used to reach tons more readers because the algorithms were like a lush GOLD MINE! Now the algos suck. And Amazon still has the best algos for those who choose to write very close to trope. Also, KU readers don’t like tons of books in one series. But, I’m telling you, I’m sanitizing the F-word, the S-word, the PU word, and the Di-word, and goodness gracious did I use them A LOT. Sorry about that. I spent all week taking them out of the Christmas Brothers series. The sex is still hot, though, but I have shortened some scenes. I mean, really, at some point, you get what’s going to happen between them. So… let’s just move on. In my new series, I like to make sex COUNT. LOL! What I mean by that is, I try not to overdo it, so you’ll love to see it coming. Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and tell you that. I’m reading through some of my old books, and all I want is a bunch of do-overs! LOL! And I’m fighting the urge to unpublish what I don’t like anymore. Sigh… Okay then, tomorrow’s the big day. The Valentines–I love this series. I have no regrets. So, if this doesn’t start catching an algorithm, then… Sigh… We’ll cross that road when we get there. Also, Tempting Fate is now either Free or 99¢ at the moment. Amazon hasn’t price-matched to free yet. My new release of Serendipity, now Tempting Fate, didn’t go so well. That’s what happens when I go in and out of KU like whiplash. It’s a new series, so I have to get new readers. Free is how that happens. So go ahead, try it, and see if you like it! Oh, and The Sterlings Family Saga. I’m almost done sanitizing those words from that series. I like that series very much, though! 🙂 Until tomorrow! Shop The Tempting Valentine Brothers Series Now! Much love, Z

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Good News! The Deception’s New Release Date

The good news is that The Deception will be released earlier than June 22nd. The Manuscript has cleared editing and is ready to go. I have some promotions to cancel and so forth so I can’t release it next Tuesday, which is what I wanted to do. However, the new release date is June 11th! That’s next Friday. I just wanted to let you know. I have loads of work to do between now and then. Sigh… I hate preparing for new releases. I’ve been at this for ten years and I still suck at them. Hopefully, by the next brother’s story, I’ll have a  better grasp on NR’s. But I do apologize for the Kindle Unlimited confusion, or should I say debacle. Kindle Unlimited just doesn’t like Z.L. Arkadie for some reason! LOL! Like… Sigh… Basically, the Christmases are coming out of KU. Someone suggested I try putting the entire series in and see what happens. Well, what happened was, I’m losing money. So KU is a No-go. I think it’s only for shorter series that are very, very on trope. In romance, I can’t be ON-TROPE, that would mean sacrificing the hero and heroines humanity. But Sci-fi, fantasy, a really good thriller, I can definitely be on trope! I’m currently listening to Recursion by Blake Crouch, and I love it. I mean, we have entirely different viewpoints. Like, I couldn’t suspend reality enough to not forget that flesh and blood can’t travel by way of memories. It’s impossible. However, maybe when I get to the end there will be a rational explanation. Like, they’ve been dead all along and only that one part of their brain has lived on thanks to the brilliant heroine’s chair. Gosh… No one can write brilliant heroines like male authors. I also read Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter and even the wife has some brains, patience, and a lack of entitlement with her beauty. I loved it! Anyway… Paisley Grove is brilliant and there will be more of her to consume on June the 11th! Remember! June 11th The Deception, Hercules Valentine and I And now back to the work of making it happen! Peace, Z

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The Valentines are OUT!

Out of Kindle Unlimited that is. It wasn’t doing so well in the program and I think it’s because I had the wrong covers at first and then I kept changing them, and then finally, it’s only book one of an incomplete trilogy. But there are other books released as trilogies that are doing well. So that’s not really an excuse. The main reason is I suck at  new release launches. Also, I just can’t write strongly to the main romance tropes. Anyway, if you’ve been reading my post for a while or you’re on my list, then I know that you’re into a well-told story, that has the power to take you away. You’re not looking to have your vagina validated or the whole world shoved into your box.  For instance, million dollar weddings that read like backyard barbecues. Or college educated heroines who read like they’ve never finished a semester of undergrad. I can’t write that and never will. I can’t feed the beast. Soo… I say all of this for a reason. I am quite certain that the entire Valentines series will be my last romance series. I can’t do it anymore. At the moment, I’m listening to Dark Matter in audiobook format, and I swear I miss it. I miss writing stories like Misty Black and Parched. I’m listening without cringing or laughing facetiously at something controlling and special pussy that the heroine has done. Of course there are elements of force-feeding us conventionality in Dark Matter but still, the elements of the heroes journey are much stronger. The Valentine series that I’m writing now has a strong story but still, no special pussy. No sassy mouthed heroine who thinks the man is someone she’s supposed to control and then ride like he’s a horse through life. My characters have mutual respect. Mutual like. And yes, she is bending, not unbending. Paisley has the golden brain that Hercules loves.  Lake has the golden personality that Mason can’t resist. And I can’t give away the couples of the next three books featuring another Valentine brother, but those heroines will have more than vagina that’ll make him want her and subsequently see the light. So, anyway, Tempting Fate (formerly Serendipity) is out of Kindle Unlimited. You can now order it at any store. It’s $4.99 but I’ll be dropping the price soon. You can wait until I do that. I’ll make a whole new post on The Tempting Valentine Brothers next week. Book two has cleared editing and proofing. It’s ready to go so I don’t have to wait until June 22nd to release The Deception, book 2. I’m working on Soul Mates now. I really want you to enjoy the Valentines. I plan on leaving romance with a BANG. 🔥 Also, I’m writing a sci-fi for Kindle Vella. More on that in the future. My early followers should be happy about that! 🙂 Some of you have been around since Misty Black. Remember when I planned on writing a series centered around Halo from The Sterlings? Supermodel turned special agent. I think I might revisit that too. I’m done chasing the money by writing romance. It was a losing race. Now I’m winded, tired and super-skinny from all that running after what has been elusive. It’s time get fat and happy! I’m now chasing my heart. Stay tuned. Much love, Z Hey, if you haven’t already, checked out The Sterlings Family Saga, then do it. The trilogy is also out of Kindle Unlimited. Book one is Legacy of Secrets, it used to be Secrets and Lies. I should’ve never changed it from Secrets and Chance. But since I never stuck with one genre, I had a lot of issues with getting the algorithm to work in my favor. I may even start the Sci-fi under a pen-name. But I’ll reveal that name to you!  

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Update: New Release Title Changes!

I have few updates for you. First, The Billionaire Hercules Valentine and I, Serendipity is now Tempting Fate, Hercules Valentine And I. The Billionaire Hercules Valentine and I, The Ruse is now The Deception, Hercules Valentine and I.  How’s my Kindle Unlimited adventure going? It’s okay. I’m going to give it some more time and then reassess. I think long series written like mine aren’t ideal for KU. Readers are only given certain allowances a month or something. There are eleven book in the Christmas series. So… I’ll see. However, I don’t think I want the new series in Kindle Unlimited though. It might pull it tomorrow, which means I have to republish the new title in all the other stores. Sigh… That will be a lot of work. I just cut nearly 10k words from Soul Mates, Hercules Valentine and I, book 3. I thought it was going in a boring direction. Soul Mates is due to the editor on June 24th. Yikes! That’s not a problem though, I just have to work everyday up until June 24th. But, if I put a lot on my plate, I might risk messing up the story. I don’t want to do that. So… I’ll see. Which leads me to next bit of good news. The Deception, Hercules Valentine and I (book 2) is now with the second proofreader. Okay, I wanted to make this quick! I’ll be back with further updates about KU and other stores soon! Much Love, Z.L.

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The Billionaire Hercules Valentine and I – Serendipity is now live!

I am so happy to bring you The Billionaire Hercules Valentine and I (Book 1): Serendipity. This is the first book of my new series. In my opinion, its my best contemporary romance series yet. I have no doubt you’ll be unable to put down these tales of forbidden lovers, featuring the sort of yummy book boyfriends you always get from me. Remember that this series is in Kindle Unlimited, which means it has to be exclusive to Amazon. You have 3 days to purchase the book at all other retail stores though. So get your copy and start indulging in The Billionaire Hercules Valentine and I (Book 1): Serendipity today! What if Romeo and Juliet had gotten their happy ending? I never thought I would be committing corporate espionage, especially at the company of the guy I had a crush on in high school. His name is Hercules Valentine, and he’s the sort of man that sets a girl’s soul on fire. We always had chemistry, but we also knew that the Valentines and Groves don’t mix. So we never crossed that line. Well–We did once. But Hercules was too drunk to remember it. Now, my brother has tasked me with infiltrating the Valentine family’s company to take back what they stole from us. Only, I’m afraid my mission may be thwarted by an itch that only Hercules can scratch. ORDER NOW

The Kindle Unlimited Solution

I know some of you buy your books from stores other than Amazon. Personally, I’ll admit that I 100% buy my books from Amazon. ✋ And I wanted to accommodate everyone’s store preferences, however, that choice is costing me big-time at the moment. Here’s the deal–Amazon has the most consistent algorithm. The other stores are up and down and very inconsistent. That may change in the future but for the time being, Amazon is where I need to focus my energy. I know I have a new series hitting the shelves, and frankly, I think it’s my best work yet. The books will release wide for three days before being exclusive to Amazon. Yeah… I still HATE that part but until the other stores expand their @)(_$)@Q(U$ minds, I’ll have to deal with it. The other retailers just won’t get it or don’t want to get it. Amazon’s bookstore became big off the back of independents authors because we have the content that readers want to consume voraciously. Amazon still gets that, only, they’re going to push their imprints and programs first. So currently The Billionaire Christmas Brothers Series, The Sterlings, and the upcoming The Mighty Valentines Series are or will be in Kindle Unlimited.

Saturday musing or musing on a Saturday

I’m thinking about romance and writing heroes. A memory came to mind. Years ago, when I was very young and in the Army I was stationed in a unit where I was the only female for a while. And I worked in the motor pool. And there was a guy I worked with I can’t remember his name but me being a city slicker and desert rat from Southern California, I can recall that he had a pronounced accent. It could’ve been Southern—I think it was. He was thin, short, and had blonde hair. And he always looked as though his uniform was wearing him. But he was a mechanic so I think that was his excuse. When I picture him now, I see the rifle on his shoulder, and he’s wielding it like it’s too tall and heavy for him. He was not the sort of man who would turn my head even an inch. and what’s insane is there weren’t very many of us in the motor pool but he’s like a Phantom in my memory. Like he was my day today but I regarded him distantly. Interesting … Anyway, for the longest time, I was the only female in the unit until one day another woman arrived. She was short, had black hair and was as cute as a button. You can imagine the fanfare they came with a new woman in the unit. I mean, she could have had her pick of any single man. And yet to my and all the other guys’ surprise, she chose him. I kind of remember asking her about it—like why him? and I remember having sort of a sarcastic smirk when I asked. I also remember her looking at me as if she wanted to scratch my eyes out. But she did say she liked him because he was nice and kind and a good man. On one occasion I saw her coming out of his room while I was on duty CQ duty let’s call commanding quarters and her hair was all mussed. I remember thinking. Did he make her look like that? In my brain, only men who look like athletes and statues carved by Michelangelo could only bring a girl to such pleasure. Many many years later, boy was I wrong. A bit that’s why she married him so fast. They do know how to give orgasms on top of being very very nice. Which I could confirm he definitely was a kind and good man.  On top of that I kind of think he was really good in bed too. They got married. I believe at a certain point she was pregnant.  I wonder if you’re still together today. That was a looooong time ago and it doesn’t feel like only yesterday. But here’s what I’ve learned, it’s those guys, the sensitive ones, the ones who listen, the ones who feel us out, those are the ones who know what the hell they’re doing if you know what I mean. Musing over. Have a great rest of your weekend. Gosh, I wish I can remember that guy’s name. Being young sucks. See how much we miss simply by not having a fully-developed prefrontal cortex. Dude… if I can go back to my past today, knowing all that I know now about myself, I would have a blast! I would enjoy the people I hated. I would learn from those older sergeants. I would want to know more about what makes them tick. I would want to know more about everybody I meet. I would suck it in, I would experience life ALIVE and I certainly would remember the names of the people I worked closely with.