Z.L. Arkadie's Blog, page 7

Sunday Author Update!

Have you ever been several things at once, all in equal measure?   Well, that’s me at the moment. I’m exhausted, fired-up hopeful, and antsy.    Making It While Faking It was released on April 5th. Ideally, I’m supposed to sell it for a good two weeks, reminding my newsletter followers to get their copy and so forth, but frankly, I’m spent. And I  have a boatload of tasks to get done.   Okay, so… The final proofread of Intrigued was completed this week. The manuscript is tight, and hopefully, those pesky errors have been resolved. Book two, Desire, is with a proofreader as of today. She’ll start tomorrow. I’m reading Claimed now, and it’s not bugging me as much as Intrigued and Desire had. I think Cassie, my editor from a few years back, edited the book. I’m going to have to go back to Cassie and this time stay. That sounds like a country song. LOL!   Anyway… So, the new version of Desire will hopefully be available before the end of the month. If I’m re-releasing Desire, then I’ll have to release Claimed at the same time. A lot has changed in Desire. First of all, I got rid of all those pages about the sexual harassment suit and so forth, which weighed the story down. I’ve read the one-star reviews, and I believe that part is where the story gets laborious. It’s gone and replaced with a better plot point.    As I said, Claimed seems to be chugging along just fine. I’ll have to make sure the story doesn’t mention elements I deleted in Desire. I really want to engross myself in Boss On Notice, though. I’m itching to climb entirely into the story. I’m building my chapters. When I’m done with this post, I’ll email Cassie and schedule an edit. I’m not too fond of deadlines, but I think it took me forever to finish Making It While Faking It because I didn’t have a deadline. LOL! Umm… I need a deadline. Like, so need a deadline.    Also, Enthrall is being revised, and I hope to have the new version up by May.    Then… It’ll just be Boss on Notice 100%. I cannot wait. I’ve been wrestling with what kind of gal Delilah O’shay is. I know she’s responsible and loyal. It’s why she remained Orion’s over-worked assistant for all these years. Well, yeah…the money’s good too. But I’m working on building Delilah. I’m waiting for her to tell me who she is. It’s like I’m starting from scratch. I knew Paisley and Treasure before I started Crossing the Line and Making It While Faking It from the Playing with Fire trilogy.   Anyway, you’ll know how busy I’ll be this week. And it’s tax time too!   Sigh…    Okay. That’s this Sunday’s update, and let’s see where I am next week. My prediction is that Claimed and Desire will be revised by then and off to proofreaders.    I will also have Delilah O’Shay worked out by then. I like writing kind, girls’ girls who have a lot of ambition, humility, and respect for the man she’s falling in love with.    Hmm… So deep down Delilah must have some respect for Orion. Ahh… She’s a nurturer–kind of like my middle sister. She’s a middle sister! Hmm… The middle sister is the peacemaker too. I’ll see. I will see. I’ve never written a solid middle sister who goes off the rails one night and makes the mistake of her life. LOL! That should be fun.    Okay… Have a lovely rest of your weekend.   Until next Sunday! Much ❤️ Z.L.    

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Making It While Faking It – Now Live!

BUY NOW Welcome to Release Day! Yay! I won’t keep you long. I know you’re ready to read! All I want to say is…thank you! Thank you very much! Enjoy, Much❤️Z.L./Zoey

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My Sunday Post!

I’m late with this post today because I’m listening to The Truth About Melody Browne by Lisa Jewell. For the past three hours, tears have burned the backs of my eyes. But I’m done listening for the day. Time to get some work done. And oh boy do I have a LOT of work to do. Well… Making It While Faking It releases on Tuesday! Yay! I can’t wait for the book to be out in the world as I build this new series, and brand. I’ve already come up with the premise for the next set of brothers, O’Bannons. You’re going to love it! I’m also outlining Boss On Notice. And I’m still knee-deep in revising the Christmas brothers series. The newest version of Intrigued has impressively increased read-through. I call what I’ve done to the book, “taking the pressure off.” Meaning, getting rid of all the story elements that keep it from performing at its best. I’m working on Enthrall now. Oh, boy does that book need the pressure taken off of it. I overwrote a lot of elements and Jada comes off totally unlikable to me at the beginning of that story. I’m sorry about that. I wouldn’t have written her that way if I had written from my heart and not my head. I was trying to appease the Christian Grey and Anna Steele lovers. Of course, I ended up not doing that at all. That’s the thing about creating characters, they are already a part of the author or they’re not. I think that’s why I LOVE Lisa Jewell. We have similar character and world-building tendencies. So… I’m finishing Enthrall. I’m also revising Desire as we speak. The changes aren’t huge but again a lot of extra information slows down the action and takes us out of the story. I’m halfway finished with Desire but I stopped to do Enthrall. Okay… So that’s this Sunday. Oh. One more thing. Earlier changes of Intrigued contained a lot of little pesky errors. I did pay for two proofers, but still, those errors existed. So, I read-through word by word, and found more. It’s also with the best proofreader I’ve ever used. A much cleaner version exists now. But the story… Oh, the story… It is MUCH improved. Like, MUCH improved. Desire is MUCH improved too, and Enthrall too. I can’t wait. Oh boy, I can’t wait until the entire series is taken up a notch. Why hadn’t I done this last year???? Sigh… Okay. If you read to the end of this LONG post… Thank you 😘 Much❤️Z.L.

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This Sunday Afternoon Author Update!

Happy Sunday!!! I feel good today. I completed a lot of non-writing tasks this morning–yay.   So… Let’s give you this week’s author update.   By the way, I love doing this. These posts keep me on target.   Well…   As I mentioned last week, I finished revising Intrigued for the better. And it is better! The best way to know that it’s better is to track read-through. Those who complete the new version of Intrigued are more than likely to read Desire and Claimed. And I think I’m getting some algorithm love for it.   I knew it, though. In my business, gurus are always trying to make us look at everything besides the real problem as to why our books are not selling so well. The problem is always the product. I’m at my best when I’m writing in my body, and for me, that first-person present-tense, and I can write a mean third-person present-tense too.   So yes, I’m improving the entire Christmas family series. I’m halfway through Desire, and then I’ll do Claimed.   Okay…   On a different note, while undertaking the massive project of “renovating” The Christmas brother series, I’m writing the next book in the Lord of Manhattan series. That means I have to split my writing day between two projects. You can do it, Z! The next book is titled Boss On Notice. You can go to What’s Next and read the description. The pre-order link will be at the end of Making It While Faking It, and it will also be on the website before next Sunday.   By the way, I love crafting Boss On Notice; it’s shaping up to be a fun and romantic read. You’re going to love it!   Remember that Making It While Faking It will be released on April 5. That’s nine days away.   And finally, A GIFT FOR YOU!   If you want easier access to the updated version of Intrigued, you can download it from Book Funnel! GET INTRIGUED NOW! This link expires on April 30, 2022.   And that’s this Sunday’s update! I’m sure I missed something. I feel like I have. Oh… I decided not to do a sneak peek because it’s so close to the release date. It just feels unnecessary at this point.   See you next Sunday! Much❤️Z

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Sunday Morning Update!

Yay! I’m starting this post during the a.m. hours! A lot has gone on this week. Monday through Friday have been very busy indeed. First of all, “Making It While Faking It” is in the multiple proofreads stage. I’m so behind on reminding you and others that the book is coming. But I’ll be catching this week–making ads, newsletter posts, etc. Why am I behind you ask? The answer is Intrigued. I’ve been updating that book, fixing its weak points, and strengthening the prose and readability. It’s better. It’s like, BETTER.  The weak points were the POV and overwritten slow and non-essential story details. I also overwrote the siblings to where they came off as caricatures and not characters. I mean, why would you want to read about Asher or Spencer if they’re depicted so extremely in book one? And the sex… Oh the sex. It was like a traffic jam. But I evened out the sex out, and now it flows like smooth traffic. And the line editing… Sigh. Oh, the line editing. “I would’d had” had, had, could’d had, had, and more had. Sigh. Pro tip: If your editor is relying heavily on any style guide for fiction, give them the ax. That means they have no idea what they’re doing. You don’t want to start writing to their tastes, your stories will read stale and lifeless. I discovered this way too late. Listen! That’s why growth and evolution, LIVING to learn, is a beautiful thing. But intrigued is finished! The update is the active version. I didn’t make a new book altogether because I don’t want to lose my store history on that novel. Plus, it’s essentially the same story just BETTER. First-person present tense. I’m going to draw you in, and never let you go. I’m working on Desire now and then Claimed. And then Enthrall and all of those books. Seduction and Embrace. And then Destined. Now don’t get me wrong, the current books are good, but I’m going to make them BETTER. This will be my summer project. My brain is going to be on fire by the end of the summer. I’m also still writing Orion’s story–Boss On Notice. I love how I took my time to craft Making It While Faking It. I want to do the same with Orion’s story. I can understand why writers who craft thoughtful prose can’t rapid release for the money. It takes time and attention for the brain to craft a solid story with a strong foundation. Listen, I could’ve gone on and on and on with Treasure and Achilles. I love them as a couple. I think Treasure is the girl all girls want to be. And she’s thorough, not a cookie-cutter cutout. You’ll see what I mean. I’m getting a feel for Orion’s soulmate at the moment. I think soulmates are always the ones that you will never pick but you end up picking for some odd reason or another. This means, the coming together of the characters has to be more than skin deep. Anyway… I’m working today of course. Got some reading recommendations for you… Anything and everything Lisa Jewell! Aso, make sure you get the updated version of Intrigued! I promise you’ll love it! As I said, it’s just simply–BETTER. Here comes April 5th! Sneak-peek coming soon! Much❤️Z.L.

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Mid-March Sunday Afternoon Update!

Well, I’m getting off to a late start today. I’ve been on the phone most of the morning and afternoon, catching up with old friends. But that’s a great thing because now I realize that I should crawl into bed and watch Netflix and HBO Max for the rest of the day. I need to take a day off! However, here’s my update! I’m turning the entire series about the Christmas Brothers into the first-person present tense. Do I suggest you read the series again if you’ve read it already? YES, a million times yes! (Which movie is that from?) I think I’ll watch it after this post. It’s on HBO Max. I am so happy with the revisions, though. I had a problem with the editing of those books. I’ll elaborate after the new books are up and better received. However, after revising Intrigued, then I’ll do Desire and then Claimed. I have 10 days to get it done! Will I make it? Also, I can’t wait to give you a sneak peek of Making It While Faking It. That’s coming soon so stay tuned. And starting this week I’ll begin planning chapters for the next book in the Lords of Manhattan series. I think I’ll call the book “Boss On Notice.” We’ll see. Okay darlings, this is going to be a short one. I’m practicing letting go of this incessant need to improve, get things done, and GO. Giving myself a break for the rest of the day will take the pressure off. Toodles! Much❤️Z.L.

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Special Treat Coming Soon!

A total treat is coming very, very soon. On March 23, 2022, I have a Bookbub promo for Intrigued. The goal is to introduce new readers to Intrigued. However, that book, the series in general, was written a little over three years ago. Long story short, I started reading Intrigued on Monday to get an idea of the impression it will have on new readers. Well… Sigh… Let’s just say that one of the biggest mistakes I made with books after LOVE in the USA series is not sticking with the POV (Point of View) that I love to write–first-person present tense. So, soon. Very soon. You will have a chance to read not only Intrigued but the rest of Jasper and Holly’s story from the first-person present-tense. I’ve also strengthened the story. It’s a lot better. Stay tuned for more to come on that. The project has to be finished before the 23rd, so I’m working day and night to get it done. Just to give you a taste of how incredible the revisions will be, here’s the revised chapter 1. INTRIGUED Chapter One Arrival December 20th “Christmas with the Christmases” is something I’ve been repeating ever since I accepted Bronwyn Henrietta Christmas’s invitation. Her offer was twofold—spend the holiday with her family while taking on a project that would excuse the self-imposed debt I owe them. However, what Bronwyn wants me to do for her or her family is still a mystery. “Is it legal?” I asked during our call. I was also slightly irritated because she sounded as if she were whispering. From the moment I met Bronwyn, I realized she relished in being a secretive person. Even how we became roommates at Redmond College was sort of shrouded in mystery. Redmond was an all-girls college on the East Coast where the rich and privileged sent their daughters to live up to their blue-blooded family names. Contrarily, my blood was redder than red.  I wasn’t rich, and I sure as hell wasn’t privileged. I was the daughter of a conman and a perpetually depressed woman who had willed herself into an early grave. But school had always been my safe haven. I loved learning and eventually graduated at the top of my class, earning a full academic scholarship to Redmond College. “Yes, it’s legal,” Bronwyn whispered.  Although she sounded insulted by my question. “Okay, then just tell me what you want from me,”I insisted. “I can’t. Not over the phone.” “Why not?” “Holly, please don’t make this more difficult than necessary. You’re going to have a lovely time. Plus, what I need falls in line with what you do.” I frowned incredulously. “What I do?” “Investigative reporting.” I sat up straight in my chair. “Oh. Okay…” “I also know that you’re an independent reporter. I read both of your books, The Howsley Project and In Defense of Bad Air.” “You did?” I asked in a high-pitched voice as I glare unfocused at the large downtown building on the opposite side of the busy avenue. She did her homework. It’s not like Bronwyn to do her homework unless what she wants is extremely important and beneficial to her. “Yes, I did.” I had sold a lot of those books, but she was the first person from my early days to say she’d read them. It felt strange and rather gratifying. “I promise it will be worth your while,” she whispered even lower than before. I’d accepted her invitation, and now, after a hectic start to my day and a four-hour drive from Philadelphia to Newport, Rhode Island, I sit in the driver’s seat of my little car in front of the Christmas mansion estate. The massive iron gates with their pointy spears at the top and a twisting design of the family crest in the middle slowly open wide to give me access to the family’s famous and exclusive abode. My nerves soar through the roof as I drive slowly past pine trees, holding glistening fresh snow and expansive white lawns while making my final approach toward the rustic red stone mansion. And what a sight for sore eyes. The gables rise high and pointy, almost like an old church. Picture windows painted across the face of the brick glow with warm light. And several chimneys peaking beyond the roof like narrow spires blow smoke into the opaque white sky. It’s odd. There are so many harrowing rumors about the Christmas family mansion. But from where I sit, the abode is teeming with warmth and life. Finally, I arrive at a fork in the drive and choose to curve toward the front of the house. Bryn has given me no instructions regarding where to park or what to do upon my arrival, and I’ve been so busy finishing up all assignments before the holidays that I didn’t call her to confirm arrival details. She’d only given me the address and the family gate code. However, we agreed that she should expect me any time between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. I glance at the time on the console. It’s 3:17 p.m. I roll to a stop in front of a long walkway and lean across the passenger seat to search past the black iron gates, which cordons off an enclosed patio. The front doors remind me of large bronze castle doors and they look as if they hadn’t been utilized in centuries. I flop back against the driver’s seat with a heavy sigh. I should’ve planned my arrival a lot better than this. But I wonder though, would I be able to recognize Bronwyn if I saw her today? I hadn’t laid eyes on her since we hugged and wished each other a great summer at the end of our first year of college. Since I had been assigned to the same dorm room for the next academic year, I thought surely I’d be rooming with her again. But she never show up. Junior and senior years went by, and I was assigned to the same dorm room, but still, no Bryn. I even tried calling her on several occasions, but I would only reach one of the family estate secretaries, who promised to tell Bryn that I rang. For four years of college, I lived in the most posh dorm on campus. I eventually learned that wasn’t by accident. I gaze out my windshield unfocused as I recall the first time I ever met the pretty, wealthy heiress with her perfect bob of blond ringlets that showcased her sensual bow-tie mouth and coveted bedroom eyes. Students had gathered in the main sanctuary for our welcome orientation which took place two weeks before classes started. No one sat on the same row as me in the large auditorium, although the place was packed and abuzz with excited chatter. It was as though all the girls knew each other from summers at a posh camp in the Alps or somewhere like it or from the times their families mingled while vacationing in Europe. My curious ears listened to how they discussed who went to which overpriced private high school and how some of the girls didn’t have the grades to land a spot in Redmond. “Her spot was given to one of the hobos,” one of them said. I only realized I was one of the hobos when the girl with the dark hair and eyes that looked too large for her thin face glared at me after making the hobo comment. I was still shocked by what felt like a passive aggressive verbal assault when a girl flopped down in the seat next to me. “Don’t mind them. They’re stinky little bitches with bad breath and sour pussies,” she said. I gasped at her filthy language, even though I was thankful that my new adversaries seemed wounded by her insult. “I’m Bronwyn Christmas, but the people I like call me Bryn.” One of the girls turned to the side and pretended not to be watching us through her peripheral vision. Something told me she wasn’t permitted to call Bronwyn by her nickname. It was also clear that in the pecking order of the rich and powerful, Bryn was at the top. She asked for my name and I tentatively said, “Holly, Holly Henderson.” “Where did you grow up?” Eyebrows pulled, I said, “Final destination, Pittsburgh.” That seemed to intrigue her and so she asked, “What does your father do?” I narrowed an eye baffled by her forwardness. “You mean for work?” “Yeah…” She waited attentively for my answer. Thanks to the help of a really good principal, guidance counselors, and teachers, I’d learned years ago not to let who my father was make me feel ashamed. His choices are not mine. “Absolutely nothing,” I finally said. Bryn tossed her head back and laughed. “I like you.” She adjusted in her seat, turning her body toward me. “You don’t know who I am?” I leaned away from her and raised my eyes to get a good look at her. “Should I know who you are?” She blurted an amused chuckle. “Have you ever heard of the Christmases?” I frowned, confused. “Which Christmases are you talking about?” She studied my expression for a moment then burst into laughter. I felt my face turn warm when I realized what she meant. “Oh, you mean your family name?” I tilted my head curiously. “Really? It’s Christmas? Like, Merry Christmas—Christmas?” Her smirk was smug. “Yeah, like Merry Christmas—Christmas.” Our conversation was interrupted when Dean Westerly took the stage. As she welcomed all the new students to Redmond, Bryn sprung to her feet and strutted out of the auditorium like she owned the world. The next time I saw her was a week later when I walked into my version of heaven on earth. My new dorm-room looked more like a luxury apartment. It had all the bells and whistles, including two master bedrooms with their own attached bathrooms. My jaw dropped when I saw the jetted tub. Puzzled by my accommodations, I checked the tag attached to the key my student advisor had given me and grimaced at the room number. I was in the right place. “Hey, roomie,” a voice called. I quickly turned to see Bryn standing behind me and next to a cute guy with floppy hair and a bad boy smirk. I soon came to know her male friend as Dale Rumor. “I needed a roommate, so I chose you,” she said, her delicate lips stretched into a cocky smile. It didn’t take long to realize why Bryn had sat next to me before orientation and chatted me up. She was looking for a hobo because she had secrets, and I was an outsider. She wanted her double life to remain safe from gossip and scandal. Lucky for her my past had taught me to mind my own business. It was as though she brought home a new guy every night. Only a few would sleep over; most would be locked in the room with her for several hours and then leave. If they were having sex in her master suite, then I couldn’t hear them. They stayed quiet, which I thought was very odd. Bryn and I genuinely liked each other, though. She would listen for hours as I talked about my parents and all the crap they had put me through. Bryn never really said much about her family. I knew she had a twin brother and two older brothers. Like my parents, her far richer and seemingly just as unstable parents never came to visit. At times, a woman would show up to check on her. Bryn never told me the woman’s name or how they were related to each other. When I graduated from college, I received a handwritten card from Bryn that read, “Don’t worry about paying us back for the dorm. You deserve to live in the lap of luxury.” My mouth dropped....

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This Sunday Morning Update!

Good morning! Okay, so I’ll make it quick! I have approximately 3,000 words left to write before wrapping up Making It While Faking It. I am very happy with the story. I really hate to move  past Treasure and Achilles, but alas, I must. Last Sunday, I forgot to share the description for the next book. I haven’t settled on a title yet. But today I can share Delilah’s Two Week Notice with you. Delilah will be the heroine in the next love story in the Lords of Manhattan series. Orion and Delilah’s love story will begin one year after Achilles and Treasure story ends. But even now, Delilah’s around, juggling Orion’s many dates, picking up his dry-cleaning, bringing him room temperature water, doing all of his REAL work, and sigh… Yeah. The money is good, she needs the money, but🖕to him. I’m going to have fun writing this story! LOL After Delilah and Orion we’ll wrap the Lords of Manhattan with a Grove of Manhattan, Max Grove and Lake. Poor Lake… Brokenhearted but life and love works in mysterious ways. After the Lords of Manhattan I will bring you the O’Bannon’s of Manhattan or some other city–I’m thinking. However after I finish writing the last 3k words today, I’m going to crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head and decompress. And then I’ll get up tomorrow, work out with Jillian Michaels app, shower, and then get to work because I have A LOT to do before starting on Orion’s story, which has to commence before or on Next Monday. Oh, and FYI, I am rethinking Z.L. as Zoey Locke. I’m finally writing romance that fulfills me. However, I’ve been reading a lot of Lisa Jewell recently, and I love how she melds the human experience, existence and connection to in effectively drive the mystery and suspense in her stories. And there are her tools of the genre and techniques. I think her storytelling ability is brilliant and I want to do what she does from my point of view. Hence, the separation of Z.L. and Zoey. Z.L. was supposed to do the human kind of brand of mystery and suspense as Zoey continues with the romance. Why did i separate? Because everybody who’s in the business of giving authors advice says separate! But I’m not sure I should separate. However, I’m not sure about diving into mystery and suspense anymore either. Yes, I love reading the genre. But I love a good litfic too. I love a mad psychological domestic thriller that keeps the story and characters feet on the ground as well. I’ll explain what I mean by that in the future. I believe that this book I’ve just finished achieves romance that’s entertaining, heartfelt and even funny and sexy while keeping the story and characters’s feet on the ground. While of course there’s one element of the story, TRANSPOT, that has its feet off the guard and into the realm of possibility. but I promise to not overdo it. And sex. I love to write characters who truly enjoy sex for more than control and purpose of flipping power dynamics. I love to write the spiritual connection of sex, and the fun of it. Okay. NO more delay. Finishing up. And just finished a cup — of turmeric, ginger and something else tea latte with honey. I want another. (A little  haiku for you! lol) Much ❤️ Z.L.   Rough draft of Delilah’s 2 Weeks Notice Dear Orion Lord, A day comes when an overqualified assistant becomes tired of picking up your laundry, managing your many girlfriends, lying to them, acting as your personal alarm clock, and a new low for you Mr. Lord, bringing you cold bottle of water at the end of your run. You run? When did you start running? Never mind. The point of is, yes, the money is excellent but you are not. I quit. This is my two-weeks notice. Not Even Sincerely (Remember to delete D.) Delilah O’Shay    

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A Solemn Sunday Afternoon Author Update

I don’t know about you but it’s been a very difficult week with the invasion of Ukraine and all. I think I told you before, I’ve been in the military. I served in Desert Storm so I know how it feels to have the ground shake under your feet from bombing. It’s the ultimate reminder that we are flesh and blood and that these strongmen, make decisions that injure other human beings while they bask in the best for themselves. And then on top of that, a personal tragedy befell someone I love who is one of my closest family members. You know, we grow up with our cousins. They’re like a mainstay in our lives as we change and evolve, and become especially in a family as close as mine. My cousins are like my sisters and brothers. We always want the world for them. And when something so devastatingly painful befalls them it’s a reminder of how genetically, how built into the wiring, family connections truly are. It’s like… I’ve never seen her this hurt before. Looking into her eyes, I can see that this has changed her somehow. She lost someone she truly loves in a very horrific way. She’s one of those people who doesn’t fall in love often. But she fell in love with this man and now he’s never coming back to her. And I feel as if constantly telling her she’ll be okay is just the wrong thing to say. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t want to be okay. At least not right now. I think it’s okay to not be okay and to let time heal the wound. Sigh… I’ve notice that. Everybody around her, including myself, is trying to fix it. It’s something we do right? Someone cries? Give them tissue. A soul-rousing, snotting nose prayer is supposed to be the carthatic magic bullet so she can get over it and move on already. But I can tell that it’s going to take a very long time for her to get over this one. When I look into her eyes, I can see that only God and time know how to fix it in their own very mysteriously supernatural ways. However, I still have a book to finish. I took yesterday off to be there for my cousin. But her boyfriend’s death is even rattling me when I see his things in her room, sitting there, waiting for him. It’s just… awful. He was actually reading Intrigued, the combined version. I remember when she called me to say that he picked up the signed copy I gave her and started reading the book and couldn’t put it down. (Sigh… The memory makes me cry). I saw the book yesterday. He has a bookmark halfway through were he last stopped reading. Taking a beat here… He had said, “Yvonne, your cousin can write!” 😪 Sigh… So, I’m getting through the read-through of the final version of Making It While Faking It before I write the last 10k words. That means, I should be done with the book by Friday if everything goes as planned. And let me tell you, I’m VERY happy with the story and I know you’ll be happy too! There’s just so much bad going on in the world right now. And to be honest, worrying about Ukraine is a stress too. May God be with them. I won’t stop praying for them. Much ❤️Z.L.

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Sunday Morning Author Update!

I like these updates because they keep me on track. Okay, so let’s get to it because I have a lot on my plate today. I haven’t quite finished the final draft of Making It While Faking It, BUT, and that’s a big BUT, I’m only one chapter away from the rug-pull and then I’ll start the resolution. It looks like this book is shaping up to be the same length as Crossing the Line. It’ll be about 400 pages. Anyway, I should be finished with the final draft by Wednesday.  Then, I’ll perform my final readthrough and then off to editing it goes. I’ll TRY to rest for a week, at least do no story-creating. I’ll probably just do chapter planning. And then I’ll start writing the next book in the series, which will be Skylark and Orion’s book. You’ll hear about Skylark, Lark for short to some and Sky for short to others, in Making It While Faking It. By the way, who would you rather read about first, Orion or Max? Let me know in the comment section! Next… Okay, so, I kind of hit a wall with Misty Black, again. I remembered that’s what happened years ago. After the first book, I had no idea how to further the story. I’m trying to figure out what is that about??? There’s something to it. There’s a part of me that I put in that first book that I must’ve written out of me at the end of that book. That happens you know–this sort of catharsis. All storytellers have this. That’s why sometimes you’ll notice a series begins to wane if it goes on too long. I’ve learned to get out before that happens. That’s why I’m seeking to find my “forever genre.” That one genre that satifies me so much that I want to write it forever. You have to know what you’re going to get from me. You’ll say, oh, this is a book by Zoey Locke or Z.L. and I know what sort of experience I’m going to get from her–smart heroines with smart billionaires who look way beneath the surface to find forever love. I read a lot of mystery/suspense/thrillers. But that’s a new habit of mine. I used to read chick-lit a lot and I still love lit-fic new-gen stories like those by Sally Rooney. I love Sally Rooney because I believe she captures my generation, Xers,  even though she’s writing about millennials, in a way that we had never been allowed to be seen. But, the more I TRY to get through these inane romance books with two-dimensional, toxic male and female heroes and heroines, the more I feel the NEED to stay in romance. The genre has become ridiculous. I don’t want the genre to be swallowed up by that crap. Especially since I know that my mom is a romance whale-reader and she can’t get through the top chart crap. I know there are millions of you there who are like my mom.  So I know what I have to do. I have to be consistent, stick to my brand, which you’re seeing now with the Lord Brothers, and write a lot of books within that brand. I promise you, NO two-dimensional characters, ever. No cliches–ever. No immature underage heroines who should be pursuing a real career instead of a man, ever. Coming to you and here to stay are heroines who appreciate themselves in whichever stage of life they’re even if they’re knee-deep in human struggles. Also, I’ve chosen to write universal characters in my romance, meaning, they can be you, and you, and you and you, and everybody. There’s power in being depicted over and over and over again. Well, if that depiction is everybody, then everybody has power. I do my own covers. It’s easier to make covers with a human image on the front. But, alas, it may be time to pay a designer to redesign my covers with no human representation on the front. I tried it with Intrigued recently. Tell me what you think? The man is current but I made the object cover two days ago, I think a saw a recognizable drop in downloads with the object cover on Amazon. I don’t know really because I chickened out and kept it up for less than 24 hours. I was also thinking that all I need to do with the male subject is show his Adam’s apple. BTW, I’m actually thinking about adding another Christmas brother-like series in the future. I want to have more fun writing the romance elements. I like the idea of falling in love in a dark mansion that has a life of its own with a brooding billionaire. That will definitely be a 100% Z.L. series! Okay, time to make a shake. OMG, I have to tell you about my journey with green shakes and Golden Mellow one day. Okay, time to go! Toodles! Much❤️Z.L.

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