Z.L. Arkadie's Blog, page 8

This Week’s Sunday Author Update!

Today’s update is short. Today is Superbowl Sunday in America. For all of those who watch the game–have fun! I don’t know… I used to watch football but not anymore. So, I’m working on Making It While Faking It today. I’m hoping to have the story ready to go to the editor before the end of the month. Slow burn takes longer to write than insta-love. And I like writing slow-burn more but gosh, the toiling of it all. I think it’s because I’m just getting out of a funky place in my head and body. I messed up royally when I put my stories about the Christmas brothers in Kindle Unlimited. I wanted to risk it. Try it for three months, give it all I had, and see what happens. What occurred was a serious waste of money, a rise in anxiety, and a severe loss of money. Oh Gosh, I spent so much money on ads that cost more than the return on my investment. It was a disaster. I now get that my stories aren’t cliche enough, on the nose enough, to feed that KU beast. And I’m not going to write that stuff because… I’m just not. Anyway, here’s the latest and greatest update. The new release date for Making it While Faking It is April 4, 2022. There’s no way this book is going to be ready by March 10th. I’m also planning the chapters for the 3rd book in this series as I finish the second book. Hopefully, next Sunday I’ll tell you that I’m done and reading through to make sure the story is tight. 🤞 I hope you have a relaxing and fantastic rest of your Sunday. Much❤️Z.L.

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How Far Out Can I Go? Huh???

I finished writing Making It While Faking It for today and now I’m building Misty Black. The question remains, how far out can go with this story and still have my feet on the ground?? Because I want to go FAAARR Like, FARRRRRRRRRRR. I’ve been thinking lately about how earth creatures we really are. As human beings, we have our minds, or I guess, we’re so up in the air about who we are down to the demigods we believe in and this demigod state many aspire to retain when they’re dead. Stay with… And I’ve been wondering if superhero status, all-powerful status–as we all want to feel, have a power that can transcend our humanity–is staring us right in our face. It’s like dirt, water, air, the blue atmosphere and the darkness beyond the blue. It’s silence in space. It’s Mars sitting right now as I write, as you read, in existence, with its substance. Our Creator. Superpower is our mere existence. Ten fingers to use tools to build our lives with. Ten toes to walk the Earth with. Eyebrows to keep sweat of toil from burning our eyes. The hairs in our noses filter dust. I had a boyfriend who always trimmed his nose hair. Maybe he shouldn’t have done that. Maybe his nose hairs grow according to his body’s will. So, I’ve been thinking about all of that lately. I won’t say more but… Sigh… Okay so originally I made Misty and her brother creatures called Genetics, their physical abilities created in a laboratory by human genius. But I’m not sure I want to do that this time around. I’m still thinking… Because on this Earth, even though we don’t like to sit with ourselves and admit we are limited by what God will allow us to work with. We want to be gods and demigods but only in our aspirations. It’s not practical or tangible. Our beliefs and ambitions will die with us. There’s only ONE BEING who can make super-soldiers, and that BEING made humans. Still thinking. But what if???? Still thinking. Good night. Much ❤️ Z.L.

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Z.L.’s Sunday Morning Author Update!

Today I  received a great blog review of my latest new release, Crossing the Line. I loved how she captured the essence of my story! I’m so happy I was able to write a clear, concise, entertaining, and engaging story. I used to write my stories so fast. I don’t want to do that anymore because if I write too fast, then I’ll miss what’s possible.  At the moment and after I finish this post, I’ll start back on Making It While Faking it. It’s taken me longer than I planned to write the book. There are outside forces that have impeded progress. Like I used to rent an office space because when the pandemic hit, coffee shops closed and I needed a quiet place away from home to write. Well… OMG, that building is now bustling with activity. I felt like a mouse, cowering under the claws of cats, trying to get anything done in that place. But I’m out of that place and back on track.  However, that’s not the only reason it has taken me a lot longer. Slow-burn romance takes longer to write. I have to build the interaction that leads to passion. A month ago, I was halfway through the book. Then I went back and re-read because the characters’ interaction was only getting started and I was 34k words into the story! Yikes. I thought something was off. I had to cut 14,000 words.  I hate overwriting. I’d rather underwrite than overwrite. But there’s no getting around overwriting. We have to chisel the story out of all of those extra words.  So, I’m finally back on track. I work in software that makes it easier to plan my future chapters, which I have done, and now finishing the rest of the story is like gravy. Planning chapters is a new tool I’ve employed. What took me so long! Oh… And for you Misty Black lovers. I’m also happy to announce that I’ve been planning the chapters of the revised Misty Black, The Seeds of Revenge. That’s what I’m calling the first book. It used to be, Misty Black, The Beginning.  When it comes to Misty Black, I won’t release book one until 1-3 are written and ready to go.  Planning the chapters, delving back into MB’s world feels good, and right. I bet you didn’t know that I made Max Grove, the same man I made Max Black, because I missed Misty and Max so much.  But I took a LONG hiatus from MB because at one point in my life the part of me that wrote that book took a step back and went into hiding deep inside me because I had something to learn, some growing up to do. Other parts of myself rose to the surface. Parts of myself that needed to be resolved and evolved first.  Well, now that part of me that wrote Misty Black is making its way back to the surface. But my entire belief system has matured. Not only that, but nearly fifty novels written later, I’m just a better storyteller.  It’s time. I’m ready. So get ready for Misty Black. I’m sure it’s going to take me about a year to write the first three books because I’m still writing The Lords of Manhattan, which I also love. The new slow-burn romance stories I’m telling are also part of the same growth that allows me to rewrite Misty Black in a more remarkable way.  I’m also planning the chapters for Max Grove’s love story. Then, we’ll have Orion. And you’ll meet Treasure’s brother, Lynx in Making It While Faking It. I’ll write his story too.  So as you can see, I’m writing two very different but important series. And both satisfy parts of myself that I MUST express in fiction.  By book three of The Lords of Manhattan series, I, Zoey Locke will take over all the romance writing. You’ll only see the Author Zoey Lock on the cover.  And I, Z.L. Arkadie will build the world of Misty Black which is futuristic sci-fi.  Never fear, I know how to write to distinctive series at once. I’ve done it before with Parched and LOVE in the USA. The good thing is that Misty Black is the first series I ever wrote. I also wrote my own rendition of the of The Yellow Wallpaper. I didn’t know back then that the book falls into the horror category. LOL. IDK. I might re-release it.  What I’m trying to say is that Misty Black was my heart, and still is. I love being ultra-creative. However, I think I’ve learned to pull back when necessary and keep my feet on the ground, in this world, in reality.  Okay. So… My inner alarm is chiming. It’s time to make another cup of tea and start the process of finishing Making it While Faking It. I’ve arrived at a pivotal scene between Treasure and Achilles.  Oh, also, a little FYI, I’ll have the pre-order of Making It While Faking It available on Amazon by Feb 17th.  Okay, back to work!  Have a wonderful rest of your weekend! Much ❤️ Z.L.

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Fifty Shades of Grey Re-Listen Project Surprise!

Okay… I owe you this because I gave Fifty Shades of Grey hell in my last post, and I’m not particularly eager to dump on a book if it doesn’t deserve it. So… As I said, I skipped a LOT of that book during my first read because of how unsavory the hero was to me past the sex. I still skipped the period sex. For me… I can’t. But I didn’t know they went to IHOP! Lol. Also, sure, Grey is screwed up, but James does a great job SHOWING us how and why this particular relationship is different than the others. I missed that the first time around. I think the greatest lesson I learned is don’t skip pages! Like, I’m notorious for skipping pages. If I feel the need, I self-edit when I read. But in the case of FSOG, I missed a lot of pertinent relationship growth by skipping so many pages. And I’m not a purist, as you know if you read my books. I don’t believe a character doesn’t have to be perfect to deserve love. But I skipped the pages that made Christian and even Ana, who’s still a little annoying, very three-dimensional. So, I take it back. I’m not sure if FSOG is a satire of Twilight because of all the in-depth character and relationship building that happens as the story moves on. Maybe… I’m not sure the audio version I’m listening to is the same story I initially read. For instance, I remember Anna stuffing the beads in her vagina during dinner with his parents. And then he took them out and screwed her in the lakehouse after they excused themselves from the table. She’s only wearing no panties during dinner. Also, there’s way more communication between the characters after the lakehouse sex in the audio version that I’m listening to. Hmmm… I’m wondering if they smartly fixed the original version, or had I truly missed a whole lot during my initial read. Hmmm… I’m not done with the book though. I have like two hours left. Maybe she’ll wear the beads later. Oh, also, Christian is ACTUALLY doing real work in this version. I remember thinking, does this multi-billionaire ever do any work???? Hmmm…

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Happy New Year!!! 2022

OMG! I almost forgot to say, “Happy New Year!” 2021 went by WAY too fast. I would’ve liked to sit in 2021 for a few months longer. But, onward we are! So what do I have planned for 2022? First, I want to finish Making It While Faking It. It’s taking me longer than I like to write this book. I don’t want to force the story. I had the privilege of already knowing Paisley and Hercules before writing Crossing the Line. So, I really want to get to know Treasure and Achilles. Also, I don’t want to overwrite Orion in the wrong way like I did Robin Hester in LOVE in the USA the Hesters. After I wrote her book, a lot people didn’t want to read it because they don’t like her. I like her though, but… (Shrugs). Whatevs… “I write who I write,” I say in my wiseguy voice. OKAY SO BUCKLE UP–LONG STORY COMING IN FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO… I just finished listening to The Hating Game in the audio format. I like the story and do highly recommend it. However, there was something about it that reminded me of Fifty Shades of Grey so I bought that book on Audible too and listened for comparisons. Okay, so, yes, I think The Hating Game was that author’s stab at the Christian/Anna dynamic. Because she keeps saying how his eyes “darkened” which is overused in Fifty Shades of Grey. And I don’t think the Hating Game author understands the criticism that’s being made when EL James refers to Christian’s eyes as darkening. The Hating Game author thinks it’s just lust. But in Fifty Shades of Grey darkening eyes is so much more than that. I’ll admit that the one and only time I read Fifty Shades of Grey, I skipped a lot in the middle. I mean, the guy was just so creepy and nuts. And after I got enough of him, I was like, “How does it end.” But this time around, since I’m listening to the book on my long drive to the office, I have to hear it all. OMG, I bet EL James was quite stunned the series took off the way it had. I am convinced Fifty Shades of Grey was a satire of Twilight. She was mocking Twilight! However, I’ll admit this too. The sex scenes in FOSOG are PURE perfection. My God, the sensory actions and reactions. Christian’s skills make us forget the pathological sh** about him. So the book had me asking myself, are relationships between men and women, and even with ourselves, really that screwed up? This, after he spanks her and she’s crying about it. And then calls or texts her something and she doesn’t have the appropriate reaction to being hit so he drives back to her house and convinces her to get back on the Christian train: Her: “I didn’t like it. I rather you didn’t do it again.” Him: “You weren’t supposed to like it.” Her: “Why do you like it?” …MORE PATHOLOGICAL NONSENSE until… Her: “Are you going to hit me again? Him: “No, not tonight.” (Me laughing after hearing that. Like, this IS supposed to be humor????) Her: My subconscious and I both breathe a sigh of relief. (Me laughing again, knowing this is Bella’s reaction to Edwards multiple, “I’m going to kill you. I want to kill you…” But she just keeps coming back for more because he’s so hot and controlling for her greater good.) … MORE abusive nonsense until… “It’s the way I’m made, Anastasia. I need to control you. I need you to behave in a certain way. And if you don’t, I love to watch your beautiful alabaster skin pink and warm up under my hands…” AND SCENE LOL!!! The first time I read the book, I skipped that part because I was just so over the stupid contract talk. But… OMG! LOL! And I mean, do you hear the crazy??? And the way it’s paced, her silly and inappropriate reactions to his maniacal claims of what he’s going to do to her, and his crazy controlling behavior,  tells me that EL James was definitely writing satire. It’s paced like satire. The tone is satire. The great sex is satire too. So… Listening to The Hating Games and Fifty Shades of Grey, as far solid ROMANCE heroes go, ones that we should fall in love with, The Hating Game wins! But Fifty Shades of Grey is all about the power struggle between the two characters. It’s all about controlling with sex, nothing else. And if you think Grey has all the power, then you’re wrong. Her alabaster vagina has all the power. It will twist and turn him into submission. At least I did get that part the first time around. But that sh** NEVER works on men for too long. It only works in at the end of a romance novel when we can convince ourselves that these two very stupid people will live happily ever after. No… When Ana’s nearly pubescent vagina ages, a man like Christian will replace hers with another. That’s real life. That’s why he’s the guy you avoid. And most men aren’t that way at all. So… I know that Grey has influenced the romance world for far too long, and I don’t want to write another version of that crazy **@(#)#@(&. The Hating Games is about two people giving in to their attraction for each other despite creating a contentious relationship with each other. It’s like, see, we loved each other all along! Sally Thorne is the author. I say all of this because I want you to read the book. And then I want to know if you L.O.V.E Joshua? I do. I like nice guys who understand how to live the delicate and natural balance of being a sacred masculine male. That’s Joshua. Because nice guys say things like, “I’ve been married for thirty years!” or fifty years. They’re good to their wives, and their wives are good to them. Because they had enough sense to pass on crazy. And a nice, good guy, has a great mother. She’s not emasculating or emotionally incestual, she’s right in the middle. Healthy. And reading and falling for Joshua made me realize, I love writing good guys. Hercules is a good guy and it felt so GOOOD writing him. Well… I was going to write Achilles to be more of a brokedown Christian Grey. So thank God, no, like seriously thank God, I went back and listened to the book. (I’m not finished. I’ll force myself to listen to the end, sigh…) Because I get it now. I don’t like that guy. And neither did EL James, which is why she didn’t write him a second time. It’s taking me longer to write this book because I have to reimagine the Lords and their family in a whole new way–a healthier way. But I also want to write the interactions between Treasure and Achilles more vividly if that makes sense. You know how you get all dressed up for a hot date and you’re taken to a five-star restaurant where the food melts in your mouth? I want you to have that kind of experience when you read my next and all the rest after it. This is where I am right now–in the thick of it. Before the year ends, I plan to write Max’s story before Orion’s. But again, I’m not rushing anything. I’m going to give it to you like a five-star meal, prepared by the hands of a James Beard winner, six courses on a silver platter. Although Max is a Grove…I think I’m going to have to change the series title. Because I’ll also write Lynx’s story. He’s Treasure Grove’s brother. You’ll meet him in Making It While Faking It. He owns a sports team. Umm… Yummy! That means in 2022, my goal will be to finish the complete series featuring the Lord and Grove families. Let’s see… For the third time, I think, I’m not going to force it. I’m saying to the story, “come her baby, come to mama, tell me what you want me to write.” Okay. I’ll catch up with you soon! Once again… HAPPY NEW YEAR! Much Love, Z

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Crossing the Line is out and about!

So it’s been two days since Crossing the Line hit the shelves. I hope you’ve read and enjoyed the book! I’ve had the Christmas brothers series, now Ruthless Dynasty,  in Kindle Unlimited for over a month. However, the improved ranking is like a mirage. It looks like I’m making more money, but I’m making a lot less. A borrow counts as a sale. So basically, if your favorite author has chosen to publish through Kindle Unlimited, then, by all means, try to read the book as soon as possible. They don’t get paid until you do, and they only get paid dimes on the dollar. All I can say is that I tried it. I attended a conference early last month, while the books were in Kindle Unlimted. During that conference, I won the privilege of consulting with a successful P.R. exec. She explained how my Christmas series tanked after the holidays because it has “Christmas” in the title. She advised me to be careful about using names of holidays or specific times of the year and so forth in characters’ names, titles, etc. I turned a corner as soon as I changed the title from the Christmas brothers to a Ruthless Dynasty. She was right!  However, I didn’t change the family’s last name within the book. They are and will always be the Christmases. If you remember, The Lords of Manhattan was initially The Tempting Valentine Brothers. I did not want a repeat of the Christmas brothers series. That’s why you’re reading about the Lord family instead of the Valentines. They’re still the same people. So basically, Crossing the Line will remain on Google Play, Nook, Apple Books, and Kobo. Soon it’ll be on Overdrive, Scribd, and the like. Ruthless Dynasty is returning to all stores too. Okay… I have lots of work to do. Talk Soon! Z.L.    

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Crossing the Line is now live!

Their families hate each other, but they are drawn to each other like moths to a flame. Neither was willing to cross the line, until now. AMAZON APPLE BOOKS GOOGLE PLAY NOOK KOBO

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Sneak Peak 👀 of Crossing The Line

CROSSING THE LINE by Zoey Locke and Z.L. Arkadie   PRE ORDER NOW

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Reeling from Within These Wicked Walls!

I’ll admit it. I’m very busy trying to write new stories so I don’t have much time to sit and read books. So, these days, I’m listening to a lot of audiobooks during my drive to the office. I just finished listening to Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood. Believe me, I’m the queen of returning what sucks back to Audible. I had to return one today–it was SO bad. And I have a shortlist of books that drew me in and never let me go. Like, everything Shari Lapena and I also just finished Sally Rooney’s Wonderful World Where Are You. I like to walk into a story. Take the first steps and never stop moving until I make it to the end. Do you know what I mean? This book is one of those stories. The desert. The heat. She knocks on the door. She enters. And immediately it’s freezing cold inside.  The story starts and doesn’t stop until the end. What a journey. I think I’m reeling from it because it gave me what I loved while writing Intrigued. I’ve been thinking about that for a while. What I really loved about that story and even Enthrall. And it was people, falling in love in a mysterious edifice–in one case a mansion and in the other a ranch. Don’t get me wrong, I love both stories. But I was so focused on writing a trilogy that I didn’t stick to what could’ve happened in the Christmas mansion. The walls whispered and the ghosts haunted their dreams. Oh… goodness I loved writing those stories. Hmm… I got a lot on my plate right now. And… I have to think about income right now too. Like… seriously. What I do is my job. Oh, btw, Crossing the Line, Hercules Lord (Not Valentine anymore–I’ll tell you more about that later.) and Paisley Grove’s love story will be released on November 30, 2021. It’s one book. I’ll get a sample to you soon. But getting back to Within These Wicked Walls… You should check it out. It’s well written, and if you like my storytelling, then I think you’ll love this story. Because we both hit the ground running. But what inspired me about this story is the fact that I have nothing like it to go to. And the story was more than just a couple falling in love in a dark mansion, it was about family, clicking with new friends, and learning that someone’s imperfect love was indeed the best they could do and with that love, they loved you wholly. Beautiful, right? You know that I LOVE writing family love. I love reading it as it’s written in action. Meaning, it unfolds with the plot. So this is me endorsing a good book. I rarely do this. I rarely find books that I feel worthy enough to recommend to my fans. Well, this book–I totally recommend. I’ll be in touch this week with more information about Crossing the Line.  I’ll be straight with you. I’m releasing it in Kindle Unlimited because it’s been hard getting traction on the other stores without a Bookbub strategy. And that strategy can wear out a writer. I want to write smarter, not harder. I will say that for my future gothic romance books because I’m going back to the dark halls of a mansion or an old ranch, I’ll be publishing those books traditionally. I’ve even started outlining already. Gosh… The Christmas books had such great potential in that regard. I wrote a broader story but what if… What if. Anyway… I am a little confused about the time period of the book I just finished though. It reads like a historical gothic romance. But it’s set in the Ethiopian desert. Humph… You read it and tell me! Within These Wicked Walls. Let’s touch base in a few days! Much Love 💕 Z

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Literary Fiction – Date Night (Pop-up Post)

Again, since I’m in the throes of writing a literary fiction novel as well as my regular romance books, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting. You see–I think literary fiction is about writing what you learn. I don’t think one can lack a certain degree of emotional intelligence and write literary fiction. And so that’s why I’ve been finding myself reflecting on the past recently. For the past few days, I’ve been remembering this date with a boyfriend. I was in my late twenties.  Doing the math… Yeah–late twenties. I’ve had a few boyfriends with the initials DP but this one was from California too. We met in a video store. He came up to me and asked for my number or something. I thought he was bold. I also liked that he chose me. Actually, I still have this sort of strange dissociative feeling when thinking back on the evening we met in that video store. It was in Lynwood. I can’t recall who I was with. Maybe my brother. Maybe he drove us there. Maybe I was with one of my sisters. I can’t remember. I do remember someone telling me that DP was cute after I gave him my number. I gave him my number because he chose me. It felt good to be chosen in such a bold manner. I kept experiencing him with that same weird dissociative sensation until one night. I”ll get to that soon. DP was a good guy though. He had no flaws and I think that’s why I disconnected from him. He would ask me what I liked and then I would tell him and he’d push to go buy it for me. I said, no, dude, don’t do that–please don’t. He wanted to make me happy, I guess. He liked talking about having kids and family, which scared the heck out of me. DP had two very normal and well-adjusted parents. He really loved his mom. He spoke of her often. A funny little memory… After he broke up with me and I tried to plead my case to him, he said something like, “My mom said…” He wouldn’t finish what his mom said about me. But his mom was into herbs and psychic stuff I think. I think she told him that he wasn’t the one for me and that I was going to be with someone else. Because whenever we spoke after our breakup, we kept in touch for a while, he would ask, “Have you met that ******** yet?”  Apparently, his mom said I was going to meet this guy. Anyway. So the date. So one night  DP took me on a dinner cruise for my birthday. I felt odd being amongst other adults who were having a really good time. This woman, very sexy, who may have been in her late thirties, started to dance. DP enjoyed her performance. I wasn’t jealous though. I couldn’t be because I was numb to the night. However, I could sense that he wished I  could be like that dancing woman, free, having a lovely night, and enjoying him and the other guest. I felt so heavy. I also felt like my insides wouldn’t stop cringing. When he told the older people that he took me on the cruise for my birthday, they were impressed. I remember them saying to me, “he’s a keeper” or something to that effect. Eventually, the boat sailed under a bridge and the guide said that if we kiss under that bridge, then we would be with each other forever. He watched me with a sheepish smile, wondering if I wanted to do it. I think I turned away from him. A few days later, maybe a week, he gave me my first-ever, and frankly ONLY, vaginal orgasm. It was amazing experiencing that elusive mystery. That’s when the fog finally faded and I told him I loved him. But as I said, he was well-adjusted. DP probably had very few wounds from childhood. I had a heap of them. He liked the way I looked, but I think on that night when I said I loved him, the real me, damaged, pressed on him like a mountain on his chest. He broke up with me soon after. I’ll spare you the gory details of how I handled it. But–good for him. If he were my son, I’d applaud him with tears in my eyes. I once told DP that if my former boyfriend, who lived in a different state, who also had the initials DP, asked me to be with him, I would do it. I would leave the good guy and be with the complicated one. I know… This is a sad and not a romantic recollection. But, I think, that’s what literary fiction is about. The truth. The whole truth. And nothing but the truth about being a human being so help me God. And I’m finding that I have to associate with myself to get to the core of my wounds. And I’m sure that are many women, and men, who have the same kind of wound. that’s why literary fiction can be so restorative. But knowing what I know now, I’ve been mourning that night on the boat. I’ve been seeing myself dancing with that woman and laughing it up with the older people, having a jolly good time. I would listen to their wisdom. Learn everything I can about them.  I would feel appreciative. DP treated me so beautifully. To him I was precious. To him I was special. If I were unwounded, I would’ve kissed him as we sailed under that bridge. Maybe we would still be together. He was one of those guys, you know. I’ve met a few of those guys, the real deal guys, who I was never ready for. But then, here’s a thought, maybe I wouldn’t be writing novels if I had kissed him. I don’t know. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have the damage in the first place. But then, who would I be? I love who I am. But still, it would be nice to live an alternate version of myself, whose father cherished her mother and made his family feel safe and totally loved. And then, those parents raised us with that love and safety net intact. Anyway… Off to writing I go! Happy Hump Day, Z.L.  

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