Casey Wilder's Blog, page 2

The iTunes link

I finally found the iTunes link and it's now in the Retail Links drop down menu.  Keep in mind, it takes a while before my books hit retailers after they've been published at Smashwords.  Right now, it typically takes at least ten days before they're even approved for distribution and then it's probably a good two to three weeks from that time until they show up at retailers.  Tamed has not made it to most yet.  An Absolutely Incredible Valentine has not even been approved for distribution so it's unlikely to make it to retailers until after Valentine's Day.  But, it's still at Smashwords and it's still free if you want to give it a read.   I hope to have the rough draft of Captured finished in the next day or two but then it'll have to be edited so I'm still thinking at least a week and a half before it's even published at Smashwords.  I'll let you know.  I've got kid duty for much of today, you know, doing all of those things we as supportive parents are supposed to do.  I'll enjoy it and it will get me out of the house.  Into the rain I suppose, but at least out of the house.

Casey

So... what's next?

I may have mentioned at some point that I have a relatively short attention span.  If I didn't, I meant to.  I think I also might suffer from selective short term memory loss.  Actually, it has more to do with the 5,000 thoughts running through my head at any given moment.  I frequently have these wonderful story ideas while I'm riding, but by the time I get home, they're gone.  I'm working on Captured the next Indulgence story.  I'm also working on two longer stories, I'd like for them to be full length novels but I never really know how long they'll be.  V mentioned that she would have liked An Absolutely Incredible Valentine to be longer and I guess I never really thought about it.  I always know where my stories will start and how they end but the journey to get there is never predetermined.  So, sorry V, I probably could have made it longer if I'd been looking past my ending.  Anyway, the two longer stories will obviously take longer to finish.  But I like them both so we'll see.  Captured is about half way done.  I like it too.  And in case you're wondering, no, I don't like every story I write.  The ones I don't like end up filed away or in the trash.  The other project I have going, I'm just not that committed to.  It's a new story for Amazon.  I just don't know that I'll follow through with publishing it there.   Amazon will only allow an author to truly do some type of marketing if a title is listed exclusively with them for 90 days.  I've been considering publishing a new story there just to try and jump start something with my other stories.  Right now, they just sit there.   That's not entirely true, but I've done much better at Smashwords than Amazon.  The biggest problem seems to be getting people to give them a shot but I can't list a book for free on Amazon, they have a minimum list price of .99, so....what to do?   Anyway, it's what I've been thinking about.   So, if you get the urge, leave a review, hit the like button, tell a friend, something.  My offer still stands for those of you want to provide me with feedback.  I'll still give you one of the books for free.  V is probably my biggest fan and anxiously waits for each story to come out.  She is certainly the most verbal fan I have.  I'm pretty sure I owe her more than a few free books by now.  So, thanks V, sometimes when I feel like giving up, I think about the fact that you really do like them and I pull out my laptop and start working.  I do get a few emails from others and so far the feedback has been good.  I've only had two people complain but that was more about the graphic nature of the stories and I really feel that I was up front about that part.  I personally like my stories so I won't defend them.  I realize that they're not for everyone but based on the number of stories I've sold and given away at Smashwords alone, I'd say a lot of people like them.  So, what's next?  That is where I started right?  I will probably finish Captured next unless I get hung up somewhere before I reach the end.  Best guess right now, 1 1/2 or 2 weeks unless I get on a roll.  Hey, stranger things have happened.  I'll still be working on the others too.  It's that short attention span thing.  In the mean time, thanks for reading! 

Casey

Cherise Sinclair's series Masters of the Shadowlands

I finished Club Shadows, the first in her series  Masters of the Shadowlands.  If you enjoy the lighter romances, it's probably not for you.  I won't tell you about the story, you can download the sample to check it out for yourself but if you like domination & submission and a little slap with your tickle, it's definitely worth your time and money.  Nothing else I've read in the last few days really stands out but if I come across something, I'll let you know.  

Casey

An Absolutely Incredible Valentine is available on Smashwords for free

It's there.  I hope you enjoy it.  I make no promises since I still feel like three day old dog poo but what the hell.  Let me know what you think.  It won't be available on Amazon until I set a price and I'm just not going to do that for a while.  Sorry but that's Amazon's rule, not mine.  They simply won't allow an independent author to list for free unless you give them exclusive right to sell the content.  I don't like it but there it is.  Since they won't allow me to really market anything there anyway, my books mostly sit there so why should I care?  See, still grumpy.  Gotta run.
And V, thanks.  For everything!
Casey

I should be uploading my new story in the morning.

Things never seem to go as planned.  It is finished though.  I'm a little under the weather and my eyes are on fire.  I guess it's my body's way of complaining about the nasty weather.  I didn't drown in the monsoons we've been having and I haven't frozen to death yet so I guess it's only fair that I get sick.  So I feel like crap and I'm grumpy.  If I tried to upload it tonight, I'd probably screw the whole think up.  So I'm going to wait until morning before I try to put the new story on Smashwords.  It's longer than I really meant for it to be but it's like all the rest, I write it and cut the hell out of it, but in the end it is what it is.  The story itself is about the same length as Surrender.  It'll show up as being a little longer but it has an excerpt from Surrender at the end.  The title... An  Absolutely Incredible Valentine.  Kind of sweet and sticky but it fits the story.  So I hope you'll give it a go and let me know what you think.  

Casey

A new short story (Novelette?) should be out this week.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm about to finish up a short story that I'll publish on Smashwords.  It was originally a Valentine's story and I may leave it at that.  I had planned to get it out sooner but I swear, sometimes the world conspires against me.  I've had an excessive number of kid related responsibilities (all of their extracurricular activities) and I just haven't been able to get it done.  But it's close.  And, I'm gonna put it out there for free for a while.   It's not quite as long as the Tales of Indulgence stories but longer than Friday Nights.  I won't know the length for sure until I finish editing but hopefully that will be in the next day or so.  I'll let you know.  
Thanks for the recommendations.Casey 

How it works

Ok, a few of you are really great but apparently most of you are mssing the whole point of recommended reading.  See, I tell you what I recommend and you tell me what you recommend.  It's easy.  I find that the more I surf through the available books, I'm finding it harder and harder to find author's that I really like and I'm really not that picky.  I don't normally put my two cents in on books I don't like but has anyone tried Bridgette's Boy Toy?  Well I did.  I only wasted two minutes because that's when I gave up.  And the reviews were middle of the road reviews.  Unfortunately, I've found a lot of books lately that I didn't finish.  That used to be pretty rare.  So, here's my recommendation for today.  If you've never read Kim Harrison's series The Hollows, you should try it.  They've been out for a while and she's definitely already established herself as an excellent writer.  She's good.   The books are nothing like what I write but I have them all except the last one and I enjoyed all of them.  the best part, she didn't lose steam or get lazy after book 6 or 7.  Book 9 was as good as book 1.  

So, I gave you a good recommendation.  Have a heart and save me the trouble of reading all those samples.  

Casey

P.S.  I've developed a real fondness for Highlander books.  Something about those handsome, lusty, wild men just does it for me.  So if you know of a good one, please share.

Recommended Link

I sometimes do web searches to find out where my books are turning up and I found a blog that I wanted to pass along.  It recommends some good books, some free, some not, but definitely worth checking out if you haven't already.   

http://temptingbooks.blogspot.com/p/home.html  

Enjoy!
Casey

I really need to take a day off.

I always say I'm going to take a day off but I never actually seem to  to do it. So... First, I made the changes on the site.  I consolidated the retail links and added a page for other authors or artists.  It's really for anybody who wants to read it.  I'm tired and I really need sleep so I can't be entirely sure that I wrote what I intended to write.  I could end up changing it.  Who knows.  I'm working on another story right now.  It's new and I don't even know how long it will be.  Of course, if it doesn't go where I want it to, I'll scrap it and start over.  It's one of those stories where I know my characters and I know how I want it to end but I have to get them there.  

I'm going to finish the fourth Indulgence story but need a few days away from the series.  Sorry, but Tamed really took it out of me.    In a day or so, I should have a better idea of where I stand with both stories and hopefully will be able to tell you a little more.



Casey