A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 28
April 14, 2024
Bill’s Cajun House of Pleasure – Blog Tour and Guest Post #HistoricalFiction
It’s a romp in the swamp!
Bill’s Cajun House of Pleasure
by Alan Lampe
Genre: Historical Fiction
It’s a romp in the swamp of historic proportions!
Eager young reporter Jimmie Rains is assigned to write an exposé on the treatment of elderly residents of Our Lady of Sorrows Nursing Home. He soon finds that all the residents speak in awe and hushed tones of the life led by legendary fellow resident Bill Valencourt.
As a teenager, Bill was sent to work for his cranky and demanding uncle who ran a bordello on the edge of the swamp. His girlfriend, Anne Marie, was less than happy with this arrangement. As the granddaughter of the famous swamp witch Marie Laveau, she believes her magic is strong enough to keep Bill from straying. She seduces him, believing the taking of his virginity will bind him to her for all time.
When his uncle is murdered by the wife of an angry patron, Bill’s destiny is irrevocably changed, leaving him the new owner of the cathouse and setting him on the path to both riches and ruin. When he falls in love with one of his girls—the beautiful and curvaceous Ariel—Anne Marie vows revenge.
Alan Lampe has been writing down tales and stories since the second grade. Over the years, his writing matured and was recognized by The National Library of Poetry. They published six of his poems in their anthologies in the late 1990s. Jotting down ideas and cranking out numerous short stories off and on throughout the first decade of the twenty-first century, he focused on his writing in 2011 instead of Super Bowl XLV.
Bill’s Cajun House of Pleasure is the brainchild of Alan and his former girlfriend. The first nuggets of this romp in the swamp were hatched eight years ago. Between workshops, critic groups, and conferences, he polished his prose in the following years. Wanting to leave no detail unchecked, he traveled to Louisiana to capture the essence of Cajun life.
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Guest Post – Meet the Author
I recall the beginning of Isaac Asimov’s biography in his Foundation books where it says he “was born in the Soviet Union to his great surprise. He moved quickly to correct the situation.” At the age of three, he stowed away in his parent’s baggage when they emigrated to the United States.
To many people’s surprise, I was born in Connecticut. I don’t have grand or fond memories of my time there. My family moved to Arkansas six months after my birth. I grew up a southern boy and enjoyed writing from an early age. The earliest recollection I have of writing for pleasure is a second grade writing contest. I placed second. I can’t remember if the contest was school wide or district wide, but I do remember where I finished. The prompt was “If you were stuck on a deserted island, what would you bring with you.” I wrote a fine masterpiece, one I’m sure the Smithsonian will treasure for years when they obtain it. My composition related how I would take a magic book with me and use it to conjure up the necessities and a flying carpet to leave the island. Welcome to the world of my writing.
I continued to write stories throughout junior high and high school. I wrote a science fiction series in colored magic marker, where each character was represented by a different color. Even at that young age, I found a way to remove the unnecessary tags. I believe there are over a dozen twenty-page stories in that series. I wrote a couple of science fiction trilogies, one included a comical slant. I even designed a worksheet with the mysteries of Dr. Investigator for my little sister to solve. Like a good author, I kept all these treasures. Maybe one day I’ll revise them and share them with you.
I entered the Air Force after high school and journaled my experience. On the last Sunday of basic training, at the church services, your flight is allowed to say a few words. I wrote a poem for my flight. It was read by another flight member. I still have those journals and interesting stories abound within them.
After the Air Force I continued to improve my craft. I wrote a novella and published it monthly in the newsletter of my local Society for Creative Anachronism group. That, as well as the work I did on the newsletter itself, allowed me get my Award of Arms, a lordship, within the SCA.
In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s I focused on poetry. During this time I lived in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. Teen drug overdoses were frequent and my poems drifted to telling their story. I have a poem in each of the following The National Library of Poetry anthologies.
A Prism of ThoughtSoaring with the WindA Picture of EleganceOutstanding Poets of 1998Blossom in the DawningAmerica at the MillenniumOne of my post powerful poems, The Measure of 0.16, I wrote after a drunk driver killed four Brock High School students on December 19, 1998. 0.16 was his blood alcohol level and the event helped reduce the legal limit in Texas to 0.08. I’ve written over 80 poems and most fall into the “Tragic Poems of Life” chapter in a Word document where I keep them.
On April 20, 1999, the Columbine Massacre occurred where two students killed twelve classmates and a teacher. The school shooting dominated the news that week. It also led me to launch a memorial website, www.Columbine-Angels.com, where I tracked acts of school violence for the next ten years. The site has over 2000 entries, the most of any site that I know of. I also provide extensive data as to when and where the attacks occur. Many people from around the world visited my site and several asked for permission to use my data in their research. I wish I could have continued the site in perpetuity, but the ever-growing numbers, nearly 300 in one calendar school year, is just too much for one person. Keeping the site updated became a second job. Although I received great response from the site, I couldn’t continue to dedicate that much of life to it. From 2010 to 2015, I updated the site with acts of school violence I saw in the news. Those are fewer, but if you research diligently and consistently (i.e. twice a day like I was), you will see how violent are kids truly are. Early in 2016 I posted my last update to the site.
My former girlfriend and I developed the essence of Bill’s Cajun House of Pleasure. We truly enjoyed our time in Bayou Cove. After we separated I built our escapades into a full length novel. This historical fiction romp takes place from 1939 to 1969 in the swamps of Louisiana. Bill works at his uncle’s bordello and is in love with a descendant of the infamous Marie Laveau. Things change and he falls for one of the soiled doves under his uncle’s employ. After World War II, he and her live in Amsterdam. When they return to Bayou Cove in 1950 he builds his grand Cajun House of Pleasure. Staying informed of world events via WFUX-TV, he and his women are able to play politics with the lieutenant governor’s wife. In the ’60s the sexual fun continues to roll when a few artist stop by and find what they need to be successful. It’s a fun story with adult language and sexual situations. I hope you enjoy it.
I am currently developing my next story. The new tale is set in medieval times on a different planet. It’ll be a fun romp as my characters travel across the continent. Highlights along the way include stops in Hack, where the Hackers live; Pee-On, where the Pee-Ons live; Dead Oak and their solution to depositing their dead on a cart to be hauled off; and more.
April 13, 2024
Love Mom – #Audiobook Event #Giveaway – May 2024
Do you want the chance to win some awesome audiobooks? The check out the Mother’s Day Love Mom event on Facebook 9-10 May 2024.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1089741445603340
For further details as to what is on offer – check out the links here
Join us for a chance to win #audiobook #prizes
https://uviart.blogspot.com/2024/04/mothers-day-audiobook-party-love-mom.html
Join us for a chance to win #audiobook #prizes
https://uviart.blogspot.com/2024/04/meet-my-author-friends.html
I’m offering copies of The Kitchen Imps and Other Dark Tales and Echoes of a Song.
April 12, 2024
Review – Then There Were None – Agatha Christie #Crime #Thriller
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52255421-and-then-there-were-none
What can I say? Bloody superb! Bravo Ms Christie.
Most definitely 5 stars.
Seriously this book is splendid.
8 strangers are sent rather mysterious but plausible letters from ‘acquaintances’ leading them to the remote ‘Soldier Island’. Every one of them has a secret – they have been instrumental in causing the death of another person, or people.
Believing they will be entertained by eccentric Mr Owen this varied group – An elderly spinster, a young former governess, a retired judge, a retired policeman, a doctor, a rather shady ne’erdowell and a young, reckless playboy – arrive at the modern, richly built house, far from the mainland, to be greeted by the butler and housekeeper….
These people have nothing obviously in common. A gramophone record plays out a terrifying and mysterious message stating that everyone is a killer… and before long the bodies start piling up.
You won’t guess ‘whodunit’ – and indeed the police consider it an impossible crime. 10 people on the Island. 10 bodies.
It’s terrifying, the suspense really builds. Christie truly is the Queen of Crime. And this is deservedly the best selling mystery of all time.
Read this. Read this. Read this.
Red Pines – Blog Tour and #Giveaway #Thriller
The South’s wealthiest, most dysfunctional family is back,
with old scores to settle and a surprising houseguest
Red Pines
Trapnell Thriller Book 3
by Jill Hand
Genre: Thriller
“In this hilarious third installment, Jill Hand gives us the weirdest, funniest family saga yet.”
–Wayne Turmel, author of Johnny Lycan: The Werewolf PI series
The discovery of the bodies of two “honky-tonk hitmen” on land belonging to a former relative brings the Trapnell siblings, self-centered Aimee, indolent Trainor, and brilliant Marsh, back to White Oaks, their opulent ancestral home. FBI Special Agent Carson Burns is tasked with protecting them, something she finds increasingly difficult, as sinister events keep occurring which barely avoid being fatal.
Adding to the confusion is a deposed dictator who has eluded his Secret Service watchdogs and is pretending to be Marsh’s valet.
It becomes clear that someone intends to murder the Trapnells, but who? And why? A rapper called Baby Patty Cake insists the Illuminati are to blame, but that can’t be true, can it?
What readers are saying:
Author Jill Hand has crafted a thriller that offers the ideal balance of humor and suspense to create a delightfully entertaining experience filled with quirky characters and unexpected twists. The dysfunctional dynamics of the Trapnell family are an absolute joy and a great foil to play off during the biggest surprises of the plot, while the witty dialogue and eccentric scenarios provide plenty of laughs along the way. The clues unfold at a great pace to allow us to figure things out alongside Agent Burns, yet the reader is kept in a fair amount of suspense about the true motives behind the attempts on the Trapnells’ lives, leading to a satisfying and surprising conclusion. Overall, Red Pines is a captivating read that offers equal parts humor and suspense, making it a must-read for fans of comedic thrillers everywhere.
Black Willows
Trapnell Thriller Book 2
A mysterious cowboy is stalking the eccentric Trapnell siblings. Is he a supernatural entity or a hired killer? To complicate things, the will making them heirs to their billionaire father’s estate is missing and a relative has returned from a watery grave.
Last time, the Trapnells saved the world from destruction. This time they may not be able to save themselves. Black Willows is a darkly funny Southern-fried adventure, complete with Voodoo, arson, and alligators.
White Oaks
Trapnell Thriller Book 1
“An ingeniously dark comic thriller about greed, gluttony and murder that is destined for the big screen.” –Best Thrillers
Aimee Trapnell reluctantly leaves her apartment on Manhattan’s Central Park West to return to her childhood home in Georgia for her father’s ninetieth birthday. Also on hand are her two brothers, wily Marsh and ne’er-do-well Trainor. With a forty-billion-dollar inheritance at stake, they’re willing to do whatever it takes to make the old man happy.
To their shock they learn that what their father wants for his birthday is to kill someone. He doesn’t care who it is. He just wants to know what it’s like to commit murder.
Betrayal, double-dealing, and fast-paced action set the Trapnells on a collision course with an unexpected villain. Their journey takes them from the swamps of Georgia, to Italy’s glittering Amalfi coast, to rugged Yellowstone National Park.
Jill Hand is a member of International Thriller Writers. Her Southern Gothic novels, White Oaks, and Black Willows, are available on Amazon and from the publisher, Black Rose Writing.
Advance readers called White Oaks a fast-paced, hilarious account of three siblings who are competing for their father’s forty-billion-dollar fortune while trying to prevent the destruction of Planet Earth.
Diane Donovan, senior reviewer from Midwest Book Review praised White Oaks, calling it, “an unusually multifaceted tale that holds the ability to prompt laughter from thriller-style tension.”
A sequel to White Oaks, Black Willows, follows the adventures of the squabbling, dysfunctional Trapnell family. Red Pines, third in the series of Trapnell family thrillers, was just released in April 2024.
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April 10, 2024
Immortal Kiss Series – Blog Tour and Giveaway #Dark #UrbanFantasy
A journey of tortured vampires, longing, heartbreak, passion, betrayal, and redemption awaits you in the IMMORTAL KISS series.
Once We Were Witches
Immortal Kiss Series Book 4
by Laura Daleo
Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy
The mysterious world of witchcraft, murder, and mystery thrusts Raven Sagestone into an adventure whose main goal is to unlock the secrets of her powers. To do this, she teams up with Brandon Cass, an outsider with knowledge of the supernatural world. Raven is introduced to Eve, a psychic who reads destinies. Despite this, Raven is protected by a strong magic barrier, preventing Eve from seeing her. Brandon and Raven search for the truth at Bloodthirst, a vampire club. Visiting The Council’s haven with Margarete and Caleb is Raven’s chance to find answers to the questions that have plagued her.
**Only .99cents for a limited time!!**
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The Vampire Within
Immortal Kiss Series Book 3
Brandon Cass is not your average teenager. He has a taste for blood—human blood. For sixteen years, he stumbled through life without a hitch until the enigmatic aroma of blood awakened something dark within him. Visions of a beautiful young woman with chocolate brown hair and ocean blue eyes haunt his mind, yet her identity is a puzzling mystery.
His hunger for blood strengthens, and the cravings become too powerful to control. No one is safe, not even his family. To safeguard all he once found dear, Brandon sets out on a quest for answers. In an unfamiliar city, he comes face-to-face with the beautiful young woman, confronts the dark force which controls him, and learns what he must endure to reclaim his soul.
**Only .99cents April 12th and later!!**
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Bound By Blood
Immortal Kiss Series Book 2
Five years crawled by at a painfully slow pace for young vampire, Beth; each year more agonizing than the next. The powerful unyielding spell which masked Amon’s whereabouts showed no signs of weakening. Influenced by the binding ritual and Amon’s blood surging inside her, Beth will stop at nothing, and risk everything, to find him and turn the tables on Osiris, Isis, and Hathor. In foggy streets of London, lives are threatened by a new breed of hunter, and nothing is what it seemed. Beth once again finds herself surrounded by betrayal. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between Philippe and Amon – knowing that her decision will change one life forever. But whose?
**Only .99cents April 12th and later!!**
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Immortal Kiss
Immortal Kiss Series Book 1
Centuries ago ten powerful vampire gods first walked the earth; their blood thirst knew no boundaries. The destruction of mankind was inevitable. Recognizing their weakness, they selected twelve wise human beings to transform with their godly blood. These twelve, known as The Old Ones and The Council, govern The Ten. A blood lottery appeasing The Ten’s hunger was set forth into the human world and passed down every fifth generation, continuing into the present day.
All of Beth Ryan’s life a mysterious mist has watched over her; a mist she believed to be a vampire. On a cold winter night, Philippe Delon, a 700-year-old vampire walks into Beth’s life. She is drawn to him, certain he is the vampire behind the mist…but is he?
Beth and Philippe cannot deny their love for each other, nor do they try to fight it. Within days of their encounter, Beth accepts Philippe’s invitation to move into his mansion. The mansion unlocks the door to the vampire world and exposes secrets from Beth’s past. Within its walls, she learns the true identity of the mist, her link to the blood lottery, and betrayal of her loved ones. Surrounded by lies, Beth stands before The Council begging for resolution.
**Only .99cents April 12th and later!!**
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LAURA DALEO has been writing for over 20 years and has published 7 books. In addition to advocating for reading and writing, she is a strong supporter of the Indie author community. She is well known for her Immortal Kiss series which captures vampiric persuasion. The Egyptian pantheon, which gave rise to vampires, is explored in this series in an interesting way.
Laura has a passion for writing stories that explore the supernatural realm and bring her characters to life. Her published works include Immortal Kiss, Bound by Blood, The Vampire Within, Once We Were Witches, The Vow, The Soul Collector, and The Doll.
With her Facebook group, The BOOKLounge For Readers and Authors, she has created a community for readers and authors. It is home to over 65k active members. In addition, Laura is contributing to a short story anthology with four other authors from The BOOKLounge for Readers and Authors. The anthology is scheduled for release in October 2023.
A native of San Diego, California, Laura now lives in Tucson, Arizona with her two dogs, Rose and Cooper.
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April 8, 2024
What is the Secret of Blossom Rise?
When a young nurse takes a job at an old military hospital she finds the answers to an old family question – what is the secret of Blossom Rise Hospital? Who is the long-dead man who walks the grounds?
#Ebook #Audiobook #Paranormal #Ghoststory
April 6, 2024
Cover Reveal – Tales of Erana: Just One Mistake #Fantasy
Here’s my shiny new cover for Tales of Erana: Just One Mistake
Coel, the bard, thinks his life has taken a turn for the worst, but he hasn’t met the Thiefmaster yet. An ill-conceived notion of earning more money to pay off his debt and escape a dark past leaves the minstrel in a situation he can’t escape and with a deadly bargain. Will he survive his mistake? Who is this mysterious patron?
Universal Link https://www.books2read.com/Justonemistake
April 5, 2024
Excerpt – The Watcher – A. L. Butcher #Horror #Shortfiction #DarkFantasy
The Watcher (c) A. L. Butcher
1888
Women of the lowest class plied their pitiful trade beneath the spluttering gas lamps, among the filth, the crime and the poverty. Some argued they embodied all three. The Great Social Evil – the plague of vice had been called, and Oscar Wilde wrote of the ‘mechanical grotesques’ ‘ghosts’ and ‘skeletons’ and for many of these poor souls, this was their fate. The ‘unfortunates’ sold their bodies for the cost of a bed for the night, barely a couple of pennies, or a glass of Geneva liquor, scourge of the poor. Solace came at a price.
This was the London of Her Majesty Queen Victoria in the declining years of the Nineteenth Century and it was dark and deadly for the poor, although the Empire spanned a quarter of the world. It was held to be the greatest Empire, the most advanced, but history can shield many lies. This was the age of steam travel, science, and ever-growing knowledge. The superstitions of the past were waning. Widowed, ever-mourning, upright, and moral, Victoria ruled this realm and many others as far-flung as India. This was a time of literature and of discovery, of social unrest and discontent. Behind the façade, a pernicious creature lurked. And this creature wanted blood.
Venereal disease, alcoholism, and assault were commonplace and life was, unfortunately, cheap. Women and children often paid the ultimate price. The enlightened Victorians turned their sight away from the darkness that crawled through the streets and the terror and despair that lurked around every corner for the poor.
In the autumn of 1888, things were about to get worse…much, much worse. A legend would stalk the streets, taking lives and gaining a kind of immortality. Death would come early to five women, perhaps more, and brutality would rule.
To this day no one knows the true identity of Britain’s most infamous serial killer, although many have put forward theories – from a Prince of the Realm, to a mad midwife, to a doctor, to a sailor, to an American, to a Jew. He or she could have been any of these or none. The first modern murderer, a deadly threat, a terrible myth – all of these and more, was this killer. None knew why he killed as and when he did, not then.
For three months, he held London in terror. Then he disappeared. Yet his legacy lived on for many years. Even now this man, if he was a man, fascinates students of true crime, but the truth remains as elusive as the shadowy figure of Jack the Ripper….
Synopsis – The year is 1888, and the place is Whitechapel, in the very heart of London. But the heart is bleeding. A mysterious killer is stalking women of the streets – his true name is unknown, but his legend will go down in history. This is a short tale of Jack the Ripper.
Who was this man? Was it a man at all?
A dark fantasy/gothic horror short tale with a twist.
Note – contains scenes of violence against women.
https://www.books2read.com/TheWatcherJTR
April 3, 2024
Writer Wednesday – Dos and Don’ts of KDP Publishing – Part One
There are scores of folks getting their books and accounts blocked on KDP because, frankly, they’ve done little or zero research, fallen prey to the scammers and charlatans or are in too much of a hurry to publish.
I’ve been publishing on KDP for over a decade and have several books on Amazon, so I consider myself a veteran. I’ve taken the time to read the help pages, the terms of service and learn the skills I need. And I’m still learning.
I’ve learned how to format for both ebook and print editions, learned how to make a cover that reasonably good, learned marketing, editing/proofreading, research and a whole host more. It’s called SELF PUBLISHING and there’s no one to hold your hand.
Publishing, even self-publishing, is a business and should be approached as such. It may be a hobby, but it’s still a binding agreement with KDP or whichever other platforms you use.
Dos and Don’ts – part 1
DO – READ THE HELP PAGES – yes, really. All of them. Most of the answers to the newbie question are there (although can be a little vague). They will most likely answer questions you didn’t know you had.
https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help?ref_=TN_help
DO – READ THE TERMS OF SERVICE – publishing is a business. There’s a contract. You agree to abide by the terms the moment you publish with KDP.. It never ceases to amaze me the number of people on the KDP forum who think Amazon is stealing from them, restricting their ‘freedom of speech’, or arbitrarily blocking their accounts or books because they are mean/racist or whatever.
https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200627430
Amazon/KDP is a business, they have certain rules to abide by, and can terminate the contract (as can you), or insist that publishers abide by the rules. Their house, their rules. Don’t like the terms, go elsewhere.
Keep in mind this is a BUSINESS. You’re now a publisher.
DO NOT – SHARE YOUR LOG IN DETAILS. With anyone. Ever. You CANNOT give your log in to a third party, or get a third party to create an account for you, then give you the details. You WILL get your account banned.SEE SECTION 4 of the KDP agreement –
4.3 Account Security. You are solely responsible for safeguarding and maintaining the confidentiality of your account username and password and are responsible for all activities that occur under your account, whether or not you have authorized those activities. You are responsible and may be held liable for losses incurred by Amazon due to any such activities. You may not permit any third party to use the Program through your account and will not use the account of any third party. Your acceptance of this Agreement includes and is on behalf of any other party who uses the Program under or in connection with your account, such as an employee or contractor. You agree to immediately notify Amazon of any unauthorized use of your username, password or account.
So no, you can’t give anyone else your details – there are various businesses that claim to be affiliated with KDP that will ‘set up your account’ – they aren’t and they can’t. Or at least they shouldn’t.
DO NOT – HAVE MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS. If you lose your account because you didn’t follow the rules – too bad.
From the TOS
4.2 Account Information; No Multiple Accounts. …. You may maintain only one account at a time. If we terminate your account, you will not establish a new account. You will not use false identities or impersonate any other person or use a username or password you are not authorized to use. You also consent to us sending you emails relating to the Program and other publishing opportunities from time to time.
DO – SOME RESEARCH AND LEARN SKILLS – publishing isn’t a breeze, there are skills to be learned and marketing is a must. It’s one thing uploading your book to KDP but another matter selling it. Who are your target audience? Do you have a social media following? Are you prepared to put in hours a week to promote your book(s)? Do you have the money to spend on paid advertising? Again, READ THE HELP PAGES – ensure you understand what you’re getting into and what is required.
Be prepared to do a lot of marketing. Amazon does NOT do this for you unless you use the paid ads – and that’s a host more skills to learn to do this successfully.
Not everyone has the skills involved with self-publishing, is willing or able to learn them. That’s fine, but ensure you know what’s likely to be involved and how to go about acquiring the skills or finding a reputable person to help you/hire if you don’t have the skills. If you do hire someone – check carefully if they are legit. If you aren’t sure, ask on the KDP forum, or ask for testimonials, or reviews. If you aren’t comfortable – don’t give out money.
There are good, reliable, honest formatters, editors and cover designers – but there are a lot of dodgy ones, doing shoddy work, taking the money of people who probably would have known better had they looked into it, or people who fall for the hype. Just because some guy on tiktok said it, or the website looks all shiny doesn’t mean they are reliable.
It’s better to learn to do most of these things yourself, if you can.
DO – FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH THE DASHBOARD – Take the time to look at the reports, and your dashboard. Familiarise yourself with how the reports work.
The 30-day report can be a little misleading – it’s a rolling report for the LAST 30 DAYS. So as a new day appears a day drops off at the other end.
The Month to Date is probably the one you use the most – but of course that resets at the start of a new month – you can check previous months on the ‘Prior Months’ Royalties’.
Honestly it’s not that complicated – and sales will show up. Print sales show up AFTER the book is printed and dispatched and for expanded distribution – this can be a couple of months later. Just because your mother, friend or acquaintance said they bought the book doesn’t mean they did… if you truly believe Amazon is stealing your royalties then why are you doing business with them?
DO NOT – KEYWORD STUFF YOUR TITLE/MAKE SPURIOUS CLAIMS – lots of publishers are finding their books being blocked and even losing their account because they keyword-stuffed their title or subtitle.
Title should be something like:
Frankenstein
Subtitle (which isn’t mandatory so if you don’t need it don’t have one).
The Modern Prometheus
NOT FRANKENSTEIN – an amateur scientist’s guide to body building, graverobbing, playing god, a novel for all ages, so long as you like gothic.
A lot of low content creators (don’t get me started on that) keyword stuff their title – Animal colouring book 6×9 for kids, women, men, adults, boys, girls.
Subtitle – calming, relaxing stress releasing, colouring book for X, Y, Z.
In this case – Animal Colouring Book – is fine for the title – everything else should be in the description – except the claims.
You can’t guarantee it is ‘stress relieving’ or will help with mental health etc UNLESS you have the credentials to back it up. KDP Amazon is very hot on not allowing ‘misleading or disappointing customer experience’.
Recently there has been a spate of people getting AI to ‘write’ travel books, using freely available images of places and trying to publish as their work. No. No. No. (Don’t get me started on AI writing either).
AI (to my understanding) takes already created work and basically adapts it. And frankly if you have no experience of the area featured in the book, and have basically swiped the info from somewhere else and used stock photos – don’t even think about publishing a travel book…. Would you buy a book, written by a robot and published by someone who knows nothing about the area? No. Thought not.
DO USE YOUR OWN MATERIAL – do not use someone else’s IP (see above). Copyrighted material isn’t available to be swiped because you found it online. If it resembles someone’s copyright or trademarked stuff don’t use it. if you aren’t totally sure or don’t have the correct license – don’t use it. No Disneyesque princesses, no cars that look a lot like a certain cat-related motor vehicle, no Harley Patter and the Philosopher’s Soap. No Taylor Swift notebook.
If it’s not yours, or you can’t prove you have the rights to it – don’t use it.
If you’ve written it, or created it, then go for it. Otherwise – don’t bother. You will be found out…
DON’T – ASSUME THE RULES DON’T APPLY TO YOU. They do. Everyone who publishes on KDP has to follow the same set of rules, guidelines etc. EVERYONE. Your book has to meet certain criteria to be published. If it doesn’t meet them it won’t be published. You can’t do anything quirky or off the wall. If you want to do something unusual then find a local printer, have the copies printed and set up as a seller, or use somewhere like Lulu.com which has more scope.
DO – BE REALISTIC – most indies sell very few books, (for all sorts of reasons). It’s unlikely you’ll make a living and it’s certainly not a passive income, despite what that guy on You tube/Tiktok said.
More on this to follow.
March 31, 2024
The Best of Lexie Bay – Release Blitz – Erotica
NOTE – Excerpt and book adult rated.
New Release: The Best of Lexie Bay – Volume Two
Introduction:
Hi, I’m Lexie and I’m so excited to share with you that I am back in the erotic writing world. I’ve been writing part time on and off since 2010 but, in 2023, after several years of focusing on my day job, I decided to quit and throw myself back into writing full time. I’m working on lots of exciting projects right now but before I release anything new, I wanted to pull together all the stories I’ve had published in different anthologies over the years. I released The Best of Lexie Bay – Volume One at the end of last year and now I’m back with Volume Two which covers the second half of my writing career, before my day job took over.
I hope you enjoy it!
Blurb:
Relive more of Lexie’s short stories in this second anthology, where you’ll discover new delights at an award ceremony after party, enjoy the heat with a hot summer fling and bring out your voyeuristic side at a masquerade ball that takes a turn to the dark side. You’ll find millionaires, Doms and bad boys, get a taste for the wild side and discover some very interesting kinks!
Lose yourself in Lexie’s fantasy world and get hot under the collar with “The Best of Lexie Bay – Volume Two”. Nine stories, originally published between 2013 and 2017, now all in one place for a whole night of pleasure.
Buy Links:
https://books2read.com/TheBestofLexieBayVolumeTwo
Also Available:
https://books2read.com/TheBestofLexieBay-VolumeOne
Excerpt from Masquerade:
Valtteri took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifting her face to his. His lips were so close and Scarlett tried to kiss him. He pulled away a little, teasing her and then gave in to their mutual desire and pressed his lips gently against hers. Scarlett relaxed as his tongue explored her mouth, his familiarity making her feel safe. Valtteri would never let anyone hurt her. He might like to frighten her a little but she was his and he guarded her fiercely.
“I think you’ll enjoy tonight, little one,” he whispered. “As I said, I know exactly what you like and I am going to give it to you. Call it an early Christmas present. Of course you know that I will enjoy every minute of it too.”
“Valtteri,” she whispered, her eyes dark with longing. “Will you keep me safe?”
“My sweet baby, I will always keep you safe, you have nothing to fear from me. You are mine and somehow, I appear to be yours. No-one has ever filled my thoughts like you do.”
His admission made her smile.
“Who are these people?”
Valtteri looked around at the beautiful people gathered around them. “These Scarlett are my loyal subjects. They have been with me for a very long time and they have seen many girls come and go. I have not cared before but tonight I need you to pass the initiation. It is not enough for me to love you; I need them to accept you too.”
“I’m scared,” Scarlett said, trying to swallow the desire to run even though she knew she could not.
“Let the fear push you on to experience everything you’ve ever wanted. We will help you fulfil your desires…. and ours.”
The light flickered on the walls of the vast room and Scarlett felt a curl of fear as Valtteri walked away from her and the group started to move closer. Shadows fell across the floor and Scarlett realised that many of them were holding what at first glance looked like implements of torture. She trawled her mind to think what Valtteri could have pulled from the depths of her imagination while they had been fucking. She was sure that this was when he had been in her head. She had always felt so close to him when he was inside her, more than with anyone else. She wondered what he was. What they all were. Because as this evening unfolded it was becoming more apparent that they were definitely not human.
The mask obscured a lot of her vision as she tried to see more of her surroundings. Valtteri pulled a lever and the cross rose a couple of inches into the air and spun a slow 360 degrees. There weren’t as many… she hesitated to say people… as she’d first thought but lining the walls, where there had been huge pictures, there were now mirrors. Scarlett watched herself rotate, her tattered dress floating around her. She admired her reflection, the black of her dress and hair highlighting her ivory skin which shimmered in the firelight. But even her skin looked warm against the iridescence of the figures around her.
She caught the eye of a tall blonde standing next to a mirror. She was holding a small flogger with only a few tails and distinctive pointy ends and Scarlett held her gaze as she moved past her. A flash of fantasy made her juices flow and she hoped beyond hope that Valtteri had incorporated her desire for pain. He knew how much she enjoyed it. She could almost feel the sting of the whip on her skin and before she could even look for Valtteri to see his face, the girl was in front of her and the cross stopped spinning and tipped backwards a little, exposing Scarlett’s pussy further. The girl leaned over until she was so close Scarlett should be able to feel her breath on her face, but there was nothing but the glow of her eyes and the smooth plumpness of her pouting lips.
Author Bio:
Lexie lives in Brighton with her family. Her favourite thing is to write stories with a HEA, infused with that dizzy feeling of falling in love, but she also has a naughty side so her stories stay true to her original romantic dream while exploring the erotic, the kinky and sometimes the darker side of love and lust.
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