Cat Phoenix's Blog, page 2
July 2, 2018
Who doesn't love fun facts?
Fighting is free at Smashwords.com until the end of July!
5 fun facts you may not know:
1.) Lying is from August's perspective, but Confessing is alternating perspectives between Spencer and August.
2.) I wrote two books because that's just how long it took to tell their story, but also so that Spencer sort of gets his own book, too, because he deserves it.
3.) I am currently writing a spin-off book featuring two new characters we meet in Lying. They live in a town called Summit, so because I haven't hammered down the title yet, I'm temporarily calling it Summit #1. It will start a new series called Summit. I will announce the official title when I announce the book's publish date (no worries, it won't be five years from now). Check my Current Projects for my writing progress bar!
4.) It took a few years to write these two books, and while it killed me to keep putting off publishing, it had to take this long to get the final story out. There's just no way around it. If I'd published what I had in the normal publishing time frame for a sequel, you'd have a totally different story and only one book.
5.) These two new books (and let's be real, probably all of my future work) have lots of graphic violence, sex and language, so even though it's romance, maybe don't let your grandmother read these unless she's one of those cool grannies who owns a motorcycle and approves of you skipping school even though she donated her hard-earned money to your college fund.
This is the end of the post, but the beginning of a whole new story for you to sink your teeth into. I hope it's tasty enough for you. Seriously, I hope it leaves you salivating for more. Or maybe just some good old BBQ.
This blog post was transplanted from my website.
5 fun facts you may not know:
1.) Lying is from August's perspective, but Confessing is alternating perspectives between Spencer and August.
2.) I wrote two books because that's just how long it took to tell their story, but also so that Spencer sort of gets his own book, too, because he deserves it.
3.) I am currently writing a spin-off book featuring two new characters we meet in Lying. They live in a town called Summit, so because I haven't hammered down the title yet, I'm temporarily calling it Summit #1. It will start a new series called Summit. I will announce the official title when I announce the book's publish date (no worries, it won't be five years from now). Check my Current Projects for my writing progress bar!
4.) It took a few years to write these two books, and while it killed me to keep putting off publishing, it had to take this long to get the final story out. There's just no way around it. If I'd published what I had in the normal publishing time frame for a sequel, you'd have a totally different story and only one book.
5.) These two new books (and let's be real, probably all of my future work) have lots of graphic violence, sex and language, so even though it's romance, maybe don't let your grandmother read these unless she's one of those cool grannies who owns a motorcycle and approves of you skipping school even though she donated her hard-earned money to your college fund.
This is the end of the post, but the beginning of a whole new story for you to sink your teeth into. I hope it's tasty enough for you. Seriously, I hope it leaves you salivating for more. Or maybe just some good old BBQ.
This blog post was transplanted from my website.
June 26, 2018
Hot off the press!
Please note: your excitement for Lying is currently giving me life.
Other news:
Lying is now available for pre-order on Amazon!
Also, I have a new website. Check it out here. I vow to update it regularly.
Tell your friends! Tell your dogs and/or cats. Tell your teachers (trick them into thinking you read solely to learn). Yell it from the rooftops to piss off your neighbors, so long as it isn't lightning. If you want lightning, please wait for Halloween for maximum effect.
People not to tell: Your pastor. Your grandparents. Your passive-aggressive ex. The plumber. Your local mortician.
Actually, the mortician is cool, but he's broody and mysterious, so don't scare him with it all at once. Leave it in a subtle note. With a link back to this page. You know, to thoroughly confuse him about your true intentions as his customer. Mostly because customers usually have a dead body on their hands.
That is all. Have a fantastic day.
P.S. Please do not confuse your local mortician with your local assassin. Thanks a bunch.
Other news:
Lying is now available for pre-order on Amazon!
Also, I have a new website. Check it out here. I vow to update it regularly.
Tell your friends! Tell your dogs and/or cats. Tell your teachers (trick them into thinking you read solely to learn). Yell it from the rooftops to piss off your neighbors, so long as it isn't lightning. If you want lightning, please wait for Halloween for maximum effect.
People not to tell: Your pastor. Your grandparents. Your passive-aggressive ex. The plumber. Your local mortician.
Actually, the mortician is cool, but he's broody and mysterious, so don't scare him with it all at once. Leave it in a subtle note. With a link back to this page. You know, to thoroughly confuse him about your true intentions as his customer. Mostly because customers usually have a dead body on their hands.
That is all. Have a fantastic day.
P.S. Please do not confuse your local mortician with your local assassin. Thanks a bunch.
June 20, 2018
Confessing
I'm here to announce the third book in the series, Confessing! It will be published on August 22, 2018.
June 13, 2018
June 2018 Update
The time has come! The sequel to Fighting, Lying, is officially added to Goodreads with a solid release date, July 18th. The third book will soon follow! I hope you love it as much as I do!
February 14, 2017
2017 Update
Just a quick update:
Writer's block is a total bitch, and I only die a little bit on the inside when I think about how long it's been since I released Fighting without publishing the sequel.
But I promise I'm writing it! Sadly, I didn't finish it in time for early 2015, but I've never stopped working on it. August's "sequel" turned into 2 books, which will lead into the next 2 books in the series focusing on different characters. I'm planning on releasing the next 2 books back to back, and then releasing the 3rd as soon as it's finished. I wish I could give you a release date, but I don't want to break any promises. I'm hoping and praying it'll be in 2017.
Don't forget about the crew, they're still alive and kicking and repeatedly punching me in the stomach to be released to the public. Thank you for all the feedback! It's (hopefully) made me into a better writer.
Cat Phoenix
Writer's block is a total bitch, and I only die a little bit on the inside when I think about how long it's been since I released Fighting without publishing the sequel.
But I promise I'm writing it! Sadly, I didn't finish it in time for early 2015, but I've never stopped working on it. August's "sequel" turned into 2 books, which will lead into the next 2 books in the series focusing on different characters. I'm planning on releasing the next 2 books back to back, and then releasing the 3rd as soon as it's finished. I wish I could give you a release date, but I don't want to break any promises. I'm hoping and praying it'll be in 2017.
Don't forget about the crew, they're still alive and kicking and repeatedly punching me in the stomach to be released to the public. Thank you for all the feedback! It's (hopefully) made me into a better writer.
Cat Phoenix
May 20, 2014
Soul-Burning Music
I'm a book addict, and it's very rare that I read without listening to music. The the same is true for when I write, so you could say I'm also a music addict. I figured it'd be cool to share the music I listened to when I wrote Fighting. It's the kind of thing I like to know about my favorite authors, so I thought, eh, why not?
I didn't write a single page of Fighting without listening to music of some sort. A lot of it came from internet radio. Say what you will about it, but internet radio comes in handy when you don't want to abuse a specific album that you love, but you still want that same feel of music. My favorite radio stations range from Right Away Great Captain to Massive Attack to Doo-Wop.
For the songs I wanted to listen on repeat, I bought them and made playlists.
The playlist I listened to the MOST is called Fighting. Appropriate, no?
It's all over the place, but it's safe to assume I listened to the slower, more intense songs during the slower paced, more intense scenes. The fast hitting, pulsing music I saved for the action scenes.
I'm inspired by lyrics, but sometimes I ignore them altogether because I'm so caught up in the music itself. I'm often guilty of being more in tune with moods than I am lyrics. But I'm a writer, so I definitely love the words, too. The words and the music are married together, so I get the best of both worlds. (Oh, God. Did I just make a Hannah Montana reference? Someone kill me.)
If you don't like my music (or if you like Hannah Montana) that's okay. Don't be a dick about it, and we can still be friends!
1. Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap
2. Midnight City by M83
3. Soldier on by The Temper Trap
4. Sorrowing Man by City and Coulour
5. Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear
6. Sparks by Coldplay
7. See You Soon by Coldplay
8. So Long, Lonesome by Explosions in the Sky
9. Breathe Me by Sia
10. Wayfaring Stranger by Ed Sheeran
11. Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran
12. Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran
13. Third Degree by Eric Clapton
14. Bottom of the River by Delta Rae
15. Keep You by Wilde Belle
16. Haunt While I Sleep by Right Away Great Captain
17. Black Milk by Massive Attack
18. Teardrop by Massive Attack
19. Hayling by FC/Kahuna
For the action scenes, I listened to action movie soundtracks that made my pulse race. I also drank a few energy drinks and tried not to twitch around too much. (I spilled a drink near my keyboard once and almost had a stroke. Strokes not conductive to writing.)
Ah, but what about the sexy scenes, you ask. That's what you really want to know. It really depended on the mood I was in. Typically, I like slow, pulsing music, and for those special scenes, it's almost never acoustic guitar. I either abused Massive Attack or Portishead internet radio, or my (short) sexy playlist.
1. Western Eyes by Portishead
2. Only You by Portishead
3. Glory Box by Portishead
4. All Mine by Portishead
(Are you seeing a trend here?)
5. Butterfly by Bassnectar
6. Between Two Points by The Glitch Mob
7. Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran
8. Mood Build on The Bourne Identity Soundtrack
I promise I'm not being a music snob with a collection of tracks that are so underground, I get to scoff when you say you've never heard of them. It's not like that. Like I said, I listened to a lot of Doo-Wop hits that you would have to live under a rock not to recognize (I LOVE Little Bitty Pretty One by Thurston Harris), a lot of One Republic, Imagine Dragons, shit like that that's on the radio and already in my music library that you know and love. But the stuff that really inspired me was a little slower, a little darker and a little more soul-burning. Is that a thing that exists outside of hell? Burning of the soul, but in a good way? It might be heart burn. I do love tacos.
The music I listened to when I wrote the sequel to Fighting (coming soon! Squee!) is similar, but kind of vastly different. I'll make another (rambling) post about that very soon. It's mostly dubstep. Don't laugh at me.
I am eternally grateful for your reviews and ratings! You kind of made my life by reading my book at all.
I didn't write a single page of Fighting without listening to music of some sort. A lot of it came from internet radio. Say what you will about it, but internet radio comes in handy when you don't want to abuse a specific album that you love, but you still want that same feel of music. My favorite radio stations range from Right Away Great Captain to Massive Attack to Doo-Wop.
For the songs I wanted to listen on repeat, I bought them and made playlists.
The playlist I listened to the MOST is called Fighting. Appropriate, no?
It's all over the place, but it's safe to assume I listened to the slower, more intense songs during the slower paced, more intense scenes. The fast hitting, pulsing music I saved for the action scenes.
I'm inspired by lyrics, but sometimes I ignore them altogether because I'm so caught up in the music itself. I'm often guilty of being more in tune with moods than I am lyrics. But I'm a writer, so I definitely love the words, too. The words and the music are married together, so I get the best of both worlds. (Oh, God. Did I just make a Hannah Montana reference? Someone kill me.)
If you don't like my music (or if you like Hannah Montana) that's okay. Don't be a dick about it, and we can still be friends!
1. Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap
2. Midnight City by M83
3. Soldier on by The Temper Trap
4. Sorrowing Man by City and Coulour
5. Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear
6. Sparks by Coldplay
7. See You Soon by Coldplay
8. So Long, Lonesome by Explosions in the Sky
9. Breathe Me by Sia
10. Wayfaring Stranger by Ed Sheeran
11. Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran
12. Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran
13. Third Degree by Eric Clapton
14. Bottom of the River by Delta Rae
15. Keep You by Wilde Belle
16. Haunt While I Sleep by Right Away Great Captain
17. Black Milk by Massive Attack
18. Teardrop by Massive Attack
19. Hayling by FC/Kahuna
For the action scenes, I listened to action movie soundtracks that made my pulse race. I also drank a few energy drinks and tried not to twitch around too much. (I spilled a drink near my keyboard once and almost had a stroke. Strokes not conductive to writing.)
Ah, but what about the sexy scenes, you ask. That's what you really want to know. It really depended on the mood I was in. Typically, I like slow, pulsing music, and for those special scenes, it's almost never acoustic guitar. I either abused Massive Attack or Portishead internet radio, or my (short) sexy playlist.
1. Western Eyes by Portishead
2. Only You by Portishead
3. Glory Box by Portishead
4. All Mine by Portishead
(Are you seeing a trend here?)
5. Butterfly by Bassnectar
6. Between Two Points by The Glitch Mob
7. Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran
8. Mood Build on The Bourne Identity Soundtrack
I promise I'm not being a music snob with a collection of tracks that are so underground, I get to scoff when you say you've never heard of them. It's not like that. Like I said, I listened to a lot of Doo-Wop hits that you would have to live under a rock not to recognize (I LOVE Little Bitty Pretty One by Thurston Harris), a lot of One Republic, Imagine Dragons, shit like that that's on the radio and already in my music library that you know and love. But the stuff that really inspired me was a little slower, a little darker and a little more soul-burning. Is that a thing that exists outside of hell? Burning of the soul, but in a good way? It might be heart burn. I do love tacos.
The music I listened to when I wrote the sequel to Fighting (coming soon! Squee!) is similar, but kind of vastly different. I'll make another (rambling) post about that very soon. It's mostly dubstep. Don't laugh at me.
I am eternally grateful for your reviews and ratings! You kind of made my life by reading my book at all.
