S.C. Wynne's Blog, page 2
October 30, 2021
New Release M/M Cozy Mystery by S.C. Wynne
I hope you enjoy the latest release from S.C. Wynne.
My book Last Gasp is my first cozy mm mystery/romance. No steam on-page, which was a challenge for me because as you know, I enjoy writing a good sex scene. But I loved the slow burn that’s developing between Kip and Merrick. I hope you love them as much as I do.
Merrick is Kip’s older brother’s BFF, and nothing seems to bring Merrick more joy than nagging Kip about silly things. You’d think a Police Chief would have more important things to do than lecture Kip on parking tickets and picking up pet waste, but somehow Merrick always finds the time.
Kip decides to take an art class at the local community college, and he’s annoyed to find Merrick has also enrolled in the course. The instructor takes a shine to Kip, and soon they become friends outside of class. Merrick warns Kip of the dangers of blurring those lines and befriending his teacher, but Kip is flattered by the attention.
Blurb:
Kip O’Connor lives a simple life in the little seaside town of Pearl Bay. Unless it’s tourist season, things tend to be pretty peaceful. There is, however, one never-ending source of irritation in the form of Police Chief Merrick Dawson.
When his art teacher is found stabbed through the forehead with a palette knife, Kip is determined to figure out who killed his new friend. Merrick naturally thinks Kip getting involved in the investigation is a horrible idea, but when has Kip ever listened to that irksome, pig-headed Merrick Dawson?
Available at all your favorite retailers!
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October 25, 2020
Reader Expectations VS Author’s Real Lives
I saw a post on Facebook that got me thinking. I’ll be honest, it also annoyed me. The post was complaining that a certain author had disappointed him by not putting out a book in a series that was promised. I have no idea who this author is, nor do I know the reader. But, this reader’s post got me thinking about what is owed readers from authors.
The plain truth is, authors owe readers a good story. Nothing more. But good stories don’t just come out of nowhere. Writing an engaging story that readers will love, is extremely hard work. Every single word that ends up on that page comes from thin air, and they all have to make sense.
Let me also make one thing clear: When authors don’t finish a series, it isn’t to spite readers.
There are a ton of reasons why authors put certain books off. Often it’s that they can’t get into the story enough to finish the book. Most authors want to put out a good product, not just slap some awful book out, so that people stop asking. Sometimes the books people are asking for weren’t the most profitable ones, and authors need to concentrate on a project that pays the bills quicker.
Authors aren’t vending machines. Creativity comes when it comes. Authors are humans who suffer from depression, sickness, lack of creativity. We have children, lives, sick parents.
The new climate of publishing has people pumping books out every month, and I think it’s made readers think that’s the norm. I guess it probably is the norm now. But it wasn’t always the norm. You can’t force creativity. Some books are easier to write than others.
I suppose I find it disheartening that some readers are callous about how they view authors. As if we’re not really people. Seeing a bunch of others jump in on that post to complain about how frustrating it is to wait for books was discouraging. I understand that readers are frustrated, but so are the authors. Authors who can’t write because of stress or burn out aren’t enjoying life. We’re usually crippled with depression because we know we’re letting readers down.
Maybe no one cares what authors feel. Maybe certain readers just want the books, and will never have empathy for what an author might be struggling with. But I felt the need to speak up for myself, and all the other authors out there, who sometimes struggle with pumping book out like an assembly line.
Because creating something from absolutely nothing isn’t easy. Creating characters, and a world that engages a reader’s mind so intensely that they can’t wait for the next book is hard work. I don’t just want to write books that people forget in a day. I want my characters to stick with the reader. I want my stories to mean something.
My stories are more than just the ISBN number.
S.C.
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June 17, 2020
Bullying and the LGBTQ Community.
Bullying is definitely a touchy subject in the LGBTQ community.A lot of times the MM romance market follows trends from the MF market, only maybe they show up years later? But I think there are certain trends that might never translate well into the MM world. One big trend right now in MF is bully romance. There are tons of Reverse Harem stories in MF where the female lead is basically tortured the entire book. Often the female lead does get the upper hand at some point, but there is definitely a lot of pages where she is basically used sexually and abused mentally.
They say many women read bully romance because they’re working through being bullied when they were younger. Reading about a tough heroine who overcomes the bullies makes them feel vindicated. I don’t think that storyline would go over well in MM romance. There are a lot of people who would have issues because the LGBTQ community is considered a vulnerable group and readers don’t appreciate seeing them picked on.
I did deal with bullying a bit in Painful Lessons. Maybe it was more stalking than bullying, but bullying takes all different forms. Here’s a link to that book.
Bullying is especially problematic in the MM romance world because so many people in the LGBTQ community have suffered bullying. Straight people get bullied too, but it’s not on the same level I would guess? My husband is a ginger, and he was bullied horribly in grade school. But no one would think to bully him today. Bullying for most straight people probably stops once they’re out of grammar school or high school, where as people in the LGBTQ community probably have to struggle with it their entire lives.
Thoughts? What do you think about the subject matter? Do you think the LGBT community could handle books that have to do with bullying?
Here’s an article about bullying in the LGBTQ community.
The post Bullying and the LGBTQ Community. first appeared on scwynne.com.Bullying
A lot of times the MM romance market follows trends from the MF market, only maybe they show up years later? But I think there are certain trends that might never translate well into the MM world. One big trend right now in MF is bully romance.
They say many women read bully romance because they’re working through being bullied when they were younger. Reading about a tough heroine who overcomes the bullies makes them feel vindicated. I don’t think that story-line would go over well in MM romance.
Bullying is especially problematic in the MM romance world because so many people in the LGBTQ community have suffered bullying. Straight people get bullied too, but it’s not on the same level I would guess? My husband is a ginger, and he was bullied horribly in grade school. But no one would think to bully him today. Bullying for most straight people probably stops once they’re out of grammar school or high school, where as people in the LGBTQ community probably have to struggle with it their entire lives.
Thoughts?
March 17, 2020
Things Have Changed By S.C. Wynne
Is it just me, or does no one ever talk about the art of writing anymore?
The craft of writing? The quality of the stories? It seems like most author
discussions are simply about how quickly we need to put out our books.
I think Kindle Unlimited has changed the landscape profoundly.
When we used to purchase each book, we had different expectations.
When we used to put money down for each individual story, it went
without saying the books should be well written and professionally edited. I
see a ton of poorly edited books out there in KU, but I don’t get the
impression readers mind. Maybe that’s because Kindle Unlimited encourages very
fast reading. You want to get your money’s worth and read as many books as
possible. I get it. But I can’t help but feel sad that few readers seem to
savor books these days. I almost never see anyone discussing books in depth.
I’m not talking about my books, by the way, I’m talking about books in general.
Authors are having to hit publish at an alarming rate to make any money at
all. That’s because Kindle Unlimited only pays authors LESS THAN HALF A CENT A
PAGE so it’s understandable why many authors feel pressured to pump books out
at a crazy pace. Some authors publish three or four books a month. My fingers
would fall off. How would anyone find time to write four books in one month,
let alone get them edited? I’d need a time machine to get that done.
Even social media is different these days. Because authors are having to hit
publish constantly, or fear they’ll be forgotten, Facebook and Twitter seems to
be nothing but people promoting new releases every five minutes. Much of the
recs and interactions feel forced. Fake. More and more I find social media to
be nothing but white noise and advertising. Personal interaction is dropping,
and being on social media is less and less something I want to be a part of. I
have my core readers and author buddies who make life fun, but I miss the days
when social media interaction felt more organic. Intimate. Do you?
I have no idea how to fix this, or if it even is something that can or
should be fixed. Maybe some of you see no need to change how it is now. Maybe
savoring books is a thing of the past for a vast majority of readers. I’ve
always enjoyed that though, and I find myself re-reading many of the authors
I’ve loved over the years, rather than taking a chance on some of the new
releases by new authors. But then again, I’m someone who’ll wear my favorite
flannel shirt until it literally falls off my body, before giving a new shirt a
shot. So it might just be me. lol
What do you think? Please keep it civil, and be respectful of the fact that
we don’t all have to think the same thing to be friends. 
February 11, 2020
Dual POV or Single By S.C. Wynne
I re-released a title recently, Secrets From the Edge, and
one of the reviews got me thinking. I sometimes do that! 
September 11, 2019
New Release
Book Two in my Bad Guys and Babies Series just released, Omega Tricked. This book was so fun to write. I love writing these jaded characters who are mostly bad, but also good. It’s fun watching them change as they fall in love with the people they’re usually mistreating.
Buy the Book
Blurb:
Solar eclipse omega, Dylan Harris is reeling from the loss of his mate and child. He lives at the secret compound in the mountains, trying to make sense of a life he now finds meaningless.
Lex Sabine is the son of a ruthless mobster, and while Lex is no angel, he’s never had any interest in running his dad’s empire. When Lex’s father goes missing, Lex is grudgingly forced to take the helm of his dad’s business.
Searching for answers about what happened to his Dad, Lex ends up at the compound in the mountains. He knows the fortress holds secrets, but he has no idea what those secrets are. He befriends Dylan in an attempt to get information, but is shocked at the intense connection they share. Lex has never been interested in men, but against his will, he’s drawn to Dylan.
When the men give into their need, and Dylan gets pregnant, he hopes for a new chance at happiness. Until he learns the truth about who Lex is, and how he’s been using him all along.
This darker romance is a non-shifter story set in an Alpha/Omega world and contains mpreg (male pregnancy). This is a standalone fated-mate, gay for you story and Book Two in the: Bad Guys and Babies mpreg series.
June 11, 2019
New Mpreg Series
AVAILABLE NOW FOR PRE-ORDER
I wanted to write another mpreg book because people have been asking for them, and I enjoy writing them. I decided to start a new series but still set in the original world I built in my Bodyguards and Babies Mpreg series.
This one is a little darker, the alpha, Jack, is a bit of a bad guy. He’s complicated though, and driven to do the right thing because of how drawn he is to Carter.
Blurb:
When you wake up bound, drugged, and freezing your ass off in a shed out in the middle of nowhere, it’s pretty obvious something in your life has gone horribly wrong.
Omega Carter Lewis lives a pampered, wealthy life. He has the luxury of spending his dad’s money and only working when he feels like it. Things are pretty damn perfect, until he wakes up as the victim of a kidnapping.
Alpha Jack Johnson owes someone from his past a favor. He has no interest in kidnapping Carter, but you don’t say no to mob boss Corbin Sabine. Jack has been out of that seedy world a long time, but he grudgingly agrees to keep Carter at his place, until the ransom is paid.
From the first moment Carter and Jack catch scent of each other, some bizarre attraction tugs at them. But that makes no sense because Carter despises the gruff alpha holding him captive, and Jack just wants the mouthy punk omega out of his house.
When the kidnapping runs into a major hitch, Corbin Sabine’s youngest son decides they need to kill Carter, and start new with another mark. Jack should just look the other way and let that happen. He shouldn’t care whether Carter lives or dies. He should just keep his damn head down, and move on with his life.
Instead, Jack protects Carter, and everything spins out of control.
June 4, 2019
I Won A Lambda Award! By S.C. Wynne
Writing is a difficult, although wonderful career. Ideas are the easy part, putting the story down in a way that will connect with the readers is the hard part.
Honestly, sometimes I have no idea why one book is better received than another. I always put my heart and soul into any story I write, but sometimes the readers just don’t respond the same way. It’s a mysterious thing why one book resonates, and another doesn’t.
Yesterday my story Crashing Upwards won the Lambda for Gay Romance. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. It’s not that I don’t think I can write, although I have those days, it’s more that I was flabbergasted that my story must have stood out from the other wonderful nominees to the judges. Somehow my little creation won. That is mind boggling to me. But absolutely amazing and humbling.
I wasn’t able to attend the award ceremony, so I watched the live tweets on Twitter. I was messaging with two of my closest pals about the show, while also writing in between reading tweets. When my cover came onto Twitter with the announcement I’d won? I almost fainted. lol I was trying to type to my pals, who were congratulating me, but I seemed incapable of hitting the right buttons. It didn’t help any that my dog was excited because I was excited, and he was jumping all over me. It was quite a scene.
I can’t tell you how grateful I am that the judges saw merit in my work. I cringe when I think of the audience watching my video acceptance speech. It was pretty horrible, lol, but I didn’t think anyone would ever see it!
Maybe authors should need this sort of validation, but we do. Winning a wonderful award like this just make me want to do so much better. I want to be sure I’m always improving my craft, and telling stories that touch people. I truly feel we can continue to spread acceptance for our LGBTQ community through our stories. I’m honored to be a part of that fight.
Again, thank you to the Lambdas, judges, and all the nominees in every category. I’m humbled to be in your company.
S.C.
May 14, 2019
Positivity Goes Both Ways By S.C. Wynne
Hello all!
I saw a crazy author lambasting the members in his reader’s group the other day. He said to them that if they didn’t interact, or promote him, he was going to toss them out of his group. Now, let’s forget for a minute how uncouth that threat is, but why would you do that? If people saw you on a takeover, and thought maybe you looked cool enough to join your group, why would you go out of your way to make them feel like you’re a dick?
I get that sometimes the apathy of SOME readers can get to you. There are those readers who say things as dumb as; “I’m only here for the free stuff.” Uh… yeah, I’d kick those people too. But simply because readers are not actively promoting you, that is no reason to kick someone from your group. That is just kookie.
Readers are not OBLIGATED to promote us. Is it cool as hell when readers do that? Yes. It’s awesome. But if a reader joins my reader group, they don’t have a job. They aren’t there to promote me, and make my career for me. That’s my job. If I suck at it, well, that’s on me, not them.
But I wonder if maybe the new climate of publishing is what made that author do something so stupid as to threaten his readers, or potential readers? (Or he might just be an asshole?)
I hate to say it, but there seems to be a pervasive feeling on the part of certain readers toward authors right now that is a bit scary. There is a type of reader that feels the need to tag authors in negative reviews. This kind of reader seems to believe that, as authors, we need to just keep our mouths closed, no matter what is said to us.
I don’t think that’s realistic. Authors are just people. We’re just humans fumbling along and trying our best. We create these things we love, aka books, and we hold them out to you, the reader, and ask you to like it. You don’t always like it, and that’s your right. But is having the right to not like something the same as tagging authors to express how much you hate our hard work? I think the two things are very different. Feel free to bash us on Goodreads, or tell us how you loath our works in your reviews, but please, for all that is holy and kind, DO NOT TAG AUTHORS IN YOUR NEGATIVE REVIEWS.
Authors are just people. We have feelings just like you. When we create something, it’s a part of us. You wouldn’t walk up to me and tell me my children are ugly, or that you hate my cooking, right? Social norms would prevent you from being that mean to me, so when it comes to my creative work… my other children… lol… please DO NOT TAG ME IF YOU HATE MY EFFORT. It’s just simple politeness. Hate it with your friends. Hate it privately. But you don’t have to tell me, right? RIGHT?
That being said, you are not obligated to love my work either. Sincerely, I mean this. I hope you’ll like my offerings, but I’m savvy enough to know not all people will love everything I do, even if I LOVE IT. After all, I don’t love everything my favorite authors do. But I’d never, EVER tag them to tell them that.
Taste is subjective. Your opinion means no more than mine, or another readers, right? And why spread negativity if you don’t have to? What’s lacking in this world is kindness, not cruelty. I guess I live by the motto of be kind. If what I have to say isn’t edifying, why share it?
I suppose my point is simply be a light. Be what is good in this world, not what is bad. If you can make someone feel better, by all means do that. But if your words will simply hurt someone, what is the joy or honor in that? Maybe I’m naive. Maybe i’m a fool. Perhaps I’m sappy because I subscribe to the belief we should always be our best. We should be a shining light.
Well, if I am naive, then so be it. I can live with that. Kindness is what you’ll get from my lips, and fingers. I’ll build you up, and not take the cheap shot. I hope that karma will return to me, but either way, I’m happy to be on this side of things. I hope you are too.
S.C.
