Stephanie Summers's Blog, page 5
July 6, 2015
Take Me On Release!
Take Me On is available now on Amazon! http://amzn.to/1TfaHJJ
Blurb:
Ash London, front man for uber-successful rock band Ferrum, is over the lifestyle. He’s done with it all, yet finds himself going through the motions out of a sense of obligation to his fans, band, and crew members. He’s living the dream, but what he wants is to be a normal dude with an ordinary life far away from the touring scene. He could have any woman he wanted, but what he wants is someone who can look past the rock star—someone who will bust down the walls he’s built around himself and break free the man lying dormant within.
Lila Stephens hasn’t had the best past. In fact, it’s been downright traumatic. After the death of her beloved grandmother, she picks up her life and moves to Brooklyn, NY to build a new life for herself. She’s given up on the notion of love and is content living alone with her beagle dog.
Lila attends a party thrown by her best friend, Tori, who just happens to be the wife of Ferrum guitarist, Matty Tabor. As she’s ready to leave, a drunken man runs into her, sending her falling into the arms of Ash London. Will she stay there where it’s warm and comforting, or will she flee as her past threatens to taint any hope of happiness for the two of them?
Take Me On is the first book in a two-part story that follows the rise and fall and rise again of the romance between Ash London and Lila Stephens. Take Me On is NOT a typical rock star romance in that it focuses more on the man BEHIND the rock star instead of the stage persona, partying, and backstage shenanigans. This story focuses on Ash and Lila's growing attraction. Their relationship is not a case of instalove, but rather a slow build up with lots of steamy tension and attraction from the start. Part two will be available soon and will be titled Take Me Home.
June 15, 2015
June 6, 2015
I've tried to keep my blog mainly just book related stuff, but I think maybe I'll start posting things not so book related that I want to talk about. I need to post here more often anyway because it's like a friggin' ghost town around here. March 26, 2015
To split or not to split...
So if any of you have paid attention to my FB page or this blog at all over the last year, you've probably noticed that I've talked about a contemporary rock star romance that I've been working on for about two and a half years now, titled Take Me On. It is my goal to have it be my next release because I've pushed it back at least three times in favor of The Willow Creek Vampires Series. Now, as much as I love Remy and Sabine and my vampires, Ash London and Lila Stephens (from Take Me On) have been extremely patient with me, and I feel like it's their turn to shine. There will be a WCVS #4, but it will be awhile before I can work on it. It will happen though as well as a series of novellas revolving around Remy's life before Sabine came into the picture, I promise.
With that being said, Take Me On has expanded and grown so much over the last two years that it's at a point where once I finish it, I will easily have enough for two whole full-length novels (sitting around 60,000 to 70,000 a piece). In an effort to try to thwart having the story seemingly drag on in one huge book, I'm considering splitting it into two parts where the second half would be released within a month or two of the first part (which I will try to have no or a very minimal cliff hanger). The first half would focus on Ash and Lila working through some issues in their past and trying to start something with one another while being hesitant to jump into anything because of their past demons. The second half would be, well... I'll leave that for another time so I don't spoil anything ;) The price would be $2.99 a piece, though in all fairness, if I kept it as one book, I'd definitely be charging $5.99 for it because of all the work I've put into it, cost of editing, formatting, and covers, and it's going to be at least 120,000 words altogether if not more so the price really isn't a factor in my thought process on whether to split or not. It'll be the same overall price either way.
Let me explain my thinking on this whole to split or not to split thing. I'm having a hard time focusing on making the last half as good as I know it can be because I have gone over the first half with a fine-tooth comb more times than I can count. It's damn near perfect, though there are some scenes that could be explored more to make the story stronger, but then as I said before, I don't want the one book to seem like it's never going to end. I know as an author, I cannot please everyone with how long a book is. I've seen where readers will say a book that is 300 or 400 or even 500 pages is too short and others say it is too long. My personal preference is to read shorter books that keep me engaged from the first word to the very last, and maybe that's why I'm having such a mental block on this one being "too long". For example, it has taken months for me to read Outlander. I love the book to pieces but I can't make myself focus on it long enough to actually finish it. Same goes for George R.R. Martin's books. Love them, but I just can't get them finished.
Worrying that it's too long or that the first half will be spectacular and the second half will be lacking has kept me distracted to the point that I fear I will never finish the story. I write the stories I want to read, and I can tell you, if I picked this one up, I'd love it. I don't want to keep it to myself forever, so I'm leaning toward splitting it. The first would still be Take Me On, and the second would be called Take Me Home. I want to make both parts something that readers fall in love with, and I think the best way to do that is to make it a two-parter.
Anyway, if you read all that, thank you! lol I'm just at a crossroads in my mind and needed to work out some of my thoughts. What better way to do that than to write about it, right? I'm not 100% sold on splitting it, but there's a likely chance that I will just so that I can completely focus on finishing the last half and making it as good as I know it should be. If I do, you can expect the first part sometime in April or May (though more than likely it will be May since April is right around the corner) with a cover reveal soon. I'd probably do a party to go along with it to get you all acquainted with Ash and Lila, too.
With that being said, Take Me On has expanded and grown so much over the last two years that it's at a point where once I finish it, I will easily have enough for two whole full-length novels (sitting around 60,000 to 70,000 a piece). In an effort to try to thwart having the story seemingly drag on in one huge book, I'm considering splitting it into two parts where the second half would be released within a month or two of the first part (which I will try to have no or a very minimal cliff hanger). The first half would focus on Ash and Lila working through some issues in their past and trying to start something with one another while being hesitant to jump into anything because of their past demons. The second half would be, well... I'll leave that for another time so I don't spoil anything ;) The price would be $2.99 a piece, though in all fairness, if I kept it as one book, I'd definitely be charging $5.99 for it because of all the work I've put into it, cost of editing, formatting, and covers, and it's going to be at least 120,000 words altogether if not more so the price really isn't a factor in my thought process on whether to split or not. It'll be the same overall price either way.
Let me explain my thinking on this whole to split or not to split thing. I'm having a hard time focusing on making the last half as good as I know it can be because I have gone over the first half with a fine-tooth comb more times than I can count. It's damn near perfect, though there are some scenes that could be explored more to make the story stronger, but then as I said before, I don't want the one book to seem like it's never going to end. I know as an author, I cannot please everyone with how long a book is. I've seen where readers will say a book that is 300 or 400 or even 500 pages is too short and others say it is too long. My personal preference is to read shorter books that keep me engaged from the first word to the very last, and maybe that's why I'm having such a mental block on this one being "too long". For example, it has taken months for me to read Outlander. I love the book to pieces but I can't make myself focus on it long enough to actually finish it. Same goes for George R.R. Martin's books. Love them, but I just can't get them finished.
Worrying that it's too long or that the first half will be spectacular and the second half will be lacking has kept me distracted to the point that I fear I will never finish the story. I write the stories I want to read, and I can tell you, if I picked this one up, I'd love it. I don't want to keep it to myself forever, so I'm leaning toward splitting it. The first would still be Take Me On, and the second would be called Take Me Home. I want to make both parts something that readers fall in love with, and I think the best way to do that is to make it a two-parter.
Anyway, if you read all that, thank you! lol I'm just at a crossroads in my mind and needed to work out some of my thoughts. What better way to do that than to write about it, right? I'm not 100% sold on splitting it, but there's a likely chance that I will just so that I can completely focus on finishing the last half and making it as good as I know it should be. If I do, you can expect the first part sometime in April or May (though more than likely it will be May since April is right around the corner) with a cover reveal soon. I'd probably do a party to go along with it to get you all acquainted with Ash and Lila, too.
February 22, 2015
What it takes...
I was doing some pondering, like I often do, and I wondered to myself, what is it about so many awesome authors who are able to really suck you into their worlds and make you care about their characters? How do they do it? I hope I'm one of them since I've had a lot of people tell me they really feel for the characters I've created, but I don't want to toot my own horn, so I won't. ;)
How does one achieve that level of believability when writing? I don't know the definitive answer to that, but I have an idea that might explain it. It isn't enough to just write about the characters and what happens to them. Anyone can write X went to the land of weirdos and met Y. They fell in love. The big bad prevented them from being together. They overcame. The end. You have to BE them. When I write, I get inside my characters' heads. I feel what they would feel. I write the dialogue I hear them say. I sense how they would react to their situations. When I close my eyes, I can see them, and I listen to them when they talk to me.
And, yes, they do talk to me. That doesn't mean I need a one way trip to the asylum either. What it means is they give me little tidbits of information about themselves that I have to build on. For example, Remy came to me in a dream and showed me a pivotal scene that happens toward the end of Craving, and then he wouldn't leave me alone about it. He kept shoving it to the forefront of my mind until I caved and decided to explore it. I currently have someone who keeps telling me his name, and I have no idea what he wants me to do with that information, but I'll figure it out. Let it be known here that Adam is an entity who will be explored at some point. Now let's see where he pops up in the future. He feels like a werewolf to me, but he hasn't told me that yet. Definitely supernatural though. I also have another vampire, more traditional than the vamps in Willow Creek (think Dracula-esque), who keeps making his presence known. I've tried to coax some things out of him, but he hasn't given up much yet. Who knows? Maybe he's Adam, and he's actually a vampire instead of a wolf.
Anyway, I got off track there for a minute. Back to my point, I'm often asked when I do interviews what piece of advice I would give to aspiring writers, and I usually say to just keep writing. But it isn't enough, is it? I think the better advice would be to just keep writing from inside your hero's/heroine's/villain's head instead of from the outside looking in, because THAT is how you make them interesting, and THAT is what will draw your readers into your world.
How does one achieve that level of believability when writing? I don't know the definitive answer to that, but I have an idea that might explain it. It isn't enough to just write about the characters and what happens to them. Anyone can write X went to the land of weirdos and met Y. They fell in love. The big bad prevented them from being together. They overcame. The end. You have to BE them. When I write, I get inside my characters' heads. I feel what they would feel. I write the dialogue I hear them say. I sense how they would react to their situations. When I close my eyes, I can see them, and I listen to them when they talk to me.
And, yes, they do talk to me. That doesn't mean I need a one way trip to the asylum either. What it means is they give me little tidbits of information about themselves that I have to build on. For example, Remy came to me in a dream and showed me a pivotal scene that happens toward the end of Craving, and then he wouldn't leave me alone about it. He kept shoving it to the forefront of my mind until I caved and decided to explore it. I currently have someone who keeps telling me his name, and I have no idea what he wants me to do with that information, but I'll figure it out. Let it be known here that Adam is an entity who will be explored at some point. Now let's see where he pops up in the future. He feels like a werewolf to me, but he hasn't told me that yet. Definitely supernatural though. I also have another vampire, more traditional than the vamps in Willow Creek (think Dracula-esque), who keeps making his presence known. I've tried to coax some things out of him, but he hasn't given up much yet. Who knows? Maybe he's Adam, and he's actually a vampire instead of a wolf.
Anyway, I got off track there for a minute. Back to my point, I'm often asked when I do interviews what piece of advice I would give to aspiring writers, and I usually say to just keep writing. But it isn't enough, is it? I think the better advice would be to just keep writing from inside your hero's/heroine's/villain's head instead of from the outside looking in, because THAT is how you make them interesting, and THAT is what will draw your readers into your world.
February 8, 2015
Interview with Beth Mikell!
If you follow any of my posts on Facebook at all, you've probably seen me talk about Beth Mikell, who is a paranormal and contemporary romance author. I met Beth last year via the beta reading process, and throughout that time, she's become a very dear friend of mine. I remember beta reading The Nysein: Salvation and being completely blown away by the world and characters she'd created. I'm kind of a vampire junkie (in case that wasn't painfully obvious already), so when I read something that is completely fresh and unlike anything else I've read, I can't help but get hooked. I've since had the privilege of beta reading several more of her books, and I've fallen for each one. So you see, even though we've become great friends, I was a fan first. Beth has been so gracious as to do an interview with me, so without further ado, here it be:
What inspired you to write your first book?
Love intrigues me. Falling in love. Discovering love. Holding onto love. From writing poetry to short stories as a teen, I enjoyed the “what if…” question. I’m always wondering what the answer is, and how the story ends.
My daughter recently challenged me. She loves music and I said, there’s a story in that song. She said, oh really? How about this one. She was desperately trying to stump me, but for every song, I found a theme and a couple struggling to find happiness. This is what inspires me—to love and to be loved.
Is there a message in your novels that you want readers to grasp?
Love conquers all, but my characters will have to work for it. I won’t hand them their happily ever after so easily. And sometimes they must pay dearly for their ultimate happiness.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Royal Seduction by Jennifer Blake
The Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
(There are many others, but I love these books and will read them over and over!)
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
My lovely hostess: Stephanie Summers! Her vampire series rocks!! Some of my new favorites are: Alannah Carbonneau. Callie Hart. Kali Cross. Louise Bay. Meredith Wild. I don’t limit myself. I’m always open to new authors.
What are your current projects?
I have many stories and ideas on going. Currently, I’m working on a book 2 in a contemporary romance series. After I finish, I have a wolf shifter story romance, then a book 2.5 in my vampire series to work on. Although, inspiration could lead me somewhere else—I’m open to suggestions. I used to write a little bit on each book, but it takes forever to write this way. My New Year’s resolution was to finish one book at a time. So far so good.
Do you write by music?
Sometimes. When I’m writing my vampire series, I love listening to Evanescence. For my contemporary work, I lean toward something lighter. It depends on my mood. I adore Frank Sinatra, so my tastes in music are eclectic.
Can you share a little of your current work?
The story revolves around a HUGE lie. In the writing world, they say if you can fix something with a conversation, then do it. BUT, what if your characters can’t fix their issues so easily? That’s where my new book comes in. I’m taking one woman with two different roles, and giving her a tough decision. The outcome has been amazing to write. I don’t want to give away too much, but here’s a small excerpt:
Everything within Dominic screamed for her—his breath to inhale her—his mouth to taste her—his hands to hold her. He stood transfixed, his gaze following every fluid thrust of her body, his heart nearly pounding out of his chest. Every grind of her hips amped his need. Every teasing caress of her hands another dig of the deprivation he needed soothed. It was all he could do but stand there and watch her bump and grind over the pole. All he wanted to do was drag her off the stage by her hair, wrap her lithe legs around his hips, and find release. Caveman but true.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Besides time to write? I have a family of five and it’s hard to juggle my schedule at times and enter the right head space. It seems like my characters want to chit-chat and tell their story when I’m not at my computer. That’s okay. Sometimes pressure makes me write better. Plus, there’s always coffee and chocolate, so I’m set!
Any news or upcoming plans for 2015?
I’ve often thought I was sitting on the edge, waiting for something good to happen. It’s become my personal goal (or mission) to become traditionally published. At the end of 2014, I began querying publishers on a southern romance I wrote years ago. Over this past summer, I began rewriting it and it sold January 3rd!! I think I about fainted when I received the contract and offer! I’m excited to share this story because it revolves around a small town filled with lies and secrets.
As far as self-publishing goes, I admire authors taking control of their writing careers. They are stepping out in faith and giving us readers another world to enjoy.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
My 3 key points:
Keep writing. Stay out of drama. Keep writing.
It’s that simple.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
For those of you that have taken a chance on me and read my work, or left reviews, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I treasure every email, review, or comment. It means the world to me to hear from you.
About Beth:
Beth Mikell spends her days writing and blogging all the while taking care of her family of five. She fell 'in love' with love at a young age and continues to believe that love really does conquer all... or at least leave her blessedly happy by the end of a book. She adores alpha males... the my-way-or-the-highway-take-no-prisoners kind of heroes, especially when they screw up and land themselves in 'hot water' with the heroines. Her husband of ten years is her personal hero, forging a path of true love along the road called life.
Find Beth here… comments and shout outs welcome:
Blog
Goodreads
Books by Beth Mikell:
The Nysein: Salvation (Book 1)
The Nysein: Release (Book 2)
Catch me Wilde (FREE)
Velvet Exhale
Aftermath
February 5, 2015
It's been awhile...
It's been too long since I last posted anything on here, so I'll try to make this one count.
Let me start out by saying earlier in January I was stricken with a monster bug that kept me missing in action on the internets for a good chunk of January. I was diagnosed with bronchitis, but I'm pretty sure I had the flu on top of it. I can't come up with any other logical reason as to why I felt like I was at death's doorstep for over two weeks. I couldn't move or focus or eat or do anything really. So, I got zero writing done during this time. Sad face.
I'm working on three--yes, you read that right--three stories at the moment! My main focus is on Remy's origin story. I'd originally wanted to release it this month, but with being sick, I'm not sure that will happen. I'm still shooting for that though, so we'll see. Right now, it's going to be a novella that will be priced at 99 cents. That could change as I get into the meat of the story, so stay tuned for updates.
Project number two is Take Me On, a rock star romance I've been working on for two years. The same one you've probably heard me mention a billion times over the past year. I have my ass on fire to get this one done, and I am determined to get it out sooner rather than later. I can't even begin to explain how much this one means to me. It was the first thing I ever started writing with the goal of releasing it to the public. I started writing it in February of 2013, and I feel like kicking my own ass for not finishing it already. So far, it's over 60,000 words and is only about half to 3/4 of the way finished. This will be the longest story I've written to date.
Project number three is--drum roll, please--book #4 of The Willow Creek Vampires Series! There you go. It's official. I am continuing the series. I don't know how many more books there will be, but there will be at least one more. It's in the planning stage at this point, and I've only written a few pages, but I am hoping to get it out this summer. No official date has been set. It has no title and no cover, but it does have an outline. That's something, right?
My very first signing ever is coming up fast! If you're in the Myrtle Beach area or within driving distance on March 14, come out and see me! I'd love to meet you. I'm so flippin' excited about this one. Not only is it my first signing, but a very dear friend of mine is accompanying me as my assistant, and I just know it's going to be something I will never forget.
Speaking of dear friends, I will be featuring an interview in the coming days with an awesome author who I think truly deserves to be given the spotlight. Her stories are easy to get lost in and she has a way with words that make you feel as if you're right there in the scene. I'll have that feature up sometime this weekend, so be sure to check back to see just who I'm talking about. ;)
And last but not least, I just want to say thank you to all of you readers out there who have taken a chance on me and The Willow Creek Vampires Series! When I first hit publish for Craving, I never expected anyone to ever read it. So you can imagine my surprise when people who aren't related to me actually did read it and, not only that, they actually liked it. It means the world to me, and I appreciate you more than you can ever know. It's so easy at times to just say, "Fuck it," and want to throw in the towel, but then I get a message from someone telling me they've fallen in love with my characters and I realize quitting is the last thing I'd ever want to do. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Until next time...
Let me start out by saying earlier in January I was stricken with a monster bug that kept me missing in action on the internets for a good chunk of January. I was diagnosed with bronchitis, but I'm pretty sure I had the flu on top of it. I can't come up with any other logical reason as to why I felt like I was at death's doorstep for over two weeks. I couldn't move or focus or eat or do anything really. So, I got zero writing done during this time. Sad face.
I'm working on three--yes, you read that right--three stories at the moment! My main focus is on Remy's origin story. I'd originally wanted to release it this month, but with being sick, I'm not sure that will happen. I'm still shooting for that though, so we'll see. Right now, it's going to be a novella that will be priced at 99 cents. That could change as I get into the meat of the story, so stay tuned for updates.
Project number two is Take Me On, a rock star romance I've been working on for two years. The same one you've probably heard me mention a billion times over the past year. I have my ass on fire to get this one done, and I am determined to get it out sooner rather than later. I can't even begin to explain how much this one means to me. It was the first thing I ever started writing with the goal of releasing it to the public. I started writing it in February of 2013, and I feel like kicking my own ass for not finishing it already. So far, it's over 60,000 words and is only about half to 3/4 of the way finished. This will be the longest story I've written to date.
Project number three is--drum roll, please--book #4 of The Willow Creek Vampires Series! There you go. It's official. I am continuing the series. I don't know how many more books there will be, but there will be at least one more. It's in the planning stage at this point, and I've only written a few pages, but I am hoping to get it out this summer. No official date has been set. It has no title and no cover, but it does have an outline. That's something, right?
My very first signing ever is coming up fast! If you're in the Myrtle Beach area or within driving distance on March 14, come out and see me! I'd love to meet you. I'm so flippin' excited about this one. Not only is it my first signing, but a very dear friend of mine is accompanying me as my assistant, and I just know it's going to be something I will never forget.
Speaking of dear friends, I will be featuring an interview in the coming days with an awesome author who I think truly deserves to be given the spotlight. Her stories are easy to get lost in and she has a way with words that make you feel as if you're right there in the scene. I'll have that feature up sometime this weekend, so be sure to check back to see just who I'm talking about. ;)
And last but not least, I just want to say thank you to all of you readers out there who have taken a chance on me and The Willow Creek Vampires Series! When I first hit publish for Craving, I never expected anyone to ever read it. So you can imagine my surprise when people who aren't related to me actually did read it and, not only that, they actually liked it. It means the world to me, and I appreciate you more than you can ever know. It's so easy at times to just say, "Fuck it," and want to throw in the towel, but then I get a message from someone telling me they've fallen in love with my characters and I realize quitting is the last thing I'd ever want to do. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Until next time...
December 29, 2014
Awakening is available today!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1p1sWYh iBooks: http://bit.ly/1wDaFjY Kobo: http://bit.ly/13rUaNu Smashwords: http://bit.ly/102m0ho B & N: http://bit.ly/1u8Ngcn
The town of Willow Creek is seemingly free after Remyâs sacrifice set off a life-altering chain of events that resulted in the demise of most of the worldâs vampire population. Sabine flees to her home afterwards, except her family has disappeared and a âFor Saleâ sign is planted in her front yard. Just when she thinks sheâs lost it all, sheâs summoned back to Willow Creek Manor. Confused, and almost certainly walking into a trap, she reluctantly returns, only to find that the king of vampires still lives⦠and he is none other than her Remy. The dead love of her life is alive, but he doesnât quite seem like the same man. With the help of a witch, a ghost, and a longtime enemy, can Sabine bring back the man she fell in love with⦠or will she lose him forever? 
Tears threatened to wet her cheeks as she prepared to see Remy lying dead where sheâd left him only a few hours before. A flash of fear rippled through her body. I really shouldnât have come back here. Iâm a Grade-A dumbass. I know itâs a trap. If it wasnât, why wouldnât Sam or Damen just tell me what was up? Or even Gretchen, for that matter? I shouldâve just left town.
Pushing the ballroom doors open, a crowd of humansâonce vampiresâknelt with their backs toward her. Glancing to the spot where sheâd left her love lying, her stomach knotted as the air, thick and stifling, closed in around her, threatening to take her breath away. The absence of his body tore through her like a bullet to the heart, hurting so much more than sheâd anticipated. Trying to hold back the tears with a trembling lower lip, she sniffled once and looked in the direction everyone was facing. Swallowing hard, she tried to calm her nauseated stomach.
A glint of gold caught her eye, drawing her gaze to a large, ornate chair sitting on the raised platform. The same raised platform where sheâd married Remy and almost been forced to marry Bastian not that long ago. Someone sat in the chair, but it wasnât Damen like sheâd expected.
Her gaze landed on the face of the one vampire she longed to see. Gasping, she cried out, âRemy!â Taking off as fast as she could toward him, the tears sheâd tried to keep from falling streamed down her face and dripped onto her chest. He stood as she approached him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she hugged him as tight as she could, vowing never to leave his side again.
Heâd showered and changed out of the ratty, old jeans heâd been imprisoned in. He wore boots, a clean pair of jeans that hung perfectly on his masculine frame, and a gray, just-tight-enough V-neck T-shirt that now sported a rather large wet spot from Sabineâs tears. His hair was pulled back loosely, exposing his chiseled jaw. As she crashed into him, his body bowed slightly to accommodate the difference in height as she threw her arms around him, but stayed mostly still. His hands barely grazed her shoulders while he inhaled deeply. She expected him to embrace her tightly, not sniff her like a dog. This wasnât a man acting as if heâd just come back from the dead who was eager to see his wife again. His touch was indifferent, at best.
She pulled back, looking intently at him. âWhatâs wrong with you?â
Stephanie Summers is a paranormal and contemporary romance author. She graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in accounting, though writing is her true passion. Stephanie seemed to always have a story or two or ten running around in her mind. At the ripe old age of 30, she finally decided it was time to put aside the thought that she didn't have what it took to write a novel and began writing her first story.
She has since started writing her first paranormal series, The Willow Creek Vampires Series, with Craving (Book #1) and Haunting (Book #2) available now and Awakening (Book #3) available December 29. Her short story, Love Forgotten, was chosen to be published in Stardust: A Futuristic Romance Collection, and another short story, Saved by the Bear, is available now. Her contemporary rock star romance, Take Me On, is scheduled to be released in early 2015.
Sign up for my Mailing List
Check out my Website
Like my Facebook page
Follow me on Twitter
Wanna join my Street Team? Come join in the fun.
Catch up on the rest of the Willow Creek Vampire Series!!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1jTqtKz iBooks: http://bit.ly/1oKWpk7 All Romance ebooks: http://bit.ly/UCRQiF B&N: http://bit.ly/1j7qAOE Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1q1pOYg
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1tb8l40
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1khbuwF
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1jpIWLq
All Romance ebooks: http://bit.ly/1utnb7z
B&N: http://bit.ly/1lJPaGG
December 3, 2014
Book Piracy and Why it Sucks...
I've never been very vocal about any of the controversies that rear their ugly heads in the writing world. For the most part, I keep to myself and do my own thing, though I do have plenty of opinions on a lot of things. Maybe I'll start voicing them more often, but I digress. Back to my point... I've searched for my books, and have never found them on pirating websites... until today. I don't know whether to be pissed or to be flattered that someone wants to read my books so badly that they'd steal them to do so.
And, yes, it is stealing no matter how you look at it. There are a couple varying opinions on the subject of book piracy. The most popular, of course, is that these sites suck and people who partake in them are taking money out of the pockets of authors who have poured their souls (and money) into turning their stories into polished pieces, worthy of being read by the masses. The other opinion is people who steal ebooks never would have bought them in the first place, so who gives a shit? I lean more toward the first opinion, though I understand the second and have felt myself swinging that way at times because I do agree that most people who steal, wouldn't legitimately buy it in the first place.
But here's the thing... There are readers out there who are actively participating in the pirating scene, and they straight up don't even know they're doing anything wrong! Those are the ones who would probably obtain ebooks the proper way if they knew what they were doing was illegal. This is why awareness about the issue is crucial.
So, how do you know if you're doing something illegal? Well, I'll tell you.
1. If you are visiting websites that aren't major retailers (Amazon, iBooks, B&N, AllRomanceebooks, Smashwords, etc.) of ebooks, whether you are getting them for free or even paying for them, you're doing it wrong. There are sites who charge for books that look half-way legit, but all you're doing is putting money in the pocket of the site owner, not the author, who deserves it for their hard work. Many authors legitimately offer some of their work for free so you can get a feel for their story telling abilities. Hell, I even have Craving perma-free for this same reason, but that doesn't mean that we want to or should give all of our work away just because you'd rather not fork out a couple of bucks to read it. And the excuse that there are soooooo many books you want to read and you just can't afford them all doesn't fly. Make a book budget, and prioritize the books you want to read.
2. If you receive ebook files from ANYONE other than the author, you're probably doing something wrong. There are cases where someone is managing a book tour who has been authorized to deliver files, but for the most part, you should only be getting free ebooks from authors directly, especially if you don't own a blog who works with book tour promoters or publicists directly. Also, no one should ever ask you for your Kindle address to send you a file unless it is the author of the book. This means the person is sending you the file directly from their own computer. More than likely they've obtained the file illegally or maybe even won it in a contest and don't have authorization to give it to someone else. This is one of the reasons I have cut back on book donations for events. It seems like it's getting harder and harder to decide who one can trust anymore. I gift directly from Amazon, B&N, or iBooks now, which costs me money, but I'd rather do it that way than to give someone a copy of my book that they can easily do as they please with the file. A lot of other authors have started doing this as well.
3. If you purchase a book, read it, then return it. YOU ARE STEALING!!! Sorry for shouting, but I feel like screaming every time I see where someone has done this, or when it has happened to me or authors I know. Do you ask for your money back after you watch a movie in a theater? No? Didn't think so. Doesn't matter if you liked the book or not, you read it, which means you did what you intended to do with it when you bought it. Let's face it, most retailers have an option to sample the first 20% of the book before you buy it. I've used this feature many times, and generally, I can get a feel for whether or not I want to read the rest of the story. I will admit, there are a lot of turds out there (and I'm sure someone thinks my books are turds, too, before anyone thinks I'm trying to act like I'm hot shit, haha see what I did there?), but that doesn't make it okay to steal.
And just to drive home the fact of just how much theft of ebooks sucks, let's paint a picture. You go to work and put in your hours for the pay period. On payday, your boss decides to say, "You know what? I liked (or maybe didn't like) your work . Even though you did what you were supposed to do, I don't feel like paying you, so I'm going to cancel your paycheck before it hits your bank account." You'd be pretty pissed, too, wouldn't you? How dare that asshole boss not pay you for your hard work, right? Yep.
Most authors aren't in it for the money. If we were, there'd be a hell of a lot less of us because this is not an industry where most people make tons of money. Just because someone is doing well in ranks at times, doesn't mean they're rolling in the dough or are worth millions. If you can make somewhat of a living from book sales, then that's pretty freaking awesome, but a lot of us never even get to that point. So when you pour yourself into a story, sometimes revealing bits of your soul that you try to keep mostly private in the process, it feels pretty damn dirty when someone decides $2.99, or whatever the price may be, is too much to pay and they choose to steal those sacred bits of you instead.
I think part of the problem lies in the fact that an ebook isn't a tangible product and people tend to think it's okay to not pay for them. However, the contents are exactly the same as a paperback version of the same book. Would you walk into Barnes & Noble and just take a book off the shelf and walk out with it without paying? Nope. Well, maybe some would, but most wouldn't. The same time, energy, and money went into it, regardless of the format it's delivered on.
I just want to say thank you to all those readers out there who get it. You know what these stories mean to us and you see the value in what we do. Without you, we'd be nothing. So thank you!
I'd love to hear opinions from readers, bloggers, and other authors, so please don't hesitate to leave me some comments. Feel free to share this around as well.
Until next time...
And, yes, it is stealing no matter how you look at it. There are a couple varying opinions on the subject of book piracy. The most popular, of course, is that these sites suck and people who partake in them are taking money out of the pockets of authors who have poured their souls (and money) into turning their stories into polished pieces, worthy of being read by the masses. The other opinion is people who steal ebooks never would have bought them in the first place, so who gives a shit? I lean more toward the first opinion, though I understand the second and have felt myself swinging that way at times because I do agree that most people who steal, wouldn't legitimately buy it in the first place.
But here's the thing... There are readers out there who are actively participating in the pirating scene, and they straight up don't even know they're doing anything wrong! Those are the ones who would probably obtain ebooks the proper way if they knew what they were doing was illegal. This is why awareness about the issue is crucial.
So, how do you know if you're doing something illegal? Well, I'll tell you.
1. If you are visiting websites that aren't major retailers (Amazon, iBooks, B&N, AllRomanceebooks, Smashwords, etc.) of ebooks, whether you are getting them for free or even paying for them, you're doing it wrong. There are sites who charge for books that look half-way legit, but all you're doing is putting money in the pocket of the site owner, not the author, who deserves it for their hard work. Many authors legitimately offer some of their work for free so you can get a feel for their story telling abilities. Hell, I even have Craving perma-free for this same reason, but that doesn't mean that we want to or should give all of our work away just because you'd rather not fork out a couple of bucks to read it. And the excuse that there are soooooo many books you want to read and you just can't afford them all doesn't fly. Make a book budget, and prioritize the books you want to read.
2. If you receive ebook files from ANYONE other than the author, you're probably doing something wrong. There are cases where someone is managing a book tour who has been authorized to deliver files, but for the most part, you should only be getting free ebooks from authors directly, especially if you don't own a blog who works with book tour promoters or publicists directly. Also, no one should ever ask you for your Kindle address to send you a file unless it is the author of the book. This means the person is sending you the file directly from their own computer. More than likely they've obtained the file illegally or maybe even won it in a contest and don't have authorization to give it to someone else. This is one of the reasons I have cut back on book donations for events. It seems like it's getting harder and harder to decide who one can trust anymore. I gift directly from Amazon, B&N, or iBooks now, which costs me money, but I'd rather do it that way than to give someone a copy of my book that they can easily do as they please with the file. A lot of other authors have started doing this as well.
3. If you purchase a book, read it, then return it. YOU ARE STEALING!!! Sorry for shouting, but I feel like screaming every time I see where someone has done this, or when it has happened to me or authors I know. Do you ask for your money back after you watch a movie in a theater? No? Didn't think so. Doesn't matter if you liked the book or not, you read it, which means you did what you intended to do with it when you bought it. Let's face it, most retailers have an option to sample the first 20% of the book before you buy it. I've used this feature many times, and generally, I can get a feel for whether or not I want to read the rest of the story. I will admit, there are a lot of turds out there (and I'm sure someone thinks my books are turds, too, before anyone thinks I'm trying to act like I'm hot shit, haha see what I did there?), but that doesn't make it okay to steal.
And just to drive home the fact of just how much theft of ebooks sucks, let's paint a picture. You go to work and put in your hours for the pay period. On payday, your boss decides to say, "You know what? I liked (or maybe didn't like) your work . Even though you did what you were supposed to do, I don't feel like paying you, so I'm going to cancel your paycheck before it hits your bank account." You'd be pretty pissed, too, wouldn't you? How dare that asshole boss not pay you for your hard work, right? Yep.
Most authors aren't in it for the money. If we were, there'd be a hell of a lot less of us because this is not an industry where most people make tons of money. Just because someone is doing well in ranks at times, doesn't mean they're rolling in the dough or are worth millions. If you can make somewhat of a living from book sales, then that's pretty freaking awesome, but a lot of us never even get to that point. So when you pour yourself into a story, sometimes revealing bits of your soul that you try to keep mostly private in the process, it feels pretty damn dirty when someone decides $2.99, or whatever the price may be, is too much to pay and they choose to steal those sacred bits of you instead.
I think part of the problem lies in the fact that an ebook isn't a tangible product and people tend to think it's okay to not pay for them. However, the contents are exactly the same as a paperback version of the same book. Would you walk into Barnes & Noble and just take a book off the shelf and walk out with it without paying? Nope. Well, maybe some would, but most wouldn't. The same time, energy, and money went into it, regardless of the format it's delivered on.
I just want to say thank you to all those readers out there who get it. You know what these stories mean to us and you see the value in what we do. Without you, we'd be nothing. So thank you!
I'd love to hear opinions from readers, bloggers, and other authors, so please don't hesitate to leave me some comments. Feel free to share this around as well.
Until next time...
November 15, 2014
Merchandise Now Available!
I've just launched a merchandise store through cafe press. There are two different designs to choose from, with more to be added in the future. Happy Shopping!
http://www.cafepress.com/authorstephaniesummers
http://www.cafepress.com/authorstephaniesummers
