I had the pleasure of receiving a glowing review from a winner of the Goodreads giveaway I did not so long ago. Thank you, Goodreads. Once again, you've proven yourself an underutilized and underappreciated tool for authors. I stand corrected. It's doesn't get any better for an author than to know that some person, entirely unknown … Continue reading Goodreads for the win!
Van Helsing reimagined
I was trying to think how to describe my Van Helsing Sr. character (the grandfather of the original Van Helsing from Bram Stoker's Dracula). He's a Prussian ex-patriate who has left the fatherland due to Napoleon taking over Europe. He was originally employed by the Prussian government to hunt vampires and investigate paranormal activity, but … Continue reading Van Helsing reimagined
Why you should be on Goodreads (if you aren’t already)
Are you a Goodreads user? If you aren't, and you read, you should be. Because then you can get free books. Just like the two lucky winners of my most recent Goodreads giveaway. They received signed copies and a personal letter from protagonist John Grissom. Truth be told, I am a horrible Goodreads user. But … Continue reading Why you should be on Goodreads (if you aren’t already)
How do you name your character?
A character by any other name would... not be the same character, right? Naming our characters is an important aspect. Once we assign a name and start thinking of the character as that name, changing it involves also risking character traits. Is an Amanda the same as a Rachel? (Listen closely to every Amanda and … Continue reading How do you name your character?
The Problem with Vampires
I should preface this by saying that it's my problem with vampires. The vampire narrative is well-known to most of Western society. An evil vampire, born of (narrative of choice), goes around killing or turning other men into vampires. These other vampires must kill other people in order to survive themselves. They burn in the … Continue reading The Problem with Vampires
If you're in the Tampa bay area, you can come chat me up at The Coffee Barn and Bakery in Brooksville on Hwy 41. I'll be there to do an author reading/book signing on January 15th at 7pm. We're having a free softcover giveaway so if you don't have a physical copy, stop on by!
Small (BIG) Victories
Being an author is hard work, especially if you are self-published and a busy mom to boot. Not that I am complaining. But when it pays off and I start to see tangible rewards for all my work, when small victories start to happen (like ratings on Goodreads and making my first non-gas-money royalties) it is so encouraging. … Continue reading Small (BIG) Victories
Happy Thanksgiving
Among other things, today I am grateful I am not a vampire. In other news, my book launch will be coming up soon, just in time for lovers of Regency fiction, vampire fiction, and adventures to get a copy or share a copy for Christmas. So if you are looking for a free copy, join … Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving
Five stars out of the gate
Woot!Woot! I received my first review on Order of the Blood! And yes, it was five stars. The reviewer's first remark to me, in a personal message, included, 'Please tell me there is a sequel.' Could there be sweeter words to a writer's ear, er, sight? Granted, maybe she's just a really nice person, but I'm thinking, … Continue reading Five stars out of the gate
What now?
That's the question every self-published author asks themselves once they've published.... and no one knows they've published beyond their minuscule circle of friends. Or relatively few people know about it anyway. This is exactly why people attach themselves to publishing houses and break out in hives trying to find an agent, why those of a … Continue reading What now?
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