Pumpkin pie for breakfast. Hello, all!
As you’ve probably noticed, I’m posting early. I’ll be taking time away from this blog and social media this holiday weekend. My brain needs a break! I wanted to use this space to say thanks to everyone who’s been on this journey with me so far. I had no idea there would be so many ups and downs being a self-published author. If you’ve read Gathering of the Four… if you’ve left a review… if you’ve recommended it to someone… or even if you’ve just noticed my book exists… thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart. Being part of the indie author community has given me the opportunity to not only meet fellow supportive authors, but it’s encouraged me to read more books by indies. Below is a list of ten indie books I really enjoyed reading this year. (Maybe you’ll want to pick up one or two for yourself?) The Roots That Clutch, A.E. Bross A Touch of Death, Rebecca Crunden Metanoia, Juniper Lake Fitzgerald The Home I Find with You, Skye Kilaen When Awakens the Heart, Duckie Mack The Oracle Stone, Talli L. Morgan Amulet of Wishes, Rita A. Rubin Tales of Solomon Pace, Alan Scott His Lordship’s Secret, Samantha SoRelle Crown of Aster, Emmaline Strange Oh, and don’t forget… Yours and Mine will be released on 12/1! Have a great holiday weekend!
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This seal seems proud of itself. Kinda like me! Well, Book Two’s initial edits are complete.
I know! I kind of can’t believe it, either! This WIP…this behemoth I’ve been struggling with for most of this year…this next installment of the Serrulata Saga is as finished as it’s going to be in 2021. I thought about holding onto it and maybe giving it one more read but I’m not sure that would be the best idea. I think over-editing can actually be detrimental to a project. There’s nowhere for Book Two to go now but into the inboxes of my reading partners. But, of course my brain has not stopped whirring and I’m itching to start outlining the next book—another romance!—in the series. Much like Yours and Mine, this will be a spin-off. (Reminder! There’s still time to pre-order Yours and Mine! It’ll be released December 1!) All I have so far are the characters’ names and a very rough idea for a plot but, well, that’s how the Serrulata Saga got started in the first place. I haven’t quite decided if I’m going to start outlining in December or wait until 2022. Stay tuned, though. You know I’ll bring you updates here if I have ‘em! A Thing I Enjoyed This Week Those of you who stop by here often know I’m a bit obsessed with retellings of Ancient Greek myths. I was recently able to pick up a copy of Aridane from my local library and I enjoyed it. The story is simpler than, say, the Iliad or the Odyssey, so my only criticism is I think the book could have been a tad shorter, but it was an entertaining read overall. Fall foliage. Well, hello there Serrulata Saga pals!
It’s been a week since I bemoaned the fact that I am editing Book Two. I’m happy to report that the process is actually going quite well. I’m not as terrible of a writer as I thought! I am running into a few challenges, however, when it comes to the consistency of some details. For instance, I forgot how old I made a side character in Gathering of the Four, and accidentally aged him up in Book Two. I haven’t come across anything major, but I do think I’m going to do (yet another) read through of Gathering of the Four before I do my final read through of Book Two before sending it off to my critique partners. (Say that last sentence three times fast!) So, editing is going well, but I have to admit I’m woefully behind on beefing up my marketing skills. I know it’s something I need to educate myself more about and I know it doesn’t come easy, but—argh—I kinda just want my books to sell themselves? Or to give up entirely? Once I’m finished with Book Two and have sent it away, I will actually concentrate on really, truly marketing my books. You heard it here first! A Thing I Enjoyed This Week This week has been a bit disjointed for me, since yesterday was a federal holiday and I was off from the day job. (Days off in the middle of the week always throw me.) I was, however, able to stay on top of my exercise regime and ate (mostly) food that is good for me. So, this week, the thing I most enjoyed was giving myself a pat on the back! It's begun. And I sound so enthusiastic about it!
Joking aside, editing has always been the most difficult part of the process for me. While I (mostly) enjoy reading my own words, I do sometimes struggle to remember details about every character, despite having them all written down in my notebook. I’m terrified I’m going to forget something crucial and, in doing so, destroy what little credibility I have as an author. I know it is only the first edit. I know I still have to share this work with my writing partners. I know my editor still needs to do their thing. I know, I know, I know…and I’m still worried. I’m still scared I’m not good enough—not really an author. My imposter syndrome is strong. On the positive side, I did manage to get through more chapters than I expected this week, so I am ahead of schedule. A silver lining indeed! A Thing I Enjoyed This Week Earlier this year, The Bitter Southerner put out their Summer Reading Roundup. I’ve been fortunate to grab many of their recommendations from my local library—and I suggest you do, as well. As the days get shorter and the weather grows colder, you might be looking for a good read to get lost in. This list is an excellent place to start! |
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