FYI on Book pricing and more things people say to writers

Random FYI on book pricing: I've gotten some complaints about a few of my books being overpriced. If the book is still with a publisher, I have absolutely no control whatsoever over pricing. I hope to one day be back in complete control of all my books. But until that happens, I can't do anything about the prices. I'm sorry. You can tell if a book is with a publisher by scrolling down to the publishing details on the book's page (like on Amazon, for example) this is near where the page count is listed.

Since I do get questions about this topic pretty often, here's some info on my pricing. smile emoticonJust FYI. My pricing is always based on book length, unless something is on special. wink emoticon

Ebooks
90,000 words and up - $4.99
60-80,000 words - $3.99 (Most of my books fall in this range)
25-55,000 (ish) - $2.99
Anything under 20,000 words - $0.99

Pring

This is largely based on what Amazon says MUST be charged for printing costs through Create Space. If prices go up, it's because printing costs have risen. I only make about $1 or less on most of my print books.

100,000 words or more (Red, for example) $11.25

90,000 words - $10.25

80,000 words (roughly could be just under or just over) - $9.25

70,000 words - $8.25

60,000 words - $7.59

55,000 words - $6.99 

Anything in mass market paperback will be slightly different, due to size and printing costs. I try to be consistent with print prices, but as I said, it's not easy due to cost fluctuations.

I hope this helps. :) Feel free to ask questions. I'm pretty transparent when it comes to this stuff. I'm just trying to put out quality work that entertains and make a living without overcharging anyone.

Now, time for more things people say to writers. I suppose this could also be categorized as things that you will eventually encounter if you become a writer. Sometimes it can be very difficult to know how to handle certain situations. 

1. For example, when other writers post on your boosted post or ad. *sigh* I'm not talking about leaving a comment to show support. I'm talking about when other writers pimp their work on a post that YOU paid for. This has happened to many writers I know, including myself. I understand, especially as a new writer, that it can be very difficult to reach a broader audience. However, this behavior is SO not cool. Again, I'm not talking about simply leaving a comment. I leave comments sometimes, if I think the cover is great, or the book looks interesting, etc. It's also not cool to post on a random thread on another author's page and start pimping your books. Unless people have been specifically asked for such information, of course. We all make mistakes, and I'm certainly not perfect. But please, don't do this. It puts writers in an awkward position of having to think of a response (that doesn't make us sound like the asshole), or deleting the comment. Both of which usually makes them feel bad. I know it does me.

2. Sometimes you will get messages out of the blue from people you don't know asking you to like their page. This is another awkward one for me. Normally, I'll go ahead and like the page and leave it alone. But what if it's something you DON'T like? Yeah, this can get weird. I'm also guilty of simply deleting these messages. I'm sorry if that makes me look like a jerk, that was not my intention. If you have any kind of a "public persona" you should always be careful what you do publicly. I'm guilty of sometimes being too honest. This can back fire bigtime, because someone will always be offended by anything you say. Therefore, if someone asks me to like their page and I really don't want to (because I don't like being put on the spot like that), I will typically not respond. Again, this is not to be a jerk.

3. People will send you information on their books and ask you to post about it to your readers. This one is also very difficult to handle sometimes. I DO occasionally post about books from other authors, but there is also a reason behind it. If I feel that my readers would probably enjoy the book, or if I have read it and really liked it, I'll share. If it is something way off base from my genre, I'm probably going to delete the message. These type messages also make me uncomfortable. I don't want to be rude to anyone, but I'm not going to post everyone's information to my readers. It has nothing to do with "competition" or being a bitch. First of all, there are more than enough readers in the world, and their reading preferences vary wildly. There is no such thing as competition. Second, I don't know of any authors who would do this, even if they know the individual personally. It's very off-putting to be put on the spot. Kind of like when people ask you to write their life's story.

4. Getting asked to read or review someone's book is also a very awkward situation. For legal reasons I do not read anyone's work and I do not review. I've never reviewed. I simply do not have the time, most full-time writers don't. This can be particularly difficult to handle because most of us DO want to encourage people to follow their dreams. That doesn't mean that we have time to help them craft it and/or offer suggestions. I know I keep saying this, but none of this is to be a jerk. This is a business and I do it for a living, as many others do. If you were a lawyer, for example, would you expect another attourney, working for another firm, whom you did not know, to research all of your cases and just GIVE you the answers? Or to review every single case you worked and give their opinion? Of course not. They have their own busy workload to take care of.

5. If an author takes the time to answer your questions, be respectful of their time and don't keep asking things that can easily be found on the FAQs page at Amazon. Just because many of us work from home does not mean we have all the time in the world. I'm sure that only a few of us are sitting around working on our LARPing costumes. LOL Most of us are hard at work on our next book. Having said that, we're all pretty approachable and don't mind helping if we can. Just do your homework first. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked broad questions like, "How do I get published?" Wow. I'm not even sure where to begin.

I hope some (or all) of this is helpful. I also hope it is taken in the spirit I intended and not seen as snark. I'm truly not trying to be rude here. I'm just sharing what myself and a lot of other writers encounter fairly often.

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Writing, TMJ, and everything else

I've had to temporarily pause working on my next serial thanks to another flare up of TMJ. Even though I've got a new office chair, I simply cannot sit in it for 10 hours a day, repeatedly, like I was doing for the past several weeks.

I've got intense pain in my neck, jaw, and pretty much my whole face. It was to the point that I was having migraines. So, I'm taking a few weeks off in order to fully recover before I sit in this chair for hours at a time again.

While that does mean that my new serial is on pause, I'm still ahead of schedule with all my upcoming releases. That's a very good thing. I write ahead so that I CAN take time off if I need to.

This also gives me a chance to get caught up on some research. Everything I read is research in some form or another. I've already read 7 books in the past week. For every book about writing technique that I read, I pick up maybe one thing that I can use to help me improve. In my mind, that's worth it.

I've also downloaded several horror stories to read just for the hell of it because I love horror. LOL

Since I am ahead of schedule, even after I start back writing, I'm trying to stick with a new exercise routine. Working out helps me have less TMJ flare ups, not to mention look better in my swimsuit. It is that time of year. ;)

Anyway, I just wanted to give everyone a quick update. As always, I appreciate you all and I'm still excited to be doing what I love.

Getting lots of new stories lined up for next year

It's been a little while since my last post. That's because I've been writing. A lot. LOL My hands started to hurt again a few days ago. So, in order to write, I'm wrapped in ACE bandages and Tiger Balm.  In the past 2 months, I've finished the last Lilith book (which is huge), wrote another short novel for an anthology, finished the first book in a new series, and am almost finished with the second. No wonder I'm hurting.

This is my favorite month of the whole year. And as usual with the beginning of fall, I seem to come alive. As soon as the temperature drops, I feel like a million bucks.Right now, I'm listening to the sound of rain and anticipating the temperature drop in a few hours. Ahhh. I freaking love October. I've got my Halloween decorations out. All that's left to do is hang a few ghosts in my front yard.

Before I go, I wanted to share a little bit of what I'm working on for next year. Remember me mentioning the Bound by Blood series that I wanted to write? I've been making notes on it since 2012, but the books are finally happening. I've finished the first and will probably finish the second by this weekend. I'm hoping to finish the series sometime in January and have it be (hopefully) 6 books when complete.

Here are the covers for the first 3. We did a photo shoot specifically for this story. I couldn't find anything that I felt suited the look of the main character, and the mood/tone of the tale. So, I decided to create something original. With the help of my photographer, Stacey Mixon, here's what we came up with.

As I told someone recently, this one's got all kinds of stuff. Half-demon werewolf hunters, hot werewolves, witches, dragons, sorcerers, trolls, family curses, true love, miracles. LOL

Thankfully, the person I said this to is also a fan of The Princess Bride and got that joke. I can't wait to finish this series and share it with my readers. I think you're really going to dig it. :)

What is a romance novel?

Ever since I first got published, I keep hitting this brick wall. What wall is that? The wall people throw up when they hear that I write romance. This coming Monday, August 11th, is my publishing anniversary. It has been 7 years since my first book came out. :) While that's awesome, I can't believe I'm still talking about the same misconceptions.

Here's the thing, "romance" does not mean fluff and sex. That is what almost everyone assumes when they hear the word. So, let me break it down for those who are confused about the subject. Romance, just like any other genre, can be nothing but crap. That isn't an isolated type of thing. There are bad books everywhere, regardless of the subject matter.

Romance is also not an all encompassing category like it used to be. It doesn't necessarily mean women with their bodices torn open, wearing ridiculous dresses while being man-handled by pirates. (Although, it could.)

Most romance novels are NOT all about the sex. Books that revolve around sex are called erotica NOT romance. And no, that is not the same thing as porn. If someone is going to judge a genre, they should at least get their categories and terminology straight. Oh, and while we're on the subject, I am very offended when my work is called smut. Smut is like a filthy magazine full of nothing but pornographic images with no story ... maybe not any words at all. I do NOT write smut.

There are many sub-genres within romance. Here are just a few that are on Amazon.

Paranormal
Vampires
Werewolves & Shifters
Demons & Devils
Witches & Wizards
Contemporary
Science Fiction

You get the point, the list goes on. What does this mean? It means that these are all stories that just happen to also contain a romance within the plot. If John Conner's father had lived, Terminator could have technically been sold as a Science Fiction Romance novel. See what I mean?

I don't think that people who turn up their noses at romance really understand what is out there. Don't judge the whole genre by one or two books that made headlines. That's as ignorant as judging an entire race of people by one stupid person. LOL

Most of what is out there is well-written, and researched material. We're talking good, solid writing, not just a bunch of fluff. Romance novels have something that other genres often lack, genuine emotion. I love horror, but I've read horror novels before and not given a damn when main characters died. Why? Because they were not portrayed with any emotion. I didn't know anything about him/her. All I had was a handful of facts. Facts are cold and hard. They do not "tell" you who the person is. Their actions and reactions paint that picture, and that is what most romance novels provide.

So, what is a romance novel? It is an adventure in any established genre where a romantic relationship between at least two of the characters is involved in the plot or subplot.

While I'm on my soapbox, one more thing: I write about vampires and werewolves because I LIKE IT. I have never written about the paranormal because it is popular. Anyone who actually knows me understands what I'm talking about. I've always been into anything macabre, mythology, horror movies, you name it. That's my thing, and that is why I write about it. I am sick of people insulting me because I write about vampires. I'm tired of comments like, "Oh, how original." Really? How was that called for?

It all comes down to this, I'm doing what I love, and making a living at it. If you don't like that, please feel free to keep your snark to yourself.

The Final Lilith book is finished and I'm taking a break. :)

I finished drafting the 7th and final book in the Lilith Mercury series this past Saturday. So, why am I just now blogging about it? Because my wrists hurt like hell. In fact, I'm going to make this post brief so I don't further aggravate them as they are recovering well.

The 6th book in the series, The Bleeding Heart, is still scheduled for release in October. Amazon can sometimes put things out early or a few hours later than intended, depending on when it is approved after being uploaded. But, I'm shooting for October 1, 2014.

After Dark, the 7th book, is scheduled for release January 2015. I had to write the last 20,000 words of this one with pen and paper because it hurt too much to type.

My plan is to take a few months off, and finish typing the end of the book in September. ;) After that, I'm going to let it sit until December. Why? So that I can look at it with fresh eyes and be sure it is everything it needs to be before it goes out in January. This is the end of the series, and I don't want to leave anything out.

In the meantime, I'm not typing anything except a few brief messages in email or on Facebook. :) If I feel like my wrists are doing REALLY well, I might blog again in a week or so.

This is the first break I've had between books in just over 4 years. I think I more than deserve it. Of course, that doesn't mean I get to sit on my ass. I just won't be writing. LOL

Here is a link to my Amazon Author Page Tracey H. Kitts.

If you click "like" in the upper right corner, you will get an email alert every time I publish a new book. That way, you won't miss anything.

Why I do this, and my current goals

It's no secret, I've been under a lot of stress. For those who just read my blog or occasionally see a Facebook post and detect anger, you're not wrong. LOL But, it's not about stupid reviews, or sales data, or even a heavy workload. Although, some of those things might be the trigger, they are not the root cause.

I'll try to sum it up without over-sharing or looking like a whiner. My stress levels have been extremely high for about 6 straight years. We've had several deaths in the family, along with other issues. About the time I got my first publishing contract, I lost my job to budget cuts. Honestly, it was one of the worst jobs I'd ever had, highly stressful, but it paid the bills. I was able to briefly find other employment, but lost 3 more jobs due to budget cuts. Needless to say, this took a toll on me emotionally and financially. It put a strain on every aspect of my life.

Writing was my dream, but that dream quickly became a must. I had to sink or swim. There was no in-between. So, I wrote like hell. Don't get me wrong, I didn't churn out books just for money. Hell, I only recently started making enough to live on.

I wrote what was in my heart. I poured pieces of my soul onto the paper and I sold it off, bit by bit.

I've put in many long days and nights and more hours of advertising and promo than I could ever add up. It is damn hard to make a living as a writer. I had to do it, as there were no other job options in the rural area where I live. But I had an advantage. This wasn't just for money. This was what I WANTED. It's who I am and what I am meant to be. So, I've worked my ass off.

It wasn't difficult for me to get my first contract. I didn't struggle with a pile of rejection letters. However, I did struggle to get my books in front of readers who would enjoy them. That has been my biggest challenge.

All that work did not begin to pay off until October 2013, when I finally made the Amazon Best Sellers list and began to reach a larger audience.

For the first time, I was connecting with people on a huge scale. My vampire menage collection is still in the top 20 in Dark Fantasy, and spent a whole month at #1. I am thrilled with this. :)

The unfortunate downside is, that creates a lot of pressure to hurry up and put out another book. LOL Yes, it's a downside that I'll gladly live with. I'll take earning a decent living for my hard work ANY DAY over nearly being homeless, working my ass off, and not getting paid.

The biggest challenge I'm facing at the moment is that my wrists are totally worn out from all the writing. I don't have carpal tunnel syndrome or anything serious. This is more of an issue of overuse. Like, consecutively writing about 4,000 words a day for months and months without a break. The most I've rested between books for the past 4 years is probably 2 weeks. I'm exhausted. I'm also typing this very, very slowly so as not to further aggravate my hurting wrists.

Currently, I have 3 things on my "To Do" list. 1. Finish After Dark. (That's the 7th Lilith Mercury book.) 2. Take time off. 3. Read some books. LOL Really, that's it. Simplicity helps me.

Since it hurts so much to type, I'm writing out the end of After Dark by hand. The book will still be out by it's scheduled release in January 2015.

So, if you see a post that seems as though I've flipped my wig, just consider that I'm really, really tired and I'm probably taking things too seriously at the moment.

I appreciate my loyal readers very much, and just wanted to give everyone an update.

I have reached my limit

That's right. I've reached my limit on crazy, self-righteous lunatics and their rude comments to me personally and about my books.

Why would they ever think it is appropriate to insult me on a personal level? If you don't like the book FINE. The book is a product. I am the creator of the product. Insult the book if you must, but leave me out of it.

What provoked this rant? I just had some idiot complaining about my menage collection AGAIN. This is someone else who is offended by the leading lady having multiple lovers. Are you freaking kidding me?! The book has MENAGE in the title. There is a warning label that says MENAGE. There is also a woman with TWO MEN featured on the cover. This collection is clearly marketed for what it is. I didn't lie about anything, nor did I try to hide what the content truly is. IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY MULTIPLE PARTNERS DO NOT READ A MENAGE NOVEL.

People know from the beginning what content they find offensive. If they buy a book anyway, KNOWING that it contains offensive-to-them content, they have no right to complain. They are the ones who chose to go there. It's not like I tracked them down and shoved it in their face. But what do they do if they don't like it? Oh, they track ME down and shove it in MY face!

I just had someone say that I needed to team up with someone who has a moral compass. Oh, and they spelled moral wrong. Seriously? You do realize that these stories are FICTION, right? I'm not writing about myself!

I GET SO PISSED OFF WHEN PEOPLE ASSUME I AM WRITING FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. Do they make the same assumption when someone writes about an axe murderer?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a threeway with Dracula and two werewolves scheduled at lunch today.

Sex is not evil

I am continuously amazed by how many people are offended by sex. It's been around as long as we have. Ever since people first arrived on the scene, they've been doing it. So, why after all this time are people still offended by sex? Your guess is as good as mine.

Here's the thing that gets to me. The violence in my books is much more graphic in many cases than the sex. Yet in 6 1/2 years of being published, only ONE person has ever mentioned the violence. Still, that wasn't really a complaint. She simply mentioned that it might offended more sensitive readers. No one minds that heads are ripped off, hearts torn out, people are shot, dismembered, you name it. No one cares about any of that, just whatever you do DON'T HAVE SEX. That is crossing the line. Ha. Ha. Ha.

You've got to be kidding me!

But, this isn't just about my books. I've also noticed this disturbing (and stupid) trend in discussions about popular television shows. I'll use Game of Thrones as an example, because I like that show. No spoilers, I swear, but I will discuss season 3 in general and give a few examples without names.

The main complaint that I hear about Game of Thrones is that there is too much sex and nudity. Seriously? That is what bothers people? Children are murdered, people are gored and tortured in various ways. In season three, one person was horribly mutilated and left alive to deal with the aftermath. Not to mention the big slaughter scene that blew up the internet for about a week. The slaughter scene is the only exception I can think of, where people actually complained about violence.

I'm not saying that we should all be outraged by violence. I'm simply saying that it's ridiculous to watch someone get brutally murdered and then say, "Oh, how could they put boobies in this?!"

That's so stupid it's laughable. Besides that, the show comes with a content warning. At least, it did where I purchased my copy. My books also come with a content warning. And for the thousandth time, THEY ARE NOT FULL OF SEX. Just because a book has sex in it, does not make it erotica. If the entire book is about sex, THEN it is erotica. Most books DO have sex in them, they just don't always describe it as fully as the rest of the story. I choose to describe it, people ignore the warning label, and are offended.

Having sex in the story doesn't make it porn or smut either. Do all the rated R movies get a porn label for having a sex scene or two in them? No, of course not. They get a "Rated R for sexual content" label.

Yes, this has turned into a rant. It's just so ridiculous! I could understand if it was rape. That is horrible and offensive on so many levels. But consensual sex between adults who care about each other, THAT is what offends people? What about when the villain got his heart torn out and bled to death? No takers huh?

That's just wrong. If you don't want to read a book that has sex in it, then don't. People know what offends them and what doesn't. When something is clearly labeled, why go there? Personally, I don't want to watch anything with rape or childbirth in it. If a movie is labeled for rape, I will not watch it. If it even remotely sounds like it's going to have a horrible birth scene in it, I won't watch that either. That way, I'm not offended. It's that simple!

CORRECTION: In season 3, TWO people were horribly mutilated and left alive to deal with the aftermath. ;)

What I do to relax

At the moment, I've paused writing the 7th book in the Lilith Mercury series in order to work on a short story. The short titled, "Beautiful Nightmare," is for an anthology and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Unfortunately, I haven't had that much time to work on it. As I've mentioned before, my life can get pretty hectic. Today I have had so much silence that it's a shock to the system. LOL I am so grateful for this time alone. I've caught up on cleaning, written a bit further on the story, AND I had time to make another dance video.

I know some people may not get why I do these dorky videos. It's like this, music helps me relax. It lifts my mood and takes me to another place. Sometimes, it's even the place I want to go. The more music I listen to, the more I want to shake my butt. It's that simple. So, here's what I've been up to when I have a moment to myself.

This one I made last week in celebration of 6 months on the best sellers lists. :) Plus, this was the first time I'd had to myself in several weeks. That was also cause for celebration. LOL

And this is the one I made this afternoon. Why? Because I needed a mood boost. It felt freaking great to just turn on the music and dance for no reason other than I wanted to. This was also my first moment alone since last week.

Now, I've got to get back to that short story. I left The Boogeyman about to get naked. LOL

How I got started in publishing

I get asked fairly often how I got started as a writer. Some people want to know how I got started as far as publishing goes while others want to know how to begin their novel.

I am more than happy to help in any way I can. I just shared this information with a Facebook friend and thought, "Hey, maybe I should put this in a blog."

Please, feel free to ask questions, because I'm sure I haven't covered everything. This is just off the top of my head when it comes to getting things started. 

As I've said, I'm happy to tell you how I started, but I'm not sure how much it will help, since 

everyone's process is slightly different.

I've always wanted to be a writer, from the first day of kindergarten when they asked us what we wanted to be. LOL No joke. So, it's something that I knew one day I would do.

Then, I decided one day (6 years ago) that it was about time I got started. The story in my mind that was dying to be written was the Lilith Mercury series.

The very first thing I did was get a legal pad and decide what was going to happen in my story. Then I asked myself, why would anyone care about this besides me?

With those questions in mind, I made a very rough outline. There was no order to it, but that was okay. The notes or points on my outlines are never in order. Once I've included them in the story, I put a small check beside them.

Anyway, as I outlined the topics I wanted to cover and the scenes I wanted to write, I soon realized that I was looking at more than enough material for a series rather than one book.

I sat down and just started writing. I wrote the first two books, Red and Object of My Affection in just under 3 months. After editing it thoroughly and knowing that I had more books in me, I knew it was time to look for a publisher.

I knew absolutely nothing about publishing. I bought the current edition of Writer's Market and read it from cover to cover. They give exact details on how to put together your presentation package (cover letter, etc.) so that you look like a pro when you approach publishers or agents.

I made the choice to skip finding an agent. The way I saw it, they would do what I was already doing (putting my presentation together and shopping it around) and they would take part of my profits with them. That didn't seem right to me when I was more than capable of doing it myself.

Within 3 months, I'd found a publisher. While I later moved away from them and into self-publishing, I had to start somewhere.

I've worked with three different publishers, one of which I'm still with, Ellora's Cave. They are very professional and they get good press/exposure.

Having said that I must confess, I could never pay my bills with what I make with EC. Self-publishing puts food on my table and keeps a roof over my head.

I hope some of this information is helpful. I'm never sure exactly how to go about answering questions, so I tend to over-answer. ;)

What Lilith means to me

Everything I have ever written represents a part of who I am. But no story has ever been more personal to me than the Lilith Mercury series. The story is told from her perspective, but she is more an expression of myself than a work of fiction. 

The scars Lilith carries are my own, both the ones you can see, and the ones you can't. Her thoughts, her emotions, even her hobbies are my own. Every trauma she experiences represents a similar experience in my life. Not literally, of course, but emotionally.

The men in her life are not there because she is a raging slut, nor do they represent men in my life. They represent different aspects of myself, therefore, they are no less a part of Lilith than her own heart.

Marco is everything I wish I could be, and everything I ever wanted. He is a true hero. He is tough when he has to be. He is kind. He gives a lot of himself to others and knows exactly what he wants. This is why Lilith turns to him for direction. 

Dracula is my pain. He is my broken heart put onto paper. After everything is stripped away, when I am emotionally bare, he is the monster that remains. He is immortal, wounded, and lonely. He is the emotional equivalent  of everything that has caused me pain and how it changed me. That is why Lilith turns to him for comfort. If anyone understands pain and loss, it's Dracula. 

Bade is my fantasies come to life, and I don't mean sexually. He says and does exactly what he wants, even if he knows it is wrong sometimes. Bade is always true to himself and that is why Lilith is drawn to him.

Alek represents my dreams. He can make people's dreams come true, even if it is only in their mind. He has the wisdom that I often wished I could have and gives the guidance that I often long for. That is what Lilith sees in him and why he is her confidant. 

Elijah is my innocence. He is everything good in me and everything I feel that I have lost. He is the same for Lilith and that is why he means so much to her.

Lilith's powers say more about me than they do about her. She can take away the pain of others because that is something I have often longed to do. She heals with her emotions because I wish I could use mine to do the same. 

Lilith wants more than anything to be normal, to be loved, and accepted for who she is. She is drawn to all the parts of her soul that are missing. 

No, that doesn't mean that all these characters are or will be her lovers. (Some will be.) It means they are there for a reason.

Perhaps through growing as a person/character she can learn to accept these aspects of herself. Through writing her story, perhaps I can as well. 

Maybe I shouldn't be this honest about myself and my writing. I just want people to know why I care so much about this series and why it matters to me.

What influences me

I decided to be completely straight-forward about what influences me when I write. It might not be what you think, or maybe you've got me all figured out. If you do, you'll be the first. (Some days that includes myself.) LOL

Despite what some might think, I haven't been inspired by anything "new" in years. It's the things from my "developmental" years that have stuck with me. Sure, I love to read Dean Koontz, but he is not the reason I wrote about Frankenstein. 

It wasn't until recently that I started to watch some of my favorite childhood TV series and movies again. When I did so, I realized that there were a lot of things coming from my subconscious that I was completely unaware of.

So, here they are in no particular order.

1. Jareth, The Goblin King - For those who don't know, he is from Labyrinth. David Bowie in tight pants is enough to inspire anyone, right. LOL As I watched Labyrinth very recently (for the first time since I was 6 years old) I suddenly understood a lot about my vampires. All of my vampires get some part of their style from Jareth. I laughed as I saw the ruffled shirts he wears and the vests. Hell, even his hair has influenced me! In particular, Alucard from Diary of an Incubus really embodies the style of The Goblin King. He even has the hair, but he doesn't stand it straight up. Ha. Ha.

The tight pants, the melodrama, the knee-high boots, even the eyeliner, and of course, the tight pants, were all deep within my mind. 

If you ever wondered why my vampires have this certain look, now you know, because now I know. 


2. Beauty and The Beast - Though I was too young to understand a lot of the content of the show, I watched the TV series of Beauty and The Beast when I was little. Consequently, I am still in love with Ron Perlman's voice. 

When I began to rewatch this series about a year ago I suddenly understood why I described so many heroes with a sexy, deep, smooth voice. 

Vincent (the Beast) is a man who happens to look like a monster. He shows on the outside what most of us conceal within. It was from him that I first learned that the way a person looks does not make them a monster; it is their actions that matter most.

He is remarkably kind, accepting, and another snazzy dresser. Vincent is a fan of long, flowing capes, knee-high boots, and living underground. If you've read my books, it isn't difficult to see his influence.


3. Scars - This isn't from a TV show or a movie, but my own personal experience. Someone commented recently on the fact that more than one of my characters deals with being ashamed of their scars. That is because it is something I've dealt with personally and I believe it is something everyone can relate to. No one is perfect. Anyone who carries scars, whether they are emotional or physical, wonders if that makes them damaged goods. To find someone who will accept you the way that you are is a dream that every imperfect person shares on some level. If you cannot relate to that, congratulations on being perfect.


4. Dracula - This one should come as no surprise. I first read Bram Stoker's Dracula when I was 12 and I've been in love with him ever since. He was tall, dark, and mysterious. Once again we have a character wrapped in melodrama. He walks a fine line between sexy and deadly. And once again, he is one hell of a dresser if you go with Bella Lugosi's impression.


5. The Phantom of the Opera - I first read The Phantom of the Opera shortly after reading Dracula and the two blended together in my mind. I've always been a fan of drama and theatre. I love everything about it. The passion, the costumes, and the hot actors. I have been in love with the Phantom for a very long time and he too comes out in my work. 

He is also tall, dark, dangerous, and mysterious. He hides himself for fear of rejection, yet he has so much to offer that he does not see his true beauty. 


So, there you have it, the things/characters that have influenced me most heavily in my writing. When I see stories like Frankenstein and The Wolfman, I do not see monsters; I see men who happen to look like monsters. I see another Beauty and The Beast. 

Since many of my stories share these themes, does that mean they are unoriginal? Not at all. It means that they were all written by the same woman who has the same feelings, fears, and dreams. They were all crafted by the same hand and I believe there is nothing wrong with that being obvious, so long as the characters themselves have their own personality. 

My vampires will likely always wear tight pants and the occasional ruffled shirt. Likewise, my werewolves will always have sexy voices and hairy chests. My love for The Phantom and theatre has played a big role in the way I wrote A Dream Forbidden (coming next month). 

I suppose my point is, if someone cannot relate to my themes, or if you don't like the way my vampires dress, maybe my books are not for you. 

For everyone else who doesn't mind a hairy chest, ruffled shirt, or a sexy voice, please, stick around.

An interview with myself

Ha. Ha. Ha. Okay, the title sounds like I'm nuts. Maybe I am. *shrugs* The point is, I get asked a lot of questions about myself and my writing, which is awesome. It is so exciting to think that anyone wants to know about me. LOL

So, I thought I would take a few minutes and answer some of the most common questions here. 

Q - Where is your work published?

A - I was at one time with 4 different publishers. Now, all my books are either with Ellora's Cave, or self-published on Amazon. 

Q - Why have you self-published so many books?

A - Honestly, because I earn a higher percentage of royalties and have more creative freedom. This means I get to make a living doing what I love AND have the book turn out as I intended. 

Q - What is the first romance novel you ever read?

A - Well, it's not the first I ever read, but the first that I remember really getting to me. Sun God by Nan Ryan. I bought it at a garage sale for .25 cents. I've still got it on my shelf. :)

Q - How long have you been writing?

A - Professionally, since 2006. 

Q - What is your day job like?

A - This is my only job and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Q - What other authors are similar to your work?

A - I do not read authors whose work sounds similar to mine because I don't want their voice to influence me. It is actually very frustrating to be compared to other people, or accused of writing like them when you've never read their work. In particular, I do not read Laurrell K. Hamilton, so if people could please stop saying how I have been influenced by her, that'd be great. LOL

Q - What are you currently working on?

A - I am currently working on the Lilith Mercury series. Book 5 (A Dream Forbidden) will be out March 2014.

Q - How steamy/sensual are your books?

A - Some are very steamy, others not so much. I don't shy away from graphic descriptions. That includes both sex and violence.

Q - What's the biggest challenge in writing romance?

A - A lot of people don't take it seriously. They think that I'm not a "real" author and that anyone could do it. I say they are welcome to try. Good luck to them. 

Q - How do friends and family respond to what you write?

A - It's a mixed bag. Most people close to me are supportive, but one neighbor thinks I'm the devil. LOL

Q - Who is your favorite character? OR Which character is most like you?

A - Lilith Mercury

Q - What type of promotion do you do for your books?

A - A little bit of everything. Blog tours, magazine ads, online ads, FB groups. You name it, I've tried it. Consequently, I don't know if any of it did any good. 


And there you have it. My most common questions. :) 

Food for thought

Writing is a lonely job. When you finish a book, it represents far more than whatever the story is about. It's hours of lost sleep. It's time away from your family and friends. It's a piece of who you are and what you are all about. Likely the only one who will ever fully understand that is YOU.

I'm not saying people won't enjoy your work, or that they won't understand it. I'm saying that everyone reads things from a different perspective. They have their own ideas and prejudices from the beginning, just like you do when you write.

Knowing that you are the only one who will ever really know what that book was about, that is pretty lonely.

If you try to explain that to someone, you will likely be asked, "Why did you decide to become a writer then?"

You don't exactly "decide" to become a writer. You either are one, or you are not. I am, and I've always been, a writer.

I am truly and deeply grateful that after six years of hard work, my books are finally taking off. That's great and I am thrilled. However, this means that I am exposed to more and more people, which means more and more assholes will attack me simply because I'm right in front of them.

When I go out I have a 50/50 chance of being recognized either because someone read my book/books and loved it or because they hate my guts and think they could do better. I simply do not understand all the hatred. It is never okay to behave that way.

If you don't like what I write, then don't read it. Move on to something that is more to your liking and don't be a dick to me for writing what I enjoy.

If you think you can do better then by all means, do it. I sincerely wish you luck. If you want to write, then write. Go for it. Don't sit around hating other people because they have accomplished their goals. I'm sure they worked their asses off to be where they are.

While I am beyond excited to see my books climbing the charts, I am also heartbroken because I can no longer watch that climb. Why? Well, because I am sick of my books getting trolled. If I look at that shit I'll never be able to write another word. Reading hurtful reviews (or even good ones sometimes) can cripple a writer. You won't be able to put anything on the page for fear that people won't understand it, or they will attack you for it. I can't do that. This is what pays my bills and I have to keep writing. Therefore, I can no longer look at my rankings because it is impossible to see that without seeing reviews.

Do me a favor everyone? Before you reply in an email to someone or write a review, or communicate with anyone in any way ... think about it. Realize that there is an actual person with thoughts and feelings on the receiving end of your words. If they haven't done anything personally to you, then don't attack them on a personal level. What if you were on the receiving end of your letter or review? Would it upset you, or hurt your feelings? If so, then don't send it.

Just some food for thought.

My muse is going crazy

Just when I thought I had my schedule well planned in advance, my muse is going nuts with a new idea. LOL Isn't that just the way it goes? I mean, this has to happen to other writers, right? I can't be the only one.

My plan was to re-release Till the Break of Dawn, then put out Dracula: In the Flesh a week later. Friday the 13th is perfect for a Dracula release, isn't it? Then, in December re-release Three Days of Night and possibly work on the next Lilith Mercury book in January.

Oh, and I've got several books that need a print edition. I was going to be working on those between the other projects. Once most of this was crossed off my list, I was going to go back to working on Bound by Blood.

That was the plan. The problem is I've got a new idea that just won't shut up. It keeps talking to me, whispering the most interesting things in my ear, like a little devil on my shoulder. I've been pushing it aside since June. I keep saying, "I've got too much else to work on. I can't start another project right now." You know what it says? "You can't resist me." And maybe I can't.

This is another erotic horror that will be written as T.K. Hardin. I would say what the subject of the book is, but I don't want to reveal anything too soon. I may have created a monster when I started writing as T.K. Hardin. Ha. Ha.

The plan now (as of this moment) is to hurry up and finish Three Days of Night. That would mean that Till the Break of Dawn, Dracula: In the Flesh, AND Three Days of Night would be totally ready to go. This would free me up (HA!) to write through December, at least. Of course, I'll still be working on Dracula's final edits for another week or so, not to mention a huge blog tour/promo. Again, most of that work is already done.

Damn. I'm tired just thinking about it. Stupid muse. I love what I do, and I never thought I would say this, but I wish that dark, sexy man would stop telling me his story. Okay, I really don't. I just wish he had better timing. ;)

Oh, and today is my publishing anniversary! Six years ago today my very first novel, Red, was published. Maybe his timing is better than I thought. And maybe I should stop typing and take notes. This guy has a lot to say. LOL

Another post about self-publishing

There are many misconceptions flying around out there about self-publishing. Yes, I've talked about these at length before. However, there are many people who are still very much in the dark when it comes to self-publishing. Unfortunately, everyone who self-publishes gets thrown into the general category of "hack." While there are many of these out there, not all who self-publish deserve this harsh and often hurtful label.

In particular, I'd like to clear the air about my own work.

1. I CHOSE to self-publish. I was not forced. I was not rejected over and over again by larger companies. In fact, I have several books with traditional publishers. Not as many as before, but that is because I CHOSE to cancel those contracts as they reached their expiration dates. I'm not saying this to brag, but I did not have any difficulty finding a publisher. There is also one that I plan to continue working with as I have learned a lot from them.

2. I do not turn out poorly edited/slapped together pieces of crap. Different patterns of speech and spelling variations are not errors. I'm not saying this to be a jerk, but I'm good at what I do. (Everyone should be able to feel this way about their work.) I have pride in myself and my work. I'm a professional. I look at each book as a product, not simply a creative outlet. Sure, I write because I love it. But keep in mind, this is what I do for a living. I take it seriously. Each of my books is professionally edited, several times by myself, and my writing partner/editor. Even if I write the book in only a few weeks, it will be edited for a month or more. 

3. Yes, I do my own cover art. I agree that not everyone should attempt this. I am an artist. Until  I did the cover of Frank and The Werewolf Tamer, my talents were used for my entertainment alone. I can't see paying someone to do work that I enjoy and can easily do myself. 

4. I'm not some nut job who just throws stories together and tries to make a profit. As I've already said, I put a lot of time and effort into what I do. Unfortunately, there are too many people out there who fall into this category and ARE self-publishing.

5. I am not a loser. Ha. Ha. Ha. Seriously, so many people assume this simply because I self-publish. Good grief.

6. I earn 70% on most sales for my self-published titles. Most ebook publishing contracts leave the author with 30-45%. I have bills that need to be paid. I'm a person just like everyone else.

One last thing that is slightly off topic. I am tired of getting spammed by companies (or individuals) trying to sell me some kind of promotional tools. Just because I self-publish doesn't mean I'm stupid. And obviously, I don't have the resources of a large press. Why the hell do I keep getting these types of calls and emails? 

So, for the record, if I am interested in a type of promotion or service, I will contact the company or individual. There is no need to call me on my cell or send me strange messages.

With very few exceptions, these are always scams. Sad but true. I have been contacted by a few legit companies. However, I had worked with them before, so it wasn't odd for them to send me a message.

I'm not talking about the emails from places who offer FREE promotion. I love to get those notifications. LOL Those of you who have also been spammed know what I'm talking about.

Okay, it's time for coffee ... and maybe some Skyrim. ;)

Getting back on track

I haven't been blogging as much lately. As some of you know (because you have kids too), it's summer break right now. That means I've been spending some much needed (and enjoyed) time playing video games with my son.

Though I've tried very hard to hide it, I've been under a lot of stress. Long story short, it finally caught up with me. These past few weeks have been a sort of emotional crash for me. I do my best to maintain a positive attitude, because I truly believe that is the key to living a happy life.

No one can MAKE you feel anything. You decide if you will be happy or not. Having said that, there were many days lately when I didn't have the strength for positive thinking.

Why am I stressed? Let me give a brief rundown. I had about 11 books under contract with a publisher. For many reasons, I made the decision to cancel those contracts as they expired, rather than have them roll over. As those contracts expire and the rights of the books revert fully to me, I am re-releasing those titles. That means I am having them edited again. Often times I also put in additional content to these stories. And since I am an artist too, I have been designing my own cover art for these re-releases. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy every moment of the process, but that is a LOT of work.

I have been published for almost 6 years. (August 11, 2013 is my 6 year publishing anniversary.) The sooner I get these books back out, the sooner I can increase my income. This is what I do for a living, so that is very important. Every time a book's rights revert to me, that is one source of income that is lost until I can get that book back out for readers to purchase.

Needless to say, I feel tremendous pressure to get these books back out as soon as possible. However, I have to make sure they are ready first. Why? Because my reputation depends on it.

As I work on this massive project, all of my new works have been on hold. That is an incredibly frustrating feeling. I can't create anything new until the old work is back out there. It's like catching up on 5 years of work in about 1 year.

If I'm not creating new works, I feel useless. My income has dropped and I wonder if I will ever truly be a success. And that is only what is stressing me about my career.

In the meantime, I stopped working out for 3 weeks. I was training so hard that it was throwing off my normal bodily processes. I had to let my system relax. So, I did. Turns out, working out was keeping me sane.

The next thing I knew, my son crashed his truck. (He is fine.) It was all downhill from there. I've spent the past 3 weeks feeling like gradually worse shit. But, I've continued to work.

I have managed to complete ONE new book. It is currently in the capable hands of my editing/writing partner. I hope to have it out by October, if not sooner. I'm back on a workout schedule, and by December, all my books will once again belong to me. At least, all that were with the publisher I mentioned. I have other books with Ellora's Cave, and I intend to keep them there.

I've taken a lot of crap for venturing into self-publishing. God forbid I want to earn enough money to pay my bills.

My point is, I am finally starting to feel like I've got my shit together again. I'm working on another re-release, getting a new book ready for publication, and I'm 10 pounds from my weight loss goal.

I've never found it difficult to find joy in small things. I keep reminding myself that as far as this goes, nothing has changed. I am not where I want to be yet. But if I keep working, I will get there. I have to believe that. Otherwise, why am I even trying?

I let myself get overwhelmed. That's something I think a lot of people can relate to.

Be careful what company you keep

Today marks my 500th blog post. (Yay!) In honor of that accomplishment, I wanted to offer what I felt like was good (and easy to follow) advice.

I just read a friend's post on Facebook about meeting with their author group. They said how this was a great thing for them and I was a bit envious. Ha. Ha. There are literally NO writer/author groups in my area (to my knowledge) that are worth a crap. I know of two and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

In the beginning when you first get published, it's tempting to run out and join a writing group. I think everyone wants to find people who will support and encourage them. My advice? Don't do that.

I'm not saying there aren't good groups out there. Sure there are. They just aren't around me. We can only judge by our own experience and here is what I found in the two writer's groups I attempted to be a part of.

The first was at one of the Universities where I used to work. I joined this group because I had always had an interest in writing and knew that I would someday pursue writing as a career. I thought I could learn something.

In this group everyone would sit around and read their latest poetry or short story and then ask for feedback from the group. That was how it was supposed to go. What really happened? The leader of the group was full of himself and barely gave anyone else a chance to speak. He was rude and criticized everyone else's work when his own wasn't up to par. This was basically a chance to sit around and bitch and read emo poetry. It was a complete waste of time, but I kept up my membership for a little while. As soon as I became published, they disowned me. Everyone was jealous that I succeeded and reached the first of my career goals. They acted as if I and my accomplishment didn't exist. In the last publication they put out (at the University) they didn't even list me as a member. You would think they'd be proud of me, right? I never went back.

My second experience with a writer's group was in my hometown. I got a nice invitation in the mail asking me to attend their next meeting. I've known the librarian in town (where the meeting was held) since I was a kid. She is a sweet lady and was probably responsible for my invite.

What happened there? Another published author was in attendance and I accidentally stole her show. She was also from the same town, but had long since moved away. She writes more traditional romance. After the main part of her speech was over people started to ask questions. Since I had been introduced, a few of these questions were directed at me instead of her. Some of the others in the group seemed fascinated to find that not only did I not use an agent, but I had published more books in 3 years than this other author had in 10 years.

That was not my fault. I didn't ramble on. I politely answered and tried to turn things back over to her. Still, I was snubbed when I attempted to speak to her afterward. Bitch. She acted like she was above speaking to anyone except the lady who had invited her.

Afterward, I went to dinner with the group while she disappeared. She was also "too good" to eat with us. I thought things went well as everyone seemed to enjoy asking me questions. But guess what? I was never invited back. Despite the fact that I have published even more novels now and gotten a few awards.

I suppose my point is, you don't have to belong to a group if you don't want to. Don't let yourself feel pressured. You've got enough to do without worrying about going to meetings, right? If being a part of a group feels right and is helpful to you, then go for it. But if it isn't, don't stress over it. Also, just because a group of people claim to be a writer's group, doesn't mean they give a damn about you and your writing.

So, what do I do for support? I have a few friends who are writers. I talk to and confide in them. I trust their opinions. I have an editor and writing partner who works with me on all my books, especially my indie titles. She is a great person and a close friend. She can look me right in the face and tell me something sounds stupid without hurting my feelings. Why? Because she isn't a bitch and I know she has my best interest at heart. It also helps that she doesn't try to read me any emo poetry.

Amazon may consider your books porn

It seems there is always something or someone trying to persecute those who write or enjoy reading (or both) erotic romance.

Lately, all the buzz is about Amazon and their new search "feature." Apparently, when you do an "All Department Search" erotica is being filtered out.

Right off the bat I can tell you that is a terrifying prospect to me. It's also offensive to be thrown into the category of porn. My books have sexual content. So do a lot of movies, games, and TV shows. They aren't considered porn, and my books shouldn't be either. I've read several horror writers who include sex in their books. They aren't being excluded from searches. Why? Maybe it has something to do with the category of erotica?

Now I mentioned this was terrifying to me. That's because I do this for a living. I have no other job. I write. I use my income from royalties to pay my bills. I also earn the majority of my income from Amazon sales. You see where I'm going with this? It's scary.

I wonder if this will blow over. Will writers like myself continue to be able to make a living? I sure as hell hope so. It's pretty well known that erotica was a driving force for Kindle sales. At long last, people could read romance novels without anyone seeing the cover and judging them for it. Surely, Amazon realizes this?

I know several people, men and women, who were thrilled to be able to read a BDSM novel without anyone knowing. One of my friends sat at the dentist office reading as he called it, "straight-up kink" and no one knew. THIS is what sold the kindle. Sexual content. Period.

And now, after all that, WE are getting filtered? My books are not porn! There are many novels in other genres who have just as much sex in them as my books do. Is it because my stories have a happy ending that I'm getting the shaft? (Yes, the pun is totally intended.)

Besides being scary, treating erotica writers this way is just plain bad business. We make Amazon a lot of money.

Back in the day, books used to only be filtered (or excluded from searches) if there was nudity on the cover. For that reason, none of my covers have naked people. I thought I had this Amazon thing figured out.

As I was composing this blog post, I read another post that answered a question I really wanted to know. You can no longer put your book in both "Erotica" and "Romance" categories. Additionally, the category "Erotic Romance" puts your book in erotica.

Seriously? I'm going to Amazon right now to change my categories. I don't think that's an option if your books are already considered "ADULT". Once a work is considered "erotic," it stays that way. Naturally, huge traditionally published books like 50 Shades get the option to change their category. But not the little guys.

I searched for my books on Amazon in the "All Department Search" and only one was excluded, Diary of an Incubus. Yes, it has been slapped with the ugly ADULT label.

While I figure out what to do about that, I'm going to pause blogging and go change the categories of my other books. Hey, Amazon didn't bother to tell us they were doing this filter crap. Why should I play nice? I need to make a living here.

*after changing categories*

Okay, now ALL my books are in different categories besides Erotica. Here's what I did with mine.

Necromancer - Horror, Romance Paranormal

Wicked City - Romance, Fantasy

Eden - Paranormal, Fantasy

Bitten - Romance paranormal, horror

The Eternal Kiss - Paranormal, short stories

The Dread Moon - Paranormal, Horror

Object of My Affection - Paranormal, Horror

Red - Paranormal, horror

Frank and The Werewolf Tamer - Fantasy, Romance paranormal

I hope this works. My fear is that changing the categories will actually make my books harder to find. But if the filer might have been preventing them being found ... hell, I don't know.

I changed the category of Diary of an Incubus to Romance, Paranormal. If it's being filtered for the cover, then screw Amazon. I've seen a lot worse.

I would like to say that this will blow over and everything will be okay. But the truth is I don't know what will happen. I'm trying to stay positive. Maybe changing these categories will help MORE readers find me.

Whatever happens, I will survive, and so will you.