Is it okay to get personal?

Obviously, it's never a good idea to give your life's history on social media. But how personal is it all right to get? Hmmm. That sentence sounded better in my head.

If I didn't need social media to be in contact with readers and network with fellow authors, I can tell you right now, I wouldn't be on there. And not just Facebook. I wouldn't be ANYWHERE. It's not that I don't enjoy a good game of Candy Crush now and then, being on social media is very time consuming. That's time that I could be writing my next book. 

That being said, if you're on places like Facebook often, you tend to get comfortable with people that you regularly interact with. I've seen some pretty gasp worthy overshares in my time. (Posted publicly) LOL I don't mean people you get to know on a personal basis and send private messages to. (Although you have to be careful who you trust with that as well.) I mean people you are casually in touch with.

In my case, I want to be myself. But, that should probably never happen in public. Ha. Ha. Ha. No, really. 

The main group of people that I interact with is my readers. I want them to know me, actually know me. I don't want to be fake or lie about myself in any way. I also don't want to accidentally divulge too much.

Some people might not realize how hard it is to walk that line. Can you imagine never being able to express an opinion? You can NEVER talk about politics and religion, for example. Not that I would. You can never post a controversial news headline. Oh, and never ever talk about reviews. You will be crucified. You are not allowed to have an opinion about what someone said about your life's work, so don't even go there.

All right, you can, but you will always offend someone. When you have any small bit of a public persona, that is never a good thing.

Most readers are amazing, cool people. But then there's the flip side. There are nutters out there. Oh yes, there are nutters. I've come in contact with more than my share. Therefore, even on my personal page, I am censored. I don't share where I live, where I went to school. I don't post pictures of my family. As far as most people know it's just me and my dogs. You can never be too safe. And you can never, ever let your guard down and just be you.

I suppose this rambling post is just to say the struggle is real. I want to know my readers and I want them to know me. But I find that I end up censoring myself so much.

I express my true self in my books through a variety of different characters. I know some people assume that I'm the heroine, but that is rarely ever true. I've even had characters that were writers before. Naturally, that sparked some nasty comments of me writing about myself. Um, no. They are nothing like me. Usually, I'm the villain, or the sarcastic secondary character, or even the hero. 

People who read my books and really enjoy them, they are the ones who actually know me.

I've heard writers say, "Just because you read my books doesn't mean you know me." While that may be true for some, it isn't for me. If you really pay attention to my books, you know me.

Do you do NaNoWriMo?

For those who don't know, that's National Novel Writing Month. I've never participated before. At least, I thought I hadn't until I read a post today by the lovely and talented Sidney Bristol. As it turns out, I'm a NaNoRebel. You can check out Sidney's post HERE on the Romance Authors Marketing Network.

Anyway, all I knew about NaNoWriMo was that a bunch of people (some authors already, some hoping to be soon), tried their best to finish a novel in the month of November.

As many of you know from reading my blog or being my friend on Facebook, I have issues with anxiety. Not always, thankfully, but it can get overwhelming at times. Have a written a novel in a month before? Sure. I've written 80,000 words in just two weeks before. But committing to writing at least 50,000 words in one month? Nope. I didn't think it was for me. It just seemed like added pressure.

With writing full-time, marketing, editing, doing cover art, etc., and taking care of myself, my family, and my dogs, it just seemed like too much.

Don't get me wrong, I write all the time. Almost every day, in fact. The only exception is that after a big project (like writing a whole series in just a few months), I like to take a week or two off. During that time, I still market and work on cover art if I need to, but I don't write.

I also have a schedule that sits on the left side of my desk. It reminds me which books I need to release during each month and what I need to have written for the next year. Adding something else to that seemed more than a little bit intimidating.

In the past I've written a novel during November many times. Not because I signed up for anything, but because it was already on my schedule. So, I told people that I didn't do NaNoWriMo, because I do get asked pretty often. It turns out I was wrong!

If you are writing during the month of November, you are participating in NaNoWriMo. Wow. I just learned that. LOL

I'm not sure that I'll sign up on the website, but I do have some definite goals for this month. They aren't the traditional complete novel of 50k or more though. My goals are to finish editing a novella called Dragon Charmer and add about 15,000 words to it. After that, I'm going to immediately start working on the 4th book in a new series for next year called, There's No Place. If I can finish those two things this month, I'll be very proud of myself. I'll also have written around 70,000 words. 

What about you? Do you have specific goals that are not exactly standard NaNoWriMo?

Sign up here to be all "official" and stuff.

Upcoming books and a new series

As those who follow my posts on FB know, I've been really busy. Since several people have asked what exactly my schedule holds for the rest of this year, and the new year, I thought I'd give a quick update.

Taming the Alpha - December 2014 - I'm very excited to be a part of this anthology. There are lots of amazing authors in this, including Mandy M. Roth, and Michelle M. Pillow. My novella in this set is called Once Upon A Full Moon.

After Dark, Lilith Mercury Book 7 - This is the final book in the Lilith Mercury series. It's scheduled for release January 6, 2015 and is available for pre-order now.

Pre-order your copy here.

Bound by Blood - This is the brand new series that I just finished writing.

This series still needs to go through edits, but here is the tentative release schedule.

Book One - Oriana's Curse - Feb, 2015
Book Two - Demon's Embrace - May, 2015
Book Three - Dragon Slayer Dreams - August, 2015
Book Four - Enter the She-Dragon - Nov. 2015
Boxed Set - Feb. 2016

The Eternal Kiss - This is currently part of a boxed set (Heaven to Hell) and will be released as a single short novella in April, 2015

Plus, I'm part of another (still kind of secret) series coming up next fall 2015. I can say that I will finally continue the story of Kurtis, the Dracula impersonator from Frank and The Werewolf Tamer. At least, that's the plan. This is still in the planning stages, so don't hold me to it.

I've written 5 books in just under 3 months. Yes, I'm tired. LOL As much as I love writing, I'm going to take a slight step back and focus a little more on me for a change. What does that mean? It means that I'm going to get back into a regular workout schedule, play some video games, and watch some movies on my list.

You may not realize (or maybe you do) how important this is for a writer. It's exciting to know that people want to read one book right after the other. But maintaining that kind of pace will drive you nuts, and quite possible shorten your lifespan from stress. LOL

Please know that I appreciate each and every one of you and I write as fast as I reasonable can. My wrists and hands hurt if I go faster physically than I do right now. Plus, I like to have time to let new ideas "percolate" for a while. I think it makes the characters and worlds more real when they finally make it onto paper.

I'll still be proofing and editing the stories mentioned above, plus sending them to my editor. So, I'm not on vacation or anything. I've just got to do my very best to rest my brain so that I can continue what I hope to be a long, productive, and successful career. :)

Having said that, I've already got a few ideas for another possible series. LOL

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.

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. ;)

Tight schedule

I wanted to take a minute to answer a few more questions that I get asked pretty frequently. But first I'd like to say, please, don't mistake my meaning. None of this is to be rude in any way.

I get asked fairly often if I will read or review someone's book. The truth is, I simply do not have the time. It's not that I don't care. Right now, I'm writing two books. That is a lot of work and takes a great deal of time. I'm also making notes on future projects. 

As I've said before, I am responsible for all of my promotional efforts as well as financial planning. Plus, I've got a home and a family that I'm responsible for. 

I barely have a moment to myself. So, when I say that I do not have time to read or review someone's work, I'm not being a jerk. I'm telling you the truth.

Aside from the fact that my time is limited, reading others works and offering critique opens up a HUGE legal issue. 

I've known authors who were kind enough to do this for other people. Then, when they had a work published on down the line, the person whose work they read SWORE that they stole the idea from them. It didn't matter that the book published was drafted long before they read the other person's work. To be blunt, I don't have time for that either. LOL No one needs that kind of stress in their lives. 

Like I said, none of this is meant to sound rude or harsh. I just want people to know my honest reasoning. I am very flattered that anyone thinks I'm qualified to look over their work, or that they would value my opinion. That is awesome. I simply do not have time. I hope everyone can understand that.

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.

Pros and Cons of reading reviews

First, let me say that this is written tongue-in-cheek, and not to be taken seriously. This is just for laughs and perhaps a bit of therapy for myself and my fellow writers. While some of this CAN be taken seriously, most clearly cannot. LOL

TO READ                                                           NOT TO READ                                        

-I would know what people think
  about my books.                                               - Knowing changes nothing.

- I would know if someone insulted me.             - You cannot change what people say
                                                                           and defending yourself is NOT allowed.
                                                                           Neither is an anal assault with a pickaxe.
      
- What if someone called me names?                   - If someone directly insulted you,
                                                                             THEY look  like the asshole. Just
                                                                             kill them off in your next book.            
               
-What if it's really nasty?                                     - You don't have anywhere to hide
                                                                             the body.


-What if they REALLY don't like
  what I've written?                                             - SCREW THEM. You aren't going to
                                                                            change it. They can suck a fat one.
                                                                            If you're lucky, they might choke on it.      
        
-What if they are saying cruel shit?                      - It doesn't matter what they say,
                                                                            as long as people are still enjoying
                                                                            your books. Seriously, this one is for real.
 
       
-What if they don't like what some
  of the characters do?                                        - SCREW THEM. They didn't write
                                                                            the book.

- What if they say my characters
    are immoral?                                                  - That just makes them look like a prude.
                                                                            You  cannot track them down and
                                                                            smack them with a dildo.
 
- What if they are offended by
   something a character says?                            - In the words of Yoda, "Offended you
                                                                            are? A f**k I don't give." Seriously,
                                                                            you wrote each character with their
                                                                            own personality. Don't censor that
                                                                            based on what people MIGHT
                                                                            think.
         
- What if they complain about
   similarities between characters?                      - SCREW THEM. Many people have
                                                                            things in common. That does not
                                                                            mean they are not original.
         

- What if they insult me PERSONALLY?               - Let's be real here, you don't know where
                                                                             they live, so put down the baseball bat.

- Remarks I've read in the past
   really hurt my feelings.                                     - People are assholes. You can't change that.
                                                                               And you can't kill them.

- This character shared my personal
  opinion and they insulted her/him.                  - You have been insulted before, mostly by
                                                                            jealous twats. It will happen again.

- What if I am on the best seller list,
   and I don't know it because I can't
   look at the book's page?                                  - Knowing wouldn't change anything.
                                                                             And  you might accidentally see
                                                                             another display of stupidity.
                                                                             Have a hot cocoa and relax.
                                                                                             


- What if my books are getting bashed
    and I don't know?                                            - Then you won't be forced to hire
                                                                              a hacker to track them down
                                                                              so that you can stomp the jelly
                                                                              out of their skulls. After all,
                                                                              it would ruin your new shoes.
                                                                                               
In all seriousness, if the people who like your books outnumber the people who hate your books, you are doing just fine. Are you getting positive letters from readers? Great! Focus on that. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE YOU ARE WRITING FOR.

Like I said, this is meant to be humorous and sarcastic. I am not actually contemplating tracking someone down and stomping the jelly out of their skull. LOL

Most of all remember, reviews are for READERS not WRITERS. I realize that many will disagree with this. But, if you work with an editor, you are already getting feedback from a professional. Your books overall ranking on Amazon (or any other site) tells you everything you need to know about everyone else's opinion all wrapped up into a number. Unless, of course, you only have one review and it's someone being a total jerk. Don't take that to heart. Wait until you have SEVERAL reviews to form an overall/more balanced perspective.

I speak from experience. Words hurt and people (on the whole) don't care whose direction they sling them in.

So, protect your sanity. Stop reading reviews and get back to work on your next book.

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. ;)

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, stress, and low sales

Many of you may have heard of Amazon blocking erotica (and erotic romance) from it's "All Category Search." After learning of this, I changed the categories on almost all of my books. The result? I've experienced an extreme drop in sales!

So, I went back today and changed them all to their original categories. If Amazon chooses to label these books as "adult" and exclude them from general searches, so be it. I was reaching more of my intended audience when the books were in the proper category. Even though my stories are "romance," putting them in that category (that is overcrowded already) made them disappear. 

Hopefully, sales will improve after these changes go into effect. 

I've also been stressing (and trying desperately not to) about the fact that I no longer have any sales to speak of on any other sites. Amazon has become the ONLY place that I make any money. Has anyone else experienced this? I make a little bit on Barnes & Noble, but my sales have never been high there. I make almost nothing on Smashwords; that hasn't changed. And most months I make nothing at all on All Romance Ebooks. I used to earn nearly as much there each month as I did on Amazon. That really bothers me, because I don't understand the change. I have no way of finding any data to know why this drastic change happened. Is no one shopping there? Are all authors noticing a decline in sales? Or do I just suck?

All I know to do is move forward. I've even considered pulling my books from other sites to enroll them in the Kindle Select Program once more. However, KDP had no real benefit that I found, other than being able to run specials on your books, like giving them away for free. I never noticed that this increased sales in the slightest. So, that idea may be worthless. Plus, I'd have to go to the trouble of pulling my books from other sites. Bleh. I don't know what to do.

I fully believe in the Law of Attraction. I believe that you get what you expect to get. I also believe that if you focus on negative things, you will attract more negative things into your life. Therefore, I'm going to post this blog and focus on something that makes me feel great, like my next book. 

I'm going to do something that makes me smile, focus on that, and try not to worry about how I'm going to pay my bills. 

Everybody wants more happiness, right?

Well, there are several simple ways to boost your feelings of happiness. Most of these involve increasing production of the hormone serotonin. (This is the "feel good" hormone.) Everyone is under stress, no matter what they do for a living. However, writers face a different set of challenges. For one thing, writing is by its nature a very lonely profession. We spend countless hours alone with our computers. No matter how much you might be in love with your PC, it can't talk back and the closest it comes to showing affection is not contracting a virus. LOL

With that in mind, here are a few helpful tips to increase your level of happiness.

Eat oatmeal for breakfast. One cup of oatmeal contains 94 mg. of tryptophan, an essential building block of serotonin. Plus, if you add a banana to the mix, you get extra vitamin B6 a nutrient that helps convert tryptophan to serotonin. Eating this first thing in the morning helps you get off to a "feel good" start.

Snack on carbs. Yes, I used the "c" word. Ha. Ha. Ha. Eating a snack of carbohydrates alone speeds up the production of serotonin within 20 minutes. Don't grab a doughnut though. Go for fruit, veggies, and whole grain crackers. That way you can do something good for yourself and not feel guilty. Or, if it's been a really crap day, maybe go for the doughnut.

Get more vitamin D. Vitamin D is relatively cheap and can be purchased at most any supermarket. Taking this supplement daily can boost your serotonin levels by as much as 26%.

Read a book. This is a great way to keep your stress levels low. If you can only spend one hour a day reading something you enjoy, it will do wonders.

Drink hot chocolate. The combination of calcium and antioxidants in hot cocoa boosts your brain's serotonin output for up to seven hours. Indulging in this treat can make you calmer and happier, plus sleep sounder if you have this before bedtime.

Using these stress busting tips can decrease your chances of headaches, indigestion, joint pain, and even weight gain.

Now, doesn't that sound relaxing?

If you're wondering how I know all this, I researched it. Thoroughly. Now that's just one less stressful thing you have to worry about. You can just collect the information and move on with your busy life. :)