The Free Book

This is another article written from experiences from my other personality. I won't be sharing exact numbers, but I'll be telling you about when I put book 1 up as free as a loss lead. With my particular series, I had started out with a free short story. It hit page 1 on most downloads for it's genre on Smashwords, but it didn't do a whole lot on Amazon. I was optimistic thinking that these insane amount of people who downloaded it were going to buy book 1, boy was I wrong.

I released book 1, my second novel (my first novel was a standalone) and sold very few copies in the first month. That was over a year ago now. Since then I've released two other books in the series. Sales were down and despite doing many of  the things I had read in the marketing books I wasn't improving. A good friend told me to follow the loss lead idea. Put the first book free. I was reluctant. Why should I do that? I shouldn't have to discount my work for people to pick it up. So I waited. When I was getting ready to release the third book, she gave me that final push.

"Get to it."

What did I have to lose? It wasn't selling anyways, it's not like I'd be missing out on money. So I took a deep breath and changed it, soon it became permifree on Amazon and BOOM it made it to the top 20 for free in several categories. I was floored. So that meant all those people would by my second and third book right?

Well, not right off the bat, but let me tell you something. It was worth putting that for free. My numbers doubled the first month and just kept climbing from there. From looking at my royalty statements, I can tell the month that I put the book for free, because my numbers jump. So yes. I think it's worth putting the first book for free. Some people are saying that it's loosing it's effect, but I really think that it's just as effective. Suck it up buttercup, if that first book isn't selling well, what do you have to lose.

Am I going to do this for my other series under that name, I sure am!

Review: Summer Earns Her Collar By Dominic Freeman

Summer Earns Her Collar
By Dominic Freeman

Synopsis:

A story of submission as Summer finds out what it means to be a sub. Her Dom has a surprise for her and as long as she can take it, a reward as well.
(Yes that is literally all the synopsis you get from the author)

Review:
I was looking for a quick steamy read when I downloaded this book. While the story is only 2,500 words long I found nothing steamy about it. In a short story things need to be made clear. I'm still not sure if this is just one part of a larger story since every other book I found by Dominic Freeman had the same exact cover (P.S. There was nothing about duct tape roses in the book so I'm not sure what the cover was trying to get at).

From the beginning paragraph I had a bad feeling about this story and my fears were confirmed when the male character started biting the woman over and over again. I have no issue with biting, but I couldn't figure out why he was doing that. It was never made clear to the reader if he was some sort of supernatural character, or if he was just a jerk who was hungry. Yes this was a BDSM book but I've read BDSM stories before where there was character development that explained who, and more importantly, what the people were.

Summer's Dom oozes the creep factors. Doms can be sexy, they can be enticing, Summer's Dom however was neither of those things he was simply a creepy bully with no finesse.

Here's the breakdown: They've been Dom and sub for some extended period of time, they have been planning this “big night” for weeks. And yet when she goes to the cafe to meet him he never shows up, she waits a half an hour and finally he calls her to tell her he's been watching her. Creepy. Then he tells her to walk down a dark alley, where he then basically attacks her. Creepy. He then reminds her that it is his job to be a sadistic asshole. I'm paraphrasing her, but that is it in a nutshell. Still creepy. So they've been together all this time and she is getting the “honor” of seeing where he lives for the first time. Super creepy. I half expect there to be a musty smell of decaying flesh and blood splatters on the floor of his hovel, which by the way is a loft apartment with a door right in the same dark alleyway.

They laugh and frolic, as he flip flops between a dick and uber creepy uncle-type. And Summer just thinks he's swell and laps up his attention like a puppy at the water bowl. He restrains her, bites her all over and then they have sex.

Afterward is full of cuddles and falling asleep. You know what, he still hadn't given her the collar, only in the morning when he tells her he has something for her and she assumes that means he wants a blowjob does he give her the collar... Making her the most gosh-darn happiest girl in the world. Then of course she sucks him off as a sign of appreciation and the story ends with her acknowledging the fact that tomorrow things would go back to normal. Which I can only assume means her Dom will continue to be a douche bag who doesn't allow her access to him in his normal life, which really leads me to believe that Mister "I like to sink my teeth into your flesh" Dom is probably some bored banker with poor self-esteem, a wife and 5 kids at home and this alleyway loft of his is where he takes all the whimpering little Mary Sue's he cons into spreading their legs for him.

Would I recommend this free read to anyone? No. I'm not going to get into the formatting, editing, grammar, and book cover. The story was enough for me to decide on a rating. I love BDSM books, but I like strong female characters, you can be strong and still submit. There is strength in choosing to submit and hand over control to someone else whom you can trust and is worthy of taking control, but Mary Sue characters like Summer aren't strong, they are gullible and needy. That doesn't make for a good read.

1 out of 5 Stars

Heat Rating: Mild/Spicy

(The descriptions of sex are graphic and use words normally seen in a spicy rating but the lack of emotion and flavor left the sex scenes bland and stagnant. Be warned, due to the language used this is not a read for anyone under 18 years old or who is looking for a sweet romance)

(mild, medium, hot, spicy, scorching)

I downloaded a free copy of this book from Smashwords.

Download this short story:

on Smashwords

Mia's Year In Review

2013… Oh how you fickle and frustrating you've been. Now that we are facing 2014 I thought I'd do some reflections, because as stressful at 2013 was it was also equally exciting. So let's get down to the milestones of this past year for me:

-          The SPE blog has been a success as an outlet for me on my self-publishing journey.

-          The Twisted Tales blog turned out better than I had imagined.

-          I signed a publishing contract with Ellora's Cave (which was completely unexpected)

-          I self-published my first book: Waking Up In Bedlam

-          I have managed to keep my author page free of any drama, which keeps my brand professional.

-          NaNo wasn't a complete loss. It helped me get a good start on Waking Up In Chains.

-          I submitted a short story for an Anthology. The deadline was Dec. 31^st, I got it in Dec. 26^th. I feel very accomplished to have hit that before the deadline, not much before it, but still… It's progress.

-          I have my schedule laid out for the next six months with new releases coming near summer.

What have I learned:

-          I have learned that marketing is definitely my weak spot. Which is good to know, it will be an area I really work hard on in this next year.

-          Word of mouth can only get you so far, the rest is up to you.

-          Haters gonna hate, that doesn't mean you have to let them drag you down to their level.

-          Nothing beats the support of friends, family and fans.

-          Love what you do and do what you love.

So that is my year in a nut shell. Next year will be happy, exciting, and prosperous. <3

The challenge of pricing your book, plus an announcement.

So several times over this last week posts have come up talking about how to price your e-book. There are a bunch of articles out there, a bunch of suggestions and you'll hurt your brain when you try to make heads or tails of it. So what do you follow? What article do you believe. Why is something working for someone else, but not you?

So many questions, and yes we're all lost in a sea of doubt when this comes up. As Mia prepares to release Waking Up in Bedlam it's something her and I discuss quite often. So here's my advice to you, from the research and reading I've done, it's a trial and error kind of deal. According to the Indie Romance Convention Blog, there's a formula that should help with pricing your book. According to Molly Greene, it's all about hitting that sweet spot, but it's still different for every person. When you talk to some authors they'll tell you they sell all e-books at $0.99 and that it works great, others will tell you that it doesn't work so well.

From what I've gathered $2.99 is the sweet spot for novels and novellas, $1.99 or FREE is great for short stories. Running a free short story as the start of a series seems to be a pretty popular choice. Many people say avoid $0.99, but why? So many authors do that, hell there are authors that offer entire collections for $0.99. Now, a $0.99 promo is different that a $0.99 continuous selling price. Here's the deal, $0.99 can still be associate with crap. Stuff people just throw up there to see if they can make a few sales. Check out the IRC blog for a great analogy about dollar store steak. (Which, for the record our dollar store here does, indeed, sell steak.)

Here's the deal, fellow authors and aspiring authors, don't sell yourself short. We all struggle with doubt, and wonder if someone would even be willing to buy a book for $2.99 from an unknown author, a new author, anything like that. But you have put your blood, sweat, and tears into your project. You are worth more than $0.99, all indie authors are. Don't let yourself get lost in that sea of $0.99, and it's never too late to change that price. So if you're floating around, go play with your prices a bit and see what happens with your sales!


Now time for the announcement. As we all know Mia's book is coming out next month (yay!!!) which probably brings to question when my book will be coming out. This was supposed to be a journey together, and it will be, but because of other unforeseen circumstances the publishing path for Black and White has changed. It will be published with Ellora's Cave, I can't really go into details as to why or how this came about, but I assure you that I have the Indie publishing experience to continue to help Mia with this blog and now I can start to offer a view point in comparison when working with a publisher. So please bare with us when things start to shift around here!

Review: Blood Myth By Stacy A. Moran

Blood Myth By Stacey A. Moran

Synopsis: Zakah Sange was born into a world of dark magick, always living in the shadows of his father, the Raka King. He was dangerously sexy and enigmatic; he used power and control to shape himself into a hard and cunning man. Zakah became a warrior, a weapon and the master of his own violence lurking within. 

Sorina Ruzicka was the great granddaughter of the evil god Akhekh. She was born into a legacy of

magickal gifts that she wanted no part of. After years touring as a blues singer she returned home where she only wanted the seclusion of the mountains. A chance meeting with the mysterious club owner forced Sorina into the battle of her life.

Can a willful witch, accept the controlling nature of a demon who demands submission? Trusts will be tested, lines will be crossed and a fate neither of them expected will be played out (Taken from Goodreads)

Review:

I won this book in a contest, who doesn't like free books? It was not what I expected, in a good way. Any time I see a title with the word Blood I think vampires, this was not vampires. It has an interesting twist of Egyptian Mythology, which I am a sucker for. The beginning of the book sets up that mythology and though I feel like it was a bit of an information dump it was needed to set up the story.  The first half of the book really focuses on Zak and Sorina's relationship, but let me tell you the sex is HOT. It has a bdsm flair, though not life style accurate, you can tell that wasn't want the author was aiming for. (It is clear and she never claims that it is a life style book. If you like kink you'll love the sex in this book.) 

The characters are fantastic and relatable, you have the strong man and the stubborn woman. The world is in-depth and creative. It's not full of typical genre tropes, but there are enough to make it familiar to the reader. I'm in love with the world and the characters. I can't wait to see more. I finished the book in two sittings, it's short and probably could have finished it in one if I didn't have a child who insists that she must read what mommy reads. The ending of the book? What can I say, I like this girl's style!

The only real complaint I have about the book is the use of foreign words threw me off. I found it jarring as a reader, however...it also took me until I got to the end of the book to realize that there was a glossary for it. So just be aware of that.  I recommend this book for people who love paranormal romance and aren't scared of a little kink with their sex!

4 out of 5 Stars

Heat Rating: scorching

(mild, medium, hot, spicy, scorching) 

Buy It:

Amazon (Ebook is free until Thursday July 25th!!)

Cultivating My Brand & Progress

This is an exciting and frightening time for me.

When +Alexandra Webb  first asked me if I wanted to be part of this experiment I instantly said yes and as the months have passed I have come to realize the importance and the seriousness of that answer. Who would have thought that one simple word—just three little letters would alter my life so dramatically. But it has and it will continue to do so. Every move I make on social media, every blog post, every Tweet, every Facebook status on my author page, every comment has to be carefully weighed against my brand as an author. And yes, authors are brands in and of themselves.  Granted I am a small name, practically unheard of brand, but it is my brand I am trying to cultivate.

At the beginning we each knew we were going to need a “SPE Project” the one work we were going to use to break into the Self-Publishing business to try to make names for ourselves, to see how hard this industry really is to become successful, and to catalog our ups, our downs, our hits and all of our misses. My project for SPE is “Waking Up In Bedlam” and as for my downs, here they are: I’ve been stuck on Chapter 12 for over a month now. I am procrastinating, sometimes not even consciously, sometimes I think the fear of reaching for my dreams triggers something in my brain that says “Let’s take a break even though you’ve only written 12 words and play “Where’s My Perry” for a little bit.” And off I go. Because it is frightening when you are reaching for your dreams. And as the famous quote goes:

 If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.

I’ve seen this attributed to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Albert Einstein, Eminem, Winston Churchill, and Dr. Seuss. I don’t really care who said it (although it is quoted in Madam President Sirleaf’s book, so let’s just go with that), it is the truth. Your dreams should scare the ever-loving-crap out of you. End of Story. And every move you make should be pushing you towards that goal. So yes, I procrastinate. I play “Where’s My Perry” when I should be concentrating, I slack and get distracted by Facebook posts and even worst Facebook drama. But I always manage to pull myself back and remind myself that just because I’m scared of what it will mean for my life when I finish this project that I am only ever a failure, a true failure if I do not try.

So I am still trying. And for the record, Chapter 12 is the last chapter in Waking Up In Bedlam, so far it stands at 52k+ and I’ve already sent Chapters 1-9 out to some of my beta readers, I’ve already gotten feedback and things are looking good. Even while procrastinating my efforts are still going towards my dream and my goal. While I’m playing my stupid Perry game on my iPad I am usually combing through the previous chapters, fixing little things here and there. Even when I’m not posting about my progress I am still focused while goofing off.

I read my manuscript from Prologue to Chapter 12 at least once a week, to alter, edit and make sure I’m not overlooking stuff.  Self-Publishing gets a bad rap for having spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, looking unprofessional, with shoddy editing, and plot holes.  I am striving to make sure that I can polish this baby as best as I can, that I take all of my beta readers advice and suggestions and that I do all that I can so that I do not fall into that stereotype.

I have this reoccurring nightmare that when my book is released it is so bad that I become the most hated person on the internet, the people in my small town all revolt against me and drag me out to the center of town and burn me at the stake with the ONE copy of my book that sold. I wake up in a cold sweat, panting and breathless, usually in tears or screaming. My poor dog and husband probably think I’ve gone insane. I am a writer, I think it is safe to say that my sanity-boat sailed a long time ago.

I don’t want to be burned at the stake, I don’t want to be roasted on the proverbial pyres of the internet either. I am my brand, my brand is me and I want to succeed, even if it means taking longer than I had hoped for the final product.

So where does Waking Up In Bedlam stand as of now? We are at 52k, one chapter left to write. Three chapters left to send out to my beta readers, then it is time to start the editing process. After a couple of rounds of that and final edits it will be good to go. I am aiming for mid-July.

I am also taking an online course for self-editing called “BeforeYou Hit Send” by Angela James. I’m hoping that will help me because I know grammar isn’t my strong suit and because I know I have a lot to learn.

One thing I can say is this: I am proud of myself. I’m proud that I am sticking with this even if it is slow going. I am proud that I am taking steps to get my name out there, to have my name in constant publication, I do that with the Twisted Tales blog. It is a project that is far more than just writing a fun little fairytale, it is more ways of cultivating my brand, my name and having a body of work that others can enjoy on a reoccurring schedule. I am proud that I am stepping outside of my comfort zone to do things like take the “Before You Hit Send” course and setting up my “Smashwords” acct in anticipation of publishing Waking Up In Bedlam. I am proud that my beta readers and friends like my story. I love when they email me that a piece of dialog made them laugh or that they want more. Those things make me feel incredibly good.  It lets me know that I am on the right track.

As for my reoccurring nightmare, I think in time it will pass. I know there will always be haters. People will hate on me and my books without even reading them. I know this, it is the nature of the internet.  I know I will get drive-by 1 star ratings from people who dislike me personally, or don’t like paranormal romance, or who think using the word “cock” means I should burn in hell. These are bound to happen, that I am prepared for. What I fear is letting myself and the people that believe in me down. That would be the worst.

Author Interview: Kandi McGilton

Today is the last day of our author interviews with our co-authors at Twisted Tales. So without further ado, here is our interview with Kandi McGilton, author of Snow White.

(From the Snow White page at Twisted Tales, click here to read more)

Blurb: Snow White

She’d been the cause of all of their families problems and who knew looking like her mother would be the death of her? “Snow White” they’d called her the day she came into this world, and that name had haunted her every day since. With an evil step mother out to get her at every turn, Snow will do what has to be done. Survive. At the mercy of the queen, at the blade of the huntsman or the hands of the seven dwarfs; Snow’s daunting journey to happiness has only just begun and waiting for her prince to come along is the last thing on her mind.

1) What got you started on writing?

This is going to sound cliché and make a few eyes roll, but it was Shakespeare. I fell in love with his writing at a young age and believe it or not, I had a rather fond gift for writing my own naughty sonnets. I came to understand long ago that nothing I wrote would be lacking in the naughty section. From there I learned of the role playing world where I met people who completely challenged, changed and inspired my writing style today.

2) Are your non-writing friends and family supportive?  Or do you get the "author/writer...yea... okay..." response?  

There are a few who aren't keen on the style and topic of my writing, but most of my family and friends are extremely supportive. It still takes me by surprise at how many of them still pull me aside and say, “Hey, I read so and so and it was amazing! I had no idea you liked to write that kind of stuff!” It definitely helps keep the words flowing.

3) Why did you choose your particular story for the Fairy Tale Blog?

I had originally planned on writing about Sleeping Beauty since that her tale is one of my favorites. But as I thought about all the other fairy tales, Snow White seemed to stick out. Why? Well, one woman living in the same house as seven men? The wheels began to turn and I slowly began to smirk at the thought, the first scene I had imagined for Snow White as clear as day in my mind. The idea of writing that much sex for one little princess sounded like a huge challenge to me and begrudgingly I admit, I LOVE a challenge. So I immediately gave up my chance for Sleeping Beauty to write Snow White.

4) Why you took it in the direction you did? 

I’m taking Snow White in this direction because I spent hours researching her before the blog launched. She may be one of the few who has an amazingly real past in my opinion. And although I lack in the magic and mystical creatures department, I do hope it will be unique and much darker than any version of Snow White you’ve ever read.

5) What elements are you going to keep the same as the classic version and why?

Let’s just say the main characters will stay the same but they are in no way going to be the Disney or Grimm versions that are commonly known. For example, Snow White and the dwarfs have a real name in my version. The names we've all come to know today are simply nicknames in this story. For now, I think I'll be keeping all of the original characters and adding quite a few more names to my cast to give the plot more depth and a few more twists than you might have anticipated from Snow White.

6) Do you prefer to write in silence or with the TV going or with music?

I love silence. I might be that 1 in 10 that loves to write in silence, but it lets me think, lets the ideas flow and the words feel like they magically appear on the pages. If there’s too much going on around me I can’t concentrate on the task at hand and get so frustrated I have to walk away from my work.

7) What is your dream writing space?

It has always been a dream of mine to have a bookshelf that spun into a secret room and it would look like that scene from Beauty and the Beast. I’m in the mindset that the more you read, the better your own writing, so it would only make sense to write in my very own personal hidden library.

8) What do you do to put yourself in the mood for writing graphic scenes like sex, violence or debauchery?

It’s not so much what I do to put myself in the mood for a scene than it is how I’m feeling at the time. If I’m in the mood for a sex scene, I will pump out some wild fantasy playing in my head until every last detail is written down. If I happen to be having a horrible day where everything and everyone is pissing me off, there’s a high chance that someone is about to get their ass kicked verbally or physically; or possibly die in the story line that day. So I suppose I channel my energy and emotions into my writing more than I prepare myself for a particular scene. I guess that also means more people in my everyday life stay alive that way.

9) If your life was a novel, what would the title be and who would write it?

I honestly have no idea, but I keep dreaming that Morgan Freeman reads it to me someday... hint hint Morgan Freeman.

10) Who helps you through this crazy journey of writing?

Two of the best friends a girl could ask for and even though we’ve never met in person, I’m truly happy and honored to call them friends. I met the two of them through role play and they also happen to be on the Twisted Fairy Tale blog with me. They’ve been absolutely amazing at getting my ass in gear when I just don’t have the motivation and desire to write. I have to go back to question No. 2 and say that without all of my friends and family supporting me, even if they do it secretly because of the content of my writing; their love, support and understanding really pushes me to strive for greatness. And of course I have to give a special thanks to the people who take the time to edit my work when I ask them to because come on, what author honestly likes editing?

Click the links to follow Kandi McGilton: Twisted Tales  and at her personal writing blog Kandi's Naughty Time

Author Interview: Sara Galbraith

This week we bring you our interview with Sara Galbraith who is writing the story of Sleeping Beauty on Twisted Tales.

(From the Aurora page at Twisted Tales, click here to read)

Blurb: Aurora

The East Kingdom has been forced into a magical slumber, and an old evil has resurfaced. They must be saved, and the witch stopped before the darkness falls over the rest of the land. There is only one person who can be the hero or heroin, and that is Princess Aurora. Can a girl who has never been anything but pampered really save the entire land? She has only her determination to help her, hopefully that will be enough.

1) What got you started on writing?

Honestly, I have no idea. It was probably my mom reading to me as a little girl. I’ve been telling stories and writing for longer than I can remember. It’s always just been a part of who I am.

2) Are you non-writing friends and family supportive?  Or do you get the "author/writer...yea... okay..." response? 

They are all really supportive. They’re always telling me to keep writing because I have talent, and how proud they are of what I can do. It’s really nice how encouraging my family and friends are.

3) Why did you choose your particular story for the Fairy Tale Blog?

I don’t really know. I have always loved fairy tales in general, and Sleeping Beauty was one that was easy to come up with a new take on.

4) Why you took it in the direction you did?

I’m taking it in the direction that I am because I think that we need a female to be the hero. I love the idea that instead of a damsel in distress we have a man who needs to be saved. Also, I think that the character of Aurora needed to have more depth, and that’s what I’m trying to give her.

5) What elements are you going to keep the same as the classic version and why?

I’m keeping some of the name’s the same, simply because I liked them. Also, the evil Maleficent will still be responsible for the sleeping kingdom. And there will still be a love story in there because who doesn’t love a good romance?

6) Do you prefer to write in silence or with the TV going or with music?

I prefer to write with quiet music going, or silence, but that almost never happens. It’s pretty much impossible to find a moment of silence with my two year old running around.

7) What is your dream writing space?

A room with whiteboard walls, that I can draw on when I need a distraction, or have an idea. There would be a coffee maker with limitless coffee, and an endless supply of snacks. One whole wall would be a window, so that I could feel the sun shine through. There would be books everywhere, and my desk would clean itself. And there would be a lock on the door that only I can open, so that when I’m writing I wouldn’t be interrupted.

8) What do you do to put yourself in the mood for writing graphic scenes like sex, violence or debautchary?

I don’t do anything special to put me in the mood. Its more just it fits in the story, so I keep writing till it’s done. I write it the same way I write everything else.

9) If your life was a novel, what would the title be and who would write it?

I think it would be called Once Upon a Zombie, or something else equally as silly. I don’t know who would write it, but it would have to be someone who writes great comedy.

10) Who helps you through this crazy journey of writing?

My family helps me the most, but also a few of my friends. A lot of it is just having them support me, and give encouragement, which they are all great at. I couldn’t write if it wasn’t for the people I love, and that love me.

Click the links to follow Sara on Twisted Tales.

Author Interview: A.L. Kessler

Today we welcome A.L. Kessler, author of Beauty and the Beast on the Twisted Fairytale Blog as we continue our author interviews!

1) What got you started on writing?

         I really needed an escape outlet. I used to write fanfiction through middle school, but when I lost my mother I buried myself in my own worlds and started writing original stories and novels. That’s really when it took off, I spent high school more focused on my writing than school. That’s how I got started on writing.

2) Are you non-writing friends and family supportive?  Or do you get the "author/writer...yea... okay..." response?

         This always cracks me up because I get such mixed reactions and from people I don’t expect them from. My oldest sister thinks it’s fantastic that I’m writing and publishing. My other one is like, okay cool, “I’m not reading it because reading sex scenes my sister wrote is strange.” My father? Yeah he was convinced I wrote an article. Oops.

         My friends are all super supportive and want to be with me every step of the way. Many of them deal with my random, “I want to do this!” or “I need this!” even though they have no idea what I’m talking about. They really are my biggest support system in some way or another.  

3) Why did you choose your particular story for the Fairy Tale Blog.

         I chose Beauty and the Beast because it’s one of my favorites and in honor of my Minion. She’s been side by side with me (as have a few others) for much of this crazy journey. When I mentioned the idea of the blog she jumped and said, “You have to do Beauty and the Beast!” And from there the ideas just kind of started flowing.

4) Why you took it in the direction you did?

         I really wanted to mix a few different ideas together, and I kind of went with a dash of the book and a dash of the Disney movie, then mixed in my own spin on it all. I’m currently writing another series in Scotland so that just seemed like the perfect place to base it instead of France. I really needed the beast to be darker and do something to deserve his curse.

5) What elements are you going to keep the same as the classic version and why?

         Like I said above, I’m doing a bit from the book and a bit from the Disney movie. He’s still a wolf like creature, roses are going to play a big part and I kept Belle’s love for books. I felt that these were important aspects, especially the form of the beast. I have a special something I want to do with the fact that he is a wolf.

6) Do you prefer to write in silence or with the TV going or with music?

         I used to only be able to write with music or silence in the background. Now, out of necessity I can write with the TV going (normally Tangled, as it is currently my daughter’s favorite), video games (normally Skyrim, my husband’s current favorite), or music. Though my ideal condition is music, normally something that fits the character.

7) What is your dream writing space?

         I’d have to say that my perfect space would have the dual monitors and the mechanical keyboard in a room that had the single serve coffee maker. With a desk that is big enough to spread out on in a room with in wall or in ceiling speakers. *grins* I want a lock on the door so I can keep people out so they don’t disturb me. One wall would be made up of corkboard so I could pin stuff up and maybe a wall painted with white board paint, that would be awesome too.

8) What do you do to put yourself in the mood for writing graphic scenes like sex, violence or debautchary? 

         Music helps put me in the mood for most things. I put on my selection of ‘Angry’ music if I need the character to be angry, or if I need to write a scene that makes them angry. As for sex…that one is tough because no music makes me think sex…my approach for writing sex is to just get it all out and clean it up later. *looks back at that last sentence and shakes my head* no puns intended.  Violent scenes go back to the music, something that has to fit the mood. Violence to me is easier than writing sex.

9) If your life was a novel, what would the title be and who would write it?

         Confessions of a Stay at Home mom would be in the running of a title, or something like “The Darkness within” I would love Sherrilyn Kenyon to write it, but I don’t think that I would be worth of her writing it

10) Who helps you through this crazy journey of writing?

         Oh gosh, so many people help me through this. When I first decided to selfpublish I had no idea where to start. I hadn’t even considered covers until Jamie Wilson said something about a book mentioning it. Jamie did my cover for Midnight Symphony and for In the Light of the Moon. She helps me out with beta reading and midnight rants. Jennifer (Minon) is always right there when I needed her, even with her crazy schedule. Tiffany is amazing and helps me out any chance she gets. My husband is always supportive. Sara is always providing feedback and is there to bounce ideas on. Really there are too many people to name. To tell you the truth though, I wouldn’t be where I am without any of these people. They mean a lot to me, and I must give credit where it is due in that aspect. Thanks guys!

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