 "Publishing a book is like being pregnant. By the end, you're just ready to get that baby out!" Yep, I'm the one who said that! In fact, I've said it every time I've published a book. I haven't been around as long as Nicholas Sparks or Nora Roberts, but this isn't my first rodeo either. This is my (hang on while I take off my shoes to count) 21st novel (plus I've written four novellas). But yeah, just like being pregnant, it doesn't matter. That baby has to come out! And no matter how much preparation I've put into its arrival, no matter how many times I've done it before, when the day comes, I'm scared to death. But here's the real reason I'm here today!!! If "Publishing a book is like being pregnant," which I truly think it is--after all, I've delivered two real babies and twenty-five books, so I know the pain of both--I swear I'm in postpartum depression. Really, and it's not because I have a lack of books to write. In fact, it's just the opposite. I have several half-written novels. I've specked out a six-book follow-up series to the Midnight Sons series, which will tell the stories of our leading ladies BEFORE they arrived in Alaska. I've started book six in the Creatus series. I have several chapters and tons of notes on book six in the Southern Collection. I have a half-written follow-up novel to The Library, which I'd set aside to finish the Midnight Sons series. AND... I have a FINISHED supernatural suspense that has been sitting in my computer for years! So, as I sat around last night, wallowing in my depressed mood--which is actually rare for me; I'm not usually a wallower (is wallower even a word)--I actually started another book. Yes, you heard me correctly. I have no less than ten things on my plate, and before I knew it, I had a thousand words typed out in a new series that has been chomping at the back of my brain. What on earth is wrong with me? I thought. Then I realized... I LOVE being pregnant! Well, not really pregnant--I hate being physically pregnant. But I LOVE to write. It doesn't matter if I get a few bad reviews; I simply LOVE to write! And more than writing, I love to BE READ. I know there are a lot of snobby people in the world, but I assure you, I'm not one of them!!! If you tell me you enjoyed my book and follow me on Twitter, you're my friend.
So, after all this, I think I've resolved my question of why I have PPD. I crave the story... I crave that feeling when I finish a book and send it off to my beta readers, whom I hear from almost immediately, which satisfies my thirst for a while. So, I'm anxious to get back to work and pen another book, so I'll get my fix. Or--and this would be awesome--if you've already finished reading Daire's Resolution and enjoyed it, please write a review on Amazon, BookBub, Goodreads, and/or wherever you buy books. I promise you I'll read it. Unlike some authors, I read every review--good and bad. Though I definitely prefer reading comments from happy folks. :') If you haven't grabbed the new release yet... Daire's Resolution is available at all major book retailers!   Follow my newsletter or author pages to stay up-to-date on New Releases, Specials, and Writing Posts!
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Why I CAN'T offer anything but the first books in my series free...even though I'd love to.8/8/2016  It's not that I wouldn't love to put ALL of my books on promotion, I WOULD, believe me. Funny thing that many readers may not know ... most authors actually make more money on books when they offer a book FREE for a limited time. Offering a book FREE creates a buzz, reaches new readers, and qualifies for great advertising through book blogs such as eReader News Today and Book Bub. But the reason I can't -- or won't -- offer anything other than the first book in a series free is because, in my opinion, it does a disservice to many readers. Many readers may not have read the first book in the series ... and sadly, even when I state that the book is part of a series on the cover or in the book description, many readers don't read the "full" description when they find the books on a book site ... or they get upset because they have to pay full price for the first book in order to enjoy the book special. This is particularly important when a book is offered FREE. Often, readers simply don't read the description when a book is free, especially when it's advertised on a site they trust ... like Book Bub or eReader News Today. I know many authors still offer their second, third, and fourth books in a series "free for a limited time," but ... as much as I'd love to make the extra money, it just isn't worth it to me to upset my avid-reading friends by forcing them to buy the first book to get the second free, or when a reader invests time into a book, only to realize something is missing because they didn't know there was a "first" book, which leads to poor reviews, which no author can afford. I made that mistake once before -- I have the poor reviews to prove it -- so I'll never do it again. I do, however, ALWAYS offer the rest of my books for "less than a latte" each, some permanently priced as low as $0.99. And here's the GREAT news, if you follow my newsletter and/or this blog, I almost always offer freebies and giveaways of eBooks, Audio Books, and even print books, on occasion, because if you've followed my newsletter, I know there's a good chance you've already read my "firsts." Also, the "firsts" in my series CAN be read on their own. Of course, I hope you'll want to read the next in the series or collections, but you don't HAVE to. I always finish the current situation, and then usually just add a lead in to the next.
Thank you for stopping by my place and reading my musings. Remember these are just my opinions and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section, and I promise you I will answer. I love talking about all things books, so if you want more posts on writing, marketing books, and new releases, and giveaways, please leave your email address here. I usually only send out a post once a week at the most. :)
Until next time, happy reading and writing, my friends. Carmen  Definition of "romance" according to Dictionary.com No wonder readers -- people in general ... MEN -- get confused. Marvelous deeds? Imaginary setting? Tales? Fantastic or supernatural events? Baseless? Made-up story? Full of exaggeration? Fanciful? Come on!!! That's not what romance is! I'd like to think that I'm living a romance because my husband does romantic things. When he surprises me with a mini-vacation, sends me cute little text messages, gives me sweet gifts, cleans the house before I get home, kisses me sweetly when I don't expect it... That's romantic, so doesn't it make sense that we're living in a romance story. Let's take a look at the words that define love: Profoundly tender Passionate affection Personal attachment Deep affection Sexual passion Desire Ahh... That's better! So why do we define books as contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, romantic comedy, romantic mystery, and romantic thriller. For the record, I wish there were another word other than 'romantic' to describe what I write. Funny that they don't have a genre called "Love-Suspense Novel," since according to the definition, it would work better. Even though when I think of a "love story," the first thing that comes to my mind is the movie Love Story or Romeo and Juliet, and I certainly don't write that. :) The fact of the matter is ... I don't write romances either. I don't write about fanciful events leading up to the characters falling in love. I write about a love that went wrong. Love that started on the rocks, went through tragedies ... that are surrounded by a life-threatening event, a murder mystery, secret pasts, on the run, mistakes... But sadly, some readers don't know that because they see the tag "romance," and they immediately think of a shirtless Fabio sweeping a half-dressed woman off her feet, so I'm not surprised when I read reviews like this one: 5.0 out of 5 stars Never thought I would be reading a romance novel. By Joey Yagin Format:Kindle Edition Never thought I would enjoy reading a romance novel. I hate them. I gave this series a chance only because I was curious about who existed, what is a creatus? Once I read the first of the series, I was hooked. Could not stop reading. Normally, I would stop in between the series and read another book before starting the next book of a series. With this book, I could not stop. I had to find out what's coming next. It was well written, and I did enjoy the characters. I even enjoyed the antagonist of the book. For me, what made it a good read is the combination of the super heroism, supernatural, mystery and suspense ( oh yeah, the romance). All in one series. If you do decide to read it, just buy the set. You will not be disappointed. 5.0 out of 5 stars A Romance Novel for People Who Don't Like Romance Novels By C. M. Lance Format:Kindle Edition I read "She Belongs To Me" and found it to be quite a good mystery/thriller without the overt physical descriptions that overflow from other Romance novels I've ventured into. The Romance is more of a caring, loving sort. I have many reviews like the two I posted above -- many of them by men, some of them by women -- who shy away from any genre with "romantic" in the title, for fear that it'll be the mushy tales of old that were described as the romance definition at the top of the page. When in fact, just about every book or movie ever written includes a background love story or romance. Even war movies usually show a man trying to get home to the woman he loves, ready to buy the house with the white-picket fence. Heck, even thrillers and horror stories usually have a man dying to protect his woman. That's a pretty darn "romantic" gesture if you ask me. So ... what do you think? Do you read novels with a romance tag? What do you immediately think of when you see the word "romantic" as part of the genre description. Please let me know your thoughts. And in case you're interested, here are some more in-depth "genres" than what websites and bookstores allow on my books. :) A romantic suspense with a whodunit mystery... She Belongs to Me - FREE Everywhere! A journey of two souls through tragedies with a romantic-suspense whodunit... Land of the Noonday Sun A romantic suspense with heartbreaking pasts, life-changing events, and evil intentions... Entangled Dreams A romantic suspense with a supernatural edge... Creatus Series A romantic mystery with a ghostly edge The Library (Where Life Checks Out)
 Kids, day job, pets, errands, cooking, cleaning, socializing—I mean marketing on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and on, and on, and on.
Oh, wait a minute! I forgot writing. How in the world am I ever going to find time to write? Not to mention, editing and READING! You have to read... I think Stephen King said it best, so I'll just quote him here: "If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write." The answer is you can’t find time; you must make time. It’s as simple as that. If you’re a writer, it is imperative that you make time to write. As with anything you do, you must keep your mind sharp or your craft will diminish. My college professor told me Hemmingway would read every word of his manuscript each day before he even attempted adding another word to his work in progress. Can you imagine? No, I can't either. But I do know this; when a story is in my head, I need to get it out. The longer it sits there, the weaker it becomes. So, no matter what you have going on, especially during this busy holiday season, take the time for yourself. Even if it’s only an hour a day. You deserve it! You may not always be able to FIND time, but you MUST make time to write. Until next time, happy reading and writing, friends! Carmen Thank you for stopping by my place and reading my musings. Remember, these are just my opinions and shouldn't be taken too seriously. If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section, and I promise you I will answer. I love talking about all things books, so if you want more posts on writing, marketing, new releases, and giveaways, please leave your email address here. I only send out a post once or twice a month at the most. :) Curious about what I write? Find my books in digital, print, and audio versions at your favorite retailer. I'll even give you a free book, just for stopping by. Amazon US Amazon Worldwide Link If it's not free in your area, use... Smashwords Image credit: lenm / 123RF Stock Photo |
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