Books Designs again? YES, BECAUSE IT'S THAT IMPORTANT

For the love of god people your book cover isn't just kind of more important than what is inside the book, it ACTUALLY is more important. It doesn't matter if you have written a Nobel Prize winning piece of literature. If your cover looks like crap it won't get bought. I have seen some covers that make me cringe from writers I know have worked hard. Yet when you put in the work and pay for the editing don't short change everything you've done with a crappy cover.

Of course my first shout out and much love goes to Carrie at Cheeky Covers who has done all my covers and I love every one. Her custom covers run from $25-100.

*Disclaimer 1*

Except Carrie Cheeky Covers I have never worked with any of these people and will not accept any blame if it doesn't work out but will accept kudos if all goes well. Pricing from various sites seem to run around the same $150 to as much as $300 for me $150 to $200 seems fair, I guess-what can I say am poor/cheap. I'm the first to admit when I just spent almost $300 for editing it's damned hard to open my wallet again to spend almost that much on a cover HOWEVER to spend that much on editing and then spend only $20 bucks on a cover is stupid as fuck.

I have tried to go all new on these, no repeats from my past covers but yeah this is the third blog on covers and those others were hot too-you should go through my entire blog to find them if you are searching but didn't find quite what you were looking for here   ;)

*Disclaimer 2*

I never look at the Hardcover/Paperback costs so check those because I only do ecovers.*

Yocla Designs caught my eye from someone on Facebook and so I wandered over. Glad I did. The premade covers are only $45 and do not look it (they look like they cost more). They do all kinds of work, everything from romance, to fantasy, to thrillers, The pricing runs normal $95-quick but hopefully not dirty, $150-basic and $299-all the frills. Their work on premades alone are impressive so I'm intrigued to know what they do for more.

Cover Bistro I like to give everyone a shot, the premades are inexpensive, and while no I'm not floored (sorry, I'm honest) I would say almost seventy percent of them were pretty dang good-so the portfolio leaves me curious to see what they would deliver-enough to include them in this. Because I would be willing to take a chance, especially since like I said the premades are pretty good and inexpensive. Take a look, you never know what you'll find.

Indie-spiredbookcovers Very good prices. Covers are also good.

Litteradesigns Premades run from $20 to $40. WTF?! They are good, damn good-I love you Carrie I promise I won't leave you. Covers all genres, and each one looks like it was just for that genre. These covers are all different styles and I can't say enough good things without y'all think they paid me. The price for custom seem standard $145-basic, $195-Standard, and $245-Premium 

Firefly Covers This one is definitely a you get what you pay for, a flat $200 gives you as many back and forths as you need and a promise of satisfaction. These covers are more mystery, thriller, and impressive. 

Jared Rackler Now y'all know I'm poor/cheap so the mention of this cover artist for only $100 made me type so fast I messed up twice. But I found it and DAMN! Wow, I was blown away. No there are no premades, but for the portfolio of past covers I wouldn't blink to pay for a cover. Genres are all different and all really great and fitting. 

Go Book Cover Design  All kinds of genres are represented and all look great. Very impressive and prices are even better. $99 to $169. They are also the first site I've noticed (sorry if I haven't mentioned before) that offer swag. Swag being the stuff authors give out-bookmarks, stickers, bookplates, post cards, etc. 

Angela Haddon Great timing, she followed me on twitter. I checked her out and bookmarked her for the next ebook design post. Her premades are pretty good and range from $50-80. She has a flat rate on custom ebooks $220 

Stranger Things and learning how to make the old seem new again

OMG WTF WHAT WAS THAT?? Unless you've been living under a walk you've seen something about this show call Stranger Things. I saw the ads but was all huh, it seemed familiar and I kept thinking Stephen King. So I'm at the gym with my overpriced five inch screen phone trying to watch and I almost pull a Taylor Swift on the treadmill. Okay I'm not going to watch on my cell phone. This past Christmas I bought my dad one of those Smart TVs cuz they don't do cable either. I had mentioned Stranger Things before and my dad was cranky. After almost losing my life on the treadmill my dad owed me. 

So sneakily I started it before he could object. Again even as I waited in jumping anticipation mind was screaming STEPHEN KING, the little girl, the creepy world, and kids. Yet it also reminded me of the 80's Stephen King so I'm thinking someone took one of his lesser known books and did it for Netflix. I'm actually looking up Stephen King's wiki page to confirm my thought. Then it started and I didn't pick up cell phone the entire time I watched the show. ALL. EIGHT. EPISODES.

Because I watched it with my family and they were wimps not up for binge watching we planned two episodes a night. It's one of those shows if you miss five seconds you could miss the most important thing ever. Yes, yes, I'm not the only one in love with this show for too many reasons to list. I grew up in the eighties and I saw almost all the connections, Goonies, ET, Firestarter, more than I had watched cuz I was a kid in the eighties. And I have to tell you when that van flies over the kids I was just as in awe as when the kids' bikes started flying. 

Eight short episodes wasn't nearly enough and I caught myself watching one of those videos that talked about it-but not those explaining ones I hate those ones. What I saw as I watched was him make those connections and more that I hadn't seen one after another. In seeing those things one after another that had been done before yet still seemed new, exciting, and unlike anything I had ever seen. Even though in bits and pieces I had. 

I cannot stand to watch a show and know what will happen next and it's even more annoying when I know the dialogue. It happens alot, a whole hell of a lot and even more so when I read (I have a small circle of writers I like.) Out of all the books I've read and movies and television I've watched. There was only once that I knew what was coming in Stranger Things

And this, boys and girls is what writers have to do every time we start writing a story. Especially romance, boy meets girl some kind of something keeps them from living happily ever after until it all gets sorted and they do end up happily ever after. This is one of the most important reasons to read other stories and see the way they couldn't quite get it done. 

If you can and are able to make a brand new story that no one has ever heard or read of before but that's damn hard. The story doesn't have to be new, all the stories have already been told before. But you can make it new and different from others by bringing your style or giving it your own spin or quirk. You just have to be the one to write it. 

20 Questions

Yes, I have no idea what to write and I haven't posted in a bit so I am posting a get to know you 20 Questions someone tagged me in on Facebook. 

1.) What is your Author name? Fiona Aina Murphy

2.) What is the first book you ever published? Abby has Gone Wild

3.) What is your publiversary? (The day you released your first book) 4/16/2014

4.) What is your favorite book you've written thus far? Grr...that's like asking someone their favorite kid. Abby has Gone Wild and my newest His on the Rebound battle for the top spot on different days.

5.) What book took you the longest to write? His Under Contract! I rewrote that sucker four times-I wanted to trash it over and over again but I'm glad I didn't

6.) How long did it take you? About seven months

7.) What kind of music (If Any) do you listen to while you write? Most often sexy times-R&B

8.) Who is you favorite character from any of your books? Avery from His Next Chapter

9.) What are you currently working on? I have three WIPs-I usually am working on two at a time-another reason I often wonder why I do this.

10.) Do you have anything you snack on while you write?I wouldn't say snack on but I usually don't cook-so I don't have to stop-so I order pizza after breakfast and will have it for lunch and dinner.

11.) What is your favorite quote or line from one of your books? The size of a woman's dress has nothing to do with her beauty. (From His Under Contract)

12.) Are you a self published or traditional published author? Self-published

13.) What is your writing inspiration? The real crazy oddly beautiful world

14.) What genre do you write? Erotic Romance

15.) Do you have any writing rituals? Nope more like habits of mainlining coffee and cursing and rocking back in forth in distress when the voices stop talking

16.) Do you have a specific place you write or time? Not really but I never seem to hit my stride until after midnight.

17.) Do you have any advice for inspiring writers? Just keep writing and don't stop even when you think you have writer's block keep writing-there's thing called editing that will fix it all later.

18.) What are your writing goals? If any? To make a living off writing so there is no day job

19.) What authors inspire you and your writing? I'm a huge Lynne Graham fan. I have reread her books over and over when I feel like I need inspiration.

20.) What will be you next release? I have no freaking idea.

Proof that Amazon and KU is not the end all and be all

As I have admitted very often, I have no fucking idea what I'm doing. I look at what others who seem to be successful are doing and do my best to try and copy what they are doing. One goal though has always been clear, write as many stories-good stories-as I possibly can. Over and over I have read and seen for myself what having a strong catalog can do. So, fuck me it's been almost two damn years now...sorry just realized that. Any way I did a release of two books together in one month and that was when I saw what good release can really do for sales, not only did my new ones sell but my whole catalog sold. I'm just going to get real here and use numbers. I made $800ish total almost dead even between Amazon and Nook then it slowly trickled down, $600ish untl almost three months later it stayed at $200 for months and that's where it's been on a monthly basis pretty consistently ever since, between all three-Kindle, Draft2digital, and Nook. But lately Nook has sunk to the toilet and I'll admit it worried the hell out of me going into my latest release. 

After a lot of thought I decided to release my two latest month after month, hoping to keep those interested coming back, nevermind that I didn't and do not have anything even half way finished to follow those up with. So I did the rounds, hit up bloggers saw a dismal showing in people who supposedly support me as I have always supported them-I cut those bitches off-and an attempt at Facebook advertising and even a round on Twitter. Release day came and the sells at only .99 cents for a limited time weren't anywhere near what I hoped they would be. Despite hitting refresh a dozen times day it didn't move the number on Kindle and I never got closer than in the 200 area. I curled into a ball and cried for a few days, I was also without my anti-anxiety meds but still it was a rough fucking week. 

Then in a last desperate hope to see something I checked on my sales for Draft2digital which sell me on Kobo, Apple and other things that rarely sell except Apple. When I saw the number of books sold I blinked, then blinked again. Holy fucking shit, my chest got tight and I couldn't breathe for a minute. No fucking way. I had sold over 300 books and was at double what I had made on Kindle at that point and this was after the increase from .99 cents to $3.99. I did a search and found out was in the top 20 on Erotic Romances for iBooks and had been in the top 10 for days. When the month ended I made on Apple more than I had made on all the other platforms combined in one month. All those years of hard work had finally paid off, my others were selling, it wasn't just my new one. While yes my new release sold 238 at .99 cents it then went on to sell 179 at $3.99 I sold 247 of my other titles in May and with Kobo and the other sites I ended the month at 787 books sold. My other titles are now selling about what my new release for June is selling. Once again on Apple I will likely end the month at more than I have sold on all the other platforms combined and am currently at 517 books sold.

Will this last? Duh, no but I fizzled so fast on Kindle with my second release even with the sales on Apple I was disappointed. On Kindle last month I barely hit 100 sold of the new release, this month I think I'm sitting in the seventies. The point is I found new readers and readers found a new author and they weren't so cheap they only bought me at .99 cents and they came back and bought more books. What happened on Apple for me is in every way possible for another author, it wasn't a fluke. 

Last month gave proof and real numbers supporting the fact that Kindle isn't the only place to sell. It isn't the only place to make money and Amazon doesn't hold all the cards. 

Blurb for His on the Rebound

***Currently available in Kindle Unlimited***

But only until March 9th

Kindle

Universal link

Apple

Kobo

Nook

                                                               His on the Rebound

 Sarah

Hell... I’m going to hell. I can hear the nuns now, condemning me, and I deserve it. How could I have let Maxwell Brandt kiss me? A man I found disgusting at the way he treated woman—as if they were disposable, to be used then thrown away. It didn’t matter who he was, or how much money he had. He was a horrible person. Who the hell am I kidding? I’m just as bad because I let him kiss me. Then I did the unthinkable and kissed him back, with a hunger I’ve never felt before. All of this while my fiancé was in the same house. It was a horrible mistake, one that can never happen again. I love Kevin. I want to make a life with him, not be used by a man who won’t remember my name a month from now. What Kevin and I have built is real and I’m not throwing it all away. It didn’t matter if no other man, including Kevin, had made me feel the way Max did, it was wrong. Despite the fact Max keeps coming back to entice me, I stand firm. I won’t cheat on Kevin. I won’t become that person, no matter how badly my body wants him. I don’t want to want him.

Until the moment he drops a bomb that destroys everything. Kevin has been cheating. His words destroy the illusion I’ve been hiding behind, because I know he’s telling the truth. Knew it in the way Kevin has gradually been pulling away... late nights out with the guys, his disinterest in me, and the way he’s twice pushed back the date of the wedding. I hadn’t wanted to believe, had been willfully blind to preserve the promise of a future with a man I believed I loved. All I want is to hide and lick my wounds, but Max won’t let me. With Kevin gone, he demands I fulfill the promise of that kiss. I don’t understand how a man like him wants a plus size woman like me, when my own fiancé refused to date me seriously before I lost weight. Yet, he does, refuses to go away. In a rush of anger, pain, and hunger, I give in. The feeling of being wanted by a man like Max wiping away the humiliation of Kevin’s betrayal. Maybe a fling, a rebound affair, is exactly what I need. No promises, no expectations, and no broken heart. At least, that’s the way it started.

Max

Out of curiosity, to get a look at the fiancée who put up with a cheating weasel like Kevin Jarvis, I find myself looking into the bright green eyes of a woman who makes my body hard with longing. Then the weasel does the unimaginable and introduces green eyes as his fiancée. Even though she looks at my hand like it’s a grenade about to go off, she takes it and we both feel the attraction. We’re both in deep shit now, because I know she feels what I feel and I’m about to go after her, fiancé or not.

I don’t care if she stays with Kevin. I just want her body. Besides, it won’t last long, desire never does and I don’t want her clinging after it’s over. Only, the bitch keeps pushing me away, denying us both the satisfaction our bodies crave. Her sanctimonious refusal as she uses Kevin and her engagement ring as a shield pisses me off. I didn’t want to drop a bomb, but if it gets me what I want, her in my bed, then I’m not going to flinch from it. I need her to satisfy this craving that’s eating me from the inside out. I’ll make her pay for making us both wait. I’m not her asshole ex, and I’m sick of paying for his stupidity. Her body makes my cock ache and I want her exactly as she is. Only, inch by inch I’m consumed by my need. I warn myself to pull away, sure this won’t last, can’t last. But letting go isn’t an option, no matter how hard I try.


Excerpt:

“What the fuck is it with you and bathrooms? Is this some kink you have?"
She’s blustering, trying to get her shots in first. I laugh. “There’s no way in hell you are like this with Kevin. I refuse to believe it.”
Whether it’s my laughter or words, I catch her off guard. Pausing, she considers my words. “Maybe because I like him.”
"You don’t have to like me, I just need you to sit on my cock.” Sarah makes a fatal mistake, turning around to see where she could hide. I pin her against the low vanity, pressing my hard cock into her soft ass. Heaven, fucking hell, heaven is her body melting into me. My arms go around her, resting palms down on the vanity my lone concession to not going faster than I think she’s really ready for. “Do you feel how hard you’ve had me since I met you? I haven’t had to jack off since fifteen, do you know that? Now, every damned night I’m hard and my cock only wants your pussy. No one else’s will do. Come to me, tonight. I see the longing in your eyes. You’ve been thinking of me too. Put us both out of this misery.”
She closes her eyes against me from the mirror where our eyes have been locked. “No, I’m not going to change my mind. It’s wrong. I’m not made the way you are. I can’t give my body to someone when I’ve promised it to someone else. Kevin cares about me, he loves me. I’m not throwing all that away for sex, not when I have love.”

Now, I’m squeezing my eyes closed, damn it! This isn’t the way I wanted her, but now I don’t care anymore. My cock is howling in agony for her. Any way I can get her, I’ll take. Pushing away from her startles her into turning around. “Fine, you want to throw Kevin up like some shield? Interesting, you use him as an excuse not to cheat when he’s been cheating on you with Lindsey going on six months, now. Don’t look shocked, because I don’t believe it! I refuse to believe on some level you didn’t know! Lindsey helped get him fired from Feinman because they were fucking all the time, and his sales dropped. Her way to make it up to him is how he got this job. I owe Lindsey more than one, however I’m done, because tomorrow I’m firing the both of them. They spend all day fucking or texting about fucking, he still isn’t selling and she isn’t getting her work done. There’s also a married neighbor he keeps company when her husband goes out of town. Don’t, don’t look at me and tell me you didn’t at least wonder once or twice, don’t you dare!”
Why am I angry at her? She fucking looks like I’ve kicked her in the gut. I don’t hurt women, that’s not what makes my cock hard. Closing her eyes, tears fall. I’m pissed I can’t wrap my arms around her and tell it’s all right, because right now, it won’t be. Shuddering, she nods. “I wondered, okay, once or twice I wondered. But I love him, and I thought he loved me. Because of that, I refused to do more than think, refused to do more than wonder. And right now I refuse to take your word.”
No fucking way, her hand is on the door. “God damn it! Don’t you dare fucking go to him! You know he’ll lie! I don’t fucking care what you say, this isn’t about you and him, it’s about you and me.” Two weeks have been too long. My mouth comes down on hers. Her mouth is closed to mine, at first. The pent up anger dies as I work at getting her to invite me in. I tease my lips against hers, nibble on her lush bottom lip. Stealing in on her gasp as I press my cock right against her mons, I’m in her mouth. Fucking hell, she’s rubbing against me and the gentle kiss goes up in flames. She’s moaning my name, whimpering. I fight everything in me to pull up her dress right there. Breaking the kiss is fucking painful. “Come home with me. Let me kiss you right, where you belong, in my bed. I want to taste your pussy dripping on my tongue, I need to feel your pussy sucking my cock deeper inside you, your legs wrapped around my waist. I want to kiss your mouth as I pump into your body, and feel you shudder against me when you come.”Universal link

Blurb for His Under Contract

His Under Contract

***Currently only available in Kindle Unlimited ***
But only until March 9th

Kindle
Nook
Kobo
Apple

Universal link

Holly

As a kid with a Marine for a father, and a doormat stay-at-home mother, I didn’t have huge aspirations for my future. Maybe a teacher—working with kids, and then enjoying a summer break. However, I didn’t think I would end up a housekeeper scrubbing floors. It doesn’t matter if the floors are in a million-plus dollar condo, in one of Chicago’s most exclusive addresses. I’m still on my hands and knees for one of the most obnoxious assholes I’ve ever met. The jerk believes his own press as one of the biggest rainmakers in Chicago. A lawyer specializing in business and sports contracts, Ethan Bishop is sought after in the boardroom and the bedroom. While even his sister thinks he’s best taken in small doses, she offers me a job I can’t refuse, not if I don’t want to go back to my parents with my tail between my legs. I need this job, and it’s not like it’s forever, just until I’m not on the edge of poverty. Let him be the unrepentant manwhore who didn’t do repeats. It’s better for him not to be at home, so close that my stupid body goes nuts when I even think of him. It’s better this way, because he could never want me. I’m a plus size not a size two model he’s used to having. I’m safe, it doesn’t matter how badly I want him, he doesn’t want me. Does he?

Ethan

In my world, the stakes are high, million dollar high, so no, I’m not nice. I don’t say please or thank you and I never apologize. If you have a problem with that, it’s your problem not mine. I didn’t make partner at one of the biggest law firms in Chicago at only thirty-two with my winning personality. I’m on top because I make money for my clients, whether it’s a high stakes takeover, or a player getting paid every dime he’s worth. My clients come out on top. I have worked hard for the life I have, the million-dollar condo, the Ferrari in the garage, and the hottest woman on my arm and in my bed. So, if my bitch of a new housekeeper wants to look down on me, like I give a fuck. My one weakness, my little sister parked me with a housekeeper who is far from perfect. Okay, she has the cooking and the cleaning down. But damn, does she have an attitude and a mouth on her that smiles even when she’s insulting me. It’s a good thing she isn’t my type, or I would make her pay the best way possible. At least, I’m trying to tell my cock she’s not my type, only the asshole has had his own idea since he saw her. It won’t last long though, it never wants any woman for long. When she offers herself to me, it’s with a contract where I hold all the control, all I have to do is sign.



Excerpt:

Since he’s gone, I turn on the radio, turning it to a pop station. I’m pulling out the pan for his eggs and turning on the burner, swinging my ass with the music, when suddenly it’s cut off.

          Straightening in surprise, I look up to see Ethan staring at me in annoyance. “You’re early.” I accuse.

          “I strained a muscle. I had to cut my workout short. I’m going to spend time in the tub to work out the pain, until it’s time for breakfast.” His forehead is creased, the pain clear on his face.

          “If it’s a strain, the tub won’t really help. I can rub it out for you. My mom did it for my dad then when she got arthritis I did it for him and my oldest brother when he went too hard on the weights.” He looks like he’s about to refuse. I want to smack him. “It will take ten minutes for me to rub out, or a few days of pain.” I’m staring at a point above his head. Holy shit, if I thought he looked good in the plain undershirt with tattoos almost to his wrists, now, with the shirt almost clear from sweat and clinging to his muscled tattooed chest, I’m doing that thing again. Damn him. I’m wet, there, again.

          “Fine, let me shower off this sweat. Give me five minutes.”

          My legs wobble as he leaves. I lean on the counter for support. Most days he moved so quickly I had barely gotten a look at the knife with blood on his right forearm, today I saw the gavel with the wooden holder on his left arm. Who the fuck knew I had a thing for muscled, tattooed, asshole, manwhores?

          I’m sure it’s been five minutes, I have no real idea as I’ve been dreaming about what he looks like without his shirt on. I go into my room to grab my almond oil before going to his room. Knocking lightly on the half-opened door, I see he is lying face down. A little sigh comes out at not seeing his chest. Fuck, is he ripped, his back is a mass of muscle with the scales of justice large on his back. Across the bottom of his back is a wolf lying down with its head up. It feels like it’s looking right at me. I see the White Sox logo up his right side, but say nothing. Along his left side is a large, intricate tattoo of Don Quixote, with a small windmill at his feet.

          Start talking, my mind screams, stop staring. “What movement were you doing when you injured it?” Okay, good, I don’t sound as breathless as I feel.

          “Bench press. My spotter looked away for three seconds. I tipped it to one side. He had to pull it off me.”

          “What were you pressing?”

          “Two hundred.” He sighs as I squeeze a dime size puddle of oil into my palm. I can see the injured muscle glowing a vibrant red.

          Damn, it took my brother years to press that. “You know this is going to hurt like hell. I’m sorry, but then it should only be mildly annoying.”

          “I’ll deal.” He says into the black silky comforter.

          For a moment I freeze, it’s been over five years since I did this, please don’t let me hurt him. Pressing into the muscle with the ball of my palms I circle. I watch him push his face into the comforter and know he’s hiding a moan of pain. “I never would have figured you for a tattoo person. I thought all lawyers were supposed to be stuffed shirts.”

          “Mainly got them to hide the fucked up ones I got in juvie with pen ink. They looked like shit. I thought about trying to get them removed then said fuck it, and decided to cover up the bad ones instead. Along the way I saw some I liked so I added them.”

          “I got one tattoo, and then was so terrified my parents would find, out I never got another one.” I admit.

          “Let me guess, a butterfly?”

          “Ughh, no! I should press down harder for that. How is it feeling?”

          “You’re working out the right place, it’s still pretty sore.”

          “Okay then, round two.” I begin again with my palms, adding a little more pressure and circle the muscle.

          “A heart?”

          “I find that offensive.”

          “Hello Kitty?”

          “Okay, I’m going to stop if you keep insulting me.”

          He chuckles, and oh, my god, I don’t think I’ve ever heard him laugh before. It comes deep from his chest yet is still somehow melodic. I think I could become addicted to that laugh. “Is it a cartoon character? Give me a hint here.”

          “No, it’s not a cartoon and I don’t have to give you a hint.”

          The sigh comes out of him long and loud. “Damn that feels good.”

          “Told you, I had a lot of practice. Take something over-the-counter for it and sleep on your other shoulder tonight. I would lay off the chest workouts for at least a week, too soon and you might tear something. I should have your breakfast ready to go on time while you get dressed.” I say as I climb off the bed. Ethan sits up and I almost walk into the wall. His chest is a masterpiece, Lady Justice is massive over his chest with the sword in her hand, and down low on each hip is a one hundred dollar bill. Turning blindly, I powerwalk down the hall. Holy fucking shit, his body is sin.

          The only way I get through the next few minutes is by concentrating on everything I do without thinking of anything else. He’s waiting for his breakfast but says not a word as I bring it through. It’s on time, he had come in a few minutes early and was engrossed in the Tribune.

          There isn’t another word from him until he leaves with his shake in his hand. “Thanks again for the massage, it really helped.”

          I only nod, speech is still too hard for me.

If you don't work for free why should we?

It's happened and I've been pissed and I wrote a blog about it but of course it changes nothing. Then something came through my Facebook feed and I just lost my shit. Because I know, I fucking know this shit for brains bitch isn't alone-there are readers out there who want the same damn thing and they might say no but their actions in returning books they've read tell another story. 

I don't know Elizabeth York yes we are Facebook friends but I have never posted on her page or the other way around. I can't even say if I've liked anything she's posted or shared anything until today. But when I saw what she posted today I feel for her and I couldn't imagine being on the receiving end of this email then insane fucking instant message. 

This is apparently what started it all:

Elizabeth York

23 hrs · 

Wow! I am completely speechless. I had seen one of the books purchased were returned and then I noticed more... Didn't think anything of it until I got a email. I don't even know how to reply.

"Ms. York, I wanted to tell you that your books are above par and you should be proud. I was able to read them all, but sadly I returned them all because they range from $0.99 to $2.99 and that is just too much for me to spend on a ebook. Can you please make all your books in the future free so that I do not have to return it?"

Then when Elizabeth shared it and blocked the psycho she friended Ms. York again and let loose a deluge of steaming pile of off her fucking meds. Yes damn it, yes you should pay for the stories in a writer's head because yeah it was in a writer's head then they sat the fuck down spent their time writing, revising, and created a product which you consumed. 

I've been vocal in the past about not pricing myself low and how I don't want a reader who is only willing to pay .99 cents for my books. Quite frankly the writers that price their stuff so low make it worse for everyone else I fucking wish they would stop. If your work is longer than a short story, and you have paid for it to be edited and a person can get about two hours out of it, pricing it at 99 cents places little value on your hard work. It might take less than two hours or more maybe even more but it sure as fuck didn't take that long to write. It was days, weeks, for some maybe even months of starting, stopping, finding the right words and self-sacrifice to get those words out the first damn time, revise, money spent on covers, editing, more time on edits more time on getting the word out, bothering bloggers, beta writers, drumming up people willing to read and review. This is fucking work and to say hey yeah a dollar will do is complete and utter bullshit because we don't walk away with a dollar- thirty fucking cents is all we get, not even enough to make a damn phone call. So when I see these writers pricing for 99 cents it makes me fucking nuts but what can I do but shrug and move on? 

It happens every damn month, returns from assholes who I know read the books, probably read more than one and then returned them. I gave you two hours of enjoyment and you pay me back my returning it. A movie these days can cost $10.00 or $11.00 depending on your city, when the movie is over whether you loved it or hated it do you go up to the box office and ask for a refund? A meal at a fast food place runs on average between $7.00 to $12.00 and it usually only takes fifteen minutes to eat and keeps you full about three hours. When you're done do you go up to the cashier and ask for your money back? That cup of coffee that gives you your fix in the morning runs about $5.00 to $7.00 it takes you maybe ten minutes to drink about two hours of zip, when the caffeine buzz is over do you go back for a refund? No, just fucking no. Would you ask any of those people to give you anything for free???? When you go to work does your boss say you won't be paid for the first half of the day and you think that's okay? Of course not! 

So why the fuck is it okay for you to bitch, moan, complain, about pricing and return a book you read??? Why? Please explain to me why that is acceptable. Months, I spent months on that and you read the blurb and you read the sample and you decided to press buy and when it was over you hit return and took back the paltry two fucking dollars I made back. I just paid $335 for a current book to be edited, most of my books because of their length run about $250 to $300 for editing. Three hundred dollars and you can't pay less than $5.00 for it? 

So please sign this petition. Do I really think anything will change? Not really but maybe in a few years this will stop. If even one asshole who reads and returns stops because of it then it's worth it. 

Amazon Petition

The Importance of a Beta Reader

I'm doing my usual thing on Twitter if you tweet me I do my best to tweet you back. Honestly sometimes I look at the tweet but not usually, just checking to make sure it isn't crazy dirty otherwise I hit retweet and move onto the next. The person catches on if she retweets me I'll retweet her so the next day I retweet again and this time I read it and out of curiosity click on the link, a professional beta reader hmm. As I've whined I'm having problems with my latest story. While I have now finished, again, and am now really happy it reminded me that I don't have any beta readers, haven't for the last few books. While I miss them the whole process of finding and getting honest good feedback from a beta reader is fucking exhausting. 

I checked out the website or whatever and holy shit she nailed it dead on. You send out the email and you get a great response of people who want to read then nothing then a few weeks on you prod people and less than half respond to you. Then you get emails of it was good but nothing on how to make it better. I realized it pretty much didn't work having people I knew read because even though I practically begged them only one person ever told me one thing out of seven books that I could change and I did it and I think it made the story stronger but one person, seven books one fucking thing? Don't even get me started on the emails that I got after I published the freaking book that trailed in of it was good. My editor was kind enough to make a note on one of my last books that I think was a huge catch and slightly embarrassing BUT I shouldn't have depended on her for that and I can't in the future. 

At first I kind of got annoyed at once again paying for an aspect of publishing. So many readers out there wouldn't charge me then I thought about it. Do I want the best for my story and frankly my nerves? How fair is it exactly for me to ask someone to take time out of their life to read my book and get back to me with a thorough list of what isn't working and how to make it better? If someone who already likes your writing is reading they probably are worried about ticking you off or insulting you by telling you a scene didn't work or they didn't feel a connection with a character or the fatal but all important, the characters lacked depth. All fixes that can be done but not if you don't know about them until you hit publish and you get that feedback in the form of two or three stars. 

If you have good beta readers let them know how much you appreciate them and if you don't then maybe a professional beta reader is the best way to go.

Editing, one size doesn't fit all

Yep, I screwed up and released my initial stuff without paying for an editor and I lost sales because of it, I know it was the wrong thing to do. So I went back and got everything and the new ones were edited before they came out. At the time I used two editors because of schedules and honestly money, the guy could work faster and was cheaper, the other woman I liked but she was squeezing me in and it would take more than two months for all my stuff to be edited. Before I used the guy who had I had been referred to by fantasy with a hint of romance writer. I asked him, if he was okay with editing, romance/erotic stories he said yes. He did his job but now I can honestly say I won't use him again because he might have done the job but he didn't respect my writing and he did the most basic. 

I'm picky, I'll be the first person to admit it. I demand a lot of myself and I expect to get what I pay for whether it's from the clothes I buy to the computer I buy to even the doctor I use. I actually went to six different doctors before I found one where I liked both the doctor as well as the front staff. If you are paying for something, get your money's worth. Sure word of mouth is a great way to find a good editor but if you don't feel the person works well with you then don't use them. The editor I'm waiting to work with is awesome, she really did not just a great job of editing but her suggestions fit my story well and the way I write, because it was clear she wasn't just looking for what I did wrong she was looking to make my story better and I think that's what a good editor is really suppposed to do. 

Don't do what I did, don't release your story without an honest to goodness editor you pay for to edit. But also if you don't feel like you two mix don't be afraid to say so and find another because there are a lot out there, you'll find one that fits you. 

Now am I going to share my editor's name....um no freaking way.