After a crazy week, Facing the Fire is now out and available for you to enjoy.  Aili’s adventures continue, and you get to meet some new friends she makes, as well as learning more about her country.  Book 2, Facing the Fire, finishes her adventures with the magical artifact she first encounters in Runaway Magic, Book 1.

I’ve already plotted out the third book and I begin writing that tomorrow.  She tackles new problems and visits a new forest.  Aili is going to experience her first temperate rain forest.  So far each forest has been inspired by actual environments I’ve been in, and the next forest is no exception.  Canada has a wide variety of ecosystems and I can use them all as inspiration for new places Aili can go.

Our first newsletter went out today as well.  Each has a bonus story involving Aili, as well as updates from the last month, and a poll or question that lets me get your opinion on something about the books or the characters.

After working so hard to learn new skills and get the book and newsletter done, it’s time for a quick rest.  I’m not stopping writing, I’m just taking it easy for the week.  I love adventuring with Aili and that will continue.  Normally I will write between 2000 and 6000 words a day.  This week I’m going to write however much I want and not focus on anything but telling the story how I like.  A rest is a good thing.  Unfortunately, Aili hasn’t had a chance to rest in her stories, which means I haven’t rested, either!

Life has been a little crazy here lately.  Winter is visiting early and we’re getting snow.  Way more snow than normal for this time of year, in fact.  A family member has been dealing with a health issue as well that means they can’t drive, so I’ve been driving them to appointments.  Now, snow and roads...yeah, I’m not a fan of winter driving.  I can do it, I’m good, but I don’t enjoy it.

Mostly my writing has been uninterrupted and normal scheduling, though the occasional day I’ve had to adjust around medical appointments.  I’m now proofreading and making tiny changes for words and meanings, so I’m almost done.  Facing the Fire will be for sale soon!

With everything going on right now, I’m resting every chance I get, when I’m not editing, that is.  My first newsletter is already prepared and ready to be sent out on the 27th of October.  I can relax and work on the final stages of getting Facing the Fire out into the world and still help my family member with their health problems.  

I’ll leave it there, as it’s nap time.  I just got back from driving up to a hospital on horrible roads, and I’m tired!

Yes, it’s that time again.  Aili is ready to share another adventure soon.  The second book is nearly fully in the final draft, and editing begins this week.  Before the end of October, Facing the Fire will be available for sale.

That also means I’ll begin planning her next adventure incredibly soon as well.  As it sometimes happens, I have ideas where I’d like to go, but Aili had other ideas of her own.  She decided certain things needed to happen when I was writing the ending of book two, and now I have something more to tackle in upcoming books.  Teenagers!

When I first considered writing a series, I was hesitant.  Some well known authors I had been learning from expressed that sequels could be a unique challenge, but I didn’t find it so.  If anything, it was easier to write than the first book.  Mind you, the first book I was still learning how to write a novel.

So, what happens in the second book?  You learn more about the main characters.  You learn some back story for both Scouts.  You see Aili tackle her challenges she faces after the final scene in the first book.  You get to meet more Scouts and learn more about her society.  

What about the third book?  I’m still in the planning stages.  I won’t start writing it until the second book is ready to be published.  I can promise you’ll learn even more about everyone, Aili will have new adventures, she’ll face a whole new set of challenges, and she’ll get to see more of her world.  For someone who grew up in a city, even a large city, she’s never explored her country until she set off on her own in book one.

Keep an eye out.  Book two is coming soon!

I’ve been busy this lat week, getting my next book ready to publish.  Well, today I proofread it.  I am done!  Almost.  It’s with my co-proofreader and beta-reader for final comments and editing, but that usually doesn’t mean much change.

Needless to say, today was a day to celebrate.  Now it’s time to start getting the file ready to turn into books, and start getting cover design and so on.  I’m a happy author.

What else should happen today but my own copies of my first book came back from the printer.  That’s right, actual physical proof for myself that this was not all just a dream, I am indeed a published author.  I am crazy happy and super excited.  I know, surely an author can come up with a prettier way of saying that, but I’m so excited I don’t care.  Watch me be enthusiastic.

If I’m a little quiet for the rest of the week, it’s because I’m doing pre-publication work on the novel.  Also exciting news, book two of the Forest Guardians series is entering what should be the final draft as well.  Within a month or two it’ll be ready to publish.  I’m looking forward to that book a lot.  Aili is a fun character to write for, even if she keeps taking my plots and going somewhere with them that I never saw coming.  Teenagers!

What’s the hardest part of writing?  Every author will give you their own answer.  Mine?  Choosing a book title.  What the heck am I supposed to call that thing, anyways?  How do I make it snappy and something inviting while capturing the essence of the story?  

I didn’t know the title to Runaway Magic until the book was done and I was working on the cover.  Well, the sequel is well underway.  I’m beginning to pick a title for it.  What the heck am I going to call it?

I’ve got a file where I keep promotional material for the Forest Guardians series, like possible titles, possible book blurbs, and so on.  One method that works is for me to start listing possible titles.  I just put out whatever comes to mind and see if something really strikes me as being perfect.  The other thing I do is a quick search to see how many other works share the title.  I had one I loved for the sequel, but I’d be competing with so many other books that I’d get lost in the mix.

The good news is that I have time to decide.  I have until the book gets submitted for publishing, really.  While I also have to assign my ISBN number, and I do that myself, again it’s a thing done during the publishing process.  

That’s also why the coming soon title on the main page has no title yet.  I know the basis of the story, but I don’t yet know what it’ll be called.  Oh, well, I do have time!

What’s your writing challenge, your own hardest part?

After a break from working on the erotica, due to life circumstances, I’m back at it.  I did not realize how close to done I really was...

Getting my first book published was a crazy whirlwind of excitement and stress.  I will admit, it took a lot out of me, in both time and attention.  It was thrilling in an “I did a thing” kind of way.  I was exhausted for days.  

Now that I know what to do and how to do it, I’m more relaxed about my next book coming out.  I can take my time and enjoy the experience more easily without the stress of figuring things out.  

I have a few scenes to write and some editing to do, then my first romance/erotica will be available to share with people.  It will be published under a different pen name, so my young adult readers don’t encounter materials that aren’t suitable for them.  It’s exciting, getting a book out to share with people.  Some will love it, some will hate it, but I had fun writing it.

I expect to be ready within a couple of weeks.  I’m still working on the sequel and the martial arts book, as I enjoy having different projects on the go.  I know from finishing my first book that the excitement of being done means I’m not focused enough to start plotting another novel.  Having one already going means I can settle into my routine of writing more easily and keep my momentum going.  I do love writing.

​Still, ALMOST THERE!

Today I submitted my files for publishing.  I’m starting on Amazon for ease of use.  Mid-afternoon I finished the submissions and got everything done.  The ebook version is already up for sale.  Wow, that was fast.  The paperback version is still under review for quality control, but the prescreen showed no issues.

I did a thing!  For the past two weeks I had been spending my afternoons preparing the manuscript, learning how to use the converter programs, dealing with cover art, and more.  It’s been a journey and an adventure, though not as exciting as what my character goes through.  Still, it was exciting and stressful and nerve-wracking, and wonderful.

I can’t wait to have a physical copy of my book, so I can read and enjoy it over and over again, easily looking things up if I need to as I write the next books in the series.  I’m almost halfway through writing the second book, so a couple of months and it’ll be up for sale, too.

The most surprising part of the process was seeing the book being turned into an actual print ready file.  I got to choose book size and learned how many pages the finished book was going to be.  Since it was written in word in normal view, 8.5” x 11”, it wasn’t even 200 pages, though I had the word count right around 80 000 words.  Seeing how many pages it was as I played with book size was fascinating.

The software made turning the file into books incredibly easy.  I’m pleased with how well it went and how intuitive it was.  As I have two more books coming up in the next few months, it’s reassuring to know the publishing stages are so simple.  I can focus on making the best book possible and writing stories I love.  For now, I rest and celebrate, after two weeks of learning and solid work.  CELEBRATE!

I’m learning a lot about turning the story file into an actual book.  It’s an interesting process, for sure.  However, just writing the book is not enough.  People need to know about the book.  That involves getting the word out that the book exists.  

People want to know - what’s the book about?  Why do I want to read it?  What do I get out of it?  Those are all very good questions.  So much goes into making a book appealing.  How does the cover look?  Do I give compelling information about the book or series, so people can get excited about the stories?

Marketing can be so complex that people study the topic for years.  What can we poor independent authors do?  Even in the traditional publishing world, marketing can be left to the author, especially new authors.  Knowing how to write a book description can be the difference between sales and people clicking to another book instead.

There is all manner of information out there on how to write marketing materials.  Some of it is contradictory.  There may even be some trial and error involved.  Learning through personal experience sometimes teaches us more than just reading does.  

I’m still writing more books and having a blast.  One of the books I’m currently working on is a sequel to my first novel.  I write in the mornings and work on book preparation in the afternoons.  Yes, now I’m spending more time on my books and less time here, blogging.  That’s okay.  All the better to bring you wonderful stories to enjoy!

Today I realized how close I am to my first novel being published.  I’ve got the manuscript in the program and being formatted.  I’ve got images to make my cover with.  I’ve got my ISBN numbers assigned and ready.  I’m preparing a new page for this website with book information.  My hope is I’ll have the book out by the end of this week or the beginning of next week.

I’m playing with the various programs to create covers and get the book ready, so I know how they work and what my options are.  There’s still a lot to learn, but I know where to look and am learning as I go.

It’s both exciting and terrifying, being close to sending my work out into the world.  People will love it (hopefully), some people won’t care for it, and others will like it or be indifferent.  One day I might be someone’s favourite author.  We’ll see!  I’m already having a blast working on my next two novels, one of which is a sequel to this one about to go out.  

Tomorrow is my day off writing/publishing, so I’ll rest and relax.  I may write a little, but it’s not scheduled and set aside time, it’s usually pleasure writing for personal stories.  Sunday I’m at it again, preparing and learning and getting ready to publish.  Maybe I need a checklist!

Having someone to do some reading and editing is valuable.  It can be a professional, or even someone you know with solid knowledge of the language.  Your budget and project will determine what you need.  Someone writing non-fiction will want to find an editor with some familiarity with the subject of the book, unless they are editing solely for spelling and grammar.

As the person who everyone came to in English class in school, I feel good about my skills.  However, a fresh set of eyes is never a bad thing.  My editor was able to catch a few content issues, nothing major, but things I can clarify for readers to help them enjoy the book and world I created even more.  We also found some spelling errors to fix, as my computer is old and a few keys sometimes stick.

I’ll be taking his notes and reading through again anyways, making sure I like the final copy of what I have written.  Did I feel I missed anything?  I can explain some things more in the sequel if I want, building the world around the foundation I have created.  Still, having him look over things let me know where I might need a little more detail in some places.  I’d rather learn that now than after I publish.

Soon I work on and finish what I hope will be my final draft.  Another read through, and I’ll be ready to publish!