Looking Back on 2023...

I can't believe it's been another whole year. At times, 2023 felt like it would never end, and at other times, the months were just flying by. This has been a year full of ups and downs for me personally, and professionally... well, it wasn't my best. But before I get into all that, here is a rundown of my original 2023 goals: 

1. Stay Healthy: I struggled quite a bit this year with fatigue, and as a result, I haven't slept well (oddly enough), which means I then end up in pain. As a result, I've had my Fibro meds increased twice this year, but I think I'm finally at a place where I'm good. The pain and fatigue aren't affecting my daily life as much as before. I haven't been working out like I used to, and I really want to get back into doing so. I've also been adding more carbs into my diet, slowly, and I'm managing that pretty well. 

My daughter who was diagnosed with Crohn's a couple of years ago is still doing well. We've had to increase her meds, too, but she's definitely in a much better place. 

My parents have been having quite a few health-related issues this past year, though. My mom has to have retina injections every few months. She had cataract surgery on both eyes, and she was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. My dad had extremely high blood pressure and ended up in the hospital with stroke-like symptoms. BUT -- they are both still with me and getting better each day, and I'm so incredibly thankful for that. 

2. Keep Writing and Publishing: Sadly, I didn't do so well with this. I didn't release any new books this year, but I did completely rebrand my Cursed Series, which was a much larger undertaking than I expected. I've been working on various projects, but with all the doctor's appointments and health scares, writing has been difficult. I'm close to finishing something new, though, and that's exciting. 

3. Treat My Business Like a Business: I did accomplish this! Though it took me most of the year, I have finally found various programs and tools to help me be more productive on the business end without working too hard. I've certainly seen the benefits of consistent online activity, and I'm excited to keep going into 2024. 

4. Expand My Audience: The increased online activity has certainly helped with this, but I've got some exciting things in the works, too, that will help with this. More about that below!

5. Read: I read sooo much this year, and I absolutely love it! I've even expanded into some new genres that I like a lot more than I thought I would. 

While I might not have accomplished as much on the writing and publishing front as I would have liked, I did have some pretty big wins this year...

• My very first pit bull, Nico, was staying with my daughter for the past few years, but he's now back with me. I love him so much, and he gets along with Crowley so well. I know he doesn't have many years left, so I'm enjoying every single moment with him.
  
  
• My daughter's boyfriend asked me to go on a cruise with the two of them next year, and I am super stoked for that. I'll be going with my best friend, Nicole. YAY!
  
  
• I took my second annual mother-daughter vacation. This year, we went to Missouri and visited Branson. While there, we went to the Celebrity Car Museum, and I got to SIT IN THE SUPERNATURAL CAR!!! This was definitely one of the biggest highlights of my year. 
  
  
• The husband and I, along with our best friends, went on an overnight trip for our wedding anniversary. We had so much fun!
  
  
• I made a trip to NY for a family reunion, and catching up with everyone was wonderful. While there, we drove to Buffalo so my daughter could meet her boyfriend for the first time. We visited the zoo and Niagara Falls, which was a blast. 
  
  
• I plotted and planned a new series with a co-author that we're actively working on for the new year. We've got some big plans, so stay tuned for updates.
  
  
• I stopped pressuring myself and tracking everything. In the past, I always kept a calendar where I'd track how much time I spent writing, blogging, editing, etc., and my word counts. Because of life, I haven't written much and seeing the blank spaces and the big fat 0 on my calendar was stressing me out. I felt like a failure. So I simply stopped. It's taken off a lot of pressure, and I'm unsure if I'll start tracking again or not. 
  
  
• I stepped out of my comfort zone this year and really scared myself silly with different haunted houses and spooky locations. My daughter and I would go do something scary every weekend, and it was awesome. 
  
  
• My cat Luna became very ill, and I almost lost her. But through a lot of love (and vet visits) she's healthier than ever! She continues to gain weight, and she still insists on sitting on my lap while I'm trying to work. 
  
  
• My daughter and her boyfriend got a new puppy. A pug named Loki, and I love playing with him and then sending him home. I forgot how much work a puppy is, and I'm too old for that. lol. 
  
  
• I started a couple new collections. Y'all know I have a huge Twilight collection beyond just the books, and now I've started a Supernatural, The X-Files, and Stranger Things collections. That might seem odd to include here, but I thrive on the hunt. I love going to thrift stores, antique stores, craft fairs, etc., and finding cool things to add. 
  
  
• My eldest daughter got a new puppy this year, too. A German Shepherd named Eden. I haven't had the chance to meet her yet, but I hope to next year. 
  
  
• I decided to start a snow globe collection, mostly because I buy one each time I go somewhere new. They make great keepsakes. My husband even bought me a new cabinet with a light to put them all in! He's really the best.
  
  
• I took a very intense 3-day online class about marketing, and I learned quite a bit. I've also made some great new connections via that class. It also prompted a new idea for a non-fiction book. 
  
  
• My long-time agent passed away very unexpectedly. (To be clear, that is NOT a win!) As a result, I've now signed on with a new agent. Cindy Bullard at Birch Literary. She's great, and I'm excited to see what we do together. She'll be starting by hopefully selling the subrights to my Cursed Series. 
  
  
• My cat, Finn, who had been with my daughter in Missouri is back with me. He wasn't getting along very well with one of her other cats, so he came back. He's getting along pretty well with my cats here, and he even likes to play with Salem on occasion. 
  
  
• I've been blogging more regularly, too, and I'm being consistent with sharing my thoughts about the books I'm reading. 
  
  

As I mentioned above, I read so much this year, and I even ventured into some new genres. Here's my complete list: 

• Charm by Tracy Wolff
• Coop Knows the Scoop by Taryn Souders
• Lost in Michigan, & Lost in Michigan Vol. 2 by Mike Sonnenberg
• Michigan Haunts and Hauntings by Marion Kuclo
• Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
• Million Dollar Outlines by David Farland
• The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade
• Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda
• Paranormal State by Ryan Buell
• The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale by Stephanie Eding
• Haunted America by Publications International, LTD
• The Haunted by Danielle Vega
• The Girl From Widow Hills by Megan Miranda
• Grip of Fear, Grip of Darkness, Grip of Terror, Grip of Death, Grip of Madness, Grip of Evil, Grip of Honor, & Surviving Chaos by Sam J. Fires
• Camp Murderface and Camp Murderface: Doom in the Deep by Josh Berk and Saundra Mitchell
• What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie
• Daybreak on Raven Island by Fleur Bradley
• Camp Slyvania by Julie Murphy
• Hawkins Horrors by Matthew J. Gilbert
• Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond
• Darkness on the Edge of Town by Adam Christopher
• Judgment Road and Vengeance Road by Christine Feehan
• The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan
• Someone We Know by Shari Lapena
• The Sleepover by Samantha King
• Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
• A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight, and A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
• The Girl in the White Van by April Henry
• Playing with Fire by April Henry

Overall, it hasn't been a terrible year considering. I definitely had a lot more personal wins than professional, but that's okay. Stay tuned for my official 2024 goals post :-) In the meantime, tell me in the comments what YOU did this year! 

Thursday Thoughts: What's it Worth to You?

 

Today, I want to talk about perceived value and how this pertains to book sales and publishing. I'm sure we've all heard that saying: You get what you pay for. Right? And while I do believe this is true to an extent, I think we need to be careful about painting everyone and every situation with the same brush. 

Let's take freelance services, for example. A lot of authors are skeptical about editors or cover designers who don't charge a lot of money. Why? Because there's a fear that maybe the editor or designer isn't legitimate, or doesn't have a lot of experience. A lack of experience isn't always a bad thing, though I do warn authors to proceed cautiously. On the flip side, authors can also be skeptical of service providers who charge too much money because what qualifications do they have that warrants that price tag? 

But, if you're anything like me, you're not willing to charge someone else what you yourself aren't willing to pay. Also, as an Indie author myself, I understand how expensive this industry is and how little we make per book sale. For these reasons, I intentionally keep my editing rates low. And yes, I have experience -- a decade's worth. 

Now, let's switch our focus to actual books and the sale of them, specifically digital books. They are cheaper for authors to produce and are often sold at a cheaper price point than a print book. 

A lot of authors will offer an ebook for free or $0.99 to entice readers to start a new series or try out a new-to-them author. This is a very valid marketing strategy, and it's one I employ rather successfully. The first book in my Cursed Series is free. All the time. Across a wide range of vendors. My goal is to get people into the story with a free book and that they'll go on to purchase the other 6 books in the series. 

Some people will argue that if something is free or cheap, the quality must be terrible. And yes, this does hold true sometimes. But not always. (Which is why I always urge people to always do research and make your own determinations about things) On the flip side, some people will die on the hill that the more something costs, the better it is. I also disagree with this sentiment. 

There are a whole host of reasons someone will choose to sell something or offer a service at a reduced price (or free) -- and there's nothing wrong with that! I think the black-and-white thinking of cheap/free = bad and expensive = good is doing a disservice to everyone. 

Yet, there IS something behind that thought process. 

Recently, I started the process of rebranding my Cursed Series with new cover art, fresh edits, new content and interior formatting, etc., and I'm investing financially in doing so. Additionally, the cost of printing and shipping has gone up, so I have to take that into account as well. As a result, I reluctantly raised the prices on my ebooks. 

Books 2-7 ranged from $2.99 to $3.99, but since doing the rebrand, I've raised the prices to a consistent $4.99 across the board (except for book 1, which will always remain free). 

And you know what?? My sales have increased SO MUCH since I raised the prices! Talk about confused (and thrilled). But this leads me to believe and buy into the idea of perceived value and how a slightly higher price tag switches something in the brain that tells readers -- this book has value and is worth the money and you should buy it. I'm not sure I'll ever understand this, but it's certainly been on my mind a lot lately, and I'll be experimenting more to see if this holds true. 

At the end of the day, only you can determine what something is worth to you, or how much you're willing to pay for something. 

What're your thoughts on perceived value? Do you think cheap or free automatically means something is bad or of a lower quality? 

Tuesday Tips: Living and Working with a Chronic Illness

 

As you may know, a few years ago, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. This completely altered my life in so many ways, and I've had to learn to adapt. People often ask me how I manage, and I figured why not share my top tips for living and working with a chronic illness. But before I get into this, I need to be clear that every person is different, and what works for me may not work for you--and that's okay! Find what does work for you and do that. 

Okay, so here we go...

LEARN TO SAY NO!

I'm a people pleaser. I like to help others, and saying no is hard for me. And I'm notorious for offering help even when not asked -- I'm always putting myself out there. As you can imagine, this has taken a toll on me over the years. I had to learn to prioritize and say no, which I'm not going to lie... it was difficult. But for my own physical and mental health, I simply have to say no sometimes, and you know what? That's okay! 

LEARN TO FORGIVE YOURSELF!

This was a big one for me, too. Anytime I'm not actively working, I feel guilty. Like, I should be writing or editing or blogging or literally anything other than sitting on the couch watching TV, or napping. But I had to take a step back and realize that doing nothing is actually doing something. I'm taking care of myself, and let's face it--if I'm not in good health, I can't do any of that other stuff. So, forgive yourself for not working every second of every day, and give yourself permission to rest when needed. 

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!

I know this seems like a no-brainer, but I have to remind myself of this daily. Make sure you're getting enough exercise and drinking enough water. Get plenty of sleep (when possible). Get some fresh air. Eat healthy -- in whatever context that means for you. Personally, I've found that I need to avoid too many carbs, so I tend to stick to a Keto friendly diet. And most importantly -- find something you like to do that's not related to your job. As a writer and editor, I'm always engrossed in books in some form, but lately, I've been stepping away to focus on other things: painting wooden crafts, adult coloring books, playing Solitaire on my phone. These things help me decompress, and then I tend to feel a little better.

FIND A SUPPORT SYSTEM!

Whether this is family or friends or an online support group, having people you can lean on and talk to is invaluable. God knows I wouldn't be as functional as I am without my husband, kids, parents, and close friends. And really, just having someone who understands what you live with every day and who you can talk to about all of it is sometimes exactly what you need. 

Do you have any other tips and tricks to living with a chronic illness? Share your thoughts in the comments!

GOALS: 2023

It's once again my favorite time of year -- GOALS!! I absolutely love setting goals for myself and seeing just how much I can accomplish in a year. And after the (surprisingly) productive 2022 I had, I'm more excited than ever to see what 2023 has in store. So, let's do this!

STAY HEALTHY!

Yes, this is absolutely the first thing on my goals for 2023. I'm finally in a good place with my Fibro and all my meds, and I want to maintain this. I'm no longer actively trying to lose weight, but I will continue to eat healthy and stay active. Encompassed within this goal is to keep my family as healthy as possible, too. Thankfully, my daughter seems to be adjusting to her disease and the recent medication change very well, and I pray that she continues to improve and do well. 

KEEP ON WRITING & PUBLISHING!

Obviously! I mean, this is what I do after all. Unlike previous years, though, I don't have any firm plans in mind of what I want to write and publish--and admittedly, I was freaking out about this for a while, but then I realized it doesn't matter. I don't need to have my writing planned out for the entire year. That's the best part of being an Indie author: I can write whatever I want, whenever I want. So rather than list out all the projects I think I might want to work on (and let's face it, I *always* veer away from my list anyway), I'm going to aim to write and publish another 5 books this year. I'm going to make this a mix of YA and adult. 

TREAT MY BUSINESS LIKE A BUSINESS!

I realize this might sound a little bit odd, and I do treat the act of writing and publishing like a business, but it's all the other stuff that goes with it that's lacking. I need to become better organized with my marketing, expenditures, and time management. I'm confident that doing so will also help me in the long term with my output and overall creativity.

EXPAND MY AUDIENCE!

Back in 2021, I'd sold licensing rights to my series to a couple of serial reading apps. I have a list of others that I want to explore and potentially contract with so that I can continue to expand my audience. I'll also be looking for new fun ways to help spread the word about my books. 

READ!

I'd like to aim for 1-2 books per month again, not including any submissions I have to read for Anaiah. I read quite a bit in 2022, and I'd forgotten how much I love to get sucked into a story. I will attempt to read every night before bed.

BALANCE: SLOW DOWN & LOOK AROUND

I'm forever making lists of things I need to do, setting deadlines, and basically working as much as I possibly can. This past year, though, I'd taken a Mother-Daughter vacation (which is going to become an annual thing), and I can't tell you how much fun I had exploring, spending time with my girls, and laughing. I want to do more of that in 2023 -- So, I'm hereby giving myself permission to slow down, look around, and just enjoy life. I'm not getting any younger, my kids are starting to spread themselves farther apart, and I'm to the point in my life where I feel like I've earned the right to really start enjoying all that I have. While I will always keep writing, publishing, and editing, this is the year I find a better balance between my professional and personal life. 

What will you do in 2023?

Spill the Tea Tuesday: Authors vs Freelancers

 

I'm filling in today due to a last minute schedule change, but that's okay, because I have a LOT to say. So, sit down and grab your tea--and a handful of napkins. This is about to get messy...

First and foremost, I am an author. But I'm also a reader. A blogger. A self-publisher. An editor--both for a small traditional publisher and as a freelancer. I wear many hats within the publishing world, as do a lot of people. Throughout the years, I've learned that authors are hustlers--we're always doing something to get ahead in this industry, and I've always found that to be rather cool. But let's be honest: this industry has changed so, so much since I started in it. Some changes have been for the greater good. Others, however... ehhhh not so much.

Indie authors--someone who publishes their own book from start to finish--often has to hire people to help them. Now, I know of several authors who have taught them the skills necessary to be able to do everything on their own, from writing the book to making the cover art to creating and running successful ads. For the majority of indie authors, though, we have to outsource to freelancers. 

As a fellow freelancer, I 100% support this part of the industry, and I feel like publishing wouldn't function as well as it does without these skilled individuals offering their expertise (often for reduced prices, too, but that's a different post for a different day). As a fellow author, I adore the people I hire to help me, and I know that I wouldn't be able to do what I do without them. The relationship between authors and freelancers is one of trust and mutual respect. 

But what happens when that trust and respect is lost? 

It's no secret that I've been scammed by various publishing "professionals" over the years, (mostly small publishers) and yes, I've learned my lesson. But, I'm also the type of person that gives others the benefit of the doubt. Has that bitten me in the ass over the years? You betcha! Regardless, I refuse to let anyone else's decisions or morals affect who I am and what I believe is right.

Have I been scammed by freelancers since I started self-publishing? Not that I'm aware of. At least, not to the point where I felt the need to publicly warn others. So, either I've been really lucky, or I'm getting better at spotting the scammers. 

This leads me to my point--yes, I have one--Over the past month or so, I have seen so many freelancers publicly naming and shaming authors for getting services and then not paying for them. I get why freelancers choose to do this. First, it brings attention to the matter, enough so that sometimes it shames the author into honoring their commitment to pay. Second, the freelancer wants to protect the community in the way of warning others to watch out for said author. 

If you're an author -- pay the people you hire! Don't be a scammer.

But wait! This situation absolutely, without a doubt, goes the other way, too. I, along with some very close, trusted friends of mine, have firsthand experience with paying for a service and not getting what we've paid for. Where are those public naming and shaming posts? I'm sure they exist, but I rarely see them. Why? I'm glad you asked :) 

As authors, we have this fear that if we advocate for ourselves, if we speak up when we've been wronged, we'll be labeled as "difficult" and garner a reputation that will make others not want to work with us. And I'm sorry--and excuse my language--but that's utter bullshit! 

If we pay for something, we expect to receive it. Period. It's no different than if you were to buy something online, pay for it, yet never get it. You'd be angry, right? You'd contact the company / seller, demand to know where your stuff is. You'd want to get the thing you ordered or you'd want your money refunded. It's no different when working with a freelancer.

If you're a freelancer--give people what they've paid for! Don't be a scammer!

And authors: Please, I'm begging you, do not be afraid to stand up and make things right. I'm not suggesting you immediately go public and blast a freelancer all over social media right away. In fact, that's a very bad idea. But do not be afraid to reach out to the freelancer in a respectful and professional manner in an effort to resolve the issue. If you do that, and it still doesn't help, then take to social media and warn others. I know I wouldn't want to inadvertently hire someone who is known for this type of behavior. 

We're all adults. We're all professionals. We're all in this business because we love books. We should not be in this us vs. them mentality, but sadly, that seems like where we've landed. And I, for one, think it sucks.

Born and raised in the small town of Mexico, New York, KARA LEIGH MILLER is an only child who was forced to find ways to entertain herself. Playing make believe with her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals was her first real taste of storytelling before she became old enough to develop a love affair with the written word. In addition to being an author, Kara is a freelance editor and the Editorial Director at Anaiah Press, LLC. ​​Kara now lives in Michigan with her husband, three (of five) kids, five pit bulls, and four cats. When she's not busy writing romance novels that leave readers swooning, she's spending time with her family, working out, or binge watching Netflix. And sometimes, she'll even play golf with her husband, even though she totally sucks at it.

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You can find Kara on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Bookbub. For the most up-to-date information, and to receive a FREE ebook, sign up for her newsletter!

The tea has been spilled! Who's gonna clean it up? 

Drop your thoughts in the comments!

GOALS: 2021

 

It's once again my favorite time of year -- GOALS!! I absolutely love setting goals for myself and seeing just how much I can accomplish in a year. And after the productive 2020 I had, I more excited than ever to see what 2021 has in store. So, let's do this!

KEEP ON WRITING!

I wrote so much in 2020, and I would love to keep up with the momentum I'd built. Here are the specific projects I hope to work on: 

1. Small Town Cowboy Romance Book -- I'm busy working on a proposal for my agent for a series of small town cowboys. I want to get the first book written, and possibly have outlines for the rest of the series. 

2. Cursed Series Spinoff Book -- I have the characters, and the idea for the story, and I've already written the first couple of chapters, so I just need to finish writing it. 

3. Adult Romantic Suspense Book -- I have one I'd started several years ago, so I'm going to dust it off and finally finish it so I can send it to my agent. This will be written and eventually published as Lexi.

4. More YA Books -- I worked hard last year to launch The Cursed Series, and I've seen some wonderful gains in my readership, which I don't want to lose, so ideally, I'd love to write another YA book or series I can release. I have an entire list of ideas to choose from, so we'll see what happens. 

READ TILL MY EYES BLEED!

Okay, so maybe that's a little extreme. LOL. I read more books for pleasure last year than I have in a very long time, and I loved it. In fact, I'd forgotten just how much I love getting lost in a book. Between all the writing, editing, and reading submissions for Anaiah that I do, I rarely have time to read stuff that I want to read, so this year, I'm going to make it a priority. I will read at least one book per month, hopefully more. And maybe, if I'm feeling frisky, I might start doing reviews again, too. 

GET OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE!

Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I'm generally a shy person. I prefer to stay home, chat via messenger or text as opposed to talking on the phone, and I do most of my marketing online, too, without having to really put myself out there all that much. Well, this year, I'm going to make a real effort to get out of my comfort zone and put myself out there more via videos, podcasts, conferences, etc. 

PROGRESS: KEEP MOVING FOWARD!

As I've mentioned, I made a lot of traction in my writing and publishing life, and I don't want all of that hard work to be for nothing, so for this year, I'm going to focus on moving forward while progressing with my writing and publishing. I'm going to continue to self-publish via FireChicken Press, and God willing, I'll get Lexi back on track with some new publishing contracts as well. 

What will you do in 2021?

Looking Back on 2020....

Hmm... Well, this was certainly "A Year" wasn't it? Between politics, the pandemic, and the rollercoaster that is publishing, 2020 has not been a great year on a global scale. While I, too, had to deal with all of this stuff in my everyday life, I had an overall amazing year! And I'm reluctant to even type that because I know for so many, this year was truly awful. But because it's been so awful, I'm not going to feel bad about my accomplishments. If anything, we need more reasons to celebrate this year, so buckle in and let's take a look back on the year to see what I accomplished, what I didn't, and what big changes I faced in 2020.

My original 2020 goals included: 

(1) FINISH BOOKS 1 & 2 OF THE GEORGIA CORBINS SERIES

These books... I both love and hate them. LOL. They are very near to my heart, but I'm still really struggling with what direction to take them, so while I thought about them quite a bit this past year, I didn't actually open the docs and work on them. But that's okay. Maybe next year. 

(2) WRITE BOOKS 2 & 3 OF MY YA PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES

Bahahahahaha! Wow, has so much happened with this series! Originally, it was only supposed to be three books. That turned into four. Then six... All of which are now written. Four are now available for sale with the final two up for pre-order. 

(3) RESURRECT MY PEN NAME

For those who don't know, I write steamy New Adult and adult books under the name Lexi Lawton. After a surprising (and wonderful) email from my publisher, I found out they are re-investing in my books with some new marketing efforts, and I couldn't be more excited! So, I've revamped Lexi's website and social media, and I'm actively working on some new stuff for her. In the meantime, if you want to stay up-to-date, you can follow her (me) on social media: newsletter / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / AllAuthor / Bookbub. 

(4) OFFICIALLY LAUNCH FIRECHICKEN PRESS, LLC

I didn't just launch this with one book as I'd originally wanted to--I launched it with the entire Cursed Series! And I did so several months earlier than I'd expected, too, so that's been fun. 

(5) KEEP ON EDITING

I'm still with Anaiah, and I've still been editing. I don't foresee this changing any time soon. I also managed to snag a couple new freelance clients. 

(6) FIND MY PASSION

My official word and state of mind going into 2020 was passion. I wanted to find that spark again, to fall in love with writing and editing and life in general, and despite everything, I did. I'm exactly where I've always wanted to be in terms of loving what I do, and this is probably the best thing to have come out of 2020.

While I kicked butt with my goals this past year, so much more has happened that I never expected or planned for, so here's the quick rundown: 

Professionally: 

• I wrote a total of 680,227 words (!!!) That's the most I've ever written. 
• I blogged a total of 19,393 words.
• I released 6 books: Warped Remains, Perfectly Imperfect, Eternal Curse, Eternal Choice, Eternal Bond, and Eternal Love.
• I wrote approximately 5k of a spinoff from The Cursed Series.
• I rewrote the ending to Lexi's 3rd book (Resisting Ryder) and submitted it to the publisher for consideration. 
• I've re-signed with my former agent, Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency!! 
• I dove headfirst into self-publishing. 
• My book, Perfectly Imperfect, released as an audio book! And I've since started moving The Cursed Series into audio, too. 
• For Anaiah, I edited 8 full length novels and 5 novellas. 
• I freelance edited 6 manuscripts.
• I had professional author photos taken--finally! It's only been 10 years. LOL. 

Personally:

• I went on my dream vacation--A Caribbean cruise with my BFF, Emily!
• I survived an ongoing global pandemic without getting sick. Well, not any sicker than usual, anyway.
• Despite the gym closing, I managed to continuing working out on a regular basis -- thanks to my wonderful husband investing in an elliptical for me. 
• I maintained my weight loss from last year! In fact, I even managed to drop another couple of pounds. 
• Caught up on lots more TV... I finished the final season of The 100 (severely disappointed) then began a rewatch but stopped midway through season 4. I made it through every single episode of Supernatural, and then watched the finale with my daughter (when we both cried our eyes out). I watched the only season of V-Wars, Daybreakers, and The Society. Oh, and I watched Shadowhunters, too!
• My daughter is on track to graduate from high school early, and I've gone on a couple of college tours with her. I'm beyond excited that she's been accepted to her top choice. 
• My son, who does not do well with online learning, passed all of his classes this first semester, and he's on track to graduate next year, too!
• My other daughter got a new kitten. 
• Two of my girls have gotten first jobs this year--one at Subway and the other at Little Ceasers. 
• We got a new puppy on Christmas eve. Her name is Maggie May, and she's absolutely adorable.

I even managed to read a lot more this year than I normally do: 

• City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, and City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
• Kissing the Wrong Twin by Christina Herrara
• Risen by Cole Gibsen
• Crave and Crush by Tracy Wolff
• Twin Souls by K.A. Poe
• Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy
• Fading by Cindy Cipriano
• The Immortal Mark, The Immortal Truth, and The Immortal Bond by Amy Sparling
• Vampire Crush by A.M. Robinson
• The Vampire's Promise by Caroline B. Cooney
• Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
• Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare
• Hex by Thomas Olde Huevelt
• Uncomfortable and Unavoidable by Nessa Page
• A Cowboy's Pride and Winning the Cowboy's Heart by Karen Rock
• The Country Vet by Eleanor Jones

Overall, it's been a pretty great year for me professionally, and I'm excited to see what I can accomplish in 2021. Stay tuned for my official goals post :-) In the meantime, tell me in the comments what YOU did this year! 

{Thursday Thoughts): Secular vs Christian

Thursday Thoughts is a new feature here on my blog -- don't ya just love how I randomly create these new things? -- where I'll share whatever's on my mind. It could be about writing or editing or life in general. Today, I want to talk -- or maybe vent -- about the two different markets I've been simultaneously living in for the past several years. 

When I first started writing and publishing, it was within the secular romance market, and I'd found some decent success in that I'd gotten published with a variety of small presses, had good reviews and fans. I even managed to sign with an agent. Then I got into editing, and while I absolutely love doing that, it took a lot of time away from my own writing and publishing endeavors. There was a very long period where I didn't write or publish anything. 

Throughout that period, I became involved with Anaiah Press, which is strictly Christian fiction. An entirely new world of fiction had been revealed to me, and I quickly fell in love with it. I even wrote a couple Christian novels, and I thoroughly enjoyed that. 

But now, I'm firmly back in the secular market with my YA paranormal series, and it feels good. It feels like I'm back where I'm supposed to be. Not that I don't love CF -- I do -- but all of my current book ideas and series I want to go back to and finish are all secular. At this point in time, I don't have any intentions of going back to the Christian market as a writer. 

So, I guess consider this a head's up that moving forward, all my books will be secular. Does this mean I'll never write CF again? Of course not. If the muse comes knocking, I'll answer. While I will always try to consciously keep my books free of cursing, sex, and gratuitous violence, if the story calls for it, I won't shy away. But don't worry, it won't be graphic, and  I'll always be mindful to include content warnings. 

You're probably wondering why I'm doing this. A couple of reasons. 

1. As I said above, all my ideas lately have been secular, and if I don't write those, what will I write? I really don't have any brilliant CF ideas anymore, not since Perfectly Imperfect released earlier this year. And I don't want to not write simply because I don't have ideas for a specific market. 

2. I'm not gonna lie... Writing for both markets is exhausting. It's two completely different readerships with vastly different expectations. If I do an event that caters to CF readers, they'll be turned off when I then promote my secular books on my social media or in my newsletter. Conversely, marketing CF to secular readers doesn't go well, either. 

To any of my CF readers who choose not to continue following / supporting me as a result of this decision, I completely understand, and I promise I have no hard feelings. I truly want only the best for you :-) 

To everyone else who's still with me -- buckle up. I have a feeling this is going to be a wild ride. 

Mid-life Alteration

I've never been shy about sharing my feelings regarding publishing and the many ups-and-downs, but today, I'm getting personal. I'm going to be 40 in June, and I'm at that age where I'm hearing the "over the hill" jokes and the humorous mid-life crisis stories. And sure, they make me laugh, but I've never envisioned myself as the type of person who would have a mid-life crisis. Nor had I ever truly felt my age--until about 6 months ago.

I started feeling bad. Really bad. Downright crappy, if I'm being honest. I was tired all the time, no matter how much I slept. I was having hot flashes and mood swings and I ached everywhere all the time and I had no energy, and I wasn't sleeping well. Of course, I immediately assumed menopause....because, well, I'm going to be 40. Yes, that's super early but not unheard of.

via GIPHY

So, I do the grown-up thing and make a visit to my lady doctor. Good news! I'm not menopausal. Yay, right? YES!!! But I still didn't have any answers as to why I was feeling so horrible all the time. My doctor suggested possible thyroid issues and encouraged me to visit my primary doctor to get some blood work done.

Like a good patient, I followed her advice. My doctor tested me for thyroid issues and vitamin deficiencies. Good news! All of my blood work came back normal. Yay, right?? Yes, in the grand scheme of things, that was good news. Real honesty, here...I cried when I got the results. Not because I was happy, exactly, but because I still didn't have any answers about why I'm feeling like I was hit repeatedly by a Mack truck. If it wasn't menopause, and it wasn't thyroid or some vitamin deficiency, then what the heck was wrong with me?!?!

Once again, I trudge back to the doctor's office. I do a full depression screening. A heart test. A bazillion and one questions, and finally, I get an answer.

Fibromyalgia. 

It's taken me a couple weeks to come to terms with this. While it's not life threatening, there is no cure, and it is absolutely life altering. So, at almost 40 years old, I'm having to take a step back and re-evaluate so many aspects of my life--mostly my diet and limits, both physically and mentally.

I am on medication, and it has helped tremendously. I've also started on the Keto diet, and I'm recommitting to going to the gym more regularly, because a good diet and regular exercise are the best defense against this disease.

Now, you're probably wondering why I'm bothering to share all this with you?

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Because for anyone who knows me, you know I don't say "no" easily. I'm always willing to help or get involved, and I'm forever taking on more than I can handle. Not to mention the pressure I put on myself to write all the words all the time. But I've had to face the fact that I just cannot do this anymore. Moving forward, I will be much more selective about what I commit myself to, how many editing jobs I take, and the writing deadlines I set for myself.

So, to those who have messaged me and I've been curt--I'M SORRY. Please don't take it personally. When I'm not my normal chatty self, it's because I'm either busy with family or work stuff, or I'm having a bad health day. And to everyone who's messaged me to check in and ask if I'm okay--THANK YOU!

Going in a New Direction

As you can see, the blog has gotten a face lift. So has my website. Why? Well, because I've made another decision about my career. I know, I'm doing a lot of this lately. I'm still planning to write young adult--that hasn't changed, and it won't in the foreseeable future. However, I'm firmly committing myself to Christian YA, specifically contemporary.

I've been working in this market for years, and I had mentioned in my 2019 Goals post that I'm reworking my Georgia Corbins series into Christian fiction, so this decision really isn't that big of a leap for me. I also started a new book on January 1st--another contemporary Christian YA romance--and I passed 33,000 words yesterday. The story is flowing! Once it's beta read, revised, and edited, I'll begin querying Christian agents.

So, what does this mean for my paranormal romance? Nothing. While it's not Christian fiction, it is "clean" in that there's no cursing, excessive violence, or sex. And my main character does believe in God and heaven, so it certainly has Christian undertones. I'm still waiting for replies from the agents who have it, and if they choose to offer rep, I'll do my due diligence and make a decision that I feel is best for my career. If they all reject, that's okay, too. I'll release it via FireChicken Press.

A heartfelt thanks to everyone who has stuck around through all my ups and downs and direction changes. I wouldn't be where I am without each and every one of you :-)

Stay tuned for upcoming publishing news!

Looking Back on 2018

I'm not gonna lie... 2018 kicked my ass! I'm pretty sure everyone feels this way in terms of the state of politics in the world, but beyond that, on a much more personal and professional level, this has been a very not good year for me. I'm really optimistic about 2019, though. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's take a look back on the year and see what I accomplished, what I didn't, and what big changes I faced in 2018.

So, my original 2018 goals included: 

(1) Finish Eternal Curse, the first book in my YA paranormal romance series.

Status: GOAL MET!!

My Thoughts: Not only did I finish this book, it made the rounds with several beta readers, and I revised the heck out of it. I'm SO pleased with how this book turned out, and I cannot wait to share it with the world. 

(2) Write the sequel to Eternal Curse.

Status: GOAL KINDA MET

My Thoughts: I wrote almost 25k of the sequel, currently titled Eternal Bond, and then I stopped because I wasn't sure what was going to happen with book one. I didn't want to get too far into the sequel only to find out I needed to change a lot of stuff. I do have a clear idea of where the story is going now, though, and so now it's just a matter of writing it. 

(3) Write Meet Me at the Mistletoe, a sweet Christmas romance novella for the Christian market.

Status: GOAL NOT MET

My Thoughts: This project is temporarily shelved while I focus on building my YA brand.

(4) Finish Deception, the first book in a new Christian romantic suspense series. 

Status: GOAL NOT MET

My Thoughts: This project has also been temporarily shelved while I focus on building my YA brand.

(5) Take an inventory of all my half-started YA projects and see if any of them are worth salvaging.

Status: GOAL MET!!!

My Thoughts: Out of 9 started projects, there are 6 of them I think are worthy of pursuing, some of which will possibly be co-written with other authors. 

(6) Query something.

Status: GOAL MET!!

My Thoughts: I sent my first query for Eternal Curse in February, and I've been working at it all year. I've racked up a lot of rejections, but I'm happy to report I have one full and one partial still out with agents. *Fingers crossed* 

(7) Keep on Bloggin'

Status: GOAL KINDA MET

My Thoughts: There were some weeks when I was really on top of this, but not as much as I would have liked. 

(8) Read

Status: GOAL MET!!

My Thoughts: I'm please with how much I've read this year, which is much more than in past years. Here's what I knocked off my TBR in 2018:

• Camp So-and-So by Mary McCoy
• Evernight by Claudia Gray
• One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus
• The Leaving by Tara Altebrando
• There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
• We All Fall Down by Natalie D. Richards
• One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards
• The Cellar by Natasha Preston
• You Will Be Mine by Natasha Preston
• The Cabin by Natasha Preston
• Gone Too Far by Natalie D. Richards
• Survive the Night by Danielle Vega
• Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards
• Campfire by Shawn Sarles
• The Escape by Hannah Jayne
• All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda
• Something About Forever by Kimberly Loth
• Bloodlust & Initiation (Vampire Beach 1 and 2)by Alex Duval
• Ritual & Legacy (Vampire Beach 2 and 3) by Alex Duval
• Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
• Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
• Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
• I'll Be Yours by Jenny B. Jones

Out of 8 goals, I fully achieved four, kinda achieved two, and completely flaked on two. Those numbers could be worse--and they have been in past years. lol. In addition to all of that, there were a lot of other things I accomplished, both professionally and personally...

PROFESSIONALLY:

• I wrote a total of 135,844 words on various projects.
• Between here and the Anaiah Press blog, I blogged a total of 11,941 words.
• For Anaiah, I edited 7 full-length novels and 3 novellas.
• I freelance edited 3 full-length manuscripts.
• I beta read 3 full-length manuscripts. 
• I created and legally formed FireChicken Press, LLC, which is my personal self-publishing company.
• I returned to working on my YA contemporary romance series, The Georgia Corbins, and have finally made a publishing decision on that. (More to come on that in my 2019 Goals post)
• I've outlined a couple new YA projects/ideas. 

PERSONALLY:

• In January, I saw Black Veil Brides in concert with my oldest daughter for her birthday. I'm now a diehard fan of them, and they almost single-handedly fuel the playlist for my paranormal series! 
• In October, I saw Twenty-one Pilots in concert again with my daughter and her friend.
• Also in October, I saw Luke Bryan for the very first time! *internal squealing*
• In November, I saw The Thunder From Down Under. 
• I made a couple visits to NY to see my parents. 
• My parents came to MI in November to celebrate Thanksgiving and early Christmas with us. 
• I got a little red sports car! 

Despite the fact I didn't publish a single thing in 2018, and I didn't snag an agent, I accomplished much more than I realized. I'm calling this a pretty good year overall. 

What did you do this past year?

Share your success in the comments! 

Is There a Place for Me in Traditional Publishing?

So.... It's been an interesting couple of months. I've had some highs and some major lows--I'm talking curl-up-in-a-ball-and-cry lows.

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And all of it has made me ask a very hard question:

IS THERE A PLACE FOR ME IN TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING??

I'm honestly not sure. Yeah, I know publishing is vast and there's room for everyone. And that I shouldn't write for market trends. And that I need to stay true to myself and write what I want to write. That if one book doesn't sell, move on to the next. Publishing is so subjective. It's not you or your writing--it's the market. I've heard it all. Heck, I've said it all. So, what happened to make me ask this question?

Well, it all started about 8 years ago. (You'd better get comfy. This is going to be a long story.)

I started my writing journey out of boredom. Yeah, I know how that sounds. LOL. Bear with me. I'd always wanted to write a book, and I'd had a lot of false starts, but this time I'd found a story I was excited about and characters I instantly loved. I was determined to finish! And I did. In fact, I wrote the sequel, too. Then I was once again lost...What did I do with it now that it was finished?

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I joined a local critique group and realized just how bad it was and how much I didn't know about writing. So, I began the lengthy process of revising. While doing so, I tried my hand at some shorter works--novellas.

And I had some success!!!!

On September 15, 2012, I had my first ever story published. It was an erotic romance novella published by a small press. For the most part, my experience was great! Working with my editor was a good experience. I loved my cover art. My reviews were awesome! My sales could have been better, but I think the pricing was a big factor here (something I had no control over.) I went on to publish two more novellas with this publisher. Those books released December 2012 and January 2013.

While I was working with the above publisher, I was also publishing a couple erotic romance novellas with a different publisher. The first one released in October 2012 with the second releasing in January 2013. Again, good experience, positive reviews, slightly better sales. I went ahead and published a full-length book with this press that released September 2013. Sadly, things went sour shortly after--but that's a different story for a different day.

During this time, I'd finished revising the book of my heart (or I thought it was at the time). It wasn't exactly YA (characters were in college) but it wasn't adult, either. New Adult wasn't even a thing yet. I queried agents, pitching it as an adult romance, and got nowhere with it. Looking back, I know now it should never have been queried. LOL. Live and learn, right? Having had some success and decent experiences with small presses, I began to research those options for this series, too. And guess what?

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I had an offer from a small publisher. I signed on the dotted line and was well on my way. The experience with this press wasn't as great as the other two places, but it was okay. Editing was sub-par and sales are almost non-existent. This book released in June 2013. To this day, I have never revised or published the sequel. Partly because I don't want to work with this publisher anymore, but also because I've lost interest in it.

Throughout the process of getting that book published, I was busy working on a new project--a contemporary YA romance. I was so in love with this book and the characters (still am). I eagerly queried agents. Again, I got nowhere! By this point, I was starting to wonder what the heck was going on? How / why could I get published with a small press and have wonderful reader reviews but not be able to get an agent to show any interest? Again, I went back to my the place I knew I could excel--the small press! And again, I got an offer.

My book released in June 2013. I loved everything about this publisher--my editor, my cover art, the staff, the other authors. For the first time since I'd embarked on this journey, I'd truly felt like I'd found my home.

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I had big plans, too. I was going to publish everything with this press! This is also where I got my start in editing. Some of my closest writer friends I have today, I met at this publisher. But then things went bad. Horribly bad! You can read about what happened HERE. This experience left me broken and very leery of small presses, and I knew I didn't want to go through anything like that again.

During my time there, I was working on a new project--an adult romantic suspense. When the publisher closed, I vowed to try my hardest to get an agent. I mean, I'd learned so much and was a much better writer. Surely now was my time, right?

And then I got the email -- An agent wanted to have "The Call." I promptly signed with my first agent. I was on top of the world! Together, we edited my book and got it ready to go out on submission. Then we waited and waited and waited some more. I think it was a little over a year before I had to face the fact that my book wasn't going to sell. Talk about soul-crushing!

But I didn't waste all that time just waiting--I had accepted my position with Anaiah Press, and I was busy editing. I also sought a co-author and together, we wrote and published two Christian romantic suspense books. They released April 2015 and February 2016. It was such a wonderful experience that I wouldn't ever change.

Somewhere in all of that, I had a call with my agent where we discussed my career and where to go next. We decided I'd write a contemporary New Adult romance--NA was hot at the time, and I had a fun idea for a series. So, I dove in. By the time I was finished and it went out on submission, we got a lot of "NA isn't selling anymore" rejections. Because, of course. (I'm one of those people that if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.)

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But then! Then we got an offer from a very reputable mid-sized publisher! I was back in the game!!! I published two NA books with this press (under a pen name). They released May 2017 and October 2017. I wish I could say everything was roses and sunshine and rainbows--I really wish I could say that. But I can't :-( You can read about why HERE.

Throughout the years and all the ups-and-downs, I've been working on other things. I haven't finished many of them, but I've been working on different things.

Recently, I finished a project that has taken me 4 years to complete--and it's a book that I love more than anything I've ever written. It's a young adult paranormal romance (very Twilight-esque). I revised and edited and revised some more. I sent it to critique partners and beta readers. I even worked one-on-one with a mentor. I did everything right. I eagerly jumped into the query trenches, knowing this was the best thing I've ever written.

As of today, these are my query stats:

54 total queries sent.
22 rejections
1 full request (ultimately rejected)
1 partial request (ultimately rejected)
32 queries still awaiting a response. (Most of these are due to expire next week and fall under the "no response means no" category.)

Now, a note on the full and partial requests.... Getting those amidst all the rejections was a HUGE boost. Anyone in this business knows how it feels. Sadly, both of those came back as rejections. I was fortunate enough to get feedback as to why, and it boils down to this:

My premise isn't unique enough to stand out in the current market. 

Let that sink in.

My premise isn't unique enough to stand out in the current market. 

It's not my writing. It's not my query letter. It's not my characters. It's not a lack of connection between my book and the agent.

It's. My. Premise! 

The entire concept of my book isn't good enough. Now, tell me, how do I fix that? Short of rewriting the book or shelving it, how do I make my idea--my premise--stand out?

Needless to say, I was gutted. I didn't write or edit or do anything but read and watch TV. Thank God for my awesome writer friends who pulled me out of the dumps. Once I wallowed in it for awhile, I took a deep breath and re-evaluated. I still have queries out, but honestly, I have no hope that any of them will result in a request or an offer.

BUT! Not all is lost. I'd sent it to my editor at my pen-name publisher, and I (naively) put a lot of my hopes into that single query. I prayed that she would love it and want to acquire it. Then I could rest easy knowing it would be published, and I could work with someone who I admire and trust.

Then, a few days ago, I get an email.... My editor has left the publisher.

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She assured me my submission would be passed on to a new editor, but...

I'm tired, y'all.

I don't know how much more I can take. I've tried my hand at adult romance, romantic suspense, Christian fiction, young adult, new adult....and I'm not any further ahead in my career than I was way back when I started. In fact, I've gone backward!

And so, I've been pondering the question I posed at the start of this very long post. Is there really a place for me in traditional publishing? Do I even want one anymore? Should I keep trying? If I do, what do I focus on--adult? YA? Romance? Something else entirely? What if I never get another offer? What if I do and it turns out to be another horrible experience? Should I just throw all my efforts into self-publishing? Or should I stick to what I'm good at--editing--and throw in the towel on writing?

I don't have any answers right now. I'm not sure if I will anytime soon, either, but I know I need to do something because I'm taking an emotional beating, and I'm ready to crack.

January (2018) Joys

In an effort to stay positive, productive, and accountable, I've decided to check-in at the end of each month. I'll share what I've accomplished along with any ups or downs I've experienced. So, let's get to it...


WRITING: 
I finished the first draft of my YA paranormal romance!!! YAY! I cannot tell you how excited I am about this.... It's been four years in the making! I sent it to a handful of beta readers, and the feedback is starting to roll in. I'm looking at a complete overhaul of the opening chapters, but that's okay. I've gotten some great ideas, and I'm excited to jump back in and revise. I also started working on my Christmas novella for Anaiah -- it's a sweet contemporary romance.


QUERYING:
My co-author and I are querying a YA thriller. We sent right around 50 queries, and so far, we've received 1 full request (YAY!) and 30 rejections (boo!). The rest are still outstanding. While I'm being realistic about this project, it's nice to know at least one person liked it enough to request, but I have that sinking feeling this book has "missed the market" so to speak. But, we'll see how it goes.


EDITING:
I've been crazy busy with editing. I joined forces with fellow PitchWars Mentor, Lisa Amowitz, and we started The Choppy Shop, which is a pop-up editorial service specializing in query letter and first chapter critiques to prepare authors for querying. I completed two freelance editing projects, finished edits on a YA manuscript for Anaiah, and have begun contents on a contemporary romance for Anaiah.


READING:
Sadly, I haven't read anything for pleasure this month, but I did beta read a manuscript that was a ton of fun -- lots of family drama, secrets, twists, murder, and romance.


PERSONAL:
My oldest daughter turned 19 this month. Yikes--that makes me feel old. Ha! I took her to a Black Veil Brides concert which, up until that night, I had never heard of. The music was loud and full of screaming, but some of it was good, and I added a couple new songs to my writing playlist.

My other daughter turned 13 -- Another teenager in the house, goody. <sarcasm font> She had her birthday party at the bowling alley, which also offered virtual reality. Fun was had by everyone. She really has a great group of friends, though, and seeing them all together (no fighting / drama) was great. It makes me happy to see that she's surrounded herself with positive, supportive people.

I've been fighting off something icky, either a sinus infection or the start of the flu. I think a trip to the doctor is in my near future. For this reason, I didn't make it to the gym nearly as much as I wanted to--I think I only went two or three times. Oh well, February is a new month and I'll hit it hard :-)

So, what has everyone else done in January? Is 2018 off to a good start for you? Share in the comments!