Ye Ol' Update

Aside from the usual business, like doing edits on each book as I come to it (I'm up to #7), trying to stay warm (we should be seeing temps in 30's and maybe a 40 here or there, but we're in singles and minuses), or doing my crocheting, I've been waiting on different things to happen for the re-release for my books. My publisher and I have decided to re-name the books--going with a single word, and omitting the word "Vampire" in front of the title. Also the cover designer had to be found. Miika has signed a cover designer for the next 8 books. I await for the cover design(s) for first book to be finalized. 

Aside from all this I've been reading a book from one of the other author's with Creativia, Dracula's Demeter, and let me tell you this is an excellent read. But I'm not yet done with it.

"My master is coming!"

"Quiet, Renfield. Why don't you go and play with your spiders!"

Sorry about that, I've got a little problem... Renfield seems to be running loose somewhere in the house. He's' one difficult guy to keep locked up and calm. Spiders have been his interest as of late, and those are far and few, let me tell you. But he has found a few juicy ones this week. Eeek.

Anyway, I'll have a proper review of this book by Doug Lamoreux, when I've finished it (in a proper way too!).

In the meantime, I want to ask/invite you all to be part of my re-release of Book One of Sabrina Strong series...

Ascension

I hope to have a giveaway of one signed copy, but I'm waiting on the cover. I don't know when this will happen and so, I'll keep you posted, but it should be pretty soon. 

My publisher, Miika of Creativia has been keeping me updated on everything. I want to say, this process is not something slapped together in a hurry. That impresses me about Creativia. This morning I got a draft copy of the first book Ascension, to consider and okay (which I did). I didn't get that with the last publisher. The title, and chapter headings are a cool font that I've never seen before. This will make the book look unique on the inside. 

The details of preparing a book to be published is enormous, and the whole thing takes time. And since there will be a physical book, more has to go into it than if it were merely an ebook, as many of you know.

So, if any of you are able to/want to help, or be a part of the re-release, and do a post for it, give me a yell (bellow in comments). I'm hoping for a release some time in March. The giveaway will be determined later.

Thank you--

"My master... he... comes!"

"Shut up, Renfield!"

Work on the cover design

Edits have been made and sent to publisher.

Now we get into the covers.

My publisher sent me some design ideas this morning, making the point that he could sell these sort of books with covers that have images of people on them much better than the "abstract" styles.

The old covers done by my ex-publisher were more abstract. My first two definitely were more abstract and had little to do with the content.

These were good, but let's face it, the abstract is a bit strange, and for some, it might not really get them curious enough to bite. In fact, it might have been a turn-off for some, and although men have read my books, the series is more aimed toward women.

I do believe the cover gets people's attention. While these were fine, in the beginning, I have to admit, I wanted something better. Something a bit more sexy, but not tending toward "paranormal romance", because that's not what I write. These are urban fantasies.

We want something looking more like, well... 

This:

Cover Ideas for Sabrina Strong Series

Something that makes a potential reader look at the character on the cover--has an image of her in their head as they read, and maybe find clues to the story line. Like these with the character on the front cover.

Of course these are merely ideas to bounce around between me and my new publisher. I didn't get that chance before--have input as to what goes on the cover.

So, we're at the stage where we are talking about what could sell the series, trying to find an image that we could use for the series. 

The above covers, are not the ones chosen, of course. These are ideas to bounce around. I told Miika I liked the whole concept of Sabrina (who is brunette), should be on the cover, the moon and the city somewhere isn't a bad idea either. I threw in a few ideas for future book covers, as well.

So, this is where we're at on getting the book(s) out there.

I've a feeling I'll be doing a cover reveal soon. Stay tuned!

In The Beginning... Or maybe Somewhere In Between... The Vampire Ascended

He moved closer in a liquid way that seemed to defy gravity, and the use of his feet. I think he merely floated over to me. I felt the power from his eyes—a sort of hypnotic bondage. A weakness, or a deep lassitude overwhelmed me, and I sagged. As though anticipating this, he caught me by the arms, his minion caught me from behind, and they held me upright between them.

“One important thing, Ms. Strong. Did the wolf bite you?”

Hello, my pretties. I've just received the edits of my first book to review and okay. I'm sure they're fine, but I will read through this. It's been a while since I've read it. I've shared a portion of it above, where I was on an early page in first chapter.

My publisher, Miika, has suggested title changes to my books. This first one, Vampire Ascending will be renamed :

Book I - Ascension 

The rest of the series will go like this:

Book II - Trill

Book III - Nocturne

Book IV - Caprice

I thought this was a good move/idea, and agreed with this change. A number of authors (with traditional publishers) seem to have gone this route. I'm reading one now that uses this theme on the title, and I do like the idea, as I think it will blend in with other books in the fantasy genre that are out there.

Today's post is short, as I'm busy with reading this edit of the first book. I might not read it word for word, but I'm enjoying reading the first chapter. If there are any more changes, I'll let you know, and also will post with a longer portion of this first chapter, when I have time.

Have a nice Sunday!

Signed On

At one point I had been with a publisher, and to tell the truth, I did worry about it somewhat. It's hard to put faith in something you know little about. And when he dumped me (or quit, for a better word), it was a blessing, because I could see that he didn't treat the last book he published for me with the same expertise as the first two books.

That was a few years ago. I had to scramble and self-publish. I really wasn't set up for that, but I was able to do it, with help from my friends out there.

Yesterday, I signed on with a publisher called Creativia. Yeah, I had to do the electronic signature with my mouse. Looked terrible, but sort of looks like my signature. Then I spent 3 hours sending them my books and short stories along with synopsis for them. With my slow Internet, that's how long it took, folks!

I must say, when my good friend, Carole Gill, told me about this/her publisher, I thought: Yeah. I think I'll check them out. And was happy to see how friendly & up-front they were. I didn't feel intimidated by their contract. I mean, it was one page. My last publisher sent something that looked like a lawyer wrote (and I'm sure it was), I had to read it over a few times in order to get the gist of it. And it made me nervous. But Cretivia's was about one page long, my contract is for 3 months, not 3 years. If I'm not happy I can go back to doing what I was doing before joining up.

I want to say I have felt nothing but good about doing this. I'm relieved, actually. I also feel that this is not only the right move, but it might be the one that, well, shoots my books up to where they should have been all along. At least I hope so. We'll see.

And, also, this move to go with this publisher has made me relax again, I have gone back to work on the series--doing re-writes for #6 in series--and I feel confident again. Like I can do this. Like I don't have to worry about those little annoying things like book covers, editing (they will edit and do book covers), and placing the book into the market place, and do much of the promotions. Of course as an author, we all have to do some promoting, and looks like I'm with a great team of writers.

That's just it, I'm on the "team", have just been welcomed into the fold this morning on their facebook page by other authors at Creativia. That didn't really happen with the last publisher. I also didn't like having to write up an article and place it on his site. I felt it didn't do much for sales. I'd see that people hit on my article, but the sales weren't happening. Blogging, or hits on your blog doesn't always create sales. You might get one person who checks out your books who actually BUYS.

Oh, and speaking of which, once things begin changing over, I'll have to go and make changes--hopefully the reason we merge our account with Cretivia's account on Amazon, helps the transition and I won't have to do too much in the way of working on changing links and such. At least, I hope so, but I'll wait to see how this works.

I'll bring you up-dates as they come my way. Check Cretivia out, if you want. See what they offer and don't be shy. I find that Miika seems like a genuine person.

Now, let's see, we've just had 6" of snow down over night, and it's still coming down, my husband is out there with the plow trying to clear it all out of the park and our driveway...

I've just crocheted a new pair of leg warmers, and may try them out soon!

JB Fletcher, Mystery Writer, Solving the mystery of what Lorelei is up to

Hello, you know me as the mystery writer, Jessica Fletcher. I've dropped in on Lorelei's blog here to help solve a mystery.

Oh, my no. There's been no murder, but if there were, you know I'd solve it in a jiffy.

I'm here on behalf of my very good friend, Lorelei to help solve the mystery of what's going on around here. Oh, I know our genres are so completely different, but that makes no difference where friendship matters. And, while I am busy working on my next novel, Lorelei has been, well, on hiatus, as of late. But she's been busy looking into another--dare I spill the beans?

Yes, I dare.

Lorelei has signed on with another publisher. As you know, she had to suddenly go Indie because of that bonehead--uh, well, let's just say her last publisher up and left her and she had to pick up where he left off. She wasn't really happy with the way things went on her last book, as most of you know. What a mess that was. (chuckles)

Doing this work on her own was not turning out very well at all. She found it hard to get covers done, do the edits herself, and so forth.

So, another friend of hers told her about Creativia. She checked them out, and found that it was exactly what she was looking for. Today, she gave the go ahead on a simple contract with her first book in series, "Vampire Ascending".

From what I understand is there will be a new cover, and eventually, they will do the entire series, and then some. I think that's exciting news, don't you? Especially since she's been so very frustrated as of late. Oh, of course, none of you could have seen it, but I did. I keep in touch with her, after all.

Now, I must return to my writing. Hmmm, where did I put that hammer... or was it the screwdriver that I was thinking of using... Well, a murder has been committed, I don't want you all to think I've gone off a twist or something. Just trying to figure it all out, you know.

Ta ta for now,
Jessica Fletcher

Mission: The Lady

About 45 minutes ago, I arrived in the middle of nowhere... somewhere in Kansas. I swear, I can't see why people live here, but that's just me. My name is Dan. That's all you need to know for now. I've steel blue eyes that put people off. Women think I look like someone who wouldn't think twice about taking them into a back alley somewhere and do something untoward to them. But I'm not really that type. Men think I'm that type too, and that I'm dangerous. They've no idea how dangerous. After three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, I decided enough was enough. I wanted to do something different. Besides, it's a bitch being a werewolf and trying to hide it during the full of the moon. Sure, it helped me in certain skirmishes in Iraq and Afghanistan, but really, it was almost unfair.

So, here I am. I arrived in this Hummer in a place that is about as desolate as some of the places I've been to half a world away.

I've just had an interview with three guys before I was sent down. They were also werewolves. I've never met them before. We've been hired by the same people. Um, at least that's all they know about me. Vampires usually like to hire us for muscle, and because we're so loyal to our jobs.

Okay, I'm chuckling to myself. See, I'm a mole. I've already been hired by Mr. T--uh, that's Mr. Tremayne. Actually through a third party, but makes no difference. My job is to somehow thwart whatever they've got planned for the little lady who is to arrive here tonight. The man I'm about to meet, Mr. Paduraru, is double crossing Mr. T. This is what I've been briefed by another of Mr. T's men who originally brought me in. I got put on the list as the "door man". Tough job, guarding a door, but you'd be surprised.

So, I'm here at this old Atlas F Missile site, which means a lot of stairs. See what I mean?

I'm told to take these stairs down to the first level. Looks like the contractor did a bang up job turning this place into a condo. I mean, who would have thought of making a condo out of an old, underground missile site? Of course, it would take someone like Mr. T with a lot of dough to afford this.

The stairway ends at a set of 6,000-pound blast doors. These were designed to keep occupants safe during a nuclear attack. The doors curve inward to offset the vacuum effect of a blast... at least that's the thought behind it.

Hard to believe these doors are still functional, considering that a number of blast doors from other sites have since buckled under their own weight. As large as these suckers are, it only takes a gentle shove to push them open.

Well, here I am. I'm taken inside one of the apartments. I'm to be given my "orders" from a man called Paduraru. He's the one, I've been told, is playing double cross on his boss, Mr. T.

Vampires. Really. I can take them and I can leave them, but Mr. T is signing my check for this job, as far as I'm concerned. And his bank roll exceeds Paduraru's considerably.

When I was briefed about this position, I was told the woman I'm to help protect is "special". I'm not certain in what way, but she's highly regarded in the vampire circles. Her name's Sabrina Strong. When I dug a little more, I found out that a lot of Supes were both intrigued by her apparent abilities, and in awe of her.

But, like I said, I'm paid the big bucks to do my job, and I'll do it to the best of my ability. I'm to ignore much of what Mr. Paduraru tells me to do. Especially if it's to harm Ms. Strong in any way.

I'm standing in a main room of the condo. I'm not certain where Mr. T. is, but he's somewhere in this silo/condo. I was also briefed that Mr. T. is dying of silver poisoning. If this Strong woman doesn't get to the proper place in this huge facility, he will most definitely die. So, I'm all for getting the little Lady to where she needs to go.

Finally, a dark-haired man, about 5'10" enters the room. I know right away he's a vampire. He greets me, and identifies himself as Nicolas Paduraru. He's your typical vampire, with the look of a predator and too much arrogance and confidence for my taste.

He explains my job is to stand outside the first door and greet Ms. Strong, and ring him when she gets here. Fine. A boring job, but hey, twenty-five thousand from Mr. T, and another ten grand from Mr. Paduraru, here. That's the beauty of being a double agent. If you survive, you get paid double. Uh, if you can get paid up-front, at least half (which I did), you come out alive and smiling from ear to ear all the way to the bank. 'Course, I've got some debts to pay, so I'm not going to be rich afterwards by no means.

Paduraru explains in his suave, thick accent--I've pegged him as a several hundred years old from some western European country, like Romania--tells me that under no circumstances is Sabrina to get beyond the third door. That's the other door heading another direction from the one I came through to enter this condo.

Really.

I, of course, assure him I won't let her get past me to go beyond this condo. I've got five hours before she is due to figure out how I'm to bushwhack this bastard, and not set off any alarms to the goons above. Those three looked like something they pulled out of a hole in New York City. The worst kind of werewolves are from New York, but then, the ones from Louisiana have a few quirks  in their personalities that you just don't want to experience, if you get my drift. That's where someone like me can, and will, take them out.

Paduraru takes me on a tour of the place. Shows me the water closet, in case I have need.

Swanky, no?
And this is the door I'm to guard.

Well, I've got a few hours to figure out a plan. The men up top searched me, so, I've been relieved of any and all of my weapons. So, that means it will be my bruit strength, and werewolf senses to get the job done.

I wonder what Ms. Strong looks like. From what I learned, she's quite fetching.


Coming soon....

So, we put up a new calendar? Big Deal... My Skewed View Year In Review

Is it me, or why is it that when you get older the holidays and a new year come around too damned fast?
If it does for you, let me know I'm not going crazy. (Well, that could be debated, really.)

Two end of year posts I want to recommend here are Speak of the Devil, and The Three Rs. William Kendall and Norma Beishir both have some good points to make. I agree with Norma on all points in this post of hers of top ten rants of the last year. She didn't have a 10th one. I can think of a few myself, but the public toilet thing really is an eye-roller. I happen to drive a bus, and have to use public toilets. Finding that people have not only NOT flushed their mess, once someone had peed everywhere and all they did was put toilet paper across the seat. REALLY? Were you, or your parents born in a barn?

About the ads on TV.

Okay, this is the thing. Remember when ads on TV were mostly about dish detergents, toilet paper, shampoo, and soft drinks? What are they now? Car dealers, expensive drugs (that have bad, dangerous side affects), and lawyers who want to sue them for you when you've gotten bad results. I don't know about you, but none of those drugs will be taken by me. The old saying the cure might kill you is apt here. They say "Ask your doctor." Ask your doctor what? If you'd be better off without the drug because what ever your ailment, it isn't making you bleed internally, or making your tongue swell, or giving you suicidal thoughts?

Another are TV and Internet ads. First let's think about FREE TV. Remember when you just had an antenna or "rabbit ears"? Well, thank goodness someone somewhere made it illegal for the government to take away all free TV from us. We, my husband and I, use "rabbit ears". I'm not going to pay for channels I don't want to watch, or on which there isn't anything I'd watch. (Really, there are no shows, let alone 4 that I would want to re-wind and play back. I don't have time for it, for one thing.) For about $20 you can get "rabbit ears" connect to your adapter (whatever it's called that the government gave us for when this whole thing went digital), and watch TV without paying anyone. I don't think a lot of people know this. I guess, though it's all about what you want to watch.

The Baby Boomer Generation: described as the "postwar craze for making babies from 1946 to 1964
AARP calls the first ten years "The Hippie Vanguard" (1946-1950). The second was  "Watergate Kids" (1951 - 1955),  but I'd rather refer to myself as the "Beatles Era"--much happier memory) (Oh, and Bewitched, and a few other shows that didn't need sex to be popular). The third is called "Dazed and Confuse" (1956-1960). My husband is in this category. The "Last Boomers" are from 1961-9164-the "yuppies".

I'm in the second decade . We Boomers are considered "iconic", the article says. Whatever. I don't always follow the crowd. I remember being at a party when I was--I don't know, maybe 19--when someone offered me a joint. "Ah, no thanks. Gee, look at the time! I've gotta get home." And I left.

Yeah. I don't like being thrown into the group known as those who "experimented" with drugs, because I didn't. I said "no" to drugs. My sister, however, who belonged to the first group (Hippy), didn't say "no". She now has various health issues.

In the old days...
I must say, things were more simple back then. I'm not going to say that everything was hunky-dory by any means, but we didn't have people going into classrooms and shooting everyone they hated. There was no "cyber bullying", or people stealing your personal information off the Internet (the reason why I don't buy anything via the Internet. Sorry, that includes books.)

Getting Better and enjoying my age
I'm not sure when I quit being naive. Maybe when I turned 40? I quit apologizing (about who or what I am) by age 50. At 60, I'm just going for broke. Someone doesn't like me, or what I do/write, eff em. I'm sick of pleasing people.

Writing, or hell with it and doing something else

I've posted before about struggling as a writer trying to bust through to publish. I finally got a publisher (itty-bitty, side-business), and it ended quickly. I went back to being "indie" Still don't make any money. Well, the up side of it I don't have to pay any taxes on that once-a-year check from Amazon.

And in the past year I've taken up crocheting, and toyed with the idea of going back into crafts--making a little money from it again. It basically pays for the materials, and I don't really make enough to pay any bills, but the fun is in the making, being creative, not the money.

Stuff
I've been working on getting #5 book in series done. But yesterday, I just sat and watched TV with my husband. We've been off for a 2-week hiatus from (transit) bus driving. I've really enjoyed just doing what I wanted all day long, and not worrying about going anywhere, being with people--ugh! I keep on thinking of the dream-day of retirement. I don't know when that will be, since we aren't making much money at what we're doing (the company who owns us at Huskie, are your typical billionaires who won't give us a decent wage. And they think by changing their name from "Veolia" to "Transdev" will, I don't know, hide all their badness. Yeah. I make a little over $11.00/hour. They are dragging their feet with working on our next contract (we turned down the first one). Once they do, and we vote on it--or turn it down again--they'll owe us back pay, but they don't want to give us more than a measly 3% raise. You begin thinking they must think a monkey can drive these things safely AND be pleasant when someone calls you a bitch for not stopping at a non-stop in the route. Transit drivers in Chicago make $35/hour. DeKalb may not be Chicago, but we have to deal with Chicago people who have attitude, and think they can dictate to us how we are to do our route. (Not that the supervisor disagrees with us, it's just that you have to deal with it all day long.) Oh, the day I can walk away from this job--I'll do it in a heartbeat, if only I could.

Today, I thought I'd write this. It takes me a couple of hours to get it written. A lot of others put up a post with fast internet. Don't got that. So, it takes me a while. It also takes forever to get certain other posts in. I might get a portion of one that has a lot of photos in. But I try to get to my favorites, when I have time, but I can only do this once a week.

I think that about covers most everything I have to say, today.

When I get ready to get the next book out, I'll be back. Or before, if I have something to say.
Have a good New Year.