Tag: self-publishing

Digging into the Characters of the Blood Crave Series

So I have an update on Rowan. I’m currently waiting on the mail for my copy which I’m super excited about. It looked beautiful online and I’m hoping the real, live version is just as beautiful. I have to say one of the best things about self-publishing is the creative process of actually making a book. I use Adobe InDesign for my print and Kindle ebooks and it’s a Godsend, I tell you.

Love it.

Mind you, there are probably alternatives to this process, but InDesign works for me. I get confused hearing acronyms like HTML or NCX. I like words that spell things, plain and simple.

In case you didn’t know, Rowan will be released April 26th, 2013. It’s the next book in the Blood Crave Series with (you guessed it) Rowan as the main character.  Now, she’s briefly (and I mean briefly) mentioned in Dahlia and we even get a look into her past in Fallen Tears.

I really like Rowan as a character. Although she has a similar background as Dahlia (whom I also love) being the orphaned girl, they are completely different. Dahlia is this introvert, prefers her own company, pretty much an innocent living in an unknown dangerous world of supernatual beings out to get her.

Rowan, however, embraces the dangers and fits naturally into this world of supernatual beings (although it took a lot of work on her part). While Dahlia lives with a past she can’t remember, Rowan’s past still haunts her to this day.  She puts on this front of being the confident one with an attitude. But deep down inside, all she wants is love, just like anybody else. And with those close to her that have left her in the past, she finds it difficult to believe in that happy ending.

And although her story starts in Fallen Tears, her story truly begins in Book 2 of the Blood Crave Series, Rowan, where you get to see characters from both Dahlia and Fallen Tears interact with one another. Who, you’re probably asking?

Well, you’re going to have to wait and see.

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The Good, the Bad, and the … Editing?

I’ve been editing the next book in the Blood Crave Series and I’m really excited. I get to read over the adventures that my characters experience and all the crazy relationships they have with each other, whether good or bad. It’s been fun. I think a few of you might be … surprised. I’m putting the manuscript away for a bit and I’ll look over it once more before handing it over to my editor. If you’ve read Dahlia and Fallen Tears, I hope you’ll like this one.

I do want to say congrats to all the winners of the Goodreads and Making Connections Giveaways of both print and ebook versions of my books. I hope you all enjoy!

What I want to talk about today is critiquing your own work—or rather, my own work. As a first time self-publisher, I had the mindset of being able to do everything. “I can edit my own work.”

“I can market my own work.”

I will be accountant, formatter and book designer all wrapped into one. I think I can, I know I can … hear me roar.

Do I still think this way?

No. Way.

Yes, I can take on the majority of tasks. I’ve (hopefully) perfected the art of Mobi files, it’s not too difficult to create a book cover. But there are certain things an author needs in order to self-publish successfully. And yes, I made the rookie mistake.

What was that, you ask? Well, let me tell you.

Thinking your family members and your friends are enough to edit your book.

Now, they helped a great deal but it was not sufficient. The funny thing is that I’d have told you otherwise just last month. How things change. I have to admit, I’m one of those gently, softly, hoarsely, finally, leisurely, especially, suddenly, swiftly, impulsively, methodically, type of writer.

I even named one of my characters Lee (totally coincidental by the way).

Moral of the story: it’s a good idea to get help in the quest of becoming an author. I am in awe of my editor and am excited that I found him because he will make me a better writer. And that’s what it’s about, improving your writing. Writing is a passion for me so I do my best to continually improve and grow. So number one lesson that I learned over the past few weeks:

No matter how many times you read over a manuscript, and think it’s PERFECT, a professional editor it KEY when self-publishing!

That being said, Dahlia has been updated, so go to your “Manage Your Kindle” on Amazon and get the updated version.

 

Ramblings of a New Author

Writing. Editing. Writing. Editing. It doesn’t really end now, does it?

I feel like screaming right now. Out of happiness, mind you. I have to admit, this blogging thing is a bit new to me. But, I’m trying it out. We’ll see how it goes.

You’re supposed to write what comes to you in the moment, so that’s the path I’ll follow. I don’t believe my blog will be crazy serious: I’ll comment about my books; any movies I decide to see on cheap-day Tuesdays; books I fall in love with, etc. You’ll definitely be feeling my mood with how I write. What can I say? I show my emotions in my words.

I’m happy that Dahlia is finally published with another story on the way. Despite it being a brand new book by an unknown author, I’m selling! That, in itself, makes me happy. If I can get one reader to buy my book, read it, and think to themselves, “I really liked that,” then I think I’ve done my job.

Now with my second book, which will soon be released, I want my readers to be, “Holy s**t! I can’t wait for more! This just keeps on getting better and better!” That’s my goal.

Hopefully.

Yes, I’m currently editing a novella, which connects to the Blood Crave Series. While Dahlia is book #1, I’d call this book, #1.5. Originally a part of #2, I thought it’d fit better as a standalone. Let me tell you, I enjoyed writing this. It wasn’t even a part of my series, but one day it just came to mind and I began writing. And writing. AND writing.

Now, I wrote this so long ago and thought it was PERFECT. I printed it out; made a few corrections; re-read it again; made MORE corrections; made a teacher friend of mine be by ‘beta-reader’ (I like that word); and made even MORE changes myself.

It doesn’t really end, does it?

Oh, well. I’m just going to have to breathe and let it go. Ignore my OCD-like tendencies and present it to the world.

It’s okay, Christina.

So … when will it be out?

I don’t know. Perhaps by the end of next week, if my formatting works out. The life of an indie author, eh?