To kick off this Weekly update, I want to remind y’all of my current giveaway. If you subscribe to my e-Newsletter list, whether via Instafreebie [here] (which gets you an eBook download of KINETIC TRAGEDY for FREE! It’s only available there) or my direct sign-up link [here] from now until August 31st 23:59 EST, and then contact me, either by FB [here], commenting here on this post (or on my previous post [here]), or PM my Twitter [here], then you’ll be put in for a drawing for a FREE, AUTOGRAPHED, ADVANCED COPY of KINETIC REBIRTH, that you should receive prior to its release date this October. For more details, see that blog post [here].
Next up, cover reveal!
I have picked August 19th as my big cover reveal day for KINETIC REBIRTH. At that time, I will also reveal the back page blurb/summary, and I have a little surprise in store that day as well, which has related news I cannot disclose until that reveal day. Mark your calendars, though. If you want to make sure you remember, I will be posting reveals and reminders all over social media, as well as to my email subscribers.
(BTW-All links are on my “Contact Me” page [here])
Final topic: my writing progress. I have submitted final files to Createspace, and they’ve been approved! Now, while I ride out the two-and-a-half month wait for the release date, I have been working on the sequel. I started it at the beginning of June this year, and, as of last night, I had reached just over 19,000 words on it. Title is TBD, but the story picks up soon after the ending of KINETIC REBIRTH. Also, this story is taking me back to the origins of me and JV’s friendship, with a roleplay about a town called Hyndon. It’s how JV and I first met and became fast friends. As she is not only one of the heroes in my KINETCS series, but I am incorporating as much of our friendship as one series can hold. Book 2 goes back to our roots as friends, and you’ll be in for a wild ride.
That’s all I can say about it right now, simply because 19k might seem impressive, but the acceptable minimum word count for a YA novel is 50,000. So, yeah, got a ways to go.
Also, on the grieving front, it’s been almost 6 months since JV left this world. It’s hard to believe. We were so close, almost like sisters. And then, in one freak accident, her beautiful life was cut short. I miss her like crazy, but she’s still here with me, with every she cares about. Want to know how I know? When I listen to music (which is every day for hours at a time), I have my entire library on shuffle. Driving home yesterday, my shuffle played this song (below), right as I was thinking about how much I missed her. She loved Peter Hollens just as much as I do, and this song always gives me chills. I know she played that song, to let me know she’s still there, still watching over me.
So, early blog post! WOW!! Go me! But, I’m hoping to have a regular Wild News Wednesday post tomorrow as well. We’ll see, though.
However, my reason for this spontaneous extra blog post is for a giveaway. All links pertaining to the steps on this giveaway will be throughout the post AND located at the end of this post as well.
So, KINETIC TRAGEDY, my prequel short story to my October release of KINETIC REBIRTH, has been up on Instafreebie for just barely over a month. This story is currently exclusive to this site, so as to build up an e-Newsletter list and give away the story as a taste tester for new readers. Did I mention it’s FREE?!
I don’t spam with the e-Newsletter, and I hope to not default to that in the future. However, this email list will receive updates on releases, as well as news and progress reports on various other projects I might be undertaking.
Now, to the good part: the giveaway.
So, if you download KINETIC TRAGEDY [here] off Instafreebie, next step is to PM me on Twitter (@discoverywritin) or comment/message my professional Facebook author page [here]. This will allow me to cross-reference your name from the message with names on the email list, just to ensure you actually downloaded the story. Once I confirm you did download the story as well as messaged me, your name will be added to a list. From that list, I will randomly draw a name to receive an EARLY RELEASE COPY of KINETIC REBIRTH, prior to its actual release on October 19th. IN PRINT. AND AUTOGRAPHED. This is an opportunity not many others are getting, so if you’d like to be a part of the advanced reader crew, follow the above instructions, and you might get to be one!
Also, share the Instafreebie link and instructions to your social media if you can. Word of mouth is my promoting’s best friend right now, and the more people spreading the word, the better! ❤
Also, this is only until September 1st, 2017, so do this while you still can!
However, I’m going to ramble a bit, as certain things have appeared into my view that I need to talk about. It’ll be short, simple, and to the point, with no pictures to distract.
Ever had a moment when you question something you felt firm and secure? It could be anything: relationships/friendships, day job, career path, self-publishing details. If you’ve ever felt that about ANYTHING, then welcome to my current boat. Because I’ve got a LOAD of those doubts, or, at least I had.
Those curveballs life throws at you can hurt and debilitate, right? Make you question every decision you’ve ever made?
Well, that’s been me within the last month or so. Every choice I second guess, and the ones I don’t second guess come out wrong. I’m going to admit a mental problem I have, because I need to get it off my chest.
Communicating has always been a struggle for me, since I was a child. If I spoke without thinking, the wrong words would come out. I’m still like that, and it’s frustrating. Poor word choice, joking around too soon, and describing something I really know a lot about is a daily struggle. It’s not a condition or disability, but rather a disconnect in my vocabulary and common sense departments. Someone could be talking with me about a topic I know really well, and I still struggle to use terms and logic and phrasing that normal people could understand. I’ve learned over the years that, even if something I say aloud makes sense to me, 9 times out of ten, it’s confusing as $h!t to the general public.
This has impacted friendships and relationships, and God bless my parents and family for getting me to a debatable level of communication, and my poor boyfriend for having to deal with it full-time in the present day.
The written world is fine. I can spin a yarn and tell fantastic stories with the written/typed word until kingdom come. It’s more so expressing my opinions and instructions in the verbal word that I struggle with. For example, I could do mental math, and if you asked me to explain how I got it, you’re better off having me write it out, because all you’ll hear will be the “womp womp” of Charlie Brown adults.
I know most of y’all don’t have this kind of issue, so you can’t relate, but I’ve had to train myself to think over anything before I say it. As such, either I wait too long to contribute, speak too quickly and cause problems, or remain in silence until the person I’m communicating with thinks I’m doubting things or feeling conflicted.
I just kinda wanted to rant on this Wednesday’s blog post, as it has a BIG factor in my day-to-day life, and one I fear might mess me up someday.
My advice? If you doubt something, TALK TO SOMEONE. Even though I have communication problems, I have a good amount of people that know of this problem and can nudge me in the right direction to communicating better with others. Find a small group like that, a group that you can talk to about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. Trust me, getting doubts and fears off your chest makes the burden easier to carry.
Wow, Vikans. This last week has been a rollercoaster for me. Personal stuff, but we’re pushing on through.
I received my proof copy of KINETIC REBIRTH a little while ago, and currently going through it for one final edit sweep over. I am taking a red pen to it. A RED PEN. I AM WRITING IN A BOOK. THE HORROR!
Joking aside, I’m picking up on phrases that don’t flow that I didn’t realize before, even when reading aloud to Boyfriend. Marking up this copy is painful, but it’ll be worth it in the end to have a perfect book in my hands. Or, at least as perfect as I can make it. ^_^
So, yeah, I have a physical copy in my possession. It was so surreal opening that box and seeing the cover printed, to see my hard work with learning how to do layout on my own, to see the dedication in big, bolded letters; it made all the frustration worth it.
No, I am not changing the release date. The importance of releasing to the public on October 19th is the ultimate testament to my and JV’s friendship, as that day, in 2011, was the first time I met her, kickstarting a friendship I was extremely lucky to have. I will time it as close to day of as Createspace will let me. Still haven’t been able to analyze timing between hitting “Approve Proof” and listing appearing on Amazon.
That all being said, like my author page on Facebook [here], so you can see when I announce more news and status, etc, etc for KINETIC REBIRTH. This is the first book in a YA Fantasy series, and I have a prequel short story (called KINETIC TRAGEDY) that takes place a few years before the novel (KINETIC REBIRTH), that is currently on Instafreebie. Go grab that free ebook of KINETIC TRAGEDY [here] on Instafreebie, just to see if the ending intrigues you. Because, that short story… It’ll give you more questions than answers. This is probably the best way to determine if you might be interested in purchasing post-release. Also, when getting the short on Instafreebie, you get signed up for my e-newsletter, so that my emails can remind you closer to publication date. You can also directly sign up for my e-Newsletter [here] without downloading KINETIC TRAGEDY, but that seems like the less-worth-it option. I mean, FREE STORY. Doesn’t get better than that. 😉
Well, that’s about everything. I’m planning a cover and summary reveal in early/mid August. So, if you want to keep up to date, or get a heads start with KINETIC TRAGEDY, look into the links below, which are also scattered throughout this post::
So, this post may get a little emotional, but I feel I need to let this out, at least at the beginning.
So, last night, Sissy (my little sister) and I went to Virginia Beach for the Feed The Machine tour. This included Shaman’s Harvest as the opening act, followed by Daughtry and then Nickelback. We bucked out early to avoid traffic, because we had a long drive home anyway. I have to say this though. I HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE!!
I started a bit bumpy though. We decided that we wanted to get to the area early, so we could walk along the beach for a bit. It took us about 30-45 mins just to find a parking spot, which we paid $40 to use a lot for a little over an hour. Guess they gotta make money somehow, huh? And, to add on to that, it was drizzling the whole time. about 15-20 mins after hitting the beach, thunder sounded, and everyone had to clear the water. A little more time later, and the rain got a bit heavier. By the time Sissy and I got back to the car, we were pretty wet. We sat in the car for twenty mins before heading toward the venue for the concert.
We stood in line for merchandise before the concert, and while there, Shaman’s Harvest started opening the show. Sissy and I actually thought they were pretty good, so I’ll be looking up their music soon and see how studio version sounds compared to live.
When Daughtry came on, Sissy and I were rocking! Standing up every couple of songs and belting the lyrics. I knew more of the songs than her, but I’m also a slightly bigger Daughtry fan than her. During songs we both knew, we’d occasionally look at each other as we were singing and broke into wide, laughing smiles.
However, Daughtry hit my emotions hard. Just barely into their set, they played “Waiting For Superman” and “Life After You“. If you can’t tell by some of these pictures I’ve already posted::
… I took JV Jr with me. A year or so ago, I was talking to the real JV about the last Nickelback tour that I’d wanted to take my Mom to. Unfortunately, the lead singer had to get throat surgery, and they cancelled the remainder of their North American tour. Lucky for me, because I hadn’t purchased tickets yet. Also, my Mom told me she probably couldn’t have done it mid-work week anyway. When I was mentioning it to JV, she told me that she’d LOVE to come if work schedule would allow. It broke my heart, because this tour was announced two or three days after she passed, and when I heard the news, I broke down again. Well, I was breaking down every 20 minutes back then anyway, but still.
So, in some way, she did get to come with me, in the form of JV Jr. The thing is, during those two songs I mentioned earlier, and when they closed with “September“, I was a bawling mess. Those songs just triggered something in me, and the dam broke. However, during “September“, I looked down at JV Jr for a moment. I knew JV would whack me for crying during any songs. The truth is, hearing that song live had me remember the good times we had during her too short life. Then I was crying for a whole ‘nother reason.
It took the stage crew over 45 mins or more to prep for Nickelback to come up on stage. During that time, the man sitting next to Sissy asked randomly, “Hey, who are you guys here to see? Nickelback or Daughtry?” Sissy replied honestly, “Both Daughtry and Nickelback.” The guy gave her a fist bump and said, “Awesome, you guys rock. I came for Daughtry but have never listened to Nickelback. After Daughtry’s performance, I hope they can follow up just as good.” Let me note that he was dancing and hollering to their songs, and also screaming answers and comments to Chad’s between-song banter while laughing.
Right before they started, I told myself, “You know you want to stay for two particular songs. Then you can leave.” As stated earlier, we had to drive back home afterward, and Sissy and I had experience with concert parking lots when seeing Danielle Bradbury, Thomas Rhett, and Brett Eldridge in Salem, VA during their Suits ‘N’ Boots tour in October 2015. If anyone one of you have been to a concert, you’ll know: THEY. ARE. THE. WORST.
Nickelback’s opening was AMAZING! They had the machine on stage that reflected their “Feed The Machine” Music video AND Lyric video, and opened with that song too. Shortly after, they played “Photograph“. That song is one of a couple dozen Kryptonites for me, so of course I was crying, for multiple reasons. During the rock songs, Sissy and I were belting the lyrics again, along with the rest of the crowd. Chad, the lead singer of Nickelback (If you didn’t know that already), was hilarious between songs, having me and Sissy cracking up. Some songs I didn’t actually know, as most of my Nickelback listening only stretches back to 2005, but now I have songs to look up that I want to know the lyrics too.
At one point during a break for the band to get some water, Sissy looked at me and asked if we should go while they take this weirdly long break. The stage was a bit dark, but we spotted the crew bringing out a small piano or keyboard. I had a feeling I knew what they were going to play next, and I told her, “Let’s wait until after ‘Lullaby‘.”
Sure enough, that’s what they played. It was AMAZING live. I was belting out lyrics while choking on tears. “Lullaby” is a song that has been a motivator and comfort for me ever since it came out. It talks about anxiety and depression and reminds people that struggle with inner demons like that that life gets better, and hurting yourself isn’t the answer. Whenever I’ve had friends in the past that were struggling with depression or hard times, I’d play them this song, and it helped a lot of them, to the point where they are downloading that song themselves.
However, during that song, I felt a chill. Now, this was an outdoor, covered ampetheatre, and it was a humid VA day, so chill would be out of place, right? That’s when I knew.
JV was there with me.
Once that song was over, Sissy looked at me and asked if I was ready to go. However, Chad was talking and leading up to their next song, and before he even said the next song title, I told her, “One last one. This is the last one I need to hear.” She nodded, knowing what would be next::
This song is another one of my weaknesses. Every time I hear it, I always think of JV. Her life was cut too short, but she lived her life just like the song says::
“Against the grain should be a way of life, What’s worth the prize is always worth the fight, Every second counts ’cause there’s no second try, So live like you’ll never live it twice”
She lived like every day wasn’t promised. She was genuinely nice to everyone, never felt animosity, and always looked out for those she cared about. She was the best friend I could ask for, so halfway through the live performance, which was so well played live I couldn’t believe it, I cringed, tears streaming down my cheeks.
Then, I got that chill again. And I knew she stood there in the open spot to my left, hand on my shoulder, telling me, “It’s okay. I’m okay. So no more tears.”
After that song, Sissy and I left. I dozed off halfway home.
So, in a nutshell, it was the best concert of my life. Crossed Daughtry and Nickelback off my bucket list (Two in one night! WOW!), and had a blast with my Sister, who I don’t spend nearly enough time with.
It’s hard to believe it’s been over five months since I last heard her voice and laughter. I miss JV every day, every hour, every minute. But, thanks to that concert, I know she’ll always be looking out for me. Always.
Hug your loved ones. You never know what your future holds. Make every minute count. And live life like JV did, as If Today Was Your Last Day.
These weekly updates posts are keeping me accountable so far, and I hope to keep it that way. Hopefully I don’t drop it like a weight when I get busy.
ANYWAY!
So, over the weekend, I released a short story prequel to my upcoming October release. It’s titled “KINETIC TRAGEDY”, and takes place six years before the events of “KINETIC REBIRTH” (slated for an October 19th release). It’s a quick read, and leaves you with more questions than answers. Perfect fodder for this author. >:)
It is currently only available on Instafreebie, but a month or so before the novel’s release, I will be publishing this eBook prequel story on all digital retailers to prep for KINETIC REBIRTH’s release.
Get your copy off Instafreebie [here]. And PLEASE sign up for the email list! I make it optional, but if you want to make sure you get a reminder email closer to the novel’s release, I’d suggest signing up. 🙂
Everything is set and ready to hit that “Confirm” button and release KINETIC REBIRTH into the wild. “So, why wait?”, you might ask. Because that release date is more than just a book release date. It’s the day I first met JV. The start of our 5+ years of friendship. October 19th, 2011. The reason I know that is because that’s when the roleplay launched that connected the two of us through mutual friends. We’ve had a blast crafting dozens upon dozens of characters for a good handful of roleplay documents, either public or private. Since KINETIC REBIRTH includes most of those characters we crafted together, it’s only fitting to release this first novel to celebrate the day it all started. Celebrating her life and not focusing on her death.
Now, for a slightly different, but not unrelated topic: my emotional state.
I am hanging in perfectly right now. Each piece that went into KINETIC REBIRTH, from the editing, layout, to uploads and short stories, made me slightly happier and more positive. The biggest increase in positivity was when the AMAZING [Designed by Starla] create the covers for both the novel and the KINETIC TRAGEDY short. When I saw those covers, that’s when it started sinking in: THIS IS HAPPENING. THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING. FOR REAL.
Once I see the proof copy, I will probably burst into tears. Because, this series would never had existed if I had never met JV. We actually were in the midst of coauthoring a series together when she passed. NOTE: NOT THIS SERIES. Our series was different, and none of those characters will cross over. I just can’t handle reading her notebooks just yet. I WILL FINISH THEM. And her name will be on ALL four covers for it, right next to mine.
Dang, getting off track. Long story short: I’m doing better now than I have been in the last five months. It’s hard to believe it’s been five months since I’ve heard her voice. I will get through this. All of us that knew her will get through this. And, by including JV as one of the heroes in my KINETICS series, she will continue to live on forever in the words and stories within those pages.
Oh, and I got a haircut and color. IT’S SO LIGHT AND THIN. WISH IT COULD STAY THAT WAY.
So, summary: Short story on Instafreebie, KINETIC REBIRTH update, and hair cut.
Unfortunately, things got chaotic last night, and I never made a #TeaserTuesday photo. I’ll try posting on for Thursday. Yes, I know it’s a different day. I don’t care. :p
OH! And Cover Reveal for KINETIC REBIRTH will be in the coming weeks. GET PUMPED!!!
So, actually a lot has been going on since last Wednesday’s post. Unfortunately, most of it I can’t reveal yet. I will be able to soon, but that information is classified.
However, I can give you a few updates, that hopefully can tide ya’ll over a bit.
1) Kinetics, Book 1, titled “KINETIC REBIRTH”, is now nearing the end of post-production. Thanks to some swift money decisions and management techniques, I can now manage a longer pre-order gap! If you asked me a week or two ago, I would’ve said, “I *might* be able to start preorders three weeks before release day…”, and probably averted my gaze and bit my lip in nervous hesitance and disappointment. NO MORE!!!
I now have the ability to have preorders ready before summer’s end (sometime in August or so). I’M SOOOOOO BEYOND EXCITED!!! This novel is my proudest accomplishment. It is my favorite out of the group of ten manuscripts I’ve finished since starting my writing journey back in March 2004. I am so excited to share this new world I’ve created with you guys! It came so naturally, thanks to the inspiration behind it: my best friend JV. The idea came to me a few weeks after her passing, and the manuscript was done within the next month and a half. So, edits are now done, covers are *underway* (*coughcough* details later *coughcough* I promise *coughcough*), and post-production nears its inevitable completion.
2) Just to tease ya’ll a bit, I’m going to have a short story releasing within the next few weeks, via Instafreebie and Wattpad. Somewhere along the way – not sure if before or after KINETIC REBIRTH’s release – I will be making it available all ebook platforms. Leaning more toward post-Book 1 release. But, keep your eyes peeled on my Facebook Author Page [here] for news in the coming weeks.
3) So, a brief notice about THE CHAOS ACCOUNTS. I know Account #3, “Account of Friendship”, left off at an unfortunate cliffhanger. I have a two-parter story for Account #4, which will resolve the cliffhanger I left before. However, I currently am wrapped up in KINETIC REBIRTH production and marketing, so THE CHAOS ACCOUNTS have taken a back seat. Just wanted you all to know I haven’t forgotten about Blaine, Luz, and Division 3, and that those next two stories will be written and released as soon as things die down a bit.
4) Oh, and Book #2 in the KINETICS series started a few weeks ago. Just FYI. 😀
And, to finish off, below is my #TeaserTuesday for the week.
Keep Faith, Vikans.
And October 19th is less than 4 months away. Just in case you didn’t realize that. : )
So, here it begins: my regular Wild News Wednesday. I will be writing a blog post that will drop every Wednesday, updating all ya’ll on projects/WIP statuses, snippets of what I’m writing, advice on the writing/publishing process as I have experienced them, among other random and WILD things. I am also going to post my #TeaserTuesdays at the bottom of each post as well.
So, to catch all ya’ll up, my #secretproject public announcement was released a few weeks ago, and I am BEYOND excited! Now, instead of #secretproject, it is now #KineticRebirth. Because the title of this upcoming release is “KINETIC REBIRTH”. Self-explanatory, right? ANYWAY, you can see [this post] for my Public details on this project, which explains the motivation behind this series. I’m going to retell it here though too.
As most of you might already be aware, my best friend JV passed away at the end of January earlier this year. It’s hard to believe it’s been over four months since I last heard her voice. She had just been hanging with me at my house days before, and the sudden loss jarred me. My plans to exercise more, eat better, write harder, all died with her for a little while. However, my annual Smoky retreat was only weeks later, and I knew I had to get myself together so I could be productive during this once-a-year writing marathon. Originally, I was planning on working on the next several Chaos Accounts stories. Then, two days before I was due to leave, another idea hit me. JV meant so much to me, and beta read anything I’ve written since Fall of 2011, when I first met her via mutual friends and a forum-based roleplay. I even brainstormed with her on her drive home from work every weekday. I’d talked to her four/five days of the week, every week, for over a year before she passed, and before then it was Friday nights when she’d travel to her future husband’s place an hour away. She was my ultimate muse, and she deserved to live on.
How?
Through my writing, of course. It perfectly fits her.
So, KINETIC REBIRTH, Kinetics Book #1, was what I worked on during Smoky. I cranked out 31,000 words during six days of Smoky, and another 30,000 within less than a month after the retreat. Every bit of this novel had a bit of JV, from planning, characters, and emotion. By planning I mean I planned only the first setting and main five characters. By characters I mean I took characters JV and I role-played with as fodder in this story. And by emotion, I mean I will give you all the feels, just like how I infuriated her in every scene where something bad or sad or torturous happens to the characters. Also, JV is one of the main heroes in this series. I wrote her to be accurate to who she was and who I came to know. Her personality, her sense of humor, her reactions and life: I wrote it as true to her in real life as I could.
I’ve set up a Tip Jar, as self-publishing can be extremely expensive. JV deserves the best, most professional, most amazing book I can produce. If you feel like you might want to help make this publication easier, click [here], even if it’s just a small amount, because every bit counts.
I’m aiming for an October 19th. 2017 release, with Preorders set up in mid-September. As such, I have to cram a lot of post-production in a small amount of time, and donations will go a long way!
Also, you can find my Patreon [here]. Patreon is a place for Patrons to donate on a monthly basis to content creators. There are reward tiers that include free, signed, physical copies of my debut novel (The Protektor’s Reality), as well as KINETIC REBIRTH, once it releases. Check it out if you want more perks than Tip Jar can give you!
I also just finished a short story prequel to KINETIC REBIRTH, which will be exclusive to my email subscribers. Should you want to read this story before I publically publish it, sign up for my newsletter [here].
So, recap:
First post for #WildNewsWed
Details on KINETIC REBIRTH
Tip Jar
Patreon
Sign-up for e-newsletter for KINETICS prequel story, hitting inboxes soon.
And now, my #TeaserTuesday from yesterday, from aforementioned short story::
Hey there, all you Vikans! Hope this Friday is treating you well.
Soooooo, yesterday, I dropped my public announcement video outlining some details from my #secretproject. You can find that link [here], and also permalinked below. However, I wanted to give more details about this #secretproject. I will make videos later explaining this stuff and put them on my [Youtube Channel] (PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!! I HAZ JV VIDEOS THERE!) at a later date, for the public that doesn’t follow this blog.
So, first point of importance, repeating details from the video::
This book series (yup, you read right: SERIES) is my ultimate dedication to my best friend JV (who you can briefly get to know at my [Youtube Channel] in the few videos I have of us and our crazy friendship).
Almost every single character in this series (or, at least in the first book) was one that either JV and I came up with for our group and personal roleplaying, and also 2 characters JV had created with her and her other best friend, Renee. Melding multiple characters from multiple different roleplays, insert them into a completely different universe, and still be true to how they were in our fun adventures together. If they had a different personality, I had to think about, “What would happen in order to change them from Point A to Point B?” Surprisingly, my mind instinctively filled in the holes without much conscious effort or planning.
Like I said above, almost every single character was completely fictional, and stemmed from my and JV’s fun writing times. The key word there is ALMOST. One character in this series was based on and inspired by someone very key to this project: JV herself. I have inserted her in this series as one of the heroes. I am writing her as accurately and true to JV’s personality and values when she was alive.
As a side note, when I got my edits back from my editor, there was a small paragraph in one section that I’d like to share…
Needless to say, I teared up reading that after Ravencon a month ago. That was the best compliment I could ever receive from someone pertaining to JV, and hearing that from a professional editor made it that much more special. Glad I’m doing her justice.
Okay, Part II – Release information
So, originally, I planned for a January 31st, 2018 release date. That will be the 1-year anniversary of the day JV passed on. My logic was that even though she’d died, she would live on through my writing.
I thought about it and thought about it, and realized that by releasing on that date would focus more on the fact she’d died, rather than a celebration of her life. She wouldn’t want us to focus on that; I know she wouldn’t. I swear I feel her yelling at me when I tear up on occasion remembering her. And then, she’ll probably start crying herself, and tell me to stop crying so she could stop crying. We were really in sync with our emotional personalities, and both sensitive to emotions floating around us.
Sooooo, I’ve picked a new release date: October 19th, 2017. Yes, there is a reason for that specific date. Travel back to October 19th, 2011. My freshman year of college. I had found a little circle of friends who loved fantasy, Marvel, action, writing, and creativity. A bunch of us joined up together and started a private forum-based roleplay website through Probroards. It was through these friends and the roleplay that I became friends with JV. Five-and-a-half years may seem like a short time to most people, but to me, that time with her in my life contains memories and laughter and mutual collaboration that will last a lifetime.
Lastly, Topic #3, which is related to the release date – Funds.
This book will be self-published through a self-publishing imprint of a large book distributor, meaning it will be available at THOUSANDS of print and eBook retailers. However, this company has a yearly fee, as well as initial start-up costs when uploading the cover/interior files.
I also need to purchase ISBNs. One ISBN costs $125, while a 10-pack costs $250, and each version of a book needs its own ISBN, so the 10-pack is my best option.
In addition, I will be utilizing the layout skills of Philippa Ballantine and Tee Morris, who create quite AMAZING layouts to print AND eBook! That will be a couple hundred as well, but that’s a really good deal compared to other layout freelancers.
Also, add to that the cover, which I will be once again utilizing the dazzling, gorgeous graphic design skills of the great Designed By Starla. She did the cover for THE PROTEKTOR’S REALITY, which turned out AWESOME, so I know she can do this dedication justice.
Soooooo, as you can see from the points above, getting this first novel published is costly up front, but, for me, it will be worth it. This series is closure for me, a way for me to feel closer to JV even though life has torn us away from each other.
Now, with the release date changed over three months earlier, it will put a strain on my wallet and push my limits, both panicked and monetary. All those costs for the old release date would have been spread over the course of 8 months, now are crammed into 5 months. Less, actually, to have a preorder option.
So, let me outline some reasons and strategies if you’d like to make this JV dedication a reality:
PATREON.
My [Patreon] pledges from my Patrons get deposited into a checking account that is only used for literary expenses (i.e.- anything pertaining to post-production of a project/WIP).
I’ve got some GREAT reward tiers, anything from insider info and news BEFORE the general public, to becoming a member of my private FB group, or getting chapbook or print versions of my works, depending on your level. Here’s my reward levels for my Patrons as of today (2017-05-26)::
If you only want to donate for a few months, or even just one month, you can pledge a certain amount, and, once you feel satisfied with pledging or maybe overwhelmed by money issues, you can change to a different tier or even remove your pledges at any time.
ANY BIT HELPS!
Also, I’m considering doing a Kickstarter of some kind if I don’t get a lot of Patrons on Patreon. If you’re reading this, comment below on whether or not you think I should go that route or not. The reason I’m considering it is because that would allow me to take one-time donations toward this project, rather than people having to either pledge money on a monthly basis or grimace and unwillingly walking away. Comment below on your opinions, on a possible Kickstarter or anything else I’ve written in this blog post.
Oh, and now, my #secretproject will now be changed to #KineticRebirth, as this project is not-so-secret now. 🙂
Welp, that’s in for this post. If you’re new to this little slice of the Interwebs, here’s the link to my [Contact Me] tab, where you can find all my social media links, such as Facebook, Twitter, Patreon, etc.
Hey there, Vikans! Been a while. Last you heard from me, I was prepping to return to RavenCon, as my 2nd year as a panelist. First off, IT WAS A BLAST!! I had my boyfriend, along with the amazing [Tee Morris] and Sonic Boom, accompany me this year (minus one [Pip Ballantine], unfortunately), which made it even better. I struggled a bit though. This RavenCon was the first in three years that JV didn’t join me. I took JV Jr (my stuffed Haruhi I take everywhere, symbolic of JV still near me), and snapped a few pics, though not as many as I’d planned. There were some amazing people that joined the panelist’s list, who I wanted to spotlight, because I’m nice like that:
There were a LOT of amazing talented acts, but only the above answered with links, so they really take their networking seriously. Props to you guys!
Anyway, all of my panels went well, aside from a stupid mistake I didn’t realize until my last panel on Sunday. When I go to Ravencon, I discount THE PROTEKTOR’S REALITY for a Ravencon-only price. It wasn’t until the end of that Sunday AM panel that I realized my mistake and was able to squeeze in the info about the con-pricing. Then, a few minutes later, as people filed out, I had two purchases of TPR, as well as a handful of others taking the printouts of “Account of Anxiety”, detail postcards, and business cards with the 100% discount of THE VIKAN QUARTET for RavenCon participants, valid only
until the end of May (If you got that code, time’s running out! Only 14 days left for that code!!)
Now, onto next order of business: THE VIKAN QUARTET.
It released yesterday in eBook, and print on Amazon the day before. Go grab your copy as soon as you are able! It is essentially my four Tales of Terrara Vikos short stories in one copy. Around 4:30 EST on eBook release day yesterday, I went onto Amazon and found this::
😮 I KNOW, RIGHT?!
Alas, I really have no idea how many people have actually purchased these, as it seems there is a lag in reporting. -_- I know, right?
So, spread the word!
Alright, topic #3: THE CHAOS ACCOUNTS. I put Account #4 (tentatively named “Account of Secrets”) on hold, due to this post’s topic #4 below. Topic #4 needed my undivided attention, and still does. I’m working on AoS as much as I can manage, but my #secretproject takes precedence. So, I am still working on Account #4, but when it will be completed or released is still majorly “TBD”.
Now, my last topic of interest: #secretproject. No, I’m not saying anything now, other than this project is my ultimate dedication to JV and her amazing life. I’ve finished editing it, and it’s about to go into post-production.
BUT!
My Patrons will get more details on what this #secretproject is this coming weekend. The rest of you who are not Patrons will have to wait another two weeks or so. My Patreon also has a lot of awesome reward tiers, including news first, booklets of short stories, even FREE, AUTOGRAPHED books!! Interested? Click [here].
Well, that’s all for this post. Be back on soon, hopefully.
That all being said, like my author page on Facebook [
f others taking the printouts of “Account of Anxiety”, detail postcards, and business cards with the 100% discount of THE VIKAN QUARTET for RavenCon participants, valid only
