Write the Random Stories

I think we all know by now that I don't have much of niche as a writer. At least not yet. Things I've experimented with (and even published) are all over the map. So today I want to encourage you to write the random stories.

I enjoy writing the random stories. And by random, I don't mean the storyline itself is random. I mean that the genre or idea or reason for you writing the story is random: outside of your norm.

For the next while, I think everything I publish will be in the contemporary genre. Which means that in all my published works, there will be one exception to that genre: Andora's Folly. 

My lil' medieval Pandora's Box retelling story. (Confused yet?) I wanted to write a novella so that I could finish the first draft during my first Camp NaNo three years ago. I decided to do a retelling because it sounded fun and might simply plotting. I chose to retell a Greek myth because I happen to adore them and fairytales are overused.

I didn't know if the story would come together or not. But I liked the idea and was only dedicating a month to it, so why not? It was random. And it was a fun little experiment among friends.

A year later, I published it.

You never know where the random stories will take you. I like flash fiction and Camp NaNoWriMo and the like because they encourage experimentation in my writing without huge, long-term investments.

I'd say that writing the random stories has been a huge part of finding my niche (even though that itself is still a WIP). Fiddling. Having fun. And being willing to close the doc or notebook and move on if it didn't work out. Because who knows? Maybe it will work out.

~~~~~

How do you like to experiment with your writing?

Andora's Folly is on sale for the rest of today (Saturday the 13th)!!! Grab a copy HERE.

How I Remain Productive Amidst Chaos

Me, productive in July?? At first blush, not really. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I accomplished. It was a productive blur of craziness. I don't know about you, but I really want to know how I managed that.

OK, so first off I was not as productive as I wanted to be in certain things. However, some of the other things that ate my time were equally productive. (Hello, work?) So I think it's important to remember that every kind of productivity is productive.

If you're like me this means you get really good at productive procrastination. I think that basically sums up my July.

The aerial view of my life in July was being out of town the first two weeks and at work the last two weeks. Sounds like a recipe for productivity, right? Well ... yes, actually.

While out of town, I expected to:

• finish reading Thief of Corinth
• have ample quiet time to write toward my goal of 30k
• start reading The Blue Castle
• work for my aunt
• see fireworks once
• do some work on the train ride home

What I actually did:

• finished reading Thief of Corinth
• wrote half a chapter and then got a pedicure
• wrote the other half a chapter and ate ice cream
• enjoyed multiple Starbucks
• binge-read The Blue Castle
• attended my first major league baseball game and saw fireworks three times
• binge-read Where the Woods Grow Wild
• binge-watched Lord of the Rings with my cousins
• worked for my aunt AKA created flowers for two beautiful metroplex weddings
• had a movie night/sleepover with my other cousins
• googled things to do in NYC and visit with the girl next to me on the train ride home

Are you seeing a pattern here? Some things didn't happen so my inclination is to call it all unproductive. But actually a ton happened. No, it wasn't all productive, but it was all worth it. I'm not going to apologize for my goals; goals are a good thing. But I'm not going to kick myself (too much) for not hitting them all either. Sometimes I think we need to adjust our expectations and look at what we accomplished instead.

While back home and working, I expected to:

• babysit
• do secretary work
• go to church
• house sit
• celebrate my brother's birthday
• hit my Camp NaNo goal (now reduced to 10k)
• plan something for the Andora's Folly birthday
• edit for Kellyn

What I actually did:

• babysit, getting reading time, writing time, and treated to lunch
• joined a youth club to support local candidates
• did secretary work and handed out our info at a back-to-school event
• heard some of the best sermons ever and visited with friends
• binge-watched a TV show with my sister
• got down time at someone else's empty house and watched a movie
• decorated for an Incredibles 2 birthday party
• taught Sunday School
• had family in town
• attended a friend's violin recital
• did two sales, a giveaway, a painting, and more for Andora's Folly's birthday
• got over 200 downloads of Andora's Folly for its birthday (!!!!)
• hit my Camp NaNo goal of 10k
• almost finished editing for Kellyn
• wrote at a coffee shop
• researched NYC again at a coffee shop

Again, didn't technically do that all quite how I planned ... Being a goal-setter and general list-maker, that can initially be a little traumatizing. But I'm learning that things outside of plans aren't always bad. Being flexible is often a good thing.

Of course, deadlines must still be met and we can't shirk our responsibilities. That's not what I'm suggesting. But I think the only reason I was able to be as productive as I was in what was a very out-of-the-norm month was because I let myself branch out. Yes, that's right. Deviating from the plan can help be productive.

Everyone needs breaks, so make them worthwhile. All the non-negotiables and random things that popped up were nice breaks from all my to-do list items. Conversely, all my to-do list items were sometimes relaxing and different from how I earn money. In other words, I have "work-work" and "passion-work." One's always a nice break from the other.

Being productive isn't always fun, but fun can be productive. Breaks are productive simply because they energize me to keep going. TV shows and movies are blatant relaxations, but that doesn't mean I won't learn something or get a new story idea. ;) I guess it helps that I never fully switch my mind off. That means I can do things that keep me from burning out without it being a complete waste of time.

That's how I define productivity: it's less checking everything off the to-do list and more using my time well.

There's not a set formula to being productive of course, but those are some of the things that ended up helping me this month! I can't guarantee I'll be able to read that much or even write that much this month, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try. Everything's always worth a try!

I mean, let's be honest. As healthy as planning/goal-setting is, it's part of life to have plans change. Embracing all the crazy, fun things amidst my endless to-do list and letting a few things go paid off in the end. I have more memories as a result and didn't sacrifice much in the process.

It all comes down to balance. A thousand sayings sum it up. "All work and no play," imbalance. "Be in the world but not of the world" an easier-said-than-done goal for balance. The good news is we don't have to figure it all out alone, at least not if we think to ask God. In the end, I'm motivated to get things done so I have time to have fun. Meet the deadlines, but live a little.

I have to close with this Max Lucado quote because I feel like it was providential that I stumbled upon it while writing this post.

Guess what? This blog post was productive procrastination. It needed to happen, but I was only motivated to do it because I should have been billing for my dad, editing for a friend, or getting ready for bed instead. It's amazing what happens.

I mentioned all that stuff I did for Andora's Folly? The giveaway ends today, so you can still enter here! Or you can read the full post I did about the book's birthday here.

Have a good week, and prepare for an epic guest post next Saturday!

Andora's Folly Turns 1 // Christmas in July

Tomorrow will mark one year since I published the Andora's Folly e-book. In some ways this birthday has crept up on me and in some ways it feels like aaaggeesss ago that I released it. Strangeness. Lots of giveaways and random celebrating below--Christmas in July!

While Martin Hospitality was my first novel always intended for publication ... Andora's Folly is entirely different! Not only is it a novella, but it's a medieval retelling of Pandora's Box. I didn't dream up the idea or get inspired by watching a movie. I created it out of desperation for July Camp NaNo (a writing challenge) back in 2016. xP

The research was really hard, but the writing was the easiest I've ever done. I wrote every word of it in that single month of July two years ago. I learned that it was super fun to do retellings (no wonder  they're so popular!) and that novellas are probably my favorite length to write.

So what started out as a self-assigned discovery project for a writing challenge became this neat little story that I didn't completely hate. Thankfully all of you who've read it have enjoyed it as well. :)

Andora's Folly hasn't been a huge seller or won awards, but it doesn't really matter to me. Probably because Martin Hospitality is more of a success and also because I'm really quite happy with it as a story. It doesn't need all the accolades to make me feel better about it like I wanted with my first book.

As a result, I'd really love to do another Greek myth retelling at some point, possibly as a sequel. I  have so much on my plate (even just my writing plate) that I have no idea when or if that will happen! But I'd love to hear what myths you enjoy to get my mind going again. ;)

But enough about the book itself! It's a birthday party, so there has to be celebration!!!

And what's a party without a giveaway? Click HERE to enter for a chance to win all sorts of Andora merch.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's US only, but there are international options below, so stick with me. ;)

I'm so excited about the candle in the giveaway, you guys!! Ivy Rose created it custom through her Etsy, BookBurn Candles. The candle. is. AMAZING. The color and scent work so perfectly! For now, it's only available through the giveaway, but by the time you know if you won it or not, I'll also have it available for purchase through my Etsy!

As I'm sure you noticed, the book itself is not in that giveaway. Never fear! You can always find it on Amazon. You can get a signed paperback just by asking for $1 more than Amazon's price. I'd be happy to mail one to you!

If ebook is more your style, you're in luck! The ebook will FREE only Monday, July 30. (This is a change from what was originally announced.) So be sure to snag a copy and tell your friends that you think might enjoy it. This is a great option if you're international.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm part of a Christmas in July blog tour where we promote books and run sales. I've done all of that above! But part of the fun is both of my ebooks are part of two collaborative giveaways.

Enter the US-only giveaway HERE

Enter the international giveaway HERE

You can see the remaining posts with their discounts at the links below:

Author Alicia G. Ruggieri

Discount: The Mystery of the Missing Cufflinks

Author Amanda Tero

Giveaway and new release: “Finding Christmas Joy”

Thank you all so much for joining me! It's fun to have made it this far with Andora's Folly. Enter the giveaways, spread the love, and be on the lookout for some new things coming to my Etsy soon!

Are you enjoying July or looking toward Christmas?

Why I'm an Editor

I got an email last month from BookBaby (a self-publishing company) whose subject line read "Get pro editing at a fair price." I clicked on it not because I needed an editor but because I am an editor. It's nice to know what one is up against. And I gotta tell ya, it was crazy.

The email led me to BookBaby's editing services page. This is what I found. *cue dramatic music*

Tiny, I know. But remember their headline as we zoom in:

images were screenshot from BookBaby and are not my own

I'm not gonna lie. Even though I had to dig these images out of my inbox trash, that turnaround time is pretty great! But do you see that price?!?! *faints* The fine print reads "Based on a 60,000-words, non-fiction book." I ... don't think that's any of us.

Please understand that I'm not in any way bashing BookBaby. I've never used them and I've even heard good things. In fact, they're just one example of big companies who charge a human soul for a single book service. Some of the others they compare to in that chart.

Well, if you're croaking over that price, don't feel bad. "Working class" price or not, I'm croaking too.

When I first started the journey of self-publication, prices like that are what I kept running into. And it was a little discouraging. But instead of shelling out money I didn't have (the real reason I didn't cave), I kept looking. And looking.

Now that I have more of a group here with people doing similar things, I realize that 50% (I made that up) of writers I know also offers editing, web design, cover design--or some other common feature--for a pretty great price.

So, why did I decide to be an editor?

1. Frankly, even the cheap are still pricey. I mean, that's mostly just the way it goes because a quality job deserves fair compensation. But I'm still the cheapest "professional" I know by far.
2. I wanted to help people in my position. Most of my online friends (you guys) are non-millionaire, self-publishing peeps. I can't even articulate how incredible it is to help similar people achieve similar dreams.
3. I chose editing specifically because I truly enjoy it. I'm that super annoying grammar nerd. I have to refrain from correcting printed typos with a red pen. Plus ... editing is basically getting paid to read books before they're even published. It's a win-win.
4. I want self-publishing to be higher quality. It's got a bad rap exactly because we plebian writers can't afford to pay $3,000 to publish a book. So ... some don't pay anything. The books suffer as a result! And I die a little bit every time I watch that happen.

I hope that gives you a little bit of a feel for my "mission statement" as an editor. Editing is something I decided I wanted to do in my senior year of high school. I can't tell you all how grateful I am that I landed here doing freelance editing for friends instead of in college with no time to actually write or edit. Although I probably would have gone if they'd had a degree in editing. ;)

So to level the playing field between me and BookBaby, I'm over half as good for less than half the price.

I'm always updating how I do things, so the best place to find out more about my services is my editing page. But the most I've ever charged is $3 for every 1,000 words. Still something to save up for perhaps, but I do think everyone should pay for editing as well as other services for each book. I can be inexpensive because I'm not the most experienced person out there, but what I don't know I learn, and this is not my sole income. And yet we seem to be doing just fine. 

The good news is there are options. That's what self-publishing is all about, and that's why I'm an editor.

For those of you still exploring the options, hang in there. Don't pressure yourself into doing it all of paying for something you're not happy with. For those of you providing options, you're awesome. Feel free to promote yourself in the comments. ;) For those of you who have chosen me from among the options, wow. I'm so glad we've come this far.

DON'T LEAVE YET! Please ;) Since Andora's Folly is about to have a birthday, you can grab the e-book on SALE today and tomorrow (Sat + Sun). Thanks!

How I Write a Synopis (with reveal!)

Last week my post was on writing flash fiction. Today I'm going to share some tips on synopsis writing, otherwise known as blurbs. You know, that pesky paragraph or two that goes on the back of a book? Hated by authors all over the universe. Unlike flash fiction, these aren't optional if you're headed down the author path. So the less miserable they make you, the better.

I actually love writing blurbs. To me, it's highly satisfying to make a book sound super exciting and all dramatic in a few short phrases. That doesn't mean it's always easy, though.

Tips to keep in mind

I always thought they needed to be as short as possible, but several well-loved authors I know getting published through big traditional publishers have super long blurbs ... like four+ paragraphs or just really long. So maybe length is personal taste. And my personal taste is short. ;) Mainly because I think being concise is important.

As I'm sure you know, the ultimate goal of a synopsis is to make someone read (or buy) the book. This means it has to be engaging and provide a "hook" that's unavoidable.

Of course, if it's not someone's genre or what have you, there may be only so much you can do. This is not about making false promises! If you give the wrong impression, you're setting yourself up for one-star reviews. But you do want to pose a problem or a "what if" that will appeal to people who read comparable books, which is why many blurbs end in a question.

Something lots of new blurb writers struggle with is the fact that it feels like you're giving spoilers. That's because you are. Often there's one vital piece of information revealed in the first few chapters that needs to go in the back matter to set up the story and the drama of the real revelation in the book. Trust me, it's a small worthwhile sacrifice to make and no one will mind.

So the real dilemma always becomes what do you tell? Only the pertinent details. Again, you're setting up the story. They don't need to know a bunch of names, places, eye color, or distant relatives yet. They'll get that throughout the first few chapters when they decided to start the book. The main character's name, role, where it's set, and whether or not God's a character would all be good things to include.

My formula

Ultimately, all those details to keep in mind make my process look something like this:

Paragraph One

• Sentence 1: short and punchy introduction to the main character
• Sentences 2-3: set up the story with those pertinent environmental details
• Sentences 3-4: give the moment that changes everything

Paragraph Two (if there's a second main character or entity)

• Sentence 1: short and punchy introduction to the secondary character/entity
• Sentences 2-3: paint the scene for this character again with pertinent details
• Sentences 3-4: show how this character relates to the first *optional* (some people prefer not to connect those dots until later in the story depending on how it's told!)

Paragraph Three (this will be paragraph two if there isn't a second main thing to introduce)

• Sentences 1-2: state what begins to happen and what must or does happen as a result (fear, sacrifice)
• Sentences 2-3: present the dilemma this poses for the character (often a question)

I hope that's helpful as a basic formula, but don't let it restrict you. I didn't use the formula to write my published blurbs (it just fits them). I did use it on the bonus blurb below. :)

Example blurbs

Here are the blurbs I have for my published books to exemplify that process.

***

Martin Hospitality (132 words)

Gemma Ebworthy is eighteen, pregnant, and alone. Now that she's been evicted, she finds herself sleeping in a barn, never dreaming that tomorrow could bring kindness of a life-changing magnitude.

The Martins aren't a typical family--even for rural Kansas. With more kids than can be counted on one hand and a full-time farm, Gemma must make a lot of adjustments to fit in. But despite their many differences, Gemma finds herself drawn to this family and their radical Christian faith.

When Gemma's past collides with her yet again, she must begin revealing her colorful history. With every detail Gemma concedes, she fears she will lose the Martins' trust and the stable environment she desires for herself and her unborn child. Just how far can the Martins' love and God's forgiveness go?

Andora's Folly (99 words)

A Pandora's Box retelling

Andora is a beautiful young woman with insatiable curiosity. Raised in splendor, she is spoiled by her privileged life. When a love letter is slid under her door, her life takes a drastically unromantic turn. Nothing makes sense—her arranged marriage, the gifts her parents bestow on her wedding day, or her new husband’s temperament.

As Andora begins to unravel the mysteries around her, she ignites a chain of events that have the power to sabotage her entire village forever. Only her new-found wisdom as a desperate peasant's wife can save her from her folly.

***

Both of those blurbs give away the entire first chapter, but they work! There are lots of optional goodies as well, like a log line, quote, descriptor (like with Andora's Folly), or even an editorial review. However, I think all of that is mere icing on the cake. The synopsis has to stand on its own.

You can do it! Those are not first drafts. I wrote and rewrote them, sent them to a trusted friend or two (who have good blurbs), and rewrote them again. Don't be afraid to revise! The synopsis for Andora's Folly underwent a total rewrite because I removed one chapter, thus changing the whole crux of the book. #oops

And just for fun, I'm sharing the brand new blurb for Martin Crossroads, subject to change of course! WARNING: contains mild spoilers for book 1.

***

Martin Crossroads (130 words)

Gemma Ebworthy won't be a single mother for much longer. Engaged to a man she's convinced she doesn't deserve, her new life with a husband, Savior, and growing family is only the beginning of her journey forward.

Farris grows up under pressures stemmed from his own conception. Fighting to exceed his mother's expectations, he finds a fast friend in his adoptive father. Yet the differences between him and his siblings continue to cause a rift in his heart.

With each development in the new Martin family's farm life, they must learn to overcome the past together. And when the past reappears in a form Gemma never thought possible, her trust in God and in her son will be tested. What will it take to bring them through the crossroad?

I sincerely hope that will be of help! Come back to leave your success stories!! On a scale of 1 to hellfire, how much do you hate writing a synopsis? If you're interested in some help, I charge a flat rate of $10 for a synopsis edit.

Once again, sign up for the newsletter in the sidebar to see the Martin Hospitality prequel flash fic in your inbox next week!

Speaking of my books, I'm participating in a Christmas in July event with a bunch of writer friends! My portion will be on July 28, but check out other stops along the way for individual giveaways and bonus ways to enter the really large giveaway (international option as well)! There's all kinds of Christmassy stuff going on to give you a break from the heat with a good read. 

Have a great Independence Day!

2017 Stats + Survey

Due to having company in this week as well, here's another quick post. I hope to be getting back to my more substantive ones soon! If I can ever catch up on this year xD

I realized I didn't put many 2017 stats in my new year post or my newsletter, so I hope you like them as much as I do xP

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Pageviews + Sources

I just barely hit a total of 50,000 pageviews, 40,000 of which were from the United States. Croatia (??) comes in as the second country with 1,980 all-time views, followed closely by Canada with 1,826. A bit of a head-scratcher, but it's nice to know xD My highest viewed month of all time was January 2017 with 3,694 views ... probably due to the fact that Martin Hospitality was *this close* to be released at that point. ;)

Writing

Books

I published two books last year ( o_o ): Martin Hospitality and Andora's Folly. Kind of crazy to think about xD

As for general word written, I didn't track it religiously, but I'm thinking I wrote about 40,000 toward Martin Crossroads and 52,821 toward Behind the Act. So with my random little story tidbits I scratch down in a notebook and one short story I wrote, we'll say 100,000 words this year! :D

Blog Posts

A grand total of 81 which averages out to be 6.75 a month xD My biggest month was February due to the release of Martin Hospitality and the celebration of my blog turning one. I think my blog posts average around 600 words, so that's another easy 45,000. I ... had no idea it was that much. Maybe next NaNo I'll write a year's worth of blog posts ... just kidding that would probably be awful D:

Survey

If you would be so kind, I'd love to hear your feedback on the blog so I know where you would like me to take it. I mean, it wouldn't exist without you, so I might as well make you happy. ;)

Thanks, everyone! Did you track anything throughout 2017? I'd love to hear!

2018 Goals

This week has been crazy, so I'm running a little behind. I think it's a good time to review my goals in 2017 and make some for this year before January gets away from me.

2017

Memorize 36 Bible verses

Hehe ... if you count individual verses I memorized instead of passages, I may have reached 36. That wasn't quite what I set out to do, though. I memorized Psalm 19 and some individual

Read 50 books

I didn't make this one this year; I only read 40 books. I made it to 50 in 2016, but only by binge reading a few children's books. ;)

Make a 2017 playlist

I did this, but I ... didn't keep up with it throughout the whole year :P I love the idea of a song a week, though to look back on.

Write 2 entire drafts

I updated Andora's Folly twice in 2017 (once for publication and once for the paperback release) so that gets me to my goal right there. ;) I also drafted about 40,000 words on the sequel to Martin Hospitality, but it's on hold for more planning. I was supposed to finish the first all of the Behind the Act before the year was over but ended up taking a break for my wrist. I'm guessing I'm around 50,000 words on that one. So two revision draft and two half-written first drafts is my total :P

Use my journals

I journaled my trip to Washington and Oregon this summer. I almost always try to journal my trips, but I'm so horrible at summing things up, that I rarely finish it out. This time I did finish! And I took notes from the OCW conference. In the same journal, I used a different section to journal dreams. That's turned into keeping a brief running list on my phone because again ... it takes me a long time, I'm longwinded, and my wrist is sensitive right now. Other than that, I don't think I started any new journals. I did collect a few more that need a purpose though :P

Attend a writer's conference

Check! I attended the Oregon Christian Writers summer conference in Portland. It was extremely good, so I encourage you to look into it, even if you have to travel like I did. (They have an under 23 discount!) The keynotes of 2017 were Frank Peretti and Tessa Afshar, both of whom were phenomenal. I'm unlikely to attend again in 2018, but I'm keeping it on my radar.

Publish 2 items

I actually did this ... but it feels like so long ago! Martin Hospitality was released February 4. Andora's Folly had a July 29 Kindle release date and a December 9 paperback release. So that's almost three publications since I went through the process that many times. ;)

Now for the 2018 goals!

2018

Poems, passages ... I want to continue to spend more time on memorization. A handful of new things to recite at the end of the year would be a big accomplishment for me!

 I'm not sure what I'll have ready this year. A sequel to something, or maybe Behind the Act. Either way, it will be self-published. Publishing is a lot of work, but since I've got drafts in progress, it should be possible? We'll see. :)

2016 // 50 books ... with cheating :P

2017 // 40 books

2018 // 40 books

This year I want to focus on books I own and have never read. I don't want to have to read children's books to make my goal! Hopefully scaling it back a little, I can fit in some more serious books.

I didn't pay enough attention, but I want to make sure I rate and review everything I read this year on Goodreads and Amazon (at least if it's someone with few reviews or someone I know). I know I didn't use Amazon hardly at all this past year. Now I have my own account to review through, but I'll have to see if I can actually get it to let me. You can keep up with what I'm reading and my reviews here.

Okay. This is huge. xD I don't know how many books I've bought over the last two years. It will be good for my budget and my TBR if I don't buy any more for now. So one of my goals is to buy no more than five books this year. No. more. We'll see if I have the resolve to stick to that. Another thing to help me limit myself is that the books I do buy have to be on sale, bought with a gift card, etc. Even Kindle books count toward the five. Pray for my strength of will. This means I should make some good progress on the books I've bought and not read!

I haven't really researched writers conferences for this year or made any solid plans. But I'd like to go somewhere and do something again this year! I don't know if it will be for writing, though. I might take a road trip with the family or do something like that. We shall see!

I really want to play around with my writing some more. Try different POVs and tenses, new locations, and find some things that really work for me. I'm reading DIY MFA right now, and it has a good system for tracking iteration. Wish me luck with that. ;)

I have three sets of Great Courses on writing topics. They're video college lectures, more or less, and I've learned a lot from the one I've nearly finished. I'd like to keep up with them this year with some notetaking so that I can progress and keep up my education. Since I'm not having to do college or anything, I figure it's the least I can do.

Overall, 2017 was a very different year for me, but not a bad one. I'm looking forward to seeing what all 2018 holds. Thus far I'm guessing it will continue to surprise me. Thank goodness it's all in God's hands! What is one of your goals for 2018?

Andora Paperback + Snow Shoot

I'm thrilled to be sharing with you all that Andora's Folly is now available in paperback! It snowed at my house (?!?!?!?) giving me the perfect opportunity to get you in the Christmassy mood and stun you with the beauty of my books among the snow. There's still time to get them before Christmas!

Andora's Folly was published on Kindle back in July. I simply didn't want to mess with jumping through all the hoops that only come with a paperback. It was just as well because this one did prove quite tricky to get all the details right on. Victoria Lynn was super patient and helpful with working out the full cover and interior formatting quirks. I couldn't be happier with the teency end result!

Here's the cover and blurb for you one more time since it's been a while.

A Pandora's Box retelling

Andora is a beautiful young woman with insatiable curiosity. Raised in splendor, she is spoiled by her privileged life. When a love letter is slid under her door, her life takes a drastically unromantic turn. Nothing makes sense—her arranged marriage, the gifts her parents bestow on her wedding day, or her new husband’s temperament. \

As Andora begins to unravel the mysteries around her, she ignites a chain of events that have the power to sabotage her entire village forever. Only her new-found wisdom as a desperate peasant's wife can save her from her folly.

Annnnd here are all the links to click: 

Add on Goodreads // Buy on Amazon

Is it worth buying in a paperback? ABSOLUTELY! Yes, it's tiny. Perfect for a stocking stuffer xD It's petite and adorable and has lovely interior formatting and a matte cover that I never want to let go of. So YES. You know you want the paperback. It's affordable, I promise!

If you've already read the book you should still buy a paperback can leave me a review on Amazon! Already got one up on Goodreads? Just copy and paste. Yes, Amazon's weird about purchase verification and who they let review. Use your parents' account if you have to! (I do.) And thank you guys SO much for the 14 reviews that are already up. That's actually more than Martin Hospitality!

In case I have failed at my self-promotion attempts and have yet to convince you of the necessity of my little novella, just ... just ...

I still can't believe my eyes. My books. And SNOW. In December. Inches of it. (Forgive me, I live quite south.) It was like going to Narnia with my children. xDD Yes, MH got pics, too. But I'm hoarding those for now ^.^

Thank you guys immensely for the support. I'll be sharing this post around on social media, so if you feel lead to comment, reshare, or write that review I'd be super grateful!!

If you want a chance to get to know more about me and/or my books, I'm participating in TWO Facebook events this coming week! The Twelve Writers of Christmas hosted by Laura A. Grace and featuring interracting with 12 awesome authors and 2017 New Writers' Showcase hosted by Annie Twitchell featuring 7 authors works. I promise great giveaways at both events. I hope to see you there!

Recent Happenings + a Glimpse into 2018

Hey, everyone! This post is going to catch you up on a couple things that have happened recently. Serves as a kind of November wrap-up post, I suppose ;)

The only reason I quit doing wrap-up posts is because I transferred most of the life and update type stuff to my monthly newsletter (sign up in the sidebar). BUT, there are a few things I want to make sure everyone knows so there's no confusion. I haven't begun my Nov newsletter yet, either, so ... you're actually getting first scoop this time. ;)

First, the exciting thing: Andora's Folly has a paperback release date! December 9, 2017. ONE WEEK!! I already have a teency little paperback proof in my hands which you can watch me unbox in a video here. (Forgive the meh quality. xP)

I still have to work on that back cover and add a finishing touch to the updated Kindle edition. Then you guys will have a snazzy paperback option or at least a more current version of the Kindle. ;)

I'm not doing any huge release or anything. But I will announce on Dec 9 that the paperback is available. Of course, it would be awesome if you guys wanted to spread the word. Or for all of you who've been waiting for the paperback, grab yourself a copy for Christmas!

Some health issues exploded for me this month, so I think I only wrote around 15k for NaNo? I find that very pathetic. I wrote that in about two weeks, which isn't bad. But I really lagged the second half of the month and got almost nothing done D: I've had a head cold off and on for about six weeks and a cough for two. I went to the doctor and I have walking pneumonia and overuse syndrome in my wrist. Thank God it's not full-fledged pneumonia or carpal tunnel!! I was still told I needed to take it easy, down lots of drugs, and for my wrist: stop. writing. *cries* The only cure for overuse is to ... stop using. So I'm looking into dictation or a more therapeutic keyboard or something. Because we all know I can't completely stop.

Basically I feel really lazy and may kind of disappear from everywhere. For now, I'm going to keep posting every week. But I might have to take a hiatus before long, because blogging is a lot of typing ;) Since all my work requires typing, I need to limit the bits that don't make me money. Sounds horrible, but it's a reality at the moment.

Anyway, I just thought you guys should know that. :)

Being behind on drafting Behind the Act (the matinee book), meant I was also behind on editing chapters for the agent who was interested. I hit a bit of a roadblock the other day when I realized that there were no proposal guidelines on the agency website, only query guidelines. So using the more direct email I'd been given, I emailed the agent a query and asked for the proposal guidelines if he was still interested in moving forward.

He was and he wasn't. With this new trend in traditional publishing houses to only consider manuscripts from authors with a "significant" platform, I'm still too tiny to be considered. I don't blame the agent at all, because there's not much he can do about industry standards. But it does seem to be a futile cycle. I want to traditionally publish to get more following and reach more people. However, I can't do that until I have enough following. See the problem?? It's because larger publishing houses, in particular, are scaling back the marketing. They don't want to start with nobodies.

Don't let that discourage you, though! I doubt this is the case with all publishing houses (espeically not the smaller ones), and it means that self-publishing is only becoming more respected and viable. Traditional publishers are almost requiring authors to be self-published first because building a large following otherwise is a little hard ...

So I don't know if I'll look at more agencies or if I'll work toward self-publishing Behind the Act ... If I'm going to run into the same wall everywhere, there's not much point. I need to keep building here with you guys :) But at the same time, I feel like I should try at least once more. Because who gets signed with their first agent? Basically no one.

ANYWAY!! I'm not crushed by any of this, so you don't have to pity me xD And I am making some progress in the Andora's Folly department. Up next on my list is going to be merchandise for my already published books, I think. *shrug* Who knows. Everything's changed this month and I have no idea what's next. It means so much to me that you guys stick with me. Tiny platform or not, you guys are much more than numbers to me.

2018 basically has a clean slate now. I don't know what it holds. But December's going to be crazy, so I guess the first thing is to survive that. ;) I actually do consider this the most wonderful time of the year even with my life turning upside down in November, so I shall rest up with Netflix so I don't miss out on the holiday season!

Enough about me!! Tell me what's new with you :D How was your Thanksgiving? Did you do/win NaNo? What does 2018 hold for you?

Andora's Folly // Blog Tour Day 8

Just like that, I'm concluding my second blog tour. Today is the last day!! This tour has been awesome.

Links

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest

It's been a fun ride thus far! While I had sold more Martin Hospitality books by this point in its tour, I had greater participation this time. On Amazon I have 13 reviews for Andora's Folly and 12 for MH, so what does that say about you awesome people?! It's totally awesome that we've surpassed the reviews of Martin Hospitality in only a week! (I'll work on catching MH up later haha.) Reviews are the best thing you can do for an author, so thank you very much!! :)

Today's Schedule

To close out the tour, I have two more lovely ladies bringing you posts for their equally lovely blogs :)

Grace Anne // Fangirly Review

Zane Jones // Final Interview Vlog

Giveaway + Snippet

I will choose a random winner of one Andora's Folly e-book from the comments on the first post in the blog tour TONIGHT. So head over to that post and comment if you haven't. The winner will be announced in the comments on that first post, this post, and e-mailed. Thank you guys for participating!

The final quote I leave you with gives you glimpse of a possibly happy ending. Possibly. Or maybe that's just what I want you to think ;)

Thank you all for following the blog tour! It accomplished its purpose in that I've connected with some new people and so has my novella. For those of you who may still be wondering what the point of all of this was, it's really simple: I can't everyone by myself! Having so many awesome friends commit to telling their friends helps me reach so many more. I really appreciate everything you guys have done for me, even if it's just leaving comments here :)

Don't forget to comment on post one here. This is only the beginning for Andora, so she'll still be around! ;) I'll see you guys next Saturday!

Andora's Folly // Blog Tour Day 7

Welcome to Friday. This marks one week on the blog tour! Let's finish strong :D

Links

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest

Today's Schedule

There should be some great content on these blogs today! And you can thank Lisa for many of the good memes while you're over there ;)

Lisa // Interview Vlog

Abigail McKenna // Review

Giveaway + Snippet

I will choose a random winner of one Andora's Folly e-book from the comments on the first post when the blog tour ends tomorrow!

This quote may or may not be from the conflict point where Andora commits her Pandora deed ;)

designed by me

Hang in there, guys! This second blog tour of mine is nearly finished. Hope you're having fun <3 p="">