Random Sunday Post. Someone’s got to keep you on your toes. š
I’m actually popping on to announce a HUGE sale tomorrow – of superheroes!
WHAT.
I know. There are other people who write about superheroes, albeit sub-genres different from romance. But they exist! And they’ll all be on sale tomorrow for 0.99. Not *quite* free, but come on, guys – 0.99? You have that in your couch. Or maybe in your wallet for those old-school, cash-carrying gangstas.
But 0.99 is an awesome deal, especially for so many different kinds of stories about superheroes! So, I hope you take a look around, because I bet you’ll find something up your alley.
The leaves (for some) are changing, thereās a cool breeze in the air when the sun doesnāt hate us, and for those businesspeople, itās the start of the fourth quarter.
Ah, fall.
As excited as I am about sweater weather, this October means something different. Something special. Something that reminds me to keep going. That I havenāt given up yetābecause I havenāt. This October marks the ten-year anniversary of publishing my first book, Escape from Harrizel (Arizal Wars series).
I canāt believe it. It feels likes yesterday, and not an entire decade ago. Ten years, guys. Where did that time go? Since releasing EFH in October 2013, Iāve published:
Plague of Mybyncia (Arizal Wars)
Discovery at Nerwolix (Arizal Wars)
Crusade Across Worlds (Arizal Wars)
Better Than This (Better Than This)
Better Than Now (Better Than This)
Better Than You (Better Than This)
In The Moment Before (The Coyote and The Claw Companion)
A Royal Pairing in Perish (The Coyote and The Claw)
In The Moment During (The Coyote and The Claw Companion)
I mightāve genre-hopped a little, but I wrote the stories I wanted to (and will continue to do so). So, I couldnāt let this milestone pass without doingā¦a little something.
To celebrate publishing my first book TEN YEARS AGO, Iām doing a giveaway for FREE signed paperback of Escape from Harrizel with $25 gift card š Woohoo! In order to enter, all you need to do is tell me. Thatās it. Send an email, a text, a DM. Iāll take carrier pigeons and snail mail, but I draw the line at insects and creepy crawlers. Keep that stuff to yourself.
Soā¦whatāre you waiting for? Donāt you want to celebrate with me by owning your very own copy (with updated cover) AND a gift card of moneyāall free? AND youāre supporting an indie author. I mean, seriouslyā¦whatāre you waiting for?
Thanks for being so supportive, guys. For the last decade, I couldnāt have done it without you. Hereās to you, and what’s next to come!
Iām not perfect here, guys. I know it seems like I am. I know you THINK I am (and Iām flattered. Honestly) but Iām just not perfect. Even I mess up stuff from time to timeā¦like remembering to post my ONE weekly blog on the SAME day, a schedule that hasnāt changed since 2017. Also missed my last newsletter. Iām on a roll here, yāall.
Anywayā¦
Happy September! Itās my birthday month so Iām excited for all the reasons. We have a trip to Atlanta planned, weāre doing another toy/comic show, and Iām working on my first giveaway! It will be via Instagram, because thatās where all these dirty deeds go down. What will I be giving away? A signed physical copy of In The Moment Before. Woot!
Honestly, Iām terrified to do this. Weird since it should be this fun, exciting thing, right? But what if:
I mess up the raffle somehow
I pick the wrong raffle-winner method
No one participates
Somebody does and itās a troll
I have all the fears. Most irrational, sure. But Iāve locked myself out of my home more times than I care to admit, I have trouble with easy math as well as operating normal door and gate locks. There are parts of my brain that are incredibly stupid. And Iām sureāIāM SUREāI can easily mess this up. Anxiety for the win, am I right?
Buuuttt also, eh.
So, what if I mess it up? Iāve gotten pretty good at messing things up. And getting past it. Itās all a learning game, and this is just the next obstacle.
More on that later. Thereās so much to talk about (we saw Oppenheimer, Batman got me the most *amazing* sunglasses, we applied for our passportsā¦) and then a quick burst of inspiration on Instagram had me promising to post everyday for the entire month. Why? I donāt know. I like to throw fuel on the fire, I guess. Maybe under this beauty-queen exterior lies the beating heart of a masochist?
Like I said, lots to go over, but I think we both know weāre done here. For now. This feels like a long post (maybe because I didnāt post last week?) but you seem caught up. Alsoāare we friends on Instagram? Want to hold me to the post-a-day challenge? I think you should. I think you should straight GOT shame me if I donāt, bell and all.
I’m @authorcgcoppola on IG. Be friends with me and shame me if I fail. Also, I’m depending on you to enter my giveaway. All the pressure here, guys. š
I havenāt posted a blog in TWO weeks. I really want to blame someone else, so letās do that. Itās not my fault. Itās theirs. The nerve.
I do enjoy keeping up with my blog, but I was under a deadline to get A Return of Ghosts over to the editor for line edits. Of course I forgot to write the bonus scene with Grayson (I do a bonus scene with Black Coyote and Grayson Knight at the end of each book in both series) so I was scrambling to work on that. But I got it done! And to celebrate, I watched The Summer I Turned Pretty and The Orville becauseā¦why not?
Iām not a social author, Iāve sadly come to realize. Which is WEIRD since Iām selectively social in real life. Whatās the term for that? Iām an extroverted introvert. I prefer to be alone, but can be very social in certain situations. If weāre being honest, Iād stay in my writing cave for 75% of the time, chuck the books into the void, and continue on in my normal life if I could. The social media part of me flounders daily, so the next time I miss consecutive posts, just know itās not because Iām not working. Itās because I am working. Very hard on something. Probably some amazing story I hope youāll read.
Letās look at the status of my ongoing projects, shall we:
A Return of Ghosts ā out to editor for line edits ā releasing 12/23
In The Moment After ā first draft written ā releasing 6/24
A Battle of Champions ā half of rough outline written ā releasing 12/24
This is just to give you an idea of how far in advance I work on things/and what I work on simultaneously. Again, if Iām not on social media, Iām probably in another world writing a battle scene, as I canāt seem to escape them.
Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. Iāll (hopefully) have another one for you next week.
Iāve finished the first draft of In The Moment After, set to release June 2024. Iām done, guys.
*wipes sweat*
The epic battle scene that took three weeks to write, and then the iconic āI love youā scene after that, and tying together all the loose ends (that Iām aware of. BETA readers: Iāll need your help) but everything is written from the first scene to the last. And, while I have a vague idea of what I wrote, I really have no clue, but Iām not looking at it again for a while. Not until A Return of Ghosts is on its way to be released.
What Iām saying: the focus has shifted. Iām putting down Robin and Graysonās story to work on June and Nikolai and their epic (and front stage) tale. Basically (for all you nerds in the back like me) weāre going from Batgirl & Robin (or Gwen & Peter if youāre a Marvel fan) to Batman and Catwoman. Not interested in either or superhero romances in general? Well, I have a contemporary romance and sci-fi adventure romance available; Iāll direct your attention there š
Iām trying to be more active on the social media front, as Iām not a fan of it much. But Iām trying to make the rounds. If youāve joined Threads, are on tiktok or Insta, Iām lurking in the corner somewhere. Come find me! I promise we can be silly and laugh about things. Literally my goal in life.
Iām not sure which of you stalk my website (100% itās all of you) so youāve probably seen the change. The BIG change. But for those lame non-stalkers, I got you:
I got new covers, baby š Not for ITMB or ARIP, and you know I just updated BTT with my headless man pictures. So, by the mighty powers of deduction, that puts the new covers on my original series: Arizal Wars. You probably havenāt heard me talk about this one in a while. Probably because I first started writing the series in 2011, and published the first book in 2013. IāM STILL NOT FINISHED WITH THE SERIES.
I know. Like, awful author rule-breaker over here. Itās justāI wrote four back-to-back action-adventure books and I neededāI NEEDEDāto write something different. A straight romance. And thatās how Better Than This blossomed. Iād planned on releasing the fifth and final book of the Arizal series like two years ago, but then Nikolai and June (and then Robin and Grayson) fought for their turn and their story. I only got the first draft of the fifth book written, and thatās about it. Havenāt looked at it since.
Buuuuttt Iāve known Iāve wanted new covers for a while. Something a little more magical than straight science-fiction. Because, whereas Arizal Wars is technically science-fiction, it reads like fantasy with magic, and I want the covers to convey that. Soā¦take a look and let me know. Theyāre already paid for and uploaded, so thereās no changing them now. Not until I update them again in ten years.
This is the first place I’m announcing it so BE READY. I will continue to shout about my new covers from the rooftops for sometime because:
I love them
I paid for them, did the hard work to update them everywhere (except paperback. Not quite there yet but SOME TIME SOON)
I need/want to for marketing purposes.
Like I said, get ready. And please, let me know what you think!
If you recall from last weekās post, I mentioned we were participating in a local toy and comic show. The event has grown in popularity to include all kinds of things across many fandoms, including several handmade items. Batman decided to become a vendor two shows back and this time, I stepped up my game as well. I brought my books.
To sell.
To answer your burning question: yes, I sold a few. I brought copies of ARPIP and ITMB and sold one of each to two friends. Then another vendor lady bought one of each as well. So (if adding correctly) thatās six books! Sure, my awesome friends stepped it up because theyāre supportive AF. But I also sold two on my own. Confetti and squealing and all happy dancing for that!
Pic for proof I was there:
It was probably a good thing we did the show on Sunday. I was trapped (and still am) in an epic finale battle scene that Iāve been crawling through. So, escaping into a room of fun-fandom people for a day was refreshing and inspiring. People love their shows, stories, characters. They love whatever art speaks to them. Itās refreshing and makes me excited to crawl back into the literal trenches of this battle scene to pump out the magic.
In case youāre curious, Batman did well too! He sold a lot video games, toys, and passed out business cards this time. Weāre both doing our thing and loving it.
Also, Iām doing a weekly writing update on tiktok and posting to my fb, so if you ever forget what I look likeāor want proof Iām really a real personāfeel free to check them out. Iāve only done two videos, and theyāre mostly of my messy office and the view of my window with a water bottle, so donāt think youāve missed anything yet. But I plan to bring yāall along my journey with the rest of the Coyote and Companion series. Becauseā¦you knowā¦why not?
In The Moment During comes out on Friday! Woo-hoo! Youāre probably sick of hearing about it and seeing those marvelous little advertisements Iām making. Well, you should be, because that means Iām doing my jobāmarketing. If youāre twitchy from my advertising efforts, I consider that a win. #sorrynotsorry
My business cards came in! Old newsāI agreeābut I put off opening them until I could do a tiktok of the moment. Because I forget to do all the things, I only recently opened them and have yet to show you the video. I tried posting it here, but alas, technology and I are old enemies. But…if you’re super curious, it’s on my fb.
Third:
This coming Sunday, Batman and I will be vendors in a Vintage Toy & Comic showāand Iāll be selling my books! WHAT. I know. This is the first time Iāll be selling my paperbacks in person. Itās not a bookish environment per say, but half the vendors are selling DC Universe-related merchandise, so I know my Batman & Robin inspired books will be around the right type of audience.
Am I nervous? Absolutely. Do I plan on selling any books? Thatās the goal, but weāll see what reality has in store. Either way, this is another step over the line and closer to the goal: writing full time. Iāve got my business cards and my books. I’ll have some caffeine day-of.
But have I opened them? No. Because itās likeā¦a thingā¦and I need to tiktok the crap out of it, so you can see my amazing reaction just like Batman willāunless heās distracted by one of the dogs, a toy, or a floating piece of dust. Thatās my goal. Documenting this whole journey thatās normally isolated, but now you can see behind the curtain with me! (Who doesnāt like a good curtain peek?)
Keeping this one short since you get your first June newsletter from me on Thursday. But Iāll throw the important links here:
Iāve (obviously) made this weekās post AND Iāll have next weekās newsletter ready to go. On track so far.
I ordered business cards. BUSINESS CARDS. Itās becoming real, yāall.
I worked on Canva for marketing (and made progress!)
I resolved the paperback issue for Better Than You on Amazon ā go ahead and grab your updated copy!
Iām nearly a third of the way through writing In The Moment After and am looooovvvvviiinnnggg iiiittttt.
And for the bad news:
Since Iāve yet to locate my hordes of ravenous fans, I donāt think it will be *too* terrible to announce the shift to my publishing schedule. Whereas I was hopefulānay I say naĆÆve?āin producing four works a year, the money (and time) simply isnāt there. Sadly, Batman and I are still āthe Poorsā and can only move so far so fast. In fact, I emptied my savings to publish A Royal Pairing in Perish & In The Moment During. Self-publishing may be free to do but it aināt cheap š
With that said, Iām moving to a two-a-year book release schedule because:
I can afford that. Currently. Letās see where the world goesā¦
It will give me more time to focus on each release and advertise without feeling rushed.
Iām poor.
I need a social life.
Some of these repeat, but you get the point. Iām planning on making June and December my official release months soooooo that means after In The Moment During comes out this month (woo-hoo!) my next release will be in December for A Return of Ghosts. Donāt look at my website yet because itās not updated. Still on my to-do list, but I wanted to announce this as early as possible because, I dunno. Seems important.
You feel it, guys? The shift? Weāre onto something big here*.
