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As Surprised As You

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Today’s post was definitely not going to happen, so I’m as surprised as you.

Last week was HECTIC with unnecessary drama (which I don’t do well with) and working toward finishing my ARC, so most of my measly marketing efforts took a backseat. By marketing efforts, I mean tiktock of course. And posting to my FB group. Because that is literally all I do.

For now…

So, note to alternate-universe Caitlin—don’t LEARN the business WHILE releasing multiple books in one year. It’s a lot. Maybe have the books already written (or something) so time isn’t divided between writing AND trying to learn ads, distributors, and that AI is trying to take over every creative endeavor.

Good stuff?

  • A Royal Pairing in Perish is available for ARC! Grab your FREE copy here for an exchange of an honest review. (Please. Pretty please.)
  • I’m off Thursday and Friday for a much-needed vacation to celebrate my sister’s birthday. Woot!
  • Bought two new dresses for said much-needed vacation!
  • I keep selling free books. I might not be getting any royalties, but people are buying. Possibly reading. Hopefully that leads to a sale tomorrow or next week. As Batman keeps saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Who knows? Maybe it takes a month.

Also (and this is important) we are at THREAT LEVEL MIDNIGHT, folks. My nail is about to break and it’s in the PINK PART. Prayers, positive vibes, spells, hexes—whatever works. I’ll take them all.

Onward and upward! The other direction is too depressing.

~LC

Only Asking Because of Desperation

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I’ve only got two things on today’s agenda:

I need BETA readers (In The Moment During)

I need ARC readers (A Royal Pairing in Perish)

I need Chris Pratt (figured I’d slip this one in there too…)

Only asking because of desperation. That’s all 😊

(Since my newsletter is out today with all the other updates…)

~ LC

P.S. Hope you had a lovely Valentine’s Day. Batman and I had sandwiches and relaxed on the couch. Only way to celebrate.

Lemme Direct Your Attention – BETA READERS NEEDED

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I know I say this every week, but I’m keeping today’s post short. Well, shorter. There are several reasons for this:

  • I write my blogs at work and my boss is almost back from lunch
  • Not a lot happened since last week (the whole no news is good news thing)
  • I’m still deep in the writing cavern which fills up all my free time
  • Four reasons sound better than three

I did think about skipping today’s post (as I don’t have much to share) but I’ve been stood up TWICE in my life, and I just won’t do that to you, kind folks. Also, there is one thing I have to talk about:

BETA READERS NEEDED for In The Moment During

Did you read In The Moment Before and simply *must* continue the journey with Robin & Grayson? If so, lemme direct your attention here:

BETA form for ITMD

I’m doing a final sweep through the manuscript, but I’ll have it ready by this Friday, 2/10. If you’re interested in giving feedback, please let me know! (I need it to make the story better 😊) And if you’re interested but haven’t read In The Moment Before (and want to!) I’ll throw you a free copy to get you up to speed. Just need feedback by March 3rd in order to get to the editor in time.

Working blurb:

After an unexpected hookup, I end up dating Grayson Knight—my former mortal enemy. We still argue constantly, and I’m sure we’ll break up at some point, but after a family dinner goes well with Dad—the city’s Police Sergeant—I have hope.

Then I start noticing things. Like how Grayson gets called away at odd times, or how skilled he is with gymnastics. Then there was the fight at school—the one where he dominated his opponent. None of it seems relevant until we’re attacked by a monstrous creature—and Grayson springs into action. It’s almost like he knows what to do…like he’s done it before.

Knowing something is off, I confront him about his odd departures and accurate physical skills, but he brushes it off. Not satisfied, I decide to discover the truth for myself. Because Grayson has a secret—and I’m going to find out what.

Lastly, I’ll have the ARC available for A Royal Pairing in Perish on 2/24. If you want to be one of the VIPers who receives their Batman/Catwoman inspired adventure-romance early, lemme direct your attention here:

ARC form for ARPIP

That’s all folks. Keep rocking it!

~ LC

For Anyone Wondering

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I write my blogs on Monday in time for Wednesday. Except today (Monday) I started the day by setting off the alarm at work. Things are off to a great start.

Probably going to keep today’s post short since we’re coming off a fresh newsletter with any recent updates and all the things you should/probably/may not want to know have already been addressed. I’m pretty boring over here. Other than a super-charged game of punch-buggie over the weekend, it’s been chill. But the game has gotten serious, for anyone wondering. Word of advice: don’t challenge Batman to the punch-buggie game. He takes that shit seriously.

Well, it’s February. Things on my mind this week/month:

  • Finish final edits of A Royal Pairing in Perish
  • Make A Royal Pairing in Perish available for ARCs
  • Establish brilliant plan of marketing
  • Sleep

Besides all my writing deadlines & duties, February is an exciting month for Batman as well! We’re working his second toy show and this time, I’ll be healthy and not sneezing on potential customers. Already an improvement! I’ll be sure to include pictures when that newsletter/blog rolls around.

Oh! And I totally neglected to mention this in my last newsletter and blog (because I’m a horrible, horrible wife) but I’ve been feeling a little stressed lately, and one day last week I came home to flowers from Batman. They’re pretty much dead now, but try to envision them lively and fresh:

Another thing? (why have I forgotten to include this gem?!) Batman won Christmas. There. I said it. I think I did pretty well this year, but I can’t get over my BIG present that just arrived due to holiday delays. Y’all ready for this?

I can’t. I just can’t. LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AAAATTTTT IIIIITTTT!!!!!!!!!!!! We’re royal and wonderful and just as it feels we should be, puffy pants and all.

He wins. Batman wins. I concede defeat.

Anyway, happy Wednesday.

See you on the ‘tock, here, or on my fb page. Pretty much the only places you’ll find me outside my writing cave. For now.

~ LC

I’m Already Off Schedule

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I’m already off schedule. (Go figure)

Am I surprised? Nah. I think the word is expected. I should’ve expected to get bumped off my own schedule. It was only a matter of time. So what happened? Well, the goal is to have the ARC of A Royal Pairing in Perish done in time for its February 17th date. Of course, that date is arbitrary (no one is banging down my door asking for it) so I can push it back if need be. But stiiillllllll. I wanted to keep to my schedule. And no, it’s not Yellowstone this time. It’s the actual writing.

I’d just finished going through In The Moment During, and can’t decide if I’m missing the last chapter/a bonus chapter/something. So, I started writing it…which led to outlining In The Moment After which NEEDS TO HAPPEN, but I’d designated this time (officially the start of this week) to focusing on A Royal Pairing in Perish since it’s releasing right around the corner. I still need to:

  • Implement final edits
  • Work on backmatter (info at the end of book)
  • Finish up my Reader Magnet (part of backmatter)
  • Set up pre-order for In The Moment During (part of back matter)

Things. There are so many things to be done. And this is just the writing part. Not to mention any kind of advertising for any of the series/learning to do Facebook ads which I’M STILL GOING TO LEARN.

All I need is more time. Anywhere we can buy that? (Please let me know if you know).

…Maybe I will push the ARC date back to 2.24. That would be a solid month prior to the book’s actual release, and again, no one is holding me to it. I’m holding myself to these deadlines, but I also don’t want to rush and provide a subpar product. That simply won’t do either.

There. I feel better having talked it out. Thank you guys – you’re the best! 😊

Other than writing-stuff, life is good. Appa is still acting weird. He’s had a few accidents in the house, and is now starting to shake like he’s got Parkinson’s. I have no idea what’s going on with him, but hopefully it corrects itself. Or the drugs we’re buying him corrects it. Something has to give.

Batman is doing well. He’s working on his own stuff and it seems to be making him happy. Which makes me happy.

Alright…seems to be everything I’ve got. Recap: I’m:

  • Already behind schedule
  • Will update schedule
  • Still going to crush this year

At the end of the day, I’m still going to write you stories. Top priority. Feel safe and loved knowing that.

Second newsletter goes out on Monday (still need to write that…) and then I’m back here next Wednesday. Have a lovely, lovely day, guys.

Make that week.

Actually, make it month.

Ah, screw it. Life.

Have a lovely, lovely life, guys.

😊

~LC

It’s All Perspective, Right?

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Here we are, half way through the first month of the year. Ready for Christmas yet?

I’m kidding and not kidding because it’ll be here tomorrow and I like planning for things in advance. I kind of have to with what I’ve got going this year.

I have my four books I’ll be releasing—one in March, June, September, and December. I have these release dates memorized (if you receive my newsletter, you probably do too. If not, there’s a handy link on the website, so check out that bad-boy.) This entire time I was operating on the March/June/September/December timeframe even though I planned on providing ARCS for each.

ARCs! Advanced Reader Copies! That’s right!! That means March/June/September/December just became February/May/September/November. The kicker? I haven’t even written the one for November, which I plan to make available for Beta in August. We’re half way through January and I don’t even have a panster outline for this one. Thank God it’s the last novella so it shouldn’t take me too long. Let’s not even get started on the final TCATC book due in March 2024 which I still haven’t written.

Still. Haven’t. Written.

At all. Any of it. Not outline. NOTHING.

Yes, a huge part of me is internally freaking out (and always will) but I’ve listened to that part for too long. Not no more. I’m just going to turn up my Bob Marley and focus on what needs to get done instead of worrying about it. It’s all perspective, right?

 But enough about writing.

YELLOWSTONE.

Batman and I have been binging it for—*thinks to myself*—two weeks now? We just finished season four, and before we get into the fifth season, we’re tackling 1883 and then 1923. Because clearly, we think we don’t have day jobs, doggies to love, or side hustles to be hustled. All that exists is binging Yellowstone and its spinoffs, which I’m fine with. It’s very refreshing to escape my own reality (and the ones I come up with) to go into someone else’s.

And yes, Rip is hot in a way. I guess. Still not *quite* my type, but I see what you guys see. And I definitely see what my mom saw years ago in Kevin Costner.

That’s all for today. I’m either off:

  1. Doing something writing-related.
  2. Watching 1883
  3. Playing with Appa and/or Regis
  4. Possibly all four because I’m a multitasking motherfucker

I could also use a nap at some point. Maybe one day.

Until next week 😊

~LC

Check Those Details

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Last week was…interesting.

Mostly due to the exorbitant amounts of slobber, and the unintentional slip-n-slide we had going in the kitchen. But I like to think that kept us on our toes. And maybe…in some weird way…mopping the tile floor as well? No? Guess I still have to do that, then.

Appa went to the neurologist on Wednesday. According to the doctor, he didn’t see signs that pointed to anything “nefarious” (actually used the word nefarious) so I’m taking that as a win. He’s still having trouble closing his mouth, but we’re giving him anti-inflammatory medicine to combat that, so he doesn’t continue through life as a slack-jaw motherfuker. It seems to be getting a little better, but he’s still follows me around like a canine Darth Vadar, reminding me of his medical issues. At least he’s not one with the dark-side, unless you count his flatulence, which kills us all daily.

Our washing machine is still broken. The attendant came out—tried to schedule the legit same time as Appa’s appointment, so that was fun—and when he finally did arrive, he wasn’t able to fix it. He was missing a part and it would have to be this week. So…we still have giant piles of absolutely everything needing to be cleaned since, again, I made the intelligent, executive decision to put it all off until the last moment last weekend. This is the kind of CEO brain working behind writing and selling books, guys. MUAHAHA. Welcome to the funny farm, bitches.

That brings us to the writing updates—and the mistake I made because I didn’t check the details. (Guys—check the details. Just do it. It may take only a moment but it’s worth it. Trust me.) So, what didn’t I check the details on and basically, created a huge clusterfuck for myself? It was my last scheduled advertising for In The Moment Before—a paid, promotional newsletter that went out on Sunday. How did I screw it up? Well…without getting too into it, there are two basic ways to sell books:

  1. Through Amazon ONLY. You enroll in KU (Kindle Unlimited) which is a program that readers pay to be a part of, and they get every book in the program. Kind of like signing up for a streaming service.
  2. Through Amazon AND OTHER RETAILERS. This is called going “wide.” Readers are able to buy through Amazon (but must pay) and they can also buy through other retailers as well like Barnes & Noble, Apple, Google Play, ect.

Because I want absolutely anyone able to read my stuff (and I don’t believe in putting all my eggs in one basket) I’m a WIDE author. However, someone forgot to check her details and the promo listed In The Moment Before available as being in KU (it’s not.) Why is this such a big deal/goof up:

  1. I paid $115. You have to spend money to make money, right? (If you find a way around this, please tell me)
  2. All readers in KU who went looking for ITMB probably got pissed that it’s actually 2.99
  3. All WIDE readers saw it was in KU and probably didn’t think about it again.

This is what we call an *epic fail*. But we also call it—and repeat after me—a learning experience. Check those details. They could be really frigging important.

I also discovered that my scheduled blog posts aren’t posting as should be (hence the last two weeks they’ve gone up in the afternoon when I discovered they never posted in the morning). I contacted their help service who advised my website theme/appearance has been retired. Of course it has. Now that I’m working on my website and got it to the way I like. Of course.

All I can say is I’m tired, but at least these are champagne problems. Everyone is still here, healthy, and happy. That’s literally the only thing that matters.

I have another promotion running this Friday (the 13th – MUAHAHAHA!) for Escape from Harrizel, and you best believe me I’m checking the details. Last month I featured my BTT series and put it on sale. This month I’m focusing on promoting Arizal Wars, so…let’s see how this goes.

One last thing…it dawned on me that this is my tenth year of publishing. Yeah. I officially published Escape from Harrizel in 2013…a whole decade ago. Clearly, I’ve barely made any progress, but I wouldn’t change a thing. This is my journey, and I may be taking the real business steps a decade later, but I’m doing it. And I’m proud of myself for not quitting. And I’m proud of you too.

Okay, that’s all I got. I hope you have a fabulous week and weekend. First official 2023 Newsletter is going out on Sunday to the VIPers 😊

~ LC

Only Mildly Panicking

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We started off the New Year with Appa acting weird. He’s fine…except he can’t fully shut his mouth, which makes it harder for him to eat and drink, which makes for many, many puddles of drool throughout the house. Now, he is my son, and I will do whatever I need to, to take care of him, but I was not expecting my Direwolf to transform into a big, slobbering foamy factory overnight.

*shudders*

We have an appointment with the neurologist tomorrow, so hopefully, we should know more. Our main vet was confused by his test results, and other than advising he was suffering from Slack Jaw, she wasn’t sure. Hence, the visit with the neurologist tomorrow. I’m a little more concerned because Appa already suffers from seizures. So, something funky and messed up is going on inside his brain. Figures. He is part of this family.

Also—our washing machine stopped working. Yeah! We waited until the last day of our three-day weekend to start on the laundry, so almost as inconvenient as when it stopped working when we had Covid (and thought we were cleaning our gross clothes…). Batman is outside tinkering with things and twisting knobs, so I really have no idea how this is going to go. And most of my clothes are in the heaping piles on our bedroom, so this week will be interesting.

Writing-wise, I’m only mildly panicking. I’m still writing the Reader Magnet for A Royal Pairing in Perish, and I need to have it to the editor by January 13th in time for her to do her thing, get it back to me, and allow me to implement the changes, all before it goes live on February 17th, which is when the ARC of ARPIP releases. So, yeah. Still writing it, but hopefully I’ll finish it in time by next Friday.

*panicked breathing*

I also need to implement the final edits for A Royal Pairing in Perish IN ADDITION TO finishing up the latest draft of In The Moment During, so I can get that to Beta Readers by February also. Seriously, can I stretch the month of January please? THERE’S NOT ENOUGH TIME.

Or maybe I haven’t discovered that I’m a magical time Lorddess and can control this?

*thinks*

Hmm.

Also! Executive decision made: whilst updating my website to be more user-friendly, I thought about when I’d be revealing the names of future books. I kind of held out on revealing that info for…I don’t know why. Stupid, nonsensical reasons, I suppose. Does it really matter when? Do you care? Maybe if there’s some reason for the build-up, it’d make sense, right? Yeah, I thought so too. Which is why you’re getting the name for the remaining series. Call it a happy 2023 gift?

The Coyote And The Claw

A Royal Pairing in Perish – Book 1

A Return of Ghosts – Book 2

A Battle of Champions – Book 3

The Coyote And The Claw Companion Series

In The Moment Before – Novella 1

In The Moment During – Novella 2

In The Moment After – Novella 3

See? I feel better already. Know you all know and I don’t have to feel pressured with some kind of big reveal. It’s exciting—sure—but so is this post. And again, now you all know. You’re welcome 😊

Alright, that’s all I’ve got for you this week (and it’s enough) but I hope to dazzle you next week some more. Please cross your fingers for me and Batman in our upcoming battles.

We need it.

~ LC

Here I Was, Thinking I Was Coasting

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Here we go again.

I realized literally two days ago that not only did I want to include a bonus chapter for my March release, but I also want to include a Reader Magnet (free short story at the end) as well. Shouldn’t be too hard since this is releasing in three months, right? Yeah…but the ARC (advanced reader copy) will be available in mid-February which means I have to have the story back from the editor by early-February which means I need to have the work over to her around mid-January.

And…I still have to write the thing.

I also need a professional cover for the Reader Magnet in addition to the cover for In The Moment During, which will have pre-order information available as well. So, amidst all the holiday cheer and spirits and splendor, I realized I need to write two more pieces, get them edited, and get my covers ready all in the next couple of weeks. (I also need to finish implementing the final edits for the book itself. No pressure there). Sheesh. Guess this really taught me there is no slowing down once you release one book, especially with a continuing three-month-release schedule. Here I was, thinking I was coasting easy for a little bit but nah.

Let me repeat it for those in the back: NAH.

Alright, it’s officially been over a week since ITMB released and things have been…interesting. I’ve gotten some feedback that was slightly disappointing because there aren’t more paranormal aspects. I totally get that. Honestly, I was (and still am) a little hesitant about its category and if I’m misleading readers which is NOT MY INTENTION. But clearly, I’m a mess. All my genres kind of smear into another category because apparently, I like doing things the hard way. Probably why I took math honors classes when I clearly shouldn’t have.

But it’s all good. I’ll learn with each release and hopefully these kinds of things won’t occur to me a few weeks before they’re needed. I’ll get into a groove. A pattern. Some way to keep me sane through all this since—again, for those in the back—I’m on a three-month-release schedule all the way through 2024. I really hope I can stick to it. That’s where y’all come in. I need your help, your support, and your constant reminders that books are EXPECTED in March, June, September, and December.  Even if fans aren’t demanding them, I’m demanding them. And that’s good enough for me.

How was your Christmas? Hanukah? Kwanza? Festivus?? We’re all different and celebrate different things, so I hope whatever path you’re walking has led you to a fabulous holiday season. Mine was lovely, thanks for asking. I’ll probably touch base on it in this week’s newsletter (I’m doing two a month now, did you know?) So, if you’re interested in details, I’d crack that sucker open this Friday. Not subscribed? Here you go: SUBSCRIBE HERE. I’d sign up quickly because I’m including the FREE Short Story of Homecoming Night which is only available to my newsletter subscribers. (It’s exactly what you think it is. Literally the Homecoming Dance for Robin and Grayson. Curious what it’s like? Yeah. I was too. That’s why I wrote it).

Anyway, I’m off to go do all the things. Like write the Reader Magnet I need to have edited in a few weeks.

It’s all good; I got this.

~ LC

This is Getting Ridiculous

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Tell me if this is weird.

Batman and I (eating a very nutritious/delicious fast food meal) drove into a large empty space in a grocery store parking lot on Saturday night. (That’s not the weird part—I’m getting to it). So, we’re sitting in this large empty space with no one around us when this truck pulls up a couple spots over. Parks. Sits. The person isn’t directly across from us and maybe they’re enjoying their own fake food as well. Cool.

But then another truck shows up. Pulls right next to them so now there are two trucks sitting nearby in a giant empty parking lot on Saturday night. Okay. Whatever. Still a bit weird, but maybe this part of the parking lot is popular. But then another truck shows up. This one parks right next to us and I’m like wait. WTF is happening right now?

ANOTHER TRUCK came and that’s when I realized these teenybopper bitches decided to make our spot their spot for their Saturday night hang out (because that’s cool, right? *eyeroll*) Like, they literally parked around us because more vehicles were arriving as I told Batman it was getting too weird and I wanted to eat my fake food in privacy. So, we left.

But as we were leaving, I made sure to stare down the ringleader because he did this on purpose. Know how I know? He held my stare with a stupid little smile. He knew what he was doing. Batman said not to worry but this kid is a straight up psycho. Because, who does that? Psychos do.

Anyway, now that you know crazy kids are running the streets and grocery parking lots, I’ll jump to the highlight of the weekend—our lunch at the Columbia! Remember last week’s post (or was it on FB?) where I talked about how Batman and I are going for a lunch/dinner with every book release? It’s a new tradition we’re (I’m) starting and it’s really so I can celebrate me not completely giving up. Well, In The Moment Before earned us a swanky lunch at the Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine. And it was…lovely. The food was great, the Christmas decorations were great. Everything was great…except that the first thing our server did was complain about how we were another two-top table, since that’s all she was getting.

*sigh*

She was fine after that, but I definitely felt like an inconvenience for only being a party of two. It’s like we’re cursed. Batman and I are either seated near the restroom, the kitchen, or in places where tables shouldn’t go. We’ve been ignored completely, made to feel rushed, and now made to feel bad for only being two people. What the hell, restaurant-God? You know Batman and I don’t cook a lot. We depend on other people. We depend on restaurants, but this is getting ridiculous.

pics of us at the Columbia Restaurant to prove we exist and we went!

So that’s what’s going on with me. I do still have that stye in my eye—which I’m only now realizing I haven’t mentioned yet. Long story short—I have a stye and it got really bad last week and I kept rubbing it because I have no self-control, and it got worse and puffy and it looked like I’d been hit. It doesn’t look like that anymore and it’s not bothering me, but I pulled down my eyelid and it definitely has NOT gone away. I showed Batman and he freaked out and said I need to go to the doctor. Still unsure if I’m going to ignore it completely and hope it goes away like usual.

We’ll see.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, Festivus, whatever it is – I hope it’s wonderful and brings you much happiness! (And money too. Because inflation, am I right?)

~ LC