Tag: indie author

Doing This At My Pace

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It’s getting serious. It has to, right?

I could write and write and keep everything all to myself and my laptop (which I should name since I name most things and we’ve been through a lot together) and it could be a secret between only us. Pretty much what I’ve been doing with every other book I’ve published. It’s been me, the nameless laptop, and a handful of people (to whom I’ve mentioned its release) who know the story and that’s it. Hence zero sales. Hence limited *cough* no *cough* success.

NO MORE.

I’ve officially booked a date in early January for beta readers. This is through a service, and I feel better about letting them connect me with willing beta readers rather than politely tap on a friend’s shoulder and sorta kinda maybe see if they’d *possibly* be interested in reading this 110K book I wrote which could be complete garbage and is, by the way, super long. Course, if you’re out there in cyberspace and do want to beta read for me (and I know you in some way/know you won’t steal my work) then let me know. I’d love more feedback.

I ALSO BOOKED AN ARC DATE.

*mind exploding*

What does that mean and why is my mind exploding? Great questions. Well, basically, (sort of officially) it cements the fact that I’ll be publishing TCATC next year (woot!) because I’m asking people (again, through a service) to be an Advanced Reader and supplying them with a Copy of my book before it’s officially published. Basically, I’m asking people to review my book prior to its publication date, so it has reviews and isn’t sitting out there all lonely and cold and lame. Based on the ARC date that I selected, I’m publishing a week later which means, ladies and gentlemen, we’re looking at June 27th 2022 for this gal’s release of The Coyote and The Claw – A Royal Pairing in Perish.

*Tosses confetti*

*Carefully pops champagne bottle*

*Does adorable but very awkward dance moves*

Yes, I am still leaps and bounds behind where I should be (authors are advertising their second book in the backmatter of their first and I haven’t even written the second book…) but it’s all good. I’m doing this at my pace, and want to put out quality work so, I’m not rushing. But, it’s been the fear of doing it wrong that’s kept me from even trying. To quote a great woman despite the nonsensicalness I’ve seen around the interwebs lately:

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case, you fail by default.” ~ JK Rowling

Microphone drop.

Gotta do what I can, in the best way I can. And right now, that means releasing the first book in my next series in June, and hoping to have the second book out by the end of the year if not early 2023. Seems like a reasonable and attainable goal, and I am on board for both of those things.

Hoping you are having a fabulous week (and month and year and life cycle…) and that you’ve murdered zero people in response to any holiday stress. Go you!

Until our next date,

~ Lady Caitlin

Stay Tuned

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I ended up telling a bunch of people about my poor experience at FDC, one of them being a coworker. I don’t like confrontation (as has been previously voiced) so my response to being ignored at a rich, fancy restaurant is to steam silently, tell everyone I know, and do absolutely nothing. A few people said I should write a review, but I like to put unfavorable experiences behind me. No use dwelling because I’ll only end up spoiling the present moment.

My coworker wasn’t having it. She went onto their site, completed a comment form, and wrote down exactly what happened. I didn’t ask her to, but she was infuriated on my behalf, and it was fun to waste twenty minutes at work talking crap about FDC. (I do love my job).

Guess what came in the mail the other day?

A gift card for two free dinners.

Batman and I swore we’d never go back, never give them anymore of our money.

But…

These are free delicious dinners with people carrying around slabs of steak and there’s a station of CANDIED BACON. CANDIED BACON, guys. Come on. Not sure I can ignore free candied bacon. That seems almost…sacrilegious. So, the question is, do we return in the new year and take advantage of our two free delicious dinners with the off-chance they remember us (probably not) and will therefore spit in our food (probably not) because an honest review was left of their crappy service? (Probably not). Or do we go eat candied bacon for free and enjoy it?

*scratches chin*

Yes, I’m an overthinker. Yes, I’m anxious when it comes to these kinds of things. And YES, not only have I seen Waiting with Ryan Reynolds (so I know servers mess with food) but I’ve worked in a restaurant and I KNOW SERVERS MESS WITH FOOD. But if we go in February/March, maybe they won’t remember us/know we’re there because of what happened? Maybe the bitterness of a less-than-stellar anniversary dinner won’t taunt a pleasant spring supper?

I don’t know, guys. Thinking I’m too poor to give up a station of free candied bacon.

Also, in my journey to become a *legit* indie author, I’m researching, like, everything, including my newsletter. You remember that, right? Haha, me too. Memories. Think I mentioned wanting to do one earlier this year, sent out a few and then…nothing…because I didn’t know what I was doing. First, sorry to the handful of you that got my first attempt. MUAHAHA. Apparently, I’ve been doing everything wrong—no surprise there—so I will be trying this again. Not sure how it will affect you, but wanted to give you a heads up that I AM working on it, it WILL one day be absolutely magnificent and you should see some more from me in the new year. So stay tuned for that.

I’ve made other impressive indie-author strides too, but I’ll fill you in on that next week since the free dinner card from FDC is obviously of top priority. Again, free candied bacon. I mean…it’s soooo good…

I’ve taken up too much of your time. Go do something with your life. Be somebody. Make today great and you’ll hear from me next Wednesday.

~ Lady Caitlin

I Have a Working Title

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The reason I missed the last two weeks (besides being lame) is because I’ve been writing so much of The Coyote and the Claw. That’s right. You just read a title, folks.

The Coyote and the Claw

Now, imagine it in gold script against a blue or black background. Looks good, huh? I mean, in my brain, it rocks. But anything rocks compared to a year of Untitled, so even if I change it again, at least I’ve got something. A base.

(Also: breaking my three-word title trend here. All the books in my Arizal Wars series (Escape from Harrizel, Plague of Mybyncia, Discovery at Nerwolix, and Crusade Across Worlds) and my Better Than Now series (Better than Now, Better Than You, Better Than This) all have three-word titles. How did I do this? Was it subconsciously done? Literally no clue. But, this newest project has FIVE words, and I’m stoked. Just stoked.)

So, what’s the Coyote and the Claw, right? Or, should I say whom? My crime-fighting main characters who each have their own voice sections/chapters. Not going to give anything away, especially since I’m still *technically* writing the first draft of this version, but yes, this is a superhero story. Well, about two superheroes who fall in love. But there’s action, so it’s actually interesting this time.

When I think of all the words I’ve written, and scenes I’ve loved from previous drafts that I won’t share with anyone, I get sad. Then, I think of the newest project and everything I’ve written since, and get excited again. It only took about four drafts of other stories to carve away and manipulate this story into what it’s finally become—somewhat readable.

Hurray!

I’m about—eh—fifty or so pages (four or five chapters?) away from being done. With this first draft. And then, we start from the beginning again, combing through each chapter, making it better. I do that another half a dozen times before I ask anyone to read it. And that, my friends, is the life of an indie-author. It’s also where I to get stuck in the whole process. The part when I’m ready to share it. To publish the thing, after a round of professional editing, obviously. Because once it’s in the world, I literally don’t know what to do after that. Other than start writing the second book, which is what usually what happens.

Ah, the eye-twitching indie-author cycle continues.

I need to be more involved. I know this. I’m so not doing what I should in terms of participating with the writing community, readers, keeping up with new tools and platforms, ect. It’s my own fault, but I can’t seem to break the habit. I can’t seem to get into it the way other authors do. The only thing I really consistently keep up with is the actual writing and this blog. Mostly. And you see how often I’m lame and miss a week. So, any social media P.A. wizards out there looking to score some pro-bono points for a *future* bestseller—I’ll have a sign-up sheet shortly.

I guess I need help, which is fine. We all do. But, before I even go down that path for this book, I need to finish it first. And I’m getting there, guys. I’m definitely getting closer now that I have a working title.

I’ll take the win.

~ Lady Caitlin