Irresistibly Yours Release Date Announcement

Friday, November 16, 2018 No comments

Hello lovelies!

I'm excited to announce the official release date for Irresistibly Yours today. The short story compilation is currently in the hands of my editor, which means we're getting closer and closer. So it's time to let you in on all the news!

As you may remember, I've pulled both Here All Along and More Than Words from all retailers and will be putting both stories into the Irresistibly Yours compilation. You can look at these previously published books here on my site.

Here's a list of the lineup of story titles included in the compilation:


• Here All Along
• More Than Words
• Taking the Risk
• Breaking the Rules
• Hook Me Up
• Just One Favor

The lengths vary from 4,000-12,000 words. Altogether there is approximately 40,000 words between all six stories.

And the official release date?


(drumroll please)

January 16th 2019!

I'll have a preorder link for the cover reveal, but in the meantime you can add Irresistibly Yours on Goodreads here. If you would like to participate in the cover reveal (January 3rd) or the release blitz or receive an ARC, please fill out this form.


Thank you for being awesome!



New Covers for the Resist Series

Thursday, November 15, 2018 No comments


Hello lovelies!

I have something exciting to share today: NEW COVERS!

It's been something I've been attempting to do for a while now, but hadn't found the right images to use. It is easy to find a single stock photo for a standalone book. However, to find enough for a series? That's a different story. I had to find three of them to for the Resist series--one for Resist, one for Longing, and one for a boxed set (which will be seen at a later time when it releases). I'm pleased to say I found all three of them AND they turned out quite nice if I do say so myself.



What do you think? I feel they convey Devlin and Allegra's story very well. The covers should be updated everywhere soon.



You Have To Have A Plan

Friday, November 2, 2018 No comments

You wrote a book. Congrats! Now what?


When you look at all the tasks that are necessary to publish your book, it might seem overwhelming as a newbie. It doesn't have to be, though! There's a short list of basics that are fairly easy to do.

In the following paragraphs, I'll go over these basics. I'm skipping the writing and editing process since everyone's pace varies. Instead I'll be focusing on what you need to do once you have a finished manuscript. Bear in mind that these are just basic guidelines and some may not even apply to you or you may do them in a different order.

Before anything else, have all your profiles set up.


This is your website/blog, Twitter, and Facebook page primarily. Also consider Instagram and Pinterest as both are great tools for authors. You'll need these available when people are seeking out you and your books. Get a like or a follow and they'll see future posts about your releases.

Then you'll need to consider is your cover. There are a lot of cover designers out there with several price ranges for custom and premade covers. Your cover will be the first thing potential readers will see before they even read your blurb, so it needs to intrigue them enough to click to find out more.

Once you have a cover, you'll want to do some sort of cover reveal. This you can do through a book tour company or on your own. If you choose to do it on your own, make sure you get several fellow readers and writers to share it as well on their blogs or social media. This is a good start in generating buzz about the book.

Before you reveal your cover, you need to have a few things ready to share with it: the blurb (synopsis), release date, and a link (either to the book on Goodreads or Amazon). It's best to have a preorder link because you're more likely to get readers to buy your book when they see the cover versus hoping they still remember your book in a month or two when it releases. However, if you'd prefer to publish without a preorder, definitely have the Goodreads link so people are able to at least add it to their Goodreads shelf.

The timing of cover reveal to release date is up to you. Traditionally published authors can have a longer time (three to four months), but for self-published books it's best to have shorter times. This helps keep the buzz alive if the reader knows it's coming in a month or two.

When you pick your release date, make sure you have your final manuscript formatted and ready to go. This is especially critical if you choose to put your book up for preorder. Amazon is very strict about preorders. Once you set it, you are required to have the final manuscript uploaded within a certain number of days before the scheduled release date. If you delay this or cancel the preorder, you will lose preorder privileges on Amazon for a year. So definitely be ready to avoid this.

As far as marketing and getting reviews of your book goes, there are several options out there. Blog Tour companies, PR companies, Goodreads groups, Facebook groups, and NetGalley for starters. There are a lot of great groups on Goodreads and Facebook specifically for promo, and some authors (if you're already friends with them) will allow other authors to post in their group about a new release or to request ARC readers. When you're new you may have to invest a little bit of money to get your name and book noticed, but the investment is small and will help you in the long run.

You can even contact bloggers directly yourself, but be sure to thoroughly read their review policy to know they read your genre and are accepting new books for review. Some may not be accepting reviews, so check to see if they're able to host you for an interview or guest post.

Once you're closer to release, you can start scheduling posts on your blog and social media. It's easy to schedule on a blog and Facebook page, but if you need to schedule for Twitter you'll need to use Tweetdeck or Hootsuite. These multi-profile platforms are great for planning ahead and you can use them for multiple social media accounts all in one place. Personally, I have trouble posting daily, so scheduling posts is a useful option that you should definitely take advantage of.

On release day try to stay active online. Like posts you get tagged in about your release and leave a thank you on blogs that host you. Share your release in groups that allow open promo. And try not to get stressed over sales or average ratings. You did something amazing: Published a book! Be proud of your accomplishment.

And that's about it! 


At least, until the next book. *wink wink* Hope the advice helps you with your self-publishing plan!



Special Announcement regarding Here All Along and More Than Words

Wednesday, October 3, 2018 No comments


 


Hello lovelies!

I have a special announcement to share with you today regarding Here All Along and More Than Words. It's something I've given a lot of thought to and finally decided that this is the best thing to do.

Here All Along was my first book, and More Than Words was my third. They both have a special place in my heart. HAA was the first true romance I wrote in its entirety and MTW was written the fastest. Unfortunately, they're both too short to be sold individually. When I initially started, I only had so many stories written and published so I didn't mind having them each at 99 cents. Times have changed since 2014, however, and readers prefer longer stories for that price. And with HAA at just over 9000 words and MTW at just over 12,000 words, they barely qualify as novellas by most standards.

I considered the possibility of putting the two stories into one book, but that felt a little silly. Then as I began putting the Irresistibly Yours short story compilation together, I realized that the most logical solution would be to have HAA and MTW included in it. They are short stories after all.

So, both Here All Along and More Than Words will be getting removed from all e-retailers starting November 1st in preparation of being part of my next release. In the meantime, you can still purchase them for 99 cents each if you'd like. Or if you'd prefer to wait until Irresistibly Yours is out, then you can get both of them plus four more short stories from me.

Here All Along

More Than Words


Until next time!



Pacing Yourself

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 1 comment

One of the biggest things I've learned from my writing career is to learn how to pace myself.


Everyone works at different speeds and has different circumstances, and even those things change over time. For some they are working at a comfortable and manageable pace, but for others it can be stressful and even overwhelming.

If you fall into the latter category, it might be a good time to step back and consider why this is happening. Has it been happening for years or months? Was it happening when you started your career or did it change over time?

Try to pinpoint the moment or maybe the month it began. Did you decide to take on more work? Double your daily word count? Accept more responsibility like beta reading? Or did you have a real life change like marriage or divorce or having a baby?

It doesn't have to be anything big necessarily, even small changes to our routine can throw off our pace. Usually we can find a way to adapt, but maybe we were unable to go back to the way things used to be. It's not uncommon for people to expect things to fall into place. However, that's not always how life works.

Take for example the daily word count. When I was writing after publishing my debut novel under my real name, I set easy to reach goals for myself. If I wanted to publish by a certain time, I had to determine how many words I could reasonably handle to write daily or every other day to reach that goal. For my last two full-length books, I had a personal aim of 500-1000 words per writing session with the ultimate goal of at least 15,000 words per month. It worked out well for me back then. It doesn't now.

What changed?


My life did. I went from a single go-getter author to a girlfriend, then fiancee, and now wife. Of course I don't regret falling in love, but it did interrupt the pace I had prior.

I fell out of my routine because of my new life with my now husband. Attempts were made to write off and on, but the time I had available was more and more limited. Eventually I was so out of practice that when I did have time to sit and write, my skills were beginning to slip into old habits of poor structure and stilted dialogue. It became extremely frustrating and caused me to dread sitting down to write because even if I could somehow manage to write 500 words, they would likely be deleted the following day. Since I wasn't able to keep a steady flow of words going, I couldn't have a steady release rate of actual books either, which added to my initial frustration.

In recent months I've had to step back and evaluate what I want and how I can achieve it. And the most necessary thing for me was to learn how to pace myself. Can I write 500 words a day? Maybe, but I don't force it if it's not happening. I give myself a pat on the back for getting 100 new words because those are 100 more than yesterday and I'm extremely proud of that fact. I've also taken a look at other aspects to my writing career: social media, author bio, ebook content, etc. There have been things I've put off for weeks/months/years that I can set aside a block of time to accomplish. They may not be words for a book, but they are still necessary parts of the whole picture as an author.

The same can be done for you. Can't write 1000 words a day like you used to? Aim a bit lower for a week with 500 per day, or do 800 a day on weekdays and take weekends off to regroup. Figure out the pace you can handle right now and work your way up to more at a later date. Have you been slacking on your social media accounts? Take half an hour once a week to schedule posts for the following week.

It's all about learning what you can and can't do at this moment, and also how to adjust your routine and free time to accomplish your goals easier. It may take some time to figure it all out, but it's worth it to prevent burnout or even possibly quitting entirely. Take a moment to consider where you're at and what you can manage right now.

Today may be a 100 word day, tomorrow could be 500, but no matter what, take care of you. Being stressed and overwhelmed isn't a good combination and can inhibit productivity.

Pace yourself. Take your time. Learning to adapt to changes can help your career be the success you want it to be.



Why I Pulled My Books From Kindle Unlimited

Friday, July 27, 2018 No comments

If you follow me on social media or are a member of my reader group on Facebook, you'll have heard about me pulling my books out of Kindle Unlimited.

You may or may not remember me saying that the time before this one would be the last KU attempt... and I honestly thought it would be! I don't even know what possessed me to do it again when I knew it wouldn't be worth it, but this time? I really truly am done with KU. All of my currently published books won't go back in KU again.

The main reason why I pulled them is that in the long run it isn't worth it. My page reads did increase after I ran a couple 99 cent and free sales, which was pretty awesome, but it wasn't enough.

Also, I had to factor in the page stuffer issue. If you haven't heard about that, here's a good article to get the lowdown on it. Fortunately, Amazon has been cracking down on this. I read about several well-known page stuffing authors having their books pulled. So, I'm grateful Amazon has been willing to fix this for the KU authors who follow the rules.

Even with page stuffers gone, it's still not entirely worth utilizing KU for me. Having my books wide feels like the right thing to do.

As of right now, only four of my books are out of KU and wide again. Two of them (Here All Along and More Than Words) are still in until next month because that's when their exclusivity with Amazon ends. I'll be doing something special with those two books in the near future, so be on the lookout for an update next month.

Thanks for reading!



When life gives you oranges...

Friday, May 11, 2018 No comments

We all know the phrase "When life gives you lemons,  make lemonade", but life doesn't always give you lemons. Sometimes it gives you oranges. "Is that a bad thing?" you may ask. And, no, it isn't a bad thing if you don't mind having orange juice. But if you wanted lemonade then, well, you're outta luck.

What's the point of this analogy?


It's no secret that the last two and a half years have been a struggle for me when it comes to writing. My last official published book was Can't Stay Away on February 29th 2016 (I'm not counting the poetry book I published under my married name or the re-release of Here All Along with bonus epilogue). Back then I didn't expect it to take long to get a new book released. I thought I'd have a new one out by summer or fall 2016. When that didn't happen, I figured I'd get something out in 2017. And when that didn't happen, I had high hopes that I could publish in early 2018.

Then that didn't happen either.


Life wasn't handing me lemons like it used to. It was handing me oranges. Limes. Grapefruit. Things that were still good, but just weren't what I needed.

What does this all mean?


After a great deal of soul searching and talking things over with a couple friends, I've come to the decision to go on hiatus for a few months. What kind of hiatus? I'll be taking a step back from the professional aspect of my writing: no planned releases, no deadlines, no publishing.

For the last two years I've been talking about what I'm working on and what I'm planning on publishing next. And every single one of these stories I've mentioned hasn't come close to getting published. It's frustrating to me that I haven't been able to follow through, but I'm sure it's even more frustrating to my readers who have been anxiously awaiting a new story from me. I don't want to be one of those authors who makes release promises they can't keep.

As of right now, I'm taking a breather. I need to get everything about my author career sorted as well as new stories written. I have to do it at my own pace, without any pressure of completing anything by a self imposed deadline that I might not meet. I don't want to fall into a habit of rushing the process and publishing something that isn't good quality.


How long will this hiatus last?



At the very least I'll be taking the summer off, but there's a good chance I'll take the fall off as well. It all depends on how the first few months go and how much I'm able to handle and accomplish.

I'll still be around of course! On Facebook, in my FB group, on Twitter, and Instagram (see links in my signature below to follow), as well as a possible blog post when inspiration happens. I don't want to just seem like I've fallen off the face of the earth. So, follow me everywhere and stay in touch. As soon as I have things back on track, you better believe I'll let you all know.


Thank you so much for reading, for listening, and for being awesome! Love you!




Shaded With Love Volume Five Coloring Book is LIVE

Friday, March 16, 2018 No comments


I'm in the latest Shaded With Love coloring book and it's now available for purchase!

US: http://amzn.to/2FSLsiO
UK: http://amzn.to/2HvQcrA

Thank you for your support of Shaded with Love: Coloring Books for a Cause! 100% of proceeds from this volume will be directly donated to RAINN - The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE, online.rainn.org) in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. For more information visit www.rainn.org.

If you would like more information about Shaded with Love Coloring Books, or if you want information on participating in an upcoming volume, please visit us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/shadedwithlove/ Participants included in this volume are all a part of the indie book industry. I hope you enjoy coloring their pages, and further hope you find some new amazing authors, blogs, editors and companies to check out!

Participants: 2 One-Click Addicts A Page to Turn Reviews Amanda Leigh Amber Addison Amber Lacie Amelia Wilde Andrea Johnston Ashlynn Monroe Barb Shuler Betty Shreffler Blooming Books Brandi Aga Bree Dahlia C.J. Lazar Cassie Graham Cayce Poponea Chelle C. Craze Cheryl McMahan Cora Kenborn D. M. Earl Dani René Danielle Wright Darlene Tallman Deneale K. Williams Diana Marie DuBois Dirty Fairytales DL Gallie Dylan Allen Dyllan J. Erikson Eden Rose Elizabeth York H.M. Sholander Harloe Rae Jack Jameson Jaime Russell Jas T. Ward Jennifer Vester Jiffy Kate Jo-Anne Joseph Jordan Bates K. Renee Kaitlyn Ashley Kathleen Kelly Kathryn Kelly Kay Maree KC Enders Kelsey Elise Sparrow Kenzie Rose Kim Deister Kristie Leigh L.A. Ozz Lane Martin Lauren Firminger Leddy Harper Lexi C. Foss Lilly Avalon Lisa Shelby Little Shop of Readers LK Farlow M.A. Foster M.C. Webb M.E. Carter M.R. Leahy Mareta L. Miller Martina Marie Michele Shriver Mila Waters Misha Elliott Mitzi Carroll Nicky Fox Nicole Banks Nikki Ash Phoebe Alexander Reading After Dark Reagan Hollow Rebecca Gallo Renee Dyer Roux Cantrell S. Van Horne S.N. Garza Samantha A. Cole Scott Hildreth Socially Awkward Book Nerd Steffy Rogers Susan's Books I Like Sylvie Stewart Taryn Steele The Bookworm Box Tracie Douglas Tracy Millosovich V.P. Ortiz Verlene Landon Vicki Green Vivian Wood Xana Jordan




HAPPY COLORING!



Here All Along Bonus Epilogue, Shiny New Cover, AND Giveaway!

Thursday, February 15, 2018 2 comments

Hello lovelies!

I haven't shared a blog post in A WHILE and I feel bad about that because I had every intention of posting at least a couple/few times a month. I've been fairly busy since the start of 2018. But I'm here! And I'm excited to share with you the Here All Along re-release!

I designed a new cover and wrote a bonus epilogue to share around the FOUR YEAR anniversary of Here All Along. I originally wanted to write a whole sequel for Adrian and Hazel, but it wasn't happening. The furthest I could get was, you guessed it, this epilogue. I read over it not long ago and knew I needed to add it to this book for everyone to read. So I revised and edited it and here we are!


Every time Hazel Bell goes on a date, she returns home unhappy and disenchanted about love. At least her best friend Adrian Williams is always there for her, even more so now that they're roommates. After both of them have a bad night out, they decide to just relax and forget the world for awhile. It's been a long time since they've been alone together. They certainly weren't counting on the close quarters bringing out hidden desires. Now it appears their platonic friendship is being put to the test—one that neither can resist.

By the end of the night, will it be the end for Hazel and Adrian—or a new beginning?



Also, good news: Here All Along will be made into paperback in the near future! I have the inside part formatted and just need to get the full-wrap cover done. Once I have that, it'll be available for purchase. :)

Giveaway

A new cover and bonus epilogue deserves a giveaway, right??? At least I think it does. So, to celebrate the re-release, I'm giving away a special Valentine's themed gift (featuring a Valentine's box, scarf, socks, and chocolates) and Here All Along swag! This giveaway is US only, but there is a secondary giveaway of Here All Along swag for international entrants.


a Rafflecopter giveaway




What's new in 2018!

Tuesday, January 2, 2018 No comments


Hello lovelies!

Welcome to 2018 and the first post in the new year!

Let's get down to business. ^_^

Surprise Giveaways


I decided to start monthly surprise giveaways for everyone! These surprises consist of several little goodies like washi tape, notebooks, lotions, etc. I'll even be throwing in a few bits of swag as well.

Every month there will be a Rafflecopter with one main entry and then five other entries. The first one is to determine whether you're US or International for shipping, then the rest are for visiting my FB page, following on Twitter, subscribing to my newsletter, joining my FB group, and a special bonus entry. This bonus entry is a secret word that can be found in the monthly newsletter, which will be sent in the first few days of the year. This month's newsletter has already been sent, so if you're a subscriber, you can gain double entries with the word of the month!

Want to enter? Follow this link for your chance to win the monthly surprise giveaway for January. Aren't a subscriber to my newsletter yet? Subscribe here!

Facebook Group


After much deliberation, I decided to delete my Patreon account. I had a love-hate relationship with it, but when I really thought about it, I realized it wasn't the way for me to go. It was unfair to my loyal fans who have received special tidbits in my Facebook group, Lilly's Lovelies. I didn't want to do that to them anymore, so Patreon is no more.

If you've enjoyed my books and are interested in getting exclusive teasers and looks at covers early, join Lilly's Lovelies! I would love to see you on there.



Thanks for reading! I'll be posting again soon about more exciting developments. :)