JOLT - Countdown to the Apocalypse

 What if it cost you NOTHING to put gas in your car? What if you paid nothing to heat your home or cool it in summer? What if your electric bill was only for new light bulbs? How would that change your life? A real pipe dream, right?

Joel Heath, PhD has dedicated his career to making this pipe dream a reality. He’s obsessed with unlocking the secret of cold fusion energy. He’s come so close, but the final piece of the puzzle eludes him.

Which is a good thing, for Joel actually. You see, Phil Devlin’s energy conglomerate earns billions in profits with things just the way they are. He’s been keeping tabs on Joel. Phil was ruthless in attaining his stature of wealth and influence, and he’d protect his position with ferocity. He can crush Professor Joel Heath with a text message.

Neither man knows the planet is 90 days away from global slaughter, triggered by an oil war. One man does know. He has been cursed with prescient visions. These visions have shattered his life, plummeting him from an established career to begging on the street.

Joel’s simple gesture of compassion to this homeless derelict is rewarded with a dazzling insight. He has the key! This jolt of clarity begins with a touch, a touch that can send the world spinning out of control.

Because Phil Devlin sends that text message.

Funny Business

Here's what readers are saying about Funny Business

" Super fun, super cute story with some laugh out loud moments that had be grinning from ear to ear. When there’s a mix up between criminals and a wannabe romance writer, all hell breaks loose." T's Books

"This book was hilarious. It had me laughing out loud. Artie is a great character. I loved that he took on the trials of writing a romance novel, not the norm for a man. His getting his "girly on" when he needed inspiration really made me laugh. I could really relate to the ups and downs of Artie and Marie's relationship. He was clueless, and she didn`t want anything to do with another cop. Then there's Carmine. His attempts at being a mobster are hilarious, especially since he basically still lives with his parents. I loved that this was a light, carefree story. It was so funny, my kids were wondering why I was laughing so much while reading it. The writing really flowed and the story was easy to follow. If you're looking for a laugh, this is the book for you."
Rose's Book Snobs

Creating a Video Book Trailer for the tech challenged (idiots like myself)

Yesterday I tried my hand at creating a book trailer for the Tales of Pandora series. I couldn't believe how simple it was! Even a non-tech person like me could do it!!!

First of all, I chose the photos I wanted to use from http://www.bigstockphoto.com/.  Next, I imported them into Adobe Photoshop, in order to add the text that I wanted to show on the photos, saved them as jpeg files.

I visited http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free to select the music I wanted to play in the background and saved it to my computer.

I then downloaded Windows movie maker.  This program is so simple!!! It gives you the option to import your jpeg and music files. The files appear in a window above the film clip boxes.

You drag each file to a film clip box.  In the edit window on the left, select the video and transition effect which you like. This is then dragged between the film clip boxes.

You can create a title for your film, as well as an end clip.

Switch to "Show timeline" (it's a button just above the film clip boxes). When it appears, you drag your music file there. The music file will likely be much longer than the length of your video. No problem. Click on the end of the music file at the right and drag it to match the length of your video.

You're done!

Annik's Story RELEASE

Whew! What a summer and where did it go? I can't believe I'm looking forward to September and I

don't even have school aged children anymore.  But in a way, I kind of do. My babies are the books

that will be released over the next few months.

September 16th - The third book in the Tales of Pandora series, Annik's Story.

Annik has made appearances in the first book, The Story of Rachel and the second book, Nancy's 

Soldier. readers of those two books loved Annik, so hopefully they'll love her in a book which is all about her!

(Nancy's Soldier was formerly titled Soldier Boy but I changed the name to escape the Amazon Adult

dungeon. I think in their minds, erotic romance should not have the word Boy in the title. I detest the

idea of pedophiles and all of our books feature adults who are in their thirties and forties. So if

anything, I'm pushing the envelope in the opposite direction when the majority of popular romantic

erotic novels feature people in their twenties. While I get that this age group is at the height of their

attractiveness, i just can't buy that there are too many self made billionaires at 28 and if there are, they'd
probably be computer geeks. Okay, enough of my rant.)  

October 15th - Funny Business, a book written by my partner, Desmond X. Torres will be released.

It is a laugh out loud romantic comedy that features a cop from the Bronx, his beautiful but feisty car

mechanic and a troupe of gangster wannabe's. Their paths cross when the books they are publishing

and in the case of the gangsters, plagiarizing, get mixed up because their titles are so similar. The

gangsters' scam on Amazon sky rockets the cop's book to #1 and he's suddenly rich, sought after by

the publishing world wanting to interview and promote his author name Desiree Robb. Enter the

woman he's secretly loved for years, Marie the neurotic mechanic.


November 11th - JOLT will be released. Desmond wrote this book, trying his hand at yet another

genre. It is a paranormal, dystopian novel. Joel is a scientist working on solving the world's energy

crisis. He's close to the answer but it isn't until he has a paranormal experience with a Aboriginal

Panhandler that it comes to him. Elise is a secretary going through a dog fight divorce with problems at

work. But that's the least of it--her mother is dying with cancer. When she is jolted by the

Panhandler, her life dramatically changes and she now sees auras.     The two meet and a love develops

between them and it is Elise who is instrumental in saving Joel. There are powerful interests who do

not want the cheap, renewal energy he's discovered to be released.

Now imagine what a world where the average person pays about $25 a year for his energy use - is it chaos or utopia? Find out in JOLT 2.

WHET - in case you think I haven't been busy, I've been working on WHET, the prequel to the Tales of Pandora series. It should be out before the end of the year.

Excerpt from Annik's Story

Here is an excerpt from the next book in the Tales of Pandora series - Annik's Story.

It's a steamy scene between Annik and the man she is in love with at the sex club Pandora's, where sexuality is celebrated!

Tom was waiting at the entrance to the ballroom and smiled when he noticed her. Walking slowly to him, she lowered her eyes. Her tiny hand was enveloped in his as he led her to the St. Andrew’s cross. Near it, his partly opened toy bag sat. She was placed against the heavy cross, facing the wall, not able to see what he was doing. Her hand was raised high on the arm of the wooden cross. Leather encased her wrist. Oow! The skin there was caught for a moment in the buckle he cinched shut. She felt his finger inside the loop as he tested that it is secure yet not tight enough to cut off her blood flow.
As he repeated this process with her other hand, she sensed people gather near. There was whispering and subdued voices from the crowd who watched.

Her back arched upward, neck muscles straight and taut as Tom’s hands touched her ankle. He was buckling the leather strap. There was firm pressure on her skin. A thrill of fear shot through her core, waiting for him to finish her other foot. Her fingers trembled. She clenched them into fists before pressing them against the wooden surface of the cross. How many times had they scened together? Countless. Always, there was the excitement and the fear before each one. To be physically restrained, completely vulnerable to her Master. When would he begin? Her body was taut like a bowstring waiting for the caress of his touch, the sting of the whip. She shivered even as warmth infused the flesh between her outstretched legs. The room and the hushed breathing of the crowd dissolved. There was only her outstretched body waiting for her Master.

Her head jerked to the side as his breath tingled warmly against her ear, his lips brushing the soft lobe.
“Would you like me to continue?” he whispered.


“Ye..yes, please Master.”


“What are your colors? Tell me.” he demanded.


“Red to stop. Orange to ease up. Yellow to take care.” She was now committed to this. Every nerve ending was firing. She inhaled deeply through her nose, nostrils flared as he left her. There was a rustle sound as he rummaged in his toy bag. Would he use Ouch or Oh Shit, the cane?
The ends of the whip snapped against her thigh. Her body flinched. But it was more from surprise than pain. Then the other leg. He was using the doeskin, leather flogger. When it struck, the blow was loud; the pain was minimal. How long would it be before he stopped the warm-up and got serious? The whip pelted her back and ass. Nerve cells were sensitive to each blow. But it wasn’t enough. She sighed, loud enough for him to hear and in so doing, challenged him for more.


Then nothing, yet sensing that he was coming near. The soft touch of cloth wiping her back was soothing. It cooled her warm skin.


Goosebumps appeared on her skin when his warm breath caressed her neck. She trembled as the feathered touch of his fingertips grazed down her arm, along the side of her breast, her waist and the outside of her buttock. Bastard! She set her lips tight together, knowing what he was about to do. His fingers dipped between her legs and cupped her pulsing vulva. He pressed it firmly and began to rub softly. God it was good! She closed her eyes and reveled in the stimulation but stood stock still. She couldn't show him that he was getting to her, yet. He needed to earn it.


He left and there was a rustle sound as he reached into the toy bag once more. She inhaled deeply, head held high, knowing that he would try harder to break her. Oow! The sting of the hard leather flogger hit her ass. Stifling a moan before it left her lips, she gritted her teeth hard as he hit her again and again in one spot. This was almost too much! Then he hit a different place, her thigh. She flinched, pressing her abdomen into the hard surface of the cross at the pain of the next blow. Breathing hard, almost panting from the pain, she squeezed her eyes shut, determined to not safe word out. Would not turn her head even slightly, to look at him. 


He stopped. What would come next? What would he do? Her knees chattered against the wooden cross leg. Oh! What was that? Her muscled twitched at the sudden icy pressure on her shoulder blade. He was using a cold damp cloth to bathe the hurt. Her chin dropped to her chest as her back rounded seeking the coolness of his soft touch on her welts. She was aware of the warmth and energy his body exuded as he stood close to her. His lips trailed faint butterfly kisses along her neck and lingered in the hollow. Her head lolled to the side and she sighed. 


There was tremor of pleasure in her vulva where his fingers explored. She felt the damp fabric of her panties being tugged aside. Her bare flesh was exposed. She ached for his touch; her clitoris would explode if he didn't touch it. His fingers played in her wetness, slid into her inner core. It was divine. She clamped her muscles on his fingers and he withdrew. His slick finger crept softly towards her clit and stopped just shy of it. Oh God, this was such sweet torture. She was breathing raggedly, ached in her longing but would not give in - yet. She yearned to surrender. Yes, take me. But she also wanted to continue this dance of wills. 


His fingers left her open, vulnerable, craving more. His footsteps softly thudded on the floor as he walked away from her. She waited, wondered where the next blow would fall. What was he doing? This was taking an awfully long time. Then his voice. He was speaking to someone. What the hell! In the middle of a scene he decided to strike up a conversation? Oh he was really playing hardball! Touch me! You bastard!
He made her wait. And wait. Her fingers drum against the wood of the cross; weight shifts from leg to leg, waiting. Her skin was searing hot where she has been welted and bruised. The longing, empty center of her sexual arousal coupled with the pain arousal left her raw. A single tear escaped her eye as head dropped, she willed him to return. 


Her body stiffened straight, hands strained against the leather restraint as the unexpected bee sting of a single tail whip snapped her ass. OOW! That one really hurt. With body clenched, she waited for the next blow. It landed on her outer thigh. The next, higher on her hip. Her back and thighs were peppered with pain. And then it stopped. She exhales slowly through her mouth the breath she had gasped and held within her. Her skin tingled as she sensed his approach. His face was then before her half shut eyes. She opened them wider to see his eyes peering at her intently, the smirk on his lips. She was breathing hard. 
Her Master chuckled and retreated to stand behind her again. There was a click and the low hum of a vibrator. Oh God, she has longed for what would come next. His fingers stretched her panties to the side and the vibrator teased her. Lost in the sensation, her hips rolled into it. Then it was gone. There was a tug on her ankle before it was freed by his fingers. Her other ankle next. His chest grazed across her back as he released her hands.


She melted into his arms when his hands turned her. Barely aware of the surroundings, held tightly in his arms when he carried her across the room and into the hallway, she felt feather-light. Her lips nestled into his warm salty neck as he walked towards the wide staircase. Her ears warmed as his hot breath murmured how pleased he was with her. Slowly, he carried her up the stairs and down a hallway. When he reached a door on the left, he stopped to open it. Inside the dimly lit room was a queen sized bed. He eased her down so that she stood the back of her thighs against it. Briefly, he left her to close the door. She jerked forward on her toes as his hands grabbed at the sides of her corset pulling the clasps together to unhook them. Tom thrust it to the side when the last clasp was loosened. His hands clutched her breasts, kneading them roughly and tweaking her nipples - an electric bolt of desire flooded through her. 

He ripped the side strap of her thong panties and pulled them from her body. Prodded by the look of desire in his eyes and his hands urging her, she sank down onto the bed. The coolness of the smooth satin surface eased her inflamed skin.


She watched him undress, noticing the yearning in his eyes. Yet he was controlled. He leisurely undid the buttons of his shirt and slipped it from his body, to reveal the muscles in his chest and shoulders, the flat stomach with a light dusting of fine hair. He removed his shoes and socks before he unbuckled his belt. His leather waist band snapped open and there was the snick of a zipper being lowered. She sighed as he eased the fabric over his taut hips and thighs; her eyes were riveted to his cock, aroused and so big.


He lowered to her side and they kissed, their tongues dancing and their breath fast and loud in their ears. His hands squeezed her breasts and nipples. The pain shot straight to her groin, increasing her arousal. God, she wanted him so much. His hands slid over her stomach and down. Ahhhh! The exquisite sensation of his finger on her clit. She thrust into him demanding more. He stopped and picked a condom from the bowl on the night table. She gazed at the muscles in his back as he opened the wrapper and put it on.
He turned to her and spread her legs roughly before kneeling between them. She felt her ass being jerked towards him, caught in the strong grip of his hands. He lifted her, then lowered and thrust his sheathed cock into her. 


“Ahh”..she murmured as the fullness of his cock rocketed deep inside. He thrust into her again and again while his thumb teased her clit. She clenched him, met each thrust and became lost in the moment and sensation. 


“You will not orgasm until I give you permission. Is that clear?” His hand cupped her chin as his eyes bored into hers.


“Yes. But please let me now. Please. I’m so close.”


Quickly he withdrew himself from her. On his face was a small close lipped smile. His eyes danced at the sweet control he had over her. At the look of shock and disappointment now on her face.
“Please.” she whispered, lying still beneath him, subdued, willing him to fuck her.
Roughly, he entered her once more. His hands lifted to the sides of her head and he clutched fistfuls of her hair as he thrust deep. His eyes were open and looked into hers.


“Now.” He pummeled against her and they became one in the moment, clutching at each other. She screamed his name as waves of ecstasy flowed through her.


He stiffened, buried to the hilt, straining deeper before he slumped into her arms. As she held him, stroked his back with her hands, his breathing was ragged in her ear. They lay together like this for a few minutes. Neither was anxious to break the bond. He kissed her softly and turned over onto his side. After he slipped the condom off and tossed it into a wastebasket, she rolled over and draped her arm across his chest, slid her leg onto his. After the rough lovemaking, it was wonderful to just lay together.

Balm for the Soul

SQUEEEEEE!! Just received this comment from one of the gals who entered the Soldier Boy release contest...(and no we aren't related)

"I have never in my life thought I could read a book on BDSM and cry. I mean I actually cried real tears. The last 4 chapters just really got to me!!! Amazing writing KD Amazing!!!" 

A wonderful way to start a Monday, wouldn't you say?

http://www.amazon.com/Soldier-Boy-Tales-Pandora-ebook/dp/B00AFN3K86/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1369063178&sr=1-2&keywords=Soldier+Boy+Tales

Hey Buddy! Got a light? - Yes, the one with the cigar pointing left is the real Che Guervara.

Des, Cuba 2010                                   Che Guevara                                                      Ruby, 2012
                                                                                                                 (she gave up smoking,                                                                    
                                                                                                                   honest)
                                                                                                         

Soldier Boy Release Contest

NANCY'S SOLDIER BOOK RELEASE CONTEST!

FIFTY BUCKS AND FREE BOOKS!

New book by K.D. McLean in the Tales of Pandora  series

GO TO http://tinyurl.com/chn737q TO ENTER! Just click on the Blue ‘Giveaway’ box at the top of the page

Get your reading glasses on and enter to WIN an Amazon $50 gift cert or one of 5 free Ebooks, The Story of Rachel, Book 1 in the Tales of Pandora series.

Contest open for entries until May 19th. Winners will be picked Friday May 24th at 6pm EST. That will give you gals an extra few days to read it.This is a great book and I need reviews on Amazon! Let’s get some buzz going!

PM me here on Facebook with your regular email address so I can send you your complimentary copy in MOBI, pdf or EPub format. The qualification is a snap! Just click the link, enter your Amazon reviewer id and post a review!

BONUS ENTRY- Follow me on Twitter FOR an extra entry in the contest!.

BONUS, BONUS ENTRY! - send this Tweet out to your followers: Reading a new book, Soldier Boy by K.D. McLean as part of a contest. :) See her blog - kdmcleanauthor.blogspot.ca and you get another entry!

BONUS, BONUS BONUS ENTRY! - like the Facebook page for Soldier Boy Headquarters!

OMG, ANOTHER BONUS!- like the Author page in Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6620814.K_D_Mclean.

So get those Amazon reviews up gang!

Nancy's Soldier is DONE! Happy Dancing, har d to t y p e

Ravishing Dominatrix’s icy heart melts in the lap of cocky Soldier Boy.

Nancy Barton, MD, is an intelligent, beautiful woman in control. She’s 39, single, and emotionally reserved - some colleagues have nicknamed her “Doctor  Ice Queen”.

They don’t know about her other, hidden life. Where she is Mistress Nancy, Dominatrix. At the adult club Pandora’s, men yearn to kneel before her. She is free to unleash passion while shielding her heart.

Until war vet Terry Carpenter joins the club. (Ohh Terry... welcome to the club!)

His mission- fulfill his newly discovered cravings. For him, Nancy is a fantasy come true.

This rascal, this Soldier Boy incinerates her defenses. For the first time in her life, love blooms. Just as she surrenders heart, a claim from Terry’s past shatters it.

http://www.amazon.com/Nancys-Soldier-Tales-Pandora-McLean-ebook/dp/B00AFN3K86

Back With A Blitz!

 Boy, you’d think I fell off the face of the earth!

Actually, all I did was, as Stephen King told me to do in his book ‘On Writing’ was “Close the door”. To my writing nook.

My first foray onto the internet as an author this past January and February was so much fun! I went online to promote The Story of Rachel, and became a part of some many communities. It was sooo cool! I could meet gals for coffee without getting out of my jammies and driving in the snow.

I am so indebted to the encouragement, advice and support I received this past winter. I was part of conversations at author sites and book lover communities. I met so many reviewers and readers. That time online gave me so much to digest and work with.

And so, I got back to work. And closed the door to my writing nook, and got busy doing what I’m supposed to be about.

Alrighty, then, KD, what’s going on? Glad you asked.

In the next few weeks, I’ll be putting up THREE new books in the Tales of Pandora’s series! And they are…

SOLDIER BOY-

A heart rendering romance ingnited by fiery passions.

Nancy Barton, MD, is an intelligent, beautiful woman in control. She’s 39, single, and emotionally reserved - some colleagues have nick-named her “Doctor  Ice Queen”.

They don’t know about her other, hidden life. Where she is Mistress Nancy, Dominatrix. At the adult club Pandora’s, men yearn to kneel before her. She is free to unleash passion and yet shield her tender heart.

Until Terry Carpenter joins the club, searching to fulfill his own newly discovered cravings. Nancy is a fantasy come true.

This rascal, this Soldier Boy thaws Dr Ice Queen’s heart. For the first time in her life, love blooms. Just as she surrenders her heart, a claim from Terry’s past shatters it.

ANNIK’S STORY- Oh have I been asked to write this one! I had to get through Soldier Boy first, before getting underway with her tale.

Finally the last book is a novella I just had to write!

Hey- when I said ‘Blitz’, I wasn’t kidding! There’s going to be contests and giveaways for each book!

So keep your eyes peeled, or join my mailing list! My mailing list members will be getting exclusive deals and contests just for them!

All these books will only, be available on Amazon. I had to make a business decision, and Desmond and I agree focusing on Amazon is the best use of our efforts.

One final note: I have been nagging and bugging Desmond X Torres to work on his book. It’s a lot of fun! It’s title is XXXX XXXXXX (content removed by Desmond X. Torres. “Shaddap KD. You’ve been bad. Go to my room”.)

Review - S.E.C.R.E.T. by L.Marie Adeline - 4 Star

I just finished reading S.E.C.R.E.T. by L. Marie Adeline. I found her opening of the book very strong. Her descriptions were unique and I was compelled to continue reading what was in store for Cassie Robichaud, a lonely beaten down woman working in a cafe in New Orleans. Actually, almost anything written, set in New Orleans grabs my attention. It's on my bucket list to visit it one day.

Cassie's development to a confident woman enjoying sexual fulfillment is fun and a hot read - what woman wouldn't want to experience the men that she is set up with! Her character is credible and like-able. The other characters provided good foils. 
Adeline surprised me with the ending and I liked that! Overall, the book was well written and entertaining. Looking forward to reading more from this author. 

Hunger Games Review - WOW!

All I can say like many other people is WOW! The story is mesmerizing and the characters were so rounded. I had many a late night reading these books. Truth be told I actually looked forward to going to bed to READ and that says a lot considering the hot man I lay next to every night. Very high praise indeed! 

What an entertaining and captivating series of books. Told in first person present voice the author nails it. You are with Katniss every step of the way, with the author outlining very convincingly her inner struggles, balancing with creative  and realistic scene descriptions.

Desmond read this. Did I say read? He devoured in a single gulp and suggested I read it. Thank you Des. But more importantly, thank you Suzanne Collins. You not only write an amazing story but you are an inspiration to aspiring authors. 

Reviewers Are The Bee’s Knees!

Once again I have revised my book - The Story of Rachel. For the third time. I want to thank the people who reviewed this book in December up until now. Reviewers are like colonies of bees pollinating the literary fields - they promote growth. Of course the comments sting sometimes. But they can also spur a new author, who takes heed and who cares that their work is absolutely the best they can do, to re-work it once more. Believe me, I feel like I have worked on this book for about a million times.
But your comments almost consistently, flamed Tinderbox and Ladylike. (pun intended) Some people found their antics amusing but most people commented that it was too much like ‘the inner goddess’. Having a degree in psychology, my thought was Freud’s id, ego and superego. But the reviewer buzz was to ditch them. So farewell Tinderbox and Ladylike.
Another comment concerned ‘head hopping’. I’ve have been reading about first person POV and deep third POV. And I totally GET the reviewer complaint. I have gone through the book and removed the legs from my keyboard which had been crouched ready to hop into anyone’s head who would allow it in. Or is the analogy more like an Exorcism of a head hopping demon. I don’t know but it’s gone now. And again that is thanks to the reviewers and what I have learned.
So keep reading and commenting reviewers because you help us writers hone the craft and produce better work.

Pandora

Why did I choose a sex club set in Canada’s largest city - Toronto - to be the backdrop and common thread linking my three books? It is, after all just an adult playground, totally fictitious. Don’t visit Toronto and try to find it in the yellow pages. When I wrote the books, I had in mind a setting like Eyes Wide Shut for the elegance of the setting but without the dark, underlying theme.

I’ve done a little research and now I know that Eyes Wide Shut is based on a novella written by Arthur Schnitzler - Dream Story - in 1926. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157409.Dream_Story?auto_login_attempted=true

Of course, I have placed this book on my reading list. According to the description, It is the story of a married male doctor’s dream, part of which involves visiting a secret sex club and making hard choices. The fact that Arthur Schnitzler was a close friend of Sigmund Freud’s adds to the appeal. I was a Psych major in university.

And then there’s the Greek legend of Pandora. She was the first woman created by the gods, endowed with beauty and wisdom. She was given a box and forbidden to open it. Of course she was curious. Who wouldn't be? Just one peek? She opens it and all manner of evil fly out to plague mankind. She despairs at what she has done but there was one item in the box she discovers hadn't escaped. HOPE. Hope for mankind in dealing with the evil and hardship.

And this is where my three books come in. Hope for love when it seems to have passed by my main characters. And hope wins out. At the risk of getting schmaltzy, this mirrors my own life. Not that I’m going to orgies with Tom Cruise. He’s never asked. But that I didn't give up hope, found the love of my life in Desmond and am now living my dream life, writing and creating.

So what about you, fellow writer? Is there a movie which has inspired your writing, or a book? And readers, is there a book you would like to see made into a movie? As a reader myself, how about Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel series of books made into a movie.  There’s always hope, right?

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award... waiting...IS NOW OVER!!!

It's now 8:20 AM EST..
February 13, 2013....

I sit here waiting for my buddy, mah main man, Jeff Bezos and his posse out there in Amazon Land to post the first round winners in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards contest.

Hard to believe that it was a month ago, at midnight that Desmond and I were uploading and such for The Story of Rachel. And now... we wait...

The last post I saw was that I won't be able to see anything until noon my time, as Jeff and his crew are still enjoying their beauty sleep out on the Pacific coast....

Rats...

Ungh...

This is the first writing contest I've ever entered, and I didn't think that it would have the all encompassing effect on me that it has.

In the past month, I have seen books go up on Amazon by authors as unknown as me, and sell 50k copies in 30 days. Another one sold 5K copies in a day.

I've sold twelve.

This writing is a lot harder than I thought. Not only producing the book, learning as I go- and yes, I'm impatient to win my Nobel prize, even though I don't really know how to use a semi-colon. I DO find it fulfilling, yes.

The reviewers blogs have been a real lifeline for me. The encouragement, and the honesty have kept me going.

But today... well, today is a tough day. Tough morning so far, and I'm afraid it will be an even tougher afternoon.

I wonder... has Joe Konrath, John Grisham, Stephen King, Colleen Hoover, E.L. James, J.K. Rowling, and all the other uber successful authors... have they ever had days like the one I'm having today?

Sigh.

*******************************************************
UPDATE   UPDATE    UPDATE    UPDATE    UPDATE    UPDATE     UPDATE   UPDATE
I do NOT have to crawl under a rock!!! I made the top 20% of admissions, and I'm in the second round!!!!

Oh man... this is some emotional rollercoaster.... wow!

The Pain of re-writes

did she have to do a massive re-write too? Please share that bottle!!!

Newfoundland, Canada... Where Michael Evans grew up... it's so lovely

N

Some thoughts about Jeff Bezos and Amazon.com

It crossed my mind as I was composing my request for help on a problem I was having with Amazon’s e-book publishing  just what this division of a hyooge nourmous corporate entity is doing. 

Being an American outfit, they’re making money. Yup. I’d love to own a piece of the action. 

But what do they actually do? What am I trying to say here?

It’s this:

Amazon.com is providing creative people, artists for that matter, with a venue to achieve their dreams. 

Providing artists with a way to achieve their dreams. 

And they’re doing it for free. I haven’t given them a penny up front. 

In the past few days, I’ve uploaded a book to their contest in the wild and crazy hope of hitting a prize worth $50,000.00. Yeah, that’s like hitting the lottery; especially when I read the works of so many other writers and authors out here whose skills and talents are what I aspire to. 

Even so, I get a chance to go head to head with them. Like Rocky Balboa getting into the ring with Apollo Creed, I just wanna go the distance.

And all it cost was some sweat and tears. Not a drop of  blood thank God! And I’m getting in the ring with the likes of Grisham, Clancy, Walker, Scott, Kellerman (Mr. and Mrs.) and a host of incredibly talented people. Not to mention Stephen King. Alice Walker. Collen Hoover. DD Scott. I could go on and on and on...

Somewhere back in the 1990’s I saw Jeff Bezos on Letterman. All he did was laugh at how his company was losing millions of dollars of investor equity every month. I thought he was such a fool. I had no confidence in what he was trying to achieve, and I couldn’t see him having a shot at unseating Borders. 

Sheesh.

Saw him on 60 Minutes, riding some toy tricycle down the corridors of Amazon HQ having a blast. Laughing and laughing.

Whudda fool.

I sit here now, for the first time in almost thirty goddam years feeling a bit ashamed of myself. 

That guy; that ‘fool’, has given me a new lease on life. 

Jeff Bezos gave me hope. 

He did it by giving me an opportunity to make money, to build a future. All I have to do is work at my dream. 

All I have to do is work. 

I have to develop my craft as a writer- and because of the people I’ve met here online I have so many people helping me. And like Mr. Bezos, they don’t realize they’re doing it. After listening to them, I simply have to work at getting better at my craft.

One brief example- in the process of uploading my book for the Amazon Breakthough Novel contest, by perusing the forums, I had the opportunity to learn about semi-colons. That I paid attention to, and as a result, my book is better. 

I have to work to create the best book I can.

And throw out my crap and start all over again. And again. And again.

And dream.

Dream. 

When I listen to the guidance on the web, and have the best work I can produce, I have a tool at my disposal- a tool that cost millions and millions of dollars to build and maintain that’s available to me- free of charge. To turn my production into money. 

Yeah, yeah, I gotta market my ‘stuff’. I got it. Selling’s important. I get it. 

And oh God how I love to write. I was born for this...

But I don’t have to go to a vanity press and drop a few grand; I don’t have to maintain an inventory of printed books; I don’t have to scrounge for meetings with book buyers. I don’t even have to bug publishers or agents! 

I have to look for readers.

Readers. And that’s what writers crave.

For the past eight months, I’ve woken up energized and motivated.  Because I’m chasing my dream.

And I’m but one of over a million people out there- a million writers and authors- chasing a dream.

Wow.

Jeff Bezos, his investors, and most importantly the team he’s assembled, has unleashed a tsunami of human creativity.

And he’s making a fortune doing it.

 Wow.

Good for him.

If you are reading this, and you’re trying to fix a plot line, polish an opening paragraph, tighten up your blurb, learn about punctuation so that your book is better, you know what I mean. 

You’re chasing a dream. You’re running it down.

And while your running after your dream, look at your feet! And thank the people- the slew of people at Amazon.com. From Jeff Bezos and the investors that believed in him while losing millions, to the person that replies to your support request. They built and maintain the path you, and I, are running on.

And I will never, never ever, be able to repay them. How can you repay a dream? How can you repay Hope?

Drudgery and Dreams!

The last six weeks have been an endurance test for me! I survived and am still sane, well almost. In the first part of December my first book, The Story of Rachel was reviewed by a bunch of great people who posted reviews on Amazon. I listened to suggestions they had, despite the fact that overall it was a 4.3 star, and decided to take it down and fix it.

Then Amazon announces their Breakthrough Novel Award contest! Well, it was time to really look at the book...I removed 25K words of a 45K book and then put it into the contest as an 80K novel. TONS of revisions, more characters added, sex scenes toned down in graphic details and lots of comedy added. What's more my main characters took on a life of their own and started to show me their stuff - the result, I love them. I laugh with them and cry with them. I still feel that way after all the time they've spent in my head (edit, EDIT, REVISE, EDIT some more). I feel like Homer on his epic Odyssey.