Welcome Tracy Sumner, Author Extraordinaire!
I’m welcoming one of my Kensington sisters to One Word at a Time today! Tracy Sumner has been awarded the National Reader’s Choice, the Write Touch and the Beacon – with finalist nominations in the HOLT Medallion, Heart of Romance, Rising Stars and Reader’s Choice. Her books have been translated into German, Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish!
It doesn’t have to be December to settle into a great holiday season romance! And while Tracy’s most recent work happens to have a holiday theme, JEEZOHHELL, look at that cover! I’d read that any time of year!!! She also has a number of other fabulous works to choose from and she’s giving away several today! Your meaningful comment will enter you for a chance to WIN a set of ebooks including the TIDE series and her holiday novella!!
An award-winning holiday novella, TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL. Tanner Barkley was set on forgetting the love of his life. Until fate threw Katherine Peters into his path for an unforgettable holiday of passion.
Don’t forget the first rule when dealing with scoundrels.
Never wager more than you are willing to lose.
Especially in matters of the heart.
To Desire a Scoundrel: Buy link
“A bad boy…and a lively, independent woman. An excellent sequel!”
~ All Romance Bookstore Reviews
“A searing passion…a sexy tale filled with great verbal repartee!”
~ Romantic Times
Tracy, can you tell us a little about TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL?
TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL: A CHRISTMAS SEDUCTION was originally published by Kensington, but I have rights back, and have released the eBook on my own! It’s a sequel to TO SEDUCE A ROGUE, out in early 2012! Yes, I released the holiday novella first – for the Season!
Tell us a little about TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL what inspired you to write it?
When I finished TO SEDUCE A ROGUE, I really had this great feeling about Adam Chase’s best friend, Tanner Barkley. Very cynical, secretive, sexy, in other words, the perfect hero! And who better to pair him with than the daughter of the somber chaperone in ROGUE? No daughter of such a severe woman could suffer fools easily.
And we all know how foolish a man in love can act.
Then my editor invited me to participate in a Christmas anthology and TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL was born.
Katherine Peters is made for Tanner, and for the first time, I wrote about a hero who realizes this simple fact before the heroine! (If you recall, in ROGUE, Adam is clueless until nearly the end. Even Tanner tries to tell him the error of his ways. How sad is that?)
When you start writing, do you already have the story plotted out or do you let the characters dictate what will happen?
I do have SOME things I want to happen. It’s often more things I want the characters to SAY. But much of what happens is dictated by my characters.
What inspired you to write in your genre? Is this the genre you started writing in or have you morphed to this one?I wrote YA stuff in high school. Think The Outsiders. But I read my first romance novel (LaVyrle Spencer’s VOWS) in college…and I’ve never looked back. As a writer or a reader. I love historical and contemporaries.
Do you have a favorite character you have written?
Noah Garrett from TIDES OF LOVE is kinda my guy. He’s a sexy nerd – a marine biologist. Perhaps I should say that he is the perfect guy in my mind. Intelligent+, kinda, tortured, complex, gorgeous.
Who was the toughest character for you to “get right” that you have written so far?
Maybe Tanner in TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL. It’s hard to write a hero who is very conflicted and closed to love without making him appear “un-heroic”. I like my hero AND heroines to have an edge. I have an edge, so I write with one. But you have to temper that with kindness, caring, vulnerability…something to garner support from your reader. Plus, I have to like them, too!
Do you draw inspiration for your characters from real life? Any fun stories you could share?
Well, this one is really funny. When I started my first novel, TO SEDUCE A ROGUE, I was dating this guy who used to be a marine biologist. And I really wrote the novel without thinking that much about how I knew about marine biology, etc. And later on, I realized that he would probably read the book or hear about it and think it was about him. I was mortified!Because Noah was all my creation. Seriously.
What do you find the hardest part of writing?
Writing! Putting butt in chair and PRODUCING.
Name one thing that your readers would be surprised to know about you.
For someone who writes HEA (happily ever after) stories, I’m a bit cynical about the long-term prospects of many relationships I encounter. I’m the person who rolls her eyes at weddings. I’m not the crier.
Do you have a guilty pleasure?
Wine! And romance novels. Jack and Jennifer on Days of Our Lives from the late 80s/early 90s. Someone has a website (Devoted to Deveraux) with all the old clips – and I’ve been enjoying the hell out of it.
Does music influence your writing? If so, do any of your stories have a theme song?
I like the theme music from Out of Africa. Makes me want to create.
If your story was optioned for a movie, who would play your characters?
Noah Garrett: Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones — as the Professor (not the guy with the whip)
Zach Garrett: Josh Lucas (Jake Perry, Sweet Home Alabama)
Tanner Barkley: Leonardo DiCaprio (Billy, The Departed): part bad boy, part sweet man
Adam Chase: Again, H Ford (Han Solo) Stubborn as hell, fights love, vulnerable
Where were you when you got your first contract? Who did you tell first?
Funny! My mother called me (I think I was living in Chicago at the time) and told me an editor with Kensington had called her. I freaked! I submitted my manuscript without including a phone number. They had to TRACK ME DOWN!!!
How old were you when you read your first romance book?
19
What author causes you to “go fan girl”/squeal over/anticipate upcoming books?
Well, Judith Ivory did. But she’s not writing anymore, I don’t think.
If you still have one of those pesky non writing jobs what is it?
I’m a graphic designer. Which I love.
What are you currently working on, and what else is in the wings?
Okay, the grand plan, if I can get the butt in chair deal going, is to finish a Victorian historical with light paranormal elements AND an edgy, sexy contemporary. I don’t know if I can finish both in the year. I also have an anthology coming out with a group of authors in April. Check out my website for release information!
If you could co-write with another author who would it be?
Stephen King. Ashley March in romance. Julie Anne Long.
How do you pick your characters names?
Research, names I hear that I like. What fits the character. What I can break down. I’m very fond of nicknames for characters.
Do you prefer the love at first sight approach or a steady growth throughout?
First sight. It’s a fantasy!
Where can readers find you?
Website: www.tracysumner.com
Twitter: @SumnerTracy
Facebook: Facebook.com/TracySumnerRomanceAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5259839.Tracy_Sumner
What other works do you have out right now?
Tides of Passion: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005WVPFH0
Tides of Love: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066B1XTY
Tracy’s story telling career began when she picked up a copy of LaVyrle Spencer’s Vows on a college beach trip. A journalism degree and a thousand romance novels later, she decided to try her hand at writing a southern version of the perfect love story. With a great deal of luck and more than a bit of perseverance, she sold her first novel to Kensington Publishing.When not writing sensual stories featuring complex characters and lush settings, Tracy can be found reading romance, snowboarding, watching college football and figuring out how she can get to 100 countries before she kicks (which is a more difficult endeavor than it used to be with her four-year-old son in tow). She lives in Charlotte, NC, but after spending a few years in “the city”, considers herself a New Yorker at heart.
Leave a comment or question and enter to WIN a set of ebooks including the TIDE series and Tracy’s holiday novella, TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL!!
>Welcome Tracy Sumner, Author Extraordinaire!
>I’m welcoming one of my Kensington sisters to One Word at a Time today! Tracy Sumner has been awarded the National Reader’s Choice, the Write Touch and the Beacon – with finalist nominations in the HOLT Medallion, Heart of Romance, Rising Stars and Reader’s Choice. Her books have been translated into German, Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish!
It doesn’t have to be December to settle into a great holiday season romance! And while Tracy’s most recent work happens to have a holiday theme, JEEZOHHELL, look at that cover! I’d read that any time of year!!! She also has a number of other fabulous works to choose from and she’s giving away several today! Your meaningful comment will enter you for a chance to WIN a set of ebooks including the TIDE series and her holiday novella!!
An award-winning holiday novella, TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL. Tanner Barkley was set on forgetting the love of his life. Until fate threw Katherine Peters into his path for an unforgettable holiday of passion.
Don’t forget the first rule when dealing with scoundrels.
Never wager more than you are willing to lose.
Especially in matters of the heart.
To Desire a Scoundrel: Buy link
“A bad boy…and a lively, independent woman. An excellent sequel!”
~ All Romance Bookstore Reviews
“A searing passion…a sexy tale filled with great verbal repartee!”
~ Romantic Times
Tracy, can you tell us a little about TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL?
TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL: A CHRISTMAS SEDUCTION was originally published by Kensington, but I have rights back, and have released the eBook on my own! It’s a sequel to TO SEDUCE A ROGUE, out in early 2012! Yes, I released the holiday novella first – for the Season!
Tell us a little about TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL what inspired you to write it?
When I finished TO SEDUCE A ROGUE, I really had this great feeling about Adam Chase’s best friend, Tanner Barkley. Very cynical, secretive, sexy, in other words, the perfect hero! And who better to pair him with than the daughter of the somber chaperone in ROGUE? No daughter of such a severe woman could suffer fools easily.
And we all know how foolish a man in love can act.
Then my editor invited me to participate in a Christmas anthology and TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL was born.
Katherine Peters is made for Tanner, and for the first time, I wrote about a hero who realizes this simple fact before the heroine! (If you recall, in ROGUE, Adam is clueless until nearly the end. Even Tanner tries to tell him the error of his ways. How sad is that?)
When you start writing, do you already have the story plotted out or do you let the characters dictate what will happen?
I do have SOME things I want to happen. It’s often more things I want the characters to SAY. But much of what happens is dictated by my characters.
What inspired you to write in your genre? Is this the genre you started writing in or have you morphed to this one?I wrote YA stuff in high school. Think The Outsiders. But I read my first romance novel (LaVyrle Spencer’s VOWS) in college…and I’ve never looked back. As a writer or a reader. I love historical and contemporaries.
Do you have a favorite character you have written?
Noah Garrett from TIDES OF LOVE is kinda my guy. He’s a sexy nerd – a marine biologist. Perhaps I should say that he is the perfect guy in my mind. Intelligent+, kinda, tortured, complex, gorgeous.
Who was the toughest character for you to “get right” that you have written so far?
Maybe Tanner in TO DESIRE A SCOUNDREL. It’s hard to write a hero who is very conflicted and closed to love without making him appear “un-heroic”. I like my hero AND heroines to have an edge. I have an edge, so I write with one. But you have to temper that with kindness, caring, vulnerability…something to garner support from your reader. Plus, I have to like them, too!
Do you draw inspiration for your characters from real life? Any fun stories you could share?
Well, this one is really funny. When I started my first novel, TO SEDUCE A ROGUE, I was dating this guy who used to be a marine biologist. And I really wrote the novel without thinking that much about how I knew about marine biology, etc. And later on, I realized that he would probably read the book or hear about it and think it was about him. I was mortified!Because Noah was all my creation. Seriously.
What do you find the hardest part of writing?
Writing! Putting butt in chair and PRODUCING.
Name one thing that your readers would be surprised to know about you.
For someone who writes HEA (happily ever after) stories, I’m a bit cynical about the long-term prospects of many relationships I encounter. I’m the person who rolls her eyes at weddings. I’m not the crier.
Do you have a guilty pleasure?
Wine! And romance novels. Jack and Jennifer on Days of Our Lives from the late 80s/early 90s. Someone has a website (Devoted to Deveraux) with all the old clips – and I’ve been enjoying the hell out of it.
Does music influence your writing? If so, do any of your stories have a theme song?
I like the theme music from Out of Africa. Makes me want to create.
If your story was optioned for a movie, who would play your characters?
Noah Garrett: Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones — as the Professor (not the guy with the whip)
Zach Garrett: Josh Lucas (Jake Perry, Sweet Home Alabama)
Tanner Barkley: Leonardo DiCaprio (Billy, The Departed): part bad boy, part sweet man
Adam Chase: Again, H Ford (Han Solo) Stubborn as hell, fights love, vulnerable
Where were you when you got your first contract? Who did you tell first?
Funny! My mother called me (I think I was living in Chicago at the time) and told me an editor with Kensington had called her. I freaked! I submitted my manuscript without including a phone number. They had to TRACK ME DOWN!!!
How old were you when you read your first romance book?
19
What author causes you to “go fan girl”/squeal over/anticipate upcoming books?
Well, Judith Ivory did. But she’s not writing anymore, I don’t think.
If you still have one of those pesky non writing jobs what is it?
I’m a graphic designer. Which I love.
What are you currently working on, and what else is in the wings?
Okay, the grand plan, if I can get the butt in chair deal going, is to finish a Victorian historical with light paranormal elements AND an edgy, sexy contemporary. I don’t know if I can finish both in the year. I also have an anthology coming out with a group of authors in April. Check out my website for release information!
If you could co-write with another author who would it be?
Stephen King. Ashley March in romance. Julie Anne Long.
How do you pick your characters names?
Research, names I hear that I like. What fits the character. What I can break down. I’m very fond of nicknames for characters.
Do you prefer the love at first sight approach or a steady growth throughout?
First sight. It’s a fantasy!
Where can readers find you?
Website: www.tracysumner.com
Twitter: @SumnerTracy
Facebook: Facebook.com/TracySumnerRomanceAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5259839.Tracy_Sumner
What other works do you have out right now?
Tides of Passion: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005WVPFH0
Tides of Love: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066B1XTY
Tracy’s story telling career began when she picked up a copy of LaVyrle Spencer’s Vows on a college beach trip. A journalism degree and a thousand romance novels later, she decided to try her hand at writing a southern version of the perfect love story. With a great deal of luck and more than a bit of perseverance, she sold her first novel to Kensington Publishing.When not writing sensual stories featuring complex characters and lush settings, Tracy can be found reading romance, snowboarding, watching college football and figuring out how she can get to 100 countries before she kicks (which is a more difficult endeavor than it used to be with her four-year-old son in tow). She lives in Charlotte, NC, but after spending a few years in “the city”, considers herself a New Yorker at heart.
Leave a comment or question and enter to WIN a set of ebooks including the TIDE series and Tracy’s holiday novella, TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL!!
Celebrating My CP’s First Indie!!
I’m thrilled to announce my critique partner, Elisabeth Naughton (best CP in the world, btw) has released her very first Indie novel!
Eli is an expert at crafting real characters you can’t get enough of, creating heart-wrenching conflict and raising the stakes at every turn. Her heroines are strong, her heroes are hot and her stories are filled with angsty, sexy twists and turns.
WAIT FOR ME is her very first Indie release, a contemporary romance with so much depth and even a little suspense thread. An awesome read!
I’m celebrating the release and the holidays by giving away *5* copies of WAIT FOR ME!!
All you have to do is help us spread the word of Elisabeth’s new release. Each shout is one entry, so the more you shout, the more chances you have to win!
A woman without a past…After a tragic accident left her with no memory, Kate Alexander struggled to fit in with a husband and world that didn’t feel right. She’s had no reason to question what friends and family have told her, not until her husband is suddenly killed and she finds a photo of a young girl in his office. A girl who can’t be anyone but a daughter Kate didn’t know she had.
A man desperate for a reason to live…
Ryan Harrison lost his wife in a plane crash five years ago. To cope with the pain of her loss, he dedicated himself to his job and to raising their daughter. Now a successful pharmaceutical executive, Ryan has everything a man could want—money, fame and power—but he’d give it all up in a heartbeat for just one more day with the woman he still loves.
Two lives about to converge.
As Kate begins to dig into a past she doesn’t remember, evidence leads her to San Francisco and puts her on the path toward Ryan, a man who sees in her the woman he loved and lost. Kate feels a draw to Ryan, one she can’t explain, but is that feeling enough to convince her this is where she’s supposed to be? As Ryan and Kate search for answers, they uncover lies long buried, a passion hotter than either expected and a danger that threatens…even now…when the second chance they’ve both been searching for is finally within reach.
You WANT this read!! Good luck!
>Celebrating My CP’s First Indie!!
>I’m thrilled to announce my critique partner, Elisabeth Naughton (best CP in the world, btw) has released her very first Indie novel!
Eli is an expert at crafting real characters you can’t get enough of, creating heart-wrenching conflict and raising the stakes at every turn. Her heroines are strong, her heroes are hot and her stories are filled with angsty, sexy twists and turns.
WAIT FOR ME is her very first Indie release, a contemporary romance with so much depth and even a little suspense thread. An awesome read!
I’m celebrating the release and the holidays by giving away *5* copies of WAIT FOR ME!!
All you have to do is help us spread the word of Elisabeth’s new release. Each shout is one entry, so the more you shout, the more chances you have to win!
A woman without a past…After a tragic accident left her with no memory, Kate Alexander struggled to fit in with a husband and world that didn’t feel right. She’s had no reason to question what friends and family have told her, not until her husband is suddenly killed and she finds a photo of a young girl in his office. A girl who can’t be anyone but a daughter Kate didn’t know she had.
A man desperate for a reason to live…
Ryan Harrison lost his wife in a plane crash five years ago. To cope with the pain of her loss, he dedicated himself to his job and to raising their daughter. Now a successful pharmaceutical executive, Ryan has everything a man could want—money, fame and power—but he’d give it all up in a heartbeat for just one more day with the woman he still loves.
Two lives about to converge.
As Kate begins to dig into a past she doesn’t remember, evidence leads her to San Francisco and puts her on the path toward Ryan, a man who sees in her the woman he loved and lost. Kate feels a draw to Ryan, one she can’t explain, but is that feeling enough to convince her this is where she’s supposed to be? As Ryan and Kate search for answers, they uncover lies long buried, a passion hotter than either expected and a danger that threatens…even now…when the second chance they’ve both been searching for is finally within reach.
You WANT this read!! Good luck!
Marie Force and the Book of Her Heart + Giveaway!!
>A warm welcome to Marie Force, an author I both admire and appreciate. Her enthusiasm is infectious, her love for her work tangible. I’m thrilled to have her here today.
She is giving away a copy of her new release TREADING WATER and 5 custom handmade bookmarks today! Simply leave a comment to enter.
The Dream Comes True—My Way
Thanks so much for having me today, Joan! This has been one of the most exciting weeks I’ve had yet as an author, which is saying something as there have been a lot of exciting weeks this year. A year ago, I took the plunge as an “indie” author by self-publishing some of my unsold books. Since then, I’ve sold nearly 150,000 ebooks, a number that astounds and delights me.
On Tuesday, the book of my heart, TREADING WATER, went on sale as an ebook. I wrote TREADING WATER more than six years ago, and its two sequels, MARKING TIME (coming in November) and STARTING OVER (coming in December), were finished five years ago. These three are still my favorites of all my books, the three I am most proud of, and the three I’ve most wanted to put in the hands of readers. Because they aren’t “conventional” romances where boy and girl meet in chapter 1 and their love story unfolds from there, they didn’t fit neatly anywhere in the crowded fiction marketplace.
After success of my first six self-published books, I decided to go for it and publish the TREADING WATER trilogy on my own. This week, I had the supreme pleasure of seeing TREADING WATER officially on sale. Finally!
Here’s a brief summary of the book:
Love is the last thing on Jack Harrington’s mind when he sets out to meet Andi Walsh’s flight. Recently back to work after spending more than a year tending to his comatose wife, Jack is focused on getting through each day and caring for his three daughters. However, the moment he sets eyes on Andrea Walsh, the interior designer who has come to decorate the hotel his company is building in Newport, Rhode Island, Jack begins to wonder if Andi might be his second chance. After a disastrous marriage, Andi, single mom to a hearing-impaired son, isn’t exactly looking for love, either, but that’s what she finds with Jack. The two embark on a long-distance relationship fraught with challenges as they balance the needs of their children and dueling careers while Jack continues to care for his wife, Clare. Just when Jack thinks his life is once again settled, he is confronted with a new challenge that tests him in ways he never could’ve imagined, leaving him to wonder if “happily ever after” is in the cards for him.
Readers have responded with tremendous enthusiasm for Jack’s story. One of them called it “riveting, wrenching and unforgettable.” I liked that! What I’ve also loved is readers telling me the book makes them question what they would do if they found themselves in Jack’s situation. It was a lot of fun to write a story about a man who thinks he knows himself very well and has a good sense of what he’d do in any given situation. Then he finds himself in an untenable situation in which black and white beliefs become tinged with shades of gray.
Yesterday, Amazon sent an email to my past customers letting them know that TREADING WATER was now on sale. By the end of the day, the book was ranked at No. 19 for all of Kindle and No. 2 on the contemporary romance Kindle list. The book of my heart is now a Kindle bestseller! Yesterday was a VERY good day!
I’d love to hear from readers today about a dream you had that you never gave up on. Did your dream come true? I’ll give away a copy of TREADING WATER to one commenter AND 5 handmade bookmarks as well (your choice of those pictured above)…6 winners in all.
Enter! (International!)
>Marie Force and the Book of Her Heart + Giveaway!!
>A warm welcome to Marie Force, an author I both admire and appreciate. Her enthusiasm is infectious, her love for her work tangible. I’m thrilled to have her here today.
She is giving away a copy of her new release TREADING WATER and 5 custom handmade bookmarks today! Simply leave a comment to enter.
The Dream Comes True—My Way
Thanks so much for having me today, Joan! This has been one of the most exciting weeks I’ve had yet as an author, which is saying something as there have been a lot of exciting weeks this year. A year ago, I took the plunge as an “indie” author by self-publishing some of my unsold books. Since then, I’ve sold nearly 150,000 ebooks, a number that astounds and delights me.
On Tuesday, the book of my heart, TREADING WATER, went on sale as an ebook. I wrote TREADING WATER more than six years ago, and its two sequels, MARKING TIME (coming in November) and STARTING OVER (coming in December), were finished five years ago. These three are still my favorites of all my books, the three I am most proud of, and the three I’ve most wanted to put in the hands of readers. Because they aren’t “conventional” romances where boy and girl meet in chapter 1 and their love story unfolds from there, they didn’t fit neatly anywhere in the crowded fiction marketplace.
After success of my first six self-published books, I decided to go for it and publish the TREADING WATER trilogy on my own. This week, I had the supreme pleasure of seeing TREADING WATER officially on sale. Finally!
Here’s a brief summary of the book:
Love is the last thing on Jack Harrington’s mind when he sets out to meet Andi Walsh’s flight. Recently back to work after spending more than a year tending to his comatose wife, Jack is focused on getting through each day and caring for his three daughters. However, the moment he sets eyes on Andrea Walsh, the interior designer who has come to decorate the hotel his company is building in Newport, Rhode Island, Jack begins to wonder if Andi might be his second chance. After a disastrous marriage, Andi, single mom to a hearing-impaired son, isn’t exactly looking for love, either, but that’s what she finds with Jack. The two embark on a long-distance relationship fraught with challenges as they balance the needs of their children and dueling careers while Jack continues to care for his wife, Clare. Just when Jack thinks his life is once again settled, he is confronted with a new challenge that tests him in ways he never could’ve imagined, leaving him to wonder if “happily ever after” is in the cards for him.
Readers have responded with tremendous enthusiasm for Jack’s story. One of them called it “riveting, wrenching and unforgettable.” I liked that! What I’ve also loved is readers telling me the book makes them question what they would do if they found themselves in Jack’s situation. It was a lot of fun to write a story about a man who thinks he knows himself very well and has a good sense of what he’d do in any given situation. Then he finds himself in an untenable situation in which black and white beliefs become tinged with shades of gray.
Yesterday, Amazon sent an email to my past customers letting them know that TREADING WATER was now on sale. By the end of the day, the book was ranked at No. 19 for all of Kindle and No. 2 on the contemporary romance Kindle list. The book of my heart is now a Kindle bestseller! Yesterday was a VERY good day!
I’d love to hear from readers today about a dream you had that you never gave up on. Did your dream come true? I’ll give away a copy of TREADING WATER to one commenter AND 5 handmade bookmarks as well (your choice of those pictured above)…6 winners in all.
Enter! (International!)
Being an Indie Author with Theresa Ragan
>
My guest today, author Theresa Ragan, writes medieval time travels, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, and her first romantic thriller, ABDUCTED, was recently released under the name T.R. Ragan.
Theresa has garnered six Golden Heart nominations with Romance Writers of Americafor her work.
She lives with her husband, Joe, and the youngest of her four children in Sacramento, California.
Being an Indie Author
You can make this easy or you can make it difficult.
Yes, becoming an indie author is a LOT of work, especially if you decide to do everything yourself. But it’s all fun if you take one thing at a time and deal with it. Right now, many indie authors are scrambling around, trying to find that magic “thing” that is going to make their book sell. I have days where I feel like OMG I need to get my book on this site and that site. I need to write more blogs and do more interviews. I need to giveaway free books and I should probably fix my blurbs and change my covers.
Maybe I should do ALL of those things. And maybe those “fixes” won’t do me a bit of good. I won’t know until I do it. But I only have so many hours in a day. Stressing and spreading myself too thin is not going to help matters. In fact, it will probably hurt me more than it will help me.
“Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.”
Random, I know. But I love that quote. I think of it often. Because I think we can find happiness in absolutely everything we do. Even laundry (well, maybe that’s pushing it). Since becoming an indie author, I am busier than I’ve ever been in my life. But I am also happier. I have readers who have read my books. Just typing that last sentence gave me goose bumps. After 19 years of writing, I was beginning to think that might never happen. But it has and the thought that people are enjoying my stories makes me smile.
Like many of you, I have a “to do” list that is growing faster than Jack’s beanstalk. I am choosing not to stress over my growing To-Do list. I am going to take one thing at a time and do the best I can. That’s all I can do. That’s all any of us can do.
I am going to make writing my priority because that’s what I love to do and it makes me happy and I really have an obsession with being happy. Life is way too short to be anything else. If I spend more time focusing on story and characters, delving deep into their wants and desires, the book sales will follow.
I know it. I feel it. I believe it.
My advice is to enjoy the ride. Enjoy it now. Today. Slow down. Breathe. Smile. Have fun.
You can find Theresa:
Email
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Smashwords
>Being an Indie Author with Theresa Ragan
>
My guest today, author Theresa Ragan, writes medieval time travels, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, and her first romantic thriller, ABDUCTED, was recently released under the name T.R. Ragan.
Theresa has garnered six Golden Heart nominations with Romance Writers of Americafor her work.
She lives with her husband, Joe, and the youngest of her four children in Sacramento, California.
Being an Indie Author
You can make this easy or you can make it difficult.
Yes, becoming an indie author is a LOT of work, especially if you decide to do everything yourself. But it’s all fun if you take one thing at a time and deal with it. Right now, many indie authors are scrambling around, trying to find that magic “thing” that is going to make their book sell. I have days where I feel like OMG I need to get my book on this site and that site. I need to write more blogs and do more interviews. I need to giveaway free books and I should probably fix my blurbs and change my covers.
Maybe I should do ALL of those things. And maybe those “fixes” won’t do me a bit of good. I won’t know until I do it. But I only have so many hours in a day. Stressing and spreading myself too thin is not going to help matters. In fact, it will probably hurt me more than it will help me.
“Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.”
Random, I know. But I love that quote. I think of it often. Because I think we can find happiness in absolutely everything we do. Even laundry (well, maybe that’s pushing it). Since becoming an indie author, I am busier than I’ve ever been in my life. But I am also happier. I have readers who have read my books. Just typing that last sentence gave me goose bumps. After 19 years of writing, I was beginning to think that might never happen. But it has and the thought that people are enjoying my stories makes me smile.
Like many of you, I have a “to do” list that is growing faster than Jack’s beanstalk. I am choosing not to stress over my growing To-Do list. I am going to take one thing at a time and do the best I can. That’s all I can do. That’s all any of us can do.
I am going to make writing my priority because that’s what I love to do and it makes me happy and I really have an obsession with being happy. Life is way too short to be anything else. If I spend more time focusing on story and characters, delving deep into their wants and desires, the book sales will follow.
I know it. I feel it. I believe it.
My advice is to enjoy the ride. Enjoy it now. Today. Slow down. Breathe. Smile. Have fun.
You can find Theresa:
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