Why Being Independent #ROCKS

If you've kept up with this blog since the beginning, you know I'm a crazy movie-buff.

My maternal grandmother, who we called "Bobie," loved movies, and she got me started watching them with the old noir detective films.

These old movie posters are amazing.

My best memory is of watching The Big Sleep with her, and I've seen it so many times since, I can practically quote the whole thing.

It's also cool that William Faulkner was one of the screenwriters. (Yes, that William Faulkner.)

It's a crazy, twisty super-fun movie with fantastic, unforgettable characters doing unexpected things.


And you really have to watch it about five times to understand what all's happening...

After watching it several times, you might get more insight into my own characterization and plot twists. (JRM points to Footloose as being, "everything you ever write"--LOL! That's not so true anymore.)

So what does all this have to do with being an Independent Author? I'll tell ya!

I was reading an article about Roger Ebert in Entertainment Weekly (link), and it had a listing of his "Movies of the Year," going all the way back to 1967's Bonnie & Clyde. (I totally agree with his assessment of that film, btw.)

In the listing were JFK, Malcolm X, and Schindler's List. About Schindler's List, Ebert says, "The movie is 184 minutes long, and like all great films, it feels too short." Spot on.

That got me thinking about the battle Spike Lee had over the length of Malcolm X was, and how the Big Studios wanted him to cut it.

Oliver Stone had managed to get away with 188 minutes for JFK the year before, and as expected, Lee had some choice words about that. But at the time the Controlling Powers had established "norms" about "what audiences wanted," and long films about controversial black icons were not it.

The next year, Big Fish Steven Spielberg made a 184-minute, black and white film, no sweat.

Flash Forward many years, and I'm thinking about how all of this relates to Independent Publishing v. Traditional Publishing.

Film, like music, and now books, went through a revolutionary "independent" period that played out differently in each medium. (I should say "is playing out" with regard to books.)

Personally, I just wrapped a series of books that I can't even imagine trying to get through the Traditional process.

The Dragonfly Series starts with Book 1, Dragonfly, which is written in the standard mature-YA manner: first-person, female POV. (It's how you wrote books like this in 2009.)

The next book Undertow takes a completely different turn. The bulk of the story is told through three journals, but regular journal-style felt inhibiting to my process... so I didn't follow the rules. I wrote it like a narrative, but unfolding it epistolary-style.

It's told in three different POVs--Meg, Lexy, and Bill's--and it's the story of an affair that led to a birth and a death. It does not have a happy ending... and most readers seem to love it.

It's a layer to the series that goes to the heart of everything happening, of Anna and Julian's relationship, of all the secrets and lies, and readers really, really need to know that story. The style fits into the overall series arc, and it was how I chose to write it.

The content of Undertow is also decidedly New Adult to Adult--one of my beta readers even said, "This reads more like women's fiction." Another said, "You should write more adult fiction."--LOL!

It makes sense, and I think my readers of all ages get it. I trusted them to get it.

Watercolor (#3) is back to the present, it's Anna and Julian's love story, first-person POV, female lead and more strict NA, a'la Jessica Sorensen, Colleen Hoover, or Katja Millay books. (I.e., the main characters are seniors in high school.)

Then we get to Mosaic... 

It's the end of the series, and I really wanted to tie the whole thing together both from a story perspective and a stylistic one. So right slap in the middle of that book, sandwiched between the present--which is 20 years after Watercolor ends--is Anna's "private blog."

It's her journal (told Undertow-style), and it follows her and the gang through college all the way to the break... where it stops, and we see what happens next.

When I started writing this series in 2009, there was no "Independent Publishing." Amazon hadn't truly launched the Kindle yet, and at that time, self-publishing meant Vanity Publishing.

Vanity Publishing is bad, reader-friends. It means you pay thousands of dollars to jerks like Author Solutions (now owned by Random-Penguin) and they take you for a ride that ends with them dumping a pile of paperbacks on your doorstep for you to figure out how to sell.

It isn't legitimate in any sense of the word. It's a racket that many well-meaning authors got sucked into because they didn't want their stories to die in a drawer. (And they didn't have Thelma Toole, Walker Percy, or LSU Press, link. Geaux, Tigers.)

Of course, I'm sure Traditional Publishing doesn't consider Independent Publishing legitimate to this day--unless you start banking Amanda Hocking, Hugh Howey, E.L. James, Colleen Hoover, Jasinda Wilder, Abbi Glines... the list goes on... dollars. Then suddenly you're very legitimate.

(I hope you're catching my sarcasm. I drank the "not legitimate" Kool-Aid for way too long before I jumped off that merry-go-round.)

I feel like I'm losing my point--my point is, to me, the greatest thing about being an independent author is I can write my books the way I want to write them, the way that makes sense to me. I don't have to worry about established norms or "what readers want" when I sit down to write.

Okay, being a smart businesswoman, I do consider "what readers want" when I'm looking at which projects to focus the most time and energy on. (Hint: The ones that are selling!)

But take for example a book I've been sitting on since 2012. It's another NA contemporary romance, but it's an action-adventure story set in the woods of south Mississippi.

I loved this movie when I was a kid.

Since it's written by me, it's fer sure a romance, but the focus is on the transformation of this incredible character I love named Prentiss Puckett from everyday-country girl to a Red-Dawn-meets-L O S T-style action-hero.

Being trapped in a prison camp during what seems (to her) to be a Russian invasion of the U.S. will do that to a person.

This book, which is currently titled 21 Days, was with a literary agent for a year. He shopped it around, and we got the usual compliments on my "strong writing" followed by the reasons it "wouldn't work."

First, I was told it was "too dated." The problem is Prentiss fears it's the Russians holding them captive. It made sense to me in 2012, given where she lives and the persistent fear of "Russians" in certain pockets of the deep south.

I was told "nobody cares about Russia anymore" and given the "how very 1950s of you" treatment. (Oops! Ukraine just called.)

Second, after being kidnapped, *something* is happening to Prentiss, and it's causing her to have very vivid flashback-style dreams, which taper off as the plot unfolds. I won't spoil it here, but I was told "readers won't like that"--jumping back and forth.

It's funny because all six of my beta readers--all six of them--said that was their favorite part. One even wanted more!

Guess what I'm going to do?

I'm going to polish that baby up, add a few ideas that I've had since I finished it 2.5 years ago, and put it out there for you all.

And that's why I love being an Independent Author.

Now, I'm not going to go all *banging my fist on the table* insisting I'll "never go traditional." There are very legitimate reasons for plugging in and using that established book-selling machine--for example, none of my indie books will ever be reviewed in Entertainment Weekly.

I have managed to get into some high school libraries through NetGalley, which is amazing. But I won't be in any Scholastic Book Fairs at schools. (Scholastic is a traditional publisher, fyi. Those are all their books.)

It's incredibly difficult for independently published authors to get into places like Target or Sam's Club or Costco. (I won't say impossible b/c my indie-author friend Cindy Hogan does it all the time.)

This post has gotten very long. I apologize. I haven't blogged in a while...

One last thing that I love about being an Independent Author: As my one-degree-of-separation buddy Hugh Howey explains in detail here (link), being independent means for the first time in history, authors can make a living--an actual living that includes paying bills, feeding children, buying clothes, paying for college--through writing books alone.

Many, many authors are doing just that, and it has never been the case in all of book publishing recorded time... until now. Only a handful of "stars" have ever been able to make that claim.

So yanno. Vive la Revolution... or whatever.

I'm just so lucky and blessed to be living in this time. I'm not knocking anybody's choice or the path they follow. Whatever path you chose, traditional or independent, whatever books you read, do it because you love it. Otherwise, what's the point?

Thanks for being such FAB reader-friends. Love you guys~ 

I Had a Publishing Dream...

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., day! He had a dream--I wrote a post about it here (link)!

Today, I'm thinking about something that was on my mind last week, but "life and being a mom" kind of knocked me off my schedule.

So you're getting it now. Ready?

In 2009, I had a dream of being a traditionally published author, having my books on bookstore shelves, being reviewed in Entertainment Weekly, maybe having a movie or a TV series made from one of them...

In 2011, when many of my closest, most trusted author-friends were jumping ship and heading into the world of independent publishing, I landed an agent for my book Rouge (link).

Eventually that agent secured me a basic contract with a Big Six publisher (there were still six in 2011).

Sometimes I wish I'd been brave enough to walk away from that situation in 2011, but it took me until 2012 to see what was happening in traditional publishing and to understand that if I wasn't getting a SUPERSTAR contract, I needed to high-tail it out of there. Fast.

I've been an independent/self-published author since September 2012, and my first book The Truth About Faking (link) has sold almost 50,000 copies worldwide.

That sounds like a lot. That is a lot! But I actually have independent-author friends who sell that much in a month. Some sell twice that much in a month.

So I'm kind of a mid-list independent author.

What's the point?

Two weeks ago I was flipping through my Entertainment Weekly for the week ending Jan. 16, 2014. Usually I skip over the "Books" section, but on this day I stopped to check out the Fiction Top 10 list.

Ready for the names?

#1-John Grisham
#2-James Patterson
#3-Tom Clancy
#4-Stephen King
#5-Mitch Albom
#6-Janet Evanovich....

Are you seeing my point now?

I have no intention of going on a rant about traditional publishing, But Gah! They really make it difficult sometimes. John Grisham? Tom Clancy???

As a former editor and a college grad with a Master's in mass communication, who started out focused on book publishing, I understand the business of making money.

But jeez louise, could that list demonstrate any more clearly how nothing has changed?

I have a second-degree author-friend (a friend of a friend), and a few weeks ago, she was brave enough to write a blog post about how less than broke she is as a mid-list selling author with a Big Five publisher.

She's pretty well-known. You would know her name if I put it here. But I won't. Why?

Because in less than one hour after she posted, it went viral. And in less than fifteen minutes of me reading it, it was GONE.

I don't know if her publisher muzzled her or her agent... or if she really did decide (as she said) it probably was tacky to put actual numbers online for the world to see.

You know what I think is tacky? The continued treatment of new authors with interesting stories to tell, new voices, as less than second-class citizens in favor of the same old boring lineup of guaranteed freight movers.

A few of my indie-author friends are discouraged about how hard it is to rise above the noise right now.

Some of them are returning to the traditional merry-go-round because they're tired, and it's not so easy to throw a title up there and make a million dollars any more. (Not that this little black duck ever did.) The word is out!

But this Entertainment Weekly list only demonstrated to me what I felt in my gut: Going back is just setting yourself up for the same old treatment.

Yes, I understand your exhaustion and frustration, author-friends. I feel it, too.

But rather than whopping myself over the head anymore for not being daredevil enough to jump into the indie pool when the rest of you did, I'm going to be thankful right now.

I'm thankful I got that first book deal with the Big Six publisher. Why? Because it was the same deal my second-degree friend got, and I heard in her post the heartbreak and the loss I'd be feeling over being overlooked and earning less than a paperboy for my work. I have children to feed and send to college, too.

Self-publishing is hard work.

Yes, it is. But guess what else it is? It's freedom.

I can give away copies of my books--as many as I like!--and I can decide what comes next. I often chat with my reader-friends about what they like, and if I want to promote one of my titles, I can hold a contest and/or modify my prices and/or change my covers...

You know what else?

Do self-publishing well enough, and contrary to what they were all telling us in 2011, you will end up right there beside the John Grishams, etc.--if that's what you choose to do.

Self-publishing doesn't close any doors. It only opens a whole world of new ones.

Have a super week, reader friends! Fight the power--read a new author for a change. *wink* 

So You Want the Truth? Can You Handle It?

Streamline...
Write more...
Get more out there...
Market more... 
Market smarter...
Indie's saturated, go back to traditional...
No, join an author group...
Author groups don't market enough...
Author groups shouldn't market...
What should author groups do?

...Hang on... where is everybody???

It's a new year, reader-friends! 

I bet all you guys are making plans, setting reading goals, maybe exercising more, possibly making resolutions...

Behind this little indie-writer's scenes, a lot of talk is going on about how publishing is changing (again!), author support groups, what we should be doing heading into the new year.

Personally, I've also been looking at what's coming next, what's working and what isn't. Many of you have asked about Mosaic, and Yes! That is up next on the agenda!

Once we get un-snowed-in and the little ladies back in school. Snow Day #2 starts tomorrow~

In other news, would you LOOK at this blog? What a mess. *smh*

That's another thing everybody's talking about--Author Websites and Branding. (They've actually been talking about that one a while... I'm still talking.)

When I started this blog in Feb. 2010, it looked almost exactly how it looks now. Okay, my photos have changed.

I started out looking like this:

2009-2011

Then I looked like this:

LTM avatar

Now you see me as I am up there. (I actually look like all of these pictures... Just depends on if my hair's straight.)

I was also very much a traditionalist. I was querying agents, working, and waiting... waiting... waiting... write while you wait... quietly go insane...

Until I started this blog.

And lo and behold, this amazing tribe of writer-friends formed!

We would send each other little "awards"--which were actually networking-style greeting cards. You'd get one and then you'd pass it along and tag each other and tag the person who sent it to you... and the tribe grew.

It was how we met new friends before Facebook took over.

All those little awards still line this blog as you can see... (that's what you did when you got one--put them in the sidebar.)

Then some of us started getting deals. I can't remember who hit it big first. Maybe it was Sarah Fine, maybe it was Elana Johnson, maybe it was Lydia Kang...

Somebody can remind me.

The awards started moving to separate pages under tabs on the different blogs. The different blogs started looking more professional. The ones who'd gotten those big deals started getting too busy to blog... They had to write, y'all!

Totally understandable.

Then the revolution started. Jolene went indie... Susan went indie... Elle went indie... RaShelle blew up the indie scene with Blood & Snow...

I started editing for hire and when I did, I really saw how many of our friends had left the traditional game--AND how successful they were on their own.

Some days I still feel like a Major Dummy for waiting so long to join them, but I'm catching up. The only thing I haven't done is changed this blog.

It's hard because when I come here, I'm reminded of all those days we bonded over how hard this business is. How much those rejection letters hurt. How close we were to giving up. How we didn't think we could keep going any more. How we weren't even sure if we even had what it took to be a published author any more. How we wondered why we even started doing this to begin with...

This page has so much history.

I have an "official" web page that's pretty professional-looking---leightmoore.com.

Go there if you want to see me all spit and polished and looking like a Real Author.

But if you want the True Story, if you want to see behind the curtain, the journey, well, you've come to the right place.

Maybe one day I'll sit down and clean this blog up a bit. Make it look like a True Author Website...

*shrugs* I don't know.

Maybe instead, I'll pull down one of those awards and try circulating it again. See if anybody's still out there. If anybody else misses those old days.

Have a great week, reader-friends! Stay warm! I'll be heading back into the cave soon~ 

All I Want for Christmas, #SWAG, and a #WIN!

Just fyi, reader-friends, I have both a cement truck and a table saw going outside my window right now, so this one's bound to be a bit rambly...

Perhaps my Christmas Wish List should start with #1-A nice, quiet writing space. (LOL!)

No, all the noise is from the construction on the house next door--I should be wishing for awesome new neighbors. (Or at least ones I get along with!)

I'm a writer in case you haven't noticed, so I'm always chasing trains of thought in my head, thinking about how humans interact with each other, contemplating how one different decision might change the outcome of any given situation.

It's fun! And I hope it's what keeps my characters and stories authentic. That's what I'm going for anyway.

I've been observing my interactions with the workers next door these last several weeks, imagining what they might think of the mole-lady who is often irritable when she has to ask them to move their equipment and crap so she can get out of the driveway to fetch her children from all their activities.

Lately, I've also been thinking a lot about how much has changed in publishing since this time last year. Back then, the type of romance stories I write were easy to market. Bloggers were excited to read them and schedules weren't so full.

Two things have changed--schedules are very full, and sensational eroticism seems to be the order of the day. It's prompted me to consider lying low until the pendulum swings back again.

If you're here, you've probably read at least one of my novels. They're all a bit different, some are much steamier than others, but some things are constants: I don't enjoy stories where the lovers are mean to each other or humiliate each other. I don't think abuse is sexy. I don't care for my heroes to call their lovers "sluts" and/or worse, I hope to make you smile and/or laugh at least once while reading...

It's kind of got me sitting and thinking a lot... just thinking. Nothing more.

You see, I prefer strong women--even if it takes them the course of the story to get there (Anna), it's coming. Stay with me.

Perhaps that's #2 on my Wish List--A reading majority who feels the same way... LOL! I bet every writer would ask for that. I'm probably just struggling with growing pains.

Pay no attention to the mole-lady behind the curtain. So other types of stories are enjoying the spotlight right now. What's a gal writer to do? Well, I'll tell ya...

Just keep swimming. Isn't that what we've been saying for years? It's still the truth.

And what's all this about Swag???

Well, I've created an Online Swag Store filled with fun book-cover stuff like posters, iPhone covers, etc.

Here's the link if you'd like to check it out (link)!

And if there's an item you'd like included, let me know! It only takes a day to whip it up and have it available.

* * *

Also, the HUGE Black Friday Giveaway is still going on... You can WIN FOUR $50 Amazon Gift cards!

Go here to enter (link)!

And Dragonfly is still on Sale for 99 Cents!

Enjoy the season, reader-friends! I know it's stressful at times, but remember what it's all about. Good friends, good food, and good times~

Have a SUPER week! I'm trying to find a quiet spot...

Reflecting, Catching Up, and a Sweet #SALE

Over the weekend, I was thinking about my publishing career.

I met with some Indiana writers about a month ago to plan an author event here in Fall 2014, and I mentioned several writer-friends we could invite.

One of the ladies present said, "How do you know all these authors?" 

My answer was, "Blogging."

On Amazon

I started this little blog began back in Feb. 2010 and had no idea what to do here.

Since then I've met and gotten to know hundreds of amazing readers and writers. Some are traditional, some are Indie, some are a mix. 

Sept 2012-Today has been a whirlwind for me. 

March 2013-Today were particularly hard--between keeping up with my schedule and keeping up with my family.

But I still love what I do!

Yesterday, I looked at all the books on the market, and I wondered, "How did I ever find my readers? What shiny stars they are in my little journey!"

More and more books are making their way into "print," and finding ways to reach readers is getting more and more interesting. 

I'm glad I found you! 

I'm glad I started when I did--maybe not so glad I held out for traditional as long as I did. (At times maybe wondering if my Big 6 publisher was right about the direction I "should" have taken with my books.) 

The Truth About Faking was my first "hit." I hope many more will follow. 

I'm still proud of its funny, sweet little story, and now that my own daughters are tweens, I'm hoping to write another book like it for them. 

In honor of that book's amazing success, it's on Sale for 99 cents this week. (Already read it? Give it as a gift!)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | ARe

It's still a great time to be a writer, friends. 

And I can't say enough how glad I am to know you! Thanks for sticking with me on this journey. 

Have a great week~

Dreams, Changes, and #FUN stuff!

Dragonfly was the first book I ever wrote and tried to sell to agents back in 2009.

Back then, it wasn't perfect, my novel-writing skills were poor. I'd only been a journalist, an editor, and a former English major and teacher. 

But I got a lot of full requests, and polite rejections. I think 15 was the final number before I put it away in 2010. Some pretty big names, too (Paige Wheeler, Kevan Lyons, Kelly Sonnack, etc.) 

I loved the story, the characters, the journey. I loved writing it, and I couldn't wait for everyone to read it. In the year I'd spent waiting to hear back from those guys, I'd written Undertow (#2), Watercolor (#3), and started Mosaic (#4)...

...and then I read Nathan Bransford's advice: If you can't sell the first book in a series, why are you still writing it? (Basically, stop and write something new.)

He was right. And it hurt so bad. 

But I put my dream books in the virtual drawer, dusted myself off, and wrote The Truth About Faking. Then, while I was shopping it, I wrote Rouge. And I got a literary agent. And in 2011, I got an offer for a book deal with a Big 6 publisher.

In the meantime, several of the lovely critique partners, advice sharers, and friends I'd made through this blog had started self-publishing. It was still early in the indie game, and it was still considered a huge risk. 

We were told that if you self-published, you could kiss any traditional dreams goodbye. We were told, the traditional guys wouldn't touch an idie book with a 10-foot pole. We were told you instantly became a pariah. 

But my friends were risk-takers. One--Susan Kaye Quinn--had gone the small press route with her first book, a YA romance, and after that experience, she took the reins and went independent with her very successful science fiction book Open Minds.

And after my agent couldn't sell The Truth About Faking, I decided to self-publish it. In Sept. 2011 it came out, and it's still selling very well today.

Why am I tell you all this?

Because it broke my heart when I put Dragonfly in the drawer. I believed that book was dead, and I'd never have the joy of sharing it with readers... and I was wrong.

Granted, in February when I decided to pull it out again, it still had all those first novel problems. I had to take a sledgehammer to it, break it apart, put it back together, remove all the boring parts, beef up the tension, polish out the dialogue...

But my dream came true last week. And every time someone emails me that they love the story or they can't wait for July 18, I get a little misty. So much is changing in publishing, and it's a wonderful time to be a writer. 

Follow the path that's right for you, traditional or indie, but no matter what, hold onto your dream. Be persistent. Don't listen to what "they" say. And for goodness sake, just keep swimming!

Full Tour List

The Dragonfly tour continues!

• Burning questions for main character Anna? WHY did she go back? WILL she choose Julian? WHAT will she do with the secret? Roxy Cade (link) has your answers.
• Still on the fence? Fern Curry with Whirlwindbooks calls Dragonfly, "The ideal book" for "the beach or pool, to enjoy with an iced drink." Yay! See her full review here (link).

Finally, looking for #FUN? Romance Reviews is doing a Sizzling Summer Reads ginormous book giveaway and Dragonfly is a part!

Check it out!

Visit The Romance Reviews site (link) for all the fun, but watch out! That game's addicting... (The Dragonfly Q&A is #19.)

Have a super week, reader- and writer-friends! I'm in final edits for Undertow, but I'll be back with more tour stops tomorrow~

Me on Publishing and Some Cover Love

[Note: I've got a short post over on the Indelibles blog (link) today. But it's not about me! It's about my good writer-friend Ali Cross and her new Writer's Dojo! Check it out~]

Now for this post... Because lord knows, we all need another opinion on what's happening in publishing.

Get me!

I stumbled into self-publishing with a little book the traditional guys all rejected (The Truth About Faking, link), and had a shockingly good experience.

Then I followed it up with a book the traditional guys wanted (Rouge, link), and had what I think is the typical self-publishing experience.

So I don't consider myself expert on all this. (If you want an expert, see my good writer-friend Susan Quinn, link). But I listen a lot. And I observe a lot. And I tend to be excessively analytical at times.

Some observers have noted that self-publishing seems to be the new query letter. I think there's validity in that argument.

I disagree with observers who think traditional publishing is going away. When I interviewed Tammara Webber here last summer (link), she made a great point: Traditional publishers haven't been doing this for as long as they have to not know what they're doing. (I paraphrased--she said it better. LOL!)

Gigantic bookstores are probably going away, which is a little scary. But if it means smaller bookstores will begin to thrive, I like it. I just hope they'll be open to indies...

When I was offered my traditional ebook only deal Spring 2012, it was identical to a "nice" traditional print deal. Now, advances and royalty rates coming off of indie sales are way more writer-friendly.

You even have successful indies like Hugh Howey or Coleen Hoover keeping their ebook rights altogether and signing traditional print-only deals. (Which I say is brilliant!)

I do know a ton of writer-friends are embracing self-publishing, and it's lost almost all of its former stigma. Even with once-anti-self-publishing curmudgeons like myself.

When I put TTAF out there, I thought of it like a little paper boat floating down this fast-moving stream, rounding curves, hitting rapids, wobbling, and I was just standing on the bank watching it, holding my breath, waiting to see if it would stay afloat.

That's kind of how I feel about what's going on in publishing right now. We're in a hugely transitional time in the business, and I don't think anybody can predict what will happen next. I think it's good to stay flexible, try different things, do what works for you, and hold on!

And good luck to all my writer-friends, traditional, indie, or some weird hybrid mix like me. I'd love to hear what you guys think!

Now, bring on the covers!

First, my great Indelible writer-friend G.P. Ching (link) has a gorgeous new installment coming in her Soulkeepers series (#4). I agreed to share the word on it--and just look at the cover (below)...

Soul Catcher, Soulkeepers #4 description:

Add me!

Dane Michaels has been to Hell and back and isn't interested in repeating the experience. But as a human caught up in the Soulkeeper's world, his life isn't exactly his own. 

No one can explain why Dane was allowed through the gates of Eden, but it's changed everything. Now, the only one who can make him feel safe is Ethan, the telekinetic Soulkeeper with a dark past and a heart of gold.

When Malini asks Dane to be part of a mission to find the last Soulkeeper, Cheveyo, more than one team member thinks she's tempting Fate. But Malini suspects Fate has had a hand in Dane's life for some time and that he could be the key to unraveling Lucifer's latest plan of attack.

Add it on Goodreads (link)!


Finally, the ebook version of Rouge (link) has a new look. You can see it on the sidebar and below.

Get me!

I'm also highlighting the romantic suspense and coming of age elements of the story more to reader-friends.

What do you think?

[Note: The original cover will remain on the print version of Rouge (link), so don't despair fans of that look.]

My brilliant cover-designer and writer-friend Jolene Perry (link) had the idea for this new one, and since she's my covergirl, we're giving it a go, trying something new for fun!

Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Elves and Free for ALLs!

I'm doing something BIG bloggy-friends! And I need your help...

Remember that time we all did the Amazon Chart Rush with writer-friend Talli (link)? Well, in an effort to increase visibility for my new book, today and tomorrow only, ROUGE will be FREE for ALL! (link)

Get or Give today!

Not just Amazon Prime members--EVERYONE gets it FREE!!! (link)

If you already bought it, don't be mad! (LOL!)

Writing is my full-time job now, so I'm taking a hit doing this. BUT! the hope is it will pay off in more visibility and future sales. And it will help me get back to what I do best... more writing!

How to help, you say?

*If you're planning to get it, please do so now (link). Two clicks and you're done--easy peasy!

*Spread the word! Tell people on Facebook, or even consider tweeting this tweet (edited):

Last Day #ROUGE is FREE!!! Get it now: http://amzn.to/WOWxzP @leightmoore #freebies #fb

Thank you so much.

The hardest part about being independent is losing that marketing department, but that's why we help each other. And I'm here ready to return the favors!

Now, what about these Elves?

Well, as you may know, a few weeks ago PETE the Elf had a touch too much Eggnog at the Holiday Christmas Party and as he stumbled home, he lost Santa's NICE LIST.

The North Wind scattered the papers to all four corners of the world, and The Bookshelf Muse put out a call to help find them in order to SAVE CHRISTMAS.

Ever since I read about it, I've been on the lookout. And then today, EUREKA! Yes that's right, I found part of Santa's missing NICE LIST.

There it was, fluttering in the wind, half caught under the corner of my welcome mat. And shock of all shocks, I recognized the names. I bet you will, too! Here it is below: 


NAMES: Jolene Perry (link); Susan Quinn (link); Hart Johnson (link); Carolyn Abiad (link); Jessica Bell (link); Matt Rush (link); Sheri Larsen (link); Janet Johnson (link); Lydia Kang (link); D.L. (link); Stina (link); Lisa Ann (link); Old Kitty (link); Pat Hatt (link); Kelly Polark (link); Laura Diamond (link); Magan Vernon (link); Allie Brennan (link); Natalie (link); my dear Indelibles (link); OMG, I have to stop now... but if you're here, YOU!

LOCATION: The Blogosphere

NICE LEVEL: 1000%

NAUGHTY LEVEL: Just enough to be awesome!

OBSERVATIONS: For the most part, these guys have been with me since the early days, writing, getting agents, getting publishing deals, getting published, losing agents, breaking new ground, cheering each other on, always stopping by to say HI... You guys are irreplaceable to me.

RECOMMENDATION: I hope you all know I'm here always and as needed. I still can't wait for that day when we all have that huge party and Matt can DJ, and TH will insist everyone to go skinny dipping, and Jessica and Jolene can sing and play guitar, and Sheri can dance, and Lydia can examine our heads... LOL!

How about you, Readers? Is there someone you'd like to say Happy Holidays to, or tell them how much they mean to you? JOIN US! (link) There's plenty of days left until Christmas, and sometimes a kind word can lift people up in a way that they really need.

And have a GREAT week-reader and wrier-friends! Christmas is right around the corner~ <3

Free Souls is HERE!

All you wonderful reader- and writer-friends, who I love. I'm at the end of The Truth About Letting Go, and I have cried, swooned... omg. I can't wait to share it with you.

In the meantime, I am PSYCHED about today's post. I've been great friends with Susan Quinn (link) for a few years, since I reviewed her very first book Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (link), a sweet, YA romance.

Susan's a rocket scientist. Yep. So it's only natural her next trilogy (thrill-ogy) is a science fiction story that ROCKS! I read and reviewed Book #1 Open Minds (link), and I had the privilege of critiquing her final installment Free Souls.

It. Is. AWESOME!!! Action paced, intense...

So without further ado, here you geaux~

Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

(Book Three of the Mindjack Trilogy) Now Available!

When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

All Mindjack stories available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes
(Note Free Souls is not yet available on iTunes)

Early Praise for Free Souls

“Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”

— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day

"Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read."

— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking

“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don't start reading until you have time to finish. I didn't want to put Free Souls down for a second. It's that kind of book.”

— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review

Interview
Susan's over at Amy Saunder's blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages' abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works.

Digital Box Set
Since Free Souls is out, there is now a Digital Box Set of the Mindjack Trilogy for those of you who want the whole series!

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

Mindjack Origins Collection
Want more Julian? Wondering how Sasha's ability really works? Looking for EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls? This collection of novellas, scenes, and other goodies is for those craving a bit more of the characters and drama of the Mindjack series.

Includes:

Mindjack Novellas
Mind Games (Raf's story)
The Handler (Julian's story)
The Scribe (Sasha's story)

TWO EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls (published nowhere else!)

PLUS Mindjack flash fiction, an (imaginary) conversation between Raf and Julian, and other goodies for readers who want just a little bit more of Kira, Julian, Raf, and the Mindjack crew.

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

The Truth About... Writing Faith

Merry Christmas, reader- and writer-friends!

I hope you're all getting into the spirit. I'm in the writing cave typing like the wind to finish The Truth About Letting Go, a new book that's a companion to The Truth About Faking (link).

TTALG is different from TTAF in that it's not a romantic comedy. It's a romantic drama. But it's still a coming of age story set in Shadow Creek (the ritzy neighborhood next to Shadow Falls).

The main character is Ashley Lockett, who you briefly meet in the last bathroom scene in TTAF. And like TTAF, one of the main characters is a person of faith, which causes a unique set of "problems" for Ashley.

Back when I started TTALG in 2010, Laurel Garver and I exchanged first chapters, and we were struck by the similar themes in our books. Fast forward almost three years, and I did a post on her blog about religion in romantic comedies (link).

Laurel is here today to discuss how she tackled issues of faith in her new book Never Gone (link). So without further ado, I turn the spot over to Laurel~

Getting Real About Faith... and Doubt
by Laurel Garver (link)

In my novel Never Gone (link), fifteen-year-old Dani believes her dead father has come back as a ghost, in part because the strain of trying to live without him is unbearable for her.

Garver

From the outset, it’s clear that her dad gave her a lot of emotional support and encouraged her artistic talent. But he also shaped her values by raising her in the Anglican church, just like he had been.

The way Dani identifies her dad and her faith so closely makes grief especially complicated. Her devout dad is happily in heaven now, everyone tells her, so she’s really not supposed to be upset. But the very real pain and anger she feels can’t be easily argued away or healed with nice-sounding platitudes. The secure faith of her childhood begins to waver.

In places of great pain, any belief system will take a beating—even if it’s a secular belief in the power of friendship or family love. I think that aspect makes my novel a relatable story no matter where you are on the faith/doubt/indifference spectrum.

Still, it’s hard to ignore how deeply polarizing religion can be. When I initially sat down to write this post for Leigh, we were in the midst of one of the ugliest presidential races I’ve ever witnessed. And I have to admit that during that time, when faced with the task of discussing how I use religious themes in my work, I emotionally imploded.

Christians on both ends of the political spectrum were behaving badly, and any attempt to have a civil discussion was looking pretty fruitless. I don’t know if it was wise or simply cowardly to hold off writing this post; all I could see was how Christianity had become the Tar Baby. So I’ve waited to let the rancor subside and to gather my thoughts a little longer.

Writing religion is risky. Beliefs and values are so core to our identities, our vision of the good life, and these beliefs often come into conflict. And yet teens need to see themselves in fiction. In this Huffington Post interview, “Religion lifts YA books from ‘darkness’,” YA author Rae Carson expresses well the idea that pushing religion out of books marginalizes groups and their real experiences.

Spiritual questions about the nature of life and of a higher power naturally come up when a person is grieving. To remove religious thinking on the topic seems to me inauthentic.

My approach was simply to write a character for whom faith is a natural part of life. It’s Dani’s framework for understanding the world, just like her artistic ability is. The imagery and stories of her faith weave through her thought world as much as the language of painting and drawing. Like any teen raised in a Christian home, she goes through a coming-of-age process in which she has to decide if she truly believes for herself, rather than believing in her parent’s belief.

Most centrally, Never Gone is a dramatic story, not a handbook or a “how to grieve well” manual. Readers walk with Dani through sadness, longing, first love, turmoil, broken relationships, confusion and doubt. The adults in her world sometimes help, sometimes fail her badly. She has to come to grips with what is really real, with who God is, and with how she must grow and change in order to become her best self.

I don’t think you have to be a Christian to read a story like mine and get something positive out of it. I’m not Jewish, but I really love Chaim Potok’s stories, which give me a glimpse into Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish communities. One of the most lovely things about literature is how it opens a window into other worlds, gives us a chance to understand other perspectives by living inside them for just a little while.

====

Laurel Garver is the author of Never Gone, a novel about grief, faith and finding love when all seems lost. A word nerd, Indie film enthusiast and incurable Anglophile, she lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. 

Trailer for Never Gone



Add it on Goodreads. Read a sample chapter.

It is available as an ebook and a paperback at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, CreateSpace.

The Skulls & What Next?

So last Monday, I was talking about shifting gears and how my first book, The Truth About Faking (link) is a classic YA--sweet, relatively clean romance--while my next book ROUGE is more edgy, new adult...

I've decided to embrace the difference, vive la difference, oui? (ROUGE is set in New Orleans.)

But that leaves me with the question: What to focus on next?

I've had fans of TTAF ask if there's a sequel coming to that book. More Harley + Jason!

I don't have a sequel to that book

But! I've got a good 15K-word start on a companion book I'm calling Shadow Creek. The main character is Ashley Lockett, who we meet in the bathroom with Stephanie at the end of TTAF... (An excerpt was up on The Writing Show website two years ago, if anyone remembers that.)

Shadow Creek would not be as warm-fuzzy as TTAF, but it would be another classic, contemporary YA.

On the other hand, I'm equally as far into the sequel to ROUGE, and I'm pretty sure readers of that book will be wanting that sequel--Stat!

Alas, I'm only one struggling writer-girl. How in the world to write two books at once? And even once the book's written, it has to be edited, revised, etc.

This is the indie conundrum, yes? I'm everything--writing, editing, revising, formatting, marketing...

I'll stop complaining right... NOW! Because I have been so blessed. I've had a great experience so far, and I love being independent! I'm just wondering once the dust settles, where's the best place to focus my efforts? I guess I'll see how everyone responds to ROUGE (out 11/11, fyi).

In other news, while we're on the topic of my love for independence, I was honored to be tapped to join The Skulls... *cough* er--I mean the Indelibles (link)! How cool is that?

Check it out!

I confess, I did the Pee Wee Herman Tequila dance when Dr. Susan Quinn (link) sent me the email invite.

The one thing about being a writer that I hate is how isolating it is.

I'm a pretty social person, but this business takes some serious concentration and focus. It's tough. And being independent further removes us from our networks... 

It's awesome to be part of a group of independent writers who know what we're up against and can provide support. More on that I'm sure soon.

So that's all my news. What's new with you guys?

As always, have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! <3

In Interesting Times

The cool thing about having a new book out and obsessively checking my Amazon numbers (LOL!) is I've discovered so many interesting, new indie books!

Seriously, go to Amazon and peruse the Top 100 lists for "Coming of Age" (link) or "Love and Romance" (link), and you'll find a virtual explosion of exciting, new indie authors creating a variety of books on the list.

It's truly a revolutionary time to be a writer.

I was telling a good friend of mine it feels like for the first time writers have the same opportunity as musicians or film makers. Now we can come out with new books in a fraction of the time it used to take, and it's up to the readers to decide if our product is entertaining or thought provoking enough to share.

The example I used was The Blair Witch Project. Remember that? (Just in time for Halloween!)

A group of kids made it with a camcorder then used the Internet to spread the word pre-release in all sorts of creative ways, and Bam! Indie blockbuster.

I don't remember if it was a blessing or a curse when someone used to say, "May you live in interesting times," but for writers, I'd argue it's a blessing.

Nowadays, if you follow the formula (great story + investment in quality), you really can find success. The only thing stopping you is you.

Will you invest the time to write a compelling story--your story? To hire an editor and copyeditor? To make the revisions needed? To create an eye-catching cover? To do the legwork it takes to get the word out?

If you will, it's completely possible these days for writing to be a true, sustainable career for any writer--not just the very lucky few.

How amazing. How blessed we are!

This week, I'm absolutely bursting with news... which has to wait (LOL!). But I can say, I'm working on Rouge again--cleaning out added content I didn't like, restoring it to my original vision (mature YA), sifting through cover images--and by November, I can't wait to share it with you!

In the meantime, I hope you guys are doing fantastic. What's new with you? How do you see this revolution and our changing times?

I'm telling you, writer-friends, there is absolutely zero reason now to give up. Whatever you do, keep swimming.

Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Catching My Breath

Shew! A lot changes post book release.

For one, my visits to Goodreads have spiked like crazypants. How many people are reading it; how many people want to read it; is there a new review or rating... I've got to know! (Haha!)

And those reviews. So far they've all been pretty positive, which is super encouraging, but yanno. I'm bracing for the "not everyone's going to like your book" portion of the show. Talk about scary!

Up until now, I've been in the safe zone here with you all--where we always support each other and cheer each other on. Lift each other up when we're feeling down. 

Post book release, though, I've had to leave the nest. I mean, if I'm serious about turning the writing hobby into a career.

As Dr. Q says, "You have to fish outside your backyard." (Awesome post on marketing, link.)

So for the last few weeks, I've been emailing, introducing myself to total strangers, and asking them if they'd like to read my book for review. It's pretty nerve-wracking.

But so far everyone's been really cool. Book bloggers really are the nicest folks.

And along the way, I've had these little pop-up shout-outs from you guys (Hart, Carolyn, Janet, Kari, Katie, Clarissa, Lydia, Angela, Mary, etc.) Those are the best surprises. It makes me feel like no matter what, we're still getting there. Figuring it out. Keeping each other going. ((hugs))

Get it

While I'm sharing the love, oh, man. Have I got an awesome love story to share with you guys. I actually read this book about two weeks ago--literally in two sittings. It was just that amazing.

My Heart For Yours, by Steph Campbell and Jolene Perry. (link)

First, I love the dual point of view--each chapter is either Tobin or Delia talking or remembering. (I love those names.) And I love the whole setup of the funeral bringing these two kids back together after a pretty harsh split.

Their resistance to seeing each other, to letting any feelings try and creep back in... They totally lose that battle, of course. And how they do is so great to read. You'll just be... *sigh*

Mr. Original #1 Hottie

It's New Adult, so yanno. Age 17+. And--best part--it's all set in south Louisiana. (Yeah, it is!) So I got my home fix.

I highly recommend this one. It's so good.

Y'all know I'm a classic movie buff. It reminded me of an old Paul Newman movie, Sweet Bird of Youth.

Oh, man. I watched that movie with my BFF Dara in HS, and my Paul Newman love affair began. (The movie's awesome, too.) So read MHFY and then go watch SBOY, and have a hottie fest.

Thank you guys so much for always being a safe place. Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! <3

News & A Celebration!

You've probably heard what happened mid-last week. But if you didn't...

I released my debut YA romantic comedy THE TRUTH ABOUT FAKING!

Y'all this has all come together so fast, my hair's still upside my head. Today, I'm being hilariously interviewed on hacky-sack buddy Janet's blog (link). Stop by and win a free copy of my book!

Also I have shout-outs from my lovely CP and Thursday twin Hart (link) my lovely non-twin Kari (link), the scientifically lovely Mary (link), talented (also lovely) Jolene (link), AND my sneaky (and lovely) CP Carolyn (link)! Please visit.

And Thank you! To Laura, Katie, Elle, and all who've posted reviews and shout-outs already.

I tell you, this has been the most exciting, nerve-wracking publishing stunt I've pulled yet, and I can't wait to see what happens next. I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, if you're looking for my book, it's everywhere. Print will soon be available as well. I'm on Goodreads (link), and links for purchase are here:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Now for the Celebration! (*throws confetti*)

One of my sweetest, longtime bloggy friends Sheri Larsen (link) just signed with Literary Agent Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary! 

And because our literary community is so freaking fabulous and generous, she's having a Bigger-Than-A-Shopping-Mall GIVEAWAY!! 

The giveaway is open until September 27th. WINNERS will be announced on September 28th. (Entrants may win more than one prize!)

Click HERE to enter, and Thank you so much for celebrating with us!

List of Rocking Participants: Lenny Lee, Colene Murphy, LM Preston, Darby Karchut, Joanne Brothwell, Patti Larsen, Christine Fonseca,Catherine Stine, Jessica Bell, Kelly Hashway, Leigh Moore, Christine Danek, Alex Cavanaugh, Katie Mills, Matthew MacNish, Beverly McClure,Marcy Hatch, Jennifer Million, Nicole Zoltack, Christina Lee, Kris Yankee, JL Spelbring, Sharon Mayhew, Candice Granger, Dianne Salerni, Lisa & Laura Roecker, Elana Johnson, Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi, Susan Kaye Quinn, Lydia Kang, Julie Musil, Natalie Agurrie, Talli Roland,Medeia Sharif, Kelly Polark, Angela Brown, Sarah Fine, Stina Lindenblatt, Lynda Young, Susan Fields, PK Hrezo, Shannon O'Donnell, Shelli Johannes-Wells, Theresa Brown Milstein.

Congratulations, Sheri!!! So excited for you, and I can't wait to see your books on the shelf!

There's so much awesomeness going on right now. Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! <3