Monday Mishmash 8/28/17

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. First Day of School  I'm not crying. :( I miss Ayla already.
2. New Cover for Fading Into the Shadows  In my attempt to rebrand all my covers, I finally finished the last one, Fading Into the Shadows. My wallet is empty, but I love this new cover. Check it out.
   
3. Cover Design  This week, I'm sending my cover designer info to finish the covers in the Love Chronicles series and the Lies We Tell Trilogy. Did I mention my wallet being empty? 
4. Revising  I'm finishing a revision this week so I can get this book to my editor.
5. 50% off Sale  Since I'm rebranding covers, I'm selling the original paperbacks for 50% off. That's $5 a book (plus shipping). If you'd like copies of Fading Into the Shadows, Perfect For You, Campus Crush, or After Loving You, please let me know. 
   
6. Drafting  I'm hoping to squeeze in some drafting time for my new book idea.
7. Editing  September is a busy editing month for me. I have a few days left to prepare before I dig in to client edits.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 8/21/17

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. After Loving You is a Kindle Countdown Deal! Today and tomorrow, After Loving You is part of a Kindle Countdown Deal. That means you can grab it for only $.99 today or $1.99 tomorrow. It will return to it's normal price on Wednesday, so don't wait. Grab it here.
   
2. Last Week of Summer My daughter starts school a week from today. :( I miss her already.
3. Preorder Hot & Sinful Nights and Get FREE Books! Did you know if you preorder Hot & Sinful Nights, you'll get a bunch of books and a coloring book for FREE? Yes, you read that correctly. FREE! That's so many books for only $.99! Get in on this deal here now! 
   
4. Finishing a Novelette I'm finishing up a novelette that will be a free prequel to a new paranormal series for 2018.
5. Critiquing I have some critiques to do this week as part of my duties as a Rate Your Story judge.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 5/8/17

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Drafting  I've written two books and a novella so far this year. I'm working on another book right now and will still need to write one more before the fall. Yikes! People ask me how I fast draft, and honestly, it's out of necessity. With my editing schedule being so full, it would take me years to write a book if I didn't fast draft.
2. It Was Always You Cover Reveal  Wednesday is the cover reveal for It Was Always You, book one in the Ashelyn Drake Love Chronicles series! I can't wait to share it with you all. In the meantime, you can add it to your Goodreads shelf here.
3. Freebie Alert!  May 9th-13th, After Loving You will be FREE! That's right. FREE! I recently pulled the book from my wide distribution and put it in KU so I can run special sales like this. Make sure you grab your free copy during those dates.
   
4. Giveaway  If you're a newsletter subscriber, today is the last day to click that link in my last newsletter and enter to win a hardcover copy of To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough. Not a subscriber? Sign up here now so you don't miss out on my next giveaway!
5. Editing  I'm finishing up a client edit this week before the next one arrives.
6. Blogging Schedule (or lack of)  You might have noticed MM was the only post last week. Between editing and drafting, I've been swamped. Monday Mishmash will continue, but I'll only post again during the week if I have something to share.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Writer Wednesday: Crunching Numbers

When I made the decision to go indie, I knew it would mean putting out more money for my books. So far, that's definitely been the case. I'm purchasing covers, which are gorgeous by the way. I'm paying editors. I'm purchasing different promotional services. In a word, it's expensive!

But my hope is that my books will reach more readers. I've been lucky that my editing jobs are covering my expenses for my books. I just hope I wind up with a little extra spending cash in the end. That would be nice, right? It's scary not knowing if you'll make back your investment, but that's nothing new for the world of publishing. 

In the meantime, I'll just stare at my pretty covers and hope others see them and scoop up these books!

Does the idea of putting out money before you see any in return scare you as much as it scares me?

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Writer Wednesday: A Year of New Adventures

2017 is quickly becoming the year of new things for me. I've made some decisions to do things differently. I'm participating in boxed sets, one for Kelly in March and one for Ashelyn in September. I've rebranded two Ashelyn covers to more properly reflect the heat level in the romances. I'm trying new promotional opportunities. The list goes on. 

The reason why I'm sharing this is because this is new to me and quite honestly, it's a little scary. But my thought process is this: I have to try new things to find out what works. So that's what this year is going to be about for me. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new things. Why not, right?

Is 2017 bringing you out of your comfort zone?

In case you missed my new Ashelyn covers, here they are. And yes, they are up and available for purchase.

 

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Monday Mishmash 2/13/17

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. After Loving You Has a New Cover!  After careful consideration, I realized the previous cover of After Loving You didn't convey the story well, so I hired Redbird Designs to create this beautiful cover! I couldn't love it more.
   
2. Sign Up For My Newsletter and Get A FREE Book!  If you like the new cover of After Loving You and want to see it on your Kindle, sign up for my newsletter. New subscribers will get the ebook for FREE! Sign up here.
   
3. Editing  I bet you could have guessed I'm editing for a client this week. ;)
4. Thank you!  Huge thanks to everyone who shared the cover of Lies We Tell last week. The book is now available for preorder on Nook, Kobo, and iTunes. It will be available for preorder on Amazon closer to the release date.
5. Revisions  I'm finishing up revisions on my YA paranormal Unseen Evil releasing later this year. As always, my editor had some great feedback for me.
6. Valentine's Day  Happy Valentine's Day!

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 10/10/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Thank You!  I want to thank everyone who grabbed a copy of After Loving You during its release week last week. It was such a great release day, and I love you all for it. If you haven't gotten a copy yet, but would like to, you can grab the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Kobo.
2. After Loving You Blog Tour  This week is the blog tour for After Loving You, hosted by Inkslinger PR. Love them.
3. Editing  October is a packed month with edits, but I'm loving every second of it. My eyes...not so much.
4. Walking And Editing  I'm so in love with editing while walking on my treadmill. Why didn't I discover this sooner? I walk three times a day (for a half hour at a time), which keeps me focused and energized to work.
5. Motley Education Release Day!  Happy release day to S.A. Larsen! Motley Education releases today! Seriously, guys, go grab this book. It's a fantastic middle grade read. I fell in love with it on page one. It's that good, and you can't support an author sweeter than Sheri. Grab your copy here. 

   

   Forget having a lively after school social life, Ebony Charmed is fighting to keep the entire afterlife alive.
   
   Ebony’s less-than-average spirit tracking abilities are ruining more than sixth grade at Motley Junior High: School for the Psychically and Celestially Gifted. Her parents argue so much her dad's moved out. And, even though he’s scared of his own shadow and insists on bringing his slimy, legless lizard everywhere they go, Ebony wouldn’t survive without her best friend, Fleishman.
   
   When Ebony’s Deadly Creatures & Relics’ project goes missing she learns her missing project is one of the keys to saving the spirit world.
   
   Now Ebony and Fleishman must battle beasts from Norse mythology to retrieve her project before spirits are lost, the Well of Urd dries up, and Ebony loses all hope of reuniting her family. But someone lies in wait, and he has other plans…including creating a new world of spirits without them in it.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 10/3/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. After Loving You Release Day!  It's finally here! After Loving You is officially out in the world today. You can grab a copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or wherever you prefer to buy your books. 
   
2. YA Fest  I'm happy to announce I'll be at YA Fest on March 18, 2017! I'm so excited to be part of this event again. 
   
3. Editing  I have a lot of edits on my plate this month. Luckily I really enjoy my clients' work.
4. October  My favorite month is here. I love the smell of October. Sorry to all you pumpkin lovers, though. I'm not a fan of pumpkin anything, unless it's a pumpkin to put out on display. But hey, that means more for you guys. ;)
5. Allergies  While I love fall, it doesn't love me. The allergy headaches have begun.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash: 9/26/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Only One Week Until After Loving You Releases!  I can't believe October 3rd is almost here! 
   
2. Editing  I'm finishing up a client edit this week in time for a new one on October 1st.
3. Two Work Days With Extended Hours  This week my daughter has student council and chorus after school, so thus begins my longer work hours on Tuesdays AND Wednesdays. 
4. 2017 Publication Schedule  I'm going to be releasing books every two months in 2017. Well, actually it will be two months between releases. Stay tuned for more information on that this Wednesday.
5. Fall!  My favorite season is here! I love the smell of fall, specifically the smell of October. October has been my favorite month all my life. There's something special about it.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 9/19/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Motley Education Cover Reveal  I'm so excited to share the cover of SA Larsen's upcoming middle grade title through Leap Books. I fell in love with this book and new I needed to acquire it for Leap Books, Seek. Here's Motley Education: 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Editing  I finished one client edit this weekend and now I'm on to the next.
3. Picture Day  I'm helping out with picture day at my daughter's school tomorrow.
4. Longer Work Days  My daughter was elected student council class rep and she joined chorus, so my work days are longer on Tuesdays and Wednesdays now since she'll be staying after school for those clubs. I miss her already, but oh the possibilities for more work to be done!
5. Two Weeks Until After Loving You 
   
   
   
   That's it for me. What's on your mind today?
     

Monday Mishmash 9/5/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. The Secret Sister  In case you missed my post last week, my daughter's first book is now available on Smashwords. You can download it FREE on Smashwords or Barnes and Noble. The book is also available on iBooks, but I can't link to it.
   
2. Editing  I'm working on a rather large client edit this month. I see lots of hazelnut coffee in my future. :)
3. Kelly's Coven Giveaway  I'm running another giveaway exclusive to my street team, Kelly's Coven. The prizes are pretty awesome too. If you want to join my street team and get in on this, you can request to join the FB group here.
4. After Loving You Preorder on B&N  I didn't have the preorder link for B&N during the cover reveal, but I have it now. If you need the book on Nook, you can preorder it here.
5. e-ARCs for After Loving You  If you signed up to read and post an honest review of After Loving You, you should have your e-ARC by now. If you haven't signed up but want to read and review the book, you can still sign up here.
6. Announcement Coming Wednesday  I'm making an announcement right here on Wednesday. Make sure you stop back to hear my news.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 8/29/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. First Day of School :(  I'm one of those mothers who cries on the ride home from dropping my daughter off at school on the first day every year. It doesn't matter how old she gets or that I know she has a ton of friends. She's my best bud and I miss her like crazy.
2. After Loving You Cover Reveal  If you missed the cover reveal for After Loving You this past weekend, here it is! You can preorder your copy today here. 
   
3. Back to My Usual Schedule  Now that school is back in session, my writing/editing schedule is too. The days always feel so long this time of year because I'm not used to working for five and a half hours straight after breaking up my time during the summer.
4. Editing  My editing schedule is packed from now through January. That's good though because I need to make money, right?
5. WIP Put on Hold  I've written quite a bit this year, so I don't feel bad that I have to put my current WIP on hold in order to edit for clients. I might work on it slowly (a few thousand words a day), but we'll see.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

After Loving You Cover Reveal!

It's finally here! Cover reveal day for After Loving You, my Ashelyn Drake new adult romance. Check it out!

When Mia Thompson and Jared Grande break up before college, they think that’s the end for them. 

But two years later, Mia is stalking Jared’s Facebook page and he’s contacting her every chance he gets. Even though they’re both seeing other people, they can’t seem to say good-bye to the past they shared. 

One way or another, they’ll have to figure out how to love again. Is it time to get back together or time to move on? 

This title will release on October 3, 2016, but you can preorder your copy today here.

I'm going to be hosting some really awesome giveaways coming up soon, but you must be subscribed to my newsletter for one and a member of my street team, Kelly's Coven, for the other. If you're interested, you can sign up for my newsletter here. I only send out newsletters when I have something new to share with you and they almost always include a free book or giveaway for you. If you'd like to be part of my street team, Kelly's Coven, and help me spread the word about my books (as well as get exclusive giveaways, sneak peeks at my upcoming books, and talk to me whenever you'd like), you can join the Facebook group here.

Monday Mishmash 8/22/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Drafting  I had no intentions of drafting a new book right now, but you know how it is when you get an idea. This book will be very different for me. Different POV and genre. Eek!
2. Last Week of Summer Vacation  :( No! My baby is starting fourth grade next Monday. Say it isn't so! She got the teacher she wanted but is sad that her best friends are not in her class. I'm preparing now to hold it together next Monday morning until I'm driving away from her school after drop-off. Send tissues please.
3. After Loving You Cover Reveal   Friday is my cover reveal. Woo-hoo! Not that I'm excited or anything. ;)
4. My Mom's Birthday!  Thursday is my mom's birthday. She reads these posts, so feel free to wish her a great day. Love you, Mom!
5. Reading  With my daughter home, I read a lot of middle grade books over the summer. I do have some adult suspense books waiting for me though, and I'm looking forward to diving into those soon.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 8/15/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. After Loving You Cover Reveal Sign-up  In case you missed it last week and would like to participate, sign-ups are still open for the cover reveal of After Loving You, my Ashelyn Drake NA romance. This is a social media cover reveal, so you don't need a blog to participate. Just post to any social media outlet between August 26-28. It's that easy! Sign up here.
2. Revising  I'm revising a book I haven't looked at in well over a year. Now that's what I call fresh eyes after time away! I love having multiple drafts on my flash drive that I can return to much later like this.
3. Getting Organized  I'm trying to get organized for my upcoming releases, which means I'm breaking out the cork board and Post-it notes. :) Yes, this makes me happy.
4. Humidity  The humidity where I live has been well over 90%, so you can imagine how awful and unproductive it's made me feel. I can't wait for the weather to break. I'm a fall/spring girl at heart. 
5. Back-to-School Countdown  I'm one of those parents who dreads the first day of school. My daughter has two weeks of summer break left, and I miss her already. :(

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 8/8/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. After Loving You Cover Reveal Sign-Ups  Inkslinger PR is hosting a Social Media Cover Reveal for my upcoming Ashelyn Drake NA romance, After Loving You. The cover reveal will take place on any social media site (August 26-28), so you don't need a blog to sign up. If you're interested, sign up here.
2. Touch of Death Series FREE Novella and Short Story  Some of you may know that Spencer Hill Press was bought out. As a result, they've updated the website and are no longer hosting our free novellas and short stories. But don't worry! Kiss of Death (a prequel novella from Alex's POV) and Curse of Death (the myth behind the Medusa legend) are now available as free downloads on my website here, along with my other free titles. 
   
3. Kelly's Coven Perks  I have a giveaway going on right now in my street team and another coming up very soon. I do a lot of giveaways exclusive to my street team because I believe in rewarding those who support me. If you're interested in joining and getting in on these perks, click here. 
   
4. Editing  No surprise I'm editing this week. :)
5. Revising  Now that After Loving You is off to be formatted for e-ARCs, I'm revising another book and it might be my all-time favorite. Stay tuned for more info on this book.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 8/1/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. It's August Already?  Where does the time go? My daughter got out of school at the end of May and she's going back at the end of August. I can't believe it's August already. The summer flew by!
2. After Loving You  My social media manager and I have a lot of awesome things in the works for my upcoming Ashelyn Drake NA romance. I have two really cool giveaways planned. The bigger one will be exclusive to my street team Kelly's Coven, but the good news is you can still join here.
3. Back-To-School Sales!  Is it just me or does every writer get giddy browsing the back-to-school bins? I bought flash drives in every color available and was practically squealing in Walmart over the price.
4. Editing  I'm editing for a client this week, so that will keep me busy.
5. Reading  I've been struggling to find reading time lately. I did just finish one mystery, but I still am working through a thriller and a suspense. I need a day to just read.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 7/25/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. My Laptop Works Again!  I'm jumping for joy because my laptop is finally working again. I ran a huge update and now everything is good. It took forever, but I'm happy. :)
2. Proofing After Loving You  I'm doing the final proofing for After Loving You (Ashelyn Drake NA romance) before it goes off to the formatter.
3. Fun Story! Last week the contractor who put in our new windows told me his wife asked what my first name was and when he told her she realized she recognized my name because she had read one of my books. How cool is that?
4. Editing  My editing schedule is booked into next year already. Just wow!
5. Updating My Website  I've been updating my website after a few people asked how to order signed copies of my books. There's now a store! I don't have payment buttons because shipping costs are different depending on where you live, but all my books are there with prices.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 7/18/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Back to Normal  I returned from my blogging break last Friday. Now it's back to my normal blogging schedule. While I missed the blog and all of you, it was nice to disconnect for a little while. I barely checked email or anything. 
2. Reading  I'm in the middle of three books at the moment. I haven't done that in a while. They all happen to be suspense novels too.
3. Revising  I'm revising my adult suspense so it's ready for my editor in September. I really love this book, and each time I read it, I get ideas for how to make it better.
4. After Loving You  I'm so close to having my Ashelyn Drake NA romance After Loving You ready for formatting. This book tugs on my heartstrings every time I read it.
5. National Ice Cream Day  According to my planner, yesterday was National Ice Cream Day. I may have indulged in some myself. ;)

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 6/27/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. After Loving You  Things are coming along quite nicely for my October 3rd release, After Loving You (an Ashelyn Drake NA contemporary romance). I love the cover so much and can't wait to share it later this summer.
2. Reading  I've been sneaking extra reading time lately and I'm loving it. I'm reading two books right now, a mystery and a thriller. Really enjoying both. :)
3. New Planner!  My old day planner ran out of pages. The horror! But I've replaced it, and I'm loving the new one. The inside is so pretty. It has pockets, color-coded sections, plenty of space for notes, and each month starts with a list of important dates for me to fill in. 
   
4. Blogging Break Coming Soon  I've decided to take a blogging break. One week off, starting July 8th. Why? It's summer and we all need a break every once in a while.
5. Summer injuries  I was proud of myself for all the exercise I've been getting between running, walking, tennis, and swimming. But I got a terrible calf cramp on my last run and haven't been able to run since. It's a huge knot in the muscle. And…I have tendonitis in my ankle too. *Sigh* So I'm walking and swimming for now since those don't hurt too much.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?