Updates

Okay. Those of you who have been following my blog for any length of time know I’m a self-proclaimed marketing disaster. I love to write, LOVE to write, but this whole telling (or gently suggesting) someone go out and buy my books is completely out of my comfort zone. That’s a big reason Ubooks were created. No one has to buy anything.  But I digress…

The point here is that I’m not very good at marketing or social media in general and in order to get word out about my books I need to be. So I finally did it. I hired a marketing director. It’s a big step for me in many ways. It takes this whole writing/publishing thing to the next level. The real level. She’s giving me weekly assignments and the first one has to do with this blog. Apparently I’m not posting nearly enough. So, starting next week I will be posting three times a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. One of those days I will be releasing that week’s Ubook chapter, on one I will be writing something personal, and on the other I will be featuring a movie/book/blog/music review. With that in mind, if you’d like me to feature your book/blog/etc. leave something for me in the comments and I’ll set that up.  

-Mel

Here are this weeks Ubooks:

The Newstead Project, chapter three

 

The Newstead Project, chapter two, narrated by Nathan Moran

Updates

Don’t compare yourselves with others. Either you’ll think their work/house/body/life/etc. is better than yours, which is bad. Or you’ll think your work/house/body/life/etc. is better than theirs, which is worse.

 

Hello everyone! Hope all of you are doing well. I’ve been through a few extremes lately. Last week I was on a beach and the weather was pushing eighty. I had nothing to do but stuff my face and read a book. This week I’m at my desk playing catch-up and looking out the window at a blanket of snow. It is eighteen degrees out right now. I’m not kidding. Anyhow…

 

One of my pieces of flash fiction was included in this quarters Jack Spratt. I struggled with this one. I knew I wanted to submit, and the category sounded fun: Genre mashups using a Crayola color in the title, with a twist at the end. Sounds simple, right? No. Turns out I don’t do very well when there are any stipulations in there. My brain froze for almost a month on this, but I eventually got it done. For those interested, here is the link

 

Also, the second chapter of The Newstead Project, uBook style is now out. Please feel free to share however you’d like.

 

 

Due to reader feedback, I’ve included a narrated version. Here is The Newstead Project, chapter one, narrated by Nathan  Moran. Enjoy.

 

 

Take care,

Mel

IWSG

 

Hi everyone. This is probably one of the biggest days of my life. Today I get to make two major announcements.

First, my short story, Haunted, was selected for the IWSG anthology. This story is very special to me and I’m thrilled it found a home in this book. Thank you so much to the IWSG administration for this honor.

Second, as promised, I am revealing the new book format I’ve developed. First, a little background. When I was thirteen I read The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub; that wasn’t all that unusual, I read Stephen King all the time at that point in my life. What was different was that time I’d just gotten the soundtrack for Legend—one of the best soundtracks of all time, if you ask me. I listened to that track over and over again as I read the book. The effect was nothing short of mind-blowing . I’ve never felt that connected to a story, not before or since. I always thought it was the music, and now as a writer myself, I know it is. I have my playlists, like I’m sure all of you do. A few years ago, while I was writing Newstead, I wished I could somehow engage my readers with the music that engaged me. You know, like they do in the movies—eerie music during the tense scenes—soft during the romantic parts; something to draw you in and never let go. With those thoughts of that intimacy between reader and writer and book in mind, I now give you Ubooks:

 

 

I plan on publishing a chapter a week, beginning with The Newstead Project and then going on to include all of my books. I would love it if all of you shared this on your twitter/blog/facebook/whatever. If demand is high, I’ll up how often I publish—up to three a week. I’m also producing a narrated version, for those who prefer audiobooks. And of course, all are free. Thanks for the help spreading the word.

And the last (but not least) reason this is such a wonderful day is that I’m currently on a beach in the Caribbean sipping something fruity in a coconut with my husband of twenty years today, which means I have no access to computer/phone/internet, so forgive me for not stopping by to visit you until sometime next week. I’m sure you understand. J

-Mel

2015 in Review

Most people do an inventory of sorts at the end of the year, and I guess I’m no different, especially this year. Why? Because everything’s changing. Sometime around mid-June I felt it, that my writing was transitioning. I was wrapping up the Newstead Saga and that was part of it, but not everything. I had lots of story ideas, but none of them drew the same amount of passion that Newstead did, and having had that, I wasn’t willing to settle for less. If I didn’t live and breathe it, I wasn’t writing it. And then I did. I wrote a short story that I submitted to the IWSG anthology contest that I consider to be my most important piece of work. It took less than three days to write and I still cry every time I read it. So how do you top that? I don’t know. But it’s more than that. I’ll let you in a little secret. For the past few months I’ve been developing a new book format—something completely different. I can’t wait to share it with you. Come back on January 6^th for the big reveal. So with all that, how do I focus on writing another full length novel?

Simple. I don’t.

I do something else instead, something I’m just as passionate about, something like transitioning into that new format I mentioned. I hope to publish all my books that way and then offer it through Black and White. So look for us opening up for submissions sometime early next year. Also, I have a short story being published in an anthology hosted by Randi Lee, and I have a piece of flash fiction in January’s edition of Jack Sprat Press—I’ll post the link when that comes out. That’s about it for me. How about you—any big changes coming in the New Year?

Too much Star Wars

How much is too much?

Like you, I’ve been bombarded with nothing but Star Wars for the last two months. True, I did spend one week in Disney World, so maybe I’ve been blasted more than the average person, but still…

I love Star Wars. It was a major part of my childhood. I stood in line for over an hour to see Episode One. So why am I not overly excited about this one? I don’t know. I think it has to do with the amount of advertising sent my way. It feels like I’ve already seen it, if that makes any sense.

Will I go to the theater? Probably. But I’m not as excited as I should be.

Have a great weekend everyone!

-Mel

Indie Life

 

Today’s the second Wednesday in December, making it Indie time. I’ve been in this whole writing/publishing/editing thing for a little over five years now, and in that time I’ve seen a lot of changes, mainly thanks to the Indie movement. When I first started writing I went to two NYC SCBWI conferences. It was a good time, but the tone was undoubtedly snooty towards those wanting to self-publish. I was told, and I quote: “There are no self-published books, only self-printed books, because, in essence, that’s all they’re actually doing.” What a change five years have made. Now self-published books are everywhere, taking the world by storm. I’ve seen those same editors who made the above statement make major changes to their policies. SCBWI has made changes as well; they now have an entire section of their magazine devoted solely to Indie/self-publishing. And I have a feeling the changes have just begun.  

IWSG

 

Is it December already? Seriously, this year has gone by so fast, and deadlines are creeping up on me—that’s what I’m focusing on this month for IWSG. Thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh and co-hosts for putting it on.

Deadlines. I have them. You have them. Most of mine are self-imposed, but for some reason that doesn’t seem to matter. The date still looms before me with ever increasing magnitude. I whisper to myself to just change the date, no one would mind; no one would even know. But I would know. So I trudge on. This happens to me for every project, so the anxiety I’m feeling now is quite familiar, like an old friend. It’s a necessary evil—how else would I get anything done?

Do you have deadlines? Love ‘em or hate ‘em?