Good Reads

As many of you know, from time to time I like to post books I've read. They're not reviews per se, but rather throwing out some good reads you might be interested in. I have to admit I've been a bit naughty and have been reading instead of writing, but I really needed the downtime. And for those that enjoy getting good deals on Kindle books, check out bookbub.com. Its a free service and everyday I get an email announcing great book deals (based on my reading preferences) from both traditional and indie authors.

So what have I read recently?

An Innocent Client by Scott Pratt

It'd been awhile since I'd read a good lawyer/courtroom drama and I am so glad I picked this one up! I really enjoyed Scott Pratt's writing style and if you're a fan of John Grisham, you might just want to read it! So glad I "discovered" Pratt's series now rather than sooner (there's already four in the series and I don't have to wait). 

The Girl Who Would Be King by Kelly Thompson

OMG! This was such a surprise read! I can't believe I stumbled upon it. If you're a fan of super heroes, kiss ass heroines, a villain you can (almost) love, this book is for you! Great storytelling, great, characters, just overall awesome sauce!! 

Blood Calling by Joshua Grover-David Patterson

I never grow tired of vampire books and I totally loved this new series by Patterson. It's a fresh new take on vamps and I totally enjoyed it. I even picked up book two (Misfits) in the series. Please (if you're reading this JGDP) put out book three already!! Blood Calling is currently FREE on Amazon. 

Gone by Christine Kersey

If you've read my books, you know I love a good parallel universe story. Totally loved the premise: an alternate reality where the government controls your weight. I know right? Half-way through reading, I got the munchies and was so thankful we're allowed to eat all the fat we want! Can't wait for book two!! Gone is currently FREE on Amazon

The Afterlife Series by Willow Rose

I haven't read many books about sprits or angels, so I don't know if I'm a good judge of this genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Afterlife Series. I was totally engrossed with the story and it took me two days to read all four books in the series (I purchased the fourth book separately). 

Perception by Lee Strauss

I have to admit, it took me days to get past the first chapter, but once I did, I couldn't put this book down. It had an interesting concept (genetically altered persons or GAPs) and it's a great read if you like YA sci-fi. 

Your Legacy as an Indie

It's the second Wednesday of the month and even though the day is half-way done and over with, I thought I should still do my post for Indie Life today.

I've been thinking a lot about my own mortality lately (I know, morbid, right?), as well as the longevity of my books. What happens when I'm gone? Will my books continue to sell since I'm self-published, or will my business close shop, so to speak? What happens to my royalties? 

I decided that as an indie author, it is worth considering, as I don't have a big 10 publisher, lawyer, or agent to take care of these things if something were ever to happen to me. I mean, it's not like the notion is unheard of. When V.C. Andrews passed away, her family decided to hire a ghost writer to complete her unfinished stories, with the royalties going back into the Andrew's estate. And what about Stieg Larsson, whose Millennium Series became published after his death, with his estate and royalties going to his father and brother (which supposedly was not in his will and was against his wishes). 

So how do we, as indie authors protect ourselves from a situation like Larsson's? 

For starters, I plan to jot all my account information (Amazon, B&N, iTunes, etc.) and passwords and save them in a safe place, either in a lock box at home or safety security box at the bank. That way, my husband (or whoever is named in my will upon my death) can have access everything and can continue (or not) to keep my books published and keep the royalties rolling in. 

What about my books and or unfinished manuscripts? I'm thankful I've already been using Dropbox as a back-up for all my work. This information, as well as my computer log-in info will be stored along with all my book account info. 

Whether you're an author or not, it should always be a good idea to keep all your personal info and banking passwords in one place (safely secured, of course), to make things easier in the event something happens. We never think anything will ever happen to us and often make excuses for not putting our personal affairs in order until it's too late. 

What have you done to protect your legacy after you've gone? 

 

I'm not worthy!!

I know, I last posted almost a month ago (give or take a day), but yes, I really am up and about! I feel bad that I haven't been updated y'all with what's going on, but after these next couple of weeks (once I'm done giving final exams), I promise I'll be around more often! 

Now that I've got that out of the way, I actually have some real news to report!

(drum roll, please)

I will be a featured guest/author, along with my chef hubby, at Fall for the Book this September! For those of you unaware of this festival, it is a huge deal in the DC/Northern Virginia area. It is a week long festival that takes place throughout the DC/NOVA area and it is an honor to be invited to participate. Hubby and I will be participating as a team, with the hubby doing a culinary demo while I discuss how his cooking influences my writing/books. 

Not only is the festival an opportunity to support children's education and allow readers to connect with authors, but this organization also awards/honors the best in the literary world for their contributions and achievements in literature: past recipients include Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Amy Tan, etc. (yes, they actually show up to receive their awards). 

Once again, it's big honor to be invited to participate! 

In other news, I just found out that one of the anthologies I am featured in, Let It Snow! Season's Readings for a Super Cool Yule, was just nominated for BEST ANTHOLOGY by eFestival of Words! Now, I'm absolutely certain my short story in no way helped in achieving this great honor, but I am humbled and honored to be in the same company with the amazing authors that no doubt contributed to the success of this collection. 

If you haven't picked up your copy of Let It Snow! it's available on Amazon (0.99)! My short story, Old Mexia Christmas Brew, is set in the Travelers Series universe. So check it out and see what all the fuss it about! 

That's it folks! I am going to go back to writing and hopefully get something productive accomplished so I can feel worthy of all this! 

I'm Still Here!

Every once in awhile I go MIA and it's usually for a good reason. But even though I haven't posted in several weeks, it doesn't mean I haven't been working! As you can tell from the sidebar, I am almost 40% done (that's almost halfway, folks!!!) with DARKLY BEINGS, the first in a new series and while I am still in the early stages of getting PARAMETER written, I have finally figured out all the nitty gritty details and I expect to get rolling with that in the next couple of weeks.

So, anyway, things got a bit hectic in March, having to go to Texas twice for family reasons, doing some freelance editing projects for some local authors, and THEN I picked up a part-time job (I don't teach in the summer) at my most favorite store in the whole wide world (where all my royalties will go to), so I guess you can say I've been a bit swamped. But I hope to have more updates for you soon!

Okay, back to writing...