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Queer Authors Facebook May Be Removing Your Content

As if being an author online, and one who is either queer or writes stories with queer characters, there's a new thing to worry about. Recently it's been reported that Facebook is removing groups and content which contains LGBTQIA+ themes or information. In the case of this news article out of Australia, groups devoted to LGBTQIA+ support like help lines and community aid found their content deleted without warning or notice. Now the lack of warning or notice is how Meta operates, but queer authors Facebook may be limiting or removing your ability to advertise books on their platform as well as removing your content. At this point, I believe it is vital all authors, but especially those who write queer fiction or are outwardly queer themselves, ensure they have a safe harbor online. Because Facebook, Instagram, or any other Meta-owned property isn't it. What do I mean by safe harbor? A safe harbor is somewhere you can send your readers where they can find the information you want them to find and that won't be subject to getting taken down or having the information removed without notice. Ideally this is your own website with your own domain that you make in a service that allows you to a) backup the website and b) transfer it to a new host if necessary and c) if you write erotic romance or adult content is on a host that specifically allows such things in their terms of service. It's important to be aware of these things, not to be in a state of fear or to cause anxiety, but so you can take back control and ensure your readers can find your books. Want help setting up a website or exploring alternatives? Reach out. Read the full article

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The Best Gift for Authors During the Holidays

The best gift for authors isn't something that costs a lot of money. I'm not pushing you to buy any of my courses or book any sessions with me. There are no holiday discounts. That's because the best gift you can give the author in your life is the gift of time so they can write. This can be a hectic time of year. For those with family, work, or other obligations cramming them all in and finding time to write can seem like an insurmountable cause. But if you're an author, I implore you to give yourself the gift of time so you can write. Block off fifteen or thirty minutes if you must. Please, try to find time to write. Not only will tapping into your creativity create a soothing balm to this time of year, but it will help you feel like you're making progress, moving forward on that WIP. If you're reading this and you have a writer in your life, then take something off their plate so they can write. Perhaps offer to clean up or do dishes. If you're giving presents, offer to help wrap them, even if your wrapping isn't picture perfect. See if you can't help in the kitchen or take the kids for some fun so the other person has time to write. Whatever you do doesn't have to be big. It doesn't have to be elaborate or cost a lot of money. But helping that author in your life could be the best gift you've ever given them. More importantly, think about giving this gift when the holidays are over, too. Either making time to write for yourself or helping someone you care about find time to write will be the kind of gift that keeps on giving long after the holiday season is over. Read the full article

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Excerpt from The First Midwinter (a Through The Portal Storm short story) #SnippetSunday

For this snippet Sunday I'm sharing a brief excerpt from a short story I wrote for the midwinter holidays as part of a group promotion. This story is free to the public, though it contains the characters from my serial, which you're also welcome to read for free. (Paying subscribers unlock more episodes each month.) I hope you enjoy a little holiday cheer. Tye watched the snow lightly falling outside the window and dusting across the table and chairs on the suite’s patio overlooking the garden. Caeruleus, his unicorn, and Dios’ darker blue stallion frolicked beyond, rearing and kicking in delight. Ayoni, Khyr’s unicorn, stood a little distance away, as if bemused at the other unicorns’ antics. Dios passed a mug of cocoa here to Tye and gave a second one to Khyr. “There’s a tradition we have here, of singing Midwinter evening until the sun comes up. I’d like you both to join me.” Khyr smiled. “That sounds lovely. I usually spend the time with the other unicorn tenders, but I’d rather spend it with my bondeds.” Tye warmed. The holidays hadn’t meant anything to him except a break between semesters when he’d been going to college, and then a few extra days off once he entered the workforce. Some jobs he was luckier than others with the time off. Sometimes he bought a special meal, but mostly had gone out to the barn to feed treats to Blu. Then Blu was gone, and Tye had wished he could bury himself in work during the holidays. “That sounds really nice.” “Do you sing?” Dios asked. “I hear on earth the magic works through song.” Tye lifted an eyebrow. “Maybe that’s why I was considered a null? I mean I can sing, but most people would rather I didn’t.” Khyr stifled a laugh. “I’m not sure I know your songs, though. All I know are my Christmas carols, and it’s been a long time since I sang those.” “Ah yes, the earth holiday with the fat man in a red suit and dropping presents down chimneys. Seemed like a fire hazard.” Dios’ eyes twinkled as he teased Tye. A light knock interrupted the conversation. Visit this post to read the rest of this short story and while you're there become a follower of this serial story to read the adventures of Tye, Dios, and Khyr. Thanks for stopping by and reading the excerpt. Read the full article

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Writing Cliffhangers or Not... #IWSG

Question: Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader? Let's talk about cliffhangers, or rather what is meant by them. To me there are two different type of cliffhangers that end books. There are books that feel like the author lost the last half of the story because it cuts off mid-scene, and there are cliffhangers that wrap up the events of the book (or television season) more or less but then either introduce new action or hint at something to come. The first are gimmicks, and you can't convince me otherwise. The second, well that's just satisfying, smart writing. Cliffhangers like the first type are a big turn off to me and I've only used them as a writer in only a few, very specific cases. I used to read these types of cliffhangers a lot in what is now called "why choose" but previously was called reverse harem stories back in the 2020s or a bit earlier, and all the big marketing gurus, the ones who charged you $497 for their course du jour were preaching that was the way to win readers. But even then a lot of readers hated them. I feel like those cliffhangers were really in style when people were first preaching about books like netflix binging, where people wanted to sit down and read everything through. These days, most of the shows we watch (sf/fantasy on Prime or Paramount+) drop an episode a week just like "good old days" that were supposedly long gone by then. So let's talk about the second type of cliffhangers, which really aren't. When the bad guy is caught and the work of the book or episode is done, then new intrigue/danger/etc is introduced within the last few pages to get you to buy the next book or watch the next season. That's how series or trilogies are often constructed, and hey, it works. I've been reading books like that well since I've been reading anything other than Harlequin Romances or stand-alone YA books, so a very, very long time. I'm reminded of the end of season 6 of Buffy (pause, spoiler alert if you haven't seen it) where Xander talks Willow down from saving the world. Pretty heavy stuff, and so powerfully done. The yellow crayon. "I love broken crayon Willow." That's probably the moment that broke her, because it sure as heck broke the audience. She gives into her grief, the world is saved. Then, we see the cave where Spike is talking to a presumed Demon and...gets his soul back? Then the episode is over and we had to wait to see what would happen. Let's be honest, most of us would have come back even if they'd closed the episode with Willow crying in Xander's arms and everyone realizing they're going to live, but that little bit of Spike at the end? That's what had us turning into season 7. That's how a "cliffhanger" is supposed to work. It isn't supposed to read like the author just decided not to write the rest of the book or the computer lost the file because Mercury was retrograde. But provide that satisfying wrap-up that readers want before you yank their chains (or twist the knife, depending on the genre) just a little bit more. Read the full article

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LGBTQ+ People Are Not Going Back (The Evolution of an Author)

I grew up believing I was "bad at being a girl" and when I got older I was "bad at being female". It took me forty seven years to figure out that I was both neurodivergent (AuDHD among some others, thank you very much) and trans. Because growing up Gen X in a small Iowa town bullied to the point of it being  large part of my cPTSD, I sure as hell didn't fit in. You want to know where I did fit in? The barn where I boarded my heart-horse until our move. This barn didn't care that I didn't ride. This barn didn't care that all I did was ground work. I loved horses. I was a good boarder. I paid my bill on time. Sure, I was quirky and odd, but a lot of people at the barn are. That's part of the horse world, really. I'm not going back. I've thought about this a lot because living where I do (very rural Missouri), I go by my very gendered deadname in town. In town, I'm just one of many living on a homestead, who tries not to be around people. Sure, I'm a little odd, but as long as they don't know I'm transmasculine, then they can just think I'm really bad at performing femininity and that's not uncommon. Hard to have time for styling your hair or long nails when you're doing farm chores and if my clothes aren't fashionable, well that's okay too. I'd love to be out in town. I'd love to be known by my name like I am online. I'm probably blurring those lines a bit just by writing this blog, and there are some who say that I shouldn't be doing this on my writing blog. Except, my writing is full of queerness and found family and cozy and yes, horses and joy. I don't want to backslide any more. I went back to my deadname at college after the election, and it damn neared killed me. If I had any doubts that I was trans, any at all, the amount of rage and grief that action filled me with, burned those doubts to ashes. I am furious that I have to hide my true nature from hateful people. I am not going back because after nearly fifty years on this planet, I know who I am and I'm not bad at being a girl. I'm great at being me. In 2018, (I didn't know I was trans yet), my world was changing. I was caring for my mother after the medical community abandoned her to die, and I was burning out. Bad. I decided to write the stories I wanted to read, those horse stories for people who never grew out of being a "horse crazy kid". I imagined them as wine and barn books for forty-something ladies. I called them equestrian women's lit, and the barn was a haven. Five friends, two of them the lesbian couple who runs the barn. Dealing with single parenting and infertility. A rocky marriage and a relationship unsure of its next stage. Life stuff, really. The kinds of human stories that I'd like to think we can all relate to. I published Steady on Course and fourteen more books in the series. (Steady on Course is just 99 cents and available at most ebook outlets if you'd like to give it a shot.)I share this because writing this series gave me the courage not to go back...to writing cis het romance, which is what had burned me out on writing so badly. I went on to write a companion series, Cardinal Oaks, featuring a sapphic couple one member of which we meet in the Noble Dreams series. I dove into my fantasy, now which in addition to disabled characters, also features queer characters. (See the "click me" in the lower right-hand corner of your screen? That's a portal fantasy serial featuring a transman in a sweet gay polycule and UNICORNS, and I guarantee you the next books I have planned include other LGBTQIA+ characters). And yes, I shifted my romance writing, too. I'm not going back. I encourage you that if you're not going back to do a couple of things. First, contact your congress critters and let them know that they need to support protections for LGBTQIA+ people and if they don't, you'll take your vote elsewhere. If, like me, you're represented by people who very much do not represent your values, let them know the same thing, too. Second, if what I've said resonates with you, if you think you'd like my writing, then I strongly encourage you to check out Muse Happens, my membership group. I'm a disabled trans person who has been under employed for over a decade. If I can reach 50 subscribing members at the lowest paying tier ($5/month), then that will allow me to cover my mental healthcare costs as well as pay for the special food my senior heart-horse needs every month. (She's 25, which is old for a horse, and she has more years in her with some TLC.) I need help, because I don't want to go back. Read the full article

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First Midwinter (A standalone short story)

This story may contain spoilers for future episodes of Through A Portal Storm as it takes place in the "future" from the current released point in the serial. If you would like to read this serial, please become a free follower to unlock one episode a month. You will also gain access to all previously unlocked episodes.Tye watched the snow lightly falling outside the window and dusting across the table and chairs on the suite’s patio overlooking the garden. Caeruleus, his unicorn, and Dios’ darker blue stallion frolicked beyond, rearing and kicking in delight. Ayoni, Khyr’s unicorn, stood a little distance away, as if bemused at the other unicorns’ antics. Dios passed a mug of cocoa here to Tye and gave a second one to Khyr. “There’s a tradition we have here, of singing Midwinter evening until the sun comes up. I’d like you both to join me.” Khyr smiled. “That sounds lovely. I usually spend the time with the other unicorn tenders, but I’d rather spend it with my bondeds.” Tye warmed. The holidays hadn’t meant anything to him except a break between semesters when he’d been going to college, and then a few extra days off once he entered the workforce. Some jobs he was luckier than others with the time off. Sometimes he bought a special meal, but mostly had gone out to the barn to feed treats to Blu. Then Blu was gone, and Tye had wished he could bury himself in work during the holidays. “That sounds really nice.” “Do you sing?” Dios asked. “I hear on earth the magic works through song.” Tye lifted an eyebrow. “Maybe that’s why I was considered a null? I mean I can sing, but most people would rather I didn’t.” Khyr stifled a laugh. “I’m not sure I know your songs, though. All I know are my Christmas carols, and it’s been a long time since I sang those.” “Ah yes, the earth holiday with the fat man in a red suit and dropping presents down chimneys. Seemed like a fire hazard.” Dios’ eyes twinkled as he teased Tye. A light knock interrupted the conversation. Dios turned to the door. “Just call the concierge to have your supper delivered and anything else you might need. I’m going to our holiday party.” Viero, Dios’s valet said. “Enjoy. You deserve the time off. You’ve been working overtime since we’ve returned from our trip. We also know how to walk down to the kitchens. I’m sure the staff will be stretched thin as it is.” “Thank you. Happy midwinter,” Viero said before disappearing into the hall. He’d let them know that he would be attending a party held by the staff, then probably spend tomorrow with his family. Dios turned back to the interrupted conversation. “I’m sure my father will be holding his usual affair and keeping the staff jumping all night.” He rolled his eyes. “He and my uncle are two peas in a pod. They just don’t realize it.” Tye rested a hand on his bonded’s arm in sympathy. They’d grown closer over their trip, and then deal with the fallout and possible discovery of a way to stop the magic storms that were disrupting and possibly causing the illness he’d been brought here to treat. “Leianne is probably with her father,” Dios nodded. “He’s stable for now. We’re probably going to try to open the portal in a few days if things remain stable enough.” “I’d like to be there when that happens. It might help to have someone from earth.” “You’re always welcome.” Dios carried his mug over to the low table by the window, then pulled out a chair and sat next to Khyr who’d remained quiet, watching the unicorns out the window. “You look too solemn. Look, there go the singers to kick off the festivities.” He pointed out the window, drawing Tye’s attention to a small group dressed in white carrying mage light lanterns in various colors. Suprisingly, their clear, bright song in the Serecunum’s language that strange mix of Latin, English, and other languages, came to him, and he realized that it was being magically sent through the communication devices contained in every room. “Wow,” he breathed, pulling a chair in close to Dios. He leaned against the larger man, breathing in his spice and woods scent, relaxing when Dios brought his arm around him. He watched the carolers as they neared, letting the warmth of the season flow into him. Khyr moved in closer to Dios, who became the anchor bonding all three of them together. A fitting arrangement given that it was Dios’ use of magic that had required the need for the bond to begin with. Not that he minded. Dios apparently had been watching him from before his arrival in Serecunum. Dios leaned over and nuzzled the top of Tye’s head. Tye sighed and relaxed a bit more against him. The songs held similar melodies to the earth ones, and he wondered given what he knew of Serecunum’s history if they were related to counterparts in earth traditions. The connection between the two worlds, through a series of portals, had yet to be fully explored, and Tye was growing more and more convinced that it was the key to the magic storms as well as the unicorn’s illness, a disease which affected Leianne’s father. The carolers ended and no sooner had they left the garden then a series of mage lights entered like hovering drones. Though the magic wielders were out of sight, the lights made beautiful patterns and sometimes coalesced into recognizable winter images. A series of snowflakes, matching the ones coming down, fading from blue to white and back again, danced across the garden. The display ended and the magic wielders, six of them in all, emerged from just beyond the garden and almost instantly dozens of lights appeared by the windows. “That’s how we show applause.” Dios flicked his finger and a light the same royal blue color as his unicorn emerged, quickly followed by Khyr’s white glowing one. Though it took him a bit of focus to muster his magic—it had been getting easier—Tye added his own light blue light to the mix and the trio hovered outside the window. If those close to him hadn’t known that the three of them were connected, no doubt people could have figured it out now. Maybe they think Dios is having a small party. His unicorn laughed in the back of his mind. Dios never does anything small, let alone a party. Tye tried not to blush. Since their return from the trip, when he wasn’t in the lab, he was getting fitted for a new wardrobe or going to some social engagement or another. His head spun with all the names. While the attention made him slightly uncomfortable his unicorn preened. The lights faded. Khyr pushed back his chair and stood. “Why don’t I go get the food?” He gave a lingering glance to Dios, making Tye suspicious his bonded was up to something. Dios nodded, his gaze never leaving Tye. “I told him he could stay,” he muttered as soon as the door closed behind Khyr. “Stay for what?” Tye asked, growing more certain his bonded his planned something. “I thought we weren’t doing presents this year since I’d just arrived, we’d had the trip, and then I’ve been busy in the lab.” In truth, he’d spoken with his father and had been given a few things, but they were going to be surprises. “I know. I couldn’t resist.” Dios caressed Tye’s cheek. “Besides, it’s customary.” He took a deep breath, as if he were getting strength from his unicorn. And maybe he was because he took a deep breath, then slowly moved to give Tye time to straighten and disappeared into his room. He returned carrying a small box. Tye’s heart did a funny little flutter in his chest and his stomach lurched. They were bonded by magic. They’d already talked about gifts and really weren’t exchanging any and this looked like a very special, very important gift. Dios returned to the table and sat. Outside the twin suns had set, leaving just a large moon in the sky casing light through the snowflakes. It looked like a scene from a holiday card, the kind where magic happened. Tye had experienced enough magic; he wasn’t sure he was ready for more. Dios pushed the box toward Tye. “I know you said not to get you anything, but as soon as I saw your pendant, I knew…” His voice trailed off. Tye pulled the pendant his father had given him, the one with the family crest on it, out from beneath his shirt. Dios had one with his family crest on it; all the nobles wore them. There was a space at the bottom where it appeared charms might be affixed by a jeweler. An unidentifiable emotion filled Tye as he reached for the box. He admired the wrapping, a fancy silver gift box with a velvety bow on top. For a few moments he sat there, just running the bow’s ribbon between his fingers, partially to torture Dios who looked anxiously on, but also to prepare himself for what was inside. Finally, he lifted the top of the box. There, nestled against deep blue velvet, was something he knew without asking had to have some significant meaning. He pulled out the pendant that appeared to have swirls of hair, probably from his unicorn, in a beautiful clear bauble. They surrounded a symbol that Dios wore on his own necklace, which probably was the sign of his family or house. Tye’s mouth went dry. Though he didn’t know for sure, he believed that such a gift had the same significance as a ring would. The magic had bound them together already; this pendant would indicate that bond to the world. “Thank you,” Tye said. “Does it go on my necklace?” There’d been places where it appeared additional pendants could be attached. His father didn’t have anything on his pendant, and Tye hadn’t asked. “Yes. We can go to the jeweler to have it done when you’re ready. Usually, the people involved go together and it’s not a task that you delegate to someone.” “Of course. After the holiday celebrations.” The capital had been mostly shut down for the festival, and Tye didn’t want to bother anyone by disturbing their holiday. “I’m glad.” The relief filling Dios’s face moved him. Though Tye had told him that he’d forgiven him for his actions that had made their bonding necessary, he knew Dios still carried that self-loathing with him and had questioned whether he was worthy of such an apology. Tye did the only thing he could do. Though magically bonded, they’d only held hands or touched one another’s arms. A few cozy nights sleeping together in the same bed on the road had been as physically close as they’d gotten. Tye knew he was ready. Leaning forward, he brushed what he’d intended as a gentle kiss across Dios’s lips. Dios gasped with surprise and the kiss lingered, growing more heated, until the door opened and Khyr entered with the tray. “I see Dios gave you his gift,” Khyr said, seemingly unconcerned about the kiss he’d interrupted. “Food is here.” Tye pulled back. He wanted to feel embarrassed at being caught kissing Dios, and yet, he was bonded to Khyr too, and the satisfaction and happiness he felt coming through their magic bonds from both of them, warmed his heart. This was a time for celebration. “Yes, he did.” Tye stood and went to the cart to help Khyr bring their covered trays to the table. “I love it.” Tye took a deep breath. “I love both of you.” “And we love you,” Khyr said. He set a red leather-bound book on the table next to Tye. “A songbook for our holiday. They were offering them, and I thought you might like it.” “Yes, thank you.” Tye removed the cover from his tray, inhaling the rich aromas of a thick slice of roast beef with sweet potatoes and green beans cooked in bacon. A little ramekin of spiced apples sat to one side, and a fluffy roll with a thumb-sized crock of butter were on a smaller plate. The capital staff had gone all out for tonight’s dinner. “Eat. You’ll know when the singing begins. We can hear it throughout the entire palace complex,” Dios suggested. Tye followed Dios’ lead in eating the dinner. Being here on this midwinter eve with his bondeds was all the gifts he could have asked for. When he looked out the window again, he saw their unicorns had moved to the porch and someone had brought large tubs of hay for them. We want to hear the music too, Caeruleus said. The snow had stopped. With the moon fully risen the world outside their large windows glistened like a snow globe. And I’m glad to share the holiday with you, too. Through his magic bonds, and the bond he shared with his unicorn, Tye sensed contentment and most of all, he sensed the warmth of love.

Are you a paying Muse Happens Member?

Paying members receive TWO new episodes each month. Plus, if you subscribe here on my website you'll also receive free short stories.

Would you like to be notified when a new episode releases?

If so, please subscribe using the form below, and you'll receive an email when new episodes go live. Read the full article

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New (re)Release - Mission: Possession

Out of all the books I've written, this series remains one of my favorites. I am pleased that the third book is now available and the fourth (see the end of this post) will be released on December 17. Happy reading!

Blurb

Hugh has put his marketing talents to work for the store he owns with his friends, The Fantastic Five. He knows a hunk when he sees one, and the broken action figure has model material written all over his muscled body. Hugh repairs him and places the figure in the center of his new ad campaign. But when Hugh finishes taking the photos, the figure, magically returned to life, comes out from behind the camera and into Hugh’s life. A model before he was a soldier and then an enchanted action figure, Talon is no stranger to the camera. The handsome man behind it, however, is completely new and all his. Talon is determined to show Hugh that a picture is worth a thousand kisses. But inside his chest beats the heart of a hero, and when he interrupts a robbery, he’s wounded, and Talon might lose more than his magazine-cover good looks, but the man he loves because he was too stubborn to take a chance.This book is still being shipped to retailers. Please check the book page or the universal book link for the most up to date list of retailers. Thank you.

Other books in this series (click on the cover to learn more)

Mission: Touchdown releases 12/17, but you can pre-order directly through me AND get it a week early (12/10) while saving money.Mission: Dream is a short story that's ONLY available to paying Spicy Ebooks members at the Mustang level. Read the full article

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New (re)Release: Draco Magus

I've been meaning to make blog entries when I re-release books (or release completely new ones). I've been busy working on the serial stories (*points to sidebar for links to sign up*) and with college and work stuff right now, that I hadn't gotten around to it. But I LOVE this story, and it's sparked some new ideas for my Pegasus Academy YA works. This book is a standalone, general fantasy with adult protagonists. I hope you enjoy it!

Blurb

In spite of taking on the family mantle of protecting the dragons in Arkansas' Ouachita mountains, Deanna only had vague memories of the large creatures who lived in a cave on her family's property. Her mother dismissed her grandmother's tales as stories--nothing more. And when Deanna showed aptitude for the trumpet, just like her jazz playing grandfather, her mother quickly whisked her away out of a fear that she would also show the same magical abilities that ran in her family. Being biracial meant Deanna has never been a stranger to walking in two worlds. She also has no idea how that skill will come in handy now that her magic is finally manifesting. A direct hit from a tornado changes everything. Deanna is asked to fully take on the mantle that her grandmother had always intended for her, the title of Draco Magus, and help launch the dragons into a new phase of existence--one in which they no longer hid but are as much a part of the Musimagium like the unicorns. A young male dragon is ready to go to the new academy, and his father is coming home. Will Deanna have tamed her powers enough to avoid the destruction he brings with him? Note: This book has been lightly edited since its original release under a previous pen name. Read the full article

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How To Write When Your Mind Goes Blank

One of the most frustrating symptoms of my ADHD is when I'm writing a blog and my mind just stops. My mind goes blank. That train of thought has left the station without informing me of its destination, and I'm left staring at a blank screen wondering what the hell I'm going to write to finish this blog. Sound familiar? (By the way this is a symptom of ADHD, especially during menopause or even perimenopause, so feel free to check out this video to learn more.)

"My mind is like someone emptied the kitchen junk drawer onto a trampoline." (Note: Fun fact. I started this blog last week and then *points to above graphic* So yeah, here we go...how to write when your mind goes blank.) The question is, what do you do when this happens? Probably the easiest thing is simply to finish writing the blog later. In my case, I have my blogs come up on my "to do" app on a regular schedule, so I figured I'd just finish this "later". If you don't have a reminder system in place, then this could mean that the blog doesn't get written for a while, or at all, so if you're going to just write it later, then hopefully you'll make a note of it somewhere and not rely on remembering. If you're sitting at the computer and your mind goes blank, then this is a great time to strategize. Are you still feeling the overall blog, just not sure where to go next with it? Is it a matter of rereading what you've written and determining your next steps? Do you just need to set a timer, say for 15-20 minutes to go clear your mind with something not related to your blog (or ideally working on the computer)? If this has happened to you, first off know that you're not alone, and give yourself some grace. I suspect either I got sidetracked by a chore or something I needed to do and stepped away from the computer. There's a good chance I didn't come back to the computer until the next day (given how my workspace is setup), and so that's probably why I let the blog roll over to the next week. But I've also been writing and had my mind go blank. Usually a quick break or even just laughing it off helps to get me back on track. When it doesn't, then it's time to set a reminder and come back to the blog with a fresh set of eyes. Regardless of how you plan on finishing it, the important thing is to do just that. Make a plan to come back to your blog and finish it. What do you do when your mind goes blank or you get distracted when you're writing a blog? Let me know in the comments. Read the full article

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Why You Need To Backup Your Writing Beyond The Cloud

When it comes to making a backup of your writing, it's easy these days to default to saving it in the cloud. Services like OneDrive or Google Drive make it easy to keep copies, but with companies selling your data to train AI, increasing threats from political regimes, and companies cracking down on what's stored on their servers, making a backup of your writing needs to think beyond the cloud. When you backup your writing, it's important to think about the ramifications of where you're backing up, as well as how you're backing up. I recently experienced this when a hard drive on the computer I use as a file server got corrupted. All of a sudden, I almost "lost" the outline and paper I was working on for college. And there, I used OneDrive as a redundant way to keep a copy of my work while I restored my file server. But before that I used my pc backup solution, Backblaze, to grab a copy of the outline to save locally. Without Backblaze, I would have lost a day's worth of work, and while that doesn't sound like much, it was pretty vital work to my paper.

There are a few issues to be aware of when using services like OneDrive or GDrive.

- These companies (Microsoft and Google) are known for using your data to train their AI models, infringing on your copyright. - Google has been known to remove erotic or adult backups from Drive or prevent people from sharing files like ARCs with multiple people because they see it as a violation of their Terms of Service - With concerns over censorship and cracking down on LGBTQIA+ and adult content due to the political environment, you can't trust these companies not to turn over data or other identifying pieces of information in an attempt to avoid repercussions.

So what options do authors have?

If you do sync to online cloud services, make sure you keep a backup somewhere else. For example, I have the local computer that I use as a file server. This computer is then backed up using Backblaze, so there's always a cloud copy. They also encrypt your data to keep it safe. (They're not the only computer backup service, just the one that I've found is best for price and needs.) Build in redundancy. Try to have one backup available to you, such as an external hard drive so you can keep files accessible without relying on the internet or an external service. Use a cloud backup service just in case something happens like a natural disaster with your physical location. And be smart about how you use services like OneDrive or Google Drive, knowing that they are most likely using your data to train AI and may take actions to remove things they deem are violations of their terms of service or in order to avoid goverment scrutiny. I admit I didn't think OneDrive had a use (other than as an annoyance) until I had an issue with my file server, but also, I think we need to think about where and how we're storing our data. Having a good backup strategy is part of that plan. Read the full article

[kitauthor]

Make Your Author Newsletter Count For More Subscribers

A few months ago, I blogged about what political texts taught me about marketing. And then a recent article crossed my social media feed that basically said that consumers are opting out (as many as 40% a week) from marketing communications due to a few reasons. The good news, I realized as I read the article, was that author newsletters are uniquely positioned to keep their subscribers, and this echoes things I've been saying for a long time about your author newsletter.

Let's start with some stats

- 52% of customers feel that it's difficult to prevent marketers from using their personal information - 53% who unsubscribe do say it's due to the volume of the messages they receive. (Keep reading though!) - Most people say they receive high volume of emails that are irreverent, unwanted, and too commercialized (That last one is important!) (source for those stats if you want to read some geeky marketing stuff)

What does this mean for authors?

Current trends in marketing mean that it's more important than ever to stop treating your readers like an ATM machine that you can extract money from. The good news is that we know readers love our books. They buy our books. They subscribe to your author newsletter because they want....wait for it.... MORE BOOKS! That fixes the emails being unwanted. How about too commercial or using their information? Well, don't make every newsletter an advertisement for your books WITHOUT providing some value. Maybe this is a book by an author friend (newsletter swaps), some stories about your pets or a cool photo you took in the park. Be human. Ethical marketing is human marketing based on human connections. Finally, if you don't have news, don't send a newsletter. I still recommend at least once a month, probably two to keep your name in their minds, but every week? Only if you have real news to share that's meaningful to them. And the bottom line is don't be spammy or misleading with their information. When they opt out - opt them out. Don't add them to a million segmented lists and make them opt out of each one. And if you're going to be heavily promoting something like a class or a retreat, make sure they can opt out of just that list too, if they want. Treat them like a friend, and they'll stay subscribed to you. Oh and PS those political texts? All sending 20+ texts a day do was piss me off and make me unsubscribe and think even worse about the people sending them. You know why? Because they didn't follow these rules about being relevant, personal, and making that connection. They treated me like an ATM, and I treated them like the trash they were. Looking to get more out of your newsletter? Reach out and let's talk about how to make your service work for you. Or, if you want to cut your author newsletter costs, check out Epona Mail. It integrates with most major providers, like Bookfunnel or Story Origin, and can save you money. Stop breaking the bank just to email your subscribers and work with a company that says NO to AI, NO to outsourcing, and YES to authors. We use it here at Epona Author Solutions AND use it for all of our author newsletters and want to share it with you. Read the full article

[kitauthor]

Vella's Closure Creates New Opportunities For This Horse Story

A long long time ago before I made a harder pivot to fantasy fiction, I wanted to dive into writing a young adult horse story. I began the first story in my Silverwood Academy series, Double Standards. My protagonist is the daughter of a senator who wants to be allowed to follow her dreams rather than be the poster child of a politican. Her free spirited nature gets her in trouble, and while I really enjoyed writing this story, I also felt a bit off about it. Why when it comes to writing a young adult horse story were we constantly telling the tales of rich people and the children of rich people? And yes, horses can be expensive (they also don't have to be). So I lost interest in the story. Then the Pegasus Academy happened. And while that series takes place from the point of view from the new director of the academy, I have written a few young adult horse stories that take place at the academy (such as Winter Unicorn, a free novella available here). The more I got into that world, the more I wanted to bring it into Silverwood Academy? After all, if the Musimagium is setting up regular academy-type schools for the Musimagium, then wouldn't it stand to reason that those who don't have magic, but are from magical families, would end up in non-magical academies like Silverwood. Following that thought, I pondered having a character show up who was *gasp* from a magical family, and of course Jilly's Senator Father wouldn't want his daughter to have anything to do with someone from a magical family, even if they didn't have magic themselves. It'd be a good foil for Jilly's free spirited nature and her sense of justice and fairness that I set up early in the story, not to mention a possible romantic connection down the road. Though looking at my schedule I'm not sure when I'd get a chance to write this story, but now, I have a chance. I wasn't sure about bringing magic into a very mundane story before. Now? This could be the kind of introduction to my young adult world that I need. It's something to think about. We'll see what the future brings for this story. I so do hate to leave things unfinished. Have some tokens to spend before Vella is gone? Check out Double Standards. Read the full article

[kitauthor]

When You Can't Write, Give Yourself Kindness

I put 1125 words on my writing tracker last night, which goes by weeks, and realized those were the first words I'd written since November 2. Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why and even before last week's events, I was dealing with grad school research papers and other things that threatened to zap my creativity. But I also knew that I wasn't alone. There's a good chance that if you're reading this, then perhaps you haven't written as much as you've wanted to this month or can't write at all, and that's why I decided to write this blog. Stress, worry, frustration, anger...all of those emotions are creativity zappers. For those of us who are neurodivergent, getting overwhelmed is a real issue, and when we get overwhelmed repeatedly, we start to burn out. So it makes sense if you haven't written as much And I want you to know you're not alone. First, if you can't write, give yourself kindness. Treat yourself with understanding, the way you would if a good author friend came to you and said you can't write. Try to do something to help spur your creativity like rewatching a movie or series that you loved or going back to a favorite author or genre. Understand that emotions can be messy and difficult. We're human, and being human can be tough sometimes. So even though there are deadlines to meet and words to write, be as gentle as yourself with possible. Learning how to be gentle with yourself, I would argue, is one of the most important skills to have as an author today. The words will come; you will write again. In the meantime, if you need support, reach out. The writing community, and I, are here for you. Read the full article

[kitauthor]

How To Keep Writing When You Have Unsupportive Family

Unsupportive family members suck when it comes to your writing. Let me share a story with you. I had an aunt who had read one of my very first published books. It was bit of an add series; I'm still not sure it'd do well in the market because it combined two romance genres whose readers I don't think overlap. But my aunt didn't see the book for what it is; she saw the book as a love story and wanted to know when I'd publish more. I did, but never in paperback, but nearly every time I spoke to her, for a couple of decades until her passing she'd ask, "when are you going to stop writing that other stuff and get back to this series? I really liked it." I don't think she meant it to hurt. I believe she truly enjoyed the first book and wanted to read more of it. Readers didn't quite agree, and after a while I became burnt out on the genre before going on to write something else. After a while, I began telling my aunt I'd stopped writing. "Oh that's a shame. That one book of yours was so good. I wish you'd write more." Like I said, I don't think she meant it to hurt, but it did. Certainly I didn't feel as if she saw me (and the book which had magical elements, that she told me she just ignored) and the writing I was doing. It was akin to my mother questioning my move into paranormal romance. "Why can't you write a cowboy book? Maybe with a baby?" Because while I wrote plenty of cowboys, there was no way I could write one of the "secret baby" books she loved. Nope. I'm sure those stories sound familiar and there may even be family members who choose not to support your writing even that tiny bit. it can be difficult to write when you don't have supportive people around you. Your creativity is affected. Your desire to tell people about your books (aka your marketing) is affected. And most of all, it just feels wrong, as if you're doing something clandestine when you write your stories. Sometimes that can be a thrill. There are other times when it can be a drag. So how can you keep writing when you have unsupportive family members? First, remember that it's not about them. It's about you and what you want to do. If you're writing, I'm sure it's for a darn good reason. You have a story that needs to be told, a character clamoring to get out into the world, or perhaps a message or a mission to share. The fact that you may have an unsupportive family member or two doesn't change those things. Second, we all have them. Family can be a good word or it can be a bad word depending on who you're talking to and what the subject is. There's a good chance even the big names you enjoy had people around them that were like "you're going to write what?" or "you do what for a living?". And if their tune changes when the money rolls in, then that's even worse. Because it truly shows that they didn't support that person for themself, but rather for whatever they are doing can get them. Third, find support elsewhere. The writing community can be a wonderfully supportive place. I've found a great community on Mastodon and a search for the tags #bookstodon, #writingcommunity, #WritersCoffeeClub, or other more genre specific ones, not to mention the ubiquitous #WritersOf(Social Media Platform) can bring you into contact with them. Discord is hard for me to remember to open, or look at (probably need to put that on the schedule), but there are several great writing communities on Discord and other places, too. Last, and perhaps I should have said this first, don't let it get to you. The people who aren't supportive of your work are saying far more about themselves and nothing about you, or your writing. Keep on writing, because when you're in the chair (or on the couch or wherever) and getting words down, the only opinion at that moment that matters? It's yours. Keep writing! Read the full article

[kitauthor]

Are you excited to sit down and write?

I spend the first fifteen days of each month (my goal is 1000 words each day) working on my serial stories I release both under my fantasy pen name, as well as my queer erotic romance pen name. Today marks the transition from portal fantasy to my erotic romance, and it's this kind of transition that keeps my ADHD brain really happy. Sure, I'm sad to leave the unicorns and the budding sweet gay trouple behind, but super excited to get back to my gay shifters and see where their newfound mating bonds lead. You may not be writing about unicorns or portals or even gay shifters, but I have a question for you: are you excited to sit down and write? Like really really excited. Like this excited? via GIPHY Because while you may not be able to sustain that level of excitement every day (Hey, that can be exhausting. I understand!)., being eager to write no matter whether you write at a keyboard and desk, notepad and pen, or jotting a few lines on your phone or tablet as you can, is a good way to keep up a sustainable career. And isn't that what we're all after here? And I'm a firm believer that if we're excited to write our stories that's going to show in our prose we offer to readers, and that will get them invested in the stories, too. If we're excited we're going to want to talk about them on social media (*whispers* marketing) and maybe even come up with future stories (backlist building). It all ties together. I'll be honest, I've never been more excited about my writing and my opportunities for it than I am right now. And while I may be working on telling readers about my stories, I'm at least starting to do that again, and that, dear readers, is why we want to be excited when we sit down to write our stories. Read the full article

[kitauthor]

Recovering that Believing In Your Writing Feeling

In order to do most things believing in yourself is a big part of the process, but when it comes to writing books, I think belief is even more important. Think about it. We have these stories in our minds that we put onto the page, and then we believe in them enough to publish in them. Believing in your writing is vital to this work and to your mental well-being. So when you don't believe in yourself, it takes a toll on your writing. The same could be said if you believe in yourself, but don't have faith in your writing. Either way, you need to recover that in order to move forward. So how? One of the most powerful, and at this point said to the point of cliche, sayings in the business world is "know your why". In the case of authors, know why you're writing. And while "I'm making money and having fun" is an acceptable answer, if you're not making money or having fun, then there needs to be a why beyond that. In fact, I'd argue your why needs to go beyond that even if you're making money and having fun, because if you've been in this business long enough you know it has its ups and downs, both in the money and in the fun department. So why did you start writing? Knowing your why is the foundation to having belief in yourself. It helps you remember that you have unique stories to tell, ones that readers want to read. It will stave off imposter syndrome, and it will help you keep going on those tough days. Knowing your why may sound like a cliche, but it doesn't have to be. It can be a powerful tool to help you remember to believe in yourself. Read the full article