Sunday, May 24, 2015

Awakening update

For those who don't follow on Twitter, I made a decision about the release of Awakening. I will not longer be giving away full novels (which require months of my time and energy to write). Because of that, I have decided to serialize this novel into four parts with progressive pricing.

The biggest benefit is that this pricing strategy will give you the opportunity to read more of the novel than what samples normally allow. In parts, you'll be able to sample a little of each section instead of just the beginning of the novel. Plus, if I can get Amazon to price match, the whole first part will be free.

Here's the schedule:

May 25, 2015:  Part 1 - Daemon's Dark.... FREE
June 3, 2015:    Part 2 - Gray Dawn.......... $0.99
June 13, 2015:  Part 3 - Dim Hope............ $2.99
June 23, 2015:  Part 4 - Radiant Truth....... $2.99

June 28, 2015:  FULL NOVEL................. $4.99
preorder for the special price of only 99c!

As you can see, you won't be waiting more than ten days between each part, if you go that route.

Awakening is a contemporary fantasy with an epic overarching story tied into a love triangle that transcends two realms. This 4-book series will unfold over the next two years with the releases of Enlightenment, Ascension, and Eternals to come.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Dividing stories into serials

I'm looking for honest opinions...

Contrary to much the the "rule" that you don't divide a full novel into a serial if each part isn't resolved in its own right, I did that with Spirit Blade and saw good results. It fit to divide into five parts (with the middle a little awkward to cut up). However, the progressive pricing with the first two parts free has led to decent sales on it, despite that the pricing on the parts is more than the $4.99 complete novel price. It's a hard series to sell and I think this has helped a lot to get people to try it. I kept the same cover and for the parts added a "Part 1", "Part 2", etc. at the bottom of the title.

I'm considering doing that again with Awakening, which would easily break into four parts. I could release a first part now, as it is ready after editing. (Note: those edits are not yet uploaded to the sites that have the full novel available for pre-order. I'm waiting to finish the final edits completely before updating it.) Those who pre-order the full version will only pay the special price of $0.99, which will go up to $3.99 soon after it's released.

Do you think I should try breaking up Awakening? The first part is ready for release and I don't foresee any more tweakings of the cover, except to indicate the parts, as I did with Spirit Blade.

What do you, reader and author friends, think of this? Do you dislike serialized novels or would a graduated pricing for each part make you more likely to sample a story?

Please share in the comments.

Thank you!

Friday, May 15, 2015

a brief update

(shared from my Facebook page):

I had allergy testing today. I have exactly 1 true (IgE reaction) allergy--an outdoor mold. As for the rest, the allergist was a cold, dispassionate jerk who seemed like he was there only for a paycheck rather than to help patients.

Ah, well. Such is the sorry state of medicine in the U.S. and the reason I've found more to help me manage my life from the internet, mostly from European blogs (doctors and laypersons). Thank you from the other side of the ocean for your medical openness!

After the GI scoping next week, I'll be even more anxious for my appointment with the naturopath who was recommended to me.

In the meantime, I'm done reading the internet news for today. Time to get back to writing and editing (which I wouldn't be sane enough to handle if I only listened to American doctors...*grumblegrumblegrumble*).

I've been fixing up Awakening pretty well and have uploaded the cleaner chapters to Wattpad, adding a couple more in the process (after taking one out). And I'm considering how the novella could tie in to Starfire Angels. I'm not sure I want to set up a whole new world, maybe just a new alien species or a few to flesh out that universe. What do you think--add more aliens to that universe or make it a whole new one?

Saturday, May 9, 2015

the full update

It's been a long spring for me, but I'm getting back to my normal self. As a general update, here are some of the things going on, starting with details on what I have discovered about my health problems:

1. I'm learning to live with special dietary considerations and finally managing this condition. I've learned--by adding in supplements--that I was severely deficient in certain nutrients. I'm taking the supplements in lowest possible doses, since many of them can be toxic to our bodies in too high amounts even while necessary for all the various functions that take place. I'm still searching for the right balance, but at least I'm improving day-to-day.

2. As part of #1, I go in for some medical tests on the 19th that require me to go under. I'll be having an endoscopy to check for damage to the small intestines due to possible Celiac Disease. The blood test came back negative, but my doctor confirmed what I'd read and feels that a negative test doesn't necessarily mean that I'm clear. I have become highly gluten sensitive, after all.

At the same time, I'll be having a colonoscopy. I have a direct relative--a parent, no less--who had colon cancer. Given my digestive problems (which led to severe neurological issues, which are resolved through the diet and supplements), my doctor felt it would be wise to check now, even though I'm still a decade from the fifty mark, when it's recommended.

I'll let you know if they find anything, because that would be a big deal.

3. I've developed what I can only describe as a histamine intolerance. This is the reason for carefully monitoring my diet, because it does make a big difference in how I feel. If I'm not careful, I get aches, fuzzy head, fatigue, weakness, tinnitus, rapid heartbeat, acid reflux and chest pain, etc. It varies at any time, but I can keep it under control and, when I do, I feel wonderful! I'm making a list of safe, moderate, and dangerous foods by keeping a diary of what I eat, take for supplements (some have set me off), and any symptoms. This is helping me find my balance and reclaim my life, along with websites that have helped me figure this out. Everyone has their own list of safe and moderate foods, however, while foods to avoid are pretty much the same on any list--histamine-rich foods like soy, vinegar, processed meats, or anything fermented or old. Most fruits and veggies, the staple of my new diet, get tossed after three days because otherwise I have a flare up from normally safe foods.

I will see an immunologist next week to find some answers on this and make sure I don't have any severe allergies. Food intolerances are more like pseudo-allergies; easier to live with but can still be just as dangerous.

These are the root problems I've been dealing with for the last month and a half and what my life is like now. I've had to figure out a lot for myself, since medical tests only seem to rule out what isn't wrong with me. I'm otherwise healthy, relatively speaking.

We have to be our own advocates when we know something is wrong. The best medicine doesn't come in a pill, but in the foods we eat--fresh, unprocessed, and completely natural to the way we were meant to eat. This has been forced on me and it opened my eyes to a new way of looking at life.


Too much information? Well, maybe the rest will satisfy you...

4. Because I'm feeling so much better in managing all this, my creativity is blossoming better than ever. Some days I want to work on all three projects that I have open or even add in one that I have planned to write after I'm all caught up. But I've settled on a shorter work to get me back in the game and regain my focus. I'm not sure whether this one will be under my name or a new pen name--it depends how much detail I end up adding into the romance side of this SF novella.

5. I'm also getting back to promoting Awakening and finalizing edits on that. June 28, 2015!

Preorder for the special price of only 99c (USD). (See the links on the sidebar of this blog.)

Description:

Lilly has been marked for death by daemons from a hidden world, a place known as the Shadow Realm. Within her has awakened the spirit of their enemy, one of the luriel. Such beings are myths to her, but one man is out to prove that they exist. The daemon slayer, Mychel, will introduce her to a world of shadows and light hiding beyond the comfort of science and technology, where ancient myths are real and an eternal war rages on, a war in which she has now been conscripted to fight.

One daemon is doing his best to destroy her before that happens. In human form, Darrac is able to get close to her and soon realizes that she is different–through Lilly, an ancient power has revived, a terrible power than can end the war…by eliminating both luriel and daemons. But destroying that power would mean sacrificing the one who has changed his heart.

Time is running out as the luriel within Lilly matures and her powers grow. One choice will determine the fate of two realms.