Shop Flop

I knew starting my own shop was not a guarantee, but I hoped to at least get a sale or two. No such luck yet. I'm not planning to give up, though I will be adjusting the prices a bit to see if that gets a better response. I suppose getting a signed book from an unknown author isn't very exciting :)

Now I must tackle the mountain of dishes threatening to take over my tiny kitchen.

*shop prices are now adjusted for your purchasing pleasure*

Nearly There

I spent a few days this past week going over The Bride in preparation for submitting it to a fantasy publisher. I made a few minor changes, nothing that impacts the story. Just word preferences and sentence restructuring. It has been fun reading through it again. I actually like going back to read all my books, though doing so has the potential to drive me nuts if I find any lingering small mistakes. I hate that, but I know how difficult it is to catch every little thing. Anyway, I'll be submitting The Bride sometime next week and should hear back within the next 30 days. Cross your fingers that everything will be awesome!

I sent out emails to my Super Fans with their fun #2. I'll be thinking of what to do for #3. Please join if you want to get in on the fun!!

Bargains

One of my favorite places to shop at here in Utah is the DI, aka Deseret Industries. Our beloved thrift stores. There are several throughout the state, and even some in a few other states. I live between two in my area. I go there mostly for clothes, but find other treasures as well. I was there yesterday looking for some t-shirts to refashion when I stumbled upon some yarn. I can crochet, but only in its simplest form. Grinning like a dope, I scooped up all the yarn and took it home. (7 skeins for $5?! Heck, yeah.) Now, it could be stated that I have unique tastes in colors and color combos. The skeins are a mix and include orange, beige, and dark brown. A couple have green as well. Some people (my husband) might refer to these as "Grandma Colors", to which I say NAY! Well, maybe they are a little. Anyway, I've started to make a simple shrug type thing. When it's finished, I'll post a pic. Some day I may even learn to do stitches other than singles and doubles. :)

Only a few more days until Super Fan fun #2!

Fun and Names!

Next Saturday is the second Super Fan fun day! Members will be getting a small peek at my next stand alone book. It's easy to join and you get all the benefits! I simply get the satisfaction of knowing people actually care.

I've gotten back to working a bit more on Foretold, but I won't be getting much of a break between job orders like I usually do. I'll try to get a bunch done before I start working again. I'm also getting a head start on the stand alone I mentioned above, getting names and places sorted out. Naming characters is really fun, but can also be frustrating when I can't find a name that fits right. I often pick names that have a particular meaning to go along with the character's personality or some other aspect of the story. For example, Callia from The Bride means 'beautiful' in Greek. Sometimes I just make up a name with worrying about a meaning. Those are usually the most fun.

Also, don't forget to offer any suggestions for small changes to The Bride if you have any. I'll be submitting the manuscript in the next few weeks.

Decided

After a little more consideration, I'm going to only submit The Bride to that fantasy publisher I mentioned last post, at least for now. Since I will be submitting it in its manuscript form, it is an opportunity to tweak a few things and fix any lingering errors. I'm not going to do any major overhauls, but I thought I'd open up the floor to my readers. Any suggestions on minor changes? (And I mean minor. Like a word or two. I might even consider a sentence.) Or places you've noticed a tiny error? Don't be offended if I choose not to use your suggestion. Fill free to use the comments here or email me-- kacietaylorbooks@gmail.com

If by some miracle they accept my book, I'll have to remove it from all its current listings. Which means it will no longer be for sale until they publish it, which could be up to a year from now. Hopefully it will all work out!

Next Phase?

I found a new book publisher through Twitter who specializes in fantasy books. They accept self-published books and I'm considering sending them one or more of mine. I'm thinking either The Bride or Soulless, or maybe both. If by chance either is accepted, I could be on my way to an actual future in writing. I mostly want this for the chance at more skilled marketing. I think my books are pretty good, but I'm not good at getting the word out. This could be just the thing I need. I'll give more details as things go along. Wish me luck!

Don't forget that the next Super Fan fun will be on April 25, where I'll share a few details about my future stand-alone book. Join now! I'm thinking it's going to be awesome!

Cooking With Kacie 2

I love to cook. But, even more so, I love to eat what I cook. Luckily, I'm pretty good at both. If you read the related post I did a while back, you might remember that I said I was considering creating a cookbook. That is still a possibility. Until then, I thought I'd share a recipe or two once in a while. Here's one that use quite frequently. Focaccia bread. It's super easy, takes about an hour and a half to make, and is versatile. I've used it for sandwiches, deep dish pizza, cheesy roll-ups, breadsticks, and cinnamon rolls. I'm sure there are many other uses. I'll start with the basic recipe that I found on Pinterest, via madeitateitlovedit.com

Easy Focaccia Flat Bread

2 cups water, warm

1 Tablespoon yeast

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

4 cups flour

Toppings:

1/2 cup melted butter

olive oil

rosemary

thyme

sesame seeds

parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar and salt. Add flour last. Sitr until mixed; spray cookie sheet with pam. Spread dough in pan (hint: use water on your fingertips to prevent sticking). Top with melted butter or olive oil. Then top with whatever other toppings you like. Let rise for about 45 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares, serve hot!

Experiment with it. If you want the extra steps for cheesy roll-ups or cinnamon rolls, let me know in the comments and I'll add that later. Enjoy!

Happy Easter!

I've mentioned before that I am very religious, though I've decided not to make this blog a platform for my beliefs. Now is an exception. Tomorrow (Sunday) is one of the most important holidays to me and I would feel remiss if I did not mention it. Easter is all about Jesus Christ. He died for all mankind. But, more importantly, He lives again. I am grateful for Him and His love for me. If you do not share this belief, please take no offense where none is given. I've kept this part of my life mostly private, not wanting to alienate anyone. Since it is such a huge part of my life, however, I thought I'd give you the opportunity to see another side of me. If you'd like to learn more about my faith, you can visit here. Please know that this topic is special to me and I will not tolerate rudeness. I respect everyone's right to believe as they wish and expect the same courtesy from my fabulous readers. Otherwise, enjoy your weekend!!