Some Updates

I am almost ready to release the improved version of The Bride. For you kindle users who have already purchased the book, you should get an email from amazon letting you know about the new version with a link to get it for free. For everyone else who bought it from lulu.com, Barnes and Noble, or iBookstore, they DO NOT offer new versions for free automatically for previous customers. (This is because lulu is in charge of my distribution to the other two, and lulu doesn't do it) I am trying to think of a way around this. Here's my plan. I will create the new version on lulu.com and price it at "free" for a short period of time, allowing you to get it the same way as the kindle people. I know this will also let other people get it for free, but I'm willing to lose a few royalties in order to make my original readers happy. I hope to get this done by the end of this week.
Remember, if you have a Nook or Apple product, you can download from lulu.

And get your copy of Taela while it's still at its reduced price! Find the page link for The Vessel series on the right side of the blog and it will lead to purchase links. 

I mentioned that I was going to make a cake a few posts ago. The fondant didn't work as well as I hoped, but overall it turned out pretty well. Especially for a first try. Most importantly, it was delicious.

Taela!

It's finally here! I'm super excited to have this book ready for the world. Right now, it is available on lulu.com. It will be available on amazon later today (hopefully). Barnes and Noble and iBookstore will come later. Get it for only $2.99, for a limited time.

To help get you excited, you can read the first two chapters for free here!

I really wanted to include a map in the ebook, but could not get it to work when I converted the file. So, until the print version comes out, you can see the map here. The map is not crucial, but I always like to get an idea of where things are happening in a story, especially a fantasy.

And in case you're wondering, the second book in The Vessel series should be available first quarter 2014.

***YAY! You can now purchase Taela on amazon! Click here to buy now***

Final Touches

The release day for Taela is almost here and I'm frantically making last minute changes and corrections. It's kind of funny how you can find little mistakes even after reading through the story a hundred times. Luckily I have a great editor who catches things I miss. I'm not saying it's perfect, because I'm not perfect, but I'm trying to get it as close to perfect as I can.

Speaking of trying...
I've looked over The Bride a few times since I've published it and, low and behold, there are a few mistakes that I've found. (and some that other people have noticed) I believe I can resubmit it to the Kindle publishing site and anyone who has purchased it on amazon will be notified and allowed to get the new version at no additional cost. I'm not sure about lulu.com, Barnes and Noble, or iBookstore, though. I will find out what their process is and let you know. I want my books to be the best I can make them so they're worth the money you spend. I apologize for the mistakes and hope you're understanding enough to know how much work I've put into my writing. I hope to only get better with time and experience.

I'm also in the process of getting The Bride ready for print. This takes a bit more effort and right now my focus is on getting Taela ready, so I don't think the print version of either book will be ready until September.

Oh, and my goal to finish reading Pride and Prejudice by September probably won't happen. I WILL finish it, though. Someday.

Top Ten Tuesday #9

Today's list is once again about the Beatles. I spent a good deal of the evening yesterday listening to most of their albums.

Today's Topic: Favorite Beatles' Albums

10. Abbey Road
9. Tie- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour
8. Please Please Me
7. With the Beatles
6. Beatles for Sale
5. Rubber Soul
4. Revolver
3. A Hard Day's Night
2. Help!
1. White Album Disc One-- I used to have a cassette of this and I'd listen to it almost every day as I drove to and from work.

On Schedule

My editor finished her second run through of Taela and sent it back to me over the weekend. I will definitely be publishing August 10. Just like with The Bride, I will start with lulu.com and all the amazon sites. Barnes and Noble and iBookstore will come later in the month. (But remember lulu.com can work with Nook and Apple devices as well) I'm planning to price Taela at $2.99 for about a month before raising it to its long term price of $3.99. Don't forget that The Bride is also at a discounted price for a limited time.

I'm going to start looking into the process for making print books. I'd love to see all my books in this format someday. I can use lulu.com for this, but I don't get much say in the pricing. There are other self-publishing sites out there, so I just need to do more research.

In other news, my niece's birthday is coming up (she's turning two!) and I've volunteered to make the cake. I've made hundreds of cakes, but never anything fancy. This one will have layers and filling and fondant and decorations, all in the shape if a cute little puppy. If it turns out well, I might post a picture here. If it doesn't, we'll never speak of it again.

Price Cut for The Bride Starts Now!

I'm going to skip my ABC books today and just post about the sale. Sale price for The Bride is now available on all amazon sites and lulu.com. Barnes and Noble and iBookstore are slower to update changes (they say it can take up to 30 days), so they are still showing the original price. HOWEVER, lulu.com supports many ereading devices, including Nook and Apple products. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this sale price is for a limited time. Get your copy of The Bride now! And hopefully about this time next week you'll be ready and willing to purchase Taela!

Looking for a Bargain?

I was going to wait till the release of Taela for this, but I thought starting a week early might help sales in the long run. This Saturday, I will be dropping the price of The Bride from $3.99 to $1.99.  This will be a limited time offer, so if you've been waiting for a deal, now's your chance! I will make another post on Saturday to let you know exactly when the new price is available. I'm hoping you'll take the opportunity to get to know my writing style. Then you might be more willing to read my future books (which is every author's dream).

One of the most helpful things for an author, especially one who is self-published, is word of mouth. If you like The Bride, please tell any of your friends and family who might be interested in the genre. Let them know about the upcoming sale! I will be forever grateful!