Thursday, May 9, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Cross My Heart & Smile So Dark update
Hi, everyone. It's been a while since my last post, so I thought I'd give you all an update.
I'm sorry April came and went without releasing CMH. The book is finished, but it's not where I want it to be. It's not even ready for beta due to the amount of holes I've found. I think that's one of the hard parts of writing a series piece; you have to make sure everything lines up with previous content. So I'm working on fixing it, and I'm honestly not sure when it will be ready. Soon, I hope, but I don't want to rush it out either before it's ready. I love these characters so much, and I don't want to muck up the last book in their tale.
As for SSD, I'm working on the cover. (I already have a mock-up. Now I'm designing the final piece.) I think you guys will really like it. I still need to rewrite the synopsis, and I don't know when I'm going to get to that because I have other books I'm focusing on right now. One step at a time, slow and steady and all that. I think the book will be relatively quick to write because it's been stewing in my mind for some time now, but I probably won't get to it until later. So the summer release might actually be more of a fall or winter release. We shall see.
I'm sorry I keep missing deadlines. I'm trying to set full-time goals when I'm only able to give a part-time effort to them. At first, it really frustrated me because I felt like a failure since I wasn't accomplishing what I wanted to. I see the people around me producing X amount of books in a year, and I feel like I have to keep up. So I set goals that look good on paper, and I stretch myself thin trying to reach them. In hindsight I see those goals were unrealistic from the start, so I was really setting myself up for failure. I've learned to accept what I can and cannot do for now. And I have to be okay with it until I have more time to devote to writing and doing the other things I love, like music and art. Realistically, I'm not going to be able to go full-time until my bills are paid down, which won't happen until the end of next year. That feels like forever, but I know it has to be done if I have any prayer at staying self-employed for very long. I don't want to make the leap and then have to turn around and get a day job again three months later because I can't pay my bills. So I'm trying to do what I can with each day, and not feel guilty about it because I'm not moving as fast as I would like.
I'll try to post a chapter from CMH soon as I have something I feel is ready (or close to it). Same with SSD's cover, which shouldn't take me that long to finish. If you have any questions about anything, let me know and I'll do my best to answer.
Krystle
I'm sorry April came and went without releasing CMH. The book is finished, but it's not where I want it to be. It's not even ready for beta due to the amount of holes I've found. I think that's one of the hard parts of writing a series piece; you have to make sure everything lines up with previous content. So I'm working on fixing it, and I'm honestly not sure when it will be ready. Soon, I hope, but I don't want to rush it out either before it's ready. I love these characters so much, and I don't want to muck up the last book in their tale.
As for SSD, I'm working on the cover. (I already have a mock-up. Now I'm designing the final piece.) I think you guys will really like it. I still need to rewrite the synopsis, and I don't know when I'm going to get to that because I have other books I'm focusing on right now. One step at a time, slow and steady and all that. I think the book will be relatively quick to write because it's been stewing in my mind for some time now, but I probably won't get to it until later. So the summer release might actually be more of a fall or winter release. We shall see.
I'm sorry I keep missing deadlines. I'm trying to set full-time goals when I'm only able to give a part-time effort to them. At first, it really frustrated me because I felt like a failure since I wasn't accomplishing what I wanted to. I see the people around me producing X amount of books in a year, and I feel like I have to keep up. So I set goals that look good on paper, and I stretch myself thin trying to reach them. In hindsight I see those goals were unrealistic from the start, so I was really setting myself up for failure. I've learned to accept what I can and cannot do for now. And I have to be okay with it until I have more time to devote to writing and doing the other things I love, like music and art. Realistically, I'm not going to be able to go full-time until my bills are paid down, which won't happen until the end of next year. That feels like forever, but I know it has to be done if I have any prayer at staying self-employed for very long. I don't want to make the leap and then have to turn around and get a day job again three months later because I can't pay my bills. So I'm trying to do what I can with each day, and not feel guilty about it because I'm not moving as fast as I would like.
I'll try to post a chapter from CMH soon as I have something I feel is ready (or close to it). Same with SSD's cover, which shouldn't take me that long to finish. If you have any questions about anything, let me know and I'll do my best to answer.
Krystle
Friday, April 5, 2013
Giveaway: 'The Scarlet Dagger' 3 signed paperback copies
I've giving away the last 3 paperback copies on my shelf with the old cover! You can enter for a chance to win one over at Goodreads by clicking the link below. Open to U.S. only.
Enter to win
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Scarlet Dagger
by Krystle Jones
Giveaway ends May 04, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Paperback cover reveal: 'The Scarlet Dagger' & 'Dark Horizons'
Here are the paperback covers! Good news is since they're 8.5x5.5, I can keep the price down. Meaning TSD paperback will be $7.99 and the DH paperbacdk will be $8.99. I'm waiting on the review process to complete at Createspace, then I can order proofs, see if they work, and make the paperbacks available.
* Correction 4/6/13: I just realized the first paragraph on DH got cut off because I didn't extend the text box far enough. Fixed now!
* Correction 4/6/13: I just realized the first paragraph on DH got cut off because I didn't extend the text box far enough. Fixed now!
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE
Monday, April 1, 2013
'Red Sector Chronicles' New Covers
So here they are! I'll be switching them over on the retail sites, as well as Goodreads, soon.
*UPDATE 4/2/13: Added the Dark Knight cover!
*UPDATE 4/2/13: Added the Dark Knight cover!
New look!
So the two-column thing is something I've been wanting to try for a while now. "Make the site work harder" and all that. Plus, it gives me room to pin more things, which I'm going enjoy doing over the next few days.
What do you think of the header? I've been playing around in Photoshop, and am having A BALL! It's fun cutting up stuff and making it look pretty. =3 (Not that it didn't before.) It amazes me how flexible and powerful that program is. I'm also finished redoing the covers for the entire Red Sector trilogy, plus Dark Knight, my Aden Knight novella. The trilogy covers will be revealed here soon. I figured I'd go ahead and switch them over so people can get used to looking at the new covers. I'd like to have the new one up when I release CMH. This is probably the last time I'll touch these covers or do anything major to the site, so I'm excited to let things chill for a while and see what everyone thinks. I think you guys will like the new look of the series.
I'm not sure if I'm doing paperbacks for the series or not. Probably, but I'm focusing mainly on ebooks right now because overhead cost is lower. (And money's tight this month thanks to two sick kitties =( and car tags that are mega-$$$.) I do have a few stray copies of The Scarlet Dagger with the old cover I'm probably going to give away here soon to clear off my bookshelf. Details to come.
Smile So Dark will be getting a new look too, and I'm really liking that cover. Haven't redone the synopsis yet, but it's on my to do list for my days off this week.
I'm thinking about opening up a site to do book covers, headers, bookmarks, etc. for authors. Right now I'm tentatively calling it Luminosity Designs. It might be another few months though before I can build up a beefy enough portfolio to make this viable. All I know is I'm glad I bought Photoshop, and I'd like to keep rolling with this book cover making thing.
I'll post the new covers to the vampire series tomorrow, so check back if you'd like. =) Right now, I'm off to watch the season 3 premiere of Game of Thrones. <3
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
'Smile So Dark' update
When something's broke, you have to figure out how to fix it. And since SSD isn't doing a good job atm of getting on people's radars, that's exactly what I have to do.
One of the "problems" I think is that there are a gazillion books being published - which is awesome. Readers and writers have a lot of freedom now to choose what they want to read and write. But it also means it's harder to get noticed with the deluge of books coming out. So I have to figure out a way to make the book "pop".
I'm done re-outlining it. As I said in an earlier post, one of the things to be axed is the love triangle. I think the trope has worn out its welcome, at least until it comes back "in style" again. Plus, the whole fact one LI was her boyfriend I don't think set well with people, and it was starting to make me uneasy as I was writing. So the boyfriend is becoming one of her best friends, which still works out incredibly well.
The love story's also going to be the main focus, which is something different for me. I've started writing romance under an alias (which I'm keeping private for now), and it's been fun learning the ropes of the genre. It's definitely a different animal because the growing relationship between the H/h is the main focus rather than all the action and the general plot. I'm looking forward to applying what I've learned with my pen name toward this book.
I've also been learning my way around Photoshop, and I'm freaking addicted. I'm currently in the process of redesigning all my covers, and I'm having a LOT of fun. I probably won't reveal them until I have all of them done, but I think you guys will really like the new look. (Note: This has NOTHING to do with not liking Robin's work. She is 100% fantastic to work with, and she produces nothing but the highest quality covers. But since the 'Krystle Jones' brand in general is going in a different direction with the feel of my books, the outward appearance has to change to reflect that.) And yes, that means the layout and appearance of the site will change again, but hopefully this will be the last big change for a while.
SSD's release date isn't finalized yet. In fact, if anything, it's a bit ambiguous right now. I really want to finish the vampire series (companion novellas included) before moving on with my faeries. This helps me keep one story world in my head, which I think helps me write faster. And I'm all about writing faster.
Well, I'm off to work on CMH. Getting close to the end now, which is such an awesome feeling. =)
Ttfn,
Krystle
One of the "problems" I think is that there are a gazillion books being published - which is awesome. Readers and writers have a lot of freedom now to choose what they want to read and write. But it also means it's harder to get noticed with the deluge of books coming out. So I have to figure out a way to make the book "pop".
I'm done re-outlining it. As I said in an earlier post, one of the things to be axed is the love triangle. I think the trope has worn out its welcome, at least until it comes back "in style" again. Plus, the whole fact one LI was her boyfriend I don't think set well with people, and it was starting to make me uneasy as I was writing. So the boyfriend is becoming one of her best friends, which still works out incredibly well.
The love story's also going to be the main focus, which is something different for me. I've started writing romance under an alias (which I'm keeping private for now), and it's been fun learning the ropes of the genre. It's definitely a different animal because the growing relationship between the H/h is the main focus rather than all the action and the general plot. I'm looking forward to applying what I've learned with my pen name toward this book.
I've also been learning my way around Photoshop, and I'm freaking addicted. I'm currently in the process of redesigning all my covers, and I'm having a LOT of fun. I probably won't reveal them until I have all of them done, but I think you guys will really like the new look. (Note: This has NOTHING to do with not liking Robin's work. She is 100% fantastic to work with, and she produces nothing but the highest quality covers. But since the 'Krystle Jones' brand in general is going in a different direction with the feel of my books, the outward appearance has to change to reflect that.) And yes, that means the layout and appearance of the site will change again, but hopefully this will be the last big change for a while.
SSD's release date isn't finalized yet. In fact, if anything, it's a bit ambiguous right now. I really want to finish the vampire series (companion novellas included) before moving on with my faeries. This helps me keep one story world in my head, which I think helps me write faster. And I'm all about writing faster.
Well, I'm off to work on CMH. Getting close to the end now, which is such an awesome feeling. =)
Ttfn,
Krystle
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