Live and Let Die

The title for this blog comes from the James Bond movies of the same name, or rather, from the James Bond soundtrack. Because #MyLifeIsAMusical, I keep hearing "and in this everchanging world in which we live in" in my head. Maybe I should have gone with Bob Dylan? For the times, they are a-changin'. (Get on with it Karla.)

I recently read something from an author about how they are reshaping their book distribution. Because of the hot political climate, people are making bold choices. Amazon, once the powerhouse, has long been under scrutiny. I have friends who actively avoid buying their books there based on principle, but the fact remains Amazon is still the largest distributor of ebooks. Usually. Me? Apple works well for me, too. But this recent move by a big-name author? It changes the game. Aren't we all a little tired of making the rich richer? Don't we all want to make a statement, now more than ever? So here's the deal. 

If you don't want to throw your support into Amazon any longer (and I'm on board with that idea), this author is doing preorders on Kickstarter. Yes, it's one more place to sign up. Then the books are distributed via Bookfunnel. Yes, that's one more place to sign up. The difference is that you are buying direct from the author, and the author retains more of their own royalties. The deal is that you "pledge" your support (the cost of the book). There's an extra step in that you then have to fill out a questionnaire (not really a questionnaire, more of a "where do I send your book" type stuff). Okay. Color me intrigued. Does that mean you CAN'T buy your books at the usual places? Heck, no. For those people who don't want two more logins to remember, they can still get the books at all the usual places. 

I'm going to be honest here. While I do see preorder action, I'm not sure it warrants setting up new accounts. If this were ongoing instead of just for the preorder phase, I might be more inclined to give it a go (Hey, Joe 𝅘𝅥𝅯🎵𝅘𝅥𝅰... sorry, more songs in my head). 

My new book? I'm planning a release in early 2026, which means I have to plan for how to launch it into the world. What do you think? Would you fund a Kickstarter to avoid buying at the evil overlord sites? 

Inquiring minds...

Plotting - or plodding - to "The End"

I'm nearing the end of my first draft. That's good news, because my editor wants to see it in a couple of weeks. Nothing like a deadline to push me over the finish line!

This book has been fun to write. Sometimes, writing requires gnashing of teeth. Not this time. The conflict is built in, the struggle is real. Take, for example, your Scarlett O'Haras versus your Melanie Hamiltons. (Funny side note, I couldn't remember Melanie's name, so I checked Imdb to look it up and she's buried WAY DOWN on the cast members. Mm-hmm. Case in point.) Complicated or conflicted characters are vastly more interesting.

I'm currently writing "the climax." When the bad things happen. Generally, this is difficult for me, because I prefer the "fiddle-de-dee" approach. Why do bad things have to happen? Well, it would be a pretty boring book if they didn't. Reaching this point in the writing always means a slow-down for me. Where do we go from here? I don't want to rush to the ending, but I also hate drawing out the agony. As an author, I want to draw the reader into what's happening, so if I say, "She had a car accident, but she's okay," it becomes a non-event. There needs to be crashing of metal and breaking of glass and seeing stars as heads connect with windows. In this instance, there also needs to be response. Will this result in someone else being killed because now attention is divided as a result of the injury rather than chasing the bad guy? (This, and more, coming in a book to be released next year!)

So I'm plotting. Making notes. Plodding? Yes, because I don't like to dwell on "bad things," but they are a necessary evil. I'm also excited to finish, because there are many things that need to be addressed in the second draft.

On a side note, I reached out to one of my resources to "get it right" and got an unexpected "hug." Virtual, mind you, but when people are kind enough to compliment my writing, it feels just as real. I'd given him a gift copy of the last book he helped me with, and of course there's the "I'll read it {mumble, mumble, mumble}. I know. On Vacation!" I've heard that enough times that I don't expect much, but turns out he actually did read it on vacation. Not promptly, mind you, but he read it, nonetheless. And he was "so impressed." He doesn't understand how people can just create entire worlds and stories in their heads. Welp, that's kind why I do what I do. Because I can. I thanked him for his time this go round, and he said, "No, thank you for writing such a good book!" (The Jane Doe Ghost, in case you're wondering.) He also left me a review, more feedback for my soul that motivates me to keep writing. In this month where we celebrate things we are thankful for, I'm thankful for readers I can connect with.

I don't know what I don't know

Working on the latest Work In Progress and I've reached the point where I need more research. To talk to a real person. I can make it up, or watch a television show that addresses the issue, but that rarely depicts the truth. It's a sensitive topic. It deserves to be addressed properly.

What is it? Well, I don't want to spoil the story for you. Suffice it to say Bella has had issues with her family, but there are reasons for that. If I'm going to delve into her story, I need to understand the issues. Nobody likes cardboard cutout characters or quick and easy explanations. "Oh, THAT'S why." Sure, I could just say it and people would understand, but being an author is showing, not telling. 

I'm past the midpoint in this story, moving toward the end. My villains have been trading hints for who the killer is, and one of the plot points I wrote for myself to address answers that question for me. Now to prove my theory. I've been fairly single-minded to get to the end, hence my missed post last week and my brief post this week. I see light at the end of the tunnel!