Best Worst Vacation Week Ever
July 15, 2012
(This turned out a little longish, chickadees, and covers a handful of things--it's both a personal and professional update. Thanks for reading.)
Well, my first week of vacation totally sucked.
It opened with me, you guessed it, answering work email (stuff regarding Exhumed). Then Tuesday night was fabulous having drinks with a friend (FYI, my friends are hotter than your friends). Then I basically did day-job-related-side-work all week. I haven't written a word (that's not true--I think I managed like 200 on something), I haven't relaxed, I haven't fully knocked off anything from my "I'm already behind in this" to-do list, and I've been absolutely miserable and stressed, still.
Of course, Uranus hit retrograde* and I was smacked upside the head with a sudden realization I'm not going to get into here. Suffice to say, half of my near constant state of unhappiness is under my control, so something has to be done about that in the coming months. In truth, I am very, very tired. And very, very unhappy. And if I asked Dina for advice over at Tea and No Sympathy, she'd respond with some variation of this--I know I have to do something about it or she'll stab me with knitting needles if I whine again.
Anyway. Onto the better stuff: it's been you guys.
Readers.
Dare I say, fans?
That some of you who read Exhumed gave me the honor of sharing your thoughts and enjoyment has just been the highlight of my week. It's very, very heartening. I think what's meant the most to me (besides being mentioned in the same breath as my Bad Horse, Lilith-freakin'-Saintcrow) is that thus far readers appreciate the honesty in the book.
It did help me immensely to be reminded of who I write for. I don't write for people who like things wrapped up in a bow, or traditionally likable/weak/boring heroines, or brutish alpha males, or any of the popular tropes you see everywhere. I don't write pretty tales of HEAs (unless they're earned and even then...). I don't write what will ever be uber popular. I never will--I'm not capable of it.
I write for those of us who are the heroine and the monster. I like things dark, and ugly, and flawed, and cathartic, and real. And as long as my work is honest, there will be readers who are happy with that.
And if you guys are happy, I'm happy.
(If you want, readers have been sharing their thoughts over here [Danni made me cry] and you are welcome to come and join us, just please note there are implied spoilers. I really, really think the book has more punch if you don't know the major plot twists going in, so I beg of you gentle reader who hasn't read it yet: please avoid any spoilers--don't read the comments there and maybe just avoid reviews. THEN come back and talk spoilery with us, 'kay?)
Anyway, one thing that's come up is some Nate-hate. Which was somewhat anticipated, yes, but I still feel bad for the guy.
So I'm probably going to release his Exhumed-POV novella 9 Crimes after all. (That sound you hear is MelLHay cheering.)
The likelihood is that I'll sell it here in ebook for like $1 or something. Yeah, I know, Kindle etc, but at that price point I'd be making like 30c a piece and we all know my dislike of Amazon. What I'll do is provide it in various ebook formats zipped up like I did Soulless (HTML, PRC, PDF, EPUB--compatible for your Nook, Kindle, other ereaders or just in your browser/on your PC).
I'm also going to include a bonus Nate story called Aftermath that takes place just weeks after Exhumed. Because Nate is talking to me and I always listen to him (he has a bromance with Ellie! a conversation with Maximilian! I MUST WRITE THIS!).
I'm aiming for end of July/early August. I hope you'll join me for it.
Thank you again, those of you who read Exhumed and are trying to spread the series love right now with reviews and recommendations, etc. Just the messages of support you've been leaving has meant the world to me.
You totes complete me.
Now I have to finish packing--I'm probably cutting the vacay short and will go back to work at the end of the week instead of the 24th since it's been a bust anyway, BUT I get to go to Judy's cottage with the aforementioned hot friend for three days and they will be the best damn days of the summer. I'm determined.
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*I get not believing in all this retrograde crap...and it wasn't until my first year working in publishing, when I witnessed Mercury retrograde in Gemini, that I became a believer. DUDE.
Comments
#1 Your friends are hotter than
Your friends are hotter than mine? Pshaw! I have the hottest friends in history as shown here http://lurkingmusings.wordpress.com/2012/06/03/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-fantasy-photostudio :)
Shame your holiday went south for the winter while you stayed north... I hope you manage to get some time off soon. Perhaps a holiday over release time was not such a great idea? :) Say hello to Judy for me and enjoy what is left of your time off...
#2 I dunno, my hot friend is
I dunno, my hot friend is pretty damn HOT. (I'm so glad he doesn't have the internet.)
Thanks, have a good week yourself!
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"She wrapped evil around her like a large, evil Mexican serape."
#3 Hi Skylar, sorry to hear your
Hi Skylar, sorry to hear your vacation sucks to date but the cottage and your hot friend has to be a step back in the right direction. Take lots of alcohol with you and some dance music and who know where you can go from there LOL!
I loved loved the book and put my reviews on Goodreads, Facebook and Amazon and while I understand about Nate and us wanting the HEA, I felt that you were true to the characters as they are damaged and flawed and have baggage, don't we all. Life is messy and sometimes stuff happens and hey he made the right choice in the end so a girl can't ask for more than that sometimes.
I would willing pay to read Nate's POV in whatever format you write so sign me up for it.
Hope your vacation improves regardless of mercury, it will soon be on the move.
Best wishes
Nereid :)
#4 Thank you again for all your
Thank you again for all your support!
It just never seemed an option for me that at this point in their relationship they could've had a HEA--they have a lot more growing to do and issues to work out. But as he said, they're not getting any older. And I don't know how vampires CAN have HEAs given that they live forever. At they very least, they need a few more books to find their way.
I still expect a handful of readers to be bothered by the end but I'm so glad so many other people have appreciated that it was the *right* ending for the book--it's relieved some of the stressing I've been doing for months now LOL.
Have a great week yourself!
----
"She wrapped evil around her like a large, evil Mexican serape."
#5 Thank you, thank you, thank
Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me read Nate’s POV. I’m sitting at my desk, having blown off an hour of working time, trying not to cry. My heart is breaking for Nate, as everything that I had imagined, everything that I had suspected, had occurred on the other side of the looking glass.
I strongly encourage you to publish his story. It needs to be told, if only to silence the naysayers and Nate bashers who aren’t able to see that not everything is black & white. Life is messy, relationships are messy, but so often we are the saboteurs of our own happiness. And often, we just need time to get our shit together without people jumping to the wrong conclusions and demanding more from us than we are capable of giving.
No HEA? How often in life are things ever that cut & dry? But the thing is; there is always hope, even in the darkest hour. Shit happens, its how you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and learn from that shit that will determine the future and I can't help but feel that Nate & Zara'sjourney together has not yet completed. Afterall, their relationship was a train crash waiting to happen, it just blew to smithereens a lot earlier than expected. Can't wait to see what rises from the embers of this twisted, mangled wreck!
#6 I personally found the
I personally found the Exhumed ending *very* hopeful. They love each other. They want each other. But they need time and space to fix themselves, and then to rebuild. I mean, it's not like I killed one of them. Yet. *cough*
I'm a sucker for a DESERVED ending. If something's to end happily, it's gonna take a few books to get there because it's something I want my characters (and myself) to earn with blood, sweat, and tears. So, so many tears. This was very much why I wanted to give them a few more books together to see what came of it.
The potential sixth book, Solace, has him hiring her in the aftermath of Oblivion as a security expert/bodyguard (this is the theme song for the book). I am just in love with the return to banter, sexual tension, but the strain that comes from their history, as they try to navigate things and figure out who/what they are now (and all with Zara's new pet around).
I think you hit the nail on the head: from my POV they were *always* doomed. They spent like a week total in one another's company in Bloodlines while struggling to survive. And you know Nate--he just shoved away all of his issues to focus on finding her later so he didn't process or grieve or deal at all either. Either it was going to explode like it did in Exhumed, explode in the future, or within six months they'd be That Couple that has grown to hate each other and can't have a conversation without screaming and cause everyone to awkwardly leave the room at a party so they can argue.
Sometimes you gotta destroy in order to build right. I think they have a far better chance now.
Thanks again for reading!
#7 O.k, so now you're just
O.k, so now you're just torturing me with those little story tidbits! I think they have a better chance now too, and I hope that you are breathing a bit easier now that release day has been & gone & you can see that we love the book. And for any readers that don't, well, Fuck It! You can't please everybody. Try to take some time to tune out, unplug & relax. Learn to say no! I can guarantee you the world won't stop if you do. Besides, you have that hot friend to entertain you if it does! You may just need to test his apocalypse survival skills first!
#8 I am a tease. It's wrong of
I am a tease. It's wrong of me. In fact, I might stick the Solace blurb in the back of 9 Crimes/Aftermath's release because I'm evil. *cackles madly*
I do feel better having the book out and it can stand on its own--everyone's free to love or hate it, I don't care anymore. A core group seem to really *get* it, and that's what matters.
Cute Boy's apocalypse survival skills are pretty good. He's a way better (BB gun) shot than me AND he's a gardener so he has lots of garden implements with which to hit zombies. So, clearly, he's a part of my own survival plan.
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"She wrapped evil around her like a large, evil Mexican serape."
#9 Yeah!!! Oh so glad you are
Yeah!!! Oh so glad you are going to get 9 Crimes out there. :) I knew you needed to share it.
And how the HELL!! Did I miss you sharing that picture last week?!?!?! Seriously lady. And no shirt! Um, what did you do to him...OH! That's why you don't have air conditioning. Just to see hot guy shirtless. Ha. Great idea. ;)
Glad you are hearing some great love, well deserved love. :) But sorry the vacation is sucking. You deserve a great relaxing time.
#10 LOL I knew you'd be happy
LOL I knew you'd be happy about 9 Crimes. ;-) Plus a bonus one I've started--I think his other story takes place concurrently with Oblivion's opening. There'll be some good teasers there, I hope.
Also, you caught me. That is TOTALLY why I don't have air conditioning--so boys that come over are forced to take off their shirts. IF ONLY it would work on the firemen...
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"She wrapped evil around her like a large, evil Mexican serape."
#11 I'm looking forward to the
I'm looking forward to the other story you're adding as well. :) Have my thoughts for 9 Crimes already typed up and ready to go, just have to add the next story with it now. :D
LOL!! And if only the cute boys would show up all the time to help you bear through the heat. lol... and firemen... we need to have a chat with them. They seem to handle heat to well with clothes on. Hmmmm,
#12 Cruel and unusual punishment
Cruel and unusual punishment now as well as torture? You are evil! Glad Cute Boys skills deem him suitable to be in your survival plan, although you could always just keep him around to entertain you & alleviate some of the post apocalyptic boredom. Of course I don't believe that there will be much in the way of spare clothing in this future, so he would have to remain shirtless!
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