In sticking to my goal of putting myself (and my career) out there, I participated in my local library’s Indie Author Day on Saturday, October 8th.

As a (mostly) self-published author, I’m part of the independent community. It’s an exciting field full of challenges, goals, and successes. But more than anything, I’m glad for the other writers I’ve “met.” I’ve learned a lot about craft (how to tell the best story), technical (how to format for print and digital), and marketing.

Combining both sides of my brain (creative and business) in this career is what drives my growth.

 

Here are a few things to share:

Self-e

This is a website to help get ebooks into library systems. I’m a big supporter of my local library (and vice versa). At this point in my career, I’m working on trying to grow my audience. I have donated paperback copies of my book to my library and love this way to get into even more libraries. Check it out for more information.

ePublish or Bust

A site to help connect indie authors with events at libraries. At the moment, this primarily focuses on Kentucky but the goal is to reach libraries in every state. The idea is that you can go on this site and set-up book signings, meet and greets, and such at libraries (especially if you know you’re going to be in a certain town on a certain date).

Because this event was focused on indie authors in general, not specifically the romance genre, a big mention was made about authors helping authors. I love the romance genre specifically because this is a just part of our nature. We believe in helping other authors, supporting each other, promoting each other. A rising tide raises all ships.

All in all, it was a great event and I’d encourage everyone to reach out to their local libraries. You never know what opportunities are out there until you ask.

 

 

And what a month it’s going to be!

If you aren’t familiar, #NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. Every November, aspiring and published authors set a goal to write a 50,000 word novel this month. If you check out the hashtag on Social Media you’ll start to see all sort of activities designed to help authors raise each other up and over their goal.

My first #NaNoWriMo I didn’t finish in the four week timetable. But I did start working on my goal and ever since, I’ve used #NaNoWriMo and in the summer #CampNaNoWriMo as inspiration to buckle down and write. I’m in the midst of a lot of projects at the moment.

The third story in my Golden Shores series is coming out next month. I have two short stories for the world of True North at the editor (to be released in 2017). And I’m working on a three-book series to start sending out to some of the major publishers. Add in an idea for another two novels, and you start to see why I’m feeling a tad overwhelmed.

But I’m pushing all of that to the side.

I’m really excited about this new trilogy. It’s something different for me and I think a great set of stories. Because the three books are so tied in together, I’m writing them and editing them before I submit to the publishers. Considering that it can take up to six months to hear back from a publisher whether or not they’ll work with you on a book, I want to really focus and get these stories done. It’s a hurry up wait scenario.

My goal is to finish the stories, get through editing them all once, polish the first book, and then submit in January. So yeah…I’ve got my work cut out for me. This month, though, I’m going to focus on finishing the book and maybe even starting the next.

If you want to follow along on my progress to 50,000 words this month, come hang out with me on twitter.

I’ll check back in at the end of the month! If you’re also participating this year, good luck 🙂

Join me on a (virtual) trip to some of the most romantic locations around the world and find your next favorite romance book at the same time.

Today I’m welcoming author Kim Iverson Headlee

Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the midtwentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet.

Kim has been an award-winning novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight, Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying Arthurian legends and literature for nigh on half a century.

Check out a video interview with Kim here

Blurb

“Solidly entertaining.” –Publishers Weekly

Winner, 2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal for Fantasy and Science Fiction.

Winner, Summer 2016 NABE Best Fantasy Book.

Morgan le Fay, sixth-century Queen of Gore and the only major character not killed off by Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, vows revenge upon the Yankee Hank Morgan. She casts a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut so she may waylay Sir Boss before he can travel back in time to destroy her world. But the spell misses by 300 miles and 200 years, landing her in the Washington, D.C., of 2079, replete with flying limousines, hovering office buildings, virtual-reality television, and sundry other technological marvels.

Whatever is a time-displaced queen of magic and minions to do? Why, rebuild her kingdom, of course—two kingdoms, in fact: as Campaign Boss for the reelection of American President Malory Beckham Hinton, and as owner of the London Knights world-champion baseball franchise.

Written as though by the old master himself, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee offers laughs, love, and a candid look at American society, popular culture, politics, baseball… and the human heart.

Watch the book trailer here.

Available: E-BOOK, All Sites – https://books2read.com/KASIWC-by-MarkTwain-and-KimIversonHeadlee-ebook

GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23268285

PAPERBACK, Amazon – http://viewBook.at/KASWIC_by_Mark_Twain_and_KIH_paperback

PAPERBACK, B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-arthurs-sister-in-washingtons-court-kim-iverson-headlee/1120385250?ean=9781506199269

PAPERBACK, BooksAMillion – http://www.booksamillion.com/p/King-Arthurs-Sister-Washingtons-Court/Kim-Iverson-Headlee/9781506199269?id=6712179829057

HARDCOVER, Amazon – http://myBook.to/KASWIC_by_Mark_Twain_and_KIH_hardcover

HARDCOVER, B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-arthurs-sister-in-washingtons-court-kim-iverson-headlee/1120385250?ean=9781939051714

HARDCOVER, BooksAMillion – http://www.booksamillion.com/p/King-Arthurs-Sister-Washingtons-Court/Kim-Iverson-Headlee/9781939051714?id=6712179829057

AUDIOBOOK, Audible – http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/King-Arthurs-Sister-in-Washingtons-Court-Audiobook/B01EQQT7Z2

AUDIOBOOK, Amazon – http://myBook.to/KASWIC_by_Mark_Twain_and_KIH_Audiobook

AUDIOBOOK, iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/king-arthurs-sister-in-washingtons/id1108145926

 

#RomanticTravel

I love to travel but I also love to find great deals on lodging and transportation so that I can use the rest of my vacation budget to splurge on activities. My husband and I began a tradition a few years ago to make a beach getaway in November, which is the off season for many Northern Hemisphere beach destinations. We love sharing dawn and sunset beach walks, usually with a meal afterward because we’ve worked up an appetite. We’ve enjoyed Cancun and several other Caribbean destinations, though our current favorite fall beach retreat is Myrtle Beach, SC. That region’s restaurants can be pricey, even in the off season, so getting an outstanding deal on hotel reservations is a must! Wherever we travel, we’ve found there’s nothing more romantic than the sound of the surf wafting through the balcony window on a mild fall evening.

Thank you for stopping by today to check out my final guest post during this tour. Be sure to catch up with Kim on her website, Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Pinterest, Amazon and Goodreads.