Ok so this has happened,  despite my idiotic error saving over an older version of my third book and adding without checking and therefore effectively loosing 5 chapters of edits – I have finished. I mean really finished, just have to format for e- release once they come back from my editor. So crunch time is do I continue?  I mean I love writing and it is only a dream that others will love it and I guess until I actually release my first book I really won’t know the answer to that little gem  but it does consume me, my time and my thoughts when I’m not actively writing and it doesn’t go unnoticed but I guess if I do it because I love it I should just carry on- yes? Here’s to doing what you love 🙂 xdx

It’s the silly season so there are endless to do lists and I mentioned in Many Layers post that I’m still not done but I’m really close. I can taste it! Doing the final final read of 3rd book The Only Choice, the second book cover is booked in for second week in January and the first book has been sent to my editor for schedule edit in January too. I know I will probably have a few days formatting when I gets it back but it’s really going to be on amazon soon. Big girl pant time.
I am sort of reluctant to start another book even though I have something floating around because ultimately although I do this because I love it I do have to wonder is it a waste of time if no one else enjoys the stories I write? I guess I will have to wait to learn that little mystery.  😕

So I’m deep into my computer edit of my final book The Only Choice and everything about this is a learning experience. I do get asked, mostly from my family as I spend a disproportionate amount of time absent, ‘How are you doing?’ and feeling guilty for this self indulgent hobby I tend to say I’ve finished a lot of the time, which is true. What I mean is I’ve finished writing, or I’ve finished the first read through, I’ve finished the manual edit with my trusty pen, I’ve finished putting those edits back onto the computer or I’ve finished the final final read through – see many layers! Anyway I’m part through final edit putting my pen edits on to my computer copy of the last book, then I will have one last read through of book 2 – Always A Choice and book 3 The Only Choice. It may be self published and filthy as they come -pun intended- but I want it to be the best it can be and reflect the care and passion that I have loved giving.

I haven’t set the pricing for my books yet but this clearly got me thinking and since I not only read but I devour a huge quantity of books on my kindle I have a good idea what I am prepared to pay. I love the free sample option which I use frequently for authors I haven’t read before but for ones I have I think under a fiver and I will probably buy without reading reviews around the £8 mark and I’ll check a few reviews to make sure it’s my cup of tea. But here’s the thing, I have just been sucked into a series of short books, not stand alone novellas which are extensions of stories I have enjoyed but clearly the same story and if I buy the 6th and apparently final book I will have spent just under £12 for a book and I think that’s a lot. Don’t get me wrong  I have enjoyed the books, the story was engaging and the quality of the writing was very good but most were 1 hour 40 minutes on my kindle and that is not a book in my world it’s 3 chapters and I have no problem paying but like most people I get a little miffed when I feel I’m being ripped off.
Several authors do this and I have chosen to not buy more than the first one or two, which of course is always my choice or others have packaged them in a bundle which is priced like a whole book which I am happy to buy but I think it’s a shame because I will probably not buy anything more from this particular author because I do feel ripped off.
So my books are part of series but are not short or novella sized so I am going to consider this a little before the first is released in January.  Let me know your thoughts? 
Thanks

Of course it’s my husband and my family but just aside it IS absolutely the  writing. I haven’t written anything remotely creative since I was fifteen many moons ago but this year I decided on a very long drive back from holiday,  when my mind wandered that I have a story I would like to tell. That was in February and it’s October now; I have just finished the Epilogue of the final book in my Choices trilogy. 
I still have a way to go with a re read and  further edit to make sure it’s all it can be before I send it to a professional editor in January 2015. I have had some brilliant and encouraging feedback from my betas but I don’t flatter myself- I chose them wisely but I have another who is not a fan of this genre and a stern but fair critic so I am ever hopeful others will like it too.
It’s extremely self indulgent to sit and write for hours and I am grateful I have the support to enable me to do just that whilst tactfully ignoring that there is no longer food in the cupboards because I’m not hungry and my house is a shit tip because I don’t leave my room for days.
But I love it and I love that, in general there is a lot of love and support for indy writers, something I’m sort of counting on in the next few months. If this amounts to little more than writing stories for my lovely betas- I’ll happily do that too just to keep writing, for me, for my sanity for my heart but I also hope you like it too 🙂

Its a strange time and I might be using my day job and general life to excuse not sitting my butt down and writing but the truth is I am over half way through my final book in my first trilogy and its daunting that I will be publishing them (early next year after an edit) and sad that I am nearly finished. I love it though, as self indulgent as it is with all my other to do lists I really hope I have more in me to continue.

This whole area of social media is new to me and as such i find particularly scary and with most things I find that are scary, black runs, walking into a pub first and wearing a bikini my body takes over and i get serious nervous tummy but being a glass half full I may not be so scared about getting in that bikini now!!

So trying to give myself a break before i start book three and get to grips with self publicising through this type of thing but actually just itching to start back with my story, i kind of miss Daniel and Bethany, i kind of hope you do too, well when i finally introduce you that is 😉