One YEAR ago today!

Hi, I'm Wade Kelly. And one year ago I became a published author. A PUBLISHED AUTHOR, BABY!! Yeah! Feels good!!!!!

When Love Is Not Enough (WLINE) was published on August 29, 2011. In that time it has touched many people. I know that because they message me personally! It was a draining book to write. Exhausting really. It's a book about suicide, but it is so much more than that! In one year I have 84 5-stars, 46 4-stars, & 19 3-stars etc... on GOODREADS. I realize that 164 ratings in a year is nothing compared to the smash-hits that come across a reader's comfy chair, but for me it's about the impact my book has made with a handful and not that it has been read by masses and forgotten. I've been told my book is hard to forget. One reader said that she remembered it with clarity 6 months after the fact and could not tell me about the hundreds of books she read after mine. I think that is a great accomplishment. Since this is the anniversary date I'm going to talk about WLINE mostly :)

What's been said by readers:
Vio rated it  -Beautiful, Beautiful story an emotional rollercoaster...
Monika rated it  -This is a beautifully written story that has a very sad beginning. 
T.A. Webb rated it  - Give this remarkable book a chance. Mr. Kelly's voice deserves to be heard.
Don Bradshaw rated it  -This book was absolutely amazing. The story tore me up emotionally but it was well worth the roller coaster ride. 
Meghan (mm_reads) rated it  -This story was intense and heart-wrenching....It's such a well-written story that it was worth it, just be sure to keep your tissue box at hand.
Manuela rated it - Read it in 24 hours. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down.
Mika Milette rated it - I laughed...I cried...and by the end, I was smiling. This is a beautiful bittersweet story. 
Barb rated it - This was a difficult book for me to get through, only because it was so brutally emotional. 
Kade rated it -Oh Jimmy! God how I loved him and his spirit. God he was such a sweet, caring guy. This is a BEAUTIFUL story and gods I didn't know how I was gonna survive it.
Anna rated it -Don't let this book fool you, it's quite heavy in its own right.
Summer Michaels rated it -I couldn't put this book down. ... This raw emotional roller coaster had me cheering for these young characters one minute and crying for them the next. 
Absynthe rated it -Heartbreaking and wrenching. A beautiful story, but painful. Definitely worth the read!
Simsala rated it  -2 ratings for the book from me - 4,5 stars for the writing and making the difficult narrative work. 1 star for a story and characters that simply made me see red! *side note: I'd rather a reader see red then forget what I wrote ;p

And I LOVE this one: Mark rated it  -This book should be in every high school library in America and should also be required reading for anyone considering the purchase of a chicken sandwich with waffle fries. Truly and amazing read.

Believe me, there is LOADS more that people said.

Also, I was nominated for the Goodreads M/M choice awards for 2011 for BEST TEARJERKER! 

AND I am on the "Best Gay Tearjerker with a Happy Ending" LIST! Sitting at #28 today with 25 votes. :)

I love lists so here are more: "Worst Mothers EVER" !! I'm #2 on this list :) with 22 votes.

"Best Bittersweet M/M books" - #4, "M/M Books you MUST read" - #94/267  but very few voters on that one (4)... , "Best M/M Romance published in 2011" - #47/388 (not bad), 

and we can't forget: "Best Gay Romance Featuring Characters Attending High school/ college" #44/231

Then of course we have all the nice things REVIEWERS had to say about When Love Is Not Enough...

Summer Michaels over at Summer's Point Blogspot , HEARTS ON FIRE Reviews, 

Top Two Bottom Reviews, "Wade Kelly has set a new benchmark for the writing of emotions. ‘When Love Is Not Enough’ brought every emotion to the fore and dazzled, in a way that I have only ever seen from the likes of Jodi Picoult. It has been some time since I have read a title that has had so much true, raw emotional turmoil as to make my heart physically hurt for the characters. etc..."

 MM Good Book Reviews, ♥♥♥♥♥4.5Hearts "The story begins with alternating internal dialogue of two characters. You don’t know who they are, but you are plunged into the static of their echoing emotions. It’s messy, chaotic and so profoundly real that you are compelled to keep reading. etc."
A Bear on Books, "I picked up this title with some little trepidation, and started. And got hooked immediately in this beautifully imagined and executed tale. Mr. Kelly has crafted a touching tale of love and hope in the face of pain and loss and tragedy. etc..."

Amos Lassen,"It is not often that I can say only good things about a first novel and when it happens I get as excited as the writer. Wade Kelly has written a first novel that he can be very proud of as he describes a relationship on the skids. etc..."

AND Literary Nymphs, gave WLINE the Golden Blush Award- "When Love is Not Enough is an outstanding story by first time author Wade Kelly and according to his website is the first release in the new Unconditional Love series. I have to admit that when I realized this gem was part of the Bittersweet Dreams set of titles, I almost passed it up, but I’m glad I didn’t. The basis for this well written and plotted story is Jimmy’s suicide, so it’s filled with pain, anger and deep, raw emotional upset. My warning…be ready for a few tears. etc..."  

OVERALL, the past year as a published writer has been awesome. I feel like I've made a difference to people. (and not just for entertainment's sake.) I've written a book that draws upon real circumstance that some of my readers have witnessed or felt. I'm glad I can touch hearts and minds. Not the masses at large (yet) but individuals. So, I'm glad. When Love is Not Enough means a great deal to me.

On to other thoughts... I've been saying to people that "this is going to be a big year for me, I can feel it." Well, other than the fact that nothing else has been published thus far, I DO feel it has been a year of good things and accomplishments. For one, the sequel to WLINE- "The Cost of Loving"(TCOL) - WILL get published!!! I'm confident about that. I'm just not confident as to WHERE and WHEN. (It might go self-pub.)

>>I also wrote, submitted, and was contracted for another novel!! My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap! Is supposed to be released sometime in December 2012 from Dreamspinner Press. I WISH I had a cover to share but I don't yet :(   This is a humorous novel and very different from WLINE. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE my characters Cole and Ellis. I think they're great together! Details will be forthcoming and I will keep you updated every time I hear something :)

>>I am currently writing another tearjerker. Names Can Never Hurt Me is going to be another novel that could possibly make readers cry. (Probably) I have ideas in my head but not enough is written to know where it is going. The characters tend to have a mind of their own, ya know? It's around 5500 words right now and I'm going to get more in the computer today. I am HOPING this will be finished and submitted by the end of the year.

>>I'm also writing Love, Trust, And Learning to Live Again (LTLTA) as I have thoughts and time to squeeze it in. This is the 3rd book in my trilogy. It's Darian's story. WLINE is about Jimmy. TCOL is about Matt.

You may have figured out I do "themes" in books. "When Love is Not Enough" is about lies and deceit and ultimately suicide. "The Cost of Loving" is about church persecution and standing up for what's right and being true to oneself. I THINK that "Love, Trust, and Learning to Live Again" will be about abuse and addiction.

"Names Can Never Hurt Me" deals with bullying and self-esteem. And if I HAD to pick a theme for "My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap!" is would be irony. lol

So there you have it! All the goings-on of ONE YEAR of my life as a published author!!! YAY!!

I've met some awesome people online. Reviewer, Lena Grey is a beautiful person! 

and my college friend 'K' I would have never met had I not written WLINE. So I am very grateful!!

And Ijeoma has been a wonderful contact across the ocean that has encouraged my writing.

There are countless more and I do not mean to hurt feelings by not listing EVERYONE who has encouraged me to keep writing and thanked me for what I have already published. So thank you to all!

To those who read my blogs all the time, (Deeze, RB, Anna, Vio, Monika, Pam, Kim, Kaje, L-D, Tina etc...) I'm sorry I am redundant, but this IS my anniversary!! For those who DON'T follow my blog-- why aren't you? Get reading!

That's all for now!

Laterz

Wade :)

xoxoxo