Reality of Writing, and the scary schedule ahead of me.

Ok. So, I took a peek at the calendar and thought about the reality of publishing more than one book next year. (Since my track record so far is one book per year.) On the table right now is Names Can Never Hurt Me. It is still in submission stage. I have not heard back about NCNHM yet, and it has been 4.5 weeks. (This wait is killing me.) But, maybe, possibly, they will like it and it will come out next year. 2014!! :) In order to have another book come out next year …. assuming it takes 4-8 weeks to get a contract and up to 6 months to produce the final product for publication …. then in theory I have to get everything submitted by around May 1st. Holy guacamole!! That is under 5 months. It is about 21 weeks. Oh wow! So to submit in 21 weeks, I need to crack down and do some serious writing. Not that it matters of I miss that date. Books can still be written and submitted for publication in 2015. But it makes me think about the ones I want to get out there.

I was working on Misplaced Affection because it was easy and partially written for English class. And then I hit a wall and I haven't written anything in a LOOOONG time. So not good. It messes with my mood when I don't write. I get edgy. I get short-tempered. My brain feels scattered and it's from lack of focus on one piece of writing. I definitely need to write!

Misplaced Affection was the next on my slate because I think I can get out 100,000 words and produce something angsty and something the publics will like. I learning to play the game. Part of a writer's job is to write what makes me happy and write because i love it, but the other duty's I have are to the publisher and recognizing what sells. I have to write SOME that will sell well because they pull readers in and then maybe those readers will take a chance on my less-popular stuff. I would LOVE a world where everything I wrote was popular and everyone read it. :D *dreamworld* But reality is not always so. It is HARD getting my name out there. It is HARD marketing and holding my breath when my next "baby" is open for public criticism and ridicule.

When Love is Not Enough rarely gets a bad review. Yay for me! It does GET bad reviews, but they are overlooked more easily because the number is low. Mostly people love it. Mostly people / readers think it is an emotional roller coaster that they were glad they took a chance on. BUT, very few take a chance. The numbers speak to publishers. WLINE is not a highly read book. I WILL keep writing these things, but I have to throw other stuff in there too

My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap! - This one was a surprise. I wrote it because the story came on strong in my head and I just needed to get it out. I had characters speaking to me. I was laughing the whole time I wrote it. It was fun and it was a temporary relief from writing things like WLINE and TCOL. I needed a break and JOCK gave it to me. And then it was a Number 1 Best Seller on Amazon. Holy moly. Wow. Insane. Never thought! This lighthearted romp brought readers my way and SOME dared to read WLINE because they liked JOCK. I need this. I need a wider reader base.

The Cost of Loving was a long awaited sequel to WLINE. This, again, was not a popular book if only because I think readers got tired of waiting for it? Or maybe the religious content was too much. IDK. It also gets mixed reviews. Maybe people read the mixed reviews and are not sure about trying it. It is for this reason that book 3 is not finished. I WILL finish it, but realistically I need to get more books out there first that will sell. I can't pitch a third book in a low-selling series and hope to be "accepted". THAT is unrealistic. Book 3 has to wait until I get more books published. Books that sell.

I am not to that point yet where I can write anything and it will get a contract. I'm not. I DO, much to my surprise, have readers who tell me they will read anything I write. THAT IS AWESOME! I need you guys. Knowing I have a small reader base who stands by me is very encouraging. For this reason I will still write the "non popular" books because I have readers and fans who want them.

But you have to help me. Numbers convince publishers. I market as best I can, but I need you all to recommend the books you like. I DO. Although I read very little …. And I feel guilty that I don't read more …. I DO recommend books that I absolutely love. My favorite? American Love Songs by Ashlyn Kane, and The Locker Room by Amy Lane. I bet there are loads more I will like, but these are the ones I've read and keep going back to.

Next up, hopefully, will be Names Can Never Hurt Me. Help me make this a blockbuster! Bigger than Jock! When I know something, I will let you know. I had a beta reader for it and she said she couldn't put it down. I think that is encouraging. I hope it will be a great success. I NEED another huge seller. I need to keep my name alive in order to write more sequels because I know you like them.

I came up with the title for the sequel to NAMES. Only Skin Deep will be on the table for next year. Will I get it written by the May 1 deadline? IDK. I can try. I would LOVE to bring you book 1 and book 2 in the same year!!!! Wouldn't that be neat? I will not spoil who it is about because book 1 isn't out yet. Stay tuned.

And the sequel to JOCK??? Yes, I should do that one as well. I've been asked many times about Rob and Russell so I have been planning their story. My Jock has a New Roommate? Oh F*^#! Was the original title I came up with but perhaps it is too vulgar. IDK. I am thinking and will consider other titles. This one WILL NOT get written by May 1, but I do hope it will get written next year.

I also had a Christmas themed story. Last Minute Shopping. In order to get it published by Christmas, I would more than likely have to submit that by May 1 as well. Hmm, not so sure about that. I can try.

And as we know (if you frequent my website) I have LOADS of ideas for books. I just need to write them!

On the agenda:
1. Finish Misplaced Affection, submit by May.
2. Write Only Skin Deep, submit by May.
3. Attempt to write Last Minute Shopping to submit by May 1??? LOL
4. Work on sequel to JOCK.
5. Work on book 3 and write about Darian.

This is a lot to take on for next year. We shall see how it goes. ONE DAY AT A TIME!!!

Later ya'll,

Wade