Playing Catch-up

Hello all you lovely, PATIENT, people. I am thankful for that patience as I have not had anyone show up at my house and throttle me for new material, or remind me that I haven't blogged forever! I have no excuses you haven't already heard before a hundred times. We'll just chalk it up to being a terrible blogger and feeling as if I have nothing interesting to say.

What's Been Going On:

I went to San Diego for the GayRomLit conference. THAT WAS FUN! It was so nice to see so many people I love and also make new friends. Meeting people in person whom I have only known online is a thrill! I love to hug. Not that I HAVE to hug because there are people who are not as "touchy" as I am, and I'm okay with that. I just like people. I find this funny because I often say I "don't like people," but I suppose that has to do with the crappy things people do to each other. People backstab and judge. People cut others down. People complain and bitch. I am sure I've been in those categories, because hey--I'm a person! And while I might hate the things people do sometimes, I DO like to be around MY PEOPLE. I love so many of the fans I've met. I love so many of the other authors I've met. I love so many of the bloggers, and reviewers, and actors, and such I've met. So I can't just say I hate people. Not really. I have made some wonderful friends. Even friends who drive 9 hours to come visit me!!!! That's the kind of thing that makes a person feel pretty special!

I didn't see as much of San Diego as I would have liked, but I hope to go back again in the future! I also didn't get to meet Beth in person, so I HAVE to go back! I tried tagging all the people I talked to and had fun with in SD, but Facebook kept UN-tagging them as I typed. It was probably my internet. IDK. I also kept forgetting names until someone commented, and then I was like "OH YEAH! I forgot to mention that person!" I'm sorry of I didn't name you specifically. It wasn't intentional. So many wonderful people and so few brain cells.

Mailing List:

At the moment, I DO NOT HAVE a mailing letter, per se. What I have is a "Subscribe" section on my blog and this allows for blog posts to be delivered right to your inbox. (Normally the next day.) I subscribe to Matt & Brad's blog this way and I don't miss any posts. I don't always have time or internet to go online and read the post when Matt shares the link on Facebook, but I CAN open my mail and see the exact post in my inbox and read what one of the guys had to say. I think it is a handy feature. The down side is that I can not respond to the post/ email because it is not FROM Matt or Brad, but from FEEDBURNER. If I want to respond, I have to go TO their post and write a comment. (Not hard.) You all can do the same thing with MY BLOG! Just go to the right and find the spot that says "Follow by Email" and type in you e-mail address. I WILL eventually get a MAIL CHIMP newsletter mailing list, but until then, this is not a bad way to keep up with what is going on with me. If you would rather me get my tail moving on the Mail Chimp style newsletter, then please comment below and tell me! :)

Latest News:

I have contracted CHRIS PATTON to do the narration on the audiobook of Misplaced Affection. Things have just not worked out for the past year to get this AUDIO made, but I am very optimistic that it will happen by December! He is the voice behind the Adrien English series by Josh Lanyon, for those who don't know. He auditioned for my production last week and made me weep. He IS the voice of Flynn Brewer! In the past year while trying to get Misplaced Affection produced as an audiobook, I have met some really cool people. Everything is a learning experience and I hope (and see) that this has been a positive thing overall. Was it frustrating? YES! Do I think it was for the best? YES! And now I have the amazingly talented Chris Patton. I am grateful for the way things have turned out. I'll update you with the progress of this project and reveal the "cover" when we get closer to a release date. Thank you all for your patience! And if you like to cry and have your heart ripped out, Misplaced Affection will do that, and the AUDIO might just feel even more like it is all happening to you! IDK. Just guessing. For me audiobooks suck me in. I love them. I've listened to the AUDIO of JOCK 8 times because I love t, even though I wrote it. Jason Lovett does such a great job he has me laughing out loud often! My hope is that Chris Patton will deliver a killer performance that will make listeners crumble to their knees. :)

Planning Ahead:

I have a HUGE list of things to do and characters to write! The next 12 months will test me as an author and either kick-start a huge jump in my career or show me I am not cut out for this and I need to get a "day job." My hope is that THIS is my day job. My HOPE is that I can keep up the writing schedule that will help me be productive and successful. Part fo success is writing well, and part of it is understanding what sells. I don't want to give-in to popularity, and yet I have to understand as an author that some subjects are not going to have as many sales as others. --i.e. suicide is NOT a huge selling point! If ALL my books were like When Love is Not Enough then I cannot rightfully expect to make writing a career anytime soon. Am I glad I wrote it? You're damn right I'm glad. For those who have read it, I can not tell you how many e-mails of personal thank yous from fans/readers I've gotten explaining the significance and impact it had on them. For those people, I am glad I wrote it. I hope to always write meaningful things and write about gay culture and social issues that impact people on a personal level. Names Can Never Hurt Me has some really good concepts that readers have appreciated, yet that book too hasn't been very popular at all. Why? I don't know. Some books sell, some don't. I did say in the beginning that I see myself as a slow burn. My writing is fairly new to the scene and for the most part My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap! is holding my entire career together. Why? Because it's fun! People like fun. People like light. People like and escape that makes them feel good. As an author who wants to WRITE as a career and not a hobby, I need to keep this in mind as I move forward. Will I write more stories like When Love is Not Enough? You bet I will! The final installment of the Unconditional Love Series is in my writing queue. (I have one of those now!) Darian's story has been a long time coming, but it WILL get written! I promise. But then next few publications will be light and fun and cute. I need to build my audience!

Next Up:

The next novel to be published will be the second book in the JOCK series. No! Jocks Don't Date Guys is the sequel (if you will) to My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap! It is not about the same couple. JOCK 2 has a new couple of guys to fall in love with, but the older characters from book 1 do make an appearance! I don't have a publication date yet, but when I do I'll reveal the cover and attach a link for those who like to pre-order. I expect the galley proof soon and once I "okay" it, the link will go live on Dreamspinner's "coming soon" page about two weeks later. The pre-order link is about 4 weeks from the pub date. It should come out in December! Let's have a survey! Post to me below YOUR GUESS for the pub date. I'll keep guessing open until November 6th. Closest to the pub-date gets a free eCopy of JOCK 2. How's that? If two people guess the same date, then I'll give a copy to the first person who chose it. I realize this limits the amount of participants, but my blog doesn't get lots of traffic anyway and I'm only going to do this here for those who are loyal fans. :) I may do other contests in a blog tour, but I don't have any planned right now.

Blurb:

What is a sexy soccer stud supposed to do when “following family tradition” falls 180 degrees opposite his closeted ideal?

From birth, Chris Jackson has been schooled on how to land a cheerleader. After all, his father married one, and his father’s father before him. Heck, even his older brother married a stereotypical cheerleader the summer before Chris went off to college. For two years, Chris dodges invasive questions about relationships by blaming his lack of female companionship on grueling practices and heavy course loads. But his lack of interest in girls should’ve given his family a clue. It isn’t until Chris mentions meeting a boy that his father’s synapses short-circuit.

Alonzo Martin is anything but a buxom blond. From his black hair, combat boots, and trench coat to his nail polish and guyliner, the mysterious introvert isn’t easily persuaded to date. Alonzo’s insecurities keep Chris at arm’s length, but Alonzo’s painful past might meet its match in the charismatic jock’s winning smile and sense of humor.

When opposites attract, only cheerleaders and gummy bears can help overcome fear and family tradition.

PLUS, as an added bonus, I am giving away copies of a new short story I wrote for GRL (GayRomLit). JOCK 1.5 - Oh, Crap! This Jock's Getting Married. I wrote it for my fans and I wrote it FAST because I can never think of these things well in advance. I have it available online at ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS, or e-mail me for a copy, OR post a comment below and tell me what file type you'd like. Mobi (for Kindle), ePub (for Nook), or PDF. I ALSO LISTED it on Barnes & Noble AND iTunes, however the link hasn't shown up yet. Sorry.

On The Horizon:

As I said, I'm trying to make writing my career. With that in mind, I have a writing QUEUE for the first time in my life. I also have deadlines!!!!!! This is both exciting and scary! They say that busy people get things done, well I hope that is true. As I have particular stories to write because of deadlines, I also have new character yapping in my head. Great! Thank you, random characters, for making my life harder! (I say this with a note of sarcasm) I'm glad I have new characters yapping as I don't want that moment when they all dry up and go silent. A day of silence is more terrifying than one where I have too many things to write and too little hours in the day to write them.

What's coming up:

December 2015 - No! Jocks Don't Date Guys - from Dreamspinner Press
March / April 2016 - Banker's Hours - from Dreamspinner Press

In the writing queue:

Back Off! That's My Jock - JOCK 3 (I'm half way done)
His Boyfriend's a Jock? Oh, Phooey! - JOCK 4 (Next in line after JOCK 3 is submitted!)
Seducing His Secretary (a Dreamspun Desires novel I promised to Poppy.) 50k. It's like half a novel. Lol. 
My Lover Sucks! (Vampire horror comedy)
Love, Trust, and Learning to Live Again (book#3 of the Unconditional Love series.)
How I Became a Groupie (my rocker novel! I am finally going to write one!!!)
The Honorary Tooth Fayrie (The dental hygienist / dentist story) 
Only Skin Deep (book#2 of the Self Esteem series. Comes after Names Can Never Hurt Me)

And somewhere in there I am writing a novel with Jeff Adams!

Plus, the new characters who are yapping are a part of a new series I am planning to write about a group of artists at an all Jock school. (Sort-of) *wink, wink, Amelia Vaughn*

So yeah! I have my work cut out for me. If I'm not online I HOPE to tell you I am writing because I better darn well be writing! Too many stories and too little time!

So please, comment below or e-mail me. writerwadekelly@gmail.com

1) Tell me your guess for the pub date for JOCK 2 to enter to win a free copy. Contest runs Today - November 6, 2015.

2) Comment below for a free copy of JOCK 1.5! Written to gear you up for the release of JOCK 2. Email address and file type.

3) Comment about a "real" newsletter via Mail Chimp.

4) Tell me if you are as excited as I am about CHRIS PATTON!

And as always, refer to the "Wade Kelly Scale" of angst before reading one of my books. You need to prepare yourself!

As Jason says,
Hugs and Kittens!
~Wade