Necrolectric … a new web series coming this summer!

An electrically charged romantic paranormal web series, debuting summer 2014. 

New body. Same spark.

A woman struggling with her mysterious need to constantly die and come back to life begins to unravel the truth of who she really is when she teams up with a young woman who relives others' deaths, a young man who talks to ghosts, a cursed immortal, and his electrically charged brother to solve a series of supernatural murders.

Love. Death. Electricity. Necrolectric.

Facebook: ‪https://www.facebook.com/Necrolectric

Twitter: ‪https://twitter.com/Necrolectric

Instagram: ‪http://instagram.com/necrolectric

Website: ‪http://necrolectric.com/

I met Zach and Eric at RT in New Orleans. They were a great couple of guys. And Rina Slayter (another Necrolectic associate) was a treat to talk to as well. They told me about the series and I was thinking… COOL, interesting. Actually, my first reaction to the description above was "That sounds fun!" I plan on watching and I am trying to spread the word for you all to watch as well. Ever series has to start somewhere, with people who give it a chance and tell their friends to do the same. 

Maybe Eric Carpenter will be the next Tyler Hoechlin (Derek Hale)… One never knows. He sure has a deep, sultry voice ;)

All I know, is that I liked them as people. Zach had a nice smile and that's really all it took. I am swayed so easily. And just when I thought watching Zach in the new series was enough, I watched the trailer and thought, "Holy moly! Whose that other hot guy?" Cole Shoemaker is quite nice to look at. 

So this will be something else to distract me from writing this summer. Teen Wolf starts June 23rd! Can't wait! I LOVE me some Dylan O'Brien and Tyler Posey… Yum.

But now there are some new boys in town… (I guess  the series has girls in it too.) Eric, Zach, and Cole will have to show viewers what they got! Can we comment? Can we visit the YouTube page and tell them what we think? Actors need fans and reviews just like authors! Check them out and tell them what you think!!

Thank you all for stopping by!

~Wade

xoxox

JOCK in GERMAN is not "Schotte"

My post yesterday on Facebook made a few people laugh. LOL…. I found out yesterday that My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap! is finished being translated and is in the formatting stage. The release date for this new edition is June 17th. I wrote on Face book, "Nicht das Release-Datum jeder wartet, aber COOL nicht weniger. Mein Mitbewohner ist ein Schotte? Nun, Mist! Veröffentlichungen in deutscher Sprache auf 17. Juni 2014! Deutsch sprechen, das Wort zu verbreiten!" I used Google Translate to translate "Not the release date everyone is waiting for, but COOL none the less. My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap! releases in GERMAN on June 17, 2014! German speakers, spread the word! " but it got too many laughs. Apparently JOCK is not really translatable and Google came up with "Schotte". Ellis is not a Scot. hahaha. I learned. I asked a couple German friends, but ultimately the title Dreamspinner wrote is what I need to use.

Mein Mitbewohner ist Sportler? Oh, Schei..!

Es ist leicht, zynisch zu werden, wenn alles im Leben schiefläuft.

Cole Reid ist seit seinem fünfzehnten Lebensjahr Außenseiter, nachdem er unbeabsichtigt von seinem Mittelstufen-Baseballteam geoutet wurde. Seitdem haben seine obsessiven Zwänge und seine sarkastische Art die meisten Menschen auf Abstand gehalten, außerdem hasst ihn jeder, weil er schwul ist. Seiner Ansicht nach ist er dazu verdammt, jeden potentiellen Freund automatisch zu vergraulen, platonisch oder romantisch, wieso sollte er sich also bemühen?

Als er zu studieren beginnt, entwickelt er sich endgültig zum pedantischen Einzelgänger—kein Problem, zumindest bis sein vertrauter Mitbewohner auszieht und ihm Ellis Montgomery zugeteilt wird. Ellis ist unordentlich, hübsch, hetero, und zu allem Überfluss Sportler!

Während eines Semesters voller Verbindungskumpels, Campingausflügen und überengagierten Eltern, entwickeln Ellis und Cole eine Freundschaft, die Coles pessimistische Weltsicht auf den Kopf stellt. Ellis muss mehr sein als ein amüsierwütiger Sportler—und vielleicht kann Coles wiedererwachende Libido seine Hoffnung auf mehr als Kameradschaft in die Realität umsetzen.
ISBN-13 978-1-63216-321-9
Pages 316

It is up for pre-order on Dreamspinner. <HERE>

The title I am waiting on is Names Can Never Hurt Me for a release date. I thought I'd have the galley proof by now, but I do not. :( bummer.

I tallied up last week's progress and I wrote 9884 words. This is amazing for me! If I could do that every week I would get somewhere. I hope to do that again this week, but without all the "deleting" I did. THEN I would get ahead.

Other news…. I have a special guest post by none other than J. P. Barnaby on Wednesday June 11th, so please stop by and comment and say hi to her :D

That is all for now, peeps.

writing effectively and knowing yourself

I wrote 4377 words yesterday. How the heck did I do that? And 1300 the day before! And even after I deleted 743 words I still brought my word count up to almost 60k on Misplaced Affection. This is amazing! One of the hardest things writers face is "Writer's block" and how we get it differs from person to person but it is there, looming in the darkness just beyond our imagination waiting to strike. Some say their "muse left them" or "I lost my voice", but essentially it is the same thing. Something inside STOPS and you can't write. I have experienced this often.

In January I wrote almost every single day and I was so excited about this. It was a goal to write every day and I nearly did it. Then February rolled around and NOTHING! It was like the characters all died and there was nothing to write about. I wanted to write, I had goals in mind, but nothing came. I have written here and there over the last few months, but not nearly enough since I wanted this WIP to be done by now. I have other writing goals to achieve!

For me, I see myself sitting on a pendulum that swings between two worlds--the writing world and the home-life world. I went through spells of being on one extreme or the other. In 2006 ALL I did was write. It consumed me. I did not write well, I use passive voice way too much, but I wrote all the time. I did nothing else. Then years later I found myself on the other side of the spectrum were I wrote nothing.  I spent all my time and energy on my family and strove to be a good wife and mother. I still did not have a clean house all the time so I'm not sure what I actually did! I find now that the pendulum does';t swing as wildly as it used to. I think part of that is having support at home to do my actual writing. There was a time I can remember when I hid my computer and did NOTHING while people were home. I wasn't supposed to be writing and it pained me to hide. I am not there any longer. I write while people talk to me at the dining room table if I have a thought. Being about to write and feel proud about it helps me to balance myself.

Which brings me to an article I read in the newest edition of RWA magazine. The title is "Seven Habits of Effective Writers" and reading it reenforced some things I have heard writers say. (I am not going to quote the article, I am going to list things I gained from it.)

1. Write! It is important to write every day and establish a time to do that. If you are a night person, then write at night. A day person? Then write in the morning. We can not be writers if we do not exercise our gifts. It needs to be treated like a job, not a hobby. Jobs have set hours, writing can have set hours too. For me, in the morning works best, but AFTER the kids are in school!

2. Playing off of #1, writers need to structure themselves and allow "down time". Yesterday was the most productive I have been, but I did not sit here at the table the entire time. I got up and walked outside. I pet my dog. I ate lunch. I wrote a scene and then walked around the yard talking to myself to toss around scenarios of the next part. I was focused on my characters, but I walked away from the computer several times. If my time to write is best between 9am- 3:30pm, then I need to take advantage of the quiet and write! Those are "banker hours" and I need to make them work.

3. I have to know myself and the danger zones! I am on a computer. I have Wi-Fi. I can connect to Facebook any time of the day. Warning: Facebook and Twitter are huge TIME SUCKAGE blackholes. Yes, they are great, but if you are not aware of how much time you are on there the day can disappear before the writing gets started. Be aware of your weaknesses and do not wander around the internet for hours. OR, if you like to, write first, play second!

4. Balance yourself. My writing life and personal life need to work together. I HAVE TO network and get on Facebook, but I do not have to do that to the expense of everyone around me. I am trying to mess around online between 9-3, but I also write in those hours. I can get online before 9, but I also have lunches to make and breakfast for my son to prepare. I have things to do and I need to figure out the best way to juggle them. Like laundry. I CAN throw in a load and then write, get up and throw it in the dryer and then write more. Same with dishes and food shopping. But leaving the house ALSO takes up much of my day so I need to learn how to write before I leave, or split the word count so I can manage writing before and after I leave. Because…. I also have friends and I normally see them during the day. I can not write all day like yesterday EVERY DAY. I wish!

5. Pay attention to how much time marketing and technical web-stuff takes! This should also be worked into the schedule. Updating a website might seem like no big deal to some, but to others it can take up your whole day! Update the website more often, or set aside one day a week to make sure it has what you want on it. I know I have dropped the ball on my "Current news" section of my web page. I think I listed something months ago. Why? I have blogged more often maybe? I also have the Wade Brigade FB page and I'm posting news there for my fans. Marketing and networking is important, but always remember that the marketing does nothing if you have nothing to sell. WRITE FIRST!!!

6. The article also mentions "support systems" like in AA meetings where you have a sponsor or something. People you can talk to and commiserate with. I think I have that. I haven't really thought about it that way. I think it happened by accident while I was simply making friends with writers. Greg Payne is a great motivator. And if I ever need something breezed over I could probably ask Jeff or Will. Knowing who will read an excerpt and who likes to read an ENTIRE MS is also go information. Some people just don't want a snippit. Know your friends! It took years for me to even consider a beta reader because I was afraid people would just hate my writing and tell me I suck. I am JUST starting to open up and ask people. But if you find people you can write with at Starbucks or something, having a buddy is good.

7. I think I read online a thing that said "Writing is your job, treat it like one!" Well, in some ways that is true. You have to see writing as a job because it NEEDS marketing and research and networking tools and those things take time. If you don't invest time to sell yourself, then the writing sits there. People / readers like to know who you are. So, talk to them! Go to conventions, talk online, e-mail people. It makes you real. BUt, that said, don't forget to pull away sometimes and take time to decompress. Being ON all the time at a Con is exhausting. I am a people person, but I need down time. In order for this to be a job I love, it has to remain fun, engaging, and new. Dragging myself to the computer to write is not always fun. We want to have FUN jobs, right? Find out what makes it fun, and then hold on to that!

Yesterday was FUN! I wrote! A lot!!!! I still doubt myself often, but I am so energized sometimes by things I write and how people respond. I WANT to make a difference in people's lives and I can only do that by writing and using my gift.

Thank you to all those out there  who believe in me and support me! I need you.

Part of my schedule is to blog at least twice a week. Sometimes I miss a post, but I am trying!

What else to say??? Um. Join the Wade Brigade. Or subscribe to my blog via e-mail. Or e-mail me personally. Find me on Facebook or Twitter.

And stop by Matt and Brad at 2 Boys in Love and say hi. They have insightful things to say! ;)

And remember, this is PRIDE MONTH! UNITE FOR HUMANITY. We are all people in the pursuit of love and happiness. (I hope.)

An honest opinion about homosexuality

I'm just sitting here, stunned, after watching  The Normal Heart, HBO's adaptation of Larry Kramer's play "The Normal Heart". I thought it was amazing. My thoughts…. well, they are scattered and hard to articulate, but I find blogging a good way to get out what is in my head. *BEWARE, you may read spoilers*

I should be writing and I will do that after this. I've had this one seen with two characters in my head for a while and I need to get it out. Too bad they are not in the current WIP because that would help get it done! grrr. Darn muses coming and going as they please.

Anyway… what I have to say might date me, but many of you have met me in person so it is not too surprising how old I am. And some of you may have read my contribution to Kage Alan's "Face of Gay", so perhaps what I will tell you about my impression of the movie will not completely shock you. IDK.

I'm not gay. Until I saw Brokeback Mountain in 2006, I had never thought of "Gay" in a context beyond sex. And even those thoughts came well into my 20's because as a youth, I never knew anyone attracted to the same sex. I was in middle school and high school when this AIDS epidemic was going on and yet I do not remember any of it at all. The dates during the movie shocked me the most. When the movie started, it was set in 1981. I was in 8th grade. I remember a cute boy named Chris Neidlinger and his friend who had red hair. (His name might have been Morris.) Chris was adorable and I was too shy to talk to him. I didn't know any homosexuals back then. In 1982 I entered high school. I was terribly shy and not really good at any sports or academic classes, but I coasted along just fine.

I lived in Maryland. The Normal Heart was set in NY. I heard nothing and knew nothing of AIDS. The movie rolls on to 1983 and 1984 with a stunning performance by Mark Raffalo. He was pushy and determined even though no one wanted to listen. And Matt Bomer…. what a beautiful actor. He wasted away in front of me. Yes, I cried, but not as much as you might think. I think it was because I was thinking about the movie and I kind know what the outcome was. I was analyzing it and that kept me more detached than usual. In 84/85 I was a junior, and then in Sept 1985 when President Reagan speaks publicly about AIDS for the first time, (I think that's what the movie credits said. Here is a link to the NY Times) I was a senior in high school. I heard nothing of this back then.

I suppose I was rather naive and sheltered. Although, I did find my dad's porn when I was 12. I was not completely in the dark, yet I truly knew nothing. I don't remember understanding what the word FUCK meant until maybe 10th grade. My family never talked about anything. Times are different now, but back then…. I really had no clue. So when it comes to gay rights and AIDS and what a homosexual was???? If you asked me I probably would have said, "I don't know," And meant it. I didn't know anything.

I turned 18 in 1986. I graduated high school. I started college and pretty much failed out because I couldn't handle all the work. I hated home work. I started working in a restaurant. (And the restaurant knowledge will appear someone where in the near future publication…. *ahem "NAMES"….. La dee da, life went by, and I didn't know anything or hear anything about AIDS. So the accusations in the movie are very well founded. News was not being spread.

At this point I did meet one girl who was in a relationship with a woman. I didn't handle it well. I had a radical-church, Westboro baptist, thing going on back then. Some things I deeply regret, but also circumstances that have helped shape who I am now. I wish I could apologize to her. (As well as to another, non-gay couple I met whom I also disagreed with similarly, yet different.)  I suppose I was a bitch and didn't know how to be kind. I'm glad I am not that person any longer…. anyway….. While in school I didn't know this health crisis was on going and being ignored for so many years. It saddens me.

Until I had sent the movie BENT, I had no idea there were concentration camps for gays. I thought it was only Jewish people who were rounded up. Shows you what schools teach, or DON'T teach. And, btw, BENT has one of the best sex scenes ever written in my opinion and there isn't even nudity. :p I am glad for these movies that people dare to write because it DOES OPEN EYES to the things in the world that really shouldn't be ignored. Mainly: Human Rights.

What The Normal Heart shows in humanity. People fighting for their right to live. In this case, gay men. The main character's point to his brother is that they are the same. Ned wants to be seen as a man just like any other man. He has a normal heart, and wants to be loved like a person. And he falls in love so hard. Ned and Felix do what many, if not every, couple does. They laugh. They eat ice-cream. They watch TV. They argue. They sleep. They watch their friends die. Maybe the last one is not 'normal' for most couples, but I can tell you I have seen way too many people die in my life. One of the worst was my husband's 19yr old cousin. Then I remember a 21 yr old co-worker. Another cousin who was under 22 but I don't remember her age. Way too young to die. But none of them died of AIDS. None of the people I have seen die, had to go through an unpredictable and often vicious disease. I was a terrible experience.

So what am I left with to sum up my thoughts before I forget why I started my post…. Um, basically, I wish every straight person who has a "problem" with "Those gays!" would watch this movie because it puts a perspective on watching those you love DIE. Most people can relate to that, even if your "loved one" is a parent and not a lover or spouse. Being intimately close to a person who is dying is a horrible position to be in and often, the other person leaves. Think about it. To stand by and watch a spouse die of cancer, how easy would it be to just walk away and protect yourself from the pain. People do it. I'm not saying it is right, but they do. OR, they stay, yet cheat on their spouse because they are too sick to notice. People can be awful. Ned sticks buy Felix through it all. Why? Because he loves him. Why do any of us do the impossible things in life? LOVE dives people much harder and stronger than fear.

I guess in the 80's perhaps being homosexual was still looked on as a disease itself? Ned, in the movie referred to going to a "change" counselor and I know there were and probably still are "change camps".  No body wanted to help the gays because they were a "sick" group anyway. If more people took a stand like Ned, what would have happened then? Would it have been like the one character commented where gays fell back into fear and gave up the rights they fought so hard to find? I don't know. Maybe that's why the pushback is so hard now. Gay rights are hitting hard because people are tired of being oppressed for the right to love another human being. It isn't about sex. It isn't about a sexual revolution as mentioned in the movie. Just about 20 years later and people are being seen as PEOPLE. Maybe if the government had taken this seriously back then, people would have been seen as equal sooner. Another I don't know. I'm just thinking out loud.

What the movie made me think about was all the people I know now! The couples I know who have been together for 20 years. Some are my age. They probably weren't in the battle of the 80's, but only just out of HS like me. How much had you all heard in the news? Were you gay in a state that it was dangerous to be yourself? How did it impact you? I can not imagine to sorrow people went through watching their friends die like that. I'd like to think that if it happened now, I'd be that woman who showed up and Tommy told her to help with the phones. I can answer phones.

Right now, I guess persecution still exists but in different forms. Like that boy Michael who was bullied for loving My Little Pony. Paul Richmond did a huge thing for him with the You Will Rise Project. People are out there loving people unconditionally, they are simply a small voice overshadowed by all the hate in the world. Thankfully, the voice is growing stronger ever day.

So really, another point I can throw out there, is that the human rights movement can be "NEW NEWS" to many. I grew up knowing absolutely nothing about AIDS. So all those straight people who seem clueless, might actually be clueless. Unless people like some I know now take that stand, there are plenty of people going through life not knowing anything about the persecution the LGBTQ crowd goes through. It's true.

I guess that is what I have to say. Not sure much of it makes sense. Thanks Jeff, for sharing your thoughts on the movie. I'm glad toy know you and call you friend. I'm glad I am not the same persona I was at 19. I'm glad movies like this can be made to educate the rest of the "straight" world on things that were never taught in school. And I will continue to bring my thoughts on things to this blog and to my books. I think about life, and I write about what I know. I know ME best. And as most of my characters ARE me, you will see the characters acting out my own personal views whether they are political, religious, or otherwise. Being GAY doesn't happen to someone "over there who is diseased and sick and doesn't matter to me", it is a reality right here in my back yard, in the eyes of people I love.  I can't be detached as with a movie. Therefore, little by little and I finding my own voice and joining in a battle for human rights. Because if it was my friend, or my spouse, I'd fight for them. Love is stronger than any fear. I am no longer the quiet, shy, voiceless little girl who was cruel to people she didn't understand. These last few years have fought me to be BOLD and stand strong because I have something to say. Change takes time, so bear with me.

I see myself as a bridge. Is that weird? Are you not liking me know because I'm being all philosophical? There are plenty of people who ponder that question: Why do straight women write gay romance? The answer is different for all. I kind of fell into it. I have a friend who is gay and I wrote him a romance for fun. It was good enough to be published and voila, I am here. but why I continue is because I had friends who were persecuted for being gay. And then I was put under painful scrutiny and I wasn't gay. I could not sit by and let things like that happen. When Love Is Not Enough was born out of pain. I write the pain of culture in my world because I believe it needs to be heard. Just like watching this movie. Some things need to be told for those who haven't heard of it.

My message to those being persecuted: You are not alone. AND, one day the persecution will stop. Human Rights matter. People matter.

And if I can quote from myself… LOL…. “I don’t think sin is as black and white as people want it to be. I think sin comes in an array of colors, and one of them is so bright that it blinds us to our ability to love. And if I don’t think I can love you just because you’re gay, then Satan wins; because without love, the only color left is hate.”  My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap!

***

And if I can add one other thing…. Congratulations to TJ Klune for the Lambda Literary Award. Well deserved!

***

You all wanted me to write more. I will try to keep up the posting. I often think I am boring, but I suppose Karen made me see that it doesn't matter. She and her friends from France were happy just to meet me, boring or not. Therefore, I will continue to write!

PS: for all those I put on the subscribe list who didn't want to be - sorry. and for those who think I forgot, oops. The emails were hard to read and my little red papers got shuffled so I need to get back to them.

That is all. later! Off to write………...

Habitat for Humanity

Hey there. Sorry it has been a week, I didn't realize that much time went by. I'm not sure what I've been doing…. LOL…. I am always busy. I have been writing, although not as fast as I would like. I never write as fast as I think things up. I wrote a blog post on FB earlier this week that said:

Hardest part about starting a new book: Naming characters!

I wouldn't bother right away except that some of the back story of the characters in book 3 is in book 2 - the sequel to NAMES. I might just blog about this so that you may refer to the blog post when things I comment about get confusing. The SE series (Self Esteem series) includes:

1. Names Can Never Hurt Me - due out in Julyish. No date yet, but I should have one soon. Nick is the main character. It's about labels and bullying and how "names" can indeed hurt, but in the Wade Kelly style it is in the sub context. Romance is the driving force in the book.
2. Only Skin Deep - I've written about 1/4 - 1/3 of it. I have an idea about how the plot runs, but I lack outlining and research as yet. Things I need to get on! Corey is the main character. This one is on beauty, inside and out.
3. First Comes Love - I JUST started it last night. 857 words, LOL. I am trying to think of a "theme" besides romance. Sometimes figuring out the plot isn't always easy. I might have to let the characters write it for me and just go with writing them as I am inspired.
4. Teach an Old Dog. (The title is subject to change.) The characters are older in this book. Well, one is.

But now that I have 4 books planned in a series I need to make sure the info that crosses between the books stays accurate.time lines etc. Lots going on in my head! PLUS, I have the ones that need to be finished this year too. i.e. Misplaced Affection, and Darian's Story from the Unconditional Love trilogy. (I have a cover for it I can not let go to waste!)

So back to the naming of characters… I think I have the ones I need for now, except ONE. My side-character couples are:
Marc and Drew, Carlos and Rick, Wes (older guy) and _______ ??? young guy, but not too young. Maybe throw some names at me. This character is for book 4, but I will probably have him in book 2 or 3. He is in his 30's. He is nice, fun, friendly, and manages a restaurant.

Last but not least… LAST NAMES! I have to figure out last names of characters. I think that is harder than first names. Can I use some of yours?

Larissa suggested "Evan" and I think I will go with that. I have the general outline of books in my head, but they are far from and outline that tells me every plot point to write. I still need to think of those. I basically thought of characters and how they meet and the relationships that they have.

It makes me a little nervous because much of this hinges on you all actually LIKING the first book in the series. Names Can Never Hurt Me. I hope you do. I have that thing going on in my head that often happens when I write where I think no one will like it. On the surface I know that is not true. Tina loved it. and Jeff loved it. (The version they read was not the exact final version but very close) SO at least TWO people I know in the world did think the book was good. I have to hold onto their opinion and trust them. So scary.

But after that…. I have lots of ideas to continue the characters and make a series. Nick and RC will probably appear in other books. and Corey will too!! Corey is the MC in Only Skin Deep. Is this a spoiler? Would you not want to know that? The cover says NICK and RC, so I would hope that you'd know it is not about COREY. Right? Ok. But who Corey ends up with I'll keep to myself until I get the second book finished. What I can say is that Paul, another character in NAMES, knows Marc and Drew, and Carlos and Rick. They are couples he met in his past while living in California. (Ways I am tying things together) I am excited for this series, so I hope I can pull it off!

Other news is that on Saturday I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. And now I am VERY VERY tired. Oh my gosh! I lifted boards, I hammered, I even used a sawzaw! lol Basically the group I went with build a wall in a house that is to be given to a single mom and her handicapped child. It is a nice little house and I am happy for them. It felt good to be a part of something for someone else. AND I will probably do this again.

Lastly…. I LOVE reading the blog 2 Boys in Love. Have you read their posts? The funny posts and well and the hard, heart-wrenching posts are so good. Sam is delightful and todays post is how happy he is to be moving out on his own. So proud of him! and Matt's recent post, even though I cried so much, shows how deeply insightful and wise I think he is. Matt and Brad are very dear to me even if I have never met them in person. I learn from them. I never knew about ADHD like I have from reading Matt's thoughts, as well as some of the things Brad has posted. I think they have great things to contribute to the public. They are very smart and I hope the very best things for them.

Anyway… I need to eat breakfast and get on my merry way. Things to do, people to hug!

I'll post again in a couple days.

xoxoxo

Back to the Old Grind

So I get back from NOLA and the first thing I have to do is take my youngest to the doctor's office at 8:30 the next morning. Wow. Talk about jumping right back into "life." Going to New Orleans was sort of like a vacation because I had no responsibilities other than to have fun, interact with people, talk about books, and eat. Then I come back and everything is there waiting. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, driving my kids all over creation, and planning for a birthday party for my son. I set up a Paintball party for today that I do not think he knows about. (And it will suck if he stalks me online and sees this post before the party. LOL)

LIFE though, doesn't lend itself often to TIME. I lack time to do many things including write. I know I need to structure myself and that is a goal of mine. I also started a diet, so this will help my structure. It is basically cutting out carbs and fat and sugar. (Taste, really.) And I am going to give it a go for 30 days and see. My niece lost 30 pounds so that is motivation for me!

Writing causes another concern. I worry that I use the same premiss as my catalyst for trauma in too many stories, so I need to mix things up. Characters can't go through emotional stress just because they are gay. Yes, that happens, but I don't want to sound repetitive and worn out. I need new thoughts in my books. So, this current WIP needs a tweak. Jack is from a "religious family" and being gay was an issue for Flynn (The best friend)… But I'm thinking I need a different focus. So I am working on it. The overly religious family has also been done, but maybe I can focus on other things. I don't know. I don't want to bore readers, but I also have a certain idea of where the story needs to go.

Fear of coming out to a friend based on assumptions linked with religious belief is valid, but have I already done this enough? And what about when I write about Rob and Russell in the next installment of JOCK. Rob is religious. Are readers going to get bored reading the topic AGAIN????? These are my concerns.

Luckily NAMES doesn't have religious themes, so at least one book in my mix doesn't touch on that topic. Not that I mind talking about religion, more specifically Christianity, but I don't want to bore all of you! What are your thoughts?

Anyway… I am writing, and rewriting, and trying to structure myself enough to WRITE everyday! I need to be focused on my career. I am a writer, therefore I must write!!

Love you all.

Off to plan the Paintball event for my soon to be MAN child. (EIGHTEEN next week, OMGosh!)

hugs,

Wade

Best experiences saved for last RT 2014

When I wrote about RT in the last post, I had no idea how much I would have to talk about from the last day and a half!!!! I thought, "Oh, dance party. Breakfast. Leave. What more will there be to say?" Oh wow, WRONG!

After the Big Book Signing Event, and meeting super bubbly fan Kayla (who was wonderful!), I went to the FAN-tas-tic Day Event that Dreamspinner hosted. I had my "appearance" scheduled at 7:15-7:45 . It was a huge event and lots of people were in the ball room so I guess limiting the time some authors came in helped keep the numbers down as best they could. Can't have 3000 people in the same room I guess. IDK. I went in. I found a table in the back near where Dreamspinner's staff was set up to give away prizes and all. I met a new YA author named Winter. She was super cute. And I got to take another picture with my publisher Elizabeth North. I have been published with DSP since Dec 2009 so I was glad to actually meet Elizabeth. (Lovely woman, btw.)

Party winding down, I am standing around wondering when is best to leave since only one person really came up to me. Glad I lingered! Because near the end of the event was when three sweet French girls come up to me and ask me to sign their book. I knew Karen was going to come to the FAN-tas-tic fun day because she told me she was. She and her friends flew from FRACE for one day at RT!! WOW. They brought with them a scrapbook album that I've seen made from Snapfish. Very professional looking and pretty. Anyway, they had it made so their favorite authors could sign it. (less weight to travel when all the pages are together in one book! SMART)

So Karen is excited, I was too, we hug and she opens her book. And then I cried. ONE WHOLE PAGE was dedicated to me! I was blown away. It was so touching and I had never felt so honored. Thank you Karen, and Sofia, and Stephanie for the privilege of being included. They even quoted from JOCK on the page! I was so emotional over it!

  

Me crying!

This is what I am talking about in my previous blog about BEING WORTH IT! RT 2014 is for the fans. ANd when moments like this one occurs, it validates my whole reason for writing. I appreciate their love and kindness so much! THANK YOU girls again! Hugs and kisses to you all!! :)

And right after they walked away and my tears subsided, I get a text from my son. "Yeah… just keep believing in your self and you'll reach your goal, I believe in ya mother!" …. and I cried all over again!

The next day I cried some more. J.P. Barnaby made me laugh and cry! LOL. Wonderful lady. I was glad to talk with her more and get to know her a little better. She let me touch her hair and told me I had a fetish. LOL… I have a fetish. I never thought about it like that before but I do! I LOVE touching people's hair. I petted Heather practically all week!!

I went to Jackson Square with Jordan Hawk after breakfast. LOVED hanging out with her. We relaxed and talked and took in the street art displayed all around the park. So pretty. I met an artist and bought something.

I swear I got his card and I was going to link his website, but I can't find it. I'll add the info later I guess.

THEN…… Jordan and I decided to get a drink at the Jackson Brewing Co. on the way back to the hotel. I needed to leave, but I wasn't on a tight schedule. So glad we stopped. We met the most charming, adorable, and interesting bartender EVER!!! I've never thought of bar tending as chemistry, but Dante made it look like it is! I watched as he made this drink for another customer and he had a eyedropper and coated the inside of the glass with something. Then proceeded to use a beaker to add capfuls of something else and stir it. IDK. It looked interesting to me. If I had had more time I am sure Jordan and I would have come back several days. He was funny and very sweet. And kind enough to let us get a picture with him. He even let down his lovely hair! I only which I'd gotten a picture of his tattoo of Eros (God of Love). It was gorgeous. He concocted two drinks for me and I had a great time on my last day in NOLA!

 

And, Dante gave me a flower ;)  You know I have it on my desk, right? :D

Other really fun things…. I got to hug on a hot actor! (Two, actually.) A first for me. Zach and Eric were very nice to meet and I wish their web series a the best of luck. You will see me linking it on my blog from time to time and I'll put a link on my website. Anything to help these nice gentlemen in their careers.

CHECK OUT NECROLECTRIC.COM

I think that's all for now. IDK. If I think of something else I'll edit the post or make a new one.

I had a great week! Thanks to all of you for making it FAN-tas-tic! ;)

Wade

The RT Bookhaters experience

If you haven’t noticed, I tend to use “shocking” titles to grab your attention. For newbies to the Wade Kelly speak, you may not be used to my sarcasm, but eventually you will get use to it. I am not a “book hater”, but I am a NONreader. I am the most illiterate author you will ever meet, and probably one of few authors who rarely read. I often tell people I NEVER read, but that is not true. I embellish. I rarely have time to read so when I DO read it is normally within my genre. (Check Goodreads for what I like.)

That said, coming to this “BOOKLOVERS” convention was interesting given the fact that I probably recognized 2% of the authors listed on the RT website (out of like 700 registered), and READ 1%. So… LOL… This convention was a different experience for me than it would be for people who READ the authors who attended.

Most of the time there were 2400+ people here. LOTS of panels to sit in on, sometimes as many as 9 at the same time. (I did not fact check. It could have been more.) The hotel was HUGE and getting to the designated areas for a panel was a hike. The elevators were odd and you could only push the floor number in the hall way, not on the elevator. If you pushed the wrong floor, you had to wait, get off, and try again.

I often felt lost as a tiny fish in an ocean for authors. It was crazy.

So, (and yes, I use this unnecessary word often,) as for the PROS of going to RT BOOKLOVERS CONVENTION:

1. Exposure. New authors need to get there name out there in the public eye somehow. What better way than to attend an event where there are potentially 2400 new readers? 90% of the attendees might be HET readers, I don’t know, but I think there are a large and growing number of LGBTQ readers. Swag, promo, and author appearances are a great way for people to SEE YOU. (SEE ME.) You never know who will pick up a pen and later talk about you to a friend or twenty. Exposure is important.

2. Exposure. –Same word, different take. The LGBTQ spectrum of the RWA (Romance Writers of America) is small. So small, they only recently (I think this year) included categories for LGBTQ books to be judged for their prestigious “RITA” awards. (Don’t quote me on this, I could be getting my facts wrong.) No one won, but at least the categories existed this time. It is the same for RT. As I was listening (because that is what I do) I learned that the LGBTQ community presence is larger than it has been and continues to grow. RT takes notice of this. So bringing in my “little fish” self and making the LGBTQ authors percentage grow by one makes a difference. Every vice counts. Some LGBTQ panels were so large that RT will have to give us bigger rooms next year. As we continue to support the community, exposure is larger and larger and makes a bigger impact for the future.

3. I learned some things sitting in on panels. A.) readers like longer books better. (*information from a self-pub panel given by the CEO of Smashwords.) Stats show books that are over 100k sell more then the others. YAY for me, you know I can’t write short.  B.) Books priced at $1.99 hardly sell at all! .99 books do fine, but the KEY price is $2.99 or $3.99 (ebook). This doesn’t effect me right now, but this is good information for the future. C.) Readers like series! This is helpful to know because the Smashwords stats showed huge numbers for series books. I guess readers like a set of characters or a town/setting and want more about that place and people. Good for me to know. I need to write the 3^rd book about Darian and my sequel to JOCK. And get more consistent about writing the follow-up stories. D.) Authors with shorter names do better. Wade Kelly is nice and short. E.) Contemporary Romance sells the most. YAY ME! I picked the right sub-genre.

*disclaimer… This all said, these stats the Smashwords guy gave were based on ALL books sold on his site. He did not give stats for LGBTQ books as a category.

Also… I learned to pay attention to what the readers WANT. If they like a character, not a good idea to kill them. OR, if they LOVE a character, it might be good to give that character his own book. OR in my case, two characters. Readers have been asking about a sequel to JOCK. I NEED TO LISTEN TO THEM! I am slated to write that sequel next year. It will happen. And maybe if I get some fun characters going, I could create a series. We shall see.

~ Be organized. Lay out a writing plan and stay focused on writing well. The length of time it takes to write a book doesn’t matter as much as the quality of writing.~

4. RT BOOKLOVER’S Convention is just that – a booklover’s convention. It is for the fans! There were loads of fans who wanted nothing more than to find their favorite authors and “fan girl” them. Kind of like when I went to an Orioles Fan Day at the Park and waited in line to get an autograph of a O’s pitcher. It is a special moment. Some come with books to sign and some only want a picture or a signed post card because they have the paperback at home or have it in a Kindle. This isn’t a place to SELL lots of books and make any money. It’s just not.

I sold 3 books. The majority of readers here right now are HET, and also since I am a little fish, few people know my name anyway. I need to plug away at writing and continue to get my face and name seen in the public. My fans will grow.

HUGE highlight that made me cry a little was meeting a fan who was bouncing up and down with excitement over meeting me. She took a picture so I hope she friends me on facebook. Kayla told me about a road trip she took with a friend, Brad, and he read JOCK while they drove. She said they all about died laughing (other people in car too.) and they enjoyed the book so much. I was extremely happy to meet her because it validated my decision to come to RT. I made one girl very happy!

It was actually more than one, but in that example I was talking about Kayla. I met a few people who were very happy I was there. This makes a difference.

I also learned (I think on a panel, idk,) that as an author I need to take care of the fans I have. I can’t get hung up on how to grow the fan base, where to sell more books, and what will help me become more known out there without first taking care and interacting with the people who already know who I am. Those readers who read and love my books matter. I need to blog or tweet or whatever I normally do in social media to let them know I’m alive and I’m still writing. This is partially why I started The Wade Brigade. I intend to interact there more than other places and post excerpts there that are not listed in other places. The Wade Brigade is a special group on Facebook for current fans of my writing. Come on over and talk to me ;)

…..so what about the CONS?.......

1. The hotel is huge! The elevators are weird. The beds are double bed size, not queen.

2. I didn’t know there was a 20% cut taken by RT for all books sold. There goes any profit! I was going to reconsider my asking price but I thought about it too late. I decided to let it ride and see if I sold any. I am glad I left it alone because now at least I broke even. (As an author I still have to buy my books.) The 20% that RT took for a fee, took away any money I might have made. Note: I think someone else said they knew there was a fee, but I missed that in the e-mails. Not good. So read the fine print!

3. I was promised a ½ table….. wow. Half of a postage stamp is more like it. I think there were 3 authors in a six-foot spot with only about 18 inches wide of a table to stack everything, books included. This was the Indie Author side, the OTHER authors had about 3 times the price for the same entrance fee. Not fare RT.

4. Because of the size, I think, most attendees at the big book fair signing went to the “famous” author side first and the Indie Author side didn’t see traffic until 2 hours later. By the time people started trickling in, the event was more than half over. Sad.

I guess that is all I have to say… The tables were too small and the 20% cut seemed steep, but those are the only things I would say are negative.

Will I come next RT? I think so. Gregory Payne might want to come with me and I have a hard time saying no to Greg. It will be in Dallas. I will bring WAY LESS BOOKS! Way less. I am glad I didn’t fly for this one and learned things associated with driving 17 hours. (Also something I will not do again.) Max drive is 9 hours I think. I can handle 9. I’m driving to Chicago in October.)

I need to plan better and this experience gave me much to ponder and prepare for for next year. I recommend window panel adverts, and elevator ones! (Not sure on cost, but they were the best ones advertisement wise.)

Side note: I had 43 people sign up to try and win a free audiobook of JOCK, 19 of which wanted to be on the subscribe list! Whoot! For all you new subscribers-THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING!!!!

The winner was Cricket McD.

And Tina S. won my gift basket full of swag, books, and other items related to JOCK.

I know this is Saturday at 6:45 and the evening is not done, but I'm going to a dance and a FAN mingle event. Those things will be fun I'm sure. 

Not to mention I might see the really cute actors that were promoting their web series NECROLECTIC. I'm "Team Cas", btw. ;)

Laterz

Wade


PS: Did I mention I LOVE my fans!!!