Monthly Archives: October 2014

I have a cover artist… Yay!

The process of self publishing is long and drawn out. Well it is for someone with no patience, I guess.

I’m keen to put my story out to the world but there’s a process that has to be followed, otherwise I’ll be publishing a pile of crap. I talked earlier about editing and how scary, but exciting it was. Well, now I’ve come across an exciting, and not scary part of the DIY process.  Cover Art!

I’m so excited that I have engaged the help of fellow MM author, LC Chase. Author of The Pick Up Men series, plus many more.

When I was ‘shopping’ for cover artists, I noticed that some like to stick with what they know. Same colours, same look. And whilst they are very talented and their covers gorgeous, LC’s covers struck a chord with me. I love her diversity.

These are just some of LC’s covers.  Aren’t they gorgeous!

exodus_by_lcchase-d7ahzzn starduststarlight_400x600_by_lcchase-d7jm1h3 daylightagain_400x600_by_lcchase-d7jm1r7 thewindyourvoicetherainyourtears_400x600_by_lcchase-d7na5ua under_the_stars_by_lcchase-d841hkk

 

8c34d40a67607b2f7d95dd59702d756c-d5fjfm8 glitter_by_lcchase-d841hdc h_amp_m3_boywithpainfultattoo_400x600_by_lcchase-d5ms16k

 

 

 

 

 

Check out LC’s Deviant Art page here.

 

4662239 LC Chase…

Artist by day, author by night. I write, I draw, I design. And I love it all. For the latest updates and news, visit my website at    www.lcchase.com or my blog: lcchase.blogspot.com

 
LC Chase’s Book list: 
Pulling Leather, MM contemporary romance
Let It Ride, MM contemporary romance
Cottonwood Memories, FREE short MM romance, available at my website
Pickup Men, MM contemporary romance (2014 Lambda Literary Awards finalist, Best Gay Romance)
Love Brokers: Mister Romance, MM contemporary romance
Riding with Heaven, MM suspense romance (2012 Rainbow Awards, Honorable Mention, Best Gay Mystery/Thriller)
Long Tall Drink, MM contemporary romance (2013 EPIC Awards finalist, Best Contemporary Romance)
Three to Tango, MMF contemporary romance

Check out LC Chase’s books here:

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I’m in editing… and I’m a little scared.

My last post I spoke about my BIG decision to self publish. So now I’ve told the world what I’m doing, I should tell you I’ve contracted an editor.

Some people have the misconception that self published = not properly edited.  Not true.  Self edited = not properly edited. I have hired, not just one editor, but the team from Cool Beans Publishing & Editing.

1913135Check out their editing services here.

If you know me, you’ll know that I don’t do things half-assed.  I won’t put something out to the world that I’m not completely happy with.  That’s why I’ve got editors.  I don’t like comma’s and I’m pretty sure ellipses, periods and em-dashes hate me.

So why am I scared?  I love my book, I love the men in my book. Even when they didn’t do as they were told, I still loved them. Their story will live with me forever. I’m scared because I know the editing team will tell me everything that’s wrong with my story. But that’s okay, that’s what editors are supposed to do. They’re there to help me make it a better story. They’re there to point out all the things wrong with it, so I can fix it and so the reviewers, (hopefully, fingers and toes crossed) will enjoy reading about my boys, nearly as much as I’ve enjoyed writing their story.

Now I have to write the blurb :(

<3
RJ

 

It’s gonna be a real thing… Out Of The Blue is coming!

I’ve finally made up my mind what I’m doing with “Out Of The Blue.”  Oh My God, she’s made a decision!

It may have taken me longer than most but I was tossing up between submitting to a publisher and doing it myself.

In the end I wanted control of what I was putting out there. If I subbed to a publisher I would be given one of their editors, but who’s to say that editor would be right for me and my story? I don’t know much about editing, so how would I know if I’ve been given the right one?

Answer is, I wouldn’t. So I’ve hunted and researched and asked for sample edits.  I’ve done the same with cover artists. But that’s a different post.

Out Of The Blue is happening, I’m just not sure how long the process will take before it becomes a real, live, living book. I’m hoping for Jan or Feb 2015.

I’ll keep you posted on what’s happening.  In the meantime, cross your fingers and wish me luck.

<3
RJ

Scary shit right here…

I submitted my first novel and it was rejected. Cue heartbreak. For anyone that has been through rejection you know how hard it is to pull yourself out of the black hole. I’m thankful that after a couple of days and a chat to myself, I was more or less back to normal.

The good news is that the publisher told me what was wrong with it. And I’m so glad they did because once it was pointed out to me, I was like ‘well duh, of course.’ So after about a month of rewrites and revisions and having passed the eye of a yet another beta reader, it’s almost ready to be submitted to a different publisher.

This is the scary part though. What if it gets rejected again? I’ve addressed the issues mentioned by the first publisher so another rejection will be even worse. And what then? If it gets rejected do I keep submitting to different houses? Can I put myself through that kind of pain if they reject? I don’t know. The first rejection was crushing and it shook my confidence so much that I now doubt everything I’ve written. Sometimes I think I’ve done a good job and it’s a great story, but, I thought that the first time too.

A friend said if it gets rejected I should self pub, but, if the publishers reject it then it’s for a good reason. Why would I then self pub just to have it ripped to shreds by the reviewers? We all know how pleasant some of them can be.

I now question my second story which is practically finished, just waiting for me to pull my finger out and do some edits before sending it to the beta’s. What if that’s crap too?

So this is my dilemma. It’s hard to put your work out there, it’s even harder to have all your hard work sent back with a ‘thanks, but no thanks’. Will I submit to another publisher? Yes, I will, I just have to work up the nerve to hit the send button.

If anyone has a rejection story they wish to share, please do. We could start a club.

<3 RJ