There’s a point in the relationship with a rescue pet when it finally clicks and they settle in to their new home. We hit that this week with Jojo and life is a lot calmer now that he’s snuggling with the other dogs - and both humans in the house. I even got lap snuggles in the recliner the other day!
I know some of you are wondering about the whole serializing thing - and another author on my Discord group said something about it that was so perfect, I had to share.
We were discussing the difference between reading serialized stories over a finished book. I said that getting early-access to the story was a hook - and they countered with it being a completely different experience.
Some readers prefer reading something serialized over a finished book because of the communal experience.
"Book reading is an individual thing. You buy the book, read it, and maybe you leave a review, and maybe you talk to your friends about it.
Serial reading is a communal experience. You wait for the next chapter together. You bond with other readers about this or that character, who you’re spending months with, instead of a few days. It’s much more than a story that you read in chapters since the time between chapters is filled with the community around the story.
And when a new reader joins and you’re posting chapter twenty - they get to read not just the previous chapters, but also the comments and predictions of other readers on earlier chapters - which quickly gets them up to date on how the community works.”
With all of this said - put some comments, feedback, ideas, whatever in the comments on those posts that have chapters in them. Talk about how you feel about the story - who you’re rooting for - who you hate - all of it! Get others interested in what you’re reading…for the love of all things good, please get them interested. (I’m laughing here.)
Now - if you don’t like serialized stories, don’t worry about reading them. Just do a free subscription and read the newsletters like you always have. Buy the books when they come out and enjoy things the way you prefer. There is no right or wrong here.
Also - Fate or Destiny is out in the wild! It has been released to my direct sales customers as of February 16th, and will be out to the rest of you on February 20th.
You can buy your copy here, from my shop - or here everywhere else. I hope you enjoy Rowan’s ‘origin story’. Let me know what you think?
Also, here’s a short survey. It would help a lot if you would take it. It will give me more information so I can better tailor my newsletters. Thanks!
Eight men will do anything to protect me, but not even they can protect me from myself.
This is a reverse harem, Snow White fairytale retelling. Paranormal romance.
I had a life once. Before someone tried to kill me.
My guardians say they’ll keep me safe from this killer, who will strike again, but it’s hard to be scared of something you don’t remember.
And the itch to escape is going to drive me crazy.
I have a choice to make. Stay inside where it’s safe, or risk it all for a taste of freedom.
As my nightmares become reality, I don’t think I can resist much longer.
And So It Begins - Chapter Five - College Park, MD 2005
Jo dug her thumbs into the knotted muscles of Blake’s back and chuckled as he groaned out loud.
“You’ve been sitting too long, my love. Time to take a break,” Jo told him. For the past two years, Blake had taken up residence in Jo’s apartment with her and they enjoyed their time together when they could get it.
It had taken Jo a while to get past her hangups about sex. Longer still to get over the trauma from her uncle. She’d learned to have intimate relationships with men, and a few women, but she’d never truly been in love. She loved, but not with the kind of passion and depth spoken about in poetry, songs, and romance novels.
For the longest time, she thought there was something wrong with her. Then a conversation with Sandra had given her some information she’d been missing. Apparently, vampires had one mate and they would know when they met them as there would be a marking that appeared on each one. Gifts and talents would blossom and change for each one, and if the vampire turned their mate, that vampire would be weak as a human for a period of time after the turning. Not that being weak after turning someone was unusual – it was just supposedly worse if it was a mate bond.
Most vampires avoided looking for a mate because they didn’t want to be that vulnerable. The vampire was often killed during the weak time and no one wanted to take that risk just for a mate.
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