‘Cause you might just get it…and boy have I got it! Create overload that is!
Wishes are funny things and the headline is a phrase that I have found myself repeating more often than not. The Jinni that I just finished writing about comes to mind when I think about the list of things, or wishes, I wanted to obtain in 2019. For anyone who missed my “resolution” post, you can link to it here, but suffice it to say, I am drowning in my own creativity! Not to mention, I am working on stuff that isn’t even on my 2019 list! It seems the Jinni has granted my wish…and then some!
I am not complaining by any means, this is exactly what I wanted, what I had asked for, you know, lots of creative stuff happening and moving my author business forward. But now that I am working on no less than 3 projects at a time these days, I may have to admit my wish for 2019 may have been a tad over-zealous.
So here’s what I’ve been up to lately:
Twist of Fate – I’m done finally! Although are we ever really done, done with our projects? In my case, I was done with this project at least 3 times that I can remember in recent days. The lesson learned here is give yourself way more time than you think you will need, then add a week. In my case, I pushed my self-imposed launch date by a month, and tried to not give myself too much grief. I went easy on myself, I had a lot to pull together for this one.
Twist of Fate is a novella, much shorter than the other books in my series, and not what is considered a romance by the industry since it doesn’t have an HEA. I’m totally okay with that, the story needed to be told, and I am marketing it Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, which is the sub-genre the series fits into. Bringing this story to full completion was a challenge since I tied a second project to it (The Jinni’s Wish) and linked each of the projects together through book funnel. More on that in a bit. Anyway, I needed to have everything lined up with the second thing, before the first thing could go to print! Let’s just say that my brain is mush trying to figure out how all of the hyperlinks would piece together!
The Jinni’s Wish – I wrote this as my newsletter builder, also known as “freebie” or “cookie”, although a lot of folks in the industry call it a “reader magnet.” Anyway, this book is a novelette, coming in at around 17,500 words, so longer than a short story, but way shorter than my novella. This story was so much fun to write, and while it doesn’t have any sexy bits in it, there is definitely a lot of chemistry between the two main characters. This short takes place 10 years after Twist of Fate, but 65 years prior to the first book in the series, Sea of Dreams. There is a lot of time for Sevilla and Kadar to get to know one another before the series starts and only time will tell what I have planned for them!
Heaven on Earth – The final book in the series has officially been started, and as of this post I am 5 chapters in to what will probably end up at 25-30 chapters in total. I have to say that going backwards and writing the prequel, and then the short, really helped me to figure out just what everyone was doing and why. It made outlining this final book a lot easier. If you are a writer and are in the middle of a dry spell, I highly recommend writing an unrelated piece in your same universe. You can always use the content as a reader magnet, and even if you don’t, it may at least help you move your story forward.
Secret Squirrel Mystery Project – I wrote this last year, and sorry but it still has to remain a secret! However, I will say that the first draft is currently being read by my critique partners and it is getting pretty positive feedback. My intent is to clean it up, and write two more in that world as I start the query process and attempt to find an agent. It is a little different from the Power of Four series, and while it is still in the paranormal genre, it is more on the mystery end of things. Definitely more of a cozy vibe for this one!
Newsletter – What a project! Let me start by saying if you are considering starting a newsletter, you need to read Newsletter Ninja – How to Become an Author Mailing List Expert by Tammi LaBrecque! Highly recommend it!
So anywho, I had started a MailChimp account a few years back and hadn’t done much with it, and when I finally figured out and completed my automation sequence for welcoming my new subscribers, they went and changed their plans. Crappity Crap! So, I poked around, and decided that Mailer Lite would be the best plan to move to, especially since I haven’t gotten rolling on finding subscribers. I had a chicken/egg thing going on with the service that distributes my “cookie” which is what we will talk about next! The move didn’t end up being all that bad since I had already written the content. It was just a matter of cutting and pasting to the new service.
Book Funnel – This is the service I will be using to distribute my “cookies” AKA “freebie,” but they are also a great way to distribute Advance Reader Copies of my books. I am looking forward to building my author business with their help and will be using the landing page I created on their site as a link moving forward. Folks will be getting a free copy of The Jinni’s Wish for subscribing which you can also do by following this link!
What’s next? – I am very much looking forward to getting back into “creative” mode and working on the draft of Heaven on Earth, as well as a few other books that have been brewing in the back of my mind. The research for the one will be super fun, and let’s just say my trip to Salem will come in handy!
I also have the RWA Conference to gear up for in July where I will be doing an Indie Author signing as well as the RWA Readers for Life – Literacy Autographing. If you happen to be in the area on July 27th, you should swing by and buy a book for a good cause! You can link here to the Facebook Event if you would like more information. I am very excited about participating with both of these events, and can’t wait to see the Big Apple!
When I get back, I will be taking another look at my 2019 goals, just to be sure that I am on track to complete at least 75% of my list. I have too many things I want to do in 2020 to carry over much more than half of the 2019 goals! So many ideas, so little time!
How are you coming with your Author goals? Have you made any progress? Would love to know your thoughts! In the meantime….
Happy Writing! XO
D.A. Henneman - Romance Author 
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