Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Questions, Questions ...

     So, this post is largely a shout-out to all my lovely beta readers of Silver Rose. If you've sent me your feedback, (which many of you have), thank you sooo much! I really appreciate you volunteering to take on this project, and taking the time to go through it and edit & critique. Many thanks! ^_^

     To those who haven't gotten back to me yet. The end of this month is the deadline. If you aren't able to make that, just let me know! You can email me at: swordmaidenofthelight@gmail.com. If beta reading Silver Rose ended up being just too much for your schedule, just tell me, and I'll take you off the list! :) I would just like to know, so that I can began working on Silver Rose again as soon as I've heard back from everyone who's going to give me feedback anytime soon! :D Thanks!!

     Also, author and readers alike, I have a question. So my goal is to make Silver Rose my next published book. And it's supposed to have a sequel (will probably end up being a trilogy); however, I just haven't had any luck after writing the first 40/50 pages of Diamond Dark. No inspiration. No love for this story. 
     Instead, I'm hugely inspired to work on this random dystopian story that I started some time ago. I'm a few chapters in, and have all sorts of ideas.
     Would it be awful to publish a book, then instead of publishing it's sequel next, release a random stand-alone (or worse yet, random first book to a whole new trilogy)?? I'm just trying to think of the future here! :p Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts on that!

     Bookish news here: I'm part of a launch team for Nadine Brandes's coming release, A Time to Speak. (I recently reviewed the first book in the series, A Time to Die, in case you missed that.) So I will be having some posts concerning that in the near future! Book review for A Time to Speak. Talking about why I recommend this dystopian series. Author interview with Nadine Brandes ... Fun stuff like that! So keep on the look-out! :D

    Will also be helping with a cover reveal soon here. And spotlighting another book.

     Writerly Stuff. A Dream Not Imagined now has 25 ratings on Goodreads!! And 15 on Amazon! Wahoo! :D It's doing fairly well, I feel. If you would like to help me vote it up on Goodreads, here's a link to the lists it's featured on so far: 
     And as always, I'm eager for more reviews! :) :)

     What has the month of September looked like for you? What fantastic books have you read? ^_^

20 comments:

  1. So excited for you and your writing journey, Shantelle! Yes, if you aren't going to be ready to follow up Silver Rose with its following books soon after, it may be best to wait till the trilogy is more established. First off, because (as a great author has told me) keeping any attention and sales on your first book requires other stories releasing. Also, as you write the next two, you never know what you will discover that you wish you could have set up or changed in the first novel. :)

    Hope it goes great, whatever you decide! :)

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    1. Thank you, Hannah! ^_^ Yes, that does sound like the most logical idea ... And I've heard that too! Best way to market your book is to get another book out! :)

      I appreciate your suggestions; I'll keep them in mind! And thank you! <3

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  2. I hope working on "Silver Rose" goes well!! I am so excited for its publication. :)

    Personally, I don't see anything wrong with publishing "Silver Rose" and then waiting on the sequel and publishing another book. I've seen several authors do that, and I don't mind. It almost makes the anticipation for the sequel even sweeter because you've been waiting for it. I say go with whatever God is leading you to do. He knows. :)

    Being on launch-teams are fun! I've been on several, and find them enjoyable. :)

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    1. Thank you, Raechel!! I'm excited too! (Though it does seem afar off!) Hmm, okay. Thanks for your thoughts! I'll keep thinking on it! :)

      They are really enjoyable! It's so fun connecting with everybody and talking about amazing books! ^_^

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  3. For me, if I was excited about a certain series and then had to wait for the sequel and the third book to come out until after the whole publishing process of a random book, I wouldn't like that very much. But the standalone book is probably awesome sooo. *shrug* Up to you. :)

    Argh, and I'm dying to read A Time to Speak! :D

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    1. Yeah ... I know what you mean, Katie! If it's a series I ADORE, then I want the next book, like right now! :D But there are some authors that I love to read by that I don't mind what book they release, as long as a new book by them is coming out, :) Hmm ...

      I know you are! :D A Time to Speak is sooo good; I'm sure you'll love it! October 16th!!

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  4. Some authors work on two series simultaneously. It probably helps them not get burned out on either story. I'd say go for it! :) I'd be really interested in reading a dystopian by you.

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    1. Okay, I really like that thought, Emma! I think that's what I might end up doing ... Yes, I really feel it would help you keep writing to be working on two books! I think I shall! :)

      Cool! I'll do my best to bring my dystopian idea into being! :D

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  5. From what you've said about Silver Rose so far, it sounds like it will be a really good read.

    Now, pragmatically speaking, the usual course is to go for series - It builds a reader-base - You don't have people waiting years for the next book - etc.

    Having said that, if you pray about it and sense God leading you a different way, I'd go that way. :-)

    Question: Is Silver Rose able to stand on its own without any sequel? Or is it a "cliff-hanger" type of story, like the Lord of the Rings, where you HAVE to read the next book? Asking that might clarify your direction for you, too. :-)

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    1. Aww, thanks, Alicia! I really hope it is!! ^_^

      Right; it's a slightly worrying thought. Most readers don't want to wait years for the next book in a series! But yes, I have been praying about it! I think I will tentatively try writing the two books, going back and forth, and see how that goes! Meanwhile, praying God will guide me as I edit and polish Silver Rose some more! Eek! It's always a little scary!

      Silver Rose definitely doesn't have a cliffhanger ... but I wrote the ending in a way that says there's more to come. And plus, there are some sort of unanswered questions ...

      Thanks for your thoughts!! :)

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  6. I don't think it would be horrible to release the first book of a series and then publish a stand alone book in between, just make sure you release the 2nd book pretty close to the same time you publish the stand-alone.
    I know when an author I love publishes any new book I'm eager to read it because I know it will be good, and reading that extra book can make it easier to wait for the 2nd book in the series.
    Anyway, those are just my thoughts. :) I'm sure either way you chose to do it will be great!

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    1. Yeah ... so it would probably be best to work on both books! So they'd release pretty close together. Really, it'll probably help me write more, having two different projects! :)

      I can be that way too! Thanks for your thoughts, Jesseca! ^_^

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  7. I think it would be fine if you published some other book(s) before finishing the Silver Rose series/sequel. Maybe while you are at work on another book you'll find inspiration for Diamond Dark.
    :-)

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    1. Yeah, we'll see what happens, I guess! That's the hope!! Hmm ... lots of plans and ideas going through my head now. :D

      Thanks for your thoughts, Gabriela! :)

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  8. SILVER ROSEEEEEE!!!! ^_^ Just hearing that name and that stuff is going on with it makes me SO HAPPEHHH!!! <3 Hee. :D

    But awww, Diamond Dark is giving you trouble? :( Sorry to hear that! *huggles* I hope it will sort itself out, someday... If it's being THAT big of an issue and you don't have any love for it, it probably means that there's something missing that you can't see yet. Maybe totally stepping back from it for awhile, and then going back to it and trying to analyze the problem might help. :)

    As for the question... I think if you're self publishing you should publish what you want, when you want. ;) So I think it's okay to publish a dystopian (even a book 1) after Silver Rose... as long as you don't ENTIRELY abandon the Called to Light series. Like, do think about what readers want; but at this point I'd say self-publishing is flexible enough you should do what you want. Just my 2 cents. :) ESPECIALLY since Silver Rose IS its own mostly-contained story, and the others follow different characters as the MAIN characters. It would be different if it was a cliff-hanger, because then it would be kind of stressful for the readers to see an unrelated book by that author coming out. ;) But as it is, I'd say go with whatever you think you should/want to! :)

    I hope everything's going well with you! *hugs*

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    1. Aww, makes me sooo happy to hear that you remember and feel happy thinking about Silver Rose, Deborah!! <3

      Diamond Dark was giving me a terrible time! Thankfully, I've decided to rewrite, and that's going well! If you've read my newest post, you will see that! :) Stepping back really did help! I thought about it a lot, and I think I had too many POV characters at the moment; and I wasn't focusing mainly on the RIGHT POV character! So yeah, hoping things will continue to be better!

      Okay, that is an interesting thought! Very true. Silver Rose doesn't desperately need a sequel, so it might be okay if I published a different book first! Hmm ... well, we'll see which story I finish first! ;)

      Thanks for your thoughts! Good to hear from you, my friend! ^_^ (I should get over to your blog soon!!) *hugs*

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  9. By next week I hope to get a sixteenth review for A Dream Not Imagined on Goodreads! (I'll also do a review on my blog). I hope to read it this weekend!! Super excited!!

    Anyways, I think you got my email for Silver Rose, if not, I could resend it. It's pretty awesome and I was so glad I got to read it!

    I would definitely read a dystopian book/series! And since Silver Rose isn't a cliff-hanger (though I would love to read a second/third book) you should be fine publishing another book. I think it should be fine. Just don't abandon the Called to Light series completely.

    I'm one of the people who works best when I'm working on multiple projects, so it might help to work on another project to get your juices flowing for Diamond Dark.

    I'll be happy with whatever you chose. Just pray about it. I'll put you in my prayer journal! Hope everything goes well!!! *hugs*

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    1. YAY!!! :D So excited to hear that, Alyssa! Eep! Can't wait to read your review! Thanks so much! Reviews are so hugely appreciated and loved!

      Yes, I did get your repose email to Silver Rose! Thanks so much for that too!! ^_^ So, so helpful!! I'm so very happy you enjoyed it!

      Okay! I shall do my best not to abandon the Called to Light series! For my few faithful readers who would like to see a sequel, ^_^

      Working on multiple projects just might be the thing for me too! Editing Silver Rose, working on my dystopian story, and Diamond's Quest! Yep, new title! :D

      Aww, thank you!!! *hugs* I would so appreciate that! And yes, I'll continue to pray for God to direct my path and work through my stories! :)

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    2. That's great! And I like the new title! <3

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