Restraint. FREE. 11/27-12/1
Grab a copy of the first book in the Mistress & Master of Restraint series, Restraint. Save $3.99 for a limited time (11/27-12/1). With a long standing series with 11 books already in release, perhaps you borrowed a copy and would like one for a reread or you have friends that would love to be immersed in the dark and twisted universe of M&M of Restraint.
Word of mouth is the currency of Indie Authors, and our readers are the loudest. Please pass this information to your fellow deviants. The Wicked Writer thanks you! I’m not one for shameless promoting and spamming, but just this once, I’ll beg. *gives Puss&Boots eyes*
Amazon US Link: http://tinyurl.com/q4v3893
Amazon UK Link: http://tinyurl.com/q84pyd7
~PLEASE SHARE~
HELP WANTED
**HELP WANTED**
I am looking for 4 people (current betas, readers, or new readers) to read Good Girl to pick up whatever I may have missed the other few rounds. I need someone who has a general grasp of grammar rules and is well-read, and they must know how to use Microsoft Word or a compatible program.
This is a short-notice read-thru. Copies will be sent before early evening (today, Tues Nov. 19th) with the read-thru ending Sunday Nov. 24th at 11 am est. It’s a short time frame to read a 400+ page book/300 page manuscript. I apologize for the rush, so those who cannot work within this time frame need not apply. I work at turbo speed- just can’t help it. But there is a method to my madness.
What I am looking for: grammar/spelling/punctuation mistakes. Story flow. Contradictions. Characters acting out of ‘character’. General comments and critiques. The errors should already be at a minimum after the 2 beta reads, 5 read-thru, and July’s rewrite. Manuscript will have ‘track changes’ enabled, (ease for me and you, since you can type over the error) but make sure your errors HIGHLIGHT or I will not be able to locate them, causing frustration for both you and me (makes the process unsuccessful and a waste of both of our times) you will be able to comment directly on the manuscript.
Restraint & Good Girl will be offered for free promotion starting Wednesday Nov. 27th, so I need time to read-thru the manuscript and upload the changes to Amazon(hence the rush). Good Girl will be reformatted with its genre changed. It will get a complete overhaul sometime in the beginning of the New Year when it is published in paper.
This morning I am working on formatting issues: page breaks, indention, and the title list. Manuscript should be ready by early evening, giving me time to work on the formatting and pick a few people to help.
WIP Note: I read-thru the 200 pages of Hero, made notes, tweaked the outline, and made a list of research. Now the story has to marinate. Since Integrated was the ultimate in endings, answering most questions, I feel comfortable abandoning M&M for a few months to work on the Playroom Series.
The Playroom series will get a new series title. Since I am placing it in the Contemporary Romance & Erotic Romance categories, I feel the need to change it from the Playroom. While the playroom is a major part of the series, it isn’t the series’ premise. I’m playing around with a few titles, with ‘Blended Family’ leading the race. Every book will surround the Widow/Widower’s families: Prynne/Webster & the Masons.
…and yes, see what a reading jag spawns? When I take a step back and reevaluate my WIP, all hell breaks loose. I change shit up- major shit. It happened to Integrated, almost doubling the size of the book. So I learned my lesson, never rush, take a breather, and regroup!
So… who wants to help? & who has a suggestion on the series title? *Dangles monetary incentives*
There are two ways to interact with me: via email: thewickedwriter@yahoo.com & The M&M of Restraint closed group on FB (click to visit) I may or may not get notifications/messages on Facebook (personal & fan pages & groups), Goodreads, WordPress. or Twitter. With so many places to contact someone, I get spread thin checking all the various sites, so I don’t unless I get an email notification. I check my email every half hour and I am glued to the FB group, so you can find me there.
All inquiries for the Good Girl read-thru must be sent via email: thewickedwriter@yahoo.com with the subject line of GOOD GIRL, & I will notify you if you have been chosen to help. I will send out a mass email to those who were not able to help this time around and place you on a list for future use. I thank all for the help. & I would appreciate it if any of you have a Series name suggestions. I’ll send out a $5 Amazon gift card to the reader whose suggestion is chosen: deadline also Sunday morning, November 24th.
Thanks & Happy Wicked Reading!
Erica Chilson
M&M of Restraint
& Playroom series
~Happy Wicked Reading~
Vacation
First: Happy to announce that Integrated is currently processing for publication on B&N & Amazon.
Here are the details:
Nook: 497 pages (don’t quote me on it. They don’t give me a preview copy anymore)
Kindle: 8331 locations (Go ahead & quote me. I’m looking at it right now. *evil grin*) My greedy little hands have it loaded on my Paperwhite. Not that I want to read a single word of Integrated after reading it at least 10 times over 😉
140,000+ words in Ezra’s voice.
55 Chapters, Family Trees, an epilogue, and a music playlist.
Price: $4.99
Available: It’s Amazon and B&N, so it could be two hours or… weeks *shudders at the thought* I’ve had issues with both Jaded and Faithless, so I’m a bit Jaded (pun intended) on the whole process. I try not to get my hopes up until I see the status change from In Review to Publishing. I’ll blast the hell outta the link when it goes live.
I need to find a balance. I’ve been teetering on a precipice for a while now. My left eye says that if I don’t give it a break soon, it’s gonna pop outta my skull from the strain. So last year (April 2012-2013, Restraint’s 1st year) I published 10 books. I’ve felt like I’ve been treading water ever since. Like I’m not doing enough. Dumb-assed me seemed to forget the finer details, like word count, or the fact that I literally work 18+ hours per day, every day.
I was getting antsy, like I didn’t write as much this year as last, book release wise. But then I have to remember that Faithless was nearly 400,000 words in length, almost the length of all the previous books combined.
Growth: Integrated is almost the length of Dexter + Dalton + Jaded…. combined. Obviously when I get back to them for their rewrite into Print, they will be expanded and lengthened. But it just goes to show what writing a million words in less than a year will do for your growth within your craft. Whether deleted or not, every word is practice. 😀 Practice. Practice. Practice.
When I came to the conclusion that I’d written enough, I decided to take a vacation. I’ll get to Hero when the muse is riding my ass, but until then… I’m giving my eyes a break. Hero is currently sitting at 70K, about 1/2 finished.
Totals for the year thus far (Jan-Nov 1st 2013)
863,000 published words.
1,035,000 written words.
I think I’ve earned a vacation, don’t you?
I love that my readers are clamoring for more; it inspires me. Please, please, please, I beg of you, allow me to take a vacation for the holidays. I will still be writing, doing giveaways, and promotions, but sometimes the pressure gets to me. Take Integrated for instance. I wrote it 4 times over. Each time I added and subtracted things. If I’d rushed and published it when I thought it was ready the first few times, it wouldn’t be the book it is this evening. While I have a strict outline, and my characters must adhere to the premise and traits I’ve created, sometimes I need to let the story marinate- evolve. Integrated evolved for me, so I’m going to use this as a life lesson and never rush a book again, even if it disappoints my readers. If you read the above wordcount, you realize that I do not write a book a year and leave you hanging.
So just cut me some slack, pretty please with whips and chains and no ball gags.
It is very stressful when within a day of publishing my newest book I’m asked when the next is to be released. I love that readers want more story, but I just worked for the past three weeks straight- sometimes 20 hours a day, eyes glued to my laptop, tediously reading it word-for-word, rewriting it word-for-word. I have 5 books in different stages of writing: my eyes, my brain, and my emotions need a break.
I’m not writing easy topics. If you don’t cry at least 5 times while reading Integrated, then I failed you as an author… or your emotions are made of titanium. Now imagine me writing this story. As the reader, if you cried even once, how do you think I felt as I created the story?
Emotionally draining doesn’t cover it.
By the way… I’m a twisted bitch, so every time I read the final paragraph of Integrated, my mind supplies an alternative ending, which makes me sick to my stomach. Every. Single. Time… without fail. I’d tell ya what, but my readers would stalk to tar and feather me. I’m NOT going to actually do it. *evil laughter* *makes an explosion noise with hand gestures* *trailing more evil laughter*
I will tell you just how dedicated I am. Last Halloween I wore a size 18/20. This Halloween I wear a size 10. Yes, I’ve been eating healthier (sort of) But it’s because I work constantly. I’ve been up for twelve hours and I just now realized I’ve yet to eat today. This is also why I don’t live alone. I eat when they eat.
Bad, Erica!
Please, blow up my fan page & The M&M Of Restraint Private group on Facebook after you’ve read Integrated. It’s Ezra’s ending- true ending. I am curious to your reactions. Just don’t ask about Hero yet. I’m a vocal girl; I’ll let ya know when I know 😉
Stay tuned for promotions, sales, freebies, and giveaways for the Holidays!
I’m off to enjoy some Farmville 2, watch back episodes on my DVR, read on my Kindle, and grab some grub! I have an unopened supply of Birthday Cake Oreos and some milk that was my Integrated reward… and truffles, mustn’t forget the truffles!
Positive thoughts on Integrated’s publication status.
Erica Chilson: The Wicked Writer 