Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Five things I wish someone had said to me as a novice writer with Gretchen SB





Greetings,

 My name is Gretchen, I am the author of the paranormal romance Viking Sensitivity. I'm going to take this opportunity to guest blog about the five things I wish someone had said to me when I started out on this whole publishing books journey. This list might not be for everyone. But I'm pretty sure it could probably be applied to several things, not just writing.
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1. It will be overwhelming.

There is a lot of information out there when it comes to word publishing your own books. Some of it is good, some is bad, and some is terrible. When it was suggested to me that I self-publish I did as much research as I could at. There's a lot out there. There's everything from self-published authors are the future to self-published authors are hacks. The key, just like with any research, is to go in with a specific question. Like, what company to self-publish with. You can get bogged down with all the random extraneous information. It will be hard. Because some of those opinions will make you want to give up on the dream now. But you can't.

2. What just happened?

Writing and especially publishing your own books there's a lot of discouragement involved. You cannot let it get the best you. Are you wondering whether your story is any good? Do you edit yourself or do you hire an editor? It only continue once the book itself is published. There are discouraging things that will stand in your way every step. They appear like a deer on a country road, only less deadly. You just have to swerve and keep driving. You have to stick with it.

3. The Indie author community is awesome.

Don't worry, that wasn't a bout of narcissism. The independent authors out there are great. These people are going through the same process you do with each of their books. They may still be exploring or have found their tried and true method. They are wonderful people. Encouraging and friendly. Utilize them. Be each other's cheerleaders. Ask them for help or for advice. Indie authors want to help each other. We all want to succeed, yes. But we want to see others succeed as well.

4. The book sucks

Got your attention with that one didn't I? By this I mean the book could be I have one or two things I have written that my Beta reader flat out told me were bad. So I set those aside to work on something else because I did not want to waste what little writing time I have on something that wouldn't turn out well. The point of this number is to say book your book will not be for everyone. And someone will pick up your book and hate it. It's hard when someone reviews your book badly. It's devastating. This thing you spent hours, months, or years creating. But you know what, there people out there that love it too. You have to just keep going and not get a big head or too down in the dumps.

5. Just breathe.

I am a worrier, so this one would have helped me immensely. You have to give yourself time to not only write but to relax. If you are like me and you have a day job on top of writing then you are going to be pressed for time. Not only to write but do everything else. You need to remember to breathe. Sure you're not going to get the eleven, seven, or even five book books published a year that you would if you were writing full time. But that is okay! Just set aside the time to write and don't beat yourself up if you do not reach your weekly page quota. It is important to have balance. Don't stress when life has other plans.

There is my top five. Let me know in the comments if there's anything else that you think is important.

Happy Reading,

Gretchen

Viking Sensitivity
Night World Series
Book 2
Gretchen S. B.

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Date of Publication: Aug 21st, 2015

ISBN: 1515251837
ASIN:

Number of pages: 235
Word Count: 84,500

Cover Artist: Bookin' It Designs

Book Description:

Viking was not sure what to do with himself with Gwen in Montana. That is until his path crosses with Mia's. She is a beautiful sensitive who is being haunted by a strange being Viking has never heard of.

Mia Jones might not have an exciting life as the owner of an independent book store, but she is okay with that. Then she meets Viking and it is as if her life goes tumbling down a rabbit hole.

Mia and Viking must pull together to fight off the being that is haunting her. As Mia adjust to the Night World it appears this being might not be working along.

Excerpt

Viking's heart beat four times its natural pace. At the same time his breathing stopped. He didn't have it in him to move. The shock was overwhelming. He hadn't even realized Poet came out from behind the registers until the other man grabbed his shoulder.
"Viking, Viking?"
It was then he finally turned his head from where Mia had been moments before. Looking at his third in command he could see the shock on the other man's face.
"Though you are strange. And your abilities are far beyond that of a Warrior. I would bet money you just felt the Flash."
Viking didn't respond. He didn't really need to. Poet had been around Viking long enough to know his expressions. He couldn't hide it. And he wasn't sure how to cover it up. He just felt the Flash. The warning bell that announced to a Warrior he just met his mate. Not just met his mate but touched her, flesh to flesh.
Viking had been around centuries and now here she was. Some woman he just happened to come across. He had been interested in her. Knowing there was something special about her. Could that have been it? Could he have known she was his mate without touching her? He blinked several times before turning towards the door again. That couldn't have been it, could it?
He turned towards Poet. The other man blanked his face.
"Yes, I did." Just saying it out loud seemed overwhelming. He didn't know what to do. Where to go. He didn't know how to find that woman.
Before he realized what he was doing Viking was out the shop door and looking down the street. He scanned both ways and jogged to the end of either block. He had no idea how long he stood there staring but clearly it was long enough for her to get her car and leave. Cursing himself repeatedly he walked back into the store. Several of the employees gave him funny looks. He ignored them and headed straight out the back doors.
There was only one person he could think of to talk to. Once he exited the back door of the shop. Into the staff only area he didn't stop his momentum, he ran up the stairs. Taking them several at a time. He didn't slow until he burst out the door on the top floor. He yanked out his keys in a jerky motion and unlocked Gwen's apartment. Slamming the door behind him he went and sat down in her favorite oversized chair. He tried to calm his pulse and his breathing. He needed to talk to Gwen.
 He had never tried to reach her from so far away before. He wasn't entirely sure if it would work. She was supposed to be on her honeymoon, as it were, but he knew she would understand why he would call.
"Little One! Little One can you hear me?" He was yelling it so loud in his head the only thing louder was his racing heartbeat.
He concentrated on his breathing as he waited. If he could calm his body down, maybe he would have a better chance of reaching her.
"Viking? Viking is that you? What's wrong? What's happened? Is everyone okay?" The worry and fear in her tone was clear as a bell. It overrode the sleepiness he heard.
Viking took another deep breath before answering. "Everyone's fine. Everything is fine. I just. I just needed to talk to you. I needed to hear your voice."
"What's happened? Viking you tell me right now or I'm walking out the bedroom door to find August and making him call over there to tell me what's wrong."
Viking knew that was an empty threat. Gwen would not stoop to chasing down her husband, who could be doing important political business just so he would answer her question.
He blew a few random strands of hair from his face. Gwen could always tell when something was wrong. She'd gotten good at reading every single one of his micro-expressions in the two decades they'd been together.
"I felt the Flash." He didn't even get out an entire thought before she answered.
"You what?! Who is she? I'm coming home right now. I will be on the next flight to Seattle."
This is why Viking loved Gwen so much. She had such a big heart. She would drop everything if she felt someone needed her.
"That is not necessary Little One. She's someone I met paying off the debt to Lucia. There is no need for you to come home before your proper honeymoon has begun just to sit with me."
If he was honest with himself there was nothing Viking wanted more than having the woman he had grown to think of as his little sister by his side through this trying ordeal.
"Don’t be ridiculous. I'll be there in the morning. One of you guys are to pick me up from the airport. I'll text you the flight information as soon as I have it."
With that last statement he almost physically felt her disconnect from him. And he knew at that point the argument was over. He couldn't convince her not to come. Not that he really wanted to. He would be grateful to see her. He and all the other Warriors missed her terribly. She meant a lot to a lot of people. He had been eternally grateful when Cesar agreed to move part of the Warrior government to Washington State so she could be near the people she loved.
Closing his eyes to the room around him, Viking concentrated on his breathing. The next few days were going to be difficult. He had to somehow woo a woman he didn't even know. It had been longer than he cared to admit since he had been up for such a challenge. He was going to take the opportunity while his head was still relatively clear to meditate and relax his body. Hopefully, ward off some of the initial effects of the Maddening.
When the Flash hit, a Warrior only had three days to bed his mate. If he didn’t, the Warrior in question would be driven insane by the overwhelming lust that came over him during that three day period, or as it was usually referred to, the Maddening.
During the Maddening, the Warrior would experience physical pain when away from his mate. He would lose his senses should she be injured or touched by any other male. Warriors tended to stay away from those in the Maddening or in the first stage of mating while all the Maddening symptoms lowered to the tolerable level mated Warriors dealt with. The first stage of mating could last anywhere from three months to a year, depending on the Warrior. The more the Warrior bedded his mate in that first stage, the easier it would be for him to handle the symptoms. Viking wasn't sure how to get a near stranger to sleep with him once, let alone multiple times over the coming months.


About the Author: 

Gretchen is a Seattleite that loves her home. She has a day job as a Program Coordinator a local university. She is a struggling Indie Author, struggling as in she is trying to make her living writing books. She loves to read,  write and create characters. As well as knit and binge watch Netflix. She is also on a sporadic book blog and internet radio show with some of her college friends. She currently lives with her husband and their mischievous Rotti mix, who always seems to find something new she shouldn't be chewing on.





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1 comment:

Gretchen S.B. Story Time said...

Thank you for having me on your blog!