Lydia Staggs's Blog

Hey everyone. The third book in the Shamar series is now on sale at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I hope you enjoy.

Hey guys. In case you didn't know, the publisher has put the Ebook version of Shamar on sale for $0.99. This applies to Amazon only. Get your copy now during this limited time only sale.

I've decided to move my blog to my website. I will be posting updates and other information there. If you want to check in from time to time go to lydiastaggs.squarespace.com

This year I published my first book. It was exciting and I have learned a lot from it. I hope to grow and expand my knowledge in 2017. My goal is to publish the second book in the Shamar series, finish writing book 3, and complete a separate fantasy book. We will see how I do.

I received my book proof from the publisher the other day. It was exciting and disappointing at the same time. For those of you who don't know, before the final product is sent out to the masses, the author receives a proof of the printed book. Think of it as a the final dress rehearsal before the opening performance.
At this point, it has been edited by multiple people and picked apart.
It should be flawless right? Wrong.
You find mistakes like two periods at the end of a sentence or a line is not indented. These are little things, but they begin to add up. This is what the proof is for, to pick up those mistakes. Please don't get me wrong, I'm grateful I get one last look at the printed product before it is fully published. In my mind, even though you know there will be mistakes, you really wish it was perfect.

I have gotten together with a bunch of different authors that all write fantasy/paranormal fiction. They are a diverse group of individuals, and I am excited to get to know them better.
I have added some of their books in the "want to read" section of my books. Over the next few weeks I will be trying to read their books and give them honest reviews. I have learned reviews are critical when you are just starting out as an author. It is important to give honest reviews as a reader. I take all my reviews and really try and learn from them. There is always an opportunity to grow with both the good and the bad.

Finally listened to my publisher and some other wise authors and started a Twitter account. Just like my author page on Facebook, this account will solely be about books and literature. If you would like to follow me my Twitter handle is @Lydia_Staggs.

We will see how the world of Twitter goes. Do people really want to know my random thoughts during the day? I wasn't raised with social media, and up until this year I really never used Facebook this much. The only thing constant is change. Good thing I like adventure.

I just received the proof for the book cover of Rea. Feeling like a kid at Christmas. Will need to make some edits, but it is exciting to see my hard work coming to fruition.

Needed to take a break from working on book 3 of the Shamar series. Listening to classical music and completely relaxed. So far I'm around 50,000 words, but this book has been harder to write than the other two. A few months ago, I trashed almost 10 chapters of what I had written. I love my two main characters but sometimes they give me a headache.
I strive to make them both very real, with real word problems, that don't easily get fixed. Sometimes, in life, not every problem has a resolution.
Hence, finding that delicate balance of giving the reader a good story and as the author being proud of the work I produce.

The second book in the Shamar series, Rea, was accepted by the publisher at the end of August. Now comes the arduous task of patiently waiting for cover art, editing, and all the other things that go into publishing a book. I've never been a patient person when it comes to waiting for things outside of my control. When I have a release date, I will post it.