J. Kaye Draper's Blog
October 13, 2016
The Hair Raising Act of Reading Penny Reid's Beard Science
There are lots of things I'm afraid of. Roller coasters, spiders, Donald Trump becoming our next president, Hillary Clinton becoming our next president, and the list goes on. Some things are legit fears, like waking up to the realization that I'm off work for the day, but forgot that I ran out of coffee creamer the day before. Other things are rather silly, like looking over and suddenly being unsure if I'm normal or considered a sociopath based on the way I've threaded the toilet paper on the dispenser. I think I'm normal, but for all I know I could be a ticking time bomb and will need to finish quickly and run to the internet to see which is the truth.
For me, the fear of starting a much awaited book falls somewhere in the middle of those two things, and two days ago I had to face this fear for Beard Science, Winston Brothers Book 3, by Penny Reid. For starters, there is the immense build up. It's coming. Each day we're closer to plugging in the Kindle and finding the cover of our excitement downloaded and ready to read. We've seen him in the other two Winston Brothers books. We've wondered about Cletus. And now, we're going to find out his story. Will the Banana Cake Queen (her name is Jennifer, by the way) make us wish we were her?
Then there is the day it appears on the Kindle. Now you have to find the right time to read it. Now? Now? Wait, now? Who's making all that noise in the kitchen?! Quiet! Now? Will it be good? Will Ms. Reid make our hearts pound and our lips sigh as we discreetly blot perspiration off our foreheads after the first kiss? (Cletus kisses Jennifer, by the way.)
Here's the scary part. Once you open a book, any book, and get into it...once you've read the first two chapters, you're not coming out until it's over. You may pause to get more cookies and coffee, or to worry about the toilet paper roll during a brief break, or giggle to yourself that the lead character is named Jennifer (J. Kaye Draper, as in Jennifer!) but you're head is in the game until the end. It will follow you to work. If the book is good enough, it can make you a bad parent, resorting to using a fly swatter on anyone that nears your personal space. And good or bad, there you will remain until you see the words "The End". If the book is great, you will see them before you are ready, no matter how well the author gives you closure. If the book is bad, it will take forever and you'll crawl over the end words, crying and thanking God it's over. And the books you bail on--they'll reside in the corner of your mind like the Isle of Misfit Toys, making you always wonder.
So, here we are. Did Penny Reid make the last two days all that I hoped they would be? Yes, yes she did. I even sent her a Tweet over the loss of Cletus and my namesake while the tragic words "The End" still swam in my peripheral vision. Buy it, read it, start with book 1!
For me, the fear of starting a much awaited book falls somewhere in the middle of those two things, and two days ago I had to face this fear for Beard Science, Winston Brothers Book 3, by Penny Reid. For starters, there is the immense build up. It's coming. Each day we're closer to plugging in the Kindle and finding the cover of our excitement downloaded and ready to read. We've seen him in the other two Winston Brothers books. We've wondered about Cletus. And now, we're going to find out his story. Will the Banana Cake Queen (her name is Jennifer, by the way) make us wish we were her?
Then there is the day it appears on the Kindle. Now you have to find the right time to read it. Now? Now? Wait, now? Who's making all that noise in the kitchen?! Quiet! Now? Will it be good? Will Ms. Reid make our hearts pound and our lips sigh as we discreetly blot perspiration off our foreheads after the first kiss? (Cletus kisses Jennifer, by the way.)
Here's the scary part. Once you open a book, any book, and get into it...once you've read the first two chapters, you're not coming out until it's over. You may pause to get more cookies and coffee, or to worry about the toilet paper roll during a brief break, or giggle to yourself that the lead character is named Jennifer (J. Kaye Draper, as in Jennifer!) but you're head is in the game until the end. It will follow you to work. If the book is good enough, it can make you a bad parent, resorting to using a fly swatter on anyone that nears your personal space. And good or bad, there you will remain until you see the words "The End". If the book is great, you will see them before you are ready, no matter how well the author gives you closure. If the book is bad, it will take forever and you'll crawl over the end words, crying and thanking God it's over. And the books you bail on--they'll reside in the corner of your mind like the Isle of Misfit Toys, making you always wonder.
So, here we are. Did Penny Reid make the last two days all that I hoped they would be? Yes, yes she did. I even sent her a Tweet over the loss of Cletus and my namesake while the tragic words "The End" still swam in my peripheral vision. Buy it, read it, start with book 1!
October 8, 2016
My review of The Ghost Bride, by Yangsze Choo
It's been quite a week for me. I've worked, I've read, I've cleaned, I've read...I've been reading. You see when I read a standard size romance novel, I can knock one of those puppies out in a day or two, but when I read something that isn't pure escapism it takes me longer. In this case, it took me a week to read The Ghost Bride, by Yangsze Choo. Now comes the hard part...telling you what I think of this book without telling you about the book and spoiling it. I'll rely on the author to do this:
Yangsze Choo’s stunning debut, The Ghost Bride, is a startlingly original novel infused with Chinese folklore, romantic intrigue, and unexpected supernatural twists.
Li Lan, the daughter of a respectable Chinese family in colonial Malaysia, hopes for a favorable marriage, but her father has lost his fortune, and she has few suitors. Instead, the wealthy Lim family urges her to become a “ghost bride” for their son, who has recently died under mysterious circumstances. Rarely practiced, a traditional ghost marriage is used to placate a restless spirit. Such a union would guarantee Li Lan a home for the rest of her days, but at what price?
Night after night, Li Lan is drawn into the shadowy parallel world of the Chinese afterlife, where she must uncover the Lim family’s darkest secrets—and the truth about her own family.
Sounds good, doesn't it? It was. I really enjoyed reading this story. And knowing it was the author's first novel made it all the better. It was beautifully written, wonderfully descriptive, and when the Kindle was on I was in the Plains of the Dead with Li Lan. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that at the end of the journey I didn't get to follow our main character to see what happens next. But that's a bittersweet moment that we, as readers, must all face.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone. I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I would like to tack on a note at this point, for those one or two of you who follow me. First, my thanks for reading. Second, my blog is going to move to once a week. The full time job, and my own writing needs to take priority. Thanks again for reading.
Yangsze Choo’s stunning debut, The Ghost Bride, is a startlingly original novel infused with Chinese folklore, romantic intrigue, and unexpected supernatural twists.
Li Lan, the daughter of a respectable Chinese family in colonial Malaysia, hopes for a favorable marriage, but her father has lost his fortune, and she has few suitors. Instead, the wealthy Lim family urges her to become a “ghost bride” for their son, who has recently died under mysterious circumstances. Rarely practiced, a traditional ghost marriage is used to placate a restless spirit. Such a union would guarantee Li Lan a home for the rest of her days, but at what price?
Night after night, Li Lan is drawn into the shadowy parallel world of the Chinese afterlife, where she must uncover the Lim family’s darkest secrets—and the truth about her own family.
Sounds good, doesn't it? It was. I really enjoyed reading this story. And knowing it was the author's first novel made it all the better. It was beautifully written, wonderfully descriptive, and when the Kindle was on I was in the Plains of the Dead with Li Lan. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that at the end of the journey I didn't get to follow our main character to see what happens next. But that's a bittersweet moment that we, as readers, must all face.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone. I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I would like to tack on a note at this point, for those one or two of you who follow me. First, my thanks for reading. Second, my blog is going to move to once a week. The full time job, and my own writing needs to take priority. Thanks again for reading.
September 29, 2016
Can't Blog...Reading!
I am useless as a blogger tonight, and I'll tell you why. I am re-reading the Stage Dive series, by Kylie Scott. In order they are Lead, Play, Lick, and Deep.
I would love to tell you how many times I've read these books, but I can't. I've lost count. Am I embarrassed that I've read them so many times that I don't bother to send them to the cloud on my kindle? No I am not.
You see, Kylie Scott is my favorite writer. It's not just that she's written something fun, exciting, and sometimes heartbreaking. It's that she's written something fun, exciting, and sometimes heartbreaking, but in a way that's fluid and completely absorbing. At no point is it the perfect spot in these stories to put the book down. There isn't any point that you can say, "I'll stop here and go do the dishes." (Gah! Even if I were reading How To Install Laminate Flooring, Volume II, I wouldn't think it's a good time to go do the dishes!)
Kylie Scott writes in a style that is like real people speak. It's as if I'm experiencing the story through one of my best friends. She comfortable, and natural, and at times her characters speak directly to you in a voice that includes you in the group. You aren't a voyeur, but one of the gang. I love this!
My favorite, you ask. Aww, don't ask me. If you do I might make Ben, Jimmy and David feel bad when I tell you that it's Mal Erickson. (And I really like those guys, and their gals.) Mal is a fun character who is impulsive and hysterically funny. That combined with a quirky, manic personality makes it all the more sniffle-inducing when he breaks your heart. NO SPOILERS! If you miss out, it's your fault. Buy the books.
So, enough of this blog. I need coffee and cookies. (It's National Coffee day, you know!) I'm needing to re-read Deep. Ben has really messed up, and I get to read a few more scenes with Mal in them.
I would love to tell you how many times I've read these books, but I can't. I've lost count. Am I embarrassed that I've read them so many times that I don't bother to send them to the cloud on my kindle? No I am not.
You see, Kylie Scott is my favorite writer. It's not just that she's written something fun, exciting, and sometimes heartbreaking. It's that she's written something fun, exciting, and sometimes heartbreaking, but in a way that's fluid and completely absorbing. At no point is it the perfect spot in these stories to put the book down. There isn't any point that you can say, "I'll stop here and go do the dishes." (Gah! Even if I were reading How To Install Laminate Flooring, Volume II, I wouldn't think it's a good time to go do the dishes!)
Kylie Scott writes in a style that is like real people speak. It's as if I'm experiencing the story through one of my best friends. She comfortable, and natural, and at times her characters speak directly to you in a voice that includes you in the group. You aren't a voyeur, but one of the gang. I love this!
My favorite, you ask. Aww, don't ask me. If you do I might make Ben, Jimmy and David feel bad when I tell you that it's Mal Erickson. (And I really like those guys, and their gals.) Mal is a fun character who is impulsive and hysterically funny. That combined with a quirky, manic personality makes it all the more sniffle-inducing when he breaks your heart. NO SPOILERS! If you miss out, it's your fault. Buy the books.
So, enough of this blog. I need coffee and cookies. (It's National Coffee day, you know!) I'm needing to re-read Deep. Ben has really messed up, and I get to read a few more scenes with Mal in them.
September 28, 2016
The Vampire Next Door.
Blogging is risky. No matter what you find to write about, someone will take offense to it. So, with that in mind, this is me, about to step in vampire romance novel genre doo-doo.
You see, I love these kinds of novels. Vampire romance novels are my favorite literary bon-bon. Yes, I devoured the Twilight novels, by Stephanie Meyer. BOOM BOOM BOOM, I bought them back to back to back and didn't move from my reading chair for two weeks, unless it was to refill my coffee cup. And before you groan, let me tell you that this was waaaay before the idea of the movies. Excellent books!
This thing is, it's because the Twilight books were so well done that I didn't mind the introduction of the werewolves. (And if this proves a spoiler, you should get to the book store more often...or the movies...or turn on the television, maybe.) There are several books out there that are very well done. Exciting, sexy, fun. The problem is that in the genre of "vampire romance", I'm having problems finding books that are simply vampire romances. So many story lines are epic vampire experiences that involve a plethora of paranormal entities. And again, I'm trying to be supportive of fellow writers when I say that's okay. Clearly it's okay, because they have epic vampire sales and epic reviews for their novels. I love them. I'm envious. I wish I could write that way!
But I do have a question. Whatever happened to the story line of vampire boy meets non-vampire girl? Girl notices vampire boy is hawt! Vampire boy thinks girl is beautiful just the way she is, even if she does have a weakness for cookies. Girl notices vampire boy doesn't have a reflection, and the romance begins. (Someone tell me where in the world the question mark goes in that string of fragmented questions/sentences!) What I'd love to see is more vampire romance novels that run along the line of regular romance story lines. Picture the Neighbor From Hell Series, by R. L. Mathewson (every one is freaking awesome!)--only the neighbor is a vampire. *swoon* And...AND no pixie army, shape shifting attorney, or mummy housekeeper. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)
If they're out there, I can't find the key words. I hesitate to type normal-vampire-romance-novel because really, what is normal about any of those words strung together? And who am I to say any book that doesn't match what I'm looking for isn't normal? I'm just a simple girl who loves cookies, and wants to read about a tall, dark and handsome vampire who lives a simple life.
You see, I love these kinds of novels. Vampire romance novels are my favorite literary bon-bon. Yes, I devoured the Twilight novels, by Stephanie Meyer. BOOM BOOM BOOM, I bought them back to back to back and didn't move from my reading chair for two weeks, unless it was to refill my coffee cup. And before you groan, let me tell you that this was waaaay before the idea of the movies. Excellent books!
This thing is, it's because the Twilight books were so well done that I didn't mind the introduction of the werewolves. (And if this proves a spoiler, you should get to the book store more often...or the movies...or turn on the television, maybe.) There are several books out there that are very well done. Exciting, sexy, fun. The problem is that in the genre of "vampire romance", I'm having problems finding books that are simply vampire romances. So many story lines are epic vampire experiences that involve a plethora of paranormal entities. And again, I'm trying to be supportive of fellow writers when I say that's okay. Clearly it's okay, because they have epic vampire sales and epic reviews for their novels. I love them. I'm envious. I wish I could write that way!
But I do have a question. Whatever happened to the story line of vampire boy meets non-vampire girl? Girl notices vampire boy is hawt! Vampire boy thinks girl is beautiful just the way she is, even if she does have a weakness for cookies. Girl notices vampire boy doesn't have a reflection, and the romance begins. (Someone tell me where in the world the question mark goes in that string of fragmented questions/sentences!) What I'd love to see is more vampire romance novels that run along the line of regular romance story lines. Picture the Neighbor From Hell Series, by R. L. Mathewson (every one is freaking awesome!)--only the neighbor is a vampire. *swoon* And...AND no pixie army, shape shifting attorney, or mummy housekeeper. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)
If they're out there, I can't find the key words. I hesitate to type normal-vampire-romance-novel because really, what is normal about any of those words strung together? And who am I to say any book that doesn't match what I'm looking for isn't normal? I'm just a simple girl who loves cookies, and wants to read about a tall, dark and handsome vampire who lives a simple life.
The Vampire Next Door.
Blogging is risky. No matter what you find to write about, someone will take offense to it. So, with that in mind, this is me, about to step in vampire romance novel genre doo-doo.
You see, I love these kinds of novels. Vampire romance novels are my favorite literary bon-bon. Yes, I devoured the Twilight novels, by Stephanie Meyer. BOOM BOOM BOOM, I bought them back to back to back and didn't move from my reading chair for two weeks, unless it was to refill my coffee cup. And before you groan, let me tell you that this was waaaay before the idea of the movies. Excellent books!
This thing is, it's because the Twilight books were so well done that I didn't mind the introduction of the werewolves. (And if this proves a spoiler, you should get to the book store more often...or the movies...or turn on the television, maybe.) There are several books out there that are very well done. Exciting, sexy, fun. The problem is that in the genre of "vampire romance", I'm having problems finding books that are simply vampire romances. So many story lines are epic vampire experiences that involve a plethora of paranormal entities. And again, I'm trying to be supportive of fellow writers when I say that's okay. Clearly it's okay, because they have epic vampire sales and epic reviews for their novels. I love them. I'm envious. I wish I could write that way!
But I do have a question. Whatever happened to the story line of vampire boy meets non-vampire girl? Girl notices vampire boy is hawt! Vampire boy thinks girl is beautiful just the way she is, even if she does have a weakness for cookies. Girl notices vampire boy doesn't have a reflection, and the romance begins. (Someone tell me where in the world the question mark goes in that string of fragmented questions/sentences!) What I'd love to see is more vampire romance novels that run along the line of regular romance story lines. Picture the Neighbor From Hell Series, by R. L. Mathewson (every one is freaking awesome!)--only the neighbor is a vampire. *swoon* And...AND no pixie army, shape shifting attorney, or mummy housekeeper. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)
If they're out there, I can't find the search engine. I hesitate to type normal-vampire-romance-novel because really, what is normal about any of those words strung together? And who am I to say any book that doesn't match what I'm looking for isn't normal? I'm just a simple girl who loves cookies, and wants to read about a tall, dark and handsome vampire who lives a simple life.
You see, I love these kinds of novels. Vampire romance novels are my favorite literary bon-bon. Yes, I devoured the Twilight novels, by Stephanie Meyer. BOOM BOOM BOOM, I bought them back to back to back and didn't move from my reading chair for two weeks, unless it was to refill my coffee cup. And before you groan, let me tell you that this was waaaay before the idea of the movies. Excellent books!
This thing is, it's because the Twilight books were so well done that I didn't mind the introduction of the werewolves. (And if this proves a spoiler, you should get to the book store more often...or the movies...or turn on the television, maybe.) There are several books out there that are very well done. Exciting, sexy, fun. The problem is that in the genre of "vampire romance", I'm having problems finding books that are simply vampire romances. So many story lines are epic vampire experiences that involve a plethora of paranormal entities. And again, I'm trying to be supportive of fellow writers when I say that's okay. Clearly it's okay, because they have epic vampire sales and epic reviews for their novels. I love them. I'm envious. I wish I could write that way!
But I do have a question. Whatever happened to the story line of vampire boy meets non-vampire girl? Girl notices vampire boy is hawt! Vampire boy thinks girl is beautiful just the way she is, even if she does have a weakness for cookies. Girl notices vampire boy doesn't have a reflection, and the romance begins. (Someone tell me where in the world the question mark goes in that string of fragmented questions/sentences!) What I'd love to see is more vampire romance novels that run along the line of regular romance story lines. Picture the Neighbor From Hell Series, by R. L. Mathewson (every one is freaking awesome!)--only the neighbor is a vampire. *swoon* And...AND no pixie army, shape shifting attorney, or mummy housekeeper. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)
If they're out there, I can't find the search engine. I hesitate to type normal-vampire-romance-novel because really, what is normal about any of those words strung together? And who am I to say any book that doesn't match what I'm looking for isn't normal? I'm just a simple girl who loves cookies, and wants to read about a tall, dark and handsome vampire who lives a simple life.
The Vampire Next Door.
Blogging is risky. No matter what you find to write about, someone will take offense to it. So, with that in mind, this is me, about to step in vampire romance novel genre doo-doo.
You see, I love these kinds of novels. Vampire romance novels are my favorite literary bon-bon. Yes, I devoured the Twilight novels, by Stephanie Meyer. BOOM BOOM BOOM, I bought them back to back to back and didn't move from my reading chair for two weeks, unless it was to refill my coffee cup. And before you groan, let me tell you that this was waaaay before the idea of the movies. Excellent books!
This thing is, it's because the Twilight books were so well done that I didn't mind the introduction of the werewolves. (And if this proves a spoiler, you should get to the book store more often...or the movies...or turn on the television, maybe.) There are several books out there that are very well done. Exciting, sexy, fun. The problem is that in the genre of "vampire romance", I'm having problems finding books that are simply vampire romances. So many story lines are epic vampire experiences that involve a plethora of paranormal entities. And again, I'm trying to be supportive of fellow writers when I say that's okay. Clearly it's okay, because they have epic vampire sales and epic reviews for their novels. I love them. I'm envious. I wish I could write that way!
But I do have a question. Whatever happened to the story line of vampire boy meets non-vampire girl? Girl notices vampire boy is hawt! Vampire boy thinks girl is beautiful just the way she is, even if she does have a weakness for cookies. Girl notices vampire boy doesn't have a reflection, and the romance begins. (Someone tell me where in the world the question mark goes in that string of fragmented questions/sentences!) What I'd love to see is more vampire romance novels that run along the line of regular romance story lines. Picture the Neighbor From Hell Series, by R. L. Mathewson (every one is freaking awesome!)--only the neighbor is a vampire. *swoon* And...AND no pixie army, shape shifting attorney, or mummy housekeeper. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)
If they're out there, I can't find the search engine. I hesitate to type normal-vampire-romance-novel because really, what is normal about any of those words strung together? And who am I to say any book that doesn't match what I'm looking for isn't normal? I'm just a simple girl who loves cookies, and wants to read about a tall dark and handsome vampire who lives a simple life.
You see, I love these kinds of novels. Vampire romance novels are my favorite literary bon-bon. Yes, I devoured the Twilight novels, by Stephanie Meyer. BOOM BOOM BOOM, I bought them back to back to back and didn't move from my reading chair for two weeks, unless it was to refill my coffee cup. And before you groan, let me tell you that this was waaaay before the idea of the movies. Excellent books!
This thing is, it's because the Twilight books were so well done that I didn't mind the introduction of the werewolves. (And if this proves a spoiler, you should get to the book store more often...or the movies...or turn on the television, maybe.) There are several books out there that are very well done. Exciting, sexy, fun. The problem is that in the genre of "vampire romance", I'm having problems finding books that are simply vampire romances. So many story lines are epic vampire experiences that involve a plethora of paranormal entities. And again, I'm trying to be supportive of fellow writers when I say that's okay. Clearly it's okay, because they have epic vampire sales and epic reviews for their novels. I love them. I'm envious. I wish I could write that way!
But I do have a question. Whatever happened to the story line of vampire boy meets non-vampire girl? Girl notices vampire boy is hawt! Vampire boy thinks girl is beautiful just the way she is, even if she does have a weakness for cookies. Girl notices vampire boy doesn't have a reflection, and the romance begins. (Someone tell me where in the world the question mark goes in that string of fragmented questions/sentences!) What I'd love to see is more vampire romance novels that run along the line of regular romance story lines. Picture the Neighbor From Hell Series, by R. L. Mathewson (every one is freaking awesome!)--only the neighbor is a vampire. *swoon* And...AND no pixie army, shape shifting attorney, or mummy housekeeper. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)
If they're out there, I can't find the search engine. I hesitate to type normal-vampire-romance-novel because really, what is normal about any of those words strung together? And who am I to say any book that doesn't match what I'm looking for isn't normal? I'm just a simple girl who loves cookies, and wants to read about a tall dark and handsome vampire who lives a simple life.
September 26, 2016
If You Give Kaye A Cookie
I'm a huge fan of cookies. I love cookies of any kind. They're my favorite breakfast! Especially if they're coupled with coffee and flavored creamer. (I will not debate the creamer vs no creamer coffee issue here. Don't distract me!) Cookies are not only great for reading time, but they help keep the creative juices flowing during my writing time. I think it's the crunching noise added to the tapping on the keyboard that does it. Combined, it makes me feel like I'm banging out a chapter at light speed. Cookies are also great for bill paying days. The lovely flavor is the reward for your personal sacrifice since you were the one to have to open up all the saved mail, and then drain the bank accounts to a holy-crap low. An added benefit is that the cookie crumbs soak up the tears.
The title of today's blog isn't about actual cookies though. It's a play on that wonderful book, If You Give A Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. The book is about what happens if you give a cute little mouse a cookie. How you're going find yourself following that little guy around as he finds more and more to engage himself in, and how that one little cookie can keep you occupied until doomsday. This is the very thing that happened to me when I self published my book.
If you self publish, you self market. If you self market, you're going to need to be seen. If you're going to need to be seen, you need to get on Facebook, and if you're going to need to be seen on Facebook, you should also be seen on Twitter. If you find yourself on Twitter, you need to have something to say other than "buy my book", so you start looking at other people's feeds, and then their books. If you look at other people's books, you may end up buying them. If you're going to buy other people's books you will need to rate them. To rate other peoples books, you should be on Goodreads, and if you are on Goodreads you need something to say other than "buy my book" so you should start a blog. If you're going to start a blog, you should have a website. This will necessitate creating a website, and in turn it will be vital to search website design sites. If you have a website, you will need to link everything up. (link, link, link, link...opps...how did we end up there?!)
See where I'm going with this? I've done all that, and then some. Just this morning I found myself researching how to promote my blog. *Scratching head* I actually enjoy writing my blog, but do I want to promote it? You see, the paragraph before this is obnoxious to read. (Try living it out with limited computer skills.) Doing all this to promote The Guardian... doesn't get the next book written.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M02L97F
(Did you see what I just did there? I dropped in a link. Go ahead, click it. I dare you!!) Anyway, the point I'm making is in order to promote the book, I've become an author who blogs instead of writing novels. The publishing cascade led me here, and now I need to figure out how to keep up all these promotional feeds while I write. Because if I write a second book...well, someone will probably be standing there offering me a cookie.
The title of today's blog isn't about actual cookies though. It's a play on that wonderful book, If You Give A Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. The book is about what happens if you give a cute little mouse a cookie. How you're going find yourself following that little guy around as he finds more and more to engage himself in, and how that one little cookie can keep you occupied until doomsday. This is the very thing that happened to me when I self published my book.
If you self publish, you self market. If you self market, you're going to need to be seen. If you're going to need to be seen, you need to get on Facebook, and if you're going to need to be seen on Facebook, you should also be seen on Twitter. If you find yourself on Twitter, you need to have something to say other than "buy my book", so you start looking at other people's feeds, and then their books. If you look at other people's books, you may end up buying them. If you're going to buy other people's books you will need to rate them. To rate other peoples books, you should be on Goodreads, and if you are on Goodreads you need something to say other than "buy my book" so you should start a blog. If you're going to start a blog, you should have a website. This will necessitate creating a website, and in turn it will be vital to search website design sites. If you have a website, you will need to link everything up. (link, link, link, link...opps...how did we end up there?!)
See where I'm going with this? I've done all that, and then some. Just this morning I found myself researching how to promote my blog. *Scratching head* I actually enjoy writing my blog, but do I want to promote it? You see, the paragraph before this is obnoxious to read. (Try living it out with limited computer skills.) Doing all this to promote The Guardian... doesn't get the next book written.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M02L97F
(Did you see what I just did there? I dropped in a link. Go ahead, click it. I dare you!!) Anyway, the point I'm making is in order to promote the book, I've become an author who blogs instead of writing novels. The publishing cascade led me here, and now I need to figure out how to keep up all these promotional feeds while I write. Because if I write a second book...well, someone will probably be standing there offering me a cookie.
September 24, 2016
Confessions of a Romance Novel Junkie
Hello, my name is J. Kaye Draper. *Hello, Kaye* It's been three and a half hours since I reluctantly closed my Kindle. *encouraging applause*
I. Am. A. Romance. Novel. Junkie. I freely admit it. I get nervous if I have less than 10 books downloaded on my Kindle. I mean, what happens if I find myself stranded and I need to read? What happens if zombies suddenly start crawling out of the woodwork and I'm barricaded in my car with only my Kindle and a charger. I think I can out-wait any apocalypse, or pandemic, if I have a quiet corner to read in. And maybe a few cookies...and some coffee with Almond Joy creamer.
My point is, I am a hopeless romantic and I love to read about hopelessly romantic situations of all kinds. It's my escape. If I have a bad day at work and the clients have been especially mean to me, all I need is some ship rigging to swing around in while a swarthy pirate captain watches me with smoldering eyes filled with need. (It's important that he's the captain. Don't ask me why.) The bills are piling up, and water starts leaking from the dishwasher just as you've emptied your checking account for your kid's band trip? (True story) That one calls for a rock and roll star billionaire to say I'm beautiful just the way I am, and to sweep me off to his mountain cabin via his yacht. (I know you can't reach a mountain cabin via boat, but this isn't about the real world. The real world isn't welcome here!) And then there's the vampire with burning eyes and well defined muscles. This is the book you hide in the back of the carousel with a tag that says break glass in case of emergency.
Now, while I will admit that I am hooked on romance novels, and my family knows I read these literary bonbons of escapism, I will also admit to going to great pains to hide the elephant standing next to my reading chair wearing a hot pink Kindle cover. You do it too. Raise your hand if you've ever been reading in the car, (it's easier if you're the passenger and not the driver.) (I'm kidding...sheesh!) and you find yourself turning more and more sideways in your seat to make sure none of the kids are reading over your shoulder from the back. Yes? How about this one. You have the same pass-code or password on every bank account, savings account, insurance account, and anything that logs in, but you have your own special one for the Kindle? Mmm hmmm. "What kind of books do you have in there?", Kaye asked with one raised eyebrow. Last one. Do you have a BFF who has strict instructions to find and destroy the Kindle instead of going to the hospital with everyone else if you've been in a serious accident involving reading and driving at the same time?
C'mon, admit it. You've done at least one of these things at some time. But hey, that's okay. Life is a bitch. It knocks us around, and often times doesn't give us the happy-ever-after ending we so long for. There is nothing wrong with handing your mind over to someone else and, with a swipe of your finger across the screen, letting them take you somewhere tragic, wonderful, funny, exotic, (this list can go on and on so I'll stop here). Wherever it is, I guarantee that it wont involve getting new snow tires put on the car unless there's a hot mechanic with a dangerous past lurking somewhere. So, indulge. Read to escape. Be a junkie. Just don't forget to pick the kids up from school. Oh, and don't forget to take the Kindle--there might be zombies out there.
I. Am. A. Romance. Novel. Junkie. I freely admit it. I get nervous if I have less than 10 books downloaded on my Kindle. I mean, what happens if I find myself stranded and I need to read? What happens if zombies suddenly start crawling out of the woodwork and I'm barricaded in my car with only my Kindle and a charger. I think I can out-wait any apocalypse, or pandemic, if I have a quiet corner to read in. And maybe a few cookies...and some coffee with Almond Joy creamer.
My point is, I am a hopeless romantic and I love to read about hopelessly romantic situations of all kinds. It's my escape. If I have a bad day at work and the clients have been especially mean to me, all I need is some ship rigging to swing around in while a swarthy pirate captain watches me with smoldering eyes filled with need. (It's important that he's the captain. Don't ask me why.) The bills are piling up, and water starts leaking from the dishwasher just as you've emptied your checking account for your kid's band trip? (True story) That one calls for a rock and roll star billionaire to say I'm beautiful just the way I am, and to sweep me off to his mountain cabin via his yacht. (I know you can't reach a mountain cabin via boat, but this isn't about the real world. The real world isn't welcome here!) And then there's the vampire with burning eyes and well defined muscles. This is the book you hide in the back of the carousel with a tag that says break glass in case of emergency.
Now, while I will admit that I am hooked on romance novels, and my family knows I read these literary bonbons of escapism, I will also admit to going to great pains to hide the elephant standing next to my reading chair wearing a hot pink Kindle cover. You do it too. Raise your hand if you've ever been reading in the car, (it's easier if you're the passenger and not the driver.) (I'm kidding...sheesh!) and you find yourself turning more and more sideways in your seat to make sure none of the kids are reading over your shoulder from the back. Yes? How about this one. You have the same pass-code or password on every bank account, savings account, insurance account, and anything that logs in, but you have your own special one for the Kindle? Mmm hmmm. "What kind of books do you have in there?", Kaye asked with one raised eyebrow. Last one. Do you have a BFF who has strict instructions to find and destroy the Kindle instead of going to the hospital with everyone else if you've been in a serious accident involving reading and driving at the same time?
C'mon, admit it. You've done at least one of these things at some time. But hey, that's okay. Life is a bitch. It knocks us around, and often times doesn't give us the happy-ever-after ending we so long for. There is nothing wrong with handing your mind over to someone else and, with a swipe of your finger across the screen, letting them take you somewhere tragic, wonderful, funny, exotic, (this list can go on and on so I'll stop here). Wherever it is, I guarantee that it wont involve getting new snow tires put on the car unless there's a hot mechanic with a dangerous past lurking somewhere. So, indulge. Read to escape. Be a junkie. Just don't forget to pick the kids up from school. Oh, and don't forget to take the Kindle--there might be zombies out there.
September 23, 2016
A Book Review, The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne
It's no secret that I love to read romance novels of all kinds. My Kindle is filled with them. They range from the sweet hand holding kind to those books that make me blush. You know the ones, the kind that make you set up a pass code and watch that no one sneaks up behind you and reads over your shoulder. (It happened, it's not pretty, and its always at the worst parts!)
I just finished a book that fits right into the middle of that range. It's called The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne. This book is one of those rare reads that gives the perfect balance between funny, romantic, sexy, and best of all, a good dose of quirkiness. I love that word. Quirky. I love books that that word applies to. I love it when a book does the absurd, does it seamlessly, and makes you immediately look around to see who you can laugh out loud to about it. Have you noticed that I've used the word "love" three times in rapid succession? That's not a typing error. I love (that's 4) when an author makes me giggle and sink further into my chair. You can actually feel the release of those happy chemicals into your bloodstream. (No, it has nothing to do with the cookie sandwiches and coffee with Almond Joy creamer next to you either!)
Lucy and Joshua are the main characters in the book and their relationship is one for the books. (See what I did there?) It's great when they hate each other, it's great when they...well damn, how can I do this without spoiling it for you?! When they do that thing, with the people, in that place, I giggled. I laughed when she was sneaky and looking for that item. It was a very sexy moment when he...um...well, you need to read it. You'll know when you get there.
That is my ultimate advice, read it. Read it and laugh while you enjoy cookies and coffee with your favorite flavoring. But don't forget to rate it.
Thanks for the read, Sally. You made my day off totally unproductive. No cleaning got done. No laundry. No cooking. It's all your fault. Can't wait until your next book comes out.
Find her book here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
I just finished a book that fits right into the middle of that range. It's called The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne. This book is one of those rare reads that gives the perfect balance between funny, romantic, sexy, and best of all, a good dose of quirkiness. I love that word. Quirky. I love books that that word applies to. I love it when a book does the absurd, does it seamlessly, and makes you immediately look around to see who you can laugh out loud to about it. Have you noticed that I've used the word "love" three times in rapid succession? That's not a typing error. I love (that's 4) when an author makes me giggle and sink further into my chair. You can actually feel the release of those happy chemicals into your bloodstream. (No, it has nothing to do with the cookie sandwiches and coffee with Almond Joy creamer next to you either!)
Lucy and Joshua are the main characters in the book and their relationship is one for the books. (See what I did there?) It's great when they hate each other, it's great when they...well damn, how can I do this without spoiling it for you?! When they do that thing, with the people, in that place, I giggled. I laughed when she was sneaky and looking for that item. It was a very sexy moment when he...um...well, you need to read it. You'll know when you get there.
That is my ultimate advice, read it. Read it and laugh while you enjoy cookies and coffee with your favorite flavoring. But don't forget to rate it.
Thanks for the read, Sally. You made my day off totally unproductive. No cleaning got done. No laundry. No cooking. It's all your fault. Can't wait until your next book comes out.
Find her book here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
September 22, 2016
Getting Started
Would you just look at this big rectangle of white space. I've not seen anything so intimidating since I wrote the first paragraph of my first book. In here there is no editor, no friend to proof read, no grammar check. All my goofiness will pour right out for anyone to see, unedited by people with a more organized mind than myself. I've put this off for this very reason. But on my journey to market my book, I've read several articles telling me to blog. So, here I am...blogging. Blooooooggging. You know it sounds strange when you stretch it out like that. Like the sound my friend's cat makes in order to get her to jump up from the couch and run for the paper towels and Fabreze. And with that you see why this is a bad idea.
Let me start out by telling you about myself. My name is J. Kaye Draper. My readers, if I ever get any, may call me Kaye. Everyone that knows me personally knows that's not my real name. (Shhh...several articles say I'm not suppose to tell you my real name. I don't know why really. Maybe to keep fans from showing up on my lawn and demanding I feed them cookies.) I am enjoying the idea of having a pen name. I really did think about choosing something more glamorous, or mysterious. But it came down to the simple fact that I am just a simple person. I have a home, husband, and kids. They are all wonderful, and I don't say that because several articles told me to mention it in my biography. I say it because they make me laugh, they support me no matter what, and they make me feel surrounded by a fortress that no one can breach unless the drawbridge is lowered and permission is granted.
I work full time. I'm not allowed to say where. I guess the higher-ups freak out if you mention their company's name without written approval. I'm sure it has nothing to do with me being an embarrassment. I am responsible, professional, dependable: I am the quintessential bawdy old lady holding a management position. What could go wrong? (Don't ask me how many times I tried to spell "quintessential" before letting spell check take over. You will come to see that I'm a terrible speller. I can't hide it. I've tried.)
The Guardian is my first book. I love it. It's my baby. It took forever to write. Not because of the content though. Because of the many "Mom" interruptions. The boys were young, and when they saw me writing, it was as irresistible to them as a shut bathroom door is to a cat. They couldn't help themselves. They had to be in the middle of what I was doing. During editing, you could actually see those moments manifested in the story telling. (So much red pen fall-out! I have editing PTSD. No joke!)
It did, however, get finished. It's out there. The moment I clicked the button to publish on Amazon, all the PTSD, interruptions, spell check errors, and grammatical errors that even the Word program couldn't figure out how to fix came rushing to mind and I immediately felt like I'd gone to one of the boy's school functions without pants.
Now, I'm trying to market this "no pants" fashion trend I call The Guardian, by J. Kaye Draper. I'll have to tell you another time about the many adventures of Kaye and the Social Network of Doom, Kaye Links the World, and Kaye and the Terrible No Good Very Bad First Website.
Let me start out by telling you about myself. My name is J. Kaye Draper. My readers, if I ever get any, may call me Kaye. Everyone that knows me personally knows that's not my real name. (Shhh...several articles say I'm not suppose to tell you my real name. I don't know why really. Maybe to keep fans from showing up on my lawn and demanding I feed them cookies.) I am enjoying the idea of having a pen name. I really did think about choosing something more glamorous, or mysterious. But it came down to the simple fact that I am just a simple person. I have a home, husband, and kids. They are all wonderful, and I don't say that because several articles told me to mention it in my biography. I say it because they make me laugh, they support me no matter what, and they make me feel surrounded by a fortress that no one can breach unless the drawbridge is lowered and permission is granted.
I work full time. I'm not allowed to say where. I guess the higher-ups freak out if you mention their company's name without written approval. I'm sure it has nothing to do with me being an embarrassment. I am responsible, professional, dependable: I am the quintessential bawdy old lady holding a management position. What could go wrong? (Don't ask me how many times I tried to spell "quintessential" before letting spell check take over. You will come to see that I'm a terrible speller. I can't hide it. I've tried.)
The Guardian is my first book. I love it. It's my baby. It took forever to write. Not because of the content though. Because of the many "Mom" interruptions. The boys were young, and when they saw me writing, it was as irresistible to them as a shut bathroom door is to a cat. They couldn't help themselves. They had to be in the middle of what I was doing. During editing, you could actually see those moments manifested in the story telling. (So much red pen fall-out! I have editing PTSD. No joke!)
It did, however, get finished. It's out there. The moment I clicked the button to publish on Amazon, all the PTSD, interruptions, spell check errors, and grammatical errors that even the Word program couldn't figure out how to fix came rushing to mind and I immediately felt like I'd gone to one of the boy's school functions without pants.
Now, I'm trying to market this "no pants" fashion trend I call The Guardian, by J. Kaye Draper. I'll have to tell you another time about the many adventures of Kaye and the Social Network of Doom, Kaye Links the World, and Kaye and the Terrible No Good Very Bad First Website.
