Cayla VanHulle's Blog

I got married on Halloween. Will keep my maiden name on my gay vampire content though.

Currently in the editing phase for Life After Last Breath II. I tossed at least three previous manuscripts into the trash but this one is a keeper...I think!

Projects are starting to build up on the side. My grandmother and her sister have wanted to write a weight loss book with me for years now, and since I'm 45 lbs down and they're getting older, they thought now would be the best time. We had a 'meeting' and talked over coffee. I took notes and told them I'd consolidate said notes into something coherent. I think they think I know what I'm doing on this whole book thing but uh, sike.

I also have a growing file of poetry. It's extremely personal and not very uplifting so I think I'd have to go full pen name. It is kind of funny that I will post the most disgusting, horrible, taboo shit with my real name but won't stand by a poem about high school blues, haha.

It ain't really high school blues though. It's the kind of stuff that your family would see and possibly disown you, or be incredibly hurt. I would never want that. Anyway.

Along with LALBII, the poetry book, the weight loss book...Mike and I have an idea for an erotic series that I can't really speak on. He prompted me with the idea and I instantly grabbed it. I am so looking forward to writing those.

AND finally, I'd really love to write a f/f story.
AND also, I think a memoir-type nonfiction book of the last five years would be wildly entertaining. How about that time I smoked crack at a country club in Orlando?

Just kidding (or am I)?

God help any of you who read this.

Um, let's see, what's new...

- Spent two weeks in Japan. Magical.
- Getting married in 33 days. On Halloween because, of course on Halloween.
- My 10-year high school reunion is tonight.
Fuck, I'm getting old.
- Published my first novella, Randy & The Oyster Thief this month. It was a lot of fun to write, and it really helped clear the gutters to make way for the Life After Last Breath II manuscript that's been sitting in my Google Docs for a year.
- I expect to finish LALBII by the end of the year. The skeletal story is there, but it needs serious edits.
- I lost a lot of weight with diet and exercise (took about 8 months) and I'm actually happy with my body for the first time in...possibly ever?

Things are very hectic right now but overall, life is great. Trying to be mindful of that, because you never know what tomorrow (or today, for that matter) can bring.



Randy & The Oyster Thief: An unsettling novella

Finally finished the first draft of the second book at the end of November. I'll be editing the shit out of it come January, and hope to have it polished and published by spring of 2019.

Not a clue about names...
Life After Last Death?
Breath After First Death?
Death After First Life?

Totally kidding. In my mind it's currently LALBII, the title of the google doc it calls home.

I'm sick, and I'm blaming Mike. Sniffling as we speak. Oh well, it's the new year in a couple of days and I'm optimistic.

Also going to be refining and publishing a book of poetry. Totally different from what I have out now, but hey, we all have hobbies!

As always, thanks for reading. Happy New Year!

It's 10:12 a.m., I've been awake for three hours and probably slept that same number of hours. My eyes hurt, but my mind is awake.

Working on the sequel right now, slowly but surely. I need to utilize this time I have and dedicate it to writing. It's just...

It took me almost 15 years to publish my first book. I had no system, no guidance. I had shitty outlines and timelines on loose pieces of paper. Six months in, I lost half of the book due to ignorance of flash drives and backing up your progress. I didn't --and frankly, still don't-- know what I was doing.

Now I have to do it all over again? It seems impossible. My writing seems like crap. I'm maybe-kinda-sorta freaking out here.

Wow sorry, really didn't mean for this to get so frantic. Must be the lack of sleep. (Right)

Still here. Currently working on LALBII (not sure what to name it, and also not sure why I crunched it all together like that's cool or something...)

Also, trying to start the brainstorming process on another line of erotic novels. Not saying any more than that!

Stay tuned for more raunchy, bloody, fulfilling stuff. ;)

Still here, still trying to market my first book. It's a slow burn but so far it has reached a couple more on the to-read list.

Since I enrolled in KU I can see how many unique pages are being read each day. That's...only extremely cool. At least five strangers have read the book in full, and I'm both excited and terrified at the idea of them writing a review. (we'll see)

Man, the track pad on this laptop sucks. It has a knack for erasing giant blocks of my text.

Just realized I never texted Stace back about the writer's con or the business cards I had made. >> Oops.

I decided that I'm going to use this blog not only to talk about things that are happening in my world, but also to vent about the situations that arise in the fantasy world.

I'm going to use this to write blurbs and short stories/scenes that pertain to my genre: erotic fiction.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned!

I have a tiny network of people, and exist in a niche market. Life After Last Breath is my one true accomplishment and I want to share it with the world, with those who might enjoy it, and this is the beginning of an advertising journey.