The Anxious Author

  When a romance starts going south, one of the first things a couple will do is try to spice up their love life. Women are notorious for being teases. Some couples regularly introduce new things into the bedroom or schedule weekly dates to keep the spark alive. Romance is an art form. It takes time, effort, and passion to accomplish. The same can be said about developing your readership. You have to woo your readers. Not just by posting about your life and forming a personal connection with them through relatable media posts, but with your book-related content.    Being a tease when it comes to your books works the same way a man in a fine suit does. It lures you in, leaves a lasting impression, and dares you to dig deeper. A good teaser is eye-catching, informative, and mood-setting. It should have a photo, basic information, and a line hinting at the book's content. For example, when I was putting together the teasers for the Strange and Unusual History of Eden Estate,...

   I grew up in the city of Grand Island, Nebraska. I ordered Starbucks, went out to eat at Applebees, and enjoy the luxuries that big corporations provide, but in Nebraska, there is a general mindset of shop local. We are encouraged from a young age to shop at the local business over corporations. We trade big-name brands for smaller, family-owned ones. Our pumpkins come from patches, our cookies come from little bakeries, our corn comes from farmers' markets, and our books come from Nebraskan authors.     Part of the shop local mindset is due to much of our state still being rural. We were settled in 1867, making us a relatively young state, compared to others. Nebraska was founded on the Home Stead act. Farms came long before cities and towns are still spaced out like they were back then. We have two main cities, Omaha and Lincoln. Kearney and Grand Island are smaller ones. The majority of our land is family owned. It's farmland or small towns. It's not uncom...

     I know I'm not always the most optimistic person when it comes to the genres of romance and erotica, but I can appreciate a well-crafted story with steam. Though steamy scenes aren't my go-to for reading, there are a handful of authors who write them that I will purchase books from (and read) without a second thought. One of these authors is AnnaMarie Gardner.    Gardner is an Ohio author who honed her writing skills in PNR, horror, and fantasy. PNR (paranormal romance) tends to go hand-in-hand with fantasy, but focuses more on romance with an inhuman creature than on the responsibilities that come with magic powers. It is related to fantasy in the same way science fiction is. They're all part of the same family tree but have different traits. Gardner explores these different traits in her books, which are generally written for mature readers.   "I write for 18+" stated Gardner, "though I am working on a YA (young adult) story."   From the time sh...

   L.D. Wosar is a name I've grown familiar with in the indie urban fantasy industry, specifically due to the supernatural and preternatural creatures in her writings. I first met her while reading her vampire series. Wosar has undergone challenges in the indie author community that are a sad truth about the world.    Currently living in Las Vegas, Nevada, Wosar has two pen names - L.D. Wosar and Mina Skye (her YA pen name). She was born in Olympia, Washington but was raised across the globe.    "Being a Navy brat, I grew up all over," stated Wosar. "Brainstorming in fifth grade sparked my interest in writing. If there was a story floating around in my mind, I'd write it. I've wanted to be a writer since I was a child, and have been writing ever since."    In June 2019, Wosar published her first book, Island Stream . "I spent 30 years writing it," remarked Wosar. "I lovingly call it the hot mess. It is now known as the Fickle Butterfly ....

 It's been two months since I officially started my freelancer journey, not counting the three months beforehand that I spent contracted to the late Gothenburg Times. I went into this business both blind and with an upper hand. Blind because there are several things I am trying to learn about. I have, however, an upper hand because I am not new to managing my own business. I've been working on my income and taxes since 2016 when I first self-published. Taxes are a daunting issue, I'll admit. Now that I'm not paying social security or income tax I'm scared to see how much I owe, come our yearly tax time in the United States of America.    I do have some tips and tricks to share with you all, though. As I've found it difficult to locate a steady mentor in the field of freelancing, I think it's important that I share what I learn from this journey with you. Freelancing, like self-publishing, is a small business and as much as creative minds like to ignore legal...

      It's been a hot minute since I've done an author spotlight. I'm back with September, though. This should fill in our missing spotlight and then I'll start work on our official October spotlight.   September's author is near and dear to my heart. I've known K.D. Hilt since she was a baby. Literally. I knew her before she was born. She's my little sister and I couldn't be more proud of her.   K.D. Hilt is the pen name of a Nebraska-born and raised contemporary fiction author.   "I'm dabbling in fantasy and paranormal," Hilt stated, "but I write general contemporary fiction with some mystery, romance, and family drama for teens to young adults."   Hilt graduated from high school in Nebraska and then moved to Ames, Iowa to continue her schooling. At the time of this writing, she is a senior in college.    "My older sister would make up, or write, stories and tell them to me when I was a kid," reminisced Hilt. "Lis...

    This is a little odd for me to be writing, but people have been reminding me to do an author spotlight on myself. They believe I should subject myself to the same questioning as our other spotlighted authors and talk a little about my works. Considering that I can't remember the last time I did an introduction post of some kind (outside of book release parties), they have a valid point.     Most of you know me as W.A. Ashes, which is my pen name, but some of you know me as Ashley or Ashes. I used to hide my true identity behind my pen name, but I no longer care. Originally it was a way to keep my personal life separated from my writing because people who knew me didn't want to read my books. At thirty years old, I no longer care. People who pass by me on the streets can choose whether to read my books or not. It's not going to break my heart. Nowadays, my pen name is kept simply because my fan base and other authors know me as W.A. Ashes. Plus, it is nice to...