Unfortunately, I'm in the same position as everyone else in the country. I find it necessary to raise prices on e-books. I've been resisting it for the last ten years.
Any e-books currently released will remain at their current prices. Any unfinished series, like Justice and Millersburg Magick Mysteries, will remain at their current price levels.
Any NEW novels or series, i.e. any work where Book #1 or a new single title, is released on retailers after May 15, 2026, will be priced at $5.99. Novellas will be priced at $3.99.
It sucks to raise prices when we're all just trying to get by.
For various reasons, including the COVID pandemic, DH and I've never been able to attend any of GK's ceremonies. The kid kept saying we didn't have to come to this one. But I insisted, telling him I wanted to attend ONE adult recognition ceremony.
You see, he didn't graduate from high school. He dropped out for reasons DH and I understood and supported. In our white-collar town, something like this was a major scandal, but none of the three of us cared. Not every person is cut out for cookie-cutter classroom bullshit.
During the ceremony, his 1st sergeant and captain said some wonderful things about GK's service. Their words were genuine and sincere. At the end of the ceremony, GK was called upon to make a speech. GK thanked those who had mentored him and recognized the efforts of his fellow soldiers in getting the job done. It was a humble and sweet speech from an accomplished young man who had failed his public speaking class in his teen years because of severe anxiety.
To say DH and I are proud of the man our son has become is an understatement.
When the unit was dismissed at the end, GK said he needed to take care of a couple things and then he'd meet us for dinner. His captain overheard, came over to us, and said, "Harden, you're done for today. Go spend some time with your parents."
Sarcasm, an appreciation for SF&F, and a love of chocolate are pretty much the only things GK inherited from me. He got everything else from DH. However, we both love him and are proud of him. He's everything we could want in our progeny.
And now when he calls, I'll say, "Hey, Sarge! What's up?"
Once again, I'm struck by how many writers view their art as playing the lottery. If their books doesn't sell X copies or Y dollars, it's an utter failure is their eyes.
However, they cannot anticipate what the reading public might like. No one can. All the other arts can't either. Really, they can't.
But in some writers' heads, they believe if they write that one book that takes off and sells millions of copies they will be set for life.
That's lottery thinking. That's why I've seen so many people stop writing since I started publishing fiction. They aren't writing and publishing because they love their stories and want to share them with the world. They write hoping to make a quick buck.
And the cycle has started again with the coming of AI. *sigh*
A computer, any computer, even with super sophisticated software can only spit out what has been inputted. Any stores, any paintings, any music is the sausage that comes out after it's been ground up. And artists don't even add spices. It's just blah-tasting meat remains.
And they don't understand why the public isn't lapping up their tasteless, blah meat sludge.
If you want t be a writer, write for yourself first. And I mean really write. Write the story you'd love read. Write what you want to say. Write because it brings you joy.
Let me tell you something. I'm still writing after thirty some years because I have fun. I find joy in a well-crafted story.
And you want to know something? I can keep my high blood pressure and my diabetes under control because I'm having a blast writing these stories.
I'll keep writing stories as long as I'm able because I love doing it. It's the next best thing to cuddly with your loved ones.
I've had to get up early every day this week for phone calls, appointments, and time sensitive tasks.
A bench warrant was issued for my arrest. I forgot to pay a speeding before the court date. The fine has been paid, and the warrant canceled. I switch between laughing at my absent-mindedness and being totally embarrassed because I'm usually on top of deadlines.
My cousin is still planning to move to Ohio. We were on the phone nearly two hours going through everything she's gotten done since our last phone conversation. Plus, discussing all the things that need to be arranged on any move.
A new health issue for me has raised its ugly head. A complete blood workup is scheduled for Monday before I get a referral to the specialist. I'm finally cutting down my diabetes and high blood pressure meds after changes to my diet and attending yoga classes. I don't want to add more drugs to my personal pharmacy, but I may not have a choice.
DH has been at the high school nearly every night this week since its peak high school lacrosse season. I thought I'd have a chance to catch up on some stuff around the house. Except the princess pup has been having tummy trouble with her new arthritis medicine, so I spent a good chunk of my free evening time cleaning up dog vomit. No, she is not still taking that med, and I need to call her vet on Monday.
The one good thing this week was Genius Kid found out he's going to be promoted to sergeant. DH and I are going to his base to see the ceremony. I'm excited to see my son. Unfortunately, we can't stay longer in Georgia, but GK plans on coming home for his birthday. I'm just really happy he's not still in Kuwait. I know it's part of being in the service, but it doesn't make it easier.
Over the weekend, I'll try to catch up on the writing that did not happen earlier. And maybe that's part of the problem with my funky mood. As I said in a previous blog post, I write to relax.
Oh, I get some writing in on those busy days. Ten minutes here. Fifteen minutes there. Everything squeezed in between a bunch of other stuff.
However, if I can sit down for a quiet two and a half hours, I hit my word goal for the day, and any other words are pure gravy. I'm not getting a lot of gravy words lately, and it irritates me.
You see, writing isn't work to me. From my point of view, it's not much different than reading another author's book during some quiet time. It's peaceful. Enjoyable. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Why? Because when I outline every freaking step, my brain thinks, "Hey, the story's done! Let's go write a different one." I have to pants the writing so it feels fresh and exciting to my brain. Pantsing makes writing fun!
I find it amusing that other writers bitch and moan about working so hard. My thought is if you don't like writing, if it's too difficult to do, why are you doing it?
Well, not only is Draft2Digital enacting fees in an effort to limit AI slop, Barnes & Noble("BN") also has a new policy to prevent the same on their site.
BN has enacted a limit of 100 titles for indie writers using the Nook Press feature. A lot of folks have received this notice from the scuttlebutt I've found on various social media sites. However, I haven't received such a notice.
(YES! I'VE CHECKED THE GODDESSDAMN SPAM FILTERS! Sorry, I get this from people who weren't even born when I graduated from college with a degree in computer science.)
It might be because I'm setting up Angry Sheep Publishing LLC as the owner of my retail accounts to make it easier on my heirs when I croak. I got the BN account switched over last year.
Even if the new rules apply to ASP LLC, I'm going to have to contact BN (yet, another thing to add to my massive to-do list) and confirm what I suspect, instead of making any assumptions.
Why? Because A Barrel of Vintner was the 91st book I've uploaded to BN. Yes, I have written a lot of stuff. No, not all of it is for sale. Yet.
Here's the problem though. A new spammer can create an account and still upload 100 pieces of AI-generated crap. Then create another account and upload 100 pieces of crap. And so on.
This rule only puts a crimp in people like me who have been writing professionally for the last twenty years.
I don't think the geniuses at BN have really thought this idea through.
