Not a Good Day

I woke up this morning about twenty after six pretty damn sick with one of my "episodes". Stay dry if you're in a rainy spot. Enjoy the sun if you can. I'll see you all on Friday!

The Movie Mania That Wasn't and Other Assorted Thoughts

We went to see Black Panther last week. I started to write a review, but I want to go see it again. I think in my fangirl *SQUEE* I may have missed some pertinent things. Things that probably won't change my overall score of the movie, but I want to see how two different audiences react to it.

To be frank, I know my perspective of Black Panther is skewed by my whiteness, just as I know my perspective of Wonder Woman was skewed by my femaleness. I know my review of Wonder Woman would have been slightly different if I'd waited until I'd seen it for a second time in the theater.

And not for the worse either.

Both movies have made me more conscious of my own biases, especially how I went along with certain behaviors to get along. That's not good for any of us in the long run. There's something half-formed in my mind. Something that I think I'm trying to flesh out in the themes of the Justice series. But the thought needs to simmer a little more before I present it to the world.

As I think I've mentioned here, DH and I have started house hunting. Since we're having trouble finding something that meets our needs, we're leaning toward building.

The one house that would have worked for us, we were overbid on back in December. So I tracked down who owns the plans for that design. We met with their agent on Friday.

The builder's plans for that same subdivision have been delayed until August over getting the water and sewer lines laid in a timely manner. I think that will work out for us in the long run. It gives my time to get out my books (or at least set them up on pre-order) on the aggressive schedule I've set for myself for 2018. It also gives us time to save up money for the essentials you don't think about, like the washer and dryer, window treatments, shower curtains, etc.

For the most part, I'm on track with my schedule. I lost this weekend over prepping tax paperwork, but that's a necessary evil. I think I can make up the lost writing time next weekend.

I hope.

In the meantime, A Modicum of Truth had the best opening week of any of my books. I think I'm on the right track through the raspberry bushes.

Now, if I can get the Muse to stop throwing new shinys in my path for a bit, everything would be hunky-dory.

Music I've Been Listening to Lately

This was the showstopper for the 2018 Grammys!

Angry at the Bullshit

This is a totally political post because some people decided it was okay to slime and torture a bunch of kids who survived a horrific incident. If you don't like it, do yourself and me a favor: walk away.

Now.

Because you see, my son's generation already knows you don't give a shit about them.

And there's a bunch of parents down in Parkland, Florida, who had to bury their kids this week. Kids just like mine who were counting down the days until graduation. Who were getting ready for college or work or military service. Who were looking forward to one last summer of fun before buckling down into adulthood.

Those parents probably got e-mails this week just like I did, saying "Hey! Your kid's graduation cap and gown is ready for pick-up!"

There are items sitting in those parents' closets and drawers, items that will continue to collect dust. The dress their daughters picked out for prom. Tie and cufflinks sets grandpas left for their grandsons. The copper frying pan aunties bought from late night TV ads for their nieces' and nephews' first apartments.

But their kids' friends aren't quietly crying in a corner. They saw what happened. Those friends saw bodies torn and ripped by little bits of metal. Life leaking out in bright scarlet streamers and chunks of flesh blown apart.

And they know you don't give a shit about them.

It enrages them that you treat their friends' deaths and their own lives so callously. So they're going to make you listen. Even if takes them screaming from the halls of justice.

So, yes, it's political.

You made it political when the NRA pumps millions of dollars into your re-election coffers.

You made it political when you forgot "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" came before "the right to bear arms".

You made it political when you continuously claim the Second Amendment trumps the First Amendment.

And if you're really concerned about your guns being taken away, guess what? It won't be the current government. It'll be the kids you're currently using for target practice who find a way to stop the slaughter.

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*Comments have been closed because I don't want to hear your bullshit excuses.*

Little Green Monsters

I've talked about professional jealousy here before. It's an ugly insidious thing that eats the souls of good writers. I expect it out of newbies. It's damn hard not to get depressed when things seem to flow effortlessly for other writers. Hell, I've suffered from the condition myself, but I'm not proud of that fact.

In general, if it crops up in my head, I squash it with an imaginary shoe.

However, envy of those ahead of you makes more sense than the envy I'm seeing in my peers, i.e. those of us who were fourth-generation indies.

(In my head, I consider first generation to be the folks who self-published, I mean REALLY self-published, not vanity published, prior to any e-readers. Second generation are those transmitting PDFs or selling CDs. Third generation are those writers who jumped into the Kindle world first.)

Anyway, the folks with some initial success, who are still writing (not sailing naked--which is perfectly fine because I enjoy the pictures), now worry about staying on top of the heap. Staying on top isn't easy by any stretch of the definition. Algorithms change. Retailers crash. Old ways of advertising don't work anymore. The public's tastes shift to the latest shiny.

In other words, it's the same old-same old in publishing.

But because they were the first to hit it big in e-books and not sell out to the Big 5 publishing houses, they became accustomed to a certain income level. I'm not talking about the gold rush people, the ones that threw out a bunch of books in 2010 and 2011, then disappeared under the next wave of indie writers. I'm talking about the ones who've stuck with this crazy venture for the last five to ten years. The ones who've worked their asses off. The ones Data Guy revealed with his last Author Earnings report, and the folks just below them.

And the scary part is how many of them have said spiteful things about each other. On their blogs. On other people's blogs. On Facebook. On Twitter.

Part of me is a little jealous of their success. I could have been one of them if I hadn't floundered through personal shit from the summer of 2013 through the summer of 2017. I could have been a selfish bitch and said no when people needed me. In retrospect, maybe I should have. Only DH appreciated the effort I put out to help other family members.

On the other hand, maybe it's a good thing I essentially started over this year. I didn't become accustomed to a certain level of income. I didn't assume the gravy train and the glory would continue forever. And I didn't freak out during the 2016 downturn in the industry.

Because any significant income on my part had already faded by 2016. LOL

In other words, I can sit here and whine about the shitty hand I was dealt, and how life's so unfair.

Or I can write a story. And publish it. And be super fucking grateful that people are willing to plunk down their hard-earned money to buy my books.

Now, I can't say I will never feel a twinge when a friend says he or she landed a TV option deal. But I will be happy for them.

Because that's their path. Not mine.

Mine's still through that frickin' raspberry brambles, but I'm trying to remember to taste the fruit.

Catching Up With the Joneses

I may be doing better about keeping on a regular writing and publishing schedule, but I'm learning nothing I knew in 2013 as far as marketing and promotion is applicable today.

Part of it is good. We indies have a hell of a lot more options than we did back then. But all of them cost cash, and most of them take time to learn how to use them effectively.

We used to get attention through advanced reader copies (ARCs) sent to reader review blogs and our most ardent fans. But many of the prominent review blogs from five years ago have shut down for various reasons. Our fans won't leave early reviews, or worse, illegally post our books for sale on pirate sites.

Or the worst, post our books on legitimate retail sites and make money off us. (That's called theft, kids. Depending on the amount of money, you might be looking at a felony conviction. Jus' sayin'...)

But the only constant in life is change as Great-grandpa would say.

So now, I'm studying Amazon ads and Facebook ads and promotion stacking. All the new tricks of  the trade to get attention.

But the real tried and true method? The one that still works?

Write a new @$&@*&# book!

Seriously.

I see new writers making the same mistake new writers have made since self-publishing became a viable thing. They flog one book to death. Over and over and over...

*headdesk*

So as much as I feel stupid figuring out impressions and CPCs, I know I'm doing one thing right.

Sort of.

*sigh*

I keep hearing Red Leader's stern voice in my head, like a Force ghost: "Stay on target. Stay on target."

My target is entertaining my readers on a regular basis. Once I get the current crop of finished stories out, I've got more ideas in the pipeline. Like I said last week, I've already got enough ideas for the rest of 21st century. My Muse has decided that's not enough, and she's started stockpiling for the 22nd.

I'm very thankful I have incredibly patient readers!

Music I've Been Listening to Lately

I love the fact that Bruno works with a lot of different people.

When Death Comes to Take You

DH and I are planning to buy a house. Part of the discussion is whether to buy something already constructed or to build. Part of the discussion  is whether this will be our last move at all and how should we plan for not being able to get around.

The discussion turned to actual scheduling of looking at the current houses on the market, the ones that meet our specific needs. Scheduling these viewings around my writing and publishing schedule. Basically, my very full until September schedule.

And somehow, the discussion turned to what I'd write next. There's a ton of stuff I've started and I want to finish. There's some ideas in genres I have yet to try, and I mentioned a specific idea. DH asked when I would write that one. I said I don't know. And the real reason hit me.

I don't know if I'll live long enough to write it.

It's not that I fear death. I'm simply acknowledging that my time on this planet is more finite than it was last year.

Or ten, twenty, thirty years ago.

I have folders full of vague ideas, outlines, and partially written stories. Enough that if I typed a thousand words a day, it would take me a century to write them all.

And I'm constantly getting new ideas. Spin-offs from already established series. Things that are completely new. What-ifs from non-fiction things I see in the news or on the street.

I honestly don't understand how any writer can get stuck. I'm merely disappointed I won't finish all of my stories before I leave.

If you want a lovely story of Life and Death, click this link.

A Modicum of Truth Is Out!

Yep, the longest book I've ever written is now available. Just, please, PLEASE don't ask me when A Matter of Death will be out. I may have to lash you with a wet noodle if you do.

Tax Time!

One of the joys of owning my own business is when tax time rolls around.

NOT!

Actually, I try very hard to make sure everything is labelled appropriately, so I can just run the reports and send them to my CPA. Inevitably though, something doesn't match up, and I have to dig through receipts to fix it in the accounting database.

So here's your friendly reminder for my fellow U.S. writers that you still have file a return even if you didn't make any money on your books.

Especially if you didn't make money on your books. You can still take the losses (in most instances) on your taxes, and the IRS won't demand money you don't owe them.

So today, I'm gathering and double-checking everything before I send it to Ed the CPA.

And for everyone who keeps checking the Justice tab here and on my main website, let's just say you have a nice Valentine's Day present coming.