Pre-Order link for new Paranormal. Lynx's Demons

THIS IS F**KED UP------SERIOUSLY!
How else would you describe the hell a man has to go through when he is stuck with an annoying, hateful, spiteful and vengeful driven woman for all eternity? When you throw into the mix another woman of such captivating beauty, intelligence and pureness of heart, with a madman hell bent on destroying all of humanity because he is bored with all there is. You have an explosive read sure to make you swear, scream and run to the hills for safety.
Lynx is a demon, who has been cursed. Of course being a demon is within itself a curse, but this is not what plagues Lynx in the long hours of the night. He’s been given a conscience and then he meets the elusive Reggie, a mortal woman, and she gives his existence a new life he thought was long gone. But with every bit of happiness comes the threat of pure evil ready to tear it apart. When Lynx discovers a deadly virus infecting mortals, he has to choose to save the one he loves, or sacrifice himself for all of humanity. 
https://www.amazon.com/Lynxs-Demons-Book-Cursed-Conscience-ebook/dp/B073Z1QJ28/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500841141&sr=1-3&keywords=tracy+gilmore

Coming soon.

BOOK TWO OF THE OBSESSIVE OBSESSION COLLECTION

Measuring the Size of a Claude

 

A tragic night out had led Morgan on a whirlwind romance with her hero Claude.

She wasn't to happy about him nor his attitude towards her but after

spending the weekend getting to know one another, she has had second thoughts about him.

Detective Jose Avila is looking into Morgan's case but feels her 'hero'

is hiding more than he tells or Jose himself is drawn to Morgan and

wants her for more than an investigation.

Morgan's boss is a mystery to everyone, but his interests in Morgan,

has him wanting to spend more time than an employer should. 

Three men. One woman 

Which will she choose?

Who will discover her secret?

Blogging

As an author, it never occurred to me before why I created a blog. As I sit here at my desk working on several stories at once, yeah my mind is that busy, I glanced at my favorites bar and saw my blog. At first it was because, well I was following the crowd. But then there was the daily tasks of keeping up with an added item on my long list of items I already needed to keep track of. In the beginning, this is very hard, as any author will tell you. Many have schedules to keep themselves on track, a progression board, an outline for all their stories and I can honestly say, I am not so organized. I should be and at some point if I want to make this my main source of income, I REALLY need to work harder at it.
No I am not writing this for sympathy.
No I am not writing this to get attention.
No I am not writing this to bash anyone else in the industry.
I applaud all who work tirelessly to get their name out to the masses in any way they can. I even look up to them. Not the best sellers. But many whom I knew through social media and now are on their way to reaching a NY best sellers list or even USA Today.
I know there are no handouts in writing.
I know there are no shortcuts to success.
And yet, most times I don't have the will or the energy to do all social media, a blog, online web store, hiring someone to make a video, paying someone to post, asking others to review my work and then sit down to write. Some days I don't feel like writing.
Sorry, was working on my other stories. Where was I going with this.....Oh yeah.
Reviews are the hardest to get. Amazon gives you a boost when you get a certain number of reviews, but again, they are hard to come by.
You hand out book after book and wait patiently for the eager reader to finish the story and post their thoughts. Beta readers are also hard to come by. Of course everyone under the sun will apply for a free book, who wouldn't? I cant even begin to tell you the number of free books I have on my kindle I haven't even begun to glimpse at, but its the beta readers who actually do what they say and read the work giving you the feedback you need. Feed back is the fuel authors need to let us know if a book we've written gives off the right vibes. An author doesn't want people to read a scene and laugh when they are supposed to be crying. Unless its a scene they are supposed to be laughing so hard they end up crying.
 Don't get me wrong, I do my hustle locally and I spend a long time in the post office. I have enough stories to keep me going and if I run out of the ideas I already have mapped out, then reading a few books will give me more.
When the mood to write hits me, its pretty much a busy day for me. I get up from the chair every few hours to stretch but then I'm on my phone emailing myself any other ideas I may have about the story. I can type for 18 hours, or 3 and call it a day. It all on how the Muses feel.
All in all, I enjoy the ups and downs of being a writer. I enjoy the occasional interaction, and the momentary distraction of social media. I don't mind helping others in their beginning steps of publishing their work. I know what it was like to not know as much as I do now.
If I had a chance to do it all over again, of course I would do it differently, or would I?

Swimming with Sharks. Part 3 Renting a home

By now I can relate renting a home to buying one. With buying a home its all about who has the most money. With renting its all about whose background looks the best. Either way its a toss up when it gets down to the wire. So another three applications and fees and I was losing my grip on reality. I came up with other options. We didn't have a family to be able to stay with. Most of our family members rent homes themselves or live in a place already to small for them. There was the idea of placing our stuff in storage (shelling out more money but of course we would need to stay in a hotel) and then within a few months our scores would go up enough to buy a house but we wouldn't have the extra money to spare again.
My realtor told me to be patient.
She told me to trust her.
So I replied. 'I waiting on my rock.'
A week went by and call after call was another reject.
This was depressing. It was stressful. As a writer, I can tell you, it wasn't helping my skills at all.
But then one night while I was packing away, clearing more space, I got a phone call. Another realtor calling to ask me questions. I don't know if she noticed the weakness of my voice or the tiredness of answering the same questions over and over again but she said a few things no one else did and my ears perked up. She asked the questions, and then a few more and when she gave me the breakdown of terms, I informed her I needed to discuss this with the family. Granted our kids were not helping with the rent. But I had them involved in every step. They are teenagers, this is a life experience they can learn from. So I called them into the dining room and explained to them what was asked of me. I answered all their questions and made sure we all were in agreement. When I got the answer, I talked to the realtor and she said the place was ours.
My heart sang!
I THANKED GOD for all, thanked my realtor, and the other agent.
As I let out the heavy breath I had been holding I texted my realtor with the good news.
'Fought the shark to the buoy and sent up a flare. A boat rescued me!'
She called me right then and we laughed about it.
With the results of finding a place behind us, we went to the office to fill out the paperwork and place our deposit. The new place is bigger and so are the rooms. Counting down the days until we officially get the key, I can honestly say I have learned a valuable lesson and so have our children. I am wiser when it comes to spending. I make better choices about what we need as opposed to what we want. For now, groceries are sparse because I don't want to move furniture and food. I like to stock up after the move. So I have money set aside just for that purpose. Next year, we will be ready. We will have all we need to buy the house we will spend the rest of our lives in. Making friends with my realtor, she will already know what I want in a place before we begin searching.
I will have to fight the shark again, but by then, I will have a spear and provisions.

Swimming with Sharks Pt. 2 Renting a home

This is part two of my tale of what happened during the time we were renting a house.
For three days we patiently waited. Well if you want to count me biting my nails to nubs and then creating a hole in the floor from pacing then I was very patient. I called the realtor fearing the worst. I know I shouldn't but considering this is the second time an owner has opted for selling the house while we were still in it, you cant blame me. So when I called, I was asked a few questions which now I consider to be the moments deciding just how desperate we are to have the place. I answered as any one would and hoped it would be enough. The realtor informed me that they would call me back.
Another day passes and I get the call. Another set of random questions asked and I answered and then I would get a call back later.
In case you are wondering, they (the realtor) have to refer to the owner with my answer and then the owner would tell the realtor what to say or ask me. They are at least keeping me within the loop of a possibility I may get the place. So I waited. When my phone rang I almost jumped out of my chair to answer it. I calmly let out a breath and waited for the result.
The answer was no.
There were certain circumstances the owner couldn't overlook.
I know right!
So why make us wait three days for a result to which it could have taken you ten minutes to decide?
I mean, its like people who go to a fast food restaurant that has been around for the last 75 years, they ate there at as a child and now they are an adult, the menu hasn't changed a whole lot and yet they are standing at the counter going 'yeah, um....let me get uhhhhh.....'
So I contacted my realtor and she was already sending me another list of houses to look at. We scheduled a time and got together. We looked a four more and went through the process again. Filled out another form, another application fee. This one was more than the last one. I dropped off the papers and waited again. During the waiting time we were packing. It was the end of February and I didn't want to be caught with a houseful of stuff and nothing done. My daughter actually came up with a neat system since we had time to really be organized. Last time I was packing and loading a truck at the same time. so boxes were mixed, and we had to open them all to find what we needed.
So she made a list of the items she packed in a box.
The box was labeled 'Her room' and she placed a number on all four sides of the box.
The part I did, which was smart, was I got two sizes of boxes. There are small boxes for heavy stuff and medium boxes for light stuff. I went to the hardware store and bought boxes. It is a waste of time and energy to get boxes from everywhere under the sun. Knowing how I pack, and I'm sure others do the same, a big box means you can put more in it.  But then you cant lift it!
So with all we have, and we have a lot, I went with the strategy she did. The living room, kitchen, our room and sons room was all packed, labeled and numbered.
What open spaces available, were filled with boxes, labeled and stacked. This is also a good reason to have the same size boxes.
Now, being an experienced mover, I did something I hadn't before. With all the moving we have done over the years, I sat down and calculated the amount spent on moving supplies. It was a lot.
Working in a manufacturing plant, I used an item that would help us in our moving so I sat down and made a splurge. The company that supplies our company with tape guns and tape, I ordered some tape and tape guns for us. You have to buy a certain amount which may seem like a lot, but when you add up how much tape you buy at a regular store and even when you pay for a six pack, you may as well buy it online. You are going to want an industrial roll of tape. I got mine from ULine.
With the packing mostly done, and my mind off the pressure, we got the call from the realtor about the house. Another reject.
When I contacted my realtor, I told her this experience reminds me of a movie I saw. The rock, represents the amount of time we have left. The ocean, represents the sea of houses and the shark, represents the process. With each process we are rejected, the shark take a bite out of me. I am on the rock in the middle of the ocean. There are times when there are a lot of houses to choose from and I take the plunge risking life and limb hoping to make it to a buoy (filling out an application) to send up a flare (paying another fee) in the hopes the ship will rescue me.
Now its all we joke about.

Swimming with Sharks. The ups and downs of renting a home.

This is not my normal type of subject and it has nothing to do with a book although with me any experience I have involving action, suspense and adventure will somehow find its way into a story of mine. But this right now is just a summary of what I have gone through in the last three months.
     At this point in my life I shouldn't be renting a home. I managed the getting married and having kids part and then raising them away from home but in reality I should be halfway through owning a home or making some additions. Well, I was on the short bus growing up and the important things such as taking care of your credit, having credit, maintaining credit and keeping track of all you do wasn't on the top priority list in school and it wasn't anything I learned from my grandparents as they were raising me.
     (No, my parents weren't there and that's a different story.)
     My grandparents paid cash for EVERYTHING. When my grandparents did get credit, it was to purchase a much needed item for the house, like a washer or dryer. Once it was paid for the card was cut up. I repeated the teachings and I didn't learn about my credit being a problem until a year ago. It took me that long to get it to the point I could obtain a credit card.
     I had medical bills I ignored. Yeah, like you haven't ignored a bill or two. At any rate, they accumulated and didn't go away. We had been living in houses for the better part of twelve years and When we came to dwell in this particular house we or I was ready to get myself straight. I had to. I was taking on the title of indie author. I needed to be a responsible business person and if I was ever going to show the world (my children) I was serious about what I do, I had to have a grip on my personal finances.
     I needed a home. A permanent residence where I could set up shop and grow from there. A place where our children and myself could be free to do what we wanted. I love to paint, DIY, woodworking, and having a flower garden.
Its been too long I haven't been able to play in the dirt. We cut the grass and clean the gutters but to do a proper landscaping, we couldn't because it wasn't ours. So why were we so eager to leave our humble abode? It wasn't us to be honest. It just so happened, the owner wanted to sell the house. Which they have every right to do.
     So here is where the fun came in. I was diligently using extra funds to pay off all medical bills and when I got them down far enough I received an offer for two credit cards. They were secured but nonetheless an added feature for me. Hubby credit was great, but because we are married my lack of payment was dripping down on his causing his score to go down. The theory being what I wont pay, he eventually will.
     I got in contact with a realtor, they are very handy in these types of situations because they can get you access to houses faster than most and can tell you of houses you may not see on those famous housing sites, but she took us to her financial office where we sat down and had a good look at our credit. Little did we know, what we were seeing, wasn't anywhere close to what we actually had. Our scores were much lower than what we were viewing on the free credit app. Shockingly lower and even with me paying off my bills, it barely made a dent. Because I didn't have the credit cards long enough. Need at least six months payments and no late payments on ANYTHING. At least no more than thirty to ninety days worth on some cases. Yeah, imagine our surprise.
     We would still have to pay another large amount to come close to getting a home loan. So we stepped out of that phase and looked into renting again. The first house we saw was great. The rent was about the same and it was further out than we were but we needed a place.
     First thought, desperation.
We or rather I wanted a place so we wouldn't be out on the street. We had time. It was January and we had until April. My realtor was like, no. Lets wait and see. There may be better places coming up since the weather was getting warm. So, we waited. Another place did open up. We took a tour, liked the size and location and applied for the place.
     Second thought. This was easy.
It could not be further from the truth. I don't know why I even considered the idea we were the only people looking for a place to rent. Kids just graduated from high school, going to college and looking for a place of their own. Well guess what. We were not the only ones who applied for the house. So we paid a non refundable application fee, for the both of us.
When renting, make sure you have plenty of extra cash for this.
     We gave them all they needed and it was a matter of the owner sitting down and deciding on who should have the place. Its all on who they feel is more responsible with having in their home. Once the application was put in.
We waited for the call.

Something Very Unexpected Book One of the new and imporved trilogy.

Something Very Unexpected has undergone a new look. Its a trilogy with new covers and smaller size. Read how love blossoms between two small and unknowledgeable children then grows into a passion so strong that time nor distance could not dissolve.

Something Very Interesting Book Two

Something Very Unexpected new look. Book Three

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER

Von is not the average alien. He has been traveling the galaxy for specimens and with his mission complete, he can begin preparing for the return home. Like many traveling long distances, he requires nourishment. Luckily for Von, he found just the place.

Earth.

There is an overabundance of assorted humans, for which his species views the males as caviar and women as the rarest of wines. His mission now, to find the best sample of both. There is just one problem, there is another alien who wants the same female as he.

The Suuwok are a race of beings that attack other species in their dreams. Mireya has been a choice specimen for years and the Suuwok have come to collect. When Von realizes his prime wine is about to be taken, he goes through drastic measures to gets her away.

Once he has her, will he be able to contain his urges to eat her, or will the Suuwok attack Von’s ship in order to get Mireya back?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NCR9QAX/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483408026&sr=1-8&keywords=tracy+gilmore

Coming Valentines Day 2017

Meet V O N.

He is an Alien Researcher on his way back to his home planet. He is not coming to Earth to find love, unless you are referring to his love of human flesh, then you would be right.
Von, comes from a species where humans are a rare treat and since he is nearby, he is taking a few home with him. Although his journey seems to be a fairly easy one, his encounter with Mireya, a human, may give him indigestion.
Mireya, being an overweight and feisty female, doesn't like the idea of being a takeout order. She is hoping she can change his mind before he decides to nibble on the meal while traveling.
Filled with suspense, drama and a lot of bad mouthing. Traveling through space may take a whole new meaning when dealing with Von.

Writing a book Part Three

Congratulations, you made it this far as a writer. You are an elephant. Not that you don't forget things, and believe me during the process of being a writer there are many things you will want to forget, but its because you have thick enough skin to handle the downsides of being a writer. Of course by now you are wondering how is it I know so much about writing. Well, it may not look like it, but I am a writer. A contemporary erotic author and newly discovered erotic Sci-Fi writer. By the way, those titles are called genres. Not sure which category you fall in, well there are a lot of them but I found mine from research. Contemporary means its written in current time. Paranormal are of course about those with extraordinary powers, shape shifters. Faeries, then Vampires and the like. There is a longer list I'm sure.
So now that you have decided to take on the manacle of writer, the question now is how much do you read? I was once a non reader. Didn't like to pick up a book because it made me sleepy to read past the first chapter. Then one day, I could read for hours, if the print is of a good size. When writing I use 11.5. Times New Roman, by which is the standard of all books written, is a good clear type. the 11.5 with 1.5 spacing is a big enough size to not strain the eyes when reading. Not sure of the difference, most best sellers are using a 11 or smaller which also makes the book thicker.
Becoming an author means you have a responsibility to your following to read, as much if not as often, as you write. You want people to follow you, well you in turn may need to read another's work. This is just good business. Of course you will find, not everyone views business the same way. You will read another's book, leave a review and your book has been shelved. They don't have time and next thing you know 6 years have passed. You cant be worried about those that haven't read your book because you read theirs, move on to new readers and your following will grow.
Not every author, blogger, beta, reviewer, cover artist, or web designer is your friend. I'm not saying this to be mean to anyone, this is just common knowledge. You will discover in social media exactly what I am referring to when you see in your timeline how one individual blasted another and its been shared over a hundred times and commented like crazy. Of course all of it could have been handled without the world having to know but then where would the fun be in that. Some people are petty and like to spread their misery. Some chose to make others aware of one who wronged them, alerting others who may be considering working with them. So there are good and bad sides to blasting people online, still there is a better and more professional way to do such things. If you have a problem with another, just talk to them, if they chose to become petty and loud and blow things out of proportion, just make sure you cover yourself and walk away.
Do you know how to make Swag? Swag is material you give out to readers and followers for their support. This can be in the form of book marks, either made by you or bought from a website. There are people on social media who do all kinds of arts and crafts projects with book covers on them. Stock up on a bunch and as you do a giveaway, or have a contest, send out a few. You will need a little black book to contain the mailing list and email addresses of those who follow you so when you have a new release, they will be first to know. Now when I say mailing list, this doesn't just mean for the continental U.S. Those you meet online, may not always be in the states. I have met people and worked with those living in Bosnia, Afghanistan, England, Australia, and  New Zealand. So when you gain a friend or two, sending packages overseas is going to cost a bit more than local mail and a different form will need to be filled out at the post office.
So back to you reading. I know most feel they don't like what everyone writes, but as an author you shouldn't limit yourself to reading just one type of genre. You will never know the interest of the reader base just reading one genre. Society has a habit of blowing up a new thing for about a month, or less and then its gone. To stand out, you want to be the one coming up with the new thing. Although this is still a hard process. Yes you are writing fiction but there still are rules. I said that before let me clarify.
By rules I mean when you make up a character, be it Paranormal, faerie, or an average person, they have to be believable. You cannot have an average man lifting cars to rescue the damsel unless he is some type of nonhuman. With powers, there has to be a weakness, not just the opposite sex. Think of Superman. He is an all powerful alien, but his weakness is kryptonite, which also when you make up a word, you will need to define it so readers understand the word better, and a red sun. 
If you make a character with a new ability, such as the character in Underworld where he was part Lycan and part Vampire, again you will need to spell it out to make such a character believable.
While working on those, there is the matter of learning to format your book. Learning about Page breaks so your chapters don't overlap one another, indenting the beginning of a conversation .5 throughout the book, and inserting cute little symbols to separate your chapters. This is all done through lots of practice and plenty of research.
The more you read, the more you will understand and the more your vocabulary grows.
When using your Microsoft word, or whichever software you are writing with, you will need to set up a search for words you use too often, or repetitive words and phrases. I found out using such words as 'Something, Look, That, Turn, -ly, and even said', can get pretty boring to see a lot of. Become familiar with your thesaurus, if need be, purchase a separate one and keep it handy.
There is a quote by Gary Provost, This sentence has five words. It gives you an idea how to evoke emotion in a reader with just five words. Its an amazing piece and replicating it is not an easy task. It cant be the same throughout the book but finding the one place to use it, and it gives off the emotion you want the reader to feel, may send your readers into a frenzy wanting to share it with others.
Your laptop may have a thesaurus, the amount of word available on it is limited.  Being a writer I am also learning, having more than one screen is helpful. I can have my book on one and be able to do research on another while having my thesaurus on a third. Another expenditure you will need to understand. The constant writing on a laptop and the ability to find one that can handle all you do to it. Will you take it everywhere or will it just sit on a desk until you return? How much memory space will you need? How big of a screen?
Finding the time to write. Will you need a quite space, will you have to share the dining room and listen to the family watching television in the next space? Will you listen to music, or prefer total silence. Keeping a notebook handy will help in those moments you have a thought and need to write it down. You can email yourself to copy and paste the rest later.

You want to write a book. Part Two

You have taken the plunge. You have written a story you feel is different than what is currently out. Great.
So your story is different than the mating of mortals with Demigods, Paranormals, Aliens, and Faeries? (I'm sure there are more, I can't recall them all)
Awesome.
It doesn't involve some weird chance meeting, an accident, and that moment of instant love caught between the glances then they realize they cant be together or one of them knows they shouldn't but they do any way?
Amazing.
So along with the new, never before read, story you now have to spend a majority of your time on social media advertising your greatness to get the attention it deserves. Of course you will have to realize, without a current following of people you have teased with small clips of your story for a year or two, your voice is the smallest blip on the radar of over a hundred thousand others doing the same thing. Wanting to be heard. More often than not you are shouting to other authors and not many readers. Those that read don't want you advertising on their page, its tacky. You have to find other sites to do so along with your own and again, where you are advertising is a place where thousand of other authors are posting. Within seconds of planting your ad, a hundred more will pop up.
Still feel brave enough to handle the masses that came out before you?
What if you don't enjoy having to post everyday on social media?
What if making teasers is not your thing? You can't find that quirky line, phrase or picture that will intrigue people to read your tale. What if all you wanted to do was to write a book, publish it and simply say, 'I did what others haven't, or thought that I couldn't' well, congratulations on your success.
A small step is better than no step at all.
But in reality you want more, you want to be a bigger success, a bigger sensation, you want people to see your name and go, 'She got another book out! I have to tell my friends' and just incase you didn't know, women read more than men. There are male authors out there, but not many male readers.
In order to get to the 'gotta have her book' stage, it takes a lot of effort on your part. Alone. Yes, you have to do the work yourself until you have amassed so many you can recruit help. Which you may or may not have to pay for. Some will help you because its something that comes easy to them and in exchange, you make an effort to post, make teasers and advertise snippets.
Still feel like you can make it?
Are you ready to hand out thousands of copies of your book every month hoping to get reviews for each of them?
Yes, you read that correctly. You will have to send out thousands of copies of your work by either, contests, giveaways, or advertising. Just like anyone seeing a post for FREE, you will download it then forget you have it. Very rarely people will read a book once they download it and it doesn't mean they will leave a review. Wondering why not? Well, its not a rush, not an important issue and someone else can leave one if you don't have any. Who wants to be the first one to leave a review? Speaking of, prepare yourself for the downwind of insults, negative remarks and down right ugly tones people will say about your work. Let it not be edited properly and there will be judgment. Don't perform proper research, saying you need a passport to travel from Boston to California, and it will get talked about. Lose track of your characters names, have a character dead in one scene but alive four chapters later and they aren't an immortal, paranormal or alien. Granted what you are writing is complete fiction, but there are still rules to follow and if you break any of them, it will be all over social media. Granted, you will gain the attention you wanted, just not in the way you wanted it.
Still not backing down? Still feel you are able to be on the top of the writers mound?
Great.
So you wrote one book, your characters were well thought out and the story came to an end. You are awakened at 2am by another voice and you don't want to leave the comfort of your bed. You go back to sleep, ignoring the voice telling yourself you will remember it later. You wake up an hour before work and the thought that came to you is gone, your voice has gone to sleep and you know what you heard was really great. Cant understand what happened? You rattled your brain to remember but cant? You may want to take a second to remember who is in charge. Your voice. Not you, your voice or voices. The voices of your characters are your boss and you have to do what they say. So if getting up at the wee hours of the morning is not your thing, you might want to have a recorder handy to keep track. If staying up well past your normal bedtime messes up your internal clock, you might want to bust it up now and get it over with. As an author, you are no longer in control of your thoughts, your schedule or your free time. When a story wants to be written, you need to write it.
How do you think I am sitting here now writing this? Wasn't my idea I assure you.

 

So you want to write a book.

Congratulations on taking the first major step in knowing what you want to do with your life. Now prepare yourself for the long tumble down the flight of stairs leading to signing with a major publishing company.
There will be pain, plenty of it, along with anger, frustration and the feeling no one really likes what you wrote. You have friends and family that have told you 'this is great, a wonderful story, you should publish this' until you meet an editor that rips every word, sentence and phase apart making you question if what you wrote was really so bad or did someone lie to you to keep from hurting your feelings. In either case, the editor, who hopefully gave you some important tips on how to correct what they pointed out being wrong, would be the one to tell you the truth.
You will need to have a following. A throng of people on the edge of their seats waiting for the next line, excerpt or post of when your next idea will come out. Don't have one yet? Don't fret, you have time to build on it. There are many social networking sites you can build a fan base with. Tease a few with a sample, and go from there. Post without care if anyone reads it, you may come across the one that does.
Your success will not happen overnight, in a week or in a month, don't expect it to. You have to work hard and steady to get to where you want to be. This means posting on all social sites, keeping a blog, a fan page and you still have to find the time to write. All posts need to be uplifting, inspiring, and able to catch the attention of current and hopefully new readers. You will need teasers, trailers, possibly a mini movie, this is the latest addition to social media. Making a you tube trailer. Finding a cover that will knock people off their socks is also important. Granted, there just cant be enough half naked men showing their abs, or some sexy woman in an erotic pose or a bit of both, you still need to come up with an attractive piece. There are several hundred or so of people that do covers for a reasonable price.
Speaking of price. You may spent anywhere from a couple of hundred, to a couple of thousand for your book to have a decent cover, be properly edited, software to format if your editor doesn't do it for you and to market your newfound article before you even sold the first book. Which is why many authors do a preorder a few weeks before the release. Sounds crazy right? You have to pay the editor this huge amount, either per word, per page but definitely per book and don't know if the book will sell enough to make the money you spent back and the same goes for the cover. So now you're thinking you are in the wrong profession when it's easier to be an editor or a cover artist. No, not as easy. To be a really good editor, you have to catch the things others wouldn't or point out what really sells a book. A cover artist needs to have a great software to make covers seamless. Merging layers of photos takes years of experience. And still you will need a following to get your books out to people.
Haven't been deterred yet? Well there's more.
You will need to find a group of trustworthy beta readers (people who will read your work and give you feedback) who get your book for free. You will need to find some that will get back to you in a timely fashion, nothing like asking a person and you ready to publish tomorrow but its been two months and they have you on a TBR list. There is the worry of one of the betas being an author who may take your idea, twist it a bit and market it. Don't panic, its been going on for years, but it does upset one just a bit.
Still want to get that book out?
If you know nothing about making a web page, blog page, teaser, trailer, synopsis, cover or formatting a book this would be a good time to learn. Everything you do is all about grabbing the attention of potential readers, once you have them established you wont have to work as hard at it, but until then you will need to have some stunning site for people to see what you are up to next. This means getting a domain name, again having to shell out money you are not sure people will visit daily or leave a comment. Not sure if you want to use your name, a pen name or come up with a combination of both to make yourself stand out? In either situation, you will need to know how to set up your webpage, pay a monthly or yearly fee to keep it going and update it often. There are others out there you may come across willing to help you set it up, be careful, some people are out there just to get your money.
Speaking of which, there are people who claim to be publishers. They are on social media just as much if not more than you and will see what you are doing, willing to sign you to a contract and some where down the line, you get screwed over. Granted it may not be every one you come across, but when blended together, its hard to know who will and who wont. This is where the most important part of your newfound skill comes in. Research.
Look into all cover artist, editors, self proclaimed publishers, beta readers, and web designers. Follow them if you want to work with them, see other samples of their work, talk to people who have worked with them before. Don't be afraid to do some digging, its the only way you will find out what you need to make you run or stay. Before signing with anyone, give a try at doing it yourself first, see what the task involves before agreeing to the terms. You Tube is filled with millions of videos to show you how to make covers, create a web page and publish your book. Its like how mechanics used to get over on women because many didn't know the true ins and outs of a car.
Don't get blindsided by a bunch of fancy words, do your research and understand the meaning behind them. If you are still ready to get that book out. Self publishing has always been one of the best options. But still, do your research. Find an author you like and ask if they will help mentor you. Granted they will be just as busy, but you may find one that doesn't mind the occasional question and who knows, it may be the cushion you need to steady your fall.
Good Luck.

NEW EROTIC READ

Having an obsession…is a dangerous thing. Whether its sports, cars, or money—people have a wanton desire to obtain a sense of normality with an obsession.
Claude is no different.
Somewhere in the walls of his home, is an idea that could make him millions, if only he could find it. For years, he has been searching his ocean of data for the file, only to come up empty handed. Believing the data to be long deleted and frustrated by his futile efforts, he steps out for a breather. In his endeavor to relax, he stumbles across an intriguing woman. Morgan.
Although their first meeting wasn’t a most agreeable one, he makes an effort to see more of her and for a moment, his mind is cleared of the file he has lost. He finds greater pleasure in the activities him and Morgan share. He longs for the attention she gives him, the special touches and the kind words, even when he senses there is more to her than what she reveals.
https://www.amazon.com/Measuring-Claude-Obsessive-Obsession-Collection-ebook/dp/B01MRS069F/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1481714830&sr=1-7&keywords=tracy+gilmore

What is writer's block?

For some time now, I haven't been able to write on the many manuscripts I have covering most of my laptop screen. I have made notes here and there, did some editing, made a few changes but those are a few items taking up only twenty minutes of my time. To finish a manuscript I need a full day's work. So in a way I have what many writers fear. Writer's block.  It may last for a few weeks, or years depending on the person or the case. Its been a few weeks so far for me. I have taken the time to read many books, keeping my mind sharp, and any ideas I have I still jot them down for a later use. It may take some time to finish the works I have, but as long as I do a little everyday, eventually they will be completed and who knows, maybe the wall that is preventing me from writing will come crumbling down and the words will flow from me again like a massive water fall.

Hypnotik: THe Curses of Ashley Peyton The Prequel.

Ashley Peyton might just be the unluckiest Real Estate agent in the world. When she gets the opportunity to find a house for a well-traveled artist, she knows that it's the second chance she's been waiting for. Working diligently to find the perfect house, Ashley feels like her luck might be changing for the better.

But then she meets Alex.
Alex Vicente is an artist who is ready to settle down. As he inspects his new home, he is surprised to find Ashley already there. Sparks immediately fly between them, and Alex is determined to have her for his own...no matter the cost.
As they grow closer, Alex soon discovers just how unlucky Ashley is. Almost causing a fire during their lunch, and passing out during dinner are just the beginning. Will he be able to withstand the backlash of Karma that surrounds her, or will it be too much for him to bear?
What neither of them realizes, is that Ashley is nothing more than a puppet on a string...and the puppet master, has big plans for her.

AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD ON SMASHWORDS
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/659301

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM
https://www.amazon.com/Hypnotik-Curses-Ashley-Peyton-Prequel-ebook/dp/B01KP3MJDW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473470131&sr=1-1&keywords=HYPNOTIK+THE+PREQUEL

A WRITER WRITES WHAT RIGHT...RITE?

After two years and ten books I can say with pride that I am a writer. But with this new title added to my profession, there comes a greater responsibility. I have to work hard and be diligent to inspire readers to want to read more of what I write. I am required to study, to research, to dig deep into the volumes of texts, hand books, informative novels written by other authors who struggled with writing long enough to leave notes on what to do and what not to do and come up with a story that is not another broken down version of a cliché from some other author who was attempting to do something different.
I have learned that although my stories are good, which by the way, as I am learning, is a terrible way to tell an author about their work. I needed to hear that I repeat words, phrases and do a lot of telling and not showing. But as a person who reads, do you really know when you are being told an action as opposed to being shown? I didn't. It wasn't until I found an editor who nit picked at every word, sentence and phrase I said pointing out my wrongdoings.
As an author, I write what my characters say.
I write what I see in my head they do and I use the language I am accustomed to saying.
So until my reading expands, I may still say 'shoulda' actually, I don't say it now. I know not to say that, but I do say 'that' and 'something' and of course I have a habit of saying 'went to' alot. It may be a long time before I use the words 'subvocalized, tumultuous, or milieu'
From my editor, I found using the words 'went to' is passive voice and 'tells' what the character does. The reader doesn't see the action take place. They can only imagine it was going to happen. For example.
Sally went to the door, opening it and Rich went to take her hand pulling her back to kiss her.
In this sentence using 'went to' indicates she was going to the door. Then she paused as if she were waiting for another action to propel her forward. The line makes you lose interest in the story. Instead it should read.
Sally opened the door, Rich pulled her back kissing her.
As a reader you can see the action flowing. This scene alone makes you want to read more of the story.
Also as a writer, I am to be focused  (Cant decide on what book to read next, then there is the Lego movie coming on at 6 and I need to take my meds at 4) and expand on my reach as I am working to make a name for myself. Meaning I need to be in the social media as much as possible.
How can I do this and still have time to write?
Making a schedule would help. Making a daily list of things and the amount of time I should spend on them would help also. (same as making a schedule)
But unfortunately not all of us are great with utilizing our times in such fashions. I have a bit of a problem when it comes to doing that. (Notice I used 'that' too many times.) I multitask. I write, read, make notes then for some reason get up to get an item I really didn't need to get away from the thing I needed to do. I am easily distracted even in the confines of my office space. SQUIRREL!
If the house is quiet, I go in search of an item to make some noise so I know I am not alone. I listen to music, but the music cant be near me or I will hear the song in my head and begin to sing then drown out the voice I was meant to be listening to. I am on Facebook, but will get distracted on there as well even though I have told myself I wouldn't and limit the time I am on there. So if I know I am going to be distracted, I wont log on at all. But in order to get my name out there I need to be online for people to see me. I am on Twitter, but rarely post messages about my book. I feel I am repeating all too often and that is a cliché to me. I have followers, but still don't understand the concept of following. I have a blog, as you can see, but I am hardly on here as well. I find it hard to have things to say, I almost used the word 'something' there. When it comes to leave a post about what I am doing, it takes away from a word or phrase my character would say. In my effort to get out, I have tried making web pages, my computer literacy has limits. I am just learning how to use the items on my word doc program.
Where was I going with this....oh yes. Responsibility as a writer.
So as of this moment, I have reached the place most writers avoid or try not to be in. I am unable to complete a story. It's not writers block in the definitive term, its a writers block in the term of I just sit at my screen looking at the words wondering when I will be able to write more. I do small amounts of editing, but nothing to complete the stories. Could be from the 36 story ideas popping in my head and I write down five to eight pages of how the story should go and what is supposed to happen. But then want to get to stories I have on the back burner from two years ago and the thought has slipped from me. I am longwinded. As you can see. I write useless information, taking away from the main characters, my secondary characters are more involved than the main characters. But this is from a book I am currently writing, not of m previous works.
So again, where was I going with this?
There is no easy way to be a writer. You have to work hard, give your best, be determined and build your reading library. A writer that writes, is a writer that also reads.

Cleaning out my TBR list.

This is just a small list of books I have read over the last few months.
John Saul-Black Lightning
Anne Jeffers, a journalist, has been following the case of a mass murder. When the murderer is executed, all feel as though the murders will cease. When she returns home and the killings start again, she has to wonder if she got the right person.
James Patterson-The Witnesses
New people move into the quiet neighborhood of Levittown New York and Ronald Temple finds them to be suspicious. He watches the house, their activities and feel they are terrorists. But what Ronald doesn't know will determine if his next actions are truly the right ones.
Eric Jerome Dickey-The Blackbirds
Four best friends go through good times and bad. They betray each other, help each other and secure the lasting friendship they have when they discover the secrets they each have.
Oscar Wilde-The Picture of Dorian Gray
The old classic tale of a man who never ages and the friends and enemies he makes along the way wondering just how he can looks as good as he does.
Jen Winters-Kissing Demons
A paranormal involving a guardian Angel, Geneva Archer and her duties of keeping the human world safe from supernaturals. When she encounters Alex, a wolf, she finds there is a darker plan involving other demons, werewolves, vampires. Geneva and Alex do what they can to keep the fate of the world from being destroyed.
Xyla Turner-The Chase
Xena, a plus sized woman, is strong, independent and likes things just the way they are. When she meets up with Xavier, a rich playboy, she is fascinated by him and his admiration of her. But when she discovers the truth about him, she has to make the hard choice of being with him or not.
Ariel Marie-Power of the Fae
A paranormal involving faeries, wolves, and other supernaturals. Both the Faery and Supernatural world need to be saved, and its up to the guardians to save it but a forbidden love between Arlina, a faery, and Colin, a wolf, will be the biggest challenge.
Doris H. Dancy-Jagged Edges
A Christian novel. Derek Wellington, a rich lawyer, has been with Morgan LaRue, a ballet dancer, since high school. The love they share becomes a conflict with his work and her dancing. They make things work but when Derek learns of a betrayal, it breaks him down on just how much he knows about the woman he loves and the friends he keeps.
Ayesha L. Shoulders-When Love's Knot Enough
A Christian novel. Mariah Langston, owner of an advertising firm, has been with Isaac for three years and when he proposes to her, she does the unexpected. She now questions his intentions. She was very happy with the way things were and now their relationship will be put to the test when she says the one word not many women will say when asked.
Shataya Simms-Living Anonymous
Aneesah Bradshaw, has had a hard life as a young woman. After years of being in abusive foster home, she is taken in by a family that cares for her. As she gets older and learns much from her new family, including the need to remain unknown. When she meets James Hennessey, a musician, she learns abuse, betrayal, lies and deceit comes in many forms, even a friendly face.
Kenneth Thomas Sr.-Given Not Taken
Ava Karcher, a German American surgeon, has it all, except the love of her husband. When she encounters the handsome Calvin Hollaway, a widower and former Major in the military, it was by accident or rather an emergency. He was having a heartattack. When he decides to show how grateful he is to her, things take a turn for the unexpected and when Ava's husband finds out, it makes for a thrilling ride.

Brand new look.

Over the next several week, several of my covers will undergo a transformation, a good transformation. Be on the look out.