Being an Author - More than writing a book

 Putting a book into the world requires so much more than writing cohesive sentences. That alone can takes months. Then there is editing, which requires me to pay someone to look at those sentences, make sure the timeline is correct, I haven't mixed up character names, I haven't repeated myself (which happens a lot), etc. I do not have talent in making covers, so I have to purchase the photos and hire a professional to make a gorgeous cover. That just putting the book together.

Then there's the social media posts, the newsletter, the website, some of which cost money. In trying to get my newsletter ready, I was notified I can no longer use my @gmail account, so I had to get a personalized email. No biggie, right? Wrong. I haven't logged on to go daddy in a while, so I had to recover that account. For whatever reason, all my passwords are no longer saved, so I'm resetting passwords. To get a new email account, I had to log into go daddy after recovering the account, resetting the password, paying for the email, then adding a code to the website. To do that, I had to reset the password for the website host. I did all this, and when I hit "done" on the go daddy site, it said, "Great, come back in an hour." Sigh.

Let's look at the math. If I put my books out for 3.99 and sell 1000 copies, that's $3990. But first, I have to deduct the editing, the proofreading, the photo, and the cover design. That leaves $2560. Remember, it took 3 months to write/edit the book. Assuming it takes 3 months at 8 hours of writing, 5 days a week for 3 months? That breaks down to less than $5 per hour. That's less than minimum wage. It takes some longer to write their books and some shorter, but this is a real example of what an author makes on 1000 books sold (not taking into account we don't get the full 3.99. In fact, we get 70% of that, so that $5 per hour now becomes a lot less.) That $5 per hour is needed to pay for the website and the newsletter sites. 

Why am I saying all this? I am not complaining. All these things are necessary to put books into the world. It costs money to make money. I get that. But there are those out there who steal an authors words and put them on piracy sites or somehow copy and paste the books into their own and change character names and say "Voila, look what I did." There are those readers who want to know why an e-book is no longer $3.99. This is why. 

I will continue writing as long as the books are selling, but my days are not 8 hours, 5 days a week. They are often 12 or 14 hour days, 7 days a week. I love what I do. I love my readers, my characters, my stories. If I didn't, I would find a job that paid more than minimum wage. 

2 New Books this year. Is that all?

 This year has been rife with ups and downs. The downs concern my little momma mostly. This time last year, she took a fall, broke her arm, and had surgery. That wouldn't be too bad if she wasn't 89 years old. (She just celebrated her 90th birthday in October.) On top of that, she has dementia, so moving her back home to recover wasn't going to work. My brother, among others, tried to get me to move her to assisted living after she finished rehab. I couldn't do it. Why? That's not what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to take care of your parents. Right? I tried. I rearranged my house so she would have a bedroom downstairs. Then I rearranged my life to take care of her. Granted, we've never seen eye to eye entirely. With her being born in the 1930s, she's from a different generation, a different mindset, a different everything.

So why did I think we could live together in harmony? Good question. One my daughter asked more than once. Long story short, my mom wasn't happy. She was no longer in the home she'd lived in 65 years. She no longer had independence. She no longer wanted to do anything but watch mindless TV. Loudly. I'm used to a quiet house during the day. She was combative and hurtful. She doesn't like animals, so she fussed at Luna all the time. None of us were happy, so I made the decision to put her in assisted living. She now has her own apartment filled with as many of her personal effects from home I could fit in her room. She has her independence back. She has friends who have been through the same thing and have dementia. Their conversations are hysterical yet sad. She is thriving. Life is better, not only for her, but my household too. 

I had started writing The Ripley Effect before all this happened, and I managed to get it finished while she was here, but it took forever. 9 months. I do my best to get at least 3 books out a year, if not 4, but with Ripley taking 9 months, it just wasn't going to happen.  Clash of Kings got me back in the writing groove with less distractions. December is a non-writing month for the most part. Between the holiday shopping (even if it is online), birthdays, the man's work party, mom's laundry and doctor visits and every day visits just to hang out, I'll be behind schedule again but I'm hopeful I'll manage to get 3 books out next year at least. 

Sultan's Pride is up next. It will be the 8th Hounds of Zeus MC book, and more than likely, the next to last one. Ace will definitely get his story, but after that, I will be focused on The Rebel Moon Shifters series since there are so many characters waiting to have their story told. I also plan on writing the follow-up to Tap Dancing with the Devil. And yes, at some point, I am going to write the last book in the Music Within series (Curtis get his HEA and the series gets closure). One day I will write another book in the Samuel Dexter Books so Dex and Orlando can ride off into the sunset too. 

My 2024 schedule looks like this:

Sultan's Pride,  Hounds book 8, April

Blades of Ice,  Rebel Moon book 3, August

Tap Dancing with an Angel, December

Is that set in stone? Nope. Could I get these books out sooner? I sure hope so. But life happens, and I've learned to bob and weave like a professional boxer, lest I get KO'd. Please keep your fingers crossed that life is kind next year and that readers still look to those of us who use our brains and heart to write our stories instead of prompting AI to do it for us.

*All of the links above are affiliate links but they are my own affiliate links, meaning I'm selling my own stuff. 

Strands of Gold is here

 Well, almost. I am thrilled to reveal the cover to the masses today along with the preorder links for Strands of Gold, Book 1 in the Rebel Moon Shifter series. If you read my last blog post, you already know this is Connor's story. The release date is October 28th. Preorder price is $2.99 but will go up to it's regular price of $4.99 when it releases. So, without further ado, here you go.

Blurb:

His gifts are increasing, but is that really a good thing?

Before he even knew what Gargoyles were, six-year-old half-blood Connor Di Pietro met his mate – a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl with a love for lizards. At the same time, Connor had his first premonition. His visions were the first of many gifts the gods would bestow upon him, but none were helpful in finding his mate. Connor has spent the last twenty-eight years filling his time becoming a physician, a scientist, and a world-renowned artist, while the computer experts in his Clan searched for the little girl who should be his world. When a premonition takes Connor to Charleston, South Carolina, he enlists the help of his private eye cousin, praying they can stop events before the vision becomes reality.

 Alyssa Branson is a biologist working in her father's laboratory. She’s smart yet quirky, dancing to the beat of a heavy metal drum. Her life hasn’t been an easy one, and she spends most of her time at the lab or in the sanctuary of her home. A true romantic, she's waiting for the day the little boy she met in Greece when she was five rides back into her life in true fairy tale fashion. A brief glance across a crowded sidewalk has Alyssa abandoning the rules she set in place to keep her safe, and the handsome stranger turns out to be her Connor. Little does she know that he has more than one secret. 

  Alyssa’s latest project is related to Connor’s vision of three dead shifters, but she’s bound by a contract to keep the project under wraps. When a local wolf pack sets their sights on her, Alyssa must put her trust in the man who claims she is his fated mate. If that’s not fairy tale material, Alyssa will eat her beloved gecko.

 The next generation is here. The kids from The Stone Society and The Hounds of Zeus MC series have grown up, and it’s their turn to protect humans while keeping their own existence hidden. And if they find their mates along the way? Even better. It isn’t necessary to have read the two original series, but you will find more of the characters’ back-stories there.

 Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Apple  Kobo

You can also add SOG to your Goodreads list here: Goodreads

New Series, Familiar Faces

 When I began writing the Stone Society back in 2014, I never imagined I would be starting a spin-off series featuring the kids eight years later. With 15 books and 5 novellas complete, it was sad to write "the end" to the books that took up so much of my life. The characters became family. Then one of the characters met someone different, a new kind of shifter, and The Hounds of Zeus were created. That spin-off/crossover now has 6 books and is going strong. Of course, there are kids in those books as well, and together with the Stone Society offspring, I have begun Rebel Moon Shifters. This next generation is set almost 30 years in the future, and not only will we see Gargoyles, Gryphons, and wolves, but dragons, fae, and who knows what else? 

Not all the offspring will get their own book. There are just too many of them. Too many books? Yes, it is possible. Coming up with a new and creative ideas for each book is a hard task. With the Stone Society, each book focused on a different couple, but there was an overlying arc throughout the series. With the Hounds of Zeus, there is a running theme, but the books can be read out of order and still enjoyed. I want to do the same with the Rebel Moon series. I am beginning with Connor, who played a big role in Dante, Book 3 of The Stone Society. Connor has grown from a brilliant, talented child with gifts of his own, into one hell of a man. He's still brilliant, but now, he has new gifts that lead him and the others in the search for their own mates. 

The adults from the original series will make cameo appearances, because let's face it, I can't say goodbye to them. And the Hounds books will continue for a while longer. I look forward to the next eight years of writing these beloved characters and bringing this future world to all of you.

If you haven't started the Stone Society, Rafael, Book 1, is free on most platforms. The rest of the series is available in Kindle Unlimited. The Hounds are also in KU. If you prefer to read on other platforms, feel free to reach out to me through my website here: Faith Gibson I will gladly sell the books through bookfunnel. If you do read on the zon and want to get started, you can find all my books here: Faith on Amazon

To all of you who have followed me since the beginning, I appreciate you more than you'll ever know. And to those of you just finding me? I hope you take a chance and join the journey.

Not really the end

 When I started writing the Stone Society series, I was a brand new author. I didn't understand the ins and outs of the publishing world. How I needed an experienced editor. How I should have taken the time to really develop the world I was creating. Rafael, book 1, originally started as a futuristic space mystery. When the urge to write paranormal hit, I took parts of that mystery and incorporated it into my Gargoyle book. Over the course of the past 7 years, I took writing courses, joined author groups, attended author writing cons. I signed up for multiple webinars and online author cons. I have grown in my craft, and I feel each book shows my progress as a writer. Writing "the end" on the last Stone Society book was bittersweet. I have spent seven years with these characters. They live in my head and my heart. To me, they're real. Real people, real family. I can't let them go.

Instead of saying goodbye, I will begin the next generation's books. While I am still writing the spin-off series, The Hounds of Zeus MC, I will jump ahead to the future where all the children of both series are adults and finding their mates. The parents will make cameos, so they aren't truly gone. Like with real life, families age and grow, and I cannot wait to dive into the Rebel Moon Shifters series. I am ready to see the kids' personalities. Their struggles and triumphs. Their laughter and tears. I'm ready to meet the mates. So many mates have been whispering in my ear, telling me bits and pieces of their lives. Some are trying to jump to the beginning of the line and have their story told first. They'll just have to wait their turn.

Stone Society, book 15 in the Stone Society series, releases tomorrow. That's also my birthday, and I couldn't think of a better gift to myself. Like I said, it's not really the end.

Ghouls and Goulash

Only 364 more days until Halloween. Yes, it is my favorite day of the year. It's that time when anyone who chooses can be someone else. This year, I chose some scary makeup with a hooded cape, and it was marvelous. I sat on the steps so the little ones didn't have to climb up and down. One little girl got close, and when she saw my scary face, she turned around. Nope. I quickly called her back, laughing, holding out a handful of  candy. A couple kids walked right past, thinking I was a decoration. The cutest, though, was a little Spiderman. He came right up to me. No fear. Then he proceeded to set his bucket down and dance for me. Cutest butt wiggle ever. I make the teenagers stand in the yard and catch the candy. They love it.

What does goulash have to do with anything? It's what I make every year. Not sure why. It's just one of my favorite comfort foods.

I am proud to be part of a Halloween anthology, Season of the Witch - 22 stories in one collection. My offering was Lilly, A Stone Society Novella. I adore Lilly. She first appeared in book 2, Gregor, and has been part of the Clan ever since. Season of the Witch is available on Amazon and is in KU. You can get it here: Season of the Witch. Lilly will be released as a novella in February and will be available on most platforms for a short while before I switch it over to KU.

I am hard at work on the 15th and final Stone Society book, simply titled Stone Society. Even though Lorenzo takes center stage, the story encompasses so many of the characters as they battle their final villain. Since I plan to take the Clan into the future with the kids' books when they're grown, my plan is to have an extended epilogue showcasing the offspring when they're in high school. The adults aren't going away. They will play small roles in their children's books, but the focus will be on the world with Sebastian and the others leading the way. I cannot wait.

I have also been writing in one of my MM books as well as the final book in the YA trilogy. When the characters refuse to speak, I sit back and wait for them. I refuse to put out a story that has been forced because you deserve better, even if you have to wait years for it. Most readers tend to forget about a series if they have to wait forever, and that's okay. I'm still going to write the books when the words are there.

Don't forget about my reader group on FB, Faith Gibson's Front Porch. Like the name indicates, it's a friendly place to come hang out and learn about my books before anyone else. If you'd like to join, you can do so here: FG's Front Porch

Until next time, happy reading.

xoxo,

Faith

What's Going On?

 Did you sing the blog post title in your head? If so, you're my kind of people. If not, look up Four Non Blondes. 

So much is happening in my book world. The Spyder's Web, book 5 in The Hounds of Zeus MC series releases this month on the 26th. (link below) I love all my characters, but there are always those who grab my heart and hold on a little tighter. Jude "Spyder" Sterling is one of those. Like Frey in the Stone Society, Spyder is such a sweetheart to be a badass. He's a biker, a mercenary, and a Shibari Master. He's had a lot of heartache in his life, but now that he's found his mate in Charlotte Fanning, a spunky florist, his days - and nights - are looking brighter.

Jasper, Stone Society book 6, is finally (again) being recorded for audio. Covid hit lots of people, and it took its toll in the first recording. I had to let the project go and find a new narrator. I did, and I cannot wait to hear the finished product. I don't have a release date, but it should be within the next couple months.

I put the first four books in the SS out in a box set (link below), and I will continue adding more box sets in the coming months.

The fifteenth and final book in the Stone Society will be out before the end of the year. I'm both sad and excited about this. Sad that it's the end of this series that has allowed me to live my dream of being a full-time author. These characters are family. I have spent more hours with them than my real-life family. The good news is they aren't going away completely. The kids in this series - and there are a lot of them - are getting their own series, and the parents will make an appearance. These books, like the originals, are set in a post-apocalyptic future, which means I get to make sh*t up. That's one of the best parts about writing in a new world. I can let my imagination go wild. Where the Stone Society are Gargoyles and The Hounds of Zeus are Gryphons, the legacy books will introduce a variety of shifters. With these two series being connected, the kids from both will be included in the legacy books.

I also have penciled into my schedule all the books I have left hanging. The final book in my YA trilogy is being written now. The last Music Within (MM contemporary) book as well as the final Samuel Dexter book (MM fantasy) will be released in 2022. Once they are complete, I will keep my focus on my paranormal books. There is just too much personal stuff going on to keep switching gears.

I'm looking forward to getting out and meeting with readers in the coming months. Naughty Nashville is slated for October 9th, and Locked up in Ohio is scheduled for November 20th.

That's it for now. 

The Spyder's Web on Amazon

The Spyder's Web on other platforms

Stone Society Box Set 1 on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited