She interrupts me. I interrupt her. Elle A. Muse is unfortunately not amused…
Before Brady, Book 3, Love & Other Calamities Romantic Comedy, pre-order now, read December 12th!
If you love:
A hot cop with a big…heart
A charming Dachshund
Cupcakes!
Small town vibes in the city
Love, laughter, humor, and heart!
Click here, because this is the quick-read romance for you!
When I say I need to redesign my website, I mean I have to start over with completely new software. This current site is built with an ancient copy of Dreamweaver and the Fireworks software that no longer loads on the ancient PC that sits in my office ONLY to update the website. I used to have an old copy of Photoshop on there, too, and no idea where it went. This makes creating new graphics a challenge.
Here’s the thing. I’m not allowed (by C’est Moi) to rebuild the website hopefully using the How to Build a Website on WordPress course on a special template/theme/whatever they’re called I bought, oh, 2 years ago before I realized just how long my 2018 car accident was going to affect my ability to write actual books. What I am allowed to do is update this current site because I still believe in websites.
So I’m trying. My software no longer connects to my server, so I need to update and build the books without worrying that they might look horrible in Internet Explorer (which thankfully no longer exists) and then go in through the back end and upload via FTP.
So, seeing as I can’t completely start over on the website until all 5 books in Love & Other Calamities are on preorder, I’m bumbling about doing the best I can with my ancient software, and cross your fingers that when I load those pages, they’ll look reasonably okay.
I’ll post on the blog when I’ve uploaded the pages. There are a lot of pages to upload. First, I need to resize some current graphics on the iMac, zip them to the PC, and finish building the durn pages.
Meanwhile, my imagination is itching to come up with a new series but I still have to revise and edit the last two books in Calamities. But the covers and blurbs are done like a lizard burning in the Galapagos sun!
Yippee-ki-yay, mudderfugger.
Formatting a book for print, that is.
Actually, I’ve never formatted an eBook, either. I usually farm out my work. But this time I’ve decided I should learn to format myself. It makes updating files so much easier. For some unfathomable reason, I decided to start with print formatting.
CreateSpace has templates for use with Microsoft Word, and it would probably be a lot easier if I just downloaded one of those templates. Only problem is, my copy of Word is so old (the 2003 edition) that I can’t save as PDF, which I need for uploading to CreateSpace. And…years and years ago, when I built this site and my pen name’s site, I decided to upgrade my Dreamweaver and PhotoShop. They came combined in a program called Adobe Creative Suite 2. Creative Suite has since updated to a cloud-based service, but for someone like me the $20 U.S. a month when I only put out maybe two books a year (that’s being generous, LOL) isn’t worth it. And I don’t design my own covers. So, being the obstinate sort, I decided to try learning how to format my print interior pages with the very old InDesign CS2. The problem? Back when I was buying how-to books for Illustrator and PhotoShop, I didn’t buy one for InDesign, thinking I would never need it. Now, there are a lot of great free templates available for InDesign book interiors, but try finding one for the CS2 version of the program. So, instead of downloading a premade template and creating my book from there, I’m building the template from the ground up. Thanks to YouTube and Google, there are a lot of places I can go for help, but the set-up is never quite the same because, you know, Cindy has old software. This might take me awhile…
Just to prove I’m really at work, here’s a shot of Page 1 of PICTURE IMPERFECT in my Word doc, followed by how far I’ve gotten in InDesign (I finally created page numbers on my Master pages, but they aren’t starting in the right spot. My next challenge is creating running, alternating page headers.)
The idea is that once I have the template down pat, I can use it for future releases as well. And, if you can read Page 1 of the Word doc, that’s the world’s first peek into PICTURE IMPERFECT! (Which will go up for pre-order just as soon as I’ve got the cover commissioned).
Yup, I need to create a new website page for the book, too.
I know, I know. I had high hopes for blogging over the summer. What can I say? Once Eldest Son comes home from China for a few precious weeks every year, I lose sight of everything else. And it seems most everyone is on social media these days rather than blogs.
Well, today ES and DILly 2 departed for Shanghai again, and I won’t see them for another ten months. So it’s back to writing–and hopefully back to some semblance of blogging. I have good intentions, I really do. But right now I’m delving into formatting for PICTURE IMPERFECT, which IS coming out this fall! This is my first time trying to format, both eBook and print. I have a professional in the wings, should it come to that. But I really would like to be able to change out my backmatter, etc., as needed without hiring out, so it’s time to get technical.
Gulp.
That about spells it all out. Until October, the ebook edition of my contemporary romance, WHERE SHE BELONGS, will be available exclusively from Amazon. I’m testing out the changes to the Kindle Unlimited program to see if it’s beneficial for me as an author (particularly one who’s a turtle writer and needs to find ways to keep my name out there while finishing The Beast, as I’ve come to think of my single title mystery romance that is now at 122,000 words). (That’s not the title, just a nickname, although it would make a good title, just not for this book).
Unfortunately, enrolling in KDP Select, which includes Kindle Unlimited, means WHERE SHE BELONGS is temporarily unavailable from other e-retailers. But! If you’re a member of Kindle Unlimited, you can now read WHERE SHE BELONGS for free.
All my other books and stories remain for sale from multiple e-tailers.
Now back to The Beast!
My writing pal, Kate St. James, has joined the self-publishing ranks with her series of erotica short stories and short novellas, TEASE Sizzling Romps, set in Vancouver, B.C.
Today Sugar Rush, Story 2 of the series, released from Amazon, and Tea for Three, Story 1 (originally published with Ellora’s Cave) has been available since the end of December.
Right now, Sugar Rush is only 99 Cents for a limited time and Tea for Three is FREE today and tomorrow, February 9th and 10th!
Just a note, these are sizzling hot stories, so if reading about super-hot erotic encounters between consenting adults offends you, it might be best NOT to download or purchase Kate’s stuff. If, on the other hand, you love naughty tales, have at ‘er!
Tea for Three – FREE Today and Tomorrow! (Always Free for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers)
It’s gonna get steamy!
Uninhibited tea shop manager Layla Aziz adores her scorching hot relationship with blond and buff construction worker Gil Cuthbert. Her worry is that over the years she’s slept with countless dudes who tickled her libido. Now, can she go the distance with one guy?
Then Gil surprises Layla by arranging a ménage with his best friend, dark and serious Hunter Cole. Gil, it seems, will do anything to keep Layla satisfied. That includes sharing her with ultra-sexy Hunter again and again—not only for a passion-filled night, but for many more to come.
As long as Gil is in charge of her sensual needs…sign her up!
Sugar Rush – 99 Cents for a Limited Time! (Free for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers):
Her sweetest addiction…is him.
Tea barista Siri Jorgensen believes in monogamy—until she discovers her ex is a cheat. What bothers her most is she tolerated his lackluster moves in bed. Never again! From now on, if a guy doesn’t satisfy her craving for extra-sweet, extra-hot loving right away, he’s out the door.
Enter Caribbean-born architect Lucas Haines, the star of her wildest fantasies. With Lucas, Siri yearns to scorch the sheets—the armchair, the counter. She isn’t picky. For one incredible night, he more than satisfies her lusty addictions.
But when he wants dozens of replays, can she resist?
A Little Q&A with Kate:
Me: Congratulations on the release of Sugar Rush and Tea for Three, Kate! Can you tell us a little about the series?
Kate: Thank you, Cindy, and thanks for having me on your blog! Tea for Three introduces Layla Aziz, Siri Jorgensen, and Grace Delgado, each of whom appears or is mentioned in Tea for Three, Sugar Rush, and Grace’s eventual story, Sweeter than Cream. Each story focuses on its heroine’s sexual adventures–along with some emotional surprises along the way. So there’s some girlfriend bonding and dishing, but these stories, ranging in length from 10,000 to 15,000 words, are focused on the women’s physical relationships and sexual journeys.
Me: Tea for Three is a menage story, right?
Kate: Yes, my first menage story. Before Tea for Three, which is decidedly erotica, I wrote erotic romance, three novellas and a single title romance (information on these can be found on my website) from both the hero and heroine’s points of view. However, Tea for Three and the other TEASE Sizzling Romps stories are all/will be told solely from the heroine’s point of view.
Me: In Tea for Three, Layla is already in a relationship with Gil when he introduces her to Hunter, and in Sugar Rush Siri meets Lucas during what she thinks will be a one-night stand, but Grace is already married in Tea for Three. What do you have planned for her?
Kate: Grace is married to a hot Argentine tango instructor, Nico Delgado. The reader gets little peeks into their relationship in Tea for Three and Sugar Rush, but Sweeter than Cream will focus on Grace and Nico’s marital adventures.
Me: Such as…?
Kate: Well, let’s just say their first anniversary is rapidly approaching and Grace is busy brainstorming erotic ideas to enhance their special day. But Nico is going to get more than he bargained for. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean sex has to be boring!
Me: Oh, sure, don’t answer my question! Do you have excerpts for Tea for Three and Sugar Rush?
Kate: Yes, on my website. Just scroll down on the Tea for Three page and the Sugar Rush page, and you’ll see excerpts for both stories.
Me: Great. How can readers find out more about your books or keep tabs on the development of Grace’s story?
Kate: I don’t have a blog (so thanks again for having me), but readers can keep up to date with me on Facebook or Twitter, and I have a newsletter called Kate St. James’s New Release Alert that I only put out when I have a new release or other important news to share. Signing up for the newsletter is the best way for readers to ensure that they hear my news.
Me: I think I’m on that newsletter list! So, Kate, will TEASE Sizzling Romps feature just the three stories we’ve discussed here or do you have anything else in the works?
Kate: Originally, I conceived of TEASE Sizzling Romps as three stories, but as I wrote Sugar Rush, I discovered a new couple and a new heroine who might want her own story, which would become the fourth story of the series. However, I’ve also had readers request more of Layla, Gil and Hunter (Tea for Three). That’s the wonderful thing about indie publishing. I have a lot of choices, and I have a lot of control. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve enjoyed working with my various publishers over the years, but the TEASE Sizzling Romps series has the potential to go in different directions and indie publishing allows me a lot of leeway as to how I proceed. Will I write a second Layla, Gil and Hunter story following Sweeter than Cream? Or will I write a fourth heroine’s story? There are so many options. I really don’t want to box myself in. Sweeter than Cream will come next. That’s what I know for now. 🙂
Me: What about a cover for Sweeter than Cream?
Kate: There’s a small version of the Sweeter than Cream cover on the Coming page of my website. All three covers were designed by Kim Killion of The Killion Group. We did a lot of brainstorming to come up with the series concept, and I love it!
Me: They are gorgeous covers! Thanks for dropping by the blog, Kate. I’ll end with your contact information.
Kate: Thanks for having me!
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