Category: Book Promotion

It’s Tuesday Again!

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Okay, so, not much to talk about today. Update on the weekend I guess. We went to the Anime thing across the bay in Daphne. It’s not quite an hour drive if traffic is good. I really like that area of Alabama. I wish we’d bought a house over there when we were looking. I really do. But that’s beside the point.

I dropped them… what do you call your adult children?… I mean Aubrey isn’t 18 just yet but they will be in June and your next kid up, with autism and severe social issues who doesn’t drive will be 29 the week after… so what do you call them… I dropped the kids off… They’re not actually kids anymore. I mean they’re my kids. They’re my babies. They’ll always be my kids and babies. But what term better fits when referring to your adult children as a whole…. anyway, I dropped them off at 11:25 and went on my merry way to find something to do. I was about halfway into the building at the first thrift store I’d planned to hit when I got the text that they were done and ready to go… y’all, it wasn’t even an hour. Last year they stayed close to four hours. Last year, and the year before the civic center parking lot was packed and the closed bank and grocery store across the street were also full of overflow parking. This year those lots were empty.

I guess that’s saying something about the state of that convention at least. The tickets were only twenty bucks. It’s just a one day event. But they said there wasn’t much going on. Only a few voice actors and special guests were there. Not many vendors. They walked around. Spent their money. And got bored.

Eh… I guess it is what it is. Good thing I didn’t go to see The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare like I wanted.

And I do want. I haven’t been to the theater for a movie since November 2019. I saw Knives Out by myself. I really want to see this movie in theaters. I fear it will leave theaters before I get a chance.

Anyway, hmm, what else… it was 89 degrees last Saturday with heavy humidity. Sunday it was 59 degrees. I don’t know what Mother Nature is smoking, but she needs to go to rehab. Okay seriously, I’m not ready for summer temps in late April. But it’s not unusual to be in the upper 80s in late April. May is usually a summer month here. It’s rare that it’s cool after this time of year. And honestly, I don’t mind the 72 degrees that it is today. But I do not appreciate 30 degree temperature drops over night. We’d already put the winter stuff away. Sunday was cold and wet with a frigid wet wind, which made it feel even colder.

No likey. Noooo LIKEY at all.

In other news…

Uh… well… uh… just the heads up that the final ten books will leave Kindle Unlimited tomorrow night. The entire Scrimmage and Adventure INK serieses… series’… seriously, how do you pluralize the word series? that drives me crazy…. will fall out after midnight Pacific time some time, when they get around to it, and will be relisted on Kobo and Apple, and will be free to read in Kobo Plus… and I’m thinking about listing everything with D2D again to see where I can put them. I mean, there’s Barnes and Noble but last year it took ten months to get paid for sales in 2022. They have a 2o buck pay threshold and won’t pay until it’s crossed. Ten months from November 2022 to September 2023 to earn 20 bucks to get paid in October. I see no reason to bother with them anymore. Of course I haven’t even made 150 bucks on Amazon yet this month, and nothing on Kobo and Apple so there is that. I’ve made nearly a hundred in Payhip for the twincest book. So I guess that’s the only book that still gets word of mouth. Because seriously, how is it found? I don’t advertise it in anyway. I try not to think about it. But… that’s the state of my affairs in the book selling world.

Incidentally, I finally broke down and watched several tutorials on Amazon’s Ads and how to set one up. Because I never did understand how to use that. The only thing I didn’t learn was when they take payment for those ads. I set it up for One True Pair. I followed the prompts for click ads and set the limit at 12 dollars a day with the ad fee per click capped at 75 cents… I googled when Amazon takes payment for the ad clicks. I found one source that said they take payment the first week of each month and decided, okay, I can budget for that. At most it’s going to be around a hundred sixty bucks or so and  I get paid on the 29th… and hit launch ad… yeah, I got charged for all the clicks the next day. They came right out of my account without a word of warning. And I still haven’t made one single sale. I took that ad down lickety split. It was less than five dollars, but still. I can’t have money come out daily for any possible sales that I will not receive until June 29th. No, no. There should be something somewhere on Amazon that has that in big, blazing letters. YOU WILL BE CHARGED DAILY FOR ALL CLICKS AND WE WILL DEBIT THE FEES IMMEDIATELY FROM YOUR FUNDING SOURCE!!!!!!

SIGHS!!!!!

I really liked One True Pair. I wish more people had read it. I wish more people had read my last five or six books. I wish I knew how to get word of mouth going again because I sure as hell can’t afford to pay for advertising… but anyway… I’m resigned to the end of this now.

Speaking of endings. This website will close on May 11th. I don’t have four hundred dollars to renew it. I’ve looked at my old blogger blog and honestly, I really don’t care to return to it.

So, if you’re still here, you’ll be the only one who knows that I will post the final chapters of the final Side and Sunday books… those have been written for a long time. And I’ll outline what my plans were for the final Cold book. And then I’m gone.

That’s my thousand words for today.

Hope you are having a great week so far.

Peace,

Mercy

 

Book of the Day

The Adventure INK series

 

This and That

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Eh, not a clue what to write about today. So much and nothing all at once.

I could write about the lovely world of keeping a household running while trying not to strangle the inhabitants of said household.

One day I will have my own place. Just one bedroom, a small kitchen, a small living area, an office/workroom, and a bathroom. A bathroom that only I use. No kids. No pets. No snoring other than my own.

When did that become the dream?

Do other aging Ge-Xers have that dream? I just don’t want to deal with anyone’s shit but my own. God, no I have no interest in retiring. I have no interest in traveling. Okay, I do, I like going places, I just don’t like the getting there part of going. If there was such a thing as blinking and snap… you’re there… I’d like that power please.

Genie or Samantha?

You know, as a kid and teen I thought that question was about power. I was like I can twitch my nose, sooo… okay. But both had really the same powers, I just really don’t want whiplash. It took me a while to realize it was about which one was hotter.

Seriously, I am not that clueless. I swear. I just don’t find women hot. I just pitied them for being stuck blindly loving assholes who were afraid and ashamed of their powers and tried to control them. I loved the aesthetics of Bewitched. I love Endora. But Darren needed to stay turned into a jackass. And Genie, poor clueless, Genie. She didn’t know he was an asshole. She just loved the bastard… okay, was it just me, but did anyone else want Roger Healy to be part of their uh… yeah… I was like ten thinking oh no, they’re getting married and leaving Roger… he needs to be with them…….. so… okey dokey just me?

But no, if I had to say so, I found Elizabeth Montgomery lovelier than Barbara Eden. But I thought Barbara Eden looked like she was having more fun and was probably nicer. Okay… if I had to say so.

I don’t even want a cat.

Saturday I’m taking the two living at home to an Anime Con that’s a little too far to just come home while they are there. It’s just a one day thing. I’m going to be on my own for most of the day. I have no idea what to do with myself for several hours. I could go watch a movie, and there’s one I want to see, but the only day showing ends after the con ends. Soo… guess that’s not happening. I suppose I could go find the thrift stores or browse through Target or Hobby Lobby. The world is my… same old same old.

I need new interests. I need to meet people. Damn I’m boring. And bored.

Anyway, I have to get people to go cut the grass in the backyard while the weather is nice and give my elderly DAWG a bath before he scratches out of his skin. Hard to believe my little Dawg is now elderly, with gray muzzle and eyes. Despite that, and a skin condition, he’s doing pretty good. His seizures are rare but when he has one it’s pretty bad.

Such is life I guess, the husband person is also grey with bad eyes and a skin condition… but well…

Anyway… hope you are having a lovely Saturday, wherever you are. Or Sunday if you’re across the dateline.

Peace,

Mercy

 

Book of the Day

OTP

Spring Broke

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Mobile County Schools are officially out for Spring Break this week. We take ours later in the spring because of Mardi Gras break, I suppose. It’s actually nice outside today. Not hot yet. I think we hit the 80 degree mark. Low humidity, and bright sun. So what did we do with the first day of Spring Break?

Well, Alaina cut most of the front yard while Aubrey picked up storm debris and I attempted to power wash the front steps. The winter lichen was super thick this year. Unfortunately, I’m washing away more mortar than lichen… and that’s a problem. I got soaked. It’s not warm enough for me to be soaked to the skin with cold water.

We can’t do yard work on Sundays in this HOA. At least we can’t run mowers and other loud yard tools. That doesn’t stop the people who have ATVs from riding them around at full speed from doing whatever they want, but no, no lawn mowers. Which would be nice, if Sunday wasn’t the only full day we have to do that work.

While we were out a Rottweiler dragging it’s chain moseyed up. He looked healthy, not like he was thrown out recently at least. I think he simply broke his chain and took himself for a walk. He started to go after Aubrey but stopped when I shouted No… No. He kind of shrugged and went back to moseying on down the road, to chase a couple guys out for a run.

I don’t understand the people who get big animals, and this guy wasn’t that big, he might have been part Rottie, or just a half grown pup, but he was still bigger than my pups, and keep them outside on a chain. It’s wrong. Poor buddies. If you can’t make them a space inside or at least in a dedicated place inside a fence you shouldn’t have one. Point blank. In fact, I hate collars. I don’t put collars on any of my pets. I hate them. Harnesses for leashes. No collars at all. Nothing in the house or back yard. I can’t stand things around my neck, so I don’t do that to my buddies.

Anyway, enough of that.

One week. That’s all Aubrey has left of school. One week and the few days of special events leading up to graduation on the 13th and they’re done.

It’s done. 28 years of having a kid in public school is over. I’m in that weird, so happy that part of my life is over, but oh my god my baby is grown, stage. And it’s hitting hard.

Harder than it should because of other circumstances, that I won’t go into.

I think my face may be slightly sunburned. Wow… I’m just rambling… but… that’s all I ever do.

So, what’s up for this week? Going to try to get out a couple of days this week, dropping the two left at home at an Anime convention for one, and just getting out of town for another. I’m so sick of this town. If I had some money, I’d love to go on an actual vacation, but I don’t. And I don’t have a pet sitter so there’s that.

About books…

Everything not currently in Kindle Unlimited are live on Kobo and Apple again. I’m not going to update the individual pages because this site will be closing in less than a month. But they’re there. Most of them are now available for a slight discount in my Payhip store. I still have to get a few more up there. I’m just too lazy to bother.

No, I don’t know what I’m doing.

Thanks for asking.

I’m enjoying not worrying about what I write here because I get so very few visitors. I don’t miss social media. AT ALL. Hell, I hate most of it. I hate playing for an audience. I hate worrying something I say will upset someone. And end up upsetting people. I absolutely hate the people who come into my comments and tell me I’ve done something wrong or explain shit to me like I don’t know what I’m talking about… people who never say one damn thing to me unless it’s to nitpick shit. I don’t nitpick anyone. I don’t mess with other people. Hell, I can’t even post my opinion of a damn TV show without getting blessed out for having a differing opinion. Look, y’all do you, you like it, that’s great, carry on, enjoy, sing it from the rafters, I will not come on to tell you why I think it sucked.

Stuff and bother.

Honestly, something happened earlier this year that has damn near destroyed me. It’s hurt most of us. We don’t speak of it. It’s deeply personal. But we’re trying to go on with life as if that something isn’t real. And that hurts… yeah, I know, vague much. I can not and will not discuss this publicly. I’ve only told two people outside my family. But… despite that… maybe because of that, I’ve decided it’s time to stop worrying about other people who don’t give a shit about me. I can’t continue to wallow. It’s time to move on. I’ve lost so much over the past decade. Not a writing career. I have no family left outside of those in this house. I’m related to a lot of people but I don’t know them. So that’s it, my parents are gone, my siblings are gone… it’s just us left. I’m done dealing with loss and grief. I’m tired of allowing others to hurt me.

Yeah, I know, you’re done listening to me rant. Not much left of this but that.

It’s time to figure out how to move forward, and if it’s not this, then… so be it. It’s time to restart… or walk away completely. Now I’m talking about being Mercy.

I can’t write the way I did in the beginning. I may never be able to recapture that voice. But I no longer want to write dark and bitter stories either. I don’t know what I want to write. It’s not football. I do find myself wanting to write something again. I’m torn between writing for money, and writing for self. Once I could do both. Now… I don’t write what sells. I don’t know who I am now to write for that.

So,

That’s my thousand words for the day… I need to control my ADHD and get off my ass and get going.

Peace,

Mercy

 

Book of the Day, My very first published book from way back in 2005. It’s older than my youngest kid. Are you brave enough to see where I began?  Originally published by Ellora’s Cave.

Through the Ghost

Last Day Alert

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It’s the last chance… for romance… in KU-uuuu!

Ha!

Okay, sorry… but yes, the last day for those ten titles is upon us. Tomorrow, to be exact. Tomorrow night, okay, well, Thursday morning very early sometime, unless the Zon randomly decides to check the stay in box again. They do that. Every damn time. I uncheck, and double and triple check the uncheck, but every time books fall out, one or two stay in. I go check, and sure enough, the stay in box is checked. At least they allow you to uncheck on that day only to remove the title from KU… so there is that…. What was I saying?

Oh, yeah, if you still haven’t read the following titles in Kindle Unlimited, you have until around midnight Pacific time tomorrow night to get them into your KU library. Books in your KU library will stay in your library until you return them. But once they are out of KU you can’t get them into your library.

While I’m at it, let’s talk about how KU works for the author/publisher… when you the reader borrow a book with your KU membership, we the author/publisher will be paid a tiny amount per each page that you read. One time. Only once. If you keep a book to re-read in your KU library, we will never get another less than half cent for any of those pages read. That’s not to say you shouldn’t. We were (hopefully) paid for your original read, just like we’re paid for one original purchase through the zon. I’m just saying that there are readers who do believe we are paid every time they read the book in KU. We aren’t. I’d highly recommend keeping an eye out for sales on favorite books you’d like to keep forever, and purchasing those books. It will free up space in your library for more new stories to read.

Though, it would be nice if KU did pay out for every page read no matter how many times… but they don’t. So… alas.

What was I saying… again?

Oh, yeah,

Grab these titles quickly if  you haven’t already, they will be out tomorrow night.

Through the Ghost

Sunny with a Chance

Double Coverage

Wicked Game

In from the Cold

Cold Shadow

Behind Iron Lace

Behind Frosted Lace

Need You Now

Light from the Dark

All links above are Amazon affiliate links, if you should purchase anything through the link I will be compensated a small amount.

And a gentle reminder that the remaining books, The Southern Scrimmage and Adventure INK series’ will fall out at midnight-ish April 24th.

And also, in about a month this site will likely disappear due to lack of funds to renew it. If or when that is final I will post new links to old blogs in case you want to continue to read my ramblings.

 

That’s it for today. I’m going to fill out Aubrey’s FAFSA now, so pray for me. Tomorrow we’re going to start painting the kitchen. Nearly 9 years in this house and we still have builder beige in the main rooms.

Talk later, and as always,

Peace,

Mercy

Ugh!

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This has not been the best week.

I know it’s only Thursday, but, it’s just been one long horrible fucking week so far.

Started over the weekend when the sewage drain backed up. Late Saturday night to be exact. Everything sent down the drain started flooding out from under the toilet in my bathroom. I spent the entire weekend cleaning sewage water off my floor. Why does stuff like that happen on the weekend? Why does it happen on a holiday weekend?

Since I didn’t have enough to pay a plumber for a weekend, much less, an Easter Sunday call, we had to wait until Monday to get the pipes cleared out. $230 bucks. literally down the damn drain. It would have been $380 for the same twenty minute visit on Sunday.

Seriously, go into plumbing if you can. That is where the money is.

It’s just been downhill since then. My bathroom now smells like mildew. I can’t find the source. I’ve cleaned it, and cleaned it. I can’t see anything in the baseboards that makes me think there’s water damage, so it must have seeped behind into the drywall… isn’t that fun?

We’re just now, late Thursday getting the last of the towels washed. It’s taken three an a half days to get through them. We used every single solitary towel in this house before I remembered I have a carpet cleaner that can suction up the overflow water. It’s taken so long because we’re washing each load twice, just to make sure we got all of the sewage out. I swear the washer hasn’t stopped running. And the dryer is ready to quit and join the circus I do believe.

And it’s been downhill ever since.

I’d use the term cascade but that’s taking the theme too far.

I don’t know. It’s like… I just sat in my chair yesterday staring at my computer wanting to do something but I kept getting teary and I don’t know why. Like… I hit some wall and I keep hitting it and I can’t stop hitting it. And the wall is giving out at the base and I know it’s going to fall on me but I keep hitting it. Does that make sense?

I’m tired. So yeah, it’s all cascading down on me. Health, finances, other people’s needs. I can’t keep going this way and I know it, but there’s not one damn thing I can do to stop it.

I need to write something. I need to rebuild. I need to do something. I searched myself on TikTok last night. I don’t exist. I’m so far back in relevancy I may as well not exist. But then I’m more relieved to have found nothing than to find hate postings about my work, so I guess there’s that.

I don’t know… is it better to be forgotten than to be hated?

I know there are people who still find my work and love it. I thank you so much. You are in the minority.

Ah, it’s another whine and complain post… rinse repeat…

 

So, enough of that, let’s just skip to the reminders.

The next round of books leaving Kindle Unlimited will be out on the 10th. That will just leave the Scrimmage and Adventure INK series in, and they leave on the 24th. I have no plans to return to KU this year. If I drive over to Florida before Saturday and accidentally buy the winning billion dollar lottery ticket, then all of my books will disappear… but since that’s not happening, I guess they’re safely going to be available at Amazon, Apple, and Kobo for the foreseeable future.

Uh, what else… I desperately need to refresh the Crescent Moon and Shift in Time covers. And maybe the Beyond Complicated cover. I’d like more of a fantasy style cover for the two witch books but BC is too hard to get right. Not in the financial cards right now.

Which brings me to the discourse on book covers on social media and all of the cartoon covers. I don’t like them. I mean, I think One True Pair and Falling Back could probably stand a cartoon cover, but I still don’t like them. I need something darker for River’s Edge. I think that story might have made two hundred bucks in the last year and a half. So, not worth trying. I’m happy with the series’ covers. All of them. The MM cover trends seem to be staying roughly the same. There are some cartoons and some dark fantasy covers, but mostly it’s still hot men. At least for contemporary. I do still play with the idea of paperbacks but I’ve never done well with those, I’ve never made back what I spent to produce them, so again, there is that. Audio… I’d love to. I can’t afford it. And there aren’t any narrators who can do a decent southern accent to save their lives, so, no. That’s not  happening.

I do still consider trying Patreon again. I have no follow through, and no ideas how to keep it going. I don’t know what I’m going to do with the straight romances I’ve written. I hate that one football MM I’ve been delaying for years now. So… yeah. Not a clue as to what to do there. No support group. No one to talk any of this over with… blah blah blah.

I don’t craft anymore. I just bought new fabric that I saw and had to have but I have no urge to pull out the sewing machine, nor even what to make with it. So… blah. I think I’m going to start selling my jewelry making supplies. Maybe do one big grab bag/box. Again, BLAH!

And then there’s this website. It’s going to cost more than I make in a month of book sales just to renew for one year. I think May 12th or so will be the final day on here. I honestly think I’m just going to let it all go. I can’t muster any excitement for it, and anyone who reads my drivel can tell I’m done. I just haven’t had the guts to walk completely away yet. But that’s coming.

Anyway… that’s my thousand words for today.

Hope you are having a better week than I am.

Peace,

Mercy

 

Get ’em while they’re still in KU!

February seems to be in a Hurry

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Why did January drag on for three and a half years but it seems like February has an appointment somewhere and can’t wait to get there?

It was literally just January… UGH!

Anyway… it’s Super Bowl weekend. And I don’t give a single crap about either team. Like seriously… of course, I haven’t watched a single football game in two years now, so there is that.

It feels weird to not watch football. Really weird. I just don’t care about it anymore. And I don’t know why.

But if I had to pick a team, I’ll go with the 9’ers for Joe.

Speaking of football… I was interviewed by a writer for the Wall Street Journal last week. She said she was writing an article on football romance and found my name on GoodReads. I had to agonize over the invitation. Did I really want to open up that can of worms again? Will it be a positive article? So many mainstream publications treat the romance genre with disdain and only whip out an article around this time each year. I said many, not all. But even the half way decent articles can still come across as condescending. How will she present my work, if she uses it? Gay romance is still far outside mainstream even though there are now mainstream publishers willing to publish it. And gay football… I hate to imagine how that will go over. But I did it. I answered her questions honestly. Why I chose to write gay players. If I know anything about football. If I ever get details wrong… I do. I try not to, but I do. Er… did. Stuff like that. And now we wait. Wait to see if the article is even published. Wait to see if she uses my interview. Wait to see how much damage it might cause… SIGHS………………..

Why yes, I do have trust issues. Why do you ask? See Ellora’s Cave, Silver Publishing, Cobblestone Press, and Pride Publishing for details. Also answers the question as to why I haven’t pursued mainstream publishing and will likely only ever be self-published.

Which brings us back to the question of when will ___________ be released?

I haven’t written a word since November 2022. I don’t know when I’m going to write again. I don’t know if I want to write again. I don’t have anything to say. I don’t have a story to tell. and… unfortunately, don’t want to revisit old characters. Maybe one day. When they’re no longer a sore subject for me. When the hate and anger over those characters fades from my abused psyche… maybe then. I do not have skin thick enough to go through that again.

So… it is what it is.

I was told I suck too many times. I was told I was evil too many times. And I was told that someone should take my characters from me WAY too many times. I was told once that I should be shot…

My advice for new authors… buckle up. But who knows, maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones to come out unscathed with all of your royalties paid.

God, is it too much to ask to be one of the lucky ones? Just once I’d like to know how it feels to not be shit on for a change.

So… yeah, that’s about it for checking in in February. When I get further away from my birthday, maybe the less defeated I’ll feel. Until then… enjoy the game. Have fun. Hope your team wins.

And if you’re not a fan of the game, but are looking for a nice book to read… good luck finding any football romance in all that hockey.

 

Peace,

Mercy

 

It’s been a minute

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Best laid plans. I need to just stop planning. That’s all there is to it.

Two tornadic and one ice event in the last 13 days. It’s been a… something. Don’t know what that something was but it was definitely something. Sorry.

I have no plans for this post. Just to let y’all know I’m still kicking.

I’m still kicking. Not much else going on. Trying to stay warm.

I live where there are alligators. I live where there are hurricanes. I live where there are venomous snakes. I live where there are flying palmetto bugs (type of cockroach), and big spiders, and humidity, and summer lasts seven to eight months of the year. I don’t live where the air hurts my face. I do not want to live where the air hurts my face. I actually like alligators.

Whoever left the arctic freezer open, please come and take your weather back. We don’t want it.

So… what’s going on? with you? I’m frankly, exhausted and have more or less given up, but that’s everyday.

We’re all fairly healthy right now. Considering. No one is dying of covid or in the hospital. So I guess that’s all that matters. Any day when you’re above ground is a good day, I guess.

It’s been a minute since I updated on the books… no I’m not writing. Pretty sure that’s done. I have no interest in creating anything. The 33 published works are all on Amazon. I pulled everything from Kobo and Apple. 22 titles are in Kindle Unlimited. 12 of those will fall out of Kindle Unlimited in a month. 11 are for purchase only. 1 of those can never return to Kindle Unlimited. I think I might make $300 bucks this month. Wheee.

Uh… I left social media. Except for TikTok. I have no plans to return. I might post ads on IG and Threads. You’ll find blog posts shared on FB and the site formerly known as twitter. All news and updates are now exclusive to this blog.

Meh. I’m cold and tired and Saturday is my birthday. I bought the makings for my own cake. I bought myself a couple of presents. I’m just hanging on until my youngest graduates high school on May 13th, and turns 18 in June. It is what it is.

After that, I’ll figure out what is next for me. Because I don’t fucking know. Maybe I’ll write again. One day. I just don’t know. Every time the urge hits, new horrible shit happens in the writing world and I think, you know, maybe it’s best to just let that all go away. You were famous for a hot minute. Be happy it happened and grateful you’re not in the world of whatever this mess is now.

Anyway, that’s it for me.

Hoping your winter is going well. No floods, tornadoes, or ice storms where you are. Wonders if it’s possible to move to Australia for the winter months… but kangaroos freak me out. They look like deer that walk upright and can kill you if you look at them funny. Yeah, their snakes and spiders and stuff like that don’t bother me. I’m from Florida. The whole state could kill you. Lower Alabama has the same stuff as Florida. Just not kangaroos. Or moose. Moose freak me out too.

Peace,

Mercy