Anything and Everything.

Back when I first typed out SERVING UP INNOCENCE, and long before it had a title or was even thought to become part of a series, I finished the ending in a less than ideal way. Shayne didn't get the guy she really wanted. She ended up not growing and made decisions that ended up being better for everyone else. It wasn't right and it didn't work. Rereading the original ending on a second and third pass, I knew it didn't fit her character as there was no character growth. I gave my own book a 2 star rating at that point. LOL. There wasn't even a real Happy Ever After, which if you write Romance, is expected (just like finding the killer is important to murder mysteries but more on that later). Reading the original ending, I knew what was going to happen... it was clear as day to me. So, why not then change the ending to reflect that? And in three short clicks, the ending was cut out and re-filed into a folder where I store my cut material (it makes for some inte...

What’s a Critique Partner? Simply, a Critique Partner (CP) is someone, usually an author, who will go over your manuscript in fine detail, searching for plot holes, weak character development, possibly grammar and punctuation errors and so on. A CP will go in depth to your manuscript and bring out the very best of your story the way you’ve written it – something that’s very important. A critique partner worth their weight in gold, will strengthen your words, not twist them into what they would’ve done. They will mix the constructive criticism with the good. This is exceptionally important. It’s equally as important to work with a CP who writes in the same genre and therefore understands the mechanics within. Of course, everyone wants to have a perfect manuscript coming out of the gate, but even the best of the best, have someone else who will review their manuscripts before turning them over to their editors. And swapping chapters with another author gives you a chance to wo...

Martin Caiber has a problem. As the son of a high-ranking member of Chicago's underworld, he knows his family has enemies, but he never expected to have someone trying to kill him. Unwilling to inherit his father's legacy, he wants to keep his nightclubs on the legal side of things but after nearly being run down in front of his club, Martin decides that it's time to enlist outside help. Michelle "The Hawk" Andress is a woman with a past. A private investigator who specializes in finding lost children, she has talents she is glad she rarely has to use. It is these talents that put her on Martin's radar, and after an attempt on his life she agrees to become his bodyguard. The attraction between the two is undeniable, but when Michelle becomes the target of hitmen too, her past comes back to haunt her and puts their future in jeopardy. If they're going to make it out alive, they'll have to use Martin's contacts and Michelle's deadly aim to pu...

For a self-published author, deciding on a cover, or what I want on it is an arduous task.  In my newest series -- The Ladies of Westside -- I knew exactly what my main characters (MC) looked like, but finding them? Impossible. When I contacted the lovely Cassy Roop of Pink Ink Designs, she sent me a very detailed form to fill out, asking about fonts I liked, colours I thought worked and in-depth character descriptions. Then she provided me the name of the site she uses for photos and sent me shopping.  I spent HOURS pouring through the photos. For Serving Up Innocence  the male MC has dreads and is Caucasian. The female MC has darker hair. Finding a photo with these two was nearly impossible, especially characters that are in their early 20s. Unable to find a couples photo, I did find two individual, and sent the stock numbers off to Cassy.  She sent back this prototype.  Concept 1 Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with this, but it's...

From WTH to Yes! Nailed It.  I was going through my older pictures when I stumbled across the original mock ups for Duly Noted . It still makes me gasp in horror.  Based on a recommendation from another author, I contacted her Fiverr book cover designer (who I just checked is no longer listed - at least not under that name.). I told him/her what I was looking for and waited for the mock up to come back. This was the first!  I can hear you gasping! I know I was mortified. Where were these amazing covers that they posted for other authors and why was I getting something that looked like my kid whipped it together (and FTR my kid can do much better work than this!). I told them no way, and gave more information, what the story was about, the theme, the genre, links to book covers covering similar topics, everything I thought they'd needed.  This was the second (and final) mock up. And there are errors throughout. Sigh.  It's a huge i...