Isoellen's Blog - Posts Tagged "new-book"
Book Release
The build up to your first book release is this amazing thing. First, you feel this grand sense of accomplishment from just finishing an entire story. No, it’s not like I built a house or made a car run, but still, I finished something that took hours of my time and effort, shaped into a whole story, with a beginning middle and end that people can now actually read.
Then the advertising, the sharing, the build-up. The gathering of the tribe who will read the story, which is a step by step, stair-master exercise that makes me feel like I’m going nowhere. At the beginning, I’m all dressed in my eighties exercise gear, plus the big hair and make-up in case someone actually sees me exercise. I look ready and sharp, but by the end I’m a melted mess, all leaned forward and sweating on the console, dragging myself forward. And by the end, I mean ten minutes later.
Then there are all the stages. The days of hell that I call editing. I hates the edits. Hates them. It’s a dragging, drawling mess of cut and piecemeal work where I feel like I’m chasing my tail.
Then the advertising, the sharing, the build-up. The gathering of the tribe who will read the story, which is a step by step, stair-master exercise that makes me feel like I’m going nowhere. At the beginning, I’m all dressed in my eighties exercise gear, plus the big hair and make-up in case someone actually sees me exercise. I look ready and sharp, but by the end I’m a melted mess, all leaned forward and sweating on the console, dragging myself forward. And by the end, I mean ten minutes later.
Then we have the Pre-Order and the Release Date. And every hour feels I’m Animal from the Muppets running back and forth, screaming, and shaking my head and hair. Like a crazy person.
With all that said, my first book Choosing Her Alpha is now available for Preorder at Amazon. Search Isoellen to find me.
It’s right there.
Just don’t lick the cover. I know at least three people have licked it already.
It’s just that awesome.
Style and Encouragement
Did you get an ARC for Choosing Her Alpha? You can post reviews to goodreads and book bub now - and you can post reviews to amazon after it's official release on the 31st! Thank YOU. I am in final edits now, after getting it back from the professional. I want it to be perfect for you guys...and spend five minutes looking at a sentence wondering if I should leave a word in or out. We all know I'm a sloppy writer, so maybe you didn't know that sometimes I mean to leave a word out - stylistically, I often do it on purpose, chopping away at extra verbs, articles and contractions.
---- This sentence ----
"His self assurance and power were unlike any she had encountered before."
>>Sounds better to me without the verb 'were.' Maybe not alone, but add it to<<
"His aura chilled the room, a leashed threat. His self-assurance and power unlike any she had encountered before."
And I feel like the second sentence has more power. I'm writing romance. I'm writing smut. But I want readers to hear it in their heads like poetry.
Is that too much to ask? While the professional editor has helped me be more commercial, going through the MS again I find myself cutting things out. The grammar police are gonna hunt me down, I just know it. But I can't help myself.
ANYWAY! Don't forget your reviews! I appreciate you, and thank you for the time you take. It means so much to me!
---- This sentence ----
"His self assurance and power were unlike any she had encountered before."
>>Sounds better to me without the verb 'were.' Maybe not alone, but add it to<<
"His aura chilled the room, a leashed threat. His self-assurance and power unlike any she had encountered before."
And I feel like the second sentence has more power. I'm writing romance. I'm writing smut. But I want readers to hear it in their heads like poetry.
Is that too much to ask? While the professional editor has helped me be more commercial, going through the MS again I find myself cutting things out. The grammar police are gonna hunt me down, I just know it. But I can't help myself.
ANYWAY! Don't forget your reviews! I appreciate you, and thank you for the time you take. It means so much to me!
March 2020 - What is next
March 16 – Corvid 19 2020
Hello readers,
I feel like a date is needed with this post. All is well here with me and mine and I hope it is the same with you.
Choosing Her Alpha is out had has been very warmly received. We have bounced close to Bestseller a couple times, and I have a photo from our moment in the sun on Amazon Canada , as a number one Bestseller. It is amazing to be surrounded by fantasy authors like Neil Gaimen and Luann J Smith.
I am currently in edits for Her Broken Alpha.
This is not Merrick’s story.
Merrick’s epilogue was not meant to be a brutal teaser. I stopped and started his story and realized I couldn’t get very far because I didn’t have his redemption arc worked out in my head. He was still angry and spoiled -looking for short-cuts.
But while he was in Sector Two his older brother caught my eye. The Mad Monster.
And so book two was born.
CHA and HBA were written over a period of months in the summer of 2019 while I worked nights. I never thought to publish them. And I made some mistakes in the world building.
Many people have said they want more of Sasha and Constantine Kane, that they need an epilogue.
I’m so glad that readers fell in love with them. I had intended Kane to be more of a gangster and his snarly, autocratic self-looked down his nose at me and said, “No. You are incorrect in your assumptions about me. Try again.”
And then there is a big gap in the timeline.
One way or another all of the stories will get told. Each book will be a complete book, one romance, set in one world with an HEA, I am hoping to create stories that are standalones but work well together.
I have a voice actor has been acting out 1st person point of view scripts for Nothonal Darre – Her Broken Alpha – The Mad Monster. These are two things: Scenes from the book as told from Darre’s perspective OR scenes surrounding the book as told from Darre’s perspective. They are unique – sometimes tingle inducing sexy bits – for you the reader. Currently, the narrator has two of them (n scene from when Darre first meets his omega, and an epilogue scene) posted on his audio site. InMyHandsAudio (on twitter) Aka Ben Aka InMyHands says he will read whatever I send him.
This may be a little too spicy for some of you. Ben is an erotic audio artist with a growl that makes my skin MOVE. From the first moment I heard him, I knew he was Darre and he has jumped right In and embraced this filthy minded, broken man, in every way shape and form. You can currently find the clips here in Ben’s private section. https://vanillaaudio.com/InMyHandsAudio/
I will be releasing them for free at some point, but if nothing else, I wanted those interested to get a chance to meet Ben and experience his humor and his “talents.” It is a %100 adult site.
I also may have found a similar voice for Constantine Kane. And I think I should find the voice of Sasha. – having those voices read first person experiences, act short clips out the character, would be amazing to me. Perhaps not everyone will love it, but my intention is to make them totally FREE BONUS material. You won’t be able to download them, but you can visit, any time you like. Doing this is a fun option to giving you more Kane and Sasha also.
During March and April, I will be podcasting more. Live streaming more and sharing all kinds of content. A radio play. Other Writers. My ideas on sharing audio clips as marketing for books and a fun creative thing. I’m working on edits, writing, and all the things. Come find me. Lets hang out. You can listen on any podcast app. https://isoellenwrites.podbean.com – Isoellen Writes Grown Up Story Time.
Thank you for everything.
Isoellen.
Hello readers,
I feel like a date is needed with this post. All is well here with me and mine and I hope it is the same with you.
Choosing Her Alpha is out had has been very warmly received. We have bounced close to Bestseller a couple times, and I have a photo from our moment in the sun on Amazon Canada , as a number one Bestseller. It is amazing to be surrounded by fantasy authors like Neil Gaimen and Luann J Smith.
I am currently in edits for Her Broken Alpha.
This is not Merrick’s story.
Merrick’s epilogue was not meant to be a brutal teaser. I stopped and started his story and realized I couldn’t get very far because I didn’t have his redemption arc worked out in my head. He was still angry and spoiled -looking for short-cuts.
But while he was in Sector Two his older brother caught my eye. The Mad Monster.
And so book two was born.
CHA and HBA were written over a period of months in the summer of 2019 while I worked nights. I never thought to publish them. And I made some mistakes in the world building.
Many people have said they want more of Sasha and Constantine Kane, that they need an epilogue.
I’m so glad that readers fell in love with them. I had intended Kane to be more of a gangster and his snarly, autocratic self-looked down his nose at me and said, “No. You are incorrect in your assumptions about me. Try again.”
And then there is a big gap in the timeline.
One way or another all of the stories will get told. Each book will be a complete book, one romance, set in one world with an HEA, I am hoping to create stories that are standalones but work well together.
I have a voice actor has been acting out 1st person point of view scripts for Nothonal Darre – Her Broken Alpha – The Mad Monster. These are two things: Scenes from the book as told from Darre’s perspective OR scenes surrounding the book as told from Darre’s perspective. They are unique – sometimes tingle inducing sexy bits – for you the reader. Currently, the narrator has two of them (n scene from when Darre first meets his omega, and an epilogue scene) posted on his audio site. InMyHandsAudio (on twitter) Aka Ben Aka InMyHands says he will read whatever I send him.
This may be a little too spicy for some of you. Ben is an erotic audio artist with a growl that makes my skin MOVE. From the first moment I heard him, I knew he was Darre and he has jumped right In and embraced this filthy minded, broken man, in every way shape and form. You can currently find the clips here in Ben’s private section. https://vanillaaudio.com/InMyHandsAudio/
I will be releasing them for free at some point, but if nothing else, I wanted those interested to get a chance to meet Ben and experience his humor and his “talents.” It is a %100 adult site.
I also may have found a similar voice for Constantine Kane. And I think I should find the voice of Sasha. – having those voices read first person experiences, act short clips out the character, would be amazing to me. Perhaps not everyone will love it, but my intention is to make them totally FREE BONUS material. You won’t be able to download them, but you can visit, any time you like. Doing this is a fun option to giving you more Kane and Sasha also.
During March and April, I will be podcasting more. Live streaming more and sharing all kinds of content. A radio play. Other Writers. My ideas on sharing audio clips as marketing for books and a fun creative thing. I’m working on edits, writing, and all the things. Come find me. Lets hang out. You can listen on any podcast app. https://isoellenwrites.podbean.com – Isoellen Writes Grown Up Story Time.
Thank you for everything.
Isoellen.
Her Broken Alpha
It has taken much longer than I hoped since this book was finished last year around this time. But I am thrilled to be releasing it now through Reticent Publications.
Pre-Orders are open NOW for Her Broken Alpha – book to go live on Amazon Kindle on August 22.
The next book in this series will be Merrick’s story. I am playing with ideas of giving Phee (Naya’s sister) a short story too. Sector 12 continues to give me endless opportunities to write.
However. I have other books that will come out first, including the omegaverse, “Finding Her Luck – an Orki Tale,” and the omegaverse epic -fantasy “Caught – Balancing Magic.” I might also work on two other unfished stories posted to Wattpad, but I wanted to let you know that I will start no new worlds until the books I have are already finished and exhausted.
2020 has been a crazy year for all of us. So crazy. Personally, in the midst of hardship and decision making, I found you guys, you readers, and I want you to know that I am both very blessed by you and don’t want to disappoint you.
I hope you like this next book Her Broken Alpha. Darre is not perfect or honorable. He’s made many destructive decisions. Some may find his choices unforgivable. But we have all made choices we regret. I hope you keep that in mind as His Broken Alpha unfolds.
I’m so grateful for you guys,
Isoellen
Pre-Orders are open NOW for Her Broken Alpha – book to go live on Amazon Kindle on August 22.
The next book in this series will be Merrick’s story. I am playing with ideas of giving Phee (Naya’s sister) a short story too. Sector 12 continues to give me endless opportunities to write.
However. I have other books that will come out first, including the omegaverse, “Finding Her Luck – an Orki Tale,” and the omegaverse epic -fantasy “Caught – Balancing Magic.” I might also work on two other unfished stories posted to Wattpad, but I wanted to let you know that I will start no new worlds until the books I have are already finished and exhausted.
2020 has been a crazy year for all of us. So crazy. Personally, in the midst of hardship and decision making, I found you guys, you readers, and I want you to know that I am both very blessed by you and don’t want to disappoint you.
I hope you like this next book Her Broken Alpha. Darre is not perfect or honorable. He’s made many destructive decisions. Some may find his choices unforgivable. But we have all made choices we regret. I hope you keep that in mind as His Broken Alpha unfolds.
I’m so grateful for you guys,
Isoellen
Next Book Update
I think I am going to be one of those writers that is always trying to do something new and never does what the reader wants. Ugh. I didn’t want to be THAT kind of writer. But I did not understand how stubborn a muse can be, or what the book creating process looks like. How some authors get books out in a month, I do not know.
My process is not super complicated, not usually. I have an idea for characters, and an idea for the world that shaped them and where I want the story to go. But this writing in the same world is complicated. Especially when one doesn’t take good notes on the world as they are writing it, then they do something else for 10 months, and come back to it. I’m just saying. Some people make it harder than it needs to be because they don’t plan.
Hi, I am some people.
At this moment I have 4 unfinished stories about six that I am eager to start. If you get my email I sent out a big long one about how I plan to go about that. I may have already changed my mind and taken a different route trying to get that muse to work with the whole book process.
What is the book process? I am so glad you asked. For me, the first step is writing. 2nd step is sending to someone who can clean up the mess I made trying to write something, third is posting the rough to Wattpad. (even after the first edits I will need more.) I post on Wattpad until the book is finished, giving even more time for readers like you to offer edits (its vs it’s -because my mind does not care, and other assorted homophones, continuity issues, and please Isoellen-cut that scene.)
Once the book is finished, it is up for a very limited time before it goes for formal edits, changes, proofreading and then on to be sold. You readers have been wonderful in the past, leaving reviews, and buying the book anyway, so this process of letting you read the draft has worked for me. I will continue to do this until it doesn’t work.
Speaking of edits – are you a qualified editor who has read my books and is comfortable with all the extra commas? Every writer says they are a little different, but I do like to drop definite articles and toss semicolons and dashes around. After spending the winter writing romantic poetry on twitter, this issue is now WORSE. I’m looking for an editor that is really good with the grammar but understands what I want to do with the way the writing sounds – and I am hoping to find an editor that is not so busy that they can commit to working on books with me. Why are all the good editors taken?
Just like hunky alphas.
All that to say, “Hey you guys, new book up on Wattpad under my name, Isoellen.” It’s Finding Her Heart, the second book in the Orki War Bride series. I am posting chapter by chapter, and It will not be up much past the second week of May.
I’d love to connect with other Wattpad writers too. Send me a message if you are writing there and let’s be mutuals. I’ve looked at other platforms, even posting to my own website, but I think this is going to work for the time being. Feel free to leave comments with ideas. Let me know what you think.
You guys mean a lot to me. You are why I write. Your feedback is freakin’ CRACK.
XoXo
Isoellen
3/28/21
My process is not super complicated, not usually. I have an idea for characters, and an idea for the world that shaped them and where I want the story to go. But this writing in the same world is complicated. Especially when one doesn’t take good notes on the world as they are writing it, then they do something else for 10 months, and come back to it. I’m just saying. Some people make it harder than it needs to be because they don’t plan.
Hi, I am some people.
At this moment I have 4 unfinished stories about six that I am eager to start. If you get my email I sent out a big long one about how I plan to go about that. I may have already changed my mind and taken a different route trying to get that muse to work with the whole book process.
What is the book process? I am so glad you asked. For me, the first step is writing. 2nd step is sending to someone who can clean up the mess I made trying to write something, third is posting the rough to Wattpad. (even after the first edits I will need more.) I post on Wattpad until the book is finished, giving even more time for readers like you to offer edits (its vs it’s -because my mind does not care, and other assorted homophones, continuity issues, and please Isoellen-cut that scene.)
Once the book is finished, it is up for a very limited time before it goes for formal edits, changes, proofreading and then on to be sold. You readers have been wonderful in the past, leaving reviews, and buying the book anyway, so this process of letting you read the draft has worked for me. I will continue to do this until it doesn’t work.
Speaking of edits – are you a qualified editor who has read my books and is comfortable with all the extra commas? Every writer says they are a little different, but I do like to drop definite articles and toss semicolons and dashes around. After spending the winter writing romantic poetry on twitter, this issue is now WORSE. I’m looking for an editor that is really good with the grammar but understands what I want to do with the way the writing sounds – and I am hoping to find an editor that is not so busy that they can commit to working on books with me. Why are all the good editors taken?
Just like hunky alphas.
All that to say, “Hey you guys, new book up on Wattpad under my name, Isoellen.” It’s Finding Her Heart, the second book in the Orki War Bride series. I am posting chapter by chapter, and It will not be up much past the second week of May.
I’d love to connect with other Wattpad writers too. Send me a message if you are writing there and let’s be mutuals. I’ve looked at other platforms, even posting to my own website, but I think this is going to work for the time being. Feel free to leave comments with ideas. Let me know what you think.
You guys mean a lot to me. You are why I write. Your feedback is freakin’ CRACK.
XoXo
Isoellen
3/28/21
Book release in April
Coming In April! NEW book! A New World. (...if you follow me on wattpad this story is in the world of Katie and the Reaper and features the characters Sophie and Micah from another story...)
"Micah’s tone changed to a sensual purr, “Sweet Starlight, that’s right, listen to me. That’s your last chance now, not gonna tell you over and over. You see what happens when you don’t follow directions? You made yourself sick. Saw shit you shouldn’t. That can get you killed here. No one cares what a commodity you are if you get in their way. You get me? You are going to do what I say, aren’t you, baby?”
Panic receding, she looked at him, biting her lip. His finger touched the corner of her mouth and pulled her lip free-touching her like he could do whatever he wanted, and she would accept it.
His entire hand engulfed her jaw, a finger brushed over her wet cheeks.
Standing too close and in her space, he said, “Too good for this place, aren’t you? Too young and innocent for a dirty old monster like me.”
⭐⭐⭐ Claiming Starlight is a short story from a broken Post-Apocalyptic world.⭐⭐⭐
*icy cold alien vampir wearing Versace
*sifters
*a teasing naiad
*a troll taxi driver
*expert gnome remodelers
*Hot smexy hero who takes what he wants
*No OW drama
* A little dub-con
*A XXX chapter that could be banned on Amazon
"Micah’s tone changed to a sensual purr, “Sweet Starlight, that’s right, listen to me. That’s your last chance now, not gonna tell you over and over. You see what happens when you don’t follow directions? You made yourself sick. Saw shit you shouldn’t. That can get you killed here. No one cares what a commodity you are if you get in their way. You get me? You are going to do what I say, aren’t you, baby?”
Panic receding, she looked at him, biting her lip. His finger touched the corner of her mouth and pulled her lip free-touching her like he could do whatever he wanted, and she would accept it.
His entire hand engulfed her jaw, a finger brushed over her wet cheeks.
Standing too close and in her space, he said, “Too good for this place, aren’t you? Too young and innocent for a dirty old monster like me.”
⭐⭐⭐ Claiming Starlight is a short story from a broken Post-Apocalyptic world.⭐⭐⭐
*icy cold alien vampir wearing Versace
*sifters
*a teasing naiad
*a troll taxi driver
*expert gnome remodelers
*Hot smexy hero who takes what he wants
*No OW drama
* A little dub-con
*A XXX chapter that could be banned on Amazon
