The magic of eBooks...

Sometimes, I wish for do-overs. We all do. For the most part, they only exist in mini-putt games, failed baking attempts, and botched craft projects. 

They also exist for eBooks. 

As I've been writing "Sunny with a Twist of Olive", the characters from "Remember Newvember" keep making cameo appearances. This isn't a surprise; I expected they would. Each time I flip through the manuscript I wrote six years ago, my inner editor cringes a bit, sighs, finds the reference I need, and moves on, vowing to take time to refresh my first novel. 

While the story is solid, and the characters are engaging, much of the book is repetitive. From the first page, we know Willow is embarking on 30 days of new events... and the reader is reminded of this monumental task in every single chapter. Some chapters need more meat and potatoes, others need to be scaled back to remove redundant speeches or descriptions, and most need to be updated so the book remains relevant. 

This is, and always has been, my best-selling book. It's a light-hearted, quick read that appeals to both men and women. I don't want to change the story, but I know I can do better. It deserves better. 

You can expect an updated version of "Remember Newvember" to be available September 1st. It will have a new cover, the prose inside will be updated, and the title might be different... but essentially, it will still be the same book. This make-over is intended to hide its flaws and highlight its original beauty. 

Is it worth it?

Sometimes, when I see dwindling sales and a solid lack of reviews, I think, "Is it worth it?" So much time and energy goes into writing anything - even this blog. First, there's the rough draft that inevitably turns into compost for the second draft, which feeds the third so it can morph into the fourth. The fourth is carefully cultivated to bring out subtle nuances, highlight important events, and is recycled into a fifth, but far from final version of the masterpiece I hope to produce. Each draft takes time, patience, creativity, and a more of my writer's soul than I'd like to admit.

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Honest writing comes with a price. I'm not Olive, but her thoughts and emotions haunt me. The more I write about her, the more I see swirls of who I might have been in an alternate reality. She isn't sweet, or kind, or even terribly likable. But, at the end of it all, she's honest. She doesn't sugar-coat her feelings, she doesn't hide behind societal expectations, and mostly, she doesn't care what other people think about her. I wish I could say the same about my writing. 

Four novels and two short stories into my writing career, I decided to complete the project I started five years ago. As far as serialized novels go, Sunny with a Twist of Olive is slow-going, with only one episode released each month. The pace isn't nearly fast enough for readers, but there are only so many polished and usable words I can produce within 30 days. With so few readers willing to wait for a new episode once a month... I wonder if the effort is worth it. 

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The answer is simple. 

Whether each new installment is read as it's released, or the episodes are gobbled up when the series is complete, the end result will be the same. For years, Olive has demanded to have her story told without guile or artificial sweeteners. Mostly, she's completely average, but has an extraordinary life of her own making.

So, yes, it's completely worth it. Whether I'm writing for three people, or three thousand, it doesn't matter. Olive won't be silent until her story is complete, and my writer's soul won't be complete until her story is written. No matter what, it's a win-win situation.    

Episode 3 of "Sunny with a Twist of Olive"

Episode three of "Sunny with a Twist of Olive" is ready for your reading pleasure! 

To celebrate, I've made Episode #1 free for May 1st only. Of course, if you're subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, the entire series is always free, along with numerous other books by independent authors.

 

Episode #3, "Shut Up and Let Me Go": Memory morphs into reality when Olive runs into the office Jokester. 

Spring Cleaning

I'm supposed to be diligently working on the next installment of "Sunny with a Twist of Olive", but my focus is off, so I decided to change direction and update all my social media sites. Surprisingly, it took longer than I expected, but every now and then, we all need to do a little spring cleaning.

I probably won't keep the new colour schemes, since I'm not a pink kind of girl, but it reminded me of sunshine and warmth and flowers, so I took a leap. It's only colour, after all, and can easily be adjusted later.

Happy Spring!

Episode 2: Inside Out

Today's the day! Episode two of "Sunny with a Twist of Olive" is ready for download. In this installment, Olive finds herself twisted "Inside Out" as she confronts issues from her past.

I'm having so much fun with this serial, that I often forget it's supposed to be work. Olive is so full of spirit and mischief, with just enough snark and realism that I have a hard time putting it away to focus on other projects. 

Stay tuned for more Olive updates.

Be part of the book!

Olive has made her way into the world, but could use a little help reaching past the usual readers. This is an easy little contest and won't take more than four seconds of your time - I promise. In return, you not only get to name a character who will appear in episode two, you'll also get to read the second installment before release day - for free!

There's no catch.

All you have to do is share the link: getBook.at/Olive1 via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog with the hashtag #OJSunshine before March 10, 2015, and you'll automatically be entered into the draw. The link must appear in the text of your post, not just in an image you share, so don't forget to copy and paste it. (If you do share the link on your blog, please let me know by email, as blogs are harder to track).

"Sunny with a Twist of Olive" is only available on Amazon.

Episode One: The Name of the Game

Today's the day!

Olive is making her appearance on Kindles (and Kindle Apps) everywhere! She's a sassy, snobby, selfish character you will probably love and hate with equal passion. I know I do!

For years, Olive has been whispering in my ear, and I've finally found the best way to let her have her say. Each month, a new story in the series will be posted, and more of Olive's secrets revealed.

If you do decide to meet Olive, in all her snarky glory, don't forget to let me know what you thought on Amazon, Goodreads, or right here, on my blog.

Sunny with a Twist of Olive - the cover is ready!

The magical wizard of the cover designing world has worked her magic and created this masterpiece for "Sunny with a Twist of Olive". 

Those sunglasses hide the eyes of a mischief-maker: a party-girl who is about to realize the festivities are over. It's time to clean up the chaos, sweep away the party favours, and deal with the aftermath of the shattered piñata.

"Sunny with a Twist of Olive" is a serialized novel; a new episode will be published on Kindle each month starting March 1st, 2015. When the story is complete, it will be available on all platforms. 

Decisions, decisions, decisions... cover design for Sunny with a Twist of Olive

For years, I've had a character chittering in my ear about her escapades. She's snarky, ambitious, funny, and determined to have her story told. "Sunny with a Twist of Olive" is chick lit with a dark side. Olive is a 30-year-old divorcee who thinks she hit rock bottom when her marriage fell apart. She likes to party, sleep around, and often forgets she has adult responsibilities. It's time to set Olive free in the literary world and see where her stories take us.

The first installment in the serial is set for publication on March 1st. Each month, a new episode will be published, giving Olive lots of time to express herself. The only thing left to do is select a cover design. Because I couldn't decide between the three concepts Jo Clendening created, she gave me permission to post the raw, unedited versions on social media. 

After doing so, and reading all the fabulous responses, I might be a little closer to a cover design... 

You'll have to watch this space to see which one we decide to perfect.