Less than ten years ago, I wrote my second romance. I was still new in the business and haven't learned a lot. I wish I had or at least wait to write a series. Why is that?
According to the author of How To Write  A Series, she suggested it would not be a good idea to write one if readers didn't like your first book or they say it was poorly written. Sure enough, reviewers had wrote that. Even those who read book 1, didn't read book 2 and book 3. In fact, there at least two people who had. Those who enjoyed book 1, haven't read book 2, but even though it wasn't my best, I garnered 25 reviews! Maybe I should not have rewritten the book because the second edition only has a handful of reviews--5 (one is just a rating) and none of the reviewers from book 1 left a review or even read book 2.
If I had waited after I learned more about writing, perhaps people would pick up book 2 and read it. I need those reviews, but they aren't coming in! I guess people don't like suspense or stories about rape even if it offer hope. I wrote book 3 because Beth needed her own story. She was Julie's first friend since she left Montana and she re-entered book 2 and which you learn more about her. It was time to give her a man and I wrote a sweet romance for her. Guess what? Since the new cover, I picked up three more reviews. One was negative, but hey! I can't please everyone. I even thought about rewriting book 3 just to please that one person plus I paid four editors to beta read my manuscript. They acted like editors rather than readers. Never hire editors to beta read.
So, the question remains: should I write book four and five? One reviewer wrote that she would love to read about Julie's sister (from book one) and Beth's friend (from book 3) but the reader never left a review for those book. Maybe she had read them and decided to give me a one for all review. Oh well. 
I want to hear from you. Have you read any of my books in the series? I'm talking about the Second Chance Series. I even reduced the price so that you could read the first book at a lower price You can see the prices below in the images. I have gone through every length I could to improve on my books. I pay for an editor in all my books. I design my own covers, but they aren't made from free images of people. All for you. They cost a lot less to purchase or to download than for me to have professionally written and designed.
So, should I or not? Only the reviews will tell. If only one person seems interested in reading about the other two women, maybe I should leave it at three. What do you think?
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In almost 2 years, my re-release would turn two, but with the lack of reviews and sales, I wondered if it needs a facelift. It wasn't easy to find a redhead since in most of my story, she has dyed red hair, and most images of country girls dresses in a way my main character wouldn't dress. So I chose a model with long blond hair and I colored it red.

And interposed the two men she had to chose from. However, I guess it didn't grab readers. They want to know who their hero is. Am I right? Fellow authors offered their feedback saying the heroine doesn't look nice and it didn't grab them so it's back to the drawing board. Right now I am waiting on my feedback on my blurb because it is too long and it needs to be shorter. So stay tune! If you haven't read The Past Hunter, you can download it with the new cover and subtitle at Amazon.
I also updated my covers of my other books in the series. Perhaps Baby Blues would get more reviews and readers as well as A Man for Beth. Stay Tune!

Great news! The book or story  I started five years ago, is now live at Amazon! And to celebrate, I hosted an event on Facebook. I have posted the event for a month. 14 people said they would come. What happened to them? Did they forget? Two people came: One of my friends and one of her friends. We all don't know the reason why people didn't show up, but the event happened.
The story began one night when I was on my bed. My mind tends to wonder when I can't sleep, but I believe that God gave me this story as I normally don't imagine fantasy. I don't even write fantasy. I don't write horror either but I did. You see, I write outside the box. I may even try a supernatural story someday and I still want to write a cozy series. So what book did I publish?

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TADA! The long waited fantasy is now live. When you read, you will find it not's like other Christian fantasy. The book should have the 22nd as the published date but I hit published too soon so it now it has an early pub date. The 22nd is my late mother's birthday and I even included a dedication page in my book. She had passed away over three years ago.
So go over to Amazon and download your copy today! Click the link and it will take you there.
Don't forget to leave a review!
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Over six years ago, I began my own graphic design business and it bloomed gradually. It began like most small business before the pandemic. People would come in and support the local businesses. The more they liked them, the more they shop then the pandemic hit and small businesses suffered while big corporation remained in operation. My design business was like that. Authors found me in book cover groups, my Facebook page or my website and business picked up...until I started working as a substitute teacher. Slowly it trickled down to one or two clients every few months while the more expensive graphic designer continued to thrive and Amazon introduced the biggest competition and threat to those who offer low cost covers to authors. 
Folks, renting photoshop is expensive when no one is hiring me. I have bills to pay and other expenses (especially as an author). I can't live on nothing and with no classes in the summer, I had to save my last two paychecks to make it to the next school session.
I love designing covers and I will continue to make premades (Maybe with fewer people or with their backs facing the cameras) and I will still try to sell them or show authors what I can do in hopes they will come  back or new clients comes to me, but after August 1, I am no longer going to use photoshop. 
I am not the only designer whose clients stops coming to them. Just like anyone else, we all have bills to pay and we can't pay them if authors rather find cheaper ways or hire the more expensive ones.
One thing for sure even if I get no more clients, God is my source, not authors.

Do you enjoy reading fantasy? Have you read any of my books, and want to read more? My newest book, The Yaphe will be ready for download on July22nd. Hopefully I will have ten reviews posted by the 23rd.
THIS IS HUGE!
I have never written fantasy before, but this story, God had put on my heart to write and I want you to celebrate with me. I will also have an author friend who will help me host the last hour. It's a two hour event! There will be prizes and giveaways! Someone could win of these days! Wouldn't that be exciting? 

And if you haven't read the Yaphe, you could win a copy of my e-book. I personally gift it to you. There are a few more prizes in store but you have to join to find out. I try to plan this event where everyone is not in bed or just woke up. Just click the first photo (the forest) and it will take you to the event.
Help me celebrate
It has taken me maybe five years to release this book and now it's here! Thanks to my editor Martha Reineke for excellent editing. Come join my event. I have linked it to my readers group because without them, I would not have this event at all. If you enjoy my books, you are welcome to join my readers group. 
If you have read my books, and have not left a review, now is a good time to do so. They help readers decide if my book is worth reading or not.

 In my previous blog, I posted an excerpt from my upcoming book, The Yaphe. Readers, this is HUGE! If you have read any of my books, you would know I write write romance or suspense, but one night, God gave me a story to write and it turned out to be fantasy. I'm not much of a fantasy reader, but when he gave me this story, I knew I had to read a couple so I read Rachel Starr Thompson Exile and Amanda Strong, the Awakening! I love that one because her characters each possess a gift that that helps them fight the demons. In Rachel's Oneness Cycle, they fight demons too. Someday, I will write books like that, but this one is different. Please re-read the previous blog. Here's the link:
its-coming.html

I need you. Are you in my reader's group, but haven't signed up? Please do unless you don't like fantasy. You signed up? Thank you? So hard to find readers when you are  not that well known. My other books still need reviews and this is why The Yaphe will not go live unless I have ten reviews.
Readers have told me they enjoy my books are that my books are good. I had one book on sale for .99 cents because some readers tend to download free ebooks but don't leave reviews.
A not about my newsletter. Someone asked how my newsletter have anything to do with my blogs. They won't anymore. I will send out newsletters to keep you updated on it but no blog will be sent to you anymore. I may put a link to the newsletter.
Anyway, my editor sent back my manuscript. She said the next time she will proofread and she will send it back after that. I am aiming for midsummer (July 16-August 15) release, but only if I have ten reviews.
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In just a matter of days, my editor will send back my manuscript with her updated comments and edits. This means that the Yaphe is coming out soon! But it needs you the readers. Do you like to read fantasy? The Yaphe is about two sisters who discovered that their mother came from another dimension and who is a fugitive. She ran from her responsibilities and put her new family at risk, causing them to move every time she senses her people are close to finding her. Throughout the story, Serene and Faith are one step closer to find out why  they move and what happens if they get caught.
In one of the edits, my editor made she suggested I should add more about the Yaphe from my character pov, but at that point in my story, all she knows is from what her sister's dreams, and her own dreams.
Here is a snippet from the beginning of the story:
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 Now here is the thing. I can't release when all the edits are done because I still lack arc readers. I have three already. When I released my series and A Second Chance at Love, I didn't have many reviews for them. Now who wants to read a book with three or four reviews? I should have waited on those four books but now I know better. 
To sign up as my arc reader, click the link below and it will take you to my readers group. Find the post with my fantasy cover with the google doc link, click it and it should take you to the file. 
If you are not a reader of fantasy, maybe you know someone who does. If you are a member of my group and or have signed up, tell your  friends. Be my word of mouth. I promise you that you or they won't regret it. I'm already told my books are good. Now it is up to you. Click the photo below. (I've already given you a preview of my story.)
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It is hard to believe that a great book as mine has only racked up four reviews. Why? It's not that I haven't promoted it. I paid for the Fussy Librarian to promote it and only four people downloaded, but none reviewed it. Nevertheless, I persevered. If readers are thinking it is the same book with lack of editing and professionalism, they are wrong. Over nine years ago, my book began as Marge. I created the story out of my feelings and experiences in being in my father's house, but some people didn't like the long drawn out captivity and others complained the story lacked editing skills and it didn't show, so I took it down and had planned to rewrite it and have a developmental editor to work on it. 
It happened.
When, I finally got the time, I used the skills I learned to show and not tell my story. The readers likes the uses of the sensory and I don't blame them. I do too. When I had the money to pay for an editor, I signed a contract and worked with her to improve my story. On May 4, 2020, I re-release A Second Chance at Love, with a new cover! 

The woman in the background is the one who help reunite the two and help Marge close to God. Marge had walked away from him after the men in her life had hurt her.  Here is what readers had to say about A Second Chance at Love:

The sale actually started Sunday night, but it is still going on. Click the image above and it will take you to download site. And please when you finish reading, leave a review at Goodreads and Amazon. If you are a blogger, feel free to blog about it (but only if you enjoyed the book) 
I am working tomorrow, but I'm going to have a give away. Click on the giveaway tab and you can enter to win a $10 gift card or a  signed paperback book of your choice: A Second Chance at Love, The past Hunter, Baby Blues or A Man for Beth. 
You can't go wrong with that!
Happy Reading!

Meet Mandy. Mandy is not my cat but belongs to a character in my upcoming new cozy. What is a cozy? It's a mystery solved by an amateur sleuth. The main character does his or her own investigation against the police detective wishes because someone she knows has either died or is set up for a murder and she wants to grant this person justice. A cozy is less hard core than  other types of mysteries.
You will read about a substitute teacher who finds that a teacher she subbed for had died. The main character is my altar ego named Serene.
Deciding what to write after I publish my fantasy was hard. It's hard when I still lack reviews and readership. I want people who have read my books to tell other people about it. That's why I have a street team. No, I'm not quitting.  God wants me to use my talent for his glory so I can't quit and I had gained a few new readers. In fact, they have encouraged me to go local without saying anything to me about it. People in my hometown needs to know they have an author in town, and I plan to give my copes away as seeds! All I need is the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Thinking of the Holy Spirit, my cozy might be a little different than most. How so? In any cozy I have read, no amateur sleuth had leaned on the Holy Spirit for help. (If so, it's hidden.) And after I heard someone mention about leaning on the HS, it encouraged me! I have wanted to do it that way so be on the look out. (If you read any of my books besides Purify My Heart, you could tell I use the Holy Spirit a lot!)
So that's what's new. My sister once asked if I would write my military romance, but that might be next year, depending.
So tell me. What is your favorite genre?
Comment below.
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Hey, Y'all (you all) how would you like something out of ordinary on my website? Since I am a cowgirl at heart and I wrote a book set on the ranch, I would like a start a "All Things Cowboy" blog, If I can get permissions from bloggers who posts recipes of their own, I will be posting recipes from their website that mentions cowboys or something they would eat.  I may even featured authors of western romance on my blog if I can get them they say yes. I know a few I can ask  and I will keep you posted,
Let me know your thoughts or if you have ideas or suggestions.