Got my proof copy of “Suriax” today! There really is nothing like holding a copy of your book in your hands. I can’t wait to read through it so I can make it available to order in paperback.
If you want to order it as an eBook, check it out here, on Smashwords.
A.D. McLain/Amanda Young
I just self-published my first book. In many ways, it feels more rewarding than publishing the traditional route. I published two books through publishers. That was an exercise in disappointment. I had little to no help with marketing. You can’t sell a book if no one knows it exists. I’ve been writing since I was 12 years old. I always thought writing the books was the hard part. Once I found a publisher to take a chance on me, I would have it made. Ah, the naiveté of youth.
So I decided to forgo that with this book and do it myself. I’m doing all of the work anyway. Why not get a bigger chunk of the rewards? Having complete control over when and how it is published, what the cover looks like, how much it costs, having the freedom to run promotions or give out free copies at my discretion, is exhilarating and frightening. With no one to approve or finalize my work, it’s all on me. I am the final say. If there are problems, I have no one to blame but myself. Of course, there is still the matter of that darn marketing beast. How do you find readers in a world of virtual bookshelves? Will I ever walk into a bookstore and see my book on the shelves? It is a little disappointing to think I may not.
I still remember (back before the internet was used for everything short of breathing) printing out hard copies of my books, standing in long lines at the post office to send certified letters to publishers and then waiting months for the rejection letters to start coming in. It sucked, but that was what being a writer and trying to get published used to be. That was what you expected. It may take ten years or more, but keep trying and eventually you will get your break. If I had known then what I know now, I’d have spent a whole lot more time just writing. Instead of writing one book and waiting to publish it, I would have immediately started the next and built up my body of work. Of course, my life experiences have shaped who I am and have shaped my writing. So I am content with my past mistakes and stumbles. I know now, and that is what matters. Now I am only limited by myself and my own ideas.
So I will keep writing. I will not fall into the same trap of write and wait. I may not get publicity or become well-known on this book or the next. but, like finding that first publisher, it will happen eventually. And when it does, I don’t want to look back and wish I had written more. I put out “Suriax” six months after I started it. Now let’s see if I can do even better with the next one. I’ve got a lot of stories to tell. Time to get them out there.
-A.D. McLain/Amanda Young
Well, I am now 43,000 words into a book I thought was done at 35,000 words. Suriax is a joint venture fantasy novel I am working on with my husband. After my first draft was done, I printed it out for him to read and he came back with edits, things he wanted me to expand on or thought needed more detail. A couple weeks later, I’ve added almost 10,000 words and feel really good about where this story is going. This is my first foray into fantasy, as I usually write paranormal romances. I’ve learned a lot and challenged myself to write about things that aren’t my forte. I just finished working on a fight scene I struggled on for over a week. I had to stop and start a lot to get it done. I am so glad I did the Nano challenege in November. It has taught me to write without interruption. When a scene gets me stuck I skip to another. I do a lot of jumping back and forth, but it keeps me writing and that is an incredible feeling. Never before have I cranked out so many words in such a short amount of time. I can’t wait until I finish the last edit and get to share this book with the world.
-A.D. McLain
I came to the realization the other day that jobs are like death. I don’t mean how some jobs can be soul crushing, time consuming wastelands that serve only to suck up all your time and joy and keep you away from your family and friends. I actually have a more optimistic point to make. Now, if you’ve ever watched or read a ghost story you know the plot where said ghost has unfinished business and has to fix something or learn something before he or she can move on to the great beyond. Jobs can be a lot like that. But just like the ghosts in these stories, you have to be open to learn something, or you just end up haunting the same place for all eternity, a wisp of your former self. I’m a writer, so my dream job is of course to write. But darnnit if life doesn’t like to get in the way with those pesky little bills and need for food and such. I’ve had my fair share of jobs on my quest for my dream. I’ve worked in accounting, physical therapy, marketing and sales. One thing every job had in common was that I had them for a reason. They taught me skills, helped me meet people and even helped me move to somewhere I needed to be. Without my first job out of college, I would never have moved when I did and avoided having my home destroyed by a hurricane. I found my first publisher from working at a physical therapy clinic. Whenever I needed a new job, I found one. I have always been where I needed to be when I needed to be there. And once I learned what I needed to learn, I moved on. I never knew going in what I would get from any of my jobs. Most of my experiences were unexpected and life alterring. I may not always be where I want to be, but I am always where I need to be. Realizing that can make it a little easier to handle difficult times. Ten years ago I never could have predicted where this decade would take me, but I know I have been blessed. I just need to be where I am and let the future take care of itself. I have faith I will reach my dreams and goals one day. In the mean time, I will learn what I am meant to learn and take full advantage of where I am, now. If I hunker down and learn everything I can as quickly as I can, I will be one step closer to where I am meant to go.
-A.D. McLain
I’m often teased for the way I analyze the movies I watch or the books I read. “It’s just a movie,” I’m told. I should lighten up, not take things so seriously. Maybe it’s because I’m a writer, or maybe I can blame my years as an English major in college, but I expect more from my entertainment. To be completely honest, I always have. I would read a book and think, “I can do better.” That is part of the reason I began writing my own stories. As a writer I expect more from other writers. When I see obvious continuity errors or plot choices that make no sense, I feel that writer is being lazy. I expect at least as much from other writers as I expect from myself.
As a writer, I know all the elements that go into a story. A writer must balance theme, character development, action and symbolism, all while keeping the reader or viewer engaged and entertained. To fail at any part of this is to fail as a writer and a storyteller. If the reader isn’t entertained they won’t continue reading, so it doesn’t matter what your message is.
To some, all this is meaningless. It’s just a story. It isn’t real. It doesn’t matter. But stories can be far more important than people give them credit for. Stories allow us to explore issues we all face in daily life. They make us think, feel, examine our beliefs and consider impossible decisions and issues of right vs wrong. They bind us as a culture, displaying elements of our society, our practices, what is important to us, our ideals. They teach us accepted behaviors and what to consider taboo. A good story touches us on a deep level, leaving us inspired, full of hope or full of fear. The best stories affect us without our being aware of it. Therein also lies their danger. Writers have a door into our minds. They can leave impressions and ideas that weren’t there before. They can shape opinions and the direction of a society.
In the end, yes it may just be a movie, or it may just be a book, but that is irrelevant to its ultimate importance. The media chosen is a vessel that conveys the larger message. How that message is received is what really matters.
I gave a brochure with an excerpt for my second book to someone the other day. After reading it, she asked me some questions and said she saw someone reading my first book recently. He told her a little about it and said he was re-reading my first book since I had a second one out. My first thought was that she must have me confused with someone else, but when I showed her a picture of my first book, she confirmed that was the book she saw. What a strange feeling to be told someone was just sitting in a lobby reading my book. I can’t wait until I can hear that and not automatically assume they must be mistaken or talking about someone else. Of course, I may always think that in the back of my head.
-A.D. McLain
When I began writing my series, family was not a very important concept to me. I was 17 years old, looking forward to college and getting out of the house on my own. But as I have grown, so have my characters.
*warning – spoiler alert for those who have not read both of my books*
From the beginning, family was an important issue for my characters. My first book, “Wolf of the Past,” showed Nicole Cameron, an orphan who had recently lost her adoptive parents and was fairly alone in the world. She meets David, who also suffered the loss of family at a young age. Like Nicole, David was “adopted” by someone who took him in and treated him as family. Also like Nicole, David lost that person and found himself pretty much alone. They find each other and have to overcome their fears of loss to make real their hopes of actually finding someplace where they belong, someone they belong with.
In my second book, “Wolf of the Present,” Meghan hates the concept of family. She never knew her father, and her mother left a lot to be desired. She was absent and neglectful before finally being put in a coma by an angry, drunken boyfriend. Meg bounced around in foster homes, never finding a place to settle or a family to call her own.
Mark also faced great tragedy in his early family once his werewolf abilities were discovered. He and his sister were attacked by their parents and neighbors, resulting in the death of his sister. Although not as isolated as some of my characters, Mark was left scarred by what happened.
Later in the book, you learn of a family connection between Meg and other characters. This tests her deep-seated fear and resentment of family and makes her re-evaluate how important having a family can be.
I have worked a great deal on the books that are yet to come in the series, and I found that family plays an ever larger role in the story. What makes a family? Is family important? Is family a good or bad thing? How do you get past bad experiences with your family and not become jaded to the concept of being a part of a family? There are many different types of relationships. Be they romantic, friends or family, each have their own role and importance. And each play a big part in developing who we are and who we become. You can’t ignore one without losing something in your characters or your story.
-A.D. McLain
Between taking care of a three year old, working full-time, writing my own books, and getting ready for a new baby, it can be difficult to find the time to just sit down and read a good book. When I was younger, I would spend days doing almost nothing but reading. I was addicted to reading. It is still my favorite pastime, by far. I love reading a well written book, especially one that is part of a series. I got many of my ideas for my own writing after reading a book that really engaged me. I got even more after reading a book I was unhappy with. I would think of all the things I could have done better. 
In high school, I would read every paranormal book I could get my hands on. I loved Maggie Shayne, Jayne Castle and Kay Hooper, among others. They all kept me coming back for more. I also got very caught up in reading Star Wars books. I loved how with the Star Wars books, the story just kept going on. I never had to say good-bye to my favorite characters. I could always come back and find out what happened next. That is what really endeared me to the Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark-Hunter series. I love that the characters from the early books are still an important part in the later stories. They are all stand alone books, but they each are part of a greater whole. That writing style inspires my own writing and makes me want to create a world like that, where all the stories are interwoven and important to each other.
That said, I have had a devil of a time keeping up with all my favorite authors as of late. Whenever I go to look for new books, I always find I am two or three books behind. Of course, it’s great when I do get all the books I’m missing and get to have a mini reading marathon. This is especially true with the Dark-Hunter books. My mom got me into the series (Thanks, Mom!) so she has some of the books, I have some of the books, and when I do get behind, I always have to check with her to see which ones she has that I haven’t read. I can sometimes forget where I’m at, since I don’t have all the books on my shelf to refer back to. And, sometimes I even read a book or two out of order without realizing it. Just did that a few months ago. Despite all that, I absolutely love reading this series and can’t wait to get the next book when I can. I was able to catch up on some of the series back around the first of this year, and it has me very excited to get the new one about Nick. The book on Acheron was the best. It was dark, complex, really drew you in. Ash is just one of the best characters I’ve ever read. He is the kind of character you’d want to be friends with in real life. I love the dialog Kenyon writes for Ash. He is definitely one of a kind.
Reading Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter series makes me excited to read and excited to be a writer. If she can write something so amazing, it gives me hope that I too can create something that people will enjoy with such enthusiasm. It gives me courage not to shy away from difficult topics or dark story lines, even in the midst of a romance. Besides, reading her books is a lot of fun. I can’t wait til my next Dark-Hunter reading marathon.
-A.D. McLain
It can be difficult to find the time to do anything when you are already juggling a family and a full-time job. Every responsibility or hobby you add must take time from something else. Even so, I’ve never had a problem finding time to write. Editing and marketing, maybe, but never writing. I may not put pen to paper ever day, but that doesn’t mean I’m not writing. Driving to work, rocking my son to sleep, cooking dinner, I’m almost always thinking of my characters and books. I may go days thinking through the details of a scene before I actually write anything. When I do write down my ideas, they are often in snippets on notepads, scratch paper, or even napkins. It is only later that I transfer all those notes to a notebook and put them in order, organizing and firmly writing my book.
My husband tells me it’s all about prioritizing. You make time for the things that are important to you. I guess that’s true, but it isn’t really a conscious decision. It is like eating. It is something I have to do, so I do it. I’ll wake up in the middle of the night to jot down ideas or a scene. Writing is what I was born to do.
-A.D. McLain
