Playing Catch Up
I forgot November has 30 days instead of 31.
Hey, everyone! I hope you had a fun Thanksgiving break. Things have been going alright for me, real-life-wise. Work is finally starting to settle and I feel much more comfortable than I had previously I’m just so happy to get some stability back in my life after having such hectic months, unemployment-wise.
In author news, I have three things to share.
First off— I would love to get to ✨100 sales ✨before the year ends. I am 26 sales away from reaching that goal so this might be a long shot, but I’m going to try my best to promote the book and see if I can get AVC to go on sale soon. Still working on how to do that. I would greatly appreciate it if you all helped me simply by spreading the word about the book, if you liked it maybe gift it to a friend with similar tastes, all that good, fun stuff we do during the holiday season.
Secondly, I finished writing the first act of #ProjectRyessida2.
I’m not going to lie, it was hard to come back into this world— not because I have lost steam for it, but because the first book hasn’t done as well as I thought it might, it kind of dampers the desire to write its sequel.
Don’t worry, I love these characters and I will finish their story, but the motivation is hard to maintain when a lot of the people who initially showed interest in the project just do not seem to be as interested as they once were. It’s hard to see fellow authors with more sales than me decry their books as failures because, to me, that just means I am an uber-failure— which I understand is a dangerous mindset.
And third— A VERMILION CURSE is now available to be nominated for the Queer Indie Awards 2023. I have some ideas of what categories AVC could fall under, but if you have any suggestions that, please feel free to nominate AVC for whatever you want. More information can be found if you click the following link.
On a more personal note.
Writing is hard. Marketing is harder. In a landscape that is both receptive to romantasy and incredibly hostile against it, I find myself floating in midair, not sure where my place in the community is supposed to be. AVC doesn’t fall into all of the typical fanfare that romantasy loves to play around with, but it also isn’t like other fantasy novels because the romance element is a key component of it all.
It’s a hard and a rather lonely road. I try my best not to complain, but sometimes seeing the same number on the sales board for weeks on end is… depressing. I know marketing is important and consistency is key, but between my day job, my responsibilities, and this, sometimes I wonder if I bit off more than I could chew. Being an author, especially an indie one, is hard because you not only have to be a writer— you also have to be a content creator.
I will do my best, and I’ll work my hardest to make sure people know what AVC is and are excited to read it, but I just have to make peace with the fact that I will be on a slower journey than the rest of my peers. It’s difficult for me to be online all the time, it’s even more difficult to create content for my online spaces— I accept that I’ll have to take what I can, given the output I can create.
For all of you who have loved and supported AVC since the beginning, and all of you who found it recently and have become enamored by its world, characters, and story— thank you. This all means the world to me, more than any of you will ever know. ♥
Here’s to a new year of more Ryessida, better success, and a whole new lease on life!
I hope you and your loved ones have a good holiday break and the new year is kind to all of us. We need it.
Currently Watching (TV)
I have not watched a single new TV show this November. This makes me sad but considering I watched 3 different shows in October, I think I’m allowed a pass.
Currently Watching (Film)
This film was a delight! There is no other word for it— it’s whimsical, funny, and thoroughly entertaining. FANTASTIC MR. FOX explores the consequences when a man used to a certain lifestyle suddenly quits cold turkey. We’ve seen this story before, but never have I experienced it in such a gentle and warm manner. If you still haven’t seen this Wes Anderson masterpiece, you definitely should. Great movie for the Holiday season!
Currently Listening To
Similarly to the TV shows section, it’s been hard to get into new music this month. I mostly have the #ProjectRyessida2 playlist on repeat for writing purposes, but when that’s not playing I’m playing Beyoncé’s RENNAISANCE album in preparation to go see her concert film this Sunday. So consider these two oldies, but goodies.
Currently Reading
— And finally, reading! I read very little in November due to drafting-mode, but I did make my way through 3 books and completed my original Goodreads goal of 50 books! I upped it up to 55 to spend the rest of December reading cozily.
Here’s what I read:
In the Comfort of Shadows by B. Nacole: This was spectacular! It felt like coming back home after a long trek. Full review available on Goodreads. 5/5
The Outsiders by SE Hinton. This is the outlier of the bunch but I had to read it to create an exam for my ninth-grade students and honestly? I fell completely in love with it. In PR, we aren’t required to read these in our normal high school curriculums unless students attend specialized private schools, and since I work in one, then it was my time to read it. It’s such a gripping and sad tale of toxic masculinity and emotional vulnerability that I read it in two days and was left weeping. Stay golden, guys. 5/5
An Orc and a Gentleman by Moira Carn: Such a delightful way to come back into a genre that I adore! It’s sweet & spicy. Full review available on GoodReads. 5/5