Just wanted to give everybody a few updates on KINDRED. Originally, due to not wanting to give any *approximate* dates that were too early for release, I think I greatly overshot my initial September expectation. Looks like I might finish this book as early as this weekend! Of course, it still has to go through my trusty editor(s) before I put it out there, but looking into the very near future I’m a little more confident about the progress that I can give an *approximate* release date that I’m going to try my best to honor. If I don’t make it, please don’t throw stuff at me!

So, I’m going to say that the release date for KINDRED – Book Two in the Darkwoods Trilogy is expected on July 20, 2012 (which is also Isaac Mayfair’s twentieth birthday!)

For anyone curious as to what KINDRED has in store, I can say that things are definitely getting more complex, more heartbreaking and more shocking. Not only will you be thrown into a rollercoaster love story that will leave you wondering if it will end in tragedy, but you’ll be introduced to a new character, an archaic entity as original as she is dangerous. You’ll finally know what a ‘Praverian Chronicle’ is and I can assure you that you’ve never met another being like her.

Also, I wanted to extend an advanced offer for any reviewers who have already read THE MAYFAIR MOON, enjoyed it and are interested in receiving a free copy (Kindle, Nook or paperback) of KINDRED to read and review as well. If you’re interested, please do the following:

• Send me an email to jredmerski {AT} yahoo {DOT} com
• Include your book blog address so I know what blog you’re from
• Subject line: KINDRED Advanced Review Request
• Include the format you prefer

That’s it! I just want to get a reviewer count early for various reasons. I will send out these copies the day of release.

Lastly, I created a giveaway on Goodreads (hosted by myself and not Goodreads) a short time ago for a signed copy of KINDRED and the winner is Mag at Geek Chic! I actually chose the winner the old-school way and put all of the names who entered, in a hat! Yes, I did, lol. :-) Anyway, Mag won, so congrats! However, I know a few of the reviewers who loved THE MAYFAIR MOON prefer paperbacks (Lauren, for instance), so no worries, you’ll also get one. :-) Just make sure you email me and tell me what format you prefer!

Please not that the cover displayed is not final.

Thanks!

-THE MAYFAIR MOON *FINAL* PAPERBACK GIVEAWAY-

There will be another paperback giveaway (2 copies available – U.S. only) over on Goodreads for THE MAYFAIR MOON – Book One in the Darkwoods Trilogy starting Monday 4/30. This will be the *last* giveaway for this title before Book Two, KINDRED, is released later this year! So, be sure to enter the giveaway because unless it’s a giveaway hosted by a book blog site, there will not be another one!

-THE MAYFAIR MOON PRICE INCREASE-

OK, I’ve already done several FREE promotions on Amazon for a Kindle copy of THE MAYFAIR MOON, had the book priced at $0.99 for long periods of time and $1.99 for the majority of the time. I’ve given away more than 3,000 copies between free promotions, reviewers and other various giveaways. Starting June 1st, I’m setting THE MAYFAIR MOON to it’s permanent price of $2.99 and leaving it that way (this is subject to change depending on circumstances).  So, I encourage anyone who has been thinking about checking it out, or who has intended to purchase it, but hasn’t gotten around to it yet, to snag your copy before June 1st and the price goes up!

-BOOK TWO, KINDRED, IN THE DARKWOODS TRILOGY-

I’ve been furiously typing away working on the second book in the Darkwoods Trilogy, titled KINDRED and can say it will be released later this year – sorry I don’t have a more detailed time-frame just yet. In the meantime, you can check out the official blurb for KINDRED (just click on the book cover above) to get a first glimpse into what’s next for Adria and Isaac. And you can add it to your to-read shelf on Goodreads – so please check it out! KINDRED will be sexier, the love will be deeper, the tragedies will be more unbearable and the ending will be intense!

Thanks!

-Jessica

Yesterday marks a huge day for me as I finally published my first novel on Amazon and I’m pretty much…terrified. I spent a week going over the book one last time, addressing Heather’s recommendations (from Red Adept Reviews)  and then sat staring at my computer screen for a tortuously long time on the night of the 6th, before taking the plunge. I decided to enroll in Amazon’s KDP program, which means the digital selling of my book is exclusive to Kindle for at least 6 months. If you are an Amazon Prime member and own a Kindle, you can read my book for FREE using the ‘Lending Library’! After that, I can start selling on Nook and other platforms. Paperback copies will be available at a later date all depending on how this eBook process unfolds.

Right now, I need reviews and ‘likes’ on Amazon and abroad!

On my book’s Amazon page, just to the right of the cover you’ll see a graphic like the one above. Be generous and ‘like’ it – I will be in your debt. If you happen to purchase ‘The Mayfair Moon’, I would love a good review! :-) I’m also looking for book reviewers out there who might be interested in delving into my story and telling their readers what they think of it. So, if you know any personally, please send then my way!

As with any new author, I’m both excited and scared out of my mind, but this step in my lifelong journey to become a published author is (it feels like) long overdue, and despite being afraid, I’m also happy. :-)

I really hope you all like it!

I got my official Red Adept ‘Alpha Read’ results back today on my novel, ‘The Mayfair Moon’ and I couldn’t be more pleased and excited. My Alpha Reader was ‘Heather’ and she did exactly what I hoped she would do: She pointed out and described in detail everything that she DID NOT like. Honestly, I was worried that whoever read my novel might feel in some way obligated to sugarcoat the truth, but that was not the case. Heather was blunt and to the point, which is now helping me to make this book the best it can be. She has opened my mind to a few things I was unaware of and even confirmed a couple of things I myself thought was a bit ‘off’. I cannot stress enough to every writer out there how important it is to get someone who doesn’t know you and who would be less inclined to bias, to read your book before you consider publishing (self-published, indie and even traditional).  I am now on to the next step in my publishing process: another brief edit to address all of Heather’s recommendations and then on to the step that both terrifies and excites me: publishing.

Despite the mentioned negative, I’m very happy to say that her positive opinions greatly outweighed the negative and that she “really enjoyed it!” and hopes to “…get to read the sequel some day!”.

What a way to start a new year! I’ve been sick with nervousness since I sent Red Adept my manuscript, unable to write or do much of anything for fear of my Alpha Reader absolutely hating it. And now, I’m looking at my road to publication in a whole new way. I’m still scared to death, but I’m going into it with a lot more confidence! :-)

I know this might sound like some kind of prompted publicity, but it’s purely my UNprompted opinion and a big Thank You to Red Adept, but I would recommend Red Adept services to any aspiring published author and I personally will be using them for my future projects.

As for ‘The Mayfair Moon’, I am hoping to publish this month! So, I guess I better get back to work.

Alright, folks! I’m getting a Kindle around February and I want to help give indie/self-pubbed authors some deserving praise and exposure, so here’s what I’m going to do. I’m setting aside $50 to put toward the purchase of eBooks to read on my new Kindle. If you’re a self-published author and you write fiction, all you have to do is:

1.  Be following me on Twitter.
2. Be an indie or self-published author.
3. Comment on this blog post with the title of your book, genre and a link to your book on Amazon. (This is important, so read carefully: to help my paranoia, DO NOT shorten your URL so that it removes the ‘Amazon’ from your link, or I will not click on it.)
4. Also post your Twitter username.

That’s it. I will take the first however many eBooks posted (and that qualify: see below)  that equal to $50 and will buy them when I get my Kindle. In addition to purchasing your book, after I have read it and if I like it, I will rate your book on Amazon and on Goodreads and write a short-and-to-the-point review. If I can’t honestly give you at least 4 stars, I will not rate or review at all because I don’t want to give anyone public negative feedback. Keep in mind, it might take me a while to actually get to your rating and review because I’ll have several books to read ahead of yours, but I will purchase your eBook around the same time I purchase the others.

In addition to purchasing, rating and short-reviewing your eBook, I’ll tweet when I’m reading yours along with a link to your eBook on Amazon and a link to your web site/blog. The only things to keep in mind before submitting are the following:

1. It MUST be fiction
2. It MUST be either, paranormal, fantasy, young adult, paranormal romance, horror, middle-grade fantasy, dystopian, science fiction, post-apocalyptic, or anything else that you think fits these genres. I also love a good southern story with rich southern characters, or historical novels about society’s struggles and triumphs (e.g. The Color Purple), or a tragic love story (e.g. The Notebook). I’ve never been too interested in strictly romance novels, or crime and mystery, things like that. However, if you think your book has the potential to change my tastes a little, go ahead and post it and I might give it a try. I can’t guarantee it’ll be counted among one of the first chosen, so please take that into account.

I have been trolling Amazon’s eBook phenomenon for months and am really excited about finally jumping on the eBook reader bandwagon myself. Also, I want to help out any way I can with giving great indie and self-pubbed books/authors some publicity. Every little bit helps, right?

Lastly, even if you don’t post the link to your book in time for it to be among the first $50, I still encourage you to post your link for me anyway! I’m always on the lookout for great indie/self-pubbed books and I might end up checking it out later, regardless.

I have been trying to come up with a few interactive ways to get fresh eyes and opinions on my fiction and have decided on trying out a Chapter Swap with a fellow writer. Or two. Or three.  I know it’s probably difficult (I say ‘probably’ because I have yet to try it myself) to just ask someone you don’t know, “Hey, would you be interested in reading the first chapter of my novel and telling me what you think?” and they be even slightly interested. So, I’m reaching out now to other writers who are as interested in having unbiased, fresh opinions on their work, as I am.

Here’s how it works. I’ts quite simple.

If  you have written a novel and would like to swap your first chapter with mine, you can send me an email through my contact page to request a swap. Include a link to your site and your Twitter page, if you have one,  as well as the title and blurb for your book.

Depending on how many requests I get, I’ll let you know if I choose to swap with you, or not. (This is no popularity game! So please don’t be offended. If I don’t request a swap with you it only means I had more requests than I can take on, not because I didn’t like the sound of your book, or anything like that.)

After I read your first chapter, I will give you my 100% unbiased opinion of the plot, character(s), pacing, dialogue and even editing, in return for your overall about mine. I admit, I’m no professional editor and I’m no professional anything really, but having a fresh mind that will genuinely take the time to read your work  and not charge you for it, can be invaluable.

Also, it’s totally private! Both parties agree not to discuss the work with anyone else, especially in public.

The book I am interested in swapping right now is my YA Paranormal Romance - The Mayfair Moon. Below is the info.

One-sentence Blurb: After a frightening encounter with a werewolf, Adria Dawson loses the love of her sister, but gains the love of a mysterious boy and his legendary family.
Three-word Description: crossover, love, controversial
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Word Count: 82k
Status: Complete

Longer Blurb:

After a nightmarish encounter with a werewolf, seventeen-year-old Adria Dawson loses the love of her sister, but gains the love of a mysterious boy and his legendary family.

 Strange and tragic things begin to happen in the small town of Hallowell, Maine: residents come down with an unexplainable ‘illness’ and some disappear. In the midst of everything, Isaac Mayfair is adamant about keeping Adria safe, even from her sister whom he has warned her to stay away from.

 As unspeakable secrets unfold all around Adria, impossible choices become hers to bear. Ultimately, no matter what path she takes, her life and the lives of those she loves will be in peril. As she learns about the werewolf world she also learns why her place in it will change the destinies of many.

(Click images for full view.)

Awesome. I couldn’t resist a photo. THE WALKING DEAD, WORLD WAR Z, among other great and delicious zombie literature and even David Moody’s HATER and DOG BLOOD books.

So anyway, not a lot going on lately. Still agent-hunting and in the meantime editing so much that I can’t see straight. This is what I get for having more than one novel project at a time. Hey, I figure having two books on submission possibly doubles my chances of finding some sort of representation.

So far, I’m still delusional. :-)

I’ve uploaded the newest edit (and hopefully the last one before actual publication) of DIRTY EDEN chapter one and would love and appreciate any opinions or critiques, complaints or compliments.

Well, I’m off to Starbucks and my nieces 2nd birthday party. Here she is, mean face and all. Heh.

Lastly, I’ve changed my Bio page a lot, if you’re interested.

Check out my eCovers page for more information.

So far, I’m a little over 20k words. I’ve put the first chapter up for download (click the image above for the blurb and chapter one), but of course, it’ll be edited a hundred times before I’m satisfied with it. I’m having a lot of fun with this book!

Thanks for looking. :-)

Click the image for full view. It might not look like much in this photo, but I still can’t believe I saw it like this.

I also got to see the moon UP CLOSE and got an even more detailed shot of it:

I also saw two of the ‘M’ galaxies, though I can’t remember which he said! But they were among these. I just couldn’t believe I was actually looking into the sky at two GALAXIES. I didn’t attempt getting a photo of those because although I could see them through the telescope and clearly make them out, they were too faint to try getting a photo. I also caught a glimpse of Betelgeuse, Titan and several others. Then, to my surprise I watched as two satellites went across the sky around Earth. It was awesome.

Thanks to the CAAS (Central Arkansas Astronomical Society) for organizing the event and for being so welcoming and friendly. Come to find out, they have been doing this yearly for a long time and I never knew anything about it. My brother and I will be going to another one of their events next month. Can’t wait!