The Waiting Game

March 30, 2016

After what seems like an eternity, we've arrived at the last days of March. I feel like I've been living in the perfect storm.

• Amber Quill announced its closing leaving me with forty books to self-pub
• My mother had surgery 
• We had a blizzard with thirty inches of snow
• My mother ended up in the hospital again, then rehab
• I got a puppy
• My best friend in the whole world is moving away
• I prepped for the A to Z Blogging Challenge, which begins April 1
• I subbed a story to Loose Id as KC and it was accepted (my alter ego was one of the first authors they published back in 2004)

I've not written much new prose. This worries me but I've been a bit busy. On top of everything, I do work a full-time job and I do have the spousal unit. Both need a certain amount of attention. 

But for some reason, I got up this morning ready to kick ass first and take the names of anyone left standing later. Maybe it's because my mother is finally back home. Or perhaps it's because Deuce is pretty much house-trained. 

More likely it's because the waiting game is almost over. I can finally DO something. Amber Quill closes tomorrow. My books are already off All Romance eBooks and Amazon. Tonight I'll do as much pre-order loading as I can to make what books I have covers made for available on April 1. 

I've already made preliminary updates to my website. I'll have to go back and add the buy links when they're available. Same for here at Between the Keys. 

Finally, finally, finally, I feel like I can get moving again.

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

PS. Don't forget to check back on April 1 for the opening of the A to Z Blogging Challenge!

Some days...

March 20, 2016

Some days you get the little epiphany that is actually helpful. I've been angsting over not finding the "perfect" cover stock to finish making all the covers for my books. Well, DUH.

They don't have to be perfect right off the bat. I'm in this for the long haul. There's no reason in the world I can't use a cover I think is just "okay" and then change it out when I spot better stock. Like what just happened with the new and upcoming Seducing Light cover. The first one was okay, but this second effort is much better. It fits my vision and captures the brooding essence of Nick Light even better than the professional cover.

I'm not at the mercy of anyone else now. If I don't care for the end product, I don't have to beg to get it changed. I won't have to hurt feelings by saying I don't like someone else's "artistic vision."

Wow. Gotta love those epiphanies no matter how long they take. (Even when they make you feel a bit, you know, slow on the uptake.)

KC 
www.kckendricks.com

Seducing Light is available at Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Kobo.  

A few new book covers

March 16, 2016

The clock is ticking relentlessly on to March 31, 2016, and Amber Quill's final day. I'm not so much dismayed any longer. The seemingly overwhelming task of creating book covers to get my stories back out hasn't been as difficult as anticipated. I feel pretty good about what I'm going to be able to accomplish on April 1. 

I could purchase the book covers AQP created but to my way of thinking they've already been paid for those - out of my sales. I see no need to pay for them a second time. If I'm going to spend money on covers, I'm going to buy cover guys for my own stable. I'm funny about paying for something twice. 

There will be some work to do here at Between the Keys. After April 1, I'll need to backtrack and update covers and links. I did this once before, when Amber Quill moved to a new website. (I think that was an expense they didn't need to incur, but it wasn't my company.) 

One growing dilemma is whether to take the Monday after Easter off or switch my day to the following Friday, which is April 1. That's probably the way to go given what there is to accomplish. I'll eventually get it all finished, but the sooner it's done and off my mind the better.

The 2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge begins April 1. I'm as organized as I can be until the first blog loads. 

And of course there is Deuce. What a joy he is! You can check out his blog, Deuce's Day, here. I think every dog should have a blog, don't you?

Until then, here are a couple of the new covers. 

KC

http://www.kckendricks.com

The state of the State of the Writer

March 6, 2016

So far this year is not off to a stellar beginning. On January 2, 2016, Amber Quill Press announced it was ceasing operations. On January 20, my mother had back surgery and subsequently landed in a rehab unit and is still there. And let us not forget thirty inches of snow fell from the sky on top of my little corner of the world. 

Soooooo.......

With Amber Quill Press closing, I've been busy behind the scenes to get my back list ready to re-release. I dabbled with an indie release, Hey, Joe, but I had no plans to pull my books from the publisher and go all the way indie. The plan was to continue with AQP and publish a few indie books along the way. It takes a lot of time to get a book ready to release and that's time away from writing new stories. The world turned so I've reconsidered that position.

I knew I was "top heavy" at Amber Quill. It's my own fault I now have over forty books to prepare. The good news is, it's going very well. The bad news is I've noticed how much changed from 2008 to 2015. Perhaps those authors who went indie five years ago saw the fractures sooner. 


Photoshop is not the easiest software to learn. Thank heavens for the tutorials on YouTube. Having someone point and click to SHOW me where the command button is located really helps. Once the pieces of knowledge began to make sense, making covers became an enjoyable creative endeavor. 

The 2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge begins on April 1. I've decided to participate again this year but it may be the last time. Some things simply run their course with people. 

But there are a few bright spots on my horizon. Fly By Night, the fifth installment in the Sundown saga, is set to release April 1, 2016. It's already up for pre-order at a few places and I'll have that process completed by the twenty-fifth of this month. Another new story, SABRE, is about finished. I need to get my fingers in gear and write the ending. I anticipate getting the actual writing of new material back on track as soon as the back list is ready to go. 

Deuce will be coming home on March 10! I've got puppy *stuff* all over the house in preparation for his arrival. The only question mark is the puppy day bed in my office. The cat likes it and that's all there is to that tune. What the cat wants, the cat gets. I'm moving that item to the sunroom and getting Deuce something the cat might find less appealing. 

Time was, everyone in my family was a bowler. I'm now the last holdout. I can still roll the ball pretty good, some nights. Had a great series - 226-199-234 = 659. I was pleased with that. 

And that's the state of the State of the Writer. 

KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

IWSG- Confession is Good for the Soul - and a Laugh

March 2, 2016

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com

This month I thought I’d lighten up. The days are getting warmer. The daffs are breaking ground along with crocus and tulips. Spring is going to be here soon. So let’s shove aside our insecurities for a day.

I have a confession to make.

Once upon a time I had an editor who highlighted every occurrence of the word “that” in every manuscript I contracted with that publisher. I’m sure she had editing software do this because…well, I won’t be bitchy. Let’s just say she had a few quirks.

I know all about the word “that.” I agree it gets overused. What I do not agree with is any editor insisting it come out of character dialogue. I don’t agree with an editor changing character dialogue as a general rule, period. My rule is “my characters talk my way.”

Anyway, after about twenty-five manuscripts, I got well and truly fucking tired of her software doing the editing for her. I was looking for a name for a character and that’s when I found it. THATCHER. Oh, my God. T-h-a-t-cher. Thatcher. Naturally, his love interest continually called him by his last name. Thatcher.

When the edit came to me, not one instance of the word “that” was flagged with a yellow highlight.

And THAT, boys and girls, is how to break your editor of a bad habit.

KC Kendricks

http://www.kckendricks.com

http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks