When I'm lost after I finish a book. . .

After a Book is finished I get a little lost. Part of me is still shocked that I somehow haven't exploded after hitting the publish button on the computer! I find myself staring blankly at the book on different sites remembering everything that went into it and having that moment of both doubt and excitement. But I think that comes with everything that you put out there of yourself. You would think after publishing three other paperbacks that it would get easier. Ha! That's a big fat no! I hear whispers of worry about how it will be taken by those that read it, but that's what I have my amazing husband for. He has been my rock--and annoyance at times--when I start to freak out. He grounds me and gives me positive thoughts when my mind gets too cluttered from worry. I think everyone needs that person to smack the sense back into you when you are freaking out or when your head begins to get too big from the accomplishment. Just one good smack should do it. As long as it's with love. :)

Some writers jump right on another project while others take a breather. Well, I'm the kind that takes ten steps back (after being smacked, of course) to find my focus again. I mean, I've just written my heart on God knows how many pages and unless I'm going to keep with the story I'm writing (a sequel) then it's best to get some space or else my books will follow the same path and I don't want that. I want something different from each book I write.

Granted, I did writer The Pulse Trilogy so they were written back to back. But in the case with Guardian, A Fated Pairing I took a step back because I wanted something different and boy did it shift. I find Guardian to be a grittier book and I love it! It reads differently then the Pulse Trilogy because I stepped back. Gave my work a little space before starting. Hell, I also gave it a lot of space when I finished the first draft. Good things come to those who wait and work hard.

But now that I have finished and published Nightmares And Remedies I found myself searching a little for things to do.

That is until the other day.

I hadn't wanted to write a word until the day before yesterday. I opened up an old e-mail account that I check once in a blue moon and found an e-mail about doing Camp NaNoWriMo in July. It's basically a write as much as you can (until you reach your personal goal) in the month of July. And I don't know what happened but suddenly I started to actually consider it. Yeah, I only had 8 days left, but it could be fun. It doesn't need to be anything my readers are ever going to see. This could be just for me. Heck, I could write ANYTING! Not like I couldn't before, but this changed things because I suddenly was placed into a Camp group and had supporters and a goal.

After figuring out what I was going to write I ended up writing out 15K words and I'm still going strong.

Another thing that helps to get me refocused it reading. The moment you finish a project you should be picking up a book to read. That stack of 10 books that's been calling your name since you started writing still might not look appealing but you should at least grab one and read two chapters. Which I did. That was another yesterday accomplishment. Again, I had found a purpose and with it the spark I needed to get back on my feet.

It's different every time I finish a story, but no matter what I always find my way back to it. Even if I have to persuade myself by buying that beautiful book at the store or having my husband read out loud to me. So that all of you know, my sweetie pie has a lovely voice and reads very well. ;) But regardless of what I do, at the end of the day Writing is part of who I am. It's in my DNA. I might wander a bit, but I always find my way back.

Brenda Franklin

Camp NaNoWriMo FUN

Join the fun of Camp NaNoWriMo, where people come together to support each others writing goals! There are only 9 days left for the event but it's worth it. You can set your goal at any word count.

I am working on a story called, Melody's Howl and I want to reach 50,000 Words. I'm already at 15,000! Whether you are writing to turn it into a book for people to read and enjoy or writing for your own personal fun it doesn't matter. It's to support each other and accomplish goals. To feel the success of reaching that word count and realizing you have just achieved greatness!! You did between your busy work schedule, home life, and school. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.

So come and join Camp Nanowrimo, there's always room for a few more storytellers.

http://campnanowrimo.org/

Brenda Franklin, author of A Steady Pulse.

How do you publish a book?

How do you publish a book?

I've been asked this question a lot lately so I figured I'd write out my response here. :) Now, there are probably other ways to go about getting published that I haven't mentioned, I"m just covering what I have done on my own for self-publishing and what I know about going through an agent. There are exceptions for everything and for all I know your ex Sister-In-Law is BFF with the editor at some company and smuggled your manuscript into his/her stack and you were picked! I mean, you never know. Again, I'm going to go over what I know and my own experiences. If you have any recommended sites to help budding writers please post a comment below.

There are two routes you can take for publishing that we are going to talk about.

1.) Publishing with someone (agent and publishing house)

If you want to use an agent they will take the bulk of the work that you would have to do yourself for self-publishing. Such as editing (though it needs to be as perfect as possible), deciding upon the cover (you are lucky to get options as a new author), uploading into medias (though you still should advertise, it is your book after all), and taking it to publishing houses to get it out there for the world.

If you are going to try this route first then I would make sure the MS (Manuscript) is finished and edited. Agents want finished works.

To find an agent you can go to a number of places: http://aaronline.org/Find?&tab=2 is one of many. Always research your agent and send what they would like. If you write romance don't send a Query to to an agent looking for Middle Grade stories. I know that sounds like common knowledge, but I have read many agent complaints about this simple mistake and they won't read your letter. Also, make sure the agent is even accepting queries at this time. Some people are closed if they are over swamped with work.

A Query letter can be found and explained here: http://www.agentquery.com/writer_hq.aspx This site gives a breakdown of a query letter as well as example links towards the bottom.

You can send out as many letter as you would like to different people, just follow their submission guidelines located on their sites. And good luck! :D There world is huge and sometimes you might get a hundred nos before you get that one yes that will make all the difference. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/book-published_n_4143819.html

2.) Self-Publishing

There are probably more ways such as selling your work to the publishing house directly and buy copies to sell to individual businesses and some such, but I haven't researched those enough to know the correct way to do this route.

For Self-publishing you have to do everything an agent would do. You take over being the editor, cover designer, marketer, and anything else you need to be. Granted, there are plenty of people out there who will help you. There are editors and cover designers who are more than willing to help you out for a price, and I find that it is worth it. Just know who you are buying from. Join an author group on social media and start asking questions. The community is one of the best ways to not only advertise yourself, but to make connections and gain experience.

Decide if you want to make it ebook only or paperback (which the sites you go through for this usually have an ebook ability So no use doing the work twice over when some site does it all for you.)

If you want to make it a paperback you can pick between two sites that I know of. Lulu and Createspace. Both sites are just personal preference. I would read through each and find out their rules, royalties, distributors, and their own clients even. It's personal preference. I use Createspace and my friend, Diana, uses Lulu. I have books from both companies and they don't look any different from one another.

Both sites also take you through a thorough step by step process to help you publish giving examples and explanations to most everything. If you aren't certain about something there are forums to turn to or you can even message the people of the site directly.

Once you decide what site they should provide you with templates on how to properly Format your book, which to me, takes the longest! Or you can pay someone to do it for you. I personally don't want to waste the money on something when I can just take the time to do it myself. You're first Book is the slowest to format because you're learning all of this, but don't let it deter you at all.

Once you follow the sites and send off your cover and book to be looked at they will let you know once it is accepted and also tell you if there are any issues for you to change and you can do so and then send it to be submitted to the site for selling.

Now, all along this way (depending on who you are) you could be advertising yourself and setting up cover reveals, guest blog posts, sneak peak excerpts for people to be teased with, and the release date all the way up until the book finally is out. Even after you should keep posting about it from time to time, hold a raffle, give away signed copies. I mean anything to spread the words of your book at that point. But it won't sell itself.

In the end it's your choice which route you would like to do. :)

I hope this helps out a bit. If you have anymore questions let me know.

Brenda Franklin, author of The Pulse Trilogy.

Some more helpful links: 

Createspace.com

Lulu.com

Cover Artists:

Jennifer Munswami (She did my Pulse Trilogy Book) http://www.jennifermunswami.com/

(Facebook groups you should look at!)

https://www.facebook.com/GiGiCoverDesigns/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeCOVERIt/

https://www.facebook.com/bookcoverbydesign/photos/a.257923174340190.64987.254127928053048/846191978846637/?type=3

Nightmares and Remedies 1st Excerpt

Title: Nightmares and Remedies

Series: A Pulse World Novel

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: July 1st 2016

Blurb

Haunted by reoccurring nightmares of silver eyes and sharp fangs, Bethany Jean, is at her wits end. She feels like she’s being watched all the time. At home, in the street; even at work! Nowhere feels safe. But just when she’s considering help for her delusions Bethany comes face to face with a living breathing vampire whose obsession with Bethany is deadly.

Lucas was one of many vampires looking for a murderer, what he didn’t expect was to find the man’s latest victim, Bethany, alive and turned into a vampire! Setting side his attraction for the woman Lucas is forced to take a back seat to finding the vampire at large so that he can watch and explain what’s going on when the woman wakes up, but convincing this woman that he is a good guy and the fact that she is no longer human isn’t going to be a walk in the park.

With a killer on the loose, a house full of vampire testosterone, and Bethany walking around in nothing more than Lucas' shirt, you can guarantee this is going to be one hell of a time and with any luck it could end in their favor. That is, if Bethany realizes that being a vampire has its perks.

 --------------------------------Excerpt----------------------------------

She looked tiny, she stood huddled with her shoulders up and her arms wrapped tightly around her leaned forward slightly making her appear much younger and smaller then she was. Her large eyes were dark and wild, filled with terror. A terror Lucas instantly felt he wanted to replace. No woman should look this hurt. Flakes of silver were sprinkled in her eyes telling Lucas what she was. She was a converted. Could she be the murderer?

As quickly as the thought came Lucas dismissed it. He could see her. He could see the lack of a killer and the mind of a woman lost. Watching as she stepped back he felt his heart tighten in his chest. There was no way she was the one responsible for the killings.

Blood covered her clothes as her feet moved through the small lining of snow fresh on the ground.

“Stay away!” The woman ordered with a mix of fear and pushed anger into her voice. Her limbs shook violently as she moved further back and away from him.

“Lucas, there’s no one here. But man does it smell. I see blood and puddles of vomit. And restraints. God the smell.” Rupert gagged.

“Calm down.” Lucas took a step forward. The woman inched back. Her eyes slid towards the river. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t.” Lucas spoke reaching out towards her mind instantly to stop her from doing something reckless. The moment he touched her mind he saw the struggle she had gone through and the pain that was coursing through her

The thoughts and feelings running through her knocked the wind out of him. They were raw and alive striking at him like hundreds of bees their stingers all aimed to numb and incapacitate him, but he held it together. His face never flinched as he endured the rolling wave of fire burning through her— and him. They felt it together and for that one moment he breathed with her, willing her a second of peace as they let out their breath into the cold night.

Her will and determination to survive was strong. She shouldn’t have even been standing in her condition. Lucas tightened his grip on her mind to take control. He needed her to stop before something bad happened. He needed to reach her and tame the demon roaring in the back of his mind at the man that had grabbed her, because he could see everything. He could feel everything done to her and he was outraged and distressed by it. By the feelings flooding his mind and turning his body against him in this moment in which he needed to be at his best. Alert and unshakable, but he was the opposite. And as he reached to her mind to help he saw their connection in her eyes followed by her instinct and knew he was too late.

Bethany knew what was coming. She knew her body wouldn’t be hers anymore if she waited any longer. Without a second’s hesitation she launched herself into the dark waters of the fast moving river. This was her only choice. The only thing she was capable of deciding for herself. There were no regrets as her body locked up instantly and her eyes closed.

     Lucas did the only thing he could do, jump in the freezing river after her.

About the author:

Brenda Franklin was born and raised in Louisiana surrounded by fantasy, romance, and the paranormal. She's always had a love for writing, having written her first horror story before middle school about a monster that devoured people in the night-I believe they call him the Boogie Man.

Brenda points the blame/thanks for her obsessive need to write and read about vampires to her father who had an old bookshelf in their living room when she was growing up. From top to bottom it was filled with combat related books, old westerns, books by Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and Brian Lumley, and many more fascinating reads. But the book Brenda remembers the most was ‘Interview with a Vampire’ by Anne Rice. After reading it, she's never been the same since.

Follow Brenda on:

Twitter: Beefranklin613

Facebook: Author Brenda Franklin

Blog: Into My World…

Smashwords

Other works:

Guardian, A Fated Pairing

The Pulse Trilogy

Book one, A Steady Pulse

Book two, Barely Beating

Book three, Flat Line

Eden's Hollow story idea

Prologue:

The Weather was harsh at half past three and the wind was threatening to blow the house away. To be more precise it was just one house. All the other homes down JC Drive were dealing with an onslaught or rain and wind, but nothing to the extreme of house number 4116.

From the outside it was nothing more than the same cookie cutter house with white fences, the perfect cut lawn, and the same two matching trash bins at the end of its paved driveway. There was nothing special about the house chosen - number 4116 - not from the outside, anyway.

But within the white door of number 4116 and beyond the powder blue trim and white paint was a secret. A well-kept secret for nearly a millennium.

A woman, her human name Patricia Faulk - and yes, human is the appropriate term for the creatures that filled her ever growing neighborhood, though she was nothing of the sort. She was guarding a Portal -- placed conveniently in her spare bedroom -- and guard it with her life she would, until this night, September seventh, when a raging storm awoke her from her rest at half past three.

Patricia, whose real name could not be spoken by humans only those that crossed through the portal could wield her name, awake from the cry of the storm and bolted to its source -- the portal! Her slender figure moved gracefully and with ease around her collection of books stacked in high towers throughout the living room and into the small hall. Her long red hair lightly damp from the shower she had taken hours earlier had unraveled and clung across her fair skinned neck and cheeks curling around her cherry red lips and dark brown eyes.

This was not a normal portal crossing.

She fell to the floor and crossed her legs in front of the bedroom door. She closed her hands on her knees, tilted her head back, with closed her eyes to focus. To cross a portal you must first knock on the door and wait for an answer, that was what Patricia was doing.

She was answering.

Reaching a quick mediation-like state her body began to glow and small runes crawled across her arms and legs, across her belly and neck, until her whole body was being blotched out by the blacken ink of the symbols. Her body rose three feet off the ground and those black symbols, one by one, echoed out and appeared around the frame of the door.

One by one the letters glowed, until finally the doorway opened allowing passage into her home. But as the door opened and two people stepped in a third clawed through reaching with bloodied talons out. This was one of malicious intent and on instinct she closed the portal, but the storm remained as the pounding against the magical door continued demanding her to open it.

“Who has stepped through this portal?” She asked pulling from her trance, but her first response was not anything what she expected it to be. It was the wailing of a baby.

She opened the door into her spare room revealing a large man, an Archangel, covered in blood soaked cloth and armor wielding a long golden sword with a white handle and three sets of tattered wings. His body was shaking and mangled as he forced himself up off the floor just barely cradling a small creature whose cries were beginning to wane on Patricia’s nerves.

“Portal master,” he spoke with ragged breath. “I am sorry to have brought this upon you, but I must beg of you to help.”

“Why does an Archangel need my help?” She asked unmoving with cold eyes at the intruder into her home.

“I do not. But she does.” He dropped his sword and held out the little girl for the woman to see.

“What use do I have with that thing?”

“This thing is no mere child.” His body was too worn and tried to hold her any longer. He fell forward still managing to stay on his elbows with her carefully propped up. Slowly and carefully he laid her down. He turned the infant on her side touching the back of her neck.

“What is she?” The woman gasped as a couple of runes upon her body began to appear.

“They are trying to get through.” He spoke.

“Who have you brought to my door?” she demanded.

“It’s the Darkness.”

“What?” she hissed as more symbols lit up.

“And if they get their hands on this child then the Darkness will be released. She needs time to grow strong. To fight this."

She turned to the door and looked to her arms, already her body was shifting and her eyes felt the urge to shut. They were forcing her to open up. “And you brought them here?” She demanded. “You are disrupting the order, the way things are done! You will be punished!” She turned back around to the silence of the room and to the archangel now touching the back of the child’s neck.

His wings dissolved, his weapons and armor faded, and soon his very image fluttered. With his last breath he focused on the portal master sending out a rush of light against her body. Then he was gone.

She turned back to the portal with rage towards the Archangel and did the only thing she could do to save her life from the Darkness threatening her and the life of the child. She had to sever her connection with the other dimension and once severed the first thing she had to do was hide the child.

For the child was something an Archangel would give his life for, she would ensure his last request be fulfilled and pray that death did not soon await her.

--Brenda Franklin, author of The Pulse Trilogy

Nightmares and Remedies Cover Reveal

Title: Nightmares and Remedies

Series: A Pulse World Novel

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: July 1st 2016

Blurb

Haunted by reoccurring nightmares of silver eyes and sharp fangs, Bethany Jean, is at her wits end. She feels like she’s being watched all the time. At home, in the street; even at work! Nowhere feels safe. But just when she’s considering help for her delusions Bethany comes face to face with a living breathing vampire whose obsession with Bethany is deadly.

Lucas was one of many vampires looking for a murderer, what he didn’t expect was to find the man’s latest victim, Bethany, alive and turned into a vampire! Setting side his attraction for the woman Lucas is forced to take a back seat to finding the vampire at large so that he can watch and explain what’s going on when the woman wakes up, but convincing this woman that he is a good guy and the fact that she is no longer human isn’t going to be a walk in the park.

With a killer on the loose, a house full of vampire testosterone, and Bethany walking around in nothing more than Lucas' shirt, you can guarantee this is going to be one hell of a time and with any luck it could end in their favor. That is, if Bethany realizes that being a vampire has its perks.

Louise Book 1 and 2 by Diana Nixon blurbs

Book 1: Louise by Diana Nixon

Book Blurb:

It doesn’t hurt to dream, unless you know your dreams will never come true.

Since childhood, Louise Woods has wanted to become a dancer. The day she arrives at Le Papillon – a private cabaret club where men come to enjoy the beauty of women dancing, her life completely changes. Louise lives in the club and the rules of living and working there cannot be ignored or broken. Either you do your best to please the clients, or you are out. No flirting, no secret affairs, just dancing.

During her first public show, Louise meets a stranger who pays for the privilege to have her privately dance for him. He won't let her see his face, he won't even introduce himself, but he will make an offer that she won’t be able to refuse. He won’t make any hollow promises, but he will make her believe she is special…

“I hate following the rules,” he’ll say, “but I do love breaking them.”

Will she dare to risk losing everything she has, just to make the darkest of the stranger’s fantasies come true? Once the decision is made, there will be no way back…

Add on GOODREADS and BUY HERE!

My Review:

Louise is a woman who is both kind and strong; locked away in a world of little freedom. As a child she grew up in an orphanage under the role of an evil woman. A place where your best friend could be your enemy. Where your very survival depended on the amount of money you collect off of the streets. It was survival of the fittest. How can this young girl survive in a world such as this? But after an encounter with a kind man with beautiful eyes she makes a promise that she intends to keep. No one will harm her.

As she turns eighteen freedom is at her fingertips. The last thing to do is to go to a cabaret club called, Le Papillon to see about a job to be a dancer, but it isn’t exactly what she had in mind and when she protests the owner, Drew, makes it very clear that he has bought her and she will work under him until her debt is paid off. The horror is when he proves that she signed the document herself keeping her suck there. A trick well played by the orphanage and him. Again she has no freedom, but the illusion of. At least she loved to dance.

The atmosphere of the story is beautiful. The scenes are elegant with layouts that make me want to visit these places. I want to be an exclusive member to this club. All the characters you come across, no matter how small you grow to love and hate. And quickly you find that everyone has a story that Louise can’t help but bring to the surface. She is a woman wise beyond her years in a world that she has only known as a cage.

But there is hope. As a mysterious masked man steps into her life. What woman wouldn't fall under his spell? And that begs an even better question, why did he want Louise? And is there more to Le Papillon then meets the eye?

Diana Nixon has written a powerful story filled to the brim with mystery, intrigue, and romance, with a character and a plot that both captivates and steals your heart. I don’t think I had a moment where I put the book down. I was just that drawn into it. And the ending left me both satisfied and breathless, like I had just experience my first kiss and then I was saying ‘goodbye’.

The only way you could ever upset me, Diana, is if you tell me there isn’t a book two. Haha But knowing you there will be one soon enough. And I look forward to reading it.

Book 2: Louise: A Knew Beginning

COMING SPRING 2016

Book Blurb:

Life is not always easy. Especially when you are in love with the man whose life is so much different from yours. Power, money, respect – these are the things that a girl raised in an orphanage can only dream about. But sometimes, love is the only power that you need to get whatever you wish for…

Louise Woods had always been a fighter. She had known since childhood that everything has a price. But freedom was the only thing that she could never have.

Living in a world of lies and betrayal, will she sacrifice her love to become finally free?

Or will she let her heart win?

A new journey full of passion and forbidden dreams; it’s a new dance, it’s a new life.

“We will start it all from the very beginning, from the very first kiss…”

Add on GOODREADS!

~~About the Author~~

Official page: www.diana-nixon.com

Diana Nixon, an International Bestselling Author of contemporary and paranormal romances, is a woman of contradictions. She was born in Minsk., Belarus. She has a Master of Law degree and speaks several foreign languages, including English, Polish and Spanish.

Diana’s writing career is like a roller coaster ride. It started with a fantasy novel named Love Lines, that was originally written in Russian and only later, it was translated into English. Since then, Diana has published 15 more books, both of contemporary and fantasy genres.

Diana Nixon is the founder of Inks and Scratches, a literary magazine intended to help authors of all genres find readers and spread the news about their writing all over the world.

FOLLOW ON:

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads

-Brenda Franklin, author of The Pulse Trilogy and Guardian, A Fated Pairing.