So, when last I left you in April, I had 50K words on the Moon Lake Book 2 manuscript. Four months later that word count has jumped to 62K.
That’s not a lot. I’m well aware. The thing is, sometimes I tell myself, “Just shit out a story already. Who cares if it’s good? Who cares how many subplots and how much character development it has? Just get it done!”
But then I think, the majority of people who read my books, actually read them YEARS after I’ve initially published them. For example, just this morning, for some reason as yet unknown to me, I’ve sold 20X more copies of Shooter than I have been selling in recent months. It’s a significant increase. Shooter is 10 years old at this point. But it’s experiencing a mini-Renaissance today for some reason.
So, I can’t put out shitty (to me) books. I can’t just load canon fodder into the tube and pelt you all with it and then move on. Even if many of you didn’t like some of my books, like, say, the Stark Ink series. To this day, I still get emails from people who say, “I had to take care of my parent while they were dying and this series really made me feel like someone out there knew and understood what I was going through.”
Those emails keep me going. Even if I’m not technically PUBLISHING as often as I used to, those emails make me fire up Scrivener, over and over again, try to push through.
So I’ve added 12K words to Moon Lake Book 2. I estimate it’s 2/3rds done. It’s changed a lot since I first conceived it, which is why it’s taking so damn long. But I want to be happy with it. I want people, 10 years from now, clicking randomly on a book to cuddle up with over a rainy weekend, to stumble upon Drowning and think, “Wow. That’s so much more than I was expecting from what appeared to be a Throwaway Romance Novel.”
Can I tell you that Shooter still gets Kindle Pages Read? Shooter has not been enrolled in Kindle Unlimited for over 5 years. So someone has kept Shooter in their very limited list of 5 titles borrowed for more than 5 fucking years at this point. And that’s really the best indicator that you fucking nailed something. Isn’t it? That someone would keep their very limited KU borrow slots occupied with a book I published way back in 2013.
That’s literally a Desert Island book. If you could only take 5 books with you on a desert island, Shooter makes SOMEONE’S top 5. That blows my mind.
It also tells me that I’m on the right track. Even if a blizzard, or a mudslide, covered the track for a while and slowed down my progress. I’m doing something. I’m leaving something behind in my wake that people can go back to 5, 7, 10 years later and still get something out of. And that’s really the whole point, right?
A dude read Shooter once. I have absolutely no idea how. But he emailed me, years ago. He said, “So I read your book.” I was thinking, “How? Why? You have a penis. This conversation should not be happening.”
He said, “I liked your book, actually. But I just wanted you to know that .45 revolvers don’t have safeties on them.”
And I FUCKING KNEW THAT! Because I’m from Indiana, and things like that become part of your operating system even if you, personally, do not own a .45 revolver. But halfway through writing Shooter, I switched the .45 revolver to a Desert Eagle, inspired by the always amazing, supernaturally super sexy, Magnum P.I. “team gun.” And while the revolver has no safety, the Desert Eagle does. It was a continuity error that I didn’t catch. My bad.
But my point is, people read my books that I didn’t expect to read my books. And people like some of my books longer than I expected anyone to like my books. And that’s really what I’m going for, quality (such as it is, typos and all) over quantity.
Anyway, I’m still poking away at Drowning. But I want to get it RIGHT. I want it to be a noir set in the woods of Idaho with a touch of Twin Peaks thrown in. And that’s not as easy to do as you might think. Keep in mind that RIGHT doesn’t necessarily mean “you like it.” You might not. It sucks if you don’t end up liking it, but some people get me. And when they do, it’s better than any other feeling on the planet.
Someone said Shelter “reinvented the erotic thriller genre.” And that’s basically the highest compliment any writer could ever receive.
Savannah is both the Femme Fatale AND the Damsel in the Distress, but in an effort to write her as a compelling character with the most agency possible is a tough task. I work at it every day. And I just hope that, 10 years from now, people stumble onto Moon Lake, like they are doing today, for some reason, with Shooter, and finding something compelling enough for them to keep reading.
Krista says
August 19, 2022 at 3:12 pmHi, I hope everything is going well for you. I wanted you to know I don’t really take time to read anymore but with my long commute everyday to and from work I now listen to books. I found your Burnout Series and loved it. So I have all the available books from you on Audio from Audible. I usually will listen and move on only a handful will get a second listen and if they do it’s usually a year or more before I listen to them again. I have now listened to yours twice in less then a year. The majority of this is from a story you created and having a good Narrator. I keep looking for more books from you in Audible. So today I wanted to see if there was more out there and if there was release dates for more audible books to come. I will keep looking for more. The way you give such depth to your characters is amazing. Just really like your books. picture thumping on table and a chant “we want more we want more”.
Dahlia West says
August 20, 2022 at 1:39 pmWow, I’m really glad you liked my books and I’m so glad you liked the audiobooks. To this day, I personally can’t bring myself to listen to them. The idea that some poor male voice actor was hired to read my dirty words horrifies me, lol. Someday I want to get really drunk and have a listening party, when I’m brave enough. I sometimes wonder what went through his mind when he had to read Tex, out loud, in front of people.
Anyway, those audiobooks exist because an agent approached me several years ago and offered to represent me for Audio Rights and she ended up selling all of Burnout plus Preacher to Tantor, which was amazing!
However, Tantor was only interested in Burnout plus Preacher. And I don’t have the ability to create audiobooks myself. So…I guess the best thing you can do is leave a review for all of my books that you actually read and liked, keep buying the ones I do put out, and hopefully if I ever make it big, Tantor will revisit their decision.
Thanks for listening, though!
Judy Rowen says
September 14, 2022 at 2:01 pmHi, I just want to tell you how much I enjoy your books. I thought I read a few months back you were giving up writing and was very disappointed to read this. Imagine my delight today when I read you are still working on a book! I hope to see more of your work in the future.
Eileen says
September 24, 2022 at 12:34 pmWell my Desert Island read is Preacher. It has everything I could ever need.
I’m sure you’ve moved on by now….and so have I in many ways…but Jack keeps calling me back.
Thank you for the fun.
Rayna Latorre says
October 22, 2022 at 4:37 amShooter has been in my kindle unlimited for years until I recently bought the whole series. That will always be my Island book. Every single time I reread it, I find something new and fall in love with the whole group all over again. Currently reading the series again and I’m up to Doc. I adore the whole series.
Clare Peachey says
December 26, 2022 at 2:19 pmI have everything you have available on Kindle and each series are my go-to’s.
I’ve just finished the fourth Star Valley book and I need to know if there’s a fifth. I’m worried about Austin going to Texas, and Walker really needs to got himself together.
I also want to thank you for everything you do, you make this middle aged mum a happy girl again x
Julie says
January 13, 2023 at 10:33 pmI have read, reread and listened to your books since I first found Shooter. I only have two authors that I reread on a consistent basis. After reading your last post, I wanted you to know that I obviously enjoy your books. Your characters are not “throw away” characters. They have overcome “real” issues that many face in the “real” world. They are everyday people, which makes them so relatable. I hope that you continue to find the words to give us these much loved characters. Our boy, Walker needs that happy ending. Looking forward to your next book on the Moon series with much anticipation!
Mindy says
August 19, 2023 at 5:14 pmI have read the Burnout series more times than I can count. I also love Preacher, and Star Valley, but I recently became a widow unexpectedly; snd to deal with having an atomic bomb go off in my life, I turned to Stark Ink.
I loved the books before, but now I truly feel them. Thank you.
Dahlia West says
September 27, 2023 at 11:56 amI’m so sorry for your loss. I recently had a scare with my husband and I’m starting to imagine what that must be like and it is truly terrifying. I’m sorry you had to go through that and I hope things get easier for you soon.
I believe in love, however fleeting it might be in this life, and I think we should snatch it up and hold on to it whenever we can, for as long as we can. Cherish your memories and know that it’s not over, it’s just temporarily on “pause.”