Life. Only it wasn't  funny. I've had a hell of a June, darlings. You see my husband has been my everything for a very long time, and he had a series of hospital stays throughout June, the last trip was an emergency surgery that scared the crap out of me. I'm still sort of shaken up even though he came home on Saturday and thankfully is a big, grumpy, demanding bear, which means, I think he's well on the way to mend now. But it rocked my world a bit and threw me  off track and now I'm scrambling to catch up.

Once you get off schedule in Indie Land, you've got to work double time to get back on. You see, I schedule editing, formatting, illustrator months in advance and because I release, release, release, my window for everything is very tight. There are not allowed to be delays in Susan's World or the bricks come tumbling down. And that is basically what happened. I couldn't write. I didn't want to. And the bricks came tumbling down. I had to focus on The Big Guy. My world doesn't work without him. And now there are some delays in getting the book edited and released. Not major delays. But delays none the less. So I'm letting you know.

You'd think with The Girl in the Comfortable Quiet being my 12th release, I would have sailed through it on time. But nope. Life happened. In a big, scary kind of way. The book will be out soon. Now that my husband is home--driving me crazy again--the new schedule assembled with my team should be no problem. BUT things have been so unexpected of late, so I'm not going to announce a firm date(though I'm pretty sure I know what day I'm hitting release). I'm just going to say my release is SOON and I'm only going to be a handful of days late(Not weeks and Not months) darlings, so please bear with me. I see you all googling for the new book in my web hosting dashboard.  I know you're looking for it, and I am truly touched so many of you are taking this journey with me and Chrissie.

But a funny thing happened on the way to my 12th release. Life.

And as ever I wish you Peace.

And as an apology to my readers and little gift to you all. The entire Half Shells Series on 99cent Kindle Countdown for 7 Days. ::Buy Links::
Book 1: The Girl on the Half Shell>> http://amzn.to/ZqFAnZ
Book 2:The Girl of Tokens & Tears>>http://amzn.to/18CAn1l
Book 3:The Girl of Diamonds & Rust>>http://amzn.to/1QuUIGW
Book 4:The Girl of Comfortable Quiet coming soon!
Add to your TBR: http://bit.ly/1e5ghj1

That I'm freaking tired. Don't get me wrong. I love being an author, but here's the rub for me. I tell people I'm 29 and I can see it in their eyes~yeah, right she's got to be 30 ~ and to be honest that's not the number any of us are thinking, but just roll with it for this post. And being an Indie Author is hard work. It seemed such a simple plan to release all 26 of my completed novels in 24 months and then I came face-to-face with the release process, and it's work. Emotionally and physically draining. I've done a pretty good job sticking with my releasing every month plan, there is not a chance in hell I'll ever  do the two books a month part of the plan, and I'm not beating myself up about it. I'm slowing down, darlings. Hell, in 60 days I retire from the real world. I'm not young any more and I need to face facts.  I'm not 29-heck half my kids are older than that- And this is work and I'm tired.

Of the things I've read about how to do this successfully, the most accurate has proved: to be a successful Indie you must release, release, release.  Most of us will go nowhere fast if that's not your plan. Now I have other Indie authors getting annoyed with me--I see your stuff everywhere--but granny's on a mission and seeing me everywhere means I'm working the plan.  But it is a process and it is exhausting. To be honest, I did make it harder on myself than I needed to. Of the original 26 novels I've only released 3 from the completed stack. And then I launched 3 series in a single year when all the series books weren't finished and added another 14 books to the completed stack. Yep, somehow I've written 14  novels in 14 months. So crap, I'm only on my 11th release with number 12 coming this month, The Girl in the Comfortable Quiet, but now I've got 28 completed books sort of up in the air like planes above an airport waiting to land and I don't know what I'm going to do about them.

The one thing I didn't read about being an Indie in all of the books I read was never forget the shit happens rule. You see our books have a way of sucking us into the world of our minds, and we forget we are here in the world of shit happens. That pretty much sums up my June 2015. I've had an avalanche of shit happens.

I recently read a post by Kluh Waters about retiring from writing. (Darling Kluh I wish you well and every happiness.)She hasn't been at it that long, but I totally get the post. She's tired and needs to focus on spending more time with her family. You see, this is not just a job or a project, it is in many ways adding a demanding relationship to your life. You share you, readers have expectations, and you work hard a lot of the time of your life to keep the relationship good. It is 24/7 of effort and emotion.  It's a relationship that takes hard work, attention, love and commitment. Maybe that's why so many of us older gals do this and do it well. It is the same recipe for raising a child. Why not utilize that training now that the kids are gone? And it is just as demanding and just as taxing.

So, where does this leave me? Releasing 40 books in 36 months and starting a new series in the fall. 2nd year as an Indie time for a new goal! Ya, Ya. Ya. I'm a type A. I can hear my own sound advice, but damn, I don't ever take it. And truthfully, as tired as I am today, I'm old enough to know it will pass tomorrow, and I want ever minute of this amazing ride with my readers. Thank you all for being so wonderful to me. I'm just a little beach girl from a tiny town on the coast of California, Santa Barbara. I am a small town girl and always will be, so it has been truly amazing to hear from so many people, from all around this incredible place we call earth, that they have read my little books and that the books mean something to them. Absolutely an Amazing High.

As ever I wish you Peace.

Oh, and pop back in tomorrow. I have another book birthday to celebrate and another thank you to my readers for you all.

Well I'm slowly working through the last chapters of The Girl in the Comfortable Quiet(4th book of The Half Shell Series Releasing June 30th) and as my messages boxes fill up with I love this series and I can't wait for the next book, instead of getting excited about this release, I am  scared as all go to hell.

Before you release your first book, when you write you don't really have a feeling of expectation about what you write. You enjoy the process. It's basically something you have to do( at least for me the last 35years) And you write pretty much what makes you happy.  I wonder how many authors started writing because they wanted to write books they like. And lets face it. I'm kind of quirky.  I didn't expect anyone else to like what I like. 

So, it's been this last year has been a very unexpected thing and at times a mind blower. I really never expected anyone to buy my books, then like my books, then make sure I know that they are waiting for the next book book. Once the author/reader relationship is created, the game changes and so does how an author feels about what they write. At least it did for me.

I find it harder to write because I am always worried will this disappoint...have I gone too far...will they hate me for this? I've always known how each of my fictional universes end, the complete story of my poor messed up girls, but some of it I never intended to tell anyone. Gulp. And now I'm doing it.

So here is where we are on the release schedule 2015 and my finishing off my giant fictional universe and my individual series fictional universes:
1. The Girl in the Comfortable Quiet~Last Half Shell Book~June 30th
2. Broken Crown~First Sand & Fog Book ~Releasing July 2015( I can't wait for the cover reveal on this one)
3. One Forever Kiss~Final book Affair without End Series~July 2015
4. Love Me Forever~First book~The Deverell Family Saga~ August 2015
5. The Girl of Sand & Fog ~First book Sand & Fog Series~September 2015
6. The Girl in the Space Between~2nd book Sand & Fog~November 2015
7. 2nd Deverell Family Saga(I don't have a name for it.) December 2015

And then I'm going to be held hostage by my husband in a motor home for six months and  figure out what I'm going to do next. This writing while traveling the US; I'm not sure how it's going to work. I may release books in 2016 from the already completed pile until we are done with our first retirement trip. I've got  The Merrick Family Saga in that pile, and that would be a good series since I start my historical romance releases with The Deverell Series. But I'm not sure. Oh, and this is a secret between me and you. Don't tell my editor what I'm up to. She thinks she getting some time off this year.

As ever I wish you Peace.

☆.•°*°•.☆ Cover Reveal~Releasing June 30th☆.•°*°•.☆
The Girl in the Comfortable Quiet
The 4th Book: The Half Shell Series book
Add to you TBR: http://bit.ly/1e5ghj1
::Synopsis::
“Some secrets are meant to be kept forever. What no one ever tells you is that secrets hurt you and never the ones you lie to. They are your solitary hurt and shame. The people you withhold them from go on with their lives. They live. They fuck. They love. They are unharmed by your silence and the words you haven’t yet shared.” ~Chrissie Parker

“We have a perfect life together. Don’t let the past ruin it, Chrissie.” ~Neil Stanton

“We are the farthest thing from enemies, Chrissie. I will always love you.” ~Alan Manzone

Married to her gorgeous superstar husband, Neil, and living a picture-perfect life should have put the past to rest forever for Chrissie. But some mistakes you can’t escape from, the truth always comes out in time, and some loves refuse to go away.

As she starts the family she’s longed for and builds her own career as a singer-songwriter, Chrissie is confronted with more unexpected changes. Truths about her loving father, Jack. Neil’s shocking secret. Alan’s unrelenting love for her.

Caught in a web of lies, with everything she believes coming crashing down around her, will she fight to save her marriage to Neil or will she fight for the love of her life, Alan? And will Chrissie find her happy ending at last?

To be honest, I don't even know who wrote the book for how Indies are supposed to launch books. I tried for 6 months to do it the Indie way--cover reveal, then release blitz, followed by blog tour with review ARCs--but all I got was pirated. It didn't seem to make a great deal of difference in how my books launched, while I do note that it's wildly successful for some Indies and more power to you doing it the Indie way. I see them racing up to the top 100, but I think I'm still too new for it to give me a bump.

I'm not knocking the Indie release structure.  I'm just saying it isn't me. Too much to think about. Too much to organize. Oh, and those expectations are never good things for me. So, I just sort of do things, chat with my readers, and hope it works. One Long Kiss went straight to top 100 Bestsellers list for Erotica Humorous within hours of release, stayed there and now floats on and off( so I know people are reading it) and it only has one review and according to the Indie Release Playbook that is no good. But that's how it worked out and  it's pretty much how I've lived my life. Just doing. Most probably the wrong way, but that is the Susan way.

I'd rather have one-on-one relationships with my readers. It's more me. It's more fun. And I've got time to chat, so why not answer Direct Messages and emails. I'm just a little, pretty much unknown, Indie Author with an amazing following. My message boxes have been filling up with questions about when The Girl in the Comfortable Quiet will release. Heck, I don't even announce my release dates because who needs that pressure when they are trying to write 100K a month.

But my little shells, as I call my devoted readers of the Half Shell Series, have become demanding, anxious, and really want the book. So I announced a release date: June 30th. And tomorrow I start my zero budget promotion with the cover reveal. So check back in here for my no frills cover reveal. There will be a release blitz for this book, my final Shell book--Chrissie deserves that after letting me torture her through 4 books-- and a just sort of thrown together blog tour. If you are a blogger(or just a really big fan) help me by sharing my posts. Or join my release blitz/blog tour by emailing me at susan@tipjarbooks.com.

When you buy my books  I am touched and thrill.  I've waited so long to share my stories. Whether I make list or just get a really cool note from a reader, each book I release is a win for me. There was a time I thought I'd never get over my internal fear and be able to share my work. I just kept sending them to the hard drive storage. I've got 40 books there. And crap, now I'm releasing book number 12. And that is in great part thanks to all  of you wonderful people who send me such kind notes and let me know you've enjoyed my work.

As ever I wish you Peace.

Well, I'm back in beautiful Santa Barbara, California on Walton's Mountain, and I can honestly say, there is no place like home. Time to dig in and finish my next releases: The Girl in the Comfortable Quiet(Final Half Shell Book, June 30th) One Forever Kiss(Final Affair without End book, July 13th) Broken Crown( Prequel Sand & Fog Series, July) Love me Forever(Book 1 Stand Alone Novel The Deverells, Summer 2015) Whew. This will be exhausting. It's nice to have a plan so I thought I'd share it with you.

July 18th I'll be in Vegas signing books at Love N Vegas. So hit me up there. I love meeting readers. They make leaving the mountain truly worth it. And July 13th is my 29th birthday...again, again, again...just roll with it darlings. We're all allowed our delusions! And because my birthday is in July, you know what that means: Susan will be going crazy with the Goodreads Giveaways. I've got my first listed, but there will be others set to end on my birthday so check back on my page. And these will be truly great goodie bags, filled with SWAG and surprises, because it's my birthday and I'll party if I want to!

Thank you all for being so marvelous to me.  Lately, I've been seeing things on the blogs about bad goings on in Indie Author world and they seem to rear their head at signings. I don't understand the conflict. I don't understand how I've been so lucky to be surrounded by nothing but wonderful readers and authors. But truly, I am touched by the generosity of you all.

As ever, I wish you Peace.