Every author isn't just a fulltime writer. We're fulltime everything, PR, marketing, and sometimes, our only fan. Being sick for most of October and having to lie in bed gave me time to devote to a bunch of stuff I don't normally do, some good--like reading all the terrific new releases of my author friends. And some not so good--watching all these videos from the various author support programs I'm part of.

​Whew, it's a good thing I didn't watch the videos from the experts before I was 2 years into my book business because if I had watched them before I launched a book I probably would never have hit release. Everyone out there has their opinion on what you should do to be a success. But it's all about how to sell more books.  The big one lately  is going live on Facebook and having POD casts so authors can have more of a relationship with their readers. I see them all the time. I'm sure they are great things for some authors, but lets get real. I'm old. I don't look good in an iPhone video even if I could take one that looked halfway decent and really, who wants to hear about a granny's life.

​Still, for a brief moment I was delusional enough to try to give it a try. We went to our first NBA game of the season at the brand new Golden One Arena, and I thought, this is fun. A great venue to do one of my Authors on the Go videos. And for you out there who haven't seen them, well, you're right, you haven't. They're something silly I do at signings and on my way to signings as a hello to my author friends and they are not fit for public viewing. That should have been my first clue not to dare doing that uber-trendy going live thing on Facebook. But no, I'm crazy when I'm out and I thought it would be fun and I could say I've done something the experts recommend.
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Well, the saving grace from this experience is that I went live on the wrong page. A second Facebook profile I have for my family and closest friends. And it's a good thing I did. I'm just not camera ready like the young people are at the drop of a hat. My daughters have exactly three always perfect smiles in every selfie. But me, something about how I hold that phone, I always end up all nose in the photographs.

The experience reminded me of one important thing I've always held firm belief in since I starting releasing my books. There is no one size fits all solution for how to be in Indie. And I've pretty much decided to stay with my golden rule: do what you love, how you love it, and forget everything else.

​And since everyone else out there has expert advice, I'm giving mine on how to thrive as an author. It's free so don't hate on me if you don't like it. Whatever you do be you, whatever you write, however you live: be true to who you are, and remember everyone's wonderful, success,  and exciting doesn't look the same.

​As ever I wish you peace and happy reading.

​Sign up for an Advance Read Copy of His Man, the 2nd Graham Carson Book.

Well, we're in the final months of 2016 and it's my busiest time. I usually try to release my big releases over the holidays, which keeps me working pretty much nonstop from October until Christmas. Only this year, I got a cold and October, well, the month was a total loss. No writing. Nothing. And I've got so many stories in my head to finish.

Graham Carson is a character very dear to my heart, and thankfully, a patient one. He's been waiting for the next installment of his story to release forever. And what a tale he and Leland have to tell. Not to mention his dear mother Patricia gets to return in such a fun-filled way, with a little Skyler Mathews on the side to prepare you all for his book, No is the New Yes.  So, hell or high water, my next release is   His Man, the 2nd Graham Carson book.

I'm winding down to finishing 2 more series--The Locked & Loaded Series, and The Sand & Fog Series--and it's really hard to say goodbye to these story lines. These are character who have grown up with me, hopped around my fictional universe, and been with me nearly three years. But all heroes tell their stories and move into the happily ever after.

Or do they??????

Never forget nothing is ever what you expected in the Parker Universe. There's definitely a surprise in the final book of the Locked & Loaded series, and for those of you who read The Girl in the Mirror, you know what my surprises mean. The same is true for the final book of Sand & Fog Series, The Girl of Leather & Lace. 


As always I wish you peace.

Now some of these are old releases(Crossroads Series) some of these are last book in series released(Ready for Flynn) and the last one is soon to be released(Hot For Teacher Anthology), but all these books share one thing: exceptional stories told by exceptional authors.

My Kindle Unlimited RECs:
The Crossroad Series(Redemption Lane and Absolution Road) have just been listed in Kindle Unlimited and a recommended read. Excellent stories about super sexy alpha-men just enough not perfect to make the real and lovably read. Rachel Blaufeld takes the complex heroine to a whole new level. They're always sassy. Accomplished. Strong. Driven to achieve something, but they are vulnerable and fragile with their own private insecurities that make them delightfully difficult for her heroes to win.

Now if you love rockers(and we all know I do) run, do not wait to grab all 3 Ready for Flynn books in KU. This is a gritty, raw, and detail yummy look into the world of rock music, with a wonderful heroine and a hero that will make you fall in love. The entire series is released. So grab it now while you can get it free with your KU. If you love rockers and authentic rockstar romance this is a must have in your Kindle Library!


Soon To be Released RECs:
This anthology, Hot for Teacher, I'm eagerly waiting for its release on October 18th. It's got 2 of my fave authors in it: Rachel Blaufeld & K. Webster, and then this giant list of incredible authors I want to read. 19 of them for 99 cents. And you know how anthologies go. They are limited releases and soon to be retired, so this one preorder. There is no way this collection of work can be anything less than page-turning wonderful.

So those are my recommendations for October.

As ever I wish you peace

Some writers make their lives so sound exciting. Jetting off here to sign. Having these crowded Facebook groups that party all the time, and every release being SOP perfect and a success.

Ah--that's not my life. Not how it works. Here's a page from Susan universe. Write, write, write to finish a book scheduled for release so I can hit the road to sign books in 3 cities. Get it done on time, breathe sigh of relief, then break a tooth three days before my schedule departure date. Scratch off first signing because Dentist can't see me before. Get to the dentist, and before I can get it fixed, I catch a cold. Now I can't fix tooth or fly until my cold goes away(I don't know it just doesn't seem right to expose people in a crowded place like a plane so I don't do it.) Scratch off second signing. Now I'm in a holding pattern hoping to get over my cold so I can get tooth fixed to be at third signing on the 15th. And my fall travel schedule I booked and paid for over a year in advance is now in shambles.

Doesn't sound fun, does it? Well this is the worst of the worst of writer's world for me, but I share it to make a point. Authors exist on a giant ocean without a navigation map and just riding the waves. When shit happens we roll but it doesn't mean it works out well.  Indie authors also put up money in advance for everything they do. And it's so easy for something to go wrong and to lose our investment. Cold? Broken tooth? Not able to fly? Or readers not grooving on our work?

Please, don't add uploading an author's work to a pirate site part of the challenges we face. It's a hard enough business without readers thinking they have a right to share your work any way they want to.

I make mention of this because my morning ill in bed was spent writing those little letters you have to, to get your work off the pirate sites. I would have rather spent the hours writing about Graham Carson in His Man or Skyler Mathews in No is the New Yes. But no, an entire morning writing letters because someone illegally uploaded my work.

Don't get me wrong. I love being an Indie Author. But let's face it, it's a hard business and readers, if you want those books you love, to add to making it difficult to provide them to you.

As ever I wish you peace.



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There are times books are going to be written the way the characters demand to tell their stories and to quote Bernie Mac can't do shit about that. Maybe it's the seriousness of the times we live in, or that I have politics on my brain, am feeling frustrated by my options, a tad confused by friends, and that's how it happened: Colin Rand came to life in my head. To tell his story in a dark comedy way, with some sizzling hot sex scenes, will either go over well or badly in the months many of us are hyper focused on the election. I have to admit, he's a such a stubborn man my Susan-isms really had to fight with him to get into the book. But after struggling I got my deeper meanings into his story with all his crazy  behavior. And that Colin Rand is one crazy man when he's in love, do not doubt it.

I think with this book my readers are going to be split on their opinion of my new hero. Some will love Colin for his bad ways and self-discovery. Some will bow out before getting to fully know him. And some might hate him for not remaining how he was when he started his story.  And some might just hate me as an author when they're through.

Every time I sit down to write I tell myself don't write it your way, Susan. You know what/how everyone else is writing their romances. Just belt out one that way one time. But that's not me. And I find it less so in my M/M romances because for some reason the stories get high-jacked from me the second I start writing them and the men, they take over.

There's the smart writer move for profitability and admiration. Then there's the Susan way. No matter how a story unfolds on paper, I want to say something larger by the end. Whether anyone sees it or not. Whether they read the message wrong or get it right. I want my characters sometimes to speak for me.

So Colin, the unlikely hero and definitely an usual choice to help me speak on my pages, is coming to life officially on October 9th. For better or worse.

As ever, I wish you Peace.

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