Life After a Series

Self-publishing is a constantly changing animal.  When I first wrote Outcast and the Blackguard, it seemed easy to market.  But as I was writing the final books of The Blue Dragon's Geas, the marketing dynamic changed.  Tactics I was using to sell 400 books a day suddenly fell flat.  When you self-publish you have to both write and then sell the books.

When Fallen Tiers, the last book, was finished I set about marketing the series.  So far, I haven't found a new magic solution to put me back at 400 books a day but it is still relevant on Amazon.  I can get it to number one when I give it away but that kind of  defeats the purpose of selling your work.

I then turned my attention to a book on the journey of fighting cancer.  If I Told You, Would You Listen will be out soon.  It is written to not only cancer patients but also to family, caregivers and professionals.  It is my message of hope so that others can fight with a sense of peace, something I have learned on my way.  I am four years into my cancer journey and felt I had a lot to offer to those at the beginning of their fight.

Now my attention is returning to Death's Door.   It will be a spin-off of the series with more focus on Jon than Alador.  The premise is that souls are starting to turn away from Death's Door and the Goddess of Death has tasked Jon her High Priest,  to figure out why.  Of course with all my books, there are other plot lines and the typical twists to make it a Dragons' Geas novel.

The other project I have been working on and am just now completing is that I opened a life coach business.  CreateGoodLiving.com opened a couple of weeks ago.  As many of you know, I am trained first and foremost as a counselor with a specific focus in cognitive behavior therapy and addiction.  Since I prefer to write rather than punch a clock, I have found myself missing helping others find success in their own lives.  Life coaching is something I can do around chemo and writing making it the perfect business to round out my daily life.  When coaching others, I find myself reminded to do my own activities to keep inner peace and balance.  You learn best by teaching after all.

I believe that is everything I wanted to update you all on.  I know I fell silent there for a bit as I became hyper-focused on writing the cancer book and opening my business.  I also know many of you have contacted me about that spin-off novel. I promise you, I am still working on it.  Talk to you all soon, may fantasy fill your days and bring joy to your life.

Life After a Series

Anyone following my blog, well they know my story.   They know about the July 2014 diagnosis of cancer, the fire that ripped through our hobby farm and the many surgeries.  All happening as I wrote the Blue Dragon's Geas Series.  I had to have a lot of push and support to get the last book out.  After the last period was placed and then the mis-release on Amazon were all resolved.  I just walked away from my computer.  The relief to finish the story before cancer finished me was a huge weight off my shoulders.

I moved to Minnesota to attend the Mayo clinic.  My health has been on a constant return to somewhat of a normal day to day that is manageable. I live with great friends who have made me part of the family.  I have learned to live in a new place with a new cultural approach to life.

Then it happened.  The story started to nag at me.   Where did Jon come from? What happened to Nightmare?  What about the baby?  Did anyone else know about Levielle's magic?  What about all the other Gods?  Why were they so absent?

Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke.

Guess what?  I have picked up my pen.  Jon's story needs told.  A lot of these questions need answers.  I can't leave it alone.  Death's Door is now in progress.  I should have it finished in two months to begin the editing process.  That is why I am reaching out to my readers.  What questions did the series leave you with?  I don't promise to answer them all in this book.  (Maybe future ones)  I will try to answer as many as fits the story-line I am writing.

So while I have been fairly silent over the last year.  I am here to say today, "I AM BACK!"

I  can't wait to hear from all of you.

Best wishes
Cheryl Matthynssens
Creator of the world of Vesta

Live Video- Chemo

I made a live video from chemo if you wish to check it out.  Love to all my readers. I am still fighting.

https://www.facebook.com/latiera/videos/10209988052555870/

If I Told You, Would You Listen

by Cheryl Matthynssens — This is saved here for the book I am writing after finale is completed.

If I told you would you listen? 

If our eyes met would you turn and walk away?

Would you pretend you didn't hear me?

Would you forget that we were friends until that day 

If I told you would you listen? 

I just pretend to be so strong. 

I can't really be the center, the pillar, 

the one you counted on. 

Cancer Fight, the True Mole in My Life!

Well here we are again!

Journal entry by Cheryl Matthynssens

I had hoped my days of needing to have an outlet and to write here were over.  My Oncologist told me today that it will never be "over".  He had hoped that I would have more time cancer free then four months, but it just wasn't to be.  My cancer is anchored throughout my body.  It does not appear it will go into remission.  The best hope I have now is to continue to play whack-a-mole with it.

Somewhat expecting this, my oncologist had been monitoring me closely so that the moment it reared its ugly head, we would attack it.  Right now, the tumors are small and they are in my lungs.  One lung has a fair sized nodule of about 1/2 inch and the other one looks like a piece of moss, weaving in and out air passages or the blood veins.  I couldn't tell which.  Because it is in both lungs, it is considered inoperable.  Now that it has shown up in multiple organs, it is unlikely I will achieve remission.

I Don't See it As Amazing?

Mia and I recovering

Repeatedly over the last year I have been told that I am strong and amazing.  Oddly, I don't see myself that way.  I see myself as doing what must be done to live, to write and to have shelter.   As I look back over the year, I see triumph over struggles, but it doesn't seem all that miraculous to me. It was just what I needed to do to live.

I was asked to write out what a typical day for me was like in the last year.  I will write up two because it was either one or the other.   I was either chemo sick or traveling.  I know that my fans have been crazy for the next book and my publicist suggested I share these two schedules to create an understanding.  

Writing with Cancer

I know that many of my readers are aware that I have cancer. I have kept you updated and let you know delays caused by the disease and by fighting it. My recovery counselor said something yesterday that really impacted me. In the course of the conversation, I realized that I hide the true depth of the impact from everyone. I don't want to talk about it with even my family. I think to talk about it means that I would have to accept it as real and not part of some story. I realized that I am the story. So today, I am going to get personal and let everyone have a glimpse behind the mask as a professional, as a writer, and a mom.

Author Update! June 2016

GOOD NEWS!

Hi Readers!

 I got really good news yesterday.  The chemotherapy has been so effective that the liver tumors have disappeared off of the Pet Scan. I might get to stop chemo for awhile just to see if they are really dead.  They want to go in and remove dead areas, but it would just be small clean up of residual lesions.  I also am done moving to where my oncologist lives.

The books continue to plod along.  Reviews are always welcome as I use them to promote.  I also have a publicist now.  Russ Matthynssens will be seeing to all public events, book signings and fairs. I am now well enough to schedule talking or signing appearances.  If you are interested in me coming to your area and you have a small coffee shop or bookstore that welcomes authors, you can give him a call.  509-470-8267 to reach him.  Please know that this number is for publicizing only.  He will not purchase products and services.  (peers at all the home business advertisers).   I have been having a great time the last two weeks.   I went to Georgia and Utah.

When Life Happens!

I am not one for being hypocritical or giving false advice.  So when I opened my blog to check on things and realized how long it has been since you all have heard from me, I was embarrassed.  It is not that I am not writing, for there is crafting of story going on most moments I am not actively engaged in something else, but I haven't been writing anything down.

Author Update - January 2016

I haven't written to you all recently so thought I would take a moment from frantic editing to do so.  2015 has been a very hard year.  I had planned to have book 4 - Pseudo-Dragon - out by summer.  My fight against cancer overrode that goal.

In the past year, I have finished first round of chemo, had a kidney removed and a full hysterectomy due to return of tumors.  In the midst of surgeries survived a wildfire that took most of our property. (not the house)  I have restarted chemo due to the metastasized cancer.  I have been in the hospital for a week due to side effect of said chemo.  Needless to say it has been a rough year.

Now for the good news, my last PET scan shows that the chemo has dissolved the tumors that were still left within me.  My doctor is reluctant to use the word remission due to the veracity of return that happened earlier this year.  Despite his reluctance, he did admit it looks like the chemo is working.

I did have some successes last year.  I put out one novel early in the year.  Pseudo-Dragon is the longest of the four and beta readers say it is by far the best of them as well.  I guess I will find out soon.  Pseudo-Dragon is up for pre-sale now and releases on February 1, 2016.  Needless to say, I am busy with last minute edits and polish.

My goals for 2016 are:  Write the final book in the series, put out the live write collection of fantasy short stories, and to get into shows and shops for book signings.  I am excited to be able to finally enjoy writing full time without the constant threat of stage 4 cancer.  I hope you will all continue to reach out and say hi!.  The support from all of you has been amazing and I can't wait to meet and speak with many of you.

Have a great 2016!
May Dragons ever inspire your thoughts, creativity, and balance.
Cheri

Opening An E-store

http://astore.amazon.com/draggeas-20

This will be my unique store for my books and other fun dragon gifts and collectibles.  I am using my income from this store to help pay for my chemotherapy expenses not covered by insurance.

Here are some sample items that I love!

Adventures of an August Writer

To say that nothing has gone as planned since I decided to leave my job and write full-time would be a great understatement.  I had put in my notice because I thought my poor health was due to burnout, a condition that happens often to chemical dependency counselors.  Little did I know when I told them it was to take care of my health how big a statement that was or how wrong I was when I said it was nothing life threatening.


Not long after giving my notice, I want to say within days, I got the diagnosis for colon cancer with a need for immediate surgery.  No worries I thought, time to write.  That turned out harder than I had anticipated due to the rigors of chemotherapy and the need to keep an income up with unexpected medical expenses.  Many of you know this part. 

Move forward.  I have just finished chemotherapy when I am told that my kidney appears to be blocked. No worries I am told, we will just unblock it.  That turned out to be impossible and the kidney further along in its dying process then thought due to chemotherapy and CT scans.  So the big day to have it removed was August 5th.

I have been working every other week as I can teaching around the country.  I have been doing book-shows such as the NW book festival in Portland and of course, writing all around that.  My plan, (Laughs cause that was the first sign of trouble... I made a plan.) my plan was to have the kidney out and spend the month writing and recuperating.  So we are on this path to healing when I somehow pull a stitch deep inside.  If you have never felt this, you do not want to.  My surgeon said basically that it is surgical level pain. IN other words, it would have felt like being cut on.  Which is what I felt, a knifing pain every time I moved any of my core.  Ever try to do anything and not use your core? 

So that put me in the hospital temporarily two nights in a row because lets face it, a little laced tylenol is not going to cut it.  On the mend from this. Yes we are on the downhill slope finally after a full year.  The kidney surgery was almost exactly a full year after the colon cancer was removed.  Woohoo - writing and travel here I come.  I will edit for beta's and write in alternation to get this book out as I am two months behind my own scheduled deadline.  See a problem here?  I made a plan.  *sighs*

It started well. I went to the doctor and everything was looking good now. I put a chapter out to my beta readers and while l were deeply involved in ripping it to shreds.  (Just kidding, they are a great group) The next day I completed a chapter I was very happy with and closed the computer with pride.  Now, what I don't mention is that a wild fire and started blowing our way early that day.  My mother was taking care of me and growing more and more concerned as smoke filled the air.  We were at level two evacuation which means be packed. She was very relieved when I shut my computer and began to help choose what to take and what to leave.  
Now mind you, I am not supposed to lift more than ten pounds. I am scared.. to twist and turn and pull another internal stitch. So this was a slow process.  However, finally we get the call. You have to go.  You have to leave your home and hope it will not burn.  This is most upsetting as my family does not want to leave. Russ lost everything to a fire when he was younger and doesn't want to face it again.  However, it looks like Armageddon.  The sky is this ghastly orange and grey.  There are spots of dark billowing black twisting and twirling up to stand out in stark contrast to the orange sky.  The sound of helocopters, the DC9/10? bringing pools of water in and smaller planes make it look like we are under attack - they are just dropping water instead of bombs.  

Now anticipating that I would need to drive, I did not take my laced Tylenol.  Wise, right.  I might have to drive.  So it is decided that I will drive my mom, the dogs and as much as I could fit in the vehicle to my mother and father's house:  Six hours away!  Woot, on the road, happy little camper driving along for about five miles.  The jostling of the car begins to elevate the pain in my eight inch surgical wound that feels like twelve inches of fire now.  So, next option, hotel that allows dogs.

Much to my surprise, a hotel in the next town called the Okanogan Inn takes us in at a reduced rate dogs and all.  I mention them by name because I am eternally grateful that they put us up, reduced the fee because we were fleeing the fire, and the room was nice with no carpet and good beds.  Still a very long night because the men in the family have stayed to guard the homestead. True wild west going on out here in Eastern, Washington.  

Morning comes and we stay in the hotel as long as we can.  About the time we have to check out, where I live goes back to level two.  Woot, I can go home.  My dad comes and gets my mom to make it easier for us. They offer to stay but everthing is calm so I send them on their merry way.  I plan (see a theme here yet?) to spend the evening with no one here. Just quiet.  Plus, my doctor said I could take a real bath in my garden tub.  See I have had a tube in my back for months trying to start my kidney which has meant sponge baths and very careful showers.  The prospect of sliding into a deep hot tub has me almost drooling with anticipation.  I will do this and then edit the next chapter. I will be back on plan.  (that word again)

I am laying in the hot bath, truly enjoying this moment of solitude and peace. No nurses at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 a.m., no family, no curious pets; just me soaking and reading a good book.  I suddenly notice the smell in the air has changed.  Everything smells smokey, but this is different.  Something has changed. Not to worried, I get up and get dressed. Time to start writing anyway.

I go out and the wind has picked up.  That must be it, I thought.  I mean it would make sense to have more smoke.  Turn on the radio to hear, that my area is level 3 - I can still here the radio announcer.  "Get Out Now!"  Now here is a bit of a problem.  The men in the family all went to work. I am alone remember?  And.. my son borrowed my car because his was down.  I am alone with an overloaded (from the night before) pickup truck with a bad suspension that is way off the ground, and the dogs, a turtle, a cat, a dragon (bearded but it still counts) two goats, and two horses.

I call Russ. Fortunately his boss sent him to help me.  As I was waiting, a policeman comes up the drive lights blaring.  "Get out now!" he says.  "The fire is coming."  He points at the far ridge and sure enough, fire is dancing at the top of it.  

Now that ridge is probably five miles off.  But I can tell you that in that moment it felt like it was the hill at the back of the property which is only 80 acres.  I am loading things into the truck as fast as I can, dragging them outside because I am certain we are losing everything.  The fire line is miles wide and marching straight for us.  No angle... no wind to fight against... it is steaming in with a good tailwind to give it a good leap and a jump.  I don't care how much it is hurting. This is it.  All the memories from raising four kids are about to go up in smoke. When at last we pulled out, we took this picture as a last memory of our home.

We made it to my son's and stayed with his family.  The dogs and we stayed in the house, the cat, the turtle and the dragon wer relegated to the vehicles.  Unfortunately, there had been no time to make arrangements for the goats and horses.  We opened up all the pastures in hopes that they can stay ahead or behind the fire.    It was a long night mourning and worrying over house and remaining animals.  At 5 a.m., I woke up to take the dogs out and checked my phone. The first picture on my facebook page is the local paper and the house burning down on the front looks just like ours.  However, the fence is just enough off that we couldn't tell if it was the angle or a different house.  

Russ could not take 'not knowing' and despite the danger and the evacuation order, he worked his way to the property.  His heart sank as he pulled into the driveway. He stopped and took a picture of the fence still on fire.  As he drove down the long drive, blackened ground is on all sides.  But... our house was still there when he turned the corner.  We are not sure how.  

The fire split as it came down the final hill then climbed the two ridges that our house sits between.  There is some minor evidence there may have been a good Samaritan or a few fire-fighters up here but nothing definitive.  So if it was fire fighters that somehow did something to make that fire split around the buildings (the only thing not burnt on 80 acres are four buildings that are spaced out over about eight out of eight of the acres) than know that we thank you from the bottom of our heart.   We could find no sign of a fire break or line but that doesn't mean something wasn't done.  If there were no men at our house last night. Then please know that my belief in a high power just went up a notch or two.  I can find no rational reason for the fire to have stopped in the places it stopped and yet burned the places that it burned.   


We are home now.  It will be an extended camping trip.  There is no lights, no water, no animals, few insects, no internet (already in withdrawal) , but we have all the amenities of camping and yet can sleep in our OWN beds.  Sounds okay to me.    




The plan (Yes, I know, I never learn) is to work on clean up during the morning hours.  I don't know how much help I will be given my wound and lifting restrictions.  IF nothing else, I can be cleaning all the soot and dust. Then I will go in when Russ goes to work to shower and then write at the library.  That will make me buckle down. Eight hour shifts of writing.   Maybe it will actually help us get the book out.   Talk to you soon ... if nothing else goes wrong!

 UPDATE:  We found out that this fire here was started by the Bellevue Fire Department in an attempt to back burn and save our house.  They thought the house as gone. They had stopped by to see how bad it was.  They took the following video right before they were forced to leave the house and hope for the best.   I wish to give my heart felt thanks to these men for saving our home, our horses and our peace of mind.

An Author Update

Emotionally I think I am getting to the best place I have been in weeks.  My motivation is slowly increasing again and I am starting to let go of some of the angst of losing a kidney to my cancer treatment. 

Intellectually - I see the world differently now. My priorities have changed.  My desperation to remain the primary income maker in my home sometimes pushes me to hard and I know it.  I just really don't want this disease to determine Johanna's access to college or going back to going without.  I just got out of that.  I am still having some struggles concentrating and my memory still has wholes.

Physically... regaining strength and stamina.  I will just get it back to comfort when I will go down again. For those that don't know, the tube placement was successful but the kidney has not responded.  They are planning to remove it on 8/5 unless the kidney kicks in before then. They have to go in through the back and back muscles which will make movement hard.  I will be in the hospital for four days and then down for at last two weeks where I won't be allowed to travel. 

Spiritually I think is where I am the strongest. I believe through God that we are all connected. This belief gives me comfort and peace.

Creatively - The plotting never stops even though I am not putting it down.  I think what I have down is some of the best writing I have done. Katherine says as the book progresss, she is having to use the red pen less and less.  She said tonight I am going to outgrow her. I know I am behind my promised release date and trust me.. no one has more anxiety about that than I. I feel like I let my readers down when cancer and its side effects impacted that date.  The book is starting beta read this week.

I am really looking forward to the book show. Theresa Snyder and I were accepted to the annual NW Book Fair in Portland on July 25th.   Theresa has done so much work on bookmarks, cards and such that I feel like I am putting to much on her.  But it should be a great day.  Of course, turning around and getting on a plane the next day, not so great.  But we do what we must!!  I am trying to get as much work as I can before I go down in August.  With the book progress and the classes I have done. I may be able to afford to take the whole month off which my doctor would prefer.

Any help you can give in sharing my books or my gofund page (http://www.gofundme.com/cudai8 )would be greatly appreciated by my family and I.  The medical bills continue to come in.

Help! I am finally swallowing my pride and asking for help!

To my friends: 

Please share my gofund page for my cancer medical bills.

I am paying 500.00 a month just to stay on cobra but.. I can see the strain on my family building. Now, they say my kidney is dying due to chemo or related surgeries. This just means more medical bills and I haven't even been placed into remission yet. I am not good at asking for help. But.. I need help! $1 or $5... anything would help. Please pass on my link. Because of fraud these days, people are less willing to help with things like cancer unless someone else vouches they are really sick.

http://www.gofundme.com/cudai8

I was keeping up by writing, but chemo turned the ends of my fingers and toes into this weird painful neuropathy that makes typing and balance difficult. So it is not an option to go back to work yet and I am behind on my book schedule. Even if you just wanted to pick up a paperback of one of my books and gift it to someone, it would help.

 My Author page on Amazon is:
http://www.amazon.com/Cheryl-Matthy…/…/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Thank you in advance. If you can't help personally, please pass this on.

Mother's Day Tribute to My Mom!

Mom and Bre

My Tribute to my Mom!

I do not remember the sleepless nights
I cried while mother held me tight.

I do not remember that first warm stare
when mother first held me warm and bare.

I do remember the things she taught
that right and wrong each have a cost.

The hours spent when I was sick
the warm milk toast she made so quick.

Cancer - A Poem

Fight for a Life


A silent stalker moved in shadows,
My life it hoped to steal.
I did not know it followed close,
To me it was not real.

There came a day it took a stab,
It's presence fully shown.
It closed its grip around my life,
If I had only known.

It laughed in mocking evil,
As I began to gasp.
It's mocking tone was in my ear,
My life was fading fast.

A knight with scalpel and fierce thrust,
He beat the stalker back.

Bloodmines - Update!

To those of you that write, you will know what I mean when I say that this novel took on a life of its own.  It is turning out to be much longer than I wanted, and yet I and the editor agree that what I have written needs to remain.  I guess that just means the series will be a bit longer than the four books I had originally mapped out.

I posted in October that I was taking input from readers on what they would like to see in the next book. I am pleased to say that some of the readers will be getting free copies of this novel as I did incorporate some of the requests and ideas.  I may still incorporate more of them in the next novel.
I have loved my reader interactions through email, Twitter, Goodreads and here.  It makes writing so much more fun to have the feedback, even the negative feedback.

As many of you now know, I had quit my job to write full-time.  Excited by the huge sales, great feedback and reader interaction; I gave my notice at work.  But things did not go as planned and so I had to back-step.  A diagnosis of cancer led to almost immediate surgery, followed by some unforeseen complications.

 I am my own publicist and so I lost momentum and sales, despite good reviews, began to drop.  I was unable to put Bloodmines out when I had originally planned as I lost almost six weeks to just being very ill.  I do not share this for sympathy.   I am six doses into chemo.  I have continued to write despite days were the cold cramps ones hands into claws.  (A strange side effect of the chemo I am on)  Today, I finished Bloodmines.  I am proud to have written this novel in the face of severe sickness, travel, and many telling me to just give up and deal with cancer only.  I also achieved the 50k goal for NaNoWriMo2014.  A goal I was determined to make.

I think that giving in and being "sick" is the worst thing I could have done.  It would have been easy to lay in bed doing nothing and watching T.V. or sleeping.  Don't get me wrong, there have been many days in bed, but with my laptop and hand warming.  I want to beat cancer as badly as Alador wants to complete his geas.

Book 3 is now in edit! It is written.  When the editors get done with their red pens, we will proof and release!

Some things to expect in book 3 without giving too much away:
Dragons in person - not in dreams!
Better explanation of the Geas Stone as requested by readers
Magic

Anything more would give to much away. I hate spoilers.

I love you all! You make each day at my computer a joy.
Cheri

Cancer Update! Impact on Book 3~

I want to thank Rebecca Hunt, one of my dearest friends, for telling me about the caring bridges site. I want to keep this blog about fantasy stuff so I went ahead and set one up for those actually wishing to follow health updates and status.  This will be my last post about that here.  This way people don't have to ask, they can check there for how I am doing and what I am doing.  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/cherylmatthynssens 

I also started a fundraising page to help meet the expenses of travel to and funds for chemotherapy.  That page is at : http://www.gofundme.com/cudai8 The tribute donations on the caring bridges site go to caring bridge and not to the page owners.  Any help to meet that goal will keep stresses down so I CAN write.

Granddaughter born day before diagnosis!

  So here is a catch up of events:On July 21st, I called in sick to work. I didn't feel well.  Later that day, I went to Russ and told him something was wrong.  He took me to the walk in clinic where I was promptly referred to Dr. Quigley, a surgeon, for a scope of my colon. On the 23rd, Dr. Quigley shared his concern for my symptoms and told me it could not wait. He scheduled the procedure for the 25th. 

July 25th I was told I had colon cancer almost completely obstructing and surgery was scheduled immediately. I had it removed on the 29th of July.  The pathology report showed it was a well differentiated tumor and only four of the thirty lymph nodes harvested came back positive. My surgeon tells me this is all good news.   I am being referred for chemo in mid-September.  Some time between now and then they will be putting a port in my shoulder because the doctor says my veins will not handle the chemotherapy.

On August 7th, I was re-admitted as the juncture where I was put back together collapsed and was obstructed.  Thankfully, some liquid therapy and meds, it reopened on its own.  The doctor said he could not explain it.  I could.. there were a lot of people praying.  I got to come back home on the 8th.

I am home today and resting.  I tried to hurry back to work but whenever I suggest it, the doctor laughs at me. *sighs*.  Writing has also slowed down. Pain is a deterrent to creativity.  Not completely though, my new book is moving but slowly.  I know many of you are waiting for Bloodmine.  My hope is to have that out by the first of the year even with this set back.  Please know this is an aggressive goal but I hope to achieve it.  The audio version of The Blackguard did get released on time, so that goal has been met. Thank you to my narrator, Paul.

My next personal goal is to find a Corgi.  I want one for a comfort pet.  If anyone knows of anyone with a baby Corgi, I am looking. I want a baby so we can bond and be tight as I go through this battle that I have been told will be at least six months.

I love you all. Thank you for your support. 
Cheri

Why Am I an Amazon Select Author?

I have been asked this question many times since the debate with Hachette started.  Why are you an Amazon Select Author.  The truth?  Well the truth at first is that I could not afford to be anything else or I thought so at the time. I have learned a lot since then but even now I do not expand beyond Amazon.

But why?

First:  When I had no money but I had a story, Amazon published it through createspace for free.  No minimum purchase.  No upfront fees.  No inventory on hand.  Just.. here is my story.  I was working full time and knew from previous business experience there was some benefit in this as my time is also worth money.  Instead of panicking about filling orders and different sites, I could leverage my time to writing and publicity.

Second:  I have long known and agree with Amazon's position with Hachette that a lower price tag means more sales and when you leverage those numbers that it will mean more profit to the bottom line. Amazon recently released this information and I have used the same tactics when I owned a gift store.

My ebook

"E-books are highly price elastic. This means that when the price goes down, customers buy much more. We've quantified the price elasticity of e-books from repeated measurements across many titles. For every copy an e-book would sell at $14.99, it would sell 1.74 copies if priced at $9.99. So, for example, if customers would buy 100,000 copies of a particular e-book at $14.99, then customers would buy 174,000 copies of that same e-book at $9.99. Total revenue at $14.99 would be $1,499,000. Total revenue at $9.99 is $1,738,000. The important thing to note here is that the lower price is good for all parties involved: the customer is paying 33% less and the author is getting a royalty check 16% larger and being read by an audience that's 74% larger. The pie is simply bigger."

Third:  My time is worth money. Especially now that I have to battle cancer.  By not keeping track of  the many websites and portals, I have leveraged my time to free it up for more writing.  I have heard, you could have more sales if you listed your book here and here and here.  Maybe, maybe I could.  But I am not writing to be rich and famous.  Oh, I won't lie, that would be nice.  However, by having a single portal without paying additional people a share of my profits, I have freedom of time. This means more to me than a few more sales.

Fourth:  Profit: Okay, let us be honest.  Profit makes additional writing possible. The more reduction of financial stress, the more creative I am.  I am making enough profit doing things the way I am doing that I had already given notice to be a full time Independent writer before I found out I had cancer.  Even now if the face of cancer, I know if I don't stop doing what I am doing, there will be enough profit to pay the medical bills.

Fifth:  What about the new Kindle Unlimited?  The jury for me is still out on this program.  My sales immediately dropped when Kindle Unlimited came out.  Little self disclosure here:  In July, my book was borrowed 610 times in the US with a profit of $1366.40.  I averaged 2.24 per borrow prior to KDP select starting.   My book, Outcast, when sold at $2.99 only brings in  $2.00 in profit.  Assuming that the amount I receive per borrow stays above 2.00, I am actually better off if my book is borrowed. That just makes good financial sense.  However, I am waiting for the first report to come out to see what the price per borrow was when Unlimited was introduced and that will decide for me.

Lastly:  What if it changes?? What if you quit making such a good income because Amazon squeezes down the profit margins?  These are questions I have been asked.  Contracting Cancer has only solidified something I have always believed.  I can't live in tomorrow.  I can't future trip and run around panicked trying to leverage against something that has not happened.  I don't have the time or energy for such a waste of energy against something that might NEVER happen.  If it does happen, then I will take it like I live life, one day at a time.  However, for Amazon to sell books, they have to have authors.  The truth is, no great outlet ever squeezes their supplier out of existence.    But if it does happen, if the worst shoe drops, then and only then will I jump a ship.  It make no sense to me to jump off a ship that might sink some day.

I hope those of you that have bought in to Hachette's media campaign will at least take the time to read this article http://www.readersunited.com/ . Authors are not United on this issue as Hachette claim,   I have learned that over time, loyalty often triumphs diversity.

Finding One's Feet in Fantasy

Well as an update - I made it through surgery and although still tired and sore, appear to be recovering well. I find out tomorrow the stage of cancer and what it will mean for chemo, radiation, life expectancy and so much more.  Strangely, as a fantasy writer, I find these things intriguing.

Fantasy in the concepts of writing is defined as:  An imaginative fiction dependent for effect upon the strangeness of setting and or the characters.  So a new world, strange new beasts or even the use of magic or mind skills not perceived as common in our day to day experiences.

Writers have been playing with fantasy forever; for it is the realm of tales where good triumphs over evil and magic can rescue one from the hardships of life or even your own stupidity.  Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream or J.R.R. Tolkiens famous trilogy are examples of excellent fantasy.

Fantasy is a place where one can escape the trials and tribulations of day to day life and while the hero may not always win, you are given someone to root for and align with in hopes of a desired outcome.

So in the world of fantasy in which I thrive, my children and I named the cancer Bob.  Bob just had to go.  And from that slips a tale of fantasy in which our heroine is dealing with a most obtrusive and obnoxious suitor.  And though she has found ways to cut him from her life, the damages that he has left remain obstacles to overcome.  As she surmount challenge after challenge, our obnoxious suitor stays just out of sight, waiting to claim her for his own.  Will she rise up and slay him once and for all?  Will the trials and tribulations of his stalking be to much to overcome?  In that final battle, will he overcome her tenacity and stubborn resistance and claim her once and for all as his own?

See, that is the thing about fantasy... the only way out is through.  Until you read every sword clash, every monster overcome and every moment of triumph for our heroine, you do not know.  You have to read till the end.

I will see you all at the end.  Whatever it brings, we will read it together.  We will cry together. We will triumph or fall....together.

Life truly is a never ending story till the last breath is drawn and this writer plans to make sure her heroine breathes every last moment full of color, gratitude and love.  For is that not the stuff that dreams are made of?  See you at the end....