Progress How novel 14

Blood is just over 11,000 words. It should move faster now.  Or at least it will seem so to me when I write. It seems to take forever to get to 10,000, then BAM it takes off.  

I decided to change the title to Blood Book instead of Blood Lexicon. I think it will go better. More catchy. 

Raven Manor and Blood Book are not typical urban fantasy or supernatural books. They are not romances or erotica. I call them supernatural crime dramas myself.  Reminiscent of the TV show The Night Stalker and similar to supernatural crime shows like Grimm. 

 I introduce the hidden world of the Del Mulanti Ruv or Ghostwolves in Raven Manor. It is a fast, easy read to set in motion the events that take place in Blood. So give it a try and meet the Ruv. Book

There is a Page which shows the Main Characters of the Ratta Trilogy or the first three books of the Ghostwolf series. MCs

Progress How Novel 13

 

Well, the Challenge is over.

I learned a lot, but I think I'll have to retake the challenge in April to get the full benefit of it. I'm a slow learner with technology and I have to do something a few times to really understand it. The videos helped a lot.

I have 7 ads running right now. Surprisingly I've only spend $3.76 since the 11th. A far cry from what I usually spend for the same time period before the course. So it's helped me already. I check it every day though, just in case. I have a small budget for this. 

Book 2 Blood Lexicon is coming along nicely. Approaching 10,000 words. Once I break that barrier the book usually goes faster. Or at least seems to. 

Working on Page Shavora vs Kumpanija. I've set up the other Pages. However, I will no doubt add to them as I continue to write Blood. The Pages do give a little bit of spoilers, but not a lot. 

Raven Manor is as I said the introduction to the world of the Ruv. It is just a romp, a dip into that secret sphere. A deadly one for sure but merely a step inside. 

Blood is the nitty gritty. 

So check out Raven Manor, then peruse the Pages here on my blog while we all wait for Blood. 

Tentative Date= May 2021

Maybe sooner.

Ads

 

I'm taking the Amazon Ad Profit Challenge. It's free, unlike the ads I 've been running at a loss. Figured I'd learn something and at least break even.

We started Monday with a prequel, then did the first lesson on Wednesday. I've got 3 ads running right now and sold one ebook so far during this challenge. It runs until Tuesday, the challenge that is. The ads run until end of month. Well, Maybe. I don't have a big budget for this. 

I'm learning about keyword, category ads. I knew a little about them of course but this goes more in depth. And there's more to come. Learning how to write copy(the words for the ad) to maximize interest and get more clicks(and hopefully buys). I'm not, unsurprisingly, good at writing copy. My mind goes blank a lot or I have too long of a copy.  It's too much like writing a blurb or tagline and I suck at those. 

On the whole I think this Amazon ad challenge is worth doing. The next one is in April. I recommend at least trying it. May help you get the numbers you're looking for.

 I had 6 pre-orders so I've sold 7 books this month already which is a first for me. The pre-orders were discounted so only one ebook at full-price.  I hope I get at least one review from the buyers besides Jan's. That would be a good percentage of return. At least I think so. Getting reviews is like pulling teeth.

I do better selling at conferences and book signings. I've barely sold anything since Covid-19 started. Not that I really sold a lot anyway, but more than I have so far this last year. Of course, I rebranded myself as well and changed up my writing. That probably was a factor as well.

Hopefully these ads do something. 

Progress How Novel 12

Updated

Raven Manor is live.

Order and get the introductory book to the world of the Ruv.

I've passed the 5,000 word mark on my WIP. 

Here's a taste.

Outside the sun was rising but the only sound in the darkened room was a rhythmic drip, drip. Sunlight began to peek around the closed curtains as the sun rose higher and the alarm went off but there was still no movement in the room. Minutes went by and the sunlight advanced a bit more into the room. It struck something on the floor and glistened.

Noise like boots on wood came from outside the closed door, then a hard knock sounded on its wood surface. “This is the police! Are you alright?” A voice called out.

Seconds passed, then the door knob moved and the door was flung open. Two uniformed policemen leaned in and just as quickly jerked away. The younger of the two threw up beside the door while the older man hit his radio and called it in.

The light from the hallway skylight revealed the grisly scene in all its horrific glory. What had once been two human beings lay open on the bed like some medical students' cadavers. Blood splattered the bed and the floor around it, but all the walls except one was clean. Sprawled across that wall written in blood were five strange words and a question mark.

Kaj si le Ratta Lil?

What it meant the older uniform officer didn't know but this was no longer his headache. The detectives would come and take over, then he and his partner would be relegated to guards. He moved to help his partner down the stairs so they could wait by the front door for the others to arrive, the alarm echoing behind them.

A past murder similar to this has been revealed. Is it the same killer or a copy cat?

Words were sprawled bloodily across the wall in the recent murder. The past murder had two symbols written on the wall. Does that mean they're not related or is the killer or killers in a Cult?

Or were the Hunters setting a trap? The words were after all in Romani.

Hanlan and Canin have to figure all of this out, hopefully before another murder.

But of course I'm not going to be that good to them. Pressure is going to be put on them both from the Brass and the Ruv to clear this case fast or suffer the consequences. Some of those consequences could be rather deadly when dealing with the Ruv. 

All that is just the murder. They still have to contend with the Lexicon. Its Keeper needs to be found and there needs to be a more permanent solution for keeping it safe. 

They have their work cut out for them. As do I. 

Those eyes

 I've read millions of fiction books about vampires and werewolves and a few articles about modern day vampires, the people who believe themselves vampires and vampire cults as well on the various skin diseases that mimic some of the symptoms of vampirism and werewolf hairiness .I just can't spell them or I'd put the proper names here.

 I don't consider myself an expert but I do know quite a bit about vampires and werewolves. They say write what you know. So I decided to do that.  But both have been over done, especially in the paranormal romance genre.  Which is the only romance books I read by the way. Anyway, I wanted to do something different.

Didn't want romance or horror. My werewolves were not just evil or cursed. They were a race with morals and laws of their own. Different from humans though they had a human form. In human form only their eyes gave them away, they were cognac colored. But with strong emotion those eyes turn topaz with their inner fire so they keep firm control over their emotions. Madness brings out the red in their eyes so those who turn Shilmulo--vampire--show their madness if one looks carefully. They shapeshift into wolves, but they don't eat flesh in that form. The elixir of life, blood, and the energy contain there in is what they consume. 

And while we're on the subject of energy. They manipulate energy/matter to change form as well as perform little things that would be considered magic but is really like telekinesis using energy manipulation.

I have more on the Del Mulanti Ruv or Ghostwolves under Pages on the right.

So I had my werewolves/vampires. But I needed a history and a language. 

What if something happened to wipe out their ancient history. Legends and rumors are all that they have of their origin. The ancient ones died out and the young ones weren't really interested in the past. Fairytales were told to Littles, but most of their ancient history is gone.

Enter the Roma. Gypsies. Nomads. Travelers. The not too 'recent' history would be that the werewolves traveled with them. Traditions, fairytales, freedom. And more tolerance perhaps as they were both outcasts of sorts. A version of Romani as a common tongue. History, partial check. Language, partial check.

 Now I was ready to at least start on the story. 

So that was what I did. And Raven Manor was the result.