Bug Books: Joey Paul Online: 2024

BLUESKY: https://bsky.app/profile/msjoeybug.bsky.social

THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@authorjoeypaul

Tuesday 23 July 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Lana stands by her choices, but that doesn't make them hard...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/LON

[ID: A smokey background with the title LIGHTS ON at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just below the title The except reads:

Of course, given what Maggie had just said, there would be no avoiding it. Lana would have to live with herself, but really, hadn't she just been following orders? How had she been in the wrong? She'd tried to save Lock, Lock had shunned her. No, Lana did everything she could. Lock would have to face the consequences for her actions.
If only, Lana thought as she walked along the empty corridor. If only I could feel less like I was signing her death warrant myself.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the top left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

Monday 22 July 2024

Keeping Your Eyes On The End - The Creative Process

KEEPING YOUR EYES ON THE END

I have now written forty-eight first drafts. I'm in the process of not drafting for a while so that I can focus instead on going back through past books and rewriting/revising them so that they have time to really shine. I've been planning to do this for a good couple of years now, and even with it here, at the time of writing, I've not actually jumped back in. It's nerve wracking for me because I don't think, in the last fifteen years of my career, I've not been writing something new!

But it's really important to me that I get these books in shape, and all going well, I plan to do the same next year for a period to deal with other books that I know need a lot of work, and input from other people. I did it this way so that I have more time and can spread out things like any sensitivity reads needed and the like. Of course that may change between now and next year, but for now, that's the plan.

Writing can be exceptionally isolating, and while there are things now, like Authortube and all the livestreams to join to have company while you write, it can also be hard to keep pushing yourself forward when all you can see is months and maybe even years of work ahead of you before you get to the published stage. I will say that there's no rush, but that's coming from me, who's been published almost nineteen years at this point. I feel like rushing to be published just leads to things like burnout and no one wants that.

I've always had a weird sleep schedule, and even now is no different in that I'm awake and writing this blog post at almost 4am, and my day is almost over when it comes to work. Because of that it's hard for me to have the energy to attend a lot of the lives on Authortube, and because of accessibility and such, it's hard for me to go and write in coffee shops or the like. So I've kinda got used to the isolation of writing.

That said, one thing that always, always helps perk me up when I'm struggling through a chapter or the like, is making sure that I keep my eyes on the end. Whether that's the end of the chapter, or end of the book, or end of this revision pass, or edits, etc, etc. You have to keep focused on the end of all of this. The day when you will eventually, hopefully, get to hold your book in your hands, and also get to see it in other people's hands too.

Setting your goals, and pushing yourself forward, that can help too, but it's the end result that we're all working had for. It's the end result that allows us to do what we do. Even when all might seem lost. Even when you're tired and ready to sleep, and even when the thought of writing makes you groan, keep your eyes on the end. Make sure you know that there is an end. Rest yes, take care of yourself, very much yes, but also remember that why, that reason that you wanted to do this, and focus on the end because you will be thanking yourself later when it comes to the first release day.

Writing is hard work. It's really hard work. But in my eyes? It's worth it. If it's not in yours, that's okay too, but if it is, keep going, you will get there.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.

Friday 19 July 2024

Review of Why The Sparrows Cry by Hope Bolinger

Harper hates crowds and has a strong distaste for humanity in general. A summer spent in the bustling city of London was not on her bucket list—especially not tagging along behind her nagging mother.

But when a teen from the Greek Dark Ages mysteriously appears in the very crowded British Museum, Harper decides to rescue the boy who’s even more out of place—and time—than she is. With the help of her uncle, they’ll need to keep Homer away from the British authorities, evade a tomb-robbing ex-archeologist, and figure out how to get this Palikari man back to his own time before he’s captured.

As they escape near-kidnappings, terrible yogurt drinks, and Harper's mother's lectures, Harper finds herself warming up to Homer. Something that hasn't happened with anyone since the incident with her father back in Arizona.

Will she learn to love again? Or will an ex-archeologist snag the historical find of the millennium—and the only person she’s felt safe around in years?

My Review: 5 STARS

I picked this up because of the cover and blurb. It was a delightful read with mystery, intrigue, and a little bit of romance in there too. I adored Harper, she was so relatable and just so real. Homie was such an engaging character and the way things all came together at the end had me on the edge of my seat. Bolinger has a way of pulling you into her stories and making you want to live in them for as long as possible. This was a read I managed in one sitting and I adored it from start to finish. It’s definitely one that I very much recommend!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Thursday 18 July 2024

Cover Reveal: Cramping Chronicles: The Third Ache [CC]

Revealing the cover for Cramping Chronicles: The Third Ache today! #Authortube

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Tuesday 16 July 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Tara will do anything to save Mike

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/DTEE

[ID: A waterfall background with the title DYING THOUGHTS - EIGHTH ENDING at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just below the title The except reads:

My hand went to his stomach, trying to find where he was hurt, if he was. I could see smears of blood on the knife so I knew it had hit the mark somewhere.
“Mike? Mike, hang on, help’s coming!” I said, trying to keep myself from openly crying. I reached for my bag and got my phone, ignoring the blood spots falling on the screen as I called for an ambulance.
“Tara…,” he said, softly, struggling to get the words out.
“I’m here, Mike and help’s coming.”

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the top right corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

Monday 15 July 2024

Uncovering The Story - The After Process

UNCOVERING THE STORY

As someone who has written a lot of first drafts, and someone who's also come back to those first drafts and had to change and rewrite a lot, I thought that today I would talk a little about what goes into discovering the underlying story during revisions and editing. Now I want to be clear that I do not think that you're not already aware of what story you've told. You go into drafting (as either a planner or not) knowing what story you want to tell, but sometimes that is not the only thing that ends up on the page.

For example, I went into writing the first Lights Out book with a completely different story in mind. I don't mean everything was wildly different, but I do mean that it was only going to be a standalone at the start. It wasn't until later, having written about two thirds of it, that I became aware of a deeper story buried underneath, and from that the trilogy was born.

The same can happen when you come back to revise or edit after having had some time away from your project. You're looking at it with fresh eyes and you're realising that there are maybe themes you didn't see before, or there's a subplot that you hadn't realised was there, and you can start to see the broader strokes, and also the tiny ones beneath the surface that might have passed you by while you were drafting.

It took me a long time of being a writer to be able to pick up on those finer points. While I was very aware of the plot, or the subplots and also of what story I was telling, sometimes there would be hints of something more, and then you have to make that conscious decision whether to lean into it more. One of my past editors was very good at letting me know when I'd hit a theme or a subplot that might work for the book overall and how to bring it all to the surface.

Not seeing themes doesn't mean you don't know your own work. Sometimes they are easy to see, sometimes they aren't, and other times, because you wrote the book, those themes won't have the same meaning to you as they might to a reader down the line.

So how do you go about doing it?

#1 SEARCH FOR COMMON THEMES
By this I mean things like tropes that might be subverted, or things like when a character is going through something that broadens their scope. For example in Lights Out, Lock is sure of one thing at the start, but as she grows and changes, as I uncovered more of her story, more of her sense of self, I realised that there was a theme of her standing up for what was right, no matter the consequences to her.

With Jessie, in Cramping Chronicles, there's a lot of talk about how she's not anything more than a teenager with an ability that puts her in the spotlight a lot. She has so many thoughts and feelings about what she's doing and how she does it, that she loses sight almost of all the good she does, because everything is wrapped up in pain for her.

So when it comes to your own story, search for those common themes, whether they be tropes that sound and seem like they're going to go one way, and actually go another, and lean into them. Whether that's making a character's voice stronger, or whether that's making different choices for them, it's completely up to you.

#2 CHARACTERS MATTER
I've been told over the years that my belief that my characters have more control over where my story goes than I do, is silly because they're not real. I agree they're not real, but that doesn't mean they're not shaped into a being and because of that, because of the time you spend writing them, you start to see that they, as a person, as a well formed character, would make completely different choices maybe than the ones you planned for them to make.

For me, I've been very big on making sure my characters are as fully fleshed out as possible. The story is about them. It's about what they're going through and how they react to any given thing. So for me it matters greatly if a character is telling me they wouldn't do this thing, because that means I've done my job well.

So keep in mind how any given character would react, and if you can, let them lead you through the story and out the other side. You might find that you learn something new, and your work can be all the better for it.

So there we go, two tips to get you started. As always, good luck, and if you have any questions, lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.

Friday 12 July 2024

Review of Smoke And Light by Kristin Ardis

A kingdom at war.
A search for missing memories.
And a tangled web of love, loss, loyalty, and lies.

After months of recovery, Khara Laveya is desperate to leave the medical wing and restore the memories she lost in a brutal rebel attack. Her responsibility to her kingdom as future Sovereigna is a looming distraction from reclaiming them.

Torn between duty and desperation, Khara is haunted by a mysterious grove that calls to her in her dreams. Finding the grove may lead to her missing memories, but venturing beyond the city walls is an act of treason. Worse, it risks another encounter with the ruthless rebel forces.

To enter the forest could mean death … or something far more sinister.

The secrets lurking in the shadows could destroy the life Khara has sacrificed so much to rebuild and unravel the kingdom itself.

My Review: 5 STARS

I picked this up even with fantasy not being a favourite of mine and this book blew me away. The missing memories, the doting partner, the whole set up was exceptionally crafted and it had me hooked from page one right through to the end. I loved Khara, loved Hayden and Ramsey and the way their characters were so very real and relatable. It was like we were there solving the mysteries along with Khara. I adored the whole book and it was an explosive start to a series that promises to leave you wanting more. Highly recommended!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Thursday 11 July 2024

Life Of Joey & Bi-Monthly Goals - July 2024 [CC]

Letting you know what I've been up to in the past month, as well as reviewing and setting new goals! #Authortube

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Tuesday 9 July 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Lock believes in what she does, no matter how much trouble it might get here into...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/LOUT

[ID: A dirty blue background with the title LIGHTS OUT at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just below the title The except reads:

"You honestly don't see what they do... what you do as violence? You take the citizens of this cityship and you inject poison into their veins and stand idly by waiting for them to die. That, in our book, is murder plain and simple."
"I don't make the laws," I said, my arms sore from the iron grip of the people holding me.
"No, but you do carry them out and I bet you're one of those who fully believes in the system. For the good of the country and all that," she said, in a mocking tone.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the top left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, in the top right corner is the New Apple Award seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

Monday 8 July 2024

Working With Deadlines - The Creative Process

WORKING WITH DEADLINES

I've been publishing for almost nineteen years now and in that time I've drafted almost fifty first drafts. I have also revised and edited over twenty of them. I'm now in the run up to my next release, and I thought that today I would talk about what it's like to work with deadlines as a writer because once you start writing, and releasing, whether that's indie or trad, you will have deadlines, and you will need to find a way that works, for you, so that you can keep going with them hanging over you.

As someone who also has several chronic conditions, and someone who doesn't handle stress all that well, I've found a lot of ways to deal with deadlines over the years. Some of them weren't particularly healthy and so I won't be passing those on, but others have helped to keep me focused, and on target and allowed me to get the work done, without sacrificing my own mental, or physical, health.

#1 BE CLEAR WHAT YOU NEED TO DO & HOW TO DO IT
A lot of the time for me, because I have such an extensive backlog of books, I'm not dealing with drafting to a deadline, but I could see how I'd manage to do it because I am, usually, dealing with revising and editing to one. While I'm aware that I'm exceptionally lucky to be in a position where I can juggle more than one project at a time, for a lot of writers, that's not the case. They can't be doing drafting, and editing, and revising, without finding themselves getting burnt out exceptionally fast. So I'm not going to tell you that you should do that, unless it's something you're already doing and know works for you.

Instead I'm going to say that you should be clear with what you need to do, as in revise a book in time for a deadline, or do editing passes for a deadline, and so on, and make sure you have a plan of attack. Whether that's telling yourself you will do one chapter a day for x amount of days. Or whether that's making sure that you leave yourself enough time to fit in some rest days as well as days when you might need some wiggle room because things did not go to plan.

Just to be clear, there should be both the rest days (because we are human and we need downtime) AND the days to catch up if things go awry. They should not be doing the job of both in that rest days don't have to be earned, and you will need that time to recharge.

#2 PRIORITISE AND ORGANISE
If you're someone like me who does really well with being organised, then this one is for you. I have multiple lists on my tablet of things that need to happen and how I'm going to go about doing it. As in I break down every step, and then set myself a mini deadline for when that needs to happen. This allows me to see, at a glance, where I am in the process and also what lies ahead.

Like if I know that I need to get the developmental edits done by a certain date, then I know exactly how to go about doing it, how to parcel out each part of the task, and then get my butt in my chair and get it done. Of course that can apply to any number of things, but when I have multiple deadlines, I have multiple lists, making sure that I can see what needs to happen when and how long I have left to get it done.

It's the way my mind works, but it has been a lifesaver for me more than once, just being able to quiet the anxiety in my mind and work it all out on the page so that I know I'm not going to be stressed about missing a deadline. It's been the thing that's kept me on track for a number of years, and when you find a way that works for you, you tend to use it again and again.

So there we go, those are my two top tips when it comes to deadlines. I know that for me, as an indie author, a lot of my deadlines are self-set, but that doesn't mean that they are therefore ignorable. After all, when it comes to edits and the like, it's not a deadline that impacts only me, but also the people who I've booked to do the next stage. So keep that in mind when making your plans, and good luck with whatever you're doing.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.

Friday 5 July 2024

Review of Savage Seas by Monica Boothe

An attack by a mythical sea monster leaves a young woman and a brooding pirate stranded on a lonely island and fighting for their survival.

Prim, Puritan-raised Eleanor set out on this voyage to reunite with the love of her life. What she got instead was a pirate attack followed by near devouring by an enormous kraken. Now, stranded with Julien, a surly French pirate boy—one of the very ruffians who, just hours before, threatened her life—Eleanor must learn to overcome her prejudices. But Julien has secrets of his own, and Eleanor comes to suspect that it may not be coincidence that led the two of them to this island together.

Can Eleanor and Julien work together to not only survive the wilds of the Caribbean but to find their way home?

My Review: 5 STARS

I read the first book in this series and so when this one came up on my radar I had to dig in. I ended up reading it all in one sitting and was caught up in Eleanor and Julien’s story. I adored the characters, the backstory, the twists and turns throughout and of course the way the two of them came together. It was beautifully written, some twists you won’t see coming and beautiful imagery that just makes you feel like you’re right there with the characters watching it all play out. This is a series to continue and I very much recommend it.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Thursday 4 July 2024

Revision: Making A Plan [CC]

Talking about making a plan when it comes to revisions! #Authortube

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Tuesday 2 July 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Tara always thought she could rely on Mike, even if she had no one else...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/DTSD

[ID: A bright blue background with the title DYING THOUGHTS - SEVENTH DEATH at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just below the title The except reads:

“A car driven by someone ran that bus off the road. I am as sure of that as I am that today is Thursday and that tomorrow will be Friday. As sure as I am that it will probably still be raining when I leave. Is that sure enough for you?”
“I didn’t mean that I didn’t believe you-,” Mike started to say, but I had already made my decision. I grabbed my phone out of the plug beneath Mike’s desk, pulled on my still damp coat and headed for his office door. “Tara, you know I would never doubt you.”
“And yet,” I said, turning around slightly. “You do.”

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

Monday 1 July 2024

Six Month Check In With Goals - The Creative Process

SIX MONTH CHECK IN WITH GOALS

I always set myself goals for the year on my Authortube channel in December. I then, usually, will review the goals come June/July and will see how things are going. I'm hoping to stay on track and doing it this way gives me the nudge if I've forgotten about something along the way!

So here's my fifteen goals and how they're going!

1. RELEASE CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE THIRD ACHE IN 2024
This book has been through developmental edits and is now with the line editor. The cover reveal is this month, so I'll be releasing the release date soon enough. I'm gonna say that bar anything catastrophic happening, this one is very much going to be done!

2. REVISE TRANSLUCENT READY FOR PUB IN 2025
I've been revising this since the start of the year. It's been to the sensitivity readers and right now I'm still working in their feedback. I plan to sent it to my editor on November 1st and that's been booked and everything, so I think this one is also gonna be done!

3. REVISE CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE FOURTH TORMENT FOR PUB IN 2025
I've not started this and won't until about November time just because that's when I'll have Third Ache completely finished and I'll also be able to send Translucent to the dev editor and focus solely on this. So it's hopefully going to happen as planned.

4. FINISH VIRAL INFECTION & DISABILITY DETECTIVES: THE SPANISH STALKER
I finished both of these in January and so this is very much done already!

5. START & FINISH VIRAL ERADICATION & DISABILITY DETECTIVES: THE COMPUTER SCIENCE HACKER
I started both of these in February and finished them in June, so this is also very much done!

6. REVISE I'LL SEE YOU THRU & THIS IS HOW IT ENDS
This one is still up in the air. I'm due to start the revision/rewriting process in July, so today, and I'm hoping that it all goes well, but it'll be a long path and might have to wait until the end of the year to really call this done.

7. KEEP UP WITH WRITING LOG
So far this year I've managed to keep up with it. I also plan to use it to record any rewrites that happen with the above projects.

8. TAKE TWO DAYS OFF COMPLETELY EACH MONTH
I have done this every month. My most days off was in May when I had four! Otherwise I've had at least two days off every single month this year!

9. KEEP UP WITH AUTHORTUBE CHANNEL
This one has been completed up to now. I've not missed an upload, and have even started posting shorts on Sundays which had been well received.

10. KEEP UP WITH MONDAY & FRIDAY POSTS ON BLOG
This is another one where I've completed up until now. I've posted an advice piece every Monday and reviews on Friday, and I can't see that changing before the end of the year.

11. READ 350 BOOKS
This one is progressing. I've managed just under 200 books so far this year, so I'm pretty sure that I'll be about to hit my goal before the end of the year!

12. SEND 12 NEWSLETTERS
Another one that's ongoing, I've managed to send 7 newsletters so far, including the one that went out today! I send them on the 1st of every month and while my list is small, I do enjoy writing them out.

13. DO 12 MONTHLY SPREADS IN PLANNER
Another ongoing on, but also one that I don't foresee having any problems with. I love doing my spreads, and even though I just started a new planner, I don't see me not continuing with this!

14. KEEP UP WITH INSTAGRAM POSTING DAILY
Instagram has quickly become a favourite social media for me. I love posting there every day and along with my photos, I've also started doing reels (which I then use as shorts on YouTube) and they've all been well received, so I can't see myself stopping with this.

15. DO AT LEAST FOUR SECRET PROJECTS TO COMPLETION
So the secret has been out for a bit now. This goal was about my audiobooks and at the time of writing, I have two out, along with about nine in production, so I can see myself hitting this goal so long as nothing goes wrong between now and the end of the year.

So there we go, I think I'm on track for a lot of my goals. Some I've managed, a lot of them need the rest of the year to really say either way. I shall review them all properly on my Authortube channel in December!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.

Friday 28 June 2024

Review of Savage Wild Gods by Sean Fletcher

Scorn their gods. Save the world.

Val is alone. After taking the throne of Those Below, her alliance—and any relationship she might have had with Rune, High King of the Wilds—was shattered. Now, as enemies close in on all sides and her magic slowly kills her, Val isn’t sure how long she can survive.

But with an awakening god threatening to rip apart their worlds, Rune at last proposes one final alliance between them to protect all they hold dear.

As Val becomes ensnared in more bloody conflicts, and more involved with Rune than she ever dreamed possible, it becomes clear that winning may require the ultimate sacrifice.

And Val will have to choose, once and for all, where her heart and soul truly lie.

My Review: 5 STARS

Having read Fletcher’s work before I knew I was in for a treat with this trilogy and he did not disappoint. From the idea of the Wilds, to Those Below and everything in between, this was an explosive trilogy from start to finish. I adored Val, Rune and many of the others and this thrilling and epic conclusion just made me love them even more. Watching the threads of plot from book one start to be pulled together by this final one just had me in awe of Fletcher’s skills. He is an author who knows how to tell a good story and this was an excellent trilogy with unique characters, plot, and everything else. Very much recommended!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Thursday 27 June 2024

Tips & Tricks: Time Management [CC]

Breaking down my tips for time management! #Authortube

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Tuesday 25 June 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Hetti needs to get help to her sister, but she's miles away...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/WAM

[ID: A dirty green background with the title WALK A MILE at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just below the title The except reads:

Obviously I couldn’t call my mum whilst on the watch with Davina, but I also didn’t want to hang up with Dav in case she had another seizure. It looked like my nightmares were coming true. If Dav was having multiple seizures, she needed to be seen by her doctor ASAP. I was ninety minutes away and even given how fast Sabrina drove, there was no way we’d make it there quickly enough.
“I don’t know, all I know is…,” Davina started to say when she dropped out of view of the projection screen.
“Dav? Are you there?!” I asked, starting to panic.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the New Apple Award seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

Monday 24 June 2024

The Trials Of A Crime Writer: Choosing Your Path

THE TRIALS OF A CRIME WRITER: CHOOSING YOUR PATH

I have been writing crime, to some degree, for almost thirty years. I was always someone who, as a kid and teen, loved reading and listening to crime novels. Whether they were the ones of my childhood in Enid Blyton's Famous Five, or the ones my parents would listen to on audiobook in Dick Francis' books. I loved to write a mystery and try and drop hints and clues and allow the reader to pick up on it.

But when it came to publishing, and it came to writing my first book, I didn't really know what path I would choose to go. Be that indie (which wasn't really a thing to the level it is now back then) or trad. I did send my first book to agents and publishers. I did get back both form rejections and personalised ones. I did try and make it work, but it wasn't to be for me. And that's okay, because I found a way to get my debut out in 2005 and when things like KDP and such came along in 2011, I jumped on that as well.

I never stopped writing, even with the big gap between debut and my next book, there were always stories that I wanted to tell, and the majority of them had a crime lingering through the pages. I went from straight up thriller with BLACKOUT to paranormal/mystery with the DYING THOUGHTS series, and then more crime with my later books. I always knew that I wanted to write crime, and I also knew that if I wanted to take the books that I'd kept writing even without knowing if they would ever see the light of day, I had to keep my eyes on the right path for me. I had to keep writing, but also be ready to pivot and decide whether indie really could work for me.

2011 was one of those years that changed the scope of publishing. It had allowed everyone who wanted to, to write, publish and sell a book no matter whether or not they'd done the due diligence and hard work when it came to covers and edits and the like. That's not me shaming people for doing things a way I wouldn't do now, but just showcasing that because of books that weren't well written or weren't edited, a lot of that change in the scope of publishing became a bad thing to call yourself indie.

I have spent almost 20 years as an indie author, and I have seen a lot of changes down the line. I've seen paperbacks become a thing, I've seen audiobooks open up to indies, and I've seen a lot of differences when it comes to how those new authors in 2011 approached the indie path, to how the new authors now do the same. There's a lot more research done, there's a lot more information out there for anyone wishing to publish, and there's a lot more respect for those who are indie.

There was a period when saying you were indie or self-pubbed got you cut off from marketing routes because people assumed that meant that your book was terrible and littered with editing mistakes and the like. It's really only been the last five or six years where thee are big big names in the indie world, and they're big names for a reason.

Going back to the want to tell and write crime stories, people like LJ Ross, who is very much indie, she's huge when it comes to crime in the UK. She, and others, have paved the way for indies who write crime, and she's set the bar so high because the point of all of this is, that whatever path you choose, you need to show up and do it right.

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't do it right. I didn't do the research, I slapped on old, unprofessional covers, and while I had some success in the start, it didn't carry through because I didn't treat it as my job, which it was. It's only been the last ten years maybe when I've started to really look at being an author as my career. The mindset change is huge and it really just helps you put things in perspective.

So whether you choose to go indie or trad, whatever path you go down, make sure you approach it knowing that this is the start of your career, and you can make mistakes and pay for them many years down the line, or you can do it right, do the research, find your readers, and grow and grow and grow. It really is just up to you.

Good luck!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Sunday 23 June 2024

Dying Thoughts Series!

Thought I'd do another one of these for my longest series. Dying Thoughts is a YA paranormal/mystery series about Tara, who's 15 and has the ability to see the last moments of someone's life when she touches something that used to belong to them!

J- Dying Thoughts - First Touch - www.books2read.com/DTFT

O- Dying Thoughts - Second Sight - www.books2read.com/DTSS

E - Dying Thoughts - Third Wish - www.books2read.com/DTTW

Y - Dying Thoughts - Fourth Week - www.books2read.com/DTFW

P - Dying Thoughts - Fifth Secret - www.books2read.com/DTFS

A - Dying Thoughts - Sixth Change - www.books2read.com/DTSC

U - Dying Thoughts - Seventh Death - www.books2read.com/DTSD

L - Dying Thoughts - Eighth Ending - www.books2read.com/DTEE

All are in ebook and paperback, and the first is also in audiobook with the plan to release the others as well!

Friday 21 June 2024

Review of Kisses And Castles by Kenzie Brayne

One English Summer. Two American Hearts.

My parents are sending me to England while they work on their relationship, and I can’t wait to dive into a distracting adventure. Staying with a distant relative, my nine-week trip is the perfect opportunity to reinvent myself and start living.

As the ‘new Ava’, I’ll explore the sights, take photos for the Junior Lens contest, and hopefully find a charming British boy for a summer romance.

Except when I arrive in the UK, my relative never shows.

Stranded, my only lifeline is Colton, a classmate who was on the same flight. We barely know each other, but when Colton offers me a place to stay, his relaxed smile reassures me everything will be okay.

It just might not be what I planned.

My Review: 5 STARS

I picked this up because I loved the idea of a summer romance, especially one set in the UK. I adored Ava and Colton and the way their story slowly opened up on the page. You couldn’t help but cheer them on, and the twists and turns of the story just made it all the more sweet, cute and amazing. I ended up reading it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down, desperate to know how they ended up together. Adorable and relatable characters and just a perfectly sweet summer romance with all the bits and pieces you could want. Very much recommended!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Thursday 20 June 2024

My Current WIP: June 2024 [CC]

Giving you all the details of what I'm currently working on! #Authortube

BUY DYING THOUGHTS - FIRST TOUCH IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/DTFT

BUY IT'S NOT ALWAYS RAINBOWS IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/INAR

BUY INVISIBLE: http://www.books2read.com/INVISIBLE01

BUY MY BOOKS: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/p/aboutjoeys-books.html

BUY TICKETS FOR WONDERLAND 2025: https://buytickets.at/wonderland1/1078461

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/MsJoeyBug

BLUESKY: https://bsky.app/profile/msjoeybug.bsky.social