kezarthur

So, what's been happening in my writing world? Not a whole lot, actually. I finished the first draft of Darkness Splintered--the 6th book in the Dark Angels series--and have sent that off to my advance reader. I've also completed the copy edits on Kiss the Night Goodbye, the last of the Nikki & Michael books (they're being re-released in paperback by Bantam). Oh! And I've also started the 7th--and final--book in the Dark Angels series.

What's after that? Well, I have to finish the first book of my new series, which is running under the temporary title of Fireborn (also the current name of the first book).

I also have one last ARC of Darkness Unmasked to give away, so if you're a newsletter subscriber stay tuned--this one is for you. :)

And the winners of the Darkness Unmasked ARC are....<br>

Nykrian Blackhawk

Lee Gane

Brandy McKown

Nykyrian Fury

Francisca Salvidar

Congrats ladies! A confirmation email has been sent your way. Once I get your mail address, I shall post your book :)

I've received several ARCs of Darkness Unmasked, the 5th in the Dark Angels series which is due out June 5th....anyone want to win one? :)

All you have to do is send an email to kez @ keriarthur DOT com , put Unmasked ARC in the header, and you're in with a chance. I'll draw the winner in a week's time, so Friday 15th Aussie time. You can enter as many times as you like, and from anywhere in the world. Good luck!

Buddy M J Scott has just received ARCs for Iron Kin, book 3 in her fabulous Half Light City series--and she's kindly given me one to give away :) All you have to do is send an email to kez @ keriarthur DOT com (no spaces naturally), put Iron Kin in the header, and you're in the running. I'm off to ARRC for the next five days, so I'll draw it next Tues. That gives you a week to enter as many times as you like. Good Luck!

The blurb : Imagine a city divided. Fae and human mages on one side, vampire Blood Lords and shape-shifting Beast Kind on the other. Between these supernatural forces stands a peace treaty that threatens to shatter at the slightest provocation….

for more info this and the other fabulous book in the Half Light City series, check out her website http://www.mjscott.net/books/

this time for Darkness Unmasked, the 5th Dark Angels novel.



Awesome, isn't it? :)

It's been a somewhat hectic start for me this year, with 3 lots of edits and a set of proofs hitting my desk over the last three weeks (and three of those four needing to be done and back on editors desks by the end of January). There's been little time for 'real' writing, let alone the brain space to think about blogs (or the writing thereof).

It wasn't supposed to be like this, you know. When I'd imagined life as a full time writer, it didn't involve endless rounds of edits. Nor did it involve hours and hours of proof reading stories I've already read what feels like a hundred times, trying to find errors I've skimmed over every other time. My vision was a whole lot more leisurely—contracted books written with months to spare, edits that came in at decent intervals, with weeks rather than days to complete them. Plenty of 'me' time to do other things. You know, like have a life. The reality is a whole lot more frantic!

Which, when the brain cells actually started to think about it, was the perfect subject to blog about—the myths of publishing versus the reality :)

1—Myth: Getting traditionally published is the hard bit. After that, it's easy street.

Reality: Getting traditionally published may be hard, but staying published is even harder. Once upon a time, publishers were willing to 'grow' authors, but these days it's all about the sales. You generally have two or three novels in which to prove yourself (if you're lucky). After that, if you haven't met the publisher's sales expectations, you're out the door. And if you think being published once will make it easier to find another publisher, then think again. Those bad sales figures will come back and bite you in the butt (which is why many authors in that situation simply write under another name—it's a fresh start).

2—Myth: Self publishing is easy.

Reality: That depends. Sure, self publishing itself is very easy. Places like Smashwords and Amazon have step by step instructions to enable anyone and everyone to put their masterpiece up. And that's the problem. Everyone is doing it, so how does one unpublished author with no audience or platform behind them stand out in the crowd? One way is by not publishing the minute it's finished. If you're going to self publish, do it right. Be professional. Unless you're an editor yourself, get the thing edited. Get it copy edited. Proof read it. Pay for a decent cover. Treat your self published work like traditional publishers would treat it. No first draft is perfect, no matter who you are or what you think. If you want to grow your audience, then you have to act professional and put out the very best work that you can. Oh, and while you're doing all that, keep writing. In self publishing, you often don't start making decent money until you have three or four books available.

2—Myth: Once I'm published (whether by traditional methods or self publishing), the money will start rolling in.

Reality: Only a small percentage of authors will ever make millions, no matter how they're published. The reality is that most authors will keep their day jobs—at least until they've become well established names (meaning they've had at least four books behind them that have all sold above publisher expectations). Remember also that most traditionally published authors are given an advance, and that advance has to be earned out before any royalties start rolling in. I've only recently receiving royalties on my first four Riley Jenson novels, and it's been 7 years since the first one was released. I don't expect to get royalties on the remaining 5 books in that series for another couple of years. When it comes to my two Myth and Magic novels, I don't ever expect to get royalties, because they sold really, really badly (the reason why there will be no more—publishers don't want books that don't make them money.)

3—Myth: Traditional publishing/the print market is dying. Self Publishing is where it's at.

Reality: Traditional publishers and printed books aren't going anywhere. In fact, right now, print novels still hold about 70% of the market. Granted, the landscape has changed vastly for traditional publishers over the last two years, and will continue to so for a few years yet, but you can bet your arse that publishers can and will continue to exist. The big six may eventually become the big four or even the big two--a process that has already begun with the merger of Random and Penguin (and I really wished they'd called themselves Random Penguin! Think of all the fun marketing they missed out on), but they will continue to print books. Remember, people swore black and blue when the mass market format came out it would kill the hardcover market. They said the same when trade size came out. And now they're saying the e-format will kill mass market. Sales may have gone down, but they're not dead. Will traditional novels continue to hold 70% of the market? No one knows, but many think the market will probably even out somewhere around 50/50. But remember, traditional publishers also e-publish, so they won't only be dominating the print market, you can bet your life they'll be taking steps to do the same with e-publishing.

4—Myth: Anyone can write a novel

Reality: Anyone can write a novel, but not everyone can write a good novel. That takes time, practice, perseverance, and a willingness to correct mistakes and learn. Talent certainly plays a part, but good books are more often a result of rewriting, not writing.

5—Myth: Writing is the best job in the world.

Reality: It totally is! But it's not easy, and it is a job. You have to treat it as such.

and I'm not entirely sure why. I think half the problem is the fact that after owning this site for so long, I feel like I've run out of interesting things to say. And the things I do think of, I usually save up for when it's my turn to blog over at the Deadline dames. Then there's the fact that I'm commenting on both Facebook and Twitter every day, so I've usually said everything interesting there.

But in an effort to get at least some movement happening on this blog, I'm going to start cross posting my Dames blogs here. So without further ado, here's my first blog post for 2013;

A new year has rolled around, and you know what that means….yep, it’s time to set your goals for the rest of the year! Here’s mine:

1–read more. This is a big one for me. As much as I love reading, my life over the last couple of years has been spent jumping between writing and edits. I was at the computer so much the thought of reading anything else—even if it wasn’t on a screen—made my brain ache. Which is why I resorted to listening to audio books in the car. I do a whole lot of driving to and from the gym (it’s nearly an hour each way), so at least I was still getting some ‘reading’ in. But this year, I want to do more. I want to read at least a dozen books (paper, not electronic). I think I only managed four last year, and I actually miss it!

And my first novel? The Hobbit. I’ve read Lord of the Rings so often I’ve lost count, but I’ve never read the Hobbit. I tried once, long ago, but I think because I’d read LOTR first, The Hobbit seemed flat by comparison. I’d like to try it again now that I’ve seen the first movie.

2–write a book just for fun. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and I love writing my contracted books, but there’s something very freeing in writing something that belongs to no one but me.

3–go on a holiday. No writing, no editing, no checking or answering emails. A real holiday, not a holiday and conference combined (as my trips last year were). Just several weeks away to do nothing but relax. I have actually booked this–I’m going to France for 3 blissful weeks and doing nothing but eating, drinking and enjoying the scenery

On the business side of things:

1–get my office into some semblance of order, Right now, it is a complete and utter mess. I’d like to blame the fact that we are currently renovating and half the house is sitting in my study, but the truth is, I am not the tidy type.

2–keep up to date with my tax paperwork. My annual panic over finding receipts is getting a little old. Or maybe I am. lol

3–keep ahead of deadlines. I don’t usually have much trouble with deadlines, but this year and next I have 9 ImaJinn books being re-released by Bantam, and they all need to go through edits, copy edits and galley checks. And that is going to play merry hell with my new book deadlines if I’m not very careful.

So, that’s me. What about you? What are your 2013 goals?

Darkness Hunts, book 4 of the Dark Angels series, is now available!

Beneath a Darkening Moon--the re-edited, re-released in paperback edition--is now available in book stores and online! Woot!

You can check out an excerpt here. On the same page, you can also access the interview I did at Comic Con this year (although they chose to freeze the video ia really awful spot. How dopey do I look?! lol)

As announced in Publishers Lunch:

NYT bestselling author Keri Arthur’s FIRE BORN in a new series about a phoenix, a fire spirit capable of taking on human form who is also cursed with the ability to foresee death via her dreams, to Danielle Perez at NAL, in a two-book deal, by Miriam Kriss at the Irene Goodman Agency (World English).

NYT bestselling author Keri Arthur’s next two books in the Dark Angels series, featuring a half-werewolf/half-Aedh, again to Danielle Perez at NAL, by Miriam Kriss at the Irene Goodman Agency (World English).

Yay!