I’ve decided I need a friend called Sam. They’re loyal. They’ll follow you into danger and protect your back, tell you when you’re wrong, support you when you’re right, and so much more. Why do I say that? You may have already guessed. As many of you have done, years ago, I’d watched all of the Lord of The Rings movies. Now, I’m watching the Game of Thrones series. When it was originally on, I missed numerous episodes. So I decided to watch them from beginning to end. I’ve already seen several I had missed. You may remember in the two series, they have a main character whose best friend is name Sam (or Samwell). I wouldn’t be surprised to find other series with loyal friends with the same name. There has to be a reason they’re called Sam.
Writing Tip
How often have you read about the shape of a character’s furniture or the way rain hits a puddle of water? If I kept those type of descriptions in a short sentence or two of setting, I believe most people would find the description interesting enough. Even a list of items in a room, no longer than a sentence, can be entertaining. It’s when an author types paragraphs and pages describing rooms, plant uses, or the weather (etc.) that bores me. I usually skip over it. While for other people they claim such writing gives the story layers. I guess my imagination doesn’t need all the extra words to help a story along. All of that is something to think about, heh?
Next Book
Presently, I’m working on the next book of the Southern Crime Family. It’s been a rough go, because I couldn’t get a handle on Sen (middle brother) and what his deal was. Finally, I figured it out and it’s coming together. Sorry for being vague, but I should provide excerpts before too much longer.
Here’s what the cover will look like.
Audio Coming Soon
The narration for Savage Champion should be finished in a few more weeks. I keep saying it, but I’m so excited. There are two narrators (female and male) and I think you’ll enjoy it. More details to come as soon as I’m notified they’re finished.
This is the cover for the audio. Note the narrators.
As you can tell, this is a short newsletter this time.
Take care. Read, read, read. And be sure to let people know about any books you enjoyed.
This is not certain, but this may be the hardcover design beneath the jacket wrap with the original cover (same as ebook and paperback–gold apple wrapped barbwire). It will probably be released in September with the audio. You are the first to see this.
Audio, you say? You caught that, did ya? Yep. The narrators are working on it now. I’m so excited. If you knew me, you would know I rarely get excited about anything. Happy, yes. Excited, no.
As this is the hardcover design, I’ve been thinking of changing the cover design on the ebook. Maybe after Christmas. What do you think of a sexy person or couple? Or it could be similar to the hardcover? What do you think.
Speaking of covers, what do you think about the wave of romance books with artistic designs or cartoon covers? I don’t know about you, but when I see cartoon covers I think rom-com or sweet (closed-bedroom-door) stories. And I think women’s fiction (no or a little romance) for the artistic ones. Yes. I know my vampire book had the apple. Not very vampire-ish, but think Twilight.
I suspect there are two reasons for this. First, newer readers love paperback and hardcovers. They are embarrasses by the clutch or bare chested men on the covers. I think they are gorgeous, but I always kept in mind, people around me might not appreciate the view. So when I worked and took a book with me (for breaks and lunch), I turned it upside down. On the books I released last year (Loving The Small-Town Preacher’s Son & Loving The Small-Town Hero), I had bare-chested men on the ebook covers and farm scenes on the paperback with that same thought.
The second reason is social media (especially TicTok). Even though you can mark your sites for 18 and over, there are adults who complain (makes you wonder if some are competitive authors) and others who get upset when their child sees the pictures, even though most social media have age limits (13?). It’s hard being a parent nowadays. Kids want to participate in what’s popular, but most of social media is adults only. Plus TikTok is strict (no male nipples, no people with guns even if book covers, you know, like on suspense books). Yeah. I’m a little bitter about that.
Party Online
On July 16, there will be an old-fashioned online party in the Facebook group called Southern Sizzle Readers. If you’re interested in meeting new authors, hearing about their books, and possibly winning a prize or two, come and join the group. Be sure to put 7 p.m. central, July 16, on your calendar. Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/southernsizzle
Errors In Books
The other day, I was on an author panel and the question came up about why do so many books today have errors, even the big name authors with the big publishing houses.
If you’ve been reading my posts for a time, you know I make errors. My posts are edited by only me. Shocker, right? Ha! While my books, and hopefully all the books by other authors, have been edited by professional editors. Not by your cousin who made A’s in English, or the guy down the street who’s a big fan. After I write a book, I go over it twice more (includes reading it out loud). Then send it to my copy editor. She makes comments and corrects the obvious mistakes I missed. And she sends it back to me. I go over her notes and make more changes. And yep, I send it back to her and she checks it once more. After that, I look at it again. Yep. Once again.
At the big publishing houses, the editor looks over an author’s book and makes notes to send to the author to make changes. That editor is only looking at the whole story. (I’m going to use female pronouns to make it simpler). Then after the author makes the changes she agrees to, it’s sent to the copy editor. The copy editor then corrects the grammar and make more notes for the author to check on possible needed changes. After the author changes or okays what the copy editor has done, it will go back to the copy editor and/or the editor. Then sometimes, it’s formatted and sent to the author one more time to look for anything that might have been missed.
Speculation only: If you noticed I mentioned the editor and copy editor suggest changes. I believe sometimes they will not suggest changes to the storyline, if the author is a big name. Thus why we often read our favorite New York Bestselling author and get frustrated by the errors or long dragged-out scenes in their books. It’s like they didn’t want to take a chance of messing with the author’s “magic.”
Look Out
For those who haven’t asked for the short story, Kidnapped For A Day, be on the look out. It should show up free on B&N, Amazon, etc. In September, I plan to discounts several of my books. I’ll remind you again.
The other night I was looking for a good romance movie. But it was frustrating how many were rom-coms (too many) or teenage angst. Nothing against those two, I’ve enjoyed plenty of them. Beautiful Disaster for example (college students). Hey, I even own a copy of the movie.
Except for Passionflix, a streaming service for romance movies produced by the owner, Tosca Musk, (Yes. Elon’s sister) there are few and far between serious romance movies with adults out there. And no, I’m not including Fifty Shades of Grey. She was in college.
With the recent popular age-gap romance movie, The Idea of You, and millions of people buying romance books, it’s time for more adult-age, serious romance movies to be made. Goodness there are more sub-genres that can be pulled from beside rom-com. For example suspense, historical, sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, etc.
I’m not talking about a series (a la Bridgeton), but movies. Series drag out a romance and not necessarily in a good way. Too many times I’ve been disappointed by series. They have to keep pulling you in. While in a movie, it’s one and done. Ha!
What recent romance movie have you watched that you enjoyed? I need recommendations!
Book Signing & Free Book
For those who are interested in coming to my next book signing, I will be at the Decatur Public Library in Decatur, AL, for their Readers and Writers Jubilee. If you do attend, come and tell me you’re a subscriber to my newsletter and you’ll receive one of my books free (my choice). Yep. A FREE BOOK. It will be my thank you for coming by and saying hello.
Just a heads up, I’ll be at the Sumiton BookFest (Alabama) again this year. October 12, 2024. More information to come.
Quote from Jake
Yeah, baby. We’re two peas in a pod, heh? We love control. I love controlling you and you love how I do it.”
~Jake Whitfield
Keep reading. Be sure to write reviews for the books you enjoyed. Authors love hearing how much you love them.
Presently, I’m working on the second book in the Southern Crime Family series, Sen. It’s half written and I finally have a sense of where I’m going with it. Hopefully, it’ll be finished by this fall. There is so much planned this year. Special vacations and such. That is one of the great things about being retired. You have unlimited vacation time.
By the way, be sure to buy Jake, the first book in the series. It has an excerpt from Sen’s book in the back.
Book Signings
This last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Capital City Author Event in Montgomery. So well organized. I met so many nice people. When I returned home, I had to take a nap.
This October 12, there will be another Book Fest in Sumiton, Alabama. Last year, I had a blast and it was a big success for myself and the group who put it together. I’ve been told it will bigger and better. Considering how wonderful it was at the time, that’s saying something. I hope to see you there.
Don’t forget I’m on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Writing Tidbit
I try to include a little of writing information in my newsletter, for I know there are authors or want-to-be authors who are subscribers.
For those who have Mac products, the software Vellum is worth every cent. It formats your ebooks and paperbacks quickly. A friend of mine was dreading formatting her book with Word as it took so much time. I offered to do it in Vellum to show her how efficient it was, and she was amazed. We had it done in less than twenty minutes. If I understand correctly, Atticus is similar to Vellum but for Window PCs and laptops.
Dark Romance
The other day, another author and I were talking about, “what’s dark romance?” She said it was violence done by the hero “on-screen.” Or there is the use or sale of drugs, or some type of dangerous crime performed by the hero. To me, that would only mean the book is about a criminal, not considered to be dark romance.
In a dark romance, the hero is considered to be an anti-hero. His actions are extreme, not just threats or the crime he commits against miscellaneous secondary characters, but a true danger to the heroine. The hero can actually abuse or/and wound/maim her. It’s not a taste for everyone.
My books are gritty, but rarely dark like that.
Latest Ad
Here’s the latest ad I’ve placed on social media.
Remember, if you wish for a copy of the short story, Kidnapped For A Day, just email me and let me know. Plus Savage Champion (ebook version) will be priced 99 cents until the end of May. Then it will go up to $6.99. Paperback version is $12.99.
From bestselling author Carla Swafford a new genre for fans of her gritty romantic suspense books. When a private investigator tracks down a client’s lost sister, he discovers she’s not lost or the client’s sister. The woman is a vampire on a campaign of vengeance. Somehow he must stop her killing spree and protect her at the same time.
Carla Swafford, Author 