Writing My Ass Off

Writing My Ass Off

August 1, 2022

Writing my Ass Off

It’s true. I’ve been writing my ass off. But what does that mean? It means that I’ve been working on finishing Book 6 in the Consortium Series. I wrote at every opportunity and every weekend for two months. I got so into the story that I needed to find out how it ended. Therefore, writing my ass off to finish this book was very fulfilling.

Throughout this period, I kept thinking of you, my loyal readers. I wanted to update you on my progress. However, I got so involved with the story I figured you would forgive me. 

But I know you want to see where this comment is leading. Yesterday, I finished the draft of the book, and now it is off to editing. Yeah!!!!

Consortium Series
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I’ve been on a Bender

June 17, 2022

That’s right, I’ve been on a bender.

I don’t mean drinking or the Futurama character, although there are days I miss the drink. No, the bender I mean is writing, putting quality time into research, putting words down and writing a story.

Bender

Last week, I took several days off from work as a staycation. And I put it to good use. I won’t take the time to count the words written, but I assure you, it was well over ten thousand words among five chapters for the next book in the Consortium series. My readers know it can take too long to release the next book. Sorry about that. I sometimes think that as well. However, I don’t want to sacrifice quality for quantity.

It’s funny. When I first sat behind my writing desk, I stared at the screen, down to my keyboard, and back up at the screen. I didn’t know where to start. I knew where I wanted the book to end up. It was getting there where I struggled.

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The Trafficking Consortium

Moderation by Amazon, again; follow-up

May 27, 2022

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about my recent experience with my advertisement for my Consortium series and suffering a Moderation by Amazon. With this article, I’d like to report on Moderation by Amazon, again; follow-up. ?‍♂️

Rinse and rewind

To those who might have missed my last post, I wrote about mother-effing Amazon moderating an advertisement I had run on their Kindle platform for years. And by moderation, they mean discontinuing distributing the advert. Suddenly, they discontinued running the ad, stating that it ‘does not comply with our current Creative Acceptance Policies.’

Their message went on to say, 

‘Please ensure your ad does not contain erotica, pornography, or explicit sexual practices or preferences.’

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The Trafficking Consortium

Moderation by Amazon…again

May 7, 2022

Yep, earlier this week, I was hit with a moderation by Amazon…again. Mother effing Amazon. This time, it was for an advertisement for The Trafficking Consortium running for years. Why now? I have no idea.

Of course, they have rules and regulations on appropriate content. The advertisement followed them and stayed within the boundaries of their rules. I even paid a consultant who was well versed in their rules and practices to write the ad. I even got Facebook and Twitter copy I could use, although I don’t use their advertising services very much due to cost. The ad should have been safe. 

Quite the Ride Consortium Series
Consortium

Think again. 

At first, they just shut down the ad and notified me with a stupid generic moderation statement. Amazon’s message did not identify what was specifically wrong with the ad. I had to file an appeal to the moderation to dig into it. I ended up speaking to an Amazon Advertising Service Representative on the phone. After reviewing the ad, he agreed with me that it did NOT violate their rules and regulations. He then forwarded the appeal to someone up the chain.

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Good News on Exposure

What’s new in my writing

April 26, 2022

Good morning readers and followers, I know you’re wondering what’s new in my writing. I can’t say I blame you. I’m always curious myself—odd when you think about it. 

I reflected upon my progress in writing book six of the Consortium series with friends the other night. I won’t say much about the plot so far so as not to spoil the surprise when it gets published. But I mentioned that I’m about a third of the way done with writing it and said the following. “It’s funny. I still haven’t written a hot sex scene or any graphic violence yet.”

what's new in my writing

Sex and Violence

My friends were shocked. As in a chorus, they exclaimed. “What do you mean? Really? You haven’t?”

Up until that moment, I hadn’t thought it to be a problem. But then, based on their reaction, and they have all read my stories, I realized something. My readers and followers expect hot, graphic sex and violence.

Who am I to disappoint?

What did I do?

Well, I went back to the last chapter I had written and wrote a hot sex scene. That chapter was a perfect lead-in to such a scene, so I added it. It’s so long now that I may break it into two chapters during the editing phase. For now, it’s staying right where it is.

As for the graphic violence, don’t worry. That’s coming. 

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Picking up my computer

March 18, 2022

Would you believe this is the first time I’m picking up my computer in almost two weeks? Really? Yes, it is true. I’ve been under the weather since a week ago Monday. I’m also drinking my first cup of coffee in all this time as well. Those that know me, know that if I’m not drinking coffee, I’m sick.

How it started

It all started with what I thought was a sinus infection. I’d bend over and pain shot through my head, which went away as soon as I stood up. Uh, oh! The next morning, Tuesday, those symptoms disappeared. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was wrong. But then, I started feeling a malaise, a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose exact cause is difficult to identify. That triggered a ‘uh oh’ in my mind, and I paid a lot closer attention to what was going on with me. By Wednesday, I knew I was getting sick, but I could still go to work and do my job.

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The magic of a book

Writing is like Sex

February 21, 2022
Writing is like sex...Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf

Writing is like sex. First, you do it for love, then you do it for your friends, and then you do it for money.

— Virginia Woolf, British Writer

Recently, I came across this quote beginning with “Writing is like sex.” Anyone who knows me knows I like sex. I also like to write. Two of my favorite activities all rolled up into one short sentence. So naturally, this quote caught my eye. Who am I to argue with Virginia Woolf?

But then I started thinking about the full context of the quote. I began breaking it down into three components.

Writing is like sex

Hmm, that’s an easy one. I already wrote about the combination above. Of course, there’s more to it. 

For me, writing is like sex. When I am in the zone and know in my brain exactly what the scene I’m writing about is, I get that euphoric high that is akin to a good, satisfying orgasm. Most of you out there know what I mean by the high one gets from climaxing. Endorphins flood your bloodstream, and you feel as if you’re leaving your real-life behind. All you can sense is your partner and the euphoria they are giving you.

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Incentive in writing

Incentive

February 1, 2022

I have an additional incentive to continue writing. I am referring, of course, to my latest novel, Exposure. It’s doing well. In fact, some of you out there discovered its release and started reading it before I announced it. Across the board, my sales are up 37% since its release when comparing them to the average of the last quarter with January’s numbers.

Exposure turned out as an incentive to write more.

So what is my incentive to write, you may ask? With success like that, how can I not write my stories? I’m encouraged and excited to add to my stories. That’s good news for you, my readers. Why, you may ask?

During Exposure’s writing and editing phase, I struggled with deciding to end Avril’s story in my latest book. I could have finished it. I had even mapped out a way to end it, leaving some unresolved questions and subplots.

At least one of my reviewers complained I hadn’t, vowing never to read my novels ever again. After discussing it with my editor and beta readers, I left it as is and move on to write the sixth book in the series. I might even write more. The Consortium Series is, after all, a serialized story.

Long story short, I’m excited to write more, especially now that I have an enticing incentive. I’ve already started working on it, writing copious notes and such.

And before I forget. Thank you to all my readers for making this a success story.

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Exposure arrives

January 3, 2022

Exposure Arrives

Exposure arrives. After a tough quarter, I finally got Exposure: Hunters become the Hunted, is book 5 in the Consortium Series, published. Whew!

Exposure

What will you do after the Consortium takes you and sells you at auction?

Can you imagine your new life as owned property, with no hope of ever returning to your old life? To suffer and die at the whim of your owner.

Exposure

Can you fight back? Can you escape, or can you get help? What if aid came unexpectedly? What if the world learns of the Consortium? How can you help them help you before they kill you? Does the world even know you’re still alive or not?

Operating in the shadows, the cabal known as the Consortium finds themselves in a quandary between satisfying their cruel behaviors and their very survival. The wolf in sheep’s clothing suddenly finds themselves hunted rather than the hunters. They now scramble for their very survival. The Consortium exposure to this suspenseful and gripping dark tale threatens their existence.

Never in anyone’s memory had the Consortium run up against its greatest challenge. They’ve kept knowledge of their existence and their activities hidden from the horde they prey upon.

That’s all changed.

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The Trafficking Consortium

Updates on my Writing

September 26, 2021

Updates on my Writing

Exposure

I want to pass along updates on my writing. Since my last entry, the edits on Exposure, book five in the Consortium series, are progressing nicely. I finished editing my first draft of the novel and turned it over to my editor, looking at the finer corrections that I would easily miss. 

One thing, I’m glad I did my initial edit of the book. Using my editing tools, I found anywhere from one hundred fifty to two hundred grammar, spelling, and related errors. If I had left these to the editor, it would have taken longer to resolve and cost much more money. So far, my editor is documenting less than ten corrections or suggestions. With spelling and grammar issues aside, my editor needs only to concentrate on continuity and mistakes that standard editing tools miss. 

I find this aspect interesting, as I use three different tools against the same text until they all agree. Then I reread the result. Obviously, I’m too close to the story, allowing my mind reads words that don’t exist or are something completely different. It’s amazing how the human brain can fill in the blanks, especially when too close to the material. Otherwise, editing the book will go on forever, even after it gets published. I can’t have that. I want my readers to enjoy my story and not edit it.

Her Overseer

On another event this past week, Amazon decided to unpublish my book, ‘Her Overseer.’ I published this book on Amazon in 2015. While the book is not a best seller, I know of at least one book club that featured it. I know, as I was an invited guest the months they talked about the book.

Her Overseer

Why they suddenly decided to unpublish the book on me is unknown. Amazon claims it violates its “content guidelines for appropriateness.” Yet, I know it passed those guidelines at least twice when I first published it and again a year later. I don’t remember exactly when the second review occurred, but that’s okay.

I learned over the years that there is no appeal process for this ruling, and without lots of sales, it’s impossible to get it published again.

What about the other two books in the series, numbers 1 and 3? They’re still published and available to purchase. 

Will Amazon decide to unpublish the entire series? Possibly, only time will tell. In the meantime, I’m taking a hands-off attitude.

So if you read book 1, ‘Her Client,’ and decide to read the second, and then finish the series with book 3, ‘Her Essentia,’ it is available from other distributors. I’ll be updating my website with their locations in the next week. The webpage for this book is:

https://richardverry.com/stories/her-client-trilogy/her-overseer/

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If you have read any of my books, send me a note about what you think. I’m always interested in what my readers think of my stories.