Archive for 2017

💀GRAVE THINGS UPDATE💀


💀GRAVE THINGS UPDATE:💀 After talking about it with more experienced authors, I've decided that GRAVE THINGS deserves a strong launch and so I'm going to hold off on releasing it until Spring.

I know, waiting sucks. Especially for me, since I generally release my books within a month of finishing them. However, I think waiting till Spring is going to be better for my readers, me, and GRAVE THINGS.

I've never done a major marketing campaign but this book deserves it. So, I'm going to finish it up and get it totally ready for market. Then, I'm going to finish up THE CURSE (The Hunter Legends, Book 3) cuz that is nearly written and ready for edits. For NaNoWriMo, I plan to start the sequel to Grave Things.

I'll also be taking some seasonal shifts at the local B&N during the holidays to help pay for this new marketing campaign. I really miss hanging out with the old gang. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll earn enough between my books and the second job to do some much-deserved marketing for THE HUNTER LEGENDS as well.

With continued hard work and perseverance, I think 2018 could be a big year for me and my readers. Wish me luck!

📚Lindsay's Books: http://amzn.to/2ztLdVh


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Beat That Sentence Challenge *Bookcase Edition*

A few years back I gave myself a challenge to form a sentence using book titles. It was loads of fun and lots of people joined in. I've decided to bring it back with an added twist.

Instead of forming a sentence, the goal is to tell a story using all of the books on a single bookshelf. I intend to do a video for every bookshelf in the hopes of telling a full story. It won't be easy, but it will be fun.

If you would like to do this as well, the rules are simple.

  1. One point per book title.
  2. Must be physical books, no ebooks.
  3. Use your shelves as is. Not being able to add and remove books is part of the challenge!
  4. Post your bookshelf story in your video's description or on your blog.
  5. Please link back to my video. It's not required, but credit is much appreciated :)

Watch my Beat That Sentence Challenge *Bookcase Edition* on YouTube



My Bookshelf Story:
Punished with the TIGER'S CURSE, the CLOCKWORK ANGEL was told she must leave the CITY OF GLASS and begin the TIGER'S QUEST. First she met ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VAMPIRE HUNTER, during the DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT. He told her that she must find two companions MATCHED in both strength and intelligence. So, she traveled ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, searching the CITY OF BONES and the CITY OF ASHES until she found the DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, who was known as THE BEAUTY for her fierce intelligence. Hearing the FIRST RIDER'S CALL, the duo was led to the CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS where they were joined by the GREEN RIDER, who was known as THE BEAST for her strength. But when they finally entered the HIGH KING'S TOMB, they realized that to finish the TIGER'S VOYAGE, a sacrifice would have to be made. Accepting this, the Angel CROSSED through the BLACKVEIL, and thus began THE BANE CHRONICLES.
TOTAL: 21 books



---- MY BOOKS ----
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2tlZlPG

The YA Summer Scavenger Hunt (free books and giveaways!)

Scavengers! You are currently at stop #136. You're nearly to the end, but I've got some goodness that you don't want to miss!

I am Lindsay Mead, author of The Hunter Legends, a Young Adult Beauty and the Beast Fairytale Retelling. Humans have been turned into hellhounds. These great, fanged wolves are wild, desperate, and hungry. Belle leads the hunt till a tragedy forces her deep into the dark kingdom. Her heart will be turned, her loyalty tested— and fate will intervene.




Your 136th keyword awaits, but don't forget to grab my free book while you're at it! Happy hunting!


FREE

>> Claim your copy HERE before June 9th <<


$2.99




The 136th keyword is:

“AND”

Write it down, because there's more awesome coming your way.

The next two stops on the hunt will be...

#137. Jenetta Penner

#138. David R. Bernstein

Good luck, scavengers!


JOIN THE HUNT

Our massive young adult scavenger hunt is OPEN – this is a chance to meet some new authors, grab a bunch of free books, and sign up to win a whole bunch of epic prizes! In addition to the $500 grand prize, each of the authors will be offering free books and other prizes.

HOW TO PLAY 

Each author will be given a special keyword, which will be bolded and all caps like this: BUTTERFLIES.

All you have to do is visit all the author’s sites in this order, write down the special keywords to discover the short story, then enter the giveaway with the completed secret legend here:


There will be one main giveaway for the main prize, but most of the participating authors will also have smaller giveaways for free books, amazon credit and author swag, so make sure you read their post carefully to see what else they’re offering while you’re on their site for the keyword.

NOTE: some of these will be easy to find, some of them are harder. If you get stuck, click on the “blog” and look for the most recent post, then try to find the word that looks different or out of place – it should be bolded and in all caps.

DEADLINE = JUNE 7TH 

Just go through the “treasure map” above to find the keywords and reconstruct the secret legend. Once you’ve got it, enter for the grand prize HERE. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for other giveaways or free books as you search for the keywords, most authors will be offering their own prizes as well.

THE MAP (PARTICIPATING AUTHORS)

  1. Cindy Ray Hale
  2. Katherine Bogle
  3. Melle Amade
  4. David Kudler
  5. A.M. Yates
  6. Alethea Kontis
  7. Stevie Rae Causey
  8. Katlyn Duncan
  9. Debbie Manber Kupfer
  10. Meredith Rose
  11. N.M. Howell
  12. Lara Ann
  13. K.M. Robinson
  14. J.A. Culican
  15. Heather Karn
  16. Rob L. Slater
  17. Dylan Keefer
  18. Sarah K. Wilson
  19. L.J. Higgins
  20. Gina Marie Long
  21. Em Kazmierski
  22. Travis Hall
  23. Heather Young-Nichols
  24. Anna Santos
  25. J.L. Weil
  26. Jo Schneider
  27. Logansfiction.com
  28. Kristin D. Van Risseghem
  29. Martine Lewis
  30. Tara Benham
  31. Stacy Claflin
  32. Beth Hammond
  33. Erica Cope
  34. Nicole Zoltack
  35. Char Webster
  36. Sabrina Ramoth
  37. T.J. Muir
  38. Raquel Lyon
  39. Beth Rodgers
  40. S.L. Beaumont
  41. Eva Pohler
  42. Melanie McFarlane
  43. Cheryllynn Dyess
  44. Audrey Rich
  45. Amanda Zieba
  46. Sandie Will
  47. Elle Scott
  48. Angie Grigaliunas
  49. Ashley Maker
  50. Mandy Peterson
  51. Audrey Grey
  52. Elisa Dane
  53. Amy McNulty
  54. Melinda Cordell
  55. Monica Leonelle
  56. Claire Luana
  57. Frost Kay
  58. Preeti C. Sharma
  59. Bentz Deyo
  60. April Wood
  61. Lena Mae Hill
  62. Angel Leya
  63. Wendi Wilson
  64. Wendy Knight
  65. Chogan Swan
  66. Tamara Hart Heiner
  67. Norma Hinkens
  68. Patti Larsen
  69. Megan Crewe
  70. Jamie Thornton
  71. Jessie Renée
  72. T.A. Maclagan
  73. Lydia Sherrer
  74. Phyllis Moore
  75. P.D. Workman
  76. J.A. Armitage
  77. K.N. Lee
  78. Angela Fristoe
  79. Rhonda Sermon
  80. G.K. DeRosa
  81. Erin Richards
  82. Ali Winters
  83. Larissa C. Hardesty
  84. Kristine Tate
  85. Debra Kristi
  86. Bella Rose
  87. Cortney Pearson
  88. Jeff Kohanek
  89. Kristal Shaff
  90. Rachel Morgan
  91. Emma Right
  92. C.L. Cannon
  93. Joanne Macgregor
  94. Lindsey Loucks
  95. Farah Cook
  96. Erin Hayes
  97. Jesikah Sundin
  98. Dorothy Dreyer
  99. Danielle Annett
  100. C.J. Ethington
  101. L.C. Hibbett
  102. Madeline Dyer
  103. Katie John
  104. Nicole Schubert
  105. Rachel Medhurst
  106. Tee G Ayer
  107. May Freighter
  108. Heather Dyer
  109. Jen Minkman
  110. J.L. Gillham
  111. Karen Tomlinson
  112. Kate Haye
  113. Megan Linski
  114. Martina Billings
  115. Jo Ho
  116. EE Isherwood
  117. Inna Hardison
  118. Rachel Bateman
  119. Sally Henson
  120. J.L. Hendricks
  121. A.L. Knorr
  122. T.M. Franklin
  123. Raven Oak
  124. felisha Antonette
  125. Jake Devlin
  126. S.F. Benson
  127. Laurie Treacy
  128. Emily Martha Sorensen
  129. Leia Stone
  130. T. Rae Mitchell
  131. J. Keller Ford
  132. Kat Stiles
  133. Jessica Hawke
  134. Elyse Reyes
  135. Sophie Davis
  136. Lindsay Mead or Bianca Scardoni
  137. Jenetta Penner
  138. David R. Bernstein
  139. Olivia Wildenstein
  140. Derek Murphy

FREE BOOKS! LAST DAY!

I am so pleased to announce that my first book, The Beast, has reached 3,000 readers. No doubt you've heard me talking about it because I've been planning a big giveaway to celebrate. I teamed up with a bunch of amazing authors and we have an awesome bundle of ebooks for everyone. That's right, everyone! No drawings, no waiting, and certainly no losers. Just enter your email address into the form below, click the big red claim button, and then check your email for all of your free books. It's really that simple!

Don't forget the epic grand prize (US ONLY)! So many signed books! My inner collector is going crazy. You need to get on this-- you need to get on this now! Because we can only give out just one set of books, this one has to be an actually contest. Submit your email into the rafflecopter form, tweet the giveaway, and subscribe to my youtube channel for extra entries. You're gunna want to increase your chances of winning. This is a not a prize that you want to miss out on.

Please note that by entering and sharing this giveaway, you're helping me and all the participating authors. Each new reader we meet brings us one step closer to realizing our writing dreams. You're apart of that. Just like so many of you are the reason The Beast has been read 3,000 times. Thank you, a few thousand times over...Thank you.

If you're seeing this on Goodreads and you can't see the giveaway forms or video, visit my blog to enter: http://lindsaymead.blogspot.com/


---- ENTER YOUR EMAIL BELOW AND CLAIM THESE FREE BOOKS! ----
*Available for Kindle, Nook, or on PDF*
- The Beast by Lindsay Mead
- Ray Of Light by Elle Scott
- Outbreak by Joshua C. Chadd
- Rose Petal Graves by Olivia Wildenstein
- Empty Threat by Danny Bell
- Rebel's Blade by Frost Kay
- Alien Frog Prince by J.M. Page & Juno Wells
- The Black Witch by Robert D. Jones


Now scroll down and enter your name to win the grand prize.

---- THE GRAND PRIZE (US ONLY)----
- The Beauty by Lindsay Mead (EBOOK)
- Outbreak by Joshua C. Chadd (SIGNED PAPERBACK)
- Rose Petal Graves by Olivia Wildenstein (SIGNED PAPERBACK)
- Empty Threat by Danny Bell (SIGNED PAPERBACK)
- Ray Of Light by Elle Scott (SIGNED PAPERBACK)
- Rebel's Blade by Frost Kay (SIGNED PAPERBACK)
- Against The Beast by R.J. Batla (SIGNED PAPERBACK)
- Planet Neverland by J. M. Page & Juno Wells (SIGNED PAPERBACK)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (HARDCOVER)


a Rafflecopter giveaway


---- PARTICIPATING BLOGS ----
Cubicle Blindness
Dana Square
Lexington Alexander

Currently Reading & Just Finished: Promise Of Fire & Kiss Of Steel

Last year and for a time before that, I suffered from a nasty reading slump. But it seems the answer is consistency. Nearly every morning, I grab a novel from my bedside table and I read for awhile. Sometimes it's just a chapter, a few pages, and sometimes I struggle to walk away. Whatever it is, I still try to get in some reading every day. And it seems to be working because I've read through about 6 books since last September. That may not seem like much to some of your powerhouse readers, but considering that I read only 4 books last year...

JUST FINISHED



When Nowhere Is Safe

Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it's the last safe haven. But at what price?

Blade is known as the master of the rookeries—no one dares cross him. It's been said he faced down the Echelon's army single-handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood-craving he's been quicker, stronger, and almost immortal.

When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She's so...innocent. He doesn't see her backbone of steel—or that she could be the very salvation he's been seeking. 

AFTER THE REREAD:
I enjoyed this book as much the second time as I did the first time. So glad that I decided to buy a physical copy for my shelves. I'm sure I'll reread it again years from now. This is just one of those books that are fun to return to.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I floated through this book. Gah, it was such a nice change from what I had been reading. Not only was it a good story, but the writing was good too! I know that it's popular for authors to rush out books as fast as possible these days, sacrificing the craft. However, there is truly something to be said for a well written sentence. My eyes just wanted to devour paragraph after paragraph. As far as stories go, this was a pretty standard Steampunk/Fantasy Romance. That is not a knock either. I very much enjoyed this book, which is why I read it so quickly. Anyway, the romance was lovely, the characters likable, the action exciting, and the world building fantastic. Highly recommend for any fan of the genre.
My Spoilery Thoughts: (view spoiler)

Recommended

Yes/No Checklist 
Sex: Yes
Gore: Yes
Rape: No
Magic: Vampires and other supernatural things.
Drugs: Alcohol & cigars

Star Categories 
Romance: 5 Stars
Action: 4.5 Stars 
Pacing: 4.5 Stars 
Writing: 4 Stars 
Plot: 4 Stars 
Overall: 4.5 Stars

Protagonist Meter 
Damsel-----*-----Badass
I particularly liked that the female protagonist wasn't irrationally weak. No she wasn't a badass, but she could pull the trigger of a gun when it was called for. I don't know why, but so many female leads seem to be incapable of doing even something as simple as that.

CURRENTLY READING


A Promise Of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Catalia "Cat" Fisa is a powerful clairvoyant known as the Kingmaker. This smart-mouthed soothsayer has no interest in her powers and would much rather fly under the radar, far from the clutches of her homicidal mother. But when an ambitious warlord captures her, she may not have a choice…

Griffin is intent on bringing peace to his newly conquered realm in the magic-deprived south. When he discovers Cat is the Kingmaker, he abducts her. But Cat will do everything in her power to avoid her dangerous destiny and battle her captor at every turn. Although up for the battle, Griffin would prefer for Cat to help his people willingly, and he's ready to do whatever it takes to coax her…even if that means falling in love with her.


This book has loads of hype, which I didn't know when I bought it. It just stood out to me on the bookshelf. So when I discovered that it was pretty popular, I was quite surprised. I'm very excited to start this book. It seems unique and I'm excited about a romance that continues on past the first book. Generally romance books follow different couples in each book. I enjoy that sometimes, but my first love will always be the epic saga.


The Beauty Is Out Now!

The Beauty, my second book, officially released in ebook on March 10th. I had so many plans for this release-- blog posts, special videos, email announcements, and countdown graphics! But life had other plans for me.

A couple days before the release, an epic windstorm hit the town and knocked everyone's power out. So, no internet. All I could do was read books and play board games by candlelight. Okay, it wasn't a horrible way to spend my time. I actually started to enjoy how slowed down everything was. But I hated not being able to promote my release. The Beauty already had plenty working against it; a late release and 'Beauty and The Beast' retellings hitting the market like a flood of biblical proportions. The last thing this book needed was a release where the author didn't even talk about it lol.

Sadly, it was all out of my hands. The best I could do was make a trip into B&N the day before to charge my computer and make a few quick posts to tell everyone what was going on. I have to give a big thanks to all of the readers who stepped up to promote The Beauty when I couldn't. It really and truly meant a lot to me. Fortunately, the power came back on the night of the release and I've been working hard at doing some promotional catch up.

Before I move on, let me just say, The Beauty WILL BE RELEASED IN PAPERBACK. My formatter is booked up right now and can't get started on it for a few weeks. I'm also waiting on the paperback cover design (That's the spine and the back cover). I'm hoping to see the paperback come out in April. If for some reason my new cover designer doesn't work out for the paperback cover, then it could potentially be even longer. I'll tell you right now, the more ebooks I sell, the faster I'll be able to publish the paperback in that scenario. Everything costs money, and money is what I don't have right now. But, fingers crossed, everything will work out with this new designer and I won't have to hire someone new.

So, now seems like a good time to let you all in on my writing plan this year. I am hoping--at minimum--to release two books more this year. I'd like to release The Hunter Legends book three, The Curse, and I'd like to release the first in an Adult Paranormal Romance series titled Grave Things. Three books in one year will be a record for me, so I could be pushing myself too much. But I feel stronger and more confident in my writing abilities after finishing The Beauty. Writing book two was like walking through fire to transition from an amateur to a professional. Heh, or at least a level one professional.

I'm also looking into releasing hardcovers later this year. I cannot promise it will happen, but I found a third party publisher that has potential in this area. It will be expensive though because I'll need to buy my own ISBNs, reformat my books, and have my covers resized. Maybe by the end of the year I'll be able to afford it. I would just love to have hardcovers of my books. I don't even care if they sell well, I just want them for myself lol.

With all of that said, links to my new release below. Please read and review it. Till next time! -Lindsay Mead

-The Beauty on Amazon
-The Beauty on Goodreads
-The Beast on Amazon
-Order Signed Paperbacks

Can love thrive in a kingdom of secrets? 
Rumors of King Aleksander abound, sowing seeds of fear and doubt among the populace. Worse, there’s only so much Belle can do to repair the damage caused by the former Bishop’s fear-mongering. With challenges and new enemies threatening, the couple will have to prove the strength of their love.
Of course, a cure for the king and his cursed people could solve everything. It may be as simple as reaching out to the right scientists, or maybe it’s all beyond the ingenuity of man. Tensions mount as old foes refuse to stay dead and unexpected revelations leave the future uncertain. But ultimately, it’s the half-truths that could lead to heartbreak.
The Beauty is the second book in The Hunter Legends, a re-imagining of the infamous love between a beauty and a beast.
Young Adult Fantasy/Adventure Romance


Behind The Scene: Mercenaries In Contefées

In honor of The Beauty coming out on the 10th, I've decided to look back at book one. This blog post is going to discuss the events of chapter three in The Beast. Yes, spoilers are likely to happen. I invite anyone with opinions on this scene to post in the comments. There's nothing I love more than discussing this series with readers.

In chapter three, Belle and her Hunters have just finished up a long night of hunting and have gone down to the local tavern, Le Géant Tranquille. This is our first time seeing the town or the townspeople. That is essentially why this chapter always struck me as rather important.

The majority of The Beast is spent in Castle Vakre Fjell. We get to know several awesome people there, but Contefées is kinda put on the back burner. There was really nothing to be done about that. The goal of this book was for Belle to meet and begin her relationship with Aleksander. However, even though I knew we'd see more of the Hunters and Contefées in future books (*cough*BookTwo*cough*), I wanted to at least establish a base with the reader. Ground Belle's roots in her town. Belle's home and the people there play a big role in who she is.


So, when the Hunters first ride into Contefées, we get a cursory glance at things. We see the church, rising above like some intimidating structure that symbolizes safety to the people. There's mention of the bakery and the bookshop, which again is just a peak at how deep Belle's roots go into this town. Then, there was the fountain of candles; one of my favorite aspects of this place. It was an ill-conceived idea put into motion by early town officials before anyone realized that it was never warm enough for such a thing--the naive optimism of travelers searching for a new beginning. But Contefées is strong and they found a way to make it their own. They made it special. When Belle thought of Contefées later in the book, I wanted the readers to think of these things. This town wasn't just some faceless place.


Although brief, we now had an idea of what Contefées looked like. So, the interactions inside Le Géant Tranquille were more about the townsfolk. In a place so harsh and cold entertainment comes in the form of alcohol and the company of others. Of course, the people inside the tavern do not represent everyone in Contefées. But it does represent the bulk--the core of the town, the human engine that keeps it moving. We meet the unkempt gambler who wishes he was more than he was, but never has the drive to change. The Pêcheur twins are on a mission to marry, not unlike many women in this era. Davin, the Irishman, represents the many non-french who live in Contefées and, with what he says to Belle, also gives us a look at how the world views the hellhound threat. While the previous examples of Contefées citizens are generally quite optimistic, they're also rather sheltered. The doctor, on the other hand, is a man who has seen the awful and can hardly cope with it.


And then, there are the mercenaries. Whenever something bad happens in the world you'll find that people will either leave the danger or come to help, and there will always be those who wish to profit from the misfortune. It's a fact of life. The people in the tavern--particularly the Hunters who risk their lives everyday-- don't care for such profiteering. However, there isn't much that can be done about it. New mercenaries will always show up. The Hunters nearly brawling with the mercs demonstrates their disdain. Andre even makes a point of almost flaunting his injuries in order to put them in their place; an act that is totally in conflict with how he usually views his prosthetics.


Belle, of course, doesn't want to see a fight. Sometimes men just need to blow off steam, but in this case it could get out of hand. So Belle reacts in a way that some might consider extreme-- by putting a bullet in a mercenary's foot. She's generally pretty levelheaded about how she deals with things, but here her own disdain shows. Fortunately, for the reader, it's a pretty badass moment. We see that Belle is strong and opinionated, but not perfect.


Ultimately, I guess this chapter is about influences. Hellhound influences, outside influences, and how everyone is shaped by those things. It's really the strongest look at the Hunters and Contefées that we get in The Beast.

In book two, we get to see more of Contefées; new places and new people. Thus far, that's the best part about writing this series. I get to reveal a little more with each book. -Lindsay Mead

Pre-order The Beautyhttp://amzn.to/2mgp9d9







Pre-Order The Beauty, March 10th Release!

Last night, for the second time in my life, I uploaded a book to Amazon. Even though I'd done this before, it was still a very uncomfortable experience. You'd think that it would be thrilling--that I'd be sitting here with wide eyes and an eager grin--but you'd be wrong. It's not a fun thing to do...

It's a stressful thing to do! I hear that when people go on vacation (I personally wouldn't know, because vacations are for people with money...anyway...) they sometimes have moments of panic that they might have left the stove on or left a window open. Uploading a manuscript for publication is a LOT like that. The whole time I'm entering information, I'm nervous that I'm going to mistype and accidentally publish book 2 of The Hooter Legends. If something like that is a going to happen--it's going to happen to me.

So, yeah, lots of stressful pacing happened last night. But--as far as I know--I didn't unintentionally upload The Booty for pre-order last night. Although, I'm sure that would be pretty decent seller lol.

CLICK HERE to pre-order The Beauty on Kindle. If you've already read it, please leave a review. If you haven't left a review for The Beast, I'd love you if you did! Not ready for that kind of commitment? You can at least add my books on Goodreads. It's really nice being able to say 'books'...plural...I'm an author of bookS. lol That's awesome.

Paperbacks will be available and you can pre-order a signed copy through me. But it should be warned that the paperback will be published closer to the end of March. My formatter is booked for the next 3 weeks and creating a paperback file is more intensive than an ebook file. So it might be the end of March or it could even be early April. Either way, it will be available and I'll keep you all posted.

I hope everyone is enjoying this snowy day and is as excited about this impending release as I am. I have a small, but personal, goal to sell more pre-orders of The Beauty than I did for book one. It's not really about the money, I'd just like to see this book do as well as it deserves. So, you will see me posting more in the next 2 weeks in celebration of this release. I'd like to do a Behind-The-Scenes countdown thing where I share my thoughts behind certain key scenes in The Beast. If you have any questions about the series, ask away, and I'll try to cover them in a post. Till then, happy reading! -Lindsay Mead

-The Beauty Amazon Pre-Order
-The Beauty on Goodreads
-The Beast on Amazon
-Order Signed Paperbacks


It's Done! The Beauty Is Finished!

When I finished The Beast, I think I expected everything to fall perfectly into place. I'd quit my day job and had thrown myself full into being an author-- a dream that I'd worked very hard to achieve. In my mind, I had it all figured out. Ya know, I'd written and published a book. I was no longer a newb! But, what I soon learned was that the plan is not always so easily executed.

I wrote The Beauty in record time (Record time for me, that is). A matter of months perhaps. But, it's really the editing that I've been working on for the last year.

First, I was tearing the words apart. Over analyzing every inch of it, and making myself miserable. When I realized what I was doing, I tried pulling back some. I still wanted to clean the book up as much as I could, but I didn't want to it to push the book's release back so far that it actually hurt the book. And that still may have happened. I won't know until the book releases.

Even after recognizing that I was overdoing the editing, it was still a roller coaster. I flew through some chapters, while others took me days to get through. On top of all that, life events kept getting in the way. When I'm stressed or depressed, it's really hard to get work done.

But I trudged on. And at times, it really felt like trudging lol. Get this, I finished The Beauty (edits and all) exactly one year after I finished editing the first chapter. Is that some crazy symmetry or what? I mean, I never want to take that long to edit a book again but wow, symmetry.

So the book is done. I love it sooooo much! It turned out a thousand times better than I ever imagined. No matter how many bad reviews I may get, it will not diminish how proud I am of this book.

Now, I know what you're wondering...Lindsay? Are you going to take a year to edit all of your books? Answer: God, I hope not. That would sooo not be good for my career. Readers are far too hungry and there is far too much competition in the self-publishing world for me to take that long. With each book, I get better at writing and, therefore, editing should get easier. I do have some plans on how I can change up my publishing strategy that could assist in this problem, but I'll talk more on that in another post.

So, that's it for now. I will be posting updates far more often in the coming weeks. Those updates will include a release and some "Behind The Scenes" where I'd like to discuss scenes from The Beast. I'm hoping those'll be something fun where I can share my thoughts behind those scenes and maybe my readers will pop in a comment or two. Till then, happy reading! -Lindsay Mead