#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

​Aside from the obvious things, there are also a few other things that I feel are necessary in a book. I include these in every full length novel even if I know that some of it will not appear in the ebook format. The first detail is the subscript with pagination. I prefer a book to feel like a book. I also want my book's pages to remind the reader of my author name. It helps with the 7/11 rule (see blogs about marketing) and makes it easier for a reader to choose another of my stories if they like them in the future. Also pagination is rather important. It is nice to read and know where you are in that process. Ereaders keep your place, but page numbers are still the rule in paperback or hardback.  In this example from A Pack Forms, you can see the title of the book the page number and my name. It's easy to set a doc file up to auto fill this in the footer. But it makes for a much more professional appearance and a better finished product. 

Other things that are important are The First Pages: the table of contents, a title page, and art pages. These were once end pages in a hardback book. In the realm of ebooks, this art might be illustrative of some aspect of the story like a story map or a family tree etc... Don't forget to add your table of contents, especially in a longer work with many scenes. Readers like to see that the book is broken down into parts. It adds to the idea that the story is well defined.
I also add a list of other books available from my library. It is a bit of monetization, but it also allows the reader to see that I do have other works. Personally, I will not buy a short series until it is completely published. I know I am not the only one. I also will not buy into a longer series if several books are not already available to aid me in getting my fix. (Hello, my name is Ophelia, and I am an addict. No, I am not seeking rehabilitation. Thanks but no thanks. I will die a bookworm. I am good with that.)
With the Last Pages at the end of each book, I also include my about the author page with links to all my social media, and all my contacts along with a link to the next book in the series. If a reader has time and wants to continue reading. I do not want the end of a book to be the reason they have to stop. Links make it easier for readers to leave comments or ask questions, and also allows the experience to continue uninterrupted. That is the beautiful part about worldbuilding. When a world is crafted well, it remains in the reader's mind for a long time even when they finish a good book. It is nice to be able to expand the way the dream feels by offering other ways to experience it such as the videos on Youtube and Facebook.

I hope you enjoyed my trip through The Details. My authorwalk has been fantastic fun. I have learned a lot about how to publish and market my books. It continues to be a grand adventure. I truly appreciate the support I have received from all of you who have enjoyed my books. It has been an amazing experience. I have a bit of sad news though. I will have to give up the full time authorwalk soon. Real life is pulling me out of the dream. Bills must get paid. While I love to write and publish my stories, I have never lied about the fact that they do not make enough money for me to remain free of the professional world yet. So once again I find that I will need to embrace a day job and put my love of books on the back burner.
I have made enormous progress since October of last year. But knowing that it will likely be several more years before I can get back to a full time journey into writing, I have made the decision to focus on getting my backlist of books published before I must step out of the dream. That will allow me the freedom to focus more of my attention on writing new stories and maybe doing a bit of part time marketing.
I will be abandoning the idea of pre orders when the Dread Allies miniseries finishes as it is too complicated to set and meet the deadlines. I am also going to try to speed up the process on a few more of my completed novels and add all the details to be able to publish the next four full length novels over the next few weeks. Cross your fingers.
The Eyrie Iolair short read miniseries will likely be published in its entirety within the next two months as well. If you are not following me on Amazon or have not subscribed to opheliakee.com, now would be a good time to do that. That way, you do not have to miss it when one of my books comes out. I won't have as much time to announce everything soon. So I will need to rely on a weekly blog, Amazon, and perhaps a Saturday only kind of promotion. 
I have to get busy. If you read, be kind and leave your review.
Be Careful!
Happy reading,
​Ophelia Kee

#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

I have published fourteen full length novels to date. That is a lot of words. It is also a seriously good story, but I digress. Someone asked me recently to explain what I mean by 'details' exactly when I refer to publishing. So I will try to list the process for adding the 'details' to books to make a manuscript story an actual book. I apologize for never having written how to write a book. I think other better qualified people should try answering that one because I can only tell you how I do it, and I am sure that it is not the proper way. (Also, I am not really sure exactly how I write the stories. I simply write. That is hard for many to grasp so I will stick to what I can reveal easily.)

When I write I have a process to polish my story that I have spoken about in other blogs. Here, I want to focus on what happens after I think the story is 'done'. What happens to get the book ready to publish? The way I decided what needed to happen was rather simple. I had a story, but that was not a book. (Trying to publish a book on Amazon and getting to the need to upload a cover made me realize that my story was missing things a book would have. LOL) That was when I went and found a few paperbacks and hardback books to look at. I was not reading them. I was analyzing how they were put together and comparing what I found in them with what I had in a digital form on my computer.

'There is even a note here about a book that has not been published as I write this blog. Precious Treasures should be launching sometime in April of 2020, but I have not got that nailed down yet. I incorporated the necessary text from that book into Filth and Death so that the book would not be missing anything, but it does tend to drag you off into wondering about Kindling and Silver. I felt it was only right to warn people. 
I have to craft this page for each one of my books. This is one of the 'details' that I add after I finish the story. But what book would be complete without it? If you write, you must decide how it reads, and if you will place notes to your readers or dedications in your books. If you read, you might skip over this part, but it is worth noting that the small details still add to the experience.

Dread Allies Shadow King part 2 launched today! If you have started the fast paced short read miniseries, you can get your fix today and discover what happens next in Alexio and Sumeye's story. The dream is colder and darker in the Netherworld, but the imbalance of magic is just as sinister. When the demon princes of Eaglafonn ally themselves with Draoithe, Luke's influence as an alpha pack leader begins to influence that realm as well. The magic seeks the balance, and the demons respond to that demand. FREE with Kindle Unlimited! Only $.99 from Amazon.
​

I hope you enjoyed this look at the behind the scenes of the dream and a small slice of my authorwalk. In other news, the merchandising took a turn for the worse. I did actually design a couple of t-shirts and a few mugs and hats, but then the technology part messed with me. I got in over my head again so it is back to the drawing board on the merchandise. I am still intent on making it a reality. Check back to find out what else about my authorwalk goes a little haywire. If you read, don't forget to be kind and review.
I have to get some work done and get back to figuring out the merchandise. 
Be Careful,
Happy Reading,
Ophelia Kee

#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

I am pretty excited about the merchandise, but I am also very pleased, finally, with how my first audio story came out. I hope it goes over well. I am posting the fireside read from an excerpt from A Pack Forms to Youtube as soon as I finish the last four pieces. I liked it. Y'all tell me what you think. I love hearing from you. Questions, comments, or suggestions are alway welcome. 
I know I have been looking into the audio scene for a while, but it is a bit complex to me. If I find a way to break into that realm without an enormous outlay of expense upfront, I promise, that will be the new frontier.
I personally am still a paper reader if I can be. I love the way a real book feels. So all my books are also paperback from Amazon. A Pack Forms is still only $2.99 as an e-book and FREE with Kindle Unlimited! But I do love the paperback version. There is nothing like the feel of a book.

Well, it's Sunday again. I have to do the laundry and upload another short read to Amazon, so I better get going on that. The work of the dream never stops, but it is fun. Someone asked me to outline the steps in the process to get a book ready to publish. I don't know exactly what other authors do, but I can explain what I do as a pure Indie Author. So beginning next week, I will try to go in depth a bit on each or the steps I have mentioned before and explain the how and why behind what I do to get my books ready to publish. It may not be the way others do it or the way you would do it, but it is definitely an integral part of how Draoithe goes from a manuscript to a book you read on your Kindle. A gentle reminder that if you are fortunate enough to read, I hope you might choose one of my books, but no matter what you read, be kind and leave your review. They really help other readers and the authors whose works you truly enjoy. Don't forget to take a chance and scroll on past the first couple of pages on the bestseller list to discover new talented authors. You never know when what you read will be the next great thing, and you will know you found it first!
Be Careful!
Happy Reading,
Ophelia Kee

#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

Behind the scenes of the dream is a bit different than the stories. My Independent author's walk may come to an fork in the road soon. I hope not, but it looks likely. In the meantime, I am doing everything I can to avoid making it a part time endeavor again. If you have not visited opheliakee.com recently, I have finally gotten it linked to google adsense. So the website and blog have been monetized. It is not much, but every little bit helps. I am also working behind the scenes to add merchandise to the website. It might be cool to have a t-shirt with a tiger or a direwolf on it. So printful and I are joining forces. If I do have to return to the professional world. Things will have to slow down. Sadly, my mortgage must be paid. The good news is, I will always write. It will just take a lot longer to get a book published if I am not focused on books everyday.

So now that you know what is going on behind the scenes of the dream, allow me to use this Saturday blog as it should be used and shamelessly promote my books for your consideration. If you have never investigated the dream, you might want to start with a FREE short read. The Thread is FREE from opheliakee.com. Test drive my story style with the prologue to the series that started it all. In The Thread you can meet Luke and Eli before they meet each other. If you like it, the link will take you to the book that began a saga, A Pack Forms. This is a contemporary adult fantasy paranormal romance series unlike anything you have found before. It has all of the elements of romance entwined with your favorite tropes from epic fantasy set in the dream, a world eerily similar to our own, but one in which the magic we love actually exists. The danger is shadowy and real and it effects immortals that walk among humans, some of whom never really understanding what they are or the power they wield.

The story continues and expands both spatially and linearly. The numbered novels follow Luke and Eli's fight against their enemy Peter Elliot. But there is far more to the story than what they know. In the prequel, Tantalu, you can get a glimpse of the past that brought the present existence of the dream into reality with the story of Sandor Liderk and his eventual friendship with Tavas Elniai. The two are both seeking mates in the dream to obtain balance and that makes for one rather twisted fairytale.

The dream hosts fourteen full length novel titles and a growing list of short reads as well. The saga is not over. A spin off short read miniseries has emerged from Luke's efforts to build an immortal retreat and gain allies from other realms. In Dread Allies you can meet the demon princes of Eaglafonn and explore the darker colder realm of the Netherworld. The grandmaster shadow mage becomes a necessary tool in Luke's fight to keep Eli safe. Alexio's desire for a mate will lead to Draoithe forming an alliance with demons. Dread Allies launched the first title already, and the second title will be live Monday March 30. This miniseries of short reads will see fourteen titles and finish publishing in July. So no long waits with it. Enjoy the cold dark!

If you read, please be kind and leave your review. The authors you have enjoyed stories from will appreciate you aiding their endeavor to continue to write the stories you want to read. I have  to run. The bread has risen and must meet the heat of the oven. Have a great weekend!
Be Careful!
Happy reading,
​Ophelia Kee

#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

It all has to do the process that involves time, marinating manuscripts, and fresh eyes. (It does not need to take two years, but no way could I write, edit, and publish a complete story in one week.) I tend to revise as I write, so the story gets read and reread quite a bit during that process. But I know what I want the story to convey, so although I fix some mistakes during that process, I miss a lot as I am skipping back and forth, writing and adding details that make the story better and connect different parts of the story together. The first step revision often occurs simultaneously while writing.

After I write a story, it sits in docs for a while, marinating. I work on another story. As I am writing a series saga, I have to cross check that the information in one story matches with the information in other stories, that the magic, names, characteristics, and events all line up. As the story lengthens, that process becomes more involved. My beta readers help with that process. They offer pointers and suggestions and just star things that confuse them. That actually helps me see where the story fails to flow correctly, where I have made mistakes, and discover what I need to add or delete.
Once I get the second revision completed, that is when I reduce the font size to twelve point. (I actually write in sixteen.) Reducing the story's type font tells me that the story is finished and ready to be polished. If it is not ready to be published yet, I may not get back to it again for a while. But when I do, I will add all the details that make the story a book (copyright, table of contents, etc...), then I will do the final grammar edit to be sure the story reads as well as it can. The second part of Shadow King is launching on Monday! I hope those of you who read the first part will enjoy what comes next. If you have not begun the shortread miniseries, check it out. It won't take but about an hour to read part one. I have to run away. Duty calls. If you read, please remember to be kind and leave a review.
Be Careful!
Happy reading,
​Ophelia Kee

#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

Do you see the bushes in front of my house? Well this image was made a couple of years ago by a real estate photographer as the previous owners originally tried to sell the house as a for sale by owner. They priced too high, the floral carpets, or maybe he floral wallpaper pushed buyers away. For whatever reason the house sat empty for a long time before it was relisted and I found the diamond in the rough. By then however, the lawn was covered in pin needles and cones, the weeds had taken over and the bushes and hedges have gotten out of control. All the trees need to be trimmed and I have made the executive decision that the hedges are too far gone to save. So if you see my author walk veer off into outdoor gardening a bit over the next few days, know that real life does touch the dream.

Yesterday, I found the time to post two ​Book Videos. The launch video I created for A Pack Forms is now on Youtube and everywhere else. But more than that I am excited to share with you the release of Dragon Masters Storyboard Preview. Launching this video matters to the dream because it marks a turning point in my efforts to market and promote my books using video. All of the published numbered novels now have a short teaser trailer and a storyboard preview. I have finally developed what might possible be the proper strategy for building the mini reads and fireside reads. By Next month, I should have a schedule and be releasing book videos one every week along with the novels.

I know this one is short, but the urban homestead calls.
If you read, don't forget to leave the kind review.
Be Careful!
Happy reading,
​Ophelia Kee

#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

This post is dedicated to video book promotion. In my author’s walk, I had a lot of difficulty with this. First, as a reader, I had never even thought about video. I went to Kindle or another platform and browsed the books mostly. Sometimes I searched to see if an author I liked had books I had not yet read. Videos about books never crossed my mind. I had published several books in the Draoithe series before I first ran across the idea of book trailers. Needless to say, after watching a few on YouTube, I wanted them for my books.

Book videos were too interesting. The ones I saw for books that I had read were intriguing. They called to mind the details of the story. That was what I wanted for Draoithe. They hinted at the idea of the story, so I began looking into programs that would allow me to make one. It had to be a FREE service because of my total lack of budget.  I found a service online and set about crafting my first book trailer for A Pack Forms. It was cute. I published it to Youtube easy peasy. But when I tried to publish it to other places I realized I only had a link back to the online app that I had used to craft it. I needed an MP4 video file that was mine if I wanted to publish beyond just Youtube. If you have yet to visit my Pinterest or my Facebook, you might be in for a treat. 

Because I found a program to build my own videos. (Corel. I don't get any money from them to say they have a good product. But I like it, and it was not overly expensive. I paid like $60.) Then I could post them everywhere including Amazon. I have even linked them to other social media and the website. The moving pictures and sound grab the reader's attention. They aid significantly in adding to the 7/11 rule in a promotion. With a video, I have a longer opportunity to craft name/brand recognition. ​Plus, I have the added bonus of using my creativity in a brand new way. I get to play with my books long after I wrote them. ​

Dread Allies is my new miniseries. This is a fourteen title short read series. Each title will be released at $.99 and the series will finish publishing by the end of July. Shadow King part one is available from Amazon, and FREE with Kindle Unlimited! The dream is colder and darker in the Netherworld. Life is a bit more medieval and brutal. Meet the demon princes of Eaglafonn and follow their journey as they begin to realize just how unbalanced the magic has become.

I hope you enjoy my book videos, and they inspire you in some way. If you read, please be kind and review. I have to get going on some more video production. 
Be Careful!
Happy reading,
Ophelia Kee

#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

I have a creative mind. I need to use it. I have always sought ought employment that allowed me to utilize that. For many years I have worked in education. But recently, there has been less and less creative outlet in that field as number crunching, test scores, and initiatives took over and demanded an inside the box structure. That boring meeting that many of you may have read about before led to the creation of the dream, the writing of that first book, and ultimately to independent publishing. Incidentally and accidentally, it also led to my tiger. She is the symbolic representation of the fierce determination I have to succeed as an Independent Author as she represents an outlet for the creativity that I prefer not to stifle, my spirit totem if you will. She has become my Logo even if I had no idea that was what she was when I crafted her. (Yes, she was crafted. Real wild tigers do not have elliptical pupils or green eyes. I also like the black background.) 

Why a Logo? Logos are the picture symbol of my brand. It is a representation designed to elicit an emotional response to my work. If you have read my stories and liked them, perhaps if you see my tiger again, it will remind you of a crazy determined independent author who wanted to craft words and weave a tale that others might enjoy. You might have a pleasurable memory of having enjoyed a good book. If you see her for the first time, you might smile at the fact that she is always in the place where my face should likely be and wonder, why? I would hope it would elicit the curiosity found in the big cat and lead you to investigate the dream a bit closer. (Also, it does not hurt that my books do have a lot of immortal shifters, and a animal representation of a person does kind of go along with the fantasy theme.)

There is a lot of opinion about whether or not a logo is necessary to an author. I can't speak for others, only myself. I intend to tattoo my logo on everything associated with my work. Name recognition wins elections, drives merchandise sales, and creates a greater connection between my work and the readers who love my stories. So no pressure. Only an image to act as a gentle reminder or spark curiosity. I dislike the use of force if it is not necessary. No pressure and low pressure sales requires time and a 7/11 approach, but in the end is the far more sustainable business model for my journey.

Of Course what kind of author would I be if I did not plug my latest book? Dragon Masters launched yesterday! Book Twelve is a reality. I can't believe that I am saying that even as I realize that I have 14 full-length novels and several short reads on my bookshelf. It still blows me away. If you have been reading the series, Thank you! Dragon Masters like all the other novels in the Draoithe Series FREE with Kindle Unlimited! The debut price to purchase the book is 20% off. Blue and Torch are back in the lead role. This time the mission matters more than ever. To save the greatest treasure, they will have to become Dragon Masters. Continue the epic saga into the dream and Grab your copy today!

I hope you have enjoyed my explanation on why I chose to use a logo in my author walk. If you too are considering a journey into self publishing as an independent author, I hope what I have doen can be an inspiration, or maybe an example not to follow as the case may be. For those who come just to learn the behind the scenes for the dream, I hope I managed to give you a good glimpse. Remember when you read to leave your kind reviews. I have to drive.
Be Careful!
Happy reading,
​Ophelia Kee

#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

The last few posts have been dealing with the 'what and how' of marketing books. I take a no/low pressure sales approach to marketing and promoting because I am not comfortable with the whole used car salesman technique. Also, I don't want anyone who purchases one of my stories to feel as if they did not get their money's worth. I also do not actually want to sell books to people who are not particularly interested in reading adult contemporary fantasy because sure I could take someone's money for a book that they never read, but that was not the point. Stories were meant to be told, experienced. Not simply left as words on the unopened pages within the cover. So today I wanted to talk about the importance of building a brand. I want to start with the covers because it illustrates the concept better.

When I was a kid, Danielle Steele owned the romance shelves in my local bookstore and the aisle in the grocery store. I remember all of her covers were done with half the page in some pastel color and her name in bold shiny metallic letters. So that was where I started, but I was writing an adult fantasy series. I needed the name of the series to be just as prominent as my name, and I am not a famous writer so I need a bit more cover art to convey the contents of the book a little. ​(I purposely leave out any mention of the romance in the books so that there is no embarrassment or need to hide my library when the little one's visit. Also, the series is about the contemporary fantasy storyline. The hea's and romance are at the forefront but they change for each book. The fantasy story continues in the background as seen from the characters' perspective in each book. So book covers needed to look like Fire and a Gryphon. You can see the branded bands for the series and the author. Same as all my other books. The script and fonts never change, only the titles and subtitles. The image in the middle offers a glimpse of the story inside. 

The brand offered me a way to craft an identifiably recognizable product line. This is where the size of your bookshelf matters to Independent Authors. Having a brand on one or two books is okay. Having a brand for over twenty titles is super cool. The brand itself actually aids in promoting my work as people keep seeing it even if the book cover art changes. Most of us could likely recognize the coca cola branding no matter what color, diet, caffeine free, flavored etc...  Same thing. Draoithe and Ophelia Kee no matter if it is novel 12 or short read The Thread. They all match, have elements in common. Once I decided on a book brand, the next step was to brand all of my sites the same as well. Draoithe means Druid. Stonehenge just fits too perfectly. Once again, I am using a low pressure sales technique. See it, become interested, check it out because you want to know, because you were curious. Or leave it because it did not appeal to you. That is good. It takes time, but it works better because everyone involved feels as if they got what they wanted.

I must leave the dream and go do some tedious work. I have to file my taxes. (UGGH! Groans out loud with the dread) I will feel better when I get it done! If I keep telling myself that, it might come true, right? If you read, please be kind and leave that review.
Be Careful!
Happy Reading,
Ophelia Kee

#indieauthors #writerslife #amwritingromance #RomanceReaders #paranormalromance

Today I am publishing for preorder Dread Allies: Shadow King part 3. The short read miniseries is off and running. Part 2 of the series will publish on March 30, 2020. If you have not started it, you have only missed the first part. But it's available now. The short reads are only $.99. Still FREE with Kindle Unlimited! Meet the demon princes of Eaglafonn in the darker colder part of the dream, the Netherworld. Alexio Asmodai is the demon king of a frontier outpost castle. His job is to protect his overlord's borders. He is a grandmaster shadow mage who is also a recovering seduction sickness addict. Loneliness has been an ongoing state of being for seven centuries until Sumeye shows up in a shipping crate from the Domhain along with a mysterious note from Asmodeus. Turning down a gift from his liege is unthinkable, but his immediate attraction to the submissive young shadow mage has Alexio plunging straight back into his addiction with abandon. Only this time, she is the only thing that matters.

Now the news from Draoithe. Dragon Masters launches tomorrow! Have you purchased your copy? Don't tarry too long. The debut 20% off price won't last long. I am currently already working on my next full length novel to be released. In this book, Blue and Torch are back, but this time they are front and center. After Luke finally realizes the larger scope of what it means to rule with dragons, he begins allowing all to swear fealty and puts them to work. The two red dragons find themselves involved in one mission after another. But after one hellacious road trip back from Phoenix, Arizona, they could both use a chance to settle into a routine at Draoithe, but as magic calls to magic, they find themselves in a new mission when their life mates literally fall out of the sky. Caring for institutionalized slave women who must learn to navigate the free realm of Draoithe requires a bit of finesse and some arcane magic. A new threat to Eli is revealed by the advent of the newcomers, and the hunt for Peter Elliot continues.

The Storyboard Preview for Filth and Death is now available everywhere! Finally, I am getting caught up. I think this one is the best one yet. If you have not visited the Ophelia Kee channel, check it out on YouTube! I am trying some interesting things with video there. Subscribe and leave some feedback about the storyboard previews and the book teaser trailers. Mini-readings are coming soon. I hope to have one by the end of the month. So check back and bring your headphones for those as I am going to try my hand at the age old art of real storytelling. The audio clips should prove to be fun.

I had a bit of writers block for a few days. No scenes were flowing onto the page. It happens. But I had a bit of inspiration from a science fiction horror writer, Stephen A. North. He wrote the Dead Tide series. I felt it was important to offer him a shout out. Credit where credit is due! Those of us who like a good fantasy often stray over into science fiction reading. Replace the magic with science and a lot of the things I truly love about fantasy come to life in science fiction as well. I have to admit that I love suspense. Even though I am not so much of a straight horror fan, I do like a touch of that genre as well. The dark is as equally fascinating as the light if you will, even if one leaves us more uncomfortable than the other. It might be odd, but I have often been inspired to write new things just by speaking with others. My readers and other authors asking questions often lead to new stories or new blog topics that need to be revealed. I promise to get get back to the 'what' I do to promote my books and explain some of the how tomorrow. 
The washer is telling me that my wash needs to be moved to the dryer. Gotta run. Don't forget when you read, please be kind and leave a review. It helps the author and other readers. If you have a question, comment, or suggestion, I am all ears.
Be Careful!
Happy reading,
Ophelia Kee