Busy with Back to School?

Aug 16, 2022 2:41 pm

MadisonMichael.Net

Back to School Time

Distractions!

Dark Desires and More

I'm Teaching!

On the Blog - nothing?

Hey ,

I can tell its August. The signs are everywhere. Back to school sales are in full swing and yellow school buses are beginning to clog traffic. But more than the usual indicators are those unique to Chicago—and other places famous for miserably cold winters.

My neighbors, friends and family are suddenly realizing that we’re barreling toward the end of summer, and that beautiful days for a walk, a picnic or a hike are going to be in our rear view mirror before we know it. I am getting invited to barbeques, hikes, and outdoor parties like no time before in the last three years.

Yep, Covid gives summer a special urgency when you will be confined indoors for four or five months, so as Prince would say, we are partying like it’s 1999.

It’s been a wonderful few weeks seeing people I love, but it has severely encumbered my writing schedule. I am watching launch schedules slip (again), blog posts go unwritten and emails pile up unanswered.

In other words, my work has caved to general mayhem in favor of my social life. I sincerely hope you can forgive me. The blog will be back in September full of romantic info, behind-the-scenes glimpses into my life as an author, recommendations and more. If you are busy with back to school stuff yourself, you wouldn't have time to read it anyway :)

But that doesn’t mean nothing is getting done. Far from it. I am reading more than I have in ages, I’ve watched the new season of Virgin River. I found it disappointing. Too much filler, not enough forward momentum. What did you think?

And I have made limited progress on Avery and Willow rewrites while plotting out three more books in the Crazy series. I am struggling with which Crazy to showcase next, so I am working on several stories simultaneously. Sometimes it gets a little confusing. Especially since there are overlaps in their stories that must be considered and accounted for.

What do I mean by that? Well, the premise of the series is that the Crazy Eights attend a reunion together where Gabby dares them to find someone and marry within twelve months! Everyone at the reunion has this element in their story, from their point of view. If I write dialogue between Avery and Gabby in Gabby’s story, it needs to be there in Avery’s. Not always, but for key scenes, definitely. I have quite the routing sheet to keep it all straight!

I was up half the night a few days ago reading Dark Desires, Six Modern Retellings of Timeless Romance, the anthology of classics reimagined that I discussed in my last newsletter. I couldn’t put it down. So I thought it was worth mentioning it again. This will only be available for a limited time, so if you like your romance dark and dirty, I recommend it.

Also available now:

Hugs and Kisses Sale offers dozens of books by terrific romance authors until the end of the month.

Summer Steam ends this week. Don’t miss your chance to choose between so many romance novels and authors.

I love learning about, well, pretty much everything. But it is rare indeed that I am the instructor rather the pupil. That changes Wednesday August 17 and 24^th when I will be sharing my blurb writing skills with other authors.

Thanks to Kat Caldwell, coach, host of the Pencils and Lipstick Podcast, and author of Coffee Stains, I will be leading a two-part workshop on how to craft a blurb that will help sell books.

Most of you don’t know that this is my side business, helping indie authors create a winning book description that will grab a reader’s attention as they sift through millions of books on Amazon or another site.

I am excited to share what I have learned, and a lot has been written about what makes the perfect blurb. Do you know what it is that draws you in when looking for your next read? I’d love to hear from you about a book description that caught your attention, that made you think “I have to read this book.”

Meanwhile, for your authors out there, here is a link for the blurb workshop. It’s only $13 to attend, an additional $20 if you want your blurb critiqued. That is hundreds of dollars less than most people charge to help with a blurb, but Kat and I are in agreement. The more authors we help succeed, the more books we all get to read.

Nothin'! See you in September.

Happy reading,

P.S. Hit reply to share your favorite blurb, or share the last book you bought so I can study the blurb that may have helped in the sale. Besides, I always love to know what you are reading!

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Read the full privacy policy here.

Are you caught up with your Madison Michael?

The Beguiling Bachelor Series:

Available in eBook on

Amazon and Kindle Unlimited

Bewildered

Bedazzled

Beholden

Bedeviled

Besotted

The B&B Billionaire Series:

Desire & Dessert

Moonlight & Moet