Before the Firing Squad

I have been doing a lot of promotion for the re-release of Juliet, The Initiation, and Kinky Sex Magic. In doing such I've managed to meet some wonderful people. Call me a pessimist, but in all things there is balance. Good and bad.

I've gotten a lot of very good reviews and a couple iffy ones. And I'm ok with that.

I don't review books. That's gotten me called out - more than once. But I'm biased.
I'm an author. And if I don't think I can scream it from the roof top, I won't say a word. I have talked before about the sketchy activity we all know that occurs within this business. Buy our review $5 dollah! Five dollah! Five dollah sucky fucky too....ok, so...back to reviews.

I don't know how I feel about other authors reviews of me. Kinda good, kinda please don't expect me to review you. I won't. Unless of course I can shout you from the rooftop. Aside from one review I posted in support of a banned book, I have one written review on Goodreads.

Meet Me In The Dark by JA Huss, I loved that fucking book.
Like drool frothing out of my mouth loved. I digress....

So back to this firing squad of reviewers...

I understand not everyone is going to like or even love my books, and I am ok with that. I am NOT everyone's cup of tea. I am angsty, character driven, fighting, fucking, and ow! that hurt. And sometimes the tissues get pulled more for tears than cum. I'm not gonna lie - I'm not a one-hand author. I don't claim to be.

I am a romantic suspense author with an erotic flair. I do not write erotica. I do not promise HEA. I do not promise you won't throw your kindle, nook, or iPad. I write passionately. I write provocatively. I do not write strictly about hunky white guys getting it on with size 2 girls. If you are looking for that – PLEASE GO ELSEWHERE NOW NOW NOW!

I cannot be anything but me.

I cannot write different books.

However, if you like a half Asian/half English-cake-eating-wildly-submitting machine coupled with her pain slut of Italian boyfriend, well then....I might be just what you are looking for.

I write books I want to read. I believe more in the art of good literary prose more than sales. I believe in unique covers, different teasers, diversity, and saying the word cock and fuck way too much. I believe in adding pets and burgers and bottles of pinot with my splashes of erotica. I believe in storyline, plot, pacing, twists & turns, spin you upside down and turn you inside out.

I am not everyone's favorite ride. 

But these....reviewers. They are a different breed. And so am I. I am not like the others. I've complemented reviewers who gave me 3 stars because they wrote a damn good review. Yes, I have reached through the wall of "don't talk to the reviewers" - I flip that notion off. If I want to talk to someone – reviewer, reader, or hobo – I damn well will.

Don't tell me who to talk to. 

I believe in honesty. Ya, eventually you'll get your damn HEA, but it's going to take awhile. Sal & Iris are on a journey, a romance, a friendship, a growth arch in their lives that so many twenty-somethings experience. I wanted to document that upheaval of learning who the fuck we are and that cannot be done in 1 book or even 3.

Some have called the book too long. Meh. You have your op, I have mine. I write what the voices tell me to write. I cannot be anything else. I will not fit into the box for the sake of sales.

I am in this for the long ride. Sal & Iris are too. As are some of the 60-some odd characters in that 800 page tomb that quite a few people seem to be enjoying. I only wanted to impress one.

I did that.

I don't want anyone believing I am unapproachable. I am not some author in a dark room, pecking away at the keys. I mean sometimes I am in my chaise at night at 3 am, but I am not going to bite you just because you don't like my fucking book. *twirls finger*

If you do like it, and you want to write about it and shout it to the world that's great. If you want to savor it, salivate over it, and keep it all to yourself - I am ok with that too.

I am not a schmoozer, I do not say anything for the sake of it. Everything is properly placed. I love my fangirls, I love my reviewers - all of you - 1 stars or 5 stars - I appreciate your input if you left a review. Reviews don't exist for the author. They exist for readers. And I think in this time of - "Hey, let's swap reviews" - we have lost sight of that.

Reviews = Sales

And in this day and age, it's all about that bottom line, but this girl - this angsty, long book writing girl will not be swayed. I am not a tree, I do not bend. I mean I do bend, but only in bed and I won't be persuaded to be any other way or to write any other kind of book.

So this is me, this is where we are at. 

You are cordially invited to come to my party.

But I won't be offended if you don't.

Love me, hate me. 

I am ok with either.

XO - 

Ms. S

Three-Dollar Money Shots

I am a writer.
I am also a voracious reader.

I am sick and tired of fake reviews people. I am not sure what lollypop land some readers are living in, but...just wow. How can people possibly give 5-stars to something so utterly terrible? I mean seriously. I am not handing out author names or book titles. No. Don't ask.

I have been writing my entire life. In the past year, I decided to put my words out there. And you know what? I have had a lot of downloads, a handful of purchases, and zero reviews. Ask me if this changes anything...

No. I have been writing for years. Reviews or not is not going to change whether I write.
Do you know why?

I am a writer. I love words. I love crafting a story. I love spinning a web and quilting it all together piece-by-piece. I am into it. Reviews be damned. Would I like some? Sure, who wouldn't? Is it going to stop me from writing? Absofuckinglutely not.

My problem is this...not everyone putting books on your local e-retailer shelves is a writer. Some of them just want to make a quick dollah. Ya, dollah. And by getting their family member/friend/co-worker to post the 5-star review, we unknowingly purchase said book expecting it to be good....until WHAMO! What the fuck? Hello. This isn't a story. It's scribble. Hardly legible.

I'm not talking about poor formatting here people. I'm talking bad. I'm talking my reading time in which I could have been reading good writers like - oh wtf let's namedrop some AWESOME writers I have been reading of late - Jade West or Jason Luke or Jasinda Wilder or Lucian Bane - was stolen from me! Taken my time like a thief!

Because I trusted those fake reviews.
I am not happy. Not in the least.

And do you know what? All of you readers and writers - should be pissed off too.

I write because I love it. I write for me.
It's not about the dollah bill.
Or the reviews.

What the hell is this 10-minute book for $2.99 anyway?
That is utterly ridiculous people. I have some $2.99 books and they are EACH over 100 pages.

And while I am on my bitch session:

No, I will NOT exchange a 5-star review of your book for a your 5-star of mine. FU.
-AND-
No, I will NOT purchase your review of my book. FU2.

I realize my complaining will not stop any of this. For all of the good in this market, there is an equal amount of slime.

What can I say?
I can tell you every time this girl reviews something, it is honest and heartfelt - be it written or product. I do not tout what I do not love. And if I cannot say something nice, I won't say anything at all. Because I have integrity and believe in karma.

I don't expect everyone to like my books. And I don't expect to love every book I pick up as a reader. But I expect more than 10-minutes of faked 5-star fluff. As a reader, I expect you to at least try. As a writer, if you are going to write the 10-minute for $2.99 jerk-off book then it best be at least tissue worthy...and not for my tears.