Jill Myles - Archive - Blog

I have committed Pinterest

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Misc | Blog - Writing - (0 Comments)

So I created a Pinboard to start collecting images for inspiration. I'm not much of a storyboarder or a pre-writer, but I'm an image hoarder to the extreme. I have folders and folders of pictures for character inspiration on my computer. I decided to create a Pinboard for the same sort of thing - visual concepts that I love and inspire me for writing.

I intended for it to be private, initially (who wants to see my concepts other than me?) but I seem to be acquiring followers, so I thought I'd put it out there for anyone that wants to follow. It's here, and most of the concepts are for unwritten books, or books I'm currently writing. And lots of fantasy art, because someday I'm going to write another fantasy novel.

http://pinterest.com/jillmyles/

Status Update & SUCCUBUS, INTERRUPTED

Hey world! I'm emerging (VERY BRIEFLY) to give a quick update on where I'm at.

I just turned in Midnight Liaisons #2 (for this pen name over here). This book took me flippin' forever to finish. I changed plots about midway and was like, oh, hey! That means I have to go back and rework ALL THAT OTHER STUFF I ALREADY WROTE. Anyhow, it is finally, finally done now but it put me behind on my already-tight schedule.

I'm working on the Jackie/Remy short story, SUCCUBUS, INTERRUPTED. I should have that done in the next week or two. Then it's off to my editor. I'm anticipating that it'll be up and available everywhere in mid-November. Why mid-November if it's going to be finished in another week or two? Well, it needs to be edited for starters. And second, I have a big release coming out under a different name and I'd like to give it a little love and attention for a bit. You know how it goes.

That being said! If you sign up for my newsletter, you will get SUCCUBUS, INTERRUPTED for free AND I'll be sending it out to my newsletter folks a week earlier than it'll be available online for sale. If that's not incentive enough to sign up for my newsletter, I don't know what is. A kitten? Perhaps. As a reminder, my newsletter is purely for new releases - I won't spam you with my favorite soup recipe or what cute things my cats did this week. I have Twitter for that.

Once SUCCUBUS, INTERRUPTED is off to bed, I'm hard at work at Bluebonnet #2 (the second in my Berkley Heat series) and a sekrit novella. Both are due in January, so be prepared for me to be tearing my hair out between now and then.

If you're wondering about SUCCUBI ARE FOREVER, it's still coming! I'm writing as fast as I can, but I have basically a book and a half to write between now and January, and once those are turned in, SUCCUBI ARE FOREVER is my top priority. It's going to come out next spring come hell or high water, and it's going to be a firm wrap-up to the series (for Jackie anyhow) and it'll be a blast. I promise I haven't forgotten. I wouldn't forget! It's just that I have that day job and a contractual obligation to do the ones that they pay me for first.

In the meantime, I'm hoping SUCCUBUS, INTERRUPTED will tide everyone over. And, yanno, that new release.

State of the Union

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Daily Life | Blog - Writing - (7 Comments)

Just a quick roundup of what I'm working on right now, and what I have planned out for the future.

These are things that must happen:

Midnight Liaisons #2 - Currently at 60k in first draft. Was hoping to finish this by the end of August but, well. Hoping now for end of September with a clean draft to turn in. I changed plots mid-stream and now it needs some fixing on both ends. Contracted.

Succubus, Interrupted - At 5k and my side project for when things get rough with the main project. It's moving along and reminds me just how much I like the characters. Probably at 12-15k when all is said and done. Will self-pub, hopefully by end of Sept.

The Care and Feeding of Alpha Males - Berkley Heat #2 - Need to have this done by mid-December. Have not started. Contracted.

Succubi Are Forever - Have a few chapters, but might have to scrap them. Need to have this done by Jan/Feb. Self-pub.

Midnight Liaisons #3 - Lord. I have not even thought about this yet. But it's probably due by next Summer. Contracted.

These are projects that are on a 'as I feel like it' basis, but I do want to work on them:

Sunlight - Side project #2, another book in my 'Light' series. These are short, erotic romances with a time-travel/fairy tale twist. This is about 2k and will end up being less than 20k, but it's a lower priority for me. Self-pub.

The Art of Love and War - My frothy Victorian! Which needs a better title! It's at 55k and I have no idea why I stopped writing it. Found my notes on how to finish it, so it might be a side project soon enough. No clue what I'd do with it when I'm done. Self pub? Submit? No clue.

'Betrothed' - My vampire fantasy romance. It's finished, but it needs a rewrite, but I'm not entirely sure what I'd do with it, so it lingers in the 'maybe soon' pile. Again, no clue what I'd do with when I'm done.

'King Unkempt' - My Thrushbeard retelling. It's finished, but it needs a rewrite. The plot is a little too pat. Probably will resend to my agent.

These are a gleam in my eye. AKA, I would love to have the time to work on them, but they keep getting shuffled lower on the priority scale:

Fireblood - My 'Reign of Fire' meets 'Pern' romance. Yeah. It's weird. I have 50 pages and want more. It's just finding the time.

'Made' Marian - My Robin Hood time travel. I have 50 pages of this story and lust at the thought of having time to finish it.

Cursebreaker - My alternate reality Roman Empire Urban Fantasy. Yeah.

Valkyrie Stuff - Both drafts suck. I started a new reimagining but it's 70 pages and feels derivative of another author. It keeps going back into the pile. Repeatedly.

Top Secret Succubus Diaries Story - A spinoff of events in book 4. I can't share more. But I like the idea and want to play with it.

Heavier Metal - My steampunk concept. It doesn't yet know if it wants to follow Plot A or Plot B, and it doesn't know if it wants to be a romance or not. I'm not a huge reader of steampunk, though? So this might forever stay in the 'gleam' project pile. You know how you get ideas and you love them, but they don't feel like 'your' ideas? This feels like that, but I love the concept. So we'll see.

Well! That felt cathartic for me, if not anyone else. It seems less overwhelming when it's listed. I'm the kind of girl that likes to have a steady stream of deadlines in order to keep me motivated, so if it seems like there's a lot on my plate...well, there is. This is what keeps me going!

I’m writing away…

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Writing - (2 Comments)

I spent all of July in a writing frenzy over at Camp Nanowrimo. And I won! For the first time in what feels like a jillion years, I got 50k in a month. Usually something dire happens (like copyedits) and then I have to bail, but this time I succeeded.

August looks like it might be the same. WHO'S WITH ME???

http://campnanowrimo.org/

(I'm Irysangel over there.)

Status check-in

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Writing - (0 Comments)

I just finished WHEN SPARKS FLY. I think. I turned it over to a beta-reader or two before I'm going to turn it in to my new editor. It's my first book with her so I'm hoping hoping hoping she likes it and I totally did not miss the mark.

This week, I am editing one last time my story VIXEN that will be in the anthology WILD & STEAMY with Meljean Brook and Carolyn Crane. I'm excited for this thing to finally come out! Look for it at the veeeery end of June-possibly-July.

Then I am starting two new projects! Midnight Liaisons #2, and my side project will be SUCCUBUS, INTERRUPTED. It's the story that involves Remy, Jackie, and Zane. I'd say more but I'd have to kill you. I am expecting it to be likely in the neighborhood of about 10k or so, maybe longer. Maybe 15k. I have to start writing it first. It's going to be a fun story, though.

Also on deck, another time travel novel for self-pub that needs a good cleaning up. I'd work on it next, but my brain is fried after editing.

Going to be a busy summer!

New E-book release

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Publishing Stuff | Blog - Writing - (6 Comments)

I've just released my latest e-book project. It's a short and sweet (and very hot) little romance that I hope you guys enjoy. It's called SHIMMERLIGHT and it's a companion to MIRRORLIGHT (though both novellas stand alone).

Here's a little information about it:

Chloe Sorenson's just started a brand new job at Ms. Muffet's art gallery. However, no one told her that the latest auction piece - a sculpture of a handsome Roman soldier - comes to life. Think it's hard to explain to your boss why you're fondling a statue? Try explaining to the statue why you're holding his, uh, fig leaf. Chloe never thought that touching the statue would turn him into a sexy, aroused man, but she's not saying no to this delicious Roman soldier. The curse requires that she touch him at all times? Such a hardship...

But there's a problem in their lust-fueled relationship; she's falling dangerously in love with a guy that cursed to be hard as a rock - literally - unless she can somehow free him. And the statue of Titus just went up for auction. If she doesn't do something, he's going to be out of her life and trapped for all eternity...

This novella (16,000 words - about 70 pages) contains explicit scenes, including some backdoor play.

It's now available on Amazon and All Romance Ebooks for 99 cents. It should be up on B&N within a day or two, and Smashwords in about a week or two.

Just finished…

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Writing - (2 Comments)

The first draft of my first Berkley Heat book, WHEN SPARKS FLY (which, okay, might not be the final title at all). I always feel a little numb after finishing a book, like my brain can't process it. I keep opening the file, picking at it, and then just staring at it again, trying to think of little things to improve.

Eventually, it'll sink in!

Right now, it's 82,000 words. Which FEELS short, but that's actually a good starting point. Stephen King says in ON WRITING that he always subtracts 10% in his second draft - I'm the opposite. I always add 10% (or more). I'm guessing this book will end up right at 95k, which is a nice rounded length. It's also the sexiest and most risque of anything I've written. I tried to push boundaries a little, but I have no idea if I succeeded. We shall see!

I'm going to take the day off from the book tomorrow and work on my side project just to mentally separate from the book itself, and then print out and begin the second draft the day after, I think.

Also, the fourth Succubus Diaries book has been on my mind constantly in the past few days. I had a plot, but I thought up a better one, and I'm ditching the old in favor of the new. I'm not gonna lie - I'm totally excited to write this book. I don't have room in my schedule to start it earlier, but...I might anyhow. (shhh. our secret.) Anyhow, if I *do* start it, I might post the first chapter in a few days. Maybe!

Jill Myles, that other name, and that 4th Succubus Diaries Book…

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Publishing Stuff | Blog - Succubus Diaries | Blog - Writing - (15 Comments)

I’ve been sitting on this for a few weeks, trying to figure out the best way to put this out there. Bear with me while I try to get my bearings straight. Let's see if I can recap this without totally confusing everyone.

A few people have noticed that my next book is up on Amazon. Yay! A few people have also noticed that there's a different author name on it.

Yup. For multiple reasons – some of them including branding, and some of them including sales, I’m going to be writing additional books for Pocket under a different name and not Jill Myles. It’s not my intention to be coy or deceitful or try to make you all think that I’m leaving my Jill Myles stuff behind – not at all! Mostly it’s about differentiating the two series in the minds of readers and buyers. I hope that makes sense.

I’m sure this brings up additional questions as well, like…will you continue to write as Jill Myles? Yup, I will! I will continue to self-publish under Jill Myles. I’m going to have a Succubus Diaries novella up by the middle of April, as long as edits on it don’t eat my brain.

And remember that Jessica Clare pen name for the contemporaries? Yeah, I’m writing under that too.

Isn’t this a whole hell of a lot of names to remember? Yes, yes it is. So I’m going to try and make it as easy on you as possible. I’m putting together a newsletter that you can subscribe to so you don’t have to keep track of it. I’ll only email you when I have a release, so it won’t be a constant spam-fest. Best of all, if you sign up for my newsletter, I’ll give you a coupon for a free download of one of my Smashwords books.

This brings me to the 800 pound gorilla in the room. When is Succubus Diaries #4 coming out?

Well. Pocket has declined a 4th book in the series. The sales just aren’t there. I could try and make it pretty and say that it’s because of e-books, or pirates, or distributors not carrying my books, or me not advertising it enough, or the Mayan Prophecies, or something. That it’s not me. The truth of the matter is…the sales just aren’t there for Pocket to carry a 4th Mass Market Paperback of a series that is not performing. It IS me, to an extent. Maybe it’s the economy, or something in the water, but there will not be a 4th Succubus Diaries book from Pocket. It is what it is, and I’m not unhappy at Pocket for making a business decision. I’ve seen the numbers.

However, that doesn’t mean it won’t come out. I intend on self-publishing it and releasing it to fans on Kindle/Nook/Smashwords/All Romance Ebooks. If I can squeeze the book in the schedule this year between everything else I’m contracted to write, I will do my darndest to get it out by the end of the year. It might not happen, but it is a big priority to me, because I want fans to have that 4th book that answers what happens with Jackie, the angels, Noah, and that little promise Jackie made to a demon…

There’s still a lot of story I want to cover in that world. I’m committed to continuing to write stories in it, as long as the audience is there. I just won’t be going through a traditional publisher to do so (unless someone comes out of the blue and offers me something!).

But I wanted to let you guys know what is going on. So, to recap.

Jill Myles = That other chick.

New Name and Website of Shiny!

Succubus Diaries #4 will be self-published and is a priority for me, but I don’t have a firm release time-frame.
I’m making a newsletter so you don’t have to remember all these names, just me.

Please feel free to ask questions if you have them – I might not have explained something correctly. It’s all perfect in my head, but what is in my head and what comes out on paper is not always the same thing.

Slave To Her Desires – 1st draft done