New Release - Clay and Blood by Rebekah Jonesy

It’s my absolute pleasure to welcome back the wonderful Rebekah Jonesy to For Writing Out Loud and if this reads like the transcript of a talk show, that’s just how it’s gonna come out on this occasion, because Bekah inspires that type of relaxed atmosphere where we can just chit and chat. 

So firstly, welcome back Rebekah and to start people off, why don’t you tell us what brings you back to the blog and yes you can consider this your Red Carpet moment. 

RJ: *sets down steaming cup of coffee*

*sashays down the Red Carpet doing an exaggerated beauty queen wave while smiling goofily*

Helllo dahlings! Thank you so much for coming to my debut. Oh wait this isn’t my debut.
*picks up coffee cup again*

Hi JD! So happy to be here! What brings me back is that I wrote another book, mostly so I could come and hang out with you again. Totally worth it too. 

This would be your second novel in the series. What can you tell us about it and what would you say has been easier this time around?

RJ: Yup, this is Clay and Blood, the second book in the series after Moss and Clay. You might notice the naming scheme. The third book will be Blood and Steel. That is definitely the easier part in writing this one. For the first book I had to make dead certain with the name so that all the other names in the series will work the way I want them to. I also had to decode what type of person my main character would be. And I think that really came out in this book. 

She is what she is. And what she is , is a baby. A baby with a vast wealth of knowledge, but not a lot experience or personal maturity. That was a much harder thing to deal with in this story. Poor Gillian is struck by a massive wave of homesickness, but doesn’t understand it and doesn’t know how to deal with it. It hits her in this story just how very dangerous and alien this new world of America really is to everything she knows. And the only comfort she has is a mute kelpie. My editor really had to poke at me to get this to come out well and fully.

How has being with OWS impacted your Writer Journey?

RJ: Oh they have been amazing. I love my editor, JK Allen. She did my first book too so she could point out what I was missing from the feel of this book, and it really bloomed with her help. And Heidi and Isa are … magical. I dunno. They focus on the marketing side of things and even I, who hates having to do the marketing stuff, can follow along and actually get my marketing set up and working. Heidi still makes my ads for me, cause wow rookie here, but I at least know what to do for the tours and newsletters and things like that. 

Without a doubt I have become a better writer because of them. And the support I get through them has given me the confidence to write in this new genre and still keep writing in my old genre. And I don’t feel like I’m an imposter any more. Nope with these ladies backing me I know, I’m an author. Hear me roar!

*sips coffee again*

You are a voracious reader to put it lightly, but you also seem to have quite the appetite to write. How do your reading and writing habits compare and contrast?

RJ: I take breaks and breathe between chapters when I am writing. I am much faster at reading too. I can read, skimming, 60K in 15 minutes when I am rushing. But even when plotting I can’t write that fast. 

When I read I watch it play out in my head. I hear it, feel it, taste it smell it, all at once.
When I write I write the plots and the dialogue over a series of days or weeks. Then I take a break of a day or so and let it ferment a bit. Then I read it again and write in the sounds, feelings, textures, flavors, smells, and nuance the dialogue. Then another break and another read through and usually take some bits out, tighten it up. 

So that’s what it really boils down to. Reading is about relaxing and seeing farther and farther. Writing is about tightening it up and focusing more and more on each bit.

This would be book 2 in the series, where to now and how far does the rabbit hole go for Gillian?

RJ: Next up is the Jersey Devil! Which amuses me because she started in New Jersey. But that is not where she runs into the Devil. And obviously it is no devil. And that books is where Gillian really starts going down the rabbit hole. She doesn’t know it yet, but books 0-2, which by the way you will be able to buy as a bundle soon, but all the signs are there for what is about to happen. And she won’t fully come out of that rabbit hole for about another 30 books or so. And the rabbit hole goes so far it reshapes how she, and her mother and aunts, view the world. And considering their mother Danu is the world … it gets a little dramatic. 

What is important for you to tackle with this series and how does Book 2 figure into the bigger picture?

RJ: The reality of reality and truth. Gillian cannot lie. And that has a lot of consequences she doesn’t fully appreciate yet. Because she cannot lie she doesn’t have to be careful of her words, but it would do her a lot of good to listen to her own words because that would teach her a lot. If she pays attention to her actual words. So in book two she says a lot of things that point to what is really happening that she, and the readers, won’t learn the rest of it for a few more books yet. 

Of course, you can’t come to For Writing Out Loud and not be given thanks for all the banana support and get asked a banana question or two: 1. Have you ever tried banana bread beer? 2. Do you have any special requests for 00 Bananas?

RJ: I do like the banana love!

1 Banana bread beer?! I have not heard of such a thing.  I am intrigued and would like to know more about this.

2  Wait, can’t be dirty. Right. Right. Uhm. *sips coffee* Oh! 007 movie intro with bananas! Or super dorky, and a 00 Banana in pajamas! 

Once upon a time, you said you didn’t feel like you belonged as a writer. Clearly this has changed and you are coming into your own. How does it feel to be on someone’s TBR and to read how people react to your stories?

RJ: I’m not just on people’s TBRs now. I am on the TBR of people I admire. That is … *fans face* that is .. leaving me speechless. That’s like having a chef come to your restaurant and wait in line to get your food. Again I think that has a lot to do with OWS and what I learned there, before I even joined the company. I don’t feel like I am flinging ideas at a wall to see what sticks. I took the courses, I watched how these things worked for other authors. I went and checked with established authors and learned that they are doing these things too. So just knowing that I know what to do and being able to do them, gives me a lot of confidence. And not doubting myself makes it easier to write too. Which is another confidence boost. And of course being supported by amazing people like you boosts me up too. 

Although I appreciate your work ethic and talent, your biggest attribute will be the kindness you bring to any equation. What is your take on kindness and its importance in the world at large and in your work?

RJ: Kindness is the best thing you can give. It’s like glitter, except not evil. The act of handing it out covers you in it as well. It grows as you give it. And it brings you just as much joy to give it as it does to receive it.

And finally, any extra comments you want to share or questions you want to add to this post? After all, the only rule here is to have fun.

RJ: What’s my favorite position?

For sure, it is the COO of OWS Ink LLC. It gives me enough books and submissions and stories and information that I always have something to read. Which is not easy to do, as I am sure you understand. I also like it because I can say I am the coo one of the group. And that joke never gets old despite what my co-workers might tell you.

And please join me on the rest of the stops on my book release blog tour for Clay and Blood. I did a lot of fun interviews, different flavor for each one. I also wrote character spotlights and articles that I thought were a lot of fun. So check out ourwriteside.com for those links or my blog http://rebekahjonesy.blogspot.com/for the list, that’s also where I post glowing reviews on all of JD’s works so far. I will also be posting the links on my reader group on Facebook where I let my geek flag fly proudly and talk about my books and writing. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1214371635362864

- Kindest thanks to the amazing Rebekah Jonesy, and if you like, here's a book blurb for her new book Clay and Blood.

Gillian Gilchrist has no time to rest after completing her first mission. There is still the cleanup which leads her to a trail of devastation left by a rogue fae.Somehow this one moves through the trees without leaving any trace, except for the tattered and bloody clothing of its victims.

Pitch and Gillian  can’t tell if the culprit is insane, sick, or simply acting out its true nature.

10 reasons why you should review your favorite indie author's work:

1. If a book doesn't have reviews, people are hesitant. If you like a book, let people know!

People really have no idea how much power their words have. Reviews shall always invite more readers to give a book a chance.

2. Indie authors mean well but often question their work. We give our best but it's always best to know how we're doing.
Self-doubt is real and at times crippling. If you'd like to empower an indie author whose work you enjoy, a positive review goes a LONG way to do just that. 
3. You can be instrumental in getting an indie's book into the hands of another reader and every single reader counts for us.

Odds are high at least one of the books you read this year was recommended by someone. What's quite curious is that odds are you can find those books at book stores or in a variety of ways that aren't readily available to an indie author. Tell people about indie books you love and give someone a secret Santa gift worth talking about!
4. Odds are super high we'll thank you in some way.

We are often very aware of our review numbers on different sites because we don't have people hired to be on the lookout and when we see a positive review, we will probably reply. 

5. We always need reviews. Rarely will you see an indie author boasting of all the reviews that are raining down on his books.


I know not ONE indie author that has the problem of too many reviews! Every review helps. Every review makes a difference. We just hate asking for them. 

6. It's guaranteed that 4 and 5 star reviews will get a #SnoopyDance or a #FortniteEmote

It takes very little to bring us big joy. Don't believe me though. Ask around and you'll see what a small review, a note, a thank you, anything can make such a huge difference. 

7. It helps us grow our hair back after pulling it out while editing.
Seriously, although I'm balding in certain areas, I have no idea how I still have hair some days :D

8. It's part of your balanced diet, burns calories, and is #KetoDiet friendly, plus #GlutenFree

Hey, trendy diets are review friendly too!!

9. Because it wards off evil spirits of self doubt.
We will be consulting to see whether Zak Bagans can confirm the existence of these malevolent spirits to banish them far far away from our muses. 

10. Because you can and it makes ALL the difference.

That's what you don't realize. But it's true. Each time an indie author has someone who believes in them and supports them, it inspires us to push 5 times as hard. 

#ReviewIndies #IndieCommunity #IndieAuthors #IndieBooks

Calling for a Blog Hop #10RandomAuthorGoals

The main idea of this blog post is to invite fellow writers and actually anyone I know to share their random dreams. Not the big goals you're gunning for, but the random things you'd like to experience. The main thing is to keep it random, spontaneous, and fun. 

Beyond the obvious, share 10 things you’d like to happen if you were succesful:

10. Get interviewed by Sean Evans on Hot Ones. Being Puerto Rican/Cuban , I suspect some Spanish cursing would go down while I attempt to tackle 10 spicy as hell wings.

9. Do a cameo in a movie inspired by a book of mine while eating a Cameo cookie.
8. Have enough relevance or success to earn the right to a commencement speech or TED Talk. 

7. Get an Estrada beer or tea blend going.

6. Get a sponsorship from Chiquita Bananas to fund a 00 Bananas scholarship :)

5. Help write a video game concept/script and then don a motion capture suit to appear in it.

4. Have someone surprise me at a Comic Con cosplaying one of my characters.

3. Appear as a guest vocalist on a music track or two lol

2. Have Adriano Zumbo create a dessert inspired by my Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore

1. Write something about #PuertoRico that’ll inspire more people to visit and help our Island out.

How about you? What random goals pop into your head? Share your link below! 

#AuthorGoals #WriterJourney

An Indie’s Fire needs YOU

Did you know that right this very minute you could motivate someone beyond your wildest dreams? It’s true. If by any chance you’ve ever read an indie author’s work, and enjoyed it, the power is in your hand to fuel that person’s fire.

Does it require any additional investment? Well if you’re referring to money, then no. But if you’re talking about time, then yes, although not that much to be honest.

You see, motivation is a funny thing like that. You might ask: what difference can one review make in the life of an indie writer.

The answer: A TON.

In general, people have no idea how hard it is to get a review for your work. And by review, I obviously mean a legitimate review. I will speak in depth in regards to other types of shady reviews eventually, but for now, let’s focus on a genuine and real review. I’ve talked about this before and it’s something I’ll continue talking about because people so often take themselves for granted and just how much of an impact small actions can have, ESPECIALLY on the Writer Journey of an indie author or any indie artist for that matter.

To explain a bit better, let’s see my stats for my books. I’ve been at this indie game now working on my fifth year. I’ve sold a sizeable amount of books, connected with hundreds of people, thrown every fiber of my being into the work, and I post un-monetized randomness all 5 business days of the week to get people to smile. This includes Visual Typos, Teactionary, Tasty Tuesdays, SkyThoughts, Sock it To Me, and the random yet popular 00 Bananas. I connect with people, email thank you notes, never spam, reply to every single comment, and try to have as much fun as possible. I also have people who borderline harass me for Book 3 in the Human Cycle. People seem to genuinely like my work. Yet my reviews are in the lower double digits if I’m lucky.

Some people might say I’m not using the right tactics, not contacting the right people, not searching for those opportunities and all of these are valid points, but I do things my way, hate to pester people for a review, and alas, Only Human has 28 reviews on Goodreads and my next most reviewed books are the Daydreams onthe Sherbet Shore (11 reviews) and Between the Tides (9 reviews). I have 12 books out and between them, most of them have single digit reviews. Not only that, 3 of them don’t have a review to them (For Writing Out Loud, Peace, Love and Maki Rolls, and Pensando en Metáforas). So this means that the lion’s share of motivation honestly comes from within, which should be the case anyways if you choose to be an indie artist. But just one review, one comment, one share that is received and not hustled for or solicited is huge. And although we appreciate a rating, it’s never going to be the same. Sorry, but that’s the truth.

A good review can pump me up when the ink isn’t flowing, when I wonder if the effort is worth it, when I question the how in regards to the things I do. And I don’t keep this a secret. I tell everyone how happy it makes me to show my appreciation. I have dozens of friends who are on the same boat and when we review any work, we don’t hold back. If it’s a pile of dung, you’ll get the truth. But when the books hit the mark, we say so in as many ways as possible. And it fuels us for days and weeks. Hell, on low days, checking an old review can give new wind to our sails. I’m not joking. On Booktube, when people talk about my work, it’s pretty awesome, especially when you listen to a comment where it shows that the person got the concept or paid attention to some tiny detail you thought most people wouldn’t notice. It hasn’t happened often that people talk about my work in a video, but trust me, every single time it does, I’m giddy for days. The same when someone sends fan art or takes a selfie with a book or tells a friend about a book. All things that cost nothing, yet are priceless.

So you see, in your power is the ability to talk about something different from the norm. On your BookTube channel, there is the chance to talk about something that isn’t a trend, isn’t the fad of the moment, although, hell, you could help make a trend. That’s something a lot of people don’t realize. If enough people talked about someone’s work, interest would rise, and more people would give that author a chance. It’s not science, it’s word of mouth and it’s a hell of a lot more effective than a facebook ad.

Share a post, like, comment, all things that can help improve our performance with algorithms, that are so detrimental to smaller authors. Did you read a book you really enjoyed? Suggest it to a friend or a book club. Work at a school? See if it’s something you could recommend to the administration so kids in your class can read. You know why? Because it’s free and it can help someone’s dreams come true. Don’t wait until these creators have a bad day. Seize the day and let them know if their work matters. And if the work sucks, say so as well, but be constructive. All of this feeds the fire and trust me, as indie authors, often times we’re braving the elements while cupping our hands around a small flame. It hurts. It’s aggravating. But that flame is our dream and we’ll be damned if we don’t do everything in our power to keep that light lit. Still, some kindling is always welcome, and some motivational gasoline is much obliged.

Peace, love, and maki rolls

Review > Rate

Being an indie author has its perks and challenges. Perks include writing, releasing, editing, and taking your story to wherever you want on your own terms. It’s liberating, challenging, sometimes scary, and often lonely. You see, getting read is hard enough, which obviously means that getting reviewed is about ten times as challenging. It’s understandable of course, people take a risk when they read an indie author, because truth be told, not all fish in the indie sea are fresh or nourishing, with some pretty bad catches in those waters. But there’s true gems to be found as well. That's why although I always make sure to review everything I read, I make doubly sure to review indie authors.

I know how hard it can be to get a review so I don’t mess with that. I read and review and if I love I share and tell people about it. Some people ask why all the effort and the reasons are many. For starters, if you go to a book store, you won’t find most indie books. Secondly, since we often work on a print on demand basis, costs for our books are unfortunately higher than a major publisher so anything that can convince someone to give us a chance is definitely welcome. Thirdly, it helps me remember what the hell I read. And Fourthly, without those reviews, people won’t give a good book a chance.

You see, a lot of people adore being on the hype train. It’s fun, it’s trendy, you’re in the know, and gosh darn it, belonging to a fandom isn’t a bad thing. But it’s surprising that when people read an indie author, they don’t feel that urge to review and share even if they LOVE the book. Sometimes they leave a rating and that’s it, which helps, but comes short of the impact you COULD have.

For other readers a rating doesn’t say much but a review explains what is great and what doesn’t work in a book. You don’t have to do a full analysis, you don’t have to go off the charts in depth, just offer an opinion. (And hey, if it has typos, we’re OK with that. it's our typos that drive us bonkers.) A rating is a blind opinion that only gives kind of an idea of how the book is, which is why a review will forever be a better option. It boils down to basic communication. A lonely number doesn’t say much without the words to show why something is 3, 4, or 5 stars.

For a writer, it goes even deeper. Many a time I’ve read reviews as motivation and to get valuable insight into what people like, what they don’t like, and even inspiration for plot points/twists. In addition, when it comes to sales, there are SO many number games and one of them is most certainly amount of reviews. Imagine this, you see a book, you read the synopsis and the book has a 3.75 rating, but 60 reviews, and a lot of them actually praise the work. Then you see another book with 0 reviews, but 300 ratings and an average score of 4.35. When I see that situation, it sounds like one book is a scam while the other could actually be a worthy read.

But still, a rating is better than nothing, though it shall never be better than a review. Reviews inspire, inform, and can influence others to give a book a shot. Think about that. Something you love can be read by one or several people just for taking one moment and stringing a few words to show the love. As a writer, I’m aware of how powerful words can be… and your words are just as powerful.

Not all indies are built the same

After having the chance to participate in an indie author panel titled "Putting the We, in Indie" over at Go Indie Now’s YouTube channel last Friday, I think it’s a great time to talk about this topic. As an indie author, I’m aware of the wonderful things within the community just as much as I’m clear that not every apple in the barrel is spic and span.

Indie authors have a mixed up sort of reputation and it all goes down to the very nature of how we do things. Since we do it on our dime and under our own rules, there’s ups and downs and some perceptions that are a challenge to overcome, because although some people rock, others suck BIG TIME.

Being indie can mean a lot of things and I’m very fortunate to have a variety of indie author friends in a degree of levels in their career. Some are fully independent, others struggle to pay bills, and many juggle jobs and responsibilities jumping through hundreds of hoops if only to get a few minutes of doing what they truly love (oh how I can relate). I’m working on my fifth year as an indie author and for me it certainly doesn’t get any easier or hasn’t gotten so for X or Y reason.  This might be perception or might be new challenges that keep popping up. The good news is that the more people read me, the more people seem to genuinely like my work and find something completely new in the variety of work I do. Some people might say I’m a jack of all trades, but a lot of people like to see what new ways I’ll pivot with my next work while gently harassing me to finish the third book in my Human Cycle series as well as other projects.

Throughout all these years I’ve gotten to know some high caliber writers who share aspects of my vision while embedding their journey with their full creative criteria. That said, although I know these people, they have my love, respect, and support, because I know them as authors, as humans, and as creators and they go for it. Some of my favorite books are by indie authors and I’m not saying that just because I’m an indie author or these are my friends. Some of the most powerful poetry I’ve ever read comes from authors who have less than 10 reviews on their work when they should be discussed in widespread fashion because their work is of that caliber and can have that much of an impact on readers and large chunks of audiences.

But it’s not all rosy, it’s not all nice, and some people, truly, intensely, and genuinely suck.

The variety of reasons why people suck vary as much as the people you come across. For some, the level of bragging and being overly obnoxious would be bad enough, but then they harass you to read, buy, review, nonstop… as in NON-STOP. Every opportunity is exploited to talk about THEIR writing and what THEY are doing and THEM. It’s real smooth too because they ask about you once in a while and then comes the avalanche of self-promo. For these people, it’s all about quid pro quo, I give and you give something back. They don’t care about your work or if it’s any good, or if there’s a typo you could fix. It’s all a setup to get back to what matters, THEM.

To add insult to injury, there are SEVERAL practices by indie authors that leave a bad taste in the mouth and let us remember, I'm not only a writer, I'm a reader. One of these practices is buying followers/reviews/likes, etc. How have I noticed, you may be asking yourself? Well for starters, some people come off as disingenuous and then you see they’re on some top list. They offer to exchange reviews so you see the amount of reviews, sales numbers, feel a disconnect, can even be bummed that you don't have that level of "success" and go, what the hell, let me read a couple of pages…. And then you do… and it becomes clear how much of a scam it is.

I know indie writers who can go head to head with some of today’s best-selling authors. Honestly. Their work is that good and I often recommend it. I know some who are pretty good but could use a little editing, but offer something fresh and different. I know some who are middle of the road and don’t do a disservice to the community by writing but don’t really add new things to it either. Then I know some who I slowly and systematically unfollow on as many channels as their behavior calls for and who are not only a disservice to the community, but a downright insult to all things indie, and I’m not exaggerating.

The hardest thing to swallow about people like this is that by finding other people who will play the copy paste fake review game and bolster their numbers, indie authors get a bad rep because what they put out in regards to literature, promotion, and overall community is in my opinion, utter garbage and unfortunately, people love to generalize.

But I’m here to say it’s not all trash. Actually, I would scream it but I don't want to seem desperate. It might also be a reaction to that oily sensation from dealing with people like the ones I mentioned. Sure I know some people think going indie is a cop out and some think we can’t cut it with the big boys who get their work published anywhere. But maybe some indies had bad experiences and were taken advantage of by a small or mid publishing company. Or maybe it’s just that having someone suggest we edit something to appeal to the market can quite honestly suck it. The reality is that there are some amazingly talented people I know who write from the heart and go for it with every book. Some are decent, some are good, some are fantastic, and all deserve a shot, because they support other people, because it’s not all about them, because it shows that they care and that they’re not passing receipts for any support they offer.

As an indie author, I take a lot of pride in my work and I bust my ass so that every single book is worth your time and offers something you won’t easily find elsewhere, because it covers topics that aren’t typical, because it pushes and challenges an audience rather than pander or belittle them. I write a variety of topics and I strive every day to craft things that express aspects of who and how I am, be it in poetry, essay, short story, novel, song, or blog post form. I am proud of what I do and how I do it and I am always happy to help and support others, but not because I’m supposed to do it. Any support I offer comes as a direct result of believing in the worth of other people’s real work, which holds pieces of their heart and soul and deserve to be read by as many people as possible.

But it's not an easy sell because people still associate those bad things with indie authors. What’s saddest is that people ONLY associate this with indie authors, when in fact, ANY creator in any field can be a hack but know how to promote themselves. Not only that, but being published or picked up by a big house means absolutely nothing, because I've read some AWFUL things that went through all the channels and the process and quite frankly still sucks all the balls. The reality for indie authors is that we each walk our own path and it is ours to walk as we best think it’s worth walking, while inviting the people we want on the way. 

This means that I won’t be exchanging review for review with everybody I read. This means I will always review honestly. This also means I’ll support the people I believe in. There’s a lot of them and there’s always room for more. The rule is simple, push yourself, don’t push others to support, offer something new and polish it, and don’t be an asshole. 

If it sounds simple, it's because it is. And even so, it needed to be said.

Peace, love, and maki rolls