To Agent or not to Agent

I have been recently asked if I would consider becoming a Literary Agent (on my own and not with in a company).... I am putting some serious thought into this business.

I know it is not the easiest job in the world, but I have made enough contacts in the writing biz that I could potentially make a go of it.

So now do I decide to leap or stay where I am and keep doing what I do???

Tough question. so I ask my audience for their opinion and views on this subject.


You tell me what you think.

A Few Updates

Good Morning, Afternoon, or Evening depending on what part of the world you are in, and thank you for reading!

I have been blessed, to have a few new Authors, get in touch, and soon you will know all about them and their works!

Here is the line up for some upcoming reviews and interviews from these Authors.

Matt R Jones: (I am currently reading Love is for Suckers) his titles include; Hollywood Vampires; Unholy War, Love is for Suckers... just to start.

Seven Steps: The Escape: Eve ate the Apple

Shirley Mclain: Dobyns Chronicles.

I look forward to reading each one of these titles and passing on my views of each one for you to consider..

Now the, let's not forget my own works.
You can check out my own books; The Cypress Hills Series (horror) and The Immortal Design (paranormal romance/mystery). Both titles are on amazon.com and are at a low cost for Ebooks.

Interview With K.c. Rice

    Author K.c. Rice comes to us from Frankfort Ky. She is married and has three grown children and two precious grand-babies!! K.c. obviously a southern gal, loves the typical out doors, long walks on the beach and spending time with her husband and family, but I bet you didn't know she also loves to paint!

K.c. took time from her busy day to do me the honor of giving an interview, so without further delay here we go:

Q:WHERE DID YOU COME UP WITH THE INSPIRATION FOR YOU BOOK KAYCEE'S TATTERED SPIRIT?

A: My mind is always turning... I was day dreaming different scenarios and the idea of an online love affair popped into my mind. I decided to use a lot of my own insecurities in the creation of Kaycee.

Q: WHY PICK ROMANCE OVER ALL THE OTHER TYPES OF GENRES OUT THERE?

A: I have always been a romantic at heart. I have a strong passion and desire for erotic, yet realistic stories. So many stories focus on the sex... Because let's face it, sex sells, but I wanted my readers to see Kaycee as a true person with feelings, desires and dreams. I have a story working inside of my head that will be a paranormal/romance. I think that will be fun!

Q: AFTER READING YOUR BOOK I FOUND MYSELF NEEDING TO READ THE NEXT BOOK. SO THE BIG QUESTION IS; WILL THERE BE A SEQUEL?

A: Yes! Actually there will be at least two more books. I am currently working on book two: In RECONCILED, you'll see Kaycee still struggles at times to stay true to her new independent self. Mason, and she cross paths again. There's love, sex, mystery, new characters, a martyr and a cold blooded murder.

Q: YOU HAVE A FEW LOOSE ENDS IN YOUR STORY, IS THERE A SPECIFIC REASON FOR THIS?

A: It's the Hook to keep you wanting more.... Everyone is asking what the heck happened to Shane? What is the big secret job and life that has caused his transformation into the a**? You will get your answer in RECONCILED.

Q: AT ANYTIME DURING YOUR WRITING CAREER DID YOU THINK "THIS IS IT, THIS IS THE LAST ONE I'M DOING? IF SO, WHY? AND WHAT MADE YOU KEEP GOING?

A: YES!! Actually I felt that way with this book. I made up my mind "If this book doesn't intrigue readers- I'm going to quit. I poured my heart and soul into this story. I want my readers to live through Kaycee and miss her when the book is over.

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS OR ADVICE FOR NEW WRITERS?

A: 1. Always keep a notebook and pen handy You never know when an idea or scene will pop up. I have been known to text myself ideas that have just popped up.
        2. Don't give up. Like everything in life, it's a challenge, but if you truly enjoy sharing your inner voice and characters with others it's well worth it.

        3. Do your homework, self publishing is not hard at all. many people are under the impression that it is, but once you've researched and familiarized yourself, you will see it's rather simple. There are cut throats out there that prey on newbies, if it seems too good to be true chances are it is. Become friends with other authors who can and are willing to nurture and guide you. I am an Indie Author, a newbie, but friends with so many other authors, we are a tight knit family and we stick together and help one another out. I love my Author family dearly!

Marketing: How When and Where?

   This has to be one of the hardest topics most self published Authors face. How do I get my new book out there? When do I jump in and market and WHERE  the heck do I do it??? It's enough to make you wanna hide under the bed and have a major freak out!!!

It truly is a very daunting task to self promote, but never the less it must be done if you want your book out there. If you are like me, you just can't afford a promotions team to do the work for you. I sat down this morning and found a few reputable places for your submit your work to that will help you gain exposure and get this.... it's free!

Let's go with the obvious choices first. FACEBOOK. Set yourself up with an Author page and send out page invites to friends and family. Ask them to share your page with their friends as well. BOOM you are on your way to marketing.

The next obvious choice is TWITTER. Don't have a twitter account? Well get off your booty and set one up!! There are millions of contacts out there on Twitter!! Author's, Agents, Publishers! I have even made contacts within the movie industry!!

So now you have those first two steps accomplished, next link the two accounts. When you post from Facebook it will automatically post to your twitter feed for you. Pretty simple right? (Don't kick yourself if you didn't already know this, no sense in abusing yourself over it!)

Moving on to the not so obvious sites.
THE READERS GAZETTE: here you can list your books with them and they tweet your book 24/7!! (unfortunately they do not allow erotic books due to the fact that they have a family audience including children)
http://readersgazette.com/world/index

GOODREADS: Here you can create an Author page as well and get your book in front of millions of avid readers! This site also allows you to link your Facebook page and Twitter account, and you can tweet your book and it's reviews from their site as well as post them to Facebook.

SHELFARI: Here you can list your books, for free.. I don;t get on this site as often as I should, however someone else may find the time to really have a go at it on this site. They have a lot of members and communities, so your books will be seen on the site.
http://www.shelfari.com/

These are just a very small few of the places you can find to promote yourself for free....It takes time to do a great job of promoting yourself. You literally need to submit to every site you can find, and you NEED  to do this daily even all day everyday if you can.

Another suggestion is to take out a small add in your local newspaper. I know it's not "free" but it gets your local community behind you and you'll find more readers this way.

Oh my!! I almost forgot another place to get promotions!! Here at The Cheeky Rooster!!

Get Cheeky! Do your own thing, and don't let marketing get you flustered. If you want it bad enough, you will find the time to do these steps!!!

Kaycee's Tattered Spirit: A Review

I have recently been blessed to make a great new friend, K.c. Rice- Author. We met through a mutual friend online and quickly became fast friends. K.c Sent me her book Kaycee's Tattered Spirit. I confess I am not much into erotic books, but I have read a good handful including the first book in the series of 50 shades of Grey. So I will leave you with that for now. (It's not that I don't like these types of books, I am just more of a fantasy and horror kind of gal.)

Let's begin!!! Now, I have told you I don't normally read this genre, however, I am glad I took the time to explore this book. K.c. Rice's writing style is beyond my expectations in regards to this specific genre. I suppose because of my age, I am used to reading more of a porno type book..... that is to say that this genre has come a long way from it's origins. Yes I admit that I used to sneak my parents old erotic books as a teenager and read them..... don't judge me! (LOL)

Back to the book. I will say this, this book was far and away much better than the 50 Shade's series!! We have Kaycee who is a married young woman, who has taken up an online romance with a dark and romantic stranger. She is very much in love with her husband, but the fantasy of another man, is overwhelming, making Kaycee question herself. Her husband is becoming a completely different person due to his new job, and becomes more violent and in my own opinion a control freak. The dark and handsome stranger has his own problems he is dealing with, which only adds to the mystery of the plot as we have yet to really uncover what that may be. This character has hardened his heart and is at first a complete ass, but there is something in Kaycee that has ripped through him and his own hardness. He must have her, no matter what the cost is. Once they finally meet in person, Kaycee, has been through enough with her husband and his new found aggressiveness, that she gives into the kindness, of a man who wants to care for her truly.

She ends up leaving her husband and moves into her own place, taking steps to ensure her own dreams come true, not just in romance but her career as well. (You Go Girl!). However, due to Mason's secret life (the handsome stranger) he has unwittingly pushed Kaycee away, and now that she has found her own two feet she has decided, to never let another man use her again. In the end she leaves both of them behind and learns that she does not need a man in her life, and she is now focused on her and her alone.

Now then, let's talk the about the steamy steam steam!! WOW! If the love scenes in this book don't make you want to throw down your own lover, I seriously do not know what will! The scenes in this book were not over the top and not too "fetishy" (is that even a word? agh, I don't care if it is, it's the only way I can describe it). If you are a fan of romance mixed with some steamy love scenes, that make your own imagination go crazy then this is a book for you. Unlike 50 Shade's, this book is very well written, and there is no "young" girl being used by a man, for his own sick pleasures. (biggest reason I did not like 50).

I will admit, that there are a few plot holes, however, they are there for a reason. This was a very clever tactic used by the author, because now I NEED  to read the follow up book, and I do hope there is one. This book has it all, mystery, romance a slight touch of horror (in the form of an abusive husband) and danger. A long with not one but two very strong characters who grow within the story. It is no wonder that K.c.Rice has many followers on her Facebook page!

Overall with this book I would give 4.5 stars out of 5 ( only due to the plot holes, but I admit they are necessary to the story). You can find this book on Amazon.com. The book blurb had me hooked before I even opened the pages...

Stay tuned, as K.c.Rice has generously agreed to an interview!!! I can not wait to hear form her on her work.

K.C.Rice currently is self published, however.... she really ought to be picked up by an eager publisher, the woman has numerous followers for her work and there is no stopping for her in the future..

Plot Holes: Avoid Them!

Let's get a bit serious for one small moment. Plot holes are a writers worst nightmare!. We as reader's hate to read a book and come out with questions to the plot of you story.

Personally when I am reading, I hate to see a main character who is obviously up to something, but as you read on, you NEVER find out what the heck that character was up to! This is dangerous waters people. Most reader's will say it leaves a bad taste in their mouths and won't recommend your book to another person.

I have read books that have done this to me. I hate to say it, but to be critical, those holes need filled in! A writer should never leave a reader hanging, it's just poor form!

As a new writer, my suggestion is this: after you have completed your manuscript put it aside and walk away. It is very important to do so. You have your head so far up that project that you will not catch the flaws on your own. The only way to see them is to walk away for a week at least. Let it stew, then go back and re read your own book from the beginning to end. Make mental note of how you felt about the book, not your work. While reading did you find a plot hole? Did you feel this was the very best you could do? If the answers to those questions are yes and no, then it is time to rethink your story and fill in the gaps.

It is difficult to be a good writer, but it is more difficult to be a great writer. Most writers take upwards of a year to accomplish a completely polished and ready for print book. As a new writer, your anticipation can and will cloud your judgment. You will most likely get rejection after rejection if you have not taken the time to make some serious changes to your story.

We all want that piece out there and hear how great our story was, but if you aren't getting the attention that it deserves then you need to go back and make those changes. I know it can be disheartening to not see those sales, and see the rejection letters pouring in, but you must maintain and persevere! Get a second and third pair of eyes on your work, take constructive criticism and use it. Don't be offended by the critics, their opinions matter. You are in the business of selling not just your books, but yourself as well. You need to be professional and develop your own skills. If you can't handle the rejection or criticism, then maybe being a writer isn't for you.

You have to take the good and the bad, and put them in a mixing bowl and whip them into something that stands out from the crowd. With so many new books being published every day across the world, you need to dig deep and work hard. Do not give up, keep those pot holes filled in and you will find a less bumpy road to success.

Character Development: It Is Important!

Cockle Doodle DOOOOO!!! Good Morning readers! Let's talk turkey, oh wait I meant chicken! Today I wanted to go over something very crucial to writing. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.


Outside of a great story plot, this is probably one of the most important pieces to the writing process. A character should grow as your story unfolds. everyone loves to see your creation become stronger and overcome the plot, but they also love to see that they have overcome some of their own flaws. Let's say you have a female character that is full of self doubt and has to face a number of challenging issues that are within the plot of your story. Does she, by the end of the story overcome some of those doubts or does she fall further into them? If she hasn't grown out of some of those personal doubts about herself, go back and re think how can you make her become a better stronger person. You want your character to not only defeat the bad guys, but defeat the inner demons that they start out with.

The same goes for male characters, often we put a strong male character out there as a tough bad ass that is fearless. To develop his character we need to bring out his kindness, and break him of being the rough and tumble just a bit, show the world that there is another side to him.

I read reviews and the biggest hit that a writer can take is "there wasn't enough character development, but the story was great!" To write a great and lovable character you should make them as close to real as possible. We as people all have flaws and when faced with challenges that one would not normally be comfortable in , we adapt and change to over come those fears, or we wither and die. The same goes for your characters. Each character should have some sort of internal flaw, and through out your story, that character should be developing and working on overcoming what is being thrown at them.

Examples, a battered wife, should grow to overcome her pain and fear, and do what is necessary to get herself worth back.
         A male character who is a tough hardened man with no love or caring, should by the end of the story find some of his self worth as well. Let him keep is bravado, however open him up to some vulnerability.

With that being said, there are characters who are already developed in all manners; tough and rugged, but passionate and loving, fearless but can feel the fear, and overcome it.

My main point is this, take a good hard look at your characters, you know them best! You created them, look deep into their souls and see where you can get them to grow! This will make for a better story line, and get you a lot more attention from your fans as well as publishers and agents.

Well this was just my thought for the day. I hope you take my advice and expand those characters into someone we just can't live with out!

By the way it is OK to get them to be a bit cheeky too!!