Musings, Updates & Launch
I’ve been waiting a few days to write this because the past week has been a whirlwind. As many of you know, I just released my eBook a week ago and my audiobook a couple of days ago. Firstly I want to thank my readers and beta readers. Your support is so necessary and appreciated for the entire five part series to come to fruition. It’s humbling to have readers who believe in me. That expressed, I’m in such a weird place mentally. My first book is done, but I have an unshakable desire to get the next four out as soon as possible. Let me start from the very beginning…no not the beginning of my life, the beginning of Arie’s.
When she was conceptualized, I had no idea where I was going with this. I sometimes wondered, “Should I write a romantic series or just bite the bullet and write a tell all memoir?” I’m NOT a romance reader. It’s not a comedic or messy enough genre for me. People swear, lie, cheat, smoke, drink, and have ridiculous things happen to them that it is difficult to capture that within the norms of romance literature. Romance would not have suited Arie, because her intentions are to have fun, feel good, be relatively successful, and to positively impact the community she lives in. Conventional romantic love is of little importance to her overarching desires, intentions, and purpose. She’s not totally heartless and certainly values it, but it isn’t her top priority. A memoir would have been silly since I’m only 31. I have no idea what’s going to happen in the next 5, 10, or 20 years so if I choose to do that as an author, it won’t be for another decade or two. I love that with erotica, I can add in some drama, comedy and totally inappropriate plot twists that would NOT fly in any other genre. Additionally, writing a story based off of my story is more fun. I can manufacture entire situations or exaggerate/change details of events that did actually happen.
After deciding a satirical erotica would suit her perfectly, I committed to writing and took five slow years to create Disorderly Conduct: College Edition. My first step when the draft was written was to get a move on publishing. I got an editor, cover designer and found a distributor. Somehow during that time I completed my second book, Disorderly Conduct: Deployment Edition. I also found an amazing group of beta readers who read the unedited manuscript like champs and gave me useful feedback. With some consideration I decided to create a printed version, audiobook and eBook. While the eBook and print versions were challenges on their own, nothing prepared me for the work it would take to produce the audiobook.
If I didn’t absolutely adore my protagonist, I would not have recorded it. However I am satisfied with how the overall quality came out and am excited for readers to listen to it. It’s roughly 4:52 and took me 10 days of recording almost non-stop to create. I do NOT recommend bootlegging your own audiobook if you’re an author or aspiring author. Unless requested otherwise I will likely hire a voice actor for the next book, Disorderly Conduct: Deployment Edition. Although I was able to somehow pull this off, I invested in high end equipment, didn’t do it entirely alone, barely slept, and burnt myself out from recording. In fact, I am currently laying on my bed with a joint and a cup of tea while I’m writing this. I am SPENT, deviants. Without further adieu, here are some DC updates!
Updates:
The print version of Disorderly Conduct: College Edition will be available early August. I will keep you deviants updated on exact dates as we get closer.
The beta eBook version is currently available on the Shop page for $4.20! It will be available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble by early August.
The audiobook is finally out! It is also currently available on the Shop page for $4.20. Due to Audible’s policies, I have to wait until the eBook is distributed on Amazon before submitting the audiobook version to Audible. Unfortunately there is no way around this, as they require a final written copy for books to be approved.
I’ll be going live on Instagram this Sunday, 6/26 at 3pm AKST to discuss everything going on with the Disorderly Conduct series and what it was like to record an audiobook from scratch.
Beta readers needed for the second book in the series, Disorderly Conduct: Deployment Edition within the next month. To my current beta readers who are patiently waiting thank you SO MUCH for your support. It is coming, but College Edition dominated most of my time and attention recently.
