To 2019 And Beyond

 

Hey.

Yeah it's me. Back from a much longer hiatus than expected. For those of you that didn't know I've spent this year in an accelerated Registered Nursing program that was nursing on speed. Think 3 semesters, self taught plus clinicals from hell. But, thank the Lord it is over now which brings me to trying to reconnect with my muse in the midst of preparing to study for boards. Yeah I still have one last hurdle to jump and then I'm home free.

In the meantime, since 2018 saw my muse pretty much die, I'm praying that she makes a full comeback in 2019. So on that note the following are my goals for 2019.

1. Complete Deadly Arrangement- Book 1 of The Corrupt Cassinellis (Organized Crime Romance)

2. Complete Revision of Pawn- Book 1 of The Ugly Stepsister Chronicles (Fairytale Retelling)

3. Complete Crossing Lines (African American Romance)

4. Complete Revision of Siren's Song- Book 1 of The Mermaids of Astaeria (Paranormal Romance)

5. Complete Goddess by Surrender- Book 3 of The Demi-God Daughters (Paranormal Romance)

6. Complete The Venus Deception (Romantic Suspense)

Six projects. Four of them completely new drafts, two are completed drafts that need to be revised. Yeah I've got some lofty goals, but I feel like after my writing life was non-existent in 2018, I need to go into the new year with a fire lit under my butt. So here's to leaving behind a stressful 2018 and walking into 2019 with my muse.

RECAPPED AND READY TO GO

 

         Hi All,

 

 

I'm back. I've been off the grid for a while and we are days into a new year that none of us have any idea what to expect. (I'm looking at you America.) 2016 was a year of extreme highs and extreme lows for me. For starters, in February I dissolved my relationship with an agent that was no longer working for me. It was tough and not something I took lightly. To be quite honest, I was terrified. I worried that I had killed my chances of ever seeing my books in print on a shelf. Then there was the fear of going it on my own. Ultimately I decided to take a leap of faith and go where my heart lead me to go.

 

 

2016 also saw the publication of three novels with my name on them. Yes, 3. Cue Extreme High. This was a big deal for me. At the same time I was also confronted with the reality that one of my publishers was closing and I had no idea what in the hell was going to happen to my books with them, including the recently released, Devious Little Lies. Ultimately after many cuts and layoffs the publisher was able to stay open. However, the back and forth did absolutely nothing for my books sales which suffered tremendously. Cue Extreme Low.

 

 

But the show must go on and on the positive side of things I dipped my toes into the wonderful world of self-publishing by teaming up with the amazing Bethany-Kris to create the Gun Moll series. Cue Extreme High for two best selling books. Not only is Bethany-Kris, a supremely talented writer, but she is also an acute businesswoman and good friend. I've learned so much from working with her. Again, Cue Extreme High.

 

 

I never make resolutions because I never keep them, but I want to do more as far as my writing career is concerned. Here are my tentative plans:

 

 

1. Madame Moll-Book 3 of the Gun Moll series will be published and conclude Mac and Melina's journey.

 

 

2. Bethany-Kris and I are also planning at least 1 standalone story set in the same world as Mac and Melina, so look out for it.

 

 

3. I'm currently working on my first contemporary African American romance, Crossing Lines. I plan to self-publish it sometime this year. Cue big leap for me.

 

 

4. I'm currently in the process of revising my #ownvoices fairytale romance to submit to agents and publishers. Let me just say this is not your Disney fairytale. Shit happens.

 

 

5. Complete my third and final Demi-God Daughters novel, Goddess by Surrender.

 

 

So yeah, let's see if it all comes to fruition between nursing jobs and school. Fingers crossed.

 

Also if you haven't had a chance to experience the various works I've created, they can all be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Erin-Ashley-Tanner/e/B00FWZN9AG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1483813565&sr=1-2-ent



THE YEAR IN REVIEW & LOOKING FORWARD TO 2016

 

 

 

         2015 is in the books and now we are in a brand new year. With every new year, I look back and evaluate what the previous year has brought me. 2015 was a year of transition for me, personally and professionally. I graduated from nursing school, passed state boards, started a new career and moved back to a bigger city. So yeah a lot happened in real life, but what about in my Erin the Author life?

 

 

July- Dirty Little Secrets, my first romantic suspense novel was released by Samhain Publishing on July 21st. I was also offered a contract for my 2nd romantic suspense novel, Devious Little Lies.

 

 

Was that it? Yep. This was a slow year writing wise. I can only hope in 2016 I will find myself back in the saddle. So what do I hope to accomplish this year?

 

 

1. Complete and submit, Goddess by Surrender, my 3rd Demi-god Daughter novel for publication.

 

 

2.  Promote the release of my 2nd romantic suspense novel, Devious Little Lies, on June 21st.

 

 

3. Complete and publish the 1st novel in an organized crime series with a fellow author.

 

 

4. Self publish Diary, the 1st novel in a fairytale retelling series called Chronicles of an Ugly Stepsister.

 

 

5. Complete the 1st novel in The Corrupt Cassinellis organized crime series, Deadly Arrangement.

 

 

Looks like I need to get writing. What are you looking forward to in 2016?

THE YEAR IN REVIEW & LOOKING FORWARD TO 2015

THE YEAR IN REVIEW & LOOKING FORWARD TO 2015

 

Happy New Year everyone. I'm back from vacation. At the end of every year you look back over everything that happened and you make goals for the next year. At least I do, when it comes to writing anyway. When it comes to my life Jesus take the wheel. But I digress. Despite some setbacks and unforeseen things, 2014 was pretty good to me as I continued on the road towards being a professional author.

January- I was blessed to sign with an agent, Nikki Terpilowski of Holloway Literary Agency. In a day and age where getting picked up by an agent is still a hard thing to do, I remain ever so grateful.

April- I complete the second novel in my Demi-God Daughters series, Goddess by Chance.

August- I complete my fifth novel, my first mob romance, Dirty Little Secrets.

November- Goddess by Chance is released by Evernight Publishing.

December- Dirty Little Secrets is sold to Samhain Publishing and expected to release Summer 2015.

So looking back over 2014, things were pretty darn good. I wrote 2 novels and both those novels have homes. I signed with an agent at the beginning of the year and by the end she had me a book deal. Yes 2014 was good to me in the pursuit of my dreams and I hope 2015 continues to be even better.

MY 2015 GOALS

1. To finish my second mob romance, Devious Little Lies and find a publishing home for it.
2. To start and complete my third Demi-god Daughters novel, Goddess by Surrender and find it a home at Evernight Publishing with the others in my series.
3. To finish Siren's Embrace, the second in my Mermaids of Astaeria series that has yet to find a publishing home. But I'm passionate about this story and this series and even if it does not find a traditional publishing home I will self publish it myself.
4. And if I'm really, super ambitious maybe I can start on the 1st novel in an edgy, contemporary romance series called Fated.

That's a lot in addition to keeping up my grades in nursing school so I can graduate, studying to pass my boards, looking for a job and hoping Mr. Right will finally decide to show up. It's a lot, but when you have a passion you have to put in the work to make sure that it goes somewhere and I intend to do just that.

 I hope you all have an awesome year. What are you looking forward to in 2015? Let me know.



LIFE IS ALL ABOUT WAITING

    It's been a while since I blogged. I thought the next time I typed up a post I would have exciting news to share, but that hasn't happened yet. Instead I'm trying to allow myself to learn a valuable lesson...Life is all about waiting.

   We have to wait to grow up. We have to wait to find the perfect job, to find the perfect mate. (I am still waiting on both.) You'd think with all the waiting that we have to do, that something would come quickly for us. When I first started writing I naively thought that becoming a successful writer might fit that bill. Boy was I wrong. Everything requires a wait.

   I had to wait until I found the first publisher willing to publish my debut novel. I had to wait for said novel to then be edited and given a release date before it made its way into the world. I had to wait a long time until I found my agent. You see where I'm going with this?

   So now, I find myself waiting again. Waiting for my hard working agent to give me the news that every author waits to hear: A publisher wants to buy your novel and give you lots of exposure. Yes, I'm waiting on this news with bated breath, on pins and needles, all those fantastic clichés.

  In the meantime I am trying desperately not to drive myself stir crazy. I'm trying hard to keep my focus on writing the next novel in my series and not giving in to all the other characters demanding that I finally give them their own story.

    But for now, all I can do is write. After all I'm still going to have to wait so I might as well make the most of it.



MY WRITING LIFE IN 2013 & LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

MY WRITING LIFE IN 2013 & LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

 

   Now that 2013 is drawing to a close it's time for me to do what I do every year...reflect. Yes I know it's cliché but every year I reflect over what has happened the last year and make new goals for the future. Do I meet those goals? Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't.

   2013 was a monumental year for me. After buckling down and finally listening to the voice that had been telling me to write for the longest, my first novel was published. Goddess of Legend is my baby and I am extremely proud of it. I am so grateful to everyone that took the time to read it. It means a lot to me.

   With the happiness that I felt at finally becoming a published author, there also was tons of rejection. I had a hell of a time finding someone who believed in my vision for Goddess of Legend. There were times when I was ready to give up on being published at all. But I kept going and now I'm telling myself to do the same thing.

  I'm currently shopping around my second novel, Siren's Choice, and hoping to find a publisher or land an agent. I have already received some rejections, but I'm determined to keep going. After all, rejection is part of the game when it comes to writing.

   This year I also completed my third novel, The Diary of An Ugly Stepsister, a new take on the Cinderella myth from the viewpoint of one of the stepsisters. I wrote this novel in about six months and I'm really proud of it. Do I think I will have a hard time shopping it around? Probably. After all, I write multicultural fantasy romance. And that is a hard genre to shop around, but we'll see what happens.

    Overall in 2013, I completed 2 novels and have started writing my fourth novel, Goddess By Chance. So with a new year approaching what are my writing goals?

1. Complete the first draft of Goddess By Chance, Book 2 in The Demi-God Daughters Series

2. Complete the first draft of Siren's Embrace, Book 2 in The Mermaids of Astaeria Series

3. See the publication of Siren's Choice, Book 1 in The Mermaids of Astaeria Series

4. Start second draft of The Diary of An Ugly Stepsister, Book 1 in The Fractured Fairytale Series

5. And if I'm really lucky, find an agent.

So what are your goals for 2014? Drop me line and share.