A Message from Dianna and Elizabeth...

I'm not sure where to start with this post, so perhaps I should start by saying I'm the world's worst blogger. I apologise, especially to Elizabeth, profusely for this.

We're all told when we start out writing/publishing, "You should blog; get your word out any way you can!" And so on and so on. I started self-publishing in December 2010, and I can safely say that "any way you can" is never the best way to go (at least for me) because what's become obvious is that not all ways suit everyone, and I, for some mysterious reason I might never understand, almost always struggle with the ways that suit most other people.

I'm not good at blogging.

I think the main issue is that I don't enjoy talking about the process of writing while I'm actually writing; nor the book I'm currently working on for that matter. It spoils the evolution of the story, somewhat, for me, and since I'm writing most of the time between publications, that leaves me not a lot to blog about!

So, it's with a heavy heart and wishing that I was a little better at this blogging gig, that I spoke to Elizabeh a few nights ago and decided to cease my part in this blog. After considering the options (e.g. recruiting someone else to take my place and blog with her), Elizabeth has also decided that it may be best to close the blog. But I shall leave her to say her bit below.

Can I extend the hugest of thanks to all the readers over the years who have followed us on here. You will be able to catch both of us in other places. Here's my list below...

Catch Dianna on:

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authordiannahardy This is the place where she chats the most; where you can also find contests and giveaways and all the latest updates on her books.
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/TheWitchingPen
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/authordiannahardy/
• Google Plus - https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DiannaHardy/posts
• TSU - https://www.tsu.co/AuthorDiannaHardy

And perhaps most importantly, you can sign up to two of my newsletters: a Release Day Newsletter and a more regular one about my latest updates.

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Hey folks,

Well, this is my last Monday post and well, the last post for Not Just A Stiff Upper Lip. I can't say that blogging has ever been my forte. Sometimes I have something to say, but a lot of the time I don't and therefore you get bombarded with posts that sound like I am whining, or just rambling on about nonsense, or tons of updates. If I am being honest most of the time - and the main reason my posts are always closer to midnight - it's because I've sat for an hour or longer trying to come up with something interesting to talk about, and most of the time it works, but a lot of the time it's hard to know what to say. I feel bad for constantly going on about random things and no doubt boring you all to death.

So yes, Dianna and myself have decided that it would be best to close the blog down. You can, as Dianna has pointed out, find us elsewhere online. I do have my own blog, but it is more used to host other authors and their work, though I do have the odd ramble every now and again. I am mainly on Facebook. I'm a status author more than anything and tend to keep all forms of info short and sweet.

Website: www.e-morgan.com

Blog: www.xxxxmyworldxxxx.blogspot.co.uk

Twitter: @EMorgan2010

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ElizabethMorgan

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.morgan.944

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elizabethm2012/boards/

TSU: https://www.tsu.co/ElizabethMorgan

Thank you so much for joining us here every week for the last three years. You're all awesome and we hope that we will still see you around online. Take care.

Elizabeth xxx

Yep, another update

Super sorry I missed last Mondays post. I was feeling, well, down in the dumps, there is no other way I can say it. I felt really tired last week especially across this weekend, and very fed up. I knew I needed to write and do stuff, but it was really hard to make words happen, or to find the enthusiasm and energy to do the little jobs I needed to do.

All of which sucked because I had hit 23K on Blood Book 2 and I was sure I could reach 27k - I finished at 17k last month - and basically do my 10k for the month, but epic fail. It seems like an easy target, but what can I say; I suck at targets, which is probably why I never set dates for releases, or have even agreed to write a book for a certain release date, because I know that I just won't make it. I hate it. I hate that I'm useless in that sense, but I guess there is no point grumbling. Blood Book 2 will be released in the summer one way or another.

So yes, been a crappy week, and another busy month - in the sense that time has passed and I haven't spent enough of it writing - but it is now March. So my aim is to get to 33k by April - 40k if I am able to find an item that will freeze time so I can have longer to write.

The book is going well despite the slow progress. It did slow down a little this month because I had to pause and snoop around google map. Part of Blood Book 2 is set in Venice, Italy. A big portion of it is indoors and in two particular areas, but there is the odd scene which will be set somewhere else. So, I like to go on the street view on google map and pretend I am walking about, to get the feel for the place, and to help with setting up the scene. So, I spent two days doing that at the beginning of this week. I can now push forward and carry on.

Funnily enough, I have figured out a title for the novella which is set between Cranberry Blood (Book One) and Blood Book Two... Have I mentioned that? That I am writing a novella between the two novels? Sorry if I haven't. All these plans in my head, and I tend to talk so much about this series I don't know what I have or haven't said. Book 1.5, which has got a title but you can't know just yet ;) is still being planned, but it stars two new character, it links in to the main arc, but its not directly linked... sub plot, yeah, that's what I'm looking for.

So yeah, title for Blood 1.5 came easily, and I have to say I'm really looking forward to writing it, because the two main characters come out with some funny shit. I have two titles in mind for Blood Book 2, but I'm waiting for one to jump out and be like "ME! It's Me!" but until then I'm afraid Blood 2 is the nickname.  I will be holding a cover/title reveal for Book 2 hopefully in May/June. Exciting!

So yeah, I guess today's post is an update post. Blood 2 is at 23k. There will be a Blood 1.5, which I will be writing after I finish Blood 2. Cover/Title reveal for Blood 2 will hopefully be held in May/June. The aim is to release Blood 2 in summer, and I may end up regretting throwing this out there, but I'm hoping to have Blood 1.5 released by Winter - so any time from Nov 2015 - Feb 2016.

What else is going on?

Oh, I'm taking part in Vampire Month over at D.A. Lascelles'blog - once I get my post back to him. Oops. Better get that done asap - along with other fab authors. So do feel free to keep checking in, and discover some other fab Vampire stories.

On March 14th I'm taking part in a Facebook Author Event - The book is Fully Loaded by Theresa Hissong, and it is a release party. My hours slot is 3-4pm est time - which I believe is  8-9pm here in the UK. God I hope I have that right, but I will be there and I will be talking books, sharing excerpts, and holding some competitions. So, do stop by and see me.

Last but not least, April 4th I will be in Sheffield, UK at the Yorkshire CosplayConvention. Along with fellow authors, Ninfa Hayes, D.A. Lascelles, R.A. Smith, Miriam Khan and I will be selling and signing paperback copies of my books - She-Wolf (Blood Series: Prequel), Cranberry Blood (Blood Series: Book One), and Razel Dazzle - as well as giving away free swag. It would be awesome if you could come join us and guess who we're dressed as. Yes, that's right, we will be in costume. ;)

I think that is it. Here's hoping March is more productive for us all. I hope to see you at one of the above events. Stay awesome. :D

The Perfect Length

I awoke to find a fab 4 star review from The Romance Reviews for my short erotic paranormal/horror story, On the Rocks. The review is really great, but one particular paragraph stood out for me:

"If the story were longer, I don't think it would have worked as well. It was the perfect length for this type of story."

On the Rocks and my other short erotic story Truth or Dare? have on the odd occasion received reviews and comments stating that "it was a shame they weren't longer." I can completely understand and respect a reader saying that since well, sometimes you do want to learn more about the characters and having readers state they would like one of my stories to be longer is a compliment - most of the time - because to me it means that the reader wants more, but I am very glad to hear that some readers do feel that these books are the perfect length for their type of story.

You see, both On the Rocks and Truth or Dare? are what I like to call brain nibbles. Gross, I know, but every now and again - and it is literally once in a blue moon - I get a story idea that is well, short and hot, straight to the point, and it doesn't have my brain working in over drive. Stories like these are a refreshing little break from other ideas that are huge and taking over my brain. You know the ones that are complicated and never ending; like the Blood Series. My Urban Fantasy series is big. The world is big. The cast of characters is big, and there are so many layers and things I'm still discovering as I go. Whereas On the Rocks and Truth Or Dare? were a bit of fun that didn't require too much thinking. They were a refreshing break.

Sometimes it is hard as a writer to know when to stop a story. I could quite easily extend both of these shorts and make them longer, but that isn't how I wrote them.

On the Rocks was a fun, sexy, twisted idea that I had and I love how the story flows and ends, and Truth or Dare? was a bit of hot, funny fun, which also shows that not everyone has to be in love or be charming and go about "asking someone out" the right way; there's no right way of expressing your feelings for someone. There is only the way that works for you as an individual, and Cameron and Dani had a pretty intense, crazy way of going about such things.

It's the same for my novella, Creak. It's not quite a horror/thriller. I don't really think it would fit in that genre because I don't, personally, think that it has the correct formula to be classed as a horror/thriller. I'm happy with the book, but even when I was going through the edits I found myself wondering if it should be longer, if more should happen, but then the characters would have shown me if there was more, it wouldn't have played out the way it did if there was meant to be more. So, I stick by that book, the way the story plays out and the length. I think it could be extended, but then it would feel like I was adding scenes for the sake of trying to make it fit with the formula of an actual horror book, and well, I'm happy to state that it is more of an erotic horror then an actual mainstream horror/thriller book.

So yes, sometimes stories are meant to be short because that's what is right for the characters. Not every story has to have a huge plot with tons of drama, or twists and turns. Sometimes it's good to have a little nibble and read something that you don't have to concentrate on so heavily. Sometimes you might find that the perfect length is 20 pages and that a short story can be a perfect read simply because it is a short story.

Have a great week!