Skyla Dawn Cameron

September 13, 2014 By Skyla Dawn Cameron

Shiny Pretties

These arrived yesterday.

Any concern about Createspace’s quality is nonexistent–they came out lovely.

The books are 5×8, 272 pages. It looks quite a bit thicker than the original River paperback at that size.

In reality, the novel is only a touch longer than the original version–River 1.0 was about 71K, River 2.0 is about 76K. Nothing added, some scenes trimmed, and still a little on the long end for a YA novel.

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I’m hoping to get everything signed and mailed out next week (this week was absolutely wretched on the health front so I’m hesitant to make any firm plans in case there’s a repeat). When I’ve worked out shipping, I’ll be selling signed paperbacks in my shop here as well.

Once I can get the print rights back to Bloodlines next year, I’ll re-release the Demons of Oblivion series in paperback as well and sell signed copies here too. And actually make more than 80c a book, which’ll be a nice change of pace.

*trundles back to bed*

September 4, 2014 By Skyla Dawn Cameron

Print, Compromise, Gratitude

exhausted RIVER is now in print*, a few days later than expected. You’ll find it on Amazon here.

I ended up making some compromises on things I didn’t think I would. I was adamant, initially, that if I was going to put out a book in print, I’d use LSI. Their print books are excellent quality. That was the intention with RIVER. But besides LSI’s set up fees that require them to have a credit card on hand, there’s a fee to keep a book in print year to year. The yearly fee isn’t much per title but my print sales tend to be extremely low and RIVER in ebook has barely sold at all, so the odds of me making enough to justify keeping the book at LSI year to year seemed unlikely to me. I figured I’d eventually move it to Createspace anyway, which is free–and I already have an account there, so the more books, the sooner I get a cheque–and I might as well do it now.

I’m disappointed and as I’m ordering a stack of print books now, I’m hoping the quality issues I’ve heard plague Createspace don’t happen. But this was a compromise that made sense so I’m trying to let it go.

That’s the name of the game at the moment: compromise. I’m naturally, er, wound a little tight and I try to do All The Things and everything must be Just So and stay out of my way if Something Isn’t Perfect. But that’s completely impossible now. I’m still sick (I’ve lost forty pounds–my fucking yoga pants fall off now) and I’m not getting better, and now everything is prioritized according to how important it actually is and whether or not I have the physical/mental energy to devote to it.

Unsurprisingly, very few juices are worth the squeeze when you’re ill.

So this print book is that. If you hate or can’t order from Amazon, I am ordering extra print copies to sell here through my online shop for $10 + shipping, signed. Once copies arrive and I get shipping estimates, I’ll get it listed.

Other compromises had to be made with the tour–I had to bow out of a few stops and I didn’t get to stick around and reply to comments as much as I wanted. So for that, I apologize. Thank you to everyone who offered a spot and permitted me space to talk about the book, and thanks especially to Melissa for not just organizing everything AND advertising my spots when I’ve not been around, but for attempting to stay on top of me and ensuring I got my posts in to the bloggers. It was tremendous work for and pressure on her, and I’m extremely grateful to have her in my corner.

I think we could all do with some rest, though–I don’t ever want to hear about this damn book again.

——

*WOLFE, however, is *not* in print. Anywhere. Please, if you see copies available, do not purchase it; wait until next year when a cleaned up version is available.

August 25, 2014 By Skyla Dawn Cameron

New(ish) Release: RIVER

Today’s the day. River’s been resurrected from my harddrive and is now once again available for purchase.

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Kindle people: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MV6TJFI
iBookstore shoppers: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/river/id911131898?mt=11
ARe/OmniLit (multi-formats): https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-river-1601109-142.html
Smashwords (multi-formats): https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/468771
Buy Direct (multi-formats): http://www.skyladawncameron.com/product/river/

$3.99 everywhere.

Nook will likely be live within a week; Kobo…could be months for all I know. epub files work on various ereaders, though, and are available from most of those sellers (including me). Print should be available September 1, I’m still sorting that out now.

The River Blog Tour is underway this week and you can win stuff. The stops here will be updated daily with links to the direct posts. (I will *not* be updating my blog with the stops because I will be working and in bed; bookmark that page and/or follow Melissa on Twitter and FB because she’s running this thing.)

If you’re wondering “Is this one any different than the original version?” the answer is yes and no. The basic story and characters remain but entire sections were rewritten, some unnecessary scenes were removed, and it received an overall update. There is a post going up on Thursday for the tour that details this.

And it is also probably a very bad idea to try pirating this book because I already nixed the third in the series for that reason and it’ll make me really angry right now because I cannot afford to write for no compensation. So pirates who hit my site several times a day, please have a conscience and support content creators so we can produce more books for you to read rather than the torrents that line the pockets of criminals. If you want to try before you buy, you’ll find the first seven chapters here.

I had hoped to include a different POV short story (like I do with the Demons of Oblivion series) but did not have the time. I still plan to write it sometime this fall and will make it a free download. It’s not necessary to follow the sequel, but it’s the kind of thing that broadens the overall world and characters, which you know I like to do. Details to follow.

For my brilliant self-marketing: you might like this book if you prefer animals to people, like wolves, or dig something a little different. There are no explosions or hot sex in this one but please don’t hold that against the book. Also, if you buy a copy, it can help me buy meal replacement drinks which I have to live on now, and some cat food for the hoard, and I’d really very much like that.

Defiant, nocturnal, moody–though River sounds like a typical teenager, she’s anything but. River’s a werewolf.

The life of an alpha female wolf was irrevocably changed the night she was attacked and bitten, and awoke confused, alone, and human. Three years later, thrust into a world where she doesn’t belong and living in foster care, River barely tolerates humanity and still doesn’t know who bit her or why.

But River isn’t as alone as she previously thought; someone’s been watching her, someone who holds the answers she’s been seeking. And though the human who changed her seems to be a step ahead of her at every turn, River is determined to beat his game and return to her pack and mate.

As if being stuck in a world she hates, with a life she never asked for, and faced with a destiny she doesn’t want wasn’t bad enough, River still must find a way to survive every human’s greatest challenge: high school.

August 21, 2014 By Skyla Dawn Cameron

Early RIVER Tour Kickoff & Pre-order

Although the official tour start is next Monday with the release of River, the first stop is actually today at Coffee Thoughts. I talk a little about the history of the book and the crowdfunding campaign here. There’s also a link to the Rafflecopter Giveaway, a River Swag Pack featuring a tote bag, poster, wolf charm bookmark, wolf pendant, the pocket version of Animal Speak by Ted Andrews, and a DVD/Blu-Ray combo of Ginger Snaps (my favourite werewolf movie).

I’ll update the blog here once more on Monday but if you want to follow along with the tour (there’ll be stuff like behind the scenes info about River, my book soundtrack, and at some point next week the Wolfe cover reveal) you’ll find all the stops, dates, and a few of the topics here. The first four chapters are now available to read there as well.

If you contributed as a crowdfunder, your copy of River will be delivered Sunday. If not, you can pre-order River now if you like from the following places (it’ll be delivered on Monday):

August 18, 2014 By Skyla Dawn Cameron

One Week Until River’s Resurrection

River_2014-sm Just one week to go.

Egads.

I admit, I set the release date and tour date to coincide with my initial promises made during the funding campaign, which was planned before I realized I’d be chronically ill with no help for three months now, so I’m kind of FREAKING THE FUCK OUT at the moment. I’m exhausted, not everything’s done yet, and I’m pushed well beyond my limits right now, but so it goes.

Today the first chapter was posted at the River site. Seven total (the first part of the book) will be available, one a day leading up to the release and tour start on the 25th. Rather than update my blog constantly, everything will be posted there, so please bookmark it for daily updates.

(If for some reason it’s not up, sorry. I scheduled it. I’m possibly asleep right now. I’ll fix it.)

Remember, River is not like my usual books. No one gets murdered. Nothing blows up. There are no guns and car chases. There is no sex and very little swearing.

Please do not be frightened by this fact; I promise, when you download it, it’s the right book and it’s really truly by me and I apologize for any confusion. I’ll make up for it by writing something terribly violent and sexy and full of cursing again soon.

I’m hoping to get River up for preorder on a few sites in a few days. Unfortunately, I can’t do that until I hear back from River campaign contributors so I can fill in the thank you page. To protect anonymity, I don’t want to release names without permission, and I asked for that along with a few other things I needed to send print and ebooks. Please check your spam folder and fill in the form if you haven’t already. If I have nothing by Wednesday, you won’t be included on the thank you page. If I don’t hear back about what format you want your ebook in, you’ll just get a PDF. If I don’t know what backlist books you want, I can’t send them. If I don’t know who to sign your print book to, it’ll just have my signature and no customization. I don’t have the spoons to keep following up and the form just takes a few minutes to fill in. Please and thank you, I *really* want to give you stuff.

If for some reason you indicated you wanted perks when you donated but have changed your mind, I’d like a clearly written note stating that. I’m obligated to fulfill the terms of the Indiegogo agreement and I don’t want to get in trouble for not doing so. Thanks.