Bring It 2015!!!

I don't know about how other self-published authors feel, but I know I experience so many ups and downs with this chosen profession. And I'm not just talking about throughout the course of a year, month or week...I'm talking about in ONE day! I could wake up filled with hope and anticipation, deflated by noon from a bad review, and back up again by bedtime just by sheer faith and determination.

But today, one day before the year ends, I'm feeling good about the future and this coming year. I was surprisingly and quite happily invited to contribute a story to an anthology (a compilation of stories by several authors) for the beginning of the year. Stay tuned for more info...

My newest release THREE, which had received a bad review to start, has gotten quite a few more good reviews. Like beauty, great books are in the eyes of the bookholder. There are books that I adore, that others have slammed. I need to learn to take the bad with a grain of salt and keep moving. Though to be fair to myself, who wouldn't be worried if the very first review of their book is bad?

And I'm finally connecting with fellow authors, so I'm definitely starting to feel a part of the writing community. Before, I felt like that new kid in school trying to find where to sit in the cafeteria that first day. I wasn't sure if the "cool kids" would reject me and laugh or if they'd scoot over and let me in and share their experiences. Now I can breath a bit easier and need to remember this moment down the road when a newbie comes in and wants to join the lunch table. Don't worry new kid, I'll scoot over for you and impart little nuggets of wisdom I've learned along the way.

In short, I feel truly blessed ending this first year of my journey as an author. And I can't wait to see what 2015 will bring. Thanks to all of you that have made me feel so welcome and warm 'n' fuzzy inside.

And for anyone interested in checking out my books...take a gander: http://www.amazon.com/Twyla-Turner/e/B00M59OGWC

Happy Reading! :)

To Self-Publish or Not To Self-Publish...That Is The Question! Self-Publishing vs.Traditional Publishing

After I finished the first draft of my first manuscript, I had to make a decision. On whether to self-publish or try to go the traditional route. Well it wasn't much of a decision to be made, especially after I read how many times certain mega-star authors were rejected before they were discovered. What every writer should really consider is, "Do I want to get my work out there to the masses now, or do I want to wait a million years for some literary agent and/or publishing house to decide I have talent and finally give me a chance." So I decided to get my name out there to the masses first and worry about traditional later.

And as I go along this self-pubbing journey, I find out the pros and cons of both avenues. Self-publishing is hard...but you make your own schedule, get your story done when you want to and have complete creative freedom. With traditional publishing you do get someone to do the editing for you, someone to pay and design your covers and (hopefully) a fat check for a book advance, to be able to live while writing. But how many years would it take for someone to even give you a shot? Especially with my sub-genres, who's going to be brave enough to back them? But that's a whole other post...later.

It seems to me that publishing houses are more interested in giving book deals to celebrities than to aspiring authors. Case in point: The Jenner Sisters (The Kardashians' half sisters), Wendy Williams and Rick Springfield ('I Wish that I had Jessie's Girl' singer), just to name a few. Now I don't want to block anyone's blessings. And I completely get it when publishing houses give celebrities book deals for their memoirs. But when they give them books deals for fiction, it's like WTF! Why not give the little guy a shot too?! Plus, half the time they don't even write the books themselves...cough....cough...the Jenner Sisters...cough. I just believe that everyone should get a fair shot. Maybe if they invested as much time looking for that diamond in the rough, as they do trolling the celebrity pool, they just might strike gold.

So in the meantime, the little guys have to work our fingers to the bone to self-publish our work and get our names out there. Besides having the financial backing in the book advance and royalties (which I hear is less of a percentage than you get self-pubbing), that seems to be all publishing houses really do. I couldn't believe it when I talked to some published authors and they said that they have to do their own marketing and promoting, that the publishing houses rarely ever do it anymore. I wondered to myself, "Why again am I trying to bust my ass to send out query letters to literary agents, in between working on writing and hearing rejection after rejection?" Oh yeah, that damn book advance. But that's the only thing. If my sales could increase enough for me to live off of, I would gladly turn my back on traditional for good! It would be awesome to say, "Oh, you didn't need me when I was down, I don't need you now that I'm up." But who knows, if they dangle a sweet check in my face and I see an opportunity to move out of my parents' house again and afford to achieve my dream of traveling Europe, I'd probably be willing to do anything. Damn you green paper, with your evil hold! Only time will tell.

I didn't mean for this post to turn into a rant...Yikes! Sorry peeps! Hey fellow authors, comment below with your opinions.

I Wasn't Always This Focused...

It was a long winding road to writing and publishing my first novel. As a child I wanted to be a veterinarian, zoologist and an astronomer. Unfortunately, I hated math. So that kinda put the kibosh on that. But I wrote my first story in the 3rd grade and I have never forgotten that story or how much I loved writing it. But in Jr. High I had a segment on the morning announcements called "Ask Twyla", it was a video advice column. I fell in love with that and decided I wanted to be the next Oprah.

In college I still wanted to take the path to being the next Oprah, so I majored in Radio/TV. The classes were mainly focused on the news, which I hated because I felt that the news was either boring or depressing. I worked as a reporter for the student run news station. And again I hated it.

My minor on the other hand...Creative Writing...was my favorite. I freakin' loved those classes and professors. I rarely ever skipped a class and I thrived on writing short stories and poems. And looking back I should have switched majors, but I was already on the 5 year bachelors plan and my parents would have killed me if I stayed one more year.

So I graduated in a field that I wasn't feeling in the least and into a crap-tastic economy. I went straight to work at the place I had been working at during breaks in my last year of college. A casino, working the graveyard shift. And boy did I have a blast just goofing off. I had no idea what I really wanted to do and since I hadn't done even one internship, I had no contacts or connections in my field.

My parents were frustrated with me and I was with myself. But I was so busy partying like it was 1999 and confused by what I really wanted to do, that I didn't care as much as I should have.

I spent the next several years having a great time. But right as I was coming to the end of my twenties and quickly approaching thirty, I started freaking out and getting depressed. My friends and other people I knew were getting engaged, married, had good paying jobs, buying homes on their own or with their significant others. And I was still struggling, no good job, a dead end relationship and no real vision of the future.

Cherry Blossoms at Tsuyama Castle

So I packed up my bags and with the help of my
family I moved to Japan to teach English for one year. And I had the best time of my life. And while I was there enjoying life, I realized a very important lesson. Many of those same friends whose lives I envied, starting falling apart (for those friends reading this, I love you and I'm so glad and grateful that all of you are doing so well now). Many were breaking up with their men, losing their jobs and/or trying to find a way to sell those same homes they had bought with their men. The lesson learned: NEVER EVER envy someone else's life.

"It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection." -Bhagavad Gita (Eat, Pray, Love)

I learned that I do things in my own time, at my own pace. And I'm still not there yet, but I still don't want anyone else's life either.

One of my MANY classes.

Long Beach, CA.

When I came back from the states, I moved to California for four years and then moved to Arizona, to live with my parents again. I was here in AZ for two months when one day, it was like someone flipped my inner light switch to ON, I picked up my laptop and fifteen days later I had written the first draft of my first
manuscript. I had no idea I had it in me. And having recently released my fourth novel in one year, I'm still in the "shock and awe" stage of this journey. I feel more pride in this accomplishment than I did when I graduated college. Because I graduated unsure of myself and what I wanted to do with my life. But I've never been more sure of what I want to do, than I am right now. So everyday I work at getting my writing career off the ground. I wake up at 6 a.m. every morning. And I'm constantly trying to work on something: a new novel, promoting, connecting with readers, this blog, whatever.

My parents' backyard and sometimes my office.

For years I thought that I was just lazy. But it was lack of focus and not knowing what I wanted to do that was the problem. Once I set my mind to something that I truly want, I'll work my ass off for it. So if you're not there yet, don't worry and just have faith that it'll come when the time is right.

I look a little rough because it was early. :)

Success is a constant uphill struggle. But I have strapped on my hiking boots, got my Gandalf walking stick, pulled on my backpack that I'm filling with knowledge along the way and climbing that son of a b!tch!

Reflections on 2014

So when I began this self-pubbing journey at the end of 2013, exactly one year ago, I thought I could write a few books, self-publish them and maybe post a few things here and there on Facebook and maybe pay for a few ads, and gain a ton of readers in the process. Oh foolish foolish girl, you were sadly mistaken. How very naive I was and sometimes still am.

Writing the story is the 1st step and then there is a sh!t ton more to do after that. I have created a Facebook Author page, joined Twitter, joined Goodreads, created a website, started a blog, joined Instagram, joined Google+ and joined quite a few book/writer groups and communities. Trying to promote yourself as an author and your books is exhausting and SLOW work. By nature I am an impatient person, so this slow journey goes against the grain for me. And just recently I went to a Writer's Conference and found out that even if you are signed on with a publishing house, they very rarely foot the bill for promoting your novel. It's up to the author to setup book signings and readings, etc. What the frick?!

So now I'm trying to find the time to do it all. The last month I have worked on promoting and marketing. But I have some more novels that I need to get done, because I know the readers that I have gained thus far are waiting, somewhat patiently for the rest of my Damaged Souls Series. Sometimes my head feels like it's going to pop from information overload.

And I could quit, but what's the alternative...? I can't even think of it. As challenging as it is, I still couldn't be happier on this journey. And I love reaching people that under normal circumstances I would never even have contact with. I just need to work on my time management...and maybe go on a vacation, have a spa day and get an assistant! Ha, who am I kidding?! Like I have money for the latter three options. Time management it is!!!

Reviews...The Good. The Bad. The Ugly. Either Way, They're Important.

First off, no one likes a bad review. You spend days, weeks, months or years working on something, putting your heart and soul into it, and you're super proud of it. Then you put it out there, exposing your vulnerability. Opening yourself up for criticism and hopefully, praise. The good ones validate why you do what you do. The bad ones, though they hurt like a son of a bitch and bring you down a peg, they also help you grow at whatever art or work you're passionate about. And who doesn't want to be better...the best at what they do? And if you're not nervous about how your work will be received, then you've gotten too big for your breeches.

With that being said...Why in the HELL do I get so few reviews?! Do people think my books are so terrible that they don't want to leave that bad of a review? Or do they really like them and they leave it to someone else to leave a nice review? I do know that some people are just too bashful to leave reviews and I understand that. But it's just so frustrating sometimes. Especially when I see other books with a bizillion of them.

But to be truthful, before I started writing I never left reviews. Which now in hindsight, I realize was terrible. I don't read a lot anymore because I either can't stop thinking about my own characters while reading or I'm too afraid that ideas will subconsciously leak into my brain, but when I do I now leave reviews.

So for those of you reading this blog, if you have read one of my books and haven't left a review, I'd love it if you would. And if you haven't read any of my books, maybe this blog will still soak into your psyche, so that the next time you read a book or do anything that can be reviewed, you will leave one.

Because for anyone that is running their own small business, self-published authors or freelance workers; reviews are golden! Why? Because they help spread the word to others that happen to stumble along our work, to stop and check out that business, self-pubbed novel, landscaper, photographer, etc. Especially considering that we often don't have a large budget for marketing or promotions. So instead of "Be Kind...Please Rewind", how about "Don't make me Blue...Please Review!"

Meh...

Just having one of those days where I'm just feeling blah about everything. It's probably just that time of the month for me to be moody...and trust me, it does happen once a month. But I'm just constantly worrying about if and when my writing career will take off. When I'll be able to actually live off of my chosen career.


Do I continue to send out query letters to literary agents in the hopes that one will find interest, in order to eventually get signed by a publishing house...only to risk losing creative freedom and still have to promote myself on my own, on my own dime. Yes, unlike popular belief, publishers no longer pay or setup book signings or readings like they did in the past. It's on the author now. It seems like the only plus side to having a publisher is the book advance an author gets (if it's a pretty fat check). Which at this point might be the thing that tips the scale for me.


Or should I continue to self-publish and say "Screw a publisher!", and continue to struggle with paying for covers and promoting and having friends help edit instead of an editor? I don't want to cut off my nose to spite my face.


I don't know!!!! I guess I'll just continue to do what I've been doing...Self-pubbing AND sending out query letters. I love rejection letters! Insert sarcastic voice. And the submitting of queries to literary agents as a black author is a WHOLE other blog that I'm to bummed to even discuss right now. For now I'm just gonna keep on keepin' on. Tomorrow I'll probably be back my old optimistic self.


Until next time...Happy Reading!!! :)

Why I Write What I Write...

For those who don't know, I write Erotic Romances or what it's starting to be known as...Romantica. Why do I write this genre, well because I'm a freak. ;) Just kidding...well kind of. I'm pretty open about sexuality and have always been fascinated by men and sex. But that's not the reason for this post. Romantica is the main genre I write, but it's the sub-genres that I want to talk about.

My sub-genres are BBW(big beautiful women) and IR (interracial relationships). The IR category is actually something that I didn't give myself. I am a Black American woman and so far I have written Black American female lead characters. But that won't stop me from writing other races as the female leads in the future. Because I want to reach women of all races. But my main focus is the BBW aspect of my novels. Hence my brand: Novels with Curves

I like to write women that the majority of females in this country and possibly around the world can relate to. The national average size of women in this country is a size 14. But when we watch TV, go to the movies, or read magazines all we really see are slender women in these lead roles as what the media portrays as the definition of beauty. And the side characters, the sidekick of the lead, the wing-woman, the chunky girl is always what...funny and alone.

So what are they saying, women with curves can't be funny AND sexy? We can't get a man? We're only there for comic relief? Or that if we can get a man, it's the gross unappealing dude in the corner? Well I don't buy that.

And nothing was starting to frustrate me more than when I went to pick up a romance novel, nearly every single heroine of the story was slender as well. Just like in the visual media I see on a daily basis. And a few of the stories that had a curvy girl as the lead, eventually lost the weight in the story. So she can only find and keep love if she loses all the weight? I'm not an advocate for unhealthy living, but give me a break.

Like it or not, I am one of the many that really enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey, and is waiting for the movie with bated breath. But after reading it, I started to think, "Why can't Christian Grey tie up and spank a girl with meat on her bones?" No offense, but said author is a curvy girl herself. So why not write a woman that most other women can relate to?

So after falling in love with erotic romances, I eventually stumbled across BBW Erotica. There wasn't a whole lot out there and many of what was, was novellas that didn't have time to delve deeply into the characters. So I didn't really get a chance to root for them.

Finally something inside me snapped. I picked up my laptop, started writing and haven't looked back since. I love writing curvy girls of all different shapes and sizes. Great personalities, big time insecurities and hearts of gold. All the while scooping up the "hot guy", and looking fabulous while doing it!

I feel that reading is the MOST intimate form of media/entertainment. Where the reader immerses themselves in the characters and setting. You feel like you've been transported to a place and you are the character or that they're your best friend. If you're going to let anyone inside you that much, get that close to you...don't you want it to be someone that is similar to you? That resembles you just a little?

I want any woman of any color with a multitude of insecurities and beautiful imperfections, to pick up my novels and see themselves in my characters. To think to themselves, "FINALLY someone gets it! Someone wrote ME! NICE...the curvy girl finally gets the guy! AND she didn't have to lose a pound to do it! HA and the sidekick, the wing-woman is the quote on quote beautiful slender girl...IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!"

First Review of THREE

Well I got my first review for THREE and...it's not great. Only two stars, the reader wasn't a fan of threesomes. It is not for everyone, and I can't  make everyone happy with every book. What I try to do is write a novel that I'd like to read. That's the only way I can keep my own interest in the story. And after I read a few polyandry novels, I was seriously intrigued by the concept of one woman being in an actual relationship with multiple men. So, I decided to write my own version, my own fantasy. I'll just have to see how others feel about the story as they read it.

Book Release= Releasing Butterflies

It doesn't matter how many times I release a new book, I always get nervous and anxious, waiting to see how it will be received by my readers. Only time will tell...

Anniversary Present to Myself

So I went onto VistaPrint to design some business cards to pass out when I need one. I've talked to many people about my books and they probably couldn't remember my name or the titles of my books by the time they could get a chance to look them up. So I figured getting some cards to hand out to them would be a good idea. Well VistaPrint is genius, they suckered me into buying a cellphone case, pen and notebook too! ;) And I couldn't resist...so awesome!

The Difference a Year Makes...

Today is literally a year to the day that I released my first novel and I absolutely cannot believe that I've written four novels in one year!!! Maybe I should be more patient and take more time to write them, but I can't help myself. I may not be backed by a publishing house, but I'm enjoying the ride and doing alright. I've gained a small loyal readership who are talking about my books on different forums. I feel incredibly blessed. MUST. KEEP. GOING...

New Proof!!!

I got the proof in the mail for THREE!!! And it's one big bastard! I biggest book yet!

THREE is Ready!!!

I finally decided on a title and chose a cover image from Shutterstock.com. Never in a million years did I think that I'd be releasing my fourth novel in ONE year!!! I had know idea that I had it in me. And now that I know, I couldn't be more ecstatic and proud of myself. This was a long time coming. Any who, the new book THREE will be out December 18th!!!