2017 Achievements + Flaming Crimes Blogfest

If you visited my post in December, you know that I struggled with depression last year, but I did a lot of awesome things in 2017, even with that burden.

In 2017 I:

- self-published Lightning Crimes and made it perma-free.

- went to my first big book event (Space Coast Book Lovers)

- At SCBL, I was part of an author panel.

- Also at SCBL, I did my first recorded interview with Hangin with Web Show.

- signed a contract to publish Flaming Crimes.

- started my YouTube Channel

- In August, I did a radio interview with Off the Chain.

- Then I did a live YouTube Interview with Evan Carmicheal for the IWSG.

- signed a contract to publish Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication

- and then I went to my second book event in November

I did a lot I am proud of, and I am looking forward to 2018.

And kicking off 2018 is the release of Flaming Crimes!

Prompt: What is something ridiculous you would save if there was a fire?

After your family, pets, and important items are safe and sound (that includes anything writing related), what is the one odd thing you'd want to grab from your home?

MY ANSWER: When a brush fire threatened my childhood home, my mom grabbed a bag of potatoes from our house. That seems like a rather odd thing to grab, right? Well, she’ll tell you that she was a mother of five and wanted to make sure she could feed her kids. And just like that, saving a bag of potatoes sounds reasonable. 

It was this memory that inspired the blogfest prompt.

He's missing his nose and beard, but I love him!

I was only a child when that fire surrounded my house, and I was terrified. I remember grabbing my blanket and my school backpack, but I was so scared that I didn't go back inside to grab anything else. If I had, I would've grabbed my favorite Nutcracker, which I still have. I believe it would be the one thing (after my pets and writing stuff) I'd want to save from becoming ashes.

Series: Disaster Crimes #4

Page Count: 304 

Digital Price: 4.99 

Print Price: 16.99

Rating: Spicy (PG13) 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

The Wild Rose Press

BLURB: Beth and Donovan are now happily married, and what Beth wants more than anything is a baby. Her dream of starting a family is put on hold as fires burn dangerously close and Donovan becomes a victim of sabotage.

Donovan escapes what could've been a deadly wreck. Their past enemies have been eliminated, so who is cutting brake lines and leaving bloody messages? He vows to find out, for the sake of the woman he loves and the life they're trying to build.

Amidst a criminal mind game, a fire ignites next to their home. They battle the flames and fight to keep their house safe from the blaze pressing in on all sides, but neither of them expects to confront a psychotic adversary in the middle of the inferno.

Their lives may just go up in flames…

Visit the other participants!

If Only... + Flaming Crimes Blogfest

Flaming Crimes Blogfest: My publisher likes to give me release dates where I have to plan during a month when no one is ever around. lol So now I am trying to get blogfest participants for January 3rd, Flaming Crimes' worldwide release date.

When: January 3rd, 2018

Where: Your Blog

Prompt: What is something ridiculous you would save if there was a fire?

Ridiculous is the keyword there. After your family, pets, and important items are safe and sound, what is the one odd thing you'd want to grab from your home?

Info: All posts will have the cover art, blurb, and buy links for Flaming Crimes, and possibly an excerpt, which I will email to participants during the last week of December.

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IWSG Day Question: As you look back on 2017, with all its successes/failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently?

I have openly shared my struggle with depression this year, which started September 2016. I struggled to write because of this depression. Actually, struggle implies I tried. I didn’t try. I thought about it but did not feel the motivation. I was weak, physically and mentally.

Now that the end of the year is fast approaching I am realizing that I am a year behind with the last book in the Disaster Crimes series. Looking back, I am angry that months in the beginning of the year, when I did not have edits to do, went unproductive, with not even a page written, because of my damn depression. I am kicking myself, and my depression, for the fact that I could’ve written during that time but didn’t. Couldn’t.

(UPDATE: I'm not really beating myself up over this. I understand why I couldn't write. As a writer, though, I mourn the lost time. I've suffered from depression since I was a teen, but I am A LOT better than I was earlier this year.)

If I could do it differently, I’d want to write feverishly during that time…but I’m not sure if I would’ve been able to. I was experiencing the worst depression of my life then. If I could go back as I am today, I would manage it, I would do it, but if I went back to who I was then, I’d fail. Again.

Looking forward, I will pretend December is NaNo. And. Write. This. Book!

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Holiday Shopping: Looking for hand-crafted gifts for your loved ones? Do you love to support small businesses? Check out my mom's brand new website where she is selling her bookmarks (and soon some knitted baby blankets). Read the ordering details and surprise the book lovers in your life with these gifts from the heart.

www.ElaineKaye.blogspot.com

P.S. This is my last blog post of 2017! I will be back in 2018, but I'll be posting less...three posts a month; I need more time to write. :)

And my blog made Booksie's Top 100 Writing Sites list!

QUESTIONS: Are you signing up for my blogfest? Do you like handmade bookmarks? Have you ever been a year behind on a WIP? Will you read The Weekend Novelist?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!