The Efffect of Affect? The Affect of Effect?

Okay, let me be the first to admit, my copy editing is not perfect. I do the best I can to deliver a polished product to my readers, but the fact of the matter is I'm not in a position to afford a professional editor yet. I have noticed with the advent of e-books, which has brought more writers to light than traditional publishing ever did, that readers seem to be more tolerant of minor errors. I know I am. There's an author whose books I love who is constantly confusing set and sat.

As tolerant as readers are, that doesn't mean writers shouldn't be diligent. I think that indie writers have an even greater responsibility to readers, especially when you consider that some people still don't consider indie authors to be "real" authors.

I am the first to admit that I still have to stop and think, is it effect or affect? If I'm struggling, I'm sure other writers are. That said, there are some things that make me cringe.

Alright is not a word! It doesn't mean you agree everything is okay. It needs to be spelled out as two words; all right. Is something alwrong? Then it can't be alright! Fellow writers, I am begging you. Please stop using it.

Do I feel bad or badly? I feel bad. Bad always applies to feelings. If I'm going to talk about how the team did in the game last night, they did badly. Bad equals feelings. Badly equals how you did or reacted to something.

Do I want dessert or desert? If I'm talking about a sweet treat then I mean dessert. What child didn't learn that you put two of the letter S in the word dessert because you want two helpings? I can eat my dessert in the desert, or I can desert my post, but I am not eating desert.

Does this happen every day? Is it an everyday occurrence? Every day, two words, means every single day. Everyday means something is routine. I read every day.

Does it faze you when I point this out? Do you think it's a phase? Faze means to bother or disturb while phase means a period of time. So, I hope you are not fazed because I can assure you this is not a phase.

Ensure or insure? This is a big one. If I am ensuring you, I'm making you certain of something. Only property can be insured; my car, my house, etc.

Is it the past tense that you passed me by? Yes it is! Past is a noun that means the preceding time or an adjective that often means last. Passed is a verb. You passed me by when you walk past me.

And finally, my favorite, or least favorite, I guess you can say. Do they unconsciously or subconsciously  seek each other out in a crowd?  I hope they aren't unconscious when they do it since that means they aren't awake. I'm sad to say I see it happen often in books.

I'm also sad to say this is just a glimpse into a much bigger problem. Or is it a glimpse in to the problem? It's tough to say, but as writers we should do our best not to let our confusion effect the reader's experience. Wait, was that effect the reader's experience or affect it? Oh, hell!

Ending one Era, Hoping to Start Another

Over the weekend, I put my latest novel up for preorder. Triple Play, the third and final novel in the Kinkaid Brothers series, will be released April 11th, and I'm freaking out here.

Without giving too much away, I took the story line in a direction that I honestly didn't expect when I sat down to write the book. I'm hoping my readers will support it and like the book. I'm terrified I may have let them down, but that's not what I'm freaking out about.

With the release of Triple Play, it feels like an era is coming to an end. I'm officially closing the book on these characters.

Several years ago, I wrote a young adult novel called Like You Mean It. That novel included a shy young girl, her two best friends, her annoying older brother, the boy she adored from afar and his amazing older brother. Like You Mean It struck such a chord with readers that they begged me for more. And I thought, why not? I loved those characters I could write a story for one of them.

When I sat down to write a love story for Justin Jacobs and Chelsea Schumacher, it was only supposed to be one story. The problem was that I had so many ideas that I couldn't cram them all into one book. It would have overwhelmed readers. Thus, the four book Time for Love series was born.

The Time for Love series follows the romance of Justin and Chelsea. Readers get to catch up with old friends and meet new ones along the way. Somewhere into writing those four novels, I was having so much fun that I decided to write another spinoff series.

After finishing the last Time for Love book, I wrote four books in a series I called Taking on Love. Those books featured characters that had appeared in the Time for Love series. In Taking a Risk, the third Taking on Love book, I introduced a gregarious group of guys; the Kinkaid Brothers.

Let me tell you what, those brothers were a hit. Countless people told me they could tell I had a good time writing about those men and asked if I was going to give them some books of their own. How could I not after a reception like that?

Since one of the Kinkaid boys got his happily ever after in Taking a Risk, there were only three books in the Kinkaid Brothers series as opposed to my usual four.

Triple Play is the last book in the series, and I can confirm there will be no more books featuring those characters or anyone from their books. It seems difficult to believe that one young adult novel spawned eleven additional books! That just amazes me.

As much fun as I've had with all of these books, it's time to move on. So, while one era is coming to an end, I'm throwing the door open on the next one. My next book series, the New Beginnings books, is a new adult series. Each book will focus on one couple's story, but all the characters will be intertwined. I'm so excited for this series, and when the time comes, I hope you will be too.