I'm pleased to introduce Katie Salidas! Readers can keep up with Katie on her blog at http://myimmortalstories.blogspot.com. Take it away, Katie...Musings of a Pantser!
Hi Cate! It’s a pleasure to be here with you and your readers today.
Hi everyone!! I’m Katie Salidas author of Immortalis Carpe Noctem and the recently released Erotic Paranormal Romance short, House of Immortal Pleasures.
Many times people ask me how I go about writing my stories. Some look at writing as such a daunting task. They think of outlining, plot structure, and word counts then instantly balk. “I can’t write 80k words!”
The thing is, you can do it. It doesn’t have to be hard. You just have to relax and not focus on the end result. That’s the single biggest thing that stops a new writer from finishing a story. Back when I started writing Immortalis Carpe Noctem, I let that kind of stuff haunt me too. I felt I had to plot everything out. I worried if my chapters would be long enough and if I could really ever hit that magical word count to qualify as a novel.
It took me 5 years to finish Immortalis. I kept forcing myself into the little box of plotting out everything down to the smallest detail and then hating where the story went. I would try to force a chapter past its point, adding in too much unnecessary detail, because I felt each chapter needed to be a specific length.
Eventually, I set the manuscript aside, frustrated with it.
While I let that one settle, I allowed myself to “free write,” not caring if the story made sense or if it was ever going to be read by anyone.
You know what I found out?
The muse doesn’t like to be boxed in. At least mine doesn’t.
Some authors need that structure and that is great for them. Me, I needed freedom. And I bet a lot of others need it too.
Once I realized that, I went back and finished Immortalis Carpe Noctem in a short time and started the crit and revision process. It was that “relaxing” and allowing my muse to speak without worry that helped me to finish my story.
So now, whenever I see a new writer saying, “Oh, I can’t write. It’s too hard.” I tell them the same thing. Just relax. Don’t worry about the end result. Get your story on paper the way you want it. After that, you can worry about “fixing” things. If you can’t get past the initial draft, you will never finish it and make your self frustrated.
House of Immortal Pleasures
Blindfolded and kidnapped, Daphne is whisked away to the famed, House of Immortal Pleasures, a Vampire-run Brothel in Pahrump, Nevada. Sometimes the only way to mend a broken heart is to get back in the saddle. At least that is how Daphne’s friends see it. And since Daphne isn’t showing any signs of letting that happen, they take it into their own hands. With a few shots of liquid courage, a pat on the ass, and a donated gold card, Daphne is unwillingly sent into fantasy room 123 to meet her creature of the night, Connor.
It’s Connor’s job to seduce and entice Daphne to try all the expensive, sexual services on the menu. And he is prepared to do just that, until he peers into her mind and sees the damage done by her broken heart. After learning of her past pain, Connor’s plans change. No more is this a game of seduction to pad the pockets of the brothel owner. Connor decides to lavish Daphne with real attention and affection. Something she desperately needs. He will heal her heart the only way he can, by showing her she is beautiful, desirable, and sexy.
Immortalis: Carpe Noctem
Bleeding to death after brutal mugging on the campus of UNLV, Twenty-five year old Alyssa, is rescued by the cold and aloof, vampire, Lysander. Taking pity on her, he shares the gift-and curse-of immortality. She awakens as a vampire and is soon devastated by harsh realities of her new way of life: the loss of her friends, her independence, and her humanity. As if having her humanity stripped away was not enough to make life interesting, Alyssa finds out her “turning”, did not go unnoticed by the rest of undead society. Old enemies; an ancient sect of vampire hunters, known as the Acta Sanctorum, as well as a powerful Vampire mistress, each set plans in motion to destroy both Alyssa and Lysander.
Only by accepting her newfound immortality, seizing the night, will Alyssa hope to survive. She and Lysander must fight together against two sets of enemies bent on destroying them both.
Immortalis is sold at: Amazon, Smashwords (multi format ebook), Barnes & Noble,
Kindle, Publisher (Author Signed Copies)
Thanks for being my guest Katie! Best of luck!
