A Throwback Quote

But for some reason it's not happening. The idea of writing just sounds so gross right now. I sit down to work and feel put-off and annoyed by it. I feel anxious and sort of depressed, which may be because I have anxiety and depression and am not on my medication right now, but may also not.

I don't know. I just need to have more confidence in myself. I need to sit down and just write and put everything out of my head, but I'm struggling with it.

-me, 2015

I was looking at my old old old blog from 2015 when I was back in high school and my pen name was still Oliver Urban. I cannot believe how much things change and how much they stay the same. I was struggling so much back then.

I'm not taking Prozac anymore, but depression and the cycles of it will always play a role in your writing if you have it. But I'm so happy to be in a creative bright spot now, where I am writing every day and having fun with it, writing what I want, how I want, not to prove anything to anybody, but because it lights up my soul, I enjoy it, it helps me feel healthier and I like manifesting and creating reality, although I think that might be an ego thing.

Either way I wanted to share this neat little tidbit because I thought it was funny and ironic. I'm doing so much better now but I definitely still feel this way sometimes. Right now it's all smooth sailing though.

I hope you all feel inspired with whatever you're creating! Also, remember back when I used to do author interviews? I might go into that again. I hate that I don't do it anymore and I figure it could be a fun time. I think it helps indie authors feel legit and have fun and it's part of the whole author dream people have, so it's always nice knowing I'm helping them have a chance to experience that and develop further confidence and an audience.

We'll see!

Under his Touch Quotes

These are for Wattpad; a quote for every chapter.

More, More, More

I feel like I start too many of my blogs with disclaimers, but here goes another: this isn't an *actual* blog post.

It's just that in 2014 I only posted eight blogs, and I want to post way more this year, because I hate the idea of this blog going back to the old, empty, sad husk it used to be. In 2015 I made well over a 100 posts and I want to continue in that vein.

This will be the eighth post I've made this year, meaning I've officially equaled out with my 2014 self, and after I write my next post, I'll be ahead. I can't believe I'm so petty I compete with myself, too, but here we are.

Since I have nothing of interest to say here, I'll leave you with this:

I made two quote posts for Dreamseeker for social media, and I haven't shared them here yet, which is crazy, since I love them so much:

Also, Shadows of Ourselves is free for the next two days! You can get it here.

Too Much and Too Little

While going over SOSAS another time I've been listening to The Walk, by Imogen Heap, on repeat. I've also been stuffing my face with barbecue chips.

But I thought I would take a break from that to post a quote from the book really quickly:

You can buy the book here, or just wait until it's out in paperback. The new edition will have a map of the world in it. If I can figure out how to format that.

Or, you can request a free review copy by sending me an email, which I talked about in my last post. The gist of it is this: you like free books, I like honest reviews. And giving out free books.

So shoot me an email at ApolloBlake@mail.com for a free ebook if you're interested. Now, back to work!

Formatting and ARCS/Review Copies

Today I'm doing some editing and then hopping over to formatting work for paperbacks. I haven't put out any paperbacks yet because, frankly, I'm lazy. But I've had people tell me they want physical copies of the books, and I want them too, so I'm putting them all out through Createspace.

I've used them for paperbacks before, back when I wrote my first book, at seventeen (a novel that nobody but me is ever allowed to see, that will never see the light of day, because that's just how bad it was) and liked the finished product. So.

I'm making SOSAS my priority, and Rage and Frenzy will both be available only in the bundle edition because on their own I think they'd make too-small, floppy books. Plus they're better when read together.

I think I'm personally most excited for the Blood of Midnight paperback, though. It's going to contain Scars of Dusk, the short story, in the paperback edition, and I can't wait to see them in person. I have a feeling that cover is gonna be super pretty.

Aside from formatting paperbacks, though, I'm also looking to send out some review copies of the ebooks.

Particularly for Dreamseeker:

Dreamseeker is a novella I wrote with teenagers hunting monsters, kissing, and travelling to other worlds! It's urban fantasy with sci-fi elements, and here's a quote:

“I’m always going to be there to help you fight, Hugh.” Why were we whispering? Why was he so close? Why—

Whyishetouchingmelikethis?

Hugh’s fingers were tracing the bare skin of my forearms, fingertips smoothing over the cold of the room and destroying every thought that passed through my head. There was just the heat of him, the thrill of his touch that never got old.

“I know,” he said. “I know you will.”

So, there you have it. Romance and terrifying monsters! Plus, that's a pretty cover.

If you're interested in reading Dreamseeker (or any of my published titles!) and leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads, leave a comment below with your email, or email me at ApolloBlake@mail.com, and I'd be happy to send you an ebook of whichever title you're interested in.

Among other things, I'm reworking the Lilac Jones Adventures (going through and giving them a firmer editing, as well as writing another one or two stories to wrap up that series. Originally I was going to write a spin-off novel, called A Darkness So Divine, but the idea for that book was a loose, underdeveloped one, and although I'm probably use those characters someday, that project in and of itself is scrapped. At the same time, I need to end Lilac's story, because I think her stories and fun and cute and because I owe it to anybody who was invested in them.

I'm also giving Souls of Salt & Seawater a firmer editing, but that's honestly just grammar and formatting stuff where I've found tiny errors. Lots and lots of formatting, and it kills me every time.

So, yeah, that's what's up: I'll be posting links to paperbacks within the next week or so, and the new editions of SOSAS and TLJA should be out sometime soon, as well!

I'll probably be doing a rafflecopter giveaway for new Lilac Jones ebooks once they're out, so keep an eyes out for that. And, as always, thanks so much for reading guys!

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Blood of Midnight is free for the next two days!

Blood of Midnight is going to be free in the Kindle Store for the 24th and 25th! If you're looking for a fast read with some dark subject matter, intense action scenes, and vampire court intrigue, pick it up!

You can find the book here! And here's a quote;

Meet The Ladies + Quotes!