So, apparently (to no one’s surprise at all), I fall heavily on the procrastinating side of planning things. Thus, I find myself here on November first having little to no idea when I woke up of where I was going with NaNo. Thankfully, in my whimsically capricious way, I was able to sort out my (tentative) goals for the month.
My plans for this NaNo is that Mon-Fri., each day I’ll write a new chapter for one of my fanfictions, a new chapter for one of my Vella stories, and then at least 500 words on the fourth novel in my Seeker Files series: In Search of Pack.
If I’m having a really good week, you might get bonus content on the weekend, but have no serious plans to do anything on the weekends.At the end of each day, I’ll come here and make a new post my numbers, links to what I’ve posted, as well as stories about how the writing went that day.
This post I’m going to leave pinned to the top of my blog and I’ll update total numbers for the entire month here.
So, we’ve made it to April, the 4th month of the year. Now, up until a few years ago, I really didn’t think that much about it. However, after the past few years, I’ve decided to celebrate each month as it comes, lol.
So, what’s new this month?
For Writers:
This month is Camp Nano. Camp Nano happens every April and July and it’s a great time to work towards a writing goal. Unlike NaNoWriMo in November, you don’t have to hit a goal of 50k words or even work on a novel, it can be whatever word goal/project you want. However, the benefit of these camps are that you can be part of a community and get some encouragement while writing.
Another great resource for Camp NaNo is 4thewords. 4thewords helps gamify your writing. It’s a wonderful game where you can craft and battle monsters by writing. They have a special month long event with special quests and monsters to battle during Camp Nano.
Come and give it a try, there’s a free trial, so if you don’t like it, you’ve lost nothing. Also, if you enter my code VXKKX33097, you’ll get some extra free time and if you do decide to get a subscription, you can earn some extra crystals as well.
Every April, for bloggers, there is an A-Z blogging challenge that you can participate in. I’m not participating, but I have in the past and it’s super fun. Basically, you pick any topic you want and then write a blog post for every letter of the alphabet and post them throughout the month of April.
There are all sorts of neat topics being blogged about, I highly recommend that you check it out. I think you’ll find something amazing to read 🙂 You can find the master list of topics on this website: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/
Kindle Vella
My plans at this time are to update my 4 Vella stories once a week, with a random story getting an extra chapter on Fridays. So M-F, I’ll be posting a chapter a day for all of my Vellas. Come by and check them out, remember, the first 3 chapters are free 🙂
Fanfiction
Ok, confession time here. I have way too many story ideas bouncing around in my head. So imagine my shock and surprise when I counted up my in-progress stories and found that I have 15 that have not been finished and many haven’t been updated in much too long (I am so, so sorry my faithful readers).
Because of this, I have experienced story paralysis. So, I’ve come up with a system to beat this. I wrote up all the titles of the stories in a numbered list and then I pulled up a random number generator. Whatever story the number lands on, I’ll update that day and then I’ll mark that story on the list as ‘done’. That way I’m not updating the same story again and again while others languish. Once the list is completely ‘done’, I’ll start again. So updates for all stories will only be two weeks at most and not months like it has been.
I have been absent for the past several weeks. I don’t know if you’ve noticed and truthfully, it’s ok if you didn’t. I don’t really have a high online profile anyway. (Yes, I am an introvert, lol. It’s one of the reasons that I chose writing over something like acting or politics.)
The reason that I’ve been gone was exhaustion. I had hit a wall, hard. It was to the point where I found it hard to get out of bed, but neither was I able to get any decent rest, no matter how much or how little I actually slept. I was run down, burnt out, and hiding from the world. I just couldn’t find the energy to care whether or not I was interacting with anyone or going anywhere. It was just easier to stay at home and try to make it through another day.
At the same time, I was utterly miserable. I was letting down everyone in my life, I wasn’t meeting my goals, why couldn’t I just shake this off? After all, everyone else manages to get up and push through the day, so why couldn’t I? I was lazy, a failure, a bad sister/daughter/friend because I couldn’t be there for those I loved. Every time I would go to write, I would just stare at the blank screen, nearly in tears because no matter how much I searched, I could not find any words or stories inside me.
My cup was empty. I had absolutely nothing left to give. No stories. No energy. Nothing of myself to offer my friends and family. It was like staring into a misty abyss in the mountains inside myself. I knew that there would most likely be something wonderful if I could just get rid of the fog.
But the truth is, this didn’t happen overnight. I wasn’t perfectly fine one day and totally empty the next. No, this was years and years of neglect on my part that led to this point. Our world values busy. The more items you have crammed into your schedule, the more items you can produce, that’s when you are considered a productive member of society. And so, we hit the ground running, day after day, not noticing that we’re destroying the most valuable thing we have, ourselves.
As everyone knows, these past two years have been, challenging, to put it lightly. Not only that, but living in the digital age and the constant stream of information at our finger tips and we’re under pressure 24/7 to process more and more and more. We don’t have sanctuaries or rest anymore. Many times, our homes are no longer our havens since people have started working remotely. There is no shift from work to the relaxation of home. No, now work is all the time at home because that’s where work is now. There is no division, no invisible boundary lines.
A few weeks ago, I got fed up with the brain fog and the lethargy. I got tired of not being able to perform and not being able to figure out why. I took care of myself, took my vitamins, ate fairly well, and tried to sleep at least six hours at night (I’m a night owl living with morning people, lol). So why was I unable to function? This kicked off some major research on my part.
And I discovered that I have adrenal fatigue. Now, this is a very controversial diagnosis. Many doctors do not believe in it. Also, it’s not a condition but a syndrome, something that happens because of something that’s happening in the body. To break it down as simply as possible, adrenals produce cortisol. Cortisol is what tells our body whether to fight or flight. It’s our stress response. However, when our bodies are under long term (chronic) stress without an actual event, the body starts getting confused about what to do with all the cortisol. After all, it’s only a short term solution. Cortisol gives you the energy/strength for survival and then after the event/danger is over, then you can go back to normal. But with chronic stress, there is nothing to signal an end to the situation for you body to return to business as usual.
So, I made some changes, took a social media/news fast, changed some of my diet, and started treating the adrenals directly so that they could stop over producing cortisol. And within 24 hours, the brain fog started to clear. Within a week, I started to engage with the world around me again. It’s been nearly a month now, and I’m finally getting my energy and creativity back. I feel like I’m slowly reclaiming my life and who I’m meant to be.
During this time, I’ve also been taking a hard look at my life, re-evaluating everything. Self care has become a lot more important to me, because I never should’ve allowed myself to reach this level of burnout in the first place, to where it became impossible for me to live my life ‘normally’. I’ve gotten rid of some of the busy work that was adding nothing of true value to my life. I reassessed my commitments, my goals, my dreams, everything.
I’m not going to lie, it’s going to take time to get myself back to what I consider optimal health, especially since life is not going to stop throwing challenges at me. But I’m going to start treating myself right, taking care of myself like I take care of those I love. I’m going to give myself more grace, laugh and live more instead of trying to keep up with the fast pace of this constantly moving world.
And don’t worry, I’m going to keep writing. I love to do it, it brings me such deep joy and commitment. But I’m going to stop trying to be that perfect author that does it all. Instead, I’m going to laugh and spin stories around a blazing campfire under a night sky blanketed with stars. I’m going to dance and sing and just enjoy the journey that my characters take me on. Because quite frankly, no one gets out of life alive, so I want to start enjoying the journey.
I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family and wishing you all a wonderful holiday season.
Here are some great reads to enjoy and unwind with during this busy time 🙂
Genre: Family, Coming of Age
An Operator’s Daughter
Finding inner strength to overcome the obstacles of changing living situations and high schools, 17-year-old Ashton overcomes severe anxiety, fights back against sexual harassment, and attempts to rebuild a relationship with her grieving Navy SEAL Veteran father.
When her own budding relationship with a Special Warfare Operator begins to parallel her parents’ love-at-first story, she must decide whether the life she grew up with is the one she wishes to continue living into the future.
Laurie Anne Brandon’s writing draws upon her experiences as a military educational counselor, high school teacher, and years working in television production. She contributes to the Kindle-Vella anthology group called Vellains Florilegium which released a horror anthology, Season 1: Horrors of SinteTek Anthology, in October and will release a collection of short stories with the theme of life after death in December.
After her own father sells her to the unscrupulous Ringmaster, Belle thinks she’ll spend the rest of her days performing cheap stunts while the Nuzaran masses gawk at her ether-poisoned body. A chance encounter with a beast by her solitary campfire changes everything. Can they find liberation or will the past consume them both?
I have a deep love for Universal Monster movies, all things related to Nikola Tesla, and iced coffee. The first two things fuel my creativity and the latter keeps me motivated! You can check my other works on my website: https://simplykelseyjo.com/
Genre : Romantic Fantasy
My Time or Yours: King’s Road Season One
By Elizabeth Ash
She crossed time to save him. She wasn’t supposed to fall in love. “I don’t want to leave you,” she whispers, and his eyes swirl with intensity as he gazes up at her. “I’ll be here when you return,” he says. “I promise.” Maybe he doesn’t hate her. Maybe he will forgive her. Maybe she won’t have to figure out how to live without him. She came to stop a war and save a kingdom. Now all that matters is saving him.
I live in the middle of the woods of the Pacific Northwest, where I keep a wary eye out for sasquatch. So far, he hasn’t revealed himself, but the trees around me are the inspiration for many of the forest scenes in my stories. https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethAshBooks/
A Forest of Stolen Memories
By Callie Thomas
Genre: YA Fantasy/Sweet Romance
Celebration turns to disaster when a mysterious curse goes awry. A reminder that the Sorcerer’s prophecy still plagued the royal family. Roselyn’s memory is suddenly erased, leaving her panicked at the altar. Confused, she flees to the place the prince fears most–the enchanted Mistbrooke Forest. Danger lingers closer than she can imagine, forcing her to seek help from a dark stranger who may be the key to recovering her lost memories. Can she break the curse without breaking her heart?
Author Note:
A lot of inspiration for my forest descriptions comes from the tropical island where I’m stationed: Okinawa, Japan.
After an Army vet who’s looking for love begins falling for the date planner of the reality dating program he’s set to star on, the show’s producers trick the jaded staffer into posing as a contestant for one night to save the show’s tarnished reputation. To keep her job, she needs this season’s star to find love. He needs her to give him her heart to get his happy ending.
What can go wrong when she gets a rose? Then another?
I have four books out in my Bad Karma Special Ops romantic suspense series. Not only do I write Army heroes, I volunteer at the USO, but not singing and dancing (much.) I have a sense of humor and am not afraid to use it. I’m an extrovert writer and you can interact with me on Facebook and Instagram.
A deadly accident. A fake identity only known by friends. And a truth that changes everything.
When Victor broke into Iris’ repair shop, she expected a profit raid, not an unknown racer fit for the pro-circuit. But their unintentional attraction provides a chance to get what they both want: a way out. When adrenaline remains the most addictive commodity in a corporate sponsored world, it’s hard to know who to trust and who is trying to sell you something. The race is on, but can they ever stop?
In addition to writing science fiction and fantasy, I always aim to infuse those genres with representation because I think stories become beautifully more complex and truer to life for it. You can check more about me at www.RoseSinclair.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/roseoverchaos.
Genre: Romance
An Italian Christmas
Recently widowed, Casey Hargrove, returns to work in an attempt to get through the holidays without a constant reminder that she will spend it alone. Work isn’t exactly how she left it though. Lucas Santori, an Acquisition Consultant, has been hired to help sell the business. When the business is sold to an Italian company, Casey is offered an opportunity to spend the Christmas season in Italy.
Will her Italian Christmas be the fresh start she’s been looking for?
Do the past, present, and future exist simultaneously? Is it really possible for Heaven and Earth to intersect?
Marcus Hanes is struggling to cope with the death of his grandfather, when he comes across a few of his vintage belongings. The items are an odd looking compass, a pair of reading glasses, and a journal. For sentimental reasons, he toys with the compass and suddenly finds himself facing in the opposite direction. Upon sharing the experience with his cousins, they discern that the glasses could hold power as well. What they discover next is a level of truth that will alter their existence forever.
Writing about ordinary people who experience extraordinary things is my passion. To learn more about my other literary works, please visit the link below. https://linktr.ee/MHandy1
Genre: Fantasy
Elianora
Driven by her past to the very edge of the kingdom, Elianora vows to spend the rest of her life atoning for that day when her world was shattered.
But fate, as it turns out, is not done with her yet.
With a soulmate trying to win her heart and the threat of war looming on the horizon, will she be able to cling to her vow of atonement or will she end up taking a path that she never expected?
In addition to writing Urban Fantasy, one of the things I love to do is write fanfiction. You can check it all out here on my blog in addition to my original works.
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Slow Burn Romance A fast pace, Urban Fantasy tale with slow burn romance. Suggested age for reading is 18-up.
I never thought I’d be running the family business alone, but a freak hunting accident left Fenris, my Direwolf companion and me half-dead. Luckily, we pulled through, but my dad he didn’t make it. Now I am searching for the people responsible for his death while digging up the pieces of secrets he kept.
About the author: Adalynd Grayves is the name and writing darker fiction is my game. When writing my stories, I like to take a pinch of monster, a dash of myth, and add a sprinkle of fairytales into the mix. I’ve been in anthologies in the past, but I’m currently working on publishing my first novel releasing in 2022 ( official date TBA) and I have my Kindle Vella serial out and ready to read now. You can find all my links here: https://linktr.ee/AdalyndGrayves
Today I wrote a chapter for my fanfiction “To Mend a Heart”. After several heavier chapters, Bella decided that it was time to have a few lighter chapters, so today I got to help her play dress up. (I also got to spend some time looking at images of some gorgeous clothes and jewelry. I love my job).
Also, a shout out to Trish for helping me get the awesome new graphic made that I’m going to use for it. I absolutely love it and I’m tech challenged at the best of times, lol.
So Monday is the day that I update my story “Fight or Flight: A Cinderella Tale of Court Intrigue”.
It was Alyssa and Rowan’s first meeting now that they’ve had time to really realize that they found their mate. It did not go exactly as I expected, they are both strong willed people, but I did get to peek into what both of them were thinking, which is always fun.
I also got to spend some time researching flowers and flower meanings. Have I told you how much I love my job?
So, it’s been much too long since I’ve looked at this story. Honestly, life got busy and this project got moved to the back burner while I dealt with other, more pressing matters. However, I found that I slipped back into the mood of the story easily.
I’m going to have to go through and reread what I’ve already written so that I can refresh my memory, but overall I think that this is going to be a very good month for this story.
So, that was my writing day today.
Oh, and it also snowed today! The flakes were so tiny and pretty, I was so excited to see it.
Welcome to November and I hope that you all had a great Monday!
Wow, the year is just flying by! I can’t believe that we’re at the end of October already.
So, because we made it through yet another month, treat yourself to one (or more) of these neat Vella stories.
Genre : Romantic Fantasy
Elven Heartboundby Elizabeth Ash
Born of elven magic. Bound to an elven prince.
All her life, Arisanna has been destined to wed the son of the elf king, and now the elves have come to collect. Nothing, however, goes as expected when the elves arrive to claim her. Despite their misunderstandings, Arisanna agrees to wed the aloof elf prince with whom she’s been heartbound since before her birth.
Is the prince as hard as he seems? Or is there more to him than meets the eye?
I live in the middle of the woods of the Pacific Northwest, where I keep a wary eye out for sasquatch. So far, he hasn’t revealed himself, but the trees around me are the inspiration for many of the forest scenes in my stories. https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethAshBooks/
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Slow Burn Romance
A fast pace, Urban Fantasy tale with slow burn romance. Suggested age for reading is 18-up.
I never thought I’d be running the family business alone, but a freak hunting accident left Fenris, my Direwolf companion and me half-dead. Luckily, we pulled through, but my dad he didn’t make it. Now I am searching for the people responsible for his death while digging up the pieces of secrets he kept.
About the author: Adalynd Grayves is the name and writing darker fiction is my game. When writing my stories, I like to take a pinch of monster, a dash of myth, and add a sprinkle of fairytales into the mix. I’ve been in anthologies in the past, but I’m currently working on publishing my first novel releasing in 2022 ( official date TBA) and I have my Kindle Vella serial out and ready to read now. You can find all my links here: https://linktr.ee/AdalyndGrayves
Genre: Non-Fiction
Building Your Readership by LaShaunda Hoffman
The hardest part about promoting a book is finding your readers. Inside this book I share 10 ways to start building your readership. Each episode gives you tips and action steps you can implement after each episode.
Hello I’m LaShaunda Hoffman. I’ve promoted books for 20+ years. I started an online magazine – Shades Of Romance and it taught me how to build a readership. I’m currently working on my first women’s fiction book. I’ve been enjoying this journey on Kindle Vella.
You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Clubhouse and TikTok.
After an alert goes out to the paying members of the disaster bunker known as New Eden, residents find themselves trapped between two vastly different worlds: one that preys on trauma and one that creates it. Now, a newly wealthy yet troubled man and his new friends must find a way to live with the Hell they bought or return to the Hell which remains.
Benjamin ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time. You can read more at https://www.bxwretlind.com/ where he writes blog articles focused (mostly) on writing.
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Forsaken Beauty and the Etherbeast by Kelsey Josephson
A bookish strongwoman longs for freedom.
A beast searches for a cure.
Together, they’ll break man-made curses.
After her own father sells her to the unscrupulous Ringmaster, Belle thinks she’ll spend the rest of her days performing cheap stunts while the Nuzaran masses gawk at her ether-poisoned body. A chance encounter with a beast by her solitary campfire changes everything. Can they find liberation or will the past consume them both?
I have a deep love for Universal Monster movies, all things related to Nikola Tesla, and iced coffee. The first two things fuel my creativity and the latter keeps me motivated! You can check my other works on my website: https://simplykelseyjo.com/
Genre: Fantasy
Fight or Flight: A Cinderella Tale of Court Intrigue
Who doesn’t love a Cinderella story?
However, the stories never tell of what happens after the Prince finds his Bride and Cinderella finds her ‘Happily Ever After’. What should be a happily ever after for Alyssa quickly becomes a game of survival as she tries to navigate a hostile court and those who are eyeing her position next to the prince.
Will she manage to win the game or will the strike of midnight only declare the beginning of her doom?
In addition to writing Urban Fantasy, one of the things I love to do is write fanfiction. You can check it all out here on my blog in addition to my original works.
People tell you to live life to the fullest. Take your time. Don’t make rash decisions. I should have listened. Maybe it would have made a difference. Tomorrow is my eighteenth birthday. A day that’s supposed to be special. Eighteen years old means adulthood. Life is just starting. That’s how it used to be, years ago. Before our new society formed. Instead, I face uncertainty. My past sways the outcome. On this birthday, I will receive the most important gift. The gift of the date I will die.
In addition to writing YA Dystopian, I also write YA Fantasy. You can check out more about my projects on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/authorbysimpson/ and on Instagram
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Not Your Angel
Two worlds, two wings, and one big problem ex…
With the return of her childhood ex-boyfriend, Silana and her family must stop pretending to play normal and embrace who they really are in order to save the world from a disastrous past love eager for new worshippers. The only problem is that Earth already believes in angels.
About The Authors: Some friendships never die. This co-written story is by two life-long friends! Follow one of the authors on instagram @RoseOverChaos for more bookish friends. https://www.instagram.com/roseoverchaos
Genre: Coming of Age, Family and High School Drama, Romance
An Operator’s Daughter
When jettisoned into dysfunctional family and new high school, 17-year-old Ashton must overcome severe anxiety and fight back against sexual harassment, while attempting to rebuild a relationship with her grieving Navy SEAL Veteran father. She questions whether or not history should repeat itself while seeking her own happiness when her own budding relationship with a Special Warfare Operator begins to parallel her parents’ love-at-first-sight story as told within the pages her mother’s journals.
Laurie Anne Brandon writes based upon her experiences as a military academic counselor, high school teacher, years of working television production and as an alpine ski instructor. She lives with her husband, three cats and golden retriever in suburban Western Washington.
Claire, a journalism student at Brunston University has stumbled onto quite a few secrets about B.U.s alumnae. Outing the culprits might not only destroy the guilty, but take down the innocent as well. Travel with Claire Richardson as she navigates a sticky trail of clues that will ultimately force her to choose between what is good and what is evil.
Every since I was a young girl I absolutely loved watching Mystery and Suspense movies with my mother. The art of a story unfolding to reveal the larger picture inspires me to create characters whose curiosity pushes them to find the truth.
: a genre of imaginative fiction featuring supernatural characters or elements in an urban setting … a sub-genre that has become increasingly popular—urban fantasy. A number of authors have recently told stories of elves and other fairy folk coming to our mundane world, usually setting up shop not in the wooded groves of the past but in crowded modern cities.— William Marden, The Orlando (Florida) Sentinel, 26 Nov. 2000
: a work of urban fantasy It’s an elaborate urban fantasy about sisters Makeda and Abby—the offspring of a human mother and benevolent demigod. — Mindy Farabee, The Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2013
Urban fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy in which the narrative uses supernatural elements in a 19th-century to 21st-century (or equivalent) urban society.[1][2][3]
(The Wikipedia article contains much more info, I recommend checking it out if you’re interested in learning more about the genre, sources at the bottom of the article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_fantasy)
Basically, the way that I understand it, Urban Fantasy is a world where magic and technology co-exist. Where there are all the modern conveniences like cars and cell phones, but there is also magic in the world. For example, in an urban fantasy story, your cab driver could have the ability to teleport to your destination. Or maybe instead of going to college for a business degree, college is mandatory so that people can master their magic gifts before going out and getting hired into the workforce. Or there is some sort of incursion of magical creatures and now the world has to embrace their magical gifts in order to survive and save humanity.
Seriously, the possibilities are endless.
Another popular aspect of Urban Fantasy is alternate historical timelines. For example, what if the Titanic didn’t sink because a magician who could wield fire was on board and melted the iceberg? Or what if the reason that Marco Polo traveled so much was because he was looking for a magical artifact? What if the Mount St. Helens eruption was really the rebirth of a phoenix?
It’s a popular way to take what if questions and look at the world through a different lens, one imbued in magic.
When it comes to Urban Fantasy, the only limit is your imagination, so let it run wild, you never know what amazing thing you will discover around a familiar corner.
We all know what Kindle is now, an easy place for authors to publish their books and an easy place for readers to find a wide variety of ebooks in all subjects and price ranges. Kindle has been around since 2007 and it’s something that almost everyone is familiar with at least in passing. So what is Kindle Vella and how is it different from Kindle?
Kindle Vella, to put it simply, is the snack food of the reading world.
Now, I know that some of you are looking at me with a horrified expression right now, but let me explain. I am not saying that Kindle Vella is bad for you like junk food or that it’s mindless fluff that disappears as soon as you bite into it, like cotton candy or cheese puffs. (Besides, eating cheese puffs while reading always runs a high chance of leaving orange fingerprints on the paper, do not recommend). No, what I’m saying is that Kindle Vella is a quick opportunity to refuel your imagination and release your stress.
Let’s face it, the world that we live in today is a fast paced one. We’re always busy, busy, busy. It doesn’t matter what phase of life you are in, student, worker, parent, etc., it is nearly impossible anymore to find the time to sit down and actually read a book all the way through. Unless you are waiting in the doctor’s office or on hold to talk to someone about an issue, I guarantee that you don’t have a large enough chunk of time, lol.
This is where Kindle Vella comes in. It offers you bite size chapters that you can easily read while waiting in line at the grocery store, on a lunch break, walking in-between classes, or during a toddler’s veeeery short nap. It’s quick and it’s convenient. So lets take a quick look into it.
How it works:
For Readers:
All Kindle Vella stories offer the first three episodes for free. Once you’re three chapters in, you should have a pretty good feel for whether or not you enjoy the story and/or the author. The site is divided by genre such as fantasy or action and then further divided by tags so that it is easier to find stories that you enjoy.
After the first 3 episodes, the chapters can be unlocked by tokens. By joining Vella, you automatically get 200 free tokens right now. Not only that, but the tokens are fairly reasonably priced, with the reader being able to purchase 200 tokens for only $1.99. That’s less than a cup of coffee and will open multiple chapters. There are also other bundles that readers can purchase.
Now, the cost to unlock each chapter will vary, because the formula breaks it down to 1 token per 100 words. So a chapter that’s 2,056 words will cost 20 tokens to unlock, whereas one that is 1789 will only cost 17 tokens. Chapters are capped at 5k words, so you will never have to pay more than 50 tokens for a chapter and most are significantly less.
You can follow stories, like a single chapter or all the chapters in a story, or even fave a story, giving the story a crown. It also has the option for you to leave a review on the story.
For Writers:
For many writers, the process of creating a book is a long one. First you have to write out the first draft, revise, edit, revise again. Curl up with your cat while wailing that your story will never be again. Binge snacks and a tv series while the story simmers in the back of your mind. Reluctantly drag yourself back to the computer and find that the story is much better than how you thought it was, you’ve got this! Finish editing and then either format and self publish or start the hunt for a publisher.
Either way, it’s a looooooot of work.
Sometimes you just want to share your awesome character and story with others on the off chance that they find it as cool as you do. Nothing makes my day better than when someone tells me that my story made them smile or made them forget about their worries for a while. Best feeling in the world!
This is where Kindle Vella comes in.
Vella gives you the opportunity to publish your story in chapters as it develops. The recommended length for a chapter is 2,500-3,000 words, but it can easily be longer or shorter. Also, just like how it is hard to sit down and read an entire book, it’s also hard to sit down and write for long, uninterrupted periods of time (uninterrupted is the key word there). However, say that you plan to update your story once a week, say Friday evenings so that people can have something new to read on the weekend. If you write 500 words a day, Monday thru Friday, then you’ll have a 2,500 word chapter by Friday night. 500 words a day sounds much easier, right?
So you have your story idea, your first chapter(s) all polished and ready to go, and are ready to get started. This must be the hard part. Actually, no, no it’s not. You can have it all set up in 5 minutes. Upload a picture, create a small blurb, indicate what genre your story is and add a couple of tags to make it easier to find. Then all you have to do is either upload your document or copy and paste the chapter into the space that they provide. It’s that simple. After that, when you click submit, it goes to review and they tell you that it can take up to 72 hours to go live. However, I have never had it take more than a few hours, twelve at the absolute outside.
Not only that, but at the end of each chapter, there is the option for you to add an Author’s Note, an additional opportunity to interact with your readers. In this spot, you can share something extra about your characters and story, maybe when you plan to release your next chapter. You could even do a tiny sneak peek if that’s your style.
And that’s it. Your story is now live, congrats!
Now, Kindle Vella has only been up for a few months now, so just to be fair, I’m also going to cover some of the cons that I’ve discovered about Kindle Vella during my time using it.
For Readers:
It seems like the same several stories get regularly featured, so if you want something else, you’re going to have to dig through the stories a little bit more. Searching tags do help, but the categories seem to be more broadly defined at this point it time. It could be where it is such a new platform, there simply aren’t as many writers on it yet. However, it’s my belief that there are dozens of gems on Vella just waiting to be discovered.
For Writers:
Kindle Vella does not seem to have been widely promoted yet, the opening having been done just within the U.S. Because of this, all of the work of promoting your story will fall squarely onto your shoulders. If you have a social media presence for your writing set up, you’ll fare better. If you don’t, I recommend that you do right away, especially Instagram. There are several groups out there to help support Vella authors, but you will have to search them out for yourselves.
Another issue that I’m having is that I cannot seem to figure out how the ranking system for stories work. Some of the top stories have lots of likes while others only have a few. The algorithm is different and many authors are struggling to understand how it works so that they can best promote their work.
In order to fix the issue mentioned above, I currently have a suggestion in to create a recently updated section for readers. As I’m sure many of you know, I write fanfiction. On the site I use, Archive of Our Own, they have a section where every time a story is updated, it’s moved to the top of the list and then they are slowly moved down as other stories update.. It helps stories that update regularly but might otherwise be buried get found. I’ve found some of my very favorite stories this way. I really hope that they seriously consider this and if you want to send them an email or comment on the community post on amazon that I have up, that would be great.
So is Kindle Vella the groundbreaking new meeting ground for readers and writers? I don’t know.
But…..
It definitely has the potential to become something great if it’s managed right.
We’ve made it through the month of September (and three-quarters of the way through 2021) and because of this, I think we all deserve a treat 🙂
Because of this, I’ve gathered together some great Kindle Vella authors for you guys to check out and enjoy.
Hope you’re having a wonderful day!
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Forsaken Beauty and the Etherbeast
Kelsey Josephson
A bookish strongwoman longs for freedom.
A beast searches for a cure.
Together, they’ll break man-made curses.
After her own father sells her to the unscrupulous Ringmaster, Belle thinks she’ll spend the rest of her days performing cheap stunts while the Nuzaran masses gawk at her ether-poisoned body. A chance encounter with a beast by her solitary campfire changes everything. Can they find liberation or will the past consume them both?
I have a deep love for Universal Monster movies, all things related to Nikola Tesla, and iced coffee. The first two things fuel my creativity and the latter keeps me motivated! You can check my other works on my website: https://simplykelseyjo.com/
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Genre: Dystopian Steampunk SciFi
Beneath Gehenna
After an alert goes out to the paying members of the disaster bunker known as New Eden, residents find themselves trapped between two vastly different worlds: one that preys on trauma and one that creates it. Now, a newly wealthy yet troubled man and his new friends must find a way to live with the Hell they bought or return to the Hell which remains.
Benjamin ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time. You can read more at https://www.bxwretlind.com/ where, in addition to books and art, he writes blog articles focused (mostly) on writing.
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Genre: YA Dystopian
Death Date
People tell you to live life to the fullest. Take your time. Don’t make rash decisions. I should have listened. Maybe it would have made a difference. Tomorrow is my eighteenth birthday. A day that’s supposed to be special. Eighteen years old means adulthood. Life is just starting. That’s how it used to be, years ago. Before our new society formed. Instead, I face uncertainty. My past sways the outcome. On this birthday, I will receive the most important gift. The gift of the date I will die.
Celebration turns to disaster when a mysterious curse goes awry. A reminder that the Sorcerer’s prophecy still plagued the royal family. Roselyn’s memory is suddenly erased, leaving her panicked at the altar. Confused, she flees to the place the prince fears most–the enchanted Mistbrooke Forest. Danger lingers closer than she can imagine, forcing her to seek help from a dark stranger who may be the key to recovering her lost memories. Can she break the curse without breaking her heart?
A lot of inspiration for the forest descriptions in my story comes from the tropical island where I’m stationed: Okinawa, Japan.
Victor and Iris aim to change a dangerous race to first place, that’s if they can survive the literal fast-paced profit motive.
When Victor broke into Iris’ repair shop, she expected a profit raid, not an unknown racer fit for the pro-circuit. But their chance encounter provides a chance to get what they both want. A way out. When adrenaline remains the most addictive commodity in this corporate sponsored world, can they resist the attention it brings?
The race is on… but can they ever stop?
Rose Sinclair was a community leader who started with a blog in 2013, and now writes science fiction, fantasy, and romance novels and organizes pen pal projects. https://artoverchaos.tumblr.com/
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Genre: Fantasy
Fight or Flight: A Cinderella Tale of Court Intrigue
Who doesn’t love a Cinderella story?
However, the stories never tell of what happens after the Prince finds his Bride and Cinderella finds her ‘Happily Ever After’. What should be a happily ever after for Alyssa quickly becomes a game of survival as she tries to navigate a hostile court and those who are eyeing her position next to the prince.
Will she manage to win the game or will the strike of midnight only declare the beginning of her doom?
In addition to writing Urban Fantasy, one of the things I love to do is write fanfiction. You can check it all out here on my blog in addition to my original works.
Tate and Claire are leaving Las Vegas. He wants to escape a crippled MC after their beloved leader is murdered. She wants to flee a dead-end job and “Mommy Dearest” mother–who suspiciously took her father’s place as the club’s new president. When she hastily agrees to a meeting with a man her mother hates, Claire’s thrown into a night of terror that derails Tate’s plans. Lies unravel…and sins are revealed. But will those secrets be bigger than the one they buried in the desert years ago?
I live in Cincinnati and write the Darcy Walker mysteries and the Rivera and Gutierrez Novellas. www.instagram.com/ajlapebooks
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Genre: Coming of Age Romance, Family/High School Drama
An Operator’s Daughter
Severe anxiety and sexual harassment, 17-year-old Ashton has to deal with both when jettisoned into a dysfunctional family and chaotic high school. Her father, a retired SEAL, is struggling with the death of his soulmate and loss of self-purpose, and refuses to provide a home for the two of them to share.
Drawing strength from her deceased mother’s journals, Ashton begins to overcome the chaos of her present situation. But when her own budding relationship with an Operator begins to parallel her parents’ love-at-first-sight story, she must put aside logic to secure her own happy beginning.
New episodes for An Operator’s Daughter are released on Tuesdays and Fridays, with part II schedule for release in December 2021.
Laurie Anne Brandon writes fiction based on her experiences living in suburban Western Washington state and careers in sports television production, alpine ski instruction, secondary education, and military educational counseling. An Operator’s Daughter is her first work of serial fiction.
Claire, a journalism student at Brunston University has stumbled onto quite a few secrets about B.U.s alumnae. Outing the culprits might not only destroy the guilty, but take down the innocent as well. Travel with Claire Richardson as she navigates a sticky trail of clues that will ultimately force her to choose between what is good and what is evil.
Every since I was a young girl I absolutely loved watching Mystery and Suspense movies with my mother. The art of a story unfolding to reveal the larger picture inspires me to create characters whose curiosity pushes them to find the truth.
Visit my Link Tree for more info on current works @
When I first learned about Kindle Vella, I was very excited. A whole new way to engage with readers, sign me up! What Kindle Vella promoted was stories, but told in installments. Now, I know that I’m dating myself slightly here, but one of my favorite things growing up was getting to read the next installment of the story in our local newspaper. They were little mysteries, would probably be considered quite easy by today’s standards. But the anticipation of waiting for the next week’s paper to find out what actually happened, that anticipation was so, so sweet.
I think that is one reason that I’ve been drawn to fanfiction as well. Instead of readers having to wait until the entire book has been written, rewritten, edited, proofread, sent to the printers, and finally released, now they can discover the story along with the writer. This especially works well for my writing style, considering that I’m a Discovery Gardener when it comes to writing. (If you’re curious what that is, check out my post on that: https://theseekerfiles.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/how-i-write/ )
So when I learned that there was a platform where I could share my original works in installments, I was instantly intrigued. After a little bit of research, I discovered that Kindle Vella offers the first three chapters free to Vella readers before they have to pay tokens to read further chapters. Even better, because who wants to spend money on a story that they don’t like. This way, readers can get a feel for the writer and the story before deciding whether or not they want to go any further. Very nice!
Excited to get started, I carefully looked over my current WIPs, picked my most developed one, Elianora, and got to work. Vella was very easy to use and to set up and I quickly had four chapter uploaded. I had a few readers stop by, two even decided that they liked my story enough to keep following it and four thumbs up. Sweet, it’s not much, but it’s a start, right?
Well, then life happened, I had a relative get very sick and family ended up taking priority over writing for a while. Still, writing is the core of my being and I love sharing stories with other people. So now that life has settled back down, I picked myself up, sharpened my pencils, and settled back at my desk to write.
On September 15th, I decided that I was going to write and share 5 stories. 3 would update Monday, Wednesday, and Friday while the other 2 would update on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Because I’d made a timed commitment, life decided to get crazy on me, so I didn’t manage to update the story every day that I intended, but I still managed to get four out of five up and updates happening at least 2-3 times a week. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start and I was very proud of it.
And you know what happened?
It’s been twelve days now and I have not had a single view. Not a single person has read any of the stories that I’ve published. It’s kinda funny, actually, because if anything, this has only made me more determined to succeed.
I don’t know where I’m going wrong, but I’m going to share my process here so other writers trying to use Vella can maybe learn from my experience/mistakes. And hey, maybe a reader will trip over this post and decide to give my stories a chance, so you never know.
First, Content:
I am not a great writer, certainly not an epic writer on the level of Tolkien or Rowling, but my fanfiction readers and those who have read my books tell me that I create a good story that helps entertain them. They also give me feedback, which I love because I believe that it makes me a better writer.
What I love to write is Fantasy, with my books being heavily Urban fantasy. These four stories that I currently have up definitely lean more into just the fantasy category. I decided to go with a broad range, so I have one playing with the myth of Atlantis, a Cinderella type tale, a magical war, and a humorous one dealing with a character being Isekai’d.
Second, Appearance:
I have the feeling that this is where I’m falling short. I’ve put on pretty shiny cover pictures, carefully summarized, and then tagged with seven tags in what I think best describes the stories. Maybe they’re not being picked up because I’m not marketing them right.
I should probably do deeper research into exactly what my target audience is and what tags they search to find stories like mine. (Scribbles quick note and puts it where I can easily see it again).
Third, Marketing:
I put these stories up thinking that Kindle Vella readers would be willing to check out new content simple because where it’s a new platform, there is limited content. However, I’m beginning to realize that a lot of people are simply not even aware of Kindle Vella. It’s not something that you see on tv or hear about on the radio. Even in reading groups, I see very few mentions of it, if any.
Not only that, but stories available on Kindle Vella are growing by leaps and bounds, mine might be getting just lost in the shuffle. So I need to make people who already like my writing and writing style aware that I’m using this platform and what this platform actually is.
So, In Conclusion:
I still have a long way to go before I figure out Kindle Vella and its algorithm.
I need to do a lot of market research (I got excited about sharing my stories and jumped in with both feet, so now I need to do a bit of backtracking, lol)
I’ll need to further examine the variables, like posting times (will I get more views if I post in the morning or the evening) and how many times a week is the optimum amount.
Still, I think it will be worth it in the end and I’m not giving up here. I’ll keep posting about my journey and my process 🙂
Hope you’re having an amazing Monday!
~ A slightly discouraged yet very stubborn discovery gardener
P.S.
If you wanna check out my stories, I’ve included the links below.
The Seeker Files 