And the Adventure Begins!

Today is my first "real" day as my own boss.  I'm trying to figure out exactly what my routine is going to be, as us OCD people need to do.  I'm not there yet.  Mostly need to figure out how to work with Mr. Savage sitting in the same room.  I think I already know the answer, which is to move to a different room!  With my son off to college (sniff!) I will be taking over part of his room as an office for the time being.  We'll see how that works!

I've got a ton of things to try to accomplish, the most important (of course) is to get some writing done.  I have a good jump on Otherwise Unharmed, which will be the next book out.  I'm also hoping to get Not What She Seems back on track with regular updates.  I feel horrible about letting it just hang there, but life has just been too busy with other, more important things.

If you haven't checked out Uncockblockable, please do, and then tell a friend!  It's a cute, fun story, Brian's Fight for Life.  You can find it on Smashwords (various formats) or on Amazon!  Links below.
and some of the proceeds go to

Uncockblockable on Smashwords

Uncockblockable on Amazon

Thanks to everyone for all the support as I dive into this new adventure!  Hope you have a wonderful week!

Shay Savage

This is it! The End of an Era!

Today will be my final day in the corporate world.  I'm both excited and nervous to pursue writing full-time, and I will definitely miss the people I've been working with for the last year and a half, but I am confident the timing is right.  I have no idea how successful I will be.  I don't really plan on "hitting it big" or anything like that, but would be very satisfied if I can just make a decent living doing what I love and giving all of you what you want. :)

Thank you all for your encouragement!  Tonight, we dance!  LOL

Shay Savage

Vacation Time!

Yep, quit my job and booked a cruise.  I know, I'm not right, but I definitely need the time off!  Just a couple more days worth of "real work" before I quit the corporate world and pursue the dream!  Yep, as of August 15th, I will be a full time writer.  WOOT!

I'm taking my daughter on a "birthday cruise" to Cozumel to see the Mayan ruins there.  She just turned 12 last week, and we're really looking forward to it!  I'm also really excited to get together with Chaya Sara, whose hard work has provided you with a lot cleaner writing from me, as well as Chonga and Kyosti who did the cover art/photography for Surviving Raine.  We're meeting in Miami for dinner tomorrow night, and I'm looking forward to it!

You'd think I'd get a break from all the exercise while I was on my trip, but NOOOOO.  Beautifully sadistic @savage_trainer is actually checking out the cruise ship's fitness center so he can design me a workout schedule for the week based on the equipment they have.  Bastard. :)

I will be pretty much totally out of pocket Monday-Friday, so don't be surprised if you don't hear a peep out of me, but I hope to have some wonderfully fun stories and pictures when I return!

Hope everyone is doing well, and watch for Uncockblockable's cover reveal and release in the VERY near future!

Savage

Full Time Writer

Yes, folks - if you haven't already heard on Twitter or Facebook, I have officially decided to leave the corporate world and write full time.  Last day is August 14th!  I'm incredibly excited and absolutely terrified.  I think I'm going to need a vacation just to get my head on straight.  Thankfully, the cruise is already booked!

I'm trying to figure out what all I need to do to get myself organized for this "self employment" endeavor.  I know there is a lot, and I want to make sure I'm playing it smart.  I'm usually overly cautious, so I'll probably be all right, but that doesn't stop the paranoia!  LOL

Thanks again for all of your support - I definitely wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for you!

Writing Status:

Uncockblockable - written and off to editing

Otherwise Unharmed - writing in progress

Transcendence - debating title

Bastian and Raine, Book 2 - outline started

And not to forget:

Not What She Seems - way behind, but intend to catch back up when life allows.  I hope to start posting regularly after August 14th!

I Need a Vacation!

I know, I know - what else is new?  Well, when your massage therapist is telling you how stressed you are, and your doctor is telling you how stressed you are, and everyone is telling you that you are basically a mess, it's time to take some time for oneself, right?  But it was all good, because next week was supposed to be vacation week.  We were going to head up to Toronto, because that's where my son wanted to go this year.

And then Mr's Savage and Savage Junior both inform me that they can't get off work.

Grrrr...

So, what to do?  Simple.  A last minute mother-daughter cruise to Key West and Cozumel.  We'll be checking out the Myan Ruins at Tulum, and I'll be hanging out on the deck of a cruise ship with a giant drink in  a coconut and writing the next book in the Evan Arden series.

Oh and probably getting sunburned...and not caring (note coconut drink above).

I have no idea how the training and diet are going to fit into this, which is my only concern.  I'm also hoping to see a little of Miami as well, since I've never been there before.

Plans within plans!  Woot!

On another note - your support is invaluable, and I can't thank you all enough.  More to come... :)

Help?

Okay - I don't normally do this, but due to a series of life events, I've been brought to a crossroads.

Um...Savy?  WTF are you babbling about?

I've been in corporate IT for nearly 20 years.  I used to get a lot out of it, loved my job and what I did, and I just don't anymore.  Couple that with finding what I really love doing -  torturing writing your beloved characters, and I've gotten to the point where I really need to make a decision.

Yeah, that's right.  I'm seriously considering quitting the corporate life of managing in the technology sector and trading it for writing full time.  Financially speaking, that's a little scary to say the least, and Mr. Savage has his (understandable) reservations.  For me to have a shot at this, I'm gonna need your help.

So, what do I need from you?

In a nutshell - pimp me.  Or more specifically, pimp my published stuff.  Tell your book clubs, your library, your local bookstore, you mom, grandmother, daughter, brother, co-worker, neighbor - whoever - to go and check them out.  Tweet me, retweet me, like my author's page on facebook, follow the blog, check out my website and let me know what I could do to improve it, review the books on Goodreads and Amazon (just a single sentence!), and like my author's profile.  Hit "like" on the reviews on Amazon.  Recommend Surviving Raine and the Evan Arden series to book bloggers - ANYTHING that might help promote me, and ask others to do the same.  Pretty, pretty please, with angst on top.

What do you get out of it?  Plain and simple - I'll have time to write more of the effed up characters you love to hate and hate to love.  I probably have a dozen books trying to bust out of my head, with just no time (and too much work stress) to get them out.  And don't think I'm done with fan-fiction, either - I'm definitely not.

Lots of you are fan-fiction fans of mine, and some of you are published fiction fans.  Hopefully, you've read some of both. :)  You have all been fabulously supportive of me over the last few years I have been doing this, and that has really, really shown in the support of my published works.  The success I have had is the only reason I'm even thinking about this.  Every one of you is valuable to me, and not just because you might buy one of my books, but because you've encouraged me and been with me every step of the way so far.  I'm just hoping you can help me a little bit more!

So, this is me begging.  I'm not the least bit comfortable doing that, but if you can help me make this work, I will promise to make it worth your while in the end!

Now I'm gonna go write some more...there are these crazy stories banging on my forehead.

Savage

This Weekend I *WILL* be Productive!

I am seriously behind in the writing of Uncockblockable, and I am determined to keep myself from getting too distracted by twitter, facebook, additional pictures of my trainer (you haven't SEEN THEM??  Damn... go follow @savage_trainer NOW), or the house, kids, pets, etc.

My intent is to be 90% of the way done with the writing before the end of the weekend.  If not, I might call in sick on Monday.  If I can get it to editors before the end of this week, I think I can still get it out in August.  It's going to be tough, but still possible.

Then on to Otherwise Unharmed, because it is trying to burst out of my ears.

Hope everyone has a great weekend - forgive me if I'm not too responsive to messages!  If I *am* too responsive to messages, tell me to get back to writing!

Savage

What's up Next?

With all these projects all around me, you might be wondering just whats coming around the corner with my original works.  Here's a quick peek of everything I'm working on right now, and in what order (subject to change!):

Uncockblockable (short story/novella) - end of summer, 2013: 

This is the story of Nick Wolfe, who you may remember as one of Evan's cohorts from Otherwise Occupied.  He loves to spend "quality" time with the ladies, and they can't seem to get enough of him.  He's the ultimate ladies man...or is that man-whore?  Until he meets her, and she turns the tables on him.

Nick's name is stolen from a my friend named...um...Nick Wolfe. ;)  The story really doesn't have a lot to do with anything in his actual life, other than me seeing Nick in a T-Shirt that said "Uncockblockable" and deciding that needed to be the title of a story.  

Nick's twin brother Brian has been dealing with cancer for the last year now, and a portion of the proceeds from Uncockblockable will go to his family to help with the medical expenses.  (You can find out more about Brian's fight for life on facebook here.)

Otherwise Unharmed:  

The final book in the Evan Arden Trilogy.  It will be full length.  It will be a roller coaster ride.  If you survived the last one, you'll survive this one, too.  Summary should be out before too long - watch for it on Goodreads!

Transcendence: 

A lot of you already know this one!  I'm still thinking about the title, names, etc.  I would really like this one done before the end of the year, but it all depends on real life.  It needs a serious amount of work before it's ready to publish! :)

Surviving Raine #2 (untitled):

Sometime in 2014

I have a handful of other prospects that I'm trying to prioritize - the Gladiator's Slave and a story about a character similar to an Asimar (since WotC denied me permission to use "Asimar" in a story - see blog post from Feb 4, 2013), a story about a young chess-genius with less social grace than Bastian, and very possibly another "medieval" type of story like Unexpected Circumstances.  I'll also plan on having the Evan Arden Trilogy available in paperback after the third book is done (it will be titled "Otherwise Complete" - aren't I clever? :) ).  

There are so many stories in my head right now, and so much other "real job" and life garbage to deal with all at once.  Your support is greatly appreciated and definitely needed!  That you all so much!

Savage

Otherwise Occupied - Free July 4-6!

Otherwise Occupied, the continuation of Otherwise Alone is FREE on Amazon July 4-6th! What happens to Evan Arden as he tries to get back into his boss' favor while battling the demons of his past all at the same time? Will he manage to balance on the edge of sanity with the help of his favorite hooker, or go tumbling off the cliff? Make sure you grab your copy quickly, and please review when you're done!

Now for a quick teaser...

***

I popped open the bottle and took a long pull from it. Bridgett looked at me, and I was trying hard to figure out her expression. She seemed almost shy, and it wasn’t just her general newness to the oldest profession but something else.

Her cheeks suddenly darkened in a blush.

Holy shit.

You have to be kidding me.

She had some kind of crush on me, and now that I was paying attention, it was obvious. Take the girl off the streets where she’d been hurt and treat her nice for a few hours, and suddenly you were some kind of goddamned hero.

“We’re just fucking here, Bridgett,” I said darkly. I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head a little to the side.

She blinked a few times before licking her lips nervously.

“I…I know that. What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean. You keep that shit up, and I’ll pass you over for another bitch. We clear?”

She nodded slowly. I could feel the tension rise in the room, and knew I had taken the whole warning thing overboard. I probably could have blamed it on the lack of sleep, but it still needed to be said. I didn’t want her thinking this hookup was going to change into something else.

“Good,” I said. I watched her as I drained the beer. “Now get in my bedroom and take your clothes off.”

***

www.amazon.com/Otherwise-Occupied-Evan-Arden-ebook/dp/B00DGGUM76/

Trying to Normalize...

As you may have already heard, my mother-in-law passed away yesterday surrounded by her children and grandchildren.  It was difficult for everyone, but relatively peaceful.  She was the family matriarch in many, many ways, and has very large shoes to fill.  I've heard people complain about mother-in-laws (in sitcoms more than anywhere), but I don't have a single complaint.  She welcomed me into her family like I was her own.  She will be deeply missed, but I am also glad her pain is gone.

With regard to the TwiFic Meetup - I will still be there.  I will likely be leaving early Saturday morning for services, but will then return Saturday evening.  Not sure of exact times just yet, and it's all subject to change.  I do definitely still plan on taking people to the 676 Restaurant and Bar for Martinis and Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffles!

I'll be buying the first round for Liz, mollybean, Jiffsimpson, TrixieandTess, and Sally, but everyone is welcome to join us!  You'll love the place, and hopefully see why I had to include the staff in Otherwise Occupied! :) 

Bonus - all my paperback copies of Surviving Raine arrived in the mail yesterday, so I shall have those with me!

Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers for my family.  Very much appreciated.  Looking forward to meeting people this weekend!