Christmas Sale + Update!

Christmas Sale

From 8:00 a.m. on December 23, 2020 to December 30, I have a Christmas sale starting which includes a book that has never been on sale before! Fire (The Six Elements Book 1), Rise of a Necromancer, and for the first time ever, Origins of the Tainted Bloodline (Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy Book 1) will be just $0.99 or 75% off! If you haven’t picked up your copy of one or more of these, now is definitely the time.

New World Series + New Dystopian Fans

I’m not sure exactly what sparked this, but there has been a drove of sales of my first published series, the gritty dystopian thriller series The New World. Oddly, most of the sales have been paperbacks. If you are a fan of my special oppressive style of dystopian and you’re concerned because all you see on the website right now is fantasy, don’t worry. I haven’t abandoned the dystopian subgenre as a concept; in fact, I have one book tentatively titled The Male Experiment that I have been itching to write for sometime now. Its blurb and cover concept are all ready; it’s just the book that needs written. Thank you, my new dystopian fans, for picking up my books and I hope you’ll stick around for more; if the psychological PTSD concept of The New World series is part of what intrigued you, I promise you all my characters in my fantasy books go through serious psychological challenges. It’s kind of “my thing” as an author.

Dystopian is the only genre I write that I also read (I’m not a fan of fantasy books other than mine, only fantasy video games, and while I wrote a lot of horror as a child I’ve never published it). I love dystopian. But my fantasy books are what pay the bills, so I got caught in a whirlwind of creativity there. I foresee The Six Elements being important to my career for a long time yet, but I desire to balance out these releases with other genres in the future (science fiction, horror). Other than The Male Experiment, I also have a grimdark duology (a morbid mix of dark fantasy and dystopian) in the works. After the third Shapeshifting Seas book is out, I will likely work on something non-Six Element related for those of you itching to try something new or different of mine. If you ever want to see what kinds of ideas I have in the pipeline, check out my Upcoming Book Releases page.

On Writing

My last update detailed just how hard I’ve had it this year. Between that update and this one, my family has experienced yet another loss; the third of 2020 and the fourth within a year and a half. Honestly, I’ve become a little numb to death and grieving. At a certain point, I keep thinking, I have to have lost so many people I’ll have no one left, and then I’ll have nothing else to lose. My mindset in this sense is absurdly similar to Cerin’s in Rise of a Necromancer. This is why I love writing the way I do and involving myself in character psyches. You never know just how close you are to breaking or losing it like your favorite anti-heroes. When you think about it, the average person is so close to snapping into insanity from just one twist of fate or tragedy, and that is both terrifying and intriguing. Maybe that’s why I write about mental breakdowns so often. Normal people are boring. 😉

Anyway, my latest college term has ended. I somehow maintained my 4.0 GPA (yay!) and my break has officially started. It is time to see if I have the mental acuity to get back into writing. I won’t be the working powerhouse I was in previous years when I worked 100-hour weeks (honestly, that’s inhumane, now that I look back on it), but I’m going to make an effort. I currently am splitting my time between three jobs (real estate, writing, and a part-time gig I picked up as a supplement for school), so I will be forced to write in shorter bursts. But no matter what happens, I will keep you updated here. My first concern is finishing the Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy with its final book, Of Monsters and Mutiny. Its phenomenal cover art is on the wall behind me as a source of motivation. Calder is a disturbed and intriguing badass and the friendship between him and Koby is, I’m convinced, the best and most layered I’ve ever written. Their story deserves its final chapter. When I’m this psychologically damaged from grief and loss is when I think I write as Calder the best, so now’s a better time than any.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all. I hope your year has gone better than mine, and let’s plan on 2021 reviving us all.

-Rosie Scott

Where have I been? + Huge Black Friday Sale

Where Have I Been?

It has been months since I last posted. I apologize profusely. I would be lying if I said I’d meant to. The truth is that I completely upended my life months ago because I felt lost, unsupported, forgotten, and thoroughly depressed. As much as I wanted to write, I felt no motivation to. I love writing, but the stresses of the “public figure” aspect to it can be crushing when you pile on all the grief, loss, and depression I’ve experienced since July 2019.

It is almost 8:00 in the morning and I haven’t yet been to bed, so I’ll keep this short. I won’t go into many details…basically, I gave up writing many months ago due to everything I was going through. I went back to school to completely change my career. I have been working multiple jobs and going to school full-time over the last few months. Until a concerned fan emailed me a few days ago. He acknowledged my losses and told me Rise of a Necromancer was the best fantasy book he had ever read. Suddenly, there was a light at the end of that endless dark tunnel. That support, compassion, and acknowledgement means the world to me.

I cannot make any promises, but I am requesting to take a break from my school for the next term. I am going to try to write full-time again. It might not work. I may find it’s no longer viable for me. Either way, I can’t go back to working as many hours as I used to because I know it’s not healthy or sustainable. Still, I want so badly to continue writing books for you and for me. There are so many ideas–both in the Six Elements universe and out of it–that I feel a burning desire to explore. I want this. Being an author was always my dream career since I was a little girl. It still is, but the realities of being an author are oftentimes hard to reason with. I also have to be realistic and honest about doing what is best for me. Either way, as I approach this rocky journey I will keep you updated here.

Black Friday Sale

From 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 24th to 12:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 1st, five of my books are going on sale (two on my pen-name). Fire, Rise of a Necromancer, and The Resistance (all Book Ones and/or series entry points) will be just $0.99, or 75% off. This is the first sale I’ve had in a year, so if there’s a book listed here that you’re interested in but haven’t picked up, do so now! Given recent events I don’t know when I’ll do this again.

Thank You

Finally, thank you so much to those of you who have stuck by me through these tumultuous times. For those of you who have supported me with buying my books or leaving reviews throughout this time, it means so much to me. If you have been checking the website and wondering where the heck I’ve gone to, I do appreciate it. I used to post regularly and I have spoken about depression/suicide before, so I know it’s scary when suddenly updates stop coming. I am grateful for your support and concern. Like I said earlier, it was only due to one particular fan’s overwhelming support and empathy that I am motivated to try again. This proves your support really does matter. Authors are only human.

2020 has been a shitshow of a year, so I am aware many of you may have had your own heartaches and tribulations. I am empathetic and hopeful we can all move past it and grow from these experiences, hopefully together. As always, if you ever want to share with a friendly ear, my comments/email are open.

Expect an update around Christmas or the beginning of 2021, as that is when this school term is over and I’ll re-evaluate writing full-time. I have my document for Of Monsters and Mutiny saved and ready. I don’t know what the future holds for me and my books, but I am going to try my best to make it a good one.

-Rosie Scott

Trying to get back to normal after a string of family deaths

Life itself read my last post and decided to throw more my way. Just two weeks ago, I experienced the third loss of a close loved one in the last year, and attended yet another funeral last Wednesday in the midst of this pandemic. My family currently awaits updates from my last remaining grandparent, who is quarantined with COVID-19. We are not allowed to visit him, and due to poor hearing we can’t talk to him over the phone. I’m beyond numb to death, end-of-life sickness, grief, and bad news at this point. Before the last year, I’d only attended one funeral and one or two services in my entire life. Now, here I sit at my computer desk, with all that remains of three loved ones nearby: an urn of ashes, and two separate vases of dried, dying funeral roses from two different funerals. My brother’s services were three months ago, yet I can’t bring myself to throw out the drooping roses. It’s not like he ever saw them. Perhaps I have an attachment to them because his funeral was the last event I will ever attend for him, and that strikes me as a lie. There are countless birthday parties and holidays I remember spending with him, but his funeral is the last there will ever be. Now my grandmother’s funeral roses are beside my brother’s, fresher and redder but slowly losing their perkiness. Before long they will turn into ash like everything else.

I haven’t been forcing myself to work set hours for obvious reasons. I have Of Monsters and Mutiny (Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy Book 3) up in a document right now. I’m not as far in it as I’d like to be given recent events, but I won’t give up. I wanted to update you guys because I realized I haven’t in a while, and I imagine some readers notice that and think the worst. Usually tragic events cause me to write more (heck, my beloved Thomas died on July 1, 2019, and I’ve published three books since then including on my pen-name), but there’s only so much one can take before you hold your hands up in bitter surrender.

Like I said, my grandfather’s situation is volatile, so it’s possible tragedy will come to pass a fourth time in less than a year. No matter the outcome, I will update when I can. Calder’s story isn’t finished yet, but it deserves to be, so I’ll keep heading in that direction. If anything, all this emotional whiplash keeps me grounded in Calder’s headspace. I wouldn’t be able to describe these emotions/situations so effectively if I hadn’t been through them…though that isn’t an invitation for more.

Thank you guys for being patient as I traverse this difficult time. I hope you and your family/friends are safe and healthy, and let those close to you know how much you care. You never know when you’ll never get another chance.

-Rosie Scott

Here’s a contemplative post that devolves into offensive humor, but at least there’s a book update

This Rollercoaster We Call Life

Thank you all for your patience and understanding over the last few chaotic months. Some of you reached out to me to express your sympathies over the passing of my brother last month, and I greatly appreciate it. Nothing will bring Rocky back, and nothing can make this easier on the many who loved him. Still, sometimes it helps to remember that we’re all in the same boat. Some die young. Some are dealt injustices that others never deal with. The rest of us are left to pick up the pieces and try to put the puzzle back together. Life is rarely fair, nor does it make sense most of the time, and it refuses to cave to our wills in terms of planning. Sometimes, bad things just happen and we are reminded how small we are in the world when we realize we are powerless.

Oddly enough, going through a lot of dark times in my life is what drives me to write such dark themes. I am obsessed with the fact that a life can drastically change in a millisecond due to decision-making (good or bad) or situations outside our control. I am an extreme optimist now, but there was a moment in my pre-teens when I tied a noose around my neck and took a step off a chair that I intended to be fatal. Thank the gods the suicide attempt failed (and this was as a result of extreme bullying in the early 2000s, so no need to be concerned now), but the fact remains: the same person who once decided life wasn’t worth living loves it now. That doesn’t mean I’m immune to negativity, of course; hell, losing two people I love dearly over the last year has put me through the roughest patch I’ve had in a while. But still: this idea that life can be both stunningly beautiful and outrageously cruel is one I often mimic in my books because it fascinates me. The unpredictability of life is what makes it worth living, even when things like loss, depression, and fear threaten our happiness.

Book News

I’m bringing all this up now to link it back to book news–which I know is what you’ve all been waiting for. I’m currently self-quarantining due to suffering some symptoms of the coronavirus, so it’s giving me a lot of time to game and plan. While putting an absurd amount of time in Farming Simulator 2019 (74 hours in a week, DON’T JUDGE ME), I’ve been outlining Of Monsters and Mutiny (Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy Book 3) and linking all sorts of pre-planned situations together. I re-read Stemming the Tide a few weeks ago and fell in love with it all over again. I love being inside Calder’s head. He’s so disturbed and traumatized that it’s interesting to explore. This is the second time I’ve explored severe PTSD in a main character; for those of you who are fans of mine only through the Six Elements series and/or universe, if you like my attention-to-detail when it comes to character psyche, I recommend trying my New World series (dystopian war thriller). That series is dedicated to the development of PTSD in an assassin who fights it off in her own head as she fights against an authoritarian American government. Whether she’s successful or not and how much it costs her is something you’d have to read the books to find out, but the New World series ending is my favorite I’ve ever written, so I’m biased. Ha.

Anyway, just know that Of Monsters and Mutiny is in the development stages. My releases may come out less often now, but I promise I’ll never become George R. R. Martin. 😛 Besides, like I said in my last post, I’m dedicating this book to Rocky, so it’ll be out before you know it. My brother loved hearing about Calder’s badassery and seeing him in artwork.

Seeking Cover Artists!

Speaking of artwork, I’ve had a hard time reaching my cover artist these past few months, so I’m on the hunt for dark fantasy artists whose art style is similar to that on the covers of Rise of a Necromancer and the Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy. If you are an artist or know an artist who is interested in developing book covers with me, send contact information, commission prices, and links to art portfolios to rosiescottbooks@gmail.com. I do have timing requirements and other things we can discuss, but I’m super easy to work with and go above and beyond to support my artists. This offer will remain even if I get into contact with my existing artist–I often have too many requests for his schedule, so I’m always on the lookout for artists I can hire on a semi-regular basis (a few times per year). It should be noted that I will not only work with artists getting started in the industry, I kind of prefer it. I’d rather give work to a skilled unknown who needs experience, as long as that person is talented, honest, and professional. No cover design experience necessary–only the artwork is required, as I have a graphic designer who does the rest. 🙂

Follow Me on Instagram (Or…You Know, Don’t)

Last but not least, just tonight I started posting on Instagram if any of you are interested in following me there. Honestly, I joined the site years ago to get my daily fix of sparkly car porn and never planned on posting, but I thought, “Why the hell not?” I figure I’ll mostly be posting cats, memes, cats, book-related things, cats, vidya games, cats, and maybe the occasional travel photo if I ever can go anywhere again. *Shakes fist at sky and yells, “CORONAVIRUUUSSS!!!”*

I will not be posting anything political, but my sense of humor is so dark and inappropriate that I can’t promise not to offend anyone. In fact, I promise to be a good girl and cross a few lines. Within my first five posts, I’ve already insulted babies. That’s bound to offend somebody, but babies are sooo overrated.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned, stay safe, and wash your hands often, you dirty bastards.

-Rosie Scott

And the times grew darker…

My last post informed you guys of huge changes to my writing/release schedule. While I didn’t outright say it at the time (since it’s more personal), I decided to write less not only because my efforts are vastly higher than returns, but also because I wanted more time with family and friends. I admit I’ve neglected plenty of relationships in order to live up to fan expectations for a rapid release schedule. Considering the realization that this lifestyle garners no additional fan support, the trade-off no longer seemed worth it.

Thank goodness I made this decision when I did. My one and only brother Rocky passed away this past Sunday at the too-young age of 35 under unexpected and tragic circumstances. Though his ADD kept him too distracted to read books, Rocky was one of my greatest supporters. He saw firsthand how I’d hole away to write books as a child and couldn’t seem to believe I’d “made it.” Rocky was always so excited to see my yet-to-be-released cover art and tried his best to keep up with all the Six Elements characters even though he didn’t read the books (Cerin seemed to be his favorite, followed by Calder; Rocky was a sucker for necromancers and werewolves, though a reptilian badass seemed to fit the bill nicely for him). Rocky was four years older than me and threw himself headfirst into the gothic phase of the late ’90s and early 2000s (he remained gothic until his final moments even long after others had moved on). It was this obsession with darkness and the macabre that affected me as a young girl. Rocky and I shared a lot of the same interests (horror, dark fantasy, necromancy, guns & bladed weaponry, gore, villains/anti-heroes, etc.), and not only is that likely why I’m still so involved with these things today, but it also explains how involved Rocky was with my books despite not reading them. He loved the themes I explored, how dark and gory things could get, and he was so proud of me for working as hard as I did. When Of Monsters and Mutiny is released, I will dedicate it to Rocky. May he be immortalized in memory through the written art of dark fantasy that he so loved.

As I’ve talked about before, I suffered a major familial loss before this in July 2019 that I’m still working through (Thomas, as noted in Origin of the Tainted Bloodline‘s dedication), and I expect to lose my remaining grandparents this year (rapidly declining health and mental faculties). My recent hiatus is allowing me to take the time I need with my family to mourn and figure out how we move on from here. I appreciate your patience as I try to get my life in order so I can once more focus on books. You guys know I keep my promises, and I’ve promised Rocky a book. Of Monsters and Mutiny will come eventually, but I have to focus on healing and family first.

-Rosie Scott

Changes are a’coming… (January Update)

First things first: if you missed Stemming the Tide‘s release, check out its new release post or buy it here.

It’s taken me longer than usual to get this update out to you guys, and for good reason; I’ve fought with myself over how to approach this or whether to inform you at all. I try to stick to the positive when it comes to my posts here, but sometimes negative things affect my art/work and need to be said (like my depression posts late last year).

Long story short:

I’m reducing my workload to a fraction of what it’s been since late-2017. This means less books and longer times between releases.

What does this mean for fans?

I will forever be a writer. Though my workload will decrease dramatically (from 100 hours per week to 40 or less), I will still write. Sometimes for this name, sometimes for my pen-name, sometimes for myself. I will still release books, but I’m not going to force myself to stick to a rapid release schedule. This means that instead of three to five books a year, you might see one or two. Nothing has changed with the content of my art; I’m still developing Six Elements novels set in multiple eras and will work on books in other speculative fiction genres that have been in the pipeline for years. They’ll simply release less often.

Brutally honest explanation for these major changes:

Since late-2017 (coinciding with the releases of Books 1-3 of the Six Elements series), I have worked around 100 hours per week writing, editing, researching, marketing, and promoting. This is…insane. To be frank, the effort I’ve put into these books far surpasses the success I’ve seen or the support from readers, and after nearly three years of working like this, I can no longer justify working myself to death for such little returns. Over the years I’ve asked politely for reviews or other means of helping to promote my books in ways I cannot do myself; unfortunately, though the Six Elements series has had thousands of readers, only a few dozen review. I cannot resort to begging, nor should I have to, and because I refuse to resort to common shady tactics in the indie publishing industry (like paying to get reviews or coverage), my books have a harder time reaching readers. Instead, I advertise, which eats thousands of dollars out of my profits per year. Basically, I am working 2.5 times the amount of most full-time workers for less than minimum wage with expenses, and I just can’t do it anymore.

Those few of you who do support me publicly are the sole reason I’ve worked so hard for as long as I have. You guys are amazing, and every single reader who enjoys my work owes a lot to you and your support; without it, I would have released less or not at all like I’m resorting to doing now.

I love writing, but due to a lack of support and high costs to maintain my modest success for a high workload, I resent publishing. I could either work myself to death until I burn out and quit, or I could slow down massively, write only when I want to, and maintain a presence in the writing world, even if it’s much smaller than before. I’m taking the lesser of two evils. I would rather be happy than rich, and this way those of you who love my work will still get some of it rather than none at all.

I hope you understand how this lifestyle has become unsustainable for me. It’s time to dial back my workload to meet the level of the success and support it garners. I will still use this website as my main hub of communication, and my newsletter will still send out excerpts and new releases. Nothing is changing but my workload and future release schedule.

In the meantime, I’m taking a much needed gaming break before delving into Of Monsters and Mutiny (Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy Book 3). I previously planned for a Quarter 2 2020 release date after moving it up from Quarter 3. Will this change with the new schedule? I don’t know yet, but I’ll keep you updated here as always.

-Rosie Scott

 

Stemming the Tide (Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy Book 2) Released!

They may have lost their ship and cargo after audaciously challenging the pirates that rule the sea, but Calder Cerberius, Koby Bacia, and their crew of misfits refuse to surrender. The pirate leader’s right-hand man, Cale Woodburn, plans to establish a stranglehold in the wildlands and steal its precious local resource: ferris, the herbal drug shapeshifting beastmen rely on to prevent the agony of transformations from breaking their minds. Calder and Koby’s crew pursue Cale across the seas to regain control of the lucrative ferris trade and save the wildlands from ruin.

Indigenous tribes of beastmen rise up to defend their homeland. Shapeshifters on both sides transform into beasts of the land, sea, and sky to brawl to the death. A run-in with an ancient sea creature of apocalyptic size gives Calder the idea to spark a massive rebellion against the pirates using dangerous and unconventional means, but other mercenaries will only agree to come to his aid once he defeats the deranged Cale Woodburn and restores peace to the wildlands. When Calder finally catches up with Cale, two mentally unstable captains will clash in beast form until only one emerges the victor from a pool of blood.

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WOOHOO!

Stemming the Tide (Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy Book 2) is available here! It is $4.99 Kindle/$18.99 paperback (and considering one of you already bought a paperback before the Kindle release, you’ll have your copy before I do since author copies take forever to ship. I’m jealous!).

I hope you guys are having a great holiday season! May beastman battles and misfit shenanigans make it even better. As I do with all releases, I’m updating my website with all applicable lore/timeline/art from Stemming the Tide. Two of my all-time favorite Calder quotes come from this book, so his character profile has been updated with those as well.

Of Monsters and Mutiny (Book 3) is in the development stages. The epic cover (showcasing a particular ancient sea beast prevalent in the trilogy) is already complete and hanging on the wall of my gaming room inspiring me as I write. I can’t wait for you guys to see it. In the meantime, I have yet to mop up my drool from ogling this cover, so I’m at risk of floating away in a flood of my own making. Considering I survive, I’ll get to writing soon.

I hope you guys love Stemming the Tide. As always, I’d be appreciative if you left a review when you’re done. I’m relying only on reviews to promote this trilogy until it’s complete since advertising eats through all profits on books with few ratings until it becomes entirely unaffordable to publish. This is a hard business to gain traction in! I’m grateful to those of you who show your support and spread the word to others you think might enjoy my books. You guys are undeniably awesome.

Considering Stemming the Tide is releasing earlier than expected, I’ve moved Of Monsters and Mutiny‘s prospective release date up from Quarter 3 2020 to Quarter 2 (April-June) as reflected on my Upcoming Book Releases page. Stay tuned for writing and research updates! 🙂

-Rosie Scott

 

P.S. For those of you who somehow haven’t gotten your copy of Fire (The Six Elements Book 1) or Rise of a Necromancer yet, I have a huge promo going on right now to start your new year off right. Both books are temporarily 75% off and you can pick them up for just $0.99 each, so now’s the time!

Stemming the Tide (SST Book 2) Ready for Pre-Order!

They may have lost their ship and cargo after audaciously challenging the pirates that rule the sea, but Calder Cerberius, Koby Bacia, and their crew of misfits refuse to surrender. The pirate leader’s right-hand man, Cale Woodburn, plans to establish a stranglehold in the wildlands and steal its precious local resource: ferris, the herbal drug shapeshifting beastmen rely on to prevent the agony of transformations from breaking their minds. Calder and Koby’s crew pursue Cale across the seas to regain control of the lucrative ferris trade and save the wildlands from ruin.

Indigenous tribes of beastmen rise up to defend their homeland. Shapeshifters on both sides transform into beasts of the land, sea, and sky to brawl to the death. A run-in with an ancient sea creature of apocalyptic size gives Calder the idea to spark a massive rebellion against the pirates using dangerous and unconventional means, but other mercenaries will only agree to come to his aid once he defeats the deranged Cale Woodburn and restores peace to the wildlands. When Calder finally catches up with Cale, two mentally unstable captains will clash in beast form until only one emerges the victor from a pool of blood.

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Are you salivating over that cover? Because I know I am. Calder is so f**king badass, I can’t even…

Stemming the Tide (Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy Book 2) is available for pre-order here! It is $4.99 Kindle/$18.99 paperback and will be released on December 28, 2019. It continues the misadventures of Calder and Koby as they take on pesky, drug-addicted, shapeshifting pirates. This book’s greatest strengths are its gore scenes and its themes of friendship and brotherhood, which is a duo that aren’t often seen together. But alas, I write unconventionally. As my fans, you likely expect such things.

Book 3 is already titled and in the planning and development stages. After that, I might not be quite done with Calder. Writing this trilogy has done a number to me. Basically, you guys, Calder and Koby’s friendship has become one of my favorite relationships of this universe (right up there with the bond between Kai and Azazel). While the trilogy deals with their adventures before Calder’s inclusion in the Six Elements series, many of you know how much Calder develops in the series because of Koby and his everlasting influence. Without spoilers, let me just say that I feel called to rewrite Water (TSE Book 3) from Calder’s perspective and include way more content (scenes that Kai wouldn’t have seen, etc.). Water is my favorite book of the Six Elements series, and a lot of that has to do with Calder’s growth and accomplishments. Calder’s story affects me deeply on a human level: it’s a story of brotherly love and loss, hardship, darkness, despair, searching for meaning and redemption. And writing this trilogy where I get to show just how much Koby means to him makes me long for a standalone conclusion to Calder’s character arc involving the underground civil war. If you’ve read the Six Elements series, you know where his character goes and how he ends up. What do you think? Would you find new content revolving around the underground civil war interesting from Calder’s perspective? It would be a standalone that would serve as a companion novel to both the Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy and the Six Elements series for obvious reasons.

I have to be honest…as much as I want to know your thoughts, this is a book that I might write regardless because I have to. Calder and Koby mean the world to me.

Well, that’s all for now. Don’t forget to take part in Indiecember if you get the chance. There’s still some time left to review indie books for a chance to win prizes! Otherwise, have an awesome holiday season and I’ll see you guys on the 28th for Stemming the Tide‘s release!

-Rosie Scott

Stemming the Tide (SST Book 2) Complete, Indiecember 2019 Continues!

See? I’m a woman of my word. I wrote the final words of Stemming the Tide (Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy Book 2) yesterday after adding another 30,000 since my last update. That’s over 100 pages written in less than two weeks because I am a beast (not quite in the same sense as my broody boy Calder, but I’ll take what I can get). It’s headed to the editing phase, and considering I’m ahead of where I thought I would be in progress, I’m hoping for its release by the end of the year. It’s currently December 13, so you know what that means. *Wink-wink* Sign up to my newsletter to get the pre-order notification (my pre-orders always last about a week) with the blurb and cover reveal. This cover is not one you’ll want to miss. Calder looks f*&king badass. Not like that’s hard for him.* 😉

In the meantime:

• Check out Stemming the Tide‘s released excerpt
• Don’t forget to review indie books (including mine even if you’ve already read them long ago!) for a chance at winning tons of prizes in Indiecember 2019! More information about the contest is given in my last post, Indiecember 2019 is on!, and on the official website here. If you have ever respected the hard work and dedication that goes into the planning, development, writing, and fact-checking of a book, I urge you to review the books you read even when contests like this don’t offer you prizes for it. It is so monumentally important to a book’s (and the author’s) success. For those of you who have already supported me in this way, I appreciate it more than you could know. You are the reason I continue to publish.

Gird your loins for the next epic cover/blurb update, my friends. I haven’t been able to stop staring at Book 2’s cover since the artist Nikita Drizhenko finished it a while back. To make matters worse, Book 3’s cover art is also complete and hanging on my wall near my working desk in my gaming room, so I keep staring at that ridiculously gorgeous art. Nikita is sickeningly talented and I’m so fortunate to have him as my cover artist. 😉

-Rosie Scott

*I fought off the urge to insert so many dirty jokes here. Writing from the perspective of a charming and well-endowed pervert has corrupted my mind in the best way possible. But don’t worry, Stemming the Tide has far more than dick jokes (though it has those, too). It includes some of the best creative gore scenes I’ve ever written and a few of my personal favorite character development scenes when it comes to the ever-evolving and super important friendship between Calder and Koby. I love these two together so much, and I hope you do too. 🙂

Indiecember 2019 is on!

Readers:

Indiecember 2019 is officially on! Megan Tennant’s yearly contest starts today, and my books are all participating!

What is Indiecember? It’s a contest for readers to read and review qualified indie books to fill out a bingo board. Readers who fill out the board via various play styles (described here) win prizes consisting of free books, Amazon gift cards, book merchandise/products, and maybe even a Kindle e-reader. 2018’s Indiecember gave away a Kindle Paperwhite as its grand prize.

There are multiple categories these books can help you fill out on the bingo board, and each book can count more than once if you use the Flush Play Style. All you have to do is review them in December with the other indie books you read for the contest. Even if you’ve already read my books and didn’t support them with a review, you can still review them in December and have it count for a chance at all these prizes. For more information, read all about Indiecember here.

There is no purchase necessary, especially if you have Kindle Unlimited and/or decide to review books you’ve already bought and read. This is just a contest that tries to get readers to support indie books with reviews since they are sooo hard to come by (less than 0.5% of readers review, which is disheartening).

If you guys decide to participate in the contest, I hope you have fun and find some great books/authors in the mix!

For a super quick Stemming the Tide (Shapeshifting Seas Trilogy Book 2) update, it’s now at 95,000 words (352 pages). I’ve added an amazing 63 pages since my last update a week ago. I’m still on track to release it at some point in January. To get alerted to its cover/blurb reveal and release date, sign up for my newsletter. In the meantime, you can check out its recently released excerpt.

-Rosie Scott

P.S. Do you want to rate books but don’t have the time to review? Amazon now allows you to give a star rating with no review (after turning the “last page” of the Kindle document, click on the star rating you want to give and click “submit”). If you want to support indies this way, you can always go back and rate books you’ve already read to start getting you in the fantastic habit. Unfortunately, this will not count for Indiecember, but it helps us indies regardless.