writing

Give me something for the pain

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*Title is a Bon Jovi song

Feels like it fits today. Not that it hasn’t been a good week or anything, it’s more a writing thing. If you don’t think writing can be painful then you’re living in fairyland.

Currently, I’m back at the beginning of #Cryptobyte because I know more now than I did before, as often happens. Something else cropped up and I need to make sure I address it. The fun thing is, I’m back at the beginning. 🙂 That implies I got to the end.

In other news the article I wrote last winter is in the: The Spin Off  

For all of you asking why I didn’t mention my books in the article … at the time of writing I didn’t have any in the shop. This was written before the PledgeMe campaign finished and before I could get the Byte Series printed here. Of course, they are in the bookshop now! If you order paperbacks of my books from us you can request signed copies. 🙂

Welcome to February.

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Ten years …

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This year marks my tenth year in this industry. Obviously, my journey began long before 2009 because, well, you don’t write a book overnight. Nor do you learn your craft, overnight. My journey began in about 1992. It began because I wanted to read something with real women in it. I wrote a lot and then became serious about this storytelling lark. In 2001 my first short story was published. (Yes, back in the dark ages with gatekeepers and whatnot.)

Around about this time of the year in 2009, I approached Rebel ePublishers in South Africa. (Yay for the internet!)

This year is the tenth anniversary of Killerbyte (April 2009) and the tenth anniversary of Terrorbyte (Nov 2009). They are the original publishing dates. Even though, we tend to say terrorbyte was 2010. It wasn’t. The paperbacks came out in 2010.

The tenth year! That’s supposedly a magic time. Any second now and I’ll be an overnight success. I know, right? Exciting stuff.

Ten books, 1 novella, 3 boxed sets, 1 book of poetry, I don’t know how many related short stories, all in the Byte Series. [Never mind the earlier short stories, or the kiwi novel, or the long shorts, that are unrelated to the series.] The work is there and continues.

I’m as prepared as I can be for instant success. Bring it on. 🙂

Ten years with a main-character like Ellie – could be medal worthy!

Playing with Keynote

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This was the result of my messing around with Keynote this morning. Haven’t used it before and it was kinda fun exploring. There is no sound. Haven’t figured sound out yet or maybe that’s not a thing that Keynote does. I don’t know. 🙂

Good chance I’ll spend more time fiddling around inside Keynote at a later date, but right now, I should get back to work on #Cryptobyte.

Hope you’re all having a lovely weekend.

Volume Three!

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This was supposed to happen last February but it didn’t (remember how my publishing life turned upside down last year?). I’ve spent the last few days trying to find original files and whatnot to make this happen now.

There was much stress. Much blue air. Twice I had to start again with various files. But, this morning, on the last day of my holidays … we have success!

The byte Series Volume Three lives! And look how pretty!

It is available for pre-order across most platforms (not Amazon though, we’re holding off there, for now, mobi versions can be purchased from Smashwords) over the next day or so. I’ll share links as I find them. For now here’s the Smashwords link: The byte Series Volume three

I love the cover, I love these three books, and I especially love the story ‘heard it through the grapevine’, hope you do too.

Cat x

New Years Eve 2018

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The year ended with the release of my tenth book (in the Byte Series). Pretty amazing achievement really. I’m going to let that settle for a bit (and then I’m going back to work on the 11th book!).

2018 was an interesting year. It saw much upheaval with my publishing journey and the end of Rebel ePublishers. As traumatic as the months leading up to the end of Rebel were, they were also a learning opportunity. From the rubble grew the Wayward Guild and 9mm Press, forward momentum, and new fabulous friends.

My daughter designed the cover for Qubyte. This is her first book cover and it’s excellent. You have to see it in print – it’s beautiful! 🙂 Paperbacks will be available in March from Writers Plot Bookshop. 

No plans for the paperbacks to be available via Amazon – but you can order from anywhere in the world on the bookshop website.

A note here about my growing annoyance with Amazon. Paperbacks of all the Bye Series – killerbyte through to Metabyte – are available via our bookshop and NOT on Amazon or anywhere else!) As an author I prefer readers to buy digitally from Smashwords, Apple Books, Kobo … our bookshop. Anywhere but Amazon. I have many reasons but the biggest is: I do not like the way Amazon treats people and I do not like the way they behave toward authors. Also, their reporting is shit.

Earlier this year I attended a two-week intense PopUp Business School. During that crazy experience, I met my tribe. That’s right, I found my people. And without them, I wouldn’t have my books in our bookshop now. They know who they are and if they need reminding they’ll see a reminder in the acknowledgments within Qubyte. 🙂

Listen out for a podcast on the Break it Down Show featuring yours truly, coming soon. 🙂

Happy New Year!

Massive sale and Merry whatever to you my friends!

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The entire Byte Series is heavily reduced (killerbyte is free) until New Years Day, on Smashwords.

Here are is the link you need to take advantage of this:

The Byte Series.  

Also, the In between byte stories are heavily reduced (in most cases free).

Here is the link to those! In between bytes.

Get in there, folks! The latest Byte Novel – Qubyte releases on Dec 30th! You want to be up with the play before that drops, so you know the buzz is about. 🙂

Trust me. I’m a professional.

Feels Something Like Summertime

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December is upon us, summer is doing its best to get started, and it’s birthday season! Much joy abounds. 

I’ve been pretty busy the last few days getting things done in preparation for the release of Qubyte at the end of the month. Currently I’m sitting in the bookshop (Writers Plot) checking my email every five seconds! I’m waiting for a couple of things. 🙂 I’m the worlds worst at waiting. 

Had one of my favorite bookshop customers call in this morning. He’s a history buff and knows a lot about the wars and whatnot. He’s also a darned good book buyer. (We like that in a person.) He’s going to dig around and see if he can find out some stuff about a great uncle of mine who was a radio operator in the South Pacific – on an island somewhere. I am curious.

Meanwhile …  I wanted to add an image and I cannot for the life of me figure out how. *Tosses toys* I do not like this new format at all! And, Right, when I got set to have a paddy I spotted the add image icon.Â