Problems, Problems, and More Problems--3/3/2012--4:11

Okay, I don't know if you have caught on or not, but the dates on my blog and the actually post dates are different. That's because you all know that I don't have a computer or Internet at home. However, I finally checked out a netbook from school until I graduate. I can now only get on the Internet in hot spots, which does not include the area around my house. On the upside, at least it does have the basic WordPad so I can write my second post and write blog posts, save them, and post them online later. Anywhoo, I was up this morning and found an old blog post that I was suppose to put up before Ain't Karma's A Bitch? So here it is...

Hello Readers,

Today I received the surprise of a lifetime...the proof of my book came in the mail three days early. I wasn't expecting to get it until at least the sixth, but I'll take it. I cannot describe the feeling I had when I saw my grandfather walk through the front door carrying that box, and it was at that moment that I knew what it was before he even placed it in my hand.

Then, I finally opened the box and saw the spine. I was like, "Oh my God!" Then, I hurried and closed the box back. I was so excited I literally had to coach and prepare myself before I pulled the book out of the box. I took a deep breath and removed my creation from its package. My initial reaction was, "What the heck? It was supposed to be hardback with a dust jacket." Then, I remembered I changed it to paperback before I submitted it for review.

After I got over that whole fiasco, now it was the moment of truth. It was time to look for material mistakes. Good news is, it looked exactly like it did on the computer. Bad news is, I still felled to correct a couple minor details. The first thing I forgot to do is indent my paragraphs. Now each chapter looks like one long paragraph. In a way, its fine with me, but that's only because I know where each paragraph begins and ends. Honestly, I pondered leaving it, but I just can't ignore a problem that obvious. The second thing is the font. I had so much problem with the different fonts before that when I removed all the formatting to start over, i didn't change my fonts again. I used the most basic fonts that I could find. If I'm not mistaken, I had my book in Courier New and when one of my character texted, I used Times New Roman for the text messages. Well, the words are light and the text messages are darker then the rest of the book (and I didn't put it in bold either). Don't get me wrong, the book doesn't look bad at all. It's the fact that it looks like I typed it on a typewriter.

As far as other errors like unwanted spacing and ecetera, I haven't read the book over yet to check for those types of errors.

In other news, I received another email from Smashwords saying that they have found a silver lining in the PayPal requirements. As long as bestiality, incest, and rape aren't the main theme of the book, you can publish it. In other words, if the main topic of your book is about...uh I don't know...the struggles of two teenage girls who are transitioning to adulthood and you write a few scenes of rape and underage sexual content then, its okay, its like life. Things like that happen, but that doesn't mean its your life's story. Anywhoo, my contract will be up with KDP on the eighth of this month, so after I get things situated on my end, you will be seeing my work back on smashwords as well as KDP (amazon) and lulu.

You know, since I am on the subject of PayPal and their regulations, I might as well tell you what I think of this little policy. Putting it nicely, it sucks major big balls. Like I said in one of my previous blogs, this regulation is like music producer trying to control what their artists write. This is absurd. In email I received from Smashwords, it says their purpose is to help indie writers whether or not they read the books themselves. What are people going to do next...take away freedom of speech perhaps? The day I start writing what people tell me to write, is the day I loose my hands and someone else has to write for me.

I am only one person and I can only do so much. I need you to help raise the awareness about PayPal's attempt to control what we write. I'm against bestiality, but I bet there are a select group of people out there who gets off at the thought of that. Who am I to criticize the author who entertains these thoughts? You may like that yourself or you may be trying to reach a certain audience, but by all means make your paper boo boo. Erotica is all about sex and there is no way in getting around that fact, but believe it or not, erotica is way more than written porn with a long story line. Erotica is also about exploring that side of yourself. Erotica is about sparking your imagination for your adventurous side. If you limit the imaginations of indie erotic authors then you might as well call it the end of real erotica.

So, spread the word, blog about it, and help keep the limitations off the imaginations of indie erotic authors.

Until next time,

Queen B... and the B is not for Breean!

Ain't Karma a Bitch?!---03/15/2012---5:48 p.m.

Hey Readers,

My mother likes to bug me on the weekends and I'm fine with helping to do anything she asks until she does it back to back. I would rather she give me a long list things to do instead of telling me to do one thing, waiting until I finish, and then telling me to do something else and she'll do this for the entire weekend. I'm the type of person that once my mind is set on something, that's what I'm going to do unless I change my own mind. When I get angry, I don't go off, I shut down and isolate myself. Well, after washing the dishes late last Saturday night I had the bright idea to load the jugs of water in the car that night, so my mother won't wake me up early the next morning to do it. I literally said, "If I do everything tonight, my mother won't have nothing to bug me about in the morning." So, like I was saying, after I got out the tub, I washed the dishes, filled the water jugs, and loaded them in the trunk of the car. Well, it was raining and I just went outside in some slippers and my older sister's nightgown.

Now, I'm sitting here with a cold. My throat is sore. I'm coughing and sneezing. I'm congested. My head hurts, and my nose is stopped up so badly that I have trouble breathing. I have never had a stopped up nose like this. My nose is not running, it's like it is swollen on the inside and breathing out of my mouth does not help. I woke up constantly in the night trying to catch my breath. Believe me guys, I wish I was over-exaggerating, but I haven't had any sleep in almost two days. I am miserable...ain't karma a bitch?

I have three girls reading my material at school, two of those girls have been with me every step and they are reading my second book as I write it. The other girl is new, so she is just reading my first book. I used them as my own personal motivation. They keep me writing, because they want to know what happens next. It usually takes me a day or two to write a chapter, because I daydream constantly and I know how the story is going to go, so it doesn't take me long to type it. I told one of the girls yesterday at our awards banquet that I would have Chapter 5 done for her today when I get to school. Well I got home from our banquet last night at seven and I only wrote three pages before getting stuck. I have never gotten stuck writing this book, because I've been picturing it in my head for so long that I know the whole story. I am so tired that I can't think while writing and I can't even picture it straight in my head. I was blessed enough to be able to check out a netbook from school until I graduate, but it sucks that I can't do anything except look at the computer screen and not think of anything.

Well in other news, you can now officially buy What it Took to Get Her in paperback for just $15. It's a great book, but like I said before, the second half is out there so just consider yourself warned. Make sure you order your copy at http://www.amazon.com/Boss-Bitch-Chronicles-What-Volume/dp/1466441046/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331959050&sr=8-2

I will have the entire book and the second half available in an ebook. Anywhoo, I believe that's all for right now, so until next time!

Queen B

Heads Up---2/25/2012---2:40 pm

Good Day Readers!!!

First of all, my book has been accepted on Createspace. Right now I’m just waiting for my copy to arrive at my doorstep in print, so I am really excited about that. However, I'mma have to push my release date back some. I hope it looks perfect inside and out, but what looks one way on the computer may not look the same in print, so I won’t know until I crack the sucker open.

Secondly, PayPal has reevaluated their terms for erotica, resulting in Smashwords sending emails out to all their erotic authors. You are free to publish erotica as long as the context doesn't have any bestiality, incest, rape, or underage sexual content. They even consider it incest for a step parent to have a sexual relationship with a consenting adult step-child, which by the way I don’t get because technically they aren’t blood related. I have seen people get married and their children marry each other even though they are step brother and sister. Personally, I don’t see what’s the problem when every black person (in my part of the country) has that one relative who has had a child with a 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd cousin and yes, that happened more than once in my family which is why my family tree looks more like a family ring, because I’m related on both sides. But that’s another story, anywhoo, I am no longer published under Smashwords since I switched to KDP, but I did plan on going back to them in March. This leads me to my third notice...

Just a heads up for the second part of What it Took to Get Her, some parts were just unethical and sad. I pushed the boundaries for what may have been acceptable, but I don't care. I feel like I’m bringing awareness to the more corruptible side of the world and if you don't like this part, I suggest you quit reading my work now, because it not gone get any better...well maybe just a tad bit better, but all my ideas are still going to push the ethical boundaries. On the other hand, I'll never write about bestiality, that's just about the only thing that I couldn't not write...I mean that's just nasty no matter who's the dominate...um...species. But, as I was saying everybody whose read my past blog or even bought my epub, knows that Part 1 was about teenagers (mainly Chelsea and Rashad) having sex and teenage pregnancy. Well, Part 2 is about a young freshman in college (Khloe). She is out on her own for the first time and like most college students she experiments with a little drinking and a couple other females. She even becomes a phone sex operator and a madam sex trafficker, which is basically enslaving little children to put out on the streets. The girls she kidnaps are between the ages of 10-15. It’s wrong, it’s unethical, and it’s illegal, but hey, it happens. So, if you aren't completely partial to things like that, just roll with me and see where the story goes.

Until next time readers!

Queen B...and the B is not for Breean...deuces!

Learn From My Mistakes-2/23/2012 8:20 pm

Mistakes, mistakes! Where can I start? Some people say a hard head makes a soft bottom. Others say mistakes are our greatest teachers. Well, in a way both are true. I finally finished formatting What it Took to Get Her. It's not on sale yet, it's being reviewed and I'm waiting to hear from Createspace. Anywhoo, it wouldn't have taken me nearly as long to do if I had just read...well comprehended because I had read the step-by-step instructions many times. It wasn't until today that it all clicked. Well, here is my advice from one rookie to another and hopefully it won't take you three years to get your stuff together (six if you count the years it took for me to finish the manuscript).

1.       First of all, finish your manuscript! I don't know how to stress this enough. You can't do anything without a finished manuscript. Take me for example, if you have been reading my posts since the beginning, what was my biggest problem? And if you haven't read them, go read them. I must've stressed myself out so bad about finishing my manuscript. I would do my research and then get ahead of myself. I found myself negotiating with editors and illustrators, but when push came to shove, I couldn't do anything until I finish my manuscript.

2.       Make backup copies of every version of your manuscript that you make. You are bound to mess up during the formatting process. If you don't believe me, just as soon as you think it won't happen to you, you gone delete or mess up something that you're going to have to re-type later. All this can be avoided just by making copies before you start formatting.

3.       Be careful about using pre-formatted templates. Using one of these is the reason that I originally had spaces and blank pages in my manuscript. For some reason, my paragraphs seemed to want to stick together leaving gaps all over the place. I ended up starting fresh and just formatting my document by hand. This is very easy by the way...that is if you don’t have problems following directions.

4.       Get a laptop. My main problem was not having a computer, so on top of not having half of my book written, I only had about one third of it written. On top of all of that, my right hand was swollen twice its size trying to write it out on pen and paper. I have just started on my second book because I'm trying to do this one completely on computer, which is something I still don't have at home.

5.       Rule to remember you have to have at least 40, 000 words to have a novel. Originally, I was going to publish my book in two parts. I split them up, because I thought it would be too much together. Wrong, after all the formatting it wasn't anything. So, I just published the first part as an epub and worked on the second half. However, if you didn't originally have idea for a second part like me, just be happy with your short story or novella. Then, work on stepping your weight game up next book.

6.       Don't rush. Some of you may be saying, well look at the pot calling the kettle black. Oh well, the first step is always admitting your problems. Anywhoo, I have learned. Despite the urge to publish learn to be patient. It'll all be worth it in the end.

7.       Grow some balls. Don't be a bitch, I don't know how else to put it. People gone talk regardless. You gone get good and bad criticism. Embrace it. It may be hard, but some of that harsh criticism is true. Sometimes you just need to be truthful to yourself and reevaluate, ya feel me? On the other hand, some of that harsh criticism is just bull. It’s up to you to decipher between the two. Also, grow some balls and don't be afraid to be you...even if that means going by a pen name. You hear musicians say all the time that they didn't stay with a record company, because they couldn't do the music they want to do. Don't write what you think others want to hear. Write what you want and the people who don't like it does not have to read your stuff and if they still talking down, they must like something because they keep reading. If they didn't read, they wouldn't have anything to criticize you on. Take risks. I took a huge risk by putting half of my book out through epub, but I learned from it.

8.       Be patient. It's hard I know, but without it, you will not be a successful self-publisher, indie publisher, or whatever you refer to yourself. Read and comprehend over and over. I can't tell you how many times I read the line that said don't use enter when adjusting your chapter pages. Use the page break, because your formatting can get out of place when you convert your manuscript. Since January I have been using enter and I'd review my book and always be bummed about how crappy it is. The chapters were out of place and I had spaces and blank pages everywhere. Piece of crap! I re-uploaded my file at least twenty times and I got to the point where I said forget this, I'm about to submit. Then, you have to think well first impressions are everything. Heck, forget first impressions, how would I feel when I finally get a copy of that book? Would I really be proud of to call this mine? No. So, I took like two weeks off and when I came back, it was like I was reading a different set of instructions. It only took me about thirty minutes to format the thing. It was super easy and I could've punched myself because I've been making such a big deal out of it.

9.       Get a few friends to read your raw manuscript. No matter how many people say don't do this because your friends can be yes men. Wrong. If they are really your friends, they will tell you the truth whether you like it or not...at least that's how ALL of my friends are. Surprisingly, I never thought it would come in handy but it did. I had one of my friends read my manuscript for fun, and instead of just reading it, she edited the thing. You’d be surprised how much you don't see no matter how many times you set your work down and come back to it. She voluntarily did it and it helped me out a lot. Another thing, when I was going to submit my manuscript with all the spaces, I asked her did it look bad, because you know when you get tired of something, you try to find reason that it looks good, well the two girls that I let see it really let me have it. I was like dang, you didn't have to say it like that, but I needed somebody to say hold on girl, that looks like shit and you know it. Now you know that's gone stand out. My advice is find your most opinionated friend and go for it and it’s not like you have to do what they say, but it certainly wouldn't hurt you to consider it.

10.   Take a break. This is a job. Self-publishing is tedious work and don't let anybody tell you it’s not, because you'll never know it until you've done it yourself. Give your mind a break. Give your hands a break. Trust me you'll be surprised how differently you'll see things.

11.   If you got the money. Pay somebody to edit, proofread, and format your book for you. I didn’t have that type of money, so I had to do everything myself. You know when I was getting into this business and I'd see the rates and I'd wonder why editors and proofreaders cost hundreds of bucks...I get it now. They'll save you time and all you have to worry about is writing.

12.   Try it independently at least once. You'll be even prouder of your work. I refer to myself as an indie or independent publisher, because I do everything. I don't just publish, I edit, proofread, create my cover, mange, and promote. Will I do it again? Heck yea! It’s always hard the first time around when you don't know what to do, but since I've done it before, I know what to do and where I can save myself sometime at later.

Honestly, if I'd had the money before, I would've paid someone to it, but since I've done once, I can't see myself doing it any other way. Again, it’s really up to you as a person, but these twelve tips will definitely make your journey a little bit smoother. Don't let all the things you hear scare you. I wouldn't say it’s a hard process, it’s just super challenging (and yes, there's a difference). The most challenging part to me is promotions, but you adjust. I haven't really been ready to focus completely on that until now, so I'm interested in seeing how this side goes. The best way to find out is step out there on that limb and experience what happens next for yourself.

Until next time readers!

Queen B...and the B is not for Breean...deuces!

Blogs By Bree: My MLK Speech---10:50 a.m. ---01/28/2012

Blogs By Bree: My MLK Speech---10:50 a.m. ---01/28/2012: Hey readers, Just a quick update before I get started. My book is in the editing process, however it is still scheduled to be on sale next...

My MLK Speech---10:50 a.m. ---01/28/2012

Hey readers,

Just a quick update before I get started. My book is in the editing process, however it is still scheduled to be on sale next month. A lot of you have purchased Part 1, and since I published the first half as an Ebook, I will do the same for the second half, so you don't have to buy the entire book over just to read the second half. For those of you who haven't bought a copy, I will also make the entire book available as an Ebook, and also in print through createspace. By the way, I finally got my facebook page up and running. Queen Breean is my personal page, Breean is my fan page, so make sure you go like it. Also, they are both under my customizing process, so they may be kind of off as of right now, but please disregard the mess until further notice. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Anywhoo, this post is not meant for me to go on and on about my book. I am a writer, and I don't only write adult fiction, so I wanted to show you some of the things that I write outside of that genre. In my last post, I informed you about my upcoming speech at the Martin Luther King Birthday Breakfast. Normally, I don't toot my on horns, but after I got over my terrible nerves, I rocked it. The event made the front cover. Despite the fact that they butchered my name, quoted me slightly incorrectly, and took a picture of me that made me look even shorter than I am, I was still very proud to once again be in the Enterprise for a positive reason. The following is a copy of my speech in its entirety. Let me now how you like it.

"A Challenge to be Empowered to Serve"

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love."

Growing up, I was always taught to practice what I preached. Meaning that I should not tell others what they need to do, if I cannot lead a life of example. Dr. King definitely practiced what he preached. He wanted us to take a nonviolent approach and stand up for what is right, like he did.

Dr. King truly exemplified a heart of grace and a soul generated by love. He was not a laid back person; he was a bold leader. Never did he grow lazy and ignore something that was wrong; so why do we do it? Why can't we help others with anything? Why can't we help our elders when we see them in public struggling? What happened to "yes 'mam," "yes 'sir," "excuse me," "please," "thank you," and "you're welcome?" How do we, as the future of tomorrow, have the nerve and the audacity to curse, and disrespect our elders, when it was their generation who fought for us so we can be where we are today? If it wasn't for God working through them back then, we wouldn't have what we have today. We would still be segregated and looked down upon.

Last week on Inside Edition, I watched a group of hockey fans beat a veteran just because he was wearing a jersey for the opposing team. Of course, they didn't know he was a veteran, but they did know he was a human being. Like everyone else, he has the right to support any team he wants, no matter whose territory he chooses to set foot on. Spectators just walked by like nothing was happening. One of the assailants was bold enough to post the video on the Internet and say, "It was me and my friends. Do something about it." Really? Are some people really that nonchalant that they wouldn't bother to even call an ambulance?

If Dr. King had enough love and compassion for his fellow man to die for an issue as big as racism, then why can't we stand up for something as small as bullying and the belittlement of others just because they don't have what you have? You don't know what that person has to go home to. So instead of teasing your peers, why don't you thank God for your blessings and go bless someone else.

I know it was a little before my time, but the death of Dr. King still affects me today, but let's not dwell on how he died. Let's celebrate his life. Let's remember what he was about. Dr. King once said, "Our lives end the day we become silent about the things that matter. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. The time is always right to do what is right."

Today is our day off, but it shouldn't be. Let us honor what Dr. King stood for and serve.

Thank You

Until next time my faithful readers...

Happy New Year--4:07 p.m.---01/09/2012

Happy New Years to all my faithful follower!

Like you, I am getting over my holiday blues and trying to get back into the swing of things. I have completely finished the second half of my book so, you can expect to be able to buy a hard copy of it within the next couple of months. At least that's not, the one area of my life that I have slacked on. Since my last post, a lot of great and challenging things have been happening on my end. First of all, I already told you about my Student of the Year Award for my school. I finished my essay and the next thing I will be working on is my portfolio for competition. Winning this competition would name me Student of the Year for the district so, pray for me. Secondly, my school's guidance counselor approached me last week to ask me to represent our school by writing a speech on the topic, "A Challenge to be Empowered to Serve." Then she wants me to present it to an audience at a ceremony in Martin Luther King's honor. This is a very honorable task and I do believe that I can pull it off; however, my speech is next Monday (January 16th) and I have no idea what to write. I am an excellent writer for these occasions but, I need inspiration first. Unfortunately, I have yet to receive that great inspiration. The final thing is selling my book solely through Amazon. As I said before, it was a risk that I was willing to take. Thankfully, it turned out for the better. Over the holidays, I sold over a hundred copies. Now, that is a blessing and a miracle.

Have noticed the new like button and facebook section on my page? Well, I recently attempted to set up a face book account under Queen Breean. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out to good. Now, I am no technology dummy. I have accounts for various social sites under my real name but, for some sad reason, I can't seem to get this page published.

As of right now, that is all of the new information that I have for you. Just keep supporting me and let's make this a great year.

Until next time...