Un-publishing and Revising Backlist Books
The Reason
Last week I finished a 3-book series by an author whose previous two books I enjoyed. The 3-book series that I last read started fine but then ended awfully.
So here’s the deal.
I know that I would’ve never read the first two books for certain if I had started with that 3-book series first. And this series was his earlier work. The books I enjoyed were his later works.
How That Applies to Me
For so long, I’ve been grappling with revising the bad stuff. Currently, my mom is helping me scrub out all the foul language and overwritten sex from everything I ever published. I’ve gotten to put my nose back in those stories. And let me tell you, they don’t rise to the standards of my new work.
What I’m Going To Do
The new work that won’t be touched beyond cleaning up the language and sex scenes are The Sterlings, The Christmases, and The Valentines.
Parched will be (Slice fingers across throat). For those who want to finish it. I have a complete series boxset. I’ll publish for a set amount of time. I totally missed the mark with that Vampire WTH series. I mean, it’s out there. I wrote it too early in my writing career. And now, I have a better idea! But I haven’t written vampires in a LONG time, so I’m pretty sure my vampire readers are long gone. This new series is going under a pen name.
LOVE in the USA, The Lords will be FIXED. I’m sorry, but as I read Find Her, Keep Her at the moment, I’m confused. Like–huh? I seriously missed the mark with this series. And I don’t want readers to think that’s how I tell stories today because I don’t.
However, I love Daisy and Belmont. I want to do them justice. As I’m finishing up Soul Mates, I’m revising their first book, Find Her, Keep Her. So please, let me do them justice. Could you wait a while to get to know them again? I promise you won’t regret it.
LOVE In the USA, The Hesters didn’t come out quite right. First, I wish I wouldn’t have written the series in 3rd person. Also, by the end of Waiting on You, I learned a little something about bringing angst to the romance and STICKING to the romance and not mystery elements. I think the saying goes, “those who can’t write–you know the rest.” Well, in my case, it used to be, “she who doesn’t understand how to write romance, over-plot.”
My Conclusion To This Post
The thing is, I love writing relationships and two people overcoming obstacles on the road to their HEA. I finally understand the delicacies of writing in the genre. But as far as my backlist goes, I have written great characters that I love in all the series, and I’m on a mission to do them justice!
So stay tuned. I’ll update you often about the LOVE in the USA revision process. I’ll do it right this time. I’m planning to start with one couple at a time and then the end. No special agent Jack Lord… Sigh… I know, I know… Sorry about that. Talk about overplotting…
I’ll also let you know when the individual books are down and the limited time box sets are up.
Regarding the Valentines, the story about the next brother will be one BIG book. No more three-book series about one brother. Hercules and I will be written in the trilogy format, but Orion and I, Achilles and I, and finally, the extra book, Max Grove and I won’t be written that way. That means It’s going to take me longer to release books that are upwards of 150k words.
Until Next Time!
Much Love🌹
Z.L.