And just like that, this one popped in my head and I was able to hammer out this novella in about 2 weeks of straight writing. All that was left was a few edited versions and waiting for the cover design to get done.

Here is the book description from my Smashwords site:

Alba, a Romance Writer, is involved in a head-on collision, severely breaking her jaw. After 16 months of reconstructive surgeries and rehab, Alba contemplates taking her writing in new directions. She now writes Erotica! But she has no experience building sex scenes. But she also needs to exercise her jaw muscles which are weak from months of being wired shut and getting rebuilt. To build her authentic protagonist profile AND get in some good jaw muscle workouts, she solves two problems at once, as she documents 5 nights in a Tampa, Florida Sex Club! Download Alba at the Sex Club and follow along with her nightlife adventures as she acquires her “research” into becoming one with her character!

I enjoyed writing this 32k word erotic tale because it’s about a woman overcoming the odds stacked against her and paints the story of her journey to self-discovery. Also, this is the first time I’ve written an erotic romance. I haven’t done much romance writing, but this does become a love story. It has encouraged me to seek this out a bit more. It was fun to write and despite the challenges, I think it sharpens my writing skills in doing it.

You can download my eBook, Alba at the Sex Club on my Smashwords site, for just $2.69. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

Thank you for your support.

Ellington Redd

The Sorority is book 4 of my Sister Queens Sorority series and picks up where our polyamorous adventurers left off last time sailing around the world, entering Indonesia. The voyage continues around Indonesia, Timor Leste, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands. Many more characters are introduced as our protagonist adds more catamaran luxury yachts to the fleet with new patrons and crews.

What makes this part of the series so special is that, in addition to the growth of the business, our sexy cruisers much learn to adjust to life with kids! This expanded family causes them to want to separate into three teams of 3 ships each, Team 1, Team 2, and Team Prime which consists of the family and the core group of original patrons. Each team takes off on their own adventures.

But not only this, we see a reconciliation! Not to give away too much, but Kitty returns which results in a stronger solidarity between the Original Queens… Kitty, Petite, and VJ… and the New Additions… Bel-Larenn, Soleil, and Nano. This is why the book is titled, The Sorority!

It’s been 3 years in the making to reach this far in the Sister Queens Sorority series. I am seriously contemplating taking a break before introducing Book 5, Islands of the Indian Ocean and the remainder of the books. Book 6 is Fatwood. Book 7 is The Final Voyage of VeeJay. All three books have been written, but I think I want to do two things.

One, I’d like to take a break to write some more short stories and quite possibly begin another stand-alone novel. This very much MIGHT BE, a full-length novel that follows The Academy of Sex: The Headmaster’s Pupils! I have some ideas for this that I would like to pursue if I can put it all together and build something good from it.

The second reason I want to take a break from the series is that I feel a need to explore those books further and see where I can improve them and possibly maybe bring in some old characters that either didn’t get much attention OR explore some second chance characters. Everybody likes a story of redemption! I’m also investigating a different style format for these last three. Maybe some chapter introductions with a good quote. Or scrutinizing the way each book begins and ends. Do they have a strong start? Does it end on a good note that leaves you salivating for the next chapter? The next book? I want to know these things.

I could very easily see taking the rest of the year to consider these options as I will likely spend some time in Central America for a few months this fall and then come back strong to start the year with some good material. So unless DEMAND is just astronomically high for the first four books and readers insist on Book 5, this is the course I am certain to follow. I won’t pull a George R. R. Martin and hold you hostage for a decade waiting on the next book, (although I do get it a little bit… 3 years, MAX). I’ll have this done soon.

Thanks for your support!

Ellington

I’ve often found that when people find out I am doing erotica and self-publishing, their assumption is that I’m publishing on Amazon. But nope, that’s not the case. I looked at Amazon, talked to other friends about Amazon, and researched the hell out of the pros and cons. I use a Kindle. I’ve had one since maybe 2014. I love it and this is how I usually consume books.

But when I began writing and looking to self-publish, I was not sold on Amazon! I looked at all the rules, complaint’s by other writers, and most of all… the money! Can’t say I was thrilled at this. So here are THREE main reasons, I looked for an alternative to Amazon and settled with Smashwords.

THE MONEY

This was the most simple of choices. My cut is 85% of whatever I charge for my books. It’s a simple flat rate. If my book is priced at $10, I make $8.50. For Amazon, it depends on the price of your book but your cut can be anywhere between 35% and 70%.

AMAZON’S EXCLUSIVITY POLICY

The absolute main thing that DID NOT appeal to me was Amazon’s policy of Exclusivity! I did not like this at all. Yes… Amazon is the biggest on the market. More readers would potentially see my work on this platform than any other. However, I’m not all about jumping on the bandwagon of the biggest seller AND then giving them exclusive rights to my books! I hate that condition. There are plenty enough people out there who hate Amazon and if I can only publish there, then it sucks that these readers can’t enjoy my work. What did your mama tell you about all your eggs in one basket? Exactly! I’d rather sell to multiple retailers, like Apple Books and Barnes and Noble.

SMASHWORDS IS MORE FAVORABLE FOR INDIE AUTHORS

I’m an upstart. I think I have a good product to sell, but I don’t have any big name publishers behind me. I don’t have a team of people that work for me. It’s just me with my idea for a story. Smashwords does a ton better job at supporting me with the tools I need to get my work out there. They let my work stand on its own merit. If it’s good, it will sell. I still have to do some leg work to get the exposure, but that’s my job. I don’t think Amazon cares as much about this with their blanket policies. Maybe if I were a big name author and they wanted exclusive rights to sell my books… okay. I can see it. We can negotiate that. But that’s not me yet.

And that’s relatively it for me. Those three things sold me. But of course there are several other reasons why I went Smashwords over Kindle and I have been satisfied with my decision.