My adventures in ghostwriter and self-publishing

I love to experiment, don't you? I had an adventurous 2015, as I decided to try a few different writing paths. First, I explored ghostwriting romance fiction. I found an online company that's easy to work with and dove right in. *teeth chattering* I wrote for seven clients and had a good experience with them all. One other client wanted a story style I wasn't comfortable delivering, so that contract didn't work out. There are pros and cons to ghostwriting, and if I had more time, I'd do that along with my other stories. But since I work a day job, I have a limited amount of writing hours.

Something else new I tried this year; self-publishing. Yes! I put on my brave girl panties and dove into that also. I decided to write under a different name, because I wanted to try a totally new genre. I figured, having another persona would help me get into that groove. During my ghostwriting, I discovered BBW (big, beautiful, woman) stories were fun, so I wrote one as Arlanna Sterling. I also wanted to try releasing a book as a serial, so I could price the first section low or free, to give readers a chance to try out my work.

I learned oh-so-many things about self-publishing, and one of the biggies is, having more than one writing name is waaaaaay too hard to maintain. *eyes crossed from many hours at computer* So Arlanna Sterling will be merging with me and won't have her own identity. Maybe. One lesson I've discovered, things change in a heartbeat in this crazy world of publishing, so I never say never. Another lesson is, I have to maintain my sanity and keep my attention on my day-job business, my loved ones, and my health. I'll work hard and push myself, but not to the insane-girl point. Life is short, and I intend to enjoy it!

These days, I'm working on a rockin' new series and plan to keep my butt in the chair and write. A lot. That means less time on Facebook and Pinterest *sob, my precious* and not much promotion. But, I do have a fun idea to share and get you involved with my books. More about that as it comes together. For now, if you like suspenseful romance in a tropical setting, take a break with this fun BBW Billionaire book from Arlanna Sterling, The Romance Challenge. Part one is FREE at Amazon from 1/21 to 1/23. I hope you read it, enjoy it, and want the Complete Series Box Set, which is the whole book. I love comments and honest reviews, as always.

Thanks for being an adventurous reader and trying new things. An open mind makes for an open heart and a fun life!
 

Blurb:
 
She's too busy for romance, and too afraid to give her heart away, but he's never backed down from a challenge.

When Amber is chosen to be Nathan's assistant for a week at a resort hotel he acquired in Key Largo, she jumps at the chance. She desperately needs the bonus money to pay for a private detective, to find the man who brutally attacked her sister and left Michelle an emotional wreck. Amber is all business at Bay Paradise Resort, until she shares an unexpected kiss with Nathan, setting every inch of her curvy body tingling and begging for more.

Nathan has vowed to never date an employee again. He blames himself for a tragic accident involving his ex-fiancé, and refuses to let his billionaire lifestyle ever corrupt another innocent woman. But Amber challenges that vow as he learns more about her. After a night of intense passion, he wants more, and is determined to show her, they belong together. 

As Amber pushes away her feelings for Nathan to concentrate on Michelle, he's drawn more deeply to her. When news about Michelle's attacker is revealed, danger threatens Amber, and Nathan must find a way to protect her body and claim her heart.


Tantalizing Excerpt:

Standing outside the office he was using for interviews, I gave my hands a quick wipe down the side of my skirt, gripped my notepad tight, and walked in. Nathan was pacing and talking on his phone.
OMG. Becca hadn't lied. He certainly was fine in person. Tall, slim, wearing a suit that had to be custom made it fit him so well. Don't look at his butt, don't look at his butt. I looked. Yep, that ass had seen one or two workouts.

It took a moment, but he finally noticed I was there and turned to face me. Those eyes; dear Lord. I'd seen his face on a computer screen, but in person, they radiated power and passion. I froze in the middle of the doorway, as though caught in the headlights of a semi-truck.

He stopped in mid-sentence on his phone call and stared at me, with this intense look on his face. Uh-oh. Was something wrong? Did I have a poppy seed stuck in my teeth? Becca would have told me. Or not. My mouth. It hung open like a car door. I closed it and made my lips smile.

Calm down. This is a nice guy who likes to work with me.

"I'll call you back." Nathan put his cell phone on the desk.

"Hello Nathan. It's good to meet you in person. I'm Amber." I moved towards him, smacked my hip into the corner of the desk, and bit back a curse as pain shot through my leg. Do not drop the F bomb. Smile still in place, I stuck out my hand, praying it wasn't damp.

He kept staring for another second, then kind of shook his head and smiled back. "So nice to meet you too, Amber. I've enjoyed working with you long distance." He took my trembling little paw and shook it.

Wow. What the heck was that tingle running up my arm? His grip was firm, but not like he was crushing me. By the way his eyes widened, he felt something too. Maybe I'd picked up static electricity walking across the room. Not real likely, on tile floor, but I couldn't think of any other reason for this surge of energy. We stood there for an awkward moment while he studied me, then he dropped my hand.

I wanted to glance down to see if there were scorch marks, but I grabbed it with my other hand and clasped them both in front of me. Before they did something silly, like reach up and stroke the slight shadow of a beard on his face.

"Sit down, please."

My legs shook as I took a seat in the chair across from the desk. What was I, a love-struck teenager meeting a rock star? Jeez, this was Nathan, the guy who laughed at my corny jokes and liked the pictures of my cat I emailed him. Why did a wave of heat flood my body, particularly in my girl parts?

Because he was hotter than hell in person that's why. I didn't get that energy, that piercing awareness, when I talked to him on the phone. And I sure never smelled him. Kind of woodsy, with a bit of musk layered in. A hint of spice too; bay leaves, or cardamom. From his slightly messed up hair to his shiny Italian loafers, the guy radiated sex appeal. And those laser-beam eyes.

No. I gave myself a mental bonk on the head. I had zero interest in his hotness. I had no time to think about men, with my jobs and my family situation. And anyway, gorgeous billionaires like him didn't look twice at plus-size girls like me.

"So Amber, tell me why you'd be a good candidate for this position."

Right down to business. I'd hoped for a few minutes of small talk to help me loosen up.

"I'm detail oriented, as you know from working with me. On this job at Bay Paradise, you want your assistant to take accurate notes and prepare reports. That's one of my specialties, summing up information and presenting it concisely."

Okay, so far so good, I guess. He had given none of us much information as to what he wanted an assistant to do in Key Largo. We'd all discussed it and the only thing we knew was, Cameron Industries bought the hotel recently and wanted to keep it going.

He nodded at me to continue.
 

 Link for The Romance Challenge Part One: 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1WJNpAR