Love the One You're Witch (+$25 Amazon GC Giveaway!)

Title: Love the One You're Witch

Author: Randa Flannery 

Series: Magically Yours #1

Pages: 131

Date Published: 2015

Publisher: Icasm Press

Format: Kindle

Genre: Paranormal

Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours

Synopsis:
Sassy, snarky witch Anastasia Gregor does not work with vampires. Unfortunately, she forgot to tell her boss that. Now she's up to her neck (pun intended) in the night walkers as she attempts to help one family fix their love lives...and meets the enigmatic (and slightly cheesy) Lucas, quite possibly the sexiest man alive...well, sort of. And then things get a bit weird...er.

~Writer Drama~

Lately I’ve been asked a lot about what the hardest or scariest part about being a writer is. The answer has changed with each milestone I’ve hit, and keep in mind that I am pretty new to the scene, but the one I am facing now that I can see following me for however long I am writing is this:

The anxiety of readers’ expectations clashing with my own.

I’ll give you an example. My first book, Missing, has gotten many favorable reviews. Several of those, however, and those from friends, have mentioned how they are looking forward to a sequel. They even have the lead character all picked out, the best friend of the heroine in Missing. The problem is that I have no intention of writing that sequel. I never did. I felt as if her story was finished in Missing. She found her happily ever after. When I told some people this, they argued! They told me ways that her story could work. It was like they’d already planned out a book for me and just wanted me to write it. Being a new author, I stressed about this. Still do, if I’m honest, because I want to make my readers happy. But to me, that story is just not in me.

With Love the One You’re Witch out now and everyone loving Ana and Lucas, I am finding that same issue. This is a planned series, yes. And people are ecstatic about that, and can’t wait for more...Ana. The problem now? The series isn’t following Ana. Each book follows a different heroine, though all from the same core group as Ana, so she will make an appearance in them. But Ana’s story has pretty much resolved. Again, I worry if this is going to upset my readers. My expectations versus theirs.

Many friends and a few other writers I’ve talked to about it have pretty much said not to worry about it, that I should just write what I want, not what anyone else wants. But is that practical? After all, we are in a customer driven business. I love to write, but what good would that do if people didn’t want my books? And why do we write if not for readers? I want people to enjoy my stories, to love my characters as much as I do. I do, in fact, write for them.

But I am the writer. The stories are up to me. It’s what’s in me to be written. I can’t be inspired to write just anything. It has to be something that’s grabbed me and insisted to be put on paper (or laptop). Well, technically, I could write it. I proved that in high school and college. I can write about anything. But if I’m truly not inspired and enjoying the process, it simply won’t be very good. So, again, what would be the point?



So what is the answer to this little conundrum? So far, I haven’t found one. Readers are going to have expectations, and I’m going to have mine, and they aren’t always going to coincide. I will always endeavor to give them the best I can and hope that’s enough! But it’s scary every time I put a book out, and I don’t see that going away no matter how long I do this!

~Try an Excerpt!~

 “So, Erica, I hear you’re in love.”

The daughter perked up slightly and a dreamy look stole over her features. “Yes, I am.” Then her face fell as she glared accusingly at her mother, father, and brothers. “But these morons can’t accept that and they’re trying to keep us apart!”

Her stunningly beautiful face suddenly morphed into one from my nightmares. Her eyes were washed with red and long sharp fangs grew from her canines as she yelled, her voice changing from the pleasant lilt it had been to a deep rumble. And then she narrowed those murderous eyes on me.

“And they brought you here to take him from me.”

I held myself still and mentally prepared to throw a blast of sunlight her way if she made a move for my throat.

Tanner was instantly at her side and smacked her on the back of her head, drawing her attention. “Put it away,” he snapped. “Could you at least try to have a little class in front of a guest?”

Erica snarled.

“That’s enough,” Moira announced imperiously, and the daughter grudgingly returned her face to normal. “My apologies, Ms. Gregor.”

I cleared my throat. “So who’s the lucky guy?” I asked, my voice heavy with sarcasm.

“I am.”

I looked up, away from the immediate threat of a lovesick girl, to follow the new voice. And then I really wished I hadn’t. Because any man I ever met now would have to be measured next to him, which was completely unfair since they would always come up lacking. I was ruined.

~Meet Randa!~ 

Randa Flannery has an a degree in English and writes a variety of romantic fiction, including suspense, comedy, and urban fantasy. Randa is a member of the Romance Writers of America and lives as an expat with her husband and children in FuYang, China. 

Randa will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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