Amanda Hocking

I’m just finishing up some Letters to Elise stuff, and hopefully, that should be out sometime next week.

Meanwhile, I’ve got some Ascend stuff up now. Hopefully, that should be ready for betas sometime next week.

But for the fun Ascend stuff, the first chapter is now up. You can read it: here. I also have the soundtrack up for it. You can listen: here.

This song didn’t make it on the soundtrack, because I couldn’t find it, but it so would’ve if I could. It’s a song that would fit perfectly with a scene that I won’t tell you about now. But I will. In the future. I love Oceanship a ton, by the way, and you should all listen to them. 

That’s all I have for now. I have much work to get back to. Peace out, yo!

Okay. I have two awesome and important videos to show you. Well, one is important.

People have been asking me a lot lately, hey, why are you selling so many books? What is your secret? And I keep thinking, there is no secret.

And here is the important part of the story I forgot to mention in previous blog posts: There is no magic hand.

Smashcut to me December 2008. I’m making no money. My life feels like a dead end. I’m writing books. Nobody cares. And I say, why isn’t this working? What am I doing wrong?

If you’re me, and I am, you spend a lot of time thinking about how neat Mark Hoppus is and listening to a lot of blink 182 and Fall Out Boy. That led me to this youtube video, which contains the single greatest peice of advice I’ve ever gotten from anybody about writing, and it wasn’t even about writing. So I watched this video late 2008, and it was a wake up call for me to quit whining and get off my ass.

You can watch the whole interview if you want, but the question/answer starts at about :55 seconds in and goes until about 2:10, so it’s short and sweet. Mark’s talking about music, but it applies to writing just as well. Also, Pete Wentz is there.

While looking for this video, I found another great video. Do you remember my blog the tuna fish story in which I discussed how much of a douche John Mayer was on A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus and lamented over being unable to find a video? Well, I found that video.

Watch the whole thing if you like watching douchey things, but the Jay Z story I flipped about in the tuna fish story starts at 5:18. And it so worth it.

You’re welcome.

What I’m Doing Monday is a Meme that I just made up because I wanted to take a break, and I was bored. It’s a list of things that I’m currently enjoying at the moment that you might also enjoy.

What I’m listening to: Band of Horses, the Black Keys, Bon Iver, and Ryan Adams.

What I’m reading: Third World America by Ariana Huffington and Palo Alto by James Franco. And also Rachael Ray’s cookbook, but that’s for supper tonight.

What I’m watching: I have the Indiana Jones trilogy on my DVR, and I hope to start watching it tonight.

What I’m playing: Donkey Kong Returns on the Wii.

What I’m working on: I’m reworking the ending of Honalee, and I’m getting Letters to Elise and Ascend ready for release.

So far, feedback on Letters to Elise has been mostly positive. I think I’m going rework a bit of the opening, Maybe cut some. Or something. But that’s on track for a Christmas release.

But onto good news/bad news. I’m pushing back the release of Honalee. I’m having issues with the last quarter of the book, and I need to rework and figure it out. So it might be a little while.

But the good news is – I’m moving up the release of Ascend! It will be out by the end of 2010. That’s all I can say for now, but they’ll be more info about it as it gets closer.

Letters to Elise is getting ready to come out. You know what that means? That’s right. Beta time.

In case you don’t know, a beta reader is  (according Wikipedia) a person who reads a written work, generally fiction, with what has been described as “a critical eye, with the aim of improving grammar, spelling, characterization, and general style of a story prior to its release to the general public.”

But with Letters to Elise, I’m going to bit a more specific about what I’m looking for because it’s different than my other books. As I’ve explained before, it’s less of a narrative. There’s not a plot in the true sense. It’s letters Peter wrote to Elise and a few journal entries.

And also – I’m not sure how this will play to My Blood Approves enthusiasts. I’d like to get a few readers on both sides of the spectrum – those that are 100% Team Peter and those that are 100% Team Jack – to see how it plays to both sides. And some people that are 50/50 both guys would be good too.

I’m also looking to see if more content should be added, or if some should be cut. And really if it’s interesting at all. If it’s not, I might scrap the idea or rework it. But we’ll see.

As always – I’d also enjoy people with proofreading skills since my books are apparently never, ever proofread enough. So I’m always looking for another set of eyes.

So, if you’re interested in doing a beta read of Letters to Elise, comment or email me. When you do, please let me know how you’d categorize yourself: a Peter fan, a Jack fan, or a Both fan, so I’m not getting all my feedback from Jack fans or Peter fans or what have you. If that makes any sense.

Also, I slaved all night making a soundtrack for Letters to Elise, which you can listen to: here or under the My Blood Approves tab at the top of the blog. I tried to pick music I thought Peter would like, and I guess I think Peter is kind of a folk/hipster. Apparently. And I also have the song “This Night” by Black Lab from the book trailer on it.

So yep. Thoughts please.