I Have a Confession to Make

Good Monday,

I’d like to thank you in advance for reading this post. It is a bit long-winded, but it imparts some very important information about the future and me, though not necessarily in that order.

So, beginning with me, I have a confession to make.

My real name…is not Deanna.

You may have figured this out when you realized I write romances about geeks who play role playing games and really looked at my name. Deanna Dee De(anna) Dee, D and D, Dungeons and Dragons. (Yes, I went there.) However, whether you knew or not, you do now, and it’s time for some changes to DDGeekWriter.

Hi, I’m Mary DeSantis, and I have a pen name, Deanna Dee.

I initially began writing as Deanna because I wanted to write geek romance and keep it separate from Mary’s fantasy writing. In the last year, though, I’ve come to the conclusion that the two aren’t so far apart as I originally thought. I no longer feel uncomfortable letting the hypothetical cat out of the bag.

Another issue of late is my stress level. While Craig, Lydia, and the rest of the crew will forever hold a special place in my heart, that special place is currently not special enough for me to dedicate hours of my time to them. I was MIA most of January for some family issues, and while that was happening, I did some redefining of myself. I realize The Games of Love series is incomplete, but I can’t do it right now. I’m burned out on it, as they say. Thinking about writing it makes me feel heartsick and overwhelmed. I mean to return to it someday, but as of right now, I don’t know when.

I’ll even get more honest. Deanna feels like she’s smothering and crushing Mary. I started Deanna’s stuff for a myriad of reasons. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I believe one was fear of my fantasy not being as good as I thought. I used a pen name and a genre switch as a hiding place. I wrote stories I ultimately like but that aren’t my first true love.

Well, no more. I need to do what’s best for me. I need to do what makes me happy, and right now, that is not The Games of Love. Right now, that is going back to my roots and diving into the political intrigue and magic systems I wrote a few years ago.

Is Deanna disappearing forever? No. She will have a dedicated page on this site. If a short story call comes up that I think she’d be perfect for, I may submit something. She just won’t be my main focus.

Please be patient as it may take me a bit to figure all the logistics. For now, the most important point is…

Mary is taking over. DDGeekWriter used to stand for Deanna Dee, Geek Writer. Well, this may be surprising, but Mary is also a geek. She also writes. So please help me welcome in the era of “DeSantis and Dee, Geek Writer: Sharing Headspace with myself.”

Thank you for reading. Many people think writing is just, well, writing. You sit down and you write and you produce a product, right?

Technically, yes, but it’s so much more. A great writer puts their heart and soul into their work. A great writer feels amazing after writing a scene or chapter. A great writer gets as emotionally intense as her story (and sometimes annoys those around her in the process—sorry, guys). Any writer, though, does what she loves. I like Deanna. I love Mary.

TTFN,
Mary

My books are up for awards!

Super exciting news! CRITICAL HIT-ON and ONE FLING TO RULE THEM ALL are in the nominations round in The Romance Reviews winter 2015 contest!

Vote for CRITICAL-HIT here

Vote for ONE FLING here

If you enjoyed the books or want to help an author out, I’d appreciate your votes so much! I need fifty (50) by Sept 30 to get to the next round, so if you wouldn’t mind sharing the love, I’d appreciate that so much, too!

For a full list of all the nominated books, go here.

Thanks!

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

Summer Crush is Alive Today!

SUMMER CRUSH

Summer Crush: A wonderfully romantic boxed set of upper YA short stories by today’s hottest authors.

Summer is the time for lazy days at the beach, sun-kissed hair, flip-flops, and sizzling nights with a new crush. Those stolen glances and first kisses can quickly spark a flame. However, the road to love isn’t always a smooth ride.

Every summer has a story, whether it’s a second chance on love, seeing a friend in a different light, or taking a step in a new direction with someone special. Love and long days create endless possibilities, but can a summer crush really last? NOW AVAILABLE! ~Buy SUMMER CRUSH:

-Amazon
-Evernight Teen

~Add SUMMER CRUSH on Goodreads.

I’m so excited to see this baby hit the shelves. I wrote Boarderline Love in speed mode and submitted three days before I left for Disney. Two days later, it was accepted, and I left for the place where dreams come true with my dream come true. With Summer Crush, my goal of becoming a hybrid author has seen fulfillment. I didn’t think it would happen so soon, but it has. And I’m thrilled. Readers, thank you for your support and for taking a chance on an unknown author. I hope you enjoy Summer Crush!

BOARDERLINE LOVE
Nearly drowning wasn’t part of Dalya’s vacation plans. Neither was being rescued by a guy with a perfect six pack and a haunted look in his eyes. Mason reminds Dalya too much of her over-protective older brother, but when he offers to teach her to surf, she can’t say no. Can Dalya get past her frustration with her brother to realize how much Mason means to her?

Also featuring…

AN OCEAN OF THEIR OWN by Bridie Hall
TAKING THE PLUNGE by Diana Stager
FORBIDDEN by Melissa Frost
EXQUISITE TORTURE by S. D. Wasley
SUTTON SUMMER by Sasha Hibbs

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

Please Don't Offend My work ethic. Or, One Indie Author's take on a Blogger's Review Policy

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” – Ray Bradbury

This past week, I’ve put a lot of time into seeking out potential reviewers for my second book, One Fling to Rule Them All, (which can be purchased by clicking on the blue linked text of the title, just sayin. ). It’s a long and kind of tedious process that goes something like this.

Step 1: Find a long-ish list of book blogs
Step 2 – Go through the blogs on the list individually, paying special attention to their review policy and any other pertinent information (Some do not have a review policy, which is fine. Others do not have easily found guidelines, but that’s a post for another time.)
Step 3 – Determine if each blog a). reviews your genre, and b). would be a good fit by looking at a few reviews
Step 4 – If the blog is a good fit, locate contact information (again, sometimes more easily found than others) and drop blogger a line in preferred method
Step 5 – Wait.

I know. Fun, right? Lately, my days have looked something like this.

Step 1 – Wake up and proceed with morning activities (eat, get dressed, practice personal hygiene, etc.)
Step 2 – Use the late morning and early afternoon to hunt down and (when possible) email bloggers
Step 3 – Have some form of lunch
Step 4 – Write at least a thousand words to keep the writing monster happy
Step 5 – Do any other miscellaneous things that need doing (i.e. Laundry, errands, cleaning, etc.)
Step 6 – Eat some form of dinner
Step 7 – Possibly go back to the blogger hunt
Step 8 – Sleep so this can be repeated the following day

MEEP!

Despite how this list looks, I actually don’t mind the process. Asking bloggers to review my book gives me a sense of doing. I’m accomplishing something small every time my email comes back with “your message has been sent.” The waiting is less fun, but let me tell you. Any irritation caused is instantly made better by the receipt of an email that says something like “Your book looks awesome. I’d love to review it.” That’s every writer’s dream right there. Well, one of our dreams.

However, with the good comes the bad. Most review bloggers say similar things in their policy—I cannot accept every book; I may not finish every book I do accept; my reviews are honest; I may post negative reviews—that’s fine. Authors understand that not everyone will love everything they read. (At least, authors should understand this.) We prepare for one star reviews. It’s part of life.

What shouldn’t be part of life, however, is unnecessary rudeness. I’ve seen cases over the years of authors flipping tables because of bad reviews. That’s not okay. Neither okay, though, is the idea that a review policy can insult writers. Without saying names, I came across a review policy that said something like “I refuse to read self-published books because I like good writing.”

Ouch.

K, back up the wagon. Yes, self-publishing has given everyone (and I mean everyone) the opportunity to publish a book. Yes, many self-published authors do not take the time to get their books beta read, proof read, edited, provided cover art, or any of the other little things that make a book good. And yes, bloggers certainly have the right to not accept Indie authors. It’s the same right that allows them to not accept science fiction or mystery—they don’t want to.

But book bloggers, it is not (repeat NOT) okay to insult the entire Indie author population because you’ve read a few badly done Indie books. There is an entire community out there of self-published authors who know what they are doing and produce products that are written and packaged as well than traditionally published books. There are Indie writers who take just as much time learning the craft of writing than traditionally published authors. There are freelance editors out there who are just as good than editors who work at major publishing houses. There are cover artists, layout artists, publicists, translators—you name it, the Indie world’s got it—that do just as well as the people working in big companies. If you don’t want to read Indie books, fine. But do not, for a moment, presume to insult the Indie authors who work because a few choose not to.

Thank you,
An Indie author who puts effort and time into her books
Deanna Dee

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

Six Word Saturday 6-13-15

My second book is out! SQUEEE

Blurb

It began with the forging of a great friendship.

For three months, Lydia Bell has watched Craig, her best friend and the love of her life, be in a happy relationship with someone else. But she’s over it. Or thinks she is until she hears Craig’s voice on the phone. Desperate to put her romantic feelings behind, she joins her roommates for a night out. Maybe she’ll meet someone.

And meet someone she does—a guy named Scott, who looks a lot like Craig. Despite their awkward introduction, flaming arrows fly, and soon Lydia is running off the dance floor to get away from feelings she shouldn’t have. So much for getting over Craig, and so much for Scott.

Until Monday morning, that is. Turns out Scott goes to her school. Worse, they share a class. As if that’s not weird enough, Scott is also trying to get over someone. To help both Lydia and himself, he proposes a fling, and reluctantly, Lydia agrees. Now she just has to hope this fling rules and doesn’t crash into a fiery mountain.

Available on Amazon.

*Jumps up and down*

~~~

Hop over to Show My Face to play.

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

Book 2 Has Arrived!

Announcing…book 2!

ONE FLING TO RULE THEM ALL (The Games of Love, #2)

It began with the forging of a great friendship.

For three months, Lydia Bell has watched Craig, her best friend and the love of her life, be in a happy relationship with someone else. But she’s over it. Or thinks she is until she hears Craig’s voice on the phone. Desperate to put her romantic feelings behind, she joins her roommates for a night out. Maybe she’ll meet someone.

And meet someone she does—a guy named Scott, who looks a lot like Craig. Despite their awkward introduction, flaming arrows fly, and soon Lydia is running off the dance floor to get away from feelings she shouldn’t have. So much for getting over Craig, and so much for Scott.

Until Monday morning, that is. Turns out Scott goes to her school. Worse, they share a class. As if that’s not weird enough, Scott is also trying to get over someone. To help both Lydia and himself, he proposes a fling, and reluctantly, Lydia agrees. Now she just has to hope this fling rules and doesn’t crash into a fiery mountain.

Available for purchase at Amazon.

And add it on Goodreads.

Want an excerpt and more about the characters? Navigate on over to One Fling’s page and have a look.

And now pardon me while I celebrate!

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

The book will come out...tomorrow

Sup?

And I apologize if you now have a ten-year-old belting stuck in your head now.

K, maybe I’m not that sorry.

Anyway, guess what? CRITICAL HIT-ON releases tomorrow!

So excited. And in honor of excitement, I present my alternative author photo. Two thirds of those polled like my current one better. For those who haven’t seen it, it’s this.

The remaining third, however, liked the below photo better, and it is for that third I share it now.

Which do you like better?

Oh, and psst.

CRITICAL HIT-ON releases tomorrow!

Today’s the last day to preorder on Amazon.

Geek on,
Deanna
On Twitter @DDGeekWriter

It Is Time Part 1

Guess what.

Two more days!

Yes, two more days until CRITICAL HIT-ON is available.

And because it’s release week, some goodies. Today, we have Chapter 1.

Chapter 1: Craig

For a Thursday night, A’s Tavern is dead. All the better. We don’t need an audience for the not-so-drunken debauchery to follow. I stroll inside and head for the hostess desk, not bothering to hold the door for Parker. He’s a big boy. He can handle himself.

There’s a crash behind me, followed by a string of curses.

Or maybe he can’t. Should’ve known better. Parker’s a klutz. I’m a good friend, though. I keep walking and snicker.

Parker catches up to me and punches my shoulder. “You, my friend, are chimera excrement.”

I shrug. “I’ve been called worse. Keep up next time.”

“Two?” The host, clad in black pants and a red shirt—poor bastard—greets us and grabs a couple of menus.

“For now,” I say. “We’re expecting three more.”

Host pauses, and his eyes go glassy as if two plus three is calculus. Then he grabs three more menus. “Follow me.” He leads us to a rectangular table for six, where he practically drops the menus and silverware. Dude’s dex score is down with his int. “Your server will be right with you,” he says and then scurries back toward the front of the restaurant.

I mumble a thanks and sit. The tables around us are empty, so I pull my chair way out and make myself comfortable. In my twenty-one years, A’s hasn’t changed. The place looks like one of those old train stations. The top halves of the walls are white tile, and the bottoms are dark wood, a match for the tables and chairs. Monochrome tiles make up the floor, and a black-lacquered bar stretches the length of the restaurant. In honor of the recent Star Trek movie, there’s a neon sign over said bar advertising Free Tranya. I don’t know why they have free tranya, considering that line was from the original series and not the most recent movie, but there’s the sign. Only the second r is out. So it reads Free Tanya.

“Free Tanya.” Parker sits across from me and runs a hand over his black hair, which just makes it stick up more. Between that and the glasses, all he needs is green eyes instead of blue and a lightning scar on his forehead. “Now that, I can get behind.” And a less Weasley personality.

I scoot up to the table and am about to smack him over the head when a hand grabs my water glass and scares the hell out of me. I hit the back of my chair and look up at our waitress…our really hot waitress. Damn, how have I not noticed this girl before? Her brown hair reaches her shoulders, and her curves make the tasteless white-shirt-and-black-skirt ensemble of A’s uniform look good. My kind of girl.

…

Want more? Navigate over to the Critical Hit-On page for the rest of the chapter and some more info about Craig and Molly’s characters.

And then add the book on Goodreads and preorder it on Amazon because it’s awesome, and you want to read it. (Shameless plug there. Lol)

And stop back tomorrow for something else fun, and stop back on Wednesday for something else fun. And maybe even Thursday and Friday. One never knows, do they?

Geek on,
Deanna
On Twitter @DDGeekWriter

And the presentation of the art of the cover...

Good Wednesday,

After much waiting and feasting upon the orangutans and fruit bats, the day has arrived. Yes, behold…the cover for Critical Hit-On!

Isn’t she lovely?

I thought so, too.

Thanks to Tara at Fantasia Frog Designs for doing an awesome job! And also thank you for putting up with me as I went nuts over the dice. Lol

Critical Hit-On releases in one week (count-em, one). Are you ready? Have you preordered a copy? If not, you should because it’s gonna be awesome, man.

Preorder your copy here

Also add it on Goodreads

And that, as they say, is that for now.

Geek on,
Deanna
On Twitter @DDGeekWriter

It's alive! (mostly)

Good Friday, and what a lovely Friday it is. I’ve been away, but I’m back, and I’m in business.

That’s right—CRITICAL HIT-ON is in production!

Here are some handy links.

~Amazon, where it is available for preorder!

-Goodreads
-LibraryThing
-Shelfari

And that’s just the book. There’s also me.

-my Facebook author page
-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Amazon author page

Author photo coming soon, and it’s an awesome one.

All right, announcement over. But the future is coming. It’s practically here, and CRITICAL HIT-ON hits ebook stores on Feb 25. Go preorder your copy because the book is awesome! (Everything is awesoooooooome!)

Geek on,
Deanna