Well.....

 If you follow me on FB then you've already seen the post. I don't think I get a lot of crossover traffic between social media outlets and here. Could be I only get the same traffic. No idea where anyone finds me. Or seemingly more often, doesn't find me.

And as you know I've wrestled with what to do with my books once they fall out of KU next week. I've made twenty whole dollars this month on Amazon. December is halfway over and even in KU that's the best I do now. I take my books out and go wide I make less. I'm not sure if I'll clear three thousand dollars for the entire year across all markets. 

Well, you should write a new book... yes, I know I should. But that won't change a thing. Writing and publishing still ain't going to get the sales....... Yeah, yeah. Whine and moan, bitch and complain. I am really good at those four things. Don't know about anything else, but those I excel at.

SIGHS!

So, back to what I was saying. 

Yesterday/last night on TikTok my feed exploded with news that Amazon had implemented an "Ask the Book" feature for ebooks sold on their site. AtB is an AI driven feature to allow the reader to interact with the book, as in get in book synopsis, or overview of the story so far or whatever it is someone would need to ask a book as they are reading it. This feature has quietly been added to certain books already and in 2026 will be added to more. And the author/publisher has no way to opt out of this feature at the current time.

I don't know what your stance on AI is, and honestly, I don't care. My stance is that AI steals from creators, writers, artists, et. al. I know 23 of my books were "scraped" for romance writing apps without my permission and with no compensation. And I personally do not care to have yet another "feature" embedded in my books no matter the intent. And frankly, if a reader can't understand what they are reading then that's something the reader needs to address on their own. Maybe some reading comprehension lessons... sighs... yeah, that was mean. Sorry.

Look, it's like this, AI is not the great equalizer. If you want to be a writer or an artist or whatever, do what all of us did, take lessons, got to workshops, read, study, PRACTICE! there are no shortcuts. What AI is, is shit that someone plugged into a Frankenstein app to "Create" nothing of any value. You didn't write a novel, you didn't draw a picture, you didn't compose music. You halfass stole several someone else's work and flung it out there to feed a machine that will now further strip stolen words and dumb it down to the point that the old Dick and Jane primers from my elementary days seem like great works of art. (Apologies to Dick and Jane, I really did love the art in those books, but even as a first grader the story was kinda lame).

So, that brings me back to what I was saying. I have been on the fence as to what to do with my books as they fall out of KU next week... Amazon just made that decision for me. Every book I have will leave Amazon at the end of their KU run or by the end of the month for the few that fall out on January 3rd. I will return the MM books to wide release as soon as I'm clear KU. If you are with Amazon and you have no interest in leaving Amazon and haven't purchased any of my books, your time to do so is rapidly coming to an end. 

My apologies if I offended. And if I offended, maybe I'm not the author for you.

As always, 

Peace,

Mercy

News and Reminders

 Just a quick pop in to let you know that all books will begin falling out of Kindle Unlimited on December 21st. The final books will be out on January 3rd. If you still haven't read one of my MM titles and wish to do so in KU, please grab your missing titles for your library soon. Remember, a book that is no longer in KU will stay in your KU library until you return it. Also remember, that the author/publisher is only paid for one read through. 

And for the news part: I have pulled all of the female MC books from sale. I've also removed River's Edge and Under a Crescent Moon. Moon will begin undergoing a cover change and formatting refresh in January. These books are still available in my Payhip store until the end of December if you would like them. Only Moon will return to mainstream sale in February at the earliest.

Peace,

Mercy

Decisions Made

 As of this morning I've pulled all of the books with a female MC from sale on Amazon. 

The decision to do this wasn't made lightly.

I spent this week updating my record keeping focusing on the last two years specifically, and in the last two years those five books may as well never existed. Even on Kobo in Kobo plus, those five books have never sold a single copy... ever. 

Now, what I do with those books is still undecided. I've considered updating two or three of them and republishing them under a different pen name. But right now, I don't know if that's even allowed. Those books are still subject to the KU rules for the next month or so, so I'm in no rush to make the harder decision there.

AND!

And I've pulled Under a Crescent Moon from sale everywhere except my Payhip store. I will pull it from there at the end of November, so if you want the current edition, now is the time to get it.

I do plan to totally refurbish that book. I'm still short of what I need to fund print covers but I have what I need (mostly) for a new e-cover. I just don't know what I'm looking for in a new cover. Or if I should change the title.

I'm not entirely fond of the title, I was rushed to settle on a title when I sold the book to the original publisher and then got stuck with it when I decided it wasn't right. And now that it's been out for nearly two decades I just don't know if I should change it. Or... if Amazon will ever allow it back into KU in the future and what might happen if I sneak it past them. Remember, Moon was blocked from KU due to shenanigans with the original publisher.

Which does lead me to wonder what title I'd like if I do. I do want to keep Crescent Moon. I just don't like the Under part.

Other decisions still not made.

SIGHS!

The MM books that have never done well.

What do I do with them?

I would like to disappear them and pretend they never happened. I still don't understand why they were ignored. Meh, I will never know.

I know that Need You Now, a sexy, slightly dark themed, short story has never done well at all. It's not much different than Beyond Complicated or In from the Cold, just shorter. But, nope, nothing. Doesn't help that Amazon sent it to the erotica dungeon. I don't agree with their erotica classifications. It's explicit, yes, it has a full plot with a happy ending, so I don't classify it as erotica. But there we are. An emotional little story with lots of sex... and nothing. 

Y'all send me mixed signals. You know that right? Like, the books that sold very well early on were dark, erotic, and twisted. I write more dark, erotic and twisted now, and nothing. But those books still do okay.

But, the not dark, not erotic, and definitely not twisted books are rejected completely.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL WANT FROM ME!

I'm told I complain too much when I ask.

And speaking of Dark, Erotic, and Twisted. Beyond Complicated has been my best seller for the past few years. Last month in KU it started booking along with some hefty page reads, and then it fell off to nothing almost immediately. The graph shows an 8k page read day then it nose dives to the ground and has never recovered. No sales. No page reads. Nothing showing for a month now. 

I don't get that. I honestly don't understand. And I swear it seems so suspicious. 

But I can't prove it. It makes me feel paranoid to say that I believe Amazon chose to suppress my books. To say that I think they out and out... do other things... is insane. But explain why that book, specifically, started hitting and immediately flung itself off a cliff? 

ANYWAY!

I did not mean to go off on rants. I'm trying not to do that. But...

ONE LAST DECISION to discuss.

From now until the end of the year the 28 books still on Amazon are on sale for $2.99 or less for the holidays.

If you haven't gotten them, get them now. I have not decided if I'm archiving several of those books yet. I will make that decision by the end of the year. 

And if you want to buy straight from me, I still have titles available in my Payhip store. Including the twin book. Just click the STORE tab in menu to find the link.

And if you'd like to help me fund the complete refurbish of Crescent Moon, please "buy me a coffee" HERE!

I plan to start on Shift in Time next and would love to get a jump on funding that refresh now too, if it's not too much to ask.

As always,

Peace,

Mercy

Decisions Decisions

 I know I talk about my frustration with the writing and books and publishing world. A lot. Ad nauseum. And my place in it. And my inconsistent message is not lost on me. 

I do understand your frustration with me. I do. 

I don't understand how I got here, but that's not really a topic any of us have time to pick apart.

I know that writing a new book would cure some ills. But, again, the last ten new books I wrote had little to no sales. So, again, that's where I am. I've written new. I've offered the new books for as close to free as I can. In two different subscription services, 99 cent sales. anything to try to jump start interest in them. And nothing ever works. 

Over on FB I'm talking to an audience that has followed me forever and have everything. That's awesome, I love seeing the same faces comment and interact with me. It makes me feel remembered. But that doesn't get my books in front of new eyes. So, the best I can come up with is there's no interest in what I write. And that's the best I got right now.

We're coming to the end of another year. The mid-decade year and I am once again pondering the future, daily, and what I want to do as far as writing is concerned. 

One day it's write something new, get over myself, do what you used to love doing.

The next is, delete it all and walk away.

Realistically... honestly, except for the handful of people on FB I doubt anyone would notice what I do either way.

That's because you bitch and moan about it too much, it makes people uneasy and they leave. 

Gotcha.

I am not a Pollyanna. I can't be a Pollyanna. I will never be that type of person online. Because all I know how to be is me, and me is a great big bag of not good enough so why bother... and that's not going to change either. 

So... what's today's decisions decisions... because I hear you rolling your eyes and saying just get to the point, sheesh-- 

Not going to lie, there is very much a delete everything purge coming. I should have done it at the end of October but I'd already commited those books to Kindle Unlimited. I mean, I can still pull them, Amazon doesn't care as long as they're not published elsewhere in their unlisted still in KU time.

Between December 20 and January 2nd, my books will start falling out of KU. And I will delist and archive several titles. And that includes all but the first three Scrimmage books, even On the Side (last man standing). 

Why?

Because, despite the constant inquiries as to when the next book will release, those four books have never sold that well, OTS lifetime under both titles units paid doesn't even reach the 25% of units paid that OC had. And that is why I stopped writing the scrimmage series, lack of paid interest.

All books with a female lead will disappear. Even the MMF. I've decided to update a couple of them and re-release them under another pen name, and maybe carry on from there with a sequel or two. I don't know.

After that, it gets tricky. The last three MM releases have gone ignored almost completely. I will pull them, and decide if I should archive them or revisit and repackage them. Not that I have the money to do that, but, that's the best I can say.

I'm flat out removing Need You Now and Courting Sin. I'm tired of trying with them. River's Edge is most likely being archived, I will revisit One True Pair and Falling Back. OTP needs a new cover, probably a cartoonish one. And maybe an editing pass. Falling Back, maybe a cartoon cover, maybe oblivion, I'm unsure. 

And that leads to Shift in Time, Under a Crescent Moon, and Into the Gloaming. 

I still want to re-package Moon. I'm still asking for help paying for new covers for ebook and print. I need about a hundred fifty more to start. If you'd like to help me fund that, my ko-fi link is in my linktree, just click the about tab to find that. 

I can't even pay anyone to read Gloaming, and as much as I love it, that book is going to archives. 

Which leaves Shift in Time. 

Another book I love that just never seemed to hit with readers. Sentimentally, I'd like to do a cover refresh and repackage. Realistically, there's no point.

And that's where I am right now.

I'm tired. I will try straight romance with a different pen name. Whether I continue past the end of the year as Mercy with anything new to come remains to be determined.

I feel I've overstayed my welcome and it's time to move on. I've beaten this horse into dust and this is all I have left, some bitter posts begging for help.

And I'm as sick of asking as you are of being asked.

So, I guess this is it.

Sure I'll circle back around between now and then, and we know I'm too chicken shit to pull the plug. But honestly, it's been ten years since my last book hit with an audience, why keep on keeping on.

I'll leave you in peace now.

If you can help that would awesome and I thank you.

If you don't have those books, I discussed above, you should probably get them, might I suggest checking the STORE tab in menu for better prices.

As always, 

Peace,

Mercy

Another November Book: And Missed Anniversary

 I should really put publishing anniversary dates in my planner so I can keep up with it all. I missed a whole bunch in the last month. 

I discovered this particular missed anniversary while posting to my November set books social media mini-blitz.

Soo... Happy 10th Anniversary to the book that killed my career. At least on paper. 

Out of the Blues

November destination wedding. Brother of bride meets half brother of groom. A little forced proximity spiciness. A whole lot of family drama. 

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Happy 14th In From the Cold

 Technically one day late but since it didn't publish until the 12th, today is the official 14th anniversary of my debut self-published book In From the Cold.

I'd forgotten.

I usually do.

It's been a very long time since I've thought about that book and those characters. Sometimes I can't remember their names. Long Long time. 

No, I'm not going to write a book about the making of this book. Because I honestly can't remember much about the inspiration or why I wrote what I wrote. I remember the bullshit with Cobblestone Press and the horrible editing that removed whole paragraphs and just left it that way. And the two weeks it was published and the fight to get my rights back that started before it was published. 

That, I remember. The butchering of that book and the bullshit that followed. But, with pressure from other authors and some from the original cover artist, they cut their losses and I got my rights back, with the request that I wait six months to republish. Contractually, I didn't have to honor that request, but I did. And I had it edited again, from my original, and a new cover from the original artist. I think this book has had more new covers than any book I have. Other than Behind Iron Lace that is. But yeah, I think this one wins that award.

Anyway, happy official 14th anniversary to me for the launch of my self-publishing foray, and to In From the Cold finally seeing the light of day. 

And to answer the question that will be asked. No. I have no plans to write the final story. It ended on a HFN and I'm leaving it at that. Though, I really should have the cover altered to change that word.

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