#charityb

  1. Editing. This is, by far, the most expensive thing when it comes to getting your book self-published, but also the most important. I would absolutely suggest doing as much editing as you are able to on your own to minimize the cost, as well as finding beta readers (I offer that service for free BTW). They will catch things you won’t. Be sure to find an editor that works with your genre specifically, as they will give you your most valuable feedback (and some editors won’t edit certain genres). There are multiple kinds of editing, and while I don’t feel it is mandatory to get all of them, I do think they are all beneficial. a. Copyediting In my opinion, this is the most detrimental of all the types of editing. This is when the editor will check for grammar and punctuation mistakes, inconsistencies in the story or timeline, and makes sure certain items stay the same throughout the novel. While I do see this as the most important, it should also be one of the last edits you do (Unless you are getting it proofread). The cost of this service will range depending on if the editor charges by hour, by page (250 words is a page), or by word count. Hourly rates can range from $30-$80 per hour, $3- $5 per page, or $0.01 to $0.02 per word. For an 80,000 word novel, you will be looking somewhere between $800-$1,600. b. Developmental editing This covers your story itself. If there are plot holes or the characters don’t seem to grow, this is where the editor tells you what doesn’t work. Things that are cliché or farfetched will be reworked until the story is at the best it can be. This is a major edit and may cause you to rewrite large portions of the plot. Editors know what does and doesn’t sell in your genre, and will help your book have more positive responses from more readers. $45-$55 per hour or $0.06 -$0.08 per word. An 80,000 word novel for this service will cost around $4,800- $64,000 (I know…I about choked to death). c. Line editing. This is exactly how it sounds. Each sentence is dissected and checked for awkward phrasing, better word options, word repetition, and fact checking. This is another fantastic service that will drastically improve the quality of the novel. I have read so many books recently that could benefit from this service. This is around $0.019 per word, but a lot of time you can get a cheaper copyedit/line edit combo. Line editing alone for an 80,000 word book will put you at about $1,500. d. Proofreading. This doesn’t really change much of the book. This is just to double check what has already been previously copyedited. This is a nice polish to add on to your editing to be secure in the product you are about to publish. This will cost you about $.006 -$0.009 per word which comes to around $500- $700 for an 80,000 word manuscript. *Complete editing including all services is going to land you in between $6000-$8000. I know that is insane, and I know I don’t have six grand lying around. Do what you can do and remember this is an investment. If you are a more seasoned author you can get away with doing less. Decide where you will benefit the most and go from there.   2. Formatting and Layout Formatting is the way the book looks on the page and the way it appears on e-book vs printed copy. This can be done for free if you have the skills to do so or know someone that can. If you don’t, conversions can range from $150-$2000. While formatting is important, self-publishing isn’t cheap so if I had to skimp and go a little cheaper somewhere, this would be where I would do it.   3. ISBN number The ISBN is the little barcode on the back of the books. They are used to identify the book, edition, and publisher. You can grab a single ISBN number for $125, or ten for $250. There is nowhere to bargain shop for this, the price is set. It isn’t always necessary if you are only publishing in e-book format, but be aware that you may not be listed as the publisher for your own self-published book. If you are going to be writing more books or putting out multiple additions of your book, it would be smarter to get the ten pack.   4. Book Cover For me, the cover is where I want to go all out. I’m obsessed with book covers so this is the part I am excited about going through. You do have a lot of options, just remember this is the first thing people see involving your book so you want it to stand out and be eye-catching. a. Create your own. Let me go on the record saying that I do not recommend this unless you have extensive experience with this type of design. Not having the knowledge on what makes a book cover esthetically pleasing, can easily result in readers not even giving the book a chance. While this is the cheapest option by being free, I do not see it as the smartest option.  b. Hire a designer for a custom made cover. This is the highest recommendation by a long shot. Good covers cost you in between $200-$500, but also your books will be the only one with that design and is created based off your story. (I will say one of the most beautiful work I’ve seen that also has a very decent price is murphyrae.net. He also offers other services at very reasonable rates.) c. Stock image cover These cost around $50 or so, but are reused and edited over and over. I refuse to buy a book if I know it has a stock image. Maybe that is a little stuck up, but I hate having more than one book with the same cover I think it cheapens the entire project. Seriously, I would rather an author create their own cover than go this route. d. Hire multiple professionals. Some authors will hire models, photographers, and designers, as well as purchase their own font. I can’t really put a price on this because there are so many factors and I have no idea how to go about finding a model. If you have contacts with people that do these things though, you may be able to create a beautifully unique cover with all the elements chosen by you. This is an interesting option and I have seen some amazing covers that went this direction. *Also, keep in mind, if you are planning on putting the book on both e-book and printed format, you will need to purchase the cover for both. (They will look the same, but the printed book has a spine and a back cover as well. E-books don’t.)   5. Website. It is important to have a website. It’s a place for people to find you and for you to showcase your work and showoff your brand. The range in price is as extreme as you can imagine. There are websites that offer free basic website packages (such as Wordpress and Wixsite) as well as the ability to upgrade giving you things like a custom domain. You can also get a website custom designed on the low end for $300 and it can jump up all the way to $10,000 (that seems excessive) on the high end. While I do think a quality website is important, I don’t believe this is the place to spend thousands unless you have it to burn.   6. Author photo. Your author photo is what goes in the back of the book and the image you can use for your website and social media sites. A basic headshot will cost you in between $100-$250, but if you want to look like a supermodel in your photo, modeling headshots will cost you upwards $200-$400. For me, this is not the important place to splurge. As long as the photo looks professional, you are good to go.   7. Printing. There isn’t much of need to pay much for printing these days with book on demand options (Such as Amazon’s Createspace) and e-book popularity. There will be times that you will need to get large quantities for your book such as book signings and other author events. For a basic 400 page book without any special images or other additions will be roughly $4.00 -$5.00 per book.   8. Marketing. This is a tricky one because there are so many ways to go about it that don’t cost money, such as asking bloggers and like authors if they would like to help promote your book. You can give some of the proceeds to a good cause (gaining readers AND helping people… It doesn’t get better than that), going to author events and self-promotion (not too much) on your own page. There are also the advertising options, such as Facebook advertising which is around $3-$15 per post depending how many people you want to reach or $5 a day page promotion (Keep in mind this is usually untargeted, so while you may reach a lot of people most of them may not care). You could also go the crazy expensive route and get publicists and marketing consultants, but I couldn’t begin to tell you what that would cost. I personally feel it’s about contacts and relationships when it comes to marketing so get out there and make friends with other writers and people that share the same passion as you do. Books!   When I first got the numbers, it discouraged me a little bit, but keep in mind that you may be able to hire someone locally that is more affordable or maybe you have a friend has some knowledge in one of these subjects that you can ask for help. I would suggest knowing exactly what you are going to spend where, before doing anything, so you have a clear understanding of your budget. Also, remember that some of these professionals are booked out months in advance, so if you find one you like give yourself plenty of time. Just whatever you do don’t give up. This is your dream, so even though things like budget can get discouraging sometimes, don’t allow yourself to give up on your goals.   * Was this post helpful? Anything you would add? Thank you so much for reading and keep writing! Charity B.

1. The Scarlet Letter by: Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850) A woman has an affair with a man of the church which results in a love child. As a punishment for her transgressions, she has to wear the scarlet letter “A” for Adulterer.  There were some that felt the author was too lenient in the character Hester and that she didn’t get what she deserved. There was complaint of immoral content and sympathy to the sins committed. Considering the time this was written, this one isn’t too surprising.   2. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865) My wedding was Alice in Wonderland themed so this is obviously one of my favorite books. This has had some controversy because of suggested drug use (eating mushrooms that change your size, a caterpillar smoking a hookah…) as well as speaking animals which is considered evil or something. It was banned in Hunan China for that reason in 1931 because of the way the animals acted like humans. The Censor General feared children would see animals and humans as equals and also believed allowing the animals to speak was offensive to humans. I have also read something about the author’s sexual preference, but that refers to Lewis Carroll, not the story.   3. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by: Mark Twain (1884) I enjoyed this book quite a bit growing up. I was oblivious to the racism in it as a child, but ultimately that is why it was banned. Now, of course racism isn’t ok, but during the time the story takes place (and at the time it was banned oddly enough), racism was a very large part of everyday life. Jim was Huck’s friend and seeing the way he was treated was cruel. Though, I personally feel it was showing the intensity of racism many feel like the book itself was racist. While it may have been called “trash”, it is now considered an American classic.   4. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by: Beatrix Potter (1902) When I saw this book was banned, I couldn’t think of a single thing that would do it besides the fact that Peter’s father was killed. That wasn’t it. This book was banned for portraying “Middle class rabbits”. Yep. I don’t even really know what that means, so while I technically know why the book has had controversy, I’m still really confused.   5. The Great Gatsby by: F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) This was fairly recently made into a film that did well, and it’s a favorite of many readers, but this novel has had its fair share of complaints. The novel contains a sexual affair (which is never portrayed in detail), bad language, and violence, which is the formula to set people off. The novel is set during the prohibition where the drinking was heavy and the partying described was also considered uncomfortable to some.   6. Winnie the Pooh by: A.A. Milne (1926) Pooh? Pooh was banned? This one was a little all over the place. The talking animals being against God is brought up with this one as well. Piglet being a pig had some controversy over if it would offend Muslim children. One thing that blew my mind, was apparently pooh wore a swastika and was seen as a Nazi supporter. It’s been awhile since I’ve read it, but I don’t remember that.   7. Gone with the Wind by: Margaret Mitchell (1936) This is the only book on this list that I have never read, which is horrible considering I am a romance writer. I will remedy that soon, but that is neither here nor there. The book was primarily banned because of the racism and the way they treated slaves. Like I said, I haven’t read it, but I’m pretty sure slaves were never treated well, hence the name “slave”. As an author I strive for authenticity, and while slavery has never been acceptable, it did happen. Slaves were, in fact abused, so reading about it isn’t going to be pleasant.   8. Of Mice and Men by: J.D. Salinger (1937) I remember the effect this book had on me the first time I read it. While it was intense I still don’t feel as if I was too young to be reading it (around 12). A major complaint was that this book didn’t fit in with the age group it was being taught to in schools. There is bad language and violence, but another problem was that the book glorified euthanasia. That seems like a bit of a stretch to me, but ok.   9. The Catcher in the Rye by: J.D. Salinger (1951) The Character Holden is often compared to number three’s main character Huckleberry Finn. The book follows a teenager who has a pension for drinking (Underage) and a potty mouth. Those were two large reasons the book was banned combined with sexual content. While the book still faces controversy, it has come back from being banned and continues to have an influence on teenagers all over the United States.   10. Fahrenheit 451 by: Ray Bradbury (1953) Yeah, a book about burning/banning books was itself banned. No irony there. Yes, there is bad language, blasphemy, as well as the bible being burned, which is what lead to the banning, but I think the message of this one was lost on more than a few.   11. Lord of the Rings by: J.R.R. Tolkien (1954) This was another beloved book that spawned multiple, wildly popular films. One issue with this book is the smoking. The characters do smoke, from a pipe mostly, but if we ban all books with smoking in them… that is a lot of books. The magic involved is seen as witchcraft and un-Christian. What I find interesting is that apparently, J.R.R. Tolkien was not only a Catholic, but the book are said to be symbolic to Christianity. Similar to The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (with whom he was actually friends).   12. Lolita by: Vladimir Nabokov (1955) When I first heard what this book was about, I was shocked that it was put into print, but later found it was done so through a pornographic press.  When my curiosity got the best of me and I read it, I was stunned because it was so beautifully written. Yes, the story is about a pedophile that makes my skin crawl, and is infatuated with a twelve year old, but the truth is, it was so tastefully told that it didn’t make me as uncomfortable as it would have otherwise. Humbert Humbert was the narrator, and I hated him, but still, I loved the book. France, United Kingdom, Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa have all banned it for its obscenities and is was temporarily so in Canada.   13. Green Eggs and Ham by: Dr. Seuss (1960) I thought for sure we would have more talking animal issues, but the only complaint I have been able to find is that portrayed “early Marxism”. Dr. Seuss was open about the fact that he wanted kids to question their government. From what I can gather (because I had no idea what that meant), Marxism is a belief that our social class system, and the constant conflict between upper and lower class, is responsible for the way history has turned out. And apparently that’s why it was banned, but the ban has been lifted since the death of Dr. Seuss.   14. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by: Ken Kesey (1962) This book is pretty crazy. There is a lot of sexual material and has been called “pornographic”. Many parents and school boards have fought to get this removed from shelves. It was said to glorify immoral activity and the profanity, torture, and death was seen as inappropriate for high school students. Let me just say, the story is told by a character who is mentally ill, which I always saw as unique and eye-opening and is set in a mental hospital so it isn’t going to be gumdrops and unicorns.   15. Where the Wild Things Are by: Maurice Sendak (1963) The fact that any childhood is without this book is sad to me, but when I saw why this book was banned, I had to laugh. Because Max was sent to bed without his supper, apparently his hunger sent him into hallucinations of monsters, and is “psychologically damaging” to young children. Really? Because he missed one meal? The book made it clear that Max has an active imagination and was rambunctious hence why his mother called him “Wild Thing”.   16. Where the Sidewalk Ends by: Shel Silverstein (1974) This book is a fantastic compilation of poems that often have the message to not listen to everything you are told, and use your imagination. A lot of parents and teachers don’t like that message because they believe it teaches them to be disrespectful. It was also accused of having references of suicide, Satanism, and drug use. There is one poem called “Dreadful” about the baby being eaten and the narrator burps at the end insinuating he ate the baby. Ok, maybe it’s a little disturbing, but children are just going to find it funny and amusing, not resort to cannibalism as some parents were concerned would happen.   17. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991)  In Australia, the book may be purchased by someone over the age of eighteen, but at one point in the State of Queensland sale and purchase of the novel was illegal. The story is of a man who is extremely concerned with how the world sees him is also a sadistic killer. It was a concern that the book would bring about violence. Simon and Schuster dropped the title three months before the book was scheduled to be released because of a lot of pushback from the media. The problem people had was with the inner dialogue of Bateman, but when you write, the characters become their own entity in a sense. That was who Bateman was, and being true to the characters and their story is the art of storytelling.      18. Harry Potter Series by: J.K. Rowling (1997 -2007) The most common problem with these books, is the fact that the characters are good witches and wizards that perform magic. Since religious teachings say witchcraft, demons, sorcery, etc. are a sin against God, they feel this is confusing to children because the [main] characters are seen a good. The themes in the book can get somewhat dark and there were concerns that it would be too intense for children. However, the millions of adolescent Harry Potter fans would probably disagree. Another problem is the fact that Harry and his friends lie, sneak around, steal, and break other rules to accomplish what they are doing in the story. Parents were upset that he never got in trouble, but that’s probably because the headmaster was in on it half the time.   19. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by: Stephen Chbosky (1999) This is a novel about teenagers coming of age. The sexual content is the main concern, especially the witnessing of date rape. There were complaints by parents for drug and alcohol use…did I mention the book was about teenagers? The mention of masturbation was reason for some controversy (Again…teenagers). What really got me, is the fact that people were appalled that homosexuality is even mentioned in the book. Like homosexuality is some terrible thing. You want to talk about offensive… and this was published less than twenty years ago.   20. Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy (2011-2012) Compared to the other books on this list, this isn’t exactly surprising, but I primarily read and write within the same genre as FSOG, and this book is like the training wheels for the genre. I kind of have to wonder what these people would say about books like “Captive in the Dark”. It was taken out of libraries for immoral content and sadism. They don’t want pornography or erotica in their libraries, and there were also concerns of the character’s religious views. It’s no secret what these books are about (Hot young Billionaire + Virginal young woman + mild BDSM= Book), so if someone wants to read it should be available for them to do so.   These are the books that have shaped us (Well, maybe with the exception of number twenty) and if these books aren’t safe, I don’t know that any books are. I am a proud reader of banned books and will do my part to fight censorship in any way possible.   *What would you add to the list? Did you enjoy this post? I would love to hear from you!     Charity B.

Cover reveal day for the awesome @charitybauthor !!!! I am a big fan of her dark awesomeness. Cover Design: Jay Aheer/Simply Defined Art Genre: Dark Romantic Suspense Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41066959-anointed Blurb: 🍄Zebadiah🍄 The last time I saw her, she was marked with blood. Excommunicated. Now she’s returned, along with my temptation. Our touch is blasphemous. Perverse. They say she’s tainted, but they will not speak against me. His holy blood is in my veins and my word is truth. I’m the fucking Prophet. 🌼Laurel Ann🌼 For twelve years, I fought for my soul in this evil world. Until my God sent him. My oldest friend. The only boy I ever loved. What we’re doing risks everything, yet we can’t stop. When I sin with him, it’s the purest I’ve ever felt. I lived half my life with the Philistines and I know what they call us. Cult. Freaks. Fanatics. But they’re wrong. We aren’t any of those things. For we are the Anointed. ***This is a full length, standalone novel containing disturbing scenes and sensitive subject matter that may be triggering to some readers. #CharityB #coverreveal #anointed #dark #romanticsuspense #bookstagram #reading #flatlay #bookphotography #bookblogger #bookworm #nerdgirl #instareads #ilovebooks #fuelyourmind #readingaddict #bookhoarder #bibliophile #instaread #booklover #booksofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn9WJpKBBii/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ggkb55bn8e7k

Sweetened Suffering by Charity B ARC review Going into this book you have to read book 1 or you are missing a lot of important stuff you will need to know. So if you haven't go read book 1. So in book 2 it takes up right where we left off in book 1. And we get more of What makes Taven well Taven in this book. How deep Toben and Tavin are and how their lives entwine together. Just like in book one this book is dark, thrilling, erotic, and just all around fucked up and amazing at the same time. I find this to be such a sweet and beautiful, heartbreaking story. I mean you cant help but feel for the characters in this one. There is a point in the book where you just can't imagine another twist coming. This author really likes twists apparently... As a reader it just blows your mind! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that likes dark romances. I really enjoyed this book and am excited to see what book 3 will hold. This is definitely a favorite series of mine this year. AMAZON https://amzn.to/2Htv9K6 GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36596868-sweetened-suffering?from_search=true #bookreview #5stars #arc #charityb #sweetenedsuffering #darkromance

                -Charity B.

   Charity B.

Bullies Like Me is outside my normal romance genres, but this is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time. I am super stingy with five star ratings, and this novel deserved it from page one. The story is told from the perspective of Alexis, Nick, and Melanie. Three Enid Illinois high school students whose lives are all impacted by bullying in very different ways. After Alexis Hennessy’s mother left them and her sister moved away to start her life, her father moves them to Enid Illinois. From her first day at Enid High school, her experience was a nightmare. Every day she was picked on and put down over and over until it became too much for her to handle. She felt like she wanted to die, so she swallowed her father’s bottle of pills and was rushed to the hospital, Her stomached pumped, and was given a second shot at life at the Live Treatment Center. While there, she met a boy named Nick who quickly became her closest friend. “Inside these walls we formed a make-belive world for the two of us. It isn’t real, but I wish it was.” I immediately liked both Nick and Alexis. There was an obvious chemistry there, but it’s still new and it’s really sweet. The characters are all in high school, a little younger than I usually enjoy reading, however the age group was necessary for this story line. With her therapy finished, aside from weekly sessions, she is able to leave the Live Center, but she isn’t ready to leave Nick or go home to an absent father, and she definitely isn’t ready to go back to Enid High. To heal, she needs to face her tormentors and move on from her past. She also has her own ideas on how to get closure. “I became someone that wanted to die. And that makes me angriest of all. That I gave them that power, that I let them decide my value. Monday, I’m going back to the school that took my soul. I have to. It’s the only thing that makes sense, the only thing that makes it all endurable. Because I have something I need to do. I’m taking back what was taken from me. I’m going to make my bullies pay.” Melanie Mathews is the most popular girl at Enid High School and she is all too aware of that fact. She is instantly dislikable, which is the point as she looks down on everyone and everything around her, including her own mother and ‘friends’. The way she thinks about others is appalling, and what’s worse, she acts on those thoughts. She is taken off guard when the vaguely familiar new girl is not only not acknowledging her place, but is outright antagonizing her. She confronts the girl, only for her to act unaware. While angered by this ‘weird’ girl’s actions, Melanie is also confused as to why this happening, and unfamiliar with being treated this way. “I shake off the tainted remnants of the ugly drawing, and the weird girl. Calming down, I realize neither are worth being upset over. She’s nobody. I won’t let her think otherwise by showing that her behavior troubles me. I won’t allow her to be somebody.” She handles the bullying alright in the beginning, but before long, she starts losing her friends and popularity. She realizes over time that none of her so-called “friends” are real. She begins to feel things she has never really experienced, such as anxiety and insecurity. Through it all she wonders why Alexis chose her to pick on. And I’m not gonna lie, I got pleasure in her getting a bit of what she’d dished out over the years. “My chest is tight. I’ve never felt like this before. I don’t understand what it means. What is happening to me?” Nick Alderson was probably my favorite character. He is a resident of the Live center by choice. He knows first hand the toll bullying can take. Before he came to Live, he was a completely different person. The king of Enid High, he and his friends were cruel to the less popular, one boy unparticular. When horrific events unfold because of his actions, he has a break down and was drowning in guilt until the day he met Alexis Hennessy. I absolutely loved the way he would speak of her. “She hums with energy. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes sparkle, and I want to press my lips to hers to steal some of her vibrancy. That, and I just want to kiss her.” Their bond cleared some of the darkness in his mind, and while he has an idea, he doesn’t what happened to bring Alexis to Live, and she definitely doesn’t know about his past. He sees her when she comes to therapy, and as their relationship turns romantic, she eventually wants him to leave the facility. Something he hasn’t done since arriving at Live. She gives him a hope for happiness. He has no idea what she’s doing to Melanie at school, but when she finally tells him, he fears for her. He tells her to stop and is certain if she continues what she’s doing, it will change her. “Revenge destroys, and that’s all it does. This darkness, if she lets it, will abolish her as well as her enemies.” She doesn’t understand why he doesn’t support her until his history comes out. She is more determined than ever to finish what she started. Nick knows how this all will end if he lets her do this. He just hopes he isn’t too late. This book was so much more than just an entertaining story. The message of the importance of kindness and forgiveness towards others, and yourself was quite powerful. The author’s personal connection to the topic showed and it was a beautiful combination. I would personally recommend this book to anyone 10+. * Did you enjoy this review? Let me know what you think! Thank you for visiting! - Charity B. https://www.amazon.com/Bullies-like-Me-Lindy-Zart/dp/1945164093