by Amanda Lance
Summary From Goodreads:
Emilia Ward is being watched.
And it isn’t just by her mother’s creep of a boyfriend or one of her many employers. Instead, she is certain it something else—someone else. However, in a life with college classes and alcoholic mother to look after, Emilia doesn’t have time to explore her suspicions. She would much rather think about her new job at Iram Manor, and more importantly—its mysterious and alluring owner.
After a lifetime of isolation and trapped in a disfigured body Kasper Zafar thought he knew pain. Confining himself to his work as an architect and the love of his music, he never expects the beautiful Emilia Ward to enter his life. Young and naive, his new housekeeper does not flinch at the sight of him, and is even so bold as to call him her friend.
Determined to teach her in all worldly things, the opposites grow closer and the role of student and teacher interchange. Yet Emilia’s life outside the manor is not a happy one, and when Kasper’s attempt to watch over her fails, both will discover than love may be the most painful thing of all.
Thoughts from Amanda:
The Best (and worst) of being an Author
It
may sound cliché, but for as long as I can remember (literally as long as my
little mind can remember) I have wanted write books. Now, in my adulthood, that
I have the opportunity to do that, I’ve found living the dream is about as
awesome as I could expect. Unfortunately, however, there are a few downsides to
living as an author that I hadn’t anticipated. If you’re considering taking on
the written word as your profession, maybe you should consider the best and the
worst before you throw yourself in it.
The Best
-Working
in your PJ’s—my fellow author friends can’t deny this. ;)
-Creating
your own hours—With the ability to work from home, most authors have the
privilege to pick and choose the times they work, a situation ideal for young
mothers, and artists trying to work day-jobs.
-Tax-deductions—When
you’re an “artist” and you have a decent accountant, everything is tax deductable. (Including trips to the bookstore!)
-You
can work almost anywhere—really… anywhere.
-You
can call reading “checking out the competition.”
The Worst
-The
income—Lets be honest. Unless you’re J.K Rowling or Stephen King, you’ll never
be a “rich” writer. In fact, the term itself is something of an oxymoron. Most
authors who support themselves work 60+ hours a week and are supported by dual
incomes. Even then, many of them struggle from royalty check to royalty check
so they work additional jobs to supplement their income.
-Isolation—The
average author spends many hours by themselves which can create a sense of
loneliness for those who aren’t used to it. For writers who are more
extroverted than introverted, working in a café rather than at home might be a
healthier solution.
-The
Waiting—Waiting for contracts, e-mails from editors, graphic artists, and
reviews can be nearly as painful as your impatience for that first acceptance
letter. Many writers have succumbed to checking their e-mail every five seconds
instead of getting any work done. To avoid this, you might have to take drastic
measures and turn off the internet altogether.
So
while the good outweigh the bad, be sure to take all elements into
consideration before resigning yourself to the author life. After all,
OMG! Amanda, you nailed the life of a writer. Don't forget to add in the difficulty of trying to be in a romantic relationship when your heart belongs to characters and worlds you create. YIKES!
ReplyDeleteYes, that waiting and the multiple rejections is why indie authors are becoming more and more prevalent.
Your story sounds like a new "Beauty and the Beast" thing. Best of luck.