Hello everyone,
So, I’m on the home stretch with drafting the latest full length novel (working title: The Change), and I realized that I haven’t put out a call for beta readers in quite a while (read: almost two years?!). Not sure how this happened (Trent’s forgetting shit is always a likely suspect), but the bottom line is that I’m waaay overdue in updating my beta readers list.
What’s coming up?
The Change will be a full length BDSM erotic romance that explores what happens when a couple, just beginning to explore BDSM, find all their plans — and their lives — changed when they learn they’ve got a surprise baby on the way. How does a kinky couple still explore their desires with a little one due in a few months? Can they? Should they? And what happens when the new baby changes — and deepens — their sexual bond in completely unexpected ways?
I suspect this book is probably going to squick a few people (especially those people who don’t find pregnancy erotic or appealing at all), and that’s totally okay. I happen to find it beautiful, and amazing, and terrifying, and yes, erotic, and this book will be my attempt to show how it can be just that. I have no clue if I will be successful in the endeavor, but damn, I’m going to try.
This book — as most of my books do — will include lots of graphic sex, and significant BDSM content (no sugarkink here!). I don’t think this would surprise any readers who have even a passing familiarity with my writing, but I wanted to make that clear for anyone who might be new to the depravity I commit to the page:)
What this book will NOT be though is a “fetish-y” treatise on pregnancy or breeding fantasies (and I’m not disparaging either one: I think those are HOT fantasies!). It incorporates eroticized pregnancy as a central theme (along with D/s), but it’s only part of an overall romantic/sexual relationship.
This title will be book #3 in the Dominion Trust series, and will serve to further flesh out some of the background — and raise new questions — regarding that sprawling, shadowy organization.
Timing
The Change should be ready for beta readers by the latter part of June 2014. I’m hoping 2-3 weeks will be enough time in which to complete the beta reads, but I’m prepared to push back the planned July 15th release date if need be.
Following publication of The Change, the next novel in my schedule is tentatively scheduled for a late August release. Another novel will likely be published Octoberish — which will probably end up being the final release of the year (barring a miraculous burst of energy at the close of the year).
If all goes as planned, for 2014, that would be 4 full length novels, plus a novella and a short story that will be squeezed in somewhere too. Not awesome production levels, but pretty ambitious by my keeping-the-bar-as-low-as-fucking-possible standards:)
What I’m Looking For in a Beta Reader
If you’ve read this far, thank you! I fear half of you will have wandered off by now:/
The main thing I’m looking for is honesty. Brutal honesty.
I absolutely will NOT be offended in the least if you read the book, and find that you loathed it. All I ask is that you tell me why you loathed it. What parts of the book made you want to scrub your eyeballs with a Clorox-soaked wire brush?
If you loved the book, or thought it was smoking fucking hot, what I want to know is why, how, and what parts of the book induced spontaneous combustion and/or husband’s bones-jumping.
In short, I want to know what worked, and what didn’t.
I’ll provide a list of questions I’d like answers to, and you are always welcome to provide any other feedback you’d like to include.
What I Can Offer
1. Free electronic copy of published version of the book in any format you’d like.
2. Free printed copy of published version of the book (there would be some delay as print format is usually last to be released in rolling out a new title).
3. An Acknowledgement in the book, if you’d be comfortable with one (perfectly fine to decline).
4. Undying gratitude of the author:)
Still Interested?
Leave a comment on this post, or if you’d be more comfortable, fill out a contact form and drop me a line. Let me know if you’d be interested in only beta reading this upcoming title, or if you’d like to be added to the beta read list for all future titles.
Thanks for reading, and thank you in advance to any people brave and generous enough to volunteer:)
Trent
I would love to beta read for you! I have two more weeks of work, then the summer off, so send me some summer beach reading!
Great, Mynx! I’ll add you to the list. Thanks:)
Hey Trent: I do hope you find someone wonderful. You’re such a brilliant wordsmith, and had I the time, I would love to offer my humble services.
I appreciate the kind words. Considering your prodigious production rate, I’m surprised you have time for sleep! So I completely understand your time crunch;)
Trent,
I would love to beta read for you. I have read a lot of your other books and I really enjoyed them.
Marybeth
Great! Got you on the list, Marybeth:)
Thanks!
So happy to hear you have some new releases scheduled, Trent. I’m going to be on vacation at the end of June and beginning of July and wouldn’t mind doing a beta read for you.
I’ve beta read for quite a few authors and always provide ‘brutal honesty’ in what I liked or did not like about their words. Most continue to ask me to read for them.
Are you looking souly for feedback about your work (meaning do you want the beta to read only) Or are you looking for simple edits along with this. example: (you missed adding the word The or And)
Normally I leave notes, comments, and suggestions directly in the copy of the script you send me. If you work with Microsoft word ‘track changes’ is a wonderful tool for providing a beta and critique.
I’d be honored to read through one of your stories. I loved, loved, loved. ‘Lady and a Maid’. I would certainly jump at the opportunity to beta read book two of that story (hint… hint)
If you are still in need please contact me at melodyparks90@gmail.com
Hi, Melody. Sent you an e-mail:)