Yay for us. We already hit 100 signatures on the petition and I'm getting read to make the next move (media involvement). I really think this is important. It is about equality, but also about recognition that transgender literature and people are not all about sex. I am keeping the petition open for a week as I figure things out this Easter weekend. I would love for people to look at the intended letter going to Amazon and give some pointers or suggestions to make it better.
Keep signing and thanks.
Here's the link. I can't do graphics or I'd have confetti falling.
So yesterday I started my petition to Amazon. I really should have done it much sooner because it is something that frustrates me to no end. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords etc. have no dedicated transgender fiction genre and expect us to lump our work either under gay and lesbian or erotica. I don't think either is fair or right. But Amazon isn't going to do something solely for me, so I got organized.
Can you believe that Amazon doesn't have a transgender fiction genre, even though there are over 1500 titles available. To put that in perspective, it does have a Transgender memoir section with under 200 titles. I think that needs to change because fiction is a great way to educate while entertaining. Please sign and share this petition. Thank you, Katie Leone (Transgender fiction writer and a good one).
Every so often I get this bug up my ass that makes me think I can be commercially viable as an author. I don't know why I get it. I mean, out of all the transgender publishing houses out there, not one will touch my stuff but I see other authors who I outsell by considerable amounts continue to get publishing contracts.
I really hate doing this but I really don't have any recourse. Because someone decided to inform Amazon that I offer my works for free on this site I have been given an ultimatum. Either pull the stories or Amazon will price all my books for free.
There are a lot of people who have decided to sell their books on amazon, and it looks like the transgender fiction genre (that Amazon refuses to admit exists) is growing daily by leaps and bounds. One thing that I didn't realize is that over the past year I have really gained a wealth of knowledge. This isn't by trial and error alone, but also by reading a ton of books about marketing e-books. So I thought I would throw some gems out there for people.
Many of you don't know Tom Peashey, but some of you do because he has helped several authors with his invaluable editing skills. In fact, part of the reason my stuff is remotely readable is because Tom takes the time to edit my work and he does it for free. He does it with a few other authors. I won't name them, but if they want to comment, feel free.
Tom is also an author, but he is languishing on Amazon. He is truly a nice person who has decided not to act on his Gender Identity issues because he is married and has kids, but he can always turn to fiction.
Later on today I will post my story "The Stranger at the Table" and then I am going to seriously cut back on the time I spend online. I am going to be starting Phenom later today (the fourth book in the God Bless the Child saga) and also working on a biography, so it's not like I'm taking a break from writing.
I try really hard to put out stories that haven't been done before. I know there are a lot of people who want escapism and fantasy, but there are thousands of stories that fit that niche. I write reality, for the most part, trying to give voice to a segment of society that really doesn't have much to say in fiction. I tend to stay away for masturbatory fodder or the man in disguise motif. For the most part, I have been more commercially successful than most transgender authors, having the ability to appeal outside the narrow confines of the community.
There is a new Katie Leone book available on Amazon and it is going to be a little bit before the next one comes out. I try to stagger longer works and shorter works in order to keep my sanity. I am still recovering from Unreachable but it is time to move on. Plus, I am also going to be doing the biography at the same time, so that will slow things up a little more.
Just to let people know, and I don't even know if people realized this, but the 2 missing pages of But, I am not a boy have been added. I hope that people take a look and comment and maybe leave a review on Amazon (I have absolutely none) of this important work. It is the first and only children's book written on a transgender subject by a transgender author (no offense to Jazz, but we know an adult wrote that).
So take a look and enjoy. There will be another post about something different tonight or tomorrow. I am sick and tired so I am going to hide in my bed and get well.
As some of you might know, I am in the longest and most committed relationship of my life. Felix and I have been going for almost a year and 3 months. He says that he loves me.
I don't know exactly when it is that I gave up, but it seems very difficult to find that will to fight that I once had. It has cost me greatly: it has cost me health, freedom, and happiness.
Just a brief note to let everyone know that my 20th release is now available on Amazon. It is a shorter piece but gives great insight to what a person goes through when they're about to come out to their parents.
Sorry about my earlier posts. I think I overreacted just a tad. As a person who wears her heart on her sleeve I take things personally more than I ought.
I have just finished my latest story and it will be my last. Right now it is on the way to the editor and I have to wait for a cover to be made. Like usual, I will publish on Kindle, etc. and then post the story here. Then I will take my leave and try to find other pursuits to occupy my time.
As a former athlete (2x national champion as a hwt. wrestler and undefeated internationally in Greco-Roman) I am constantly watching numbers. Athletes love numbers. How quick did I get my first points, what was my average time of pin-fall, how many points did I get on average. That continued over to my writing career; how many sales, how many review, average review score.
I think I mentioned it here, but I know I definitely mentioned it on Facebook. After all the hubbub of the bad review, I received an email from a pastor in Teaneck New Jersey (oh the imagery that comes to mind) who wanted permission to mention my work The Transsexual and the Cross in a blog. I never have issues with that and thought it was nice that he asked. Well, I assumed it was going to be a paragraph or two. It's a few pages and pretty much is a detailed outline of my book. Here is what I posted on FB about it:
I don't know where my stories come from. I really don't. I just sit back and all of a sudden something will hit me. Usually I'm glad it's not a fist or a brick, but it's really passive. Now, I've been writing stories since I was 8 years old. I remember in the 4th grade I would be allowed to stand in front of class and read my creations and I thought that was a hoot. Back then I really wanted to do an alien abduction, but never did (Actually I did but I can't find it).
Several months ago I was posting stories about my cat Madeline. She was the one who got paralyzed at the back legs. She made a recovery, almost back to new (except that she wouldn't jump great distances any more and no longer went on the roof).
A month ago we found out she had scabies. No big deal. A little medicine and a bath in sulfer shampoo cleared that right up.
So I've been beating around the bush lately, primarily because I didn't want to Jinx myself. But I have been given a great opportunity and I have been able to take advantage of it so far.
For the past few days I have been helping out a very prominent member of the transgender community get her autobiography together and make it something people would want to read. It is amazing how much admiration I have for this person and the service that they did, but at the same time there is a sadness because I can feel the pain that they feel and see how certain people have taken advantage of her or have not accepted her.
There are few nationally known transgender celebs, but if you had access to one of them, what would you like to know about their lives. What kind of stories would you like to see in their biography? What would you like them to make known to the public about being transgender?
I just spent the better part of the day helping out a fellow member of the trans community. They are writing their biography and it is one that will garner a lot of interest. She is a fascinating person and did a lot of great things that make my accomplishments look small. But she did not make me feel small.
Checks can be made out & sent to:
Joyce Melton
1001 Third St.
Space 80
Calimesa, CA 92320
USA
Note: $6000 is the operating, maintenance and upgrade budget. Amounts received in excess of the $6000 will be applied to long term debt accrued over the last 19 years.
