Q & A's: Time For Reader's Questions

 

These are Q & A’s sent to me from readers. I answer them the best that I can.

 1. I recently read the Secret diary of a gypsy heart and I was confused as to how old Serena was when she wrote the Diary, and does she have other diaries?

Answer: Serena wrote the secret diary in her mid-50’s, she already has adult children and since it’s a secret diary, it was not found with her other diaries that she has in her treasure chest. She has other diaries but the reason why this diary is secret is because as she mentioned in the first chapter, the diary consists of relationships that she was in before and during her marriage.

2. Will there be a sequel to Secret Diary of a Gypsy Heart?

Answer: yes, but not for a few years.

3. I read The Stranger Things: Paranormal, Supernatural & Unusual Phenomenon, I thin kit is a good read, but it is too short. Will you write another book like that one?

Answer: I am in the process of writing another book with Paranormal/supernatural content and some religious content, but it won’t be published until next year or in 2024.

 4. Do you plan on making all your books as audiobooks?

Answer: yes and no. Right now I am only working on the novelettes as audiobooks first then I will tackle the full length novels.

NOTE: Ever since Google Plus was Axed, there has been less traffic to my blog, therefore I make vlogs for my YouTube Channel, of what I have written on my blog. So if you visit my channel, please subscribe, It needs more subscribers. Thank you. 

I make short vids but I disable the comment section for them. You can leave a comment on the videos that have it available, though.

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Secret Diary of a Gypsy Heart Chapter 1 Excerpt

 

Secret Diary of a Gypsy Heart Chapter 1 Excerpt

Life doesn’t present stones to bruise your soul,

But challenges to leap, to make you whole.

Embrace each dawn with eyes anew,

With a heart wide open, and goals to pursue.

May tomorrow's light guide you on your way,

Bringing you nearer to your goals each day.

Chapter 1: Serena

If you’re reading this, it means I’ve passed on. I’m Serena Raye Sanchez, and I penned this diary back when I was in my late 30s, a time when my hair was starting to grey, and my body was beginning to show signs of aging. In my youth, I was considered quite attractive, sporting light brown or sometimes burgundy hair, depending on the dye I chose at the time. Honestly, I can’t even recall what my natural hair color is anymore, but I can confidently say I was never a blonde.  I’ve always had a slim figure and striking hazel eyes, a trait I got from my mother. 

My mom, Maria, had a rich heritage, being both Irish and Mexican, while my dad, Scott, was of Caucasian descent. I also have a younger sister, Caroline, who is happily married and has two kids of her own.  As I pen down these thoughts in my diary, I can't help but reflect on the fact that both my parents have passed away, may they rest in peace. I have three daughters: Sarah, Salem, and Shari. It’s funny how all their names start with an S, just like mine.  Before diving in, I should mention that this diary covers all the crushes and romances I've had over the years. Think of it as a bit of a confession, though I’m pretty sure some people wouldn’t forgive me if they stumbled upon it. I may be dead, and it doesn’t bother me, but it will hurt my family. Despite everything, I am and always will remain the person people knew and loved regardless of my flaws. No one’s perfect and not everyone walks the righteous path so I do have Haters that will always judge but that doesn’t matter, not anymore.  There was a time when I believed everyone had a soulmate, a spiritual twin somewhere out there. Finding him or her may take a person a Lifetime but people do find each other, some do that is. When I was younger and single, I was totally into soap operas and really enjoyed them. I often found myself daydreaming about meeting my Knight, my Angel, or my Soulmate. But before diving into that, I should mention my first crush, which might not excuse my later choices but definitely gives a glimpse into who I used to be. So, let’s rewind to high school, where I encountered my first major crush on a guy named Alex Romero. He had a bit of a following, with dark brown hair, light hazel eyes, and clear skin, he stood around five foot five back then, but I’m sure he grew taller as time went on. I used to think he was flawless, but looking back, I realized I was wrong. As for myself, I had my own struggles. I was a bit on the heavier side, especially in the rear department, what I affectionately called, "junk in the trunk." Combine that with my low self-esteem and a hefty dose of shyness, and you’ve got a recipe for some seriously awkward times during those years.

I wasn't really the kind of girl Alex would notice or date; I was pretty average in looks. Still, I had a huge crush on him. And no, we never had sex, and I didn't even think about it. Why? Because I was brought up in a strict conservative Mexican family. Yes, there are conservative Mexican families out there, contrary to what some may believe. I didn't look like the girls he was into, and I wasn't eager to lose my virginity, so I held myself back. I believed that when I met the person, the right one, I’d know it. The first time I laid eyes on Alex: It was like a refreshing gust of wind ruffling my hair, that one instant when a new thread was added to the intricate fabric of my life, a moment that would forever hold significance for me. Alex and I were in the same English class, and there I was, caught without any paper to jot down my essay.  So, I turned to him and asked if he could spare me a sheet. He said, “Hi,” and handed me a few sheets of paper. Our eyes met and something happened, at least for me it did. “Who is this guy talking to me? He is so cute,” I thought to myself. My mouth dropped, my heart skipped a beat, I got that feeling in my stomach, butterflies. I've definitely had my share of crushes on guys before. Back in middle school, I liked two boys, Chuck and Simon, but they always went for the thinner, cuter girls. I thought Alex was different, or at least I hoped so. If I had looked like those other girls, he liked maybe we could have been a couple and gotten closer, but my low self-esteem always held me back.

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Secret Diary of a Gypsy Heart: Making it as a Paperback

I recently uploaded my book Secret Diary of a Gypsy Heart as a paperback book. It usually takes 72 hrs for KDP to review the book and publish it however, my intuition tells me it might take a little longer this time. So I visited the KDP community forum to ask why my book is taking a little longer than usual. One person said that it might have something to do with a shortage of staff since they lost some people to COVID. Whether I believe it or not is irrelevant. But as usual there is that 1% who will post their satire like comment only because they assume that Indie author books are low rated. Well, Chandra's Quest has done quite well as far as I'm concerned. It now has a global rate of 6. 

Why is that relevant? Well it means that even though they didn't leave a review they still gave it a 4 or 5 star rating. That matters a lot to me as an Indie author.

(And no, not all reviews or ratings come from someone the author knows, that's just ridiculous.)

What the Hell are Fake Books?

I have no idea what are 'Fake Books' but someone on that thread said this:

"With KDP staffing being what it is and the tsunami of titles growing ever larger, it could be a long wait, but probably less than five business days, going by the experiences of others. However, if you're one of the thousands uploading fake books, the wait could be even longer, weeks or months. In either case, patience is required."

Well, I said that I don't make "Fake Books" which I'm assuming are FanFic books. I truly have no idea.

This person also said:

"Keep an eye on your Bookshelf. It is not unusual for print editions to be bounced back to Draft for one reason or another, especially now...the new staff hired to replace the sick or dead seem to have a higher rate of rejects."

I don't believe that! There is no reason for them not to be doing their job, regardless of who is working. I don't believe my book should be bounced back to draft & it shouldn't be rejected either!! If I find out that it is rejected, I will call support as instructed by another user. 

I personally do not like going into KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) forum to get answers because, there is always that 1% as I stated before. I seriously doubt that my book would have issues, period. 

When Secret Diary of a Gypsy Heart is published as a paperback, I will share the link to the book on Facebook, Twitter, and on my website.

In the meantime, I am working on completing Omega: Chandra's Quest Book 4, and I will upload it as an eBook first and a few months after, I will publish it as a paperback, thus completing the Chandra's Quest trilogy, finally. Next year I will start on another novel but I am going to take a short break from writing. I have some personal projects to that I want to complete. Yes, I do plan on writing some FanFiction but under a pseudonym and on a different blog.

For inquiring minds: 

 All my books that have been published as an eBook or paperback, have been copyrighted. 

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(eBook) Secret Diary of a Gypsy Heart