H.M. Ward: New York Times Bestselling Romance & YA Author

Serials, Series, Novels, and Cliff Hangers – Oh My!

admin — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:48:21 +0000

There are some fans who wanted me to spell out the difference between novels, serials, novellas, etc. This post is for you guys.

First, I want to say thank you for reading my book. If you stumbled on THE ARRANGEMENT serials and are confused, here’s a good place to start.

I think there are a few things going on that are causing confusion. I’ll try to clarify, but I want to start off by saying that I write books with cliffhangers. If you hate cliffhangers, you should totally read books by another author because I’m not your girl. I’ll just piss you off. Seriously. A lot of people like the shock value and it drives other people nuts. Everything isn’t for everyone and that’s totally okay. There are lots of great books out there and lots of great authors.

I’m going to start at the beginning. There’s some confusion over general terms. Books come in different lengths and there are terms that identify what’s what. Since readers can’t pick up a book in the bookstore, a lot of the tactile part of the book purchasing experience is gone. For example, a mass paperback is a smaller book and they vary in length. You can tell what it is by looking at it. When buying an ebook, you’re stuck relying on word counts or terms and lots of people don’t know the specifics.

A novelis a book that contains over 50,000 words. There’s a range, but to be considered a ‘novel’ that’s a good starting point. Most of my novels are around 60,000 words or 325 pages (5×8 trade paperback size). A novel can be part of a series or a stand alone.

Stand alonebooks don’t have continuing story lines. They end and that’s it. Series can be done different ways, but the main thing is that the same characters appear from book to book.

A serialis a book that is typically shorter (anywhere from 5,000-30,000 words). My serials are sagas. SECRETS has 5 books total and is complete. I was asked to be part of a special New Adult Romance group that is publishing holiday stories this year. So, there will be an additional holiday edition of SECRETS. There is no cliffhanger at the end of 5 and there was no intention of writing a 6th book, although I have fans begging me for one.

THE ARRANGEMENT serials were originally written for die hard fans to have something to read between novel releases. So instead of waiting months for a novel by their favorite author, they get something every few weeks. Unlike SECRETS, THE ARRANGEMENT series is fan driven. The last three times I asked the fans if they wanted me to wrap things up or keep things going, they said keep going. THE ARRANGEMENT is an on-going saga. It does not have a set number of books at this time. That will drive a lot of people nuts, but even more people like it that way.

As for honesty, THE ARRANGEMENT serials are marked as serials with a word count on each listing. If you missed serial, it says how many words there are. If you missed how many words, then there’s a page count. There are ways to tell what it is. If I was given a clearer way to mark the serials, I would. Amazon and the rest don’t have a way to replace the tactile experience of buying a book, so it’s written into the listing as clearly as possible. e.g. If the book is not a stand alone, it says it on the listing like on DAMAGED. Scroll down and you’ll see:

Genre: New Adult Romance

Length: Novel, 348 pgs
Damaged 2 coming Summer 2013 <– That indicates it’s not a stand alone, and the the volume number is on the title bar for the paperback DAMAGED (Vol 1).

COMPLETED SERIES: (7 novels, 7 serials)

SCANDALOUS (novel, no cliffhanger, was originally a stand alone)

SCANDALOUS 2 (novel, no cliffhanger, was added b/c of fan demand)

SECRETS 1-5 (serials, cliff hangers, ea vol is ~20K-35K words)

CHRISTMAS KISSES (stand alone novella – approx 20K words or 100 pgs)

DEMON KISSED 1-5 (novels, length: 60K-100K words each, series, cliffhangers)

STONE PRISON (novella, 78pgs, stand alone)

SERIES IN PROGRESS:

DAMAGED (2 book series, novels, cliffhanger, book 1 is out, book 2 will be released in June with no cliffhanger and conclude the series)

THE ARRANGEMENT (serials, 20K words each or 100 pgs, cliff hangers, the # of volumes is fan driven)

TRYSTAN SCOTT (serials, 20K words each, cliff hangers, anticipated number of volumes: TBA)

BANE (novels, trilogy-3 books total, cliffhangers)

Series will start to criss-cross but readers do NOT have to read each series to understand what’s going on. Each series is “stand alone.” This makes it more exciting for fans who have read everything.

Serials are not for everyone and that’s okay. I tell readers to read what they like. I think that more authors will write serials over the next year, because there is a demand for shorter books and people want to get as many books as they can, as fast as they can, from their favorite author. My favorite authors have out books that are less than 100 pages and cost $5 each. House of Night novellas (short books) are $9.99 each. There are tons of other works that fall anywhere between there. I hope that Amazon will give us more tools to make it blatantly obvious which book is which type, but right now they do not.

If you want to know what THE ARRANGEMENT books would look like in person, there are book that are the same length as THE ARRANGEMENT on sale at WalMart or B&N for $4-$5 a pop. They’re the Harlequin titles that are mass paperback size and thinner.

I want to thank you guys for writing. It’s a shame I can’t participate in Amazon’s boards and answer questions directly as they come up, but it’s prohibited.

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New Release: THE ARRANGEMENT 7 Was Released Today! (NA Romance)

admin — Sun, 12 May 2013 14:42:14 +0000

THE ARRANGEMENT 7 IS OUT!

DESCRIPTION:

“Volume 7 in the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Arrangement Serials

When Avery learns Sean’s dark secret, everything changes. His confession blindsides her. Sean has a shady past, she knew that from the beginning, but this is so much worse than she thought. There’s a dangerous side to Sean. It’s alluring and frightening at the same time. Avery has to decide if love can overcome anything or if she should protect her heart.

Genre: New Adult Romance
This story unfolds over multiple volumes of approx. 20,000 words each or 100 pgs.
~The Arrangement Vol 1 – 7 are on sale now.~

*Content warning: This volume is more graphic than the others and has parts that are unsuitable for younger readers.

Hint hint: If you can read DAMAGED before you read this volume, that would be good.

Reader Review:

“Captivating and intense. The Arrangement 7 goes beyond anything I expected! My heart was in my throat and I couldn’t read it fast enough to find out what happens to Avery and Sean” -Joanne

GET THE ARRANGEMENT 7 NOW AT THESE RETAILERS:

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2 Books on the New York Times Bestseller List This Week!

admin — Sun, 12 May 2013 01:06:25 +0000

I nearly died when I saw this. I knew DAMAGED was there but I missed THE ARRANGEMENT 6. I’ve been jumping up and down for two hours. Okay, more like four hours.

Having one book on the list is wicked cool. Having two books up there is so freaking nuts that I can’t process it, man!

Thank you to all the fans who love DAMAGED and THE ARRANGEMENT series. You guys are in for a nice surprise tomorrow when ARRANGEMENT 7 comes out. Make sure you read DAMAGED first. Hint hint.

If you haven’t read these yet, DAMAGED (novel) and THE ARRANGEMENT (serials) are both New Adult romances. DAMAGED 2 is up for preorder over here.

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New Release! THE ARRANGEMENT 6 Released Today!

admin — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:32:54 +0000

THE ARRANGEMENT 6 was released today!

Description: Volume 6 in the Arrangement Serials by NY Times Bestselling Author H.M. Ward

Just as Avery thinks she finds balance with her position as a call girl and her relationship with Sean, everything changes. The relationships that she has depended on are suddenly gone. After years of friendship, Avery is forced to face the cold hard truth–there is no place for feelings in this kind of business.

Genre: New Adult Romance
This story unfolds over multiple volumes approx. 20,000 words each.
~The Arrangement Vol 1 – 6 are on sale now.~

GET THE ARRANGEMENT 6 NOW AT THESE RETAILERS:

Kobo and paperbacks will follow shortly.

Also, some exciting news for THE ARRANGEMENT series! It’s being made into audiobooks! Production is underway and the narrator is awesome! I can’t wait to share those with you! So excited!!!

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Cover Reveal: ARRANGEMENT 6

admin — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:05:12 +0000

Her’es the cover for the 6th volume in the bestselling ARRANGEMENT series! Oooh. Ahhhh!

THE ARRANGEMENT Vol. 6 will be released by the end of the month. This popular series features serials that are about 115 pages each in print. This series was originally created for fans to have something to read between novels. The fans loved it and so did a lot of other people. All my serials and novels are listed over here and marked, so you won’t get them mixed up if you’re a novel person.

Thanks to all THE ARRANGEMENT fans for loving this series so much! I can’t wait to share the next book with you.

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I’m The #1 Selling Author on Amazon! Ahhhhh!

admin — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:32:51 +0000

I just noticed this and freaked out, because let’s face it, who outsells James Patterson? NO ONE. The dude is always in that top slot. Then, I look at it for kicks and notice I’m #1. AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

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ARRANGEMENT 5 Was Released Today!

admin — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:47:01 +0000

Description:

“Volume 5 in the Arrangement Serials by NY Times Bestselling Author H.M. Ward

Avery’s emotions are fried, but she doesn’t have to think twice about her BFFs Marty and Mel. They mean everything to her. They’re the family she doesn’t have. In a crisis, they’re the people to have by her side, and God knows this is a crisis. Friends like that are worth their weight in gold.

If only things with Sean were so simple. Regret is something that is impossible to subdue. There are still things to be said, things to do. Life is too short to live in the past, but when Avery wakes up at the hospital she finds that her world has changed.”

Genre: New Adult Romance-Content Warning
This story unfolds over multiple volumes approx. 20,000 words each.
~The Arrangement Vol 1 – 5 are on sale now.~

This volume is longer than the others by about 3,000 words, otherwise they are usually right at 20K words or 100 trade paperback size pages (5″x8″). Volume 6 will be out shortly. Since I was in and out of the hospital for the past three weeks, I wasn’t able to do ARC’s on #5. I will do them on #6. The sign up will appear on the facebook page later this week.

GET THE ARRANGEMENT 5 NOW AT THESE RETAILERS:

If you are a new reader, these are novella serials. They were originally written for the die-hard fans that wanted something to read between novel releases. This series exploded and pulled in a lot more people who like the fast and furious format. It also pisses off people who like long, lingering novels. You’ve been warned.

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DAMAGED (A New Adult Novel) Released Today!

admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 01:32:58 +0000

A New Adult Romance Novel by New York Times Bestselling Author H.M. Ward

Life sucks. And, as soon as Sidney picks up the pieces something always knocks her back onto her butt. It’s never pretty, but this time is different. This time pretty isn’t even the right word.

Peter is the personification of perfection. It’s like he fell off his angel perch in purgatory, because let’s face it–any guy that hot has got to be naughty. He was probably sent here to ruin her life.

Peter is beyond beautiful with his sexy blue eyes, dark hair, and toned body. Add in his charming wit and Peter is everything Sidney ever wanted in a man, but when things get hot and heavy Peter shows her the door. Sidney takes the walk of shame and leaves. It’s the end of the worst blind date ever. Her life couldn’t possibly reach higher levels of suckage, but it does.

The next morning everything comes crashing down. The insanely hot guy from last night, the one that saw her half naked, is teaching at the front of the class room.

Genre: New Adult Romance Novel
Recommended Age: 17 yrs+
Print Edition: 348 pages

“Holy hot for teacher! I loved this book” – Stay Blu Reads

“Ward has such a brilliant way with words creating such a realist world that we can get lost in, and creating characters that could easily be your best friends.” -Nicole

“I loved that. Serious sexual tension!” -Spare Time Book Blog

“STUNNING! PERFECTLY STUNNING! This book was a perfect ride of emotions from page one. Can not wait for book 2. You will Love this book. READ IT! I Command YOU to read this BOOK!!” -Vicci’s Crazy Book Addiction

Get DAMAGED now at these retailers:

Anticipated release for Damaged 2 is summer 2013. Happy reading!

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SCANDALOUS 1 & 2 On Sale For 99¢ Limited Time!

admin — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:17:28 +0000

SCANDALOUS 1 & 2 are on sale for only 99¢ for a limited time!

Recently released, this sequel to the sensational New York Times bestseller Scandalousfollows Abby as she fights to protect her man, her love, and everything she holds dear when a sinister group targets Jack.

Description:

*Sequel to NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY Bestseller*

Abby never thought she’d find her soul mate, but she has and it’s changed her life forever. Jack is everything she needs and more. There’s a connection between the two of them that transcends logic and rational thought. It’s like they were made for each other. Nothing can keep them apart.

After the honeymoon ends, Jack has the most important show of his career. The centerpiece is the scandal painting of Abby. It’s Jack’s defining piece, the start of a new era. But when Jack and Abby return home, something isn’t right. Jack becomes distant as his deepest fears manifest before his eyes.

Jack has been verbally attacked for his art in the past. It’s no secret; but what Abby doesn’t realize is that a hate group has also targeted him. They hold Jack personally responsible for the moral decay in society. Not only is this corruption seen in Jack’s art, but also in his life and love. Seducing Abby made Jack a prime target.

It isn’t enough to ruin Jack’s career—these activists want to end his life.

Everything hinges on Abby and she’ll do anything to protect the man she loves.

And if you missed out on reading the first book, go grab it! Both novels are on sale for 99¢ for a limited time.

Each novel also has a paperback. Scandalous 2 is 339 pages. Both books are adult romance, not recommended for younger readers.

GET SCANDALOUS 2 HERE FOR 99¢ TODAY:

~~~~

GET SCANDALOUS 1 HERE FOR 99¢ TODAY:

Thank you so much to everyone who loved this series! You guys rock! Happy reading!

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DAMAGED: A New Adult Romance Novel by NY Times Bestselling Author H.M. Ward

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:14:25 +0000

A New Adult Romance Novel by New York Times Bestselling Author

Life sucks. And, as soon as Sidney picks up the pieces something always knocks her back onto her butt. It’s never pretty, but this time is different. This time pretty isn’t even the right word.

The next morning everything comes crashing down. The insanely hot guy from last night, the one that saw her half naked, is teaching at the front of the class room.

Genre: New Adult Romance Novel

Release Date: April 16, 2013

Keep your eyes peeled! There’s a slim chance that DAMAGED will be up early.

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