I made a post here the other day wondering if I had any fans left following this blog. The only response I got was someone being snarky.
But what the hell, if that's what my fans have become, that's just life, right?
Sales on the new series are bad. It doesn't help that Amazon hasn't sent notifications out on the release. So the people following me via Amazon have no idea that I've put anything out.
Now here's the point that Mr. Snarky didn't understand: If it doesn't sell, I stop writing.
I mean, why would I write if nobody's buying? What's the point? That's just basic economics. It's not whining, it's just the truth. If y'all think I now suck, that's fine! I guess I suck. If y'all have better things to do, again, that's fine! The Customer is always right, and that kind of thing.
Now, I'm not going to stop writing tomorrow (well actually, I'll never stop writing, but I will eventually stop publishing). The first three books of this series will be released, regardless of what happens because they're done. But if no one buys them, kinda pointless to write book four.
Right?
Now if it's a matter of y'all don't know that I'm putting out new books, well that's on you. I've got a mailing list, two blogs, a substack, two X pages, two goodreads pages, a discord, and two facebook pages plus a fan page. I'm doing everything I can to make sure all of ya' know.
Now if it's just that I suck? Well that's on me. Though the reviewers all seem to feel differently. They seem to like the book.
As to what happens next? About what you'd expect to happen next. I do hope folks learn about the new series and check it out. I had a lot of fun writing it. But if you're not reading, then you've all made it clear my time here is done. Which I'm fine with. Nothing lasts forever after all. I'll always be happy for the things I've done which y'all clearly enjoyed.
And if you want to be an asshole and make some insulting or snarky reply - well that's on you. I'm just trying to make a living here and entertain folks in the process.
I posted a comment, it was anonymous due to me being a tech idiot. But if it was my comment that seemed snarky, that was not my intent. All I remember posting was I liked the book and hope sales go well, or something along those lines.
ReplyDeleteAdding this cause I am not sure if that was the post I commented on or not. Hope it was not me. Have loved your books from all the way back on POI 3 was released and I found your works. All the best wishes.
DeleteThere was actually two comments, sorry for the confusion, I forgot while writing the above.
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ReplyDeleteRead it when it came out, ended up going in one sitting. thought it was pretty good, left a 5 star rating.
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteThanks, I'm glad you liked it. I suspect however that the 'harem' genre has shifted enough that I'm no longer relevant to it. Too much of it is really just erotica now, or the story is simply all about getting the girls. Where in my stories it was always adjacent to the plot, it wasn't what the story was actually about.
ReplyDeleteWe'll just have to see how the second book does. I just hope the cover shows up next week and not later.
You are one of my favorite authors, and I did look at your new series. Though I will admit it just didn't click with me specifically now if you could write another portals of infinity that would be great! but yeah you are an awesome author.
ReplyDeleteThere will be. And thank you for enjoying my work.
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ReplyDeleteI've become a bit snobbish with what I read, to the point that William D Arand kinda grinds my gears. Constantly repeating things in every series(Getting stranded is NOT character building). I say this so you know i'm series when I say I love your books! You, K D Robertson, Bruce Sentar, and to a lesser extent J Foster Ward have actual amazing stories with harems incororated into them!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the amazing work please!
I totally get what you mean, it feels like he is just reusing the same frame with a new coat of paint for every trilogy.
DeleteToo often the MC seems to hand off most of the thinking to his harem and regresses to a mere hulk smash mentality.
Some honest feedback: It might just be the scenario. I love POI, I generally prefer isekai/fantasy/medieval/unique magic systems over urban fantasy or SF. I finished Valens Legacy, but I was not interested in getting to know new characters in the same world, so I skipped heritage. I assume Veilverse didn't pan out as planned, William seems to be the only one continuing writing books for for it. This is no critique at your books, tastes differ, I'm just sharing why I haven't picked up any recent releases.
ReplyDeleteAlso the covers are just not catchy, while I can applaud the use of a human artist, the reality is that it is trivial to create a more appealing cover using AI. So using a mediocre cover is just hurting you. IMHO, the Valens series covers were especially unappealing, I only picked the series because I came from POI. In the harem genre people judge the book by its cover.
Regarding your harem-erotica comment, I would disagree. I found myself increasingly bored with gratuitous scenes, especially if they end up feeling like work or become formulaic. Nowadays, I enjoy scenes that have still tension, like the first time with a new girl. Otherwise, I perfectly happy with half a page and then fade to black. I still like explicit scenes, it feels unsatisfying if it is completely hidden and just mentioned.
Another factor is the uncertainty over the length of the series. While Arand has become pretty formulaic you could rely on the fact that it would be a trilogy and appear fairly quickly (although his output has decreased significantly). Anyway, what I'm trying to say is what kind of commitment are you expecting from the reader. Your series vary greatly in length so it is hard to judge what to expect.
Now I have to confess that I'm the type of reader that authors hate, the one that only ready completed series. I understand that if everyone were this way that no books series would be written and I appreciate those readers follow along. My arguments is that my memory is too bad to remember all the characters between books if they come out 1-2 times a year. I've read too many other stories in between. OTOH, I'm not motivated enough to re-read everything every time a new book comes out. I've tried following the releases several times, and the results were always disappointing, I usually felt disconnected from the story as I had forgotten too much of the characters and story.
I had a quick cover I came up with myself that was just a hot girl on a bed. I should make a post with it and see what people think.
DeleteI have to say I might have just binged both of (How) To Be a Werewolf in one sitting and stayed up way later than I should have lol. Then came looking for when the third would be released. In terms of hearing about new releases, I’m the kind of reader who enjoys a wide range of genres so I bounce around quite a bit and didn’t find this until today. I’ve read your Valens series, Shadow, and Portals of Infinity and enjoyed them all. I enjoy the harem elements to your stories but I do enjoy the rest just as much if not more. But yes, not hearing about your new story is on me lol cause I’m not following anyone and that’s on me. Either way, very much enjoyed your new series and am eagerly awaiting book three.
ReplyDeleteYour books, under either name are always an auto purchase for me. Amazon issues tends to delay the purchase by a day or three. Your style of writing and how your characters are a consistent joy. I hope for more books in the werewolf but understand how tiring it is to fight a large company.
ReplyDeleteActually I waited in reading this because of the Cover, but then I noticed it was you and as soon as I started reading I started, I realized how really good it was. Great job on this JS! Exactly what I needed to read.
ReplyDeleteBlitzed through all 3 books and was really sorry to see it get cut short. Sorry about the BS with Amazon.
Please know your talents are appreciated!
Thanks for writing. Many, many hours of enjoyment!
Thanks!
DeleteSorry for the late entry on comments; I don’t check blogs that often. Plus, I’ve been out of town on a cool Mediterranean cruise with the lovely Mrs., so there’s that.
ReplyDeleteI’ve enjoyed your books very much since the Valens Legacy days, and continuing through the terrific Dan’s Inferno.
I just read your retirement notice 😢 and I’m disappointed that you’re leaving haremlit, but also disappointed you had to endure so much vitriol. There are folks that don’t understand entertainment is…well…entertainment.
There’s a post on your retirement at: https://www.reddit.com/r/haremfantasynovels/comments/1uudq6v/tired_of_the_haters_and_liars_jan_stryvant_says/
Sadly, many of the comments really show that you’re right to leave.
Without you, haremlit will be a diminished space. The quality of your world building and character development really stands above virtually all the current crop.
FWIW, I’m currently listening to more “sci fi” than “haremlit” so perhaps we’ll meet again at the Audible checkout cart!
All the best!
What annoyed me was none of my alpha readers, beta readers, or anyone else, ever thought that the girls were actually having sex with the First.
DeleteThen at one point the protagonist makes it clear that he does know what's going on (not sex - though he doesn't say it) and it kind of drops after that. I never thought to make it clear because I thought it was obvious. There aren't any sex scenes after all.
Maybe I should go put a line in for those who say 'I don't care if it never happened in the book, it happened in my mind and that's all that matters!'
The thing on Peg is even weirder. She and Sheila are flirting with a guy so they can get past his bodyguards and defenses. Sheila keeps telling Peg that Sean wouldn't appreciate it, even though Peg never really does anything, it's all Sheila, and even then it's just some making out for Sheila. Peg gets the point though and never does anything even close to that again - not that she actually did anything.
The bit about Sean's first child being born to widow who already had a child - by her now dead ex? - no words.
The people who complain about Sheila even though she's not IN the Harem, (and pretty much stops anything she might have been doing after she got pregnant?) again - no words.
I have gotten the impression that some are mad at me because I shut down a guy who was costing me a very large sum of money due to his piracy. None of these complainers were around before then.
When the latest came out, these folks were running around all of the forums and claiming (even though several eventually admitted to not having read it) that the women who were in the 'harem' were having sex with other men - which was just a flat out falsehood.
I can understand the people who thought it needed more werewolf in it, and that was coming, but excuse me for developing the characters the way I like.
But it just started taking all of the fun out of it.
I mean if you don't like a book, then don't read it. Or read anymore by that author. But to spend all that time and effort harassing me, and yes, telling falsehoods?
Yeah, that doesn't make any sense.
Forgot to add - they were just teasing. Teasing goes on in serious relationships.
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