Wherein there's a chance you can forget everything I've said over the past few months

So... I'm not sure what's going to happen with Flip Side of Sin. At this point, it may or may not be coming soon. And if it happens to fall into that latter may not category, that doesn't mean it's not coming...it just means it's not coming yet.

Why?

I don't really know where to start. The formatting process is taking forever, for one thing. I'm not sure if the formatter is getting my emails or not, but if she is, she isn't responding. We were making headway in December after a bout of radio silence, and just when I thought things might be underway, she dropped off the face of the earth. It's hard to know when to schedule a book release when I have no idea when I'll have the files for said release, or if they're coming at all.

So there's that. I've already edited this manuscript within an inch of its life and purchased the cover art. On one hand, I feel too invested to put a halt on my plans to debut it to you, my loyal readers. On the other hand, I don't have a freaking product to give you. This formatter has already provided the print copy, so I'm literally only waiting on the ebook files.

I do think, however, that I might be on my way to bowing out of this project entirely. Not the actual series, mind you. I love the series and will write until I reach the end. Rather, I am contemplating holding onto Book 3 until I have the rights back on the other books.

Why?

There are a thousand reasons to Indie-run this thing. First, I'm already invested, both creatively and monetarily. I love the idea of maintaining artistic control of the series, not having to worry about who I might upset with what in terms of publisher-approved content. I've already had the book listed as forthcoming for about six months. Its release is somewhat anticipated. I'll look like a jackass if I don't......that last point might only be in my head, and even if it's not, I'm already used to looking like a jackass.

The biggest reason to NOT pursue the Indie route, though, trumps those reasons to do it in my book. That reason is time.

I have no time.

Hell, for the past few weeks, I haven't gotten any writing done at all. Not lack of want or ideas or whatever, but I am one busy little beaver. I spend my days working an 8-5, then go home and work my second job (editing for Big-Name-Pub) until bedtime. I don't have time to read for recreation anymore, let alone write and edit my own stuff. NaNo was by the skin of my teeth, and honestly only attainable because I hadn't yet assumed a full workload. And since I just got word my NaNo project was accepted, my time is going to be even more limited. I need to rewrite, revise, edit, go through all that fun stuff. That kind of thing I can make time for, but not all the legwork that comes with Indie publishing.

When I first decided to Indie-publish Flip Side of Sin, I had no idea I would soon be leaving my job at Mundania to work for Big-Name-Pub. I made the decision to Indie-pub and issued the subsequent announcement in the beginning of August. By September, I had been offered and accepted my dream job, and life completely changed.

Since then (and there are any number of friends who can attest to this) I've been buried under work. And while I love being buried, it puts other ambitions in a whole new light. I want to be able to write and edit without having to worry with the promotion side of things. In this case, traditional publishing comes out way ahead. The things I thought I'd have time to do no longer seem like viable options, at least not if I want to do it right.

And to be honest, even though I've already lost money in this venture (should I decide to abstain from becoming an Indie author), I feel there's a better shot of coming out ahead. I know this series is followed by a modest amount of people, but I really don't think a delay will be missed by the vast majority of romance readers. My sales have been largely unimpressive, and while I don't write for sales (I write for me), the numbers I am looking at do help in determining the cost-risk assessment of changing course midstream.

So what will happen with the series? I don't know at the moment. The rights to Lost Wages of Sin will be mine again as of March 31. I want to tweak it a bit, slap on a new coat of paint, and then...who knows? Maybe submit to a new house. Maybe submit to one of the houses I already call home.  I'm not ruling anything out at the moment. What I really need to do is try to keep from a lasso-the-moon attempt, because it ain't gonna happen. I'm going to exhaust myself and produce sub-par work if I try to do everything. Indie-pubbing might have been an option at one point. It might still be an option. I don't know...but I do know I care enough about the works to not leap into anything without one hundred percent certainty. I'm just not there anymore.

Maybe this whole formatter debacle has been for the best, then. Frustrating as it has been -- and believe me, I'm still annoyed -- it might have saved me from a bad decision. 

Feel free to weigh-in if you have an opinion. Even if you just want to call me names, I'll listen.