So for the last week I've been arguing with Amazon's moderation team. Recently, they decided the word 'omega' in book titles is offensive, and they're banning it from advertisements on the site.

The representative I spoke to lumped the word omega in the same sentence as "BDSM, incestualized relationships, sexual contact with person(s) under the age of 18".

I argued that omega is a cultural term, not a sexual term. I sent in a screenshot of advertisements on my book's page, which includes several stepbrother romances, banging your 'manny', banging santa, your teacher, a police officer, shifters, and one dark romance which is thinly disguised abuse/rape. I pointed out that my book only has 3 explicit scenes in 110k words.

Aaand guess who they refuse to talk to? They marked my case as resolved multiple times as I reopened it. I'm told that I have to change my title to omit the word omega if I want the ad to run.

To be clear here: They consider the word to be offensive. They're totally fine with my content.

So I might be changing my title? I'm not sure yet. I like my scifi-pulpy titles! They're fun. It's pretty scummy of Amazon to censor a perfectly acceptable, safe word for a type of gay romance. I really do feel like they're picking 'omega' specifically because it limits gay romance on their site.

There are currently omega books being advertised, and when I pointed that out, they said the policy is new and they're in the process of purging all such titles from advertisements. This is going to hit some authors hard.

Sigh. So that's been my week this week… My final follow up question was to ask if they're eliminating 'omega' from search results too. They haven't responded.

As an indie there just comes a point where I have to stop courting bullshit and write.

So there's another chapter below to enjoy! Carter's funny ramble leads into him deliberating over an SOS button. I've always thought that characters are surprisingly okay when they get abducted from their life into a strange world.

Carter is onboard with alien boyfriends, but writing reactions like this to the weird stuff is very satisfying. This is what I want to see from all those heroines who go back in time or whatever. Why do they never mention the toilet?? Bathroom facilities should be a top priority!

Anyhow. I love indie publishing. I love writing my own stuff and to hell with everything else. I probably won't change my title unless they've banned it from search results or I have to do it to pay my bills.

I'll post another chapter on or after Christmas. See you then!

Here you are! Two chapters as promised! Heh. Sorry they’re a day late. Actually, they’re a lot later than my original promise. It’s easy to put things off when I have scenes to write. Which I have a lot of!

I’m not quite at the halfway point for this book yet, so I think my hope of publishing before the new year is nothing but smoking embers. But I’ll still be chugging for it through January 1st. I have a lot more characters and a more detailed plot going into this one. It’ll clear 100K easy.

I’ll put two more chapters out next month to make the waiting easier. Or to make it worse. One of those.

I especially like the contrast in these opening chapters from Auk’s grand quest-oriented point of view to Carter’s more modern ‘wtf is happening’ POV. Hopefully these scenes make you smile!

Not much else going on in them since this is the intro to the book. Next month’s chapters will have more interaction.
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(In case you’re wondering about the elephant, it looks just like me, I swear to god. Glasses. Headphones. Nailed it.)

Happy October! These chilly fall mornings are magical. I got to wear a sweater this week! I love sweaters, they're so cozy!

I'm starting Pykh 3 today. :) Thank you everyone for answering my survey. I thought I'd get like 20 replies the first week, and that was good enough for me. Instead I got... a lot... And some interesting 'other' comments too. I'll check back now and again as I'm working on the book. I love hearing thoughts about the characters and storyline.

The series will be mpreg. I know that's a squick for a lot of people, and it used to weird me out too. I used to think, 'If he's getting pregnant, isn't he a woman?' But the lovely and talented Raythe Reign keeps a blog where she talks about tropes and fetishes in the m/m genre, and her fans addressed it really well, changing my mind.

Having a child with your mate is extremely romantic. You give your body and life to that person. LGBT characters get to experience it too in fiction.

Plus, ya know, cute babies.

Carter is going to get there, but I might be writing another long book. I'm hoping for a December release... I think it'd be really cool to have a three book series before the new year. But no promises, alright? I've never had control over my writing, it just takes as long as it takes.

​Check up on me once in a while though! I'll probably post a chapter preview mid-November.

Thank you SO much everyone for having a little extra patience while I put the final touches on my book! Human Omega: Trapped in the Alien Jungle is live.

https://amzn.to/2OkofKC

​The book is a little shorter than I stated before, ending up at 110k, because I found the perfect scene to end it on.  It's still a lengthy read though. This is the longest single title I've ever published. My other long stories were published in monthly episodes.

I hope this is a satisfying pining romance. If you know what a sick fic is, this will be your jam.

There's an extra sexy scene in the back, after the author's note. With all the adventure going on, I couldn't cram it neatly into the timeline without a massive rewrite, so I opted to chuck it in there as bonus content. I liked it, so I didn't want to throw it away.

There's a poll in the back of the book too. Please take it. And if you have any thoughts to share after the book, I'd love to hear them in a comment. I've worked so hard on these books because I hope they'll give you warm fuzzy feelings of adorable romance.

Blurb & Cover:

Carter isn't sure what to call his two alien protectors. Friends? Boyfriends? Mates?

Or merely indiscriminate lovers with sexy purrs and tangling tails?

He would be lost without them, he knows that. When their home is invaded by a dangerous new kind of alien slaver, they flee into the jungle. He depends on his partners for food, protection, a direction to walk in. He's helpless even for shelter and warmth.

Thankfully, his alien lovers seem devoted, but why? Carter wishes he knew their names or anything else. Like whether the attachment he's feeling is returned. With aliens, you can't make assumptions.

Wouldn't it be nice if he could just ask?

I've got two chapters posted below because they're a unit, one leading to the other. Thank you guys so much for your patience! I know it sucks waiting for a book. This one took me totally by surprise. I expected the Pykh books to all be about 45k or so, very light and fast novels. I had it in my mind that Carter would talk in this one. And then I chased a plot bunny around, leading to two books in one, but they don't work well enough as separate novels. I'm writing the ending now and filling in some skipped chapters. I'm expecting the book to be about 120k and to be released in September.

Here's the cover!