5/5/23

...and I'm sneezing.  The flowers are pretty, but behind that beauty lies a nefarious evil.  LOL  I live where I get to experience four distinct seasons because I love it.  The anticipation as winter comes to an end, knowing warmth and sunshine and the beach are just around the corner is only matched by my anticipation in August that the oppressive heat of summer will soon be tempered by snow.  The dopamine boosting cycle of anticipation and fulfillment is exactly why I never want to go anywhere else.  That said, spring is probably my least favorite season, mostly because I spend a lot of April and May, and sometimes into June, fighting off sinus migraines, runny noses, and general blah.  I always find my writing suffers because of this; if I have a major headache, the last thing I want is the bright lights of a computer screen.  Luckily, I seem to be doing okay so far this year.  The word count for The Chef continues to steadily grow.  I passed 50k last week, making this officially the second longest single story I've ever written.  Only Magnified is longer.  I'm certainly happy with how much I've been able to put into this one new story.  All that's left to write is the final battle and the wrap up, so fingers crossed this story will be done soon. 

If you pre-ordered Hunter from NSP, make sure you go download your copy to read!  Hunter is officially released there.  For every other retailer where Hunter is sold, May 9th is only a few days away!  I can't wait for everyone to get a chance to catch up with Kana and and Ember, and Kana's familiars, and see where this new adventure brings them! 

I have also started working on the first round of edits for Twin Elements, my high fantasy stand alone about a pair of twins trying to survive some difficult political mechanizations all while falling in love with the people who come to save them.  Twin Elements is such a fun bit of world building and character development.  I loved writing it, so revisiting this story in edits has been wonderful. 

That's basically everything I've been up to this past week.  I'm starting to plan my garden for this year, which is mostly veggies, and I'm mentally preparing for my first, inevitable sunburn of summer.  I'm also starting a new paint by numbers project that will likely take a few months to complete (I chose a really complicated one this time), so I'm excited about that.  Otherwise, it's just work, figuring out what my chef in The Chef will cook next, and sneezing.  So. Much. Sneezing.  Summer, here I come! 

This blog post was originally sent out via my email newsletter.  I'm sharing it here two weeks later.  If you want to receive my newsletter, feel free to sign up on the form on my website! 

Like most authors, my Google search history raises some red flags.  Writing fantasy and paranormal leads to very interesting searches.  Here's some of the fun things I've researched recently:

For Hunter:

• Types of spears, length of spears, what are spears made of?  One of the significant characters in Hunter carries a spear (hence the spear on the cover), but I've never held one in my life.  Researching bladed weapons, particularly unusual ones, always makes we wonder what algorithms I'm tripping.  Lol
• Herbs for sleep, what's in sleep medicine?  So many plants are poisonous, even ones as simple as sleeping pills.  You would not believe how many times I saw a warning along the lines of "too much could kill you".  This actually influenced the plot of the book.  Kana's decision to conduct more research before concocting a sleeping potion was based on my own concerns about what I found during my searches. 

Hunter comes out on May 9th, so you don't have to wait too long to see the results of those (and more). 

For Water's Price:

• What's on the bottom of the ocean; what plants grow in northern waters?  It was a lot harder than I originally thought to find out what can grow in frigid northern waters, or even what the ground is comprised of.  Sand, stone, seaweed?  No idea, and Google wasn't clear either.  I even looked at pictures of the Titanic to see what was growing there.  I did the best I could describing the setting of some of the scenes, but I look forward to what my readers have to say about it.  
• Variations of the plot of The Little Mermaid.  There are more versions and interpretations of The Little Mermaid and mermaid stories than I originally thought.  Yes, Disney has the monopoly, but it's not solely Hans Christian Anderson who wrote about fictional water creatures and their adventures.  I was able to take bits and pieces and weave together my own tale based on what I found. 

Sharing any of the other fun things I researched would spoil the book, so that's all I've got now.  Water's Price comes out on June 27th, so after that I might be able to share more! 

For The Chef:

• Can you grind up dried pasta to make flour for fresh dough?  The answer to this was maybe, so I went with it. Given the difficult circumstances Char is cooking in when he concocts this particular recipe, I figured I could make it work.  Many of the recipes I'm using in this book are sound (and are ones I've cooked myself), but this particular pasta recipe should come with an asterisk.   
• Poisonous mushrooms, what do poisonous mushrooms taste like, what happens when you eat a poisonous mushroom, etc.?  Yet another instance where I hope I'm not tripping an algorithm.  Lol  I can't really go into too much detail to avoid spoilers, but this one led me down multiple rabbit holes.  Trying to figure out which mushroom, how it would taste, what might happen if someone did eat it, and all the nuances of inadvertently cooking with poison led me on quite the adventure.  I'd say a third of what I found actually ended up in the book, but it was interesting all the same. 
• What do wild onions look like?  At first glance, this appears to be a benign question.  Right?  Wrong.  Turns out, wild onions are often mistaken for a lovely plant called the Death Lily, so it was back down the poison rabbit hole for me.  Lol 

I have about 10k words left to write in The Chef, after which it will need edits and polishing.  I hope to have it submitted to a publisher for consideration toward the end of this year, so keep an eye on my blog for more information.  I promise I will have more ridiculous searches to share from this book in the future. 

Is there a bit of plot or some factoid in one of my published books you're curious about?  Let me know and I'd be happy to elaborate! 

Hunter is available for preorder at most major retailers!  You can reserve your copy today.  Check Hunter out at  these links, or go to your favorite ebook retailer:

4/14/23

It has been far too long since I wrote a blog post.  I've been trying to do better this year about posting, but somehow this past month just slipped through the cracks.  Getting ready for Passover, then Passover itself, probably contributed, but I also haven't had much to share.  I need to come up with something fun I can post semi-regularly for those lulls.  Let me know, do you want something about my writing style, how I come up with my books, or something totally different?  I want to share things you're interested in! 

Luckily, the lull is over!  I have great news to share: You Can't Sell A Dragon's Heart has been accepted for publishing at NSP!  The contract is signed, so I'm hopeful this time next year you'll be able to read my quirky sci-fi/fantasy crossover story with dragons and magic and futuristic technology.  You Can't Sell A Dragon's Heart is one of those stories that practically wrote itself.  I didn't have long pauses or breaks to figure out plot, so it flows really well.  I think you'll like it as much as I do, so I'll be sure to share any updates as this story moves through the editing process. 

Speaking of updates, Hunter, the second book in my Witch's Circle trilogy has gotten some excellent ARC reviews!  The book is apparently an excellent continuation from Coven, book one.  If you missed it, Coven is available at most major retailers.  Hunter comes out on May 9th (less than a month away!!!) and should also be available for preorder at most major retailers soon.  If you preorder from NSP, you can get your copy four days earlier than everywhere else. 

My last update is some of my writing is going really well.  The Chef, my story about a chef trying to survive and cook in some difficult situations, is almost completed.  I have two more major plot points to write, with some minor stuff mixed in between.  This includes the build up to the final fight, the fight itself, and the aftermath.  I had initially thought this book would reach 60k words.  Then the first half of the story didn't expand as much as I anticipated so I moved the expected count down to 50k.  However, the Chef currently stands at 44k, so I think a goal of reaching 55k words is achievable.  That said, the overarching plot of the story is nowhere close to being completed.  Plus, I realized Char, my main character, is not the correct person to be resolving those issues.  This means a sequel is in order!  It's going to be called The Prince.  I know who the two main characters are and I've plotted out the opening scene, but I can't delve into it more until The Chef is completed.  I haven't written anything in any of my other stories, which is sad, but I believe The Chef is good enough to warrant my full attention.  Fingers crossed I finish writing The Chef soon, so I can start digging into The Prince and see where this series might take me, and then I can return to some of my other stories as well! 

2/26/23

I have some amazing news! Hunter, the second book in my Witch's Coven trilogy, has completed the editing process and has an official release date!  Look for it on May 9th!  I haven't seen the cover yet, but that and reviewing the ARC are all that need to be completed before this story is ready for publishing.  Coven (book one) had such an amazing reception.  I can't wait for everyone to be able to read Hunter!  Also, we're aiming for August/September to release Witch, the final book in the series.  (Keeping in mind all release dates/time frames are subject to change without warning, Lol)  I think that's a doable target, but keep any eye on my blog as I'll update you as I learn more. 

I also have a release date for my mermaid short story, Water's Price!  NSP plans to release it June 27th.  Water's Price is one step behind Hunter in the editing process--still waiting for the final proof--so June is a perfect date. 

More great news: Twin Elements, my fun story about a pair of twins forced to switch places when one is poisoned, was accepted for publishing with NSP!  The contract is signed and the book now in the editor's queue.  I am hopeful it will be available for purchase this time next year.  I will keep you posted as I learn more, but feel free to check out the tentative summary on my Coming Soon page.

As promised, I pulled You Can't Sell A Dragon's Heart out of storage and gave it a final edit before submitting it to NSP for consideration.  Letting the story simmer and percolate for a couple of months helped a lot, so the manuscript looked really good (in my opinion).  I do think NSP will also enjoy my quirky sci-fi/fantasy crossover story.  However, this book is currently at the very bottom of their submission pile, and will likely take a while to be reviewed.  I will try to be patient while I wait.  Lol 

I promised some writing news.  The Chef, my quirky story about a chef being waylaid on his journey to a new job and the ensuing adventure, has crossed the 10k words mark!  I originally thought part one of the story would tap out at 30k, but it's leaning closer to 25k at the moment.  That said, the next chapter begins the build up to the fight scene.  The line that convinced me to start working on this book was when the character in my head said "don't drip blood in my oatmeal", however, this coming fight scene is the bit that has kept me writing eagerly.  It's the first place I get to fully explore the magic in this book, and I can't wait to write it.  I'm very hopeful the fight scene will help me meet my original word count hopes for part one, but either way this book is turning out to be awesome. 

It's been a busy few weeks, so I haven't been able to work on anything else.  My insurance company came through, but I have to follow up with the remediation company to get on their schedule.  The drama from the burst pipe will soon only be only an unpleasant memory.  I have also been extremely busy at work, so I'm collapsing on my couch in the evenings with very little brain left to make dinner, let alone write.  I do expect work to calm down again, so presumably I'll be able to return to my waiting stories very soon. 

2/11/23

Thank you to everyone for your words of support after last weekend's unwanted adventure with the burst pipe.  I am happy to say after calling approximately 15 plumbers, I was able to get the pipe replaced and the water turned back on.  Apparently everyone and their uncle had a burst pipe, so all the plumbers were booked solid.  I literally had one ask "can you wait until next week?"  No word yet from my insurance company, but I'm sure it's a similar problem to with the plumber.  I'm probably going to need to remove the ceiling to replace the soaked insulation, so more work still needs to be done.  While I want to clear any projects with my insurance first, I have scheduled a fix-it company to come next week to give me an estimate.  I'm trying to be patient since it's not an emergency, but if I don't hear anything soon I get to start making more phone calls.  Ugh.  I'm a millennial.  It should be illegal to force us to use a phone for calls.  LOL 

I have made progress on writing, which is a nice change.  Those of you who receive my newsletter have already learned about the new story I'm working on.  For everyone else, guess what?  I'm working on a new story.  It's titled The Chef, and it's about a very talented chef who gets accidentally recruited to join a bunch of fighters on a quest.  Some political intrigue, a slow burn love story, and lots and lots of cooking.  It's a ton of fun to write.  I'm not actually certain how long this story will be, nor am I certain it will be stand alone.  There are going to be two parts to this story, but I don't yet know whether they would be better served as one 60k word book, or split into two 30ks.  I'll have a better idea once I get further into the story.  I've written about 8k so far, so there's still a long way to go. 

I have also been making more progress on Vivary Tales.  It's reached 10k, so there's also a lot still to write, but I am incredibly happy with the world building.  I think it's my most intricate creation since I built the monastery in The Oracle's Flame.  What's also really amazing is there's four stories in this first book, and there's still so much more room to grow in this world.  Ideas for a second book are already percolating.  I am going to keep plucking away at this book, and will hopefully continue to make progress! 

For those of you who also live in the US, I can't decide which team to root for in the Superbowl tomorrow.  Should I go with the Eagles, who have had an amazing season, but are relative unknowns, or should I go with the Chiefs, who have a bunch of players I know can carry the entire team to a win.  Let me know what you think and/or who to support! 

2/5/23

I had my whole weekend planned out.  When I was going to the grocery store, when I was writing, when I was working on my current paint by numbers project; all of that was supposed to be fully structured this weekend.  I even factored in how to get all that done around the crazy weather we've been having.  And it was working!  I added about 1k words to Vivary Tales before bedtime, and I knew I'd be able to pick it back up in the morning.  And then at two AM I'm woken up by a WHOOMPH coming from the direction of my en-suite bathtub, followed by an ominous whooshing sound. 

No water leaking in my bathroom.  I sprint downstairs.  No water puddling anywhere on the main floor.  Sprint down another flight of stairs.  No water in my basement.  I open the door into my garage, and my car is getting a shower.  Water everywhere!  I turned the water off to the house and then had a moment of "what do I do now?"  The answer: call my mom, of course.  Lol. 

There's a smoke detector in my garage, right underneath where the pipe burst.  Apparently smoke detectors and water are not a winning combination.  The whole system goes off, blaring and deafening throughout the entire house, and I'm still shocked my neighbors whom I share a wall with didn't come running. 

Picture me, in pajamas at dark o'clock, on the phone with my poor mother, trying to get the smoke detectors on four separate floors to shut off, all while my garage ceiling continues to forlornly drip onto my car.  Yeah.  I don't want to picture it either. 

So that leaves my Sunday plans absolutely destroyed.  I moved my car into my driveway, got the ladder out so I could remove the smoke detector--dropped it onto the concrete floor, so I have a trip to the hardware store in my future--and now I wait.  I submitted an online claim to my insurance, but I can't contact a plumber until the sun rises.  No water, which means I can't shower, which nixes the grocery store run.  I can't clean paintbrushes either, so no painting.  No laundry, and I can't wash dishes.  That means the only thing left on my to-do list is to write, so maybe Vivary Tales will take off, distracting me while I wait for a verdict from the plumber.  One can hope. 

1/21/23

I sent this out with my newsletter last week, so this may be a repeat for some of you.  I wrote up a short history of how Coven, and the rest of my Witch's Circle trilogy, came to be.  Check it out:

So, there you have it. Coven almost wrote itself at that point. The following books, Hunter and Witch, flowed easily. Burnout gone. I can only hope my next projects go so smoothly. You can buy Coven now at most major retailers. Hunter has completed editing at NSP, so I should have a release date and more to share very soon.
 
*If you liked hearing about the history of one of my books and want to know the history of a different book or series, let me know and I’ll be happy to write another post for you!