Busy Writing and Trying to Be Good

Over the last two days my NaNo Novel went from fairly organized and on track to spewing out the dialogue in a 'let's figure out out plan as we bounce ideas of what the hell is going on' back and forth nine page extravaganza of ping pong.

That's going to take some work to make readable later on, but it's been great to brainstorm on the page inside these two heads. I've learned a lot about these two boys and their past and how that's going to help them get out of this mine I've sent them to as slaves.

My goals for this story are to keep the swearing to a minimum, not kill anyone, and no sex. It's been hard since that's against my default writing mode. So far we've had mild cursing and overheard sex. Time will tell if I can pull this off. 

Along with Authors Answer - this week we talk about whether we'd jump on the popular genre bandwagon - I'm also participating on Lectito, as one of five NaNo participants sharing our weekly progress throughout November. I hope you'll drop by both blogs and give them a read.

Now, back to this game of dialogue ping pong.

Now available: Taking A Breather

I'm happy to announce that at long last, Taking A Breather has been published! The inaugural issue of Theian Journal, sister publication to Stupefying Stories has been released.

This little mermaid seeks to find a husband to free herself from her tyrant father, but there's a price for freedom and everyone is going to pay.

For a limited time Theian Journal is free to Amazon Prime and is available though Kindle Unlimited. The print issue will be out next month.

From the Rampant Loon Press:
From the creators of Stupefying Stories comes our new sister publication, THEIAN JOURNAL. It’s a bit unearthly—a bit alternative—these are decidedly different from our usual selection of SF/F stories, reflecting an entirely different editorial philosophy, yet brought to you with our same dedication to finding excellent stories by writers you may not have read before. Issue #1 features:
• THE FISSURE OF ROLANDO, by Judith Field
• ADROIT, by David Williams
• TAKING A BREATHER, by Jean Davis
• A SCORPION WITHIN, by Alison Grifa Ismaili
• PLAINFIELD, NEW YORSEY: 2114, by Angele Ellis
• WHEN WE ARE WHOLE, by Gary Emmette Chandler

The Words are Flowing!

NaNoWriMo is here and the words are flowing fast and furious. In hopes of many more words than would normally be cranked out this month, we're at war with Dayton Ohio. May the wordiest region win.

If you'd like to join in the writing fun, create an account and find the region nearest you. There may be a war going on that you aren't aware of, fellow writers that need your words, your story that needs your words. Okay, so really its about your story needing to be written. Go write your story!

Newly Released: A Broken Race

I'm happy to announce that A Broken Race has finally completed my half of its journey and now is waiting to continue on with you.

Available in ebook or paperback, you can order your copy today.

The fortress is home to the last remnants of civilization. The few remaining women live in a vault far below the gardens, while the men stand watch and maintain the walls that protect them all. A virus from long ago, and generations of inbreeding since, has left average men severely outnumbered by Simples. Humanity, as it once was, is broken.

Outside those walls live the Wildmen—starving, poor and desperate for the treasures of the fortress. Seeking women to once again fill their own ranks with healthy children, and something other than rats to fill their stomachs, the Wildmen launch one
last raid.

One-fifty-two is a Simple man. The raid disrupts his calm and orderly world with smoke and fear, the need for the comfort of his mother and the promises of a lone Wildman captive. With his eyes open to the secrets behind the order he had always known, One-fifty-two must find the courage to stop being a cog and take hold of the wheel—or the fortress may be the end of them all.

Cover Reveal for A Broken Race

In the next couple weeks, A Broken Race will be in my hands...and yours if you so wish (and I hope you do).

In a hard future where most of humanity are slaves to a select few, a simple man sees the ugly truth behind the smiles of his masters and stops being a cog to take hold of the wheel.



While I prepare for the release of A Broken Race and NaNoWriMo, I've been busy reading. Gotta fuel the creative engines. In the last two weeks, I've devoured, Stephen King's Under the Dome (and I'm finishing the TV series), Sherrilyn Kenyon's Kiss Of The Night and Devil May Cry, and Guy Gavriel Kay's Ysabel. All were enjoyable. The books, that is. The TV series, well, we'll discuss that as soon as I finish the last three episodes.

This week on Authors Answer, we talk about family support with our writing.