IWSG: June Monthly update

Rolling into summer already. It wasn't the best of spring weather, that's for sure. Hopefully the heat holds off until my body can acclimate to something other than 38-65 in wild shifts and then throw a random 88 degree day in there. ugh.

In non-writing life, my youngest has moved out but the oldest still lives at home. I haven't weeded a thing. My pond still isn't up and running. The chickens and ducks are doing great. 

So what's up on the writing project list? I'm slowly toying with another companion novel for The Narvan and slowly editing Frayed. Mostly, I'm fried after releasing two books a week apart and everything that led up to that. So I'm taking it easy for awhile. No deadlines. Actually reading books and diving into the occasional Netflix binge. 

Up next on the book event list:

June 4 & 5 : Magical Realms Fantasy Faire

June 18 & 19 : White Lake Arts & Crafts 

June 25 & 26 : Lakeshore Art Festival

If you're not familiar with 

the Insecure Writers Support 

Group, check it out here 

and find links to all the other 

participating writers.

This month's Insecure Writer's Support Group Question is:

When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? 

This happens a lot for me when I'm about one third of the way into the book. I've introduced the characters, the world, the conflict and now I've got to start figuring out how to get from all the drama I've just created to a resolution. So yes, the other 2/3 of the book. Once I bridge that gap, I'm usually good to go. However, if I can't figure it out, the story stalls and it sits on my hard drive until a solution hits me or it gathers virtual dust forever. 

How do I keep that from happening?

#1: Stop writing and start making a rough outline to figure how what needs to happen.

#2: Write a short note of what needs to happen in the troublesome scene(s) and skip ahead to the next part.

#3: Try something different to get the words flowing again - such as switching POV or dive into some dialogue if its a narrative section.

#4: Give some thought as to why the story is being tough. Have I made the plot too convoluted? Are the characters not properly motivated? Do I need to set something on fire to spice things up?

#5: Am I having a burnt out moment and need to take a few days off to recharge?

Usually there's a reason and it's just a matter of having the patience to figure out what it is to keep myself writing. 

What's your solution?

New Release: Seeker - The Narvan Book 4

Guess what Narvan fans? Seeker is finally available! If you subscribe to my newsletter, you got an early start before the release date. *hint*

Book 4 closes out Vayen's story and I'm excited to share it with all of you. Without a doubt, he's been my favorite character to write. I'd say I'll miss him, except I'm toying with another companion novel that takes place after Seeker. It's not in his POV though, so I can say that his leading time in the series is over. Will any of you ever see that book? That's up for debate. I'm a third of the way in. See my next blog post as to what that means for a story.

Enough about that dangled tidbit, let's get to Seeker:

Political upheaval threatens to erupt into a war that will tear the Narvan apart. The alteration undergone by Vayen and his hunters may have saved everyone from the Arpex but it also created the possibility of bullet-proof soldiers. Vayen’s fellow advisors will do anything to get that prize for themselves.

Not only is Vayen’s daughter not speaking to him, he’s been stuck at home for weeks recovering from surgery and being smothered by Anastassia’s efforts to keep him safe and healthy. Attempting to advise three worlds from his home office has him on his last nerve.

Vayen slips out to search for a new bodyguard.  A few strong drinks later, he ends up on a distant colony,  busting up a slave operation. The adrenaline rush and possibility of having done something good to get back into his daughter’s favor offers a momentary release. He even has a host of well-trained bodyguard slaves to pick from. He’s also gained a new enemy, discovered his bond to Anastassia isn’t what it used to be, and reawakened his old drug addiction.

In spite of doing everything he can to be good, the public has labeled Vayen a mutant and a tyrant. To bring peace to the Narvan and beyond, he’ll need to become exactly what they say he is. 

Where can you get a copy? 

Find me at any of the events I do throughout Michigan and Indiana.

Click on the "Buy signed copies" tab above to get your own copy shipped from me to you (within the US)

Click the link to the left to go to Amazon.

Find it on any of your favorite online bookstores.

 

Book Release: Spindelkin

It's finally release day for Spindelkin! 🌳🌸🍂🐀

Get this YA fairytale from your favorite online bookstore in paperback or e-book.

In the heart of the beautiful city of Katra, princess Amira has spent all her eleven years confined to her room. Cursed with a spell, poison runs through her veins and must be drained away every day or she will die. Kept company by only a stream of temporary maids and the king and queen when they have time, she dreams of what lies outside the castle walls, a sibling to play with, and a future she will likely never live to see. As Amira’s strength wanes, the king thinks that her salvation may lay in the distant forest, but the Spindelskov is inhabited by the nightmarish Spindelkin. The king and queen are unwilling to face them, fearing the creatures will plunge all of Katra into ruin. When the queen gives birth to a prince, Amira begs her maid to help her sneak out to meet her brother. Born with a tail and golden scales, the queen declares the baby a monster and he is left to die. Not bothered by his appearance, Amira promises the tiny prince that she will help him. Gathering her remaining strength, Amira sets out on a journey through the Spindelskov, searching for answers that may save them both.

You can get signed copies of all my books shipped from me to you (within the US)

Or get a copy from your favorite online retailer:

Amazon

Bookshop.org

B&N

And many more!

Tune in next Saturday for another book release!

May The Fourth Be With You

It's been a busy month....and May just started! 

I kicked off the month with my first time at the 3-day the Whitestown Viking Festival in Indiana. Though it was super windy and we got rained out on Saturday, vendors and event goers had a great time. Lots of music, reenactments, horn-blowing, and beer and mead. 

Then it's back to work, and planning book releases before heading off on Friday to the Royal Stagg Renaissance Faire for the weekend for more book signing fun. 

Book releases? Yes! Spindelkin is available now, but officially launches on May 14 and Seeker: Book 4 of The Narvan launches on May 21. Links are in the side bar to the left. You can also by signed copies directly from me (shipped within the US) by using the tab above. More on both of those books closer to release days.

May 14, I'll be doing a release day signing for Spindelkin in Holland, MI at the Bluestocking Bookshop.

May 27 - 29, you can find plain old author me at the Newaygo Memorial Day Craft Show with fellow author Vera West and I should have both new books with me. 

Then can I take a break to catch my breath? Ummm sorta. I'm working on Frayed to get it ready for Kindle Vella, and I'm playing around with another Narvan companion novel. And modifying my tent cover for ren faire events...and adding beading a skirt for one of my ren faire dresses. And I have three weekend events next month.

Will I spontaneously combust one of these days? Probably.

If you're not familiar with 

the Insecure Writers Support 

Group, check it out here 

and find links to all the other 

participating writers.

And now on to the Insecure Writer's Support Group question of the month: It's the best of times; it's the worst of times. What are your writer highs (the good times)? And what are your writer lows (the crappy times)?

Writer Highs: 

When readers tag me in posts or send messages/emails saying they liked one of my books. For those of you not behind the pen, you have no idea how uplifting these little notes are. They can offset a bad review, the weariness of round twelve of edits, or the days when words just refuse to form sentences on the page. 

Meeting new-to-me readers and returning ones at events. Sitting in my writing cave is calm and peaceful but also very disconnected. It's energizing to chat with the people who I write for (other than me).

Getting to be the face of who authors are for kids (or anyone, really), who is excited to meet an author in person for the first time. We love to talk to you about books, what you're reading, what you like, what we like, and what we write and answer your questions.

Writer Lows: 

Not having days off because you have a day job and spend your weekends out promoting books. It's fun, but it's also tiring. 

Starting a new project, knowing all the work that lays ahead.

Selling so many copies of your books but hardly anyone leaves Amazon reviews no matter how nicely you ask.

It was all calm until April hit

While the weather is warming up outside, my task list is heating up as well. And just in time for my event schedule to kick in full swing! Yay?

With the snow melting away, that means lots of yardwork to do. Thousands of sticks to pick up, leaves to rake, the garden the plant, flowerbeds to clean out, and a new chicken run to put up. Just a few things.

And then there are writing projects:

Seeker: Book 4 of The Narvan is off to proofreaders.

Spindelkin is in final line edits.

Frayed is hanging out, waiting for an editing pass before getting started on Kindle Vella. It may be venturing out to my local critique group for a while while I juggle everything else.

A possible second Narvan Novel announced itself in my brain today - taking place four years after Seeker. OMG, stop the muse train. I need a moment to breathe.

I also need to write blurbs for both Seeker and Spindelkin and get the cover art finalized.

And I'd love a little quiet. The chicks I posted photos of last month are all growing fast and as soon as the nights are reliably above freezing, will be moving out to the coop. They are currently peeping away at each other signaling that its time to get on the roost for the night. They do this for about forty-five minute straight. It sounds cute. And it is for the first couple nights...

While I do all that, I've been busy finalizing my 2022 event schedule. With the possible addition of two more single day events, I'm done. Stick a fork in me. Maybe that will hold me down. 

Can I effectively juggle my book inventory during all this? Tune in to find out.

Coming up soon:

April 8 - 10 Grand Rapids Spring Fling Comic Con

April 22 - 23 Penguicon (virtual attendance)

April 24 Tulip City Comic Con

April 29 - May 1 Viking Festival

May 7 & 8 Royal Stagg Ren Faire

May 27 - 29 Newaygo Memorial Day Art Fair

If you're not familiar with 

the Insecure Writers Support 

Group, check it out here 

and find links to all the other 

participating writers.

Which brings us to the Monthly Insecure Writer's Support Group portion of the post. This month's question deals with audio books. I haven't yet ventured into those. I've had plenty of readers ask for them, but that just hasn't been on my priority list yet. 

So I'm going to jump to another topic instead. Too many projects. How do you manage them? 

I try to prioritize what needs to happen when so that I have a new book in the spring, and one in the fall. That's my goal. However, this year, things seem to have gone hilly nilly right out of the gate. Seeker was supposed to be my spring launch, but there were a lot more edits than anticipated, which added significantly to the word count (not complaining, I love how it turned out), which made line edits take much longer than planned. Then we add me picking up twice as many ren faires as I've done in the past, which lit a fire under my behind to get my YA fantasy Spindelkin ready for print so I could launch that early summer instead of fall. That derailed my plan to spend a month getting Frayed up on Kindle Vella. And then this new Narvan novel shows up, pounding on my door with a vengeance. Deep cleansing breath.

Writing is a juggling act. I'm going to attempt to stick with softly inflated beach balls rather than chain saws. Wish me luck.