tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12682382473791690282024-03-14T10:23:13.638-07:00Faeries, Dragons, and SpaceshipsThe home blog for Marie Andreas- a look at writing, writers, and the weirdness of the written word.Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comBlogger459125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-83620779790412313532024-03-06T01:30:00.000-08:002024-03-06T01:30:00.138-08:00#IWSG-- Never give up, never surrender!<p> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hello!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Welcome to the monthly
clearing of the minds also known as the Insecure Writer's Support Group!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Writers from near and far
join in on the first Wednesday of the month to share our worries and tales of
writing life.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: left;">Join us!</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1268238247379169028/8362077979041231353" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">T</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">he title of this blog is
from a movie (wanna guess?) but it also sums up a writing career. <br /><br />Definitely
sums up MY writing career.<br />
<br />
I just released my twenty-sixth novel--add three novellas--and this is
#29. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I'm proud of this book and
the series--and SO extremely glad that it's OUT there now!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I've never had as many
problems with any book as I had with Destruction of Chaos.<br />
<br />
1) The book just wasn't working and last fall (when it was supposed to come out) I
stopped and cut out one hundred and fifty pages.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">2) That cost me my
preorder privileges from Amazon for a year and blocked the book (didn't know
about the blocking issue until I went to release it--good times).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">3) Ended up with a MASSIVE
book for me. Most of my books are in the 120,000-word range--this one was
167,000. Even after a lot of editing.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">4) Had to work with Amazon
when I went to put it up--that whole "blocked" issue. The nice person in the chat said
that they fixed it. I asked about the series number since it kept showing the
original failed fall attempt. They promised it would be fine.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">5) It's not fine. My
trilogy all says there are four books in the series--one being the invisible
blocked one.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">6) I tried to set up the
print version...sigh. Amazon has the ISBN for that one as already being used.
On the blocked version. I might end up losing that ISBN.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
7) Goodreads, since it is owned by Amazon, had that book blocked as well and
I'm still fixing it.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">BUT...I kept going. This
book was late when I started it, so it's been two years since the prior book.
Then add in all the issues and whatnot.<br />
<br />
I could have just left that one hundred and fifty pages in, slapped on some half-assed
ending, and been done.<br />
<br />
I'm too stubborn for that. There are a lot of talents that writers need. I'd
say that tenacity is the most important. All you have to do is get back up one more time than you get knocked down ;).<br />
<br />
What about you? Where have you stuck with the fight and completed your work?<br />
<br />
Happy IWSG day!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-23063620182728401832024-02-28T10:40:00.000-08:002024-02-28T10:43:17.536-08:00NEW RELEASE! Destruction of Chaos--Books of the Cuari-book three is ALIVE!<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Hallalu!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This was a work of love, pain, and tenacity. Plus a few stupid human tricks along the way ;).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">BUT it is live! Available on Amazon and it is in Kindle Unlimited as well.<br /><br /><br />By the way--Amazon now has all of these books in this TRILOGY listed as being part of a four book series. Even though they told me that wouldn't happen. SIGH.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">THREE! There are THREE books!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Enjoy and thank you for reading!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Destruction-Chaos-Books-Cuari-Book-ebook/dp/B0CWMLYYVP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1500" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJ4hc27mbzzacXSKOVLNeI0DwH8-ZnClPF-Bdbj-rvo1cuRBNFqW0G1Qfq_JA6N3fJ1Ze8VWFzIdmeJvXPCRIIL54ezqu1_R_PDw7gCTdmdBBD53tQhNEGR4lU6ym6Koogwl1W2haWPqRFOtpIpOmyr0PjGcHCVAxldekWTZOC8xQ6X2qCxzKGCmarTw/w339-h542/Destruction%20of%20Chaos%20cover.jpeg" width="339" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Destruction-Chaos-Books-Cuari-Book-ebook/dp/B0CWMLYYVP"><span style="font-size: large;">Destruction of Chaos</span></a></p></blockquote><p><br /></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-34098744284524514142024-02-26T08:05:00.000-08:002024-02-26T08:05:42.037-08:00Chapter two of the Destruction of Chaos!<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Okay, still aiming to get this out this WEEK!<br /><br />BUT, if you've read the other two Chaos books, (AKA Books of the Cuari) then scroll down and keep reading!<br /><br />If not, run away!! NOW!<br /><br />There be spoilers ahead!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />SPACE......<br /><br /><br /><br />Storm and Jenna are still apart. Jenna was Chapt one-- here's Storm! Yeah, sorry about the paragraph spacing. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Chapter Two<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Storm
swore as their ship finally moved forward to dock. The town of Erlinda was
swarming with activity, but little of it pertained to getting ships into dock.
Mostly it was simply people panicking and running about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">News
of the death of Prince Resstlin, and of the fall of Lithunane, had spread
quickly. Erlinda was part of Traanafaeren at the extreme northern end. If an
attack came from outside, they would be one of the next to fall. And the
citizens of the town knew it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Considering
what he and his companions had faced in Craelyn, he didn’t blame them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Talia
yelled to the few dock hands still working and helped them secure the lines to
their ship. Her brother, Diath, watched with a grin. He was still injured,
there hadn’t been a way to heal him on the open sea. But he looked grateful to
be alive. And amused at his guard captain sister handling his ship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Few
people faced a demonspawn and lived to talk about it. Let alone facing two. Diath
hadn’t said much about his fight and spent most of the week’s sea travel
resting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Under
Talia’s orders.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The
trip from Craelyn to Erlinda normally took a few days. But they’d barely escaped
the town and hadn’t used regular sea channels to do so. Not to mention, not
knowing who or what might be after them meant going far from the coast and
taking a longer route down.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Keanin
tried to push them harder, using his own depleted magics to fill the sails when
he could. There was a ship with demonspawn ahead of them. Those on board
included odd creations that had tapped into Keanin’s genetic and magical self
and found a way to reproduce demonspawn hybrids. They needed to be destroyed
before they gave birth to the abominations they carried.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">His
focus changed when they got the notification from Garlan that Lithunane had
fallen. Keanin was raised with the royal family, and while he wasn’t any fonder
of Resstlin than Storm was, his loss, and that of so many others in the palace,
hit him hard.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He
stopped pushing the sails after the second day unless asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He’d
mostly recovered from massively overusing his magic in Craelyn, but Storm was
concerned at the way Edgar, also a magic user, watched him carefully. Even now,
while they were all on deck and mundanely securing the ship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Storm
shook his head. That was another item on a growing list of things that would
have to wait until they got to Irundail. He turned to Talia. “You all might
want to ride with us to Irundail. I don’t know how long it will take King
Philia of Khelaran to recover his strength, nor how many of his soldiers he
lost. He might not have much control over the traitors still in his midst. If
our enemies come down from there, this town will be a primary target.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I
need to stay and defend Erlinda.” Talia looked more like a city guard than a pirate
now—her more recent look. “But I think Diath, Hon, and Flini should go with
you. You need to get to the new capital.” She knew who Storm and his friends
really were.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I’m
not leaving you. Or this town.” Diath shook his head and turned to Storm.
“Thank you for helping to rescue me, but I’ll defend this place.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Talia
narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “You’re injured.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Not
having this argument.” Diath walked down the plank empty-handed. Any of his
belongings were long gone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Hon
and Flini shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Sorry,
but we’re staying too. The guards can’t be the only ones defending this place.”
Hon tipped his head to Storm, Keanin, and Edgar, and followed his friends to
the dock.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I
would stay to help you.” Keanin’s beautiful golden eyes appeared conflicted.
He’d fallen hard for Talia, but Storm was like a brother to him. Not to mention
the rest of the royal family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The
tall blonde woman smiled and took his arms. “I believe you would. But while we
will have our own battles here, the larger ones will come to Irundail. It is a
powerful refuge, or so I’ve heard, but nothing is unbreakable. When it falls,
they’ll need you.” She looked up at Storm and Edgar. “All of you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Storm
lifted his pack as the rest of them left the ship. “I also wish we could stay.
But you’re right about the threat. Lithunane was never as secure as Irundail,
but it had impressive hidden defenses. That it fell so suddenly is terrifying.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Edgar
watched the dock—and the ships leaving. “They don’t care where they’re going. I
thought the ships heading south could only leave at night.” Long-lost magic
users had changed the coast along Erlinda in the distant past. Getting in and
out was difficult except during specific times.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Judging
by the ships leaving, they were willing to take their chances as long as it got
them away from Erlinda.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“None
of them are going north. Why would they think Khelaran would be a threat?”
Keanin joined his friends watching the surrounding ships. “There wasn’t any
proof of who led the attack against Lithunane, was there? No one here would
know what happened in Craelyn, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Keanin
and Edgar had cleared out a group of demonspawn poised to take over the
Khelaran capital. Or rather, exposed them for what they were, which made them
weaker and easier to kill.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Craelyn
had gone through hard times long ago—hence the controlled waterway access—and
also a nearly impassable land access along the coast. Had anyone come down from
Craelyn with news of an attack within the past week, they would have faced the
same issues Storm and his companions did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“That’s
a good question.” Talia nodded to the two guards as they left the dock. “But
feelings about Khelaran have always been tense here. Many felt there should
have been a stronger presence from Lithunane here in the north. Irundail is
only a few days’ ride, but we never see people coming from there to check on
any of us along the northern coast.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Storm
nodded. “I don’t disagree. And right now, I truly wish that there had been a royal
presence here. We’ll still need to travel incognito, thank you for keeping our
secrets. I’d like to get out of town before night falls. Edgar? Can you get us
horses? Cost is no limit. I’d hoped to be in Irundail days ago, but let’s get
there as quickly as possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Edgar
nodded and shook hands with Talia, Diath, Hon, and Flini. Then he vanished into
the crowd.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I’d
like to speak to Talia alone?” Keanin gave her a serious look.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Come
this way. We can secure food for your travels. Even a few days of travel are
better with something in your stomach.” Talia led him down toward the food
vendors and the crowds swarming around them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Storm
nodded to the remaining three. “Guard each other well, and if the chance
arises, come to Irundail. Mention my name and give the guards this coin.
They’ll escort you all to me.” He handed them what looked like a normal coin,
but it flashed even though there was no sun hitting it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I
finally meet royalty and it’s not a beautiful princess.” Diath laughed, took
the coin, and shook Storm’s hand. “But thank you for helping rescue me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I’m
glad we got to you in time.” Storm put his eyepatch back on. Thanks to the type
of dye Edgar had used on his face, he still had the facial markings of a Crailian
sell-sword. Might as well take advantage of the disguise. It was more important
than before that no one knew Prince Corin was roaming the countryside.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Just
remember, if things get bad, get your sister and your friends, and all of you
come to Irundail.” Storm shook his head. If he could, he’d bring this entire
town to Irundail. But they didn’t have time to convince them all to leave. Ships
were fleeing, but more came in with supplies. The ones staying were settling in
for a siege. “I’ll have Prince Res—Justlantin send over troops to help support
your efforts.” That slip hurt. Storm and his brother Resstlin, late heir to the
throne, had never been close. But it was still hard to think of him as gone.
Especially so soon after losing their father.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Diath
clasped Storm’s shoulder. “Thank you.” He nodded behind Storm, where Edgar came
up with six horses loaded with expensive looking full tack. “Your friend is
exceedingly quick.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“There
looks to be only three of us.” Storm raised an eyebrow toward the extra horses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Edgar
shrugged. “Aye, but the one selling these wanted to sell them all together. So,
I figured, since coin was no object, might as well.” His grin lit his dark
face. “Not to mention that we can rotate the horses as we ride. You’re not the
only one who wants to get to Irundail quickly.” His smile vanished. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Anyone
who’d lived in the palace in Lithunane had lost people in the slaughter. No one
knew how many friends they’d lost as communications, even with the taran wands,
were jumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I’m
an idiot.” Edgar shook his head and handed the cord with the line of horses to
Storm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“It
wasn’t a bad idea.” Storm continued focusing on the surrounding crowds. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“No,
we need to find a place to reach out to our friends with the wands. Or at least
try. I don’t think all the communication disturbance we hit was just from the
ocean.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Hon
and Flini said their goodbyes and vanished into the crowd.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Diath
watched Edgar, then nodded. “Your tricky stick thing. I can find an alley that
shouldn’t be occupied. And will allow for your herd.” He laughed as he walked
past Edgar’s horses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Edgar
held the taran wand but kept it out of sight as he, Storm, and their horses
followed Diath.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Edgar
knew horses and he’d done well. All six were in excellent shape and followed
without question. Storm kept an eye out for Keanin as they walked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He
knew his friend was having a seriously difficult time leaving Talia, but she
was a guardswoman and took her duty seriously. Keanin had duties as well, some
he didn’t even know about. The issue of him being a missing Khelaran royal was
something best dealt with when they were safe. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And
when they had a place to lock Keanin up if he tried to run when he was informed
of it. Keanin’s parents were killed in the Markare when he was a baby—they were
scientists investigating the area around the closed portal. Keanin was the only
survivor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">While
he’d been raised by the royal family of Traanafaeren, he might not be happy to
find out he had a connection to the Khelaran royals. And that his parents
hadn’t been who he’d been told they were.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The
alley was as Diath said, and he moved to the far end to give Edgar and Storm
privacy. Everyone on the ship knew of the taran wand, but as it didn’t work on the
water well, they hadn’t seen it work often.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I
wish we’d been able to give one to my mother. Or someone else in Irundail,”
Storm said. “I don’t know that anyone from Lithunane has made it there yet.”
The ride between the two cities was normally a few weeks. A single rider with
spare horses could make it in a week, but they would be hard-pressed to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Hopefully,
some of the far-speaking mages living in Lithunane survived the attack and got
the word to the Queen and the rest of the royals in Irundail.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“True
and true. Shall I try Ghortin first?” Edgar’s smile said he knew what Storm was
suppressing since they fled to the ocean.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The
woman he loved, Jenna, was somewhere outside of Strann. They’d found out that she
and the others survived, escaped, and had the third cuari book they’d needed,
but no further communication could be made.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Yes.
Please.” He didn’t hold out his hand, but it was twitching.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Edgar
grinned and called Ghortin on the wand.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-49775376394217750352024-02-19T09:29:00.000-08:002024-02-19T10:41:13.111-08:00First chapter of Destruction of Chaos--book 3in the Books of the Cuari trilogy<p> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We're getting closer! The beast book, aka The Destruction of Chaos is in final edits! Finally!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">See the pretty cover? Just a girl and her kraken out for a stroll!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHp17epu6ofde-I4rVAoVcp13Y_g4dF7jc6zACwBD2_MYu54TG_V6bkyIkjA0LXvkMbkY_DP7onhF5GtDQ7GFcRtRBiupoY9FHv_NUR9J4Whq252SByO4o5zvCaSeADgtCZqHwaj9faWhjlZ7wDvuQxMwiXn9w8LkcagmD7qB0BCGCiQ-xuEZO4zesOQ/s2400/Destruction%20of%20Chaos%20cover.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHp17epu6ofde-I4rVAoVcp13Y_g4dF7jc6zACwBD2_MYu54TG_V6bkyIkjA0LXvkMbkY_DP7onhF5GtDQ7GFcRtRBiupoY9FHv_NUR9J4Whq252SByO4o5zvCaSeADgtCZqHwaj9faWhjlZ7wDvuQxMwiXn9w8LkcagmD7qB0BCGCiQ-xuEZO4zesOQ/s320/Destruction%20of%20Chaos%20cover.jpeg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Thank you all so much for your patience with this one--I really hope you love this final adventure! (For now, but the trilogy is done).<br /><br />In honor of it getting closer to release, I'm doing two things--<br /><br />1) Book one-- Essence of Chaos-- will be free in ebook format Feb 20-22! Sooooo, if you haven't started reading the trilogy-- you can dive in! (Or give as a gift to someone who you think will like it ;)).<br /><br />2) I'm posting the first chapter here! There are spoilers so, if you haven't read the first two....look away!<br /><br />Sadly, Amazon has dropped me from doing preorders for a year--sooooooooo follow me here, FB, my newsletter, or on Amazon or Book Bub to be told when it goes live!<br /><br />As always all of my ebooks are in Kindle Unlimited, and THANK YOU so much for joining me on these adventures!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Space before chapter one</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">More space</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Still moooooorrrreeee space--spacing is funky in the sample<br /><br /><br /><br />Avoid spoilers-- look away NOW!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Chapter One<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><sub><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></sub></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
swore as the carriage they’d bought—the third one since they left
Strann—shuddered as its left front wheel wobbled dramatically.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Their
prior carriage lost its right wheel after a few days. This one only lasted a
day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“And
again, why is it that we need a carriage instead of riding our horses? They
were fine for the way in.” Jenna would be the first to admit the carriage was
less jarring than hours and days of being in the saddle, but this way was
slower. Even without constantly stopping for repairs or replacements.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">She
knew that Storm, Keanin, and Edgar would probably make it to Irundail before
them, regardless. Unless there was more fighting in the north than they’d heard
or problems at sea. But she still wanted to rejoin them as soon as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lithunane
had fallen. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">That
news was unbelievable and terrifying at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Someone
murdered Prince Resstlin before he was crowned as king. More of the royal
family weren’t killed in the attack because they weren’t present when Lithunane
fell. Most remained in Irundail in the north.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Last week, she’d been happy for stopping
Ravenhearst and slowing down Qhazborh’s followers, but that joy was short-lived
as they received news of Lithunane’s fall.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Information
on the fall had been sporadic since then. Even with taran wands, few details were
known. It could take weeks for those fleeing Lithunane to get to the safety of
Irundail to the far north of the country. As far as they knew, Rachael and Tor
Ranshal were traveling with Armsmaster Garlan and as many of the guards as they
could gather.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Most
of the guards and citizens were slaughtered before they knew the capital was
under attack.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Garlan
and Rachael each had a taran wand, but there was some magical interference
limiting their usage. A few days ago, Rachael said she thought it was getting
better the further they got from the remains of Lithunane, but they hadn’t been
able to reach her or Garlan since then.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Storm,
Keanin, Edgar, and their new traveling companions were at sea—something that
interfered with the taran wands as well. The last update they received was that
all of them were alive and on their way to Irundail but no one had heard from
them in a few days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
was contemplating freeing her horse from the ones following the carriage and
racing directly for Irundail alone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Because
there could be people looking for us.” Ghortin had a hood pulled low over his
head as he drove and stayed hunched over like an old man. At over three
thousand years old, he was old—but it wasn’t noticeable normally. This was his
attempt at a disguise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Carabella
snorted from her seat in the back. “We could outrun them. You and Jenna can
still use magic. Crell is extremely talented at firing arrows from horseback. This
<i>thing</i> is slowing us.” She flexed her long, delicate fingers toward her
son, Ghortin.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Carabella
was a full cuari, one of a mystical band of one hundred immortals charged with
protecting the other races.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">At
the moment, she was the only one of the hundred still on this plane. The enemy
had captured the other ninety-nine to hinder the defenses of this world. They’d
been imprisoned while using magic, and so Carabella, one of the most magically
powerful beings in the world—couldn’t cast even the simplest of spells without the
risk that she would be taken as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
didn’t blame her for being annoyed. Not only was Jenna also concerned about
saving this new home world of hers, but she’d been told that failing to save <i>this</i>
world would doom others. Including good old Earth and her former home of Los
Angeles. Jenna was offered a chance to go back to L.A. but too much of her
heart was here now. For good or ill, this was now her home. But she didn’t want
Earth to be destroyed either.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The
carriage continued to wobble and then stopped and tilted to the side. The wheel
was broken.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“This
isn’t working,” Crell said. She was riding as guard alongside the carriage, but
stopped and glared at the broken wheel. Crell was a derawri. Like most of her people,
she was less than four feet high but fierce. She had long red hair and a sweet
face. Unless she was facing you with a weapon—then sweet was probably the last
word anyone would use. She’d been a family protector for the kelar royal family
of Traanafaeren for years as the children grew up. She had also most likely trained
many of the guards who were killed in Lithunane.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
was surprised Crell hadn’t raced off to Irundail already.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I
think you’re outvoted. Let’s abandon this thing and continue on horseback. We
can keep the extra horse to carry our packs.” Carabella was already getting out
of the carriage when the first arrow struck the side of it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Stand
down, Strann scum! You’ll die here or go back to where you came from.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Crell
spun and fired an arrow back. “We’re not from Strann and watch who you insult.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
hadn’t heard a scream at Crell’s arrow. Most likely it, like the one that hit
the carriage, was a warning shot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Crell?”
A dark-clad kelar stepped out of the trees. His clothing was the mottled
combination of greens and browns that Crell’s rangers wore to stay hidden in
the woods.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Filian!
Damn man, you are a sight for sore eyes.” Crell swung off her horse and clasped
the man’s arm. “How’d you get up here so fast? Who’s with you?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Like
many full-blooded kelar, he was tall, slender, and had sharply pointed ears,
and wide-set tilted eyes. But that height difference didn’t interfere with Crell
at all. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Two
groups of fighters answered to Crell—her rangers were people she selected from all
three races. They traveled Traanafaeren protecting people in a less formal way
than the soldiers and guards. The second group was from her family ties in the
kingdom of Derawri. She held the status of Ki’, a powerful commander. She could
control a group of deathsworn; hardened derawri warriors who would fight until
death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">She
preferred her rangers. When she’d left Lithunane a few weeks ago to travel with
Jenna, Ghortin, and Carabella, she’d sent her deathsworn back to Derawri. The
rangers she’d asked to stay and protect Lithunane.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Ten
more brown and green-clad people—three kelar, five humans, and two derawri came
out of the trees. All looked to be in rough shape but were able to walk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“We
were spelled here. Well, not here exactly, but a few days’ run south of here.”
Filian shook his head but noticeably didn’t put away his bow. “The palace mages
were trying to get as many people out of Lithunane as possible when the attack
came—whether or not we wanted it.” His scowl indicated they hadn’t chosen to be
magicked anywhere. “Somehow we got caught up in a spell and ended up here.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Crell
sighed. “I note there aren’t any of our mages with you. Good intentions by
those magic users or not, it would have been better had you been able to escort
some of the refugees.” She nodded to the rest of the rangers. “But it is good
to see you. Why were you heading toward Strann?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“That
was my idea, sorry, Crell.” A derawri woman stepped forward. Her dark hair was
cut short, and she had a long scar on the side of her face. Her smile
discounted her words. “I knew where you were heading and thought you might need
help. Since we were stuck up here, anyway.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“You’re
a troublemaker, Sorcha.” Crell clasped the woman’s arm fondly. “Might have been
a good idea, but we’re on our way to Irundail. After we dump this carriage.”
She shot a glare toward Ghortin.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
glared also. Ghortin might have been considering abandoning his carriage and his
disguise that went with it before this, but anything new could change that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But
he held up his hands in surrender. “We’ll dump it.” He nodded to the rangers.
“We might need some help to get it off the road. Make it look like an accident,
too.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Don’t
embellish. You always make lies too detailed.” Carabella climbed out of the
carriage and nodded to the rangers. “Nice of you to come to help us out. No
horses?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Sorcha
shrugged. “We weren’t given the option to get them. But have no fear, we can
keep up. And it’s not as if we don’t know where you’re going.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The
brawniest of the rangers moved the offending carriage into the woods, ignoring
Ghortin as he made it look like an accident.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
adjusted her pack on her horse as Ghortin continued fussing. “I seriously doubt
anyone is going to even see it, let alone figure out it was us, after two other
carriage changes.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“A
job worth doing is worth doing right.” Ghortin dusted himself off, gathered his
things, and mounted his horse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“It
wasn’t worth doing.” Carabella had Ghortin disguise her ears and eyes to look
more human and less cuari when they’d approached the human kingdom of Strann.
She tugged the fabric that covered the tips of her ears. “Do I look correct?
Are your spells still holding?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Normal
cuari pupils were slitted, like a cat’s. Carabella’s dark green eyes currently
looked extremely human.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“You
look perfectly human,” Jenna responded when Ghortin didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Ghortin
shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Thank
you, my dear.” Carabella gave a haughty sniff and continued down the trail.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Crell
quickly got on her horse to follow, with Jenna not far behind. They gave the
carriage horse to a ranger who’d twisted his ankle when they’d been magically flung
to the north.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He’d
fought against riding until Crell gave him a narrow-eyed glare.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Ghortin
motioned for the injured ranger and his horse to go before him. The rest of the
rangers jogged along the trail. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Now,
isn’t this much better?” Carabella held up her hands to point out how lovely
things were. And that no horse would dare to need guidance from her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Crell
spoke in low tones to Filian and Sorcha, frowning at the things they told her.
These were the first eyewitness accounts of what had happened in Lithunane.
Taran wand communication had become so sporadic that details were impossible to
get.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The
rest of the rangers jogged along the edges of the road, sending off single
runners from time to time to scout.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
opened her mouth to tell them that no one had approached them, or even been
seen on this road, for the entire week. Then shook her head and shut her mouth.
Crell wouldn’t have accepted that, and neither would her people. They needed
the searches for peace of mind if nothing else.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Excuse
me for being so bold, but you’re Prince Corin’s fiancée, yes?” The older
derawri woman running nearest to her asked politely. In some strange way, she
reminded Jenna of Rachael. If Rachael hadn’t been a kelar.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Not
really. Let me guess, you saw the farewell outside the palace?” She smiled in
case any of her lingering annoyance at the stunt Storm pulled hung to her
words.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">When
Storm, Keanin, and Edgar left Lithunane over a month ago, he’d implied that
they were engaged. He didn’t want her out on the road in such troubling times
and rightly guessed that his brother Resstlin wouldn’t let a royal fiancée go
anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I
did, actually we all did. They stationed our group right outside the palace.
How do you ‘not really’ become engaged?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
briefly filled her in on the important parts. No reason for the entire story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“That
sounds like him. Crell used to tell us stories of the wild prince when he was
growing up.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Crell
had her rangers that long?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“I
was one of her deathsworn. The first ranger, so to speak. My name is Calle, by
the way.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jenna
nodded. “I’m Jenna, which I’m sure you already know.” She laughed. “It’s nice
to meet you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“It’s
nice to meet you as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Attack!”
The rangers who’d been scouting in the forest raced back as arrows flew around
them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p>
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</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br /></span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-61202698541957583742024-02-05T07:58:00.000-08:002024-02-08T12:52:49.084-08:00I'm BACK! Kinda sorta...Destruction of Chaos!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Long time no see!<br /><br />I'm sorry, life got wacka and the blog was left to linger.<br /><br />But NO MORE! Mwhahaahahahaaaaaaaaaaa!<br /><br />First thing, aside from me being back, is an update or two.<br /><br />Since I was last here, An Intrigue of Pharaohs, the third book in the steampunk tea cozy adventure series, The Adventures of Smith and Jones, went live! If you missed it, and want some fun Egyptian adventures with Nettie and the gang-- go check it out! <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3FJZH4K/">An Intrigue of Pharaohs</a>.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhidEoIl13kS5cDExlggcyCcQTy7QlfQcilP18qwYx_DgOgpM5RB-FpIUKAW0Q0yNn3rRKMWdw3FoGmB2pTEjR4LZ_Dd-V-ER7qAt08KdwuCkzE3w-I2DLk4Yn0wULst7aDouZ21fij7MPbEir48tvbFKl3fC1YzNPzVBfnSJp3OqOHuWKP2f4wOdZ3tFs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="213" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhidEoIl13kS5cDExlggcyCcQTy7QlfQcilP18qwYx_DgOgpM5RB-FpIUKAW0Q0yNn3rRKMWdw3FoGmB2pTEjR4LZ_Dd-V-ER7qAt08KdwuCkzE3w-I2DLk4Yn0wULst7aDouZ21fij7MPbEir48tvbFKl3fC1YzNPzVBfnSJp3OqOHuWKP2f4wOdZ3tFs=w266-h400" width="266" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now on to the trouble child. Destruction of Chaos, aka the third book in the Books of the Cuari portal/epic fantasy trilogy.<br /><br />There was some serious mayhem with this one. This is my 26th novel and I've never had one be so unruly. I had to scrap one hundred and fifty pages.<br /><br />Yup 150. <br /><br />The storyline wasn't working. AT. ALL.<br /><br />I wasn't going to do that to me or anyone reading the series, so I cut them out and created a better version. That took time, lots of time. But I like the book much better now.<br /><br />This will be the final book in this adventure, but you know me, never say never ;). There are a few tidbits in this book that might lead to future adventures!<br /><br />Sadly, because I was unable to complete the book by my preorder date, Amazon will not let me do another preorder for a year.<br /><br />There are a few places to get updates as to when it (and all the rest of the books coming out ;)) are live.<br /><br />1) Follow me on Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marie-Andreas/author/B00SX81KIM">Marie's Amazon page and follow</a><br />2) Follw me on Book Bub <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marie-andreas">Book Bub page</a><br />3) My newsletter <a href="https://marieandreas.com/">Marie's newsletter and website</a><br />4) Follow my Facebook author page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/marieandreaswriter">Facebook page</a><br />5) Email me! Mariehasbooks @ gmail . com OR Marie @ marieandreas.com )</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFxv_-8Ii4pvaVs9n6Nanb_UexjspxWAW5fcrQ-XPrUf9Q56Ch7WeWKZFykvby199gNBtGcuv9UDdN-rJZbbwffjQLmC0EL1bqczcOvhl8d3HfT93xbVo6GWEYYXZl8EziIQ51Zr2hoXjCELQkYeUJ9ls7qiEKok8UHrrUG0cfpluQnJrtB0Zg5cCT_k/s2400/Destruction%20of%20Chaos%20cover.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFxv_-8Ii4pvaVs9n6Nanb_UexjspxWAW5fcrQ-XPrUf9Q56Ch7WeWKZFykvby199gNBtGcuv9UDdN-rJZbbwffjQLmC0EL1bqczcOvhl8d3HfT93xbVo6GWEYYXZl8EziIQ51Zr2hoXjCELQkYeUJ9ls7qiEKok8UHrrUG0cfpluQnJrtB0Zg5cCT_k/s320/Destruction%20of%20Chaos%20cover.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Glad to be back!</span></div>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-57097443348490193542023-04-05T00:30:00.009-07:002023-04-05T00:30:00.214-07:00#IWSG That first love...er...book<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Hello and welcome to another voyage into the minds and psyches of insecure writers everywhere!</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Check out the other blogs!</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgObB6x9qgVXGFnnpAmSIA43HxX8VrPkJffwEk0RFbXY0zIJ5PXmqPAIJmFQT7VZp49YdmY5VjD720DnQZPHWeZV7mv-P_Hv0Nb7ZME1Zq1JeNyFbVxN6KZlpM1hiO-Lz5gVHL6GlbkldjPipu2bmAfEsSYd1GTpBfYseaE2ilU79EkLxvIbt--1E/s320/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgObB6x9qgVXGFnnpAmSIA43HxX8VrPkJffwEk0RFbXY0zIJ5PXmqPAIJmFQT7VZp49YdmY5VjD720DnQZPHWeZV7mv-P_Hv0Nb7ZME1Zq1JeNyFbVxN6KZlpM1hiO-Lz5gVHL6GlbkldjPipu2bmAfEsSYd1GTpBfYseaE2ilU79EkLxvIbt--1E/s1600/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html">Join US!</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today's question, from the amazing minds behind this blog hop, "</span></b><span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;">D</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b>o you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you?" </b>hit me, so that's what I'll be posting today.</span></span></span><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The first book that I completed was actually not the first that I published. (I also have another that was lost to time that never got past the three-quarter mark--we don't speak of it ;)).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">My first completed book was the original version of Essence of Chaos. It was MASSIVE, weighing in at over 650 pages. <br /><br />I loved writing it. I loved the characters, the story, everything. Once it had gone through some edits, I tried submitting to agents--this was in the dark days before self-publishing became a thing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Got requests for the full a few times, good feedback, but always a pass (yeah, size did come up a few times--it was called a door-stopper.).<br /><br />I finally put it aside, as I wasn't ready to re-write the entire thing, and started a few new 'first-in-series' books. (Including The Glass Gargoyle-- which just celebrated eight years out last month!)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">After getting a few new books published, I started taking apart Essence of Chaos. It lost over 200 pages (to be fair, I had chopped out about 75 before the re-write) and was much stronger. <br /><br />After a false start with a cover artist, I found new ones and LOVE my covers. Essence of Chaos came out in 2021, the second, Division of Chaos in 2022, and the final in the trilogy, Destruction of Chaos, comes out this summer.<br /><br />This book means a lot to me, and will always have a very special place in my heart. I'd envisioned a traditional book career when I started it, but now am extremely happy with my indie career and getting my stories out my way (with a LOT of professional help ;)).<br /><br />What was your first book?<br /><br />Happy IWSG day!!</span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-7277903683320156522023-03-01T00:00:00.004-08:002023-03-01T00:00:00.214-08:00IWSG: Balance<p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Happy IWSG Day!<br />
<br />
This is the day we all dust off our blogs, fears, and insecurities and chat!<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Come join us!</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfytLsdgVqNv0C9VQlu6Hb8gP7LJ88POfVO_Ibf6CIAxI5vBM-rWsZJR6XtrG04LNiwgNb9CFjvUNCwed0NP3h1dcHqapHYgvzSyYciGSjcswA9kaKZptSZsQ1kU-fWlIL0jd9nr5O60O1mwjMH6XDZIrgNgAyT1us_byvQaMIVsoVVyAFSli3Qil/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%20NEW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfytLsdgVqNv0C9VQlu6Hb8gP7LJ88POfVO_Ibf6CIAxI5vBM-rWsZJR6XtrG04LNiwgNb9CFjvUNCwed0NP3h1dcHqapHYgvzSyYciGSjcswA9kaKZptSZsQ1kU-fWlIL0jd9nr5O60O1mwjMH6XDZIrgNgAyT1us_byvQaMIVsoVVyAFSli3Qil/s1600/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%20NEW.jpg" width="300" /></b></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</a><br /></b></span></div><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br />
<br />
Today I wanted to talk about how to know if you’re taking it too easy on yourself,
or going too hard. (No, I don’t have solid answers—that’s why I’m insecure about
it. 😉)<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Background on me. I started self-publishing in March 2015
(Yay—just realized this is year eight! Still confused 😉).
Up until Dec 2020, I was also working full-time in a soul-sucking job. <br />
<br />
I’m telling you this so you don’t think that I’m living a magic life being a full-time
writer—I am now, but got 14 books out while working full-time (to be fair a few
were either done, or close to being—they all needed edits).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fought for my writing time then.<br />
<br />
In Dec 2020, the university I worked at offered a buyout for some of us who
were within retirement time for them. Not a great deal, but I found I liked my
sanity and peace of mind, so getting out was the best option.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Switching to full-time isn’t as easy as folks think. When
you’re used to fighting for writing time, and now you don’t need to, it can
leave you fumbling around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also think
that my evil day job’s evilness motivated me to write those books! <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Plus, while I hated the job, I enjoyed many of my coworkers
and guess what you don’t have as a full-time writer? Yeah—co-workers. No cheery
chats as you come in, no lunch time complaining sessions. I still miss it and
them.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Then there is the 'how am I going to be a full-time writer' question? So many options!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I got
over leaving the EDJ (Evil Day Job), I started looking at how to work my writing business.<br />
<br />
I’ve been in the work force a long time, so having two days off a week is
normal for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know some writers write
every day, but I need those two days off. I now have one business day as I
realized that I get thrown off way too easily by business stuff and having
those issues on a writing day doesn’t work.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I have my schedule. I’m giving myself time off, a full business day,
annnnnnnnnnnnd I still feel squished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think there’s an issue of pushing hard as a full-time writer to show folks
(even if only in your head) that you are WORKING. And I think that’s what’s happening.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I was with a fellow author last week and we were talking
about what we were doing. I told her my general year plan. Then said, or not.
But laughed, indicating I was planning on pushing myself regardless.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>She looked at me and said, “Or you could take a few things
off your plate.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I brushed her off with a “I’m fine.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But those words hit me. I think I’m pushing
so hard because I need to prove I can do it (and money, never forget money—it’s
crass, but my retirement is far too small to live on).<br /><br />
Now I’m not sure what to do to balance things.<br />
<br />
I have a few days off coming up, so I’ll do some thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like my adding my business day, I need to
find a way to adjust my mindset and working habits. Without compromising my
goals too much.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>How about you? Full or part time—what do you do when you
think your goals might be overwhelming you?<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Have a great IWSG day!<br />
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></o:p></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-76435613520202068302023-02-01T00:00:00.001-08:002023-02-01T00:00:00.271-08:00#IWSG--Covers, art, and being Indie<p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Welcome to the monthly jog around the writing world, known as the Insecure Writer's Support Group blog hop! </b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMf9iZbdaJ6FkROceEKA-MntsW3XLaCvx3qPYawLrEc4XscPiw2QZPXhyhqkW9wxz3TK7m_MFVjhwMRZCgUqOiRzi2tR-WGPzwg7XHX66pzn-J1csQC7fvG8UmBXcwny1zeBNWCcrNU7aZzP1rf98n0wIDN_mP9QzSNPI51SPnUo4reNWAt7LBMYy/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%20NEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMf9iZbdaJ6FkROceEKA-MntsW3XLaCvx3qPYawLrEc4XscPiw2QZPXhyhqkW9wxz3TK7m_MFVjhwMRZCgUqOiRzi2tR-WGPzwg7XHX66pzn-J1csQC7fvG8UmBXcwny1zeBNWCcrNU7aZzP1rf98n0wIDN_mP9QzSNPI51SPnUo4reNWAt7LBMYy/s1600/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%20NEW.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Join us!</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Each month a question is offered (optionally) for folks to contemplate. Today's was asking about covers. As an indie author, specifically do I make my own?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>NO.</b> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That's it. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Kidding. As usual, I have things to say ;).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was an art major for three years, and while I can have a decent eye for layout, I know my limitations (and they are massive-LOL). I have always gone to the pros for my covers. (The exception is my Quarterly Planner--that's all me with a photo I took of Tintern Abbey last year ;).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A good cover artist understands your genre, and hopefully has examples of other covers they've done in it. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Some cover artists do only photo manipulation, some paint over photo manipulation, and some are doing either digital or old school illustrations. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They also understand text, placement, good fonts/bad fonts, kernelling, etc.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's more than just good art. I have seen some authors who are also artists do amazing work on their own covers. I've also seen train wrecks that made me want to wash my eyes out.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My goal with my covers is to get across the genre (fantasy/SF/steampunk), to indicate it's female led, and to show it's character focused. (On the whole, people on covers indicate character focus, huge landscapes, spaceships, etc usually indicate more plot focused--not true all the time, but often.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have worked with some amazing cover artists: Aleta Rafton, Julie Nicholls, Joolz & Jarling, Deranged Doctor Designs. All of them have worked with me to make the cover eye grabbing. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">People DO judge a book by its cover. For me as a reader, unless it's one of my auto-buy authors, my first level of interest in a new book is their cover. Then I read the copy, then a peak inside. Doesn't matter if it's online or in a bookstore.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I tell new indie authors to save for a great cover and a great editor!<br /><br />My current covers are all on the bar to the right, but here's one I got done a while ago, that I'm still working on the book for. But I love the cover! This was done by Deranged Doctor Designs (photo manipulation only). <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavpVcQYii_KE--Vh_FgyGYNZ0xomHt9naNAmMLQ3hgmFb-8VoWQDTsD_6nFIusK85N4OCboEBY7-qf-YaK60J7gkGyPrfcam5Wt5o-GJB0reoyQnLmm0qvk3rdBwW3xX5CwMhIBOlCnGsTfI6EWbnC78zNcl6ig4F9B0_D7qkGeyx5ch5k45G0Ys-/s2700/2022-0159%20Marie%20Andreas%20b03%20(1)%20%20BEST%20VERSION%20FOR%20POSTING.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavpVcQYii_KE--Vh_FgyGYNZ0xomHt9naNAmMLQ3hgmFb-8VoWQDTsD_6nFIusK85N4OCboEBY7-qf-YaK60J7gkGyPrfcam5Wt5o-GJB0reoyQnLmm0qvk3rdBwW3xX5CwMhIBOlCnGsTfI6EWbnC78zNcl6ig4F9B0_D7qkGeyx5ch5k45G0Ys-/s320/2022-0159%20Marie%20Andreas%20b03%20(1)%20%20BEST%20VERSION%20FOR%20POSTING.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have a great IWSG day and if you have questions about which artists did which of my covers, just ask :). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of the reasons that I LOVE being indie is control over what my work looks like :).</div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><p></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-88787870582541134852023-01-04T01:00:00.039-08:002023-01-04T01:00:00.229-08:00#IWSG Planning world domination!<p> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm BACK!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Welcome to the wonderful and amazing world of insecure writers everywhere!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0qvZk7t0qe81026HZp0K7tW2g8mEZ-7wcxzfX5lg58QC90NVkh71Mc4XNsI07e0ZiI7_63QT_QqW_56hMPX0TpnU5fp3OIE8Z_1ac6Mzo-CopvAKChoSE1I8R6KAxb8aLVvFZiHAXnQ6lyzrJg2DaNeJnFqLjJJAse3HJmlYorv6izzVcrZs7_De/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%20NEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0qvZk7t0qe81026HZp0K7tW2g8mEZ-7wcxzfX5lg58QC90NVkh71Mc4XNsI07e0ZiI7_63QT_QqW_56hMPX0TpnU5fp3OIE8Z_1ac6Mzo-CopvAKChoSE1I8R6KAxb8aLVvFZiHAXnQ6lyzrJg2DaNeJnFqLjJJAse3HJmlYorv6izzVcrZs7_De/s1600/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%20NEW.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html">Join us!</a><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>And the start of a new year ;).</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Today I wanted to talk about planning...for world domination. Or at least just to keep things on track. <br /><br />I have a confession, I love calendars. Planners too. It feels good to see my goals mapped out and ready to go. BUT, it also means the goals need to be workable and have a good chance for success. Saying, "I will write ten massive books this year!" is great, but there needs to be a method behind it.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>First-- is the goal feasible? If you didn't get out 9 books in 2022, probably not. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Secondly--are there steps in place to make it work? I make an Estimated Word Count for each month in my planners (have two ;)). <br /><br />It's based on my average word count per hour/day. I actually work in 2 hour blocks, and can hit 2k in two hours (not really 1k an hour, as I re-read the prior day's work in that time too). I do two blocks on each writing day (five days a week)...therefore a week with no other tasks (like editing, etc) can give me 20,000 words.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I use that EWC, subtracting editing days, travel days, etc, and figure out the EWC each month.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Then each quarter. I've found the quarterly system works best for me, so I'm now ONLY planning one quarter at a time. More room for pivots if something veers off course.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Knowing my EWC, allows me to estimate how many projects I can complete in that quarter.</b><br /><br /><b>Thirdly--how dedicated are you to this? Not everyone has to be "ALL the words, ALL the time!" Understand your long term goals and your own personality.</b><br /><br /><b>Lastly-- make sure you PIVOT. Making huge goals and missing them can be devastating. Unless you have a plan in place to see where you jumped the rails. Tracking your mood, health, other issues next to your word count can help see that.<br /><br />Aim for the stars, but allow for some bounces.<br /><br />How do you plan? Goal set?<br /><br />It's nice to be back-- Happy IWSG Day!</b></span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-50469484146086305132021-09-01T00:00:00.002-07:002021-09-01T00:00:00.189-07:00#IWSG: what is success?<p> <span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>Welcome to another round of "as the writer turns" a monthly blog hop where writers from all over the land explore our scary world of writing- </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;"><b>JOIN US!</b></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m93Gu3Uzt5U/VwPAIGfcPvI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GIRMXWdl7ZUeLiFJTzsgJnEDV9BjEHcswCPcBGAYYCw/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" height="295" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m93Gu3Uzt5U/VwPAIGfcPvI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GIRMXWdl7ZUeLiFJTzsgJnEDV9BjEHcswCPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>E</b></span><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">ach month there is an optional question posted. Folks can answer it or not. For me it hit home big time, so I'll be answering it ;)</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;"><b>How do you define success as a writer?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>Such a loaded question and so many answers from different writers. </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>When I first started writing, waaaaay back in the olden days, when slate tablets and sharp sticks were used, I wanted to finish a darn book. That would be my success.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>I remember the first time I typed out something that I was making up--I was 13 ;)--but that page was like the books I read! I was raised a serious book junkie and our family went to get piles of books each month from the library. So, making something, even just a page, that was like those books was amazing!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>As I moved forward, setting aside my writing for long periods of life, I still had the "I want to finish a book" as my goal to measure writing success.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>Things have changed, many books finished, that first book (not connected to that page when I was 13) was never finished, but many others were.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>As I struggled my way through looking for an agent, then finally deciding I was tired of too many, "I love it--but...(I can't sell humorous fantasy, I have too many kickass women space opera books, etc) I went Indie. </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>Getting my worlds and books out there, where other people might actually enjoy them, became my goal. Having total strangers contact me to say my books helped them escape reality for a bit, that they laughed out loud, or held their breath, while reading became my measure of success.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>Book eighteen just came out a few days ago. And yesterday I received a message from a total stranger saying they loved one of my series, that I'd helped get them back to their love of reading.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>Getting more books out there and having total strangers enjoy them, is my mark of success.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>What's your goal? Has it changed?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>Happy IWSG day!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-89600551736178438822021-08-27T10:15:00.000-07:002021-08-27T10:15:30.513-07:00Snippet time! The Dangerous Lady.<p> I wanted to share a snippet from my upcoming "Drunken Faery Adventure" (aka The Lost Ancients world) novella coming out next week! The faeries aren't in this snippet-- these are the first pages, but trust me, they are there! And sadly being covered in fish is not going to be the worst thing Jadiera has to deal with. (sorry about the funky formatting--it looks normal in the book ;))</p><p>The anthology can be found here: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B092R7VQ83/">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B092R7VQ83/</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPegHvNQGOA/YSkcZ_jfYHI/AAAAAAAABAU/ddXYXlqAiGITyKpuwup7N3zJmKFuAt_QwCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/Pirate%2Bset%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPegHvNQGOA/YSkcZ_jfYHI/AAAAAAAABAU/ddXYXlqAiGITyKpuwup7N3zJmKFuAt_QwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Pirate%2Bset%2Bcover.jpg" width="201" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>My short story is The Dangerous Lady.</p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jadiera tossed aside the fish that
had landed on her head. And the ones that covered most of her body. The short rat
bastards who’d tossed her out in the bin of fish and then threw more on her,
would get what was coming. At some point. Might be years down the line, but
they would get it. Their laughter as they walked away made it easier for her to
judge when she was ready to climb out of the bin. After a few minutes of
complete silence she stuck her head up and peered around. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
alley was empty, or mostly so. Zulc was still there. His bulky shadow as he
leaned against the building blocked most of the light from the closest sputtering
lamp. Of course, he’d have an excellent reason as to why he hadn’t helped her,
then come with her hoping to get some of her meager food funds. Never mind that
she’d shared what she had when they started this ill-fated trip.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zulc
was a minotaur, but sadly not one of the brightest of his kind. He was big and
brawny, but also one of the biggest cowards she knew. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jadiera
walked over to him slowly, patting herself down to make sure all the fish were
gone. If they were going to dump her in fish, the bastards could have at least
done so in fish that was edible. The smollens were bait fish; only thing that
ate them were bigger fish.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sorry,
‘diera. There were a lot of them.” He didn’t even look sorry. The least he
could do would be to fake it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jadiera
shook her head. “They were gnomes, Zulc. <i>Gnomes</i>. There could have been a
hundred of them and you could have stopped them.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Gnomes
ruled the town of Liverport and most of them were fishermen. Still, Jadiera had
acted on a tip and taken Zulc, herself, and her ship the <i>Sea Queen</i> to
Liverport for a courier job. One that was a trap for someone else entirely and
ended with her in the fish dumpster when they realized she wasn’t their target.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jadiera
supported herself by traveling between the islands that made up the Sendai
kingdom. Usually she was fine alone, this time the job sounded larger so she
brought on Zulc. The job was a fake and now she was stuck with him, no money, and
nothing to carry off this wretched island.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zulc
wandered ahead of her as they made their way out of the alley. She was more
focused on the damage done to her dress than anything else. The two thugs who
jumped in front of her were not expected, but she should have realized this
trip was only going one direction. Down.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hey,
Marco, look at this fine lady. How much for a tumble?” The front male wasn’t
much taller than her, most likely human mixed with gnome. His friend was about
the same, only skinnier.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m
not the kind of woman you’re looking for.” She pulled out her dagger from its
hidden sheath. It was almost long enough to be a short sword, but whatever it
was called, it was pointed, sharp, and she knew how to use it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Aye,
we’ll be the judge of that.” The closer one lunged forward, sniffed, and
scurried backward so quickly that he bowled over his companion and they both
fell in a heap.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jadiera
would like to think it was because they got a good look at her blade. But most
likely they got a good whiff of her. The aroma was bad and getting worse. She
stepped forward waving her dagger anyway. “I’d run if I were you, the curse of
the fish hag will follow you everywhere!” She raised her arms high above her head
and chanted a few harmless words she’d gathered from her last courier trip to
the Othierian Islands. Lots of sorcerers there, but nice people. The words she
shouted were from a menu of foods available at a pub there. But they sounded
scary.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
words, dagger, and her smell got them to flee. All of that and still no Zulc in
sight. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
finally found him in the pub of the inn they’d taken rooms at. He nodded to her
from his seat. She sighed, nodded back, and kept going to the outside stairs.
The smell of her clothes was making her eyes water and the people in the pub
would probably lynch her if she stepped inside. The room she’d taken was small
and shabby, but it had solid walls, and an uncommon and most welcome private
bath. She’d paid for water to have been drawn and it was there. A check
revealed they’d drawn it long ago and it was ice cold, but right now, she
didn’t care. She used some of her precious soap supply to lather herself a few
times, then got out and dumped her clothing in and scrubbed it as best she
could. The room had a tiny fireplace with a single pathetic log in it, but
after she put on something warm and dry, she got the fire going and hung out
her damp clothing. Hopefully, she’d gotten enough of the smell out, but her
nose had become numb to it, so she couldn’t be certain.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
dug through her pack to bring out some hardtack and a withered apple. She’d
been looking forward to a hot meal in the pub, but the way this evening had
gone so far, it was safer to stay in here. Not to mention, no job meant no more
funds coming in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
warmed some water for tea in her battered travel kettle, ate her meal, and
climbed into bed. Hopefully, a good night’s sleep would make things seem better
in the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She’d
just dozed off and was dreaming of a successful haul; carrying a single chest
from one island to the next and getting paid riches each time she landed, when
the world shook apart.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jadiera
always slept with her dagger under her pillow. It was in her hand and she was on
her feet before the rumbling stopped. Fast reflexes were the only thing that had
kept her alive this long.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
wall opposite her tiny fireplace had been hit so hard that cracks now ran
through it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Crap.”
Not only did it ruin her sleep, but that was the room Zulc took. He wasn’t
really her employee, more like he felt she might help him earn money and she
felt the same. Still, she should check on him. Maybe he just got too drunk and
misjudged his bed. She kept her dagger out just in case anyway as she crept
into the corridor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Zulc?”
She lightly called his name before she knocked on the door. No answer but the
door swung open at her touch. The bits of frame that flaked off as it moved told
her someone had let themselves in before her. The room was dark, but there was
no movement. Keeping her dagger up, she reached into her pocket for a small
glow; a magically charged ball of light that could be used by non-magic users,
or in her case, very low-level magic users. On her own, she could use small
spells, nothing powerful. But wasting her little bit of magic on a glow was
something she hadn’t had to do yet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
held the glow up then started swearing and raised her dagger as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zulc
was dead. It had been his massive, broken body being flung against the wall
that caused the rumble in her room. And there was no being she knew of that
could survive with a neck bent at that angle. From her quick glance, someone
had searched his room, possibly they were doing it when he came back up from
the pub. Zulc might be a coward when it came to defending her, but if someone
was after his things he would have fought with cocky surety. Which normally
would have been well placed. Few people could beat a minotaur in a hand-to-hand
fight. She shuddered at the fact someone had beat him, broken his neck, and
managed to throw him across the room.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
smart thing would be to grab her stuff, get on the <i>Sea Queen,</i> and flee.
But sailing in unknown waters at night was a bad idea. Her being alone would
only make it worse. And she’d really like to find a courier job before she
left. She darkened the glow and with a quick look down the hallway, got back to
her room and bolted the door.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
few things she’d taken out of her bag were piled back in; she just left the
drying clothes out. If need be, she’d leave them behind, but she only had three
changes of clothes, so she’d rather not. Although, if whoever killed Zulc had
done so because of some connection to her, she’d burn the clothes herself.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
moved the small table and even the chair with her damp clothes in front of the
door to at least slow anyone down who tried to get in. Then sat propped up on
the bed with her dagger out and waited.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
had no idea when she dozed off, but a pounding on the door made her realize
that she had and that crumbled sideways while sitting on a bed wasn’t the best
way to sleep. Luckily, she’d dropped her dagger and hadn’t stabbed herself with
it. There were five-hundred-year-olds who felt less stiff than she did right
now.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Light
from the predawn stabbed its way through the thin curtain and the pounding on
the door continued. She tucked her dagger into the sheath she had hidden in her
skirts and opened the door an inch. “Yes? I paid through the day after next.”
She seriously doubted that she was going to stay anywhere near that long, but
they already had her money.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You
came in with a minotaur.” It wasn’t a question. This was the owner of the inn
and pub, an old fighter, but still enough muscle that he could have been the
one who beat up Zulc—if Zulc had been drunk.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes?
We traveled to Liverport together, I thought it safer to have someone his size travel
with me.” She gave him her best winsome smile and blinked innocently. She had
no idea what had happened to Zulc to leave him in the state she found him. But
she did know that she didn’t want to be connected with it, or him. She was
grateful that he hadn’t tried to help her with the gnomes who dumped her in the
bait. Fewer people to connect them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
scowled back. “You two weren’t together?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No…is
he in trouble? He helped me on my ship, for a few coins, but if he needs
something, maybe I can help?” She tried to put some sweetness into her voice.
She really should have taken those acting lessons her father offered when she
was a kid.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
leaned down to stare into her eyes. Then finally pulled back with a grunt. “He
got himself killed. Last night. In the room next to yours.” He folded his arms
and glared down at her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What
happened? I wasn’t feeling well. Ship travel makes me dizzy sometimes, so a
healer gave me some dolithia to sleep. I took it right when I got in here and
only just woke up when you knocked.” Dolithia was a ground herb used by some
outer islanders as a sleep potion. Usually on the other end of a dart or arrow
and against their enemies, but it also could be used in a medicinal sense. Jadiera
might not be a good actress, but she gathered knowledge like a miser gathered
gold.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hmmm,
heard of that. Dangerous. You might not have woken at all.” He rubbed his gray
beard and stepped back. “I’m thinkin’ that minotaur got his nose into something
he shouldn’t of. Nothing to do about you. Come on down when you’re ready, the
missus will make you some breakfast.” He looked her up and down. “Get some meat
on those bones.” He nodded and walked to the next room.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jadiera
shut the door and leaned against it. That was close. Hopefully if the local pub
owner felt she wasn’t involved, that news would get spread around town. She
wasn’t involved, but she did know Zulc better than she let on. She’d have to
watch what she said around town.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A
glance down at her now extremely wrinkled dress told her she was now down two
outfits. She changed into leather pants with a loose tunic and shirt. Her
dagger would be more noticeable in this outfit, which was one reason she
preferred the skirts. But from what she’d briefly seen of the locals before her
side trip into the fish bin, weapons were common. Who knew a small gnome fishing village needed
to be well armed?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
made sure her few items of value: a long chain with a single leaf pendant, her
glow, a few other pre-made spell packs of various forms, and her remaining
funds were all with her in various hidden compartments. Better to have them with
her than leave them here for the taking.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Cracking
open the door and taking quick glances down each side of the hall revealed no
one was out. When they’d checked in, the inn had been mostly empty, but many
times these places made money off booking rooms to extremely drunk persons late
at night. With or without their knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-16377047580244516102021-08-04T00:00:00.084-07:002021-08-04T00:00:00.209-07:00#IWSG How much is too much?<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b>Hello and welcome to another round of the Insecure Writer's Support Group! A place where folks can explore what makes up being a writer.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VuHNMF6WIDE/VrIS3f2J4FI/AAAAAAAAAjI/YcXKKn19XhQt_lAJsGBtuGbPbllnJNoJwCPcBGAYYCw/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VuHNMF6WIDE/VrIS3f2J4FI/AAAAAAAAAjI/YcXKKn19XhQt_lAJsGBtuGbPbllnJNoJwCPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b>Join us</b></span>! <a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</a></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Today's
gnashing of teeth is the too much or not enough issue? For those of you new to
my blog--hello! I was bought out by my former day job, so am writing full time
now. It's been since Dec 31 2020 and what a weird trip it's been. Now you're
caught up :)</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
started my full-time writer gig ready to go, certain I could get out a ton of
books, market them, get social media up and running, etc. I am a faster writer,
not the fastest, but I can get a good speed. Having all of my time open meant I
could get EVERYTHING done, right?</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yeah,
not as much as you would think.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
have gotten some good work done, a short story--which is in an anthology that's
out now, two novellas--both in anthologies out at the end of August, and two
books (both started last year ;)). I have the third book for this year
(started this year) that should be out by the end of August--might have cut it
a bit tight on that one.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: trebuchet, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; font-weight: bold;">I
have my plan: I work 5 days a week on writing--currently aiming for 4,000 words
a day. I do them in two-hour and a half blocks of FOCUSED writing. Business is
mostly for one of my non-writing days but creeps into the writing days too.</span> <b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
know that I work best when I have multiple projects--when one stalls, I jump to
the next. </span></b></p><p><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
have good days and not-so-good days. Yesterday was an example of not so good.
Couldn't get my focus and limped in at 2400 words--and it took way more than a
few hours.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: trebuchet, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; font-weight: bold;">I
feel like I'm trying to put together a puzzle, I have all of the pieces, but no
idea what it's supposed to look like.</span> <b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
go back and forth between feeling I'm doing too much (rushing along at top
speed) and that I'm not doing enough.</span></b></p><p><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Once
I get this current book off on its own, I plan on having a serious talk with
myself and figure out what the balance is.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Any
suggestions, ideas, thoughts on establishing that balance are very welcome!</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Have
a great IWSG day!</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-44424037239377691452021-06-13T09:58:00.002-07:002021-06-13T12:22:38.949-07:00Upcoming anthology!<p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> It's summer, reading should be fun--sometimes scary, sometimes heartwarming, but fun. What's a better way to have a variety of fun stories, than an anthology or two?</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I'm in a few this summer ;) -all priced great and with a wide selection of stories!</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">First up-- Summer Solstice Shenanigans- An Urban Fantasy collection</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Longest day of the year, shortest night. This collection of 26 short stories range from scary to funny. My story, Solstice of Darkness, is a bit on the darker side (for me ;)). It's a tale of what happened to Aisling (from the Broken Veil series-- The Girl with the Iron Wing and An Uncommon Truth of Dying), on a summer solstice a few years ago.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Solstice-Shenanigans-Fantasy-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0958X177N">https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Solstice-Shenanigans-Fantasy-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0958X177N</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NXMEena63mQ/YMY4f8vJXMI/AAAAAAAAA-E/5rxwuMVMlkYBCtGS8xJV-jy0R2Wo7ngZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s789/summer%2Bbox%2Bset%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NXMEena63mQ/YMY4f8vJXMI/AAAAAAAAA-E/5rxwuMVMlkYBCtGS8xJV-jy0R2Wo7ngZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/summer%2Bbox%2Bset%2B2.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">If you like Urban Fantasy-- check this set out!</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-7191612356380469202021-06-02T08:36:00.001-07:002021-06-02T11:26:32.952-07:00#IWSG--process changes <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> <b>Hello and welcome to another turn through the writing world! The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a group of writers helping writers. Once a month we shout out into the void--join us!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VuHNMF6WIDE/VrIS3f2J4FI/AAAAAAAAAjI/YcXKKn19XhQt_lAJsGBtuGbPbllnJNoJwCPcBGAYYCw/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VuHNMF6WIDE/VrIS3f2J4FI/AAAAAAAAAjI/YcXKKn19XhQt_lAJsGBtuGbPbllnJNoJwCPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br />https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Today, I'm going to ramble a bit about writing processes and specifically, my process.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Every single writer has a slightly different process, that's why when we see a successful author post their process, we can't duplicate them exactly. They succeed because they found what worked for them, aka their personality, mindset, way of working, access to space, type of book they write, etc. Sometimes THEY can't even replicate what they did.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So, how do we deal with our own process, if duplicating those big guns doesn't work? Excellent question!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Follow them, see what they do. Also check out authors with hardcore writing platforms (if you have a kindle, just download a sample of anything look even remotely helpful--if you like the sample, then get the book ;)). Make notes of what resonates with you. Steal the ideas and concepts that fit you and who you are.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But don't think any of them can give you a magic ticket to the one perfect process that will make you a six-figure author over night. (And if you find that- let's talk ;)).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Between the successful authors in your genre and those writing gurus, build something that fits you. There is no wrong way to write--nor is there really a right way. I'm in a lot of FB writing groups and if you wanna see me come out swinging, have someone state an absolute for writing. Yes, extremes might be more problematic--if you hate punctuation, capital letters, vowels, etc it might be more difficult. But you can do it if it makes you happy. When folks get full of themselves and prescribe that you MUST or NEVER do things is when I start verbally punching people.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">That being said, here's my process :).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I find it works better for me to have multiple projects and different stages. This year that also means varying lengths too as I ended up in six anthologies...all but one are this summer. Crazy!<br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I reread what I wrote the day before. This is to get me back in the headspace of that world as well as a first round "Oops" fix.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">When one is done, I go through it again to make sure it makes sense (pantser here, so tangents can happen). Then it goes to my developmental editor and beta readers. As they give it back, I do more clean ups. Once it's as good as I think I can make it at that point in time--I send it to my proofreader. Then to my formatter, and upload the ebook and print.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I couldn't say how many edits I go through, or the time between them as I am constantly going back to it, plus more editing when the other folks results come back.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This works for me. For now. If it stops working, or I feel a need to expand, I will. Process is fluid, if yours isn't working, change it up.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What is your process and how has it changed?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Happy IWSG day!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-68596194331356465072021-05-05T07:36:00.002-07:002021-05-05T07:36:52.506-07:00#IWSG Starting back at the beginning<p style="text-align: center;"><b> Welcome to another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog meeting!</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VuHNMF6WIDE/VrIS3f2J4FI/AAAAAAAAAjI/YcXKKn19XhQt_lAJsGBtuGbPbllnJNoJwCPcBGAYYCw/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VuHNMF6WIDE/VrIS3f2J4FI/AAAAAAAAAjI/YcXKKn19XhQt_lAJsGBtuGbPbllnJNoJwCPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Join us! <a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As many of you know, I went free-range-full-time-writer-chic at the first of this year. I had plans for writing, days off, naps, etc.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I've now realized that conceptualizing a 40 writer work week and doing it are two different things. I was mentally pulling in too many ideas from my former day job. Sooooooooo, read a few books on working, life, etc and created another pivot (you have to keep pivoting). I'm back to focusing on building a steady writing pattern.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">One of the books I'm reading is called Deep Work, it's on building focus. Something struck me as a "this might work" while wading my way through it.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Last week I started my new plan. Five days a week (still keeping my days off ;)) I do two- 90 minute focuses writing blocks. One usually in am, the other afternoon/evening. During this time, NO internet, emails, texts, calls, or interruptions. I have one of those "Will Return at..." signs on my closed door.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">For 90 minutes I focus on my writing--sort like nano-speed only more intense.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Last week, in five days, in a total of fifteen hours-- I got in 20,642 words.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">For me this was massive! I hit 4,000 plus a day and don't feel wiped out.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Could I do more blocks? Probably not. Nor could I mush them into one 3-hour block. The book says 4 hours a day is about max for true deep work, and I am usually quite done by the end of that 90 min. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A caveat, I am a multi-project writer. So if one book starts slamming into a wall, I skip to another--this does drive many of my writing friends crazy.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I won't call this my new regular until I've kept it up for a month, but it does feel good to be working on building a more solid writing routine.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Then I'll start focusing on building in business blocks ;).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Have you ever tried deep focusing for your writing?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Happy IWSG DAY!</span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-81905239073962266852021-05-01T10:27:00.000-07:002021-05-01T10:27:25.575-07:00Fantasy Ebook Bonanza!<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A bundle so
packed full of fantasy, <br />
you’ll need a bag of holding.</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Over twenty authors have joined
the International Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors (IASFA) in
a massive book bundle to enchant readers everywhere. </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k5nWzUlZCoQ/YI2Oczn1LmI/AAAAAAAAA9s/oLjZfe5WAJQuvfySd2B8Bmheiwww8rtpACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Fantasy%2Bbox%2Bset%2BApril%2B2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="2048" height="206" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k5nWzUlZCoQ/YI2Oczn1LmI/AAAAAAAAA9s/oLjZfe5WAJQuvfySd2B8Bmheiwww8rtpACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h206/Fantasy%2Bbox%2Bset%2BApril%2B2021.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">IASFA Book Bundles are</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> a way for people to discover quality books
written by popular authors. You know how it's always hard to find something
good to read? IASFA can help solve that with monthly free book promotions as
well as through a massive Book Bundle like this. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Only $9.99 for ALL of those books! Your e-reader looks hungry, feed it before summer comes! Books are offered through Book Funnel, so they are available for you where ever you are and whatever e-reader you use!</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span></b></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><a href="https://20bookpacks.com/IASFA-Fantasy-Bundle" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">https://20bookpacks.com/IASFA-Fantasy-Bundle</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Fantasy Book
Bundle! Discover fantastic worlds where princesses are assassins, elves cavort
with dragons, and orphans aren’t always what they seem. From enchanted forests
to perilous seas, there’s an adventure for everyone in these stories. Find your
next favorite fantasy author in this fantastic bundle. We’ve compiled over
twenty exciting titles and can offer them in a bundle for much less than a
dollar each. Begin your epic fantasy adventure today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Books included:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 5.4pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 541px;">
<tbody><tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Truth
and Other Lies<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Lyra
Wolf<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The
Blood Stone: Curse of the Drakku Book One<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Jason
Nugent<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Mercenary <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
Catherine Banks<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Glass Gargoyle<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Marie
Andreas<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Unbreakable Fury<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Kevin
McLaughlin<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Reecah’s Flight<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Richard
H. Stephens<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Book of the Immortals - Air<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Barbara
G.Tarn<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Fenzig’s Fortune: A Gnome’s Tale<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Jean
Rabe<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Fairmist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Todd
Fahnestock<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Creature Feature: A Horrid comedy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Steven
Paul Leiva<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Sanctum: Sands of Setesh<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By C.S.
Kading<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Stones of Resurrection<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Tameri
Etherton<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Bone Traders<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Rachel
Ford<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Shape of Darkness<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By D.
Fischer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Dragon’s Choice<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Debbie
Mumford<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Crimson Claymore<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Craig
A. Price Jr.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Half-Bloods Rising<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By J.T.
Williams<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">By the Pact<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Joanna
Maciejewska<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Shadow and the Sun<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Monica
Enderle Pierce<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 19;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Black Heart of the Dragon God<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Craig
Martelle<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 20;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Sharp
Steel<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
William Alan Webb<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.65pt; mso-yfti-irow: 21; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 275.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="368">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The
Watchers of Moniah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Blade
of Dissension<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.65pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 129.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="173">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
Barbara V. Evers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
M. Telsch-Williams<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><i>The International Association of Science Fiction and
Fantasy Authors (IASFA) is a professional organization focused on aligning
readers with authors. We are building the organization that currently numbers over
600 authors published within the SFF genres and growing. Stay tuned as each
month we’ll offer full book samplers for free along with less frequent paid
book bundle promotions. Help yourself to find your next favorite author by
joining the IASFA newsletter. </i><a href="https://iasfa.org/book-promotion-calendar/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">https://iasfa.org/book-promotion-calendar/</span></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Fantasy Book Bundle
will be available from April 19<sup>th</sup> thru May 9<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /></div>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-15018565667544258382021-04-07T07:51:00.001-07:002021-04-07T07:51:22.174-07:00#IWSG Risks and changes<p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b> Welcome to another round of the Insecure Writer's Support Group! A monthly gathering of hopes, dreams, and terrors--JOIN US!</b></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m93Gu3Uzt5U/VwPAIGfcPvI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GIRMXWdl7ZUeLiFJTzsgJnEDV9BjEHcswCPcBGAYYCw/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m93Gu3Uzt5U/VwPAIGfcPvI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GIRMXWdl7ZUeLiFJTzsgJnEDV9BjEHcswCPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html"><br />https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Today I'd like to talk about changes and risks in writing--but could be applied to anything. I took an early buy-out from the former evil day job to live the dream and write full time. It's HARD!! (and a huge risk, but I do realize that's not what this month's question was ;)).</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>While I had the EDJ, I had to get my writing done before and after the job and on weekends. It was a grab what time you could cut out of things like sleeping and eating situation.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Now I have a ton of time! I knew I'd need a schedule (I know me ;)) so I set one up. 40 hours a week, two days off (which is two days more than I usually have had ;)). It worked well, was increasing my daily word goals, moving along, and the funk hit.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>It wasn't writer's block, I don't really know that I've ever had that. (One of the reasons I have multiple projects going on--one hits an impasse, I move to another.) It was a FUNK! Thanks to the current pandemic, I wasn't getting out much at all. I have been changing that and fitting in fresh air, walking, drives to the ocean with my writing time. I realize that the obsession with getting the words down while I had an outside 40 hour a week job, doesn't work for me now.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>So, I'm currently building balance. This writing gig is my career, my job, but it doesn't have to be my entire life. It'll take time, and lots of pivots, but I'll get there ;).</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>IWSG question:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Each month there is an optional question tossed out. This month's was do we take risks with our writing?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b> I don't and yet I do. I don't do anything wild, yet I am usually an outlier for the subgenres I write. My fantasy is humorous, my space opera is not at all military-ish and full of jargon, my steampunk is more a alternative history SF adventure with tea than anything punkish. I write what I like, it's a bit different, but it makes me happy.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Happy IWSG Day!</b></span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-49106768545242414422021-03-17T11:26:00.001-07:002021-03-17T11:26:26.271-07:0025 books for $9.99! For reals!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seriously! It's like back in the day when you could grab a bunch of books when you joined a book club, but this is BETTER!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The Science Fiction Book Bundle will be available from March 15</span><sup style="text-align: left;">th</sup><span style="text-align: left;"> thru April 4</span><sup style="text-align: left;">th</sup><span style="text-align: left;">.</span></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y0RnQOYbbeU/YFI-zdujhjI/AAAAAAAAA9A/21xEbd4TsKoG_pAkFwNua-4q5_MhP6_xQCLcBGAsYHQ/s720/IASFA-SF-BookBundle-covers-with-logo2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="720" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y0RnQOYbbeU/YFI-zdujhjI/AAAAAAAAA9A/21xEbd4TsKoG_pAkFwNua-4q5_MhP6_xQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IASFA-SF-BookBundle-covers-with-logo2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A bundle so
packed full of science fiction, <br />
we had to assemble it in orbit.</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Over twenty authors have joined
the International Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers (IASFA) in
a massive book bundle to warp the space-time of readers everywhere. </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">IASFA Book Bundles are</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> a way for people to discover quality books
written by popular authors. You know how it's always hard to find something
good to read? IASFA can help solve that with monthly free book promotions as
well as through a massive Book Bundle like this. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://20bookpacks.com/IASFA-Sci-Fi-Book-Bundle"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">https://20bookpacks.com/IASFA-Sci-Fi-Book-Bundle</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Science Fiction
Book Bundle! From fantastic worlds to scowling spaceship commanders, from
exploration to colonization to alien contact. There is something for everyone
and probably your next favorite Science Fiction author can be found right here.
We’ve compiled a bunch of hot titles and can offer them in a bundle for much less
than a dollar each. Take a look and see what there is to see.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Books included:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 5.4pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 508px;">
<tbody><tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Battlenaut
Crucible<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Robert
Jeschonek<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Cartwright’s
Cavaliers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
Mark Wandrey<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Cygnus
Rising <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
Craig Martelle<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Day
115 on an Alien World<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Jeannette
Bedard<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Emergence<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Jacki
Rawlinson<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Forced
Conversion<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Donald
J. Bingle<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Forced
Vengeance<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Scot
C. Morgan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Freedom
By Fire<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By C.P.
MacDonald<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Ghost
Probe<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Craig
A. Price<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Hurt
U Back<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Tim
Taylor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Janissaries<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
Chris Kennedy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Kaine's
Sanction<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By D.M.
Pruden<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">On
Station<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By J.
Clifton Slater<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Quinn
of Cygnus: Lift Off<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By AM
Scott<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Salvage
Title<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
Kevin Steverson<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Standing
the Final Watch<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
William Alan Webb<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Star
Compass<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Anthea
Sharp<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Super-Sync<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Kevin
Ikenberry<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The
Chemical Mage<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Felix
Savage<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 19;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The
Chronicles of Jegra: Gladiatrix of the Galaxy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Tristan
Vick<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 20;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The
Earth Concurrence<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Julia
Huni<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 21;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Thief
(Star Minds Lone Wolves)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Barbara
G. Tarn<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 22;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Tribari
Freedom Chronicles<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Rachel
Ford<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 23;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Uprising<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By
Jerry Shepard<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 24; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.6in;" valign="bottom" width="346">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Warrior
Wench<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 14.25pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 122.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="163">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">By Marie
Andreas</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>The International Association of Science Fiction and
Fantasy Authors (IASFA) is a professional organization focused on aligning
readers with authors. We are building the organization that currently numbers over
600 authors published within the SFF genres and growing. Stay tuned as each
month we’ll offer full book samplers for free along with less frequent paid
book bundle promotions. Help yourself to find your next favorite author by
joining the IASFA newsletter. </i><a href="https://iasfa.org/book-promotion-calendar/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">https://iasfa.org/book-promotion-calendar/</span></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Science Fiction
Book Bundle will be available from March 15<sup>th</sup> thru April 4<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /></div>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-5537433083965319562021-03-03T10:32:00.005-08:002021-03-03T10:32:49.854-08:00#IWSG It's all good!<p> <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Welcome to another monthly adventure in the world of freaked out writers! (Or at least sometimes mildly insecure ones ;))</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Once a month writers from all over the globe gather to connect and share our stories. Join us!</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m93Gu3Uzt5U/VwPAIGfcPvI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GIRMXWdl7ZUeLiFJTzsgJnEDV9BjEHcswCPcBGAYYCw/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m93Gu3Uzt5U/VwPAIGfcPvI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GIRMXWdl7ZUeLiFJTzsgJnEDV9BjEHcswCPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" /></b></span></a></div><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><p><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/</b></span></a></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Along with general insecurities, celebrations, and ponderings, there is an optional question each month-- this month's was about if we read within our genre or go beyond.</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Yup.</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>LOL- I read within my genres/sub genres which are fantasy (light, epic, and urban), space opera, and steampunk. I also read mysteries and anything else that might catch my eye. I have noticed what I want to read at a given time is often not what I'm writing. I've been wandering through the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters (massive re-read, they are one of my comfort series ;)) right now and I'm not working on anything like them.</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>When I'm working on the steampunk books, I usually read fantasy--but not mystery.</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I think it's important for writers to read whatever they like. Hopefully it will be the genres they are writing in or why else write in them?</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>What do you like to read?</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Happy IWSG day!</b></span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-35416954959802339732021-02-11T09:18:00.002-08:002021-02-11T09:18:39.653-08:00FREE BOOKS!<p> <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This week is a book-o-rama of deals!</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In the world of Epic Fantasy- we have a collection of FREE, yes, FREE, epic fantasy books for your downloading! (Essence of Chaos is in there ;)).<br /><br />This is brought to you from the IASFA (International Alliance of SFF Authors. Each month member authors (yup, I'm one ;)) post a selection of free books for a specific sub genre. You can check them out, and take what ones you want! (I grabbed more than a few myself ;)). </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bci5CbmsEGU/YCVk7l-KRJI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/rNFnjNHcr38Q4cWtagXPPJxNVmtZgb2MwCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/twitter%2Bfeb%2B10%2Bpromo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="600" height="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bci5CbmsEGU/YCVk7l-KRJI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/rNFnjNHcr38Q4cWtagXPPJxNVmtZgb2MwCLcBGAsYHQ/w510-h170/twitter%2Bfeb%2B10%2Bpromo.jpg" width="510" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/scifi">https://storybundle.com/scifi</a></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And in the world of Science Fiction-- SWFA (Science fiction and Fantasy Writers of America--yup- member of them too ;)) has put out another Story Bundle! Not free, but very discounted. For $5 you get the first five titles, go up to $15 or more and get all 18 books! Support authors and SFWA.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3JKsVlMcWZ8/YCVmWJWUokI/AAAAAAAAA8c/4jsaxe-OCYUL8GaQgOsh0cV8a11kdCROQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1881/Smaller%2Bsfwa%2Bww%2B2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1881" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3JKsVlMcWZ8/YCVmWJWUokI/AAAAAAAAA8c/4jsaxe-OCYUL8GaQgOsh0cV8a11kdCROQCLcBGAsYHQ/w479-h240/Smaller%2Bsfwa%2Bww%2B2021.jpg" width="479" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/scifi">https://storybundle.com/scifi</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Happy Book hunting!</p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-27296646344905026872021-02-03T00:00:00.001-08:002021-02-03T00:00:03.405-08:00#IWSG Balance and pivoting<p> <b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to another episode in the monthly blog hop for Insecure Writers! Writers from across the land join forces to share our tales of woe! JOIN US!</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m93Gu3Uzt5U/VwPAIGfcPvI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GIRMXWdl7ZUeLiFJTzsgJnEDV9BjEHcswCPcBGAYYCw/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m93Gu3Uzt5U/VwPAIGfcPvI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GIRMXWdl7ZUeLiFJTzsgJnEDV9BjEHcswCPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Today marks a bit over one month that I jumped off the regular day job train and moved to full time writer. Ya want insecure? This chick has serious insecurities!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I do have a back list of books (book 16 comes out this month) and a wee pension. But this is scary stuff!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I knew from the start I needed a plan and a schedule that works for me. Right now that means working 5 days a week (I take Wed and Sat off). Starting at a mostly set time, but for this month I am keeping a timesheet to see how much time I am spending (last month was too all over the place ;)). I have set daily and weekly word counts, plus trying to working in advertising time, newsletters, blogs, etc. Still a major WIP ;).</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm finding that some folks get it, others don't.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I've had friends who figure that since I retired from my day-job, I'm free to do whatever I or they want. I explain I am working--and they just shrug and again say I can do what I want.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>In a way, they are right. I can.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>But what I want is to build a stronger writing career. To do that, I need a routine. When I worked at the old day job, I'd get up at 4:30/5 am to write before work. After dinner, I'd write. Weekends--I'd write.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I had a schedule (it was a bit intense, but it worked ;)).</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Now, I literally can do what I want. BUT to achieve my goals, I have to have a schedule, a routine to keep me going. I write in set word chunks. Right now, it's 4 chunks of 750 words each (goal at this point is 3,000 a day). When I hit my goal for that section--I stop. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Yes, I could keep going (and will go a bit over) but it's important for me to know that I hit my goal and now get a 10 min break. If I pushed past that goal, I'd run out of steam. Also, it really helps when the words are coming slowly, to look at my counter and remind myself I can stop in 345 words (or wherever I'm at ;)).</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I know many writers say they must write everyday. For me having those two days off is wonderful. Now, I might take part of a day if something pops up and causes a pivot (lost time on Saturday because I was behind on edits). But knowing I have those days to recharge really helps.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm still building balance in my schedule-- keep to the daily word count, not cram all the words in a few days. And learning to accept that I will have to pivot. When I get stressed about this whole thing, I cling to the schedule like a life raft. I am learning that as long as it's moving me forward in terms of the over-all goal, pivots are okay.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm insecure, but I'm trying to get better :).</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>What makes you feel insecure?</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Happy IWSG day!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><br /></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-19030653091860043852021-01-06T07:49:00.000-08:002021-01-06T07:49:05.046-08:00#IWSG What stops you?<p> <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Happy New Year! And happy monthly blogging with the Insecure Writer's Support Group! Join us!</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DD9GDxtn_M/X34RYFP4iYI/AAAAAAAAA6o/LVQKMDf8pyoMgeS6zAwZAnbx5yTQxPQ-ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/Insecure%2BWriters%2BSupport%2BGroup%2BBadge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DD9GDxtn_M/X34RYFP4iYI/AAAAAAAAA6o/LVQKMDf8pyoMgeS6zAwZAnbx5yTQxPQ-ACPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure%2BWriters%2BSupport%2BGroup%2BBadge.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</a></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I hope you all had a lovely and safe start to the new year :). Today's IWSG question is looking on the reader side:</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Being a writer, when you're reading someone else's work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people's books?</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">That's a very good question, because understanding what may stop a reader, particularly YOUR reader, can keep you as a writer from making that same mistake.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">One caveat though, not all readers are your reader. What will throw me off a book would be absolute gold to another reader--so the connection for us a writers is what does YOUR reader like.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I love characters. If you give me some amazing characters, some humor, a bit of snark, and send them off into trouble- I AM ALL IN. So, if I'm reading a book with flat characters, even if the world building, description, etc. is to make angels weep--I will DNF it (Did Not Finish). </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The older I get, the pickier I become. Just because I DNF a book doesn't mean it's bad, it means I'm not the right reader for it. There are readers out there who LOVE long descriptions that go on for pages and don't really care as much about the characters specifically.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8;">What throws you out of a book?</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8;">Happy IWSG day!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f4f2f8; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-45808369377342245472020-12-02T00:00:00.001-08:002020-12-02T00:00:06.881-08:00#IWSG- Seasonal slow downs<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> <b>Welcome to another round of the Insecure Writer's Support Group!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Each month, writers from all over join to support each other as we toss or fears out into the world!</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VuHNMF6WIDE/VrIS3f2J4FI/AAAAAAAAAjI/YcXKKn19XhQt_lAJsGBtuGbPbllnJNoJwCPcBGAYYCw/s300/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VuHNMF6WIDE/VrIS3f2J4FI/AAAAAAAAAjI/YcXKKn19XhQt_lAJsGBtuGbPbllnJNoJwCPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure-Writers-Support-Group-Badge%2BNEW.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Join us! <a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Each month a question is suggested for a blog idea. This month's was dealing with times of the year when someone is more productive in their writing.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I'm switching it up a bit-- I'm doing when I am <b><i>less</i></b> productive.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I realized last year (probably before that, but didn't pay attention ;))-- that I don't do well in summer. Even this summer, where I was in my house all of the time, and working remotely, I did less than other times of the year.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I don't have kids beyond the furry kind, so it's not that. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But, I do work for a college-- and unless you are one of those magical unicorns, a ten-month employee, summer is very busy. We're wrapping up the prior year, setting up the next, and dealing with the summer students. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">When I sat back and looked at it, I realized that even though I would work the same amount of hours--that intensity just wiped me out. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The problem is, I don't always look at things like that--but I need to. Knowing when and how you write best and what things can shut you down, is essential for a writer.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So, I guess my best times to write are the other nine months of the year ;). And I'm going to start paying more attention to my writing time!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">When are your best times? (or worse ;)).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Happy IWSG Day!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-80836173951386862792020-11-04T00:30:00.001-08:002020-11-04T00:30:05.361-08:00#IWSG Starting full-time writing<p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DD9GDxtn_M/X34RYFP4iYI/AAAAAAAAA6o/LVQKMDf8pyoMgeS6zAwZAnbx5yTQxPQ-ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/Insecure%2BWriters%2BSupport%2BGroup%2BBadge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DD9GDxtn_M/X34RYFP4iYI/AAAAAAAAA6o/LVQKMDf8pyoMgeS6zAwZAnbx5yTQxPQ-ACPcBGAYYCw/s0/Insecure%2BWriters%2BSupport%2BGroup%2BBadge.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Once a month writers from across the land gather to share our hopes, dreams, and
terrors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Join us!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></b></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">For my entire writing career, I have worked a full-time day
job alongside my almost full-time writing job.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">That ends Dec 30<sup>th</sup>, 2020.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve taken an early
retirement buyout from the day job and will be working full-time as a writer
starting Jan 2, 2021 (yeah, need a few days to recover 😉).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Now this doesn’t mean I’m retiring retiring…more like a
graduation to full time writer (and since the day job was at a college—graduation
is fitting).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I am very motivated and love telling stories. I’m also
extremely lazy. LOL. This means I need a schedule in place to reach my goals.
Here’s what I have so far:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 1) </span></span><!--[endif]-->Work five days a week, 40 hours. The days off
can fluctuate, but they need to be there to keep me working during those 40
hours.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 2) </span></span><!--[endif]-->First month, keep a spreadsheet of time in, time
out, lunch, and results for the day. I haven’t had to clock in for probably 20
years—so this will be odd. BUT again, building the habit of a regular workday.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 3) </span></span><!--[endif]-->See above—make sure to LEAVE the desk for lunch
time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 4) </span></span><!--[endif]-->Building my daily word count to what I want to
be hitting regularly. Each week in January the daily goals increase. Obviously,
if I have a project in editing, the word count will differ.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 5) </span></span><!--[endif]-->Daily walks and stretching. Getting outside in
the yard for part of lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 6) </span></span><!--[endif]-->Focus on setting up my office and the rest of
the house in such a way that it keeps me working.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 7) </span></span><!--[endif]-->Naps if needed. This was suggested on another
group and I like it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 8) </span></span><!--[endif]-->Find other creative outlets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a writing conference last year there was a
great panel on writer burn out. One of the things brought up was that when your
“creative outlet” aka writing, becomes your primary job, it loses ability
to relax you. The former stress reliever is now a stressor. You’re still being
creative—obviously—but the psychological assist it can give is reduced. Soooo, cooking, coloring, who knows maybe knitting, will come into my life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 9) </span></span><!--[endif]-->Holidays are mostly days off. I reserve the right
to work during part of a holiday if I’m on a deadline.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 10) </span></span><!--[endif]-->Spreadsheet the heck out of my book release
plan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> 11) </span></span><!--[endif]-->Social media and marketing will be broken up so
each of the five days has a portion of it assigned to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">That’s what I have so far—any of you full-time, self-employed
folks have additional things that work?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Happy Insecure Writing Day!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><br />Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-74373766549447470982020-10-07T12:15:00.001-07:002020-10-07T12:15:17.862-07:00#IWSG-- Changes!<p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> Welcome to the monthly blog hop of insecure writers EVERYWHERE!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DD9GDxtn_M/X34RYFP4iYI/AAAAAAAAA6k/7rAIZ_88G5QmO_7j3pNKxWZw9rU-qPuDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Insecure%2BWriters%2BSupport%2BGroup%2BBadge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DD9GDxtn_M/X34RYFP4iYI/AAAAAAAAA6k/7rAIZ_88G5QmO_7j3pNKxWZw9rU-qPuDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Insecure%2BWriters%2BSupport%2BGroup%2BBadge.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Join us!</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So this has been a very interesting week. I applied for an Early Exit from my day job (with severance) and got it in part due to my years of training getting badges for Comic-Con International (limited spots-- got mine submitted in 19 seconds ;)). This is great news! As of Dec 31, 2020 I will be a full time writer.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It's also scary as heck.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">When people think of stressors, they think the bad ones. However, good events can still cause lots of stress. It's a step into the unknown. We like being in our routine and this is going to blow the socks off. Plus, while I will NOT miss my day job, I've been there 15 years and have many people I WILL miss.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But I'm moving forward. My office at home needed/needs a serious revamp and I'm in the process of it. New computer, new monitor. Moving forward.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Which actually sort of leads into this month's question-- do we think of ourselves as a working writer? Hmmm- the IRS has thought so since my first year being published. But, yes, I do think of myself as being a working writer--even BEFORE the escape at the end of this year. I spend 30 hours or more (way more) on writing. Along with my current day job--this leave me tired. A LOT.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But I LOVE IT. I am proud to be a working writer.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Happy IWSG day!</span></p><p><br /></p>Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.com9