Hello everyone!
Happy Easter!! Long time no see. I’m sorry I dropped the ball with my monthly newsletters but to be honest they were beginning to feel a bit pointless when I continuously had nothing to report other than that I was “still writing.” I felt frustrated with myself and after my Christmas post I dropped the newsletter until I had something actually worth sharing with you all. So, at long last and without further ado…
*drum roll*
I HAVE FINALLY FINISHED WRITING WINGS OF RUIN. The third Otherworld book a.k.a. villain prequel turned out to be the biggest headache of all time. I really shouldn’t be surprised since a) it’s about a villain b) the foundation was based on notes most of which became moot by the time I published books one and two and c) TIME LINES OF ALTERNATE WORLDS ARE THE WORST.
Truly, there were so many challenges in crafting this story and a part of me remains annoyed and afraid that I missed something even after all the wrestling I’ve done with it. Beyond it being a challenging tale to tell, I simply struggled with the motivation. I wanted Cassandra’s story written, and yet I could barely bring myself to even glance at the outline for more than a moment before turning to a non-writing project. I think I felt daunted by the project, intimidated by it. I honestly cannot put into words how frustrated I have been these past few months (almost a year), especially because I felt that I was letting you all down by continuously pushing back the release date, but at last I have conquered that finished draft. Aaaaand now come the edits…
Editing is a slightly less arduous task (please note I said slightly) because now I have something to work with. Birthing a book from an idea, an outline, and a scattering of notes is exhausting, demanding creativity and design with every stroke of the keys on my computer or slash of the pen in my notebook. Editing takes that creation and refines it. I have a couple of good friends and beta readers combing through it already to give me their perspective as a reader while I comb through to catch typos, awkward phrases, pacing issues, and the above-all-dreaded plot snags. I’m dedicating the next few weeks, after taking a little cleansing break to allow fresh eyes when I return, to editing Wings of Ruin and getting it ready for publication. I’ve reached out to my brother about designing the cover, I’m pulling quotes for teasers and scenes for exclusive sneak peeks, I’m formatting the document into a book-ready file, etc. It’s go time!
I am seriously so excited for you to read Cassandra’s book. She’s a villain who you’ll likely have mixed feelings about – you may struggle to understand her or perhaps you’ll see her motives clearly. She’s messy and complicated and I’m genuinely curious to see how different readers react to her story.
Well, now that the big news is out of the way, here’s a quick recap on what else has gone on so far in 2020:
January had me outfitted in a Royal Air Force jacket I had tailored. Not only is it wool, warm, and sharp, it’s something to connect to my Granddad who was in the RAF himself. I also made the decision to take my health more seriously and abide by my doctor’s orders to increase my daily water intake (I was drinking maybe 20oz. a day when my body needed around 80oz.) and make an effort to eat green, healthy vegetables with at least one meal a day. Just as importantly I finally followed the doctor’s order to incorporate daily exercise into my routine. I knew the only way I’d make that happen was to hire a personal trainer and so I did. I meet with her every week and she gives me “homework” for the rest of the week. Obviously I didn’t start out exercising every day or very much, but with my trainer I’ve been building my body up and now I love it. With COVID-19 closing down all the gyms I find myself honestly missing rising before dawn and heading over to the gym for an hour-long workout. Wild, huh?
February was rather quiet actually. My routine was pretty normal, I worked out some more kinks in the WoR plot, I still loved my training sessions at the gym, etc. No big events really, but quiet months can be quite nice.
March was busy as I helped my parents re-design my brother’s and my bedrooms. A deep clean, loads of things passed along as donations, furniture chosen or re-arranged, walls and ceilings painted,…it was a lot of work but I’ve got to admit it looks really nice! It was also my birthday this month! Birthdays are awkward because I feel as if I keep getting older but have yet to do anything with my life. Sure on paper I’ve kept busy and diverse with my endeavors, but it’s hard to block out the conventional expectations around me. Ah well. My birthday also fell under the COVID-19 lockdown so to make people (and myself) smile I put together a silly birthday party photoshoot where my only guests were stuffed animals. I thought it was cute n’ silly n’ fun.
Well, now you’re all caught up! I hope you have a wonderful Easter and that you’re staying safe during these stressful times. It’s a true gift that books can whisk us away from wherever we are and I hope you’re allowing their magic to help you. There’s a post on my Facebook page (the one in March about my book sale) with a list of books in the comments from fantastic authors and they’re all either $0.99 or free so be sure to check them out and snag those deals! I know I for one have added a load of new reads onto my own Kindle as authors have come together to list their books at discount prices to help readers out by freeing their minds from the stifling cabin fever of quarantine. Please don’t forget to help support these authors by reviewing the books you read! ♥
Thank you everyone for supporting me and I can’t wait until you can at last add Wings of Ruin to your shelf! I’m so excited to unleash Cassandra’s madness hehe.
Stay tuned…
📖CURRENT READ
Off Balance
(Aunare Chronicles #2)
by Aileen Erin
NA Science Fiction
Ink Monster sent me a copy of Aileen’s latest book and I am LOVING it. I don’t remember if I mentioned the first book, Off Planet, to you but it was epic and I binged it straight through. Now I’m devouring the sequel and I’m officially in love. Tough, street-smart heroine, amazing supporting cast, a swoon-worthy love interest, and all set amongst a truly epic backdrop of alien planets, evil corporations, and war looming just beyond the horizon. If you haven’t already picked up book one, then you seriously need to. SO GOOD.
(Click the book cover to read the description)
🎧CURRENT TUNE
“Toss a Coin to Your Witcher”
sung by Joey Batey (“Jaskier”)
THIS SONG HAS BEEN STUCK IN MY HEAD SINCE DECEMBER. The show confused me (no I never read the books or played the video games) so I was Googling spoilers and explanations each episode and I’m pathetically squeamish with the gory bits, but I will die on Team Jaskier haha! The bromance between him and Geralt is everything. Yennefer had an intriguing backstory too, but I’m really just here for the bard haha.
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Talis Jones 