This is the Progress Report for the end of January and the beginning of February. I write these primarily for my newsletter, so expect them on or just before every 13th of the month. (Of course, you also also simply subscribe to the newsletter, there’s a form at the bottom. You’re welcome.)
I’m still having trouble writing more than a few hundred words every day. This is frustrating, but right now, it is what it is. I’m working to rebuild energy and creativity, but I really haven’t found the right potion for that just now. If you know a mage who sells them, let me know.
The image above does reflect my bleary emotional landscape right now. At least the days are getting longer and I really hope that once we make it out of the gray darkness that is winter these days, some of my energy will return.
Progress Report for the Winds of Destiny/Pillars of the Empire series
The biggest news first: North Shatters has been released!
I did get the book up yesterday and it’s finally available in all stores (yes, Apple, looking at you, with your snail-speed servers). Print will take a little longer this time, my cover designer is still working on that.
North was tricky to write. She is basically rescued by a Priest who quickly becomes her love interest, a guy called Varden, with dark red hair and lovely green eyes.
When they just lounged around in the icy wilderness with no interest in moving, I had to get them into trouble, and then I had to rip Varden away from her. Yet I didn’t want to kill him, either. So I found another way to send him packing and give North the space to find her new family and grow. That was great fun, and to my surprise, she discovered something that developed into a huge plot point. You’ll see…
Oh, grab the book here, with a clever Books2Read link so you can pick your favorite store: North Shatters
It’s the final book about the Winds and the series will continue with the Pillars of the Empire books next. I’m planning to release Earth Splits in April. The story is basically all written, except for the showdown which I need to revisit and change. It will be fun because she (and her lover) will end up in Iceburg and meet North. (Mwuahahahahaha.)
Sky’s book is also basically done (Sky Falls), I still have to make some tweaks and tied up loose ends for side characters that I brought in and then sort of lost along the way. That’s no good, but there is plenty of time to clean that up.
Right now, I’m writing Sun Burns, and dear gods, this afternoon I had some nasty ideas for the poor guy. He’ll go through hell (don’t they all?).
Also this morning, when chatting with my author friend in our mastermind meeting, I discovered who Moon Owl is (Moon Rises, Book 8). She’s going to be so much fun to write. I just hope you won’t hate her, she’s the kind of person that will be easy to hate. (Not that I can really write hateful main characters never fear.)
Dragons Progress Report
There is the Marick story, aka Dragon Pawn, set in the Cloud Lands Beginnings. It’s very close to completion, but my focus hasn’t been there. Do you want it? Let me know.
Mastodon Progress Report
Yes, Mastodon. Because that has very quickly become my favorite place on the interwebs. Seriously. Come on over there. The #WritingCommunity is strong and full of good people. You see, the trolls simply get blocked and there is no algorithm to push their posts. They just fade away.
Did I say come on over? Please. Do and chat with all the great authors there. You might rediscover the joy we all had in the early days of the www.
You’ll find me here: Firlefanz on Mastodon
Yes, I’m still on Facebook, and I won’t leave anytime soon. There’s my fan group – Hannah’s Dragonriders – but my author page is pretty dead, their algos killed any reach and I’m not a posting slave. I have writing to do, even if it *mumble mumble*, well. I have writing to do.
Proofreading Progress Report
I’ll be busy for the end of February/early March, but I have room for a client after that. I’m not taking on a lot of clients – you did see me talk about not having a lot of energy, right? – but I’m willing to work with one more person in March.
Let me know if you’re interested. (Err. Hop on over here.)
The Newsletter Pop-up. (Kind of a Progress Report)
If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you already know this: I hate pop-ups. Even though every SEO page tells me that they are more efficient at getting people to subscribe than anything else. I hate them enough to not use them.
Help me prove those people wrong, okay?
If you sign up below, you’ll receive my newsletter on every 13th of the month (come Fog, Fall or High Water (do you get the reference?)). It’ll have writing news (aka a link to this blog post with a Progress Report), news about new books, a link to a review and some opportunities to get free or cheap books.
And it has the Ember Tale. (Don’t know what that is? You could, you know, sign up below.)
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