Attack of the Writer’s Brain!

The cats are for my mental benefit; they’re just a bonus for the rest of you. This pic was taken in early November. That’s the semi-shredded remains of the Christmas tree box they’re nested on. It will be stored in the garage from now on, or at least until we pick up some appropriately sized plastic bins to store the tree in.

As for the tree. It is up and lit, but I’ve only got a smattering of ornaments on it so far. I have yet to send out the first Christmas card.

Meanwhile, on to the writer brain attack. My mind has terrible timing. Some scene ideas I have for the next story arc of Waves of Darkness decided to unfold in overdrive this morning when I was supposed to be getting ready for work. Good but not good. Reason? My body either goes stationary or into pacing mode when this happens, and I’m unable to get anything else accomplished.

Anywho, I will share a few vagaries concerning this story arc. While the first story arc dealt with the Sisters of Power, this one concerns the Daughters of the Dragon, and ultimately with the Dragon, himself. I plan to take 5 to 7 books to tell this story. These will probably be the final books in Waves of Darkness. I don’t have any plans for a third story arc at this time.

I plan to have Viktor make more inland excursions during his cat-and-mouse game with the Dragon. Gonna be fun to see how Belladonna deals with that.

I also have some tension planned for Viktor and Hezikiah concerning Brianna. That was the scenario trying to flesh out this morning, and I’m getting really excited about it just writing this post.

Okay, I’m going to hush about that now. Otherwise I may reveal too much before publication. I’m that excited.

The struggle to get an agent to represent the earlier books in the series continues. Had a very pleasant rejection letter from an agent who was interested but doesn’t have the clout in the industry to sell previously published works. She did ask that I keep her in mind if I have anything similar which has not been published. I replied I would query her for book 8 if I haven’t found representation by then.

That may be the route I have to go to get the first 7 books back on the market: get readers hooked on Viktor’s new story line and hungry for his back story. This means book 8 will need to be spectacular. I believe I can provide that.

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Holiday Progress Report

As you can guess by the image above, Viktor Brandewyne has been invading my head space again. This is a good thing.

I have gotten a few more agent queries out, which will hopefully help speed the return of the Waves of Darkness books to publication. I have also started brainstorming on the next books/story arc in the series. I currently have about 4 pages of scene ideas and questions which I need to answer for plot development. This will expand.

I am currently writing on the final episode for season 3 of The Adventures of Pigg & Woolfe. It will take me a while to finish, since I want to get the emotional impact just right. (Also, my work schedule plus the holidays are forcing my writing time into a catch-as-catch-can situation. I’ve even developed a lovely pure white streak on the left side of my head near the crown.)

I have edited episode 7, Double Jeopardy, and am pondering the cover illustration. I expect to release the episode sometime in early December. I am also contemplating doing a virtual box set of the first six episodes. I still need to come up with a cover for that, as well. I also need to check into whether or not KDP supports internal illustrations and what’s involved with that. Some of this research will obviously go toward the eventual production of the Season One omnibus.

In non-writing related events, I have encountered for only the second time in my life a rather irritating and bemusing phenomenon. The first time this happened was a few years ago in the same county but on the opposite side of the Tennessee River from my current residence.

I had to work last Sunday, so I didn’t get out that morning to pick up a newspaper. When I did get by a store after work, there were none to be had. I asked at the counter and was told someone had come in that day, as well as the day before, and bought all the papers. The same thing had happened at all the other stores nearby which carry the local paper. I cannot figure out why someone would do this. According to my husband, it continued to happen every day up to Thanksgiving this past week.

The other time I encountered this, whoever did it also stole one convenience store’s allotment of papers from their front sidewalk before the owners arrived to open up.

If they were doing this to amass coupons for Black Friday sales, I would think the limitations on the coupons would work against them. Also, it’s very inconsiderate to people who just wanted the blasted newspaper and comics. I do NOT engage in shopping as a sport. as for why I don’t subscribe to the newspaper, I did shortly after moving in, but more missed deliveries than made deliveries within a 2 month period led to the cancellation of my subscription.  They might have retained my business if they’d offered to have a paper redelivered instead of just offering credit for the missed delivery.

Okay, that’s enough venting for now, and I didn’t let myself lapse into language worthy of one of my pirate characters.

Sundae Bunnies

No, I don’t have a photo of a bunny to share with you. I did, however, see one run across the parking lot at work this morning.

That’s right, I’m having to post by phone today. I’ll probably be working weekends the rest of the year with the exception of next weekend .

I have not started editing episode 7 yet.

I have started sending out query letters again for Blood Curse, though. I revised the basic query and did more thorough research on the agents I want to approach, including researching their clients.

Wish me luck. I’d really like to get Waves of Darkness back out there.

Episode 6 is LIVE!

The Adventures of Pigg & Woolfe: 6 Rendezvous in Hong Kong actually went live on Kindle sometime late Sunday night or early Monday morning. I just now got a chance to get online long enough to post about it.

It has been a busy week.

Still only 99 cents per episode!

Coming Along

 The cover for episode 6 Rendezvous in Hong Kong is coming along. I hope to get it finished and the episode uploaded to Kindle by next weekend. I’m working a night shift this week, which should work to my advantage on this goal.

Thanks for your patience.

Oops

I forgot to post here that The Adventures of Pigg & Woolfe: 5 Peril in the Philippines went live on Kindle last weekend. I’ve also added the purchase link in Books and Short Stories.

I have the editing done on episode 6, Rendezvous in Hong Kong, but I haven’t started on the cover art yet. I’m working every weekend this month, and for the rest of the year, so new episodes may be sporadic in their publication dates.

Weekend Plans

I know, I know; I said I wouldn’t make any more promises about release dates and such.

I WILL be releasing The Adventures of Pigg & Woolfe: 5 Peril in the Philippines on Kindle by October 6th. I’ve already got it properly formatted and am well over halfway through the edits. I start on the cover art today.

I also plan to hit all the pertinent (writing/book promotions) FB groups I’m a member of this weekend with a new promo for this Steampunk serial. It will include purchase links and cover art along with this tagline: Indulge yourself in some cheap thrills this weekend with The Adventures of Pigg & Woolfe! Only 99cents per episode! Coming October 6th, Episode 5: Peril in the Philippines! Available only on Kindle.

Oh, and I’ve already thought up a contest to accompany the eventual release of the Season One omnibus. Something to look forward to.

That is all for now.