Resolutions 2023

Now we get into resolutions for the coming year. Again, these are related to my writing and keeping my career in motion. All resolutions have to be something that I, myself, can do without depending on editorial decisions, etc.

Resolution 1: Write 3 short stories and market each one to three or more magazines. This will keep me focused on new work while also revising The Tale of the Drakanox. It will also prod me to keep submitting my stories and not give up after the first rejection.

Resolution 2: Host Queen Titania’s Court in June of 2023. Not only is it fun to do, but it’s a way to build community and lift up independent fantasy authors.

Resolution 3: Make three personal appearances to support my writing. COVID restrictions are pretty much a thing of the past, and I’m comfortable wearing a mask among the unmasked, so I need to keep my name out there.

Resolution 4: Reissue Masters of Air and Fire, the middle grade book I got back from my former publisher, as e-book and trade paperback. I’d like this to appear in May and be featured in Queen Titania’s Court. Stretch goal: Also reissue my self-published short story collection, Aunt Ursula’s Atlas in the two formats.

Resolution 5: Publish two new e-books, one in May and one in November. Ideally, I’ll finish revisions on The Tale of the Drakanox in time for a November release. If I don’t manage that, I might do another combined “Minstrels of Skaythe” volume encompassing The Renegade of Opshar and Prisoners of the Wailing Tower. It’s also possible to do another short story collection. I’m leaving myself wiggle room here.

Let’s see if I can do as well in 2023 as I did in 2022.

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Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

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Resolutions 2022

As I promised (or maybe threatened) it’s time to take a look at my 2022 resolutions. Let me preface by saying that I only make resolutions around my writing. These are goals that will help me focus where I want my career to go. Resolutions have to be things I myself can control. I could not, for instance, resolve to sell stories. That is the editor’s decision. But I can and do resolve to submit work.

So what were my resolutions for the year?

Resolution 1: Write the first draft of the sixth Minstrels of Skaythe book. Did I do it? Yes! I expect to finish the first draft later today. (I’m writing this on December 27th, so I’ll make it by four whole days!) Confession: I had a secondary resolution to publish The Tale of the Drakanox, but since I hadn’t finished the first draft, let alone done revisions, that became moot.

Resolution 2: Host Queen Titania’s Court in June of 2022. Did I do it? Yes!

Resolution 3: Make two personal appearances to support my writing. Did I do it? Yes! I was at RadCon SF convention, SpoCon SF convention, and Fall Folk Festival.

Resolution 4: Get back the rights to my books from the publisher who has ceased operation. Did I do it? Yes! I have a publishing contract for one book with Wolfsinger Publications, and verbal agreements on two more. The others are mine to do with as I please.

Resolution 5: Submit short stories to at least 3 markets before giving up (assuming there are appropriate markets for them). Did I do it? Um… Yes. I’m currently marketing “Hag” from 2021, and “Mistress Henbane” from 2022. In fact, each of them has received encouraging rejections from some important markets.

Looks like I chose my resolutions wisely. Let’s see if I can do as well for 2023.

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Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

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Dragons Don’t Do Gratitude

Thanksgiving Day is coming here in the USA. Here’s a repeat of a funny post from 2015. Seriously, I’m grateful for all of you who follow and support me. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Hommana hommana, I peer into my crystal ball
And learn the most mysterious thing of all:
What are dragons grateful for?

Ikartya of the Emerald Scales — Gratitude, what’s that?

Ysislaw, Emperor of Sillets — My hoard.

Fruq the Furious — My flames, which destroy my enemies.

Tetheus of Shoredance Island — Delicious sheep.

Gnawrath, Most Malign — That my family is far, far away.

Cazarluun the Wraith — That I killed Sir Whatsizname before he killed me.

Carnisha of Mount Cragmaw — That humans are so easily deceived.

P.S. — Ysislaw, Cazarluun, Tetheus and Carnisha are all characters from my stories! Ysislaw is from my second novel, Too Many Princes. Carnisha is in my story that appeared in The Dragon’s Hoard anthology last spring. Tetheus and Cazarluun are in short stories that are thus far unpublished. However, their statements here don’t necessarily represent their roles in the stories.

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Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

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Contemporary Witchy Fiction

As I’ve been setting up the posts for Queen Titania’s Court, I discovered a new sub-genre. At least, it’s one that’s new to me. That is Contemporary Witchy Fiction.

At first glance, Witchy Fiction appears to be an offshoot of Urban Fantasy. Typically that isn’t my thing; however, I am always interested to see what the witches are getting up to. In fact, when I first set up this blog, back in 2012, it was even odds whether I would choose dragons or witches as my theme. At the time, I was promoting a podcast where I read one of my books, which was about dragons. Thus, the scaly ones came out on top.

Anyway! When I saw that some of Queen Titania’s guests were from Witchy Fiction books, I was intrigued. After asking a few questions and doing some searches, this is what I found out.

Witchy Fiction actually is quite new as a category. It got its start just last year. In the midst of the pandemic, a group of independent authors in New Zealand decided to combat the stress by creating their own fantasy genre. The first Witchy Fiction was published in October of 2020.

Witchy Fiction stories are Urban Fantasies that are short, sweet and light, with a hopeful outlook. There are a couple of specific requirements. 1) The setting must be in New Zealand. 2) At least one main characters has to be a witch. The witch is not necessarily female. 3) There should be some romantic elements. 4) The story has a happy ending. Optional extras include LGTBQ romance and the witches being followers of Wicca or similar religions. So in some ways Witchy Fiction is also an own-voices genre.

I have to say, I admire their approach, and now I’m tempted to gather a few friends and found my own genre, too.

Looking at the main Witchy Fiction web site, I can’t tell if there is an actual publisher committed to this genre, but all the books certainly share a similar “look.” I don’t think even Amazon has caught up to developments, since the Witchy Fiction listed there is not tagged as such, but the phrase “witchy fiction” is prominent in the subtitles and descriptions. This allows potential readers to search it out.

So, if you are hungry for a witch’s brew of light, fun story telling, and would enjoy a glimpse of New Zealand through a magical lens, you might want to look into Contemporary Witchy Fiction.

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Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

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Garden Weekend

Now that I’ve finished The Renegade Count (or whatever I end up calling it) it’s time to take a break. The weather is supposed to be in the 70s here, perfect weather to be out in my garden. I have a few transplants to get in, and more than a few weeds to get out. I’m also taking in a webinar about soil care, because if you don’t have good soil, your flowers and vegies will only struggle.

While my hands are busy, I’ll be thinking about the new names and titles I need. Some of them might sound strangely botanical. Nobody will notice that, right?

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Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

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Bad Moon Rising

Yes, it’s that time of year! Every October, author Teri Polen hosts Bad Moon Rising, an annual festival of horror writing, on her blog, Books and Such.

Today it’s my turn. The featured book is The Tower in the Mist, first in my Minstrels of Skaythe series. I hope you’ll use this link and jump on over to Teri’s blog.

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Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

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Queen Titania’s Court : Introduction

A magical book event.

There was a crystal pool, still as the dawn, and beside it a magnificent willow tree screened the water. Some breeze, or perhaps an unseen hand, swept aside the trailing branches and revealed a glimmering track between arched boughs.

No?

Mayhap it was a desolate moor. A rugged path led you to a hilltop crowned with ancient stones. Standing tall, they drank in the moonlight. But in the spaces between you glimpsed a glittering cavalcade of fairy knights and ladies.

Stubborn mortal.

Was it, then, a rusty door, barely visible in the shadows of a fetid alleyway? Did the piercing rays reflected from the apex of an obelisk serve as your beacon? Perhaps you crept through a cavern dire, lured by distant music?

No matter, no matter.

Surely some vision has drawn you here, and now you cannot stray. For you have been summoned out of your mortal life. What wonders shall you see, at Queen Titania’s Court!

All during the month of June, I’m casting a spotlight on another fantasy author. They’ll share a bit about their books and answer a few entertaining questions. I hope you’ll all help us out by sharing the news and inviting your friends to my blog.

Here is the schedule for the month.

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• 6/3/20: War of Nytefall, by Charles E. Yallowitz
• 6/6/20: Shrouded Sky, by Sanan Kolva
• 6/10/20: Toxic Influence, by Voss Foster
• 6/13/20: Traveler Hunted, by Adrienne Dellwo
• 6/17/20: Honey and Salt, by David Perlmutter
• 6/20/20: “Orange Sun, Grey Sky, by Alden Loveshade, from the anthology Exchange Students, edited by Sheila Hartney
• 6/24/20: Dragon’s Fall, Rise of the Scarlet Order, by David Lee Summers
• 6/27/20: The grand ball and finale

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Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

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Hindsight

Today I’m sharing a snippet from one of my blogging friends, Jason H. Abbott.

Although it may seem related only to current events around climate denial, in fact, I think it applies equally to our publishing industry. In 500 years, will we think of Traditional Publishing as a “lost civilization” that failed to adapt?

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Speaking Up

At the start of my thread on journeys, I mentioned my publisher has had a manuscript for several years without letting me know a publication date. Actually, she hasn’t even let me know she’s accepted the manuscript. I’m sure you all know the feeling. Waiting for news, wondering if the story is so bad they don’t even want it.

It could be a woman thing. We’re told so often to just sit and be quiet and wait. Even though I tell myself I’m bold, still, I’ve been waiting two years for a publisher to notice me. Really, I think it’s an author thing. The publishers have all the power, and if we get push, they’ll just cancel the deal.

But recently, the same publisher, who is also an author, announced publication of a new series with a different imprint. This finally spurred me to ask her if the original imprint is now defunct, and if I needed to get my manuscript back.

For once, she answered immediately. No, the publisher is not defunct. And the day after that, the last editor I worked with let me know the publisher had contacted him about editing the new book, since he edited The Seven Exalted Orders.

So maybe, finally, I might be able to tell you that Trials of the Eighth Order is coming out soon. I am definitely glad that I spoke up.

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Journeys

Something I’ve noticed recently is how often the stories I write involve someone going on a journey. In Too Many Princes, the title characters went on a quest. In The Seven Exalted Orders, two of the characters were running away from the others. In the sequel, The Eighth Order, which the publisher has been sitting on forever, they also chase someone across the countryside. In The Grimhold Wolf, a character was abducted and the other ones went to rescue him. In Masters of Air & Fire, the characters’ home was destroyed and they had to search for another one. In The Weight of Their Souls, the characters were traveling home after a war. In The Tower in the Mist, soldiers are taking their prisoner to a special prison — on the other side of a haunted forest. In The Grove of Ghosts, the MC is traveling to break a curse.

Only in The Magister’s Mask, The Necromancer’s Bones, and The Gellboar did everyone basically stay at home and do stuff there. That’s three out of eleven tales involving some sort of travel.

I must confess, I feel like I’m starting to repeat myself with the journeys. My current WIP, Fang Marsh, starts with the main character on a journey. Now that I’ve thought about it, I’m going to have her arrive at a destination and stay there. This will make some other parts of the plot easier. For one thing, the villain and her henchmen will be able to find her!

What do you guys think — am I worrying too much about this?

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