Category: Coffee & Ghosts

Weekly writing check-in: an outline in the bag!

I have an outline for the first story in the fairy tale series in the bag (along with a cat). Not only that, but I have an inkling of what might happen in the other books, and how I’ll go about accomplishing that.

Well. More or less.

I might start writing the draft this week. I want to do a little more brainstorming of the entire series, get something more concrete than “bad stuff happens here” and things like that.

That’s about it for this week. I think I got a rejection (checks submission tracker … yep, I did), which I’ll look to sending out in the next few days or so. Otherwise, I’ve been focusing on the new series and getting everything ready for the Coffee and Ghosts BookBub in May.

Weekly writing check-in: Hello, Spring!

Blizzard last week, spring this one. We’re looking at temperatures above 60 degrees today. There’s still a bit of snow on the back deck (we got a lot of snow last weekend), and it’s weird to have the air so warm and the ground covered with snow in places.

But … we’ll take it.

In other news, you may have noticed I’ve done some spring cleaning on my covers. I did like my coffee pot covers, but they didn’t convey everything about the stories that I wanted them to.

   

 

 

 

 

I really like the update. I think the covers convey the fun, quirky, and romantic feel of the stories. And I’m not the only one who agrees. Just this week, the first in the series was selected for a BookBub featured deal (coming up on May 21st). As some of you may know, Bookbub is pretty much the premier book advertising platform. And you may also know that there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a featured deal–ever. (And I’ve been trying. Oh, how I’ve been trying.)

So … I’m pretty excited about this.

In other news, I started really digging into the fairy tale series this week, not draft writing, but lots of structure for the first story (while keeping the entire series in the back of my mind). I also turned in the article I was working on and just okayed all the edits this morning.

And that’s it for this week. Now, I think I will take a walk in this amazing weather and ponder the fairy tale series a bit more.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the binge-watching cure

We had lots of fun at last week’s author visit with Liza Wiemer. If you ever need a speaker for school/group of teens (especially those who like to write), I highly recommend Liza. Also, check out her wonderful debut YA novel Hello?

I also finished writing An Army of Toads this week. It came in at ~9,000 words, which is an awkward length for a short story. (Technically, it’s a novelette, which is a cute name but a hard sell.)

My big news this week is, of course, the acceptance of The Saint of Bright Red Things to The Binge-Watching Cure:

The Binge-Watching Cure will be an anthology of short stories of increasing size. The first story will be 100 words—anyone can read that. The next, 200 words. Then 500, then longer, all the way to novella length.

Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it? My story was selected for the 4,000-word slot, and I’m very excited about that. This is a story set in France during World War Two. Here’s a quick summary:

In Nazi-occupied France, Marigold Jenkins, the daughter of ex-patriot Americans, must keep her identities—all three of them—a secret. She navigates the streets of Paris armed with a bright red handbag, scarlet lipstick, and a compact tailor-made for her role as a courier in the resistance.

But when a train accident leaves her concussed and stranded in a provincial hospital, Mari must navigate a new reality, one that leaves her at the mercy of a German officer. She must decide whether she can trust this man—and what she must sacrifice in order to do so.

For writers, they’re currently taking submissions for a horror anthology.

And last, but not least, Coffee and Ghosts 3: The Complete Third Season is finally in print format.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Outlining/Draft writing ~ 4,000 words, An Army of Toads = done!

Submissions:

  • Fire and Ivy

Rejections:

  • Fire and Ivy

Acceptances:

  • The Saint of Bright Red Things

Publications:

The print version of Coffee and Ghosts 3: The Complete Third Season is now available!

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the early morning dance competition

Dance competition time! For my daughter, not me. But we were up early and at the event before we’d normally be at school/work.  I’m tired. We’re all tired here. So a short check in this week. I finished How Goldie Lost Her Locks, which came in at ~14,000 words. I also finished up the layout for Coffee & Ghosts 3 and have ordered a print proof.

I think this come week will be a short story week, and I hope to both write one and revise one. We’ll see.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Draft writing ~ 3,700
  • Print layout, Coffee & Ghosts

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with more fairy tales and Girl Scout cookies

It was a week of Girl Scout cookies and fairy tales and print layout for Season Three of Coffee & Ghosts. And that’s about it.

I’ve been doing some world building, but I prefer to write stories along with that, or really, as part of the world building. Because sometimes you have to walk in your world to see whether or not it works.

I’m hoping to finish How Goldie Lost Her Locks this week and move onto An Army of Toads. Then I’ll take a look at a novella I wrote last year with an eye to expanding it (and really, it’s this story that started this particular journey).

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Draft writing ~ 5,100 words!
  • Print layout, Coffee & Ghosts

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the bundle of ghosts

So, this week, I released the bundle of season three of Coffee & Ghosts, because some people like their coffee and ghosts all in one place. I’m still doing the print layout for it, but that should be ready in a week or two.

And … I started in on a new story. For now I’m calling it How Goldie Lost Her Locks, and it’s about how … Goldie lost her locks. I’m also outlining another one that I think I’ll call An Army of Toads. And if you’re thinking to yourself: hm, those sound like reimaged fairy tales, you might be right.

Otherwise, I filled the week helping my daughter with her Girl Scout cookie sales … lots and lots of cookies sales and lots and lots of cookies.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Draft writing ~ 5,000 words!

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

ghost-series-3Coffee & Ghosts 3: The Complete Third Season is now available for those of you who like your coffee & ghosts in one place.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with 99 cent ghosts

So I worked on building the bundle for Season Three of Coffee & Ghosts. I hope to put it up for pre-sale soon. It won’t go on sale until the print version is ready. That’s next on the list. And if you’re curious about Coffee & Ghosts, this is the week to give it a try. The first season is currently on sale for 99 cents.

Otherwise, a little craft work, some research reading, and planning a new series. I also worked through some additional Photoshop tutorials in anticipation of a graphic design class I start this week.

So! 2017! Off to a productive start.

Writing Work:

Submissions:

  • Three reprints

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Coffee and Ghost mockupNone, but Coffee and Ghosts, The Complete First Season is on sale for 99 cents! If you’re new to Coffee and Ghosts, this is a low-risk way to try the series.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the new year, new story, and new ghosts

nothing-but-the-ghosts

I have one more story to add to last week’s list. In a Manner of Speaking was up on Escape Pod on December 29th. While I didn’t realize it at the time, looking back, I can tell this story is a tribute to Doctor Who. So, if you like Doctor Who, especially the sadder episodes, you might enjoy this story as well.

Also, today is release day for Nothing but the Ghosts. You can read more about that in my post here.

I looked at my word count for the year, and I wrote ~160,000 words, most of those in Coffee & Ghosts. Most of the year was dedicated to Coffee & Ghosts. I wrote four episodes (each novella length) and published five, along with the bundles for each season.

As for the rest of the word count, it ended up in some short stories, some playing around, and the start of what I hope will be a new series in 2017.

Writing Work:

Submissions:

  • Lucky

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Two!

In a Manner of Speaking in audio on Escape Pod. The text is there, too, for those who prefer to read.

And, of course, Episode Three of Season Three of Coffee & Ghosts. Nothing but the Ghosts went live this morning.

Now Available: Nothing but the Ghosts

nothing-but-the-ghosts

When it comes to both coffee and ghosts, Katy Lindstrom is an expert, but her most recent otherworldly encounter has left her housebound and weak.

After Katy uncovers some long-held family secrets, she finds herself entangled in past and present—and on a mission to find the truth. To unravel past mysteries, she’ll need to bargain with a powerful entity and face retribution from the necromancer community.

Where Katy must go, Malcolm can’t follow. This time around, she’ll need to make the ultimate sacrifice. This time, to save Malcolm, Springside, and everything she loves, Katy will need to give them up forever.

Available on all vendors for a special launch price of 99 cents. Start 2017 with Nothing but the Ghosts.

New to Coffee & Ghosts? Read the pilot episode for free (or listen to the audio version from The Drabblecast). Or jump right in with Season One (on sale for 99 cents–but hurry) and Two.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the very merry

So, it looks like our Christmas will be gray and icy. But that makes it the perfect day for some coffee and books (and ghosts, too–don’t forget the ghosts).

I didn’t do a whole lot this week. I did attend a craft class (online) and did some more reading/researching. I also took a look at some of the things I accomplished this year.

First up! Short stories. I sent out fifty submissions or so this year (I may have missed logging one or two–it happens). I sold five and had five published.

2016 short stories:

Ghost in the Coffee Machine at The Drabblecast (Coffee and Ghosts in audio! With music and sound effects!)

Chicken Fat and Whipped Cream at Easy Street Magazine

Gretel and Hansel in Deep Magic, August issue

With Hair of Teeth and Claw in The Shapeshifter Chronicles

The Bargain in  issue #2 of Spirit’s Tincture

Next week, I’ll look at what I published on my own and my word count for the year.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Truby craft class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None