Category: Publishing

Weekly writing check-in: the one with all the shapeshifting

Shapeshifter coverIt’s here! It’s here! The Shapeshifter Chronicles is live over on Amazon, with a print version coming very soon!

The anthology includes my short story With Hair of Teeth and Claw, which is a retelling of Rapunzel. There are some nice, early reviews on Amazon, including this:

A refreshing and original take on a classic fairy tale, flipping traditional conventions on their ear while remaining an enchanting and mesmerizing story about unconditional love.

I’m so thrilled to be part of this fabulous anthology. And it’s only 99 cents for the time being, so go grab a copy!

In other news, I finished episode 2 in the third season of Coffee & Ghosts and started brainstorming the third. Plus! I sold a short story this week as well.

It was one of those weeks where I have something in every category. I like those weeks, even the rejections–it’s all part of the process.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: Coffee & Ghosts ~3,000 words, brainstorming, outlining
  • Learning Vellum

Submissions:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Rejections:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Acceptances:

  • The Bargain

Publications:

With Hair of Teeth and Claw in The Shapeshifter Chronicles.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with Gretel and Hansel

Well, that story I was working on last week led me down a rabbit hole. I’m 7,500 words in and–dare I say it–I think I might have another series on my hands. We shall see. I plan to complete the draft of this story and, with a little luck, finish off Story a Day in May with another shorter story or two.

In other news, I sold Gretel and Hansel!

I’ll talk more about that later, when I know what issue the story will be in, but I’m very excited about the market (pro-paying) and pleased about this sale. And if you scroll through my weekly entries, you’ll see that I’ve been sending this one out, consistently, for a while.

And the biggest news this week is that the Simply the Best boxed set went on sale. And if you’ve been reading along or follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you already know all about that.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 7,500 words
  • Craft work (reading, video lectures, etc.)
  • Photoshop tutorials
  • Promo for Simply the Best

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Auld Lang Syne

Acceptances:

  • Gretel and Hansel

Publications:

Simply the best front coverSimply the Best is in the wild! You can read more about the boxed set here and here.

Release Day: Simply the Best!

And now … it’s live! The big boxed set of IDA winners is available for purchase. Buy early! Buy often! Well, for a limited time anyway. This set won’t be around forever. Plus, the long Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner. You might need something to read. Just saying.

Boxed set cover

Six Award Winning Romance Novels

One Incredible Collection

This collection of multi-genre romances features winning novels from the International Digital Awards, including historical, suspense/thriller, short historical, contemporary, paranormal, and young adult. Simply the Best of all worlds!

Available at:

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  iTunes  Kobo

Only 99 cents!

Learn more about the collection here.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the cover reveal

So while I’m not quite doing A Story a Day in May, I am writing and finishing stories (more or less). This week, I ended up with three short stories, each a bit longer than typical flash fiction. I also have one in progress, which will go into this coming week’s total.

But I’m pleased with the challenge so far. I love reading and writing short stories and this has been a great way to experiment and try new things.

Also? I’m just a little bit distracted by the upcoming release of Simply the Best. Short stories make it far easier to get my regular writing in.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 5,200 words in three short stories
  • Craft work (reading, video lectures, etc.)
  • Promo for Simply the Best

Submissions:

  • Gretel and Hansel
  • The Bargain
  • The Life Expectancy of Fireflies

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Simply the best front coverNo publications, but one coming very soon!

Keep your eyes open this week for Simply the Best! You can read more about the boxed set here and here.

Cover reveal: Simply the Best!

So … I’ve been keeping this quiet (ha, a pun) for a while now, but The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet is included in this fabulous boxed set of other winning novels from the International Digital Awards. Read on to learn more. Then click that pre-order button. 99 cents? How can you go wrong?

Boxed set cover

Six Award Winning Romance Novels

One Incredible Collection

This collection of multi-genre romances features winning novels from the International Digital Awards, including historical, suspense/thriller, short historical, contemporary, paranormal, and young adult. Simply the Best of all worlds!

Available at:

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  iTunes  Kobo

Only 99 cents!

 

Haunted by Death ~ Dale Mayer

Death haunts anthropologist Meg Pearce…

In her last summer before college, an innocent camping trip ended in a friend’s disappearance…and destroyed her life.

 

Angel’s Assassin ~ Laurel O’Donnell

When Damien enters Aurora’s life, tempting her with promises of dark passion and forbidden lust, he threatens to tear her peaceful world apart with shadowy secrets of his own.

 

Be Mine This Christmas Night ~ L. A. Sartor

At Christmas, finding love and a family seems even more possible…unless you’re keeping a secret.

 

A Hunter 4 Rescue ~ Cynthia Clement

Worlds Apart. Joined by Love

A unit of elite alien warriors, known as Hunters, crash lands on earth and their leader is torn between getting his men to safety or protecting the human woman he has bonded with.

 

The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet ~ Charity Tahmaseb

Sometimes staying silent is the biggest lie of all

No one expects the girl who has mastered the art of keeping quiet to join the speech team. But Jolia does. When a crush-worthy rival offers to coach her in secret, she can’t say no. But secrets have a price, and this one might cost Jolia everything.

 

The Mapmaker’s Wife ~ Kathy L Wheeler

In the midst of his worn-torn country, love posed the greater danger.

A flippant proposal and an attack on her person finds one young woman married to the mapmaker who only needs someone to take control of his ungovernable child. Feelings quickly shift into something less platonic and when the enemy gains vital secrets, her suspicions land her in jail.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with chicken fat and whipped cream

So last week I did a topic chat at Writers Village University about how to go about submitting short work to markets. And then I followed that up by not submitting anything at all this week. Well played, right?

But! I have a publication this week. Chicken Fat and Whipped Cream is up at Easy Street.

Other than those two rejections, I had a good week with +6,000 words in season three of Coffee & Ghosts. I’m closing in on the end of the first episode (at least, I think I am), although it still doesn’t have a ghostly title.

Other than feeling sad about Prince–we’re all sad here in Minnesota–it was a pretty productive week.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 6,600 words, Coffee & Ghosts, Season Three
  • Craft work
  • Topic chat

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Gretel and Hansel
  • A Most Marvelous Pair of Boots

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Chicken Fat and Whipped Cream over at Easy Street.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with spring (for real this time)

So, the weather did a complete turnaround from last week and we now have a pollen alert–which is obvious every time I step outside. We have leaves and blossoms and spring has pretty much sprung around here.

In other news, I wrote another 6,000 words this week. It’s a nice pace and I’m having fun with Season Three of Coffee & Ghosts. No submissions this week, but hey, I didn’t get any rejections either, so there’s that.

And, of course, the Season Two series bundle for Coffee & Ghosts is in the wild, in Kindle and print.

Not a bad way to start spring.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 6,000 words, Coffee & Ghosts, Season Three
  • Craft work
  • Topic chat

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Coffee and Ghosts 2 Ebook coverIn case you missed it yesterday, Season Two of Coffee & Ghosts is now available as a series bundle. Yes, that’s right. All your coffee and ghosts in one place.

Available in Kindle and print. Read more about it in my post from yesterday.

Coffee & Ghosts: the complete second season now available!

It’s here! The season two series bundle.

Get your coffee and ghosts in one volume.

Coffee and Ghosts 2 Ebook cover

When Christmas brings both strangers and ghosts of the past to Springside, ghost-catcher and expert coffee-brewer Katy Lindstrom fears her new business, new relationship, and quiet hometown will never be the same.

She’s right.

The ghost of a jealous dead husband. A sexy siren of a spirit who has a claim on Malcolm. It will take more than some excellent Kona blend to permanently rid Springside of both the unwanted ghosts and the necromancers who brought them to town.

But Katy harbors a secret, the sort more than one necromancer is willing to kill for, and this time, the stakes are higher than she ever imagined.

This time, to keep Malcolm, Springside, and even the world safe, Katy must do the one thing she vowed never to do.

And once she does, there’s no turning back.

Coffee & Ghosts is a cozy paranormal mystery/romance serial told over multiple episodes. This series bundle contains all three novella-length episodes of Season Two, in Kindle and print.

Episode 1: Ghosts of Christmas Past
Episode 2: The Ghost That Got Away
Episode 3: The Wedding Ghost

Weekly writing check-in: the one with The Wedding Ghost

Four rejections this week. Is that a personal best? I think it might be a personal best. It was a busy week, so I haven’t had the chance to turn those back into submissions. That’s something I can do this week.

However, I did write a standalone Coffee & Ghosts short story of 4,200 words. And The Wedding Ghost is out in the world. So, there’s that.

But between dance competitions and Day Light Saving Time, I’m just a little bit tired. I may spend the rest of the day reading.

Writing Work:

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Chicken Fat and Whipped Cream
  • The Life Expectancy of Fireflies
  • Like Bread Loves Salt
  • The God of Bright Red Things

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

The Wedding GhostThe Wedding Ghost is out in the world.

You can read more about that in my post from yesterday.

Now available! The Wedding Ghost!

The finale for Season Two is now live!

Wedding Ghost_small

 

Something old. Something new. Something deadly.

It’s been months since the Midwest Necromancer Association came to town, courting Katy with promises of wealth and power. Her only concern now is how to contain a couple of mischievous sprites and keep her ice-pink bridesmaid dress coffee-stain free—at least for the wedding ceremony.

But weddings have a way of bringing strangers to town, and when strangers come to Springside, trouble follows. Especially since Katy has a secret, the sort that inspires betrayal and murder, and one that can unleash untold destruction.

This time, the stakes are higher than Katy ever imagined. This time, to keep Malcolm, Springside, and even the world safe, Katy must do the one thing she vowed never to do.

And once she does, there’s no turning back.

And for one week only, grab the episode for 99 cents over on Amazon.