Category: Weekly Writing Check In

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 the very delicious food

2016-07-21_184229684_759F0_iOSI didn’t quite finish up Coffee & Ghosts. Tomorrow, definitely. This weekend? We’re heading out for some fun, taking some out-of-town guests to the Mall of America (which is really the only time I go, more or less).

We will probably eat some delicious food, although not the sushi burritos. I haven’t tried them but they sound like the perfect food for my son.

Next week brings some fun things. I have a story in a forthcoming Future Chronicles title, the Shapeshifter Chronicles, which will be released on July 30th. So part of this week I spend reading the advance author copy for any last-minute fixes and formatting issues.

More about that later in the week. In the meantime, I hope everyone in the northern hemisphere is enjoying their summer. Stay cool!

Writing Work:

  • Writing: Coffee & Ghosts ~3,000 words
  • Formatting and prepping to go wide
  • Future Chronicles reading
  • Photoshop work

Submissions:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Rejections:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the summer slowdown

summer dogsI have a whole lot of orange in my submission tracker. I suspect summer is the culprit and everyone is doing what the dogs are doing–napping on the screened-in porch.

Another quiet week with some writing and formatting and other things that aren’t all that exciting.

Despite the slow and steady pace (or maybe because of it), I’m in the home stretch of episode two of Coffee & Ghosts, and I really hope to finish it this week and start brainstorming the third (and final?) episode.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: Coffee & Ghosts ~4,000 words
  • Formatting and prepping to go wide

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the Tupperware

tupperwareflea

Another weekend at the lake, and what do I discover? Tupperware!

For those of you not familiar with Coffee & Ghosts, the main character, Katy, uses Tupperware to catch ghosts (and coffee, usually Kona blend).

I’m pretty sure I’ve uncovered the spot where Katy buys her Tupperware, at least some of the time. Just look at the sign. It was, after all, voted the best flea market in Minnesota.

And look at all that lovely, rainbow variety of Tupperware!

Otherwise, a quiet week for a little writing, some formatting and promo work, and I did manage a submission.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: Coffee & Ghosts ~3,000 words
  • Formatting and prepping to go wide

Submissions:

  • The Saint of Bright Red Things

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the Fourth

porchThe dogs have decided a good place to spend the summer is on the screened-in porch, watching the kids.

This is also an excellent place to read (for me, not the dogs).

Some writing this week, some formatting work, and so on. Lots of reading.

It’s summer, after all.

One rejection, and I have a few stories I should send back out again, which I hope to do this week or next, along with some more writing.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: Coffee & Ghosts ~4,600 words
  • Photoshop tutorials
  • Formatting and prepping to go wide

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • The Saint of Bright Red Things

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the first week of summer

Summer is here! It’s official, not because of the date, but because it’s the lull between regular dance season and summer dance.

Not as much writing this week, but I did do a lot of prep work for taking things wide. This includes a fair amount of reformatting and making sure the epub format is working, revamping some covers, setting up accounts, and so on. This always takes longer than I think it will. Always.

And that’s about it. Submissions/rejections, as always.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: Coffee & Ghosts ~3,000 words
  • Photoshop tutorials
  • Formatting and prepping to go wide

Submissions:

  • Knight in the Royal Arms
  • In a Manner of Speaking

Rejections:

  • Knight in the Royal Arms
  • In a Manner of Speaking

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the dance recital

So it was the week of the big dance recital–dress rehearsal on Friday (no small thing) and two performances yesterday. Despite that, I did do some writing this week. I finished up the brainstorming and outlining for episode two and even drafted +2,000 words.

I also decided that after a year of being exclusive at Amazon, I’m going to take all my content wide, selling on iTunes, Kobo, and Nook. I’ll lose money initially, but it isn’t really money I depend upon, so now is a good time to make this change. Plus, I have a much larger catalog of books this time around, which I think will help. Also, I have a Mac now, which means I can go direct on Apple. That might make a difference as well.

And that’s it for the week.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ Coffee & Ghosts brainstorming and outlining, 2,600 words
  • Photoshop tutorials
  • Copy edits for Gretel and Hansel

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the ballet bun

So I had one of those moments this week, one where I think: oh, so that’s what happens in this story. It wasn’t a week where I did a lot of writing, although I did transfer a story I had written longhand in a notebook to the computer. But! I think I have a handle on the next episode of  Coffee & Ghosts.

Otherwise, it was one of those quiet weeks. My daughter’s Girl Scout troop bridged to Senior Scouts and we’re gearing up for the big dance recital next week. To that end, I need to cobble together her hair into a ballet bun.

Edited to add: Ah, yes, it took our combined efforts and forty minutes of work to unlock the ballet bun achievement level.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ Coffee & Ghosts brainstorming and outlining
  • Photoshop tutorials

Submissions:

  • The Saint of Bright Red Things

Rejections:

  • The Saint of Bright Red Things

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the amazing tour

Tour

Ah, the last week of school. To celebrate, my daughter and I went to see Phil and Dan and The Amazing Tour is Not on Fire. It did not disappoint, especially if you’re a fan–or should I say phan. No spoilers, but I will say that it was LOUD.

In other news, I finished off the novella I was working on. I do plan to add to it, especially the front end, since I started it off thinking it would be a short story. But for now, I’m pleased. And while I didn’t truly do a story a day in May, I’m happy with the amount I did write.

Otherwise, I didn’t do anything else except a few tutorials–no submissions, no rejections, nothing. I’m looking forward to getting back to Coffee & Ghosts this month. The break from it was good because now I’m really excited to finish off season three.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 7,000 words
  • Photoshop tutorials
  • Craft work

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the new novella

I have well and truly fallen into the rabbit hole. I think we can declare the story I’m working on a novella and possibly the start of a series. So even though I didn’t quite do a Story a Day in May, I’m calling it a win with nine short stories and one novella.

In other news, a couple of rejections this week, a couple of submissions, some Photoshop tutorials.

And that’s about it for this quiet week in May.

Writing Work:

Submissions:

  • The Bargain
  • In a Manner of Speaking (reprint)

Rejections:

  • Knight in the Royal Arms
  • The Bargain

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None