Tag: Coffee and Ghosts

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: back-to-school edition

I sent the final story (of the ones I wrote during July/August) off this week. Now, we sit and wait. Well, I’ll sit and wait. The rest of you can do something else.

It was the first week of school, and to celebrate, I wrapped up the summer projects (folklore class, flash fiction, and so on) and started in earnest on the new series. So, with a little luck, I’ll get the structure in place and then I’ll start the writing. I would, fingers cross, like to start publishing it early next year.

More on that when things start to come together.

Writing Work:

  • Series work (structure, brainstorming, drafting)
  • Graphic Design

Submissions:

  • Cheating Death

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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: graphics, ghosts, and fairy tales

shutterstock_332682269Another morning working on my graphic design class. I think I have my assignment done. We’ll see. I’ve been doing a lot of reading for the new series. We’ll see about that as well. Right now it’s sort of a big swirl of ideas and not much else.

In other news, I sold audio rights to Straying from the Path (send out your reprints–really, why aren’t you sending out your reprints?), and it’s the last few days for the 99 cent Coffee & Ghosts sale.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Story Genius
  • Graphic design class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

Publications:

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.

Fabulous Fantasy and Science Fiction Special

Another fabulous promotion courtesy of author Patty Jansen. If you need to fill up on books to beat the winter blues, this is just the thing. All books (and some boxed sets!) are 99 cents. But hurry! This weekend only!

sffjanuarypromo

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.