Tag: Coffee and Ghosts

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

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the deep freeze

Oh, it’s cold out there! It was the perfect week/weekend to put the final touches on episode 3 of Coffee & Ghosts. I also did some edits on a short story and some research reading and story noodling (this is the technical term for it).

Writing Work:

  • Final edits Coffee & Ghosts, episode 3, formatting and pre-order publishing
  • Planning/researching new series
  • Short story edits

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Fire and Ivy

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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

winterIt’s a winter wonderland out there! And, of course, it really isn’t winter unless you step out on the back deck and take a picture of it.

Not much to report this week. I’m working on final edits (and then I’ll be formatting) for Coffee & Ghosts, episode three. I’m doing lots of reading, research, and planning for a new series I want to write.

That’s it! That’s all I’m doing. Writing would make a very boring spectator sport.

Writing Work:

  • Final edits Coffee & Ghosts, episode 3
  • Planning/researching new series

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with good ghosts and tiny dragons

So! A Few Good Ghosts is out in the world. I spent most of the week working on the revision and listening proof for the final episode. This is a bittersweet sort of thing. I mean, I never say never when it comes to writing, but for now, episode three will be the last Coffee & Ghosts story.

I might write some standalone stories (I left some “white space” between The Ghost That Got Away and The Wedding Ghost just for that reason). Or something might hit me out of the blue.

But I have ideas for other series and only one pair of hands for typing.

In other news, I have a drabble out this week, in issue #2 of  Spirit’s Tincture. What’s a drabble? It’s a story of exactly 100 words. This one involves a dragon.

Writing Work:

  • Revising, listening proof Coffee & Ghosts, episode 3

Submissions:

  • Fire and Ivy

Rejections:

  • Fire and Ivy

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

The Bargain in issue #2 of Spirit’s Tincture.

a-few-good-ghostsA Few Good Ghosts! Now available everywhere!

Now Available: A Few Good Ghosts

a-few-good-ghosts

Katy Lindstrom is pretty handy with a cup of coffee and a Tupperware container—it’s what she uses to capture even the most elusive ghosts.

But when a powerful necromancer unleashes a new type of ghost in Springside and traps Katy and her friend Belinda inside the Springside Pancake House, it’s not the ghost, but the cracks in their friendship that may do the most harm.

Katy can’t eradicate this ghost and repair her friendship—not without Malcolm’s help, not without some Kona blend, not all on her own.

She has her wits and her budding skills as a necromancer, but before Katy can secure her future, she’ll have to visit her past.

And what she finds there changes everything.

Available on all vendors for a special launch price of 99 cents. You never know when you’ll need a few good ghosts during the holiday season.

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 and Two.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with formatted ghosts

Again, all about Coffee & Ghosts this week. The first read through and revisions are done, now for the listening proof/edit. I also formatted episode two. Now that I use Vellum, this is so easy. In fact, it’s so easy, I still wonder if I’m missing a part of the process or if I’ve overlooked something.

I double check, of course. Every time. But it’s just that simple to format with Vellum. If you own a Mac, definitely look into buying the application. It’s worth every penny.

But that means A Few Good Ghosts is up for pre-order, with an on-sale date of November 30th.

Writing Work:

  • Revising Coffee & Ghosts, episode 3
  • Formatting and uploading episode 2

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Paper Trail

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

a-few-good-ghostsNone, but A Few Good Ghosts is available for pre-order in some places, including Amazon.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with so many ghosts

ghost-cupWe’re pretty much nothing but coffee and ghosts around here. I’m revising episode three and doing final edits on episode two (which should come out on November 30th). This involves revision work on episode three (reading over scenes, thinking about scenes, staring at words and wondering if they’re the right ones).

For episode two, in addition to extra eyes on the story, I’ve also completed two “listening” proofs–that’s when I send the file to my Kindle Fire and have it read it to me with text-to-speech.

I have to say that text-to-speech is one of the best proofing tools there is. If you don’t own a Kindle Fire, you can try the free online apps or if you own a Mac, there are several apps you can download as well (I have one on my Mac Book Air that I use). I like proofing on the Kindle since that lets me check the e-book file for glitches at the same time.

And that’s about it for this week before (the US) Thanksgiving.

Writing Work:

  • Revising Coffee & Ghosts, episode 3
  • Final proofs of episode 2

Submissions:

  • Fire and Ivy

Rejections:

  • Fire and Ivy

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with Veterans Day

Still doing that Coffee & Ghosts thing. I completed the second pass on episode two and made my book map and wrote the description for episode three. And that’s about it, well, except for the book review I hope to post in a bit. So, I’ll keep this short.

Oh, and in honor of Veterans Day, The Fine Art of Holding Your Breath is only 99 cents.

Writing Work:

  • Revising Coffee & Ghosts, episode 2 and 3

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

fine-art-waterNone, but The Fine Art of Holding Your Breath is on sale for Veterans Day. 99 cents on all vendors. But hurry, it will go back up to full price next week.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with Ghosts and Consequences

ghosts-and-consequences

So, Ghosts and Consequences went into the world on Halloween, which I think is appropriate. And fun. It was a lot of fun, too. I’ve completed the first pass revision for the next episode, which I’m calling A Few Good Ghosts.

I want to publish that at the end of November. I’m aiming for every 30 days or so for each episode. Not too far apart, but at a pace that’s reasonable for me to maintain.

This week, I plan to make a second pass on the second episode and also do the book map and description for episode 3.

As you can see, it’s pretty much all coffee and all ghosts around here and will be for a while.

Writing Work:

  • Revising Coffee & Ghosts, episode 2

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Ghosts and Consequences is now live on all vendors. You can check out some early reviews on Amazon as well. Plus? It’s only 99 cents.

Now Available: Ghosts and Consequences!

ghosts-and-consequences

It’s here! Just in time for Halloween!

Season Three of Coffee & Ghosts starts now!

Ghosts and Consequences

Reluctant necromancer Katy Lindstrom is worried about mixing business with pleasure. All she wants is a few hours alone with her more-than-a-business-partner, Malcolm Armand.

Before they can sort through their feelings over a cup of Kona blend, another necromancer lands on Katy’s doorstep.

Malcolm’s father.

He brings with him tales of old betrayals and fresh lies. But a bigger danger lurks in Springside—a powerful ghost sent to destroy Malcolm’s brother.

Exorcising this particular ghost won’t be easy, especially since it has whispered tales of its own, ones that sound eerily familiar, ones that link Katy’s family to Malcolm’s.

Even if Katy and Malcolm can eradicate this ghost, one thing is clear:

Falling in love is the last thing they should do.

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 and Two–now available on all vendors.