Tag: short stories

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 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

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.

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.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the animals

Tortoise

For the second weekend in a row, we’ve done something fun with my daughter’s Girl Scout troop. This time, instead of volunteering at a walk, we raised money and completed the walk. Her troop raised ~1,500 dollars for the Animal Humane Society and we had a blast at the walk.

We also met this gal. She’s a youngster, only twenty years old.

The only thing left to do is bridge the girls to senior scouts (!) and eat some cake. Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s going to involve cake.

In the writing world this week, I’m doing something to shake things up a bit. I’m following along with A Story a Day in May. This week, I ended up with six short stories. I took one day off to work on edits for a story that’s in a forthcoming anthology, but otherwise, I got it done.

Now, granted, one story was a drabble (exactly 100 words), but those can take more time than you might imagine. I ended up with two stories that involve dragons, one that features a succubus, a vignette, one told entirely in text messages, and one that can only be described as crazy.

It was a good week.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 5,000 words in six short stories
  • Craft work (reading, video lectures, etc.)

Submissions:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Rejections:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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 end of season two

coffee1

So, this week I came to the end of drafting season two of Coffee & Ghosts. The Wedding Ghost is now complete at nearly 31,000 words.

That’s the second time I’ve written an entire novella in a month, so there’s that. Now the plan is to cycle back to episode two and get that in shape for release.  This season ends on the cliffhanger. Not a Sherlock, Season Two cliffhanger, but still, there is one.

And yes, I’m already contemplating a season three.

Otherwise, I sent out some stories and worked in Photoshop–and recovered from the roller derby.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: The Wedding Ghost, 7,215 words, complete at 30,893 words!
  • Photoshop tutorials

Submissions:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt
  • A Most Marvelous Pair of Boots
  • Straying from the Path

Rejections:

  • Straying from the Path
  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None