A New Venture

Jul 07, 2023 5:00 pm

Welcome to July and I hope everyone who celebrated a holiday weekend had a good one. This going to be a writing month for me as editing is done and I'm participating in Camp NaNoWriMo for a little motivational push. Also, I have some big news. All the details and updates are below, plus I talk a little about the online writing conference I participated in and an upcoming panel that may interest some of you.

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First the big news. I was offered a new job and am now the Media Manager for Crystal Lake Publishing, soon to be Crystal Lake Entertainment. I'll be in charge of doing videos, interviews, and other promos for their authors. So I may have some sneak peeks of new horror books for you in the near future.

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This month I've started writing the paranormal cozy mystery I planned. (I still have no idea why; I'm convinced my muse got drunk). This is a genre I've never written in before (wish me luck, I will need it) and miles away from what I currently write. And, no, I'm not abandoning horror/fantasy. I still have several upcoming projects in those genres.

The paranormal cozy mystery is just knocking on my brain. The story is about witches, has a ghost and a curse, but only one (gasp) dead body and is light in tone (as a good cozy should be). The question is, will it sit well with my current readers?

I'd love to have feedback about whether you want updates about this book. I am thinking of creating a separate signup for anyone who does want in-depth updates, and just doing quick announcements here. Is that something everyone would prefer, or do you want to know all about the book?

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Now back to the dark stuff. The beta edits of Fairy Tales and Nightmares are finished, the last proofing is in the works and it will be off to the editor in August before it's time for the October publishing date (probably early October). But I'm giving you guys the first look at the cover tease that will be on my blog this month.

And here is a little pre-editor excerpt from one of the stories, Winter’s End.

A flurry of snow whipped against her lined face, driven by the frigid, blustering wind. Cold soaked into her old bones through the layers of fur and wool that wrapped her shambling body, and she grunted in pain. Adjusting the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder eased some discomfort, but each step through the frozen wasteland hurt. Yet, she knew her way and she was stubborn.

The wind tickled a strand of hair peeking out from beneath her hood before it whispered, “Why have you come, Gerda? Why have you ventured into the snow? Go back, go back to your fire. Kai is gone. There is no one left to save.”

Gerda brushed at her cheek and grunted again. “You are right. There is no one left to save. That is why I am here.”

The wind fell silent and swirled away across the frozen landscape. The icy flakes fell softer then, a quiet blanket of serenity descending from the sky as Gerda trudged forward. Glacial air enveloped her, but could not compare to the frost on her soul.

Once, the world sparkled for her, the taste of it something to be savoured, and the promise of the city beckoned with an expectation of prosperity and happiness. Marriage vows sealed that promise; a pledge to honour and a home to cherish. Until his reproachful words and contemptuous looks stained the lustre and pricked against her skin. Doubts slithered from dark corners, feeding off her husband’s censure and scorn.

Her insecurity grew fat on his arrogance, his sense of dominance, and in consequence, she withered, bowed to his will, shrunk her entire world to their unhappy marriage. Yet she nurtured a hopeful spark, kindled it within banked embers, that he would love her. For that hope she ignored his nature, pretending their symbiosis made a bigger whole. She was wrong. Their life, their marriage, was nothing to him, and he easily tossed her aside like rubbish.

It was then her last glimmer of warmth died.

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Now I want to talk a little bit about the Authortube Writing Conference. My presentation went well and I watched several terrific seminars and panels for writers (plus have many more on the Watch Later list). I highly recommend it for writers, especially those starting out. I also won a prize in their giveaway and got a free year of Story Origin, which was unexpected but appreciated. If anyone would like to check out the videos, here is the Playlist.

https://bit.ly/2023_AWC_Playlist

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And on July 16th I'm hosting a historical fiction/fantasy panel, Writing History Into Your Fiction. The panellists will be Olivia Atwater, Margaret Pinard, Christie Stratos, Leah Lindeman, and Courtney Millecam. They are a diverse group of authors writing in eras from the Regency to the 1920s and in historical genres ranging from cozy fantasy to horror. Please join us if that seems like fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfT7YPej9zY