October Is Here With A Cauldron Full Of Tales 🍵
Oct 04, 2023 4:01 pm
Now that October has arrived, it's time for me to admit whether I managed to complete at least 8 of my 15 quarterly goals for the last 3 months. And let me tell you...it's been a wild quarter all the way around. A BookBub, a Stuff Your E-Reader event, two new releases [shout-out to Gift of Water and Gift of Light] and an incredibly HUGE decision about where I want to take my career. 👀
If you're nervous, so am I! Join the club; we need to get T-shirts.
Good news is, I have no intentions of stopping this author thing quite yet. I've got way too many stories to tell about the witches, priests, and random dudes in my Teutonic Fantasy Realm to quit now. And I'm pretty sure a couple readers out there might be somewhat invested after 2 years of this craziness. 💖
Did you realize this whole Teutonic Fantasy Realm has a specific endpoint? 😱
Did you know I won't be able to get there without unveiling every relevant tale from the Teutons' murky past—and twisted present—first?
You didn't think Wuotan would shackle the Teutons as their demon lord forever, did you?
I'd better shut up before I reveal too much. 🫢 How about we switch gears and find out what happened with my 3rd quarter goals?
Goals For The 3rd Quarter
Welp, like I said above, it's been a wild quarter with a lot of unexpected twists & turns throughout the journey. Suffice it to say I haven't finished as many goals as I would have liked. 😔 Let's see how I did....
Writing Goals:
- write, edit, and publish Gift of Water—DONE!
- write, edit, and publish Gift of Darkness bonus novella—still nope 😔
- publish Gift of Light on the retailers—DONE!
- expand Winter Flame to 10 chapters—still nope...is this a trend?
- write 10 chapters of Elemental Bloodlines Book 5—about that...well, I've finished the first chapter...so nope
Business Goals:
- revamp welcome automations for my main newsletter—DONE!
- set up email flows for my bookshop's newsletter—nope
- apply to publish on Radish—DONE! (waiting to see if I get approved)
- prepare author Facebook page to run ads—nope
- revamp my VIP reader program—nope
- continue business-related online course—DONE!
Personal Goals:
- go camping—DONE!
- visit 5 waterfalls—DONE!
- walk the neighborhood at least twice per week—DONE! (feeling much more spry because of this!)
- health-related goal—DONE!
Overall, it looks like the 3rd quarter was a major win in the "personal" department, while the other 2 departments suffered. But since I managed to finish 9 out of my 15 goals, that means I've won the quarter!
Next week I'll share my 15 goals for the 4th quarter so you can hold me accountable. Gotta keep the momentum going as autumn descends. 🍂
5 Waterfalls, 5 Pictures
Since my husband and I hiked to 5 different waterfalls during the past three months, I figured I'd share 1 photo of each with you today in case you've been trapped inside lately. Hopefully nature's wonder can give you a boost. 💚💙
First we've got Gage Creek Falls in North Carolina.
Second is Rainbow Falls in North Carolina...along with my favorite dude. 💕
Third is Hidden Falls, which can be found along the trail to Rainbow.
Fourth is Daniel Ridge Falls, which was dry as a bone because we haven't had rain in a long while. This one looks a lot more impressive after heavy rain.
And fifth is Glendale Shoals, which is not far from my home in South Carolina.
Book Fairs & Promos
This week's book fair is stuffed to the gills with stories available on multiple retailers. Whether you read on Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Google Play, or Nook, you're sure to find something here. And if you're a weird reader like me who downloads books from Smashwords, well...you should find a few things to add to your TBR. Click on the banner below to browse all the books. 📚
And while you're at it, be sure to check out the other book fairs & promos listed below. If you read books in KU, that Kobo Plus promo is directed straight at you. The lovely indie author who's putting together the Kobo Plus Romance Binge is planning on giving away 5 Kobo e-readers to people who sign up for her super special newsletter all about new releases in Kobo Plus. Check it out!
Kobo Plus Romance Binge - e-reader giveaway
Permafree Romantic Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Other Books You Might Like
I've scouted out a couple books for you to add to your e-reader, because both of them are free for the taking! The first one has no strings attached, while the second asks for a newsletter signup. But I have to admit...the title of that second book has got me like 😦.
In 1987 Wisconsin, college student Kiko Hada can't concentrate with her parents fighting, so she takes the night off from her intense college coursework to rent a movie. At the local Blockbuster, her plans of nabbing a new release are thwarted when a handsome man grabs the last copy. Not looking for more distractions in her life, Kiko accepts his offer to share it for one night only.
Kiyoshi Takai is smitten when he meets a shy bookworm who turns into a bedroom vixen. But the next morning, the brainy beauty rejects a future date, and he's determined to earn a second chance. When their paths cross again, he excitedly introduces her to his best friend. Now Yoshi has to protect her long enough to forge the relationship he's always wanted.
Anna needs a change. Her routine's become a cycle of work and home—a true hermit's lifestyle. But with a new move and job, she's ready to build the dream life she's always wanted which starts with having a home perfect for hosting friends. The first step? Commission a custom piece of furniture that leads to a fated meeting with the handsome carpenter.
Peter enjoys working with his hands. Woodworking has always been a calm escape for him until loneliness threatens his peace. But how's he supposed to find a woman holed up in his shop? Perhaps fate will have her find him because the curvy Anna looks to be just what he needs to warm up his empty bed.
When Peter offers to teach Anna "wood lessons", the match is struck for a steamy union!
That's all for me this week, because I've got a rather adventurous weekend looming up ahead, along with lots more chapters to write in the next full-length novel in my Elemental Bloodlines series. The cover art got a bit delayed, so the pre-order isn't up yet, but by next week I ought to have something to show you.
Oh yeah, my husband & I did manage to fix the bushing on my car. So we're back on the road for a lot less $$$ than we would have spent at the mechanic. 😎
Wishing you a wonderfully weird week!
Talk to you soon,
C.L. Carhart
Get Gift of Air for free:
https://books2read.com/ebgiftofair
Elemental Bloodlines series:
https://clcarhart.com/collections/elemental-bloodlines-series-ebooks
His Name Was Augustin series:
https://clcarhart.com/collections/hnwa-series-ebooks
This week's book fair: