Hi friends,

I'm typing up this update while sitting in the Orlando airport waiting for my granddaughter and family to arrive, so we can start our vacation together.

Check out the gorgeous sunrise from my flight here:

(I'll be alternating between my tips and writing updates from now on to make my newsletters shorter and more readable. Let me know what you think!)

We have plans to stay at an airbnb located a bit east of Orlando. We don't have a lot of plans, but let me share our tentative list down below and see what you think. We'd love some suggestions!

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Take a minute and browse these books. :)

Leif, one of my good author friends has bundled up this complete series into one book. Very enjoyable twist on the typical apocalyptic tale.

The End We Saw - Complete Boxset by Leif Spencer

On Amazon! FREE with KU!

Read the complete post-apocalyptic series, The End We Saw.

After the Pulse—an apocalyptic event that killed everyone who wasn’t underground at the time—Virginia forges a rocky alliance with a group of survivors. Together, they must overcome their differences and learn how to live in a decimated London.

If you like your apocalypse with a touch of supernatural powers and your characters driven by guilt and redemption, you’ll love The End We Saw, a fast-paced, post-apocalyptic series set in London.

So many Dystopian and Apocalyptic books!

Girl of Flesh and Metal by Alicia Ellis

FREE ebook!

Get your free copy of Girl of Flesh and Metal, the first novel in the Flesh and Metal trilogy.

A devastating accident. An artificially intelligent prosthetic that makes her sleepwalk… A series of murders.

Grab all the FREE SFF ebooks you want!!

Virtually Gone by Simon Carr

On Amazon! FREE with KU!

Since mankind first climbed down from the trees we have looked out to the stars. We looked outward wondering what secrets to our existence are out there.

All FREE SFF eBooks! Pick up a bunch!

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Our tentative plans for Florida:

First, as we all come from landlocked states (if you don't count the Michigan lakes), all of us are excited to visit the beach!

I'm reminding myself to reapply lots of sunscreen and stay hydrated! There are sand castles and a grandbaby destroying them in my future. :D

Second, we bought 2-day tickets to visit "Harry Potter Land" as my kids call it, or Universal Studios as it is officially called.

As I've gotten older, my tolerance for roller coasters has completely disappeared and now they just leave me feeling nauseated. So, I'm happy to take on grandbaby duty while my son and his wife enjoy being flung all over the place on coasters.

For any of you who know Florida, please share suggestions of other things we should see in the area east of Orlando.

I met the nicest flight attendant on the way here who recommended the following:

• NASA
• Port Canaveral
• Cocoa Beach

And finally, for my writing update: I got here this morning, and my family isn't arriving until early evening, which left me with time to write this email and another fun past time of authors:

People-watching!

Here are a few stories I made up based on people I'm watching right now:

A quiet, Hispanic woman stands in line with furtive glances around her, noticing everyone moving in her immediate area, and I wonder if she's got someone dangerous in her life.

A grandbaby flops his head on his grandmother's shoulder after eating while the adult daughter cleans up the food. This three generation family is obviously close, and I wonder what troubles they've weathered together and how they did it.

A young man with stars in his eyes treats his girlfriend like a princess, making me hope their new love will protect them both through life's challenges.

This is the perfect place to people watch. We humans are truly a diverse group with so many different situations and motivations. It only takes a few minutes to glean inspiration from the people around me.

So, be careful next time you're in an airport food court. A writer like me might just be adding you to their next story. :)

Enjoy reading this week!

— Misty :)

p.s. For a web version of this newsletter and previous newsletters: https://sendfox.com/mistyzaugg/campaigns