Hello again!

I hope you are keeping well and surrounding yourself with books and snacks!

By some miracle, I've finished the big edits on my latest novella project (working title: The Dustmakers), AND I've made significant headway into plotting my scene-by-scene outline of Elixir of Power: Book 2.

Unfortunately, I don't have a version of The Dustmakers ready for beta readers quite yet, but I certainly hope to be able to sort that out very soon.

If you don't mind waiting, you can register your interest in beta reading by replying to this email or using this link:

[email protected]

I'll send out the beta reader copies once they're ready!

War with Elves Part 2: More War; More Elves

As you might be able to tell from the heading of this section, I'm a little stuck on the title for the second part of this trilogy.

For better or worse, the first one 'War with Elves: For Profit and Amusement' has put me in a position where I have to match that wordiness and general vibe. Since the first one is a reference to a common non-fiction book title (such as 'Collecting Books for Fun & Profit' ; 'Social Work for Fun & Profit' ; 'Ventriloquism for Fun & Profit'), I might have to go with some kind of 'Field Guide' or 'Recipe Book' style title.

Maybe something like:

'An Elvish Rebel's Field Guide of Hit-and-Run Tactics'

'The Joy of Alchemy: 101 Essential Wartime Recipes'

'The Madean Encyclopaedia of Rebellious Upstarts'

Hmmm. Back to the drawing board.

I want to hit an amusing, mildly funny note that fits with the tone of the trilogy, but it can't seem like I'm trying too hard or all the battle and danger will lose some tension. My method so far has been reading out lists of potential titles and seeing how hard she laughs on a scale of 1 - 10. So far I've gotten either uproarious laughter or dead silence. I need to hear a mild chuckle — around 4 or 5 on the 10-point scale — before I know I've got 'the one.'

It can be a curse, being too funny for your own good.

Some time soon, when the story is more fully mapped out, I'll share some details that I think are interesting. All our favourite characters from Book 1 are back, fighting an increasingly desperate war, changing sides, falling in and out of love, seeking answers to impossible questions, and of course, bickering over who's doing the chores in the rebel's war camp.

It should be a whole lot of fun to write, so I'm hoping reading it will be the same!

And speaking of reading ...

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Thanks for reading!

Until next time!

Let me know if you would like to beta read 'The Dustmakers' by replying to this email!