This is posting rather late on Monday, but there’s a very good reason for the delay…
That’s the final wordcount on The White Raven: Morrigan’s Wrath. That’s a draft, folks!
The White Raven: Morrigan’s Wrath (The White Raven duology, Book 2)
106550 / 106000 (100.52%)
So, now what? Now, this manuscript gets read over quickly, to make sure I didn’t forget any scenes that I meant to fill in later. I’ll compile it from Scrivener, and print it off… and then put it off to the side for a bit. I’ll be sitting on it until I get the edits back for Morrigan’s Heir, and then I’ll read both of them one right after the other. That way, I can be sure that the details in both agree. (and there are some edits that need to be added to Heir, because of things that changed in Wrath. And one character name that needs to be changed because the name Owyn is now retired.)
Once that’s done? I’m off for the summer! Which means… well, this house needs to be cleaned. And I have worldbuilding and research to work on. And SO MUCH READING to catch up on.
And I have a short story to write. There’s one thread in Wrath that didn’t get tied off, and one couple that’s getting their own short. But I’m in no rush.
In other news, Hidden Things is currently part of a giveaway, and you can check out the other books here. The giveaway runs until May 20th. Just in time for beach reading!
Since it’s late, that’s all there is. I’m going to bed now!
I had NO idea that the release date was Friday, or I’d have said something sooner!
Now, this new edition contains two bits of new material. The first is old new — I wrote The Ice Raven for the Princes of Air launch ten years ago, and it was serialized on the Circlet Livejournal. It’s never before been available for sale.
The second new bit of material is an exciting announcement, because you get a sneak peak at the first chapter of The White Raven: Morrigan’s Heir… coming in 2023 from Riverdale Avenue Books!
Lorcan finally gets his own books! Two of them — I’m starting The White Raven: Morrigan’s Wrath today. (That was the mystery synopsis I was working on a few weeks back.)
The White Raven: Morrigan’s Wrath
0 / 90000 (0.00%)
***
The Sea Prince
(The Sea Prince, book 1)
37782 / 120000 (31.49%)
Yes, I am still going to be working on The Sea Prince.
In other writing news, I finished the rewrite of Children of Dreams, and I’ll be setting up a preorder for that and Visions in Smoke this week. I’ll post links to those on all the social media once they’re up. Bones of Earth went live last week, and is updating everywhere. Not sure what’s happening with the paperbacks — they’re listed as publishing, but Amazon hasn’t updated to the new information, and Barnes and Noble is still listing the old prices. Remember, if you find books with the old covers, it’s the old content.
Not much else to share, and I need to get on getting on to writing.
So… how was your weekend? Mine was fantastic but unfocused. There were exactly 369 words written on Saturday. The rest of the day was devoted to the polar opposite of doomscrolling — joyscrolling.
Spider Robinson wrote that shared pain is lessened, and shared joy is increased. There was an amazing amount of shared joy on Saturday! And tears. There were tears.
And now, I’m trying very hard to focus and get back to work. I’m behind on my Nano word count, but only by about 900 words. I can pick that up this week, no problem.
Wings of Air
Heir to the Firstborn, Book 4
112629 / 150000 (75.09%)
***
John Zebedee Meets the Witch Queen of Elfland
6516 / 30000 (21.72%)
I’m starting to feeling that Wings of Air is wrapping up. I’m through the big reveal, and on the downhill slide to the end and starting Heir to the Firstborn. I’m not sure how many more chapters there will be in Wings — I need to see what loose ends need to be tied off here, and which can get woven in to the next book.
And John Zebedee Meets the Witch Queen of Elfland (I might shorten that to John Zebedee Meets the Witch Queen) has gotten off to a good start. Had to make some changes in Monstrous Town because of reasons, but they weren’t major changes. And, as usual, I keep having to stop and looking up details about the area. Did you know that Texas has records of all their land-grants going back to the 1800s? And you can pull them up and read them online? It’s very cool.
In other news, my last convention for the year cancelled this morning. Not surprising, since KeiserSupercon was a smaller event that would have been held in-person. It’s been a strange year, and I’m really glad we can see the end of it from here.
Now, I’ve been promising a cover reveal, haven’t I? The Hidden Things cover went out in the newsletter last Friday, so now it’s time to share it here.
In 773 AD, Roland, a young man of King Charles’ court, was gifted with the sword Durendal. That sword was one of four swords of rare power, three of which were held by Wardens, mages charged with protecting the sacred bloodline of the Merovingian kings. The last sword was held by their mentor, the mage known to history as Turpin. That same year, a Saxon priest seeking retribution against Charles enlists the aid of a mage who seeks the swords for his own purpose, setting into motion events that lead to the battle at the Pass of Roncevaux, and to Roland’s death.
A thousand years later, a research group doing excavations in part of Aachen Cathedral uncovers a collection of books and scrolls, a ring, and a sword. As they uncover the sword, they are attacked. Summoned to the site by the power of the magical attack, Yael Mystere and his apprentice, Warden-in-training Doctor Douglas Keith discover the sole survivor – Margaret Prentice, the daughter of the man leading the excavation. A second attempt on her life fails, sending Yael, Douglas and Margaret on a quest for the power behind the attacks ─ a power that has been waiting a thousand years to win the swords at all costs.
Hidden Things (Swords of Charlemagne, Book 1). Coming in 2021. Preorders going up soon.
Today, I have something happening that I rarely do — I actually don’t think this has ever happened to me before.
I have four book releases today!
One of these is an anthology appearance, my first with Riverdale Avenue Press. Under The Cape is a sexy superhero anthology edited by Rachel Kenley, and it was fun to work on.
My story in this anthology is Time for No Mercy, and yes, that’s a Doctor Horrible reference.
The other three all re-releases of short stories. I’m starting them out in Kindle Unlimited, to see how they do. So in 90 days, they might go wide. Or they might not. It’s an experiment.
First up — my erotic retelling of an already erotic poem.
You can order on Amazon here, from Apple here, and just about everywhere else by going here. New bookstores will be added to that link, so if your bookstore of choice isn’t there yet, keep checking back — it will be! There will be print, but those will come later — I’m waiting for proofs before I approve them for distribution.
Second, it’s week six on the two works in progress.
<
p style=”text-align: center;”>Blood Bound Flesh and Blood, Book 1
29336 / 95000 (30.88%)
***
<
p style=”text-align: center;”>Bones of Earth Heir to the Firstborn, Book 3
16465 / 95000 (17.33%)
Blood Bound is being a lot of fun. Enough that I kinda neglected Bones of Earth last week. Need to fix that — when I’m working on two projects, I really do need to work on both of them, even when one is new and shiny and the other is book three of a series. I’m about to hit a pivotal part of Bones, which means I need to actually, you know, write it down and not leave it in my head.
(Boy, telepathic storytelling would be a real timesaver. In a scary sort of way. But the edits would be a real mindblower and I’m stopping that right now before I have a new plotbunny….)
I shared an excerpt of Bones of Earth over on Facebook last week (edited for spoilers). Here’s something from Blood Bound.
Daniel laughed and turned to look at Hiro’s profile, and realized something — Hiro’s fangs were ever so slightly visible. He was certain they hadn’t been before. And he wasn’t certain of the etiquette — did he ask about them? Was it like seeing someone with their fly down? Or was it just something you weren’t supposed to comment on?
“Daniel, what is it?” Hiro glanced at him. “You are staring.”
“Sorry,” Daniel murmured. “Ah… your fangs are showing? A little? And… they weren’t earlier.”
Hiro nodded. “I know. I am feeling a touch… unkempt. I regret that I will not be able to spend tonight with you, my Daniel. It is time that I fed properly, and I have given you a promise.” He reached out and rested his hand on Daniel’s leg. He squeezed, then returned his hand to the steering wheel as they merged onto the Henry Hudson Parkway.
“I could—” Daniel started.
“No,” Hiro interrupted. “I want you to understand the commitment we will make to each other before you bare your throat to me. I want you to be completely comfortable with the idea.” He smiled. “I am not willing to frighten you the first time I bite you, and have that color the way we will continue. I will visit with the local Chancellor’s deputy, and make arrangements. That is how it is done when one does not have a bond.”
“Is it?” Daniel asked. “No one talks about that.”
Hiro nodded slightly, not turning from his driving. “These are things that are best handled in private. The taking of living blood is… deeply personal.”
Daniel coughed. “Right. Sorry?”
Hiro smiled. “Do not apologize for being curious. You may ask me anything. I may not answer immediately. I may need to think about my answer. But you may ask.”
“I’ll make a list,” Daniel promised, making Hiro laugh. Then he gestured out the window, toward the trees on the left side of the car.
“Before I forget, I want to go there.”
Daniel craned his neck to look out the driver’s side windows. “There… what’s up… oh, you want to go to the Cloisters? Sure, we can do that. It’s a nice walk from my place, if you don’t mind walking up hill.”
Hiro nodded. “We will do that. I will, as you say, make a list. I have never been in New York before a month ago. I want to see everything.”
Daniel grinned. “Sure, we can play tourist. I’ll take you on the subway. Maybe to a Mets game with Trace.”
Now to let this one sit for a few days. Then I’ll read through all three books and make sure the non-linear timelines agree with each other. I think they do, but I want a fresh reread to be certain.
And I’m now officially off (except for fun writing for Patreon) until January.
New release today! From Forbidden Fiction, my novella Chains of Light!
When Delan stumbled into the Temple, he wasn’t expecting to be welcomed as a Temple servant. He wasn’t expecting his only duty to be to serve Lyander, cloistered son of the High Priestess. He wasn’t expecting to fall in love.
Now, some of you might be thinking “Hey, this sounds familiar.” You’re right. This is a reprint of my novella From Dusk ’til Dawn (published in 2013.) Which does NOT mean you should not buy this one. First, you can’t get From Dusk ’til Dawn anymore because that publisher went out of business. Second, this version has been newly edited, which means I had to chance to clean up some timing errors that made me cringe every time I read the previously published version. Third, we have a wonderful new cover. I’m in love with the new cover art — at the top is Lyander, and that is exactly how I pictured him when I first wrote the story way back.
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