ICFA

Yawn….

Yawn….

I think it goes without saying that the Monday after a conference is the longest Monday to every Monday. Yawn….

ICFA was fantastic, and I’m sorry to any of my friends who I know were at the conference but that I did not get a chance to see and say hello to! I didn’t realize that having something scheduled every day (sometimes two things scheduled every day!) would mean that I barely saw anyone! Despite that, it was an amazingly productive conference.

This week is going to be catching up and trying to get things finished before the end of the quarter. I want to get the series development of Covert Saloon wrapped up and off my to-do list — I’m on the last book and I have an idea of where it’s going. I just need to write it down. And I think I can get the edits of Dead Man’s Hand finished this week, too. Which will leave me open to get The Sea Prince ready to release at the end of Q2. That’s the plan, anyway.

I also need to do some research before putting together a call for submission for the Ruthven Literary Bulletin. As part of my first year as LRA president, I pulled the operating documents so they could be revised. That was when I discovered that the LRA is supposed to be putting out a journal! I’ve never compiled a journal, but I know people who do it on the regular, so I talked to them at ICFA, and after several meetings, we have a plan. However, I still have to find out what the Bulletin was like before it stopped being printed. That’s this week, and once I know, I can write a call for submissions for the new Bulletin. My aim is to have the new Bulletin out by the end of the year at the earliest, or by next ICFA at the latest.

I think it goes without saying that there was NO writing done last week. (Okay, very little. I write 351 words on King of Swords.) So I’m not updating the wordcounts below.

Okay. Time to go get caught up!

Now Available!

Kidnapped from his home and sold as a slave in Rome, Raven-Prince Lorcan must survive in a world where entertainment is murder, diplomacy is betrayal, and love is a commodity. And where a raven who is only supposed to ever have one mate will somehow find two…

Work in Progress

Tales from the Arena: King of Swords
(Tales from the Arena, book 4)

22670 / 90000 (25.19%)

The Coral Throne
(The Sea Prince, book 2)

25166 / 90000 (27.96%)

Appearances

3rd Annual Spring is in the Air
April 13th, 2025
Venetian Center,
Leesburg, FL

***

6th Annual Mother’s Day Bazaar
May 10th, 2025
Ormond Beach Elks Lodge
Ormond Beach, FL

***

Enchanted Knights: Summer Solstice
June 21st, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

***

3rd Annual Summer Artisan Market
June 29th, 2025
Brannon Center
New Smyrna Beach, FL

***

Smut Lovers: The Conference
September 17th – 21st, 2025
Orlando, FL

***

Necronomicon
September 26th – 28th, 2025
Tampa, FL

***

Page and Pen Festival
October 4th, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

Posted by EASchechter in 2025 plans, a-writers-life-is-never-dull, accountability, appearances, edits, ICFA, promotions, public displays of geekery, Tales from the Arena, upcoming books, upcoming work, why-the-writing-is-slow, WIP, wordcount, 0 comments
PACK ALL THE THINGS!

PACK ALL THE THINGS!

I have basically a day of writing before I have to PACK ALL THE THINGS and head to ICFA — aka geeky-academic wonderland. I have an entire checklist of things that have to be done between now and midday Wednesday. Yes, writing is on that list. So is making scones, making hard-boiled eggs (in this economy?) and making overnight oats. I need to go to the store tomorrow and pick up a couple of things for breakfasts in my room, and packing will happen tomorrow and Wednesday morning.

My schedule for this year is:
Wednesday:
3:30PM Opening Session: Horror Storytelling to Understand Reality (Ballroom)
Thursday
8:30AM Reading (Vista A)
Friday
4:15PM Reimagining the Night (Magnolia)
6:00PM Lord Ruthven Assembly Meeting (Captiva A)
Saturday
6:00PM BIPOC Caucus Networking Event (Cove)
7:00PM Reception (Ballroom Foyer)
8:00PM Awards Banquet (Ballroom)

In and around those, you’ll either find me at panels, volunteering at the Registration desk (I’ll have scones!), or somewhere working on edits for Tales from the Arena: Dead Man’s Hand (I’m thinking outside near the pool.) Unfortunately, the copies of Raven’s Fall that I hoped would be here in time to have at the book room were… well, I was told that they couldn’t deliver the package. And then the post office said that they gave the package back to Amazon (after only one attempt?) So I’m thinking that the books were damaged in shipping, and a new order has been placed. Which means that there will be copies on the table at my show in April. I hope.

(I really want them here! There are hardcovers in that package and one of them is for ME!)

Today I had my first “When is the next one coming out?” interaction, and that never, ever is going to get old. I love hearing that people have enjoyed my work. Writing is an interesting job — you’re there with the voices inside your head, taking down the incident report for whatever shenanigans they’ve been up to. Then you polish it up, put a cover on it, and send it off into the world, and most of the time? You never hear anything about it. But those few times when a reader reaches out to you to tell you that your words meant something to them?

BLISS.

Now Available!

Kidnapped from his home and sold as a slave in Rome, Raven-Prince Lorcan must survive in a world where entertainment is murder, diplomacy is betrayal, and love is a commodity. And where a raven who is only supposed to ever have one mate will somehow find two…

Work in Progress

Tales from the Arena: King of Swords
(Tales from the Arena, book 4)

22670 / 90000 (25.19%)

The Coral Throne
(The Sea Prince, book 2)

25166 / 90000 (27.96%)

Appearances

ICFA
March 19 – 22nd, 2025
Orlando, FL

***

3rd Annual Spring is in the Air
April 13th, 2025
Venetian Center,
Leesburg, FL

***

6th Annual Mother’s Day Bazaar
May 10th, 2025
Ormond Beach Elks Lodge
Ormond Beach, FL

***

Enchanted Knights: Summer Solstice
June 21st, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

***

3rd Annual Summer Artisan Market
June 29th, 2025
Brannon Center
New Smyrna Beach, FL

***

Smut Lovers: The Conference
September 17th – 21st, 2025
Orlando, FL

***

Necronomicon
September 26th – 28th, 2025
Tampa, FL

***

Page and Pen Festival
October 4th, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

Posted by EASchechter in 2025 plans, a-writers-life-is-never-dull, accountability, baking, Blood of the Raven, conventions, ICFA, public displays of geekery, Ravens Fall, thinking thinky thoughts, WIP, wordcount, Writer on the Go!, 0 comments
The Most Mondayest Monday That has Ever Mondayed.

The Most Mondayest Monday That has Ever Mondayed.

Today has been the most Mondayest Monday that has ever Mondayed. The Monday of all times. I hope to never again have a Monday like this. Because this Monday started off with the entire family sitting in a closet because of a tornado warning, and when I pulled the news on my phone, I learned that A. there was a storm on the ground IN MY TOWN, and B. the storm track on the weather radar was MY STREET.

One of the local news stations has their studio on the other side of town, and they were a direct hit — the weather guy was live on the air reporting, showing the traffic camera feed as the tornado hit. That gentleman deserves a raise — he was on the air the entire time, warning the people in his own building to get under cover while being unable to do so himself.

I just now found out that the National Weather Service has confirmed the tornado was an EF2. Thanks. I hate it. Let’s never do that again, okay?

It’s bright and sunny out now. Although every time the wind picks up outside my window, I’m ready to head back to the storm shelter/primary bedroom closet.

Not how I intended to recuperate after a FANTASTIC Saturday at the Myths and Legends Renaissance Faire, I can tell you. The show was amazing — great crowd, great vendors, the wandering performers were awesome, and we sold a a bunch of books! LONG day, though — ten hours on site from set up to when we pulled out of the parking lot. The next Faire is in June, and we will be there!

My next thing will be next week at ICFA — where I will start my conference off as part of the opening session, a panel on the role of horror in storytelling, with Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Owl Goingback. Now that I have the time to think about it, the imposter syndrome is going in to overdrive! (I can speak on the topic, but… yeah, those are some heavy hitters!) I should have copies of Raven’s Fall by then, so I’ll bring a few for the book room.

I’m also sitting on some exciting news that I can’t say anything about until it’s announced. SQUEE!!!!

Now Available!

Kidnapped from his home and sold as a slave in Rome, Raven-Prince Lorcan must survive in a world where entertainment is murder, diplomacy is betrayal, and love is a commodity. And where a raven who is only supposed to ever have one mate will somehow find two…

Work in Progress

Tales from the Arena: King of Swords
(Tales from the Arena, book 4)

19525 / 90000 (21.69%)

The Coral Throne
(The Sea Prince, book 2)

21082 / 90000 (23.42%)

Appearances

ICFA
March 19 – 22nd, 2025
Orlando, FL

***

3rd Annual Spring is in the Air
April 13th, 2025
Venetian Center,
Leesburg, FL

***

6th Annual Mother’s Day Bazaar
May 10th, 2025
Ormond Beach Elks Lodge
Ormond Beach, FL

***

Enchanted Knights: Summer Solstice
June 21st, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

***

3rd Annual Summer Artisan Market
June 29th, 2025
Brannon Center
New Smyrna Beach, FL

***

Smut Lovers: The Conference
September 17th – 21st, 2025
Orlando, FL

Necronomicon
September 26th – 28th, 2025
Tampa, FL

Posted by EASchechter in 2025 plans, a-writers-life-is-never-dull, appearances, Blood of the Raven, conventions, I really want some dull, ICFA, progress, promotions, public displays of geekery, Ravens Fall, upcoming books, upcoming work, WIP, wordcount, 0 comments
Updatey Things.

Updatey Things.

New book means new updatey things on websites and price lists and all sorts of places. And it means that I’m thinking of how to add in new options.

I already sell signed paperbacks on my website. If I started selling ebooks directly from my website as well, would that be of interest to people? You’d actually OWN your copy (instead of licensing it from some big retailer.) There’s the added bonus that if spicy romances are banned, you wouldn’t have to worry about books being taken off your reader without your consent, which is what would happen if you buy through Amazon (they’ve done it before, in 2009.) I’m interested in seeing what people think before I take the next step and spend money on upgrades and subscriptions.

I also need to make a request of everyone out there reading this. If you have a Netgalley account, you can apply for a review copy of Raven’s Fall. It’s been a week, and either Amazon’s ranking systems are broken (again) or no one is buying my new book. I really think it’s the former, but a review would go a long way to helping get this book in the public eye. (If you don’t have a Netgalley account and still want to review? Talk to me. I have review copies.)

I started my last pass on The Sea Prince today, while sitting at the dealership waiting for my car’s oil change. This is the pass where I go through and read the sensitivity reader’s comments and make those changes, and so far, it’s pretty minor. I hope to have this done this week so I can send it back to her for final thoughts. Which means… maybe May for a release? I still have to do the layout and commission a cover.

The other thing I need to work on this week is the panel I’m leading at ICFA, on the reimagining and reinvention of classic monsters in modern pop culture. It’s a panel discussion, so I really just have to put together questions and talking points, but I want to make sure they’re GOOD questions and talking points. This is going to be my first time on the academic side of presenting, and I’m really looking forward to the discussion.

My to-do list seems to be getting longer by the minute! Off to do all the things!

Now Available!

Kidnapped from his home and sold as a slave in Rome, Raven-Prince Lorcan must survive in a world where entertainment is murder, diplomacy is betrayal, and love is a commodity. And where a raven who is only supposed to ever have one mate will somehow find two…

Work in Progress

Tales from the Arena: King of Swords
(Tales from the Arena, book 4)

15673 / 90000 (17.41%)

The Coral Throne
(The Sea Prince, book 2)

11848 / 90000 (13.16%)

Promotions

5 authors, 8 minutes each – on February 20th, come find your next favorite speculative fiction read by women authors and non-binary authors with us! **FREE* tinyurl.com/m5n37k5n


Stuff with Fantasy is coming February 28th! Over 300 authors, over 300 books, free for the taking! One day only!

Appearances

Enchanted Knights: Myths and Legends
March 8th, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

***

ICFA
March 19 – 22nd, 2025
Orlando, FL

***

3rd Annual Spring is in the Air
April 13th, 2025
Venetian Center,
Leesburg, FL

***

6th Annual Mother’s Day Bazaar
May 10th, 2025
Ormond Beach Elks Lodge
Ormond Beach, FL

***

Enchanted Knights: Summer Solstice
June 21st, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

***

3rd Annual Summer Artisan Market
June 29th, 2025
Brannon Center
New Smyrna Beach, FL

***

Smut Lovers: The Conference
September 17th – 21st, 2025
Orlando, FL

Posted by EASchechter in 2025 plans, a-writers-life-is-never-dull, accountability, appearances, Blood of the Raven, book reviews, forthcoming works, ICFA, progress, promotions, Ravens Fall, Revisions, The Sea Prince, upcoming books, upcoming work, WIP, wordcount, 0 comments
Phantom Bagpipes

Phantom Bagpipes

I’m currently listening to K-pop and electrosynth because I’m attempting to drown out the phantom bagpipes that I’ll be hearing for the rest of the week. Why?

I’m not sure which group this was, but I took this video yesterday at the Central Florida Highland Games. This was our… eleventh year, I think? When we started, College Boy was in kindergarten, and we missed two years — 2021 (if I remember correctly, there were no Games in 2021 due to Covid) and 2022. It’s the twelfth or thirteenth year for Bairn Care, the baby care facility that we run, and the Central Florida Highland Games are the only games that offer this kind of facility (thanks to a group of which I am a part.)

Brief interruption because one of the electrosynth songs in my playlist has BAGPIPES! Time to go listen to Epic.

I love the Games, even though I think I’ve gone to watch the actual Games part maybe twice in eleven years. It’s a chance to reconnect with friends who I don’t see nearly often enough. There’s excellent music and shopping, and if you don’t have a special diet, there is a food vendor that offers the best Fish and Chips — pieces of fish so large that our first year, we dubbed it Moby Dick and Chips (and that name has stuck!) If you’re in the Orlando area on Martin Luther King Jr weekend, it’s a great day out. Just get there early, because parking is… challenging. We had some weather move through on Sunday, which meant that it was less crowded, but it was still a good day.

Eight years ago, on a quiet Sunday morning at the Games, I wrote the synopsis for The White Raven books. The memory just came up in my Facebook, and I find it amusing that the first of those books will be out sometime in the next month or so. I’m just waiting on page proofs of Morrigan’s Heir, and a final cover to start promoting.

This year, there wasn’t any work done at the Games because there were no quiet parts to the morning. Saturday, families started coming to the tent almost as soon as the games started, and we had a steady flow all day. Sunday, we knew there was weather coming in, so we spent the quiet parts of the morning prepping the site and the tents for the storm. I think I maybe got a few small pages in a Field Notes notebook, but that’s maybe a hundred words written. Time to catch up on work.

Thankfully, this week is quiet, and once we get caught up on chores, I don’t have to leave the house until Friday. I can really focus on writing and getting the words on the page. I need to get my edits done from the sensitivity reading of The Sea Prince, but the read through of Dead Man’s Hand can wait until after ICFA. (Or I might take it to ICFA and work on it in my downtime.) And I need to start getting ready for my first event of the year (details listed below and on my Appearances page.)

Time to get back to work!

Work in Progress

Tales from the Arena: King of Swords
(Tales from the Arena, book 4)

9495 / 90000 (10.55%)

The Coral Throne
(The Sea Prince, book 2)

3280 / 90000 (3.64%)

Promotions

It’s Bookmas! Every day for the rest of the month, you can get free ebooks and free tools for writers, with a new book or tool every day! Check out today’s offerings here!

Appearances

6th Annual Love is in the Air
February 8th, 2025
Lakeside Community Center
Port Orange, FL

***

Enchanted Knights: Myths and Legends
March 8th, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

***

ICFA
March 19 – 22nd, 2025
Orlando, FL

***

3rd Annual Spring is in the Air
April 13th, 2025
Venetian Center,
Leesburg, FL

***

6th Annual Mother’s Day Bazaar
May 10th, 2025
Ormond Beach Elks Lodge
Ormond Beach, FL

***

3rd Annual Summer Artisan Market
June 29th, 2025
Brannon Center
New Smyrna Beach, FL

***

Smut Lovers: The Conference
September 17th – 21st, 2025
Orlando, FL

Posted by EASchechter in 2025 plans, a-writers-life-is-never-dull, accountability, appearances, ICFA, progress, Revisions, Tales from the Arena, The Sea Prince, The White Raven, upcoming books, upcoming work, WIP, wordcount, 0 comments
We’re All Gonna Be Safe…

We’re All Gonna Be Safe…

There’s a Youtube personality named Ranboo, who made up a little song while playing Five Nights at Freddy’s. It starts “we’re all gonna be safe…”

This, I think, is the most accurate reaction to 2025 so far. Don’t you think?

Today is technically my first day back at the keyboard, even though I was doing some business related things last week. Inventory of books on hand, repacking boxes, reconciling accounts, paying taxes and filing copyright. I’m waiting for page proofs on Morrigan’s Heir, which might make an appearance in late January (cross your crossables! As soon as I have a date, I’ll let you know!) The Sea Prince is back from the sensitivity editor, with surprisingly few suggestions! I’ll be getting those done and running them past the editor again, and then we’ll work on getting it out into the world. Looking at maybe April? It’ll depend on when Morrigan’s Heir drops.

I finally really looked at King of Swords and realized that yes, it was two books. So Tales from the Arena: Dead Man’s Hand is currently marinating and I’ll print it off for edits next week. Tales from the Arena: King of Swords already has a wordcount already because I moved two chapters out of Dead Man’s Hand. I also plan on starting The Coral Throne (The Sea Prince, book 2), but right now, I haven’t even set up the file in Scrivener. Maybe later tonight.

I’ve also set up a number of in-person events for this year — I’m trying to have at least one a month, because when I sat down to do my accounting for 2024, I found that most of my income came from in person sales. Which proves once again something I learned when I was still making jewelry — no one can sell your product better than you yourself. The list is below — I’ll be all around the Central Florida area, so if you’re in the area on one of those dates, come check out the show! (Note: I will not be selling at ICFA. I’ll be moderating a panel entitled Reimagining the Night: New Faces of Old Terrors.)

Right now, we’re bracing for winter weather here in Florida (I just saw they’re projecting the temperature to be in the high 20s for tomorrow morning) while friends and family are seeing snow into the double digits. So everyone be careful out there, and stay warm.

Catch you next week!

Work in Progress

Tales from the Arena: King of Swords
(Tales from the Arena, book 4)

5018 / 90000 (5.58%)

The Coral Throne
(The Sea Prince, book 2)

0 / 100000 (0.00%)

Promotions

It’s Bookmas! Well, okay, it’s ALMOST Bookmas. Starting January 10th, and running the rest of the month, you can get free ebooks and free tools for writers, with a new book or tool every day! Sign up for the daily emails here.

Appearances

6th Annual Love is in the Air
February 8th, 2025
Lakeside Community Center
Port Orange, FL

***

ICFA
March 19 – 22nd, 2025
Orlando, FL

***

3rd Annual Spring is in the Air
April 13th, 2025
Venetian Center,
Leesburg, FL

***

6th Annual Mother’s Day Bazaar
May 10th, 2025
Ormond Beach Elks Lodge
Ormond Beach, FL

***

3rd Annual Summer Artisan Market
June 29th, 2025
Brannon Center
New Smyrna Beach, FL

***

Smut Lovers: The Conference
September 17th – 21st, 2025
Orlando, FL

Posted by EASchechter in 2025 plans, a-writers-life-is-never-dull, accountability, Bookmas, Happy New Year, ICFA, promotions, public displays of geekery, Tales from the Arena, The Sea Prince, The White Raven, upcoming books, upcoming work, Updatey things, WIP, wordcount, Worldbuilding, writing, 0 comments
Cookies Called on Account of Pain.

Cookies Called on Account of Pain.

I’ve had to delay the start of Cookiepocalypse. With my incredible sense of comedic timing, on Day 2 of Cook All the Things, I pulled a muscle in my back badly enough that standing is mind-numbingly painful. Cookies called on account of pain. I should be up to baking later this week or early next week, and I have a list of four cookies so far (there might be one or two more before I’m done. I’ve been challenged to make a coquito shortbread to go with the coquito poundcake….)

There wasn’t a lot of writing last week, because cooking and pain medication don’t add up to a lot of words. Granted, they’re words I’m starting to wonder if I really need, but I think I’m just going to keep going the way I’m going and see how the story falls out. If it needs to be cut, then I’ll cut it in post. If I second-guess myself, I’ll never get done.

The Sea Prince is going to be off to a sensitivity reader today or tomorrow. Writing a character who is a double amputee was more than a little challenging, and I want to be certain that I’ve done it right. If I haven’t, then I need to know what to fix. I’m hoping to have this book out in early 2025, but that will depend on how much work needs to be done when I get it back. Once it’s done and out in the world, I’ll need to start The Coral Throne.

The other thing I need to start is planning for 2025. I know I’ll be at ICFA in March. I’m considering a mall show in May, and that’s about all I have written in warm Jello at the moment. I’ll update the list of appearances as soon as I know where I’ll be.

That’s all for this week. Make sure you check out the books on sale with Stuff with Fantasy!

Special Offer!

Stuff With Fantasy is hosting the December Dash promotion, where you can buy signed books and book bundles directly from indie authors (like me!) I’m already set up with a 25% off coupon on my signed book site for those dates. Use code DECDASH to get the discount, and your books will arrive wrapped, with a gift tag for you to personalize, and with a couple of goodies added for good measure. (Please note: anything purchased this week will be shipping on Monday the 9th, because I’m not up to running to the post office every day this week.)


Work in Progress

Tales from the Arena: King of Swords
(Tales from the Arena, book 3)

100602 / 150000 (67.07%)

Appearances

All done for 2024!

Posted by EASchechter in 2024 plans, 2025 plans, accountability, appearances, baking, Cookiepocalypse, forthcoming works, From the Writer's Kitchen, Happy Holidays!, ICFA, Planning, progress, promotions, Tales from the Arena, The Sea Prince, to-dos, upcoming books, upcoming work, WIP, wordcount, 0 comments
Liz.exe Has Crashed. Please Reboot.

Liz.exe Has Crashed. Please Reboot.

Liz.exe has crashed. Please reboot. Or… you know… don’t. Just let me be, and I’ll come back online on my own.

Wizards, Witches and the Weird was awesome, and we’re definitely going to go back next year. There’s another one in March, but I’ll be at ICFA that weekend and can’t go. But as for right now? I have crashed. Hard. My plans for the day include not doing anything I do not have to do, and maybe taking a nap. I might write. Or I might not. But today is officially a down day.

Next show is Maker Faire Orlando! I should find out next week where my table is, so I’ll let you know once I know. Last year, all the writers seemed to be in Spirit, but I don’t know yet if that will be true this year.

And then… rest. Write. Edits (or page proofs! I got word on Friday that the manuscript for Morrigan’s Heir has been sent up for final review, so a late 2024 publication date is still in the cards!) Planning out 2025. And more resting. It’s been a long year.

Next week is Election Day! Make sure you educate yourself, then get out and vote! (If you’re not sure where to look for election information, check out Ballotpedia.) For me? I’m probably not going to sleep that night. Just… nervous. It’s too much like group assignments back in school. I know I did my part, but are the rest of you going to hold up your end?

Then… we’ll see what we see. There will likely be another day on the 6th of Liz.exe has crashed. Please reboot.

Work in Progress

Tales from the Arena: King of Swords
(Tales from the Arena, book 3)

87870 / 120000 (73.22%)

Promotions

Final days!!! Kobo is doing a Free First in Series promotion for the entire month of October, so you can grab a copy of Hidden Things for free! (You can find it free where ever ebooks are sold — not just Kobo.)


We’re also in the last days of Enchanted Realms — sign up for newsletters, get free books and enter to win a $30 gift card!

Appearances

Maker Faire Orlando
November 9-10th
Orlando, Florida

Posted by EASchechter in 2024 plans, ICFA, politics, slacking, Tales from the Arena, The White Raven, upcoming books, upcoming work, WIP, wordcount, 0 comments
Caffeine and Weirdness

Caffeine and Weirdness

It’s the Monday after ICFA, and all that’s keeping me going at the moment is caffeine and weirdness. Which lets you know it was an amazing conference! But now I’m ready to fall asleep at the drop of a hat. Anybody’s hat. Anywhere in the state of Florida.

Plop. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……

In previous years, I attended ICFA for the panels and papers, to volunteer (because I enjoy that), and to see people (which is why I volunteer at registration. I see EVERYONE!) This year, I was an attending creative for the first time ever, which meant that I had a panel to moderate, a reading of my own, and a signing, and I could have books for sale in the book room. The panel that I moderated was a reading, and I was supposed to start by introducing each author. However, the programs didn’t arrive on time, so I didn’t have any bios! So, given that the theme of the conference this years was Whimsy, the authors suggested I make things up — a challenge to my improv skills! It was great fun!

Friday night was the Lord Ruthven Assembly meeting, which is a group of scholars and creatives who focus on the depiction of Vampires in pop culture, literature and in non-fiction. It’s a fantastic group, and because of the work I’ve been doing for them over the past year, I was elected Vampire Queen President of the Assembly. Which means it’s my responsibility to administer the Lord Ruthven Awards. So if you have a book (fiction or non-fiction, or even graphic novels or games!) coming out in 2024 that involves vampires, I want to know!

At some point, I’ll have a book out involving vampires. Not sure when, but it’ll happen.

I have one more major thing going on before I go offline to focus on family for May and June, and that will be the Indie Book Bazaar on April 27th, hosted by Spellbound Bookstore. I’ll be there from 2:00PM to 3:45 PM, so locals can come and see me for my last outing until September and Necronomicon.

In the meantime, there’s not enough caffeine and weirdness in the WORLD to keep me going today. I think I just heard another hat fall….

Giveaways!

For the month of March, you can download a copy of my dark fantasy romance Counsel of the Wicked FREE through the On Fire Romance promotion. (Content warning — this book is the darkest thing that I have ever written, and includes on the page explicit sexual violence. Go carefully.)

Image of a flame. Text reads "On Fire. Free Spicy Romance Ebooks. March 1-31"
Posted by EASchechter in 2024 plans, appearances, awards, BDSM Vampires, Boosting the signal, happy-happy- joy- joy, ICFA, Necronomicon, Writer on the Go!, 0 comments
Getting Ready to GO!

Getting Ready to GO!

Here it is, not quite ICFA Eve, and I am getting ready to go. Prep is starting slowly — I’ve gotten some things together to go, but the real packing happens tomorrow. As does the food prep — I usually bring breakfasts, so I don’t have to fuss with finding safe food. I’ll lay out the clothes I’m going to wear so I know which suitcase I’ll need. I’ll make sure the scooter batteries are charged…

Wait, what? What scooter?

This one:

(Yes, my living room was a mess when I took this picture. It isn’t anymore.)

That is Stitch, and he has considerably more character now (stickers. He has stickers). I’ve had a mobility scooter since last October. I had hoped to not need him this weekend, but I’m having a bad arthritis week, so I’d rather bring him just in case, and save my spell slots for actually being at the conference rather than being in pain.

Newsflash — Arthritis sucks.

What doesn’t suck is that in two days, I’ll be at ICFA, and I’ll be back behind the registration table (when I’m not attending panels or hosting them, or reading!) I really do enjoy this conference, although it is weird in a way. I tend to go by myself — no husband and no son. I’m off doing adulty things all alone, and that usually never happens!

Well… as adulty as things get when you put a bunch of geeky academics and creatives together in a hotel, anyway.

As part of my “getting ready for ICFA” prep, I’ve finished the synopsis for The Coral Throne, and yes, this will be a duology. It also may not turn out the way I think it will, but that’s normal for my synopses — once I get writing, the characters that the lead. I’m still working on the planning for “Frog and Fae are Friends,” and I’m pretty sure that they’re going to be MUCH more than friends by the end of the first part. I just haven’t decided yet if this is going to be a series of interconnected short stories, or if it’s going to be a novel. We’ll see how the planning turns out once I actually get to it. This also means that it’s not going on Patreon, because I don’t want Patreon to faint and kick me off the platform. I’m not sure where it WILL go yet, but again, we’ll see.

I also pulled out the synopsis for Tales from the Arena: Dead Man’s Hand, and got the Scrivener file set up, including entering the opening scene that I hand wrote months ago. That’s now ready to go, and I have to convince myself to wait to start it until June. (Who wants to open book on if I can do it?)

Edits should be in shortly after ICFA, so Morrigan’s Heir is one step closer to being released to the world, and once I finish the edits on Heir, then I’ll reread Morrigan’s Wrath for the first time since I printed off the manuscript. My aim is to have both manuscripts off to my editor by the end of April, just in time to go offline for graduation prep.

That’s the plan. Let’s see if the universe laughs.

Giveaways!

For the month of March, you can download a copy of my dark fantasy romance Counsel of the Wicked FREE through the On Fire Romance promotion. (Content warning — this book is the darkest thing that I have ever written, and includes on the page explicit sexual violence. Go carefully.)

Image of a flame. Text reads "On Fire. Free Spicy Romance Ebooks. March 1-31"
Posted by EASchechter in 2024 plans, accountability, Frog and Fae, ICFA, Planning, progress, Tales from the Arena, The Sea Prince, The White Raven, Worldbuilding, 0 comments