Finally A Title....and Other Writing News!

So, for the last couple of months I've been struggling with what title to give the 2nd book in the Galactic Dynasty series.  The Muse and I batted titles back and forth like it was a fiendish tennis match where neither of us could break Deuce.  (Tennis fans or those familiar with the game will get that reference.)  Anyway, long story short, we have finally come to an agreement on the title for the new book we're co-authoring.  Ready?

Vagar

Yep, that's it!  lol  Seems like such a dramatic and traumatizing process for such a short title.  But, for those of you who have read Starward, you'll at least know where the title comes from.  And for those of you who haven't, when I post an official synopsis down the road, it will probably make more sense.  Don't you just love it when us authors get vague and mysterious about our works?  *evil cackle*

So, now that I can rest easy once more having finally come up with a title, I can also proudly announce that we are now six chapters complete into the new book!  Woot!  Writing and brainstorming have been going really well these past few weeks and continues to go strong.  I've got the next two chapters outlined and ready to begin writing and I'm so excited with how this novel is flowing so far!  And it's a new challenge for me because there are several POV's I'm writing from this time.  But each POV is pertinent to the overall story, so hopefully you wonderful readers will not hate me too much for writing from so many different perspectives!

In other news, Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) is in the process of being edited.  It's getting a lot of massaging and polishing, but it's slowly developing into an even more awesome fantasy novel than I thought possible!  I'm really excited about this novel and can't wait to share it with you all.  Hopefully it will be finished and released before the end of the year, but we'll see.  I'll keep posting updates as things progress!

I believe that's all my news for now.  I hope everyone is enjoying the onset of Fall...my absolute favorite time of the year!  And if you're looking for something different to add to your book collection, meander on over to my publisher's website, Cressen Books LLC, and see what they have for you to choose from!  I'm pretty confident you can find a book there to curl up with on these crisp, cool evenings!

Weather Moods

Can the weather truly have an affect on our moods as writers?

I'm looking out my window this morning and seeing an overcast, dreary-looking day out there.  It's the kind of day that can't quite decide if it wants to rain or not and I sometimes wonder if Mother Nature has the occasional problem with listlessness.  This kind of weather makes me a bit listless, like I can't stay focused on one project for very long before my mind starts wandering elsewhere.  Not a very conducive state of mind to be in for writing.

So, I think there are times where the weather does have an affect on me as a writer.  Sunny, cheerful days make me feel motivated and I'm up for the challenge of tackling my current writing project.  Rainy days can sometimes put me in the mood to write a bit darker, moodier sections and other times just make me want to curl up on the couch and read something that is not my own work.  Crisp, autumn days have me contemplating mystery writing and cold, snowy days make me want to write something warm and humorous.  And sometimes, it doesn't matter what the weather is doing - I've got the writing itch and I have to get the words out or I'll go insane!

Then I wonder how much of it is the weather and how much of it is my own brain dictating how motivated I am to write whatever it is I'm working on.  Sometimes I believe it is a combination of the two that either works for or against me.

But in the end, I guess it doesn't really matter as long as the project gets finished eventually.  I used to have a horrible time completing a writing project and will confess that I have many stories stored on my computer that I have yet to finish.  Some I will and some I won't - I've come to accept that.  But I'm pleased with the fact that I can and do finish all the stories that I absolutely want to see published one day.  Some just take more time than others to develop.

Anyway, as I look out on this dreary, listless-inspiring day, I will try to get my brain to kick in and get me over the listless hump so I can get back to work on those projects that are patiently waiting for me to return.  Fortunately for me, there are no looming deadlines to stress over, and with the weather sometimes dictating my mood, that is a very good thing indeed!

Deep in the Edit Zone

Good morning, all!  Sorry it's been so quiet on here lately.  I've been deep into edits for my upcoming release, Prophecy Revealed, as well as doing stuff with the Muse outside of all this writing and editing.  But I wanted to pop on here long enough to give an update before I get back at it again!

As of the last post, everyone now knows that Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) has been completed and is now in the stages of editing.  The story (in my humble opinion) was already a great story, but as I'm slowly working through it line by line, I'm now finding ways to spruce it up, flesh it out, intensify it in order to make it an amazing story!  The characters are coming more to life, the world-building is taking on an even more realistic feel, and the plot is tightening up nicely!

When I first started this story....er, two or three years ago....I wasn't entirely sure if it was something I would ever publish.  It had some elements that were dark and sexual in nature, something I was so NOT used to writing.  But as more of the story flowed and gelled, I began to lose some of that apprehension of releasing it.  And now, I'm so crazy about this story that I can't wait for others to get their hands on it and see this world and these characters for themselves for the first time!

So, with that said, I'm actually going to wrap up here for now and get back to work making this great story awesome!  I hope everyone's having a great week and I'll be back on again in the near future to give more updates.

Tata for now!