Teaser Tuesday: Ten Big Ones

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme, hosted by The Purple Booker, that wants you to add books to your TBR! You can also just share what you are currently reading. We make it very easy to play along, it is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
1: Grab your current read
2: Open to a random page
3: Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

I feel like the week has flown by, but then most of my weeks feel that way! I got a couple of chapters written in the latest Galactic Dynasty novel that I co-author with my hubby and muse. I finished reading one novel, The Shop on Blossom Street, and you can check out my 3-star review if you like. And I managed to get more work done on my crochet and cross-stitch projects, plus a lot more stuff thrown in that I'm not remembering right now! Two teasers are below for your enjoyment, one from the book I'm currently reading and one from a novel I've written! I hope everyone's week went well and wish everyone a happy Teaser Tuesday!

Ten Big Ones (Stephanie Plum #10) by Janet Evanovich

The way I see it, life is a jelly doughnut. You don't really know what it's about until you bite into it. And then, just when you decide it's good, you drop a big glob of jelly on your best T-shirt.

These books never cease to make me laugh and are the ones I turn to when I'm needing a good rollicking read! So if you haven't tried this series yet, give it a whirl. I have no doubt you'll enjoy them. Oh, and beware Grandma Masur... that character will make you pee your pants from laughing so hard! LOL

 Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) by E. M. Lohr and Wendy Lohr

Knock, knock, knock. Startled, I rolled over only to fall onto the hard floor with a grunt, tangled in a scratchy blanket. My mind was in utter confusion as I looked around bleary-eyed for a moment and tried to remember where I was.

Galactic Dynasty is a sci-fi/adventure series that follows Rosa and the crew of Starward on a diplomatic mission to other planets within the galaxy. This particular excerpt is from her first day at the training facility and the chaos and confusion that ensues only increases as she's ushered from one place to the next on the island compound. There are currently four books in this series and the fifth one is being written now, hopefully to be published in the next few months! So, if you haven't heard about this series yet, pop on over to the series page on this website and find out more!

I hope you've enjoyed these teasers and I look forward to visiting your sites soon to see what everyone is reading! Just be sure to leave a link in the comments below!

Happy Reading!

I'm Baaaaacccck!!!

I know, it's been freakin' forever since I last posted out here.  So, let me do a catch up and we'll see where we are when I'm done.

First, I did take a sabbatical, as my last post indicated.  From August until January, I didn't write a single word.  Instead, I practiced my creative skills in other arenas: crochet, cross-stitch, paint-by-numbers, learning to draw, and sewing.  I was feeling artsy/craftsy and amazingly enough, found I had a talent in those areas of creativity!  Here are some pics of what I've been up to!

Not all of these were done in those few months of sabbatical.  More like started but not finished until way later.  But just starting them made me feel creative in a whole new way and allowed for my mind to relax and learn some new things.  That in turn helped me to get back in touch with my characters and when the new year rolled around, I was ready to sit back at the computer once more and get back to writing.

Which brings me to the belated announcement that Peregrinate (Annals of Ellie #3) is now available on Kindle, Nook, and in paperback on Amazon!!!  I'd begun working on it before I went on sabbatical and ended up writing like a madwoman once I had my mind right again.  Peregrinate has been out for a couple of months (sorry for the late announcement), but better late than never, right?!  So, if you haven't had a chance to check out Ellie's ongoing adventures, be sure to get a copy of Vivication, the first book in the series, and get started!

So, that's been the last year, practically, and I'm still having fun with the various arts and crafts.  However, I am also working on the latest manuscript for the Galactic Dynasty series I'm co-writing with my awesome hubby and Muse!  This will be the fifth book in the series and I'm super excited about it!  Rosa's discovering all sorts of things and her friendship with Daemos is growing exponentially.  So, if you haven't started this series yet, get a copy of Starward, the first book, and see what all the fuss is about!

As you know, I do keep a word count on this blog so readers can see how far along I am on a writing project.  So, Book 5 of Galactic Dynasty is now up and the word count will be updated from time to time so you all can see how far along I am on the manuscript.  I'm hoping to have this book written and published by October, but we'll see!  It's always good to have goals!

And that has been the story of my life for the last year, throw in some traveling and such as well!  As always, I will do my best to try and be a more frequent poster out here, but we all know how that usually goes! lol  Regardless, I'll try to post pics of finished artsy/craftsy projects as well as updates on manuscripts and publication dates as I have them.  Hope everyone is having a great summer so far and if you're looking for something to read, be sure to visit the other pages on this website.  Maybe you'll find a new series to fall in love with!

Happy Reading!!!

Almost There!

Good morning all!

It's been a while since my last update so let me bring everyone up to speed.  Lineage (Galactic Dynasty #3) will be releasing Wednesday, Sept. 9!  So excited for this latest installment in the sci-fi/adventure series I co-author with my Muse to be out there for you readers!  To tide you over until the release, here is the cover and synopsis:

Lineage –  For all of us, the link from past to present… and to the future.  DNA that carries more than traits binds Rosa to her alien past, to a synthetic intelligence, and directly links her to both human and Metrusian races.  The first to be of both worlds.  An onus that she must embrace as fate will not have it any other way.    Aliens, synthetic intelligence, and Earthlings – a lineage fusion of galactic proportions.




Once Lineage goes live I'll be turning my focus to The Soul of Arial series to begin work on the manuscript for Aboveworld (book 3).  I'm really looking forward to getting back in the mindset of Arial, Rayner, and others as their journeys continue!

I'm also working on another writing project.  I haven't quite decided where it's going yet, but once I have a firmer feel for the actual manuscript, I'll post some updates and more information on it here.

I hope everyone had a great summer and got a chance to read a lot of awesome books!  If you haven't had a chance to check out the Galactic Dynasty series yet or have been meaning to catch up with it before the release of Lineage, be sure to visit my publisher's website for both Starward (book 1) and Vagar (book 2).  The first chapter of each book is on the site as well as purchase links for Kindle and Nook and for the paperback version.

Have a great rest of the week and I'll try to log on again soon with more updates!

Final Edits In Progress

Good morning all!

In the last post I talked about splitting Two Worlds into two books, Underworld and Aboveworld.  Well I am happy to report that Underworld has been submitted for final edits!!!!  That means that I've got a cover to design and a synopsis to draft between now and when I get the edits back.  Then it's final tweaks, formatting, and Underworld will be ready to share with the masses!

Since the final edit process can take up to a few weeks, I actually do have some time on my hands for other things.  That means I'll probably begin formulating plans for the third book in the Galactic Dynasty series.  My intentions are to get the third book out by the end of this year, perhaps even sooner, and then move into the third book in The Soul of Arial series, Aboveworld.  But we'll see how it all flows.

I'm really looking forward to diving back into the world of Galactic Dynasty.  I've missed Rosa and Daemos and I can't wait to figure out what all is going to happen next with them as well as the rest of the crew of Starward.  And of course, they have a Metrusian with them this time, Raz, who I'm sure will be getting into all sorts of mischief right alongside Rosa and Daemos.  Should be a lot of fun!

I hope that everyone is staying warm and safe in all this snowy madness we've been experiencing these last few weeks.  And if nothing else, be sure to curl up with a book and escape to another world for a few hours!

Happy Reading!

Wuz Up?!

Morning, all!

First, I'd like to congratulate Sheri on winning the signed paperback of Starward!  Cressen Books will be hosting more giveaways in the future, so be sure to check them out and like them on Facebook so you'll know when the next giveaway is taking place.  I'll also announce future giveaways on here and other sites because I love my readers and followers and want you guys to have all kinds of chances to win awesome books!

Second, I'm making progress on Vagar, the second book in the Galactic Dynasty series.  I'm hoping to get the last few chapters written in the next week or two.  Then it's deep edits and cover designs and hopefully, if all goes well and my characters are being nice to me, this book will release by the end of summer!!! YAY!!

And last, but not least... whatever happened to The Soul of Arial series?  Prophecy Revealed released back in December 2013.  When's the next book coming out?  Good question.  I'm trying to get through Vagar at the moment.  Once I've finished writing that manuscript and edit it with my co-author, E. M. Lohr, I intend to pick up with the second book in the Arial series tentatively titled Two Worlds.  So, that's the other reason I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can get Vagar out to the masses by the end of summer!  Wish me luck!

Okies, back to my writing cave.  I'll check back in and let you guys know the latest when I come up for air again.  Or coffee.  Or both. :)

GIVEAWAY!!!

Good morning, peeps!

I know it's been a while since I last posted, but things have been non-stop in my world lately and I've barely had a moment to catch my breath!  So, to make up for my loooooong absence, I want to let all of you know about a giveaway happening at my publisher's website this week.

A signed paperback copy of Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) is being given away to one lucky person!  WOOT!!  This is the sci-fi/adventure novel I co-authored with my Muse.  So, if you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, here's a golden opportunity to win a signed copy!  Just head on over to my publisher's website to the Giveaway page and enter for a chance to win!

I hope everyone's having a wonderful summer so far and that you're reading lots of awesome books!  Have a great week and best of luck to those of you who enter the giveaway!

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!

Writing Different Perspectives

Who am I today?

This is a question that I tend to ask myself a lot but don't always have the answer for.  In reality, I know who I am every day.  But in fiction, I write from a lot of different characters' perspectives.  So, sometimes it's hard to know which character's head I'm in that day.

I just finished writing the second chapter of Book 2 in the Galactic Dynasty series.  These first several chapters are probably the hardest for me because they are not only from different characters' perspectives, but they are also written from the perspective of a completely different species.  In Starward, the Muse and I introduced a race called Metrusians and this particular race will be playing a big part in all the books to follow.  And that includes many perspectives from these Metrusians.

Sometimes it's very easy for me to slip into a character and write for hours from their perspective.  But, that character usually tends to be human.  With the Metrusians, however, I am finding it very difficult to write even a couple of pages as I feel I have to think differently.  This race is a very logical one and has been around for a lot longer than humans have.  So, their outlook on the world and the universe is going to be much different than a human's outlook.

I love the challenge, though.  And I truly think that the Metrusians are a fascinating species to develop and understand (from a writer's perspective).  At the same time, I sometimes find myself dreading to write because I know it's going to be such a challenge to really get inside the minds of these aliens.  But they have a story to tell, too, and I want to tell that story.  So, after dragging my feet the last few weeks, I finally managed to get back into their mindset and get chapter 2 finished.

Something tells me, though, that I will probably have this struggle for every chapter I have to write from this complex perspective.  In the end, with the efforts of my Muse and myself, the story will flow and more will be revealed.  In the meantime, I'll struggle to get the story down in the way that I hope the Metrusians in my head want to tell it.

So, I'm off to let the Muse know that I am finished with this latest chapter and ready for him to give his much needed and desired input into the storyline.  And then it will be on to chapter three!

Where Did My Mojo Go???

It's Monday morning and I am trying hard to find my mojo.  For some reason, though, it is hiding very well at the moment!  So, I'm going to ramble for a bit here and then see if I can find it again.

Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) is now available on Nook, Kindle, and in paperback....YAY!!!  I love this novel and hope that you will give it a chance!  And if you do, please be sure to leave a review on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or even on Goodreads...us aspiring authors really appreciate it!

I believe in one of the posts a long time ago in a galaxy far far away I mentioned that my next project would be The Soul of Arial.  Well, I've really be struggling with that project, flip-flopping back and forth trying to decide how I want to lay it out and write it.  So, I finally took a deep breath and admitted to myself that now was just not the time to be working on it.  That means that The Soul of Arial project has been tabled for the time being and I will let everyone know when I've decided to pick it back up again.  Until then, you will not be hearing anything else about it but I did want to let everyone know what was going on with it.

With that said, my next project is to begin writing the second book of the Galactic Dynasty series, Starward's sequel.  I have begun writing, but vacations and business stuff has prevented me from getting very far with it.  I am hoping, however, to remedy that this week by spending some time each day writing on it.  I pretty much have worked out the entire plotline with my co-author and Muse, E. M. Lohr, so it's just a matter of sitting down and letting the words flow out of my fingertips.

Oh, and the other project I've got lined up is developing my very own website!!!!  My intention is to shift this blog and all things pertaining to my work as an author to this new website, but that may take some time.  So, for now, I'll still be posting here and will hopefully have a new site to direct everyone to in the near future!

Exciting times all around but then I don't think I've had a dull moment since I began this new journey as a full-time author 3 years ago!  I'm having so much fun creating new worlds and sharing them with all of you fabulous readers and I look forward to doing that for many years to come!

So, I guess that means I should actually hop off of here and get on with creating more of one of those worlds now!  Have a wonderful week and I'll be back again soon with more posts!

Road Trip!!

Happy 4th of July everyone!  I hope you all are enjoying beautiful weather, great cookouts, and maybe even some awesome fireworks displays this evening!  And I hope all of this is taking place with family and/or friends.

We're actually having a cookout today (some beautiful hunks of steak are going on our grill....yuuuummm).  But, no fireworks for us this year.  That's okay, though.  We have to get up around 4am tomorrow because we are going on a ROAD TRIP!!!!

Yep, we're heading to Madison, Wisconsin where the hubby and Muse will be in meetings and attending a conference.  Once we're done there, we'll be heading to Iowa to meet one of our authors and then to Indiana to meet another author and then back home again!  A whirlwind trip, but it should be a lot of fun. :)

What will I be doing while he's locked up in meetings?  Well, I will be feverishly writing on the second book in the Galactic Dynasty series!  With Starward (book one) finally available for purchase - you can check out Cressen Books' website for purchase links - and the celebration of that release out of the way, I have come up with all sorts of ideas for the next book.  And after having spoken with my co-author and Muse about story flow, plot line, and general direction, I am now ready to pound out at least the first several chapters!  I'm very excited to begin this novel and will keep everyone informed of the progress.

And when I'm not writing, I intend to get a lot of reading done.  I've just started the third book in the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin, A Storm of Swords, and hope to have lots of time to read that.  Of course, when the Muse is not in meetings, I fully intend to drag him around the city to see the sights....we will, after all, be tourists!  So, I'll be taking pictures and will try and post some of the better ones once we get back home.

So, there you have my excitement!  Have a safe and wonderful Independence Day and I'll be back on when I get the chance to give updates and share pictures!

Starward Release Day!!!

Yes, you read the title right....Starward has finally released!  WOOT!! *Throws confetti*  So, here's the cover, synopsis, and purchase links for all you readers interested in sci-fi/adventure novels!

 

Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1)

by E. M. Lohr and Wendy Lohr

 



Synopsis:

DNA, the schematic for life, and so much more. For the long dead aliens, it’s a message media of treachery and treason through the centuries. For the mission to the stars, it’s an absolute requirement. But for Rosa, it’s a curse of being the only one with the right DNA. Going into space isn’t on her life list. But events centuries before her time has set fate into motion from which there is no escape. So she reluctantly embarks on the ultimate space adventure…to unknowingly deliver the dead aliens’ message of betrayal!

This book can be purchased on Kindle, Nook, and in paperback through CreateSpace and Amazon.

I love to hear feedback, so let me know what you think of the cover and synopsis and whether this sounds like a book you'd be interested in reading!  And if you purchase this book, please spread some love by reviewing it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads!

Happy Reading!

Release Date Announcement!!!

Good morning, lovelies!  I have a wonderful announcement to make!  Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 26 as that is the official release day for Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1)!!!!!!  To tantalize you, here's the cover and synopsis for this sci-fi/adventure that I've co-written with my incredible Muse:

Synopsis:

DNA, the schematic for life, and so much more. For the long dead aliens, it’s a message media of treachery and treason through the centuries. For the mission to the stars, it’s an absolute requirement. But for Rosa, it’s a curse of being the only one with the right DNA. Going into space isn’t on her life list. But events centuries before her time has set fate into motion from which there is no escape. So she reluctantly embarks on the ultimate space adventure…to unknowingly deliver the dead aliens’ message of betrayal!

Isn't that an amazing cover???  And you know you want to read it after reading that synopsis....so, mark those calendars for June 26 and get ready for an incredible journey to the stars and beyond!!

Latest Updates

I know it's Thursday and I usually do a Booking Through Thursday post.  But, I was sifting through all my posts and realized that I hadn't given any updates lately.  So, I will return to Booking Through Thursday next week.

So, let's start with an upcoming release from one of our authors at Cressen Books.  Awakening Iris (The Dreamcatchers Saga #1) by Jessie McClain is the debut novel of a very talented author.  Here's the cover and synopsis and the release date for this novel will be Wednesday June 12, 2013:

Dreamcatchers and dreams.  Iris has them both.  Dreamcatchers to catch her bad dreams.  And dreams of what life was, but none of what life could be.  Until her familiar Stranger engulfs her life and changes everything.  Is he a new dream of the future or destined to be a repeat of the past?  Can she allow herself to love again or will the pain from the past be too great?







So, make sure to mark your calendars!  This book will be available for Kindle and Nook and will also be available in paperback through Amazon.com.

The next bit of news - Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) by E. M. Lohr and Wendy Lohr (co-authoring with my Muse has turned out to be a lot of fun) had to have an extra chapter added.  We had gone through all the edits and realized that it was missing something.  So, I've added that extra chapter and hopefully we'll have a chance to edit it in the next couple of days.  Then we still have to get a synopsis together and finish the cover before everything will be ready.  We're hoping to either publish this sometime in the middle of June or sometime in July.  Release dates will be announced when we get closer to figuring that out!

Other than those two major things taking shape, I've been working on edits for another author's novel that we hope to release by the end of June.  I'll highlight that more once things have progressed to the last stages.  And, I've been writing feverishly on several new ideas over the last few weeks.  I absolutely love the writing process, the flow of words across the page, coming so fast that my fingers can barely keep up with my brain!  So exhilarating!!

I think that's it for now.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Weekend and wish you all a great weekend coming up.  And Happy Reading!

It's Saturday!

Good morning all!  It's Saturday and in just two days I'll be picking up my very best friend in the whole world from the airport to spend a week doing what friends do...sooo excited!!

With her coming to visit, that inspired the Muse and I to do a bit of Spring Cleaning this morning and I'm a bit exhausted now.  Fortunately, with no kids to worry about, the mess wasn't all that bad...clean bathrooms, vacuum, and dust for the most part.  But it can still be a bit tiring.  So now it's chill time here before we decide to do something else ambitious!

Just to give an update...I've finished edits for two of the authors that are signed on with Cressen Books.  Those manuscripts have been sent back to them to work on and if all goes well, we'll be publishing them within the next 6 weeks!!!  Between now and then, I'll be posting covers and such on the blog here so you all can see what's releasing soon.

So now it's back to working on edits for Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1).  We're about 40 pages away from being done with it.  Then we have to come up with a synopsis, finish the cover, and publish it!  Woot!!  I'm so excited to see this novel release as it's going to be an awesome beginning to an epic Sci-Fi/Adventure series that I hope readers will enjoy!

Then my next project will be to start working on edits for Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1).  This particular story has evolved so much over the past couple of months that it no longer looks like what it originally started out to be.  But that's okay.  I think the evolution of this project has just made it even better.  This series will fall under the Fantasy/Mythology/Adventure realm (yeah, it covers different genres and doesn't fit into just one specific one).

Other than that, I've been writing on some different story ideas during these last couple of weeks of editing sessions just to keep the creative writing flowing.  I'm not sure if any of those particular stories will develop into something publishable, but you never know.  And, as some of you may have noticed, I've started participating in some bookish memes each week to add a little more spice to the blog.  For now, I'm participating in Teaser Tuesday, hosted by Should Be Reading, and Booking Through Thursday (blog is of the same name).  I've been enjoying these so far and hope to keep up with them on a regular basis.

And since I love to read and have gotten back on a reading trend again, I hope to post a monthly update of the books I've read during that month.  I did this for several months last year before I fell off the reading trend horse.  But now that I'm back in the saddle, I'll try to pick that back up again.

I guess that's it for now.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and I'd like to say 'Howdy' to the new followers!  I'll try to keep things interesting here!

Starward Cover Reveal

I'm deep in the middle of edits for Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) but I wanted to take some time to share the beautiful cover with you all:

Isn't it pretty?  The cover will actually wrap around to the spine, so some of what appears to be extra space on the left side is actually where the spine will be.

I'm so excited to share this with everyone and can't wait for the book to release!  I'll definitely keep everyone posted as the release date grows near.  Until then, keep your eyes peeled for more about this upcoming Sci-Fi/Adventure release...it's going to be an awesome journey!!

Starward....And Beyond

Good morning all!  You've probably noticed the silence here over the last week or two and I promise I have a good reason for that. 

Final edits have begun on Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) and the first four chapters had to have some major additions and re-writes.  So, my fingers have been glued to my keyboard trying to make those happen.  And let me just say that the additions and re-writes were well worth it! 

So, we're now into the second part of the book and things are shaping up nicely. We should have Starward completely edited and ready for publication within.....hopefully.....the next month or so. *crosses fingers*  I'll know more as things progress and will definitely keep everyone posted.

And speaking of Starward, a lot of discussions have been taking place between me and the co-author, E. M. Lohr, (who is also my Muse and my wonderful hubby) about overall series direction and how we want to see the subsequent books play out.  Which has actually led me to begin writing the first draft of Book 2 in the Galactic Dynasty series.  We don't have a title for the book yet...that probably won't come until we've written at least half of the first draft.  But, it has started and I'm extremely excited to see how the characters are going to continue to tell their story!

Edits have also begun on Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1).  Did any of you see something strange in that sentence?  Yep, the book that was originally titled The Soul of Arial has gone through some structural changes.  An overall series concept revealed itself to me about three weeks ago and I've been working on fitting the book into this new concept.  Here's how I sort of see it playing out: The Soul of Arial will actually encompass 5-6 books total spanning three very different realms that Arial has to travel through to reach her ultimate destination. 

I know that probably didn't reveal a whole lot about the series, but I'd rather not reveal a lot right now.  Things are still in the works, but as Prophecy Revealed comes closer to being complete and ready to publish, I'll be sharing a lot more about this particular series with you.

Have I forgotten anything???  Probably, but these two particular pieces of information were the most important that I wanted to share at the moment.  I hope everyone has a great week and enjoys the return of Spring!  I know I'm looking forward to seeing things in bloom again!

Adios for now!

Moving Forward

Since the last time I posted, The Butterfly Connection was published and is now available for Kindle, Nook, and in paperback...WOOT!!  This means that The L & L Mysteries series is behind me and I am moving forward.

My next project is Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) that I'm co-authoring with my Muse (aka my wonderful hubby).  The manuscript is actually finished as of early last week and we are now entering the editing phase.  This is going to be an amazing beginning of a very exciting sci-fi/adventure series and I can't wait to see Starward published!

With the manuscript for Starward finished, I am now moving my writing focus to a new series I'm authoring for adult readers.  I don't have a title for the series yet, but the first book in the series is called The Soul of Arial.  This series falls in the high fantasy realm and explores a whole new take on where souls go when humans die.  I don't want to give too much away right now, but I'm very confident that nothing else exists out there that could compare to this series.  At least nothing that I've read and I've read A LOT over the years.

With that said, I need to return to my writing cave for now.  I'll try to resurface and give some updates later this week or early next week.  Until then, I hope everyone has a wonderful week and don't forget to celebrate National Reading Month by curling up with a good book! :)

New Projects

With the official release of The Butterfly Connection (The L & L Mysteries #4), I can finally put that series behind me and begin working on the many other writing projects that have been waiting in the wings for the last couple of years.

The first project being Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) which I'm co-authoring with my Muse.  I'm really looking forward to escaping into a much different genre, this one being sci-fi/adventure for mature readers.

It feels strange, though, having gone from writing for a much younger age group to writing for those that are in their late teens and above.  The transition is challenging, but I like that because it forces me to develop and expand my writing skills even more.  One thing hasn't changed, though.  The characters are alive and well in my mind and are clamoring to tell their parts of the story!  And I'm excited to tell it for them. :)

While I'm in the process of completing Starward, I will probably be working on a couple of other series that I've been kicking around for the last few years.  The Soul of Arial is one of them and is only about half-written.  But I'm really excited about this book as well because I feel that it is so different from what's already out there in the Fantasy genre.  This book in particular is definitely for mature audiences and again is a challenge to write, but a good challenge.

And right now, I'm currently doing research for an epic fantasy/adventure series that I've got brewing in the back of my mind.  The research is fascinating and I can see so many different ways to weave in what I've learned so far to make the story really come alive.

But, as a whole, you'll probably be seeing update posts regarding Starward for the next few weeks or months.  That is where my focus is going to be primarily.

So, I'm off to do some more massaging and tweaking of the manuscript!  I hope everyone is having a great week so far.  And, make sure you pop by Cressen Books' website to read the first chapter of The Butterfly Connection as well as check out the other books that are available!  There's some awesome stuff out there!

So Close I Can Taste It

Ah, the taste of sweet freedom!

What is she going on about now, you ask?  Well, The Butterfly Connection should be ready for publication within the next couple of days and I am breathing a huge sigh of relief.  As much as I love The L & L Mysteries, I've discovered that it is now time I moved on to other projects and put this one to rest for a while.  Someday I may come back to these characters that I love so much and write them into an adult mystery series.  But for now, it's time to say good-bye.

So, what's next?  The galaxy and beyond!!  lol  Meaning Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1), being co-written with my wonderful Muse.  I have some scenes to polish and a few chapters to add.  Then it's on to the editing stages and publication for this exciting, sci-fi/adventure novel.

And I have The Soul of Arial I'm still working on.  It's about half-way done, so still a lot of writing to do before I can hand it over for editing.

And.....yeah, the list keeps growing! lol  I've come up with a new idea for an epic fantasy series.  I always love the new idea stage of a story.  It's fresh and alive with so many possibilities for going so many different directions.  I believe I have the overall story outlined in my head.  Now I have to figure out the particulars.  And this one may go for three books or it may go for more.  That piece I don't have a feel for yet either.  But the characters are already taking up space in my head and clamoring for attention.  So, I have a feeling I'll begin writing some rough drafts of the story here shortly!  *does a happy dance*

Of course, on top of all of that I still have the business to work with.  But things are flowing very smoothly with that end of the spectrum.  I'll soon have a couple of manuscripts to begin editing (both technical and content), but I really look forward to those.  It will keep me from my writing for a few days but I believe it will definitely be worth it.  The novels in question have very fascinating storylines that I'm looking forward to diving into.  So, it's all good!

And if anyone has been following my Facebook posts, you'll know that I've begun a little exercise routine, something I really needed to do since I was finding that I spent most of my day on my butt in front of the computer.  So starting Monday, I began working on an Elliptical trainer that we purchased from someone close by who was looking to get rid of it.  It works perfectly for what I'm wanting it for.  I've started out with a 5 minute routine and will slowly be working my way up to using some of the pre-programmed workouts on the machine.  So far, so good.  I've not strayed off the path, which was my biggest concern.  But things are still in the early stages, so I'm being cautiously optimistic.  I do love the machine though.  It makes me feel as if I've actually worked out and accomplished something, which is good. 

So, I guess that is all my news for right now.  Some was probably a repeat from my last post, but I'm just so excited about things right now that I had to repeat myself! lol  I hope everyone is having a good week and I wish you a safe and fun-filled weekend...or at least a very relaxing one! :)

Yes, I'm still here....I think

Good morning, all!  Yes, I know it's been forever since my last post and I do apologize.  Things have been so crazy and then add vacation on top of that and it's a wonder I still remember my own name! lol

Anywho, I hope everyone has been doing well.  I had a blast in Arizona and felt as though I got my head screwed back on relatively straight.  Vacay was definitely in order for me.  Now I'm back (actually I've been back for a week but have been ridiculously swamped with things I've been trying to catch up on) and am ready to tackle my writing projects with gusto!

So, first up is The Butterfly Connection (The L & L Mysteries #4).  I know, I know, I've talked on and on about this book for quite a while now and no, it's still not done.  But, I am happy to report that there are only 3 chapters left to be verbally edited.  Then it's final formatting and I can FINALLY publish it!!!  I will be doing some major victory dancing when this book publishes!

Second, I have made some major progress on Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1), which is being co-written with my Muse (aka, the hubby).  We've had some major changes come about, realized we didn't have an entire book to write before the one we'd already drafted, and have taken several introductory chapters and added them into the almost complete draft we'd already done for Starward.  It's confusing, but in the end, this is going to be an amazing sci-fi/adventure series and Starward is going to be an awesome beginning to this series!!

Once Butterfly and Starward are off my plate (i.e. published), it's on to The Soul of Arial.  This book may be the first in a series but that's still up for debate.  I'm at the halfway mark on the first draft of this novel and look forward to diving into it some more once I free up my time from the first 2 projects I mentioned. 

So, with that, it looks as though I may have 3 books published by the end of this year...woot!  Go me!

As for the business, it's going very well.  Two of our authors have already published books in January, A Veil of Shattered Dreams by Rachel Stark and Naked Lady Dreams by E. M. Lohr.  Both of these books are amazing, so definitely check them out!  Aside from myself, we have two more authors who are finishing up their draft manuscripts and will be submitting those for technical and content editing within the next couple of weeks.  I'm so excited to see how they have fleshed out their novels...should be awesome reading!

Whew...so yeah, I've been a busy bee! lol  But I prefer to be busy, so it's all good.  I need to get back at it, so I'm going to leave you all with a few pics from Arizona.  I hope everyone has a great week and I will try my best to get back on here soon with more updates!