Next!

I started Mortal Voice II.

I was working on Flames and suddenly this scene for chapt. 1 of MVII flashed before my eyes. So I wrote it down, of course. Now I'm working on three books right now: MVII, Flames, & Tail.

MVII starts out at a crime scene, just like MV. Slid right into the case. The woman has been missing for 36 days and the family still holds out hope--well, most of them. Jaci finds a skull, but it's not the woman's. However, the woman's body is there, mummified.  What is strange though to Jaci is that the land is weirdly silent. It doesn't give her a lot of information, just the basics of the woman's death and no more. And the land feels hollow, empty. Not what she's used to. Something is wrong.  And Jaci means to find out what caused this.

Tail is almost done. I had the confrontation with the king and Beka. Only it turned out to have more of a twist than I originally thought. :)

I added a few pages in Flames. Nick and Sara have met with Seb, the wedding planner. So that can be checked off. And another fire has happened but it's not their arsonist, just someone taking advantage of the fires for his own edge.

Still working on Mortal's blurb.

Don't know when Z is for ghouls or My Orange Crush (Toby's book) will be coming out.  But be on the look out. Sharon has them and may publish at any time.

Writing a blurb

 

Here is the definition of a blurb from a dictionary.

 

blurb

[blərb]

 

NOUN

blurbs (plural noun)

1. a short description of a book, movie, or other product written for promotional purposes and appearing on the cover of a book or in an advertisement.

 

Sounds easy, but it's not.

 

You don't want to give away too much of the book, but you want to hook the attention of the reader.

 

I'm working on the blurb for Mortal Voice and I keep redoing it 'cause I don't like the little bit that I've come up with. I don't want it to sound like a romance novel or sound too much like the Elemental Voice series either since it is neither.

 

What I have so far:

 

Necro-Covery recovers missing persons, presumed dead. Our investigator has skilled consultants, including one of the nation's top forensic anthropologist, to help him sluice out clues. We guarantee results.

So states Jaci Travers and Paul Rooney's business.

 

I wrote four short blurbs and erased all but this one. I'm still working on the blurb 'cause even though I like this one it still isn't right so still working.

 

Jaci and Paul get called to a track of land to do her 'thing' 'cause the sheriff needs evidence fast on a man he has in holding since you can only hold a person without charging them for 24 hours. She leads them to remains of 7 women. The sheriff also has a case that has been haunting him for 10 years that he decides to ask her to look at. It turns out that both killers had the same secret, loosely linking the cases. A victim's father makes a business proposal that would make Paul and Jaci's dreams come true. Is it for real or will it be snatched away by the negative PR sure to come from the one killer's case? 

 

Got to make a blurb out of this bit. I like the last two sentences so I think I'll keep them the way they are but I got to figure out the rest.

 

 

Tail is at the confrontation of Beka, the King, and Hawk with a surprise visitor. The King is going to get a surprise himself before Hawk fires him up. I think Tail will be around 35-37,000 words. instead of 50,000. Though I'll be editing it after I finish so I might add some words.

 

I wrote a few pages in Flames.

 

Like I said I plan to get Flames and Tail out this year.

 

Waters and Mortal II is next on my list to work on after I get Flames and Tail out. Air/Wind and Mortal III are next after that. Then Deadly Aether to finish out the Elemental voice and companion series. My Fallborn dragon books will just have to fall in there somewhere if I can't work on the others.

 

Then there's my Alliance books and the Time-Lost books, and standalone dragon books. I've got lots to work on. And all of them need blurbs.

 

What have I gotten myself into!  :)

 

a slice of dialogue

Mortal Voice is done!

Not entirely happy with the way it ended, but I was already over my projective word count. And any more would just degenerate.

Rounded up the cases and interjected a bit of future connectiveness.

You shall see in a future book.

I got three planned so far. Mortal, After long silence, and Earth Bound. I have the covers for all three done, but I need to work on blurbs and Bios for them.  Especially Mortal since it's coming out this year now that it's done.

I need to finish Flames and Tail.

Tail is almost finished just the confrontations to go and the ending. Right now the meeting with the queen is happening, then the confrontation of the armies at the Pass will come. While they're fighting, the evil man will snatch Beka, causing Hawk to follow. Thus begins the main confrontation.

So 15,000 to 20,000 more words should finish Tail.

Flames is still in the beginning stages. Only a little over 5,000 words in. Though it's a novelette it still needs a lot more words than that! :)

These two need to get out this coming year.

Toby's book and my zombie dribble is coming out too this year. Sharon has them and is working on them. They'll come out first.

Waters and Air/Wind need to come out in the next year as well if I'm going to make the deadline I set  by my 50th birthday. I don't think I'll make it but I'm going to try.

Just a bit of colloguy

Chapt. 15 in Mortal!

Almost done. Just clearing up the cases and setting up the second book. Everyone is taking their leave of Jaci and Paul, even though it's the two of them that are leaving. So far their business dream is on its way to being realized and their personal life seems to be on track.

Paul proposed to Jaci.

They haven't had much time to make wedding plans past that.

Mortal Voice is different from my Elemental Voice series. No vampires in society or psychics helping the police openly.. Her 'gift' is slightly different too.  Though man-made things still block her contact with the Earth(Gaea).

Her fearlessness is the same though. Hard to be afraid when you're protected by a powerful elemental. When she is in touch with the Earth(Gaea) she knows she is safeguarded, though she can be killed by a gun or knife, but the Earth will save her from harm if it can. It can cause an earthquake or open a hole beneath the 'bad guy' in a field or cause a tree to fall in the forest.  rocks to fall, etc.

I also made it so Jaci is the 'author' of my Elemental Voice series.  I want to stir up a little interest in them. I got a small core of readers, but of course I want to expand.

The next book in the Mortal series will  be a bit different. Only  one case to begin with a older cold case that ties in.  A 'recent' disappearance is tied in with an older mysterious disappearance. The 'recent' was on the trail of the old and someone didn't want that old one found.

That's why I called it: After long silence.

Treasure might be involved as well, though not what one would expect. Nor necessarily how.

I always love a bit of a twist somewhere.

Sharon said she'd get my ebook Z is for Ghoul out soon. It's just a little dribble about the zombie apocalypse that wouldn't leave me alone so I just wrote it straight out. About 3,000 words so not a big read.

  

Blathering

Chapt. Eleven in Mortal Voice so far.

Tentative ID on remains under the shed say it's Harlow's father. However, who killed him is still up in the air. Paul and Jaci are tellin' a bit of their past 'cause they think Harlow is going to play the "They planted the evidence that's how she knew where it was' card. But there's gonna be a bit of a twist.

We haven't heard from Hasting yet. But he hasn't forgotten them.

A victim's father made a business proposal that would make Paul and Jaci's dreams come true. Is it for real or will it be snatched away by the negative PR sure to come from Harlow's case?

I had a dream the other night that my cat and me were at a book signing and he(mycat) was signing the books. I think it's telling me to publish his blog post book, either that or it's telling me that my cat is the one writing the book I'm working on now. :)

Maybe he is whispering in my ear at night. He does sleep with me. Hmmm.

I straightened my desk up a bit, but it's getting messy again as I'm working on Mortal right now.

 

Never stays clean when I work on a book. I have scraps of paper with scribbles on it next to my computer and usually one or more reference material on the desk too. This time I just have a lot of scraps where I jotted down something to remember for later. I gather the scraps up later and put them in the story bible so I can reference them more easily, but I still sometimes leave the scraps there.

 

 

 

 



Just a line

Chapt. 9 in Mortal Voice.

The presumptive test on the wood chipper at the caught killer's place(Harlow) showed the presence of blood,. and there's a male body/remains under the shed in the back. Who is it? Did Harlow kill him?

The other cannibal (Hastings) is out on bail. He and Jaci had a little run-in in the sheriff's office. Is she going to be his next victim or is he going to disappear like he planned?

Next up is the scene when they meet one of Harlow's vicitm's father.

 I haven't worked on either Flames or Tail. I've been obsessed with Mortal. It's like I have to get it done first before I can finish my elemental voice series. I have dreams about writing and when I get up I sit down and write a few pages of Mortal as if I had written it before.  .Maybe my subconscious is writing it!

 In my waking dreams it's a hit and garnishes interest in my elemental voice series.  Don't we all wish that?

Anyway, I'm plugging away at it, page by page.

I had a dream the other night about my Alliance series. Which brought up my other blogs, both Alliance and Sidereal. I changed Sidereal a bit, but I hadn't messed with Alliance. Maybe this dream was a stirring of my subconscious to look at my Alliance blog.

I'm working on organizing my writing area. I straightened my hand-written notes, but my desk is still a mess.

Just a bit of Organizing

My reference cabinet is organized now.

All the books I use for my writing is in this cabinet as well as a few of my writing magazines. Dictionaries and books of names, old handbooks are all here.

On top is my collection of fall and Halloween solar dancers to get me in the mood for murder. :)

Also on top is a mug full of pens and bookmarks I collected from other authors and around town. Never know when you'll need a pen or a bookmark for research.

My desk is still messy as is the two boxes next to it. They have my raw notes and business papers. That's next on my list to organize.



Still working on Mortal Voice. There seems to be two hospital scenes in my head so I'm going with the flow. Seems the one WBI agent wants to confront Paul in the hospital about his past and why he's working with Jaci.  Also the sheriff returns their SUV after their night at the hospital. So two scenes at the hospital.

Next up the scene at the caught killer's place.

More words

Coming along on Mortal Voice.

Up to 12,095 words.

One killer caught, the other getting out on bail. Both Cannibals, though only our two main characters know that. Maybe they know each other, maybe they met at Cannibals Anonymous. :)

The one used a wood chipper to get rid of the bodies while the other buried what remained on a dump site, not caring about any other forensic countermeasures than plausible denial.  Two cannibals in one town yet only five missing women. Where are they getting their other victims?  And you know there has to be others. 

I don't know if I'll make it to 50,000 words on Mortal. I only have five more scenes in my head, one of which is the ending. After the scene I'm writing now comes the hospital scene. Next scene is at the caught killer's place and they're looking at a wood chipper while CSU takes a swab and it shows positive for blood. Then Jaci is talking to the second cannibal or should I say he's talking to her about minding her own business which she says she is. Another scene is with one of the victim's father talking to them about investing in their company. And the last scene is cannibal being led away in handcuffs and he tells Jaci that it ain't over.

That's all I have in my head right now. 

I've already written the scene where Jaci says she's the author of my Elemental Voice series. Maybe that will stir things up. As I've said before Elemental is the dream and Mortal is the reality. Elemental is how I'd like the world to be with vampires and psychics real and accepted and Mortal is how it is now.

I'm at the scene where Keth, the exile, meets the Queen in Tail. They are both headed toward the pass and the confrontation with the Rennon Army.  It's going to be love at first sight. But they are both pragmatic and don't say anything until later.  Beka's meeting with the man behind everything is getting closer as well. There's gonna be a surprise during that confrontation.

Flames is not being worked on right now. I want to get Mortal Voice done. It's like a compulsion to work on it. Maybe I needed a break from Nick and Sara. Once Tail and Mortal are done, I'll go back to Flames. I had planned to finish the four books I still have in those two series before I turn 50. So I got a little over a year which I don't think I'll make but Flames is coming out next year.  One way or another!

 

Words,Words

My sort of NaNo bit is coming along.

1774 words so far today which makes it up to 7,010 words on Mortal Voice and 31,776 on Tail. I want to get them both done NOW!  The problem with writing is writing. :)

I wish I could just take it from my brain and zap it on the page. It's all there in my brain but finding the words sometimes just makes me frustrated.

I already got a cover and title for the next book in the Mortal Voice series. I just saw this public domain picture and it screamed next book. So I did a cover.

I used my line 'read the earth like a medium hears the dead' in Mortal Voice. She's explaining her gift and the agent doesn't believe her so she tells him that.

Mortal Voice is a little different from the Elemental Voice series. Mortal is set in our world without vampires and the law enforcement is skeptical about psychics. She and her partner own a company called Necro-Covery that helps find missing persons--and dead bodies--instead of being a FBI consultant.  Her 'gift' is a little different as well. You could say Elemental is the dream and Mortal is the reality. I might even have Jaci write my Elemental series in Mortal. :)

I need to write a blurb for Mortal as well. Something to entice the readers to buy. Hmm.

a piece of gossip

I'm sort of doing the NaNo bit.

I'm trying to write at least 1000 words or more a day to finish one of my three books that I'm messing with right now.

Deadly Flames, Mortal Voice, or Under the Dragon's Tail.

I've been working more on Mortal Voice right now since I keep getting little scenes in my head about it every day. Besides I need a break from Flames as I got stuck. Tail is getting a bit of work as well. Both Tail and Mortal are coming along nicely. With Flames I'm not sure how much bitchiness I want with Santino before I kick her to the curb in this book.  As I've said she gets her comeuppance in Wind/Air. 

Silver is poisonous to my vampires. They have allergic reactions to it much like humans do to their allergens. A touch causes a rash, a stab with a silver knife causes them to seize up, and a silver bullet can kill them. The killer in Wind/Air uses silver chains, silver knives, and silver bullets, torturing the vampires before killing them.  I'm not sure I want to go all the way with Santino or just to the beginning of the torture before she is rescued. Decisions, decisions.

Toby's book and my short story are with Sharon. However, she broke her leg and is in the hospital so I don't know if or when they will get done. So you' all will just have to wait. When I talked with her she said she was doing fine but was going to have a long recovery. I hope she stays in good health otherwise..

 Also when I finish the other stories you might have to wait then too. Can't tell what's what right now.

I got another day off from work. My schedule was just not working for me what with on-line college, work, and writing. So I chatted with the new boss at work and changed my workdays a bit. I was just not able to work on everything without another day.

 Hopefully, everything will work out.

College isn't going smoothly. I can't seem to get the hang of APA style. I just don't understand some of it at all and the rest just barely. Maybe it's been too long since I've been to school.  I'm calling my academic/Finance advisor.

Changes

As you can see I changed some things on the blog.

I like these images so I may stay with them for a while. I got the eye from dreamstime and it's copyrighted by Andrea Kodydkova. So I'll make sure I put that there before I set it for sure.

The pic for my book link is supposed to be the back of the main female character in Mortal Voice.  She has longer hair than Sara and eyes the color of grass. They both have similar dressing styles as they don't go for fancy things, but Jaci likes summer dresses and  large Tees over leggings with knee-high boots while Sara prefers jeans and tees more. That doesn't mean Jaci doesn't wear them occasionally, but she rather wear the dresses.

Jaci is pronounced like Jackie. I know someone with this name and liked  the spelling.

I've been messing with Canva again and made another cover for Mortal Voice.

This is about an earth voice who works with an ex-detective, and two anthropologist in a company called Necro-Covery.

She finds the bodies and the anthropologists help identify and dig them up. The ex-detective is now a PI and they use his license for the searching part.

I just love this cover.

The picture was in public domain so free.

I've been working on Mortal and got 2296 words so far. I wanted to get the two scenes in my head out before I forgot them. My memory can be a sieve some times.





I've also did two more of the Fallborn series covers.

The story with magic and dragons is going to be called Through the Dragon's Eye. She's the Voice at the Temple of the Goddess(Mother Nature) and gets called to a ruin in the woods near town. It had once been a temple and a murder occurred there.  The dragon beneath was awakened and takes a shine to her.

The other cover is for Beneath the Dragon's Wings.  I only had a picture of a woman standing beneath wings hanging on the wall. More will come no doubt.

All the Fallborn are going to be PG13--No sex.

I think maybe I'll change the eye to a crime scene picture that I saw. That way it goes with my title. I'm scared of using those dreamstime images that aren't public domain..

a Dash of Nattering

Well, got my first assignment for college done and back. B-. Not bad for something I wasn't sure I was doing right! :)

So on to second assignment this week.

As to the covers, I like both so it's hard for me to choose which  one to do for Tail.  Right now I'm leaning towards the one with the eye. The skin is bearded dragon skin and the eye I found on a free site. The eye looks similar to another I saw, the size and a slight difference in color is the only difference I see in the two so I downloaded the free one.

I also changed the dragon skin motif on the other cover to bearded dragon skin. So here's the new design:

Much better I think.

I've had a thought about Mortal Voice. What if I make it a magic world with Adepts. She is something different, a Voice. Magic comes from people's/ living thing's energy. Lifeforce./Elemental energy is something different than what they're used to. Adepts use 5th element spirit and there's more of them. Only a few have the other elements and most don't survive to adulthood and those that do are de-spirted by their 'lack' of gift.  .

Or maybe I'll make this a Fallborn and make Mortal Voice a modern tale with her partnered with a detective. Yeah, maybe.

I got to think on it. And I got two covers for it too, though one has a less chance since the clothes are modern for the Fallborn/ but maybe I'll save the one cover for another story.  :)

At least I hope I can use the image I downloaded from Dreamtime. I don't know. I'll ask Sharon when I'm closer to finishing that book.

I worked a bit on Tail today. I plan to finish it and/or Flames by April. Tail is coming along fine and nearing the confrontations of both the Rennon and Eldanian Armies and Beka and the evil man.  I have put subtle hints in, maybe too subtle. But I don't want to give away the ending too soon or it will be anticlimactic.

I'm also have another of the Fallborn series started; In the Dragon's Claw.

I like these covers, but I also like the other covers I have for them but these are the ones that show they are a series. So I may go for them.


I have a few more Ideas for Fallborn. Most of them are PG13 or close enough.

another bit of prattle

I have two covers for Under the Dragon's Tail. Which do you think is best?

Please leave a comment. I really want to know which you think is the best.

 

I did both on Canva. com. I like both.

 

Fallborn is the "category" all my dragon books are going to be under. All dragons' are Fallborn. Eggs laid spring, hatch fall. All my dragons are going to be hermaphrodites, but present as males. Some of the stories will have regular relationships and some asexual. Tail is asexual. Asexual does not mean  without intimacy. Hugs and touches, even kisses, can be asexual but still convey love and intimacy.

 

Anyway enough of deep thoughts. :) 

 

I'm working on both Tail and Flames. I want to get at least one of them done before April. Tail is farther along than Flames of course. 

Tail BLURB: Dark days have shrouded the Kingdoms, but rumors of the Dragon' s Gem have resurfaced and given hope to those who still fight. Are they just rumors or is it the time of prophecy?

I wrote this during the first days of writing the first few chapters. Now I'm 30, 000 words into it and I still think this is good. :)  

Short and sweet. I'll come up with more by the time I'm finished I'm sure.

This story idea was actually from when I was a teen. I had a dream and wrote a brief, real brief narrative of what I remembered of the dream and I turned it into the prophecy:

 The dragon's gem will be lost for a hundred and one years and will be brought forth by a girl rich in humble origins, causing the dragon to awake. An evil man will seek to steal the gem and an army will gather at the Pass named for the horse general while the king of kings joins with the warrior queen. Blood will flow and evil will seem to have the upper hand until the girl is brought before the evil man. At her word the dragon will smote all the evil before her with cleansing fire.

I'll have to clean it up a bit but I'm leaving this as the prophecy.  My friend Travis and I wrote years ago together to see if we could get a book done doing writing together. He finished his, and eventually published it, though he was not satisfied with it. But I only got to 20,000 words.

 Now it's 30,000 and I got a bit to go yet, but I'm determined to finish this book. I finished four books in the Voice Series and I know I can finish this one since I have finished these. 

All it takes is time.

Aftermath

Well, Ozarks Indie Book Fest didn't turn out like I expected. Troubles happened and we ended up at the Library Center on Saturday. I was disappointed and I know others were as well.

Enough Negative!

I plan to start to work on Flames again this week. There are other things going on but I plan to get started anyway. 

The interviewing process is beginning in Flames so we'll meet at least a few of the suspects. Nick and Sara have already given their initial thoughts on the subject: the firebug is not a firebug. He/she uses the fire to cleanse. A firebug is fascinated by fire, almost in love with it. This suspect is not. Nor is he/she a fire starter or a voice like in Fire Walker. 

Santino is going to make another move.  As I stated before she gets her comeuppance in Wind Whisperer. Being a bitch is not good in my books. :)

I'm editing one of my dragon books. Under the Dragon's Tail.  I'm making it 'family friendly" so no sex or such things as leads to sex. It was YA at the start then veered a bit so I'm un-veering it and going back toward YA. I'm a little over half-way through with it.

I've been also looking over the other books I have lodged in my computer.  Over thirty.  All of them have a least part of a chapter done and some more than that. I also have a milk crate full of hand-written notes on about thirty more stories, plus the notebook I keep by my bed in case a dream triggers a writing spree. There's enough ideas to keep me writing until the next century and more keep coming. I have a hard time with which to stay with and which to let go. I just pile them up.

Sometimes I get an idea that has three different outcomes depending on one decision.

Does this happen to you?

Which is why there is three Voice Series in my head. One I'm writing where she moves on toward becoming a shaman, one where she stays a voice and opens a agency that discovers bodies, and another where she becomes a voice to help a clan of weres. 

I'm going to write them all.  Get this out of my system.

2 Days to Book Fest

AS it says two days 'til Book Fest.

Got the eight Water Ferrier I ordered. 

I'll probably sell out the first day, if I have a good day.  I don't have many books since I'm always short of money. I'm lucky I have any at all most times. I buy a few and tend to give them away or sell them for cost more than at retail. Though I do sell a few at retail to my old neighbors. Retail from me is still cheaper than retail from Amazon.   No shipping.

I'm doing a giveaway at the Book Fest. It seems others had that idea as well so I got competition. :)

Flames is on hold until after the Book Fest.

I sent Z is for Ghoul to Sharon to see if it's good for a 99 cent ebook. Hopefully, I'll get some nibbles when I release it. Zombies are always a good read, even the silly or bad.  Mindless entertainment. LOL!

All my book stuff for the Fest is loaded into a bin.so all I got to do is put it in the car Friday morning. I'm also taking my Instax camera. I'm sure some people would enjoy some instant pics.

7 days til School or Book Fest

Ozarks Indie Book Fest is only a week away!

Got everything but the new book in a bin ready to go. Water Ferrier is still in transit. I only got 14 Deadly Sands, 7 Earth, and 7 Fire so I'm low on books and might sell out the first day. I never have enough money to get a lot of books at one time.

I have the two give-away bags in the bin too.

I've been working on Z is for Ghoul the past couple of days. I'm thinking about doing a 99 cent short ebook with it.  It's barely 3,000 words so real short, but I'm still working on it so maybe I'll have more words.  But I think I want to try a short ebook. I also have 'a visit home' that I could do as a short ebook. It's even shorter.   MMMM. I'll think on it.

I started a new chapter in Flames. Interviewing the suspects and Santino makes an another appearance! 

When Flames is finished, I'll go straight to Waters. I'm thinking about changing the name to Deadly Seas. What do you think? Water Ferrier and Deadly Waters or Water Ferrier and Deadly Seas. Nick and Sara head off to sail in Waters so...But most of the action is in the marina.  The three(Nick, Sara, and Elliot) get dragged into a murder at the marina where Nick's boat is harbored.   We also find out why Sara threw that frog on Elliot and what the consequences are.  I like Deadly Waters for it, cause I have an Idea for Deadly Seas, but....

Anyway, just 7 more days 'til Book Fest. I can't wait!

Why Twitter when you can blog?

So I got my business cards. Seems they were at the local UPS store. Who knew? :)

Didn't work very much on Flames.  Santino has harassed Sara and Nick has sent off a grievance to the Vampire council. Sara secretly taped Santino's harassment and let Santino's ex listen. So Santino will get it from both sides.   But you know that won't stop Santino's agenda.

Have a lot on my mind. Financial Woes.

The Ozark's Book Fest is only 14 days away.

http://ozarksindiebookfest.com/

I'm going to be broke when the Fest is here. So either PB&J or chicken salad sandwiches for me.  I wanted to stay at the hotel but I also didn't want to uproot my cat again.  Leaving him for the time I'll be at the Fest is bad enough, though he's used to me being gone all day Sundays but I didn't want to add being in a strange place to me being gone. And the money thing. NO MONEY=NO HOTEL

For an eye catcher, per se, I was thinking about doing a free raffle. They put their business card or a folded paper in a bowl and I draw a winner. I have two bags. One for each day.

Sno-caps, junior mints, journal, pens, and a wine glass.  They're in pretty Halloween treat bags.

I'm also thinking about taking the two books I made at the UPS store about my cat. I just want to see what people think since I'm thinking about doing a picture book through create space with images from his blog.

And yes he has his own blog. :)

I wrote a bit on Sidereal blog.  It has a pic of my new du, hair du that is. Got to look good for the Fest. And my hair was getting too long for work.

Also I'm thinking about bringing my Instax camera. It takes small polaroids, or however you spell it!
Anyway small instant pictures. I think it'd be fun. The film's expensive though. I have 10 shots left.

Got a costume for the after party, but don't know what to expect. Hopefully, we'll hear more about it before it happens. :)

Writing again

Well, I started working again on Flames.

I did a page and a half so far. Nick and Sara just met the Game Warden and the Trooper. And realized that the Game Warden is an ex of Santino. Santino won't like the consequences of her interference.

I also worked a little on Waters' bible.

I'm thinking of making Mortal Voice a modern day magical dragon-shifter story and just do the were story as a one off Voice story.

This is the cover

She's a earth voice and he's a water dragon-shifter. Modern day world but with science the main force but magic accepted. Only a third of the population has magic talent others mental powers, but the largest is mundanes.  Dragons were thought extinct until....

That's backstory. The book starts at a crime scene of course. Kaya and Merrik own Necro-covery, that searches/finds bodies and they are called to a It's fall and the ground is rocky. Also the land has a leyline which interfers with their .magic user abilities to use his own magic since he's a low level.
So they get called in, but only for the normal consultant fee. However it's good PR so they go.


I'm thinking about a trilogy with Mortal Voice.

I still haven't received my business cards from VistaPrint.

Whims

 

I did this at UPS store. I gave a copy to Rosie's Mom.(Rosie's Toby's playmate at or old address) and kept two copies for myself.

It was just a whim, but I liked it so I decided to do a book for Toby with some of his blog entries. If nothing else I can give them away as gifts at future signings. I'm going to try and sell first of course. The proceeds would go towards his food and treats naturally. 

He's a growing boy. :)

I did a cover on canva. What do you think?

He's definitely my orange crush. Love him loads. That's why he has a blog.

Haven't started back on Flames yet.

I've been nagging my friend Travis about working on his book and here I am procrastinating mine.

I plan to finish Flames then move on to Waters before I do air/wind. 

I also have an idea for another Voice series set in another reality where werewolves exist. Well, shapeshifters of a sort anyway. It's the early days of the Reveal for them and much is still unknown to mundanes about these others.  I plan to call it Mortal Voice. I have it's prequel half way done already for background. The prequel had been started years ago when I first did the Voice idea. I had vampires in one and weres in the other.

Once I'm finished with Elemental Voice I'll move to Mortal Voice. Or do the dragon book I have the meter for on Sidereal Time. 

I also got a glimmer of an idea of a Voice story set in magical times.That one just recently flickered into being. The muse for it is just a baby rabbit right now, curled up asleep. But I'm sure it will grow and hit me with those back feet.

I have literally hundreds of story ideas. Only a third of them are on paper or in my computer. I have always had a hard time settling on just one so it was a real accomplishment when I finished Earth Reader. Everytime I finish a book I feel good, cause I stuck with it long enough to finish and didn't get sidetracked by all the story ideas bombarding me.

Wanting to read is also a distraction. I have books I want to devour. My fav authors come out with a new book and I want to get it and read.  Or a movie comes out about my fav books.

Then there's my ADD. It's hard for me to sit still very long. I play music or the TV in the background to help but sometimes I just can't stay still. At least my office chair swivels and rocks.

At the Book Fest I know I'll be wandering and moving 'cause I won't be able to stay seated for long.

My new "office"/ Writting area

Finally got all my writing stuff together.

Now I just have to get back to writing!

lol!

I had set up the desk and computer when I first moved in but my papers and files were still in other places. Now they're beside the desk in a crate and bin.

The jar of peanuts is unsalted cause I'd have to get up for water or soda...:)

I ordered the business cards. I think they look good but I like abstract designs.

 

 

I wanted simple and clean but a touch of color. My other cards are definitely colorful and I still have a lot of them. So both cards are going on the table.

 

 

Closer to time and when I got more money I'll get a few copies of my newer book.

 

 

 



 

 

 

Moved

I'm moved for the most part. Still got a bit to move, then I get to unpack more.

Haven't been online for a few days. But I wanted to drop a line to say I'm still around, just busy.

I set up my desk and computer, then unpacked my stereo. Got to have my priorities straight!  lol!

I need to get a loveseat. My couch stayed at the old apartment. A seven foot sofa just won't fit and it was too ragged. 

The Book Fest isn't too far away now. Got to get my stuff in order. Lots of things to do before it comes around.

Moving

I'm moving!

I'm going to be busy for the next few days moving into my new apartment. So no working on my book for awhile. 

I'm not going to have money to do anything like business cards for the Book Fest at this time. I might get some in October but probably not in time for the Fest.  We'll see.

Idle Hands

Yes I used this on Sidereal and on my new website.

Seems like a good name since I'm playing around with the website and the blogs. I changed Sidereal's look and tightened up the wix website.  Didn't have anything I wanted to do off the couch so...

I know, I know. I should be writing.  I am, sorta.

So I got a website now.

https://panthersprite.wixsite.com/sidereal

I added it to the My Other Blog thingy since I have a blog there too.

I'm going to be busy if I keep up to date on all my blogs.  Tuesdays and Thursdays are update days for me since I have off from work. There's a learning curve on the website--took me a whole night to figure out the basics.  I'm terrible with new computer stuff.

Flames is still in chapt 2. Haven't really done anything with it. 

Trying to figure out how I want the meetings to go. How they meet Travis the game warden, how Santino comes into the picture, how the firebug gets in touch.  I been thinking on that.  Travis has to be met either by the end of 2 or by the middle of 3, cause Santino sweeps in in 4.  The Statie is intro'd with Travis.

Trav calls Santino for advice on his firebug and she tells him Nick can help since he just closed a fire case.  So Trav involves them and Santino shows up the next day.  I got that so far but the nitty-gritty...

Ozark Indie Book Fest.  October 19-22.

There is four panels, three keynote speakers, VIP signings, award ceremony, and an after hours party. $35 two day ticket and you get this.  The $10 day ticket  gets you into the exhibit hall with the authors but no extras.  So you should get the two day.  And they have hotel rooms right there.

Check out the Facebook page.

Swag or promotional items. Most of the other authors get swag for these events so I'm thinking about getting some.  But I don't know what kind. There are Pens, postcards, and key chains at VistaPrint. However I don't have a lot of money so I got to be frugal.

tittle-tattle

I started a new blog.

Why?  I don't know really. I just saw the word Sidereal and it just caught me.  So...

I added an Other blog thingy to this blog so you can go to Sidereal Time or The Alliance blog.

I'm thinking about getting a banner for the Ozark Indie Book Fest from VistaPrint as well as new business cards.  My old business cards only have this blog listed plus my name so I should really get new ones.

For the banner I ain't sure yet what I want on it. I'll have to think on that. The symbols on my old business card of the elements seem good. I would be able to use the banner for awhile using them.

I have a new Gmail account for book business: tinariffeyauthor@gmail.com

So if any of you want to drop me a line that's the official email for book biz.

You also notice I took a few of my finished books off the blog. I'm trying to streamline the blog. So once I finish a book I'll leave it up for awhile, then cut it out and add  the next. I need to add Flames since that's the one I'm on now. 

I'm going to mess with the blog a bit. Same old, same old ain't going to cut it any more. I want the blog to look fresh.  .

More prattle

I'm thinking about writing a story or two for Chicken Soup for the Soul.

I got to get one to read so I can see what kind of stories they want. They have to be uplifting I know but the style...Anyway I'll look at one and see.

The last Beverly Connor book I got has been read. Still want to read.  But I know I need to get to work on my Flames. 

Santino is going to try breaking the bond between Sara and Nick as well as the partnership between Nick and Elliot. She wants to isolate him so she can wear him down emotionally until he has to turn to her.  Her belief is that a bond with a human is weak and is an abomination. Humans are food sources and an inferior species.  Some of the vampires believe this makes the humans their servants or worse slaves. 

However most of the vampires believe that both vampires and humans came from a common stock and just went different ways on the evolutionary ladder.  Which makes them all equals just different. Luckily for humans the ruling vampires and enforcers believe this and police their Clans before it gets out.

In Flames Santino reveals this inner conflict which will cause problems later.

I think I will do Waters after Flames.  Waters will bring everyone up to date on what has happened and set up Wind/air. Elliot as well as the reader needs to be cognitive of everything. Sara is 2/3 of the way to being a shaman and needs to prepare both herself and the boys for her transformation.

And there will be a bit of a transformation.

With great power comes great responsibility is what I'm going for with her. 

In Deadly Aether there is one who 'With absolute power comes absolute corruption'.  But the power is not as absolute as that person thinks.  Nature is not evil through it's sometimes cruel.

A bit of a prattle

I wrote in Flames!

I finished the first chapt and started chapt 2.  Chapt 1's beginning was rewritten and I like it better now, but still not sure.

I looked up spirit animals again. Santino needed an obnoxious one and I figured a burro/donkey/mule would be perfect. Burro has attributes that could be negative. Not to mention I'd like to be able to say She's an ass. :)

About spirit animals--Did you catch the bit about the frog/toad toward the end of Water? Elliot's spirit animal is a wren...The frog/toad symbolizes energy--a jolt of elemental energy to be exact. SO I didn't make a mistake.

After Flames I might do Waters, then Wind/air. Explain a bit in Waters about the frog/toad and Judge before I launch into Santino's come-up-ence in Wind/Air. 

I'm debating about killing Santino or just maiming her in Wind/Air.  She tries to come between all three of our triad, trying to break all of their bonds both in Flames and in Wind/Air. The 'unsub'/killer gets upset over this in Wind/Air and takes extreme measures to stop that.  Harming Santino is just a salvo in Wind/Air so I ain't sure which way I want to go.

I read 2 of the Beverly Connor books.  One to go. Still reading.

Book prate

I got a book series I want to recommend. Usually I don't read Christian books 'cause a lot of them get preachy, preachy, but I like the J.D. Stanton mystery series.

This series talks about explaining science through faith and introduces the no nonsense J.D. Stanton, a retired Navy sub skipper. He renews his faith in the first book and the next two bring up theological  theories that explain certain science mysteries in a faith-based way. 

There are only three books so far but I hope there are more to come.  A ship possessed, vanished, and out of time

Check them out and see what you think. They are a nice read.

I got the books I ordered. So hopefully I'll have enough for the bookfest.  I can't wait until then. It should be fun though I don't know what to expect.

I still haven't worked on Flames.

I have 3 Beverly Connor books to go. I'm still on my reading gig.

Water is out!

Well, it's finally out.

I'm setting up a special with Earth and Fire for 99 cents July 28 thru July 30 to celebrate.

So if you don't have the first two, now's the time.

Sands is already cheaper so I left it at $1.99.

I'm excited about Ozark Indie bookfest. Keynote speakers, awards, and a party.  Should be fun. The party says book characters.  Hmmm. Wander if I'll see Sherlock or just romance heroines. :)

Jabber

Well, I reserved a table at Ozark Indie Bookfest.

Half a table anyway. I can't afford a whole table. The cost of half is hard enough.

I ordered a few books too.  Just a few. I don't have enough money for more than that right now.

Water is going to be out early--Monday. At least it should be so I can order a few copies. People are asking for them. I got three neighbors who are waiting and eager.

I've been reading some of Beverly Connor's Dianne Fallon books. Procrastinating writing Flames some more.:) 

Once I get in the mood to read I go at it almost compulsively. I read and read, and read--especially if it's a series. I don't stop until the last book is done or I lose interest for some reason. My case worker tried to get me interested in the Mortal Instruments series Thursday but I told her I didn't want to start another series.

So I ain't worked on Flames.

I did play on canva.com again. Did a few covers for my stories.

a yabber

Tentative Date: July 20

There is the book fest coming up in October. I'm thinking about getting a table there but like I said I wouldn't have money 'til August. I'd like a full table but  I'll probably have to do a half. 

And I have to get books. 

I'm still procrastinating with Deadly Flames. I just ain't feeling it right now. Maybe I should re-write the beginning. I think that's what stopping me. The beginning just doesn't grab me like it should.

.I played a bit on canva.com. My Keeper story now has a cover as does one of my dragon stories.  Whether I'll use the covers I don't know but I like playing on Canva.

Got them!

Got my proofs!

One went to my steady reader who checks over all consistence against her paper copy of the book.

She makes sure everything ended up in the book.

I left a message for my proofreader. She works nights so hopefully she gets my message. So she'll get one.

And the third's going to another steady reader.

So they'll go fast.

They look awwwwesommmme!



I'm thinking about going to the Indie Bookfest.  I want to get a table but I won't have money 'til August to sign up. I hope they don't run out of tables.

I'll have this new book to put out.  I bet my companion series book goes faster. I think that cover is the best and others agree. 

The main series covers are simple. They show the element and a basic symbol for that element.

I wanted the covers of the companion series to be a little more complicated since the books delve deeper into the couple's relationship which in itself is more complicated. 

And all of them were made on canva.com which was fun.
 

A little rambling tat

Still haven't worked on Flames.

I wrote a bit of a zombie story last night. It just rambled out when I was staring at the blank page--well, the page wasn't really blank, but it only had three sentences.  I had been wearing my Walking Dead tees the last few days so I know where the idea came from. :)

Only these zombies are more like ghouls than true zombies. Ghouls eat any meat not just brains and no rotting flesh.

So that's what I did yesterday instead of writing Flames.

I'm also distracted by Water. It's in proof stage. The digital proof looked good.  I should be getting my createspace proofs anytime now and I'm excited to see the book. I'm going to be antsy until it's out.

The scenes for Flames are still swirling.

 I got three different ways to intro Santino into the story.  Travis visits them and gets them on board. After that Santino arrives on scene.  I need to write up until then since that stays the same.  But her entrance can be written by varying approaches. 

Once things settle maybe I can make headway on Flames.

I'm thinking about museum director for college.  There's more call for museum personnel than there is for CSI. And I saw some classes that really interest me in that area.

PS  I put the little I wrote on the Zombie story in the pages section.

Another ramble

I haven't worked on Flames.

I got too much crap on my mind.

I'm thinking about going back to college. Forensics/Crime lab director or museum director. Both sound interesting to me as they each delve into things that rivet me. I got to fill out an application for SMS--Well, MSU now--and get my transcripts from Kaplan, two letters of recommendation, plus write an essay.  That's just to enter the Graduate program.

 I also got to figure out funding. Loans or try for an assistantship. I'd prefer the assistantship.

This on top of the normal financial worries and my ever present general anxiety.

I need to get back into my writing routine. Writing helps keep me out of trouble by keeping my mind distracted from my worries. I am transported to another world where vampires live next door and psychics consult the police regularly. Where the Vulcan IDIC is a rule not a wish. 

And where people like me fit right in.

After Flames, I got three more books in this world: Wind Whisperer, Deadly Waters, and Deadly Aether. 

Deadly Waters shows that Sara and Nick can't take a vacation without trouble--or dead bodies--showing up.  Even in the middle of the ocean.

Wind Whisperer completes the Shaman cycle for Sara.  She realizes her potential and the bond between her and Nick becomes more. 

Deadly Aether brings back an enemy thought taken care of.  What's a Wedding without a dead body?

Once these books are done I'm not sure which idea I want to do next. There's the Time Lost series, the Dreg Trilogy, or my standalone Dragon books. I also got other standalone book ideas just waiting in the wings.

Another tat

 

Coming soon!

It's getting put together and formatted right now. Still tentatively scheduled for June 27.  

Sharon's going to put the book numbers on the covers. That way when one has all the books a person can tell which in which order.

I haven't worked on Flames this week. I need to knuckle down and start on it.

The scenes have been swirling.

And the 'bad guy' has a name.

I picked a name whose nickname is male. The person will be androgynous--Spoiler!

I'm still debating how to play the 'bad guy'.  Pushing gender roles. 

And maybe the 'bad guy' has a crush on one of the law officers. ;)

The first two chpts. will have their arrival and the first murder. 

After that I'll get down to business. Santino arriving, tension between everyone, more fires and murders. And Intro Seb the wedding planner.

I've got so many scenes in my head. Each decision can change the next scene. Pantser to the Core!

Aether's full title is Deadly Aether.  It will be the epilogue of both the Elemental Voice and the Companion series'.  

A little tat to start June

Tentative Date--June 27th!

Water Ferrier is nearly here!

Made this on canva and a FB cover for my author page.

Sharon fixed the covers so that they're all one color instead to two different browns. And the blurb is done. I had already sent her the other stuff so everything is ready to go.

My books may not sell like Harry Potter but I still feel excitement every time one of them sells.

I also get a thrill saying I published books and got another one on the way.

That never goes away!

End of May Tat

Sent the revised Water to Sharon.

Paid.

So now it's a waiting game.

Going to go on Canva and make a FB Post so when it's published I can post it on FB sites. But I got to wait on that too until I got the revised cover. 

For Flames all I need is the 'bad guy'. 

I can write the first chapters with out 'him' but I'll have to introduce elements either way.  The first few chapters are the set up and discuss the crimes a bit. After that bits and pieces appear and sometimes even the 'bad guy' so I need to flesh out the character. I got scenes in my head but putting them down can be hard.

And sometimes the 'bad guy' is faceless.

Others "He' is the first I see.

The Elemental Voice series has four major books--Earth Reader, Fire Walker, Water Ferrier, & Wind Whisperer--while the companion series has three--Deadly Sands, Deadly Flames, & Deadly Waters. Aether is the last book in both series. 

I decided to do this group of books first. I have another group of books that are Sci-Fi.  I also have several standalone dragon books.  I have a group of three books that take one Idea in different directions.

These I already have ready to work on in my computer.

In my closet is a large box with more story ideas ready to input into my computer.

As my bio in my books says I started writing story ideas/scenes in high school. I just never finished one until Earth Reader.  The feeling I had when I held it in my hand!

I'll never get tired of the rush I feel every time I open the box and see my book.

Now if only they sell like Harry Potter!  :)

Tatting names

Still working on names for Flame.

I decided the trooper will be female so Trav can get the girl. :)

I think the trooper will be Jonelle Selby. So that name is done.

Got to name the owners of the resort, the gameskeeper, a fishing guide, a spa worker, & three dead bodies. The resort serves its own meat & the fish caught by guests so it has a 'gameskeeper' and fishing guides. 

I think one of the dead bodies will be the gameskeeper--Neil Rafferty, sounds good. So another name down.

Monica and Howard Houghton--the owners. I flipped open the baby book, and M in girls and H in boys came up. My eyes lighted on Monica and Howard so closed the book and flipped it open again--H so Houghton. Good way as any to pick a name.

Let's see about the fishing guide.

G--Grady  and L--Lanz.  So Grady Lanz.

Getting this blog written seems to be good for getting the names done.

Dena is the spa worker.

I'll hold off on the dead bodies until I decide who they'll be, :)

I don't know if I want Seb the wedding planner to be flamboyant or elegant now that I've decided on him being a made vampire. There's a little time yet before I have to decide.

The transgender idea is still simmering.

Here's the formal cake.

Imagine it without the grapes and you have it almost perfectly.  A white 4 tier with a green vine.  Two sheet cakes are added for the rest of the Clan.


  

A ramble

Fixed Water so it's revised.

Still working on names for Flames. I decided on "fiery" for the last name of the 'bad guy'.

I still haven't decided on whether the state trooper is going to be male or female. There's good arguments for both. Tension either way just different. I'm leaning more towards female right now. At least that way Trav may get the girl at the end. :)

As to Seb the wedding planner. I think I'll make him a made vampire.

For the 'bad guy' I like the transgender idea. Ole fashion ideals of gender roles but I may twist it up. A boy traumatized by hunting 'cause he's actually a girl. Hmmm.

I let everything simmer in my mind. Then I'll have an epiphany and suddenly I'll have the scenes in my head. Then I can just write.  Though I do have shifts in those scenes as I go along. Choices made changes things.



I found the rings.

Simple rings for a simple wedding. :)

With these two you know the wedding will be anything but simple. A dead body will definitely be on the guest list.

So look forward to that in Aether.


Vampire Basics of my world:
Made vamps live 500 to a thousand years while born vamps live at least two thousand.  Major damage to the spinal column or brain as well as beheading is the only way to kill a vampire. They heal within seconds, minutes at the most from stabbings or gunshot wounds.  For some reason animal wounds take longer.  Transfusing vampire blood or drinking a made vampire's blood can be fatal to humans.  Turning must be consensual or the human may go into a coma.  Mates and companions are off-limits to other vampires' feeding.  

May Begining Tat

👀May the fourth be with you!

Haven't worked much on Flames yet.

I got Water back from editor/proofreader. Going to work on the corrections next.

The state trooper is still up in the air. If it's a woman then there will be tension between her and Santino over how Santino treats both Trav and Nick. If a male then there can be tension between him and both Trav and Nick over how they treat her--as well as sexual tension between trooper and Santino. I got scenes with both scenarios in my head.

The trooper is going to be a reoccurring secondary character but he/she is sure taking up a lot of pre-story time.

I don't know which way I want to go with this. I got to decide soon 'cause the trooper shows up soon with the Warden. 

Thinking of switching up the gender of the bad 'guy' or having a transgender.

And I still don't have a name for any of them. :)

Flames' firebug has a method behind the madness. The firebug does have a fascination with fire but there's a reason behind the acts. I was think that 'cause she's a girl/trans she was 'banned' by the family from hunting and just made to cook the meat and listen to the stories.  Resentment built up.

Just a thought so far.

And Seb the wedding planner. Human or vamp?  Got to decide on that too in this book.

Nick's paying for the wedding. Or actually the Clan is. 

The pre-wedding bonding ceremony is classic black and white, though greenery will be added for Sara's sake.  The couple wears white while the wedding party and Clan wear black during this.  And during the actual wedding the black is exchanged for regular formal wedding wear with the Clan.

I saw this and said that's it:

I think it would go well with the dress.

Last tat for April

I started on Flames.

Still don't have names for sure but figured I'd start anyway. I can hatch the names when I get to the characters. Worked on my first book soooo :)

The ex-boyfriend/ Warden is going to be named after my best male friend--well his first name anyway. Travis Mooreson sounds like a good name for a Warden. In my books Trav has been a priest and a fire investigator. And now a member of the Warden Service.  A best friend is anything you need him/her to be.  In this case literaturely.  :)

I don't know if I want the state trooper to be male or female. If female there can be some tension between Santino and the trooper over the Warden but the trooper isn't going to be there much. At least I don't think so. Hmmmm.

Flames has a firebug or at least that what everyone thinks. There's a method to his/her madness.

So far the bad guy's been a bad guy. Males are easier to corrupt. :)

Still undecided about Seb the wedding planner. Vamp or human. Hmm.

This is the wedding dress. The sparkles are diamonds. Nick picks it out for her and presents it to her.
What do you think?

Another Tat for April

Haven't worked on Flames yet.

I've been trying to figure out some names. The bad guy's name always has something to do with the element so I'm looking through my baby name book. I also need a name for the Warden and a state trooper.

 In Maine the Warden Service does a lot of the policing along with the state troopers.   I'm probably stretching things but it's my world.  :)

Santino's ex is a Warden. It was just a fling for her but he actually had--and still does have--feelings for her. So it's easy for her to insinuate herself. She's a royal b*t*h.

Nick's 'secret' unsurprisingly has to do with bloodlines.  There are direct lines and cadet lines. Cadet lines include vampires added into the clan by mating or 'contract'.  A Clan is not only one bloodline but 'family' in the broadest terms. 

Seb the wedding planner is Jonathan Sebastian.  I'm not sure if I want him to be human or a vampire yet. There are advantages to both. For right now I'm undecided.

I just let things flow when I write and things unveil themselves.  Pantser to the core! :)

Tat

I decided I'll do Flames.

Two other people agreed I should to make Air/Wind make more sense. And they want to meet the wedding planner Seb.

He's hired in Flames and mentioned in Water. Seb's got to balance their differenting requirements. He's got his work cut out for him.

They also have a serious talk in Flames about their relationship as Santino's flirting brings up insecurities in Sara. The insecurities don't go away magically after their talk but she does learn a few things about Nick--and vampires in general. Can't change over night!  LOL!

Sara finds out Nick's 'secret' in Flames. It's one of the reasons Santino wants Nick's and Sara's bond broken. Plus Santino is used to males falling all over themselves to be with her. When one resists she has to break him!  ;)

Water is still being edited.

Brief begining Note for April

Still can't decide which book I should do next since Flames and Air/Wind are related.

Flames has Santino flirting and making a pain of herself with Nick. She shows up and makes a real nuisance of herself to her ex, who's a LEO, and Nick with her flirting and butting into the investigation. The bad guy burns a deer blind and a hunting cabin, then the gazebo of a hunting lodge that is also a spa. Sara just getting handle on her fire element but can still control it just gets unruly. I'm debating about the firebug's motive.

In Air/Wind Santino gets her comeuppance when she renews her flirting. She tries again to butt in but this time she pays fatally for her interference.

Soooo which should I do?

I'm leaning towards Flames.

The first page of Flames is done and I have a bible. I still need to flesh out the story.

I also still have Dragon, Scifi, and fantasy stories. Their ideas are loaded into my computer so I can access them when I want. I still have a lot of stories still on paper that I need to add to my computer.

Piddling

I'm messing around with one of my Scifi books.

It's called Sentry right now. The main man is a Warden--A being with all 5 senses enhanced in his human form. Wardens' animal forms are big cats that look like panthers. The main woman is a human engineer from Terra/Earth. She is his guide/mate.

Sentry starts with her and two human guides/empaths crash landing on his planet. We find out that the human sphere is at war with the Arcadi, an alien race that no human has ever seen. Their ships show up, a weird voice announces the death sentence and the planet's populace is destroyed.

The Slei, a reptilian race, has been helping the humans.

Humans have Watchmen who have 2 or more senses enhanced but need an empath/guide to stabilize their minds or they go catatonic or insane. Watchmen and empaths are the elite of the human fighting force but little use against the Arcadi who strike fast and furious from space.


I'm still working on the first chapt. and I'm making a bible.

I decided to take a bit of a break from Elemental Voice. At least enough of one to set up this story. I have several story ideas set up in my computer. I don't know which I'll do after Voice.

I'm also piddling with one of my dragon stories. I had a dream about it the other night so I piddled. I'm not crazy about the opening paragraph, well, the first chapt really, but I think I'll finish it first before tackling a rewrite of that first bit.

It might turn out to be a novelette.

Next!

Water is off to Sharon, the publisher.

Next is editing/proof reading.

Sharon has all the other things--dedication, bio, etc. So that's done.

Cover just needs the brown background added. The rest of it is done.

Blurb still needs work. Sharon's looking that over.

So I can say I should have the whole thing done by May. Though Sharon has other books ahead of me and I got to budget the cost.

Juggling a lot of things right now.

Already thinking about Air/Wind. Going to have a bit of a twist that you will not doubt enjoy. I know I will. :) 

Santino gets her comeuppance, though I haven't written/published the story where she is really rude. Deadly Flames shows her true colors and will be out next year. Santino pisses off the wrong person with her 'flirting' in Air/Wind and becomes one of the victims of the killer.  All this leads to a serious discussion of their relationship in both Flames and Air/Wind and they take the step of hiring a wedding planner in Flames.

These are the next two stories to come.

I may fiddle with one of my other stories before I get involved with Flames or Air/Wind.  I got three dragon stories, two scifi and a werewolf story I can mess around with. And a scifi series.  They got different voices than Elemental Voice.

 I just might do one!

Done!

Water Ferrier is done!

Now I just have to go through and edit. And rearranged. :)

I did three chapt yesterday and have done three already today. I'll probably finish my first go through tonight. Tuesday I'll start my second and final go through. Then I'll set it aside for a few days. After that I'll re-read it and make any corrections I think it needs, then it will be ready for the next step.

Sharon.

And the proof reader/editor.

Meanwhile. I got to finalize my cover and blurb.

Blurb so far:

WHen a weighed body washes up on a beach in California, it leads to the discovery of more remains just off shore. They resemble murders from an FBI open-case file as well as a cold case from Florida. However, the FBI are called in late due to a jurisdictional dispute among the locals.

When she gets the case, FBI consultant Sara Philips knows the killings are sacrifices, gifts to the Water aspect Tiama. But what she doesn't expect is to be greeted at the crime scene by the very elemental the Killer was pursuing. Now she and her two partners had a capricious element to rein in as well as a Murderer who she wasn't sure wanted to court her or kill her.

Still needs work but it's started.

Water's cover is done. I do my own on Canva.com. They got some good graphics.

The covers for this series are brown but the first two had different shades. We're trying to match everything.  Brown is for the earth element/ Sara.

Still looking for names....

Names, Names

29000 words in Water!

Still on the last full Chapt.  Wrapped up the case and brought Elliot back to the B & B.

All's well, that end's well--Or is it?  *spoiler*

Air/Wind is ready to start. We finally get to meet Maramee!

Flames is ready to start as well. I started a bible for Waters. I need names here as well.

Anyone got some good names for cops/detectives?  Both books need 'em!  I got a 35,000 baby name book and I still have trouble with names!

Everyone would be named Nick, Jon, Sara and Bekka if I had my way!  LOL!!!

Agent Wayne got name from Elliot Ness and John Wayne from movies I was watching that night. When I need a name I look around and see what's near by, naming them off until I hit a name I like. Bad way to get a name 'cause they may not be a Garcia or Landry, though Landry became Landers.

I really need to use that baby book.  :)

 So you got any good names?

Almost St. Patty's Day. My cat's been wearing his green bandana and I got out my pin.

Proof that I have a silver tongue!

March begin status

Last chapt of Water!

Just past 28,000 words!

Wrapping up the case and sending them off on their vacation. I'd like to get it done today but that's not happening! :)

I'm doing a naming contest. Name the bad guy--well woman in this case--of Air/wind and get this folder/notepad. The name has to have something to do with air or wind, but not too obvious like Wendy. Comment with your name and address and if I pick the name you comment it's yours.

Gotta a kinda Silence of the Lambs feel to it, don't it?

I worked on Air/wind's bible and noticed I got some air names but hadn't picked a name for the killer so....

I'm also looking for names for the detectives they will be working with. If I use your name I'll mention you in the 'thanks' section with the winner of the naming contest.  :)

I got the first two paragraphs of both Flames and Air/Wind done to get me started. I only have Waters bible started, but I have a while before I get to it anyway.

 Air/ Wind has an ex-coworker in it like I told her I would do. She probably thought I forgot or maybe she did but I remembered.

And so begins March...

Feb. End month Status

 

 

Water is almost done!

 

Finished the confrontation but not the chapter so still 2 chapt to go! *spoiler* The bad guy in a zone and Elliot on the way to the hospital.  You know I'd never kill Elliot--Debbie would kill ME!

 

LOL!

 

I passed 25,000 words in the middle of this chapt. so I surpassed Sands. But still it's going to be a short book.

 

For the next book I'm leaning towards Air/Wind. I can do the companion series anytime now that I got the first novelette out. A taste of what is to come, ayyy? :)

 

Once Air/Wnd is done I'll have the main books finished with Aether as an epilogue of sorts. Both Air/wind and Aether will bring certain things full-circle. Air/wind will resolve the problem of Santino while Aether will formalize the main characters union and launch them forward.

 

There may be more Elemental books ahead. :)

 

Flames and Waters can then be done before or after Aether. I ain't decided yet.

 

I'm starting a solar figure collection. I've got 7 so far. These are the newest two:



 

 

Midmonth status 4 February

Two or three more chapters and I'll be done with Water!

Yay!

I don't think it will be as long as my other two books. I'm only 23,000 words into it so far. Sands was 21,000 and I don't know if this one will pass 25.000 words. Depends on the confrontation and follow-up.

The killer hours after kidnapping them has taken Elliot. So the next chapter is going to be the confrontation. *spoiler* I decided on the coma.

And Elliott  doesn't get out without some lumps. I put him through pain in Earth and I think he needs another dose. Just to keep him humble--human that he is.  LOL!


Still don't know which book I want to do next. Air/Wind or Flames. Both need to be done by the end of this year so I can publish at least one of them before the year is over. Though I did publish Sands already...Hmmm.

Sands and Water.  2 this year and 3 next?   Well, as long as both Elemental & companion series are out by the time I'm 50, I'll have fulfilled my promise to myself.


Flames and Waters --haven't touched them.

Air/Wind--messed around with the bible.

Aether--I have a basic idea & I'm going to do a bible soon. I want to publish this book on my 49 or 50th birthday. Whichever time it is done.


I do want to publish a book on my 50th birthday. A celebration & present together of both my birthday and of my writing. 


I'm doing this on my phone. Neat don't you think? Well, the draft I did on my phone. I had to go back on my computer and correct a few things. I'm still getting the hang of the new phone.

After B-Day Status

Well, I'm officially 48 now. 

I'm 2/3 of the way through Water.

They had their kidnapping and a brief confrontation with the killer, now they just got to catch him before he strikes again or gets to them again. Though I threw in a hint that maybe the killer will go for Elliot since he's not a vamp and thus easier to kill.  

I got two different endings in my head about Water. One is they have to kill the bad guy as he is committing another murder and the other is Sara puts him in a zone/coma.  There are pros and cons for both. A pro of sort is that he could come back in Aether and torment them.

Something new, something old....lol

Aether is still just ideas/scenes, nothing concrete.

Haven't touched Flames or Air/Wind yet. I still ain't sure which I'll do next. though I want to do Flames while it's still fresh in my mind, but Air/Wind would complete the Voice series--well except for Aether which is really an epilogue.

Had to get a new phone--my flip phone had about had it and was giving up the ghost. :)
The store I went to didn't have flip phones so I up graded to a coolpad.

I like it so far.

February

Well, 5 days 'til my birthday.

Getting closer to the big 5-0. Just a couple of years...

I want this series out before I hit 50.  Which I should if I follow my schedule.

Took a break from my books last night and read one by one of my fav. authors. So back to the grind today. LOL.

I'm 21,000 into Water. At the end of this chapt I want to get them kidnapped but it will shorten the book. But that's how my writing is going right now. The new wrinkle added a bit but...

I don't know. I keep seeing them kidnapped at the end of this chapt and the confrontation in the next. the kidnap scene will not leave me alone.  Maybe I should write it in the bible and get it out of my head so I can think past it. Hmmmmmm.

I want to get Water out by May and either Flames or Air/wind out before the end of the year. My publisher thinks I should finish my main series then do my companion series. I usually do which ever one strikes me first.

So I might do Air/wind, then Flames and Waters and leave Aether 'til last.

Gotta think on that.

I'm thinking of getting me a new phone for my birthday as my old one is acting up. So really I have to do something so why not a new one?  LOL  Miss technophob with a new phone, why do I think this will not end good?  LOL

January Status

Well, 3,000 short of 10,000 for Jano.

Didn't get as much done this year as last.


Water--

Chapt 12. 

Didn't have them kidnapped yet. But added a new wrinkle. Came to me as I was writing so I went with it. Maybe the killer gets upset that they don't act as he wants them to. Hmmmmm.

We'll see what happens with this new wrinkle.


Flames---

Santino is going to definitely show her true colors in this novelette. At least to Nick and Sara--and through her actions to Elliot.  She shows up with an ex and butts into their holiday.  She makes blatant plays for Nick as well as subtle ones. Sara's not going to put up with her for long!


I did a cover for Aether. It's different from the others as Air/Wind is the book that makes Sara a Shaman and brings it full-circle. Aether is set months later when they get married--human style. Sort of an epilogue. I guess.

Or Maybe a Start of a new series?   :)

Brief Status

On Chapt. 11 in Water!

Finally.

Still debating if I want the killer to kidnap them at the end of this chapt. It would shorten the novel which I don't really want but it's stuck in my head and that's what it seems my brain wants to happen. So we'll see.

I also decided that aside from the brief mention, Santino isn't going to be in this book. She will be in Flames though. So that will 'make up' for her not being in this one.  She's going to figure in Flames, a bit in Waters, and fatally in Wind/Air.  I don't know if I want to kill her off in Wind/Air but she will be attacked by the killer.

Decisions, Decisions.

:)

As I said, I'm a Pantser so I just go where the words take me but I see scenes in my head for each book. They're not always in order though. So I have to organize them in my head for each book to get them in order and sometimes there are two scenes for one section.  Which means even I don't always know what's going to happen next in my book.

Which is where I'm at now in Water. I see two endings for chapt. 11 and I don't know which one will win out right now.

So that's the status so are on Water.

Flames and Wind/Air-- Haven't touched them.

Tail and Claws-- Read over Claws again and straighten out a few things. It might turn out to be a Novelette. 

Still under 10,000 for Jano and only a few days to go so I guess I best get to it. :)