Happy New Year!
I hope you had a fantastic entry into the new calendar (how many times will you write the wrong date the next few months?). I’m not one for resolutions but I do love flipping ahead to a fresh new year. It gives me energy which feeds my creativity.
So in lew of resolutions, I make goals!
In reality, things are gearing up for the release of A New Goddess, which will complete the Games of Fire trilogy. But the writing and editing part are done for me. And unlike most times when I finished writing a book, I didn’t have something waiting in the wings (or half way through a very rough draft as I’ve often worked on two projects at once). Instead, I finished A New Goddess with a different plan in mind.
I was going to write that non-fiction book on writing that I’ve been meaning to get to for years.
So a short break from fantasy for me while I tried to find an idea that would spark a new story. So goal #1, write a non-fiction book on writing. I’ve got the notes. Heck, I have a WHOLE COURSE on fantasy writing. A book shouldn’t be a problem. Only…
Well that lack of idea thing exploded awfully quickly!
And not at all in the way I’d been expecting. I had been thinking a more modern urban fantasy. There is a nifty story bouncing about in my head that wraps ancient Celtic and Native American legends with modern day climate change. It would be a fun book to write, but challenging as I’m really not sure how it ends, much less how the next book begins. Sort of a problem when you are dealing with end of the world scenarios that are quite real and present day!
Hmmm… am I an optimist or a pessimist…? Well, I already wrote one near future dystopian series, so that should give you a clue.
Without a big plan, that idea was back burnered. And I figured that was that, until two very old ideas combined in my brain and ignited like sodium and water (i.e. explosive). What is amusing is I dreamed that I needed to write another series to balance out my books one night. I laughed about it in that morning as I played with non-fiction organization. And by that afternoon, BOOM! I had an idea.
Boy is it an IDEA!
I’ve already outlined all three books in the trilogy AND two lead-in novellas. I’m tingling to get writing… Right, that goal #1, the non-fiction book. Well, I’ve worked on two books at a time before. 😀
Only that back burnered book with the more modern urban fantasy… it isn’t so back burnered anymore. I decided to try outlining it again, got into a discussion with my husband on time travel and the destruction of the universe (seriously. You would LOVE our dinner conversations) and OMG, that story line clicked into place. Now I have 3+ books outlined too!
There are two series ready and waiting to be written, plus a non-fiction book!!!
Just lock me in a tower, bring me a constant supply of tea, really tasty food, and a way to keep my laptop charged and leave me alone for a few months. I’d be happy as long as the weather was gloomy… though I’d need access to a nice forest to walk through when I ran into plot problems. lol.
Besides a plethora of writing, my other big goal is to finally get Born of Water into Bookbub as a featured deal.
I’ve gotten close several times, but never made the cut. It is very difficult to get into Bookbub (and not cheap either!). With 157 reviews and a 4.5 star rating, I know the book is good enough. So why the continued disappointment? I’m pegging it to the cover.
Don’t get me wrong, it is a nice cover. But it doesn’t say excitement or magic nearly as clearly as it could. So I’m currently redesigning the cover and hoping it doesn’t lead to too big of a change to the rest of the series – because of how it looks together!
Those are my two big goals: Bookbub and the non-fiction writing book. Though now I might have to add two novellas in two different series to the writing list. Just as an excuse to get them done. lol!
While thinking about the cover to Born of Water, I also decided to change the cover to the Rise of the Fifth Order Bundle. It is time to really bring everything I’ve learned about not only writing but book marketing to the fore. So that means top notch covers as well as awesome stories.
Just to give you a peek, here is the new Rise of the Fifth Order trilogy!
That should give you a taste of what is coming! Because there is more coming… but you’ll have to stop by for the next post to find out what!
What do you think of the new cover to the Rise of the Fifth Order trilogy? Anyone as excited about the release of A New Goddess on the 17th as I am? Let me know in the comments!