Writing Snippets

Worst Writing Advice I’ve Ever Received

Today, on the Wings Unfurled Blog Tour, you can visit Ali Lucia Sky’s blog, where I answer “What’s The Worst Writing Advice You’ve Ever Received?” It’s a claim I’ve heard many times, from many writers, but one that lacks the nuance that newer writers need to hear, in my humble opinion.

You’ll also find an excerpt of Chapter 1 in the book! This comes from Serra’s point-of-view, and she’s at Castle Callyn for the first time in quite a while….and for reasons she needs to report to King Dever right away.

Don’t forget to also visit the Meerkat Press masterpost to enter our $50 giftcard prize drawing! And now for today’s contextless quote from Wings Unfurled.

“I heard the Green Lady was building a new glass house, so I came with my hammer and thought to help.”

Hosting the SFWA Weekly Writing Date!

In slightly under an hour, I’ll be hosting SFWA’s Weekly Writing Date!

These writing dates are one of the primary ways that a core group of SFWA members and Nebula Conference attendees have kept in touch over the past pandemic years, providing community while taking part in writing sprints together. I’ve only been able to join a few times, and I’m delighted to host the week of Wings Unfurled‘s release!

I’m also excited to dive into some freewriting – my skills are rusty these days, and writing dates are a wonderful way to exercise them. For me, freewrites really loosen my imagination, so I can better grasp the stories my psyche wants to tell.

If you’re a SFWA member or Nebula Conference participant, come join me from 2pm to 4pm! Details here.

And here’s a contextless quote from Wings Unfurled for release week!

Vesperi rarely spoke of her brother, and when she did, it came coupled with a curse.

Wings Unseen available for Pre-Order!!

Sound the horns!

bucci snake brass instrument barcelona

Ooh, maybe not that one. That looks dangerous. Regardless, it’s time to celebrate because my YA/New Adult epic fantasy, Wings Unseen, is now available for pre-order!

You can order it from Amazon or from Barnes & Nobles for now, and you bet I’ll announce when it’s available from other sources. The official release date is August 22, 2017! Did I not mention that before? *browses website* Wow, I really did not mention that before. Apparently, getting your tonsils removed puts you off your promotional game. Luckily, Meerkat Press is continuing to be a phenomenal small press, so word is getting out about this book, and ARCs go out this month. So exciting! Stay tuned for giveaway info, but also go ahead and click on one of those pre-order links if you can…what, you want more enticement? How about an excerpt from the book? Here’s one of my photos to conjure your imagination:

And here’s the excerpt. In it, Vesperi, a main point-of-view character who lives on the Meduan side of the mountains, where a highly questionable moral code reigns, makes a visit to an herbalist:

“Vesperi Sellwyn! It has been ages since I saw you last. You have been too busy with those fancy lordlings to come visit old Graw.” His voice scratched like the black scruff on his chin. “Though I have noticed fewer coteries riding through of late.” He cocked his head. “Did those suitors find the merchandise too used?”

She glared. “None of them were suited to my needs.”

“Oh, I am certain I have something that would suit your needs.” He grabbed at the sagging bulge beneath his belt.

She ignored him. “You do, actually. I have need of fallowent. Do you know of it?”

“Fallowent, aye, I may have some of that, though it’s scarce these days. The plants grow best by the river, and they disappear as fast as the Sell’s waters.” His face lit up as he spoke, confirming what Vesperi had pieced together years ago—this man loved his craft more than his pleasures. He was harmless, as far as men went.

Each hobbled step he took drew forth a curse. After some shuffling and banging, he returned with a pot in hand. Cloying scents of honey and musk rose up as he lifted the lid. She dipped a finger and it came out coated in black, sticky seeds no bigger than a flea.

“I will need more of it.” She had no idea how long it would last. “So you had best figure out how to get some or my father will hear of it.”

His face paled. “I will. There is no need to tell your father. I will have the guards take me foraging tomorrow.”

“Good. I will return for more next week.”

He raised his elbows as she made to leave but stopped her at the door. “You were right­—”

She narrowed her eyes.

“—about those men, your suitors? To reject them.”

Vesperi had little patience for stammering, but this was an unexpected compliment.

“I know you are a woman and Saeth teaches that women are prized only for their cunts and the kitchens, but fallowent won’t do anything to make that brother of yours a man. He would let us all fall into the hands of Durn, or Saeth forbid, the cow lords of Yarowen.”

Graw shuddered, and Vesperi gave him a brilliant smile, encouraging him to continue. “I would—I would rather you take over than him someday, and you can’t do that if you get married. I am very attached to my store, you see—” he petted the padded arm of his chair, “—and I would prefer things stay this way.”

“If we are lucky, my father will live many more years.”

“Of course,” he said hurriedly. “I did not mean to suggest—”

“You didn’t,” she assured him. “And Saeth may yet give my mother another son Lord Sellwyn can be proud of. We must pray for that.”

He nodded, eyes downcast. But his head lifted when she placed an extra pile of souzers on the table.

“Your loyalty is noted by House Sellwyn.” It was all she could say safely. She exited without another word, but the hood did not feel quite as binding when she pulled it over her head.

Six Sentence Sunday

I’m joining in with Six Sentence Sunday this week, giving my fiction fans six sentences from one of my works to see if it entices you. Six Sentence Sunday is mainly perused by romance authors and readers, so when I participate, I try to include something a bit similar to that genre. This six comes from my short story, Treasure, that I’ll soon be submitting to a speculative fiction magazine.

By now, she knew such things were repulsive here, that killing another human was anathema to his race, yet she was amazed he could focus on anything but her curves in the morning light.

“Get dressed,” she commanded, “or don’t you plan to work today?”

He gazed at her for a moment, groaned, and then rose. With both hands, he pulled her face toward his, kissed her, then whispered in her ear, “You’re safe with me, Filor.”

Her cheeks colored, both with flattery and shame. She could not trust him with her real name—did the shame mean she wanted to?

 

Hope you enjoyed it!

Six Sentence Sunday

It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to play! Here are my six for the week, from my romance novella, Maya’s Vacation.

Dean stopped in front of a cherry-red jeep and put his suitcase down. She could see three or four more of his canvases peeking over the top of the seats. He leaned against the passenger door and pulled her around to look at him. His eyes glistened with tears; when had he started crying?

“Maya—” He choked up at her name. “Are you—are you coming with me?”

If you’re intrigued, make sure you scoot on over to Astraea Press to give it  a whirl for $2.99! The rest of my published works are listed over here.

Six Sentence Sunday

Time for another Six Sentence Sunday post–it’s been great fun participating and getting your feedback on such short snippets! Here’s another one from my romance novella, Maya’s Vacation. I’m out of town this week, so I many not be speedy on responding to comments, but please don’t let that discourage you from reading them!

By the time she’d finished her slice of mocha cheesecake and drank her port at the end of the meal, Maya had made fast friends with John, the short man. He’d taken the empty barstool next to her and spent the evening charming her with stories about his granddaughter and her new puppy. When he found out Maya was contemplating a reunion with her ex, he let out a low whistle and cried, “That’s a damn shame! If I’d have known that earlier, I wouldn’t have wasted the last two hours on you.”

“Am I the only person who came here to paint?” Maya replied with a laugh.

“Yes,” John answered. Then he whispered, “but don’t tell Ranger Cliff.”

 

The synopsis and buy links for Maya’s Vacation are over at my Published Works page, so swing by if you’re interested in more on this romance tale of old flames reuniting!

Six Sentence Sunday

For this week’s Six Sentence Sunday, I’m sharing the very first six lines from my work-in-progess, an epic fantasy novel. I’ll be spending all of August working hard on this book–I’m really hoping I finish it this year. Feedback on if this first paragraph grabs your interest is definitely welcome.

He was an enticing prospect, especially the way the candlelight accentuated the curves of muscle seeping through the black sleeves of his tunic. He’d taken off his cloak, hot from the ride, and was holding it hooked around his pointer finger. Vesperi stifled a giggle at its vivid hue, the bright purple of the Meduan sunset on a cloudy night. Illa wasn’t trained in subtlety. Anyone wearing a cloak that bold was practically announcing his ambition the moment he rode through a town square. Maybe that was the point; her father was a man drawn to power like a priest to intrigue.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to browse my other works available for purchase or for free. Also, I have a giveaway of my romance novella, Maya’s Vacation, over at I am a Reader, Not a Writer. Leave a comment there to be entered to win an e-copy of it!

Six Sentence Sunday

Time for another Six Sentence Sunday post–it’s been great fun participating and getting your feedback on such short snippets! Here’s another one from my romance novella, Maya’s Vacation.

“Where are we going?” she asked after a few minutes of silent walking. She stopped to catch her breath, not knowing if the pace, the wine, or the proximity of Dean were responsible for her short‑windedness.

“Just a little spot I saw earlier today–itʹs on the other side of the bed cabins, and I think youʹll love it.”

“Okay, but slow down a little? Iʹm not exactly nineteen anymore.”

“No,” he agreed while lessening his speed, “youʹre better.”

Synposis of Maya’s Vacation:

Twenty-year-old Maya knew, as she watched Dean walk away from her front door, distraught at her silence and her father’s threats, that she would never love anyone with the intensity that she loved him. He was her painter, her artist, her soul mate and being apart from him hurt too much. She tucked those feelings away, determined to enjoy the safe and secure life her parents approved of: business school and a marriage to Chuck, a successful real estate agent.

Thirty years later, Chuck has cheated on and divorced her. But when he comes back, begging for reconciliation, Maya follows her intuition and takes a vacation to think it over. Her love of art, food, and wine combine at this retreat in the woods, and she prepares for a week of making new friends, tasting exquisite wines, and learning to paint again. What she hasn’t prepared for is the familiar voice she hears the first morning at camp . . . a voice that makes her skin tingle and brings back memories of who she used to be before Chuck. Has Maya buried her passion too deep to find love with Dean again?


Maya’s Vacation is published by
Astraea Press for $2.99. It’s also available at Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles for $3.99.

Six Sentence Sunday

For Six Sentence Sunday this week, I’m venturing into my recently published urban fantasy short story called Bother. Let’s just dive right in, shall we?

The sound of crunching bones came next, like nuts cracking but louder, so much louder. It went on for what seemed like ages, but it could only have been a few minutes. She knew it didn’t take the beast long to finish a meal. The shaking died down, and the smell of sulfur grew weaker, but the creature had to be nearby. She would have to risk it; she had to get up, to go see for herself. She had to know.

Intrigued? Here’s a synopsis of Bother:

The apartment is taking dingy to a new level. Air quality is suffering. Trees keep falling down, and there are piles of refuse all over the neighborhood. Yet Jonah’s more concerned about his awesome day at work than he is about the dragon that’s taken up residence outside his home. His wife, Susan, isn’t so apathetic; she spends every waking moment with a vigilante force, trying to rid the district of the dreaded creature. Can they figure out what’s worth fighting for together, or will this couple be yet another casualty of the dragon.

Bother, along with a bunch of other wonderful fantasy and sci fi short stories, is available  in Bull Spec, Issue #5.

You can purchase a year’s subscription to Bull Spec here for $15 + shipping and handling, or you can order Issue #5 on its own in either print or PDF forms. Or head over to my blog on its release for a full listing of stores you can find it at.

Thanks for dropping by!

 

Six Sentence Sunday


It’s time for my second Six Sentence Sunday post! Six Sentence Sunday is a challenge to authors to put out six sentences from any of their works, published or not, that should excite readers to read more, and it is organized by the fine folks over at the Six Sentence Sunday blog. I thought I’d continue with Maya’s Vacation for now, though I may include my fantasy work in the future! Here are my six:

He pulled away. “But you shouldn’t be. You know that, don’t you? He left you, Maya! How could anyone ever leave you willingly?” His voice was raspy now, how it used to sound if he’d stayed up all night, unable to stop painting.

 

Maya’s Vacation is sweet, contemporary romance published by Astraea Press and available at their website (and Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and Smashwords) in all e-book formats.