Short update on new book

I'm still editing A New Beginning. It's growing smoother and also more consistent with the following books. The first is always the most difficult.

I'm glad that I started writing the third book before publishing this one, because I am still learning about this world and making alterations. I've incorporated some of those discoveries in the first book by modifying some small details. I want this series to be as consistent as possible throughout. To that end, I may just stick to writing two books ahead of what I publish in the series.

As for the regular editing process, I've updated the files so that the samples on the retail sites are the best so far. Art is never finished--we will always be our own worst critics--but we can strive for it.

I will continue with even more editing until this meets my expectations, alternating with writing book 3. And then I'll do the same with book 2 and so on.

Writing is a process. The first steps is getting my ideas down in notes and outlines, then writing the first draft, then rewriting many times until the story that I had imagined shines through. And, because these are short, I can write them and publish more frequently without feeling rushed.

A New Beginning will be released on April 4, 2019 only as an ebook. Order now from most ebook retailers--Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc.

A nice winter day?!

If you can call 10 F that "feels like" -6 F nice, then, yeah, it was a nice day.

After a brief morning snowfall, the sun came out. Although the morning temperature and breeze were higher, the afternoon turned sunny and calm. It's the wind that gets you!

I hadn't seen my Buddy in two weeks and was overdue for a horse fix. I also missed visiting with my family. I thought I could try going out earlier in the day, but the interstate was slippery and I started fish-tailing before getting too far, so I turned back disappointed.

But after the sun was out for a while and I'd eaten lunch, I was feeling more confident and suspected that the roads might be better. They were. The sun had helped melt away the ice and I drove out to the farm on this cold but nice winter day. All bundled up, I stayed warm on my walk out in the pasture to bring my boy up to the barn. Inside the old barn, I gave him his supplements and the little bit of sweet feed that helps the medicine go down. Vitamin E is invaluable for him, especially for muscle recovery when he's out in the cold weather. A little SmartGut Ultra doesn't hurt either.

Nature has certainly upped the ante on the weather tolerance. My boy has finally become a fluffball:

He could get fluffier, but I'm glad to see that he has this much. He and his herd were playing when I walked out to catch him, so that was good to see also, as was the belly he's keeping through this time, the coldest period of our winters--January and February. He's doing well, but I still feel guilty when I don't get out to check on him.  Spring is going to be a pain, though--a lot of that hair ends up on me.

But for now, I'm happy because Buddy is happy, even if he's "roughing it". I've learned that the best care for a horse physically and mentally is what is natural to them. He has a pretty good life!

Writing the next book

I'm back to writing mode. Editing on Books 1 and 2 of Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds is done for the latest rounds. They're getting more refined with each pass and as I consider the future of the series.

In writing this series, I've had SO MANY ideas for future books and scenes and setting that I've had to go back to the first two and change a few things so that, while there are hints of what's to come, what direction the series will take, and what the purpose is, it's not specific enough to create a contradiction later. I tend to want to give away what I know now. That may be different to what develops later. I am adjusting for that also in my editing.

Things change as a series grows and develops, which is why I am waiting with releasing the first two books of this series until after I have at least the third written. I've learned that much over the years of writing, and I believe that experience will make this series that much better.

Just as my current horse, Buddy, has benefitted from all my my cumulative years of learning and refining my use of various horse training disciplines and techniques and adjusting to different types of horses and my knowledge of horse healthcare, nutrition, hoofcare, etc., so too does my writing presently benefit from all of my cumulative knowledge of character development, worldbuilding, points of view, series development, working with different lengths of stories, etc. from many years of dedication to the craft. I love a challenge. I've done many different types of stories, just as I've worked with a variety of horse breeds and personalities. Every variation improves my knowledge and hones my skills. What keeps me going is challenging myself and working through problems to find the right solution.

Now, getting older and dealing with life changes presents a set of other challenges that makes everything more difficult, but I'm determined to keep going and to do what it takes.

And as far as this series goes, I am writing it because it is what I want. I've said before that this series was developed to be what the old science fiction television programs were back in the 90's and early 2000's--fun, light, adventurous, and thought-provoking without the graphic sex and gore and grimness of current program styles. I'm writing what I would want to watch as a series, which is why they are shorter books (episodes) than the typical long novel series, one of which could produce a whole season's worth of television (ie Game of Thrones).

I think you'll like what I have to offer in this. The first book, A New Beginning is now available for pre-order from all the major retailers, including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo for the first-in-series price of only $0.99 (USD).

I'll reveal the cover of Book 2, The Rule of Yonder, when that goes up for pre-order. I expect that to be revealed around the end of February with a release date in mid-late May.

A New Beginning - cover reveal and blurb!

The latest book is almost ready! I'm going to give myself some time, however, to make any changes that it might yet need.

I am planning on April 4, 2019 as a release date for this short novel. So, as I've been promising, here--at last!--is the cover and blurb:

A NEW BEGINNING
(Starfire Angels: Forgotton Worlds 1)

On a remote mining station, Nyalin hides a secret that would make her a hunted woman—she is a Crystal Keeper, a protector of a shard of the powerful Starfire crystal. However, when a strange shuttle falls through a portal near the mining station, she can no longer avoid her responsibilities. The human pilot, Vellin, is part of a research team that has developed gateways for instant travel anywhere in the universe without requiring a Starfire crystal, and he has been followed by an enemy through the portal.

To stop dangerous forces from possessing the gateways to spread destruction, Nya must team up with Vel and risk exposing her secret. In their race to destroy the gateways, they will find allies and enemies... and a new reason to worry.

--------

It will be available for pre-order at Amazon soon. I will work on getting it up on other ebook retailers also.

First-in-series price: $0.99!!

Cows? What cows?

Yesterday was a beautiful winter day to check on Buddy. The weaned calves were crowded around the water tank, and then Buddy gave me the perfect look with them in the background when I tried to get him to pose for a pic.

He's doing well this winter on the farm. I wish he'd grow a heavier coat, but it's appropriate for this winter. I've seen a heavier coat on him, but apparently his body is giving him just what he needs. He's in good condition, not underweight or in any hardship. Nature is amazing.

Spring will soon be here. Riding season. Then we'll start working the cattle from the saddle. That will be interesting. He will be a working cowhorse yet!

prize drawing

I have covers ready for the first three Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds books and love the cover style for this series. I hope to reveal the first cover in the next couple of weeks, along with the description of the story.

In the meantime, check out some free and low-priced ebooks, including the first Starfire Angels ebook, and enter to win a $100 reader gift basket (7" Kindle Fire, Reader mug, and $25 Amazon eGift Card) through the end of this month at https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/january-meet-greet-giveaway/ .

Happy New Year!

2019 is here!

The last year went fast for me with all the changes in my life, particularly in my health. Better health also brought more writing.

The results of that will come to fruition in this year. As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I have three books ready for the beginning of this year--a boxed set of the Legend of the White Dragon: The Complete Series and the first two books of the new series, Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds.

Throughout 2019, I hope to release three more Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds books, provided my writing pace on these holds out.

I also have the third book outlined. That came to me on a drive out to my parents to check on Buddy.

About Buddy--He's huddling with his little herd out in the pasture around a bale. I took some free-feeding supplement tubs out for the herd, mostly so that Buddy gets the nutrients he's lacking, which I've been trying to supplement (but can only give once a week). However, my family is not a horse family. They are a cattle family who understands little about horses. I'm amazed that none of the horses in my lifetime have ever colicked with the winter situation in the pasture. Yet I know of very nice boarding barns where they get colic cases and have all the amenities a person could want for their horse. I guess it goes to prove that horses in a natural state fare much better. We also never had any cases of RAO or COPD in our horses while horses in boarding situations always seem to have issues, and Buddy's hooves are much healthier out at the farm too. I'm the one who dislikes the lack of amenities (insulated barn with high ceiling and wide aisles, wash area, etc.), and the distance. (ps--yes, I'm complaining but trying to make the most of my current horsekeeping situation, but only because I know better than I did when I was younger.)

Although I have a drive to the farm (100 miles roundtrip), I get a lot accomplished while doing nothing. It gives me a LOT of time to just think. I clear my head of nonsense and focus on my writing. On this latest visit, I worked on the third SA:FW book. By the time I arrived at my destination, I had to make some notes. Then, I took the kids out to the snowy pasture with their sleds. While they burned off energy, I sat in the pickup and opened a document on my phone. The creativity soared, and in the hour that the kids exhausted themselves physically, I exhausted myself creatively with a full outline for book 3, tentatively titled Vault of the Celestials.

This year, I will be working exclusively on Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds. It's a fun series that takes my love of science fiction to where I always wanted to go. I've set up a world in which I can take all my unpublished ideas and incorporate them. This is very satisfying for me. I feel like I am fulfilling my dream with this series. And writing, for me, is about the pleasure of story-telling and challenging myself first and foremost. If other people enjoy going into my imagination as much as I do, that's icing on the cake.

I plan to enjoy 2019 with new adventures in real life and in my imagination. I hope you'll stay with me through it all and HAVE A GREAT YEAR!