Merry Christmas

ID 17221332

 © Nataliya Lukhanina | Dreamstime.com

Updates on writing progress

I hate getting older. Keeping track of a million things is about 999,999 more than I can handle at one time. I live off lists. I always did, but now it's going completely haywire! The day job has me feeling like a chicken with its head cut off most of the time, and I've had so many things going on outside of the day job that I can hardly keep up, even with a calendar. 🤪

Nevertheless, I do manage to get some writing time in. I'm working on Book 16 of Forgotten Worlds. So far, I have 6,000 words of that and a synopsis that leaves room for surprises. Since these are short novels of 40K-50K words, that's good progress.

Relationships have changed over the past few books and one character's arc is going to head down a dark path while others are resolving issues. You won't see some of it come to fruition for some time. I have to be careful how I plot those changes.

By now, you've had a chance to see something that you may have suspected, if you've read SOUL SHADOW. That book is a bit dark, because it reveals the creature that Nya has been conscripted by the Starfire entities to fight. She gets a taste of battle with the creature directly.

I have to reveal a little secret in developing that story, or at least in editing. I had been having questions about how to handle certain religious issues of this story; and shortly before I started the editing process, I found Father Chad Ripperger on YouTube (see this previous post). His lectures hooked me and explained a lot about spiritual warfare that I had some knowledge about but not to the degree that he clarified. The scariest part is that he confirmed some things I suspected, which were incorporated into SOUL SHADOW already.

Although the creature that the Issan worship isn't a true demon, it is a monster that acts like one. I focused on L'Ni, however, using the creature as a crutch and showing how he rejected it and breaks its influence on his life. This will give you the readers, like Nya and the other characters, a bigger revelation of what's at stake.

Once I finished editing and published Book 13--what a number for a book of such a dark plot (I didn't realize it until afterwards. Honest!)--I read through Book 14. That's a mess. I don't look forward to editing that one. Adding action to Nik's and Ann's wedding was a challenge--the wedding alone would have been boring--but I'm not so sure certain aspects flow well. Certain changes feel a bit abrupt. I may have to rearrange some things. 😖

I won't even touch Book 15 for a while, since I had just finished that. So, for now, I'll keep working on Book 16, but I really can't wait until Book 17. I will finally get to reveal something BIG that I've been planning for a long time and hinting. In the meantime, I'm trying to stay focused on 16, returning to Seska and the results of her helping her people escape. Ann's very public marriage to Nik has created some panic in Paxon leadership, so there's a lot to unpack for book 16. This series is getting a bit more complex.

Exciting! Isn't it? 😁

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Now Available: SOUL SHADOW

It is done! The latest book of the Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds space opera series is now available. It's always exciting and scary at the same time when I publish a new book. I hope readers like this latest installment as much as I do.

This is the book in which L'Ni's past is revealed. How did his people betray him? What was his experience with the Inquisitors? These and other revelations will come to light in SOUL SHADOW.

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A malevolent presence has interrupted Nya's sleep, and she tracks the source to L'Ni's quarters. When she can't awaken him, she has one option that might work… to enter his mind.

What she finds is a nightmare creature overshadowing L'Ni and trapping him in a battle he can't escape. Unlike other adversaries he has faced, L'Ni can't rely on physical strength or weapons to fight the creature he once served. This battle is from within.

Nya is determined to break the creature's hold on him. Together, they'll search his memories for an answer. However, the horrors of his past may be too much to escape. The creature L'Ni once considered a god wants revenge, and it won't stop until both he and Nya are dead.

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a spark of insight brings it all together (Forgotten Worlds book 15 writing update)

I got it! I had been feeling from the beginning of this most recent start that Book 15 was good but missing something. 

I found that something. I had an inkling a while back and had a note to myself to refocus the plot, but there are multiple subplots of Book 15. This particular focus is where I knew the main plot needed to be. The final vision didn't come until tonight. Everything else works into it. I was focusing on the wrong idea when I started the book, thinking I needed to make it more action, but that wouldn't fit for me. Despite the difficulties and the restarts, somehow there was a framework already being built into place by my subconscious that I couldn't see happening right away, until I let it show me instead of me bullying the plot into what I thought it should be. This tweaked idea now makes it all fit!

I'll rewrite a few scenes to bring it all together and then be better able to finish the story, because it needs to have all the pieces of a trap put in place for it to snap together at the right time that all the other subplots do, which is where I am in the climax. This one piece needs to be better developed from the beginning before I can finish, but once it's in there, the story will all make perfect sense and fit the series. It's brilliant! It only took me nearly to the end to figure it out. 🤦‍♀️

Now that I have the central premise, I need a good title about a trap or snare... 🤔

This proves, once again, that sometimes the hardest books to write end up being among the best of works, at least in my opinion. Never give up; never surrender!

Forgotten Worlds updates

It's been a hot month here but we had some much needed rain before the 4th of July and afterwards. Both of those combined to boost our garden growth. But it has also kept me mostly inside. My poor horse (fat and happy on a lush pasture) isn't getting much attention because of the weather, but he's still advancing in training when we do ride. (I'm especially glad that he's not prone to laminitis! He can be in the pasture to maintain his own exercise playing with his friends and moving around grazing.)

Given that, you'd think I'd get lots of writing done, but with autoimmunity and middle age, my brain isn't always up to the task. However, on those brain foggy days, I get other necessary tasks done.

I've been working on the paperback and hardcover versions of 5-book collections for Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds (Collection 1: Books 1-5 & Collection 2: Books 6-10). I have the Collection 1 paperback for sale through Amazon and expanded distribution to other stores and am still working on the hardcover. That takes a little more time, since I have to use a different printer source because of the length and they have different processes. (Amazon's hardcover length limits me to less than what the paperback length allows, and that's even borderline.) I've also started the process on Collection 2, but I don't know what I'm going to do since it's longer; I may have to make that four books instead of five, but we'll see what the printers allow for page length in the different formats.

I make the most of the days when I'm less focused by working on tasks that don't require such clarity as writing. Why waste the good days doing these tedious tasks when I'd rather be writing?

And when I have good writing days, I get a lot done. Part of that lately has been on Books 13 & 14 as I adjust certain plot points in writing Book 15 or reconsider some aspects while writing Book 15. It's all interconnected as a series, despite each book being a complete episode.

And I have been dropping some hints of something big to be revealed that will tie many things together and answer some big questions in the series plot. You may or may not catch those hints; they're in the small details. And don't worry if you don't catch them. I hope that when the big reveal of what I'm planning comes (around book 17 or 18), that it won't be a WTF moment and readers will be able to look back and see all the pieces that came together. I can't wait to reveal it, because it will change some things for the homestretch to the end of the series. I want to talk about it, but I can't, which is why I'm mentioning it but not being specific now. So much will make sense when it comes; I've been planning it for a long time now.

For those wondering about the romantic thread, Book 14 will finally bring that to fruition (the cover should make that clear), so have faith. I try not to leave big plot points like that outstanding too long. I hate when series hint at a romance and the characters never get together.

I still have around 25 books planned but could easily write more with all the ideas I have. Nevertheless, I'm going to try to stick to 25. I hope you're enjoying it so far.

Thanks for reading!

About writing, publishing, and positivity

I was reading a fellow author's (and long time friend's) recent blog post about the process of producing a book. You can find it here.

Ruth writes in the romance genre and has done well for herself, but she writes her fingers off to make that happen, as you can see in her post. I've always been impressed with the speed she turns out books. I've been lucky to manage two to three books a year of about the same length she writes, that's 1/3 her speed. And I don't even have 1/3 the books published that she has out. 

Her post inspired some thinking on the topic. Like Ruth, I do all my own writing. Is it good? That's up to you, the readers. I don't expect to please everyone. I don't hire ghostwriters or use AI. It is all on me, and, like Ruth and any human writer, I have good days and bad days. I've had days where I've been lucky to eek out a couple hundred words, or any, and days where I almost couldn't stop writing.

I'm not a machine. I am a living being. I am a wife, mother, homeowner, horse owner, cat slave, and employee for someone else. I love my part-time non-writing job and don't get to see my horse nearly as much as I would like. I also have one kid heading to college in the fall and another still in high school who needs mom or dad to get her to/from work since she doesn't have her drivers license yet. We have a house and yard to maintain. I also make time for my faith, which has only grown deeper as I get older. It all cuts out chunks from my days.

On top of all that, I also have autoimmunity that can sap my concentration and energy away, which is also why I don't get to see my horse as often as I like--the energy seems to get sapped on the otherwise best days or I have something else that has to get done. Writing is heavily intellectual. Anything that depletes cognition takes its toll on writing; the autoimmunity is particularly effective at that. I've had to learn to be my own doctor for things, although I have excellent independent physicians who have helped me get past the worst issues.

Given all that, I am proud of what I have achieved. I work hard in all my endeavors, and all of them complement one another. It is a symbiosis that I've learned to manage as best as I can. It's not rainbows and unicorns--life isn't meant to be easy--but I believe that we are defined by how we overcome our struggles to fulfill our purpose and achieve our dreams. God allows struggle to teach us how to better ourselves. When we can overcome without succumbing to the self-annihilating forces of jealousy, blame, or violence but can do something constructive, our limits are only what we place on ourselves.

As you can see, through all that I have going on, I continue forward. Thank God I don't have to depend on my writing income to get by. I tend to spend more on the business of publishing than I make, but that's because I support the publishing with outside income. Because of that, I also take on a lot of the roles myself, from author to cover artist, although I mostly try to find finished images to promote on the latest series (Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds). I've taught myself some Photoshop skills for cover work and for my day job, but I can only work with photos/existing images. (I consider the cover of UNBROKEN BONDS to be my best work to date.)

I have hired excellent cover artists in the past. (See the Paul Davies works on the Legend of the White Dragon series and Demon Age books.) Working with artists on custom covers is another process in itself, giving the artist something to start them and then going back and forth with sketches until you get something that satisfies both parties. And as Ruth points out, you work on their schedule. It can be very frustrating but very rewarding in the end.

I also format my own books and manage the marketing, more time taken from writing. I'd love to have someone to help, but I can't really afford that either. So, I take on these roles also and do the best I can at any given time. I try to do these tasks when my ability to concentrate on writing is low anyway, so the effect is minimal.

This is how I keep going and how I keep writing. I have a lot to manage in my life (doesn't everyone?), but there are people who are worse off and yet are able to do much more. I admire that courage and dedication and could only hope to match it, but we can never fill someone else's shoes. We can only work hard to reach our own unique potential and accomplish whatever we set out to do. This is why I love the quote below. It reminds me that small things add up to big things. Another version is that "a book is written one word at a time."

Many people may not realize just how much work that involves--it only starts with the writing. A book may be consumed fast, but creating and publishing it is a time-intensive process amid many other distractions and duties, and that is the point that Ruth makes in her post. Plotting, writing, rewriting (many times), editing, formatting (ebook and/or paperback), cover design, copyright registration, setting up at retailers (with all the details that have to be entered, not just a simple upload), marketing, etc. all take time and effort to complete.

I may not be as prolific as some authors, but I do nearly all of the work myself.

Unless fortunes improve, I will continue as I have with the writing and publishing and hope that I can bring some escape and positivity into your life.

ps--Book 15 is now at 11,500 words.

Writing update

I'm a plotter overall, especially with a series like Forgotten Worlds, but I allow room for surprises and flexibility to change things as necessary. No idea is perfect in its planning.

That's why as I've been writing Book 15, I've been revisiting Books 13 and 14. I left something unfinished in Book 14 which gives me a good subplot to wrap up in Book 15. And that also gave me a new idea for an extra end scene for Book 14, which teases a big question that could make things more complicated for me but add tension to the overall series.

While I try to keep each book as a standalone episode with its own beginning, middle, and end, I also have the overall series arc to consider. There are some things that get carried on for some time before being resolved, as readers have now discovered. My notes are long and complicated, and it's getting to the point that I may need a better format for tracking all these connections. I just don't have the time to sit and make up charts of what happens when and what else it affects, nor the inclination. I have too many other things to do in my day than to reorganize my notes.

Right now, I am happy to report that Book 15 is up to 7000 words. Considering I broke from it yesterday in a sidetrack of ideas that came to fruition in an extra scene at the end of Book 14 to tie into what developed for Book 15, I've still maintained a decent pace of writing. And this just re-emphasizes the need to stay two books ahead in writing of what I'm publishing. 

The biggest challenge is always to keep the stories exciting and interesting and largely complete episodes with lead-ins to what's to come.

It's getting more exciting with some major events (and HUGE revelations) to come!

beginning again... Forgotten Worlds Book 15 started

Coming Fall 2022

It took me some thinking and consideration of what has happened in the Forgotten Worlds series to date, but I decided what Book 15 would be. I just released MESSAGES, and have SOUL SHADOW and UNBROKEN BONDS aside for editing.

I read through SS after releasing MESSAGES and then started reading UB. When I was nearly at the end of UB, I finally figured out how to coordinate what happens next for Nya and her friends and figure out what happened in between the stories, which would have been no real story of its own and worked out well as a narrative summary. The story has become a bit more complicated since I now have established rules of how things work, tech, cultures, etc., but I anticipated that going into this series. I kept the first half relatively basic with independent adventures that didn't always involve the series plot but still built on it, and those stories made sense for the characters to grow together as friends/companions and form a cohesive team. The goal is always for each story leading to the next and for the growth of the characters and advancement of the over-arching plot. It's the subplots that get to be trouble, so I had to wrap up some of those in UB before I go any further.

Coming Winter 2022-2023

Book 13 is the background of L'Ni, revealing the Feri culture quite in-depth and how they betrayed L'Ni. In Book 14, an important romance comes to fruition, and L'Ni is taken from the celebration of Ann and Nik's wedding, which is mystifying in itself until you learn how it was down (pretty basic really but a realized threat to Ethalian security). I also wanted to wrap up the question of what the mirror meant in the Vault of the Celestials trials and reveal another hint of something big that I've been developing, something that I introduced way back in The Rule of Yonder. I didn't have the answer then but it did come to me a few books later and I had to be careful to sprinkle in hints of that as the series has continued. Writing two books ahead of publishing allows me a chance to use an idea and go back in editing those previous books and add whatever I need. That's why I always have two of these stories waiting in the wings when I start a new one.

I have the rest of the series planned and probably have too many ideas already, but I came up with something else for Book 15 to get back to a bit of a side adventure again. I know. I know. I need to stick to what I have and quit expanding this more. That's easier said than done with a series like this, but I do want to finish it. I may not develop some of the ideas I have into full-blown stories if it gets too long, but they're all good, and now that I have a countdown to doomsday for the series, I have some time to fill and details to develop.

So, there's what I'm up to and some of my thinking on this series. If you ever have questions or even an idea, feel free to contact me by commenting here or by completing the form at https://melanienilles.com/contact/. I'd love to hear from you.

MESSAGES has arrived!

It's done!

The latest installment of the ongoing Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds series is now available from major ebook retailers. It's been a lot of work getting this ready. As I mentioned in my last post, I've had a lot going on in my real life. This book also required a lot work to hammer it into shape, but it's finally done. I hope you enjoy the latest book of this series, available from most major retailers and eventually from all of them. Purchase links are updated at https://melanienilles.com/books/messages/ as they become available.

When a distress call is caught by the Iludrin, the team can't ignore it, but no one is prepared for what they find. The signal leads them to an unstable star system, where a slaver vessel drifts aimlessly. Despite multiple life-signs, no one answers their inquiries.

Saving the prisoners is a priority, but when rescue teams board the derelict vessel, they soon discover why no one has answered. Something deadly is lurking in the grim corridors, killing crew and prisoners alike. The rescue teams from the Iludrin could be next. However, when a secret is discovered on the ship, they can't leave it for the Issan to claim, or the mysterious threat on the ship will be the least of their concerns.

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In case you're new to this series, here is a complete list of books in order (more details on the Forgotten Worlds page of this blog or at my website Forgotten Worlds series pages):

1:   A New Beginning

2:   The Rule of Yonder

3:   Vault of the Celestials

4:   In Darkness, Light

5:   The Destruction of Walls

6:   Disposition of Dreams

7:   Remnants

8:   Racing the Orast Belt

9:   Ferious

10: Dragon and Fury

11: Voices in the Dark

12: Messages

Upcoming (written but not yet published):

13: Soul Shadow

14: Unbroken Bonds

More to come! (expect around 25 books total in this series)

Remembrance

 

the view from the saddle

Most of Buddy's herd,
still a ways off from me.

I haven't reported on my horse for some time (months!). We made a change last summer in which I moved him closer to me from my parents' farm to a boarding facility. It's been a very good experience for him. He's in a pasture with a large herd of geldings, so he has plenty of freedom to roam and other friends for company and play. But it's a big pasture and can take me a while to reach him when he's at the far end (about a half-mile walk) as he was today. I'm glad he was out today in the pasture, though (maybe not so glad by the end of summer). The grass is starting to green up and he needs that. Hanging out near the barn end of the pasture eating the old hay isn't good for him, especially with better alternatives springing up.

Today was a beautiful day, except for the chilly breeze. In a couple of months I'll be wanting that breeze, but for now, it added a chill on what would have been a perfect day. Nevertheless, Buddy was a good boy, where he used to be a snorty freak on days like this.

He's come a long ways in just the last year alone. This spring, I finally buckled down and started asking for more forward and more attention to shoulder-fore. Now, he's picking up the canter from a trot within a step or two of my asking. No more taking lots of set up or running into it. He's so much better balanced, and it shows.

The view from the saddle
is magnificent

I also figured out why he's always so jumpy and fidgety--something missing in his diet. He needs a complete multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. It's a long process how I figured that out, partly by accident and observations that clued me into the issue. When he's on green grass, he's always calmer than on dried grass or hay (which is leeched of nutrients by the curing process and just by aging). I also noticed that when I changed his sweet feed treat to a complete feed, I had a calmer horse about an hour later. I added some Grand Vite to his before-ride treat and that hits him with more of what he needs immediately for a much better ride. He gets the rest after we ride, along with some digestive supplements and beet pulp. It's made a HUGE difference for him.

And that has made a HUGE difference in his training. He's finally reaching more of a solid dressage first level, although now he's so out of shape that we can't work too long yet. His muscle tone is gone right now and he's a fat boy. (He's pretty stocky / solidly built, but one can see the hay belly and the lack of muscle in his hindquarters.) And after our big spring snowstorm, he quit shedding like he had been, but I'm seeing signs that it may pick up again soon. I hope to have a sleek, shiny boy in another month.

I'm going to try to ride more often this summer, which is what he really needs to overcome his lack of confidence in new situations and to build up his strength to advance his dressage work. He isn't a fancy mover nor very athletic (and certainly not built for dressage), but I know I have the skills from all my years of experience and training to help him become something that he wouldn't otherwise have the chance to be. He's already come very far since I bought him as a youngster broke by horse traders to make a quick buck at the auction six and a half long years ago (he's now 9), when I was looking for just a simple little project horse to play with after giving up on the showing. I bought an ugly duckling (in terms of movement) and with proper training, am transforming him into the swan that was hiding inside. If he can be transformed, any horse can be with dressage training. It's exciting to see this sweet little guy blossom into his potential as an adult horse!

The shadow shows me on his back.

Writing update

The first draft of UNBROKEN BONDS, Book 14 of the Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds series, is done! The final scene is written (and rewritten). The final word count... 50,000 words.

As readers know, the books of this series are not the doorstopper novels readers have come to expect from most series, but they are still novels (40K minimum words by SFWA standards), except for the first book, which is just under the minimum novel word count. As I've posted before, I try to keep these in the 40K-50K range on word count. Several books now have come in near the 50K mark. This shorter length allows me to explore different plots without getting too complicated and burning me out, and they also make it possible to release more frequent stories (3-4 per year). It also allows me to keep the prices low; and while prices on everything else continue to spike, $2.99 for a few hours of reading enjoyment is quite reasonable.

I now will begin shredding aka editing MESSAGES to publish that soon, just in time for summer reading. Book 12 will mark the halfway point of the series that I have planned (24-25 books total).

Here are the books available in this series so far:

1) A New Beginning

2) The Rule of Yonder

3) Vault of the Celestials

4) In Darkness, Light

5) The Destruction of Walls

6) Disposition of Dreams

7) Remnants

8) Racing the Orast Belt

9) Ferious

10) Dragon and Fury

11) Voices in the Dark

Written and coming in 2022:

12) Messages

13) Soul Shadow

14) Unbroken Bonds

You can find information on the Forgotten Worlds page of this blog or by going to melanienilles.com.

Keep in mind that projected release dates are only estimates. Some books can be easy to write while others present difficulties and take longer to write and edit. I have my goals, but I don't always meet them, especially when a book ends up longer than anticipated or something comes up to take my attention away from writing. This is why I no longer post books for pre-order but publish when they are ready and post the announcements and links as they become available.

If you want to keep track of each new release, follow my Amazon author page, this blog, and/or my MeWe page. If there is enough interest, I may even set up a new-release newsletter. You can sign up for that by completing the contact form on my website.

Thank you for your continued reading and support!

a short update on FW book 14

I post more frequent updates on my MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p/melanienillesauthor.

I'm still writing, although I deal with health issues that can make that difficult. I've been trying to figure out if I might be deficient in my diet somewhere, but testing supplements can be difficult. I can't take multivitamins because they're imbalanced for me. The other part is middle age--getting older sucks!

I love writing too much to not write this series and must see it to the end, which will be spectacular (at least in my mind for what I have planned). I have over half a book written on Forgotten Worlds book 14 and am seeing all my planned scenes get plugged into place despite the unconventional storytelling of this book. It will be an interesting wedding story with a little mystery.

Part of why I love this series so much is that I can play with different story types and even subgenres and situations. MESSAGES has a touch of horror, and this has a bit of a mystery for the characters to solve to rescue one of the team, and it's not Nya this time.

That's all I can say without giving too much away. You'll just have to stay with me to find out. 😉

Later this spring, I'll publish MESSAGES (Book 12), but I have to finish the first draft of this book (14) first.

Happy Book Day!

Voices in the Dark is done! It is publishing now across ebook retail sites. Be sure to check out https://melanienilles.com/books/voices-in-the-dark/ for links to be updated as it shows up in various stores.

Escaping the Paxons caused damage to the Cartegos that requires more extensive repairs than Vel and Shen can perform in space. To access the damage, they need to set down in an atmosphere. To reach a planet with an atmosphere, they need Nya to open a portal, and the Starfire entities have the perfect location.

While the ship undergoes repairs, L'Ni accompanies Nya on a journey into a cave on Karam Three to find the shard left there. However, the wildlife is protective of their world and attack ferociously to defend their territory, driving Nya and L'Ni deeper into the abyss of the cave.

The situation is no better for their friends. While Nya and L'Ni are trapped within the darkness, their friends must make a difficult decision.

Not all is what it seems on Karam Three.