June Newsletter! Better One, or Better Two...?

Hey, y'all. Listen, I have a question for you. Have you been to the eye doctor recently/ever? You know how you have to tell the doctor which lens helps you see best, with the tried and true, "better one...or better two?"

Well, today you get to do that for me. I need some feedback. I'm looking at changing the font on the front of Red to make it more interesting and less...well, drippy. The font that I thought looked like FIRE actually looks more like MOLTEN LAVA and that isn't the vibe I'm going for here. So....

Better ONE or better TWO:

  

Let me know what you think. I can see pros and cons for both.

In the meantime, I will be starting on the edits for Hero in July for Camp NaNoWriMo, and working more on the failed Kindle Vella project, "The Outpost." More on that later.

I had a FANTASTIC weekend at Con Carolinas after an equally fantastic one at the Author Event at GARF. While you're thinking on which font is better, have a look through some photos from those two events.

Remember, my next event is Congregate in July...I hope to see you there!

  

This pose is becoming a tradition...Kaylee Frye at 50 Cosplay and Saucy Vala Cosplay

The ConCarolinas Corner Setup

GARF Day Two Cosplay: An Author, a la 1994

Your Intrepid Authors in the Wild

Look, y'all, it's my sister!

Life in a Southern...Canopy.

The Booth at GARF...the Hot and Sweaty Booth...

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Man, it has been a week...

Cover Art: The Temple

So I am back at the DayJob™ now and...y'all. How did I forget everything that it entails in one short summer break? I mean, I haven't forgotten how to interpret, thankfully, but the other stuff has put me in the front seat of the struggle bus. It's also made me put off things that need to get done for my other life as a writer.

One thing that is coming up sooner than I'd thought is the release of my 8th Orana Chronicles novel, The Temple. EIGHT! I don't know how that happened or what I was doing when it did, but this beauty will be in preorder for e-book starting in October and released in all formats on November 5th. What?

I look back at those seven books in line ahead of The Temple and I can see a definite progression in the story arc, in my writing, and in character development, and that's a good thing. But it is leading me to think more broadly and after I got book two in the Arcstone series pulled into a second draft for last July's NaNoWriMo I think I might be ready to add a second book to the Luminous Beings series as well as branch out into some vampire fiction.

And here is where I can clearly hear the voice of my mother in the back of my mind cautioning me to finish one thing at a time because she knew me very well and she knew that often my excitement can override my ability to manage my time. 

So for now...let's just focus on The Temple, which follows the events of Red. Where that book gave Tairn a chance to step into the role of the main character, this one gives that same ability to Hack and Elys. I say every time that this is my favorite of the Orana characters, and while I love Hack and Elys dearly I still have a soft spot for Tairn. They have a strength of character that she has only just developed - and they have each other.

And that's all I can say without pulling my usual spoilers, so there ya go. Watch for more information on the release of The Temple...and be good to yourselves. Time flies by, whether you're having fun or not, it would seem.

Music Monday: A Journey to the 80s

The year was 1983. I was in seventh grade. And this magnificent band put out hit after hit...and now, a few years later (I'm not going to concede that the 80s were more than about 15 years ago, so don't try) this song hits differently. And when you put it with my WIP that you will have the chance to read in November, it just speaks to me of REDACTED and REDACTED and what happened at the end of Red. Also...it is a perfect example of 80s ballads at their best. Enjoy.

Send Her My Loveby Journey
It's been so longSince I've seen her faceYou say she's doin' fineI still recall a sad cafeHow it hurt so bad to see her cryI didn't want to say goodbye
Send her my loveMemories remainSend her my loveRoses never fadeSend her my love
The same hotelThe same old roomI'm on the road againShe needed so much moreThan I could giveWe knew our love could not pretendBroken hearts can always mend
Send her my loveMemories remainSend her my loveRoses never fadeSend her my love
Callin' out her name, I'm dreamin'Reflections of a face I'm seein'It's her voice that keeps on haunting me
Send her, send her my loveRoses never fadeMemories remainSend her, send her my love

Upcoming Event: ConCarolinas 2022

In Author's Alley, ConCarolinas '21

So, this weekend is ConCarolinas in Charlotte, and while I'm a bit disappointed to not be invited to be in Author's Alley, I'm hoping for a timeslot at the Featured Author table and I will be speaking (or dying of impostor syndrome, one or the other) on four panels throughout the con weekend and one of them is about Star Trek. 

Y'all, I'm trying not to lose my EVER LOVING MIND because... Star Trek. I think we can all agree that one will be a full on struggle between what I know (having watched ST all my life) and impostor syndrome. It should at least be entertaining, right?

I will also have copies of Red with me for either the Featured Author table or to sell out of my hotel room (I'm just kidding.) (Maybe.), so come find me and grab a signed copy. I'm not bringing all of my stock this time since I'm not going to be set up for the weekend, so it will probably just be Red and Strid.

Come see me! Have Geeky Fun! Do all the things! And if you see an aging Kaylee from Firefly cosplayer hiding in doorways, just point me in the direction of the lifts and mind ya bidness. Shiny.

It's Here!!!!

Happy Book Birthday, Red.