Tag Archives: serpent in a cage

RoW80 Check-In: What Happened to the Weekend?

“     ‘We’re paying you to care about rescuing the girl,’ Estialog stated simply. ‘What happens afterwards is categorically none of your business.’
     ‘And if we have a moral concern?’
     Tayahyla snorted again, but held back comment. ‘An odd bunch of brigands,’ Estialog murmured, ‘to be concerned with morality.’
     ‘We never claimed to be typical.’”

As I was writing the title of this Wednesday’s Round of Words in 80 Days check-in, I’m thinking to myself, “But, L, it’s Wednesday. You’re halfway to the next weekend already.” And that just really highlights how busy last weekend has felt, in the fact that my brain is still back there on Sunday or something, while time rushes on through to the next weekend.

I’m used to the weekends being busy and a little crazy; it’s par for the course when you work in retail, and it’s usually the weekdays that mean relaxation, especially the earlier, mid-week days that aren’t so hot for shopping. There’s a lot of crazy, exciting things going on where I work, so everything’s in a whirlwind, things are really crazy, and I was really looking forward to spend today getting back in touch with my writing, and then a coworker asks if I can cover for her tonight. Sigh. This means working six days this week, including one day for 9 hours in an 11 hour span (I got a 2 hour break in between, half of which was driving between locations). I want to shake my fists and just yell “ARRRGGGH,” but I know that this is just the start. There’s a good chance things will get crazier, so I’m bracing myself.

And using all the wonderful writing and reading to keep myself centered and Zen. Everyone’s been noting how I really seem in control of my shit lately, and I intend to keep in control and ride through the chaos like an unfappable breeze of serenity. And I think it’s my writing and the fact that, no matter what happens with my Day Job, things are happening with my Dream Job, too, and that’s just incredible.

The print proof for Bowlful of Bunnies arrived the other day, which is such a trip. I took it to work and showed it off to everyone, too, but I think I want a much smaller size, so today I’m reformatting and resubmitting it for review. Part of my brain wanted to just go with what I have now, but then I had to remind myself that patience is a virtue. While it would be exciting to start shilling this print version now, it’s much better to make sure it’s exactly what I want it to be before I let it out in the world. CreateSpace was incredibly fast…much quicker than they had projected…so I doubt I’d have to wait too long again. Plus, the excitement gets me in a fabulous mood, and, whenever I start to get irritated, all I have to do is think about how, in a few days, I’ll have a print proof of my potential book that people without Kindles can actually buy, whaaaaaat?

I’ve been plugging along with Serpent in a Cage, too, finally getting to the point where I think the dragging middle expositionary section gets back into the action again, which should pick things up. I played around with the idea of bringing in Tayahyla as a narrator again, but I think three is enough for now. Her story can be told better in the next book. I’m also poking at Soulless, the haunted house, and the western with dragons a little bit, too, and wondering if I should skip NaNoWriMo this year or go for it. There’s still time, I must remind myself. People are already talking about it, though, which gets me flailing slightly. I have trouble refusing a challenge when it’s presented, yet maybe I should force myself to show some restraint. We shall have to see.

I’ve still got those book reviews to do (I’ve realized that I’ve been putting them off because I don’t particularly like doing negative reviews, and these ones are not glowing, no), but, other than that, all my attention has been mostly on BoB and SiaC and this craziness that is my life lately. Next week, I might be taking what I’m going to call a brief “writer’s retreat” for a few days, and that should definitely help me anchor my center through the chaos…and allow me some uninterrupted, undistracted chunks of time for writing!

How everyone else doing? Did you get a chance to check out any other RoWers today? (If not, you can find them here!) I’m off to do more formatting and reading and scribbling.

Happy writing!

RoW80 Check-In: The Waiting Game.

“Locke grunted, trying to hold down his irritation. ‘Men lie, Majani,’ he said, ‘and quite often, and that’s why I ask. You didn’t honestly believe us to just blindly follow anyone with enough gold into caves and secret dungeons, do you?’”

I wasn’t sure if I was going to pull off a check-in post today, but, thanks to an agreement that has me working all day tomorrow, I was released from work early today and could have enough time to pen this after all. It’s not going to be much of an update, a little quick and dirty, but things have been going really, really well. Not so much with my Round of Words in 80 Days goals, but with life in general. And I’ve strayed a bit from the goals, but other accomplishments have surfaced, which makes me feel a little better about it. Especially since the whole point of RoW80 is the flexibility.

I’ve been doing really, really well with a-page-a-day on Serpent in a Cage, although I feel this chapter is kind of a hot mess. I’m just going to keep plugging along. This is the boring travel chapter, where I have to rely on character interactions to carry it, and I don’t think I’m doing as well as I could be with that. However, that’s what edits are for, right?

I started transcribing what I have for SiaC‘s sequel, too, and, oh man, is it bad! It’s almost kind of funny. It was last year’s NaNo, so, when I was writing it, it was all about word count. SiaC is still my main focus between the two, obviously, but I’m really going to have to roll up my sleeves when I get to cracking down on this one.

But the real catch in my recent progress is that pesky song of the Muse. Sometimes, I feel like I have practically no attention span at all, but my Muse makes me feel like I’ve got the focus of a GOD. Lately, two of my previous WIPs (Soulless with the zombie dystopian world and the one with the super haunted house) have been calling to me, and, not wanting to ignore them, I’ve embraced them with a little bit of scribbling here and there, too. Now, I know I’ve talked a lot about how I was going to push back the fear of finishing Serpent in a Cage, but a part of me still feels, “Maybe not yet…” So if either of these WIPs continue to demand my attention, I might switch my focus again, but we shall see.

I’ve also got two book reviews that I’ve been lazy about writing, and another one to come up shortly, too, so the reading’s going well, too.

And the most exciting news of all?

The print proof for Bowlful of Bunnies should arrive sometime this week. Wait. Did I say print proof? I do believe I did! I’ve finally hopped on over to CreateSpace to give their program a try, and so far, I am incredibly impressed…as well as completely flabbergasted by how incredibly easy it was! Granted, I haven’t gotten the print yet, so I don’t yet know how it’s going to work out, but if it does….having a print version of BoB is going to open a lot of doors. I have a lot of exciting things planned, and I can’t wait to get them started. Definitely stay tuned!

And, in the meantime, why don’t you hop on over here and visit my fellow RoWers? You’ll be glad you did.

Happy writing!

Character Interview: Locke Mandrake Battarack.

A little while ago, I proposed an idea that would spark up some interest in what’s intended to be my next WIP, Serpent in a Cage. Already, I’ve done a post talking about the geography of the world that SiaC kicks off, but I had mentioned character interviews on the blog where readers can also ask questions and learn more about the story and the world of Aryneth through them. The response was pretty good; a lot of people seemed interested, so this Friday, we’re giving it a shot. We’re starting out with one of the three main characters of Serpent in a Cage, Locke Mandrake Battarack. But before we get to Locke, let me tell you a little bit about him.


Is Marc-André Grondin dark and broody and (most importantly) cheek-bony enough for Locke Mandrake Battarack? I think so! All he lacks is the piercing blue eyes….

So, if you’re a certain age, you’ve probably heard of the Battaracks. If you’re a little younger, maybe you haven’t. In some opinions, the Battaracks were the scourge of Kyano; others found them to be heroes like from the tales of old, marauders traversing the continent from one end to the other, fighting the battles that others would not. Through the years, though, the numbers of the nomadic tribe of warriors began to dwindle; they still remained a significant force, but no where near the legends they were since their inception in the Age of Legend. Always contending with the forces of Gynnocota, Kyano’s largest city-state, one fateful night, the armies of Gynnocota slipped into the nearby Battarack camp and completely massacred what little was left of their factions.

Well, almost completely.

Through a deft maneuver, Lady Serene Battarack was able to entrust her young infant son, Locke, to Knolan Rszbeki, her husband’s right-hand man. Knolan was able to steal into the night with the child safely, as well as with another, Gilferen Allok, whose dying mother requested the man take her son as well. With everyone they knew dead from the bloody massacre, Knolan struggled to bring up two boys in the wilderness and rebuild a life for himself and the all but destroyed Battaracks.

It wasn’t an easy life, but Locke and Gilferen grew up to be quick and resourceful young men, creating a much diminished group of marauders in the spirit of their deceased forefathers. They traveled Kyano, scavenging for jobs and heists, making a meager living for themselves. Now that Locke is a full grown man, though, he’s turning his attention to calling up the glory of the Battaracks of old, to move beyond being mere theives and mercenaries, and rebuilding an empire. It will be a difficult task, though, and, with the addition of a new member, a mysterious Analisian by the name of Jaxson Devoii, the Battaracks are just about to embark on a truly new experience: traveling to the desert continent of Kassir in the hopes to garner prestige in a whole new land. We caught up with Locke the day before their ship was to sail toward this exciting new journey.

Hello, Locke! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us a little. You must be incredibly busy for such a big trip!

L: (he smiles tightly) Busy’s one word for it, I guess. It’s not that we have a whole lot of stuff to pack, though. Most of it’s just the cargo that we’re transporting, and preparing ourselves for how different Kassir will be. I’m not looking forward to the heat. Or the insects. Or the jungles. Or any of it, really.

Yikes. Isn’t there anything you are looking forward to?

L: (he shrugs, avoiding my eyes) Not really. I mean, the whole thing is Jaxson’s idea; if I had the choice, I’d have never taken a job like this, but Knolan insists that it will be good for us. I’m the leader of this group, so what I say should be paramount, but he’s so insistent on it! I guess we can try it and when it doesn’t work, I can reinstate at least a little bit of authority. He acts as though I’m still a boy no bigger than his hip, and that Jaxson is just the thing we need to turn the Battaracks around. But we don’t need Jaxson. We need to be heading toward Gynnocota, figure a way to strike at them in a way that’ll shake this whole continent.

Revenge?

L: (he shrugs again) Something like that. All I know is that the Battaracks have been a part of Kyanese history for longer than most people can remember. What in Hadesari’s Realm are we going to do in Kassir, besides fry our brains and contract some torturous tropical disease? It’s insane, but Knolan, as usual, won’t listen. I guess I’ll have to wait for the stubborn old goat to see it with his own eyes.

Now I feel odd wishing you luck, but I do hope it goes well for you, whatever the outcome. You never know. You could surprise yourself and be very successful in Kassir.

L: I could. But I doubt it. I think that’s something someone like Jaxson will never understand. I don’t even think Knolan understands it, either. But I feel connected to Kassir; I have a history here that runs deep in my blood, and whenever I think about the fact that I’m leaving it, I start to feel it. Right here. (his hand covers his chest) It aches. I just have a bad feeling about this, but I’ll see it through. I’m nearly positive that it’s going to fail, and, when it does, I’ll return and things can get back to the way they were. It isn’t as though I haven’t suffered through mishaps before.

Like what? What would you say was the most challenging thing you’ve faced in your life so far?

L: (he snorts) You mean besides the rigors of every day life? Of trying to ensure that you have food and shelter every day, when you’ve gone so many days without? Every single day is a challenge, L, but that doesn’t stop me. (he chuckles, a bit suddenly) Besides that, I guess the biggest challenge would just be that I’ve got to do it with Gilferen. I love the man as if he was my own brother, but he doesn’t make things easy. Do you realize how many villages we’re not allowed in anymore because of him? I’m pretty sure we could repopulate the Battaracks entirely just by going around and collecting all the bastards he’s put into the bellies of innkeeper’s daughters and milkmaids…

Your words say one thing, Locke, but your grin says something else entirely. I’m pretty sure Gilferen’s not the only one who’s had his hand in those sorts of dalliances.

L: Pretty sure, but you’d be wrong. That’s more Gilferen’s thing; I have other things on my mind.

Surely, there’s had to have been a few beauties to turn your head through all your years of traveling…

L: Of course. I’m not blind. But I’m afraid I lack the fervor in which Gilferen seems possessed. It doesn’t really bother me. There was one girl… (he drifts off, shakes his head) It doesn’t matter, though. I’ve yet to meet anyone that I’ve felt so strongly about to bring her into the Battarack fold. Maybe I’m too picky. If Gilferen had a say in it, we’d have a regular traveling harem. (a pause) If you talk to him, do not mention that. We don’t need to be giving him ideas of what we should be bringing back with us from Kassir.

Don’t worry, I won’t. But I will open up the questions to everyone else, if you don’t mind. Locke, thank you so much for taking the time. I know you’ve got a lot to do before you sail off into the Great Sea, but our audience might have a few questions of their own.

L: (he shrugs) Sure. Go ahead…

And so I open the floor to you, Dear Readers, if you’d like to ask our guest Locke Mandrake Battarack anything at all about himself, his life, and his world*. Before we get into that, I do have a new subscriber to mention, too! Thanks for joining us, Justin Zamora Rodriguez! Good to have you here!

*(General comments, as well as questions that Locke will answer directly, are welcome, too!)

RoW80 Check-In: Microsoft Word Hates Me.

“Thankfully, Taluin had enough compassion and empathy to know what he meant without him having to say. ‘Oh, Locke,’ she said, her voice catching, breaking in her throat. ‘You were her world.’”

So, some of you may have been reading about my recent awesomeness revolution lately; some of you may not. In a nutshell, life is awesome right now, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into some epic progress on my Round of Words in 80 Days goals, and that’s okay. I’ve been making some steady page-a-day progress on Serpent in a Cage, and that has been most of my writing focus lately.

I’ve attempted to work on some short stories and typing up some of the first part of SiaC, but my computer has been acting a little…strange whenever I use Microsoft Word. I’ll get maybe half a page or so into typing, and some virus or some glitch in my computer is causing the Save As screen to pop up. I save frequently, so, at first, I thought I was just clicking it, but this is not the case. And then I go to save, and the window prompt keeps showing up, until I have to shut the program down entirely. It’s odd, it’s strange, it’s possibly something potentially harmful, but it’s an old, battered laptop, and that’s bound to happen eventually. Right now, I don’t want to deal with it, so I just do what I can and then call it a day when it pops up.

Nothing too exciting, then. I’m in the phase where it’s mostly just write, write, write, so I’m trying to use my time not at the notebook getting back into the blogging community and picking at a few short stories so I can start submitting to magazines again.

I would like to throw out a question, though: Anyone know of any good contests going on right now? Even if it’s just something to help prompt me…I know the contest Morgan Dragonwillow ran ages ago inspired a lot of really great new work from me. I’m looking for something like that to spark my creativity again, so if you can think of anything, please pass it along! I’d love to get back into something like that, but my focus is all skewed and I might need a little help.

How is everyone else doing? Have you had a chance to check in with any other RoWers (it’s real easy, you can just go here!). I’ve got the next three days off, so I’m really looking forward to a lot of Happy Writing!

Before I go, though, I’ve got a new follower to welcome to the blog. Hi, f-Stop fun! Thanks so much for subscribing!

RoW80 Check-In: It’s Sunday Already?

“‘Locke!’ Taluin’s voice was suddenly a whip, sharp and commanding…and stinging, too. ‘Don’t ever say something like that again! They were your parents; it’s your history. You should ask! Ask everything; you have a right ot know, and no one can blame you for your curiosity. Ask. Especially since I have answers. Please, ask, but one question at a time!’”

This week was certainly a whirlwind for me! It’s hard to believe that it’s already Sunday and time for another Round of Words in 80 Days check-in; it feels like I was just whipping one of these Sunday check-ins the other day. I think that’s a good thing, over all. I think it’s nicer to have a week fly by than to have one that just seems to drag on and on, even if I feel I haven’t been as productive as I could have been. I haven’t been a complete loss, though, like last weekend.

Nothing too thrilling has been happening as far as my goals are concerned. I’m getting the first part of Serpent in a Cage typed up to sort of get a head start on typing it all up when it’s finished. I’m thinking of running the same sort of contest I ran with Battarack Girls: encourage a little spike in Bowlful of Bunnies‘s sales which lead to a reveal of the prologue. I’m also scribbling away in the main text, on one of my favorite chapters where Locke learns about his mother from Taluin, and it’s all heart-tugging and you just want to give him a great big old hug.

I’ve been working a little bit on some short stories, too. Not much, and my classic dilemma of being able to start things without finishing them is ringing true. So, I have a lot of stories started, but not a whole lot of them finished. One needs to be polished and sent out, though, so there’s something. I’m hoping to poke at them a little bit more on my upcoming days off, but most of my energy on days when I work has been channeled into SiaC.

I’ve been trying to be better about visiting my fellow RoWers lately, too (you can find them all here!), as well as doing plenty of reading and what have you. Quite a few good things have been happening in life in general, balanced out with some not so good things, so right now I’m feeling a pretty decent zen about everything. I’m not sure I really feel about delving into the depths of my brain with everything going on, but I do know that I can say there might be some really, really interesting things coming my way. Of course, usually when I say that, things tend to plod on as usual, but maybe this time I’ll actually be right.

How are things going for you? Have you ever had something going on in your life that you wanted to tell people about, but knew it was more prudent to just wait and see? I hate waiting, but at least the zen helps me keep my patience in check.

RoW80 Check-In: Back in Black.

In all honesty, I’m not wearing black right now; I merely wanted to get AC/DC stuck in your head. You’re welcome.

“      Suddenly, he cut himself off. He wanted to say more. He wanted to express how little he thought of destiny if this was the life destiny had chosen for him. He wanted to firmly deny the existence of anything that barred him from being in charge of his own fate. But he didn’t. He firmly set his mouth shut against the complaints, staring fiercely forward as he tried to sort through his thoughts.
      Realizing he had nothing more to say, Taluin lightly shook her head. ‘You truly are like your father,’ she mused, her voice marveling and soft.”

Today is Wednesday, which means it’s time for a Round of Words in 80 Days check-in, as well as an attempt to get back into gear after an unexpected little…we’ll say holiday from the writing world. It’s been an interesting, eventful few days, to be sure, which makes me feel a little bit better about the fact that it was so rubbish for writing. There are some possibilities opening up at work, and my social life took a dive on one facet while a reconnection with an old friend brought it skyrocketing up again. Life works in so many mysterious ways, it truly does, and I love when it happens with a bang. But it’s also nice to get back to something a little more regular and paced.

I’m still making some steady progress on Serpent in a Cage, but I’ve decided this morning that I want to turn my attention on getting some more short stories written and submitted to magazines. I usually go through a cycle where I feel motivated to write and submit, and then I quickly fall out of it and it falls to the wayside as I focus on novels more. So I don’t know how long this bout will last, but we shall see. I whipped up a little tale that’s been in the back of my mind yesterday, and today I’m trying a hand at whipping up something new. It’d be nice to aim for a new tale every day, but I’ve tried that before and I know how lofty a goal it is, so we shall see. The fact that I get two enjoy two consecutive days away from work has made me feel ambitious and optimistic.

I also want to turn my attention back to getting Bowlful of Bunnies on other platforms, including a potential print version. I keep intending to do this, but other projects and life events keep distracting me. Every so often, another sale comes in and tickles me pink, but I really feel like I just threw it out there in the wind and let it do its own thing. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I feel a little guilty that I should be cultivating it or guiding it a bit more.

I’ve got a few Aryneth-themed posts in the works, and a few more book reviews coming, and hopefully no more big gaps in posts like these last few days. But, hey. Sometimes, you’ve just got to take those breaks.

So, not much of an update, just a typical L.S. Engler note of getting back in the saddle again and ready to ride. Yee-haw! If you get a chance, check out my fellow RoW-ers here!

I’ve also got some new followers to welcome and thank. So thanks for following the blog, Armand Rosamilia, Ellis Nelson, and Zac Egs! So cool to have you guys here!

RoW80 Update: Rowing Along.

“     ‘You deceptive little minx,’ he said, grinning as he leaned into her, not for the illusion of their secrecy, but merely to be closer.
     ‘I know,’ she whispered back, her dark eyes lingering on him for a moment before they set themselves steadily forward. ‘I’m already fitting in.’”

It’s Wednesday, which means I get a sneak peek at what my paycheck will be, there’s a new episode of Top Chef Masters tonight, and it’s time for a Round of Words in 80 Days update! Not that there’s much to update, but that’s typical for a Wednesday, too.

Though I’ve been picking at it a little bit, I haven’t been keeping up with a page-a-day on Serpent in a Cage, but that’s okay. It’s still moving along nicely at a steady pace, and I’ve dug up the notebook that holds the first half so I can get a little bit of a jump on typing it up. I’ve also dug up the draft of SiaC‘s (currently untitled) sequel that I worked on for NaNo last year, so that I can start picking at that a little bit, too. One of the pieces of writing advice I’ve taken to heart is that you should have your next three books finished and ready to be prepped before publishing your current book. Clearly, I didn’t do that when I published Bowlful of Bunnies, but I definitely have a hefty draft on my hands with SiaC. I’d like to be that way with the next book when SiaC arrives, too, so it isn’t too long between books.

And that’s about it. I’ve got a line of books finished awaiting review, I’ve been feeling a little ill lately, but I know that will pass in a few days, ahem (oh, isn’t it wonderful being a woman sometimes??), and I’m trying not to focus too much on a little gaffe in my social life, but it’s been a little invasive. I hate that. No matter how much you remind yourself that you want to focus on other things at this point in your life, there it is, nagging at the back of your brain like some terrible little demon that you can’t shake off.

Luckily, I scribbled out my feelings about it and might get a pretty interesting short story out of the deal!

Either way, I’ve been working, but not as much as I’d like, and I feel this week is going to be a little iffy, anyway, between healthy and that sonuvabitch Life. Not the most exciting update here, I know, so be sure to check out my fellow RoWers here and see how they might be doing.

And, as always, Happy Writing!

RoW80 Check-In: On with the Adventure!

“‘You met crass fools in that Kassirian shop yesterday,’ Locke said, ‘but you hired professionals. Whatever happened there has passed. When you talked to Jaxson, I assume you talked to him about hiring capable hands for your cause. Well, you’ve got something better than that. You’ve hired Battaracks.’”

Making the decision to finish Serpent in a Cage (again) and publish it (once and for all) has been one of the most liberating decisions I have made for my writing. Granted, I understand that I may still be in the honeymoon stage of this idea. It’s still so new and fresh and exciting, but I wrote almost 10 pages of it on Friday, and I have spent the last few days at work wistfully waiting to get home to pick at it a little bit more. It’s wonderful, and the writing feels fairly solid, too (although editing will show how right I am in that). I chatted a little with a friend about cover design and helping me craft the Aryneth logo for the series, and I’m just feeling an outpouring of love and inspiration for the book. It’s really quite phenomenal, and I’m incredibly focused. Once I have a project on the right foot, my multitasking OCD slips away and I’m actually fairly driven on one thing. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s amazing.

Clearly, I’m excited. And I want to get others excited, too, and I know there’s a little thread of that out there for people who have been following the blog and know just how bloody important SiaC is to me. And a lot of my readers are authors themselves, so they understand how the excitement for a project just gets under your skin and bubbles in your blood down to your fingers, which can’t seem to stay still for the excitement of the story. So I was thinking: what can I do on the blog to get people interested in SiaC? I was thinking it could be fun to do some features on the characters, and open it up to dialogue and “interview questions” from the readers, but, on the same token, a line I read in another blog on how “no one knows these characters and so no one really cares, don’t bore them with your babbling by writing as or tweeting as your characters” keeps sticking out in my brain. Would anyone be interested in some SiaC-theme ‘character’ posts? The idea is still vague, and kind of pointless without participation, so I figured I’d just see what you guys thought.

So, I’m sticking with my goal of at least a page of Serpent in a Cage a day as my ultimate RoW80 goal right now. Eyes on the prize!

I’ll also, of course, be keeping up with my reading, and I actually have two books waiting in the wings to be reviewed, as well as two more books that are just about finished, so things are looking good for that goal, even if I’m still really far behind for the year. I just need to kick it up a little, and it’s never that difficult for me to find time to do more reading!

I’m also picking a little bit at my Western With Dragons piece (since a lot of people have expressed an interest in that one), and a short story for the next The First Line. And how are your goals going for you so far?

Be sure to check out my fellow RoWers here if you get the chance, and, above all, happy writing!

RoW80 Check-In: Snakes and Ladders.

“‘Your pouch of coins may be as large and hefty as my nutsack, and it still wouldn’t be enough to pay me to work for you.’”

Yup, we’re back on Serpent in a Cage excerpts to start out my check-ins. Gilferen really does get all the best lines.

It’s been an interesting few days for me, as I try to grapple with my goals and projects and figure out exactly what it is the Muse seems to want from me at this point in my life. Everything got all jumbled and disorganized, chaotic and disjointed, and I’ve been wrestling with it all to force it into submission and into some semblance of something that can be focused and accomplished. I’ve booted all my various projects to the desk drawer while carefully selecting a chosen few to occupy my time. Of the things that I need to accomplish, there is but one, and that’s finishing a book soon so I can get started on editing and formatting to have another book published by the end of 2012.

After the encouragement offered in yesterday’s post, the task falls into the lap of Serpent in a Cage. I think I’m finally going to do it. I’m finally going to bust that story out, I’m going to publish it independently, and I’m going to get the whole Aryneth epic started, not with a roar, but with a trickle, that will hopefully start drifting down the mountainside until it becomes a vast river and an impressive waterfall in the world of great fantasy literature. I think the push I needed came from my own two hands: “It’s the beginning of so many other things that will be even better,” I said to the ever-inspiring Lauralynn Elliott, “and I’ll never get to those things if I don’t do this one first…“

So I will now be working rigorously on completing the current draft for SiaC, while still picking at a few other projects here and there. Today is the deadline for The First Line, and I was really disliking what I had put together. I’m restructuring it a little, making it more of a flash fiction, and submitting that rather than the original story. I want to submit something, and they’ll accept anything from 300 to 3000 words, so I’ll just hoover closer to the lower end of that scale. The reading is going well: I’m on the cusp of finishing several books, so there’s likely to be a slew of reviews coming. I find it interesting that I also seem to finish books in groups. I want to get started on a submission for next seasons’s The First Line, as well as dig out To Cross a River of Blood and the Auferrix book that follows Serpent in a Cage so that I’ve got some work done there, too.

It feels really good to have direction again, and, already, my mind is spinning with ideas on how to start promoting SiaC a little more. If anything, if I start promoting it and talking about it, I put a little more pressure on myself not to veer from the path, and that’s usually the pressure I need to succeed. Plus, hopefully, in an ideal world, it will get my readers as pumped up about these characters and this story, as I’ve been pumped up about them for nearly ten years now. So, if you’ll excuse me, I have some scribbling to do, but feel free to check out my fellow RoWers here when you get the chance.

Happy writing!

A Cage-y Question.

Anyone who follows my A Round of Words in 80 Days posts (and thank you, those who do!) will know that I’ve been struggling to figure out what book I want to strive to finish to be the second book I promised myself I’d publish this year. I know I’m itching to get to it, too; I sort of blotched my approach with Bowlful of Bunnies, and I’m looking forward to a chance to do a better job marketing Book No. 0002. The problem is that I’m not sure what it’s going to be, and I’m still flailing about the same issue I was flailing about a month ago.

Battarack Girls has lost its spark for now; I’ve returned to trying to start a new novel every month to have a treasure trove of potential pieces available to me. And, right now, I’m seriously considering focusing solely on Serpent in a Cage.

There are a few problems with this. In a nutshell, you could say that I’m not feeling ready for it to be published. On the other hand, though, this is a story I’ve been crafting for nearly ten years now. I’m sort of having a “shit or get off the pot” moment. It’s the closest thing I have to being finished right now. It’s the start of a whole slew of books I’ve been itching to write as well. I’ve always wanted it to be traditionally published, but I’ve been more keep on the idea of bringing it up by its charming indie bootstraps lately, too.

I think I might give it a try. I’m happy to announce that the past two days, I’ve been successful in meeting my page-a-day goals on my various projects that I’m still working on, so I’m definitely moving into a good head space to get some work done, methinks. I’m typing and editing my submission for The First Line tomorrow, too. I’m not entirely happy with how it turned out, but I think it’s still better to submit it than just letting it fall to the wayside, and then I can get started on the next one. My focus will mostly be shifted toward Serpent in a Cage, or whatever other story presents itself.

And now, I turn my attention onto you, dear readers. Have you ever stood on that precipice, on the edge of fear, when something you’ve been working on for a very long time presents itself to be coming into fruition? Did you close your eyes and leap blindly into it, or did you timidly try to ease your way down the steep side of the mountain? What ultimately lead you to taking the plunge? I know a certain sense of fear and worry is holding me back with SiaC, but I’m building myself up to finally confront it…and swiftly demolish it, as well. What are your thoughts?