These days, I’m settling in with my stories again. So it does feel a bit like the above picture illustrating this progress report – it’s a new dawn for me as an author and the stories. (Yeah, that is a bit dramatic, but I do feel better about my writing.)
Writing Progress Report
Right now, I’m doing my best to make my writing fun again, and it’s working!
I’m not writing every day (yet), but I am making progress not just in one story, but in three! And I hop between them when imagination dries up for one. They are Wolves #10 (Timothy’s story), Moon Rises (Winds & Pillars) and the translation of South Breaks into German.
I will say it is great fun to listen to my characters and then write down a scene or two.
Winds & Pillars Progress
Moon
Moon is making her way to West Harbor, slowly but surely. That’s because she has to walk, as she refuses to ride in a mule caravan. (Yes, Moon can be rather stubborn. Oh, the irony.)
Right now, she’s actually flirting with a friendly Priest, and yes, that surprised both her and me. I have a very exciting scene to write next, and it starts out with the two of them visiting the village festival. At the end, they will be at odds with each other, though.
I have a feeling that Ghisfarin might actually turn up again in Spirit Sings. He’s too fun a character to toss away.
Süden aus dem Haus Hase
Oh, and translating South into German is definitely a challenge. Many expressions that sound great in English turn into something very lame in German.
For example, take the first series title, Winds of Destiny. “Winde des Schicksals” just sounds lame and slightly… sick. I’m choosing to use “Sturm” as the term for a Wind, but even “Stürme des Schicksals” sounds too much like a cheesy soap opera.
At least I know what I’ll do with the titles. South Breaks will become “Süden aus dem Haus Hase”, and the others will be the same. Which does create a new challenge for the final book, Spirit Sings, as there is no specific House to mention.
Woah… Writer Brain activating right here, as I’m thinking about this! Maybe I can just combine the series the way I do it on social media (Winds & Pillars) and simply call it all “Stürme und Säulen” and have a mysterious series title that way.
What do you think? Let me know in a comment!
Wolves Progress Report
The new Wolf story is about Timothy (the villain’s son from Wolves #9) and Ellie (one of Connor’s new trainees).
And while I already know quite a bit about Timothy and his main problem, Ellie is very much a blank leaf. She told me this morning that her real name is Marielle and that she hates it with a passion.
It’s a start, right?
I also have a title – A Wolf’s Love. That may or may not stick, depending on how the story develops. I usually wait with ordering the cover until I have a good idea about how the characters grow (and who they really are).
Lately, I’ve been thinking about romance a lot again and why I’m preferring MM romance. And honestly, it’s not about the spicy scenes. (They are getting really old by now.) No, it’s about partners being equal and treating each other with respect and trust. In most straight romance, that’s not entirely the case, gender roles tend to create a divide between the main characters.
It is something I work hard to achieve with the Wolves, however, especially in the later books. My Wolves are equals, they are partners in the best sense, and they treat each other that way. No damsels in distress, and no cutesy girly stuff, either. (I detest that.)
Does that even make sense? (And yes, I invite you to leave a comment about *that*, as well.)
Goblins Progress Report
Still editing A Druid’s Choice, although that has been pushed back quite a bit. Right now, I’m spending what energy I have on writing – but that can change any day.
I am hoping to be able to release A Druid’s choice soon. Still wish more people would give A Goblin’s Plight a try, though. My favorite character in that series is Aldeasu (who would have guessed that?) but they all work well together and that makes me happy, too.
You see, I love good teamwork. I love it when people support each other, when they know they have each other’s backs. And that’s the foundation of this series, a group of people (and creatures) who all work together to save the realm. (Eventually.)
Much of this comes out of the years when I played D&D, funny enough. I’m not importing the mechanics, mind you, just having fun with a group of adventurers and evil antagonists and bosses. If you like LitRPG, this is for you.
Twin Worlds Progress Report
I’m in the process of creating a print version of Steps of Courage. It will be a chonker, but a first proof copy is on its way, via Royal Mail. I’ll share when it shows up. I have a feeling I will have to change the formatting to make it a little smaller and thus less expensive.
Working on Book 2 has been really put on back burner. Sales do not justify me putting much effort into this series for now, I’m sorry to say. I will get back to it once I have finished the Winds & Pillars, they do take priority this year.
Even so, book 2 is a hoot. Imagine Krighen trying to intimidate people on Earth. And dealing with cars. And… guns. Will his abilities stop a bullet? Or get him into deeper trouble? And will they find the antidote that is supposed to exist on Earth?
Ah… later.
Life Progress Report
I work on finding pockets of happiness, and the surprising truth is that they kind of multiply once you find a few.
My safe space is still Valheim (as you can see from the above image), and I have a friend or three I can play with. The game is incredibly satisfying and I can pick activities that fit my emotional state – fighting, building, exploring – the options are endless. And results are very visible, on the map, but also in the buildings and the equipment I have.
Definitely a source of happiness.
In addition, my bubble on Mastodon is awesome. I do invite you to come over and join the Fediverse, it’s an amazing alternative to all the corporate social media (where you are basically a mark and cheap content creator). On Mastodon, you interact with people, not algorithms, and that is such a fundamental difference. And another source of happiness, at least for me.
I want to encourage you to find your own happiness, in small or not so small pockets. This is even more important when times get rough. And yeah, books are a big part of it, as well.
Do you have any comfort books? Feel free to share them!
Ember Progress Report Newsletter
For those of you who are new here, I hate, hate, hate popups with a passion. Unfortunately, they work, but that’s not enough for me to molest you with one.
So instead, this is where I tell you about my monthly newsletter.
It goes out on every 13th of the month, it points here (never miss another update), it has release news, book deals (always a coupon for my own store), recommendations, and last but not least, the Ember Tale.
Ember is my little dragon plushie familiar, and in every newsletter, you get a short, cozy, heartwarming story about her and her friends, and their adventures. They are not available anywhere else, either. (And I will never, ever sell your email addresses, either.)
In fact, I use Email Octopus, a UK-based service, as I’m trying to move away from US companies.
Deal? Sign up below.
