New Settings Section. :)

 Dear Reader,

I mentioned a while back that I was going to be combining the Flora & Fauna feature with the Settings feature in my weekly topics. What does this mean for you? Well, I hope to be hitting the following points going forward (provided life doesn't screw with me like it has over the last 48 hours):

• Descriptions of flora and fauna that can be found in this world, along with their uses (This will include pictures as I can get organized enough to sketch them.)
  
  
• Details of the Poisoner's Notebook - a subsection of the flora and fauna stuff that focuses exclusively on poisoning and nefarious things. 
  
  
• Place descriptions that are relevant to the plot of various books as well as just interesting locations (I will attempt to make maps but right now my cartography skills are hideously bad.)
  
  
• Character sketches of major characters in the series and occasional random ones that are just fun to write (I am still debating if I am going to work up a character sheet for each in the style of old school D&D.)

While I am enjoying creating this material (because it helps me brainstorm things to put into the books), I am super excited about the concept of people taking things that I have created here and using them to create their own fanfiction, fantasy gaming campaigns, or artwork. I feel that my books are an open-world experience. As I add to the series, you are following the main plotline of the story. There will be side stories (like the serial stories on here) that will come out to cover supporting characters or just be adventures through the world. 

I am issuing a formal invitation to you to join me in creating this dynamic world. It is as much yours as it is mine once the books are in your hands.

Have a little faith.

I honestly didn't think I would be saying this, but I sold out of my hard copies of book one. I have learned a valuable lesson today. Get more than what my pessimistic anxiety says is going to sell. I walked in to this month's spinning guild meeting with three books in my bag. After holding up a copy and giving my elevator pitch to the group, I quickly sold all three copies in around five minutes. And I had several people asking me where they could find it on-line and if I was going to bring copies with me next month.

I walked into the guild meeting feeling like I was going to make one sale. I walked out with all of my books sold and several people interested in acquiring it. I have learned that I really should have more faith in myself. I spent a good while being worried that my elevator pitch was pretty awful. I spent a while being afraid that my work wasn't good enough to see the light of day and worrying that all of this effort to be a 'real' author was just vanity. And then today happens and I learn that I actually can do this.

I am thrilled beyond words. I am humbled by this also. I offered people my book at what functionally was the cost of printing and shipping. They paid me that and a bit more. One person actually gave me double that. I sit here now with enough money to possibly buy dinner for my husband and I. (I don't think, however, he will agree to that just yet. I think he would exhort me to reinvest that into the books.) I haven't stopped smiling all day.

Today is more than just a good day. Today is a magnificent day. I have accomplished a massive goal. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen.

Stepping out of the Comfort Zone

Today was a day much like any other for most of the people in my household. Beloved went off to work and did things great and small to keep things running smoothly there. The boys went off to school and did all manner of educational things (and had a little fun in the process). I started the day off just not feeling well because I haven't slept well in the last several nights. When I did finally manage to get all my ducks in a row and get moving, I discovered that the mail had arrived. With it all was a big, brown, cardboard box that I was actually expecting to arrive next week.

I opened it up and found that the handful of copies of my first two books in the Umbrel Chronicles had arrived. It was with great delight, I brought the first one on the pile to the gal down the road who had expressed interest in buying a copy just a few weeks ago. I walked into the restaurant where she works and at first she thought I was there for another one of their spectacular beef brisket sandwiches. I will be honest, if I hadn't had lunch a bit before then, I would probably have indulged. Their stuff is amazing.

When I held up the book, she lit right up like a kid getting the present they were hoping to get for their birthday. It was adorable. She immediately handed me a bit of money for the book and insisted that I autograph it. I was more than happy to do so for her. She asked me to keep a copy of the second volume aside for her to pick up when she finishes book one of the series. I think that the best part of my afternoon was watching how excited she was.

On Saturday, I am going to go out to the monthly meeting of the spinning guild I'm apart of. I will be bringing some of the books with me. I get to give my 'elevator pitch' to a room of approximately 100 people. I am not too great at public speaking. I think, however, I am going to do well. I have been rehearsing this pitch for a while. It is less a matter of landing a contract from some big publishing house and more a case that I want to get things sold by word of mouth.

I am a little nervous about this. I am also excited as all get out. I hope this goes really well. In either case, I just made my first sale today and I think that is an auspicious thing.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The large print version of The Dragon's Daughter is available for purchase as a paperback through Amazon. Here is the link. It will be available as an e-book sometime within the next two weeks. If you are interested in picking up a hard cover version, it can be purchased via Lulu. Here is the link.

Of Mice and Men...

Hello folks!

My plans to blog everyday up to release day have stumbled a bit because of life circumstances. (One of which was my youngest son turning 6 yrs. old. The time is flying by!) It seems that release day has been pushed back a few days as well. I am still in the midst of getting things settled. The proofs look fantastic. The last few details need to be ironed out. Thus, release day has moved from today's date (7/31/15) to Monday (8/3/15). On Monday, I will be posting links to where you can pick up The Dragon Child of Evandar in hard cover, paperback, and e-book format. I will also slap up here and on the Facebook page a picture of what the cover looks like for both the hard cover and the paperback books.

Thank you again for joining me on this grand adventure. We're almost to our destination!

Want to be immortalized?

If you want to be featured as a supporting character in forth coming books (in the Evandar series or the Sanctuary^* series - Book one for that one will be ready Fall 2015!) fill out the questions and send it to me, the author.

1. What distinguishing physical characteristics do you have?
2. What distinguishing habits do you have?
3. What motivates you ?
4. Name three items that you can not do without.
5. Who are the people you are closest to? And why?
6. Who are the people you  hate? And why?
7. What foods do you detest?
8. What time of day do you love? And why?
9. Do you have a pet? If so, what?
10. What do you fear? Why?
11. What do you love? Why?
12. What do you hate? Why?
13. Do you like people or not?
14. Do you have any hobbies? If so, what are they?
15. What is your greatest ambition in life?
16. What is your greatest failure in life?
17. What are your vices?
18. What are your virtues?
19. The dark, do you fear it or love it?
20. If you could take on a new name, what would it be?

All information will be kept private.

* Sanctuary is a science fiction/action/erotica novel series set in an alternate reality in contemporary times. 95% of the stuff in the Sanctuary world is the same as what is in the 'real' world.