I just finished the last pre-beta reader edit of Nerissa MacKay and the Secrets of the Seventeen Scrolls!
As soon as I can make a decent cover (this is proving difficult; I've taken hundreds of pics, and I'm not happy with any of them), I'll have a proof made up and send it out to beta readers.
Here's the blurb for the back. Comments/constructive criticism would be appreciated:
Just hours after her discovery of an ancestor’s workshop, Nerissa sets the whole town on fire with gossip by using a refurbished automaton to announce some long-hidden secrets during opening weekend for her Auntie Jane’s Haunted Zoo. When the automaton is stolen and the wife of the sheriff might know too much about the crime, Nerissa goes looking for justice on her own.
Keeping her dalliances with witchcraft to herself becomes harder when she must turn herself invisible more often. Does Auntie Jane suspect anything? And just how well can that strangely pale Eric see in the dark?
Showing posts with label 17 Scrolls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 17 Scrolls. Show all posts
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Monday, September 7, 2015
This And That.....
The weather is FINALLY not roasting hot! I'm so excited. I hate extreme heat (yeah, I know; I live in a desert. I have to deal with it.). Temperatures over 95 or so -- especially when they don't dip into the 60s at night -- give me headaches and body aches, make my hands and feet swell, and keep me from sleeping.
This is why autumn is my favorite season: warm days, cool nights, no snow to shovel, harvest holidays and foods, family, beautiful scenery. It's just plain good.
School, on the other hand, is a bit tough this year. Oh, I like my classes well enough (three classes of mixed-grade Spanish 1, two classes of 9th grade regular English, and one class of 9GT English), but we have 14 new teachers, a school that will cease to exist (as it is absorbed into the high school and the younger kids sent elsewhere) at the end of the school year, and a principal who wants to push through all kinds of new programs all at once. Plus, the departure of our English department head left me with that position -- as well as my responsibilities as GT head, novels committee, leadership team, and the newly-created 9th grade team leader (although I'm hoping to share that one with the science department head to ease my load a bit). With all the new changes being unpopular with 98% of the faculty, most of the teachers are having to be cajoled into doing the new stuff (which is a LOT more work), and it's exhausting. There is, of course, the added uncertainty that none of us knows where we'll be teaching next year, and it's making the faculty much less at-ease than in the past. It's just not going to be an easy year.
All this means I've had less time to read and to write. I'd been packing in 12 or more books a month for reading, but now I'm only getting in about 5. And I've often been too tired to edit or write.
The (Dis)Appearance of Nerissa MacKay is just about ready to roll. I'm also working on the first major revision of its sequel, Nerissa MacKay and the Secrets of the Seventeen Scrolls. Plus, I have the barest of outlines ready for book 3 and book 4 in the series.
The Chocolate Smuggler's Notebook is on indefinite hold, although I did have a bizarre dream while I was in Norway last June, and that dream gave me an idea as to how I can fix the plot quicksand in which I'd gotten myself stuck. I wrote out the dream and a new plot outline while on the train from Bergen to Oslo, but I've gotten no further.
My next steps are to finish up the 1st Nerissa book, get some folks to do a cover reveal and giveaways, create some ads to put on Pinterest, finish putting together prizes for contests, get some folks to do reviews, and finish the first overhaul of book 2 so that I can get it out (I hope) within the coming year and thus keep readers interested.
This is why autumn is my favorite season: warm days, cool nights, no snow to shovel, harvest holidays and foods, family, beautiful scenery. It's just plain good.
School, on the other hand, is a bit tough this year. Oh, I like my classes well enough (three classes of mixed-grade Spanish 1, two classes of 9th grade regular English, and one class of 9GT English), but we have 14 new teachers, a school that will cease to exist (as it is absorbed into the high school and the younger kids sent elsewhere) at the end of the school year, and a principal who wants to push through all kinds of new programs all at once. Plus, the departure of our English department head left me with that position -- as well as my responsibilities as GT head, novels committee, leadership team, and the newly-created 9th grade team leader (although I'm hoping to share that one with the science department head to ease my load a bit). With all the new changes being unpopular with 98% of the faculty, most of the teachers are having to be cajoled into doing the new stuff (which is a LOT more work), and it's exhausting. There is, of course, the added uncertainty that none of us knows where we'll be teaching next year, and it's making the faculty much less at-ease than in the past. It's just not going to be an easy year.
All this means I've had less time to read and to write. I'd been packing in 12 or more books a month for reading, but now I'm only getting in about 5. And I've often been too tired to edit or write.
The (Dis)Appearance of Nerissa MacKay is just about ready to roll. I'm also working on the first major revision of its sequel, Nerissa MacKay and the Secrets of the Seventeen Scrolls. Plus, I have the barest of outlines ready for book 3 and book 4 in the series.
The Chocolate Smuggler's Notebook is on indefinite hold, although I did have a bizarre dream while I was in Norway last June, and that dream gave me an idea as to how I can fix the plot quicksand in which I'd gotten myself stuck. I wrote out the dream and a new plot outline while on the train from Bergen to Oslo, but I've gotten no further.
My next steps are to finish up the 1st Nerissa book, get some folks to do a cover reveal and giveaways, create some ads to put on Pinterest, finish putting together prizes for contests, get some folks to do reviews, and finish the first overhaul of book 2 so that I can get it out (I hope) within the coming year and thus keep readers interested.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Writing Update! Good News!
I'm in a great mood right now. I just finished the first draft of the sequel to The (Dis)Appearance of Nerissa MacKay! Yes, yes, it's very rough and all, but writing the first draft is the hardest part, so I can now start the revision process, which is more fun.
I also took a bunch of snaps today with which to make possible covers for this new sequel.
Earlier I announced a title for this novella, but I'm changing it slightly. The new title is..... *insert drum roll* Nerissa MacKay and the Secrets of the Seventeen Scrolls. This title works a good deal better with the plot. Plus, I like the alliteration. (What can I say? I'm an English teacher.)
Now that I've finished the rough draft of Scrolls, I plan to read through (Dis)Appearance and Scrolls back-to-back, working out any little kinks in the former and doing a first big revision to the latter.
After that, I'll be ready to publish (Dis)Appearance! This should be in September or October at the very latest.
My remaining news is that an idea for the third book in the series plopped into my head a couple of days ago. I have no clue for a title yet, but the 3rd novella should involve the return of Grandma Maggie, a trip to the Shakespeare Festival, and possibly a kidnapped actor. Or maybe mysteriously changing props. Or a crazed audience member who believes he's time-traveled. (Yeah, I thought of that just now. But I kind of like it. What do you think?) Hmmm... *goes off to grab notebook*
*****
*Five minutes later*
Seriously, I just paused there and sketched out the skeletal outline of that time-traveler plot. Boom! And I actually thought of it while blogging. Weird.
Let's try out some titles:
Nerissa MacKay and the Time-Traveler.
Nerissa MacKay and the Time-Traveling Scandal.
Nerissa MacKay Has The Time Of Her Life.
Uh... none of those are thrilling me. Suggestions?
I also took a bunch of snaps today with which to make possible covers for this new sequel.
Earlier I announced a title for this novella, but I'm changing it slightly. The new title is..... *insert drum roll* Nerissa MacKay and the Secrets of the Seventeen Scrolls. This title works a good deal better with the plot. Plus, I like the alliteration. (What can I say? I'm an English teacher.)
Now that I've finished the rough draft of Scrolls, I plan to read through (Dis)Appearance and Scrolls back-to-back, working out any little kinks in the former and doing a first big revision to the latter.
After that, I'll be ready to publish (Dis)Appearance! This should be in September or October at the very latest.
My remaining news is that an idea for the third book in the series plopped into my head a couple of days ago. I have no clue for a title yet, but the 3rd novella should involve the return of Grandma Maggie, a trip to the Shakespeare Festival, and possibly a kidnapped actor. Or maybe mysteriously changing props. Or a crazed audience member who believes he's time-traveled. (Yeah, I thought of that just now. But I kind of like it. What do you think?) Hmmm... *goes off to grab notebook*
*****
*Five minutes later*
Seriously, I just paused there and sketched out the skeletal outline of that time-traveler plot. Boom! And I actually thought of it while blogging. Weird.
Let's try out some titles:
Nerissa MacKay and the Time-Traveler.
Nerissa MacKay and the Time-Traveling Scandal.
Nerissa MacKay Has The Time Of Her Life.
Uh... none of those are thrilling me. Suggestions?
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Readers' Opinions Requested
I haven't been blogging much because I've been working on the two Nerissa novellas. The (Dis)Appearance of Nerissa MacKay is awaiting what I hope will be the final edit. Soon I will be asking you to volunteer for a cover reveal. :) And I really, really wanted to get the first draft (the hardest part) of Nerissa MacKay and the Mystery of the Seventeen Scrolls finished before school began. Well, that didn't happen, as school starts tomorrow, and I'm about 2/3 the way finished. Maybe I can get the draft done before Labor Day.
Anyway, I'm stuck, and I'm hoping some blog readers will give me an idea or two.
So, if you had stolen an automaton (life-size), where would you hide it? Oh, you're a locksmith, so you might have all kinds of keys to get into places.
Seriously, where?
I'd love to have your ideas. Don't worry if you're not a writer; just tell me the first thing that comes to your mind.
Anyway, I'm stuck, and I'm hoping some blog readers will give me an idea or two.
So, if you had stolen an automaton (life-size), where would you hide it? Oh, you're a locksmith, so you might have all kinds of keys to get into places.
Seriously, where?
I'd love to have your ideas. Don't worry if you're not a writer; just tell me the first thing that comes to your mind.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Books I Didn't Bother To Finish This Week
I really wanted to have finished 100 books for 2015 by the end of July, but I didn't quite make it. (I'm at 96 right now.) One reason is that I've spent so much time in July editing The (Dis)Appearance of Nerissa MacKay (almost ready to publish! Squeal!) and pounding out the first draft (my least favorite part of writing) of its sequel, Nerissa MacKay and the Mystery of the Seventeen Scrolls.
The other reason is that I had bad luck on my book choices from the library. Here are the books I wasted time with before chucking aside this week:
I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest.
I should have known better. I threw aside her Boneshaker in disgust a couple of years ago when she tried to write for YA but focused all her attention on the mother in the story. This is truly bad form. I don't understand why her books are so popular when she has no clue who her audience is. Of course, she's probably writing for adults who read YA and not for actual kids, but I still loathe it when authors say they've got a certain audience and then write for another.
X has the same problem from a different angle. In this one, Priest talks to the reader as if s/he is a 9-year-old. It's condescending. I could not stand it after a couple of chapters.
This one's going back to the library unfinished.
The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson.
This one sounded really good, but it's so cliche that it's boring. Also, the protagonist is exactly that sort of silly airhead that makes a terrific foil for a likable female protagonist but who makes a lousy protagonist. I do not like dumb protagonists; I cannot relate to them and I have no patience with them. This protagonist is a sweet, charming, stupid girl. After 92 pages of this and a predictable plot, I gave up.
Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie.
Remember what I just said about hating stupid protagonists? Well, this book is infinitely worse than Princess Spy. This protagonist gives his passport and travel documents to a pretty girl who claims to be in danger.
Nope. I do not waste my time with protagonists that dumb.
When I grabbed the book, I thought it would be a detective solving a mystery about an exceptionally dumb person, but no, the main character is the idiot.
I'm not wasting my time.
The other reason is that I had bad luck on my book choices from the library. Here are the books I wasted time with before chucking aside this week:
I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest.
I should have known better. I threw aside her Boneshaker in disgust a couple of years ago when she tried to write for YA but focused all her attention on the mother in the story. This is truly bad form. I don't understand why her books are so popular when she has no clue who her audience is. Of course, she's probably writing for adults who read YA and not for actual kids, but I still loathe it when authors say they've got a certain audience and then write for another.
X has the same problem from a different angle. In this one, Priest talks to the reader as if s/he is a 9-year-old. It's condescending. I could not stand it after a couple of chapters.
This one's going back to the library unfinished.
The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson.
This one sounded really good, but it's so cliche that it's boring. Also, the protagonist is exactly that sort of silly airhead that makes a terrific foil for a likable female protagonist but who makes a lousy protagonist. I do not like dumb protagonists; I cannot relate to them and I have no patience with them. This protagonist is a sweet, charming, stupid girl. After 92 pages of this and a predictable plot, I gave up.
Remember what I just said about hating stupid protagonists? Well, this book is infinitely worse than Princess Spy. This protagonist gives his passport and travel documents to a pretty girl who claims to be in danger.
Nope. I do not waste my time with protagonists that dumb.
When I grabbed the book, I thought it would be a detective solving a mystery about an exceptionally dumb person, but no, the main character is the idiot.
I'm not wasting my time.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Announcing..... Nerissa MacKay and the Mystery of the Seventeen Scrolls!
I haven't blogged much about my writing for awhile; that's because there hasn't been much to say. The Chocolate Smuggler's Notebook is completely bogged down at a key point in the first draft. And The (Dis)Appearance of Nerissa MacKay has been out with gamma readers, then re-written (I think it's only the 10th time or so on this book), then had the cover re-designed again, then has been put out to beta readers and my beta reader who edits. I have put a hold on all contest because my book sales on the three published books have dropped considerably. (I'm in hopes of reviving them with the release of the Nerissa novella, however.)
But....
Gamma readers told me Nerissa MacKay needed a sequel. In fact, some were miffed that the book ends where it does. (It's not a cliffhanger, but there is certainly room for another adventure.) So, this summer I began playing with the idea of writing a mystery series with Nerissa; after all, this first book is essentially a mystery novel.
I love mysteries. I think that has been my favorite genre since I got hooked on the Three Investigators Series in third grade. (And let's not forget my obsession with The Hardy Boys TV show in junior high.) I've read every single Sherlock Holmes story and novel. I own every single Ian Rankin book in the Rebus series. I gorged myself on about 30 Agatha Christie novels this summer.
And Paige Shelton, author of my favorite cozy mystery series, was happy to give me some good advice on writing a mystery. :)
And thus I announce that today, this very night, I have completed the rough outlines and set up the formatting in order to begin typing the first draft of the sequel to The (Dis)Appearance of Nerissa MacKay. It is called Nerissa MacKay and the Mystery of the Seventeen Scrolls.
(Seriously, doesn't that sound like the title of a Nancy Drew book? I couldn't help myself; I just had to go with it.)
This book will involve a strange kidnapping, stolen historical information, and Eric the half-vampire -- who just happens to live in the same town as Nerissa, but she doesn't meet him in the first book.
But....
Gamma readers told me Nerissa MacKay needed a sequel. In fact, some were miffed that the book ends where it does. (It's not a cliffhanger, but there is certainly room for another adventure.) So, this summer I began playing with the idea of writing a mystery series with Nerissa; after all, this first book is essentially a mystery novel.
I love mysteries. I think that has been my favorite genre since I got hooked on the Three Investigators Series in third grade. (And let's not forget my obsession with The Hardy Boys TV show in junior high.) I've read every single Sherlock Holmes story and novel. I own every single Ian Rankin book in the Rebus series. I gorged myself on about 30 Agatha Christie novels this summer.
And Paige Shelton, author of my favorite cozy mystery series, was happy to give me some good advice on writing a mystery. :)
And thus I announce that today, this very night, I have completed the rough outlines and set up the formatting in order to begin typing the first draft of the sequel to The (Dis)Appearance of Nerissa MacKay. It is called Nerissa MacKay and the Mystery of the Seventeen Scrolls.
(Seriously, doesn't that sound like the title of a Nancy Drew book? I couldn't help myself; I just had to go with it.)
This book will involve a strange kidnapping, stolen historical information, and Eric the half-vampire -- who just happens to live in the same town as Nerissa, but she doesn't meet him in the first book.
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