Friday Share

Friday Share

So you found a new book?

Or maybe you just published one?

Did you find a new webcomic that you like?

Or a song you think everyone should hear?

No need for explanation…Just Share it.

You find a good deal that you think we should all see? Just share!

Or hey even a joke you think too fun not to share, Just share it.

Post links in the comments.

Occasionally I will too.

Book I Have Read

Okay this is not going to be an assigned thing. I may decide to do it instead of a normal weekday post, as I am this week…or I might drop it in randomly as I feel the desire. The Fae Corps Blog Does a Saturday TBR and they are not always books that we have read, but ones that look good amongst the recommendations we get. These are all going to be ones I have read, and This will be my clear thoughts on them. Now as I sometimes sign up to be an ARC reader, I will not always have the link for you to buy the book…but I will try to post when any I do miss the link on are live.

I have always been a voracious reader. I go through a trade paperback in about 4 hours. Since I have started publishing, finding time to read seems like a bit of a luxury. Not because I don’t read now…on the contrary. I am always reading things that people send me to publish, to edit, just to get opinions on. So reading for fun just seems like something I really don’t get to do as often as I would like. I have thousands of books on my kindle. And enough paperback and hardback books that it often causes fights. (My boyfriend’s of the opinion that if I am not reading them I should donate them). I keep the ones that I am willing to re-read. That means that eventually I will pick them back up.
But the last few books I have indulged in…Ones I sought out for personal pleasure that had nothing to do with publishing…I found myself taking a couple of days to read. Simply because I was enjoying them, so I would put them down and stop for a couple of hours to do other things before coming back to them. So I realized that maybe beyond the Goodreads/amazon/and the like reviews…maybe I should take the time to tell you guys about these books.

Those of you who have followed my blog for a while remember my talking about taking a course Fiction Expedition. One of the others in the class finally got around to releasing her book. It was important to me to sign up to be an ARC reader for her. She and another Friend are opening a Publishing company Memento Vivevre (Links to them at the bottom of the post) . Since both are such amazing people I have no doubt they will succeed.

The Book Beautiful Serpent, Restless Embers by Ynes Freeman is gorgeous. Right now it is in Pre0rder. It has a wonderful world built around it. A gothic setting with magic, and mystery…Assassination and politics. The main character is relatable and badass. You grow to have sympathy for her, and the struggles she faces. Her adventures are definitely not the normal fare. When I am able I will be posting a five star review that is well earned on Amazon. (Amazon will not let you post a review before the book is live. This is the only down side to being a fast reader and an ARC reader.) I made this last of the three because this book will not officially release until July 28th. However I thoroughly recommend preordering this. It is a delightful read.

Places to find Memento Vivevre:
Facebook
Instagram
X/Twitter
Blusky
Threads

They have a website…but it is not fully up yet…Though I am sure in time it will be glorious.

Whew, What a Month!

Meme - emotional description

The last week has been under a heat wave where I live. I have Air Conditioning, but it doesn’t really help my bedroom/ office area. That is where the sun shines during the day. So I have been working exhausted due to the heat.

I managed to find places to be most of the time to be cooler, but it doesn’t allow me access to the computer. I can write anywhere, but I need the computer for publishing. So, I am hoping the heat lets up some soon. However, as this was just the beginning of summer…I am dreading what this year will bring.

Tuesday Tunes

A day for me to discuss music

Lyrics –


Got a boy back home in Michigan
And it tastes like Jack when I’m kissing him
So I told him that I never really liked his friends
Now he’s gone and he’s calling me a bitch again
There’s a guy that lives in a garden state
And he told me that we make it ’til we graduate
So I told him that the music would be worth the wait
But he wants me in the kitchen with a dinner plate
I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe
That we’re meant to be
But jealousy, jealousy, jealousy, jealousy
Get the best of me
Look, I don’t mean to frustrate, but I
Always make the same mistakes, yeah I
Always make the same mistakes ’cause
I’m bad at love (ooh-ooh)
But you can’t blame me for tryin’
You know I’d be lyin’ sayin’
You were the one (ooh-ooh)
That could finally fix me
Lookin’ at my history
I’m bad at love
Got a girl with California eyes
And I thought that she could really be the one this time
But I never got the chance to make her mine
Because she fell in love with little thin white lines
London girl with an attitude
We never told no one but we look so cute
Both got way better things to do
But I always think about it when I’m riding through
I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe
That I’m in too deep
And jealousy, jealousy, jealousy, jealousy
Get the best in me
Look, I don’t mean to frustrate, but I
Always make the same mistakes, yeah I
Always make the same mistakes ’cause
I’m bad at love (ooh-ooh)
But you can’t blame me for tryin’
You know I’d be lyin’ sayin’
You were the one (ooh-ooh)
That could finally fix me
Lookin’ at my history
I’m bad at love (ooh-ooh)
Oh, you know, you know, you know, you know (ooh)
I’m bad at love (ooh-ooh)
I’m bad at love (ooh-ooh)
I know that you’re afraid
I’m gonna walk away
Each time the feeling fades
Each time the feeling fades
I know that you’re afraid
I’m gonna walk away
Each time the feeling fades
You know I’m bad at love (ooh-ooh)
But you can’t blame me for tryin’
You know I’d be lyin’ sayin’
You were the one (ooh-ooh)
That could finally fix me
Lookin’ at my history
I’m bad at love (ooh-ooh)
Oh, you know, you know, you know, you know (ooh)
I’m bad at love (ooh-ooh)
Oh, oh

My 2 cents –

This song sounds so much like the stories I tell of my past romances that I sometimes wonder who was watching me.

The Waiter I picked up and dated for 2 weeks until I found out He had been married for 2 years.

The sweet girl I scared because I was so reckless with my own life.

The lover I acquired because our fiances cheated on us, so we decided to return the favor.

The lover that I would have spent hours listening to because he understood me, but we met when I couldn’t stay.

They say if a poet loves you then you will be immortal…and each of them has been. For a part of me loves everyone I have ever loved. Even if I never should have.

Publishing Demystified

The purpose of this one is simple. Most likely everyone here knows I run Fae Corps Publishing and I have been doing this in the background for a while now. I plan on talking clearly about the tools I use for publishing, and the way that each one works. Demystifying what I do. Is that to say that I will be making my own self unnecessary? No, because my experience is valuable. I just feel like so much of the process is made out to be harder than it needs to be.

Okay. This week I want to address a couple of the elephants in the room where publishing are concerned. Both of these have come up and they bother me.

First, Editing does not mean your writing is bad. And your Editor is not the final say in what is good for your writing. Though these are two separate things, they are only the first item I want to address. You are the only one that knows how your writing should be. Everyone has Typos, and if it is a minor thing that doesn’t affect the voice of your piece then you should think about the editing suggestions. However, Again, you are the final say in the words used. This is why AI editors are not so good as a dependable thing. You may be trying to use a dialect that is somewhat different (Appalachian speech patterns, British speech patterns, etc) or you may have specific reasons for the words you used. (For example in poetry). Do not hesitate to tell your editor no when dealing with your work.

The second thing that has come up recently is the assumption that publishing is easy. That once I have the formatted and edited manuscript all I have to do is basically push a button. I personally publish to FIVE different sites, each with their own requirements. I have to take the manuscript and create an epub and a PDF. I have to have the proper cover file for all five sites. Then I use Books2read to make sure the links are all in one place. I also have to make sure the author is happy with it all, and I have to deal with the accounting when royalties are paid. That is not counting any thing I do for promotion. (Which thankfully I have a team for to assist me). So someone told me that I was not doing a lot after the manuscript was done…I wanted to scream. I don’t think anyone realizes the amount of work that goes into getting a book made. Especially if you want it made with any quality.

I will leave on the bottom of the post the upcoming calendar. I feel like that will help.

July –

1st – The Life Collection by Ashira Datya

5th – The Lightning War: Grounding Unit by Parker LaVitte

19th – Falling in Flames by Ashira Datya

August –

16th – Darkness lies heavy in the heart by Joshua Pavelsky

23rd – Beneath the Deep Wave by Andrew McDowell

September –

6th – The Fall by Mariah Lynde

20th – The Magick Saga Collection by Ashira Datya

October –

18th – My Gothic Angel by Laj & Khoury Hawkins

25th – Anthology Nightmare Whiskers

November-

8th -Thoughtfish (2nd edition) By Ruan Bradford Wright

15th- Would You Like Fries with That By Mariah Lynde

December –

1st – unknown by Raz T Slasher (middle grade) (*though I don’t normally have an unknown in my list of release dates… from a couple of authors I will take the chance for “kids week” and save the spot. If I don’t get the book from them I will just have an empty spot for the day. But I think that they are worth it.)

2nd – where’s my Sugar by Patricia Harris

3rd – Pip 4: Pip that is not Yours! By Patricia Harris

4th – Anthology Fae Recipes

5th – Unknown by CM Snow

6th – kids week possibly closed (Recieved a submission that is currently in review.)

7th – kids week open

8th – Hood of Sedna by Mina Skye

13th – Anthology Honesty in Verse

2025

I will get those listed closer. I feel like if I were to put them on the blog it would put too much pressure. I have “penciled” in dates for several authors for 2025 already.

Monday Poetry

Poetry

Closed Minded

By

Patricia Harris

The problem with humanity is
not everyone has a mind open
to ideas of compassion and kindness…

the mind is not is not fitted with a door
meant to close in the things that don’t
fit the whole world seen within…
instead we have eyes and ears
that are supposed to be used to observe
all that the world is prepared to
throw at the unobservant kind.

Friday Share

Friday Share

So you found a new book?

Or maybe you just published one?

Did you find a new webcomic that you like?

Or a song you think everyone should hear?

No need for explanation…Just Share it.

You find a good deal that you think we should all see? Just share!

Or hey even a joke you think too fun not to share, Just share it.

Post links in the comments.

Occasionally I will too.

Book I Have Read

Okay this is not going to be an assigned thing. I may decide to do it instead of a normal weekday post, as I am this week…or I might drop it in randomly as I feel the desire. The Fae Corps Blog Does a Saturday TBR and they are not always books that we have read, but ones that look good amongst the recommendations we get. These are all going to be ones I have read, and This will be my clear thoughts on them. Now as I sometimes sign up to be an ARC reader, I will not always have the link for you to buy the book…but I will try to post when any I do miss the link on are live.

I have always been a voracious reader. I go through a trade paperback in about 4 hours. Since I have started publishing, finding time to read seems like a bit of a luxury. Not because I don’t read now…on the contrary. I am always reading things that people send me to publish, to edit, just to get opinions on. So reading for fun just seems like something I really don’t get to do as often as I would like. I have thousands of books on my kindle. And enough paperback and hardback books that it often causes fights. (My boyfriend’s of the opinion that if I am not reading them I should donate them). I keep the ones that I am willing to re-read. That means that eventually I will pick them back up.
But the last few books I have indulged in…Ones I sought out for personal pleasure that had nothing to do with publishing…I found myself taking a couple of days to read. Simply because I was enjoying them, so I would put them down and stop for a couple of hours to do other things before coming back to them. So I realized that maybe beyond the Goodreads/amazon/and the like reviews…maybe I should take the time to tell you guys about these books.

Okay with this one… My friend Jenny said that I just had to read it. So she sent me a gift on Kindle. I am so fond of seeing real representation in books of people who are often not seen.

The main character in this story is Gender fluid. There’s gay side characters. It’s a why Choose, which is not a thing for everyone. I rather enjoyed the way the world was set up. I enjoyed the fact that each of the romances were different.

Beauty’s beasts by Alex Hanson is a personal favorite… And it’s only book one of the series.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

What is Wednesday

FAQ

I have updates.

First… I did the annual poetry marathon this past weekend. I signed up for the half marathon and I wrote more than I signed up to do. I was rather pleased with that.

Next, Fae corps publishing is in the process of creating – taking on? – an imprint. I don’t have a whole lot I can tell you about it yet… But it’s actually really close to being a thing.

Next, I was invited to try to write a story (Serena) that is for a really interesting anthology. That doesn’t mean that they are going to accept the story. Just that I am allowed to try for the call. It is entirely out of my normal wheelhouse writing wise. I have until November to write it and I have it halfway done. It has been flowing. I am terrified. But I am writing it anyway.

And the last update for the post is that I do realize that I accidentally scheduled the Tuesday Tunes post last week for the wrong time. It went up at six pm instead of six am. I am grateful for your patience. I will try to be more careful this week.

Tuesday Tunes

A day for me to discuss music

Lyrics –

Hey there little red riding hood
You sure are looking good
You’re everything a big bad wolf could want

Little red riding hood
I don’t think little big girls should
Go walking in these spooky old woods alone

What big eyes you have
The kind of eyes that drive wolves mad
Just to see that you don’t get chased
I think I oughta walk with you for a ways

What full lips you have
They’re sure to lure someone bad
So until you get to Grandma’s place
I think you oughta walk with me and be safe

Gonna keep my sheep suit on
‘Til I’m sure that you’ve been shown
That I can be trusted walking with you alone

Little red riding hood
I’d like to hold you if I could
But you might think I’m a big bad wolf so I won’t

What a big heart I have
The better to love you with
Little red riding hood
Even bad wolves can be good

I try to keep satisfied
Just to walk close by your side
Maybe you’ll see things my way
‘Fore we get to Grandma’s place

Little red riding hood
You sure are looking good
You’re everything a big bad wolf could want

Little red riding hood
I don’t think little big girls should
Go walking in these spooky old woods alone

What big eyes you have
The kind of eyes that drive wolves mad
Just to see that you don’t get chased
I think I oughta walk with you for a ways

What full lips you have
They’re sure to lure someone bad
So until you get to Grandma’s place
I think you oughta walk with me and be safe

My 2 cents –

I realize this is a cover… But the sexy female voice singing a song about a sexy female… Well that’s a good idea. Or at least to me it is.