Well, there are no dead from a week of my shenanigans…though I may need more caffeine than usual. By this time, I have managed a poem posted daily and still got work done. It was not the most interesting week on this blog and probably seemed more like filler to y’all. Next week should be a little less busy for me, so I can hopefully get more content here that will be an enjoyable week. Though I may have killed my neighbor by then for the ruckus he is raising with his four-wheeler, I am not sure. I will also by this time have gotten to the doctor to see why I am getting migraines more often.
For all my shenanigans, I am hopeful that everyone will enjoy the beautiful anthologies I am currently putting together. The art and poetry are amazing. The stories are just what you need on a crisp fall day to put you in the mood for candy and spooky stuff.
The next few months are going to be busy for me. (Yes I seem to do that to myself a lot) So, as I am sitting here trying to get all my weekend work caught up, I realize that my poor blog is AGAIN neglected. Friday we are releasing Andrew McDowell‘s second edition of Mystical Greenwood. That means I am trying to gather images and activities for the release day on our Facebook Party Room group. I have things I am trying to put together for the Fae Corps Blog…again to get everyone possible to see his book.
That is just the first thing I am doing. Then, I have our Halloween Anthology. This year it is called Darkness Screams. It received so many outstanding submissions that I split it to accommodate the quality of stories. (I have done this before with other anthologies)
So I am neck-deep in editing, Marketing image creation, and formatting for these two. I give myself two months to do this with each anthology because I have a routine. Once approved I invite the author/artist to join the company discord. I have each anthology set up in a private room within the channel. This allows Files to be shared and questions answered easier. I ask everyone to sign a contract (So I can legally publish their story/art/ poetry and they have protections of their copyright) I ask for a bio written in 3rd person and an image to represent them. (I say an image because I have had a few who gave me photoshopped images, due to personal reasons. ) Then I sit down and put together a rough draft of the anthology. I don’t worry in the first rough about perfect formatting or having it be edited and polished. After I get a feel for how the anthology will flow, I feel like I am more capable to suggest edits. Yeah, that seems so silly…the grammar will not change based on how it fits in the book, right? Actually, it might. It will help me to see the story on its own instead of trying to place it mentally in an imaginary book. I send the suggestions to the author and give them a deadline for when I need to see the finished copy.
Then I start while waiting for the stories to come back…to make images to catch the interest of possible readers. I do (For most of the anthologies) a cover reveal, A author/artist list for each anthology, A image to represent each story, and a meet the author/artist graphic. That can be quite the undertaking. In Darkness screams that is 3 graphics just to list the author/artist in each one. I, as you can see above, combined the cover reveals. I have already today done the story graphics for each book.
I still have more to do just for the anthologies… Then I have another book we are releasing in October. The third book in Ashira Dayta’s Magick Saga. (The cover reveal should be happening soon on Fae corps Blog. I am quite proud of that cover) It releases on October 31st. I have to do some images for marketing it as well.
Then I have other projects that are ongoing and need my attention. (For example Formatting for a Poetry book by NK – Titled Valley of Thoughts. We are supposed to be releasing that next year. Editing for Ruan Bradford Wright’s Novel Toe-Rag which is expected to release in February. Writing my own poetry and prose books. And just being a mom and person who has housework that is not getting done more often than not.)
I honestly intend to do this blog every week..but I end up overwhelmed. I think I will just post some of my poetry this week. I thank you for your patience. I swear I am not forgetting y’all.
So those who follow me know that Fae Corps is just about to have a busy season. August 26th we are releasing the second edition of Andrew McDowell’s book Mystical Greenwood. And the submissions are in for Darkness Screams. I am busier than a one armed paper hanger…I wrote the above poem to put in the front of both volumes of Darkness Screams.
I will be able to return to posting here next week. thank you for your patience. (ps. Check the Fae Corps Blog tomorrow to see the covers for the next anthology!)
She was born in the 1930’s in Washington DC. She said that young women were not allowed to carry any weapons…but they had hat pins. I put a picture on this post…She told me that the hat pins were sharp and it baffled me. How did women use them with out poking themselves? The hat pins were seriously the same as a dagger in the hands of these young women.
Her story made me think that DC was a really bad place in her youth…(though I guess I can’t say it is a good place now)
I don’t remember the whole story but it was full of the necessary thrill to ensure that the teen I was would be hooked on every word. Now the woman I am in the middle of a dystopian nightmare for women am wishing I could have recorded every single story she told. I will always remember her telling me that Roe vs Wade didn’t make abortion easier to get, it merely made safe abortion easier to get. Women were still getting them, just most of them were dying. She told me about back alley butchers. I was so happy that I was born in post Roe vs Wade America…now I am sorry that I have lived long enough to see my home become a place where I am no longer free.
So I know I missed last week…and here it is Sunday…and time to schedule my posts. I again don’t wanna. I feel like a child throwing a tantrum. I usually enjoy the blog. I enjoy the stuff I do for writing and for publishing. Still, I spent yesterday getting caught up on work I had put off. I wrote a poem, took out 2 bags of trash, did 2 loads of dishes, put up the finishing touches on 2 anthologies, and set the basics up for preorder for Death becomes her (Serena’s Poetry book). I still need to put the files together to finish that one. I only put the front cover as a placeholder – I need to format it properly and make the rear cover. So I sit down to work and I find myself ready to revolt.
I have lots of chores to do. The chicken needs to get its cage cleaned out. (We have 2 chickens and 2 ducks. One of the chickens was brought in during the winter due to illness and we have not got it back in the outside coop yet.) I need to clear my kitchen around my dishwasher – It is about to be replaced. I just got done eating and now have more dishes to do. I have writing to do. I have dusting and straightening that really needs to be done… So yeah I have things I need to do. I am sure there is laundry. Yet, I find myself rebelling at the idea of doing a single freaking thing. It is not just the blog.
This week is already setting itself up to be a busy one. I have promised to visit a friend. My new dishwasher is supposed to be installed. My little brother turns 40 on the 28th. (I have to harass him online on his birthday. it’s like required….lol) I have general housework that though it is not much will take me triple the time it would take anyone else. And I still have to shower, cook, and eat during that time.
And I still don’t wanna set up my blog. I think that I am going to try and do stories of my life again. Simply because it sounds fun. It means that my blog will update randomly this week. Y’all are so patient when I do that. I just really appreciate it.
I am also in discussion to possibly reprint an author that I have worked with on anthologies before. He is considering Fae Corps for the book that he had out. His publisher went under and I am hoping that I get to play with this wonderful book.
Raz is still hard at work on his second book – he missed the deadline because he is trying to put together the best story possible.
Our winter anthology (Darkness Screams) deadline is August 1st and the call just went live.
Seeking stories releases on June 1st. Grandmother’s Wisdom releases on June 1st.
Grandmother’s Wisdom is the first Charity anthology we are doing. 50% of the Author royalties – In other words half of what we receive for it…will be donated to No Kid Hungry. We felt like this fit the purpose of the anthology. It was meant to be a remembrance of our grandmothers. There are some really wonderful memories in that one.
Seeking Stories is a collection of adventure stories of all sorts. From the slight horror stylings to the futuristic. It has an all-star list of writers, poets, and artists.
Death Becomes her releases on June 18th. It is dark poetry from Serena Mossgraves. Quite a few of them are about death, In one form or another.
Okay, I feel like that is all…OH! and I dyed my hair Purple again. Yeah, that is all now.
I have been busy with publishing and my blog has become more than I am capable of today. so I will wish you all the best and hope that I can do it during the week.
Hello my lovely readers. Today I have a nice cold green tea, how about you? I hope this finds you all keeping cool in this heat.
I have very few announcements but I figured I would update you all as I could.
One, we are diligently working at Fae Corps to get the Into the Glen anthologies out. Those should be out in August, As well as the Poetry book by the Lovely Beulah Vega, A Saga For the Unrequited. I am quite busy trying to get both together and will post links as soon as I have them.
I am supposed to be in Indie Blu(e)’s upcoming anthology But You Don’t Look Sick with a bit of Poetry…again links upcoming.
My resin art is for sale on my Facebook page. I am taking commissions. If you are interested in what I can make I have posted a album full of the molds I own on my personal Facebook. It is public, as not much is.
I have added a new thing for Fridays to try to bring more fun to my blog. I will start it tomorrow. Let me know what you think.
I have been adding my art to Deviant art (the link is on the side). I have also been trying to do recordings to make mine and Serena’s Books into Audiobooks. So the occasional poetry reading is going up on YouTube in the meantime.
So, that is all of mine…what are you doing for the summer? Any fun plans?
Well hello my lovelies. It has been a hot minute hasn’t it? I am drinking a touch of orangeade. I feel like the vitamin C can only help…What are you drinking?
Next week is going to be busy, for Fae Corps Inc and Serena Mossgraves. Faery Playground drops on May the first then Serena’s Madness and truth releases on the fifth. Both are very much worth the read.
Faery Playground is about faery children, but all of the stories are not fun and light. Actually the stories follow a range of dark and whimsical. One is straight out horror. The poetry and art seems to be lighter though.
Madness and Truth is a ghost story that follows an island through two stories. Two journals to be specific. From the view of Kiera Dunwillow, esteemed historian, to the view of a secretary for a ghost hunting group. The stories tell the history of the Isle of Truth, but do they add to the ghosts on the Island?
I have been working on illustrations for Afraid of Shoe Mountain, which I hope to release this year (date yet unknown.) Serena is back to writing, after putting Kingdoms of Sin on hiatus. She will return to it…one way or another it will be published. We are discussing whether it will be as a novel or as a Game book for running in a tabletop RPG. She is stuck.
I have struggled with the writing of poetry in April, as I have been overwhelmed with all of the other stuff that I had on my plate. I have been slowly lessening my stress…but I am still having responsibilities that are expected of me, and It is making it harder on me to catch up. However, I will get there, just be a little patient with me, I beg of you.
On a personal note, Today is My mommy’s birthday. Happy Birthday MOM!!!!
Hello Lovelies! Today I am drinking some lovely peach tea. What will you have?
There is a lot to announce! First off, one of my art pieces that I submitted to Indie Blu(e)’s Through The Looking Glass: Reflecting on Madness and Chaos Within was accepted! I will try to keep you updated on that as I know more. I am so excited as their books are so pretty. I submitted to that and to But You Don’t Look Sick …I have not yet heard about But you don’t look sick. Again, updates as I have them. *Edit: I finished writing this and scheduled it. Then I went to check my email, only to find the acceptance letter in the email I will have 4 poems in that anthology.
Next, Serena finished writing Madness and Truth. It has been through the alpha readers and is handed off to the editor currently. The story is creepy and carries a good haunted feel to it. I expect that we will be publishing it some time in 2021.
I have finished writing Afraid of Shoe Mountain and am currently working on the illustrations. Though I love Shannon’s Illustrations, and will likely hold Dylan and the Hotel Zombie until she can do the art, I am not wanting to continue to wait with Afraid of Shoe Mountain. I am enjoying the illustration of this book. I have been uploading them to DeviantArt for those who are interested. (I only have 2 finished so far).
I am nearly done with the writing for Heart Drops, and Half-Mad Meanderings. Serena has been working hard on Death Becomes Her. Half-Mad Meanderings is only 5 poems away from done. Heart drops 2 art and 7 poems away. And Serena says she still needs 20 poems for Death Becomes Her. Likely all three will be released in 2021.
Circle City Publishing is nearly ready to release their An Absurd Apocalypse that will have Serena’s Flash story in it. I do not know how much longer that will be. I will let you know more as I do.
Fae Corps Inc is going to release Faery Playground with my art and a story from Serena in May. The tone of the submissions had the cover needing redone. They plan to reveal the cover on April First (No Joke!). It has been a fun anthology to edit if I am honest. I am looking personally for 2 ARC reviewers. (ARC reviewers are readers who, for an advanced copy post an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads. )
Well, I think I am finally done with the updates! whew! That was a lot!
Oh! and I am considering adding a store to my blog. I make jewelry and Resin pieces that I need to find a place to sell. I am going in April to the local flea market, but I like the online store idea better. My studio is very nearly set up. So the next focus is a storefront. Watch here for more information.
I made a silly list of goals…on facebook. I’ll place it here in the post. Then I will tell you about it.
Okay… Goals for this week :Of which I am hoping to finish at least half of : 1. Assembly of a polished poetry volume for fcp’s newest author 2. Edits on the submissions for faery playground. 3.podcast interview with Destiny Constantin 4. Writing on afraid of shoe mountain – with hopes of finishing this year. 5. Reorganization of Bedtime Tales : the princess lost. 6. Laundry and reorganization of my own clothes. 7. Actually pretending that I am an adult…. 8. Writing poetry for half-mad meanderings and heart drops. 9. art! 10. Getting the craft room organization started. 11. Work on the kingdoms of sin 12. Work on life, guilt, and undeath 13. edit Dylan and the hotel zombie 14. Doodles for my girl Red’s Lily Doodles 15. Art with my Angel. 16.Dungeon planning for d&d 17. Zombie killing in 7d2d 18. Therapy 19. Finish the story for fae shivers 20. Kitchen witchery 21. Fix the stupid printer 22. Share the shit out of a few posts pertaining to books that I want to support. 23. Clean old cans out of the pantry 24. Drink more water 25. Figure out what to post about this Thursday and Friday on my personal blog 26.enjoy the thought that people like my work. 27. Watercolor painting 28. Smile at least once a day. 29. Listen to music for no real reason. 30. Make lists to amuse myself, and then try to do everything from the list even though the list is waaaay too long
I accomplished more than I expected. The podcast airs tomorrow. Afraid of Shoe Mountain is written. It is going through the edits, and the polish that the best books deserve. The Princess Lost is available for preorder, going live on March First. Ivor Steven’s Poetry volume Tullawalla is also available for preorder, going live March 31st. Obviously I did not get today or tomorrow done ahead. I have not gotten my edits completed…but I have gotten it started. I will be sending those edits back next week. I got the pantry and the printer done. I have doodled, I arted…And in all I figured out that I am doing something each day that progresses my goals. Still I am having days that I can’t do. I have to accept with grace that I cannot do everything I want to, and keep moving forward on the goals so that I eventually manage everything that I want to do.
What goals do you have that you want to manage soon and what is your limits?
Pattimouse 