Four ’til Late Cover Reveal!
See the details on the Seventh Star Press release here:
http://seventhstarpress.blogspot.com/2013/05/four-til-late-cover-reveal-with-eric.html
I’m so excited!
Get Blue Spirit before it’s gone!
Minnie Celebrates (Nell Williams)
Blue Spirit’s days are numbered.
It’s true. I’ll be taking down Blue Spirit from the Amazon store entirely sometime before the end of June. The only way you could get a copy after that is to buy one of the quite limited number of paperbacks I have in stock.
Why? Well, it’s all Seventh Star Press’s fault. They liked my Road Ghosts trilogy so much, they offered me a six-book deal. Since Blue Spirit is a spin-off of that series, it’s included in the deal. So when Four ’til Late comes out next month, I have to take Blue Spirit down.
What’s that mean? Well, each book is being rewritten and put through the editing wringer… I worked with SSP’s Josh already with Four ’til Late, and let me tell you, he won’t let me get away with anything. As a result Four ’til Late is a MUCH better book than it used to be, and I am proud of what’s come out of this process. Sinking Down is already off going through that same process, and I’m both excited and nervous to see what comes back to me to fix. I’m hoping Sinking Down will be out this summer, before Gen Con.
One surprise though… originally Me and the Devil, which is the third Road Ghosts book, came out next. I’ve decided that chronologically, Blue Spirit happens before that book, and so it will be back out again by fall, also rewritten and smartly polished.
Oh, another thing, since it’s a six book deal, and since I like trilogies, this means that Blue Spirit has two sequels in the works, and they’ll come out the last Road Ghosts book, Me and the Devil. A working title for Skye’s series as a whole is “Tipsy Fairy Tales”. Got a better idea? Let me know.
If you’re interested in a signed paperback of the original edition of Blue Spirit, contact me with the form below. There aren’t a lot left, so I’m asking $12 plus shipping. I accept payment through paypal. Oh and click the picture of Minnie to the right if you want to buy the Kindle edition for just $2.99.
Fandom Fest!
I’ve added a new convention to my calendar – Fandom Fest! I have never been to this convention, so it’ll be a thrilling new experience for me. I wasn’t going to go, but BOTH of my publishers (Seventh Star Press and Hydra Publications) will be there, as well as many of my Indiana Horror Writers friends.
So I figured, why not?
By that time, I will certainly have Reality Check and my first Road Ghosts novel, Four ’til Late, on hand, and possibly the second book, Sinking Down (fingers crossed).
I hope I haven’t overextended myself with conventions this year, but it’s gonna be a big debut year for me… 4 or 5 novels published in a single year! I doubt I’ll ever top that. So, there’s no better year to get myself out there.
Do you think Shatner would like a copy of Reality Check?
See you in Louisville!
The Beginning!
Writing the beginning of a story makes me more anxious than any other part. For one thing, it’s my only chance to grab the reader’s attention. Many slush readers decide on the first page whether they’ll pass on a story. Some say the first paragraph or even the first line. No pressure!
Short story and flash fiction writing have been great practice for me in learning to discover the true “inciting incident” that sets everything rolling. I like to start with a bang or a laugh and try to pique the reader’s curiosity.
I know I’m not alone. The beginning is a huge sticking point for many writers. I’d advise others to just write whatever to start with, and then keep in mind that later, it will probably be changed or may even fall to the cutting room floor. I find it helps take pressure off so I can get a story out. Then I’ll only have the smaller problem of fixing the opening at the end, rather than having a blank page while dithering over the perfect beginning.
Mo*Con 8
I will be at Mo*Con 8 this Saturday!
What is Mo*Con? Wellll, that’s a little tricky. It’s a smallish (<100 attendees) convention here in Indianapolis that attracts authors, editors, publishers, and even readers of speculative fiction. Historically horror-focused, Mo*Con has spread more and more broadly into science fiction and fantasy and all their lavish subgenres. It’s held in a church, but it’s an irreverent gathering with controversial topics. It’s been described as a weekend-long room party, and I find that to be fairly accurate.
It’s a great chance for me to meet and greet with others in my community and to see friends from far away that come here for this purpose. This will be my third time, and I’m looking forward to it!
Depression / anxiety
Okay, this is a break in the writerly / publicity posts. This is just me talking about something personal. I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety my whole life. Depression turns out to be easier for me to deal with, I just sleep more or lose myself in a book, become someone else for awhile.
Wouldn’t it be great to be someone else, just for a day? Their problems aren’t yours. You won’t have to worry about that oil change you’ve missed for weeks now, or that awkward social event coming up. Or feel guilty for being behind on work or promised projects or for not blogging enough or for wanting to just blow off EVERYTHING and crawl back under the covers. Maybe peer out enough to watch a Doctor Who Marathon. Doctor Who makes it all better, right?
I know I’m not alone in this, and when I do summon the guts to ask for help, people surprise me. People I don’t hear from often appear out of nowhere to say nice things and express concern and offer hugs. Even virtual hugs help more than most people realize. Being thought of, being sought out, without me having to ask for attention or time, means so much to me. Being missed, being thought of, these are huge to me, and make me feel loved more than any other words.
So thank you to my friends for sticking with me through being clingy and sad and paranoid and panicky. Thank you for still thinking I’m worthwhile. I need you all, and I hope the love I give you makes it all worth it.
Troll or Derby 99 cent sale! April19-22
My friend Red Tash is having a sale! Troll or Derby, normally $4.99 is just 99 cents today through Monday! Grab it here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo
I’d take part, but I already own the paperback and a Kindle copy. Yeah, I’m kinda a squeeing fan. You can be too, for under a buck!
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Debra Wheeler seems like any other high school reject: at fifteen, she’s more into roller skating than boys, and Mom plays favorites with big sister Gennifer, the homecoming princess. With little to love in ultra-rural Bedrock, Indiana, Deb’s counting down the days until she can skate away to join the roller derby.
When Gennifer is kidnapped, Mom’s breakdown forces Deb to take charge. With no clue where to start and thugs on her tail, she turns to the only adult who has ever helped her out in a jam: Coach, the owner of the skating rink. So what if he has tusks and might be a troll? Coach gives her a pair of magical skates and sends her off into a world that reveals a magical, if somewhat sinister, nature. Deb soon discovers that beneath the “glamours” of everyday life flit a million fantastical stories–and her own might be the juiciest gossip in town.
The Midwestern lifestyle every teenager loves to hate is turned inside out as Deb careens through Rumspringa, biker gangs, flea markets and tractor pulls–all teeming with fae. The valiant troll Harlow tries to intervene before Deb strays from her mission into romance and roller derby, but will they join forces to save Gennifer, or be lost to this strange new realm, forever?
Readers will find Deb a smart and witty narrator who–like them–says the wrong thing, wishes she could be someone else, and falls for the wrong person. They’ll be drawn in by a girl who is independent and street smart, and they’ll fall for her destined BFF, the whimsical troll loner who guides them through this quirky dark fantasy romp.
About the Author
Red Tash is a journalist-turned-novelist of dark fantasy for readers of all ages. Monsters, SciFi, wizards, trolls, fairies, and roller derby lightly sautéed in a Southern/Midwestern sauce await you in her pantry of readerly delights. Y’all come, anytime.
Goodreads
