As you journey through the Known Arc within the pages of LONGSTAR, be sure to keep a keen eye, because there are a few little surprises especially for those readers…
Category: <span>Writing</span>
I’m a nervous optimist. Life here in meatspace is changing fast. Global insecurity is skyrocketing, fueled by the spread of misinformation and our eroding trust in public institutions. The narratives…
The three Creation Stones, also called the Great Emoras, are ur-relics mentioned in the scriptural Chronicles of the First Epoch as the tools used by the archangels of the OA to craft and mold the worlds of the galaxy. Long considered mythical, the discovery of an emora on a distant wilderness planet more than 500 years ago sent the Known Arc into an uproar and prompted a centuries-long series of violent conflicts between the Cataclyst Church and the Mucktu Bloodline for its possession.
The GRONE audiobook is out! Our narrators are Jennifer Jill Araya and Nikola Hamilton, and their amazing voice talents are on high display with their performances. GRONE is a braided narrative set in two worlds, and the narrators succeed in weaving the complex storylines into a seamless whole. Jennifer is an Audie Award winning performer who really brings my characters to life. Nikola is a producer and engineer who’s dulcet voice is absolutely enthralling. Check it out: the GRONE audiobook is available on Amazon, Audible, and Apple Books.
WRITING JOURNAL: Got my first fan art from a reader (and friend), a 3D printed spaceship embossed with the blazing comet from the cover of LONGSTAR, my upcoming novel. Thank you Glenn Stephens, this thing is truly awesome and will likely sit on my desk forever.
WRITING JOURNAL: When I set out to create the character of Fiona for my novel GRONE, I hoped she would embody resilience, strength, and the indomitable human spirit. These attributes, while powerful in fiction, often find their truest expressions in real life. And I found my real-life inspiration for Fiona in the awe-inspiring journey of Jacqueline Saburido.
In September 1999, Jacqui, then 20 years old, was a college student in in Austin, Texas. One night, while returning from a party with friends, her car was struck by another vehicle driven by a drunk 18-year-old. Two of her friends died in the accident. Jacqui was trapped inside the burning car and suffered severe third-degree burns over 60% of her body. The burns significantly disfigured her face, altering her appearance dramatically. Her hair, ears, nose, lips, and eyelids were burned away. Jacqui also lost her fingers, which significantly impacted her ability to perform basic daily tasks and required significant adaptation and rehabilitation.
WRITING JOURNAL: This is pretty much my view for 7-8 hours a day during the final stretch of finishing LONGSTAR. Writing window on the left, reference window on the right. What you can’t hear is Spotify playing the Epic Writing Music playlist in the background. Right now it’s Ennio Morricone, The Ecstasy of Gold from the soundtrack of The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly… Good stuff!
WRITING JOURNAL: Starting on the LONGSTAR final chapters today. The whiteboard wall in my office is wall-to-wall with evil deeds and good intentions. I love thickly-plotted books where everything comes together in a surprising way at the end, but it takes a LOT on brainwork. plus, I’m a little high from the fumes of the whiteboard markers. The good news is… coffee! Onward!
WRITING JOURNAL: With LONGSTAR coming out soon and ORUS in the pipeline for next year, it’s time to start thinking about marketing and promotions, and one of the most cost efficient ways to spread the word about your new book release is to give a bookmark to every single human being you pass on the street. So, today, we sent off our order for 1,500 bookmarks (we use PrintPlace.com). These were designed in my ancient and decrepit version of Adobe Illustrator that is probably older than some of my readers.
“You need a bookmark for every eventuality. Life’s too short to be scrambling around for a bus ticket when you need to mark your place in ‘Varieties of Shovel’.”
–Terry Pratchett
WRITING JOURNAL: Got the markers out this morning and spent the entire day filling my entire fifteen-foot-long whiteboard wall with intricate plot details and awful situations (and a few extraordinary opportunities) for our friends Se Jong, Nkiru, Littlefeather, Toroni, Rupe, Zia and Arni. Unfortunately, I can’t show you the whole whiteboard because SPOLERS, but here’s a tiny corner with the concept for one of the exotic locations.
