Writer’s Year in Review

Hi Folks,

Well, here we are at the end of 2013. It was a tough year, but a good one. Well, it had a tough start, but as the year wore on it got rolling better. On the tough side, I had a bad fall last January and have spent far too much of the year adjusting to and recovering from that injury. In other words, it cramped my style, dadgummit. To add insult to injury, sales took a nose dive last winter. argh

Looking Ahead

Hi folks,

Well, another week has passed, and although I have done almost no writing, I have been a busy girl. There has been much shopping done, some visiting, wrapping, secret keeping, tree decoration supervision, kitchen experimentation, and numerous other interesting and fun things accomplished.

This Week… What I did and didn’t get done.

 Hi folks, 

 It’s Sunday again and another week has slipped through my fingers. We began by huddling in the house from the cold snap. The winter arrived with full intent this time. Oh how I do love a warm fire. So do the dogs and cats.

We also spent some time rearranging the furniture to squeeze in the Christmas Tree. With three adults, four dogs and three cats in our little cottage space is at a premium. However we did manage to get it up. Yay!!! Here's 2011's version. Hopefully next week you will see the current version.

Launch Day

Hi folks, here we are again. It has been a wild and bust week, but I’ve managed to get lots accomplished. Not as much writing as I would have liked, but I did get some. However, the big excitement this past week is the launch of Empire’s Advance. Today is the official launch day and here’s the links to find the book. Get 'em while they're hot. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Empires-Advance-Corelian-Prudence-MacLeod-ebook/dp/B00H3H0VCA/ref=la_B0079XOY8U_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386513673&sr=1-2

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/384529

It’s coming soon…So’s Christmas

Hi folks,

Well, November is gone and I have no idea where it went. As some of you will notice, we’re a bit behind schedule in the release of Empire’s Advance. It’s looking good for this coming week so, I’ll just give you another look at the cover and a bit of what you can expect to find inside. Bear with me; we will get it out this week.

New Cover

Hi folks,

Well, I’ve got a few things to report this week, but the most exciting is the new cover for my next book, Empire’s Advance. This is the second book in the Corelian Guard series and follows the exploits of Hunter’s characters as things take a turn for the worse. We hope to get the book out sometime in the next two weeks so stay tuned.

 Here’s the cover.

Our cover model is the lovely and very talented Emzilla. When Emz saw the cover she said, “Let me play with it; I can make it better.” She did. This cover is her work and you can find her and some of her work on Facebook here:

 https://www.facebook.com/emzillawful?fref=ts

Another Great Book (review)

Hi folks,

This past week I finished reading Lady Luck Runs Out by Shannon Esposito. This is the second book of her Pet Psychic Mystery series. I really enjoyed the first one; Karma is a Bitch and was looking forward to a chance to read Lady Luck Runs Out. It did not disappoint.

 http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Luck-Runs-Psychic-Mystery-ebook/dp/B009L72SIU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384709975&sr=1-1&keywords=Lady+Luck+Runs+Out

Have you ever seen a cat staring at nothing like she knows something you don’t? Perhaps they do. In this case, Lady Luck truly does know something and Darwin is determined to discover what it is. Add in a jealous lover, a madcap sister, a tall dark stranger with riveting eyes, a mystery, and you have the makings of a full evening of entertainment. Yes, I read it from start to finish. I recommend you do too.

Another Week Zooms By

Hi folks,

So where did this past week go? I did get a bunch of writing done, but not as much as I wanted to. We’ve had some crazy weather, but I managed to get out with the dogs to play in the woods and fields a few times.

There was also the annual search for the woollies and shopping to replace what we couldn’t find or had grown out of. (sigh… gotta get more exercise) As soon as we dug out the winter clothes, laundered and installed them in the closet then put away the summer stuff, it warmed up and rained for two days. Argh

On the bright side we are back in the cool crisp sunny fall weather that I love so much. Hmmm, I’ll soon have to think about getting the snow tires installed.

What I Did This Week

Hi Folks,

Well, here we are again, another week gone by and where did it go? Well, let’s see… the biggest past was the launch of The MacKendricks, my first romance novel in a while. I am pleased to say it is selling well.

Crazy Week

Hi folks,

It has been a crazy week here on the island of stone and roses. I started off with a bang, getting lots of writing done, but that didn’t last. You know the old saying; life is what happens while you make other plans. Welcome to my world.

First, we’re down to one ferry boat so getting on and off island is a bit of a challenge, time wise.

Omniscient Voice

Hi folks,

Well, another week has gone by at warp speed. It was a week of strange and interesting things popping up on the internet. One that truly caught my eye was a debate on the use of omniscient voice for writers. (Omniscient voice is the all-knowing voice of the storyteller or narrator.) A large number of writer and agents are of the opinion that omniscient voice is dead, that on one writes with this style anymore, and if they do no intelligent reader will read it.

I do!

Guard Cat

Hi folks,

Well, another week has run away from me and here we are again. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in Canada and I do have a lot to be thankful for; I enjoy a wonderful life.

I should also mention that we are well protected from evil spirits at night by KC (Kathy’s Cat) For instance; it was clear to me this morning that, sometime in the night, an evil spirit possessed a roll of toilet paper and tried to strangle the whole sleeping family, dogs and all. However, it was obvious KC had intercepted the evil doer and dealt with the situation accordingly. I could tell by the smug look on her furry face and the shredded body of the spiritual invader.

A Moment in Time

Well folks, here we are in October and I’m still poking through the cupboards, looking behind the door, and checking my pockets to see where I managed to lose September. Where did it go? I dunno. Ah well, on with the show.

Fun in the Autumn Sun

Hi folks,

Well, here we are again. Where did the week go? Good grief. I won’t bore you with all the mundane madness that is my life, (cooking, cleaning, errands, home maintenance, etc.) Let me tell you about some of the good stuff instead. First, Claimstake is doing well and has garnered its first completely unsolicited review. Love it.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/359906

http://www.amazon.com/Claimstake-Nova-Series-ebook/dp/B00FCEIGIC/ref=la_B0079XOY8U_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380475553&sr=1-1

At Last It's Here!

Hi folks,

As promised, Claimstake is here and available on Smashwords and Amazon. This is book four in the continuing adventures of the Nova Witch and her crew. Here are the links; I hope you enjoy the story as much as I have.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/359906

http://www.amazon.com/Claimstake-Nova-Series-ebook/dp/B00FCEIGIC/ref=la_B0079XOY8U_1_36?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379847366&sr=1-36

Happy days

Hi folks,

It has been a busy week here on this little island of stone. We made major progress in the studio expansion and are near closing off that project.
We also had a visit from a dear friend from Vermont who is a great photographer. She and Charis got into long discussion about photography and eventually our living room became a Photo studio. Here's a few of the shots.

Me and my beloved Katherine:

Good Stuff Happening

Hi folks,

We’re closing in on the launch date for our latest book, Claimstake. We’re shooting for September 22^nd and I don’t see any reason we shouldn't make it.

Claimstake is the fourth book in the Nova series. In it I have dealt with a couple of bad guys life has thrown at me. No, not in real life, but in World of Warcraft. I have changed these guys a bit and wrote them in just to deal with their bad attitude. Hehehe... If you’re a player, you will probably recognize a couple of small details that give me away as somewhat addicted to the game.

Whirlwind of a Week

Hi folks,

So here we are again and I have to confess, I've been on the run steady. However, I haven't managed to do any of this.

New Cover and a ROW80 Check-in

Hi folks,

Well it’s time for another peek into my world. This time it won’t be another gentle wander around a peaceful island or a rant about the world’s wrongs, this time it’s about writing.

I’ve been fairly quiet about my writing over the summer, but I was still working. Honest I was. J So, here’s a rundown of what’s been going on and where I’m positioned at this moment.

Lawn/food Rant

Hi Folks,

The great thing about blogging is you get to share your musings with the world. Today I’m musing about an absurdity that has me amazed. Let me explain.

Today is Sunday, and the larder is nearly empty. Why? Well, Thursday was grocery shopping day, but there were ferry-boat issues. Getting off island was nearly impossible. Result? The small local grocery store had been picked clean. Sigh.

Late check

Hi folks, I’m way late with this post. Why? Well there’s been a lot of outside work to do lately. Here’s some of the evidence. 

My little woodpile. I made it myself from dead trees on our property.

Determination

One trait common to most successful people, is determination.  Whenever I feel like giving up, I think of the following story.

One of our dogs is Jokko, a dachshund/beagle cross.  We call him a German engineered beagle.  As pup he could pull a ninety degree turn at full throttle. A year ago we were returning from a pack walk in the woods.  Jokko leaped across a ditch and landed wrong.  He yelped in pain, and then came to me on three legs.  I tried to pick him up, but he soon squirmed to get down, insisting on three legging it all the way home. 

Thinking it was just a sprain; I took my time and let him walk.  The next day I heard a second yelp. I found him at the bottom of a set of stairs, struggling to climb back up; both back legs were dragging behind.  That was it; off to the vet we go.  One vet wanted to take X-rays, do tests, etc.  Keep him here for a few days, they said.  Nope, the dog is a pack animal; he his hurt and needs his pack.  I looked for a second opinion.

Travelogue

 Hi folks,

This past week has seen me doing battle with the heat; not something I enjoy at all. However there were family gatherings and a short road trip to break up the tough days with. Taking a road trip through Newfoundland can be a lot of fun, especially if you enjoy the place names. This time we didn’t get to Witless Bay, or Joe Batt’s Arm, or Come by Chance, but we did tour around the bottom of Trinity Bay.

As you can see here, there are some great place names that tell a story. Like this one.

Advice for First Time Authors

Hi folks, here we are again and this time I have no magical victories to share with you. I have had the week from chaos and next week isn’t looking much better. I have had heavy rains, ferry boat issues, and too many family obligations. Next week is shaping up to be much of the same. In view of that, and understanding that you don’t want to hear me whine and snivel, I am re-posting some advice for beginning authors. It seems like simple stuff, but you’d be surprised how many people miss the mark.

Every Step

Hi Folks,

They say every step forward is a step towards the goal, a.k.a. progress. In that case this past week was fun and we made progress. You’ve got to love it when it works.

The Smoky Eye

Hi folks, another week has slipped away on me. There have been a few interesting things going on here on my island of stone. Firstly, the weather is brutally hot. (For us, thirty plus. About eighty to ninety degrees for you American folk.) 

The Garden Inspector

 Hi folks. This has been a bit of a busy week here on the island.  Yes indeed, we were busy beavers. Tee hee  It rained a lot so we got lots of work done on the newsletter and managed to get June’s issue out before July got here. That was a bonus.

Beaver in the Backyard

Hi folks, yes it does look like a beaver has set up shop in my back yard. In truth it is a pile of branches from dead trees we had to cut down. It will soon be manufactured into firewood for next winter’s pleasure.

Making Progress

Hi folks, we had a few rainy days last week, but the weekend has come out sunny (sort of) and the building of the studio extension is progressing nicely. (Better than my WIP) Yesterday we put in the windows and door. See?

Immortal Rhubarb

Hi folks, today I want to talk rhubarb and a ROW80 check-in. No, they are not the same thing, stop laughing. Let’s start with rhubarb. This is an interesting plant that reproduces from seeds, but also from root cuttings. Who cares? She does.

All Wrapped Up

Hi folks, here I am again with another ROW80 check-in and a studio report. Things have slowed down a bit this week in the building department. However, we did manage to wrap up a few things.  See?

Another 5K, Walls, and a Roof

Hi folks, time for another ROW80 update. It has been a busy, yet productive week here on the island. I have managed to fit in a bit of writing too. This week the tally is five thousand words, walls, and a roof. Here’s the evidence. J

Walls in progress.

Roof under construction.

Break time.

Shingles going on.

Results so far.

Well, that’s it for me, folks. With luck we'll get the windows and door in and the siding on over the next few weeks. there will be pictures of the progress. 

What have you been up to this week? I’d love to hear from you.

Studio Expansion

Hi folks, we’ve got a rainy day here, just in time for a post and a ROW80 check-in. I’ve been distracted a lot lately and one of the reasons is the planning and construction of the studio expansion. Last year you got to see the original construction. This time you can watch the expansion. So saying, here’s the beginning.  First we dig the sod away and set the blocks.

People Watching and More

Something New and Fun

       

Hey there, folks, it’s Spring time again, the grass is turning green and new growth is appearing everywhere. So, in that vein, I guess it is time for something new from the desk of Prudence MacLeod too.

Busy doing stuff.

Hi folks, I’ve been a bit AWOL lately. They say that life is what happens while you make other plans. How true it is. Our recently expanded family obligations have kept me hoping, but there was more. I’ve spent way too much time here:

Questions and Thoughts on Alcohol.

Hi folks. In my last post I said ask me anything. One should always be careful of what they ask for, right? Okay, today’s post is dedicated mainly to responding to one reader’s question. Here’s the question in his own words.

Rainy Day Blog Musings

 It a cold rainy day today; a good day to reflect on a few things. Things like how to regain some enthusiasm about writing blog posts. Hee hee

I’ve been a bit slack on this lately, and I’ve been a bit spamy while promoting my books, but the blog should be about more than just that. It is supposed to be a way for us all to interact. In light of this thought, I will ask your assistance.

Language

Okay, it’s time for the ROW80 check-in. I’ve missed a few recently due to pressures in getting two books launched at the same time. (I have such a hard life. Tee hee) 

So this is a re-post, but I believe it still has relevance.

Beyond Nova

Hi folks, it has been a busy couple of weeks, but here I am with the second new book in a row. Last week I introduced my newest romance novel; today I introduce the third in the Nova Series, a sci-fi adventure. I’m really loving these characters and I hope you are too. Here’s Beyond Nova and where to find it.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/303196

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Nova-Series-ebook/dp/B00C851AZ4/ref=la_B0079XOY8U_1_35?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365417240&sr=1-35

All governments keep secrets, dread secrets. Secrets they do not want the general populace to know. Out at the very tip of the galaxy lies a secret, a secret well kept and then abandoned. Out beyond Nova lies Exile; where failures are buried deep.

Two New Books

 No folks, this is not an April Fool’s joke. I’m serious. It has taken much of the winter, but I now have two new books ready for your enjoyment. The first is the promised romance, Starstruck. It has already been published and is available on Amazon and Smashwords at the moment. Check it out here:

Good Things

 I know I’ve been a bit erratic lately, but life’s like that sometimes. At least mine is. However, it’s all good stuff. We’ve had a bit of a houseful lately and I’ve been doing the homebody thing. It’s been great and I have enjoyed every bit of it.

Some Days

It’s been one of those days. Actually, it’s been several of them strung together. You know the ones, the one where you’d rather bury your head in the sand than face any more bad news, or worse advice from self-proclaimed experts who profess to have all the answers. Yep, I’m wallowing in the muck of overwhelm and depression brought on by it. It has left me scratching my head in confusion.

March

To anyone who doesn’t know her well this would seem like depression. She seems to lack motivation, having to force herself to do her basic household chores. The days grow longer and the sun has some warmth in it, but that warmth does not reach into the aching joints of her hands.

It is March; she sits idly gazing out at the bright day knowing it’s all a lie. “No Mister March, I know you all too well. Far too often over the years I have fallen for your lies, but not this time.” The Ides of March? No, the lies of March. March dangles a bright sunny day before her eyes, but she doesn’t buy it.

In the past she would have, cheerfully leashing the dogs, grabbing a light coat, and heading for the hills only to be caught in a sudden snow squall and spending a week coughing and sneezing for her trouble. No, she will wait for April, or perhaps even May before putting away the wool sweaters.

Still, the dying winter sits heavily on her shoulders, her bed unmade, her dishes unwashed, and her blog post late; her knitting lying idly in her hands. Who is this poor tormented soul?

Why, it’s Prudence MacLeod. Depression? No, just Prudence between writing projects with too many voices in her head, too much time on her hands, and too many aches in her body that normally get ignored. March is always like this for me. Once I get fully focused on a new project it will all change.

In the meantime, rather than bitch and whine three times a week, I will only post here on Sundays and Thursdays.

So, see you next time folks; I promise to be more upbeat on Sunday.

So, What’s Next

Well, it’s over, sort of. I spent the week editing and tidying up Beyond Nova and now it’s in the hands of the editor. I will readily confess I took a couple of days where I avoided the whole idea of work.

But that time of play is over.

Now it is time to decide on the next project.

Once we have a project it is back to this for several weeks.

I have several starts on file. I call it my Nits and Bobs file. It has nearly a dozen partial stories that have been gathering dust there for years. I will review them all, think up a few more ideas, confer with my editor and friends, and then choose the next effort.

Right now I’m having trouble deciding which way to go, fantasy adventure, romance, both together maybe? Feel free to chime in any time folks, I’d love some input.

Busy Week

Hey folks, it’s been a busy week here. Wednesday was K’s birthday and the celebration was with family and food as is the tradition. I spent much of the day in the kitchen preparing her favorite foods. By request there was no cake, but there was apple pie. Oh yeah, there goes the old waistline.

On the work side of life I have early finish the first tune up of Beyond Nova and will soon hand it off to the editor. Meanwhile we are working hard to get Starstruck ready for a launch next week. Wish us luck.

Here’s hoping all is well in your worlds and that you are reading lots. Let me know how you’re doing, I love to hear from you.

Opinions Please

Hi folks, here we are again. On Friday I gave you a small teaser from my upcoming romance novel. Now I’m at the cover stage, so please take a look at the prototype cover and let me know what you think. Like it? Hate it? Don’t care? How could it improve? I’m open to any and all feedback.

Now for the ROW80 check-in and revised goals.

Goals:

1.      Write 10,000 words per week. (I wrote roughly 8700 words and finished the rough draft of my WIP.)

2.      Read 10,000 words per week. (Yep, managed this one.)

3.      Edit ten pages of a completed MS. (Got this one too.)

4.      Feature a new author every Friday. (Didn’t manage this one; posted a teaser for my new book instead.)

5.      Read and comment on 10 blogs per week. (Made it, but barely.)

So that’s the story, now here are the new goals and why. I find myself with three first drafts, two romances and one sci-fi.

1.      The goal in the next few weeks will be to get them tidied up and off to the editor.

2.      Read and comment on ten blogs or more.

Well, that’s where we are at the moment, folks. Let me know how you’re doing; I love to hear from you.

Friday’s Excerpt

Hello again, folks,

Yesterday I confessed my sins, well, yeah, confessed is a good enough word. I admit I recently have been escaping into World of Warcraft, but for me the most fun is creating the characters then trying to figure out how they would interact with their world.

Penalty Box

Hi folks, yes I’m a day late with this post. I do have an excuse. Actually, being a writer, I can give you a wide variety of excuses. However, as much as I’d like to be the hero here, it just isn’t true.  So, I will now confess the truth. Actually, I have no choice as Charis caught me in the act. The truth is, after I finished the morning writing and household chores yesterday; I got sucked into World of Warcraft.

Caught in the act!

Five minutes in the penalty box feeling great shame.

Okay, on the bright side, my next romance novel should be available next week. It is almost ready to go. I will post an excerpt tomorrow just to whet your appetite.

All right, time for the ROW80 check-in.

Goals:

1.      Write 10,000 words per week. (I’ve managed about 7K this week so far. I’m happy with that.)

2.      Read 10,000 words per week. (Got it.)

3.      Edit ten pages of a completed MS. (five done so far.)

4.      Feature a new author every Friday (I wasn’t able to this week. I’ll post an excerpt from my upcoming romance.)

5.      Read and comment on 10 blogs per week. (Six so far.)

6.      Log my computer time to see where I can change my work and play habits for the better. (I am NOT going to confess how much time I have wasted on WOW. (World of Warcraft.)

Well, that’s it for me today folks. For those of you on my mailing list, expect some goodies very soon.

Bye folks, see you tomorrow. Let me know how you’re getting on, I love to hear from you. J