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July 4, 2020 (slightly delayed)
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"I greedily gobbled this story like it was a batch of warm from the oven chocolate chip cookies." - Rhonda
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Did you miss a past newsletter? Click here to go to the newsletter archives.
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This past week was a short one, work-wise, as we decided to take the day off on July 1st, which is Canada Day. Not that we did much, mind you, but it was nice not having to sit in front of the computer all day, although I did get in some Minecraft time.
Strangely enough, while out walking the dogs, we found a plastic toy sword in the woods. Daisy and Tilly did not know what to do with it! Well, honestly, they really didn't care, but it was a cute picture.
I also received an email this week indicating that Crave (a Canadian streaming service that we use) has added the latest season of Dr. Who. That led to some binge-watching Friday night, and we are now caught up. The only annoying thing was that it ended with a preview of the Christmas special, something that we now have to wait months to see. Oh well, I guess we can’t have it all. Or can we?
And this week Amazon announced that they are making a TV series based on one of my all-time favourite video games: Fallout. Even better, the show is being developed by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the same people that brought us Westworld. According to online news sources, they aim to keep the same ‘harshness’ of the post-nuclear world, along with some of the humour inherent in the game. Anyone feel like a Nuka-Cola to celebrate?
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Congrats to Mary for winning last week's eBook Giveaway! It was a pretty even tie on which cover was preferred, which is why we went with two different coloured text.
Remember, all you need to do to choose which choice you prefer, and you will automatically be entered into the Giveaway to win your choice of any of my ebooks, even the upcoming Temple Knight!
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| Which sentence would make you want to read the book it describes? |
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| You have now entered the Giveaway! Good Luck! |
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We were watching an episode of Dr. Who this week that featured the real-life inventor, Nikola Tesla. Though he is primarily known for the design of the modern AC electrical system, he had many other projects that he worked on throughout his career. Of particular interest in this specific episode was the Wardenclyffe Tower, a project that was years ahead of its time.
Tesla had long been fascinated with the idea of wireless communication. Unlike his contemporaries, he envisioned a much longer ranger system of using radio waves, utilizing the upper atmosphere to carry them. In July of 1901, he obtained financial backing from JP Morgan to construct a tower on Long Island to carry out his experiments. His intention was to be able to transmit not only messages but actual telephone calls and facsimile images across the Atlantic Ocean to England. He started construction, but in December of that year, Marconi beat him to the prize, transmitted a wireless message from England to Newfoundland.
Investors flocked to Marconi's system, and many turned against Tesla, accusing him of propagating a hoax. JP Morgan, who had so far invested $150,000 (More than 6 million by today's standards), refused to provide further funds and the project ground to a halt. The land was eventually lost in the act of foreclosure in 1915, and two years later, the tower was demolished.
Looking back with the knowledge of history, we can see that Nikola Tesla was clearly a man ahead of his time.
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| Cover Reveal: Temple Knight |
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I am pleased to be able to share with you the cover for Temple Knight, book one in the soon to be released Power Ascending series!
All my books occur in the world of Eiddenwerthe, so if you have read The Frozen Flame series, there's a character in here that you will recognize. I won't tell you who, but from what my Beta readers have said, it was a very welcome surprise!
And for those of you who are curious, I am working on a timeline for all the books, but as some encompass so many years, I am still trying to figure out a way to make it easy to read. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them.
Temple Knight will be coming your way in August, so not much longer until you can read all about Charlaine deSandria!
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| Evolution of a Manuscript |
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As a reader, I always wondered what the creative process for a book entailed. In my mind, I thought the entire story was plotted out in the writer's head, waiting only for the words to be put to paper (or computer screen, to be more precise). I know that many authors don’t outline, flying by the seat of their pants, often with incredible results, but for plotters like me, having a detailed plotline is critical to my success.
I have learned a lot from writing my first fourteen and a half books, and one of the lessons I have taken to heart is that the story evolves even as it is written. Now, I’m not talking about just editing, but rather ideas that change the very nature of plot points. Flames is a perfect example of this. I had decided when I did the original outline that 'CONCEPT A' would make a great story element. Two-thirds of the way through my writing, I realized that 'CONCEPT B' would be much better, and so I scribbled a note to myself on a sticky note (the electronic version).
Now, as I approach the end of the book, I have a laundry list of changes to make to fit the new narrative. Of course, I did this more than once, so I actually have four such changes to edit. All this is done to make a better story, so I can’t complain. Far from it, for if it improves the story, I’m all for it!
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Sorry to all those that were waiting for my Facebook Live this past Monday. Carol was not feeling well, and as she is the one behind the camera, we needed to postpone. Fear not, she is already feeling better!
My next Facebook Live Video will be on Monday, July 20, at my usual time of 5:30 pm EST.
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Flames is now past the 80% mark and rolling towards its conclusion. We took a break on Wednesday, thanks to Canada Day, but soon got back to work. As the story grows nearer its end, I find myself slowing a little, mainly due to the logistics. I have a battle that is about to erupt, and I need to make sure everything is in place. I’ve done this before, of course, but it still requires a fair amount of work. I have to make sure the campaign leading up to the battle makes sense, determine the appropriate strengths of either side, then come up with unique ways in which the characters can participate. This last part is, perhaps, the most challenging part of the entire process. Naturally, I already know how the overall battle will end, but it’s the ‘getting there’ that is half the fun of writing it.
Heir to the Crown has multiple examples, but in this instance, the issue is more complicated. Without giving too much away, there are more people capable of using magic in this battle. This means I also have to decide which spells will be used. Good thing I created a database full of spells!
Until next time, enjoy another little tidbit from Temple Knight!
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Temple Knight - Power Ascending: Book One
“My lord,” interrupted Danica, “what do we know of the enemy flagship?”
Admiral Broden pointed at a group of red blocks. “We believe it’s one of these three triremes. They’re significantly larger than the rest of the fleet and much newer.”
“Shouldn't we concentrate on destroying it?” the young knight suggested. “Wouldn't that be like lopping the head off a snake?”
“An excellent thought, but one which will prove difficult, I'm sure. The ship is surrounded by dozens of biremes, and I doubt my counterpart will be interested in obliging us by making himself available for boarding.”
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Check out these featured books that are free, discounted, or new releases.
These authors are returning the favour by sharing my books with their readers.
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Wrath of the Forgotten: A war is brewing between the kingdoms of humanity… Bound and broken, Lukys stumbles through the darkness. From all around come the voices of the Tangata, inhuman enemies of mankind, who have a secret, one that might finally end ten long years of war. If only he could escape and bring word to his people!
Meanwhile, the Queen’s Archivist flees the wrath of her former master. A foreign king offers asylum, but the man is an enemy of her people. And his aid will cost far more than just her loyalty—he seeks the magic of the Gods. With the hounds drawing close, Erika must commit the ultimate betrayal to keep her freedom. Is she willing to pay the price?
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Ruins on Stone Hill: What do you get when you mix an elf, a gnome, a halfling, and a warrior? Magic, mayhem, and loads of sarcasm.
Glolindir thought he knew all about magic until he came face to face with his very first monster. He only survived thanks to Lloyd, the gallant spiritblade as talented as he is reckless, Seth, the mysterious halfling whose knives are nearly as sharp as his tongue and Aksel, the quiet gnome whose very touch can heal.
Before Glo and his friends know it, they are up to their necks in monsters and worse. Outclassed and overpowered, the only thing that can save them now is their wits and a bit of luck.
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Faith & Fury: She's a Lightborn. He's a Hellborn. It will take both to stop this demon...
Vacinne is a Warden, a holy warrior trained to protect the world from demonic invasion. In her search for a missing Warden, she’s attacked by a powerful demon. After only narrowly escaping the demon’s wrath, Vacinne realizes she's going to need help. She must hire a sell-sword.
Bounty hunters are aplenty, and the Black Blade is the best there is. Many are dead and a demon is on the loose. A war between good and evil is on the horizon.
The Black Blade is her only hope in the quest to stop the demons—but he will cost her more than coin…
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| Featured Book Deals & Giveaways |
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While you wait for the release of my next book, here are some great stories for your TBR pile!
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, welcome to the end of my newsletter. I only email those who have given permission by signing up to receive my newsletter. As always, if you have changed your mind or are no longer interested in receiving these, please click the unsubscribe link below.
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