It was quite the weekend over here, and I’m not gonna lie. It pretty much sucked. Family dynamics are tricky beasts, but if what happened to me on Saturday had happened to anyone else, my response would have been, “Gurl. RUN.”

This is why, as an editor, I don’t work on books that glorify abuse.

It’s a dream I’m living. Good times.

In situations like this, you learn to look for silver linings. An online friend taking a selfie with the copy of Maybe the Bird Will Rise, which they were about to go buy while at Blythe Books. A Sunday spent on my new back deck, sitting on my new porch furniture, debating opening the louvers on my new louvered roof.

Purring cats.

Reaching the end of one of my manuscripts in progress (the standalone!) and putting it aside to sit some more as I work on something else.

So that’s my writing update.

But also!
Populated is still on sale at Kobo for another two days. Grab it while it’s cheap!
Safe House is still on sale across all retailers. Grab that one while it’s cheap, too.

editing

Not much new to say here… The number of manuscripts I’m waiting on hasn’t changed.
If you need me, I’m here. Come prepared to do the hard work. Or come already having done the hard work!

Book of the Day

The Three Little Tardigrades, by Sandra Fay

That’s all I’ve got. Hope your weekend was better than mine, Chag Passover Sameach to those who aren’t sickened by matzah, and check back tomorrow for another book of the day.
Remember, if you’re jamming this series I’m doing, filling my ko-fi jar is always a great way to say thanks, if you don’t simply pick up one of my books. Anything you contribute to the jar goes to operational costs around here.

It’s the day before I released this short story… fourteen years ago. If you know why I used to release books on April 12, 412 day here in Pittsburgh, then you know today is the day before something most people view as significant.

On to the fun.

Writing

While you can’t buy Broken, featured in the image above, as a standalone story anymore, you CAN buy it in the Broken but Undaunted collection. See how it’s right there in the collection name? (Reminder: It’s cheaper at my direct store!)
I was deep in it last night, working on the standalone, when… my youngest called with a DOOZY of a story for me. That ended my writing for the night.
Yesterday, I wrote the back cover copy for the standalone… and for Book Six in the Tales from the Sheep Farm series. I’m pretty sure you can start the series with it, but if you want the fullest experience, get on my mailing list! That’s a hint.

Populated is still on sale at Kobo! Get your copy while you can.
And Safe House is also still on sale, across all platforms. And still a tiny bit cheaper at my own store.

Editing

Oh, wow. SO busy right now y’all. Lots to do, but of course room for new clients. Come prepared to work hard! I don’t work with clients who phone it in. Why? Because I don’t phone it in.

Book of the Day

Rainbow Islands, by Devin Harnois

Look for me to be adding an affiliate link to Bookshop.org! Just telling you now…

So that’s it. I’m headed back to doing more Day Before stuff, not that there’s a lot to do. Instead of a cake this year, I’ll probably just make a mug cookie or brownie and call it good. (Nope, no Passover observations here. Something about Passover food makes me deathly ill. Leading theory is the short time matzah is baked, leaving the flour partially uncooked.)

My most overlooked collection of short stories is the PERFECT image for all the writing report I have for you!

 

Writing:

I got a ton done yesterday; all the writing indeed! From touch-ups on a short story for the Books Books Books Event anthology to more fun with the standalone, yesterday was productive.

Thanks to the gang who stepped up when I put out a call for beta readers. I hope you’ll stick around and beta or ARC read for me in the future!

Populated is still on sale on Kobo for another week, so get it while you can!

Safe House is still on sale across all platforms, including my own store for even less. Buy it there and own it. I love Taylor’s story. It’s about hiding who you are until you can’t anymore; we’ve all been there.

 

Editing:

 

I was working on a couple short stories for folks, and that’s what kicked me into gear with all the writing you saw above. Short work is always fun.

I do still have room this year for new clients! Make sure you have your newsletter magnets edited!

 

Book of the Day

 

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

I’ve been handing out my Beta Reader’s Guide to my new beta readers… It’s designed to be for both authors, to know what to ask of their betas, and for betas (current or future) who’d like some guidance, so if you’re not using it, why not? Pay what you will; I just want it used. And while you’re there, grab a copy of A Writer’s Guide to Library Events. Again, pay what you will. Or just drop me a present in the form of cash. That works too and helps support operating expenses, including on the author side.

The week leading up to your birthday’s supposed to be nice and fun and full of expectation, right?

Yeah. This year seems to have yeeted that memo. Yesterday and this morning have been full of mounting frustrations.

Anyway… Time to brush it off and get busy.

writing:

Not much to say. I had a meeting last night, so only got a short bit of work done. Still, even a few paragraphs are… a few paragraphs. I’m in tonight, so I should get more done.

Populated is still on sale at Kobo for $1.99 until the 17th.

Safe House is still on sale across all retailers for $1.99 until the end of the month.
Well, it’s actually cheaper at my store.

 

editing:

Lots to do! Clients are starting to realize I won’t be around much in the back half of May. We’re gonna have logjams in about ten minutes.

I also have to finish up my short story for the Books Books Books event anthology. Books cubed, as I often call it, is held every September in Lancaster. This will be my third year there, so be sure to come out and say hi and pick up autographed books — my own, or belonging to any of the other authors there. This show is HUGE. Over 120 of us, so I’m thrilled to have been included in the first-ever anthology. It’ll be given to VIP ticket holders, and proceeds from the event will be directed to the Making Headway Foundation, in honor of Josh Cappello, who is related to one of the event’s anchor authors.

Book of the day:

Fathomfolk, by Eliza Chan

 

Want to avoid some of your own mounting frustrations? I’ve got a new guide up at my ko-fi! This one was written in conjunction with the program director at my local library, and it’s all about working with your local library. Like with my beta reader’s guide, it’s pay what you will, and zero shame in not paying anything. It’s about making us all better, savvier writers and beta readers and members of our library communities, not making me rich. But, of course, if you don’t want either guide but do want to support a small business, I take donations, too.

It’s Tuesday. My editor self actually really likes Tuesdays because Mondays are always so hard to focus. But Tuesdays? Tuesday are the day when it clicks and it’s a day of plugging along, getting pages done and all the editing stuff. (Reminder: editing isn’t only looking for typos!)

 

Writing:

Despite how tired I still was from the weekend — and sore. What’s that about? — I had a fantastic writing session last night, working on the standalone.

Populated is still on sale at Kobo!
Safe House is still on sale all month, at all retailers.

 

Editing:

Plugging along here too! Now up to seven manuscripts that I’m waiting on. Seven!

 

Book of the day:

Echoes and Embers, by Pedro Iniguez

I’m still having fun with this daily check-in and Book of the Day. If you are too, why not say thanks? Pick up a copy of one of my books. Check them out from your local library, even! (Ebooks only) Or buy me a figurative bottle of fountain pen ink via my Ko-fi.

In the meantime, keep on plugging along!

I’m back from my very long drive to see the youngest. She’s great, and I was privileged to be granted a tour of an otherwise not-open-to-the-public facility. It gave me a lot of food for thought, especially as (spoiler alert!) I’m working on a book set in a sanctuary. No idea when I’ll even do more than gather ideas and play with the character and actually write the story, so don’t be all frothy at the mouth in anticipation.

Anyway, I’m tired today, as one is when they’ve spent a few days in the middle of tornado watches and floods and deluges of rain (and you forgot your raincoat), and drove 10 hours each way. Even Sheetz surprisingly didn’t make it easy, holding me up for an unwanted and unappreciated 20-minute break while the very slow and understaffed folk made me a smoothie. And then they gave me the wrong size, but at least it was a large instead of a small. Of course, being too large, it made me sick by the time I got home.

Just more to add to the files for research and future books, I suppose… I mean, “You gave me more food than I asked for” is hardly something to burn Sheetz down for, right?

Writing: I got next to nothing done over the four-day weekend, and I’m 100% fine with that. I was there to soak up what I could learn, to enjoy the road trip and explore the small town she’s living in, to be with my kid — and my cousin, who came down to join us. I don’t spend nearly enough time with my cousins.

Safe House is still on sale for $1.99
Populated is on sale at Kobo through the 17th.

Grab the sales while you can!

Editing: Much to do today, although I’m still waiting on those five manuscripts! Actually, looking over my queue, it’s now up to six. And a dear friend reached out to ask if I’d do my How to Work with a Freelance Editor workshop for her group. Yay!

Book of the Day: These are chosen randomly, so I don’t have anything related to the road trip, but here you go:
Felicia Grossman, Marry Me by Midnight

Reminder that if you’re enjoying these updates, buy one of my books, borrow it via Hoopla or Libby (or the other library apps)–although Hoopla STILL refuses to restore Saving Sima, Broken but Undaunted, and Permission to Enter, and they won’t list Legacy at all.
And, of course, buy me a virtual bottle of fountain pen ink via my Ko-fi. Book royalties and my ko-fi go to support operational costs here at West of Mars (including book production expenses), not my addiction to road trips, even when I come home with new, rich material.

Mule races, anyone? I went to mule races! You KNOW that’s gotta appear in a book at some point!

Yes! Populated is being featured at Kobo for the next two weeks. Go grab a copy while the price is low. (This is ebook form only, of course. I WISH I could sell print copies this cheaply!)

I’m headed out to see my youngest, so it’s a long day behind the wheel for me. And last I checked, it was looking like a rainy spring weekend.

Ask me if I care. I don’t. I’m gonna see my kid and spend time with her at this temporary stop on her path. Plus animals!

As always, I have a house sitter, so give up THOSE thoughts. Besides, I don’t have anything of value. I just spent it all on my renovation!

Writing: Still working on the standalone! Yinz and y’all are going to love it. I love Priscilla and Errick and what’s this? I’m giving up details?

Editing: On hold, of course, until Monday, when I’m back from my road trip adventures. Whee!

Book of the Day: Love is a War Song, by Danica Nava

That’s all I got, since I’m not here and scheduled this out. As always, if you appreciate me and the Book of the Day, feel free to buy me a Ko-fi.

And if you’re new around here, join my mailing list! Do it for the freebies.

I’m getting ready for the housesitter, which means focused, intense work on my To Do List today, including a short edit. And at some point, I’ve got to pack, since I’m leaving the house early, early, early tomorrow. Like, before breakfast early.

I should probably do more than give the route a cursory look.

Writing: More progress on the standalone. I had just hit a groove last night when a family member called. Like… aaah! NOW??? We hung up with ten minutes left in my nightly writing time. Needless to say, I didn’t get much done in those final ten minutes.
Oh! Hey! Safe House is on sale this month. Ebook only, and across all retailers.

Editing: As I mentioned, I’ve got a short editing project. Yes, I’ll edit your newsletters and their magnets. Of course! I take care of my clients, which to me means including back cover copy in the cost of your overall edit. Hell, yesterday one of my clients texted me for help with verbage for her website… her non-writing website.

I take care of my clients.

Book of the Day: Does Blake Keep the Secret, by Lindsay Anne Priest, Tacom Creative Studio, and Amanda Boyers

Still digging the Book of the Day? Just appreciate me in general? Buy me a figurative bottle of fountain pen ink!

It’s my birthday month! And like always, I only want one thing… book royalties! Be they from Hoopla or Libby or online sales or in-person sales, I don’t care. Buy my books.

Okay, I won’t say no to Umber Chocolates, either.

Editing: Still waiting on five manuscripts, still working on other stuff. But I found out yesterday in a pretty unprofessional way that a job I’d been asked to do was yanked out from under me. That was hurtful and sad, and please don’t treat others this way.
I’m writing it off as “when people show you who they are, believe them” moment and moving forward with a reminder that this is why editing samples are VITAL to a good author-editor relationship.

Writing: Still focused on the standalone! I hit a moment yesterday that I hadn’t seen coming — just one of those small one-liners that make me laugh, not a huge plot point. It was pretty glorious.

And now, the moment you’re all waiting for… The Book of the Day.
No one’s chimed in yet and said, “Hey, I know what the common theme is!” so keep thinking, and keep checking back for every day’s book of the day, with weekends continuing to be catch-up from when I was posting exclusively at Facebook.
Out on a Limb, by Hannah Bonam-Young

Having fun with this new series? Want to wish me a happy birthday and some chocolate of my own choosing? I have a ko-fi for that and I appreciate everyone for everything they contribute to it. Be sure to check out my Beta Readers Guide, too! Pay what you will… seriously.

Didn’t see this one coming, but I am NOT going to complain…
Legacy was my best-selling book over the weekend!

I moderated a panel at my local library over the weekend and while it wasn’t an event designed to sell books, and while most people in the audience thanked us and then left, a couple of us had sales. And I was lucky enough to encounter readers who needed the latest installment of the Tales from the Sheep Farm. Thanks, friends!

Writing: Over the weekend, the standalone got the most attention. I’m having to do more than tweaks but less than significant rewrites, but that’s why I delayed the release; I’d originally been hoping to have this book ready to put in readers’ hands at Books Books Books in September, but some books can’t be rushed. Either this one or the next Tale from the Sheep Farm will be out in April 2026. You read this here first.

Oh! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter! April is my birthday month, and that always means goodies for my newsletter subscribers!

Editing: Nothing to say. I’m still waiting on clients to send their manuscripts. This is the downside to telling authors to Send When Ready!

Book of the Day: Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi

End of the month reminder if you use Hoopla or Libby! If you haven’t maxed out your borrows, check out an indie author’s book! Mine or someone else’s… it doesn’t matter. The point is to use your library to help give them circulation numbers, to expose yourself to something new and wonderful, and the reason you want an indie author’s book is because many of us get paid for each check-out. Everyone wins.

And, of course, if you’re jamming on the Book of the Day and these short updates and would like to say thanks but don’t need a book to read (WHAT???), my ko-fi remains open so you can buy me a (figurative) bottle of fountain pen ink. I’ll actually use it for operational expenses around here, in interests of full transparency. But also? I use my fountain pens (I’m up to 11) when I edit, so that ink is an operational expense!

I got a call to restock copies of Maybe the Bird Will Rise at Blythe Books, the Pittsburgh-based used bookstore that also champions local authors.

I shouldn’t be so surprised. I wrote a really good book. One thing I’ve noticed at in-person events is the way the right readers gravitate toward my covers. It’s cool to watch.

In a way, it’s cooler to get restock messages. And one day, I will be in the store when someone gravitates toward the book and decides to buy it without talking to me about it first!

Editing: Still waiting on five edits. Five!
But at least this gives me the time today to run out to Blythe Books for the restock. Pittsburgh book lovers! Might I be leaving other titles too?

Writing: I got a lot done yesterday on the standalone. The storyline has changed subtly, so I’ve got to deal with that.
I’ve also been working on another typo check of Safe House, along with a reader’s group guide. Look for those when I can afford a website refresh. Another reason I hate waiting on manuscripts!

Book of the Day:
I know this is what you come here for, so here it is!
Darius the Great is Not Okay, by Adib Khorram

Having fun with the Book of the Day? Buy me a bottle of fountain pen ink!

I don’t know why, but Thursday is the hardest day of my week. I’m always draggy and content to eat leftovers from the freezer rather than cook.

Same for you? Let me know!

Writing: Before dinner, I worked on the short piece I’ve mentioned. It’ll be for sale in my online Payhip store ONLY once it’s done and ready. After dinner, I kept working on the standalone. I’m really pleased with it and how it’s coming together. It’s a complex story, with growth for both main characters, although very very differently.

Editing: STILL between edits. I’m climbing walls. I’m an editor, and I’m waiting on at least four manuscripts. But I want my clients to send their manuscripts when they are ready, not on some artificial schedule that they’ve rushed to meet. So it’s usually overindulge or famine over here.

Book of the Day: Nainai’s Mountain by Livia Blackburne and Joey Chou

Want to say thanks for this? Show some support? Buy my books or a bottle of fountain pen ink!

I truly hate being between edits. Y’all can fix that, I’m sure.

Writing: I had a meeting last night at the temple, so I only got a bit of writing in, but I worked on a short piece that’ll be available only at my direct store.

Book of the Day: Pardon my Frenchie by Farrah Rochon

That’s it! No real plans for the day — I need a good tea ball and some ice trays, so if you have recs, I’m all ears! — and am hoping for some serious writing today/tonight.

Last December — because construction takes twice as long as they promise it will — I started a massive construction project on my house. New siding, new roof, new deck. No pictures for privacy’s sake.

Today’s the second scheduled day of punch list items. The end is in sight!

By the way, they’d promised me 11 weeks, and last time I worked with this contractor, they’d come in ahead of schedule, so I’m not stressed about the delays. They’ve all been justified and I’ve been very taken care of.

Writing: I developed a horrific migraine around noon, so no writing happened. That’s not common.

Editing: I’m still between edits, gosh darn it. Whenever the economy slows and book sales tank, authors stop using editors — and sometimes stop writing entirely because they need that income.
I promise you, authors, you’ll be glad you coughed up the cost for an edit, and not just because you’re helping support someone else’s small business.

And since I know this is actually what you’re here for…
Book of the Day:
We Could be So Good, by Cat Sebastian

Like what you see? Instead of a subscription Patreon, just buy me a bottle of fountain pen ink.

WHAT a weekend event!

It was the first ever adult book fair at Lolev Brewery, brought to us by Eeeek Creative and what an awesome time. I hit a few milestones: I sold out of a title! (I’d only had three, so maybe this doesn’t count?)
It was my highest earning show, but the second-highest number of books sold. (That’s because I’m selling the Trevolution books cheap… be sure you get yours before they are gone! No more print copies!)

Planning a book fair? I work with a group of authors and am glad to connect you not only to myself, but to the group as well.

Writing:
I’m working on a couple different manuscripts right now, just kind of skipping from one to the next as I’m inspired. I need to pull up a short story I’d written and get it ready to be my 2026 newsletter magnet. (If you’re not on my author newsletter, why not? You get a free story that’s only available via my newsletter, and only for one calendar year.)

Editing:
I’m writing this Sunday afternoon and still waiting for manuscripts to land in my inbox. So I’m working on my To Do list instead.

Book of the Day:
Their Just Desserts by Alechia Dow and Tracy Badua

Having fun with this new series of posts? Instead of a Patreon or subscription, I invite you to buy me a bottle of ink.

I’m trying to think of why we moved away from blogging and over to content sites like Substack and Medium and every other site that’s come before and will come after. And for me, I think it’s the STUFF that goes with it.

Title
Tags
Categories
SEO
Readability
Meta description
focus keyphrase

Like everything else, we’ve enshittified blogging, this time in the name of visibility and making ourselves into influencers.

I’m over it. Because the kind of influencer that I want to be is the kind who influences through her books.

So I’m playing with this new idea. Just simple blog posts, usually daily. (I’m, as Brian Goulet says, unreliably committing to this idea, but I also think it’s worthwhile.) The book of the day, cross-posted from the West of Mars Fans page at FB, because I want to own my own content. A word about editing, a word about writing.

Kind of a daily journal, but… maybe not.

I don’t know. We’ll see how this goes.

So…

Today’s Book of the Day:
The Princess Protection Program by Alex London

Editing: I’m between edits and of course immediately bored. I’m waiting on four different manuscripts right now, so if you need me, better get in touch FAST, since I work first in-first out.
Writing: Cut 4k out of the standalone last night. (What? You haven’t heard I’m working on a standalone? Well, I am.) Still not sure if I can center it fully enough on the couple to make it a romance and not a love story.

And that’s it. Sunny but cold today, here at West of Mars.

Have a good one, and if you’ve got a Book of the Day for me, let me hear it.

I’m in the middle of a huge house renovation. And I mean huge… new exterior, new roof, new deck, new skylights. It’s amazingly and heartbreakingly expensive, but it’s gotta get done.

So that got me thinking about houses and homes and what makes a great big box with a bunch of divider walls into first a house, and then a home. How weird is it to have our own bedrooms, our own home offices–and this, of course, gets me thinking about my (many) fantasy clients and how ubiquitous houses and bedrooms are. How privacy matters, no matter what the society… or does it? What sort of shared values across the current-day earth are we transporting into our fiction? How about expectations of the way we live? Fancy fireplaces and columns holding up the roof over our front entry, what kind of flooring we have in our kitchens, our bathrooms, our bedrooms…

These are the things I think about when I’m not editing. (It’s a darn good argument for keeping me busy, no?)

…and then LA caught on fire. And LA burned. And people lost homes they’ve lived in for generations. Generations!

That took on a new resonance. There’s a mention in Legacy, Tales from the Sheep Farm Book Five, that people who live in the historically working class neighborhood of Woolslayer pass their homes down through the generations and the stuff that accumulates through the decades and lifetimes, stuff that needs to be cleared out, but… yeah. Knowing that people (maybe even you) actually do live this way gives me a new perspective in the face of such loss.

What is it that defines how we live? Is it our sports memorabilia? Our couches, our various tables and desks, our good china? Is it the neighborhood, the size of the house, the approval of our neighbors, the landscaping, the length of your lawn?

Or is it something that transcends a physical structure? Is our home the people we let into our lives, the people we can trust and turn to for good and bad? Is it a feeling of belonging and nothing more? Is “home” our values and the way we live our lives and approach each day? Is it the memories we build in a place?

There’s even a cliche that goes “Home is where the heart is” — but try telling that to the people in LA who have lost their homes — and a piece of their hearts along with it. That argues pretty convincingly for memories and human connection and the feeling of safety and belonging, but is that all it is? I mean… it gets back to the fact that a house is nothing more than a box with a bunch of interior dividers.

What about the community? The people in LA and the people in West North Carolina (Hey, I still see you, friends! I haven’t forgotten you) would argue that’s absolutely part of what defines home. It explains why they are going to rebuild, why they may do it even without the financial assistance of an insurance industry that’s unable to keep up with the destruction of the planet, either through funding or through policy. “This is our home,” they say, and they don’t mean only the house.

What is the essence that defines home?

There are no right answers or wrong answers. I’m sure a sociologist or anthropologist or even an archeologist has tackled some of this, and of course I’d love to chat with someone who has and get their perspectives.

Just something to think about in your own fiction.

And if you’re so inclined to donate, reminder that the story I wrote for the Western North Carolina anthology is still available to you for a donation. $10 for each volume and $50 for the omnibus. My story, “In Search of Culinary Excellence” is in the Contemporary Fiction and LGBTQ volumes, because it features everyone’s favorite executive assistant, Taylor Alexander. And Sima Shaikovsky. Don’t forget her.

Don’t forget the people of LA and WNC, either. Or the others… people who’ve lost their homes and are struggling to live without permanent and safe housing.

I’m always glad to contribute to a charity anthology, to an auction, to whatever… just reach out. I’m always glad to help.

In the meantime, if you’ve got thoughts about home and what that word means, I’d love to hear them.

What? More about Populated??? AGAIN????

Well, first of all, this might be my favorite book of the three published so far. MIGHT BE. I’m not going to swear one way or the other. Maybe the Bird Will Rise and Safe House hold huge chunks of my heart, as well. Don’t miss either one.

Secondly, read on and you’ll see why it’s our feature picture of the day.

You see, when I decided to return to publishing, my thought wasn’t far off from what it had been when I started with the Trevolution books: I’d put them out and not think too much about it.

Except in the decade since I put the Trevolution books out, publishing got expensive, yo. And at the same time, it also got a hell of a lot more fun, although maybe that’s just because I’m in a better mental place.

It’s also allowed me to meet a lot of neat people, and to develop friendships. It’s been a gift (again, my life is a lot like Delia Ford’s, so grab Populated and you can see what I mean. Reach out directly if you want an autographed print copy.)

When I got an email from my friend Mary Walsh that she was going to be in town, turning the Other Shadyside Arts Festival into a book show with fine art, I told her I’d go hang with her for a few hours. Somehow, that turned into “Hey, meet me at seven and we’ll set up” and then that turned into “Hey, clear off a corner of the table and throw your books on it.”

Let me tell you, it was a ton of fun to learn about Mary’s books and handsell them to people we (usually me; I can extrovert pretty well, but it does take a toll) enticed to come under Mary’s tent. It was fun to people watch in a neighborhood I used to hang out in and drop a ton of money in, almost always on clothing. (Sigh. I miss those days, I say as I look down at my sweatshirt and joggers. Or maybe not; I’m comfy.)

Now, one thing among the authors on the book show circuit that I’ve noticed is that we tend to talk about the success of the day based on whether or not we earn out our table fees. And for this show, the fees were STEEP.

It took work. Not gonna lie.

But we did it! We earned back Mary’s table fee! And let me tell you, I’m a fan of her books, not just her, now. She’s got a unique vision and puts in the hard work to bring her fictional visions to life. I know a bunch of my friends would love her books.

So… what’s this got to do with Populated?

Well, see up above, where I say that on Sunday, Mary encouraged me to set up the three Sheep Farm books? Populated was the day’s hit and top seller. I shouldn’t have been surprised. People really respond to, “When someone breaks into the Woolslayer Gallery and steals ALL and ONLY the art by street photographer Delia Ford…” A lot of times, that’s all it takes.

I’m thrilled. I’m over the moon, really. As you know, I’m so proud of this project and these books. I believe in the message I’m putting out into the world with them — People are treasures too.

So grab some books.

And if you’re in the Pittsburgh area, keep an eye out for me. I’m hoping to pop up in odd places with an impromptu book show, with authors and books and books and books. You’re going to want to keep an eye out for me.

We’re leading with Maybe the Bird Will Rise today because Mack and Tess ended a week bookended with books. (Oh, my. If I wrote that into my fiction, I’d edit it on out. This, however, is not fiction, and so I will not.)

Last Sunday, authors Joyce Tremel/Joyce St. Anthony and Amanda Flower did a joint conversation and book signing, hosted by Pittsburgh-based Riverstone books. Best of all, they came to the McCandless store, which is closer for me than their city-based store. Although give me a reason to go to the city and I’ll usually grab it.

It was great fun, and I encourage you all to pick up Joyce and Amanda’s books. I had every opportunity to and… honestly? After ten years of having a rigid book budget of $0.00, I don’t want an overflowing bookshelf. (I actually have recently culled my shelves and have more than a few boxes to haul off to resell.)

And then I got word of a new bookstore opening in town. Reading Ready Pittsburgh, it’s called, and I am 100% behind this. Not only should we support an effort to get families and kids reading from the get-go, but those kids deserve to see themselves on the page, too. As do we adults!

On the editing front, since I was just doing a re-read this week, I knocked that out and surprised myself by getting it back to its author on Friday. But it was good, and interesting, the change from first person to third changed the book’s genre! How was that for a fascinating discovery?

This week, I’m tackling a debut romance from a new client. So yes! If you want to work with me, I may take you on! (I do not take on everyone, because you deserve the best client for you.)

And then I ended the week with another book event… my own! With seven others, but still. We did a panel discussion that was comfortable, relaxed, fun, and had total strangers riffing on each other in a good-natured way, and then we retreated to our tables and sold books. Not quite all the books, but enough to make me happy! One reader told me the plot of Populated was more interesting to her than the plot of the Bird, and that’s super! (also, not unexpected… it’s the art thief that gets everyone.)

So this is your reminder that you CAN read Populated first. Or you can even read only the odd-numbered books and only the even-numbered books in the Tales from the Sheep Farm series. And, of course, the ebook version of Populated is still on sale for $2.99 at your favorite retailers, including my own shop, if you too need a copy because what’s this about an art thief?

And, of course, Maybe the Bird Will Rise is 99c, and so is the preorder of Safe House and gosh darn it, but I forgot to plug Safe House’s presale yesterday… This is why I have a lot of signs on my table.

Grab a book — Hell, grab all the books — while the sale is on. And remember to leave reviews (I encourage you to leave HONEST reviews. A one-star review never killed an author and I won’t see it anyway.)!

If you’re an author who needs me, reach on out. I’m here, and the queue is starting to get a little thin.

That’s a USA Archery certified coach, an archer who was nationally ranked in the top 100 as a collegiate archer, and a high school JOAD state champ (those last two in his category, of course). He’s my first resource when I have a question about archery. He’s also the person who got me so involved in the sport, and immersed me in a sport I respect, adore, and want to see presented properly on the pages of fiction.

So when I saw another editor with a hot take that said something along the lines of, “It’s not proper to use the word fire in association with archery,” I wasn’t real happy. How many tournaments and practice sessions and lessons have I sat through where the coaches (also USAA-certified) had said things like “Hold your fire,” “Do not fire your bow,” and even “Step up to the firing line.” Heck, there’s even a term in archery — DRY FIRE — that is one of the first things you learn when you pick up a bow, because dry firing a bow (that means pulling the string back to full draw, ready to fire, but without an arrow, and yet you let the string go as if an arrow is present) is BAD. Do not dry fire!

Seriously. It’s one of the first lessons with a bow. (Instead, for those of you who are curious, let the string down in a controlled fashion.)

But to be safe, I double-checked with Mr. USAA-Certified pictured above. Yep, my memory’s still good. But, he said to me, “I wonder what the etymology for using the term fire with an arrow is.”

It’s a good question. I wondered that too. This kid often asks me good questions, like “What does Apocalyptica sound like live?” and “Where is the Roxian Theater, and what does it look like inside?” We found out together. It was fun.

So… I did as deep a dive as I could. I even reached out to Lancaster Archery, which is kind of the gold standard of retail, at least here outside of Pittsburgh. The kid satisfied his question about what it’s like there when he went for a National Indoor Championship shoot a couple years back. Like I said, we do our best to learn the things we have questions about.

What I found, since that’s what you’re all dying to know, is that at least from what I found, we won’t know if the term “fire” is something that came before or after the introduction of firearms. The rest of this lengthy post will explain what I found and my thinking.

All this said, if you have legitimate sources of information on this topic, bring it. I’d love to learn.

Okay. Let’s start where the kid suggested I start: with the etymology of the word FIRE:

English fire was applied to “ardent, burning” passions or feelings from mid-14c. Meaning “discharge of firearms, action of guns, etc.” is from 1580s.

That clearly mentions firearms. And a lot of people make the assumption that this is where it begins as an archery term. But I am not convinced of that! Here’s why. That same definition goes to to say:

Symbolic fire and the sword is by c. 1600 (translating Latin flamma ferroque absumi); earlier yron and fyre (1560s), with suerd & flawme (mid-15c.), mid fure & mid here (“with fire and armed force”), c. 1200.

Okay, but that’s a noun, and we’re looking at the verb. What does this page say about that? Well. Hmm. Here we go. The word as a verb traces back to 1200 CE. Here’s more:

1660s. Meaning “to discharge artillery or a firearm” (originally by application of fire) is from 1520s; extended sense of “to throw (as a missile)” is from 1580s. Fire away in the figurative sense of “go ahead” is from 1775.

But note! That’s artillery or a firearm. There’s no note about archery, arrows, bows. Nothing. Why is that? Is that because it was so common that no one wrote it down, or was it so UNcommon that there was nothing to write down? And when DID the first documentation of the use of the word begin to be attached to archery? THAT, I do not know. I’d love to. If you’ve got that information, send it along.

However, the timeframe to associate the word “fire” with firearms works… sort of. After all, firearms date back to the 10th Century (CE), and by 1380 were found across Europe. They’d first been brought to Europe in the 13th Century (CE) by travelers of the Silk Road.

It’s an easy association to make, no? FIREarms. To discharge. Fire your firearm. But it makes ya wonder what people were saying for those two hundred years between the firearm’s arrival in Europe and the documentation of the term.

And still, I’m not convinced that the term wasn’t used for archery prior to the proliferation of firearms. There’s no proof one way or the other, just anecodotes that English longbowmen would say “Loosen” during warfare. Again, I’d love a source for this. I’m really fascinated!

So, while I didn’t write down all my sources for what comes next (and I’m kicking myself for that, too; you’d think I’d know better), here’s some of what I’ve found that makes me wonder if the term “fire” as associated with an arrow predates the use of “fire” with firearms.

Ever heard of Greek Fire? It predates the Chinese development of the firearm by three centuries (7th Century CE). It was used in warfare, and the linked article includes this gem:

many writers of antiquity refer to flaming arrows,

Flaming arrows! YES! Arrows on fire!

There’s a problem with setting most arrows on fire (Greek Fire being an exception) and shooting them, though. Fire needs oxygen to survive, and when something is flying through the air at speed, the flame tends to go out. So while incendiary arrows are sexy as hell, especially as a gesture with a funeral pyre, unless we’re talking Greek Fire, which seems to have solved the problem of being extinguished, incendiary arrows really weren’t a thing. Still, Greek Fire was clearly able to defy that, and Greek Fire incendiary arrows were definitely a thing.

If an arrow on fire was able to fly through the air… Well, I think it’s possible that the term “fire” became associated with archery at that time. Three centuries before the development of the firearm during the Song Dynasty.

Now, here’s another fact to consider. The term “fire arrow” was used in 9th Century China. This Wikipedia page has some really cool facts, including mention of earlier incendiary arrows. Check this line from the site:

Although the fire arrow is most commonly associated with its rocket mechanism, it originally consisted of a pouch of gunpowder attached to an arrow.

So again, we’re back to arrows being linked to an ability to ignite… or to catch on fire. And given the way we twist language today, it’s not a stretch to think that someone along the line started saying “fire” in assocation with arrows coated in Greek Fire, or that it was a shorthand for using a Fire Arrow in place of a regular boring old arrow without pockets of gunpowder. I’m not saying it’s a sure thing, but it’s also not a stretch of believability.

What if it began accidentally? If someone misfired and an incendiary arrow landed nearby, people screamed “fire” and others loosed their bows so that they could get the shot off before the fire became a problme? And what if it stuck?

What if…

What if…

This is one I don’t think we’re going to find out so fast, although I’m still intrigued. Not all questions are so easy to answer, especially when we have to stop and take a look at what’s been lost to history (or altered to fit certain narratives).

But I’m 100% confident when I say that it’s perfectly acceptable to use the term “fire” when discussing shooting an arrow, be it in a work of fiction with a contemporary setting or a historical one.