July 17, 2025
The only writing of mine that I can think of with significant water is the short story, “The Taste of Pink Snow.” It’s now available in the Broken but Undaunted collection, so if you’ve never read this bit of literary mayhem and fun, what’s stopping you?
Storms rolled through yet again yesterday afternoon and evening, but the one that came through after 8 was a DOOZY. So much water. SO. MUCH.
And… problems with my electric as a result, including a light fixture that stopped working.
I have word in to my contractor, since it’s one of the lights that was affected by my recent renovation.
One of the manuscripts I’ve been waiting for showed up yesterday! Last night, actually.
I can put aside the project I’ve been working on for a few days and start this… but tomorrow. I’m having an “away from my desk” day, and I hope it doesn’t involve more storms, let alone storms with so much water to drop on my house. Or my head.
I didn’t make a huge dent in my word count deficit, but I didn’t fall behind, either. Slow and steady, drips and drabs… it’s how I’ve built my newsletter, how I make sales at all the shows and farmers markets. Little pieces add up.
Today’s the farmers market at the Block Northway, so if you’re in Pittsburgh, come out and say hi.
Kobo’s still got Maybe the Bird Will Rise on sale for 99c. And of course it’s free with Plus (ebook only).
And then there’s the Smashwords summer/winter July sale! All month!
Click here for the Trevolution, which is FREE this month.
Click here for the short story twins and the Tales from the Sheep Farm.
Shadows of Your Black Memory, by Donato Ndongo and Michael Ugarte (translator)
This is an affiliate link, and any purchase you make with an affiliate link will go to operational costs here at West of Mars. I’ve got my business insurance covered now (whew) so we’re working on saving up for a website overhaul and the day-to-day costs of West of Mars. Which… yay! It’s nice to be getting even a tiny bit ahead again.
Other ways to support me include booking my editorial services, buying my books, leaving an online review or just telling my books about a friend of yours, and of course stuffing my ko-fi, whether or not you pick up The Beta Reader’s Guide and/or An Author’s Guide to Library Events.
That’s it. Remember if you’re out and encounter so much water, turn around; don’t drown!
July 14, 2025
Want a real quick read? Broken but Undaunted. It’s quick, it’s fun, and it’s a good introduction to the Trevolution, as there are a couple of stories in there from that series. Let it be your real quick entry to a time capsule back to the age of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
The two title stories — Broken, and Undaunted — are my two favorites in this collection. Not enough of you have laid eyes on them.
If you have aversions to buying it in my online store (the link above), here’s the link to any retailer… even though it’ll cost you more at any other retailer!
Anyhow…
Real quick today because I had to take the car for an oil change and I love my mechanic, but being there sets me back for the day, and I have a dinner with friends planned for tonight.
I’m hoping to finish this edit today and get it back to its author. Yay! It’s been a lot of fun to work on and I can’t wait to see it do well once it’s for sale.
I got a LOT of words in over the weekend, but am still behind where I should be. Being out tonight isn’t helping!
I should be back on track by the end of the week, at the latest.
Maybe the Bird Will Rise is still on sale at Kobo. Still 99c. Still going to last to the end of the month.
The Smashwords Summer/Winter July sale is still going on, too! Also all month long, here are the links you’ll need:
For the Trevolution, which are always free during these events, use this link.
For the short story collections and the Tales from the Sheep Farm series, use this link.
The weekend’s top seller was Populated. Grab a copy and see why!
A History of Disappearance, by Sarah Lubala
Want real quick? This is a poetry collection!
And of course, it’s an affiliate link, so your purchase nets me a few pennies I can put toward overhead here at West of Mars.
Other ways to support the cause… book my editing skills. Buy my books. Stuff my ko-fi like you would for any other subscription-based plan.
That’s it! I told you it would be real quick!
June 6, 2025
Doesn’t feel like Friday? Doesn’t feel like much of anything for the narrator of one of the two title stories of Broken but Undaunted.
Bet you didn’t know the title of Broken but Undaunted is made up of the titles of two different stories! Broken is a story I’d once sold for 99c. Undaunted — the story I’m referring to above — was included in the Running Wild Anthology of Stories Volume 2, which is the ONLY Running Wild anthology not listed on Bookshop.org. Like, what? It’s the best!
I spent the day catching up on things — and I’m not caught up yet! — so I didn’t start the second read-through of this project I’m working on. The client’s in no hurry; they have become a good friend over the years. But even though I have more to do to catch up today, I’ll be starting the second readthrough and the rest can wait a bit.
Another edit also arrived, so that’s next in the queue.
Reminder: If you need me, you CAN afford me; we’ll work it out.
After my first home-cooked dinner in over a week, I did some rearranging of the basement, getting ready for the influx of 95 copies of my books that I’ve ordered in preparation for the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage festival. (They have not updated the site for 2025 yet; it should be soon. We’ll be in the artist marketplace, not the individual author booths.)
And after that? The trip exhaustion hit me and I collapsed onto the couch with Netflix and that was my day. I’ll be catching up this weekend and we’ll see how much I can get done then, but today still doesn’t feel like Friday, so who knows when I’ll get caught up… to the day of the week, on sleep, on this draft of a novel.
Cage of Nightingales, by Elizabeth Hopkinson
(affiliate link)
And that’s it! Be sure to say thanks by buying my own books, hiring me for an edit, or just stuffing cash in my ko-fi. I’m doing it this way instead of a Patreon-like model because paywalls make me nuts. Why should I inflict the same on you?
Enjoy the day and the weekend, even if it doesn’t feel like Friday to you, either.
April 10, 2025
My most overlooked collection of short stories is the PERFECT image for all the writing report I have for you!
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.
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!
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.
November 18, 2023
My Broken but Undaunted is part of a promotion via BookFunnel that’s featuring short works.
I think it’s the only collection in the group, but don’t quote me on that!
My mom was a big fan of short stories. She repeatedly took a class via our local Osher program (well, one of them, as both Pitt and Carnegie Mellon have their own) that was all about short stories. And she wasn’t wrong; short stories are an art form of their own. When you take creative writing classes at the university (or graduate) level, that’s one of the first things that becomes blatantly apparent.
Now, this promo features a lot of novellas which are, again, their own art form. More complex than short stories, less complex than a novel. They can have subplots or not; it’s all a matter of what the piece demands and the skill of the reader.
So I’m glad to be part of this promotion. I love that it’s about short work.
But there’s one other thing that has me excited to be part of this: It’s multi-genre. And that means exploration is imminent.
I went and explored what was on offer. I downloaded a bunch of books, and I hope they’re all good. Some are tie-ins to existing series. Some aren’t. It’s a wide, exciting grouping of short works — perfect for this time of year when we’re all so time crunched.
Go and find something for yourself.
And as always, if your book budget doesn’t allow for everything you want, you can take my book out of your local library via the Overdrive/Libby app. (It’s not on Hoopla yet and I don’t know why, especially because Maybe the Bird Will Rise is) OR you can hit me up for a review copy — just remember to follow my rules of review copies (You must post a review online — and let me know! — within one year. One-star reviews are fine; people are treasures too and that means your opinions are valid and respected, at least by me and my team. But you only get one book at a time, and if you don’t get a review up, don’t ask for another review copy.)
If you choose the library route, I’m more than a fan of that — I still get paid! It’s not a lot, but who cares? It all adds up.
Also, remember to check out my books for others you may like. With the Sheep Farm coming out relatively quickly (Populated releases on Tuesday! Are you ready?), I’m going to be asking you to do a lot of reading. Go ahead. Use those library apps.
But mostly, check out the books in this promo with Broken but Undaunted. Expand your horizons with a good short story or novella — or collection of short stories, like Broken but Undaunted!
