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.)

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!

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!

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

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