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A new symbol for the series

14 Jan

fiery hand_diamond_smYeah, I know, if I had half a brain I would have done this before launching the first book, but then again, I’ve been told that if I had half a brain I would be dangerous, so this should make you feel safer.

The drawing I wanted to use as the symbol for the series was driving my artist batty. She tried and tried, and finally we decided that wasn’t going to work. So she let me use her hand.

Don’t worry, I didn’t cut it off or set it on fire. I took a photo of her hand and Photoshopped some fire into it. If that’s not obvious in the small version, it will be if you click and enlarge it. That’s why I’m going to keep it small when I use it.

(By the way, I hate the red box that this WordPress theme seems to put around any image. Or maybe it’s just WordPress period. Anyone know how to get rid of that?)

I’ll be working with my designer to put that on all the covers to unify them (as well as lightening the cover of Karia’s Path to make it stand out better from The House in the Old Wood).

And of course it’ll be on the cover of The Dwarf’s Legacy when that comes out next month. I’ll have an update on the rewrite of that book soon, and in the meantime, make sure you vote in my poll so I know what you think should come next.

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What’s ahead in 2014

2 Jan

the-man-with-two-eyes-kindle-coverWhat would you think if I told you I already have 11 more books under way?

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess, “Finish The Day Magic Died series first!”

If that was your thought, you need not worry. The final two books in that series are among the first three or four books I plan to complete in 2014.

In fact, the plan for the first half of the year is pretty much set in … well, perhaps dried mud. It’s not really fluid, but it’s not exactly stone either:

February: The Dwarf’s Legacy, book four of The Day Magic Died.

March: The Man with Two Eyes, a Nascent Payne Mystery. This novella (under 30,000 words, compared to about 90,000 words for each of novels in my series) is the second in the series, The Hunt for the Wallaby.

May: The fifth and final book of the series The Day Magic Died. I am now ready to unveil the likely final name for this book: The White Silver House. Oh, and I’ve saved the best for last. This final novel will likely top 120,000 words, or about one-third longer than each of the other books in the series.

June: The third novella in The Hunt for the Wallaby series is due out. That may wrap up the series, or it may go into a fourth book. Not sure yet …

But even if The Hunt for the Wallaby goes into a fourth novella, that leaves the rest of the year as an open book. So what am I going to do?

I’m going to ask you to help me decide. All next week, I’ll be giving you brief synopses of upcoming book ideas, and asking you tell me what you think. This should be fun …

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A glance back before we drive forward

1 Jan


You readers rock!

As of Jan. 1, 2013, I had never published a single book. I’ve lost count of the number of articles I’ve written for newspapers and magazines and websites – or more accurately, I never kept count. But up until a year ago, never a book.

Now here I am at the beginning of 2014 with four books available on Amazon.com: three novels in my series The Day Magic Died, and a novella, a Nascent Payne Mystery titled The sort-of Murder of Fiona Galloway. (I know, I haven’t talked much about that series … yet.)

To top it all off, there are something like 10,000 copies of my books out there.

Wait, that doesn’t top it all. What tops it all is that you folks helped feed 90 families for a day. Based on the sales of my series in December, Rice & Beans Foundation will be receiving $90 to purchase food for needy families in Nicaragua. Thanks!

I am very grateful to you, my readers, and I promise you two things:

  • More books are coming
  • I will work to improve my writing

Here’s to a good 2014!

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A simple meal, a simple way to help

30 Dec

It’s not hard to make rice and beans. Even Timbal can do it, as is clear from this passage from Karia’s Path:

“Come and eat something,” he said. “I’ve made some hinarka and kariki. You need it.”

“I’m not hungry,” she said. She did not care enough about anything to get angry at his persistence.

“I don’t care. You need to eat. Put the book down and come eat,” he said. She just stared at him. “I mean it. Put it down. Come get something to eat.”

She knew that look. It was the same look she got sometimes, the look that said, “I’m not taking no for an answer.” She suspected she had even taught him that look, and she didn’t feel like arguing. That meant more talking. She put the book down and went downstairs with him. She sat at the table while he went to the kitchen.

He brought her a bowl of hinarka and kariki, and she ate.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

She hadn’t even tasted it. She had been eating it, but she had no idea what it tasted like. She lied. “It’s good.” She rationalized that it wasn’t really a lie, since she probably would have noticed if it was bad.

“I think I got your mom’s recipe right, or at least close,” he said. “What do you think?”

“It’s fine, Timbal.”

But not even Karia could make rice and beans if she didn’t have any.

And that’s a distinct possibility for the needy people of Nicaragua, who live on $2 a day.

Buying a book, and providing $1 worth of rice and beans for them, is a really big deal.

Rice & Beans Foundation will use 100 percent of the funds to buy rice and beans. The only question is, how much will they be able to buy? This offer ends at midnight tomorrow, so don’t delay.

Spread the world.

Enjoy the journey and feed a family.

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Strike a match, feed a family

27 Dec

Did you get a Kindle (or a tablet where you can use the Kindle app) this Christmas?

If so, here’s another great and inexpensive way to feed a family for a day.

People who bought the paperback version of any of the books in my series, The Day Magic Died, from Amazon, are eligible to purchase the Kindle version for only $1.99. Since there’s no shipping cost or sales tax, more than half of what you spend will go to feed needy families in Nicaragua. And that $1 will feed a family for a day.

Amazon calls the program Kindle Matchbook, and it’s a great offering for folks who want a paperback and a Kindle version. Just go to the Kindle versions of the books and look for the option of buying the Kindle edition through Matchbook. Then enjoy the journey as you feed a family.

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