A Writer's Week #145: That About Covers It

Howdy everyone. This past weekend was really fantastic. It started Friday night on the green in Milford, CT where myself and a few other Connecticut Book Festival authors got together to sell our wares. With temperatures in the upper 20's it was frosty, but we still managed to have fun a nd sell books while passing around a space heater to keep defrosted.

Saturday was a doubleheader. I had a great time meeting people at the St. Rose School Christmas Craft Fair in Newtown, CT. At the same time, my wife was selling a few copies of  As the Owl Flies at another church craft fair. Good times.

This week, I am on vacation. The timing is perfect because artist Emily Hurst Pritchett sent me the completed art files for Fire & Ice yesterday. So, I've been busy finishing the interior layout and putting together the cover. I should have an author's proof to review on Thursday and if everything looks okay I plan to release the book on New Year's Day.

In anticipation of that, here is the new cover:

Emily came up big once again. This is the first novella in what I'm calling Dragon Island Legends. Here's the blurb for the back cover:

Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold,

Although Some Like it Hot

For generations, raiders from the North and their Silver Dragon have been plundering the Dragon Islands and stealing children. But the Islands are not defenseless, for they have a dragon of their own, the great Golden Dragon of Ang. 

Now after countless raids and battles, there is peace. However, old wounds are slow to heal. That is particularly true for Benchu and Mai-Lin, two orphans with revenge in their hearts. With the outbreak of peace, Ben and Mai have only one hope at vengence-they must seek out and join the Denchi Assassins.

But things don’t always go according to plan. Ben and Mai will come to learn that it will take more than a thirst for revenge and a lethal assassin’s guild to make things right.

In my next post, I'll share the front and back of the cover as well as the maps. I'll also update you on the plotting of the next book in the series. Stay tuned.

Peace.

A Writer's Week #144: The Next Chapter

 First off, I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. Work has been crazy busy for almost the past two months has made it rough to focus on much of anything else.

That being said, I have managed to attend a lot of book shows and craft fairs on the weekends. I always enjoy these events because I get a chance to,meet and talk with readers, fellow authors, and the general public. I am looking forward to the upcoming four shows I'll be participating in through the end of 2025.

I have also been working on the final edits for my upcoming novella, Fire & Ice. My test readers have given me lots of great feedback, and I've been able to incorporate that. Now, I'm in the process of formatting the final manuscript. It's shaping up to be a great little book.

Artist Emily Hurst Pritchett has given me the preliminary drawings and map. Today, she sent me a preliminary color draft of the cover. Everything is looking great, and I'm really excited to see the final versions!

Here are a rough drawing of the Dragon Home map and,some sketches of potential chapter headers:

Pretty neat, huh? I really think everyone is going to enjoy this story, which takes place on Ang, one of the Dragon Islands from book three of the Deliverers Series. Right now, the book is on track for a January, 2026 release.

 

I have also begun planning the second book in the Dragon Islands Legends series. It's going to take place on the island of Jongchin about 500 years before events in Fire & Ice, and will feature a 16 year old girl by the name of Shadra. She is part of a nomad clan that lives on the steppes in the center of the island. They are competing for grazing land and hunting territory with the warlike Serpent Clan.

Shadra is a tough, independent young woman who has her own ideas on how to deal with her clan's rivals. It will be a challenge, because the serpents are ruthless, they coat the tips of their arrows with a deadly poison. I'm looking forward to,start writing. However, I need to flesh out the rest of the plot. I'll be sure to fill you in on my progress. Until then, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Peace

A Writer's Week #143: Hammering Out an Identity

 Hi all. Things are progressing as I work to get my new novella, Fire & Ice ready for publication early next year. Artist Emily Hurst Pritchett has just sent me rough sketches of the cover, the map of Dragon Home, and some choices for the chapter header. They all look really great, and I'm excited to see how the final versions turn out.

Once the book comes out, it will mark the second work I've published that is not really a part of the Deliverers Series. As I slowly move away from Eric, Stig, Kate, and Hallo. I'm trying to find my identity as an author as well. While I am still writing middle grade fiction, I can't use the Deliverers as an all-encompassing marketing blanket.

The question for me was, how to market my writing? At first, I thought it might be using White Owl Manuscripts as the flagship. I use the name as my Defacto publisher. But I decided that I needed to put my name out there more. I'd always used The Deliverers or White Owl whenever talking about my books. Those just did not seem to be satisfactory options, particularly now that I am writing other things, with maybe some even more different topics yet to come. I finally decided that I should start putting my name out there more. With that in mind, I turned to AI for an author logo. At first, I thought I'd do that just to get some ideas. However, Microsoft's Co-Pilot actually came up with something that was pretty good. Here it is:

So, for now, at least, I'll be using it to "brand" myself and my writing. Marketing my name rather than the series or my faux publishing arm will enable me to branch out for future projects. After all, I still have the beginnings of my teen fantasy, Quirk, and I keep kicking around an idea for a middle grade historical novel in revolutionary Connecticut (along the lines of My Brother Sam is Dead), in addition to a few more novellas chronicling Dragon Island Legends in the planning stages.

It still seems surreal to me that I will soon release my sixth book, and that I have ideas for four to five more. I am truly blessed to have been able to write and release what I have so far. I am beyond thankful for all of you who have been following me and reading what i put out. It inspires me to keep going. I want to give you all stories that you will enjoy.

Thank you, and I'll keep you posted as things develop.

Peace.