Yearly Archives: 2018

Success!

Had a successful meet and greet yesterday. Sold a bundle of all three books I have published (other than Water), plus the shorts, all for $30. See, if you come visit me, you get free stuff AND cheap stuff too!

I didn’t have enough space to read cards, so I owe her (she’s an author in ARIA). She’s also in charge of the Lively Literati which I will be the featured author for on the 28th of this month. I’ll have stuff, but I don’t think I can read cards there. It’s a very busy place.

I had really good neighbors, and networking was a plus. We all traded how we do things, what events were successful, what to watch out for, things like that. My neighbor and I were the only fantasy authors there. He was more high fantasy while I’m contemporary fantasy, so we didn’t conflict.

I was over the moon with the sales. I’m so easy to satisfy.

In other news, Earth should be out next Friday, at least the e-books. We’re waiting on a few things, but the pre-order is up if you want to get in now. Maxwell Thomas is tweeting almost daily. We’re working on building up his followers. He’s on twitter @MaxwellTAuthor.

Grimaulkin Redeemed is almost ready to go for July 1. I hope to have copies for the Lively Literati on the 28th, but I should definitely have copies for Richmond’s Author Day on July 14. It will be bittersweet to see the last in the trilogy…however the publisher is thinking of me doing an anthology consisting of some of the characters in the Grimaulkin story, like Ritter and the Knight in the Atheneum. Maybe. But I’m working on Fire right now. My personal goal is to get that one done by October.

Oh yeah, and then there’s War Mage. Um…yeah. Still doing research on it. I’m listening to War by Sebastian Junger, which is all about soldiers in Afghanistan in 2008, three years after my book takes place. It’s still pertinent because they didn’t have glatis plates on the bottom of Hummers to stop IED’s from killing people in the armored personnel carriers. It’s a very interesting and insightful book, something I should have read before any others.

 

POUNCE!

UP! Goes the blanket.
The little lion sitting
On the dresser
Leaps through the air–
And flattens the fabric mountain.

HISS! Goes the lump
Underneath the blanket.
The little lion tracks
with his golden-slitted eyes
The hidden prey.

TWITCH! Goes the tail
Of the tiny golden lion.
He raises his rear and wiggles,
Ready…
Waiting…

OW! Yells the human
As the kitten’s claws
Dig into the captured prey—

My hand.

A new gig!

Hello there.

If you’re new, welcome! If you’re not, welcome anyway!

This site updates you on what’s going on with my writing life, books I’m writing, reading (that I can see because, I tell you, I’m going blind) and other important things going on in life that might make for interesting reading.

First off, Grimaulkin Redeemed is on its final proof! It’s almost in the hopper, ready for publication on July 1. i’m so sad, because this is the last of the trilogy, and I have just a few ideas of what to do next.

Earth will be out June 15 (we’re waiting on the final cover) with the audiobook to follow probably a couple of months later. Earth is going to be shorter (and cheaper) than Water. My favorite in Earth is “Taurus”, though “Capricorn” is pretty good, too. Read them and tell me what you think here or on twitter @warwriter or @darkmysticquill.

Now….drum roll please….

Maxwell Thomas will be guesting on the Zarra Knightley website. Zarra Knightley Publishing does my gay erotica series, but they don’t only do gay erotica. They do heterosexual erotica as well. It just so happens that the books they have available are under Maxwell Thomas, my alter-ego.

Appearances:

Come to beautiful downtown Woonsocket on Social Street to the Woonsocket Harris Public Library on june 9 from 10-2 and see ME! And buy my books! And get free stuff! And I’ll give you a card reading if you mention that you saw this on my blog. (You’ll also get a card reading if you buy a book, too.)

 

POUNCE!

POUNCE!

UP! Goes the blanket.
The little lion sitting
On the dresser
Leaps through the air–
And flattens the fabric mountain.

SWISH! Goes the lump
Underneath the blanket.
The little lion tracks
with his golden-slitted eyes
The hidden prey.

TWITCH! Goes the tail
Of the tiny golden lion.
He raises his rear and wiggles,
Ready…
Waiting…

OW! Yells the human
As the kitten’s claws
Dig into the captured prey—

My hand.

Poem read at the Schastea Lounge in Pawtuxet Village, 5/31/18

Writing and editing and appearances–oh my.

I might be back in the saddle again. This week was very busy with editing and writing. If I was working, I would never get all this done.

First, there’s a podcast waiting over at Dark Mystic Quill about whether or not you are a writer if you write. Well, duh, you might think. But there are some people that don’t believe you’re a writer if you just write–that you have to be read. Sometimes, that’s not the important part.

I finished “Taurus”. It’s not a typical romance, it has just a little erotica, but I think it’s pretty good. You’ll see Earth–maybe–June 15 or definitely by July 15.

July 1 is the date slated for Grimaulkin Redeemed. Also, maybe by July, will be the audiobook of Grimaulkin.

As for appearances, I will be at the Shastea Lounge in Pawtuxet Village (pronounced in Rhode Island as “P’tuxet”) on May 31 with one of my poems during open mic at 7 pm. On June 26 I’ll be the featured author there (did I mention this already? Sorry if I did) reading “The Joint” and I’ll have books for sale.  I won’t be at Poetry and Beans in Coventry on June 16 because I actually have a social engagement.  Surprise!

And, of course, WorldCon in San Jose August 15-20!

 

 

Grimaulkin Redeemed (book flap content)

Mike LeBonte has lost his magic. But he needs it more than ever now, because someone has summoned Lucifer in the North Burial Ground in Providence.

In addition, an old enemy from prison is out and looking for Mike.

The Providence police, the Rhode Island State Police, the FBI, and even the Rosicrucians need Mike to get his magic back and find who summoned Lucifer. Not to mention his PI friend Frank Bennett also needs him for, of all things, a dog-napping case.

He needs to protect his boyfriend, Scott, from the possibility of being hurt by his enemy, and he’s expected to destroy the king of all demons.

All he needs is magic.

Poem – The Catmuse

The Catmuse

Waiting on the muse
I sit at the keyboard.
Fingers poised and ready.
Mind open and receptive.

I stare at the blank page
My mind wanders,
Characters? Setting? Plot?
What to type next?

Then Tom, the wise old cat
Of my pride
Comes to tickle the ebony
Keys of the keyboard.

s43o056 F11
My screen explodes.
Tom lays across the keyboard.
F5 48957

I push him off,
he pushes back

He is my muse today.

Audiobook! More books! Poetry! Maybe War Mage?

Hello! I’ve had two cups of tea this morning already so I’m raring to go!

I received the first eight chapters of Grimaulkin in audiobook form. Despite my friend saying “He sounds like a computer” (I told her “You haven’t heard the Lore podcast”) I think it’s awesome. The point is, she laughed in all the right places, lpointed out things that she wasn’t clear about (though it was because either the GPS voice cut in or she wasn’t paying attention). She’s not an audiobook listener, either. I don’t think she’ll ever read it. It’s okay…it’s not her style.

Went to my first poetry open mic last night and it was fun. I’m going to another one on the 31st, and I will be the featured author on June 28. I’ll be there with my books, and I’ll read “The Joint”. Meanwhile, my poetry was so well-received that I might write some more poems for open mic nights.

I’ve been filling out the trusty outline for War Mage, and although I’ve got the story lined up, the actual draft is horrible and short. I feel like I’m writing jigsaw puzzle pieces, and at some point they will fit together. This, like poetry, is a new method of writing for me. It’s like wearing loud prints when all you’re used to wearing is block colors. It’s a weird feeling; you think everyone’s staring at you and judging you based on what you’ve always worn. And now you’re daring something new? It blows people’s minds, not to mention your own. But you get used to it, and so do others, and eventually it may become, if not the norm, then at least accepted.

In between my “homework” (my personal enrichment) I plan and write War Mage. Some days it’s a scene, other days it’s a few words. But a little bit every day is better than nothing at all.

Poem

A poiem I read during an open mic at The Bean Barn in Coventry for Poetry and Beans night.

Remains

You rode off into the sunset
On your brand new motorcycle.
When I last saw your remains,
You wore a blanket of roses.

No marker remains of you
Except a box on my mantle
And the grin of our son
When he tries to lie.

It’s been ten years now.
We’ve survived this long
Without your corny jokes
But my heart of lead still remains.

 

They said I had the whole room on the verge of tears. We all had to take a minute. They said it was well-done. I inspired my friend to read some poetry as well. That, to me, was the most important part of the evening–not reading my poetry, but inspiring someone to read theirs.

The movie(s) Playlist (without video)

These songs would be part of Grimaulkin if there was a movie. Yes, I know I said Shinedown is doing the soundtrack, but if I was to use music from 2000 or pre-2000, then these are the songs I would use.

Grimaulkin

Opening credits: Voodoo – Godsmack

Meeting Scott: With Arms Wide Open – Creed

Closing credits: Minority – Green Day

 

Grimaulkin Tempted 

Opening Credits: Last Resort – Papa Roach

Fight scene: Break Stuff – Limp Bizkit

Closing credits: Stupify – Disturbed

 

Grimaulkin Redeemed

Opening credits: Prison Sex – Tool (warning: don’t watch the video and read the lyrics at the same time. It will freak you out.)

Fight scene: Reprise Break Stuff

Closing credits: Hemorrhage – Fuel

 

I’ll probably do a more detailed one including music that I listened to while writing the novels.