Rained out

Posted on June 24, 2018 by L. Jacob

I had an event scheduled for yesterday, but it got rained out. Even though it didn’t rain. (They decided to cancel because of threat of thunder showers–but this is New England, and the weatherman is 88% wrong.)

Grimaulkin Redeemed is still slated for July 1, but we’re having technical difficulties, so the print version may not be available at that time. I had hoped to have it for my Shastea appearance next Thursday, but such is life. I doubt I’ll sell anything there anyway.

Hm, let’s see. I’ve been working on Fire and am finding myself with a writer’s block on “Leo”. I’m adding some light BDSM to it, and I have to research it. I was upset when I got a $2.99 book from Amazon, and it was a chapter of a book. A chapter! We sell whole books for $2.99. This is why my erotica is more story than sex now.

Anyway…I used Storymatic to generate a new idea, and it was “A long awaited invitation” and “poet”. I was going to do Walt Whitman as Gemini, but then I dropped that idea. I decided to check out Wattpad because that’s where all the cool kids go these days. Wattpad is fanfic, according to my son, so why can’t I just twist history around, and have Walt Whitman have a relationship with Henry David Thoreau?

Bingo!

So for giggles, I’m writing a really bad fanfic of those two getting together, even though they probably never did. I noticed that if I free myself from reality then the story happens. This is what the problem with War Mage is–I’m too stuck in its reality. in satisfying people who were there, that I can’t write it. Maybe I’ll try it in Wattpad to see how it goes.

Posted in Brothers of the Zodiac - Fire, Inspiration, Promotion, War Mage | Comments Off on Rained out

Earth released–and I am a writer

Posted on June 17, 2018 by L. Jacob

Earth has been released as of Friday, June 15, and there have already been some downloads. Maxwell is slowly building up followers. It was noted that his bio seemed misogynistic so I changed that, and it seems I got more people that way. I have a newsletter for Maxwell that I’ll put out every quarter or so. I also had a newsletter that went out a couple of weeks ago for my appearances with Grimaulkin.

I’m presently writing “Leo” for Fire, having finished “Sagittarius”. It could go for another 3K words but it wouldn’t really drive the plot. It would be sex for sex’s sake, which is I guess what erotica is. Maybe I’m not writing erotica, but romance. “Taurus” was a romance.

Oh, I got a two-star rating on Pisces at Audible. Something didn’t agree with someone, I guess; though I wish I knew what it was so I can improve or change things. I can’t satisfy everyone, but I can try to satisfy some people.

I went to a cocktail party last night, and when people asked me what I did, I said, first off, “I’m a writer.” It felt so good saying that. My day job pays the bills, but that’s not who I am. I am a writer, first and foremost, a published writer. After describing one of the Earth stories, one woman said, “When you do that in heterosexual style, let me know.” There’s a market for that,  Maybe Max can do some of that, too?

But the point is, I am a writer. Not a cog in the corporate machine, but a writer.

Posted in Brothers of the Zodiac - Earth, Inspiration | Comments Off on Earth released–and I am a writer

Success!

Posted on June 10, 2018 by L. Jacob

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.

 

Posted in Brothers of the Zodiac - Earth, Grimaulkin, Promotion, War Mage | Comments Off on Success!

POUNCE!

Posted on June 7, 2018 by L. Jacob

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.

Posted in Poetry | Comments Off on POUNCE!

A new gig!

Posted on June 3, 2018 by L. Jacob

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.)

 

Posted in Brothers of the Zodiac - Earth, Grimaulkin, Promotion | Comments Off on A new gig!

POUNCE!

Posted on June 1, 2018 by L. Jacob

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

Posted in Poetry | Comments Off on POUNCE!

Writing and editing and appearances–oh my.

Posted on May 27, 2018 by L. Jacob

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!

 

 

Posted in Brothers of the Zodiac - Earth, Dark Mystic Quill, Grimaulkin | Comments Off on Writing and editing and appearances–oh my.

Grimaulkin Redeemed (book flap content)

Posted on May 26, 2018 by L. Jacob

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.

Posted in Grimaulkin | Comments Off on Grimaulkin Redeemed (book flap content)

Poem – The Catmuse

Posted on May 21, 2018 by L. Jacob

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.

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Audiobook! More books! Poetry! Maybe War Mage?

Posted on May 20, 2018 by L. Jacob

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.

Posted in Grimaulkin, War Mage, Writing | Comments Off on Audiobook! More books! Poetry! Maybe War Mage?