Turtleduck Press looking for new members!

As you may or may not know, I’ve been a member of Turtleduck Press for 3 years now.  We are an indie co-op publisher looking to bring less commercial but quality works to the public.  I made my debut with Life as a Moving Target, along with KD Sarge’s Knight Errant, and Kit Campbell’s Hidden Worlds on December 1, 2010.

Three years later, we’re still going strong.  It’s just the four of us (KD Sarge, Kit Campbell, Siri Paulson, and myself), and we love what we’re doing.  However, we’d like to find new members, bring in some new blood.  We’re finally ready to do that.

So, writers, if you have a novel or novella that paints outside the lines instead of inside, or crosses genres, is longer than what is generally accepted (or shorter, for that matter!), if you’d like to take your writing to the next level, and if you’re looking for a fun, inventive group, we want to hear from you!

You must have a polished manuscript to be considered.

Check out our submissions page.  For more information on us and what we do, check out our About Us page.

2012 in Review and 2013 Goals: Year of the Crazy

This year has been nuts, and it feels like a whirlwind. But I managed to accomplish a lot, so it’s all good.

Let’s go over my goals for the year, shall we?

Finish Fey Touched and eventually self-publish it (includes lots of revisions and lots of blood, sweat, and tears). It’s currently at 58.5k. Goal is 100k.Ding, ding, ding! DONE and published August 1st.
~Continue Flamebound revision, hopefully move on from lesson 8! Ding, ding, ding! DONE. I’m on lesson 13.
~Write a novel (to be determined later. Current contenders are Survivor Rewrite, Darkweaver, and Fey Touched 2)Ding, ding, ding! Began Grave Touched, book 2 in the Fey Touched series, and it’s currently at 73k. While I wanted to get something new rolling as well, it appears that I work best with only one book at a time.
~Get unstuck on Alpha Female (note I didn’t say – finish Alpha Female – this one I think is taking its sweet old time)Nada. However, I did give it some thought and have a possible new direction. Still in the thinking stages, though.
~Write more poetry (nebulous, yes. That’s all I’m willing to commit to)Ding, ding, ding! DONE. Wrote a total of 6 new poems for the TDP Blog Freebies. Not as much as I’d wanted, but it’s a start.
~Take more pictures (photography has been sooooo neglected and I miss it so much!)Hit and miss here. I’ve taken some, but I still haven’t been able to get out there and rock and roll due to my health. Soooooo, we’ll see what I do for next year.

~And lastly, WORK ON GETTING FREELANCE EDITING JOBS. I had a few opportunities this year but they didn’t work out, although one was a very close call. Not only do we need the money, but my long-term goal is to make enough money to leave my day job. Scary, yes. Impossible? I don’t think so, if I do this right. And I know this won’t happen overnight — in fact, it could take quite awhile – years, maybe. But, as long as I’m moving forward, making progress, that’s enough for me. I want to believe I can make this happen. But if I never start, how will I ever know? Ding, ding, ding! DONE. I have an ongoing proofreading job with a writer friend, so that’s a nice start! Would love to do more, though!

So, I’ve accomplished almost everything I set out to do. The biggie was getting Fey Touched finished and published, and I did that. It was a very educational experience, and I’ve learned some things about promotion/marketing. So it’s all good.

I did participate in NanoWriMo, but unofficially with a goal of 30k. I managed 29k, just shy of my goal. But I’m totally happy with that.

Also, I wrote 100k+ words this year, which is awesome!

So what’s cooking for the new year?

~Finish, revise, and publish Grave Touched tentatively for August 1st release
~Continue work on the Flamebound revision, hopefully finish!
~Reread Survivor and make notes for rewrite
~Start a new novel? (Contenders: Darkweaver and Soul Touched, Fey Touched book 3)
~Redesign website so it makes sense
~Get on a regular blogging schedule
~Continue to look for more freelance editing/proofreading jobs

Annd that’s all I’m declaring for now. Here’s to a healthy, productive new year!

What are your goals for next year? Share them in comments.

So this end of the world thing? So over it.

It just dawned on me this morning that supposedly, if you believe all of the doomsday hype, the world is gonna end in 3 days.  Dec. 21st.  Well, let me tell you why that would suck:

I haven’t finished Grave Touched yet, dammit.
Christmas hasn’t happened yet.
I haven’t learned Gaelic yet.
I haven’t written all those books in my head yet.

I truly, in all honesty, don’t believe the world will end.  It can’t.  It’s too…final.  I mean, three friggin days to do everything I must do before I am vaporized into space debris with my nearest and dearest and…everyone else?  Seriously?  What are you smoking, and can I have some?

First of all, the doomsday thing has to do with the end of the Mayan calendar which is supposed to end on Dec. 21st.  But — and this is a biggie, you might wanna pay attention here — that’s what the varies people studying it believe.  In other words, it’s a guess.  There’s no one thing that says, “Yo, people of 2012, I regret to inform you that the world will end on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 at exactly 12:00p.m.  Have a nice life.”  Yeah, so not true.  So that’s my first question.  How is it that because the calendar ends, the world ends? 

I actually find this stuff fascinating.  I know, I know.  It don’t seem that way, but it’s true.  I’ve been reading Jessica Anderson’s Nightkeepers series, which is about the modern-day mages who are trying to avert the end of the world through magic of the Mayan people and gods.  Awesome, kick-ass series!  The final book just released, and I am dying (ha!) to find out how it ends.

I’d also be curious to know what evidence there is for this.  Just give me a logical, simple explanation and I might swing to your side.  But probably not.

It’s not you; it’s me.  I’m a skeptic by nature.  If anyone tells me something big’s happening, or this or that is suddenly bad for you (or, god forbid, deadly), my first question is: who says so?  And the second question: What are his or her credentials?  (In other words, does this person have something besides a toothy grin to back up his or her claims?  Lemme tell you, this questioning and skepticism has saved my life at least once.  If not more.

So yeah, I’m not in the camp of believers there. I suppose if the world really ends, I guess I’d be SOL because I wouldn’t be prepared.  But at this point, how can anyone be prepared for total destruction?  Kinda puts a kink in the holiday cheer, doesn’t it?

So, let me say this.  If the world does end in three days, you can find me right here.  Because it aint’ ending.

A few things to consider:

The whole shebang explained in far prettier language http://www.voxxi.com/myth-doomsday-mayan-calendar-explained/

I’ve hit 64k on Grave Touched.  That’s news, right?  Only… *counts* 55,543 more words to go! 

Uh…finished Nanowrimo with around 29k.  I’m too lazy to double check.  I know it was shy of my goal of 30k.

And lastly: we, the inspired and talented ladies of Turtleduck Press have conspired to bring you another anthology.  It is called Seasons Eternal, and the premise is so cool.  It’s about a world without changing seasons.  Each one of us picked a season and wrote a story about how the people of that particular region would adapt and what would change.  I decided to go all sci-fi and used virtual reality, but we have fantasy and steampunk as well.  My story is called “Stasis,” and I’m very proud of it.  Actually, I’m proud of the entire thing because we really outdid ourselves with this one.  Each story is unique and fascinating.  I think you will enjoy it.  Plus, proceeds will go to UNICEF, which is a great cause.

To read an excerpt and/or to buy a copy (Kindle, print, Smashwords), go to http://www.turtleduckpress.com.

Happy end of the world. 

 

Nano days 10-16: 6,211 words

Been a writing fiend, and it’s going really well.  I did take last night off to work on a story for an antho, but other than that, I wrote every day.  I’m coming up on 40k whch is so exciting, and things are really heating up!

Stats (all days combined):

Wordcount today:  6,211
Total for Nano so far: 15,217
Words left: 14,783
Treat: Hot chocolate!
Nick is: being evaluated
Asha is: being saved by Joe
Emily is: in unspeakable pain
Mood music: Tool, Eyes of Eden, Various

Excerpt: in which the shit hits the fan…

I was looking at myself in the mirror when I saw it: my new eyes flashed to black with silver streaks.  My heart plummeted to my feet. What was going on?  Why were my eyes doing that?

I blinked, and they went back to normal.

I grabbed a brush out of the drawer and started to brush my hair. It always calmed me.  Always soothed me.  I needed soothing.  I needed answers.

And answers you will get in time, an unfamiliar voice said in my head.  It’s too soon.  I need to grow stronger first.

Grow. Stronger.

I dropped the brush, and it clattered on the floor.

I ran out of the room, not sure where I was going – where could I go? I was locked in here, with this thing in my head, and –

Don’t be afraid.  I will not harm you.

I wanted to close my ears, make myself not hear her.

You cannot get away from me.  I am within you.

I could certainly try, though.

I went back to the bathroom and frantically searched for anything that could bring me pain.  I figured if I was hurting, I would be able to ignore her.

My shadow.

Of course, the bathroom didn’t have anything.  Who knew?  They probably anticipated this sort of thing and didn’t want us to hurt ourselves.

Were there others like me?

Yes. But no one as strong as I.

I sat on the bed, my hands shaking.

“What do you want?” I asked, my heart racing.

Your beautiful, young body.  And your mind.  That is all.

That was all?

“And here I thought you might want world peace or something,” I muttered.  “What if I asked you to leave?  Would you do it?”

I cannot.  I am entwined with you now.  If you hurt me, you will hurt yourself.

Nano days 8 & 9: 1,530 words

Slow going here.  Been stressing out about some things and my wrist was hurting last night, so both days were low wordcount days.  That’s okay, there’s still time to catch up.  And since I’m not about 50k anymore, it’s okay.  Totally okay.

Some interesting things happening storywise.  I’m very excited about the possibilities.

Stats (both days combined):

Wordcount today: 1,530
Total for Nano so far: 9,006
Words left: 20,994
Treat: Chocolate pudding, yum.
Nick is: being held captive by Piper
Asha is: still freaked like whoa
Emily is: Terrified and excited to get her sight back
Mood music: Adam Lambert (Trespassing) – technically, his music, while I love it madly, is too upbeat for this story, but last night I had an urge for his music.

Excerpt:

Emily is seeing Soren for the first time (she was blind and now can see)….

Soren cleared his throat, and I finally got my first look of him.
He was…an angel.  Wingless, but no less ethereal and beautiful, with white hair pulled into a braid that tumbled down his back.  Eyes that were black as night and held streaks of silver.  Long, elegant fingers.  A simple robe that reminded me of clergymen.
But his eyes…breathtakingly beautiful.  It was as if I could look into them and see eternity.  See the shifts of space and time, see civilizations being built and dying.  I could see my entire life in his eyes, and never get tired of it.  I could see the universe, the world, the fragile light of a soul.  Mana, as we Hunters called it.
It was all there in his eyes.

Nano days 5-7: 3,020 words

I’ve been very, very busy and the days are just flying.  Finally, I have a few minutes to do an update.

Yesterday, I had a HUGE revelation about one of the main characters.  It is SO huge that it’s going to impact everything I’ve planned.  But this will make it better, and a bit heartbreaking (sorry, can’t help that — some parts of Fey Touched were heartbreaking, too).  I also have a solid idea for book 4, if you can believe that.  Lots happening.  Lots of thinky-thoughts going on.  I just love my subconscious.  It is so wonderfully evil.

Stats!

Stats (all 3 days combined):

Wordcount today: 3,020
Total for Nano so far: 7,476
Words left: 22,524
Treat: Good music!
Nick is: a puppet dancing on Piper’s strings :shudders:
Asha is: freaked out like whoa
 Emily is: scared and angry
Mood music: Dawn of Destiny and Eyes of Eden

Excerpt:

Soren took deep breaths.

I prodded my wrist, trying to see if I’d been injured.  See?  No. Feel.

“I’m so sorry.  That one was strong enough to break through my magic. It’s strong enough to make you its vessel.  I got rid of it.  It won’t be hurting you again.”

My stomach was flip-flopping.  “It called me its soon-to-be Queen.” An icy finger ran down my spine.  “What did it mean?  I’m no Queen.”

Weight on the left side of me signaled that Soren sat down on my bed. “There’s a hierarchy there among the grave touched.  They have a Queen.  And a King.  Their version of nobility and commoners.  It is determined by strength.  The Queen usually takes a vessel when she’s strong enough, and chooses a mate who is as strong as her.  And they rule the Nether together.”

“But I wouldn’t be the Queen.  I’m not grave touched,” I protested.  Having even a slight connection to those things was freaking me out, sending me in a tailspin.  Vertigo made me lay back against my pillow, putting my hands over my bandages.  When would these blasted things come off?

“That’s exactly it.  The one who is Queen is planning on taking you as her vessel.  And through her, you will be Queen.”  He brushed a wayward strand of hair from my face, his fingers cold and soothing.  “I will die before I allow that to happen.”

“Thank you.  I don’t want that to happen, either.  It sounds..horrific.”

“Being taken as a vessel is an unbearable kind of torture. One that you cannot begin to imagine.”

Nano days 3 & 4

Yesterday, I wrote a grand total of 184 words.  I was very distractable and the words just weren’t flowing.  Today, however, I wrote 1,306 words, and things are moving again.  One of the MCs, Emily, surprised me today.  She is about to do something I hadn’t planned on, but it’ll work nicely.

Stats (both days combined):

Wordcount today: 1,490
Total for Nano so far: 4,456
Words left: 25,544
Treat: Homemade Apple Crisp - yummy!
Nick is: still in the twilight zone
Asha is: terrified
Emily is: scared and depressed
Mood music: Pandora (various)
Excerpt:

I drifted off, the dream returning once I was sleeping.  It seemed I couldn’t get away from the darkness…

The zombies surrounded me, licking their lips with blackened tongues. Panting like dogs.  Their skeletal hands, skinless except for a few places, reached for me…

One got my wrist.  Its touch was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. Slimy, cold as ice.  It permeated deep in my bones.

I shivered, giving in to the sensation even as I wondered what was happening to me.

The pain at my wrist jolted me back to reality.  Its teeth – what was left of them – sunk into my skin and I didn’t feel anything any more….