The year is almost over.

2022 is on its last legs and 2023 is waiting to claw its way out. Hopefully it’s into a better situation.

I have a lot to get done before the new year comes. I have a box set to get out and Book 4 to finish. Book 1 of Bone Whisperer and Book 3 of Ghostwolf need to be at least half way done. And the book bibles for Book 4 of Ghostwolf and Book 5 of Elemental Voice need to be started.

I also got a novella and another Book 1 sitting in the wings(queue) with the first chapter done but no book bibles.

My muse is driving me crazy. Course most people say that would be a short trip for me. 🙂 But she keeps dropping “what if’s” on me, distracting me, instead of working on Book 4 of Elemental Voice or even the other two. However I’m determined to get Book 4 of EV done before the new year so I can publish it by February at the latest.

If you haven’t checked out my Elemental Voice series you can click on It’s All Elemental and see the books plus read a little ‘drabble’ that I wrote about how Sara got her gift.

Still working on Wind Whisperer, Speaking in Bones, and Remnant(Book 4 of Elemental Voice, Book 1 Bone Whisperer, and Book 3 Ghostwolf). They’re coming along but slowly. However Wind Whisperer is going to be done by Christmas come hell or high water ’cause I had an idea.

I want to do a box set of the first three books of Elemental Voice and release it and Book 4 at the same time. Or at least close together. Release the box set, then release Wind Whisperer. 1-2-thank you ma’am. Preferably January or February of 2023.

The other two I want to come out before June of next year. And hopefully I can slip in a novella or another book before the end of that year. I have a couple of novellas started and several book ideas in the queue ready to go including Book 4 of Ghostwolf.

Book 4 of Ghostwolf is the last book. However my muse asked “What if…” the other day and left me with a teasing thought. She drives me crazy when she does that. But I’m going to leave that series with four books. If something else comes along in that world it will just have to be either a standalone or the first in another series. I have too many books in the queue as is that need to be done now.

So if you’ll excuse me I’ll get back to it.

October is here and Halloween a few short weeks away.

Halloween is by far my favorite holiday even though I am not a kid anymore and so do not go Trick or Treating. Or dress up these last few years.

The unknown, the mysteriousness, the mythology of the holiday still excites me. We humans like to be scared–at least in a controlled way. And it brings a bit of our childhood back, a good part of it.

Which is needed in today’s society with all the turmoil going on. So emerse yourself in the trappings of this holiday and forget the world’s troubles. And think about the girl going into the dark basement who should know better or the camp councilors who should know better than to go off together for alone time or all the little ghosts and goblins you’ll see that one night when things are suspended.

Working on Book 4 of Elemental Voice series and Book 1 of The Bone Witch series. Also doing a few words here and there on Book 3 of Ghostwolf series. Wind Whisperer (Book4) deadline is December 31 while Speaking in Bones (Book1) deadline is February. I would like it published on my birthday. Remnant (Book 3) deadline isn’t set yet but I’d like it pubbed before June. I also got a novella in the wings, part of the Elemental Detective series.

As you can see I’m a busy beaver. I want to finish the Elemental Voice series as soon as possible so I can put my full attention on Ghostwolf and Bone Witch. The Elemental Detective series is just a lark, but I have another elemental series that I want to get to.

I have sooo many story ideas. I don’t understand when people say they need story ideas, something to write. My brain is full of ideas and I can look at some pictures and story ideas just start coming. It’s the staying on one idea long enough to write it that I have a problem with. And oft times my hands can’t type fast enough to catch the full idea on the page. The thoughts fly by so fast and I can’t grasp it before it’s gone. My muse doesn’t wait for me.

It’s like a footprint in the sand. At the mercy of the wind and water.

Hootin an Hollarin is done. For this year.

I pre-paid for next year’s slot. Best to pay while I have the ready cash from sales. Even with lunch and dinner, a funnel cake, and ice cream both days I had enough to pay for the slot, take out the change money and have something left over. Not bad.

Of course now I have to restock. I only had a few of each book so I’m nearly wiped out now.

As you can see I have a few new things, including a book stand and a new table as well as the beginnings of new table decor. The skulls attracted attention as did my logo poster. Thinking about adding Ravens to the skulls as they feature in the Ghostwolf series as well as my new Bone Witch WIP.

I have the Christmas event in December yet to go this year. More on it as info becomes available.

Meaning just a little note, a jot.

Though I don’t know if that’s how it’s really spelled.

But anywho, I’m getting ready for Hootin An Hollarin. Can’t wait to see what will be there this year and show off my books. Some have new covers and another will be making its debut. And I may unveil a new table decor.

I’m still working on my stories. I’m at 11,000 words on Book 4 of Elemental Voice and hovering around 3,000 with the others. Been a bit busy with outside work and more to do before Fall sets in permanently and Winter comes. I do a lot more writing when it is Winter as I’m stuck indoors and there’s not a lot to do outdoors. Got lots and lots of writing to get done by the new year.

September 16 & 17 I will be at Hootin’ An Hollarin’, an annual craft festival in Gainesville, Missouri. I will have the 9 books of mine that have printed format. We can talk werewolves, vampires, elemental magic, and my up-coming books.

There will also be handmade, homemade crafts of all types as well as food and entertainment. You can check it out here. https://hootinanhollarin.com/

I enjoy it whether a vendor or looker because it’s the only time I can get and indulge in Funnel Cakes. They’re my weakness at this event. I just can’t resist them.

So if you’re in the neighborhood or want to go to a fun event where everything is hand- or home-made come on by.

Working on 4 stories right now since my muse is being fickle. She won’t stay on one story very long, sometimes only a sentence before she hops to another story. But then I’m a pantser and have ADD so it’s not really a hardship for me to skip around. It’s almost normal. Whatever normal is. 🙂

I’m at 8,339 words on Book 4 of Elemental Voice and under 3,000 words on the other 3. Book 4 is the main so I should be ahead on it. I spend at least an hour on writing every day. My deadline isn’t until January (tentatively) as I have already published 3 stories this year. I don’t want writing to become ‘a job’ or ‘work’. It is therapy, a way to destress. Now don’t get me wrong I’d love to be the next J.K. Rowling, but I realize that is not realistic and while I still dream about that, I’ve set my sight lower.

I am working on building my backlist and doing some marketing. This website is part of my moving forward, a little at a time. As is starting my email list which will in time become a monthly newsletter. I am taking this one step at a time but I am moving toward what I want. Being able to make a living of sorts from my books.

We all have dreams.

Something we strive for.

I dreamed of writing a book and becoming as popular as Stephen King. But I let fear and naysayers keep me from following that dream.

Then J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter.

I figured if she could do it, why not me?

More people need to follow their dreams, not let Reality interfere. Life is already hard enough without losing our dreams to harsh reality.

I finally realized at least part of my dream–publishing a book–in 2015. It didn’t take off, but did gained a few followers. I have two more out plus two novella. I had stopped writing in that realm and published two different books under a slightly different name because of naysayers. But I realized I shouldn’t let others effect my dream.

I’m going to be putting out another book in that realm. It’s a step back toward claiming my dream. There’s a song with a line that I tell myself. ‘If you have a dream chase it because a dream won’t chase you back’.

I still dream of writing that one book that will fling me into stardom, but I realize that may never happen. But I may still earn a living from my books by sheer volume of books.  I’ve been told that sometimes an author doesn’t make it until they have out a lot of books, put their name out there.

One way or another I’m determined to get my name out there and recognized. I will be famous even if it takes me until I’m hundred. Dreams should never be given up on.

My muse popped in with another story idea while I was writing in Book4. This one is set in a rural area in Missouri where I live. Elemental themed, of course. Seems my Muse is on that kick right now. Got a raven in this one as the link between her and the gift. So I’ll be working on three stories.

Moving along slowly but surely on Book 4, a little slower on Book 3 of Ghostwolf. Book 4 of Elemental Voice is the main so I’m trying to concentrate on it when I sit down and write. Both books are to be out next year.