You know, one of the toughest things about being an author is doing the balancing act between establishing writing time, giving enough attention to your regular daily life demands, and getting in some self-promotion. I always tend to come out on the low side of the latter category because I get so wrapped up in creating new stories, the real world comes knocking and it's time to leave the fantasy behind. So I figured since I have a weekend where no one plans on stopping over, I owe it to myself and those of you who loyally follow my late life career choice to set down what's going on in my writing life these days.
First off all, January and February tend to be award months in the small but feisty publishing world that is known as New Pulp. Most of what I write these days gets published under that heading, though for the sake of clarity I often refer to my offerings as action adventure fiction in several genres. So I'm happy to announce that for the 2015 awards, Your's Truly has been nominated for both PULP ARK and PULP FACTORY awards as well. First time I've believe that has happened, and it's pretty much over the same book. In the PULP ARK awards, my first novel in the pirate series, JEZEBEL JOHNSTON—DEVIL'S HANDMAID, is up for Best Novel, and I am on the list for Best Author. In the PULP FACTORY awards, JEZEBEL JOHNSTON—DEVIL'S HANDMAID is also nominated for Best Novel. This is a real honor folks, and the competition are all very talented peers with amazing offerings of their own. Just to make the final ballot is an award in itself. It tells me some readers really enjoyed the book that took 9 months to be birthed. That's what I do this for.
Just in case you're wondering, the second pirate novel, JEZEBEL JOHNSTON—QUEEN OF ANARCHY has been in the hands of publisher Airship 27 since last November. I am hard at work at the third JEZEBEL JOHNSTON novel as I write this; just before the halfway done point. No official title on that one yet.
I'm also currently working on a new Greenwood Cycle novel, which picks up where MASTER'S ENDGAME left off. The story now gradually shifts in emphasis from red-headed Callie and her era of people and beings, to the next generation—including that all important babe that was born at the end of ME. This one had a ton of previously written material so I would say at this point it's about 2/3 complete. That is slated for next year publication as well under the HANSEN'S WAY imprint.
I just finished going over the final galley to FORGED BY FLAME, the first installment in the SUDARNIAN CHRONICLES series for my PRO SE HANSEN'S WAY imprint. I have seen a preliminary sketch on cover artwork as well. I have to tell you, that after not reading this book for months, I was blown away at how good it turned out. I started the seminal story back when my two sons were very young, and the baby of the clan just turned 30 on Thursday last. When they asked me way back when, "What are you writing Mommy?" and I told them it was a book with a dragon in it, my two little video gamer nerds begged me to write them in as heroes. So... I did.
When you meet the orphan brothers Ethan and Nicholas, you'll be reading my now grown up sons' avatars. Don't ever let anybody tell you that you can't hold onto a long time promise and see it through. You'll also bump into a very well-known wizard of mine in this novel, and there will be some off-camera references to other characters from the imprint books—which all take place in the same overarching world backdrop. Hope to be making the announcement about this one being out soon.
I have an inkling we'll be seeing the next COMPANION DRAGONS TALES novella, COPPER'S CHOICE sometime in the first half of this year as well. Like the first two releases (A FAMILIAR NAME & FINDING WAXY), that will be under the PRO SE imprint YOUNG PULP. I recently completed and turned in another CDT offering for 2017, an anthology of Lazlo Dragon stories titled LAZLO AT HOME. Two of the stories in that one were previously written and never released: Lazlo At Home & Ambassador Lazlo. One came as the prose version of a cartoon script I wrote for Lazlo: Finder's Keepers. The other is a brand new tale written this year: Thunder Boomers and Gully Washers. All are a lot of fun, and they have the base setting of the witch Nancy Bittergreen's magical home environs, with all the cats, fairies, elves, gnomes, and madcap adventures a little blue dragon with big feet and a somewhat muddled view of the world can get into. These are fun stories for all ages.
Back in November I turned in an anthology for my HANSEN'S WAY Pro Se imprint, for a brand new series called BY THE WAYSIDE TALES. That novel-length anthology contains three short pieces: The Reluctantly Betrothed, The No-Count Count, and The Winsome Maid Of Trypton Lane. If you read the last story in the anthology TALES OF THE VAGABOND BARDS (The Cavalier In The Cathouse), you meet the duo Alexandre Louis Edouard Lebeau and the lovely half-Elven con artist Danika, AKA The Phantom Rose. They're back as fugitives now, along with their faithful mounts Camille and Ghost, and that lovable but very large canine, Tagalong. Three good stories in this one and lots of rapier wit and adventure. I've heard it's going into editing now, so that's good news. I have no idea if it will be out this year, or in 2017.
VERY EXCITING NEWS!!!!
Airship 27 and Radio Archives have gotten together to release SINBAD—THE NEW VOYAGES Volume 1 as an audiobook! Imagine 7 hours of dramatic storytelling by the uber talented gentlemen Mr. Derrick Ferguson and Mr. I. A Watson as well as one penned by Your's Truly. I'll tell you, it sounds amazing folks. This would keep you alert and entertained on a long car trip, a flight with layover, or any time you just want to check out of the world and slip into another one where there's adventure and excitement on the high seas. I can't begin to describe to you the feeling of hearing your own words come to life under the skillful rendition of a talented voice artist. You really need to check that out.
Also, I have heard recently that the long awaited Superhero Steampunk anthology SINGULARITY: RISE OF THE POSTHUMANS is close to coming onto the launching pad. This is wonderful news because series creator and all around good guy Mr. Jaime Ramos has worked tirelessly to make this book live. Jaime now has a special Facebook Page for readers to join, and there you can get updates and meet some of the creators, as well as learn about what went into putting this extremely special multi-author anthology together. I hope you do take the time to check it out, we're all very excited about this creation of ours.
Be well my friends and readers all, and always be assured, I am still very hard at work turning out the best fiction I know how to write.
~NANCY
First off all, January and February tend to be award months in the small but feisty publishing world that is known as New Pulp. Most of what I write these days gets published under that heading, though for the sake of clarity I often refer to my offerings as action adventure fiction in several genres. So I'm happy to announce that for the 2015 awards, Your's Truly has been nominated for both PULP ARK and PULP FACTORY awards as well. First time I've believe that has happened, and it's pretty much over the same book. In the PULP ARK awards, my first novel in the pirate series, JEZEBEL JOHNSTON—DEVIL'S HANDMAID, is up for Best Novel, and I am on the list for Best Author. In the PULP FACTORY awards, JEZEBEL JOHNSTON—DEVIL'S HANDMAID is also nominated for Best Novel. This is a real honor folks, and the competition are all very talented peers with amazing offerings of their own. Just to make the final ballot is an award in itself. It tells me some readers really enjoyed the book that took 9 months to be birthed. That's what I do this for.
Just in case you're wondering, the second pirate novel, JEZEBEL JOHNSTON—QUEEN OF ANARCHY has been in the hands of publisher Airship 27 since last November. I am hard at work at the third JEZEBEL JOHNSTON novel as I write this; just before the halfway done point. No official title on that one yet.
I'm also currently working on a new Greenwood Cycle novel, which picks up where MASTER'S ENDGAME left off. The story now gradually shifts in emphasis from red-headed Callie and her era of people and beings, to the next generation—including that all important babe that was born at the end of ME. This one had a ton of previously written material so I would say at this point it's about 2/3 complete. That is slated for next year publication as well under the HANSEN'S WAY imprint.
I just finished going over the final galley to FORGED BY FLAME, the first installment in the SUDARNIAN CHRONICLES series for my PRO SE HANSEN'S WAY imprint. I have seen a preliminary sketch on cover artwork as well. I have to tell you, that after not reading this book for months, I was blown away at how good it turned out. I started the seminal story back when my two sons were very young, and the baby of the clan just turned 30 on Thursday last. When they asked me way back when, "What are you writing Mommy?" and I told them it was a book with a dragon in it, my two little video gamer nerds begged me to write them in as heroes. So... I did.
When you meet the orphan brothers Ethan and Nicholas, you'll be reading my now grown up sons' avatars. Don't ever let anybody tell you that you can't hold onto a long time promise and see it through. You'll also bump into a very well-known wizard of mine in this novel, and there will be some off-camera references to other characters from the imprint books—which all take place in the same overarching world backdrop. Hope to be making the announcement about this one being out soon.
I have an inkling we'll be seeing the next COMPANION DRAGONS TALES novella, COPPER'S CHOICE sometime in the first half of this year as well. Like the first two releases (A FAMILIAR NAME & FINDING WAXY), that will be under the PRO SE imprint YOUNG PULP. I recently completed and turned in another CDT offering for 2017, an anthology of Lazlo Dragon stories titled LAZLO AT HOME. Two of the stories in that one were previously written and never released: Lazlo At Home & Ambassador Lazlo. One came as the prose version of a cartoon script I wrote for Lazlo: Finder's Keepers. The other is a brand new tale written this year: Thunder Boomers and Gully Washers. All are a lot of fun, and they have the base setting of the witch Nancy Bittergreen's magical home environs, with all the cats, fairies, elves, gnomes, and madcap adventures a little blue dragon with big feet and a somewhat muddled view of the world can get into. These are fun stories for all ages.
Back in November I turned in an anthology for my HANSEN'S WAY Pro Se imprint, for a brand new series called BY THE WAYSIDE TALES. That novel-length anthology contains three short pieces: The Reluctantly Betrothed, The No-Count Count, and The Winsome Maid Of Trypton Lane. If you read the last story in the anthology TALES OF THE VAGABOND BARDS (The Cavalier In The Cathouse), you meet the duo Alexandre Louis Edouard Lebeau and the lovely half-Elven con artist Danika, AKA The Phantom Rose. They're back as fugitives now, along with their faithful mounts Camille and Ghost, and that lovable but very large canine, Tagalong. Three good stories in this one and lots of rapier wit and adventure. I've heard it's going into editing now, so that's good news. I have no idea if it will be out this year, or in 2017.
One of my other projects this year was to get my SONG OF HEROES series back in print. Two of the stories, Lori's Lament (which opened the series) and Dark Eyes Of Night have appeared in two different versions of Pro Se magazines, two years apart in 2010 and 2012. While those are still in print, a third tale, Turtle Key, never made it into those magazine pages. I spoke with Pro Se headman Tommy Hancock about putting them together as an anthology and he agreed. Along with those three original pieces, I wrote a fourth story, Goodbye Noreen McPherson. In case you've never read any of my SONG OF HEROES tales, this is a contemporary setting with a supernatural force of scum busters taking on anything from waterfront serial killers to vampires, poachers, and murderous drug smugglers. Every setting is different but the tie-in is access to the ocean waters, for the team leader is a lovely immortal with ties to the sea, and the world's most captivating voice. Challenging writing for me at times.
VERY EXCITING NEWS!!!!
Airship 27 and Radio Archives have gotten together to release SINBAD—THE NEW VOYAGES Volume 1 as an audiobook! Imagine 7 hours of dramatic storytelling by the uber talented gentlemen Mr. Derrick Ferguson and Mr. I. A Watson as well as one penned by Your's Truly. I'll tell you, it sounds amazing folks. This would keep you alert and entertained on a long car trip, a flight with layover, or any time you just want to check out of the world and slip into another one where there's adventure and excitement on the high seas. I can't begin to describe to you the feeling of hearing your own words come to life under the skillful rendition of a talented voice artist. You really need to check that out.
Also, I have heard recently that the long awaited Superhero Steampunk anthology SINGULARITY: RISE OF THE POSTHUMANS is close to coming onto the launching pad. This is wonderful news because series creator and all around good guy Mr. Jaime Ramos has worked tirelessly to make this book live. Jaime now has a special Facebook Page for readers to join, and there you can get updates and meet some of the creators, as well as learn about what went into putting this extremely special multi-author anthology together. I hope you do take the time to check it out, we're all very excited about this creation of ours.
Everything I write can be found on my Amazon.com author page HERE. My books are also on Barnes & Noble and my Pro Se books and stories are in other E-formats on Smashwords. So keep your eye right here on my blog—or you can either friend me on Facebook or put me in your circles on G+. Any way you want to keep in touch, I will do my best to update you when new material is released.
Be well my friends and readers all, and always be assured, I am still very hard at work turning out the best fiction I know how to write.
~NANCY
