“Are you sure you’re okay?” Nessa’s voice had an edge to it.             “I’m fine, really!” Serena reassured her.             The elf sighed. “It’s all so strange,” she said. “Why are these things coming after you? Are you sure you don’t know something? No strange dreams or anything like that?”             She laughed, “I’m not … Continue reading The Murder Hobos – Shore Leave – Episode 11 – The Way Back

Ruins of the house of John CoWane, a 17th c. merchant. Stirling, Scotland. As of yesterday, Washington State is back open for business in every way. Individual businesses can still require masks, operate at lower occupancy to encourage social distancing, and all of that. But there's no longer any government mandates to do so. Where … Continue reading And we’re open again

Inverness, looking across the River Ness. The notch in the hill is where archaeologists have found the site of the last Pagan King of Scotland's castle. Thank the Goddess, the heat dome has dissipated!!!! Today's high is forecasted for 81f. That's 30 degrees lower than Monday! Right now, I'm in my office. The a/c unit … Continue reading Tunnels, lights, and cool breezes

Broken slab in a church graveyard, Inverness Sometimes, timelines are meant to be broken. I'm not talking within the story. Unless you go back, rewrite where things change, and make it accurate...a book's timeline has to be consistent. Authors can't get a great idea, insert it, and ignore that prior events make that impossible. I'm … Continue reading Breaking the timeline

Drive from Inverness to Edinburgh - I fell in love with the sky! Three weeks from now, my palms will be bandaged up. The fingers will be free, and my specialist encouraged me to use them as much as I can. Given that I'm the first slot that morning, it's probable that the numbing will … Continue reading Timelines, temperatures, and tired

Caspar the Mighty Hunter Writers rarely agree on things. Each of us have our own process, our own genre, our own career goals. Some of us use 'said' every time and avoid -ly adverbs like the plague. Others lovingly sprinkle those adverbs in, as well as words like 'replied' or 'responded'. One thing I've noticed … Continue reading Tackling the dread blurb and synopsis

Part of a poem etched into rocks on the path to the Falls of Foyers, Upper Foyers, Scotland On Friday, June 18th, I finished the first draft of 'Shield & Scepter'. It wrapped up about 5k words shorter than 'Scales & Stingers', but that doesn't bother me. It's with my beta readers now, and the … Continue reading A trilogy it will be

Tree on the grounds of Carberry Manor, Scotland It's done. 'Shield and Scepter' is now with my beta readers. The first draft is complete. I finished this morning, well ahead of the July deadline I gave myself before surgery. I'm hopeful I'll get notes back from at least some of them before my fingers are … Continue reading Is the story over now?

Train station - Perth, Scotland Eeep! I have a college graduate for a daughter!!!! This week's been a busy one, and it's not done yet. Our oldest graduated from college on the 12th. She'll stay in town through July, then move back home to begin her job search. We'll have a full month when both … Continue reading Progress!!!!

Sidhe Viewpoint, Scotland So, I have a surgery date! Trigger fingers (both of them) will be dealt with on July 16th. My goal is to have the first draft of 'Shield & Scepter' done and to my betas before then. I have anywhere from 3-4 chapters or 20k words to get where the story is … Continue reading Surgery date, and a goal to hit