Falling Off the Rails

 Whoops! 

Up until last fall, I would faithfully tap out several pages of a new story every day. I set goals on Nanowrimo, even when it wasn't a Camp Nano or the big Nano in November. I usually made those goals, too. About 30,000 or more words a month. I guess that's why I have five Moon Crusher novels, several stand alone novels and a few other similar projects. 

Cover reveal for Moon Crusher 3 

Then came the time I had to spend more time getting those drafts edited, critiqued, and for some, formatted. I self published Voyage of the Sea Dragon, and I am still proud of that venture. However, I jumped off the tracks big time. Almost all of the last six months has been revolving around editing. Of course, if I want to publish all of the stories I have written in the past couple of decades, I need to do that, but I also have found out just how hard it is to get back into writing. I don't have all the ideas I once had. 

 Very frustrating! (Pixabay)

There has to be a happy medium somewhere. I did have an idea for a sixth Moon Crusher. Now I need to sit down and begin writing. Let Diego Perez explore the universe again with his friends. Maybe find another human...

 AI generated, Pixabay 

I also can't stop editing, either. As I sit here I counted at least 7 novels I have drafted. A couple of them need so much revision, I don't know if they will ever make it to the light of day. But I need to try. 

Time management.... 

Tell me what you do when you get stuck. It doesn't have to be writing, it can be any project. What works for you when you just can't finish (or start) another project? Let me know!

susan@bookscape.net

 Exciting News: Pre-order Available for "Planet of Outcasts, Moon Crusher 2"!

I am thrilled to announce that my new book, "Planet of Outcasts, Moon Crusher 2," is set to be released on May 6th! Even better news: the eBook version is available for pre-order right now!

For those of you who followed the journey of Diego Perez in the first award-winning installment, Moon Crusher, you'll be eager to dive back into his world. Let me give you a glimpse of what's in store.

Diego's adventures continue as he deals with the challenges of his new life. In "Planet of Outcasts, Moon Crusher 2," we find Diego, now 15 years old, grappling with the aftermath of being kidnapped by reptilian aliens known as Seressin. Despite earning his freedom and even rising in rank under the alien commander, Ziron, Diego's journey is far from over.

This time, Diego's vacation to his friend's planet, Grrlock, takes a sinister turn when he and his companions are abducted by toad-like Resh warriors. Forced into an assassination team, Diego faces an impossible dilemma: he must thwart the Resh's plans to kill Commander Ziron, as well as the high commander of the entire Seressin Empire. However, Diego is unable to convey crucial information to his leader. He finds himself in a race against time to prevent a catastrophic event.

"Planet of Outcasts, Moon Crusher 2" is packed with action, suspense, and unexpected twists. 

I cannot wait for you to join Diego on this next chapter of his adventure. Don't miss your chance to pre-order the eBook now and be among the first to embark on this thrilling ride! Planet of Outcasts will be available in paperback and hardback, and is available as an audiobook from Google Play. You can get an ebook copy right now from Booksprout, as well. 

Ebook link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D112NK18

Audiobook link: https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details?id=AQAAAEBSgy7DbM

Booksprout: https://booksprout.co/reviewer/review-copy/view/160515/planet-of-outcasts

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm. You are all awesome!

   While still basking in the accomplishment of self-publishing Voyage of the Sea Dragon, I am preparing a new book for middle school readers. Kai and the Nasty Neighbor is about a Siamese cat who feels the wrongness of a human trapping and poisoning animals.  Kai takes the lead in rallying neighborhood animals to thwart the nasty neighbor's harmful traps and set an imprisoned cat free. It's a tale of bravery, friendship, and the power of standing up for what's right. 

I hope to get the book ready for publication around the middle of this year. Of course, I wanted Sea Dragon ready for publication last fall, but it didn't quite make it. This book has the added complication of added illustrations. I have begun about a half dozen. Kai, of course, several of her friends and allies, as well as the poor kitty in the trap. They are in their beginning stages, but hopefully I'll have a few ready in my next blog installment. 

 The rat is an AI generated facsimile that I will use to make a drawing. 

To kick off this exciting journey, I've come up with a special campaign name that captures the essence of Kai's mission and invites you to be a part of her first adventure: 🐾 Introducing "Paws for Justice" 🐾 I hope you join me to spread awareness about Kai's quest and the importance of protecting our animal friends. Each one of us can make a positive impact in our community and stand against any form of harm to our beloved pets. The last few paragraphs were included in my email newsletter, along with the first draft of my cover. I am hoping that Kai and the Nasty Neighbor is only the beginning of Kai's adventures. Also, Kai and the Nasty Neighbor is loosely based on actual events. Not that I had a cat that did these things, but that I knew a neighbor who did nasty things.    Let me know what you think of the cover. If you have any ideas for it, pass them along!  And by the way, If you haven't grabbed your copy of Voyage of the Sea Dragon; Into the Dream World, it's still in Kindle Unlimited. Eventually I am going to take it out of the KU so I can make it available on Smashwords and other ebook platforms. I hope to make it available in hardback as well.  Happy Spring!!