writing

#WIPpetWed #AppalachianElementals 1/30/2019 Good Grief

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Welcome to #WIPpet Wednesday*, a blog hop where authors share from their current works in progress (WIPs).

This week I’m picking up where we left off in Chapter Two.  Cent’s getting to ready to leave, and the family’s gathering in the homestead’s living room to tell her goodbye.

Here’s my #WIPpet Math for 1/30/2019 – 3,0,2 for three hundred and two words from Keeping House, novel to in the Appalachian Elementals series.

Warning: If you’ve yet to read Cleaning House this WIPpet contains a spoiler about Cent.

Note: the portion in orange comes from last week’s #WIPpet.

     (Cent speaking) “…the Hunters ain’t nothing but backasswards if you ask me.”

     “I won’t lie, the idea of them intimidates me,” said Betty. “I’ve gotten used to your wings, but…” Continue reading →

#KeepingHouseNovel #RainbowSnippets Eighty: Wicked Anticipation

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It’s Saturday, and that means it’s time for Rainbowsnippets*! This one is uniquely mine, but there are lots of other great snippets to read, so after you finish here click the FB link at the bottom of the post to discover other great LGBTQIA authors and their works.

Cent, from Cleaning House and Mama etc. is the protagonist in my current #WIP, Keeping House, but I’m currently introducing you to a character who was a minor, but important, player in both stories. Dane’s a major player now, she-king of the Hunter Fey, so you’d best pay attention to the king.

At this point, Cent’s unimpressed, to say the least. Dane’s rudely pointed at her and is now trash-talking to get under Cent’s skin, which is exactly what Dane wants. Continue reading →

#QueerLit #LGBTQbooks #WritingTip Ten Things to Know Before Adding a Non-Binary Character to Your Story

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Note: This post has grown significantly in the past few days, so there are more than ten. If you want the short and sweet version, read the orange and bold-italic sections. That’ll give you the gist. However, if you’ve never written a non-binary character I strongly suggest you read the entire post. 

So I’ve been reading, a dangerous thing these days, I know, especially for an author. But really, I have been reading, and beta-reading too, and I’ve come across several problems that I believe need to be addressed concerning non-binary characters.

Authors, if you add a non-binary character into your story, please take the following into consideration:

  1. Non-binary characters shouldn’t have their assigned at birth gender revealed early in a story, if at all, and only if it’s totally necessary. If the character still goes by their assigned-at-birth pronouns, fine, but if the character goes by they/them or any other non-binary pronoun choice then an author should respect this. Negating the non-binary by revealing the birth gender is unacceptable unless it is a situation like a courtroom (most states in the U.S. don’t recognize the non-binary) or the bedroom (where there should be frank discussion IMO before anything happens) and then the author should tread lightly, more so if the author isn’t non-binary (#ownvoices).

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#1lineWed #amwriting #ownvoices Treasure

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Here’s another short-‘n-sweet  #1lineWed post. The theme is treasure. Mine is not a treasure of wealth but a treasure of the heart (syrupy but true when it comes to my current WIP). This comes from my upcoming release Keeping House, novel two in the Appalachian Elementals series.

 

 

 

“You’ve already given me so much today.”

   “None as important as this.” Stowne held out their hand, palm up, as something rose from within it. A ring. A simple gold band holding a piece of polished limestone. A part of me you can keep with you at all times. Stowne flexed their hand so the ring stood on end and rolled between their fingers.

   “A wedding band?” Cent’s eyes brimmed with tears again. “I thought we’d agreed…” She held out her hand when Stowne’s gaze became pleading. “I’ll treasure it.”

#WIP #amwriting #KeepingHouseNovel #AppalachianElementals

#WIPpetWed #AppalachianElementals 1/23/2019: Black Polish

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Another week down,  another what might well be a novel started. I’m working on Conall and Bea’s story, but it’s quickly taking on a life of its own.  We’ll see, but I think at the very least it’s going to be a long novella if not a short novel.

Welcome to #WIPpet Wednesday*, a blog hop where authors share from their current works in progress (WIPs).

This week I’m picking up where we left off in Chapter Two.  Birdie, one of the homestead’s house spirits, has faded from view and now Betty is doing something that’ll help Cent make a memorable entrance into the Hunter kingdom.

Here’s my #WIPpet math for 1/23/2019: 1 and 2+3+1=6 for sixteen paragraphs from Keeping House.

     “Give me your hand.” Betty grabbed a bottle of nail polish from the table behind the sofa. “I want to mark you too, but my magic isn’t the same as Tess and the spirits’, so I’m sending you off with those black nails you said will make Dane wicked mad.” Betty shook the bottle and laid a rag over her thigh. “But according to Stowne, the Hunters wear a lot of black already.”

Continue reading →

#WriteLGBTQ #WIP #KeepingHouseNovel Glass

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#writeLGBTQ #KeepingHouseNovel
The theme is glass. Raise your glass. Those in glass houses… There are many different phrases using the word, but I’m focusing on wavy glass or the view out a wavy glass window.

 

 

 

The Brigid sabbat meant the beginning of Spring, new life, new… Cent looked through the homestead’s wavy-glass windows at the snow-covered hillside. Far more than a skift, the snow had been half-way up her calves when she’d gone to the trailer for a shower early that afternoon. She didn’t care what her Wheel of the Year calendar said. This was the dead of winter.

#writeLGBTQ #AppalachianElementals #KeepingHouseNovel

#WIPpetWed #AppalachianElementals 1/9/2019: Birdie on the Move

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I’m this close to having Keeping House ready for my beta readers, one more read-through close if that makes it easier to understand. So close I can see the end, and it’s rather frightening. What do I do next? Write something new, yes, I know that, but I’ve so many ideas (AKA plot bunnies) hopping through my head that I’m not certain which one to choose. Interestingly enough, all my current ideas apply to the Appalachian Elementals series.

Welcome to #WIPpet Wednesday, a blog hop where authors share from their current works in progress (WIPs).

We finished Chapter One last week so this week we’re delving into Chapter Two. Remember Cent’s friend Betty? She’s back, and she’s been working hard to help Cent get ready for her time with the Hunters.

 

 

My #WIPpet math is as follows: 1/9/2019  9-1=8, meaning eight paragraphs from Keeping House, novel two in the Appalachian Elementals series.

ONE NOTE: If you haven’t read Cleaning House, there’s a spoiler in here regarding Betty.

     “Thanks for altering my clothes.” Cent sat beside Betty on the sofa.

     “Anything for you, baby doll.” Betty smoothed her blue fleece sweater over the front of her denim maxi skirt. Tall and super feminine, she moved with grace no matter what she did, but that was Betty. “Since I’ve got a sewing machine again, I’m going to make us lots of stuff.” She pointed to the collapsible sewing table setting in the corner. “Best Christmas present I ever got.”

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#WriteLGBTQ #WIP #KeepingHouseNovel Glare

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#writeLGBTQ #KeepingHouseNovel
The theme is glare, something my characters might be doing a bit too often. Thank goodness for revisions. And, yes, Dane Gow has a definite attitude problem. She’d tell you it comes with being king, but it’s probably her abrasive personality more than anything else. (Pyre is a fire elemental, BTW.)

 

     “I’ll give you a pass on that one, you flamin’ turd, but don’t ever roll your eyes at me again.” Dane thinned her lips as she turned from Pyre. “I’m in a good mood tonight.”

     “Don’t threaten my family.” Cent glared at her.

     “But you ain’t doin’ a damn thing to keep it that way.” Dane returned her gaze, adding a tiny smirk.

 

#AppalachianElementals #KeepingHouseNovel #Paranormal #Fantasy

#WIPpetWed #AppalachianElementals 12/12/18: A Flick of the Magical Hand

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So it dumped snow here over the weekend, a southern storm, the perfect setup to pretty much stop things in their tracks, but it’s already hit the ugly, crusty stage of melting, and most of it will be gone in the next forty-eight hours, with possible flooding because of the quick melt.

Welcome life in Southern Appalachia. We’re not built for snow except at the highest elevations and quick thaws make for flash floods.

Welcome to #WIPpet Wednesday, a blog hop where authors share from their current works in progress (WIPs).

This week I’m picking up from where I left off in Chapter One of my WIP Keeping House, novel two in the Appalachian Elementals series. This chapter is titled “Leave Taking” because that’s what the MC Centenary Rhodes is doing, leaving home and her new life to honor a deal that her lover, Stowne, struck in order to save her life. Sure, Cent’s happy to be alive, but the rest… She’s currently wondering about the dagger Stowne has just given her.

Here’s my WIPpet math for 12/12/18:  8+2+2+1 = 13 short paragraphs from Keeping House, Chapter One.

I’m also sharing one of my preliminary covers for Keeping House. I take great care in my covers, so if I’m sharing it’s because it’s nearly complete and has received the spousal seal of approval.

 

(Note: The section in orange comes from last week’s WIPpet.)

…“You didn’t deal for this…” Cent’s mouth tightened. “Did you?”

Continue reading →

#1LineWed #amwriting #WIP Shop

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Here’s another short-‘n-sweet  #1lineWed post. The theme is shop, very appropriate since Black Friday and Cyber Monday have just passed. While this line might not be exactly what the host intended, the word has many different meanings, this one, a noun, being how I use it most often in this #WIP. The excerpt comes from Keeping House, novel two in the Appalachian Elementals series and one of my current WIPs.

    “I already took them to the back.” Eddie nodded toward the shop door. “Headin’ home?” He drew his eyes from Dane to Cent, where they lingered. “You look like you done seen ol’ Scratch ridin’ a Harley.”

#WIP #amwriting #KeepingHouseNovel