Writing Update: July 2016

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daindreth's assassin, fanged princess, my writing, the chalice of malvron, the secrets of the vanmars, writing update

Summer: when Texas gets hot as the guts of Mt. Doom and the mosquitoes are everywhere.  People become suddenly hard to get a hold of and the only good thing is it’s light out when I wake up. Regardless, the Muse has been hard at work.

Behold!

You all might have noticed that The Secrets of the Vanmars has been polished and re-released with a new cover. It’s exclusive to Kindle right now, but come September will be returning to all platforms. Yay!

Otherwise, I’m trimming some body fat (aka profusive adjectives, unnecessary characters/subplots, and dialogue tags) from The Chalice of Malvron while the cover designers tweak the new face for it. Getting these damn covers made has been a saga unto itself and I’ve come to intimately understand the phrase “good help is hard to find.” But that’s a story for another time.

We did have some grand excitement last week when The Key of Amatahns hit #1 on the Amazon lists during a free promotion. Whoo-hoo! Happy reading to everyone who downloaded.

Baby’s taking over the world, folks.

Fanged Princess will also be getting some new covers in time for the third novella’s release and when that happens greatly depends on when this mess with Janir’s books clears up. Regardless, I do plan to have something to show you around October. That would be fun, right? A Halloween cover reveal party? The possibilities are endless…

Daindreth’s Assassin has been out querying to agents and I’ve gotten a message from another Pinterest follower expressing eagerness for that story. There are one or two factual things that need correcting (e.g. Amira kind of walks off a severe head wound in chapter #2), but I’m excited to see what will be happening there.

In other news, I’m moving into the dorms of Concordia University Texas this fall. No, I have no clue who my roommates will be, but I’m looking forward to a fresh start. I’m getting together my hangers and lamps and other fun stuff and putting together some quotes for the corkboard over my desk.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some search and destroy—er—search and delete to do.

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Writing Update: April 2016

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argetallam saga, daindreth's assassin, fanged princess, gif, my writing, the secrets of the vanmars, writing update

Writing this blog post is, in great part, a procrastination tactic for the arduous task of blurb writing. What blurb, you ask? Why, the blurb for the sparkly new, remade cover edition of The Secrets of the Vanmars. After more than a year, it is at last making its way into the world. Cue the celebratory dancing!I’ve been working on this baby covertly off and on for the past few months weeks. I just didn’t want to announce anything until I was sure I would be releasing it. But as soon as I get a workable version of the blurb, TSOTV mark 2 is off to the printers for final proofreading. The revamped cover reveal is April 22nd of this month and assaulting shelves May 24th. I am consuming semi-toxic doses of caffeine and writing like mad to make sure this happens.The third book’s re-release (and first-ever print release) should be emerging around late July (cover designer’s schedule permitting). If  everything works out with the designer and if I don’t drop the proverbial ball, I will get the fourth book out in December. (And yes, I know that’s the one you all actually want.)Daindreth’s Assassin is now officially querying to agents (yay), but the Fanged Princess novellas are on hold for the moment. I wanted to have the fourth novella at least partially drafted before I released the third, but Haddie is not being cooperative. Ideally, I’ll be releasing that third novella before the end of the year, too. (Yeah, yeah, I know you’re thinking “she said this last year.” Kindly don’t remind me.)It only seems fair to tell you the whole truth of why my writing has been so slow lately. Is this not the girl who boasted 3k quotas per day? The fact is that between my obsessive workouts, day job, school, and taking care of the clan, things have been pretty rocky. Also, I’ve been struggling for months now with some icky emotional stuff that I won’t whine about here, but that’s been a huge part of my slacking. And come fall, I will be moving out on my own for the first time (into a dorm, but still) and with that comes the impending student loans along with the realization that I’ll be 21 this year. So that’s your update. Now back to that damnable blurb and my latest Creative Writing essay…

Writing Update: January 2016

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argetalla saga, college, daindreth's assassin, fanged princess, new year, star wars, writing update

Have I not posted since November? Over a month? Oh, I am a bad little blogger, me.

The Fandom is strong with my family.

The ending of 2015 was extremely busy (what else?) filled with visiting grandparents, Japanese finals, college applications, and the premier of one highly anticipated film. In summary, my grandparents still love their nutty granddaughter (can’t say why), I passed all my classes (thank God), I have been accepted to Concordia University Texas (go Tornados), and Kylo Ren is my new baby (I regret nothing).

But writing, yes. I do have writing to talk about.

Daindreth’s Assassin has been entered in the Writer’s League of Texas Manuscript contest and is on track to begin querying agents in March. I’ve been working on this series for nearly three years now and I am so excited to be taking the next steps. Amira and Daindreth’s story has gone through such a massive evolution from what it originally started out as and I can’t wait to see how things develop.

I have a t-shirt, a certificate, and a PEN. It does not get much more official than a PEN.

Though, I confess, Amira and Daindreth have been my main focus lately, I have not forgotten Janir and the Argetallams.

The second book in the Argetallam Saga is even now getting a facelift and reedit, heading for the presses this spring. I have completed drafting all seven books in the series, so hopefully I will get my act together and be able to bring you the third and fourth books sometime before the next new year, right?

Right.

I feel like I’m forgetting something…

Oh, yes. The third Fanged Princess novella now has a title: Fanged Kindred. It is still marinating on my computer and I mean to get that one out soon as well. Poor Haddie has been pushed to the back burner, but I keep meaning to bring her forward. I really miss her sass.

I have high hopes for 2016 and wish you all the best in your literary and all other endeavors! Happy belated New Year!

(I shamelessly stole the Google New Year’s GIF, as you can see.)

Writing Update and Other News: July 2015

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all about me, argetallam saga, book shelfie, jadie jones, mooonlit, photos of me, writing update

Home is where my books are.

This past month has been trying and full of changes, to say the least. In the last few weeks, I have officially joined a church (for the first time in my life), undergone a massive move (for the first time in my life) and been punched in the jaw by a dog (not the first time, don’t ask).

In the move, I had thirteen boxes of personal stuff—nine of which were books. My family absolutely hated me when they had to transport them, but I handled packing, unpacking, and most the unloading, so they have no grounds for complaining. Putting away these babies reminded me of how many I haven’t read and all the reading I have to catch up on, not to mention all the sequels I still have to buy—*cough cough*—for the love of Shakespeare DO NOT tell my mother about that last part.

Speaking of sequels, I have been given an ARC of the last book in Jadie Jones’ Moonlit trilogy. I am a huge fangirl of this series, so when I got the email from Jadie asking if I would be “willing” to read and review it, I very nearly crawled through my phone screen to hug her. I can’t wait to share with you all how awesome it is (because, come on, you know it’s going to be awesome) and you had better check it out for yourselves!

Wildwood’s gorgeous cover splashed across my Kindle screen. Boo-yah!

Amid so much happiness, I must now relay the tragic news that I am no longer a teenager. Last week marks two decades since my birth and I feel the need for a moment of silence or perhaps another slice of birthday chocolate pie.

Despite the sadness, I had a wonderful birthday reading books, hanging out with my best friend, eating fattening foods at my favorite restaurant, and—wait for it—finishing the first draft of Argetallam Saga 6. Yes, you read that right. One more book to go and then Janir’s story is fully written! I am very excited about where this series is headed and can’t wait to share it with you all.

My new writing nook. Complete with surrounding bookshelves and requisite Minion cup.

Right now you’re probably shaking your heads and wanting to remind me that I still haven’t released book 2, The Secrets of the Vanmars. Well…we’ll talk about that later, how does that sound? Much later. I’m working on it—really—it’s just waiting for this person and that person to answer emails.

I am currently forcing myself to take a week-long break from writing before getting to work on Argetallam Saga 7. It’s all turning out to be SO fun, bwahaha.

On the side, I am also putting together something very big and very secret for the Argetallam Saga in September. Very big. Huge. And you guys are going to love it, I know.

Writing Update and Other News: May 2015

Tags

am writing, book haul, fantasy books, writing update

Me seated before my laptop, listening to my writing music before writing.

Boo! Elisabeth here. I really need to stop making a habit of dropping off the face of the earth, but that’s what happens when a book release runs smack into midterms piled on top of a car accident (more on that in a moment) and then finals. But despite all that, I am still writing. Lord, yes, I’m writing.

On the Argetallam Saga front, we just had a wildly successful Facebook party to celebrate the re-release of The Key of Amatahns. It was a complete blast and I’d like to thank everyone again for showing up and hanging out with us. The Secrets of the Vanmnars is undergoing editing and cover design and should be making it’s big splash in the next few months. Yea!

My seven newest adoptive children.

The day before the big party, I went book shop hopping (it’s like bar hopping, but far more awesome) and brought home these new friends. Upon finding them, my middle brother proceeded to pick them up one at a time and read the final lines out loud. Since he values his life, he quickly stopped, but is almost excited as I am for when I’ve finished them and can tell him all about what happened.

That Epic Fantasy Romance quintet I’ve been (not-so) covertly working on is now at five books and I’m writing the last in the series. It seems I am a sucker for assassins and princes and demons and all that. I just can’t stop. At this rate, I’ll be working on the planned spinoff series before I graduate. (For better or for worse.)

I highly recommend “The Jackal of Nar” by John Marco to anyone seeking the emotional equivalent of a wood chipper.

Speaking of school, I was on my way to it just over a week ago when my half-ton truck argued with physics and physics won. Long story short, my baby has been totaled and I did cry, but no sentient beings incurred harm in the accident, so that’s the good news. I also have finals starting today, so that’s some bad (terrifying) news, but I have lots of writing and a good (gut-wrenching) book to get me through it.

I’ll be heading up to the Olympic Peninsula this week to visit relatives and I’ll hopefully finish the last book in that assassin series and get back to editing The Secrets of the Vanmars. Or the third Fanged Princess novella or maybe drafting the later books in those series. But it will be related to them, I know that, so good news for all you fans! As for me, I love Amira, but I’m very much looking forward to getting back to Haddie and Janir!

My Year in Review: Writing in 2014

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argetallam saga, daindreth's assassin, eli hinze, fanged princess, happy new year, intisar khanani, my books, writing update

I have been tagged by the lovely Eli Hinze along with the awesome Intisar Khanani to do an update post, detailing my literary exploits of 2014. Hence, I am here to confess to twelve months of general lack of focus. This year has seen me publish absolutely nothing at all, but that does not mean I haven’t been writing. No, I have been writing a great deal.

Here we have me with a cup of Early Grey in my natural habitat, seated before a laptop.

I did some stuff with the Argetallam Saga
This year saw me complete the drafts of the fourth and fifth books in Janir’s story and begin the sixth. I have mostly finished editing on the fourth book and that should be published early next year (God and my support team willing) along with the shiny reedited editions of the first three books with pretty, sparkly new covers gorgeously designed by T.L. Shreffler.

I hope to finish drafting the sixth and seventh books in 2015 to release them sometime early 2016.

Around St. Valentine’s I sort of brain-dumped Fanged Princess

The first draft of Fanged Princess 3 was completed *coughcough* January of this year. So why haven’t you gotten it yet? A very good question. An excellent question, in fact. The truth is, it’s not ready. I was distracted with drafting the fifth Argetallam book and then I got distracted with what has been become my guilty side project since spring 2013.

My favorite mug joining me in my favorite spot (yes, in front of my laptop).

Daindreth’s Assassin is my current vice

I have had a lot of readers tell me they’re excited for this series and asking if it’s published yet, which translates to a lot of pressure since I’m not planning to unveil it until summer 2016.

Writing the first book in this series was my 18th birthday present to myself. I worked on it off and on through the autumn, exploring the characters and the storyline and all of a sudden, everything clicked. I had the plot, the premise, the ending, all of it worked out.

Next thing you know, I’ve completed most the editing on book 1 with ginormous drafts of books 2 and 3 with book 4 more than halfway finished. When I say “ginormous,” I mean that the shortest book caps it off at well over 132,000 words (500-ish pages) and the longest is more like 260,000 words (900-ish pages).

There’s still lots of editing to do on those books (I mean LOTS), plus I’ve been reediting the first three Argetallam books. In other words, I am swamped. I’ve given myself a whole bunch of stuff to get done before I go back to school on January 20th and it’s freaking me out just thinking about it.

The forecast for 2015?

With a study abroad trip planned for next summer and a full course load at school, it’s anyone’s guess as to what’s actually going to happen. I just know that right now I’m planning to release the first four Argetallam books in the first four months of the year and the third Fanged Princess novella at some point in the summer.

As you can see, despite my lack of publication this year, I have by no means abandoned storytelling, quite the opposite. You people have got a tsunami of Elisabeth’s books headed your way. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a whole bunch of drafting/editing/screaming/panicking to get done.

Writing Update: December 2014

Tags

announcements, argetallam saga, cover revamp, daindreth's assassin, fanged princess, my books, writing update, young adult

Hello, lovelies. Never fear, I did not trip and break my neck falling down the rabbit hole.

It’s finals this week and that means 41 days of freedom until the start of the spring semester, which I plan to waste on writing, reading, blogging, and other gloriously epic activities. I actually have some very exciting news for you, starting with the Daindreth’s Assassin series.

I’m about 107k words into the fourth novel and after feedback from a very awesome beta reader, I have begun editing the first book. However, I am finding her emphatic advice, that I trim the word count down below 100k, to be very difficult to achieve. I mean, there’s just so much to the story and I’m finding more things that need explanation and showing not telling and…well, that story is planned for summer 2016.

Why so far ahead, you ask? Because I have five books planned for release next year. You read that right—FIVE. The first three books in the Argetallam Saga will be making a big splash starting in January with one coming each month, building up to The Temple of Tarkoth in April (God and my support team willing). The first three books will be re-released with reediting and they will all have shiny new covers designed by the brilliant and multitalented T.L. Shreffler.

And because I love you all, here’s a teaser for the new cover of The Key of Amatahns!

Pretty, yes? Yes?

I am wrapping up some polishing on The Key of Amatahns right now while starting on The Secrets of the Vanmars, making lots of little tweaks and getting very excited for the big reveal in January!

The third book in the Fanged Princess series, currently titled Fanged Rebel, is set for a May 2015 release and in case you didn’t know, the first book is forever free on all eBook retailers. 😀

So go download, mark your calendars, and get ready, because there’s a whole lot of Haddie and Janir headed your way!

Work in Progress (WIP) Blog Hop ~ bringing you a glimpse into a story you probably won’t get until 2016

Tags

blog hop, daindreth's assassin, epic fantasy, my books, wip, writing update

Holy crap, I haven’t posted in over a month. I had no idea it had been that long, but hey, I’m a full-time student now, that’s my excuse.

I was tagged by the lovely Jadie Jones for the WIP Blog Hop because she is awesome. (Read my review of her books Moonlit and Windswept, they were both 5-stars!)

Here are the rules of the hop: Provide a link back to the person who nominated you, write a little bit about your WIP, and give the first few sentences of the first three chapters. Then nominate a few more writers to do the same.

And we’re off!

My WIP currently in editing is called Daindreth’s Assassin. I’m technically working on the third book in the series while the first is with a beta reader, but since the first isn’t even published, I’m going with the one that started this mess.

Daindreth’s Assassin is what I like to describe as an Epic Fantasy Romance. The basic plot is a killer for hire falls for the prince she was paid to murder. Over the course of the story, she finds herself the only one who can save him from a demon coming to possess him.

I am madly and irrevocably in love with this story and am already planning a spin off series that will take place about one thousand years after this one’s timeline ends. The first two books are drafted and I just finished up the third—which currently has a word count of about 260k. (So, yes, these are very fat books. I did say epic, right?)

Here are the opening lines of the first three chapters of Daindreth’s Assassin. This is only the second/third-ish draft, so be nice. These opening lines also don’t give nearly as much action as the rest of the book. Something to take into account for editing, perhaps.

Chapter One: The stench of fish, sweat, and filth weighted the air like smog.

Chapter Two: Amira made her way across the rain soaked streets of Cadrene, her boots fully splattered with mud by the time she reached the warehouse district.

Chapter Three: It took nearly a week’s hard riding to reach the outskirts of the fiefdom.

Hope you liked it! Check out my Daindreth’s Assassin Pinterest board for a better idea of what the story’s about. 🙂

I am tagging Intisar Khanani, Eli Hinze, Kaitlyn Deann, M.A. Bronson, and Melissa Sasina. Tell us about your WIP’s, ladies!

A sort-of writing update and an apology

Tags

argetallam saga, daindreth's assassin, merlin, my life, writing update

This summer has been consumed with creative expansion (watching Merlin), social networking (wasting time on the internet), mind feeding (pretending to study), and writing/editing (staring at the screen for hours on end and occasionally typing). It has been hectic to say the least.

Especially when you throw in this whole divorce debacle and the stuff that comes with it. (Adult children aren’t supposed to get caught up in this thing, but because I’ve been live in nanny for two years, that sort of happens by default.)

Despite all that, I have completed the bajillionth round of edits on the Daindreth’s Assassin book. Remember Daindreth’s Assassin? The one I was supposed to finish editing over the summer before I started on Argetallam six? More than a year since I first started writing it, the story is off to my first beta reader. I am left with the first 1,500 words of Argetallam six and the first 105,000 words of the third book in the Daindreth’s Assassin series.

Right now the statistics of my thought processes are something like this:

7% Merlin

30% Worrying about family

5% Random internet memes and fandom references

1% Origins of the universe

50% Daindreth’s Assassin

7% Guilt over books I haven’t read

That last part brings me to the apology portion of this post—the lack of reviews for the past two weeks. There are no reviews because, well, I haven’t been reading. :O I’ve been devoting my spare time to either watching Merlin with my brother or writing. Plus, I really just haven’t found a story that I wanted to finish lately, I’m in another one of those slumps.

I have one or two reviews that I haven’t yet posted which should be appearing soon, but I may fall behind more on my reading challenge and on my weekly reviews.

Of course, if I just cut back on the internet, things could work out…

Bear with me! Things might be getting worse as I start taking four different college classes this upcoming semester, but I just ask that you be patient with little me and keep in mind that I have not forgotten about you guys or my writing.