Goals: September 2016

After a summer full of conferences, vacations, and fun surprises, I can hardly believe it’s September already! Everyone’s kids are back in school (or almost), fall is in the air, and my schedule is slowly down ever so slightly. How about yours?

After a week-long work trip, I took a day to relax and refresh. Now it’s time to kick my brain into top gear and get going on all these goals and plans I have for the rest of the year. I need to break the big goals down into smaller, more attainable chunks, so I can stay focused and get more accomplished.

PIC1068506062One of the big concepts I walked away with from ACFW is allowing for flexibility in all areas of my life. Flexibility for what? For God. I want to walk closer with God, and if I am making all these plans, it has to be WITH Him. I want His plans to be my plans, but I want to be listening for His cues because His plans may not always line up right with mine, right?

But I know there are some things I need to be doing to walk closer with Him and to be able to do what He needs me to do. Hence a few of my goals this month.

September Goals:

  1. Get back into my early morning routine. You know, I always feel better when I start my day with God, in the Word. It seems to give me more patience for the day, more focus and purpose. I’ll talk more about my routines in a different post, but this is one I’m definitely picking back up and making a priority.
  2. Get my blood sugar under control. Although weight loss is important, I’m not going to be doing much of anything if my blood sugar numbers don’t come down. This month, I am focusing on portion sizes and eating more veggies.
  3. Plan a block schedule for my work time. Between writing, editing, and other work commitments, I need to have a clear schedule so I know how much time I have to devote to any project on any given day during any given week. Time management has been a weakness of mine as I have struggled with homeschooling and health. But if I want to do all of this, I need to step up and do what needs doing.
  4. Ralene Bellnock 1 The Reluctant SaviorGet Bellanok compiled into one book, revised and polished, and ready to send to my proofreader/formatter by September 20. (October 14, folks . . . be ready!) I have 2 hours, M-F, plus a few hours on Saturdays, to devote to getting this done. If I can focus, might only take me a couple of weeks!
  5. I’m fresh from the Realm Makers planning retreat with a host of projects to work on over the next month. The main 2 projects being our handbook (for the planning committee) and a new website. I’m excited about finishing up both! Realm Makers will be part of my block schedule as well!

 

So there you have it, folks. I’m ready to tackle September and come out on top. What about you?

 

What are a couple of your goals for September?

 

Janeen and Sara, how did you do on your goals from the August post?

 

If you haven’t signed up for my newsletter yet, now’s the time! There’s lots of fun stuff coming up this fall, including the release of Bellanok and more Confessions posts!

Novel News: July & August 2016

Where did the summer go? It has been crazy busy around here, and I feel like I’ve been getting nothing done. And the muggy heat has been beating down my energy levels, which is never any good.

At least I still have my books. And writing. And friends. Now I get to share some novel news with you!

 

New Releases

Bellanok4Bellanok: The Palandin’s Hope

The final part of my novel serial is HERE! I’m so excited to wrap up this book and see where Brian and Fauna’s adventures take them.

The demon horde is on its way, and Brian and Fauna have no way to protect Bellanok. They must pull the island together to rise up against the evil overtaking their numbers. But will it be too late? After all, Brian doesn’t even know the extent of his paladin powers, and Fauna still can’t talk to the Creator.

 

FrayedFrayed (Dark Trench Shadow Book 1) by Kerry Nietz

You know, the guy who wrote the Amish Vampires in Space book . . . Now he has a new series, Dark Trench Shadow. Here’s the blurb for Book 1:

ThreadBare is a debugger. He’s property, one of the Imam’s vast pool of implanted servants. He lives in a smelly, greasy garage on the boundary of the battlefield known as Delusion. All he wants is to complete his tasks, exceed his rival BullHammer, and stay alive. Possibly get a promotion.

When an atypical chore brings Thread into contact with Sandfly and HardCandy, things get complicated. Day by day and task by task he struggles with the life he’s always known. Ideas plague him, brutality vexes him, and women distract him.

Then there’s the list of offline debuggers, those who’ve quietly disappeared. Through datamixes—dreamlike records of their lives—Thread tries to uncover the truth. Where did they go? What does it all mean? And what can one forgotten debugger do about it anyway?

 

LegacyLegacy Rewound by Kat Hechenback

I read Finding Angel, the first book in the Toch Island Chronicles and really enjoyed it. I need to add Seeking Unseen (Book 2) and Legacy Rewound (Book 3) to my TBR list. Here’s the blurb:

Melinda knew Kalek’s music created powerful visions, but it wasn’t supposed to actually send her into the past! It definitely wasn’t supposed to bring someone back to the present with her. Especially not someone tied so tightly to Melinda’s own past, someone to prove, once again, that her family ancestry was made up of psychopaths who should never have existed. Now it’s her chance to change her lineage–and history–forever.

 

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The Third Heaven: Realm of the Dead by Donovan Neal

I just met Donovan at Realm Makers this year. I haven’t had a chance to read any of his books but they look interesting! Here’s a taste of his blurb:

Lucifer holds captive the archangel Talus as a prisoner of war. Will Lucifer’s powers of temptation and torture, turn his brother to his cause? Or will Talus remain faithful to the end?

 

 

Wrath

 

Wrath and Ruin: A Chilling Anthology by CW Briar

Another author I’ve known through Realm Makers. I love the cover here!

Some monsters are nightmarish beasts with fangs and grotesque bodies. Others come in the form of bad decisions we dread or regret. Both kinds haunt and stalk us while we are alone at night.

Wrath and Ruin is a collection of nine stories with a focus on fantasy and sci-fi threaded with quiet, traditional horror. Monsters, both literal and figurative, lurk in the shadows of this diverse anthology.

 

 

RopesOn the Ropes by Hallee Bridgeman

Okay, so here’s a non-spec for those of you who enjoy romantic suspense. I like one every now and then, and Hallee’s just a great storyteller. Here’s the blurb for this novella:

Blow after blow, she hides her face and fights for her life.
Doctor Ruth Burnette has everything she has ever dreamed possible: the perfect job, a twin sister who is her best friend, and a fiancé who is retiring from professional boxing as the middleweight champion of the world.

Then came that fateful night when she witnessed a mafia execution. When her sister is murdered she knows she’ll battle to the last round and never, ever throw in the towel. Now she’s down for the count, in witness protection, anxious, alone except for the faithful company of her German Shepherd at her side.

As the time draws near to when she has to leave her safe little corner she stays on her toes. She has to testify against one of the darkest criminals in New York, she shores up the courage to face the accused from the witness stand. Unexpectedly, he’s not the one who worries her. She wonders what coming face-to-face with his son, VICTOR KOVALEV…her former fiancé …will bring.

Will Ruth have a fighting chance against the Kovalev family, or will Victor keep her pinned ON THE ROPES?

 

Writing Update

Now that Bellanok is complete, what’s up next on my plate?

Well, I’m going to compile Bellanok into one novel, and then make it available as an ebook and a paperback. I hope to release that sometime in October. In the meantime, I’m going to be running some contests and giveaways in anticipation of that release!

At Realm Makers, I got a request for my YA fantasy story. So I polished up the proposal and sent that, along with the full manuscript off to this publisher. In the meantime, I begin my massive overhaul of a supernatural suspense, now titled, Soul Seer. I’m pitching it this week at ACFW. Pray for me! Depending on feedback, I may consider it for another self-publishing project.

 

Other News

13835825_10209189383505598_284719027_oRealm Makers had their conference at the end of July, and it was fantastic. It just gets better and smoother every year! I heard lots of good feedback from attendees. Now that this year is over, though, we’re looking forward to 2017. If you haven’t seen the news all over yet, Realm Makers is going to be in Reno, NV, July 27-July 29.

If you’re a published author in speculative fiction (or if you know someone who is), be looking for more information on our annual Realm Award and Genre Awards toward the end of the year.

 

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What was the last book you purchased? Have you read it yet?

Writers, did you have a novel release this month?

Please feel free to share in the comments!

Bellanok: The Paladin’s Hope is Available on Amazon!

That’s right, my friends. The headline says it all. Finally, finally, finally . . . the serial is complete.

Bellanok: The Paladin’s Hope is the last of four novellas in a serial project. If you haven’t checked out the first 3, head over to My Books to find out about this fun fantasy adventure series.

For those of you have been reading along and excitedly waiting on the final installment . . . well, let me tell you a little more about it.

The Cover

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Blurb

As if becoming a paladin in a crazy battle between good and evil wasn’t bad enough, now Brian must press onward without his mentor. The demon horde is closing in. Good is outnumbered. And evil has the ultimate weapon.

Fauna still can’t communicate with the Creator, and she refuses to believe the fairies need salvation like mere humans. Her pride and her fierce need to protect the inhabitants of Bellanok are the only things keeping her going.

In a race against time, Brian and Fauna will have to unite those left on the island and take the battle to the demon. They’ll need all their strength and all their faith to come out on top. Failure is not an option, but what will success truly cost?

 

Are you ready for the exciting ending to this fantasy adventure? Head over to Amazon now! 

 

Reviews

You may have heard this before, but reviews are an author’s bread and butter. Seriously. Whenever readers shop, especially online, reviews count. Some people don’t even realize that they are looking at the reviews. But, often, if you see a book with two 5-star reviews, and another with 25 reviews with an average of 4 stars, which do you think gets chosen more often? The one with more reviews, not the one with the higher ratings.

That being said . . . Reviews do not have to be very long. Just a couple of lines that tell other readers what you enjoyed (or did not enjoy) about the story. It doesn’t have to be an in depth analysis.

And, hey, I’m not just toting this whole review thing for myself and my books, but for all authors. If you enjoy a book–take 5 minutes to let the world know!

Up Next?

Later this fall, Bellanok will be compiled into one big novel, with added scenes and everything! Look for updates on that coming in the next few weeks or so. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss out! (Plus, have you seen the Confessions posts? I have some rather unique ones coming up in the next couple of months!)

 

If you’ve read the first 3 parts of Bellanok, what did you like about it? If you have not, are you ready to dig in? 

Novel News: June 2016

Another month has come and is almost gone. June was pretty much a blur for me with so much going on: my son’s birthday, Father’s Day, my anniversary, another bout of weather-related illness, and tons of fun with the kids. And here we are, ready for another Novel News update!

 

New Releases

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Acolyte by Keven Newsome

This is the 3rd book in the Winter series, a series that has been surprisingly enjoyable, packed with action, demons, and an insecure prophetess (a la Old Testament prophet-style). Keven did not disappoint in this 3rd leg of the journey. Winter struggled with her powers while trying to protect her friends and the villain’s target. I can’t wait for the final book!

 

 

 

Bellanok4Bellanok: The Paladin’s Hope 

The final novella in my Bellanok serial. It has not come out yet, but it comes out on TUESDAY, JUNE 28! That’s right. More dragons. More demons. More fantasy fun. Are you ready for the final battle? Good. Because I’m not sure Brian and Fauna are. If you haven’t caught up on their journey yet, check out My Books.

 

 

 

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The Circumnavigation of Shatterworld

by Lelia Rose Foreman

I have not read this book yet, but it is by a fellow Realmie. It looks like quite the interesting sci-fi adventure tale, though, with new earth species, storms, and monsters of all sorts.

Writing Update

Now that the Bellanok serial is done, what’s next for me?

Well, I will be compiling Bellanok into one novel that will be available both as an ebook and paperback. I hope to release that in mid-July. No exact date yet.

After that, I will be revising Aletheia, the first book in a trilogy based on the premise question, “What if the armor of God were real?” Hopefully, I’ll have that finished before I head off to Realm Makers at the end of July.

 

Other News

The Silmarillion Awards: An interesting new set of awards. Click on the link to find out more!

If you write fantasy, should you read it? Great article on the Faith & Fantasy Alliance blog.

 

It’s the start of my conference season! Today, I’m at the KY Christian Writers Conference in Elizabethtown, KY. A small, intimate conference that is so inspiring.

Next month, I head up to Villanova, PA, for the Realm Makers conference. And in August, I’ll be at the ACFW conference in Nashville. Yay!

I hope I’ll get to see some of you at one of the conferences!

 

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Do you have any big summer plans?

Writers, did you have a novel release this month?

Please feel free to share in the comments!

Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss any of the updates! Coming in July, we have more goals, more confessions, and lots of book fun!

Bellanok 4 Title & Cover Reveal!

Yes, my friends. The story is coming to an end–slowly but surely.

If you’ve been following Bellanok’s story, you know there’s going to be some kind of action-packed ending! Or is there? I guess you’ll have to find out by reading the final part of this fantasy novella serial when it comes out on

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2016!

That’s right, people! Only 11 days to go–start spreading the news. But before you do, you might want to see the new cover.

So I present to you . . .

 

Bellanok4BELLANOK: THE PALADIN’S HOPE

After the heartache of The Dragon’s Oath, Brian and Fauna try to recover their shaken faith amid the gathering storm of demons.

More and more of the inhabitants of Bellanok are being turned, and they have no way of knowing if the demon army outnumbers them yet or not. Brian and Fauna turn to the dragons for help. But it still might not be enough.

Brian and Fauna must both embrace their place in the upcoming battle or they are sure to lose it all. More than just the future of Bellanok is at stake.

 

What do you think? I love the unicorn in the mirror for the final cover. 

If you haven’t checked out the first 3 novellas in the serial, head over to MY BOOKS to get your copies so you’ll be all caught up!

Also, be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss the latest updates–like when the book finally releases!

June 2016 Goals

PIC1068506062Can you believe that another month has flown by? I love May because of my birthday and Mother’s Day . . . and a bunch of my friends have birthdays. It’s a fun month–usually.

This year, though, it was a big ball of illness for my house. Half of April until the last week of May had at least one, if not more, people in my home laid out, too sick to do much of anything. It was rough, but we recovered.

As a result, though, I didn’t full accomplish any of my goals for May. I finished the first draft of Bellanok 4, but did not get revisions done (working on those now), which means I didn’t get the whole thing put together either. And being sick did not make for getting into routines or fixing our diets.

So, this month, is a try and try again type of month. Here are my goals for May:

1. Finish revisions on Bellanok 4 so I can release it mid-month. I should get revisions done by Wed. next week, then out to my proofreader/formatter. Hopefully, life doesn’t intervene too much.

2. Pull the whole Bellanok story together in one book and work on revisions.

3. Read through and make notes on revisions for Aletheia. This is a fantasy I was working on before Bellanok. It’s had a year to rest, so I’m hoping to use my agent’s and CP’s notes to make it stronger.

4. Get into a summer routine where we are still doing homeschool while I am working on big writing/editing plans!

We will get our diet under control by using a monthly menu plan and working it into our routine.

What about you? What are 1-3 of your goals for June?

(Let’s hold each other accountable!)

If you sounded off with your goals on May’s post, how’d you do? Were you more successful than I was? I hope so! (Amy, Jennette, Janeen, Becky, Randy, Liberty, Celesta, Jill, and Josh)

Novel News: May 2016

Welcome to my new end-of-the-month posts! In Novel News, I’ll be sharing new releases, quotes from books, author highlights, and whatever else my book nerd heart desires.

Sounds fun, right? Don’t miss any of the news, sign up for my newsletter!

New Releases

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Bellanok: The Dragon’s Oath

The first book that came out is . . . MINE! Ha! You knew I had to share that, right? The 3rd part in my novella serial came out earlier this month. As Brian prepares for his new role as the Creator’s chosen paladin, Fauna struggles with her inability to communicate with the Creator anymore. An unexpected turn of events will rock the faith they’ve worked hard to build. Will they be able to rise above their struggles? Find out in Bellanok: The Dragon’s Oath.

 

 

Also out this month . . .

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Darkened Hope by J.L. Mbewe

This is the second book in the The Hidden Dagger trilogy. (Secrets Kept is the first.) The author is a good friend of mine, and I’ve had the honor of helping her proofread her books. Darkened Hope is even better than the first book, full of interesting cultures, unexpected twists, and well-rounded characters. I definitely recommend reading Darkened Hope this summer.

 

 

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Rebirth by Amy Brock McNew

This debut release by Amy is one of the best stories I’ve read in 2016. The emotional depth and realism in this story kept me up late at night. The kickbutt heroine and battles with demons didn’t hurt either. Amy often talks about “guts on the page” in her Facebook and blog posts, and you can tell her guts are on the page in this story. Definitely add this one to your list!

 

 

Progeny

 

Progeny by Tosca Lee

I just started reading this story. It’s in first person, present tense, which I don’t usually enjoy, but Tosca just sucked me in. She doesn’t drop much backstory in the first few chapters, so you feel like you’re right there with the main character (who doesn’t remember who she was), and it opens so many natural questions. Yay!

 

 

 

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The Beautiful Pretender (A Medieval Fairy Tale) by Melanie Dickerson

For the fairy tale lover in all of us! I haven’t started this book, but I’ve enjoyed other novels by Melanie Dickerson. I look forward to trying this one out. (I just love her covers though!)

 

 

Writing Update

Bellanok 4 is well underway. I was hoping to release it the first week of June, but it looks like I might have to push it to the second week. The tentative release date is June 10. Are you ready for the epic ending to our urban fantasy tale?

In Other News . . . 

Huge Giveaway of several different books from Amaze-ing Hats!

I’m reading an ARC for another fabulous book to read this summer, the 3rd in a trilogy. I’ll be sharing more in June.

Quotes

I found this meme while I was reading Rebirth (above), and it fit so perfectly with the story as well as with some things I’ve been going through. What do you think?

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Bellanok: The Dragon’s Oath Release!

I know, I know–y’all have been patient, but you have been waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting. Well, my friends, wait no more!

Bellanok: The Dragon’s Oath is finally here!

But, first, I’ll be your ready to see the new cover. Well, you voted, and I’m happy to say you went with my favorite as well. Here is the cover for the 3rd novella in the Bellanok series:

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What do you think? Beautiful, right?

Looking for a little info about this part of the story? Here’s the blurb:

The adventure continues!

Brian is in over his head as he bumbles around Bellanok, trying to learn what it means to be a paladin. Whether he’s sword training with Roman or calling down holy fire with Fauna, he just can’t seem to get anything right.

At the same time, Fauna is struggling with her inability to communicate with the Creator and what this could mean for the future of Bellanok.

Will they be prepared for what is to come? Or will Bellanok fall prey to the demons at its coast?

Now, I hope y’all will take the time to hop over and purchase Bellanok: The Dragon’s Oath as soon as you can. And, please, feel free to leave a review when you’re done to let other people know how much you enjoyed it. (Cause I know you will!)

BUY BELLANOK: THE DRAGON’S OATH HERE!

Haven’t read the first two yet? No worries. Guess what? THEY ARE BOTH FREE THIS WEEKEND! Starting tomorrow (Saturday, May 7) through Sunday night. Get ready for a journey to an island far, far away–and yet so very near.

Bellanok: The Reluctant Savior

Bellanok: An Urgent Quest

 

And if y’all wouldn’t mind sharing this post across social media, I’d appreciate it! 

Don’t miss the exciting conclusion to the story! Subscribe to my blog/newsletter and be the first to know!

Goals: May 2016

PIC1068506062At last. We have come to one of my favorite months of the year. So many fun things happen in May–including Mother’s Day and my birthday. 🙂 This year just happens to include a book birthday as Bellanok: The Dragon’s Oath will be released soon.

So, what are my goals for the month? I have 2 writing goals and 2 life goals:

  1. Finish Bellanok 4 so I can release it in June. I should finish the first draft this week, then after a revision send it off to my CPs. Hopefully get it back mid-May so I can apply edits before sending it to my proofreader/formatter–and get ready for a June release! Who else is as excited as I am about this?
  2. Revise Bellanok as a whole to get it ready for paperback release. Yes, you heard that right. I will hopefully have a paperback version available sometime this summer.
  3. My husband and I sat up a new schedule/routine for us to find some stability in our crazy busy lives. We start today. So it is my goal to keep with this schedule and make sure that my family does as well. Hopefully this will help me to keep from dropping too many of my various spinning plates.
  4. My husband and I are also determined to start getting healthy. We both know what we NEED to do to get healthy, but we just keep putting stuff off in favor of more convenient options–largely due to lack of planning or poor scheduling on our part. Number one this month is to get our diet under control.

I think that’s plenty for one month, don’t you? I’m looking forward to feeling better and less crazy, and especially excited about having another completed book–and one that is published at that!

What about you? What are your goals for May?

Share a couple of your goals, and let’s keep each other accountable!

Help Me Pick Bellanok 3’s Cover!

Oh, man. I’m so excited.

After a rough start to 2016, I’m finally getting back on track. That’s good for me–and you! Why you? Well, because I know y’all have been waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting.

Now, it’s finally time to release Bellanok: The Dragon’s Oath!

First, I need your help. My good friend and cover designer, J.L. Mbewe, did a fantastic job on some sample cover designs. They’re so great, I can’t choose!

Listed below, I have the 3 possible covers.

In the blog comments, I want you to tell me if you like A, B, or C.

If you comment by Sunday night (May 1), you’ll be entered into a giveaway. The winner will get a free e-copy of all 3 novellas!

A