Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 22

Coming January 15: MUSIC IN THE NIGHT -- Excerpt

 

Rightnow, all that mattered was surviving until spring, and saving enough money forone more attempt at a safe deposit box. By then, her enemies would have toassume she was dead or at least unable to harm them and give up looking forher. Time and patience and prayers would have to sustain her. Other than hermother's cross, that was all she had left.

Herlargest difficulty was that she had tried to sell the cross three times, andeach time the shopkeeper wanted the crystal rose that fit into the center ofthe cross as well. Carmen couldn't bring herself to agree to that. Herimaginary childhood friend, Essie, had showed up in her dreams weeks ago andtold her not to sell the rose. While the advice of an imaginary friend couldn'texactly be taken as gospel truth, Carmen wanted to believe her. Just like shehad believed with her mother's encouragement that Essie was a real girl whenshe was a child, she wanted to believe Essie spoke the truth now. She needed tohold onto that crystal rose, and not just because it was the last thing shepossessed that had been her mother's.

So sheneeded to get the job as an assistant cook or dishwasher or whatever wasavailable at the hotel just another block down the street. Mrs. Blomfield, herlandlady, knew the right people to find out about jobs opening throughout thegreat, sprawling city of Chicago. The helpful, somewhat worn old woman hadadmitted that it would neither hurt nor help to offer her as a reference whenCarmen applied for work. Then she had looked up at the sky with the gray,churning clouds moving in from over the lake, and bade her get to the hotelbefore the rain struck. If she looked like a drowned cat when she asked forwork, a recommendation from the First Lady of the United States wouldn't beenough to get her a job.

Forluck, Carmen had worn her mother's cross. She hadn't worn it since the dreamthat helped her make up her mind and flee before she lost everything. Seeingand speaking to Essie in her dream had been the first good thing that hadhappened to her since her father died. She needed that bit of luck or blessingor whatever one wished to call it.

Clutchingthe cross through the protective layers of inadequate shawl and jacket andshirtwaist, Carmen stepped under the overhang of a doorway on a side street.She tipped her head back and she closed her eyes and prayed. For good measure,she focused on Essie's face as she had last seen her imaginary friend, andcalled silently with all her force of will. Perhaps she wasn't being sofanciful, wishing that Essie would turn out to be an angel sent to guard andguide and advise her? 

The crystal rose warmed and vibrated through the wetlayers of cloth. Carmen gasped and stepped back against the wall. She uncurledher fingers from the cross and tried to catch her breath. No, she was notimagining. The tiny spot where the back of the crystal rose touched her bareskin, under her shirt, was warm. The contrast with the icy rain soaking herclothes was far too clear to be her imagination. She hadn't warmed the crossand rose with her equally cold hand. 

What's Happening?

 

Yes, writers need editors.

But what happens when the editors miss something?

What happens if, after multiple edits and several rounds of revisions, years apart ... you STILL miss an important detail?

Well, at least be happy that READERS didn't catch the glitch either, and didn't call you out on it.

Or should I be grateful? I mean, that kind of means that the people who did read the book weren't really paying attention?

Or is it just a sign of the failures in the public school system?

What am I talking about?

Doing the edits of narration for the audiobook of MUSIC IN THE NIGHT, (releasing January 15 in print, ebook and audiobook) I came to a scene where my heroine, Ess Fremont, is out killing time and doing some sightseeing in New York City. She decides to go to Ellis Island. Then comes the first of 2 dreaded sentences ....

She notices that the ferry taking her to the island has come so close to one of the buildings that it obscures sight of the Statue of Liberty ....

Ummmmm .... The Statue of Liberty is on Liberty Island, not Ellis Island ..... DUH!

Okay, easy enough to delete that sentence without leaving a logic hole in the story. But what if I mentioned her looking up at the statue as she's walking around the island?

I only found one more reference to the statue -- I stated that Ellis Island was used for naval operations during the Civil War, and airships (this is a steampunk story, so don't go shouting about how airships weren't invented until several decades later, like a certain jerk reviewer did.) (Excuse me? Don't you know the conventions and rules of writing steampunk?) (Where was I? Oh, yeah) .... and airships tied up from the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

Also easy enough to delete without messing up the story and readers scratching their heads, sure that something important was left out.

Because even if the first "generation" of readers didn't catch that blooper, putting the statue on Ellis Island, the new readers getting the revised and re-released MUSIC IN THE NIGHT (did I mention it's coming January 15?) might just catch it. Wouldn't want to disappoint all of you!!

Rant over ....

Want to get a FREE book? Stay tuned!

 

But NOT YET!Stay Tuned!We'll let you know WHEN, and we'll give you a download code.So keep checking back yere!!!
MUSIC IN THE NIGHT releases January 15.(that's a hint, folks)
Follow me on Facebook, so you don't miss out ......

RE-release -- Coming January 15. Guardians of the Time Stream series

 

MUSIC IN THE NIGHT

 

Ess's mother, Vivian, left her a rose made of the same crystal thatformed the Great Machine, which allowed the Originators and Revisionists totravel through time. A matching rose belonged to her friend, Anna, and the twowomen communicated mind-to-mind, until Vivian died. When Ess was too young tounderstand, she touched minds with Carmen, Anna's daughter, through the crystalrose. Both girls thought the other was merely an imaginary friend.

 

Now, knowing the truth, Ess must search for Carmen, who is in greatdanger from the Revisionists. Anna died before she could teach her daughter thetruth of the crystal rose, and her heritage. Carmen has no idea what gifts liein her blood, in the power of song, and in the crystal rose.

 

When one piece of bad luck after another puts Carmen and her orphancharges out on the streets, they find shelter in an underground community.Their leader, Brogan, hides his scars in the shadows, and fears he is slowlygrowing insane. Carmen's music may be the key to solving puzzles passed downfrom their ancestors. The fate of the world of the future could rest in theirhands.

 RELEASING JANUARY 15 FROM YE OLDE DRAGON BOOKS.

Blessed Christmas to you and yours.........

 

What's Happening?

 

Trying to get organized for the new year, and already I feel overwhelmed and falling behind.

Here's the schedule just for the first 5 months of the year:

January 15: Re-release of MUSIC IN THE NIGHT, Guardians of the Time Stream, Book 3 -- in paper, ebook and audio. I'm less than halfway through with editing the narration. 

Got the ebook uploaded today, though, and should have the cover for the print book soon, though!

February 1: BRIGHTEN YOUR CORNER, Book & Mug Mysteries, Book 3, releases from Mt. Zion Ridge Press. It's at the editor right now. I need to get final edits done, formatting, set up a promotional plan for the release, narrate and edit the audio, and get it all loaded by .... NOPE, not gonna make it. The goal is to have everything uploaded by 1 month from release date, which makes it January 1. NOT happening! Let's aim for January 15 ......

February 15: Re-release of WHITE ROSES, Tabor Heights Year 1, Book 4. I just started the narration for the audiobook today. I can't format for ebook and print until I've done the narration, because narrating an audiobook always uncovers those pesky glitches that keep showing up now matter how many times you edit and proofread. If I'm lucky, I'll have all the narration done by mid-January -- but I'll have to stop when I get the edits done for BRIGHTEN, to start narrating that book, because it's releasing 2 weeks sooner than ROSES.

Umm, anyone else think maybe my scheduling gene needs some major overhauling?

March 1: INQUEST, AFV Defender Book 4. I'm going through final edits now, for relaxing between all those throat-straining narration sessions. I hope to also be able to offer a GUIDE TO THE AFV DEFENDER UNIVERSE book to celebrate the release. I commissioned some incredible artwork when I was doing a Kickstarter for INQUEST that failed miserably .... gotta use the artwork somewhere. I'm having portraits done of the 7 dracs and their Human parents. You're gonna love them. The GUIDE will have all sorts of information for reference, such as names, places, and what all sorts of Nisandrian and Gatesh and Ankuaran words mean that are thrown around in the stories, with no translations. There will be thumbnail sketches of the plots of all the books -- AFV Defender books, Young Defender books, and the short stories.

At least, that's the plan.

April 1: Nope, not a joke, the release of THE BEASTLY BEAUTY, Enchanted Castle Archives Book 2. This one will be fairly easy for me, because the editing and polishing and formatting and narrating are done. I'm editing the narration a little at a time, in between other tasks, because starting in January, BEASTLY is the featured book in the Ye Olde Dragon's Library storytelling podcast. I'll be releasing the book in print, e, and audio when the podcast run is over -- and listeners will be a chance to pre-order and get the book, maybe all three formats in a bundle, at a discount. Check out the Patreon group, Ye Olde Dragon's Library, as well as the podcast.

May 1: TALES FROM THE FOREST, Fairytale Anthology #4. Can you believe it? This one will feature stories that take the story of Red Riding Hood and twist it, stretch it, turn it inside out and upside down. That reminds me ... I need to write my story, which will be another Enchanted Castle Archives story. Maybe this one will be a little different, and tell Ash's story, rather than 'Na's .... still waiting for inspiration lightning to strike.

May 15: ANNE, Quarry Hall Book 2 -- another re-released, in paper and audio, as well as ebook. Which means I need to go through the previous version, tighten up the style and language, catch glitches I didn't catch with the last release, narrate, edit narration, and get it all uploaded at least a month ahead of release day. Will I manage that?

Stay tuned and find out!

Countdown: Wrapping it Up! Earn Amazon Gift Cards until Christmas Eve

 

This is your chance. Earn Amazon gift cards by shopping. How hard is that?

And quite frankly, I'm tired of posting new titles every day. I've got BOOKS to WRITE!

Consider: Buy a $4.99 ebook, and get PAID to buy it .... Just be the 1st, 5th or 10th order of the day .... Come back every day and order a book, and maybe win a gift card.

Lots of Christmas titles in the catalog ....

Face it -- you're tired from all the running around and shopping and decorating. You deserve a chance to sit back and indulge in a fun new read. I know I'm going to!

Countdown: Day 8

On Sale Today!

Come visit the cozy town of Cadburn Township, and stop in for a hot drink and browse the shelves at Book & Mug, coffee shop and used bookstore. There's always a new treasure to find, a new recipe to enjoy, and a new mystery for the three cousins, Eden, Troy and Kai, and their friends to get tangled in.

Coming February 1: Brighten Your Corner, Book 3.

www.YeOldeDragonBooks.com

THE UNWELCOME WAGON:

Saundra has a rough welcome to her newtown and job. First a stinky man tries to get into her apartment, thensmall-town politics make the Welcome Wagon unwelcoming. She joins forces withthree cousins, Kai, Eden, and Troy, who are also targets of Stinky Man, tofigure out what's going on. Things get complicated when he falls from the fireescape of their building, Book & Mug coffee shop and bookstore -- and dies.

 

What was he looking for, and who washis mysterious accomplice? Their investigation earns the ire of the headtrustee and his wife, who runs the Welcome Wagon. Saundra loves her new town,her new job, and her new friends. She's determined to stay in Cadburn Township,no matter what it takes.

 

DANCINGON MY GRAVE

BeccaSheridan comes home from overseas, intending to move forward in herrelationship with Conrad, but he’s changed. Drastically. He kicked her squaredancing club, the Four Corners, out of the venue they have used for years andstarted dating Simone, Becca's high school rival.

 

Conradseems to become two people. His grandmother, Sarah, grows afraid of him. Thenestranged relatives return to Cadburn Township, wanting to take away the familybusiness. When Sarah dies on vacation, and there is no body to bury, Becca andfriends from Book & Mug start asking questions they should have askedmonths ago.

 

 

BRIGHTENYOUR CORNER

Whenthe Tweed cousins, Melba and Cilla, set out to open their candle shop, BrightenYour Corner, obstacles pop out of the woodwork. And from out of the walls andunder the floor. Starting with an overbearing cousin who wants to take over,insisting the shop was her idea, a nasty former tenant with shady businessassociates, who insists the shop they now lease still belongs to him, and afamily mystery tangled with rumors of a treasure hunt.

 

Countdown: Day 9

 Book 2 of the Enchanted Castle Archives, The Beastly Beauty, is releasing in just a few weeks. First, on the Ye Olde Dragon's Library podcast, then in print, ebook and audio in February.

Right now, you can get some of the short stories that sparked the whole adventure and save $$ by buying in book bundles, either ebook or audio.

And you can also listen to two of the stories on the Ye Olde Dragon's Library storytelling podcast starting tomorrow ...

What are you waiting for?

www.YeOldeDragonBooks.com

Countdown: Day 10

Yeah, you can listen to all these stories on the Ye Olde Dragon's Library storytelling podcast -- in fact, the newest one, not even available on Kindle yet, is Cocooned, and just came out this week. But I hope you enjoy them enough, you want them handy any time....

Save $$$ by buying the book bundles, of all FIVE short stories, in either ebook or audiobook download.

Such a deal!