Misty Zaugg's Blog - Posts Tagged "complete-series"

Hi friends,

We have an amazing promotion happening for the next four days, starting tomorrow. Our publisher has put ALL 6 books in the Aftermath series on sale for 99c each! So, cool, huh?

No food. No shelter. No way out but through.
A calamitous pair of storms.
Two women on the run from their past caught in the whirlwind.



83% OFF: $5.99 for all the books instead of $34.94

Aftermath series in US: https://amzn.to/3NGGSEb

Aftermath series in UK: https://books.to/WHQtk

For those of you who've already read the series and enjoyed it, please feel free to share the links above on social media or with a friend who might enjoy the books on sale.

I know I really like getting book recommendations from my friends, so thanks for spreading the word!

Thanks again and enjoy reading this week!

— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website

Hi friends,

I've got great news for my deal-loving readers. If you haven't had a chance to read the 6-book Aftermath series Steph and I wrote last year, now's the time.

Our publisher just combined them into two boxsets of three books each. Even better, they're 99c for a limited time!

That's a combined total of 2k+ pages to read. A hefty chunk of story to keep you entertained for under $2.
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No food. No shelter. No way out but through.

A calamitous pair of storms.

Two women on the run from their past caught in the whirlwind.

They'll either stand and fight - or be consumed in the aftermath.



Boxset 1: First three books!


Boxset 2: Last three books!
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Oh, and I have a quick request for any of you who have already read the series. Since the boxsets are treated as new books, none of the awesome reviews you've posted on the individual books are transferred over.

We'd really appreciate anyone who could take a moment to post a review with your opinion of the series on the boxsets.

Even just a rating would be awesome! So far we have one lonely star rating on the first boxset and none on the second - eek!
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On to a bit more info about poison ivy and an update on my husband:

Clues to identify poison ivy:

1. Leaves of three. Let them be. This little rhyme lets you know that poison ivy has clusters of three leaves that come off a stem together.
2. These sets of three alternate up the main stem, never directly opposite each other.
3. Look for a notch at the lower edge of the two bottom leaves: like the shape of your hand with a notch where your thumb lies against the rest of the hand.
4. Leaf edges are relatively smooth and no thorns on stems: jagged edges with thorns on stems can be wild raspberry
5. Color: Usually green, but can have red/brown tinge and during fall will dry up and turn yellow (still has the dangerous oil)
6. Beware the fuzzy or hairy vine: This is an ivy and it will climb up tree trunks leaving a thick main stem with hair like projections that dig into the trunk. This will give you a rash, too even when the leaves have all fallen.

Here's your test - can you find the poison ivy in the image below?



The answer: Red is poison ivy, including the hairy roots snaking up the trunk. Blue is wild raspberry.



Do you have any other tips for identifying this stuff?

And thanks for all your suggestions for treatments! We've been trying a bunch of them, and I'll report back when the rash is healed.

Here's what it looks like now, and he's got two more huge patches at his waist that are progressing up his torso as well as one knee and both ankles. :(



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Here's hoping it gets healing faster!

All the best and thanks so much for your support!
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Misty's Writing Update:

I just finished writing the sixth chapter in book 2 and hit my usual 2k words two days in a row. This puts me just over 11k for the start of my new book!

Take that, Covid tiredness! :)

I still have touches of extra fatigue but am improving every day, and I anticipate being back to normal soon!

I'm still waiting for the last little tweak of my book cover, but am excited to show you the final product once I have it. Good thing I'm not in a rush for this!

Now I just have to decide when I'm ready to do the launch on Royal Road. Thankfully, the interface lets me schedule the chapters ahead of time, so they will automatically release for the date and time I set.

That being said, it means a lot of cutting and pasting to chop the 80+ chapters out of book 1 and make them each a separately scheduled release on the web serial site. This also involves adding a title to each of them and entering the dates and times.

I'm actually wondering if it's worth figuring out how to program a script to automate the process. Or just get a good audiobook and spend a few hours clicking away. :)

Hopefully you enjoy these behind-the-scenes peeks into some of the other things authors have to do besides writing fun stories.

Enjoy reading this week!

— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website

Hi friends,

I hope you're enjoying life wherever in the world you are.

It's been pretty fun to see that over a third of my Patreon supporters are international. I've been getting approximately $10 pledges paid in SEK, Euros, CA, Pounds, HUF, AU, NOK, DKK, SGD.

Yes, I had to look up a few of those. It's so amazing to receive worldwide support for writing.

Storytelling is indeed a human experience, regardless of the language or culture.

Thank you so much for your support!

For today's excerpt - check out this deal on the 6-book Aftermath series Steph and I wrote:


Searching for Shelter Boxsets: $0.99 each. FREE in KU!

"The raging water lifted him up and threw him against the far wall. Pain exploded through his body. His eyes burned and as he opened his mouth to scream, his choking gasps were drowned instantly. The vindictive storm sucked him and the smashed remains of the research station out the gaping hole so fast it felt like the drop from the top of a roller coaster . . . into Alpha's eyewall itself."

---

And for a fast and simple mental health tip, you'll need to grab a pen and paper and . . . follow the instructions below

Banish the negative thoughts with pen and paper:

Have you ever just felt down or anxious, ready to quit or sick of life? Worse, you have no idea why?

I have.

And it's really hard to fight against a nebulous feeling you can't find a logical reason for. Emotions aren't easily dismissed by deciding they shouldn't be there.

Instead, the first step is to figure out exactly what thoughts are swirling in your mind and causing the feelings. Only then can you turn them around and banish them.

This is the basis of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, a technique grounded in concrete techniques that help turn your thoughts and thus your emotions around.

Try this simple exercise.

Next time you're in a funk, grab a pen and paper. Write down the following:

1. The triggering event (it's ok if you can't think of one. Skip to step 2)
2. What negative thoughts are running through your mind.
3. Counter them with logic and why they're ok, even if they're true.

Now here's where you might say - I'm not having any thoughts. I just feel bad.

Don't quit. Keep digging and write something down, even if it's something like:

"I feel bad all the time."
or
"I hate my life"

Once you get a few, keep going. What exactly are you thinking that's making you feel so bad. Add as many details as you can pull out of your mind.

"I'm just always stressed."
"I don't have any friends."
"No one loves me."
"My kids never listen to me"
"I'll never get promoted."
"No one likes me at work."
"I'm a failure as a parent/child/spouse because . . . "

When you're done, you'll have a list of the exact culprits that have been hammering your emotions.

Turns out it's not just some nebulous bad feeling, but specific thoughts and ideas you can pull out into the open and change.

The next step is to talk back to those thoughts: Why are they not true? And if they are true, why is it ok?

"I don't have any friends"
is countered by:
"I do have an old high school friend I message"
and it's ok if it's true because:
"If I can figure out how to be happy on my own, I'll attract more friends."

"I'm a failure as a parent/child/spouse because . . . "
is countered by:
"I made school lunches for my kids on Tuesday"
"I told my spouse I appreciated them on Wednesday"
"I called my mom for Mother's Day"
and it's ok if I fail?
"Failing is part of life. It's how we learn"

Are you thinking you can do this exercise in your head?

Don't!

Pen and paper are essential to change the twisted thoughts from vague to concrete. Only then can you counter them. Not to mention holding a pen, writing, etc., pulls in more senses and helps you pin down the slippery thoughts.

Good luck!

Remember mental health is similar to physical health. You can't eat a salad and exercise on Monday and expect to be good for the rest of your life. :D

It takes long-term work.

And read a good book. It's also great for mental health and relaxation!

— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website