Konn Lavery's Blog: Posts from konnlavery.com, page 17

Ascend from the Rabbit Hole

We’re into day 377 of Alberta’s two-week flatten the curve plan. Now, entering the fourth month of 2021, we are in a warm spell – woohoo! Previously in February and January, Alberta experienced record-breaking cold temperatures. It was truly intense, even for us veterans to the prairie winters. What does this mean for writing? Well, it leads to even MORE indoor time, on top of the usual pandemic distancing, plus our province is keeping moderate restrictions up (no indoor gatherings). More indoor time equals more opportunities to write. Thus, in January, February, and March, I willingly descended into the dark depths of project crunching. Now, finally, as the weather warms and the geese return, I ascend from the rabbit hole to experience a newfound joyous state of appreciation for downtime, a much-needed stoppage, liberating the exhausted spirit from the heavyweight of work.

Welcome to another edition of Unprocessed Thoughts

How’s that for a dramatic intro paragraph? Okay, real talk though, I did bury my head in writing-related projects over the first three months of 2021. The sweat and determination were intentional, so I can enjoy the warmer weather that’s to come. If you’ve been following Canada’s vaccine rollout plan – we’re nowhere out of the woods yet this year. So, I’d like to enjoy summer outside and not be working on some of these tasks I’ve wrapped up.

What Work? Ascend from the Rabbit Hole?

You may be wondering, what is all this fluff-talk about work? Well, let me tell you in a simple, bullet-point form. I’ll breeze over January and February. It’s old news that you can read in previous Unprocessed Thoughts:

I got the edits back for Rave back. Revised. Formatted.Currently, I’m in the seedling phase of marketing Rave. This means:ARCsPrepping interviewsA press kit.Marketing CampaignWatch out, April and May. I’m about to get noisy(annoying?) online.I’ve written some tracks and am organizing musicians for a bonus component of Rave.If you’ve seen my past book releases, you can probably guess what this is.The Into the Macrocosm audiobook is complete and is currently being processed by distributors.March’s short story was EPIC and longer compared to the usual short stories. It covered some mystery behind Karazickle from the Mental Damnation dark fantasy series.Interview with Malpherities on Patreon

Then there was all the usual stuff on the blog and running promo sales to attract new readers. Oh, let’s not forget the contract design and web development work I still do.

There you have it, a busy three months of hammering out work done through consistent militant time schedules and mundane, repetitive days. Yes, most of the work is fun, and some days it’s not. But that’s the truth of any hard work – you don’t always want to do it. The results are worth it when you can ascend from the rabbit hole.

What’s Next?

Well, all the heavy lifting behind the scenes is done. Now it’s all about Rave. The proof print copy is on its way, and the book launch event date will be announced. This will take up a lot of my focus. In the off time, I’ll be exploring new writing. I’m at a crossroads and am unsure what story to tell next.

It’s a difficult dilemma that I’m unsure how to approach it. Without getting into an in-depth analysis of the situation, it can be summed up as: Should I write to market or write for the soul?

I’ve got several ideas for the next story to tell. Two of them have series potential. Thankfully, I am at a place where the next book doesn’t need to be crunched out for an upcoming convention. I’d like to have something out for 2022. We’ll see what answer reveals itself to me as I wander the great summer Edmontonian river valley, connecting with my inner self, as one does when they ascend from the rabbit hole.

Beer Note: Archipelago Canadian Pale Ale. Polar Park Brewing Co.

For March, I tried a good ol’ Canadian beer made in Edmonton by the Polar Park Brewing Co. The Archipelago Canadian Pale Ale sits at a 5.1% alcohol level. The four-pack was downed fast, and I didn’t even realize it. Not too hoppy and not too flat, making it an easy drink. This is the kind of beer I’ll come back to!

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Audiobook: Fire, Pain, & Ruin – Episode 08

Episode 8 of the Fire, Pain, & Ruin: A Rutherford Manor Novel episodic audiobook is here. As with previous weeks, a new chapter will be shared on Thursdays. Enjoy the podcast below and share it around:

Missed the previous episode? Starting out? No worries:Episode Listing Episode 1 Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6Episode 7Episode 8

Listen

Lisa and Louise stay the midwives as their mother is in town. The three women share insightful wisdom about independence and living an unorthodox life, conflicting from what they’ve been told at church. Spaulding’s and Penny’s marriage is on a delicate balance after another fight, making Spalding’s confrontation with a ghost of his past challenging to shrug off.

Enjoying the audio story? Get the book. #goodreads-widget { font-family: georgia, serif; padding: 18px 0; width:100%; } #goodreads-widget h1 { font-weight:normal; font-size: 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #BBB596; margin-bottom: 0; } #goodreads-widget a { text-decoration: none; color:#660; } iframe{ background-color: #fff;width:100%; } #goodreads-widget a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } #goodreads-widget a:active { color:#660; } #gr_footer { width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid #BBB596; text-align: right; } #goodreads-widget .gr_branding{ color: #382110; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; }Goodreads reviews for Fire, Pain, & RuinReviews from Goodreads.com

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eBook or Print Available

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Interview from the Afterlife with Malpherities

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Audiobook: Fire, Pain, & Ruin – Episode 07

Episode 7 of the Fire, Pain, & Ruin: A Rutherford Manor Novel episodic audiobook is here. As with previous weeks, a new chapter will be shared on Thursdays. Enjoy the podcast below and share it around:

Missed the previous episode? Starting out? No worries:Episode Listing Episode 1 Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6Episode 7

Listen

The Savidges and Fleshers are further bound together as Nox proposes a new business venture to Spalding, bringing them closer to death than Spalding prefers. Lisa and Louise join their mother, Penny, for a journey into the town of Rowley, where an abnormal interaction leaves Louise confused . . . and uncertain.

Enjoying the audio story? Get the book. #goodreads-widget { font-family: georgia, serif; padding: 18px 0; width:100%; } #goodreads-widget h1 { font-weight:normal; font-size: 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #BBB596; margin-bottom: 0; } #goodreads-widget a { text-decoration: none; color:#660; } iframe{ background-color: #fff;width:100%; } #goodreads-widget a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } #goodreads-widget a:active { color:#660; } #gr_footer { width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid #BBB596; text-align: right; } #goodreads-widget .gr_branding{ color: #382110; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; }Goodreads reviews for Fire, Pain, & RuinReviews from Goodreads.com

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eBook or Print Available

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Draconem Revival

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COSMIC HORROR and DARK FANTASY–Diabolic Shrimp #12

It was a pleasure to be on episode 12 of Diabolic Shrimp!

On this episode Joshua Grant and I chat about my writing, Into the Macrocosm, and the origins of the short story collection. We also cover:

A Show and Tell Item I broughtThe artwork to my short storiesA collaborative reading from Into the Macrocosm where Joshua reads as the narrator and I read as Malpherities using some sinister vocorders.

Check it out!

Diabolical Shrimp

YouTube Channel

Website

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Audiobook: Fire, Pain, & Ruin – Episode 06

Episode 6 of the Fire, Pain, & Ruin: A Rutherford Manor Novel episodic audiobook is here. As with previous weeks, a new chapter will be shared on Thursdays. Enjoy the podcast below and share it around:

Missed the previous episode? Starting out? No worries:Episode Listing Episode 1 Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6

Listen

Spalding continues his usual routine at the butcher shop, witnessing Billy’s wellbeing decline from working two jobs. Father Isaac and Rowan share wisdom and insight about the Fleshers. At home, Penny and Spalding wrongfully start a heated argument in front of their girls – a fantastic badge of good parenting.

Enjoying the audio story? Get the book. #goodreads-widget { font-family: georgia, serif; padding: 18px 0; width:100%; } #goodreads-widget h1 { font-weight:normal; font-size: 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #BBB596; margin-bottom: 0; } #goodreads-widget a { text-decoration: none; color:#660; } iframe{ background-color: #fff;width:100%; } #goodreads-widget a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } #goodreads-widget a:active { color:#660; } #gr_footer { width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid #BBB596; text-align: right; } #goodreads-widget .gr_branding{ color: #382110; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; }Goodreads reviews for Fire, Pain, & RuinReviews from Goodreads.com

Grab the Book Today!
eBook or Print Available

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Award Winning Psychological Thriller Author Rachael Tamayo’s Next Novel: The Sin of Greed

For March we welcome the award-winning psychological thriller author Rachael Tamayo. Her work has ranked in the top sellers on Amazon and has been recognized by the Rone Awards. She had spent twelve years as a former 911 emergency operator and police dispatcher. She uses her expertise on human behaviour to explore fiction.

Let’s welcome Rachael Tamayo to the blog.

Additional Audio BonusThanks for joining us Rachael Tamayo, can you introduce you and your writing?

Thank you so much. I wear many hats, as they say. I’m a former 911 dispatcher, a veteran of twelve years. I am a wife and a mother of two. I have written eight published books to date. I got back into writing in my late thirties.

Tell us about it and your new The Sin of Greed novel for 2021 and the A Deadly Sins series it is a part of.

The Deadly sins series is set to be a series of seven stand alone thrillers, each about one of the deadly sins. To date, the first two are out. Wrath and Lust. The next is set for sometime this year, Mine: The sin of Greed.  Honestly, this is the most head spinning complicated book I’ve ever written.  I stepped out of my comfort zone with this one with this complex plot. I can honestly say, you just won’t know what is coming, or which way is up in this one. It’s so full of twists and turns, and once again it’s got a nice shocker at the end. But this one is chocked full of unexpected shocks. I can’t wait to get it out there and into the readers hands.  I really love to write a book that is different. Not your typical tale of greed, and I don’t think there is anything typical in this one!

Carnal Knowledge Rachael TamayoYou started writing romance first, what made you want to shift into thrillers?

I always wanted to write thrillers, but I was afraid I wasn’t good enough.  It took me a few books to work up my courage and sit down and write Crazy Love, my first thriller.  It was so well received, and readers still ask me for a sequel, so I’ve settled down into the genre and found it’s where I belong. I love writing head-spinning psychological thrillers, and have no intention of stopping.

What’s the most bizarre experience that you can share regarding your dispatching career?

Ugh, there were so many. I’ll have to say the most disturbing one was the story I told in a TikTok video that went viral, has close to two million views now. I received a call from a woman that told me that her fourteen-month-old twins had drowned in the bathtub, but her story didn’t add up. I took the call from her, asking questions along the way, and all while my gut told me it wasn’t what she was telling me. Once off the phone I started to cry and told my partners that I was certain she’d killed her babies. Sometime later she pled guilty to criminally negligent homicide.  The video is still up on my Tiktok, telling this story as well.

After The Sin of Greed, what’s next?

I’m in the middle of writing Of Blood and Bone: The Sin of Envy. Honestly, it’s coming out so fantastic that I can claim it as the best of the series so far.

Any advice you’d like to offer new writers who read the blog?

I stopped writing in my early twenties, and I didn’t pick it up again until I was in my late thirties. It boggles my mind when I think of where I might have been if I hadn’t done that. Don’t give up. Keep writing, seek advise, listen to that advise, and don’t ever be afraid to start over and make it even better.

Let’s thank Rachael Tamayo for joining us to talk about her work!Rachael Tamayo’s Novels

Website     https://rachaeltamayowrites.com/

Amazon   https://www.amazon.com/Rachael-Tamayo/e/B01HC2VZ0C/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Rachael Tamayo on Social Media

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/RachaelTamayowrites

Twitter  https://twitter.com/rtamayo2004

Instagram -@rtamayo2004

Pinterest

Tiktok-@rachaeltamayowrites

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Just Joshing Episode 512: Drink and Draw with Konn Lavery

I am pleased to have been back on the Just Joshing Podcast where Josh and I chat about our writing, drawing, and some big picture concepts.

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Audiobook: Fire, Pain, & Ruin – Episode 05

Episode 5 of the Fire, Pain, & Ruin: A Rutherford Manor Novel episodic audiobook is here. As with previous weeks, a new chapter will be shared on Thursdays. Enjoy the podcast below and share it around:

Missed the previous episode? Starting out? No worries:Episode Listing Episode 1 Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5

Listen

Act II: The Corrupt introduces us to the Savidge twins, Lisa and Louise. They have conflicting opinions of maturity with their family. Their mother and aunt seem to think they’re still too young to make their own choices. Lisa is showing interest in a boy at church as the Savidges are introduced to a new family in the town of Rowley.

Enjoying the audio story? Get the book. #goodreads-widget { font-family: georgia, serif; padding: 18px 0; width:100%; } #goodreads-widget h1 { font-weight:normal; font-size: 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #BBB596; margin-bottom: 0; } #goodreads-widget a { text-decoration: none; color:#660; } iframe{ background-color: #fff;width:100%; } #goodreads-widget a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } #goodreads-widget a:active { color:#660; } #gr_footer { width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid #BBB596; text-align: right; } #goodreads-widget .gr_branding{ color: #382110; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; }Goodreads reviews for Fire, Pain, & RuinReviews from Goodreads.com

Grab the Book Today!
eBook or Print Available

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