Amanda Meuwissen's Blog, page 8

"Dreaming of Summer" MM Romance Short Story Giveaway

It’s a new year, and I’m kicking 2022 off with a freebie available as part of a Prolific Works giveaway joined by 15 other MM romance authors to the theme – Dreaming of Summer.

My entry is my second foray into sea creature romances, after my full-length novel, Coming Up for Air, about a merman – which coincidentally, is on sale this month. ^_^

Octopi My Heart is a short story that plays out like a modern fairy tale and was a blast to write.

Daren Montgomery is a fisherman in his small hometown off Nova Scotia. His heart is as empty as the waters in winter—until he meets Lilo, a beautiful creature of the ocean depths that Daren never believed could be real. Their courtship may be a fairy tale, but the gentle curl of a tentacle or wet kiss in magically warm waters has him dreaming of summer and a storybook ending.

Signing up for my monthly newsletter is optional to claim the book, but if you’re not already a subscriber, I encourage you to do so. And don't neglect the other freebies available with this giveaway!

Hidden Oaks Podcast - The Call

I mentioned my invitation to write a story for local podcast Hidden Oaks this past summer. Hidden Oaks is set in the suburbs not far from Minneapolis, MN, where I live, and combines incredible writing, engaging vocal work, and my favorite - dark and eerie supernatural - all in the not so distant past of 1999.

My contribution has now aired with episode 3 of the newly kicked off third season.

"The Call" starts the episode, and as the intro states: "Love's strength crosses another force."

I haven't done much horror-leaning writing, but working on this story is part of what prompted me toward my Halloween short, The Tea House, and to do the audiobook for it. It was so fun to be part of something different for me, lending some MM romance to an already rich universe, and set in my own backyard. Be sure to check it out!

Also, I can excitedly say that there is more horror coming from me in 2022, so stay tuned!

Amanda Meuwissen on Author Chat with Andy

I'm excited to be the guest at Author Chat with Andy today, where I talk about my Halloween horror short, The Tea House, as well as other current projects.

Here’s a peek at one of the questions:

How many half-written stories are on your hard-drive and what do you plan to do with them?

​I feel like the only true answer to that is long peals of laughter. ^_^ Too many to count, though I honestly plan to write most of them at some point. Like I mentioned, I love doing prompt challenges, which will easily give me 30+ ideas to work with each year. Not all of them will become longer shorts or full novels, but many will – and have in the past.

I try to keep a list of the ones I know for sure I want to work on, and if I’m stuck during a current project and need a break for my muse, I’ll dive back into one of those old ideas to shake up my creative juices. Sometimes it means finishing one of those half-finished projects sooner than later, but always it helps get me jazzed about writing again if I’ve started to feel in a slump.

Read more.

Author Talk & Book Readings With Rachel Ember

Recently, I had a Facebook Live chat with fellow M/M romance author, Rachel Ember, where we discussed being authors and shared readings from recent titles, mine being an excerpt from The Tea House, my Halloween short, which is available on KU as an eBook for $2.99, as well as an audiobook thru Audible.

Check out the video below, and don't forget to join Amanda Meuwissen Books to learn more about my upcoming works.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/c10722_58ec184abfb94e3895669c011721760c/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Selling Books and Fandom Fun at Fall Con XL

This past weekend was Fall Con XL put on by the Minnesota Comic Book Fans (MCBF). Filling the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Grandstand with local vendors and creators, it was awesome to see familiar faces (both from other tables and people in costume) and to get the chance to dress up.

I got my Flash on and had it pointed out that it’s rare to see me as the hero. I guess I just love my villains (like Captain Cold and Poison Ivy).

I also got an update about Hidden Oaks, the local horror podcast I contributed an episode to. The new season should kick off in time for Halloween, and I’ll let you know as soon as I can when my episode should be expected to air.

I even got to grab dinner with fellow local authors Scott Burtness, Michael Bernabo, and Douglas Van Dyke Jr. Not M/M romance authors but paranormal, sci-fi, and fantasy kindred spirits.

Best of all was getting to talk with fans and sign some paperbacks! I even got a few new subscribers to my newsletter, which, if you weren’t aware, is sent monthly and offers a free download of a short story eBook with your welcome email.

I’m hoping to do a lot more conventions again next year, so stay tuned. There may even be some final last-minute events that sneak in yet this year. In the meantime, if you’re interested in a signed paperback, several of my titles are available in my Etsy store.

October Writing Prompts

In the spirit of Halloween, the upcoming month of October in general, and my next big release which comes out October 5, By the Red Moonlight, I’ve decided to participate in a prompt a day challenge once again this year, following these October Writing Prompts.

I didn’t do any prompt months last year, and since I’ve been trying to keep my muse fed with side projects while working on my two currently running series, Tales from the Gemstone Kingdoms, which kicked off last month with The Prince and the Ice King, and Moonlight Prophecies, which will be kicking off with By the Red Moonlight, I figured it would be fun to dabble and give myself some potential future project ideas.

You’d be amazed by how many short stories and full-length novels of mine started as prompted drabbles from something just like this.

Stay tuned! And don’t forget to join Amanda Meuwissen Books so you can read each of the upcoming prompts as I write them starting October 1st.

CONvergence 2021 Recap

CONvergence is a special sort of con, as it’s not one focused on big name celebrities. The guests are usually more intellectual, often local, and emphasis is put more on the panels and coming together to game, shop, and discuss the wonders of being a geek.

Even though attendance was capped at 3500, with many other precautions in place to protect people from spreading COVID-19 (and anything else for that matter), I had a blast at this convention and was honored to be one of the con’s invited participants.

Besides some great conversations at my book signings, I had the pleasure of participating in three memorable panels.

1. Growth of Queer Fiction

I was joined by moderator Gabriela Santiago, and we chatted together and with a late-night audience about trends we’re seeing in queer fiction, the question of whether it’s more prevalent today, and what we can do to connect and help create more content.

For me, the biggest trend is the shift into more light-hearted works in recent years, which makes me happier than I can say. For so long, queer fiction was delegated to tragic stories, and while tragedy, especially stories of facing and overcoming adversity are important, it’s comforting to encounter so many more stories about happily ever afters, non-heteronormative worlds, domestic bliss and families, as well as so many more sexualities and identities than what used to be “allowed” in media.

I think it very much is more prevalent, and by encouraging the younger generation to create content, we can ensure this doesn’t go away. My communities tend to be virtual, on Facebook groups and Tumblr, but people also shared about TikTok and Bookstagramers, as well as how to reach out to your local libraries and booksellers for books, recommendations, and potential writer groups.

For me, one possible threat to queer fiction is us NOT supporting each other or thinking one part of our community is less valid or less deserving of telling their stories than others. I think it’s also important to not assume and not force creators to explain their identities as justification for the stories they’re writing. It’s awful seeing so many people forcibly outed recently just so they are allowed to write what they’re writing. If the story is good and the intent pure, anything and everything is valid from anyone who wants to tell those stories. I hope the growth of queer fiction never loses sight of that.

2. Traditional or Self-Publishing

One of the guests of honor at the con this year was on both of my Sunday panels, Laura Anne Gilman. With an incomparable moderator in T. Aaron Cisco, we did this interview style with both Laura Anne and I offering up our personal experiences with traditional, indie, and self-publishing. Laura Anne and I also both have the experience of being editors within the publishing world.

We agreed that one method isn’t better than another, but the approach toward and uses of each varies. Especially if you start with no publishing experience, jumping right into self-publishing isn’t recommended. For me, I started with an indie experience, but with people who knew how to craft a well typeset book with a beautifully designed cover, and from there, I built up enough of a catalog to feel more confident when approaching a larger publisher. A larger publisher is going to be able to reach more readers, pay you more, and make you a better writer with their editing team, but you do have a little less control. That said, I would always send my main books to my main publisher, anything more fringe to secondary smaller publishers, and short stories I publish myself.

There’s no magic bullet for getting something published. It really is about try and try again. Today, you don’t need an agent, though if you’re having trouble breaking into the industry, depending on your genre, it may help get your foot in the door.

Most important is researching publishers that fit your genre and who are reputable. Read submission guidelines before submitting anything and STICK TO THEM. If the publisher you want isn’t open to new submissions right now, watch for when they’ll have open calls for specific topics or genres. The most important thing is to not give up, and if you decide on the self-publishing route, either learn to kick ass at every portion yourself, or outsource what you can’t do to people who can.

3. Fanfiction as Writing Training

This was a great panel to end on, as it was the most engaged and “fun.” Laura Anne joined me again, along with Marguerite Krause (mod), and Elliott Kios Dean. Spanning different generations and fandoms, we all had our own perspectives on this subject but had the consensus that fanfiction is different from original works in that it does the heavy lifting for you by world-building, but it is in no way inferior when you consider the integrity of a written work.

Fanfiction is great writing training because it’s like having training wheels. For me, it helped me first learn to finish a story, because I wasn’t as obsessed with getting everything perfect, and again, I didn’t have to build the world or imagine these characters into existence—it was all already there. After practice, practice, practice, I was able to take my growing skills and turn them toward original works with newfound confidence.

I also cannot stress the wonders of immediate feedback, chapter by chapter, which can help hone your skills as you learn plot progression and the different ways readers might interpret something, even if it wasn’t your intention. Initial fandom feedback would often help craft a story for me, changing my plans entirely, and afterward, I had more proficiency toward coming up with those ideas myself for later stories.

As far as flipping fics go, or adapting fanfiction into original works, it’s important to remember that not every fic can be flipped. It needs to be something not so ingrained in canon that you can’t make it wholly unique. A great way to practice this is with alternate universe fics, but other stories can also be adapted if done carefully.

Fair use is so important, fanfiction is so important, and while all creators need to respect each other’s works, once you put something out there, it belongs to the fans, and I wish for every creator to have the courage to allow fanworks of their stories. It’s not only flattering but helps foster the next generation of writers.

Want to see me in person yourself? I’ll be at Fall Con XL, Saturday September 25th, presented by the Midwest Comic Book Fans (MCBF) at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds. Don’t miss it!

The Stuff of Legends – Book Signings & Convention Panels

Early next month, I’ll be participating in another live convention, one I haven’t attended in years – CONvergence in Minneapolis, MN. This year’s theme is The Stuff of Legends, spanning August 5-8, and I have the pleasure of being an invited participant.

This means I’ll not only be on several panels but offering two separate book signing opportunities for fans.

CONvergence is sold out for in-person attendance, but there are ways to enjoy the convention virtually. They are working out whether they will stream and/or record panels, and you can stay up to date at their website: https://www.convergence-con.org/

Here’s what you can expect from me, and I would love to hear from you what you’d like me to answer at panels. I’ll provide a recap after the event.

Friday, August 62:00pm CDT

Book Signing - Amanda Meuwissen

10:00pm CDT

Panel: Growth of Queer Fiction

Queer fiction authors and stories are prevalent in today's industry. Why? How can we find each other and support each other to share more queer stories? How can you best get involved in the movement? Participants: Amanda Meuwissen, Gabriela Santiago (mod), Emily Hainsworth

Saturday, August 73:30pm CDT

Book Signing - Amanda Meuwissen

Sunday, August 8 12:30pm CDT

Panel: Traditional or Self-Publishing

Which is best? When? Have a great idea for a novel but unsure how to go about getting published? Learn when and how to approach larger publishers, indie, or genre publishers, and when to simply go it on your own. Participants: Laura Anne Gilman, Amanda Meuwissen, Taylor A Cisco (mod)

2:00pm CDT

Panel: Fan Fiction as Writing Training

Over the years a number of excellent professional writers have written fanfic and pastiches. We'll discuss how this may help or hinder their craft. Participants: Marguerite Krause (mod), Laura Anne Gilman, Cassandra Phoenix, Elliott Kios Dean, Amanda Meuwissen

Learn more HERE.

Hidden Oaks - a supernatural podcast set in Minnesota

I can’t quite recall when I first started listening to Welcome to Night Vale. I do remember that what inspired me to finally give the show a chance was the slew of fanart I kept finding on Tumblr of Cecil and Carlos, and eventually, I had to know who the pair was.

I had no idea at the time that this beautiful couple was actually canon. The surprise, especially since the infatuation begins from episode one, was incredible as someone who has gone through so many M/M ships over the years that never went canon and were never intended to be seen that way. Welcome to Night Vale was this wonderful weird little Twin Peaks like podcast that gave its audience everything they could have dreamed of, and the show persists.

Hidden Oaks, which isn’t trying to BE Welcome to Night Vale by any sense but reminds me of it in small ways, is a local Minnesota podcast, set in the suburbs, right where my parents and eldest brother’s family live, actually, combining incredible writing with engaging vocal work, the supernatural, and the 1990s.

Set in 1999, the podcast has completed two full seasons, ten episodes each, each episode around an hour long, with quite a bit of bonus content, and is preparing for its season three later this year. As I have had the pleasure of knowing one of its creators, fellow author Patrick Marsh, for many years, I have been asked to provide a guest story for one of season three’s episodes. In anticipation of that, I’ve been listening through the first two seasons and am entirely hooked.

There is a continuing thread and mystery in each episode centering around HER, the being that resides within Hidden Oaks and is at the core of all the weirdness happening there, as well as stand-alone stories of people who are unfortunate enough to cross HER path.

I can’t tell you too much about what I have written without spoiling the various twists the plot takes, but I can say that I was honored to be able to add an M/M couple to this well-crafted universe. While waiting on the final version of how my story will play out, when it will air, and even when season three will begin airing, I encourage you to check it out and stay tuned for my story, which is tentatively titled, The Call.

How Tabletop Character Sheets Can Help You Create Compelling Book Characters

I’m a huge superhero fan because I’m also a lifelong geek. I like everything from comics to cosplay to anime to tabletop gaming—which is the subject I discussed recently for Fridays at Ofelia’s: how tabletop character sheets can help you create compelling book characters.

Check it out to learn more, where I also discuss After Vertigo, my second foray into superhero urban fantasy (the first being my two-book series, Lovesick), which tackles issues of acceptance, social anxiety, and enemies-to-friends-to-lovers with a slow burn that is, hopefully, a worthwhile payoff.

It also has a cat. ^_^