S.J. Pajonas's Blog, page 87

Sunday Update – March 4, 2018

This turned out to be a pretty great week! If you missed my posts from this past week, I went over how I did with February’s goals and set March goals too. Then I also updated on how I finished off FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT.

The week itself went by pretty painlessly despite my husband falling ill again. The kids were in good spirits and the weather was pleasant enough until Friday when we had a huge Nor’easter blow through. The wind was pretty strong, and it dumped some heavy snow on us, but all the snow is melted now.

My biggest accomplishment of the week was finishing that book. It felt great to get to the end and actually be happy with what I wrote. I like it a lot and I hope my alpha readers do too. I formatted it up and sent it out to readers on Friday.

Then I spent the last two days gathering all of my expenses for 2017 for my writing business. I am, once again, in the red. I haven’t made money at this gig for five years now. But I keep reminding myself that this is a marathon, not a sprint. I’m much happier with my business this year and what I’m doing so I’m not going to complain. I’m hoping for a small profit in 2018, so we’ll see how the year goes!

Now that expenses are done, I’m able to get writing on my next project! I’m hoping to start tomorrow with the preliminary stuff like character work-ups and the first chapter, which I’ve had in mind for a while. Then I can start plotting!

What else happened this week?

I finished off FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT on time and right around my word count goal. I made sure to use Dragon dictation as well to keep my hands from suffering.

It’s mating season in the park! I’ve seen plenty of geese running after each other and ducks shooing away potential rivals. Lol. It’s like a soap opera in the park. I hope to see ducklings and goslings this year. I saw none last year.

My latest Young Living shipment came and I’m excited about what I purchased. I’m looking forward to diffusing and wearing these!

My afternoon yesterday was filled with reading on the iPad and pistachios. Mmmm.

I made mock chicken and noodle soup and it was just as good as leftovers the next day!

And I totally agree with my fortune this week!

Coming up on the blog: Other than getting back into my monthly paperback giveaways, I’m not sure yet. I’d like to concentrate on getting ahead on this draft of my new book. I’ll probably post once or twice.

Have a great week everyone!

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Writing Update – FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT First Draft Is Complete!

Rejoice! I have finished FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT!

I started this book during NaNoWriMo and got all 50,000 first words written during November to “win.” But then in December, I set this book aside to finish up changes and copyedits to THE DAYDREAMER DETECTIVE OPENS A TEA SHOP. For weeks, I thought about everything that would come in the second half of FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT. I dreamt about it. It occupied the back of my mind for every walk, every loading of the dishwasher, every red light. I knew how I wanted to end it, but I wasn’t sure how to get there.

Some days, I lost confidence and didn’t think I would be able to write the ending, or even make it close to the ending. That’s the thing about writing into the dark like I do, it’s sometimes hard to see the light. But something about this book, this series, really calls to me. It’s got all the things I love about science fiction — an homage to all my favorite themes and tropes of the genre. I’ve managed to even bring in references to many of my favorite classic science fiction stories and authors! Something about this series speaks to me and make me whole. I knew I had to push through and finish this book because there are more stories to tell in this universe.

So I did it. After I recovered from the flu, I set the deadline and word goal target in Scrivener (my writing tool of choice) and hit the ground running. I basically had to write about 1600 words per day to get it done. Not too bad, not too bad. It was less than my daily word count for NaNoWriMo! I got out my Dragon machine too and dictated whenever I could.

I’m glad to say that I hit my target right on schedule on February 28th, and I’m really happy with the way the book turned out. It’s currently in the hands of alpha readers and my critique partner, and they have the month to look it over and give me feedback. I’m excited to publish this one! I’m currently aiming for a May publication date.

What’s up next?

As I declared in my March Goals post, this month I’ll be working on something totally brand new. It’s my ultimate goal to have two science fiction series going and one mystery series for 2018-2020. Science fiction is my first love and mysteries are my second. Maybe sometime in the future, I’ll have two mystery series going (yes, I have plans for a Daydreamer spin-off someday!) and only one sci-fi, but right now, I want the opposite.

I’m ready to start another new science fiction series. This one I have plans for making shorter installments, still novels just not door-stoppers, and releasing them three in a row. So I will be banking these books up on the side, while keeping to my 3-books-per-year schedule. These will be set in the same universe as Nogiku and Hikoboshi, but in a different star system. I plan to play with a maternal hierarchy and Japanese-Brazilian culture. I’ll also be trying out a fairly popular romance trope in these, so expect something different! I’m looking forward to writing them.

And that’s it for this writing update! Have a great weekend everyone!

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March 2018 Goals

February was a tough month. My family ceased being sick and instead passed it on to me. I spent the first part of the month dealing with the flu and the second part of the month catching up on work.

What Happened With February’s Goals?

Finish FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT. Done!! I’m so happy to be done with this book. I’ll update tomorrow with a Writing Update on the blog to discuss more details.

Sale on THE DAYDREAMER DETECTIVE and possible sale on THE DAYDREAMER DETECTIVE BRAVES THE WINTER. THE DAYDREAMER DETECTIVE sale is almost over. I have all of my prices set to go back to normal on Friday/Saturday. There will not be a sale on THE DAYDREAMER DETECTIVE BRAVES THE WINTER since we didn’t get to 100 reviews on THE DAYDREAMER DETECTIVE.

Plot out the first book in this new scifi series I want to write on the side. I haven’t done any plotting yet though there was a lot of thinking! I hope to start plotting this weekend.

NOT GET SICK. Big FAIL. Not only did I get the flu but also a sinus and ear infection, and I felt like I was going to die at some point. I did get to watch a lot of TV, but that was the only good thing about getting sick. It took me weeks to recover after the fever finally went away.

More of the same: walking, reading, knitting. I walked once I was better. I got plenty of reading done. I haven’t picked up my needles in a while.

A Look Back at February

Business Goals For March

Write something new! I have this idea for a new sci-fi series. I know, I know. I’m already writing a sci-fi series. But I really want to write this one. And I think the story would do well with shorter installments. So I’m going to try it. I really just want to let myself do something different.

Start playing around with Amazon Polly. I have been reading the docs and white papers on Amazon Polly, which is Amazon’s text-to-speech engine available through Amazon Web Services. I’m going to get it to speak my first novel, REMOVED, and offer it as a podcast. I plan to work on it a little each day.

Update back matter in Nogiku Series. I need to go through all the Nogiku Series books and mention the Hikoboshi Series in the back matter. I think I did this on some books but not all. Time to make them all consistent.

Come up with a solid idea for Daydreamer 5. I know where I want to take all the personal stories in the next few Daydreamer books, but the murders are always hard to plot! I need to come up with some ideas for the next few books, so I can foreshadow well enough.

Personal Goals For March

Make it through this month. March is always a tough month. The weather is usually crazy and then my oldest has her birthday near the beginning of spring. Plus, my husband has a lot of travel planned for this month.

More of the same: walking, reading, knitting. Self-explanatory.

Hope you all have a great March!

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Top Ten Books I Could Re-Read Forever

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted every week by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Ahhhh… Re-reading books!

Y’all are going to love this Top Ten Tuesday because it’s so random, it’ll blow your mind. Let’s just say that I am the queen of random when it comes to books/series I love and could read forever and ever. Let’s get right to it. I wonder if any of these books are on your list?

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery – I read this first when I was a kid and I re-read it every few years. Nothing is better than some Anne reading time.

Dune by Frank Herbert – I may have most of this book memorized at this point.

Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami – This was the book that introduced me to magical realism. I’ve re-read it a few times, most recently two summers ago, when it still charmed me. I look forward to reading it again.

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke – Even though I know what’s in the space ship, the slow and delicate reveal of this mystery still gets to me every single time. This one is due for a re-read.

Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling – I forget little bits and pieces of these stories as I get older so re-reading them is always a pleasure. The whole series is worth reading several times.

Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearn – These were the books that I read and said, I need to write fiction about Japan. I have since re-read them several times. I even got my husband to read them.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – I’ve read this twice. I need to read it again, so I got it on Audible and I’m looking forward to listening to this one soon. I’ll never forget how engrossing it was the first time I read it!

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card – This is the only book in the series I’ve read multiple times and it’s the only one I’ll read again. Understand the ecology of this planet and the people living there is the ultimate mystery. Though I have since become disenchanted with Card, this book remains a favorite (the only one of his books that has stuck in my re-read pile.)

Caves of Steel / The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov – This is obviously a bit of a cheat since it’s two books, but these two are the best of the series and I always read them back to back when I re-read them. I especially think about The Naked Sun all the time. There’s something about the circumstances of the story and the mystery that have stuck with me for almost 20 years. I used plenty of Caves of Steel references in the Hikoboshi series too!

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins – How many times have I read these books? I’ve lost count. But when I need something suspenseful, this is my go-to series.

Honorable mention: The Red Rising Series which I’m re-reading right now for the first time. I feel like I may be re-reading this one into the future!

What’s your favorite book to re-read? Tell me in the comments!

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Sunday Update – February 25, 2018

FEBRUARY 25TH, PEOPLE!! God, I hate February. It’s a short month, but it’s also so long as well. I’m so glad it’s almost over.

This week felt back to normal. I was still struggling to find energy most days, but overall, I was much better than the week before. The weather was kind of crazy. Last weekend, we got six inches of snow overnight from Saturday to Sunday, and my kids were able to make a snowman out front. Then it all melted by like Tuesday because the temperature rose into the 60s and even 70s. I was able to go for walks outside in my park and get caught up on podcasts I had missed while I was sick with the flu. I even sat outside and got energized by the fresh air and sunshine.

Monday was a holiday here for Presidents’ Day so I signed my girls up for a baking class at the local culinary academy and I went to Panera to work. Tuesday, I grocery shopped in the morning, met my friend, Amy, for Panera, and it was back to normal for a workday. But I enjoyed the weather outside by walking and having my afternoon tea on the deck.

Something interesting happened on Wednesday. I took the girls to tennis in the afternoon and I decided to drive by grandparents’ old house after. They used to live in the next town over until it came time for them to move to assisted living. It had been like 6 years since I had driven by the old house, and for some reason, I felt compelled to do it on Wednesday. The house was so different! I almost didn’t recognize it. They had completely redone the outside, the landscaping, and the driveway. It was a little shocking because I had grown up with SO many memories of that place. I really wonder what it looks like inside. But wow, talk about a shock.

Thursday was my day to take a nap. I’ve found my bliss with late morning naps. They work out so well for me instead of afternoon naps. I got the kids to school, ate breakfast, and went back to bed. I slept until 11am and then got right to work after. It was actually my most productive day!

Friday, I did almost the same thing. I worked for a bit in the morning, took a nap, went grocery shopping again and then worked all afternoon into the evening. On Saturday and today, I got a lot of writing done along with doing some cooking and cleaning.

Writing on FKUSHA MODEL EIGHT is going really well. I’m almost done! I’m like 5k from the end and it has really come together. I think readers are going to love it, and I’m excited to finish it. Yay! I should meet my deadline by March 1st, but if not then, by the end of the week at the latest.

What else happened this week?

The girls made donuts and homemade pop tarts at their culinary class.

It was nice to not have to worry about lunch on Monday.

All the snow melted in the park.

I enjoyed my afternoon tea out on the deck.

Exciting times as I crossed over the 80,000 word mark on FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT.

I enjoyed some tasty drinks this weekend.

And in totally random things: my kid got these ridiculous slippers today. Lol. They are super silly.

Coming up on the blog this week: My books available to libraries via Overdrive, March Goals, and a Writing Update.

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Let’s Discuss – Predictability In Fiction And Film

I’ve been thinking it’s time for a discussion post for a while, but with my recent bout of flu and what not, I wasn’t up for it. I am today! So, let’s discuss! (PS, I had trouble coming up with an image idea for this post so I just used a photo of my local park. I may change it at some point in the future.)

The Kami No Sekai Omnibus Is Now Available! In Ebook & Paperback

I remember back when I first wrote RICE COOKER REVENGE, the first short story in the Kami No Sekai collection, and how I decided then I would write five or six stories in the collection, bundle them, and give them away to my mailing list subscribers for a few months. And this was something I did, indeed. I ended up bundling them and giving them away to my subscribers for over a year!

But then I decided to go back to my blog and ditch my traditional newsletter. Things changed, and I wanted to make sure this omnibus was available to paying customers too, so I figured it was time to finally put this collection on sale!

The paperback was what I loved about putting this collection together. I designed a totally different, pencil-sketch style cover just for the paperback, and it looks really sharp in person. I love it! This also gives me a low-key release in February when I didn’t have any other releases to speak of. Gotta keep the Amazon engine a-churning!

So, my fair readers, if you were hoping to pick up the Kami No Sekai Omnibus in paperback or get them all in one ebook, you can do so today!

Amazon iBooks Nook Kobo Google Play Books2Read

If you want this in paperback, you can buy it through Amazon.

Amazon Paperback

Can you leave a review?

I know most of my readers have read these stories, and possibly, you enjoyed them! The omnibus could use a few reviews on Amazon. Please take a moment to leave a little review. Just a sentence or two will do!

Review The Kami No Sekai Omnibus

Which is your favorite story in the Kami No Sekai Short Story Series?

Though RICE COOKER REVENGE is my baby, I think I enjoyed writing WASHING STATUE WANDERLUST the most. Which is your favorite?

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Sunday Update – February 18, 2018

Look! I made it through all the sickness in the family! I’m so glad to be on the other side of both the flu and a sinus/ear infection. I took my last day of antibiotics on Thursday, and I had a small bout of vertigo yesterday morning. All in all, though, I’m feeling much better.

This past week was mostly spent recovering. I didn’t have a lot of energy for writing, but I still managed to get done as much as I could. Even if it was just 500 words in a day, I wrote or worked on FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT every day. I basically went back through the entire book, made sure all of my character motivations were on track, made sure all of the plot lines moved the way they were supposed to, and then I outlined everything I’ve written so far. This is a really crucial step for me. It helps cement the story in my head because my short term memory is so poor. Now I can just look at my outline and remember all the details as I plow into the third act. I hope to be done with this book on or around March 1st. Dictation begins again on Tuesday.

I did my best every day this past week to get my kids to school and not overdo it for myself. Each day, I took a nap in the morning and rested in the afternoon. My husband took off Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and helped out. This next week I’m on my own as he’s off to Tampa for work. But the weather is supposed to be nice! And I’m feeling much better! So I’m hoping I’ll be able to get out for walking this week too.

What else happened this week?

I crossed over the 70k mark on FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT.

I ran a low fever most of this week. You wouldn’t think that low fevers were all that big of a deal but they sucked the life out of me. I was so tired!

When the fevers were finally gone and I was done with the antibiotics, I celebrated with a glass of wine.

Valentine’s Day was nice. I got some chocolates from my husband, we gave the kids some cute cookies, and my oldest daughter made me a French Valentine.

I made some Japanese comfort food yesterday. Braised daikon and wakame seaweed, salmon, and rice.

Then I had leftovers for lunch today!

We woke up to a lot of snow today, so I made pancakes for breakfast and the kids played in the snow outside while my husband was taking care of the snow in the driveway.

Coming up this week on the blog: The Kami No Sekai Omnibus release, and possibly something else… I need to look back at my calendar and see what I may have missed while I was sick.

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99c & Free Cozy Mystery Sale This Weekend! February 17 & 18th

I’m glad there have been so many things to keep the blog active this week as I fight the last of this flu and sinus/ear infection. Next week we should be back on track!

I have a great sale for you all today and this weekend! All of the cozy mystery books in this promo are 99¢ or free, so be sure to pick up as many as you can at these low price points. Technically the sale starts tomorrow, Saturday, February 17th, but I just went through all the books (to grab a few myself) and the VAST majority of them are already marked down and ready for purchase. If you see one you want that’s not marked down yet, be sure to check back on Saturday.

So get on over to the sale and get some books for the weekend! We have a long weekend here in the States with President’s Day on Monday, so I hope to kick it back with a book or two.

Check Out SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS By Tracy Krimmer – Available Now!

I love celebrating the achievements of my awesome critique partner, Tracy Krimmer. I mentioned SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS in my last Book Chat, but it’s available now! So if you’re looking for a good romance to read this coming weekend, now’s the time to pick this one up!

Something Just Like This

By Tracy Krimmer

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Age category: Adult

Release Date: February 14, 2018

Love? Second chances? That crap is for romantics, not realists like Juliette. She has a bad attitude about love and an even worse one when it comes to second chances. And she may dress like an elf for a few weeks out of the year, but that doesn’t mean she loves Christmas.

Stability? Purpose? Landon is surfing a pleasant wave of both until he’s fired. Devastating news from his sister certainly doesn’t help. At least he has the holidays to look forward to.

When Landon shows up at the mall and Juliette prevents a disaster, he can’t stop thinking about that sweet elf. Juliette doesn’t believe in the spirit of Christmas, but she can’t help but wonder why Landon was in her line that day. Could Landon deserve one of those second chances she’s so unwilling to give?

You can find Something Just Like This on Goodreads

You can buy Something Just Like This on Amazon for only $2.99 through February 15.

It is available to read with Kindle Unlimited.

About the Author

Tracy Krimmer loves coffee, popcorn, Drew Barrymore, and the movie Saving Silverman. She enjoys reading great books (of course) and writing realistic characters for you to enjoy. When she listens to music she prefers the 80s and 90s music she grew up on. In a typical day you’ll find her writing at one of her favorite spots–on the couch, at the kitchen table, or at her favorite hometown coffee shop.

You can find and contact Tracy here:

– Website

– Twitter

– Facebook

– Reader Group

– Goodreads

– Amazon

– Bookbub

– Instagram

– Newsletter

Giveaway

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Something Just Like This. One winner will win a $10 Amazon Gift card!

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is my stop during the book blitz for Something Just Like This by Tracy Krimmer. This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 14 till 15 February. Read on for more information about the book, a teaser image and a giveaway for an Amazon gift card! See the tour schedule here.

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