Aldrea Alien's Blog, page 39
May 6, 2017
Weekend Writing Warriors – #8sunday #RainbowSnippets
[image error]This, my Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday Folk, will likely be the last month I post pieces from In Pain and Blood. Mostly because the story is complete and will begin its journey to publication (I’m hoping for November). I’ll be turning my focus to Dark One’s Bride and hopping back to Dylan will only invite me to wander.
Blurb: When a routine inspection goes awry, Dylan is left unleashed and alone. Afraid he’ll become prey for the King’s Hounds, he struggles to make his way back to the only safety he’s ever known. Or is it?
This section is from where the group discovered an ancient dwarven forge, with a formula carved on the wall…
Dylan knelt and traced the markings with a forefinger. Svavel… That one was easy. Brimstone. The next rune had a few cracks running through it, but he could make out kol at the end. A few possibilities there. The last one though… “Salpeter?” he whispered under his breath, letting the word roll across his tongue. He’d never heard of it before. Had the dwarves also been experimenting in here?
Do follow the links above or check out the Rainbow Snippets, a Facebook Group where people post pieces of their LGBTQ+ novels, to see other snippets.
April 30, 2017
Finally at 100%
It may have taken me from all the way back in November 2015 to the very last second of April 2017, but I’ve at last typed the very words I’ve been striving to reach. The final count?
302,700 words
That’s sightly less than Robert Jordan’s The Eye of the World (305k) and a little more than George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones (285k), but nowhere near as hefty as Brandon Sanderson’s The Way of Kings (387k). In terms of page numbers of your normal-sized hardback? It about 720 pages. Quite a hefty thing.
Now all that’s left is the editing process. But I’ll be taking a bit of a break through May to catch up on other things before diving into Dark One’s Bride. I’d really like to get that finished for an October/Early November release.
April 28, 2017
Weekend Writing Warriors – #8sunday #RainbowSnippets
[image error]This, my Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday Folk, will be the last teaser from chapter 14 of In Pain and Blood. The chapter will still be available through signing up to my spellster series exclusive newsletter until the end of May.
Blurb: When a routine inspection goes awry, Dylan is left unleashed and alone. Afraid he’ll become prey for the King’s Hounds, he struggles to make his way back to the only safety he’s ever known. Or is it?
Skipping some more from last week to the morning after where Dylan wakes and finds himself alone…
The grey light of predawn stained the tent sides. Outside, he caught the birds chirping and whistling their morning cries. No Authril. Had it been a dream? His memory was certain she’d entered his tent last night. His body insisted she’d done more than that.
He scrubbed at his face and glanced down. Well, he was most certainly naked and didn’t tend to sleep in such a fashion, keeping on his smallclothes even through the hottest of nights. That just left the possibility of her fleeing whilst he slept. Not the best option, but he’d had worst.
Do follow the links above or check out the Rainbow Snippets, a Facebook Group where people post pieces of their LGBTQ+ novels, to see other snippets.
April 27, 2017
In Pain and Blood – 99% #amwritingfantasy
[image error]
It’s felt like an age since I commented on how far I’ve gotten with In Pain and Blood. I’ve been so consumed with finishing that a lot of things have been shuffled aside in favour of getting these final chapters done. I currently have three left. Three! Two being the wrap-up and epilogue, whilst one is a little further back, left because it was giving me a spot of trouble at the time.
But today, In Pain and Blood has slogged its way up to the 99% mark.
It’s well into the 290k territory, too. Yes, I really have got a goal of 300,000 words.
297221 / 300000 (99.07%)
So, the next time I talk about this. It’ll be how it’s finished. I might just take part of May off before jumping into Dark One’s Bride. That one has a far smaller word count goal, but a lot of re-reading before I think about tackling the writing.
April 21, 2017
Weekend Writing Warriors – #8sunday #RainbowSnippets
[image error]Yes, my dear Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday Folk, I’m still here with teases of In Pain and Blood. Still on pieces from chapter 14, one of the raunchier chapters currently only available in full to those signed up to my spellster series exclusive newsletter.
Blurb: When a routine inspection goes awry, Dylan is left unleashed and alone. Afraid he’ll become prey for the King’s Hounds, he struggles to make his way back to the only safety he’s ever known. Or is it?
Skipping some more from last week…
He tried to be gentle in coaxing her to lie down, misjudging the distance to the ground by an inch or so. She bumped onto his bedding with a shocked squeak, a sound he hadn’t expected to ever come from her.
A groan bubbled in his throat and he buried his face into his palms. There went his chance.
Muffled giggling drew his hands down.
Authril lay propped on her elbows, smiling up at him. “Oops,” she snickered.
He grinned. That she could face his clumsiness and laugh only fuelled his desire for her. “Sorry,” he said, lowering himself on top of her with less incident.
Do follow the links above or check out the Rainbow Snippets, a Facebook Group where people post pieces of their LGBTQ+ novels, to see other snippets.
April 17, 2017
A Million Words
[image error]I have typed a million words and I will type a million more…
Recently, a thought came to me as I registered that In Pain and Blood on its own, had almost climbed to the same word count as The Rogue King Saga is as a whole. Which means they make a little over 612k together.
Adding the completed stories of Dark One’s Mistress, Golden Dawn, Willow and Dragon pushed it a further 200k. None too shabby. But I wondered just how high I could climb.
Now, my man David Eddings is often quoted saying…
“My advice to the young writer is likely to be unpalatable in an age of instant successes and meteoric falls. I tell the neophyte: Write a million words—the absolute best you can write, then throw it all away and bravely turn your back on what you have written. At that point, you’re ready to begin.”
So let’s push for that benchmark. For the sake of this, I’m not counting all the words I’ve written in the distant past of school days and terrible homework assignments. Or all the blog posts and fanfictions.
I went poking through the unfinished stories, counting only the stuff I plan to keep. And yes, I’ve written over a million words in the past few years. As of today: 1,012,537 words.
Of the stuff I’ve rewritten or am choosing to discard but haven’t yet? That amounts to 660k. I’m still trying to let that sink in… 1.6 Million words seems so… big. No wonder I’ve chewed through so many keyboards and my current one had lost the letters on E, T, A & S keys and is losing D & R. Bah, I hardly ever look down anyway.
I’ll leave you with the final piece of David Eddings’ quote…
“Most of all, enjoy what you’re doing. If you don’t enjoy it, it’s not worth doing at all. If hard and unrewarding work bothers you, do something else. If rejection withers your soul, do something else. If the work itself is not reward enough, stop wasting paper. But if you absolutely have to write–if you’re compelled to do it even without hope of reward or recognition–then I welcome you to our sorry, exalted fraternity.”
April 14, 2017
#RainbowSnippets – In Pain and Blood
[image error]Still here with teases of In Pain and Blood. As I said last week, The rest of this month will be pieces from chapter 14, one of the raunchier chapters currently only available in full to those signed up to my spellster series exclusive newsletter.
Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook Group where people post six sentence pieces of their LGBTQ+ novels.
Blurb: When a routine inspection goes awry, Dylan is left unleashed and alone. Afraid he’ll become prey for the King’s Hounds, he struggles to make his way back to the only safety he’s ever known. Or is it?
This bit skips a little from Dylan’s previous shocked response to at least one them being less clothed than before…
Dylan sat still, his heart thundering in his ears as he watched the increasingly-naked beauty before him. There’d been few times he had seen without all her armour and padding. But now? By the gods. Even with the light undershirt gone, he realised he’d been ill-prepared for what lay beneath.
The slim frame he’d long associated with her kind had vanished, moulded by years of training and battle. The freckles that covered her face also carried on here. They speckled her body, a mighty dusting of brown stars across the lightly-tanned sky, collecting at her shoulders and thighs. Scars also decorated her skin, varying between tiny slashes to what must have once been a nasty burn on her right shoulder. Each one silently begging to be kissed.
Do follow the link above, or check out the Snippet Sunday Folk, to see other snippets.
April 11, 2017
I am loving Cover Vault
Just adoring this layout in particular…
[image error]Teasy. Teasy. So itching to work on Dark One’s Bride .
[image error]I’m an unmerciful tease.
[image error]This reminds me, I must complete those chapters for The Shadow Prince . Maybe after DOB..
[image error]Bloody In Pain and Blood . Just under 13k to go… *sigh*
[image error]Yes, the short stories get their own image. Can’t see myself working on Mapmaker until the end of the year, though. Curse you, IPaB!
So many pretties… Not all my pretties, but still pretties.
April 7, 2017
#RainbowSnippets – In Pain and Blood
[image error]Yup, it’s a new month and I’m still here with teases of In Pain and Blood. I’m so very, very close to the end. The rest of this month will be pieces from chapter 14, one of the raunchier chapters currently only available in full to those signed up to my spellster series exclusive newsletter.
Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook Group where people post six sentence pieces of their LGBTQ+ novels.
Blurb: When a routine inspection goes awry, Dylan is left unleashed and alone. Afraid he’ll become prey for the King’s Hounds, he struggles to make his way back to the only safety he’s ever known. Or is it?
In this bit, Authril has just entered Dylan’s tent when she’s supposed to be on watch…
She stood there, her hands on her hips and her legs planted. “We’ll be fine, but you said things a few days back that suggested you might wish to sleep with me.” Those gorgeous sea-green eyes roamed the tent, the floor. Everywhere but directly at him. “I’m here to take you up on that offer.” That gaze fell on him. Hot and wanting.
Dylan stared at her. His mouth moved, but nothing came out. This was the last thing he would’ve expected from the woman.
“Are you still willing or are you content standing there catching flies?”
“I… Yes.” Realising the ambiguity of his answer, he tried to make himself clearer. “That is to say— I mean… now?”
Do follow the link above, or check out the Snippet Sunday Folk, to see other snippets.
April 4, 2017
Too Tough to Tame by W.S. Long
[image error]Title: Too Tough to Tame
Author: W.S. Long
Release Date: 8th April 2017
BLURB
After Caleb Youngblood proposed to Sebastian Rush, the two men think everything should be smooth sailing. Marriage planning has started and the future is bright. Caleb is an openly out stock car racer, while Sebastian is offered the chance to work with a major TV studio as a cameraman at the Rio Olympics.
But Caleb is at a crossroads. The racing world may not be ready for an openly gay driver. Even though he wants to race, the family business is barely making money. And Caleb, being the face of Youngblood family, may be too much for conservative fans. Meanwhile, when an ex-lover of Sebastian’s reappears, secrets from his past cause friction between Sebastian and Caleb.
Should Caleb continue to race? Is Sebastian’s and Caleb’s love for one another strong enough to overcome what happened in the past? Or is their life together too tough to tame?
Preorder: Amazon US | B&N | JMS Books | Kobo
EXCERPT
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.
“That’s all you have to say?” asked Sebastian.
Caleb sat on the edge of their bed and removed his dress socks, and then removed his pants. Clad only in black boxer briefs, Caleb stood and rummaged through the dresser for a tank top, cotton socks, and running shorts. As he put his top and shorts on, Caleb broke the momentary silence. “What else is there to say? That … ummm … maybe you should have told me you were engaged?” Caleb took a seat again on the edge of the bed, and drawled out the last word, his eyebrows slightly arched, his jaw set firm. “I knew you had a serious relationship before me.” Caleb raised his hands up, both palms open. “But a serious relationship and an engagement are two different things.”
Sebastian knew that Caleb was still angry, based on Caleb’s tone and Caleb’s refusal to look him in the eye. “I didn’t tell you I was engaged for only two days because I was embarrassed.”
Caleb straightened and now squinted at him. “Embarrassed?” Caleb’s voice betrayed incredulity.
“David broke up with me. I proposed. He said he didn’t love me enough to marry me.”
“So you proposed to him?” Caleb whispered, who turned away from Sebastian.
“Yes. I did,” answered Sebastian. “But, he’s in the past.”
Caleb stood. “I can’t talk about this right now. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that you wouldn’t tell me about being engaged before. I mean, to me, that’s a pretty serious commitment. It’s something I would tell you if I’d ever been engaged.”
“I didn’t think it was a big deal. If I had known you would be upset by it, by the fact that I was engaged for two days, I would have told you. I don’t love him, Caleb. I love you,” blurted Sebastian. “I didn’t know what love truly was until I met you.”
“Your mom said you were in a pretty serious relationship before me. You said that. Maybe I’m making something out of nothing. Maybe I’m just pissed you’re going to Rio with your ex. I can’t filter all these emotions that are rushing through me right now.” Caleb stood and headed out of the bedroom. “We’re not done talking. But I need to clear my head.”
Sebastian nodded. “I’ll make dinner, okay? I’ll see you after your run.”
Caleb didn’t say anything; Sebastian heard the front door close, then Sebastian sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, his hands clasping the top of his head. Somehow, he had to persuade Caleb that David was in the past. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he fished out the cell.
David had texted him. Nice seeing you. We need to catch up before Rio.
Sebastian had a choice to make, and he knew it. He just didn’t know what to do. He punched in the contact tab on his phone and called his mom.
After a few rings, she answered. “Sebastian?”
“Hey, Mom. How’re you?”
“I’m good. Your sister just picked up your niece.”
“Awesome. Is this a good time to talk?” asked Sebastian.
“Sure, honey. I was about to start dinner but it can wait a few minutes. Why, what’s up?”
“Did Caleb ask you about David?”
“Who?” Ginny asked.
Sebastian repeated the question. “Did Caleb ask you about David?”
‘No. Caleb didn’t.”
“Then how did Caleb know I was engaged?”
“Oh. I told him.” Ginny’s voice trailed then she spoke again. “Was it supposed to be a secret?”
“Mom, I hadn’t told him. You know I was pretty upset about the break-up.”
“I know, honey. And don’t be mad, but I told Caleb that you both shouldn’t rush into getting married.”
Sebastian’s body tensed. “What?”
“Don’t raise your voice at me Sebastian Harry Rush.”
Sebastian rubbed his temples. “Oh, God. Why, Mom? Why?” He pulled the phone from his ear as he closed his eyes and silently counted to five to calm down.
“Sebastian, I’m worried that you’re rushing into a wedding. You haven’t even known each other for a year.”
Sebastian sat there on the edge of the bed. He heard his mother continuing to talk, but he stopped paying attention. She said something about September. Then something about his niece, Mindy. But all he could think about was Caleb sitting in his mother’s living room, and Ginny telling Caleb to delay the wedding. “Mom, I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.”
“Okay, honey. That’s fine. I got to start dinner anyway. I love you, son. You know I’m only looking out for you, right?”
“Thanks,” he whispered. He wanted to scream, but he knew it would only make matters worse.
