Raven Oak's Blog, page 10

Waiting on Waiting

I hate waiting.

I hate it probably more than anything other than vomiting. I think I hate that a smidge more than waiting. Waiting makes me feel helpless as, by definition, all I can do is wait. I’ve talked a bit about Malley, one of our kitties, on social media, but I haven’t really typed up the entire saga until now.

It’s 17° F outside with a dash of frozen snow on the ground, which makes me crave hot cocoa, a good book, and a fireplace. I have all of these things, but my mind spins as I wait ...

T-Minus 4 Hours

T-Minus 4 Hours until the clocks roll around and it’s midnight here in the greater Seattle area, meaning it will officially be 2024 (at least that was how long when I began this post… now it’s more like 3 hours). 

Some years, I love looking back at everything I’ve accomplished and everything good that happened…. And then there are years like 2023 where I sigh and try not to cry with the state of the world and my place in it.

I feel like I should at least try and recall the pluses to this year, t...

Happy Holidays!

Beginning December 21st (my birthday), I’ll be offline for the holidays until the new year. You may see the occasional social media post, but I won’t be making any scheduled posts, including here.

Wherever you are and whatever you do or do not celebrate, I hope you have a good rest of your year and that the new year brings you everything you want and need.

Happy Holidays!

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Awards Eligibility Post 2023

It’s that time again where folks are reading works published in 2023 and nominating them for various awards. The following are works of mine published in 2023.

Short Story Collections and/or Novel Length Works:

Dragon Springs & Other Things (Short Story Collection–Fantasy) Space Ships & Other Trips (Short Story Collection–Sci-Fi & Horror)

Short Stories*:

“Water the Fire,” from Dragon Springs & Other Things “Learning to Fly,” from Dragon Springs & Other Things “The Drive to Work,” from Dragon ...

Fulfillment Begins

Well, technically, the digital portion of the Kickstarter fulfillment began and ended last month. But now, I have the special edition hardbacks in, I’ve checked them over for damage, signed them last night, and today, I get to start packing boxes! Woohoo!

The above photo is a stack of the books on my dining room table last night as I set up to start autographing books.

Been signing them with my special chrome mirror pen.

Sorry for the blurry pic but I’ve been numbering the books on the last p...

The Fall of the House of NaNoWriMo?

The Sky is Falling

NaNoWriMo began back in 1999 with a small group of twenty writers. It was founded by Chris Baty in the Bay Area and by 2000, it had its own website and over 140 participants. By the year 2002, the first year I participated, the group had over 13,000 participants and had spread across the United States. 

2005 was the year of the Young Writers’ Program, a system set up to encourage minors to write their first books. By 2005, I was already in my 5th year teaching—English classes ...

Soul Jar Online Launch Party!

Tomorrow (11/3) @ 4 PM PST / 7 PM EST is the Virtual Launch Party for Soul Jar, an anthology I am very proud to be a part of! Come join the editor (Annie Carl) & authors online via Zoom. We’ll answer questions and talk #disability and fiction.

buff.ly/47ioPNU

https://www.ravenoak.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/SoulJar-Ad.mp4

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Did You Miss It?

Did you miss the Kickstarter?

So the Kickstarter campaign’s officially ended. Are you kicking yourself about not backing it?

Well, lucky for you I’m giving you one last, final chance to snag a copy of The Bell Ringer & Other Holiday Tales, a short story and art book by yours truly. Just head over to my shop at:

https://ravenoak.square.site/ 

The full-color hardback is there for the ordering for three more days. That’s it. After 10/16/23, I’m cutting it all orders. You won’t get any of the Kickst...

Last Book Trailer

One last book trailer for The Bell Ringer & Other Holiday Tales, which has until Thursday, Oct. 12, 11:59 PM PST until it’s gone!

We’re talking holiday-themed SF/F fun here. Limited edition hardcover with gorgeous art and stories by me. Last chance!

The post Last Book Trailer appeared first on Raven Oak.

One Last Peek!

One last sneak peek from The Bell Ringer & Other Holiday Tales –

All the love. Go back my Kickstarter.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ravenoak2/the-bell-ringer-exclusive-story-and-art-collection

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