Deby Fredericks's Blog, page 11

Writer Chores

It’s that time of year! At the end of November and through December, I have some writing chores to do.

Mostly, I like to go over my web site and blog to make sure everything is right. I check that book links are working. This year I have the extra chore of making sure all the Amazon links are off there. I also update my side bar and header images, and so forth.

My union was good to me this year. I have five days over Thanksgiving weekend to get ahead of these details. That’s good, because WordPress has been weird about framing the header images. It’s good to have the time cushion when I get tired and need a break from staring at the computer screen.

Next, I’ll start adding up my income vs. expenses. I also need to line up things like a temporary merchant tax ID for some events in 2025.

The last thing will be New Year’s resolutions. I’ll save that for later in December, though.

Meanwhile, I hope you’re all able to have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend with your loved ones. Cheers!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Dragon Age: Veilguard

Between having solar designers in the house and revisions on Willow Lake (Cleodora Book 2) I have been playing the most recent Dragon Age game. Now that I’ve completed my first playthrough, I have some thoughts to share.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know how major Dragon Age has been for me. My whole Minstrels of Skaythe series was partly inspired by those games, although it took off in its own direction soon enough. This game isn’t just my personal obsession, either. The new game has been reviewed by NPR, among other places, so you know it’s a major release.

So what did I think?

Things I liked: Beautiful cinematics, settings and effects. You really can’t do better. The designs for landscapes, people, places, equipment, etc. are outstanding. Companion characters are extremely important in games like this, and they did a great job there. Not too few or too many companions. Each one had a distinct personality and esthetic. The writers really focused on the companions and wove their personal arcs into the whole of the game’s plot. There weren’t any random side quests (“collect 20 pieces of a mosaic so we can see what looks like”). Each small quest you did contributed to the plot, and I thought that was really well done.

Another factor I appreciated was that the writers gave meaningful opportunities to address situations without violence. You could actually talk people down. Forgiveness was possible in some circumstances.

Things I didn’t like as well: There isn’t much of a tutorial, and once you clear it there’s really no explanation for how to use the things you collect on the way. You have to stumble onto them. Supposedly you can upgrade your main base, but I never saw anything on how that would be done.

Over all, the pacing was odd in places. I guess there were changes of direction in the ten-year span of development, and this may be a result. One place this really stood out was in the romances, which are another key element of games like this. There was no sizzle, at least not in the one I wooed for my first playthrough. After you have the first kiss, there’s no follow up. You can’t hang out and snuggle with your lover. The sexual encounter, when it finally came, was immediately after a huge, traumatic battle — the last time my character would really be in the mood.

Another issue was with narration between chapters. The narration gave away future plot points, which really annoyed me. In my next playthrough I’ll be quicker to skip those scenes. There also were times when a message flashed up telling me what someone was thinking, and that wasn’t helpful. The player should be allowed to think and anticipate more than this. (A good lesson for me, as a writer!)

There also were a couple of plot twists that didn’t work for me. For example, a major character was supposedly killed early on, but there is no mention of a funeral, nobody talks about missing him — and he continues to appear in scenes. So was he killed or not? Again, this might be something that crept in after script changes happened with new direction.

It’s a small thing, but I the ending felt very cropped to me. In Inquisition you got to have a banquet afterward and talk to everyone about their future plans. Here you just stand and briefly wave to the crowd. It felt flat to me.

This all might make it sound like I didn’t enjoy the game. Not true! It’s a solid game with a lot of room for replays that reveal new aspects and details I missed the first time. But if you’re new to Dragon Age, Veilguard probably isn’t the first game I would start with.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Excitement

A new home improvement is about to begin! We are getting solar panels put on. This was in our long range plans, but with that guy rising from the grave and vowing to tarriff everything, we moved our timeline up.

The contractor we’ve chosen will be over today to look at our roof and electrical box. Then the design can begin. It involves a bit of houscleaning. Probably stuff we’re overdue for anyhow.

So that will be our big Christmas present to ourselves. It will be a bit of a distraction, but worth it.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

That Story

It came in at 1,800 words and I submitted it… to get an immediate rejection. Alas! That just means I have to look for other publications that have submission windows open. A lot of my short stories come in over 5,000 words, and even that can be too long for a lot of publications. With this one, I at least have more potential markets.

My main job at the moment, however, is to continue with revisions on Willow Lake (Cleodora Book 2), so I’d best get back to that!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

She’s Here

That’s right! Cleodora, Book 1: Acorn Canyon is now in release as an e-book. Paperback publication is still in the works. This is for ages 9-12, so if you know a young fantasy fan, it would make a great holiday gift.

Update: I received the printed proofs and they look good. That means the paperbacks will be available within a day or two.

Cleodora, Book 1: Acorn Canyon

People say the shrine is cursed. But to Cleodora, it’s just home.

Ten-year-old Cleodora grew up in Acorn Canyon, where her mother is guardian of a shrine to the nature spirits. Spiteful rumors have isolated them from the rest of Tenebira.

Then a stranger arrives. Navaire is a member of the Majian Guild. He’s on an urgent mission — to learn why the nature spirits have made it stop raining. But a corrupted spirit is chasing him.

Instead of fighting, Cleodora saves it. Now her life will never be the same!

Get it from Books2Read!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Finished!

I am basically done with the short story I was working on. It came in at 1,750 words, which should be an easily marketable length. I’m going to let it rest for a week or so, though. After I come back to it fresh, I’ll start thinking about markets.

After that, I will turn back to my Cleodora series. Book 2, Willow Lake, is ready for another draft. That will give me something positive to focus on in the weeks ahead.

And by the way, don’t forget! Book 1, Acorn Canyon, releases this weekend! If you like cozy fantasy with a bold girl, nature spirits and found family, this might be the book for you.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Fall Folk Festival

This is the weekend of Fall Folk Festival! My reading time is on Sunday, the 10th, at 1:15 pm, in the Skitch Conference Room at Spokane Community College.

I’m bringing three books to the event, Aunt Anne’s Archive, Aunt Ursula’s Atlas, and Cleodora Book 1: Acorn Canyon. I’ll be dropping those off early and checking their craft show. I plan to engage in some shopping therapy. The show continues all weekend, and I’ll be in and out. I plan to see some Philippine dancers, a group of Scottish pipers and drummers, and a group of protest singers called the Raging Grannies.

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that this week’s election has thrown me badly off my pace. I have already been harassed at work by the “winners” so this weekend gives me a chance to refocus on my success.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Work In Progress

I’m working on a short story tonight. This is a relief, since it gives me something to do besides worry about the election results. It also would be my third short story this year and would fulfill one of my annual goals.

Perhaps appropriately, it’s about someone who inadvertently summons a Greek Fury and sends her on an open-ended mission to punish oath breakers. But she doesn’t go after the people he thinks she will!

It’s currently in the high-energy, idea-generating phase. I’m working to get them all down and put into a satisfying order. With the next draft I can start firming up the settings, wardrobe, dialogue, and so forth.

Guess I’d better get back to it!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Woman at Work, November 2024

What’s Happening? I am writing this on Hallowe’en night, my favorite holiday of them all. I wore my decorated witch hat to school and got lots of smiles and compliments. Only a few trick-or-treaters yet, but it’s fun to see them, too.

What I’m Working On. Currently my attention is on the project to transition off Amazon. I have all my print books set up on Draft2Digital and proofs are on order. I hope the print copies will release by November 15th, but that remains to be seen.

What’s Next? Cleodora, Book 1: Acorn Canyon is scheduled to release on November 15th. It has nature spirits, cozy fantasy and a bold girl growing up. What more can you ask for?

After that, I have no work in progress, and it’s a very strange feeling.

Where I’ll be. Fall Folk Festival is this month! In fact, it’s in one week! I’m reading on Sunday, the 10th, at 1:15 pm in the Skitch Conference Room at Spokane Community College. The remaining print copies of Aunt Anne’s Archive, Aunt Ursula’s Atlas, and Cleodora Book 1: Acorn Canyon will all be in the festival store.

Fun and Games. The latest Dragon Age game is here! I’m avoiding the reviews and fannish nit-picking so I can play it without spoilers or advance knowledge. It already looks to be very good.

I hope you have something great to read this fall!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Acorn Canyon is Live

I am thrilled to announce that Cleodora, Book 1: Acorn Canyon is now up for pre-orders! The official release date is November 15th, 2024. Currently this is for the e-book only, through Books2Read. I am still going through the tribulation (admittedly by my own doing) of setting up the paperback publication. I have hopes that the print edition will also be available by November 15th, but that is uncertain at this time. I want to see the printed proofs before I announce it.

Cleodora, Book 1: Acorn Canyon

People say the shrine is cursed. But to Cleodora, it’s just home.

Ten-year-old Cleodora grew up in Acorn Canyon, where her mother is guardian of a shrine to the nature spirits. Spiteful rumors have isolated them from the rest of Tenebira.

Then a stranger arrives. Navaire is a member of the Majian Guild. He’s on an urgent mission — to learn why the nature spirits have made it stop raining. But a corrupted spirit is chasing him.

Instead of fighting, Cleodora saves it. Now her life will never be the same!

Pre-Order from Books2Read!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.