Bursting at the Seams - Cover Ideas!

Today, I intend to delve very deeply into Player and go ahead and edit the crap out of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One for which I have a sample book cover.

I would love some feedback from any of you following or just reading.

 

Color version and black and white for NOOK devices.

I am off to write! It is 9am and I am bursting at the seams with words.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Abigale is Done - New Novel!

The Abigale Chronicles - Book One is complete. A short, 10k word Young Readers book is what I ended up with. I am so proud of myself for getting it done so quickly! I can't wait to share the cover art for Yassa and TAC!! I would love to hear feedback from any reader of this blog so, keep your eyes open and make sure to vote!!

I started a new novel titled Player that is the story of a man looking to change his life. He finds something along the way that he never expected to find but the end has a twist that will leave you reeling. Here is my synopsis:

Richard Meritis has it all figured out. He has enrolled in an MBA program in order to change his life and get out from under his wife of fourteen years, Julia, who cares more about her nails and social life than she does about Richard, and he begins a journey that he has carefully planned every step of over the last year.

Kathy Miller is a young woman struggling to find her purpose in life. With five children and a husband that treats and uses her like property, she feels like there is no way she can change anything and has, instead, found ways to live with her situation. When she discovers a deep, dark secret about her husband, Gordon, and her life begins to unravel, she realizes it’s a sign that it’s time to take a leap of faith.

Richard meets Kathy and both of them find something they never expected. Will Richard’s ultimate plan succeed or will he be derailed by the unexpected newfound companionship? Will Kathy be able to see Richard’s true intentions? What is his game?

Player brings surprises at every turn and you will be left guessing what Richard’s true plan was and if meeting someone like Kathy was really planned from the beginning. You will fall in love with Richard because of his flaws, Kathy because of her temerity, and by the end, you will realize that not everything is what it seems to be.

I hope this piques your interest and I hope you will follow along with Richard and Kathy as they make life-changing decisions.

Remember, keep an eye out for cover art choices coming soon!! I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Excerpt! Abigale!

Here ya go, an excerpt from Chapter 1!!

            Just about the time she saw the school, the first rock hit her; his aim was getting better and it smacked her right in the back of the leg. She knew the next few would not be aimed quite so low but bit back her panic and kept moving her feet forward at a normal pace. After all, Emmett had never seriously injured her; just gave her small bruises. Because of her earlier resolution not to run, she refused to even acknowledge that the first rock had hurt and bit back her scream and her tears. Her heart pounded in her chest and her palms began to sweat; she braced herself for the second blow.

            Abigale opened her eyes and blinked sleepily. She was disoriented but could hear the voices around her saying things like, “She must have tripped and hit her head.” and, “Look! She’s waking up!” When she tried to sit up, she found she couldn’t because she had been strapped to some sort of board. A man’s face suddenly appeared in her vision and he asked her to please lie still and to try not to move. He explained that she had taken a nasty bump to the head and they needed to make sure she was okay before they released her.

            She croaked out, “Okay. What happened?”

            He smiled at her and said, “We don’t know yet. Can you remember anything?”

            She knitted her eyebrows together, trying to remember how she had ended up unconscious, and said, “No. I just remember walking and being scared because Emmett was throwing rocks at me. But I didn’t run.”

            A look of concern clouded the man’s face and he simply said, “Okay. Just lie still.”

            She licked at her lips and tasted something that was familiar. She tried to place the taste but her brain felt like it was filled with cottonballs and, though she tried as hard as she could to stay awake, she passed out.

            When she woke again, she was in a hospital bed with a bunch of cords and tubes connected to her. After momentary panic, she closed her eyes, counted to ten, and opened them again to take in the whole scene calmly. She had read somewhere that you are supposed to calm yourself that way but it didn’t seem to be working because with every new thing she saw, her urge to scream doubled. There were fresh flowers in a vase with a “Get Well Soon” balloon attached, dying flowers in a vase on the other side of the fresh ones, and an enormous stack of books from her favorite author, Tomas Cleary, on a table that extended over the bed. How long had she been here?

Until next time, WRITE ON!!!

Jo

Abigale - An Overview

The Abigale Chronicles - Book One is almost done (just one chapter left). I can't believe I told her story so quickly. I am afraid that when I edit, I will have to find some new/easier words though.

I sent out my queries for Yassa. Today I plan to work on cover art. It is far too cool outside to be writing :)

I may also work on the cover art for The Abigale Chronicles. We shall see.

Time to get busy!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!!!

Jo

Abigale On Fire

Work has begun on The Abigale Chronicles - Book 1 and I couldn't be more pleased. I am up to chapter 7 already and cracking it out like my brain and fingers are on fire.

I made some decisions and just began writing. Her story is flowing so well, I'm scaring myself a little. It feels a little like my writing has gone to a whole different level since finishing Yassa and I am very pleased.

For all the authors out there, have you ever had that epiphany where you realize that you can do it? Where all your stars seem to align and you feel like your dreams have finally been recognized by your muse?

I have a deep love of photography, art, and literature. I recognize these things within myself and know that, as long as I embrace them, I will find contentedness within myself.

I have to take a moment here and thank my boyfriend. If any of you have someone in your life like him, you will understand what I am about to say. If you don't, I'm very sorry.

To the Love of My Life:

You encouraged me when I needed it most and refused to let me give up on myself; even when I thought there was no way I could ever finish. Thank you. You were there and drove my passion and gave me a reason to push forward. Thank you. You offered help constantly and pushed me to limits I didn't realize I could breach while providing me comfort and a pair of arms to make me feel secure. Thank you. You provided support, love, and were a constant reminder that I could do it. Thank you. Thank you for being the man you are and for loving me so much. I could never have done it without you. Thank you.

I hope you all keep following this blog for updates on Abigale and her frienemy, Emmett. I know I said I would be linking to the new blog from this one, but I'm not sure I'll be doing a different blog for the new series. We'll see.

Time to go and write!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Done!

I feel...

GOOD!!

Yassa is written and ready to hit the drawer for the next month.

I will be doing the cover art and typesetting myself (thinking maybe my degree will come in handy here) and am looking forward to publishing in June. I would give you all an excerpt, but it would likely give away a number of interesting things that occur in the last 6 chapters.

I am moving on to my next story sometime this week and will post a link to that blog from this one.

I hope you have all enjoyed my journey through history and my ramblings.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Almost There!

I have but FOUR chapters left!!

I will then place my manuscript in a drawer for a month and forget I wrote it.

I need to feel like I am coming home to an old friend when I edit but I am still on track for an early June release on NOOK and an early August release on Kindle. I plan to begin the cover art work next month as well. I wish I could snap my fingers and finish it but I know that would be cheating and I NEED to put in the time and effort to reap maximum benefits. After all, how many people in this world have written 400 pages of ANYthing in their lifetime? Not many.

I have consumed books numbering well into the tens of thousands over my lifetime. I am hoping that readers like myself pick up my book and delve between the pages only to get lost and have to scratch their way back out. This story is a mighty adventure.

Back to the keyboard!! Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo