First Draft of Evergreen Finished!

It's been a while, readers. It's been a busy, hectic winter. Since January I've been diligently working on my next novel, which I completed this past Monday, but it's not the only project that's held my attention. Over the last couple months, my works have been getting more attention, and the heightened interest has necessitated some unforeseen 'upkeep' of my currently released titles. As it stands, I'm currently in the process of getting my novels onto Smashwords (Speaking of which, you can get The Einhjorn free here) as well working on getting an official website up and running. It seems that this blog, while it served admirably at the start of my career, is no longer large enough for this author's needs.

So I've finished my next book, Evergreen. What can you expect from me in the next couple weeks and months?

1) A new website
2) New, shinier eBook formats of currently published titles
3) A teaser, cover reveal, and blurb for my upcoming novel, Evergreen.
4) The tentative release for Evergreen is set sometime in Late May/Early June
5) The second episode in "The Relics of Asgard" is already in the works. I hope to release this in June
6) Similarly, another novel-length project is cooking in the background, which will likely take up the bulk of my summer. More updates on that in the far-ish future.

I don't think I'll ever get used to being a full-time author, but I'll never take my good fortune for granted. Stay tuned for grand schemes!

Until then.

Umbra and the New Year

Umbra is now complete and available to purchase for kindle and other e-reading devices. Other formats will become available as time goes on, but for now, to learn how to buy and read Umbra on your PC or device, click here.To jump in and get started:

Click here to buy Umbra 

Umbra Synopsis:

Soren thinks it will be easy. He trades in precious salt and wields its spectacular magic. He has acted cowardly, but he has the tools to set it right. The creatures of the sea overrun his village, but he knows where to buy allies and armies.

But the monsters of the west smell the salt etched into his flesh. They stalk him through the darkness and swallow his dreams of knights and kings. Alone with his hired thug and bribed translator, the beasts of the forest maroon him in a crumbling empire.

It’s his fault for running when he should have stayed and fought. And now their chants follow him through his nightmares:

F’ngl mglw’nfh Y’hll wgh’ngl

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So what's next, Arreana? Well, I'm already very hard at work at my next novel. In fact, I'm so excited about this stand-alone contemporary romance that I've written 10,000 words in the last day and a half. I'm hoping to finish this one quickly, edit it well, and have it released soon. And then it's on to things like sequels for The Einhjorn and then Umbra.

Over Thanksgiving, my husband has landed an amazing job that allows me to finally stay at home and try my crack and full time writing. This comes at a time where I'm transitioning from editing one project, to starting another one. The New Year found me publishing one novel and eagerly anticipating the next. I'm ready to go, and so is my coffee maker and cats and multitude of throw blankets.

So, yes, I've been busy through the holidays finishing up Umbra, but I'm eager and ready to keep the ball rolling through the new year. And let me tell you, it helps to have this amazingly fun project to encourage me! I will post again soon to update everyone on my progress. Until then, keep reading and enjoying!

Farro and Sulfur Free for the Holidays!

Just stopping in from wrapping paper mayhem to invite everyone to pick up their free copy of Farro and Sulfur now through December 27.

Farro for free!

Sulfur for free!

To learn how to read either of these books on your computer or e-reader device, click here.

In the next week expect to hear from me again concerning the upcoming release of my next novel, Umbra!

Happy Holidays from your biggest fan,

Arreana

Umbra Completed!

So it's taken the better part of half a year, but the first draft of Umbra is finally complete. I'm currently editing it (In fact, I've taken a break from editing to write this update), and I'm polishing out those slight scuffs that I've had to ignore for months now.

This book is written from three interlocking perspectives, and as such I have chosen to edit the novel by character rather than by chapter. By working on only one character at a time, I'm keeping the voice consistent, and it's just simply interesting. After writing it all start to finish with all three protagonists mixed together, it's rewarding to see the story through the eyes of a single protagonist.

But anyways, this was mainly to update you, my readers, of what's been going on over here. (Good things!)

In the (near-ish) future, I will be writing a follow-up episode to go with the Einhjorn, and then I will be taking a tonal break from the dreary horror/fantasy world of Umbra to work on something more 'fun'. Ideally something in a contemporary setting to refresh myself!

I'll keep you posted on progress, and any postings you might hope to see from me in the future!

Love,

Arreana

A Giant Leap in the Right Direction

So Fall. It's Fall. And in a continuation of my good year, I've kicked off September with bounce in my stride and new horizons to explore. It hasn't be easy on a financial level. My hubby calls it the 'transitional phase'. We've needed to take time away from our 'true loves' (Me: writing. Him: programming.) to get all our ducks sorted on the home front.

In a nutshell, my husband has landed a job, and I've bowed out of mine. I'll still be working part-time at home, but finally, after several years of struggling to scrape by, I have the opportunity to focus full-time on my writing. I haven't had that luxury since I was unemployed back in 2010, and that whole adventure came with it's own set of stressors (mainly the unemployed part).

Of course, the last couple weeks have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions as we've tried to settle into this new routine. I'm not used to be home so much, and my husband isn't used to waking up so early. I'm the sort of person that gets a bit stir-crazy on a daily basis, so I've been spending more time running and bicycling around town. This is, after all, likely my last chance to soak in the last bit of sunshine before fall and winter truly set in.

I'm still clicking away at Umbra. Still loving it and hating it and dreading the pain I must cause my characters all the time. My plan is to finish the writing process in the next month and give it to the hubby to read while I work on the next installment of The Relics of Asgard series.

I'm happy but, as always, tired. I'm looking forward to the near-future, once the dust clouds have cleared and I can focus on being the author I've always wanted to be.

End of Summer

This summer has been a bit chaotic for me. Both from getting out the new story and taking multiple vacations and trips. My personal life has tied me up in stress. Even so, I am making excellent progress on my next novel. I hope to have it finished here soon. It seems doable now that I am approaching its climax.

Now that the update is out of the way, a bit of advice for other writers looking to hunker down and produce something this fall and winter: please don't shun conflict. Be it of the psychological or social or physical type, please introduce your characters to a world of hurt. Hardship helps fictional characters grow and transform into the heroes and heroines we love so much today. I say this after reading a ridiculous novel in which the author avoided all conflict. Let me explain how this goes: instead of a being caught and punished, the character miraculously escapes. Instead of springing a trap, the character finds the woods surprisingly empty. In context, such consistent luck is unbelievable, and to the reader it's just plain boring. If you're action scenes are more hypothetical ("What if I were attacked at just this moment?") then actual action ("Jesus! We're under attack!"), then you have a problem. Your book's no fun.

Attack your characters head on. Don't give them time to think about it. Don't give them time to prepare. Strike to catch them off guard. You'll have more fun, your characters will grow, and your readers will enjoy a far more believable scene.

Also, if you're like me, and you're into fights and duels and death, please don't intersperse these tense, traumatic scenes with playful dialogue. If a character is brawling for his life, he's not going to engage in a tête-à-têtes with his opponent. Similarly, never dump the villian's dastardly plan upon the reader in a big end-of-the-novel reveal. This is monologuing. Monologuing like this should be banned. (Note: not all monologues are bad. Many, many are brilliant. Just not yours.) Have your characters unravel the intricacies of the plot slowly and over time. Don't bore your readers with talk when they're expecting a good fight!

I know what I should do. I should grab a book -- a good book -- and read it to clear my head.

The Einhjorn now on Amazon

Hello readers!

I'm returning to you today with happy news of publication. The Einhjorn is a episodic short set in Viking Norway. In writing this 20,000 word episode, my aim was to experiment with the short story format.  I wanted to create something with an overarching story as well as a self-contained plot. In the end, I had fun writing The Einhjorn. I look forward to the fascinating episodes to come, and it was a nice break from my usual fare. It was nice to practice a different style in a different voice, but now I must leave it to you, my readers, to enjoy.

For the next couple months the Einhjorn will be available on Amazon for $0.99. Consider picking up a copy!

The Einhjorn on Amazon!