What I am publishing this year

 Happy new year. It is a new year so there will be new books to publish this year. Here is what I have planned.

I was planning to publish the fourth Sammi picture book early this year but due to financial reasons I am going to have to wait until I build up funds from writing profits to be able to do so. It might be later this year or even next year. I do want to publish this last picture book. The rest of the Sammi stories I have in mind will be put into a collection of stories with a working title of 'Sammi and Best Friends'. I already have written and typed up the first one.

The first definite publication will be Fran's story called 'Fran and the Canine Chase'. This is book 4 in The Pet Rescuers series and is a bit different to the others. Fran is non speaking autistic and communicates with her hands and her device, which she needs to use when her assistance dog is stolen. It has been edited. All I need to do now is put in the ISBN and send it to my cover designer next month when she is free.

The other book I do plan to publish later this year is the first cozy mystery in the Anna Travers Mysteries. It is called 'The Blackmail Bombshell' where Anna discovers a letter blackmailing her late mother when she starts unpacking from inheriting her mum's house. Not only does she discover the letter but the spirit of her late mother, who goes on to help her solve the mystery. This story will only be available as an ebook to start with due to financial reasons.

If you have seen or read any of my other adult ebooks then you know that I like writing stories with helpful ghosts in. If you haven't seen them, then the first series was Geraldine's Gems and featured Geraldine who went to heaven but had to earn her place there. That book is called One Good Turn and is available here https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0090HBZ62

I have also renamed my writing workshop and it is called Story Magic. I have been pitching it to libraries and schools so far. If you know any budding storytellers, then this is for them. It involves creating a story or first chapter of a book using a story prompt that comes from one of my books plus two picture prompts including a magical one.

If you are an author, what are you planning to publish this year?

Do squirrels like heights?

 (Note: this is the original cover that wasn't accepted by KDP. Read below to find out why).

Sorry I haven't been here recently. I have been busy with writing books, promoting and selling my books I've already published, and publishing new ones.

So, do squirrels like heights? Well, you will have to read Sammi's new and third adventure called 'The Dare' to find out. It took a bit longer to publish this book and here is why.

I started the publishing process on the Monday. I got so far on KDP where I had to upload the cover. I did that only to be told that KDP had a problem and that service wasn't available. I tried it a few times with the same result. I left it a few hours. I came back to it after lunch. It was working. But when I uploaded it and got to see it on the launch previewer screen, it was too small. I exited out of it and saved it. I then emailed my illustrator who did the cover as well and told her. I got back to it the next day and it worked this time. Success? Not quite yet. I then got an email from KDP to review the cover title. The series title wasn't clear enough on the cover and it blended in too much with the picture. It wasn't accepted. I forwarded that email to my illustrator who got to do it later that day. Success finally. Sammi's third story is now out in the world. I have two versions of the book to show. How? Well, when I first uploaded it all, I ordered a proof copy, which you should always do with a picture book, and that had the original cover that had to be changed. Once it was completely approved and published, I ordered a few author copies, including one for myself.

To see the new cover and read his third story, you can buy it here https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1915114128

Happy reading.

Writing diary - Week 4

I wasn't going to write this until next week but fellow womag writer, Jackie Sayle, wanted to know where it is. Here it is, a bit later than planned. I'm starting it from Sunday 24 January (where did that month go?)

Sunday - Worked on the pocket novel. It is now 45,680 words. Getting there.
Also worked on the Xmas story, and it went up to 1515 words. Was told that that is an awkward word count to have for womags so thought I'd cut it to 1200.

Monday - I booked and paid a deposit for the SCBWI writing retreat this year. Can't wait. I get so much writing done during that weekend. Plan to write short stories, start another children's ebook and maybe do some colouring and drawing.

Tuesday - Worked on Xmas story. Cut it down to 1298 words. Put it on the short story blog for comments.
Worked on pocket novel, word count up to 46,078. Feel like I can reach that 50K now.

Wednesday - Author client work day today. Read my client's picture book no 2. Words are simple enough for 5-7s. Emailed lists about plot and what it isn't, with exercise. If you wish to get these ideas and inspiration why not sign up to my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/bwuQav

Thursday - Must have worked on pocket novel and story but it's blank in my planner. I think that was the day I got to read the comments on my Xmas story and they were frank and honest. I am grateful for them, as a couple of them gave me ideas straight away on how to improve the story. It is now a ghost story not a magical one. Had been reading how to write ghost stories by Kathleen McGurl who used to write womag stories. Got an idea from that, too. Reading and analysing more Take a Break's Fiction Feast mag now. Feel that is the first mag I want to get accepted by, even if they are the one mag that keeps all copyright of your story.

Friday - Worked on pocket novel and finished that draft. Hurrah. Now comes to 47,111 words. Still have a few thousand to go, so have decided to create scenes where the heroine chats to her work colleage about her new boyfriend and the romance.

Saturday - Worked on another writing exercise for the ebook I plan to publish later this year. These ones were for children's authors and I enjoyed writing them, that I have now decided to focus on writing for children as my main area of writing from this year. That will be the next post on here.

So that is my writing week just gone. Next time I will post about my diary in a couple of weeks as I plan to do it fortnightly from now on.