Summer Days & Writing Haze
WIP updates and a PAINFUL lesson!
It’s been one month since A Silent Song in Winter - Dragons of Rokahn Book 2 entered the wide world! The reception has been so warm, and readers are embracing these characters with so much kindness and love. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed it so far — as well as to those who have added it to your To Be Read lists! I’m deeply honored and so grateful!
Summer Writing is Tricky!
With summer here, life has been hopping. I’ve attended live book signings, gone camping, and have plans for more camping trips, boat rides, and long drives into the mountains. As an outdoorsy person, Spring/Summer is my favorite time of the year. Being stuck in the house is something I struggle with. Even when I’m not traveling, I have my tent set up in my yard, so I can sleep outside rather than in my stuffy bedroom. I have a favorite shaded outdoor swing where I read, too. It’s the best!
Despite that inclination to avoid indoors, I’ve been hard at work on my next project, and I’m pleased to announce that The Crane Maiden is officially with my editor! My beta team knocked their feedback out of the park with this one, and I’m deeply grateful to them. I can’t wait to see what this last round of edits will do for my first female-led high fantasy novel!
If you’re unfamiliar with this one, I’m describing it as my Joan of Arc meets Lord of the Rings story. It’s full of faith and hope, with political intrigue and battles, dragons and unicorns, and at its core, a woman of immense courage surrounded by loyal men who fight for her heaven-called cause. It’s high on action, very character-centric, and super low on romance. I do have a few ARC openings if you’re interested in reviewing this one ahead of its deluxe launch on Kickstarter this autumn! (The deluxe cover reveal is coming in September!)
The story of Jenai (the main character) is one that’s very close to my heart. While I don’t consider this story historical fantasy (it’s set in a secondary world with magic and fae creatures), I do borrow heavily from Joan of Arc’s life and character to bring the Maid’s inspiring and tragic story to modern readers.
I’ve always had a fascination with Joan of Arc — a village girl called on by heaven to drive out invaders and traitors in France, who cuts her hair, dons boy’s clothes, and rides into battle — not as a warrior, but as a banner leading the army to victory. Her exemplary life and harrowing martyrdom are almost unbelievable — but truth is stranger than fiction, right? Digging into that legendary life to root out fascinating tidbits, then incorporating those tidbits into my fiction retelling, has been fun and fulfilling. I hope readers embrace Jenai and her parallel life with as much love as I have!
But what about more Dragons of Rokahn?
I promise I’m focused on Dragons of Rokahn again, including a couple more short stories to spotlight a few side characters (Penn meeting the twins, anyone?). I can’t wait to share more about the dragon twins and their companions in the coming months and years!
DoR 3 will be sent to my alpha team in the autumn, then to my beta team in the winter. From there, it’s not a long time until Book 3 drops next year. It’ll be here before you know it! (But not until it’s ready, I promise.)
A Cautionary Tale
I recently fell off a trampoline. That hasn’t happened in YEARS! Funny thing is I wasn’t doing anything wild. I’d just gotten on it to soak in the sprinkler placed underneath the contraption to keep cool — but when I went to climb off, I didn’t communicate clearly enough and got BUCKED OFF!
Now I know what a rodeo cowboy feels like when the bull wins! I’m a bruised and battered tangle of pain, but I won’t let that keep me down for long.
The moral of the story? Pay attention and communicate clearly!
Thanks for being here, my friends!
Stay magical,
M. H. W.