O.K. Writes

Hey, guys. My name is October and I am a published author with a to do list 200 miles long. I write fantasy, I hate writing bios and introductions, and I am also a comic script writer.

I have two books, one novella, and one short story published. I keep getting compared to Diana Wynne Jones, which BLOWS MY MIND every time someone says it, and I am trying very hard to get more stuff out and published.

I am a frequent convention guest and public speaker. I'm doing a keynote address at an event on March 20th, 2024, I am guesting at 3 conventions and speaking at a 4th but not a guest, I am waiting to hear from two more shows.

I have to write with a heater or fan on for the white noise. My ADHD is a nightmare, but my spreadsheet game is strong. My favorite things in the world are ice cream and good books. And video games. And my dogs. And...okay, I have a lot of favorites.

I am disabled, LGBTQ+, and only five feet tall.

WIPS:

At Midnight's Bell

Cinderella retelling

Transgender main character

City of Death

Third in a trilogy

Book 2 coming this summer (City of Night)

Book 1 already out (City of Day)

Scary ghosts! Political intrigue! Power struggles!

STRONG found family

The Burden of Water

First in a series of TWELVE

I have no regrets about anything but the sheer number of POVs

This book has a MASSIVE cast

The Serpent's Fault

Outline mode, not drafting yet

Dragons

Gay romance

Found family

The Quirky Cup Society

MAGIC TEACUPS

A mystery

A handsome Duke

An awkward Lord

They're in love

Saltsong

Novella, will be FREE

Available hopefully by the end of 2024

Magic singing

COMING IN APRIL -

Long time, no update, ANYWAY...

I just spent all of January and February busting butt to get this mini-series of four novellas all done and off to the editor. GOOD NEWS, the editor has them and they aren't my problem again until next week.

GOODER NEWS...

They'll all be available IN PRINT as a single volume: The Book of the Witch's Son. Pre-Orders are set to open in April, with release following soon after.

I was tagged by @thesorcererspen to post the last 7 lines of a story!

Here's the last 7 lines I wrote.

Cord was tall with broad shoulders. He was built like a hound, all lean muscle and sharp features. Still, he wasn’t that intimidating. He tried to soften his appearance and reassure her with a smile. “Sorry to bother you. I’m looking for a good inn. Somewhere with a decent bed and a hot meal will do.”

She didn’t look convinced, by either the smile or the pleasant tone of Cord’s words. Reluctantly, she twisted to point the way. 

“Thanks.”

Cord clicked his tongue and gave the reins a shake, and Nosewise was off once more. 

Now I have to tag three people! @ddbirb - @elizaellwrites - @awordchemist

so basically I haven't done anything but marketing work and it's been CRAZY. I am very tired.

So not everyone has access to separate spaces for writing and fun stuff. Not everyone has more than one computer they can set up in various rooms of various houses. So here's a few of my ways that I establish a difference between 'work' and 'fun' in my mind, even in the same spot.

Slippers, socks, or shoes. Have a work set. I have a set of slippers I wear for comfort, and a work pair that fits tighter and kind of feels like shoes. Can't stand that? Try a work hoodie/sweater or a work hat.

Candles, lava lamps, etc. Set up something that makes a visible difference on your desk when it is 'on'. A neon light on the wall, a lava lamp, lighting a candle or incense, even just a regular table lamp you only use during 'work' time.

Sounds. I have a list of soundtracks from Chronicles of Narnia that I only listen to when I am working. Makes great background music, doesn't interrupt me, I don't even register it half the time - but my brain knows that is the work music, and that helps me get stuff done.

So many of you might already know this, but ADHD comes with a great big heaping side of Executive Dysfunction. What that is, in its simplest form, is the inability to see the end result of a task, so we won't start it. This is a biological tie over from when we were the 'hunters' of the hunter/gatherer class - we aren't about to go follow a deer we don't think we can catch up to, kill, and eat. It's a waste of our resources and energies.

Well, today that looks like not knowing what the end of a book or story will look like, or what the finished product will be like, or looking at all the steps that come AFTER writing, and we're like: Oh no, nope, too much.

One of the ways to overcome that is with adrenaline, which is why procrastination is a motivator for us. However, that puts us in a negative space in order to accomplish things and it can feel kind of crap.