#ayearofauthor

December...? DECEMBER!?

What about September?

November?

October?? What did I miss??

Yes, well, no you didn’t miss any vitals updates. I have reasons for why I haven’t been active on tumblr, and the most honest reason is that I didn’t feel like writing and posting on here since spring.

The writeblr community is so so great, one of the best in the web, but the platform is driving me nuts. Flagging, shadow bans, tag dysfunction and draft erasing/crashing, have just completely smashed my love for making fun and elaborate posts.

However, lots of updates has been made and i keep seeing wips I want to tag list and people i want to hang out with, so I’ll stick around for another decade or so! Hashtag always lurking.

The more polite reason for my absence, and equally truthful I might add, is that I was very busy the last few months —COMMISSIONS! LIFE! IRL NETWORKING!

And now I’ll tell you about it all, starting by answering the Q on everyone’s tongue:

1) Is Flash Fiction Friday Getting Revived in 2020?

In short, yup.

I need it, you need it, the world needs it. We need to WRITE folks. And the lovely prompt Friday will be back with week no 30 (!!) on:

Friday the 10th of January!

I have a capable team of creative and lovely writeblrs on the job as to how we an ensure consistent posting —and just and FYI, we might even end up with giving the FFF it’s own blog.

Run free, be with the people my beautiful prompt creature, inspire! And give me something to read!!

Stay tuned for updates and tell me is you want to be added to the FFF tag list.

Now next up is my scrip update!

2) Querying ‘The Serpent Kiss’

All is well in the land of querying.

or... well almost.

Alrighty, lemme explain below.

So, if you’ve been following me for awhile, you know my third child (whom is not currently teething or using my lipstick as a crayon) is my dark new adult fantasy trilogy —The Serpent Kiss <3

If you donno what I’m talking about, here’s a quick summery of the query process:

I finished the English first draft, two and a half years ago (I think?) and started looking into querying after my fifth draft was done.

I decided very early on that I would feel more comfortable working here in Denmark, where I already have a literary network, and actually understand the cultural unwritten rules when working with publishers!!

Since then I have been rewriting, tweaking, had beta-readers, editors, a sponsored translator (who translated the script from English to danish) BEFORE I started querying seriously in Denmark.

During the time where the book was being reviewed, I’ve kept in touch with houses who showed interest in the book from the get go (encouraging me to push onward), done a lot of social media work (especially on Instagram since the publishers all mentioned the importance of that platform) and attended books cons to physically mingle (it makes a difirence —really).

Ah, and now, finally, we’ve starting to get serious replies back from the Danish publishers.

Let’s look at what they’ve said so far.

(And mind you, this is Denmark. We’re a tiny country and we DON’T have adult fantasy books written by danish authors, so their critique is based on that. YA is what’s sellable and had been for years, buuut I also know that tendency will shift, so that’s what I’m really selling. A new trend basically. Always understand what pov the critique is coming from and don’t stop at the first rejection)

3/5: ‘no thank you, there’s no marked in Denmark for your book’

1/5: ‘we love it but rewrite it to YA and we have a deal’ — I said, no thank you

1/5: ‘we love it as is and we want to give you a deal, but we have to work out the legal kinks, and we will give you final answer by the end of January!’

So I’m awaiting the final judgement!!

But not really, it’s not the final judgement. If the deal falls through, and it might, never pop champagne before signing, I still have four more houses I could send the book to here in Denmark.

And, I could still go the international route and query over seas.

Yup! That’s the update on that!

Next up? The general writing!

3) A Year Of Author

“It’s really hard being a writer... Not on the days where you’re writing, but on the days where you’re not!”

— @CAlisaWolters, Instagram confessions

My year of full time professional writing, meaning mainly relying on my text/skill/art to heave in the cash, is six months down and going — OK!!

Here’s what I’ve learned/done so far:

I’m writing 4-7h on commissions, the second book of the trilogy, short-stories, poetry and another little YA project every day. Yes. Every day. And that’s very very cool and also exhausting mentally. My advice to others: HAVE OBLIGATORY DAYS OFF! (Oh yea and I also won nanowrimo but the project is a secret shh).

I’m somewhat alone most of the time but being a closeted introvert, I don’t mind, but I miss coworkers. That’s why Café dates and write-ins with writer pals IS IMPORTAINT.

Also! Speaking of socializing, I’ve been to five writers cons/events and I definitely recommend making it a priority for all professional authors. BRING BUSINESS CARDS!!

I have a set routine and I’m really happy with it! Early mornings is the best! And Monday is where I don’t write, but keep up with social media and answer mails and run errands! MAKE A ROUTINE!

And that’s the update on THAT!! Phew I’m getting winded, are you? Fear not we one have one last thing to cover. Promise.

4) Personal Life and Drag Kings ^_^

Where to start? Ah I know! I’ll start with the drag king storytelling event because that’s really what stands out!

I’m a mom, a wife, a bisexual, a general theatrical person and a genderfluid jellyfish who uses she/her pronounces, so when someone booked me for a storytelling event, I decided to go in drag. Naturally. Tsh duh.

I’ve really been experimenting with my gender this year, playing with apperence and comfortzones, and discovering that my real happiness lies somewhere between flooofy dresses and black buttondowns. And not just the clothes, but there attitude, the demeanor, the mental space of wearing cologne!! It might not sound dramatic, but to me it’s been A RIDE!

(I’ve been dying to go full drag for a long looooong time and I should’ve gone all out on the makeup —but next time!!! Also the event went so so well and I had the best time! I’m going to do it again!)

And NOW I’m done! Hah not really, but I won’t force you to spend all day reading my updates and this post is already so loooong 💕💕✨💕

The new year looms!! May it bring you love and confidence, and lots of new opportunities!!

Hug hug hug!!

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Good day to you! It’s been a minute, but here I am with a little thing that I think you guys might think will be a neat read.

It’s a little snippet of a scene I wrote between charming young King Deria and my newly hatched/refined character, gloomy necromantic Hinrich. 

(Hinrich is a Mask btw, a sort of ambassador to the Kings of the ten kingdoms in the empire.)

Where: Tall Castle at the beginning of book two

Who: Deria is talking

What: He’s wandering the Chalice Room, looking at paintings and thinking about magic when he’s interrupted by a gloomy apparition. 

WC: 1800

Themes: Ghost magic, politcal intrigue, secret coup!!

Is it gay?

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Well. Yes, on multiple levels, but not explicit in this scene.

Unfortunately. 

Plot needs pages too.

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✴ BLUE FLAG ✴

What a delightful day it was indeed. The sunlight in the mountains cast its gentle overcast glare over the hills as afternoon clouds drifted slowly over the subtly rising and falling hills deep down, down, in the valley, below my childhood home, Tall Castle.

The patterns of shy light and then sporadic sharp beams, raying out of the heavens and touching a little cottage outside the village, was more enchanting than magic.

Or, I would have thought that before I had seen the gold coin eyes of the Blade by the Empress’ side. Ah, and then her flat pieces of dull ebony to contrast his. They had been standing so close and then she had laughed. I saw it, a flower blooming in the deep dark night.

Magic indeed.  

Yay! I felt like sharing a snip I refined from the WIP: The Liar Alliance  I honestly love Shiroin and Deria’s dynamic. But I’m a little biased. I’m writing an involuntary kiss between them today and -!!!  .

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“Marry me.” He said in that bright irritating smile of his.    

I blinked.

“What?” It was a hiss of disbelieve.

“Be my ring.” Deria clarified.

I snarled. Bearing a corner tooth. I could not help it.

“This jest, little King-“ I started lethally, but he interrupted.

“I am as grave as the monk in his cathedral. I offer you two thirds of the world army, freely in return for your hand.” Deria did not look grave.

“It is not free if I have to pay with the limb attached to my Empire.” I said, still hissing, still snarling.

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And now i wanna see a line you guys are proud of! Tagging @bexminx @kainablue @james-stark-the-writer @cirianne @fukusigma and @adie-deeto share from your awesome wips <3

Hello Lovely Writeblr!!

It’s time for this month's Author Newsletter (Missed last month? Read it here) and I’m excited to share everything with you guys.

Firstly my Year of Author began in July!

For those of you who hasn’t followed me intensely around on especially Instagram that I’ve bombarded with gleeful stories of office supplies (CAlisaWolters), a year of author is my chance of trying to make it as a full time writer here in Denmark!

The stars are lined up perfectly with husband and steady income and kiddies, and now we’ve decided to give my words a fair chance —giving me ONE YEAR to try out the life of an author.

No, hush, I’m not officially published yet so I’m not technically ‘An Author’, but I will be soon enough so bear with my reckless optimism!

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July was a month full of prepping novel writing, plotting, collabs, setting up the office space in my living room (I got the best wife gift from mr T! A HUGE whiteboard) and making a LOT of professional profiles and accounts for my Erotica/18+ Writing!

Including setting up Miss Cane’s IG (RhineCane). I’ve decided to be open on here about who Rhine really is, but not necessary on twitter (CaneRhine) or Instagram —for various reasons.

But all in all!

Yay!

And on that note, I also did a wonderful few 18+ co-writing stories and they’re about to be published on amazon - Kindle Direct - this month!

SoMe (social media) is going fine but I’ve been very scarce on my platforms because I’ve been prepping like a madman!

Phew! I don’t actually feel that at home in the social media world, but I’ve come to realize that nobody can give you the chance you deserve, if they don’t know you’re there in the first place!

So I’m yelling from the rooftops that I’m a writer and that I write excellent stuff. And though I’ve been swaying in my digital activity lately (eh since May???) it seems to be working!

I got paid for my first commission story!

Omg!! Wut!?! I’m worth MOnEY? Yes, indeed I am (like all professional creators) and into my lil savings account the pennies goes.

>>>> If you want to order a commission story (any genre) from me PM/DM me!

>>>> My pricing right now is 15$ for 500 words and 20$ for a 1000.

>>>> yes, 18+ ok! And no, the three Big No’s is not okay.

Now!

On the private front things are going so so well too. Kiddo (3yo) has been delightfully driving me mad this summer and baby C (1yo) had his first birthday and his very first hour in daycare with dad TODAY!

I sat at my desk and I Wrote, yes wrote, 505 words of my novel ‘The Liar Alliance’ (book two of my Rise of the Blood Dawn trilogy) in 35 min!!

I’m stupid proud.

They’re good words!! And the scene is pretty dang sharp!

I’ll def do a lastline tag later today because I have to flaunt this spike of semi-genius wording!

And remeber FlashFictionFriday is tomorrow!!

That’s all for now!

See you around!

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