Monthly Wrap Up
August was a full month for writing endeavors and some busy summer weekends. Labor Day is this weekend and I have plans for my writing life in September and beyond.
The Light Series
I finished the initial draft of Truth Bearer in the middle of the month. Editing will start after Labor Day with the goal of seeing if the process will allow for beta readers in October. I’ve already tested my timing on editing with a half done work that I picked up in the break.
The first week will primarily be a read through from a reader’s point of view as objectively as I can. I’ll make notes of anything that jars me out of reading or I feel needs more. Then I’ll dig deeper in week two on all the content needs. Based on where I am at the end of week two, I can judge when I’ll be ready for beta readers.
Since I released Champions of Light in June, I want to have Truth Bearer out February, no later than March, next year. Even if Champions of Light works as a standalone, it definitely hints at more to come.
I will also get my cover designer working on the cover in September. I will probably post about it in my socials and fantasy reader/writer groups for feedback when we have a draft ready to share. I did this with Champions of Light and it led to some changes that really polished the cover.
The other goal is to set up Scrivener for book three. There is a large event for Karnum that pulls all the kingdoms together every ten years. I need to flesh this event out and see how the Dark will use it to mess with Versont and Rhoanda. I’ll see what all pops up through September as I work on editing Truth Bearer that can help flesh this one out. I can’t say more here because I need to figure it out and I don’t want to drop spoilers.
Last of Dragons
This tale is the side project I’ve worked on in the cracks around the Light Series and had kicked around for a while, much like Champions of Light had its start years ago. This will continue to be worked on around the Light Series. I’ve used it to test read through and line editing timing. Then gave chapter one to my critique group, knowing it needed content editing but wanted to see what ideas they had. The feedback proved wonderful and some of it matched my own thinking.
I would love to see this book come out next year, too. We’ll have to see how it fits in the cracks with the Light Series. I may have it first appear as a subscription serial here on Substack. Those that contribute to helping me improve the story will have a chance at winning prizes. I have ideas of various things I can do with this. Stay tuned to see how this works out because first I have to be sure I can get the paid subscription model setup. The subscription will fund the prizes and help with my writing costs. I’m thinking fifteen dollars for the year and a two dollars monthly for those that want a short time to check it out first. If you have thoughts on this, leave a comment.
Upcoming Books
I shared the last of A Classic Retold cover reveals this month. There are nine books in total. The following two are books eight and nine.
Kill the Dawn
After a devastating wound and the loss of his beloved father, Hakkr is trying to pick up the pieces of his life. But when his father's last conquest, a mysterious thrall, shares a terrible secret, Hakkr's life only further unravels as incident after incident leads him to the chilling realization that his people's enemies are not the only ones who want him dead. Set in a wild northern world of wolf-hunts and Viking warfare, Kill the Dawn is a breathtaking new retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet, full of heart, beauty, and bittersweet sacrifice.
Riddle of Hearts
Bad bargains have bad consequences.
As royal scribe for the Queen of Hearts, Alice Bishop has two duties: record the proceedings of the court and don’t ask questions. But if chronic tardiness and a constantly wandering mind didn’t make things hard enough, now a Madness has seized the court, turning normal gatherings into heated debates and gossip into whispered threats. Unsettling dreams plague Alice’s sleep and follow her into the waking world; white roses and a familiar clearing she’s sure she’s never seen before.
Finding answers becomes a matter of life and death after Alice uncovers the Queen’s terrible secret. Along with a mysterious and strangely familiar man, a heartless little boy, and her own relentless curiosity, Alice embarks on a quest through the Madness corrupted forests in search of the truth. But as each step reveals more of her hidden past, her search for answers becomes the discovery of a long forgotten question. One only she can answer…or Wonderland will be lost forever.
In this imaginative retelling of Alice in Wonderland, Rosie Grymm tackles denial, regret, and responsibility with a (big) helping of classic Wonderland madness.
Preorder all nine books of A Classic Retold through this link to the series page on Amazon.
Other fun writing events of August
I had my first in person meet and greet at my local library. I live in a small community, so it was a small turnout, but I had a lot of fun. I read my first chapter, answered questions, and sold a book. I’m working with another local library to do the same once they determine the day they feel will work the best for their clients that would be interested in my book.
I just received notice they are starting the launch groups for A Classic Retold, so I signed up for that. I have some reading to do when I get advanced reader copies, so look forward to the reviews I will share here.
Only the monthly wrap up is pushed to your email, but I will link all things I post in September to the next one. I have to admit to neglecting the blog other than this wrap up for August.
As always, I welcome your comments and questions about what you would like to see here, about my updates, or anything about writing. I definitely would like comments about what you think of having a subscription to read through Last of Dragons to help me polish the story.