For those of you who might not know about CreateSpace, they are an Amazon company. Specifically, in relation to books at least, they are a print-on-demand company that also offers editing and marketing services at an additional cost.

I was first introduced to CreateSpace through NaNoWriMo back in 2008. How did that happen? The winners of the contest were given a code to receive a free print copy of their book from CreateSpace. So, I ran over to CreateSpace, created a membership, and have been a satisfied member ever since. They are constantly improving the site, seeking input from their members as well, and I heartily approve of where they have taken themselves.

And CreateSpace isn’t just for writers, either. Through them you can distribute video and audio formats as well. I recommend that you take a look, if you are looking for an affordable way to get your creative juices flowing out into the public. Take a look at what they have to offer, and I can guarantee you will be impressed with them. They give you the tools to produce, as well as the information needed to excel.

A difference of opinion over sweets.

For the past couple weeks the hubs has wanted to begin outlining a new campaign for my fantasy heroes Para Sedi and Munwar Meek. Unfortunately, I haven’t been very motivated to do much writing, giving into the temptation of depression due to our forced separation (because of his transfer from the east side to the west side).

Saturday I was able to pull myself out of it, with the hub’s help, and we outlined Para’s entire back story, as well as the prelude to the new campaign! I was even able to jot down a portion of Munwar’s backstory, which I still need to flesh out.

The campaign will be the next installment in my fantasy series, The Soul Cycle, written during the National Novel Writing Month contest. Para is the sole focus of part 1 of this two-part pre-quel. In Para the reader is introduced to the chaos which sets her on the path of becoming an adventurer-for-hire. Part 2, Meek, will delve into the past of stoic Munwar Meek and his struggles against family expectations in order to become a warrior.

I haven’t decided if they will be released as separate books or as a single volume. Mostly, I’m just excited to be getting things squared away 10 months ahead of schedule! Usually I only have a general idea of the entire storyline and then let my imagination go wild on November 1st. This time I will not only have a clear backstory for motivations and desires, but I will have the campaign outline, maps, and a knowledge of the world’s history!

It’s nice to have a ready made world at your fingertips… well, in the brain of my husband anyway. Listening to him talk about the history of this world is quite fascinating! It is a goal of mine to get it down on paper so I have an easy reference rather than constantly asking questions that have been asked and answered before.

Outlining has never been this much fun before.

________

The first book in The Soul Cycle series, To Save a Soul, was a winner of the 2008 National Novel Writing Month and published by Angel Breath Books in May 2009. Book 2, Silver & Iron, is scheduled for release in Q1 of 2012.

Oh yes. I remember. My obsession with that medieval storyline game and those congruent revisions of three manuscripts.

Well, a firm believer of the old adage “better late than never”, I thought I would try my hand at a ‘New Years’ post. After all, the first week of the New Year has very nearly come and gone. Certainly I must have some opinion on where it is going and what my expectations are?

Right? o.O

Perplexed, I come to find there isn’t much in my head about the New Year. Yes, I have goals and items on my check-list I am eager to complete, but other than that? No compelling resolutions. No flares of determination, where I ball my hand into a fist and vow…. Nope.

To my shock, I am comfortable with the list I pieced together in Q4 of 2011. In fact, I haven’t made many changes to it, more than a jostle here and there to the priorities. The manuscripts that found their way onto the check list are the most suitable for proving to myself I am making progress.

If I were to resolve to do one or two things, it would be to take a couple writing classes or workshops from either Christian Writers Guild or Gotham Writers or both. That goal, however, will need to be submitted to my husband, the master Bookkeeper. He did approve a class in Q4 of 2011, but since that time we needed to spend $1200 on getting my car’s AWD serviced and the yearly maintenance check. So, it will be interesting to see how that impacted his statement that I could take the Fiction that Sells class at CWG in Q1 of 2012….

Anyway, what a relief to not have the demand for resolutions looming over my head! Now I can funnel those energies and that determination to the manuscripts vying for my attention and get them out the door to that wide world of readers!

I will need to drop them a line and thank them for the honor. ALVIS Editions is located in Italy!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to it as soon as I hoped. Not even close. Other books and characters demanded my attention. Then life in general demanded an accounting.

There was always something.

As I begin the rewrite  to transition it from fan-fiction to original fiction, now is a prime opportunity to fill the chasms. I look forward to introducing these wonderful characters to the readers, and the distraction of the medieval game, Dragon Age, has been encouraging a percolation of possible new histories. Insights into other character types and interactions. New views of antagonists and villains who have led my characters to this place.

The Story will not be a sprawling epic like Resurrected Honor, the goal is simply too direct. But the process of fleshing out the characters of Zain and Maera in this new kingdom of LaDoon is… appealing and encouraging my brain to percolate ideas and approaches. It is an awesome feeling to be so engaged in the act of writing.

Poor Of Damsels & Dragons found itself pushed aside for the moment, a contemporary romance with another concise storyline I am transitioning from fan-fiction. But like The Story, the time away is allowing me to brainstorm a more fulfilling approach to the blossoming romantic relationship between our jaded thespian, Sir Garret Harrison, and plucky optimist Amy Burke. She acted a bit too forgiving at times in the original. In this version, all I can say is ‘watch out, Garret.’

It’s nice to go from hacking out >60k words from Searching for Sara to a goal of adding at least 20k to both of these storylines. If I don’t hit that goal, no matter! They will simply be quick reads, and who doesn’t like a quick romance…. That doesn’t sound right. *ahem*

Anyway, once the unabridged versions of these two romances are out and about, I will reassess my to-do list and see what project is the closest to being complete. My motivation needs to continue to focus on results until I can get my to-do list under control. Too many novels and no direction makes Nona a cranky writer… and that is simply not a pretty picture!

Perhaps the next project on the horizon will finally involve finalizing Searching for Sara…?