Only 51 more words to go to hit a cool million. Will I make it?
Photo: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) site screenshot of my profile, where it shows how many words I’ve written since I signed up in 2004. (They made a major change to the site in 2010, so it says I’ve only been there since then, but they lie!) My word count so far is 999,949.
If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.
NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.
As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.
Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”
The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:
1. Make it one sentence.
2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.
3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.
4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!
Stroked received a very nice 5-star review on it from a fellow author, Linda Fausnet:
This is a sweet love story between two misfits – a male stripper with a checkered past and a man with an endearing (and sometimes humorous!) speech impediment. Casper and Tristan find love while sharing their passions for art and swimming respectively as well as their passion for each other. Though this is book three in this terrific series, this novel can easily be read as a standalone. Also features a fun cameo from a familiar character that regular readers of this author will really enjoy!
And the rest of my day has been filled with my two new editing clients.
Until now, when I’ve finally had a chance to sit my aching body down and write.
And after this?
Write the next book, of course.
Thanks so much for reading.
See you tomorrow for the JusJoJan wrap up post!
***
This post of highs and lows is brought to you by Just Jot it January!
As I contemplated what I could write on the subject of Willow’s excellent prompt of the day, I decided to go to the dictionary to see what beyond the stars I could write.
And as I thought about it some more, I came to realize that I tend to write the same sort of characters in all my books. That is to say characters all of a sort that have deep issues. Issues of longing, of hardship, of loves lost.
Some of my characters deal with their issues with laughter—they tend to end up in my romantic comedies.
Some of my characters deal with their issues in a more angsty way, as in my paranormal series, “The Great Dagmaru,” and another dark romance that’s been gathering steam in my imagination.
But they’re all part of a constellation in my mind. They’re with me constantly … perhaps helping me sort out my own issues.
***
This contemplative post is brought to you by Just Jot it January and Willow! Thanks so much again, Willow, for the great prompt. Please be sure to check out her blog.
Is that actually Linda? Like, writing a real post? On her blog?
And the answer is yes. ‘Tis me. The great and powerful LindOz.
Who we all know was never great nor powerful at all.
Ah, I’ve missed stream of consciousness writing. Can’t delete it now. It’s the rule.
So I’m resolving to do my best to participate in JusJoJan every day. My posts might all be stream of consciousness, for the simple reason that it means I don’t have to plan what I’m going to write.
Because planning what I’m going to write makes my brain ache these days. Since November 1st, I’ve written more than 90K words, and I don’t plan to slow down much.
Aside from my resolve to post this month, my resolve for the year is to publish at least three books, plus a weekly serial I’m writing under a secret pen name. 5K words on each of 52 weeks. I’ve written almost half of it, but I plan to write at least three quarters of it before I start publishing.
Is all this an actual resolution? Like, a new year’s resolution?
I suppose by definition it is.
But I’m almost superstitious about those. I don’t think I’ve ever actually followed through with one.
I decided when I woke up on the 14th of November, with only 7,334 words written so far, that I was going to finish NaNoWriMo. (National Novel Writing Month is a challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November.) And I did it! 50,162! Go me!
Photo: Graph showing the proper steady growth to 50,000 words and my actual count that has lagged every single day until the finish line.
If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.
NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.
As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.
Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”
The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:
1. Make it one sentence.
2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.
3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.
4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!
Just a quick note to let you know the sale on Books 1 & 2 of The Great Dagmaru series ends tomorrow night.
When a young woman falls in love with a mysterious stage magician, their passion collides with a dark family secret… Spellbinding romance awaits in this award-winning modern Gothic tale!
Escape into the twists and turns of an extraordinary romance.
*18+ Contains explicit scenes.
GP
5.0 out of 5 stars Great series continuation!
Reviewed in the United States on 10 August 2018
Verified Purchase
Author Linda G Hill has done it again. She has managed to entertain me, surprise me, shock me, amuse me, frustrate me and make me cry, all in one book. The twists and turns as she continues Herman’s and Stephen’s journey will make you gasp. This book is a true gothic intended for 18+ audiences. Ms Hill does not sugarcoat life’s up and downs. The sex scenes are smoking hot and all serve to move the story forward. Well done!
You can pick up The Magician’s Blood, Book 2 of the series for the special price of $2.99 (regular $3.99) at Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Nook, and Smashwords.
The Magician’s Soul is the final book in the series. I may come back to it one day if enough people ask for it to continue, but there are no immediate plans.
I’ve had a few wonderful reviews so far! Here are two:
Linda Fausnet
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweeping romance, excellent world-building and page-turning suspense
Reviewed in the United States on 23 February 2021
Verified Purchase
If you have not read The Magician’s Curse, do yourself a favor and start binging all three books in this fascinating series. This series features the most dashing magician hero you can imagine, as well as a gripping tale filled with demons, intrigue, and a family curse that must be broken. This is a highly imaginative paranormal tale with truly engrossing world-building and page-turning suspense. Just when you think you know what will happen…you don’t. Stephen Dagmar is a truly unforgettable hero and the romance with his one true love, Herman (female, but with a male name ) is a sweeping love story for the ages. If you’re looking for a truly binge-able series – this one is it!
Patricia Winsett
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!
Reviewed in the United States on 17 February 2021
Verified Purchase
I could not put it down. The author weaves a tale of mystery, suspense, and a love story without missing a beat. It hits all the emotions. I would highly recommend it. Although it can stand on its on, be sure to read the first two books in series.
And don’t forget, you can download the Prequel novella, The Magician’s Sire, for free when you subscribe to my newsletter. It can be read any time, before you start the series, between books, or when you’ve finished them all. No spoilers. If you want to grab it and unsubscribe right away. No harm, no foul. Here‘s the link to subscribe. If you just want to know when I have a book coming out without the hassle of getting an email every other week, you can follow me on Bookbub here.
Thanks so much, and happy reading!
(Note that all of the Amazon US links in this post are affiliate links, which means I get a few cents commission if you buy the book after clicking the link. I’m bound by Amazon’s Terms and Conditions to tell you this.)
I finally did it! It’s been nine years, three months, and ten days since I wrote the first word of The Great Dagmaru series. Nine years, three months, and ten days since I met the characters, and I’ve lived with them ever since. And tomorrow, February 11th, 2021, I release them finally and completely into the world.
When I finished writing the first two books, I went into a deep depression for about two weeks. It was a book hangover on steroids. But I began Book 3, The Magician’s Soul not too long after, and I found I was okay. This time? Now that the series is complete? I’m still waiting for it to hit me. I can always write a spin-off series, right? Yeah, maybe. Maybe not.
It’s been a trip, living with Stephen and Herman and all their family members and friends swimming around in my head. Whether I continue to write them or not, they’ll be with me always.
To celebrate the release of The Magician’s Soul tomorrow, the first two books in the series are on sale.
You can get The Magician’s Curse on sale for 99 cents at Amazon US here, and everywhere else (Amazon worldwide and Kobo, Apple, and Nook) here. I’ll post the Prologue of The Magician’s Curse below, in case you’re new to the series. It won an award and everything!
(Note that all of the Amazon US links in this post are affiliate links, which means I get a few cents commission if you buy the book after clicking the link. I’m bound by Amazon’s Terms and Conditions to tell you this.)
You can pick up The Magician’s Blood, Book 2 of the series for the special price of $2.99 at Amazon US here, and everywhere else (Amazon worldwide and Kobo, Apple, and Nook) here. I won’t post an excerpt of this book for the sake of those who haven’t read the first one (spoilers!!). But you can find the first few chapters at each of the retailers preview links, I believe.
The Magician’s Soul is the longest book of the series at 101,000 words, or about 375 paperback pages. (Book 1 is 67K, and Book 2 is 97K.) The characters made me laugh, they made me cry, some of them even made me angry. But there’s a whole lot of love in this book. A whole lot of love went into it, too. I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it. You can get it at Amazon US here, and everywhere else (Amazon worldwide and Kobo, Apple, and Nook) here.
And finally, the Prequel novella, The Magician’s Sire, which is always free when you subscribe to my newsletter. You can grab it and unsubscribe right away. No harm, no foul. Here‘s the link to subscribe.
Thanks for coming on this journey with me. Through all the layers of my life, so have followed the layers of the Dagmar and Anderson families in these pages. If this series taught me anything, it’s that you can’t choose your family or all the intricacies that go with each facet of it. And sometimes, that’s perfectly okay.
And now for the Prologue of The Magician’s Curse!
Tarmien Dagmar couldn’t sleep. The clock taunted him as it had for months, even before his first child was born.
At least Stella can rest, he thought, listening to the soft snores of his wife drift through the dark from the other side of their king-sized bed. Breastfeeding was taking its toll, but the mere mention of hiring a nanny or allowing the servants to help with diaper changes was met with a firm “no.”
Murmuring something incoherent, she rolled over to face him and his blood heated at the fleeting thought of impregnating her again. It was what he was made for, after all. The blood that coursed through his veins, handed down for centuries from father to son, contained that of a demon. An incubus. A creature whose sole purpose was to seduce women and to create offspring.
Tarmien was coaxed from his thoughts by the subtle but distinctive sound of a waking infant. He gently eased himself out of bed so as not to wake his wife and crossed the hall quickly.
“It’s okay, Stephen,” he whispered as he closed the door of the nursery behind him. “Daddy’s here.”
He reached into the crib and picked up the restless newborn who settled the moment he was cradled in his father’s arms.
What have I done? Tarmien asked himself for the thousandth time since the baby was born.
Apart from the insatiable desire to procreate, Tarmien hadn’t shown any of the demonic tendencies to which his father had confessed on his deathbed, just months ago. He hoped he could spare his son the knowledge of that horrible confession. At least the curse that tied the Dagmar family to their servants, the Currys, was a burden Tarmien could bear himself; he was determined this child would never have to carry out its twisted conditions.
As he lifted his precious son to kiss his fine, black hair and breathe in his potent baby scent, he prayed that the family’s demonic bloodline had run out, once and for all. Only time would tell.
What was supposed to be a light little story (comedic, at that) about two people who fall in love has taken on so many complications, I haven’t been able to add to my NaNoWriMo word count today. Which sucks, because this was supposed to be the first novella of two I planned to complete for this month’s challenge.
But that’s me and my writing: no story is ever without its twist. I’m incapable, it seems, of writing a straightforward boy-meets-girl-boy-loses-girl-boy-gets-girl-back tale. There are always other forces involved, and intricate ones at that. I think it’s the villains. They worm their way into my stories whether I want them to or not. There’s never just a circumstance. There has to be a physical villain.
As the title of this post implies, though, there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve spent hours brainstorming–done everything short of actually getting in the shower, which is where my best ideas usually come to light. (I’m saving that for when I really get stuck … and saving unnecessary water-usage at the same time.) And I think I’ve got the plot sorted out. The bare bones of it, at least. That’s something I never do, and honestly, I worry that overthinking it will ruin my usual pantsing (flying by the seat of my pants) style. But we’ll see.
In case you’re curious about the book, it’s the prequel to the novel I wrote last year for NaNo, about an office romance between a female manager and a male temp who’s also a stripper. The story isn’t nearly as tawdry as it could have been. IT managed to be light (despite a menagerie of villains working in the office) and funny. I’ve already written the sequel to that one. They all revolve around the bar where the strippers perform. The second novella I still hope to write for this year’s NaNo will be the third in the series. The one I’m writing now will be free with sign-ups to my mailing list.
Wow. I never self-promote in my SoCS posts. I hope you’ll forgive me. But that’s what comes of just writing off the top of my head.
Anyway, time’s tight, so back to work. Hopefully the words will start flowing now that I’ve started writing. For me, writing a story is much like this stream of consciousness stuff. I start writing with a character’s mindset in my head, and it just comes out. It’s not the characters that give me problems. It’s the sticky situations I put them in.
Just dropping in to say TTFN. I’m off tonight to Kingston (Ontario) to attend the Writers’ Festival. I’ll be back Sunday night. The best part about this trip is that I’m staying close to one of the spots I envisioned in The Magician’s Curse. Perfect for getting back into the books! The hotel will likely serve as inspiration for a major setting in the prequel, which I’m editing now.
I’ll probably check in here and there, but I’m handing the SoCS reins over to my friend Dan Antion this weekend. Thanks, Dan!
Look out for plenty of photos. Fingers crossed that the cold I feel coming on will give up fighting the Vitamin C and just go away.
Anyhoo, be nice to Dan. I’ll be thinking of you all.
Photo: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) site screenshot of my profile, where it shows how many words I’ve written since I signed up in 2004. (They made a major change to the site in 2010, so it says I’ve only been there since then, but they lie!) My word count so far is 999,949.
lindaghill.com 