Friday, November 29, 2019

Goals for the Weekend 2019-11-29

Welcome everyone!

This weekend, I have shopping to do! Yes, Black Friday is upon us and gifts need getting, so today, that's my goal.

Saturday and Sunday are free, however, so I plan on getting back to work on my writing. Here's what I hope to accomplish:

  • Record more chapters in the Book 2 audio book.
  • Finish outlining the current section of Book 3 I'm working on.
  • Get together files for promotional material for Book 2.
If I can do all that, I'll have a successful weekend. I hope you do too. Happy Holidays!

Peace,

-Troy

Thursday, November 28, 2019

*SPOILER* 13th Reveal for Book 2 - The Back Cover

Welcome everyone!

For those who are in America on this day, I'd like to start off by wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope the time you get to spend away from work and with family is joyful and refreshing.

On to the reveal!

The title of this post kinda gives it away, so I won't beat around the bush much. I'm now ready to reveal the full back cover of my second novella.

I wanted to go with a similar aesthetic to The Huntsman and the She-Wolf. I think you'll be able to note a bit of that here.

Also, this will be the first real hint about the storyline for the sequel. The blurb does appear on the back, so if you are wanting to avoid really for-real spoilers, then you definitely don't want to scroll any further down.

You have been WARNED!
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Not much else to say. Man, I love this cover! I can't wait for you to be able to get it in your hands. Please enjoy your weekend. Take care of each other!

Peace,

-Troy

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Some Chapters are Hard, Others come so Easily

Welcome everyone!

Essentially, I am now finished with Book 2. I still have a few chapters to record for the audio book and of course publishing it on Amazon, Audible, and IngramSpark. But those are trivial matters, really.

As a result, I have to look ahead to Book 3 already. One of the curious things about writing I have discovered is how inconsistent it can be.

Some chapters flow from my mind to my hands and on to the computer screen with ease. I'll write 3,000 words like they were nothing. Other times, I'll get 500 words done and feel like I must have written 10,000 it took so long.

At times, the first draft is beautiful and inspired. Other times, it reads like I just typed instructions on how to prepare a recipe in the kitchen. It's dull, straightforward, and as enrapturing as a warranty pamphlet to read.

I can't explain that. I do know that almost all authors deal with that sort of thing, though. If you ever hear a writer say their first draft is "trash" or something of that nature, it's true! The rough copy reads so bad.



So anyway, that's what I'm looking at. More days of awesome writing and terrible writing. All in all, though, it is absolutely worth it. I haven't found any entertainment activity more fulfilling than writing. It's not something I ever plan on giving up.

Don't forget, there will still be a reveal for Thanksgiving. Please remember to check back!

Peace,

-Troy

Monday, November 25, 2019

Had Good Weekend - All Files Are In!

Welcome everyone!

After a terribly difficult week, I actually had an pretty good weekend. I got to go to a great classical music concert AND got a lot of work done on my writing.

Every goal I set last Friday, I was able to reach. That's not always the case, so I feel a ton better about where things stand right now with my writing.

Speaking of which, I have taken full possession of ALL FILES associated with Book 2! If I wanted, I could publish tomorrow. Now, I don't want to just yet, but we are just a few weeks away.

Expect another reveal this Thursday, even though it's the Thanksgiving holiday. Make sure you check back for that.

Also, thanks for all the support that you've sent my way. I really did appreciate all the emails and private messages. I want you to know that they helped tremendously.



Anyway, had a great weekend. I hope you did to.

Peace,

-Troy

Friday, November 22, 2019

Goals for the Weekend 2019-11-22

Welcome everyone!

This weekend I have a lot to do. All of the files for Book 2 should be coming in. I still have a lot of recording and editing to do. I need to continue banging away at Book 3 so I can keep to a yearly schedule. Whew, I hope I can manage all that.

So here are my goals:

  • Final approval of all Book 2 files
  • Record at least 1 chapter of the Book 2 audio book
  • Continue outlining Book 3
If I can do all that, I'll have a good weekend. I hope you do too.

Peace,

-Troy

Thursday, November 21, 2019

*SPOILERS* 12th Reveal for Book 2 - The Backbone of the Story

Welcome everyone!

It's good to have you here this week. It's been a hectic one for me. I've had a lot of unexpected responsibilities this week due to a tragic loss in my family. We're still grieving, but hopefully soon, things will return to normal.

That aside, it's time for another reveal! The good news is all work is now finished on the covers and interiors of my book! That means, if I wanted, I could publish Book 2 today.

I'm not quite ready, though. First, I just want to give everything a rigorous second viewing. I want to make sure there are no silly mistakes on the covers or with the illustrations.

With my first book, my layout artist forgot to include the map for the paperback and hardback versions. I didn't discover this until I got my first physical proofs, which is way too late in the game to catch something of that nature.

So this time, I'm being much more deliberate.

Anyway, let's get to the reveal. This is your last chance to turn back before you see any spoilers:
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I give you, The Spine!


I admit, I couldn't resist the play on words with "Backbone" in the title of this post. Anyway, the spine will give you a good idea about the color scheme and tone of the cover for The Huntsman and the Vampire. Also, the pine trees play a small but important role in the story. They represent a location Tristan will see in this book then return to again in the future. I'm really glad the cover artist was able to include them.

Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this week's reveal. We are just weeks away from pre-orders. Please keep checking back as we get closer!

Peace,

-Troy

Monday, November 18, 2019

Welcome Back, Monday

Welcome everyone!

So kind of a tough weekend for me on a personal level. I experienced some wonderful highs and some crushing lows.

The triumph and tragedy of it all got me reflecting on what it means to have a successful or fulfilling life.

One thing I've decided is that if I ever get to see my great-grand kids, that will be a good accomplishment. I, personally, never got to know my great-grandparents. That's always been something I've regretted.

I also feel that a good life will leave something behind for the next generation. Not for personal glory or fame, but as a source of wisdom, knowledge, and history. That's why I'm so thankful for all the support I've been given with my books. Thank you SO MUCH to all of you who have encouraged me and brought me your books to sign. You are all dear to my heart.

I'm really not writing them for my own benefit, though I'd be lying if I ever said there wasn't any. The truth is, though, I'm writing them for young people: young people who are alive today and young people that will come along way after I'm gone.

I don't do this to preserve my name in the hopes I'll live on in memory or esteem. I do it because I've learned some hard lessons in life, and I would love it if my experiences help others through their own difficult times.



So anyway, yeah, I'm a little melancholy today. I hope your week is productive and bright. Don't forget to check back on Thursday. The next sliver of my cover will be revealed!

Peace,

-Troy

Friday, November 15, 2019

Goals for the Weekend 2019-11-15

Welcome everyone!

This weekend I have a lot of personal items to attend to. I won't have any time at all for writing or recording, unfortunately. There are times in life when hobbies must be set aside for other, more weighty matters.

Nevertheless, I'll still be able to bounce ideas for Book 3 off some friends, family, and colleagues. So, that will have to suffice for this weekend.

Goals:

  • Continue conceptualizing the plot for Book 3
If I can do that, I'll have a good weekend. I hope you do as well.

Peace,

-Troy

Thursday, November 14, 2019

*SPOILERS* 11th Reveal for Book 2 - THE TITLE!!!!

Welcome everyone!

I've been waiting a long time to share this with you. Since August, I have slowly revealed more and more about the interior of the sequel to The Huntsman and the She-Wolf.

I have greatly enjoyed that ride. We've been able to see some gorgeous locations as well as the unique roses that adorn several of the major characters in the novella. Each image is dear to me and resonates with a different emotion. I truly hope they mean as much, if not more, to you.

So now, we are ready to move from the interior to the exterior. The title will appear on Book 2 much like it did on Book 1. Many of the design motifs will be carried over from the original. I think that makes the series more recognizable as well as shows the evolution of the story over time.

One of the biggest decisions I had to make concerning the title is how it should be phrased. Should I keep the "The Huntsman and the ___________" or should I go with something different. I toyed with several names like:

  • Hunter's Sun
  • Hunter's Rise
  • Hunter's Quest
  • Journey of the Huntsman
None of those worked for me. I decided to keep the "The Huntsman and the ___________" format but what should go in the blank? There were a lot of options:
  • Judge
  • Tower
  • Keep
  • Vampire
  • Secret
  • Garden
  • Fountain
  • Scepter
  • Sword
  • Hound
I had to think which one would best describe the story and which one would best tie in to Book 1. It wasn't an easy choice, but if you scroll below, you'll get to see what I ended up selecting:
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I give you "The Huntsman and the Vampire" for your enjoyment!


And so now you know. I hope the title intrigues you. The cover is nearly finished. There just needs to be a few finishing touches to the hardback version. The interior is almost done as well. I'm waiting on about a dozen small corrections there. 

That means, by the end of this month, I could publish if I wanted. But why hurry? There is so much more I want to reveal before I do.

Until then, take care of each other.

Peace,

-Troy


Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Are you Ready for the Title of Book 2???

Welcome everyone!

We are getting closer and closer to the launch of Book 2. As we are counting down the weeks until it goes live, I've been revealing bits and pieces of it to you. Now, this week, I am ready to reveal the name!

As always, the revelation will be on Thursday (tomorrow). Make sure you check back to see it then. I'll be following the format I did last time with The Huntsman and the She-Wolf.

If you want to see how I did that, you can check out that post HERE.


Hope to see you back tomorrow. Spread the word!

Peace,

-Troy

Monday, November 11, 2019

A Good Weekend and A Great Blog Post

Welcome everyone!

I had a good weekend. I hope you did as well. I am glad to announce that I'm half way done recording the audiobook for Book 2 now!

It's a long road, with editing and mastering still ahead of me. Yet, I feel I'm starting to make real progress, which is a relief.

I also want to highlight a great blog article I read today. It's all about creating good villains for a story. If you're a writer or aspiring to be one, you might check it out HERE. It's written by the esteemed Kristen Lamb, who's always a good read IMHO.



Anyway, just checking in on a Monday. Until next time, take care of each other.

Peace,

-Troy

Friday, November 8, 2019

Goals for the Weekend 2019-11-08

Welcome everyone!

This weekend, it's back to the audio book grindstone. I'm still working away at that thing and probably will be for a while. 

Other than that, I just saw the first draft of the hardback cover! It's looking good but I'm going to try something different with it. Hopefully, the artist can accommodate me. We'll see.

Anyhow, here's my goals:

  • Record more audio chapters
  • Continue preparations for Book 3
If I can to all that, I'll have a good weekend. I hope you do too.

Peace,

-Troy

Thursday, November 7, 2019

*SPOILERS* 10th Reveal for Book 2 - A Beautiful View

Welcome everyone!

Hard to believe it's been ten weeks since we started this. We're getting down to the last of the interior images that I have for Book 2. So what does that mean? Haha! That means the cover is next!

So, be looking for reveals concerning that in the very near future. Anyway, let's move of to what we're revealing for this week.

One of the things I had to accomplish in The Huntsman and the She-Wolf was a brief tour of the setting. Everyone starting a book series wants to get a general idea of what the places are like and what the history says about the people.

While the main characters are on their way to investigate the coal stoppage in the mines, Phen and Mersha basically describe all the significant locations in Celandine Valley to Tristan. He, of course, was kept from the village school most of his life. His father provided all his education, and while it was full of reading, writing, bookkeeping, and pottery, it was very light on history and geography. Thus, his troupemates had to fill him in.

One of the locations they described appears in Book 2. Its location is far in the north nestled against the mountains. Anyone coming to Celandine Valley must pass by it in order to enter.

Last chance to avoid any spoilers!

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I give you Everpass Hold:



It's an impressive fortress, isn't it? Sadly, it's almost all empty. The numbers of valley-dwellers willing to serve as huntsmen has steadily dwindled over the years.

As a result, only about a dozen or so work in the keep anymore. Most of them are young and barely trained for combat.

Instead, Everpass Hold has become a place of refuge and care. Many wanderers from the outside world first visit this place as they look for a new life inside the valley. The hunters here feed them and minister to them until they are strong enough to make the journey to Vitalba village on their own.

As you can see, there are towers and lookouts all up and down the mountainside. They've been sealed off, for the most part, in a bygone age. None of the workers living there now have any idea what's inside them.

Despite all this, the keep is still warm, well-maintained, and welcoming. The front gate is barred open and guests are never turned away.

Everpass is one of my favorite locations. The lost grandeur, the joyful mood, the brilliant white towers, and the air of mystery surrounding it constantly pique my imagination. I can't wait to share it with you in Book 2.

Until next week, take care of each other.

Peace,

-Troy

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Motifs I'd Like to Use #9 - Ancient Beasts

Welcome everyone!

This week I want to talk about something else that I thoroughly enjoy in fantasy writing: ancient beasts.

In this case, I'm not talking about something that's just old like dragons. I'm talking about something more primordial, something from a forgotten age unlike anything else seen in the setting.

For instance, in Middle-earth you have the Fell Beasts that the Nazgul ride in The Return of the King:


In Harry Potter you have the basilisk:


In Star Wars, we have the Sarlacc Pit


In the Wheel of Time there is the Grolm:



And so on. Sometimes these ancient beasts are conglomerations of other animals. Manticores, Chimeras, Hydras, Sphinxes, and Dragon Turtles fall into that category. Those kinds of monsters interest me the most because they seem unnerving more than anything. Your brain tells you that such a creature can't be right.

So, at any rate, I hope to use a creature or creatures like that at some point in my books. However, if I do, it will be sparingly. The impact of such an odd and terrifying monster is lessened the more it is used. So if I really want the reader to remember it, whatever strange creature appears in my series will be cloaked in mystery and seldom seen.

Peace,

-Troy

Friday, November 1, 2019

Goals for the Weekend 2019-11-01

Welcome everyone!

Just one goal this week: Have a successful BOOK SIGNING! Yes, just a reminder that I'll be at the Marion County Public Library from 11am to 1pm. I hope to do a reading, maybe some questions and answers, then - if all goes according to plan - have a HUGE reveal for everyone who stays until the end.

I hope to see as many there as possible. I think we'll have a good time. Don't be shy! I will have copies for sale, so if you don't have yours yet, you can pick them up there.

Goals for the weekend:

  • Have a successful book signing.
Peace,

-Troy