The Alignment Series

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TOATM Update – January 18

The muse has turned rabid. Did it hear me say this book was taking its sweet time and want to make me a liar? Sure looks like it.

Ideas, scenes, imagery, dialogue coming too fast now to keep up. I made a rough list, Stuff That Needs To Happen Before The End, and I don’t know if the simple act of trying to work off a list has angered or pleased the muse. I’m now being pummeled with totally unforeseen, unplanned scenes that are NOT ON THE LIST.

“Oh, those are the things you need to write?” says the muse, looking over my list. “Well, how about these twelve new things, too? And oh–one more. Oh, and this!”

So, like a good writer, I write them, thinking surely most of it will be cut in the editing phase. Surely this book won’t be 250,000 words. Then I read this stuff back the next day, and I see one thing ties to that thing that happened back in chapter 7 so it can’t be cut, and this other new thing shows a growth between this character and that character and it’s too poignant to cut.

Two more chapters ahead and nothing crossed off the list. It’s already the length of a good-sized novel and I’m nowhere near finished.

Progress of THE OAK AND THE MOON
First Draft: In progress (116,222 words and counting)
My revisions: In progress
Professional editing: Not started
Final Draft: Getting there slowly…
Proofreading: Not started
Formatting: Not started
Cover art: Not started

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TOATM Update – January 5

I wish I could report some hardcore progress on THE OAK AND THE MOON, but this book has its own pace, officially termed Taking Its Sweet Time. I hit chapter 38, which doesn’t mean much at this point because I don’t know how many more chapters it will take to get to the end of this thing. At least ten more. Twenty?

Christmas and New Year’s shamelessly gobbled most of my writing time, but with all that fun behind me I plan to buckle down and get some words on the page. I think I said this book should be in my editor’s hands in February? Well…hmm. About that…

Also to blame for stealing time from writing is our basement semi-finish we started weeks ago. We partitioned off part of our basement, stained the floor, painted the walls and ceiling, and now furniture and TV are here. Coming soon is a new chair and table for my new writing nook in the opposite corner, which should give me a better space to write. I’ll no longer be juggling my laptop, handwritten notes, Moore Family Tree (yes, book 3 is that complicated), and boat anchor Irish-English dictionary in my little bedroom armchair with no nearby table space. And the cat who’s determined to sit on top of my arm while this juggling is taking place.

End of the year leisure time didn’t allow much time for reading. I’m still working through BEL CANTO, which is excellent but a bit of a slow burn.

I did see two squeal-worthy movies:

In Your Eyesin_your_eyes

One of my new favorite movies of all time. Fans of my books will love this one. It’s a love story with a touch of the supernatural, pulled off expertly in every way.

It’s honest and charming and so human, it’s easy to forget the supernatural aspect of it. The simplicity of the story brings out the depth of character, and by the time the climax hits you’ll be yelling at your screen, rooting for these people. I love it when a movie can be romantic and sensual without being graphic, and can find a way to show the friendship that’s entangled in the deepest love.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
Teenage_Mutant_Ninja_Turtles_film_July_2014_poster
You *might* need to be a preexisting fan to squeal over this one. (Although some fans might be peeved over the changes to the TMNT mythology.) But I think I said “OMG YES!” about 500 times while watching it.

I have my criticisms of it but it’s all forgiven due to the fact that it’s TMNT and twenty-five years have not faded my fangirl crush on Raphael. (Okay, maybe shouldn’t admit that.) Nonstop disbelief-suspending action and the most unbeatable-looking villain EVER. Seriously. Shredder is so over the top you just have to go with it.

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TOATM Update – November 21

Last night I hit page 248 in my edit of the already written 370 pages (up from 366) of THE OAK AND THE MOON.

This is the cleanest draft I’ve written. It won’t need the two hundred revisions book one needed, thank the elements. The first half of this TOATM draft was rough because I had to apply a major change (verb tenses…*shudder*), but now I’m past that nightmare so progress is moving fast.

Once I reach page 370 the fun begins: writing new material. I’ve been thinking it’ll need about 100 more manuscript pages, but now I’m thinking it needs more like 200 (which translates to about 300 in paperback form). Eek.

Who’s ready to read a 700-page book? Anyone? *tap-tap-tap* Is this on?

*crickets*

Hopefully my editor and I can do a LOT of cutting…

I might take tonight off from writing. 22 Jump Street is sitting in its Netflix envelope on my kitchen counter. *cough* Channing Tatum *cough*

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Translations: THE TWO

For anyone curious about the translations of the Irish dialogue in THE TWO, keep reading. If THE TWO (or THE ALIGNMENT) is on your TBR, you might want to stop here to avoid spoilers.

Here’s a photo of autumn in Missouri as a protective buffer.

Content warning: explicit language

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Translation of Irish dialogue from THE TWO

Imeacht gan teacht ort.
Go and never return. (This is a harsh insult, comparable to “Fuck off” in English. There’s an element of wishing the person dead in it.)

Tá mé i ngrá leat.
I am in love with you.

Cén t-am é?
What time is it?

Tá sé deich nóiméad tar éis a seacht.
It is ten minutes after seven.

Ceangailte go brách
Eternally bound

Bailigh as
Fuck off

Mo ghrá thú.
I love you. (Literal translation: You are my love.)

Bréagadóir
Liar

Diúl mo bhod.
Suck my cock. (This is used as an insult in the book. I’m not sure if it’s always an insult when said this way, so be careful. LOL)

Tá tú go hálainn.
You are beautiful.

Is mian liom thú.
I want you.

Tá mé ag iarraidh craiceann a bhualadh leat.
I want to have sex with you. (A very impolite way to say it. The literal translation is something like “I want to bang skin with you.”)

Tá grá agam duit.
I love you.

Beidh muid in ann a dhul amú oraibh go héasca ar an mbóthar.
We can easily lose them on the road.

Níl spraoi ar bith ansin.
There is no fun there (in that).

Feicfidh mé ar an mbóthar thú, a dheartháir.
I’ll see you on the road, brother.

A Fhearghuis, a leanbh na páirte,
Bí láidir; ná tarraing céim siar.
Is treascairt na tragóide é an crann greamaithe.
Tá grá agam duit,
Fearghus, my dear child,
Be strong; do not retreat.
A destiny embraced is a tragedy overcome.
I love you,
(His name changes from Fearghus to Fhearghuis when someone is addressing him in Irish. Weird, I know. And awesome.)

A chroí
My dear

Mo bheannacht ar do leanbh.
My blessing on your child.

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TOATM Update – October 18

I just reached page 100 of 366 in my first revision of the first 75% of THE OAK AND THE MOON. I lost a few hours of work this week to a couple book-related things I had to do, which were:

    – draw a floor plan of all three levels of the Moore estate
    – research total lunar eclipses from 1964 through 1984

The floor plan was necessary to make sure these people weren’t walking around in an architecturally impossible house. The lunar eclipses…well, you’ll see.

I just woke up to an entire page of “ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd” inserted in the middle of a sentence, with my finger on the D key still pressing away. I’d say it’s time to call it a night!

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So, Where’s Book Three?

THE OAK AND THE MOON is a hefty book. There’s a lot of story to tell, and a lot of ground to cover. I started the first draft years ago, plowed right into it after finishing the first draft of THE TWO. After over 100,000 words, I put it on pause–right in the middle of a poignant scene–to revise and publish THE ALIGNMENT, followed by THE TWO. I haven’t touched it since. I’m thrilled to return to book 3. It’s my favorite so far. It’s become something I never expected. This book is the third in the series but it’s…different. In a good way.

Book three is about 75% complete, but there’s quite a bit of work to do on that current 75%. I started (restarted) on it yesterday, at page one, reading and revising as I go. When I reach the end of what’s already written, I start writing new stuff. There will be no breaks until it’s done. Then I do a full revision. Then it goes to my editor. When, you say? I hope to give it to my editor in early 2015. Februaryish. Yes, I might be slow. But this book will be worth it. :)

Progress of THE OAK AND THE MOON
First Draft: In progress, about 75% complete
My revisions: Not started
Professional editing: Not started
Formatting: Not started
Cover art: Not started

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THE TWO is Here

TheTwo-ebook-cover

One family unifies, the other releases its army. And two people enter a war they can only survive together.

THE TWO, the second book in The Alignment Series, is now available on Amazon.

Sample or buy now: Kindle | Paperback

The Alignment is a contemporary fantasy series about two rival families and the people caught between them. If you haven’t read the first book, the Kindle version is free on Amazon right now.

TWO thousand thanks to the team who helped me publish this book: editor Jennifer Wingard, photographer Keith Lee, and the artists at DamonZa.com. I’ll be honest–I was worried about this book. The first draft was rough. My editor and I worked for months, polishing this thing into what I thought was impossible: a worthy sequel. And with gorgeous formatting and cover art, it’s made me very proud. I hope you enjoy it.

THE TWO
Book Two of The Alignment Series

Liv’s role in the war between the Bevans and the Moores is as solid as the motif carved in her protective amulet. The problem? She never volunteered. Her connection with Trey happened too fast. She can’t trust in love built by magic.

Trey’s place in the war has shifted. No longer the target, he’s just someone in the way. Not if he can help it. He’s packed and ready to return to the Moore estate. This time, he can’t bring Liv, but he can’t leave her to battle Moore-trained assassins alone.

Liv knows if Trey goes, the Moores will kill him. Trey knows their remote mountain home won’t be safe until he’s executed every Moore. And Liv has a secret that, if divulged, will propel Trey to the estate faster than his fifteen-year-old need for revenge.

The Moores don’t need Trey to come to them. They have a new strategy—an attack on the very thing Liv questions, the last thing Trey expects to be in their sights. Their love.

Sample or buy now: Kindle | Paperback

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THE TWO is Weeks Away

THE TWO is being formatted right now, so it’s officially hands-off for me. I can’t touch it anymore. I wish I could turn the darn thing off in my head.

I’ve seen the first draft of the cover. The cover! OMG the cover.

This just might be the last update before it’s published.

Progress of THE TWO
First Draft: Complete (121,293 words)
My revisions: Complete
Professional editing: Complete
Formatting: In progress
Cover art: Photographs for cover art delivered, cover art in progress