It's Kristoff's Turn!
New writer here, so I'm still learning. What have I learned recently? To keep writing! Okay, while that's nothing new, I'm referring to my series. One of them, Men of Neptune has a new book releasing soon! It’s called The Guardian’s Prize, and I am beyond pumped.
BUT
It has me thinking. Why haven’t I started Kristoff’s story, Broken Promises? Broken Promises is from the Broken series, one I started with Dreamspinner Press. The first book was Broken Bones.
Then, I moved to Extasy Books, and the first book became Broken Pieces.
Now, the character Kristoff is in both stories and was a favorite side character in each. People often ask me where his story is.
It’s not like I don’t have the storyline ready. I do. It’s been sitting at least a year waiting.
And waiting.
And waiting.
You get the idea.
I think my issue was that I was terrified. The what-ifs were killing me. What if I write his story and everyone hates it? What if he’s different than people expected? What if…
But, there comes a point when a writer simply has to just do it. Just write the story. Just put it on paper. Okay, maybe not paper, but you know what I mean.
Just do it!
Face your fears, right? I mean, what could it hurt? I’ll never know the readers’ response if I never write the story. And, really? I need to write this for me, and for Kristoff. Pretty sure he’s angry with me. I need to tell his story and conquer my own fears.
I’m ready.
So, Broken Promises? It’s the story of Kristoff and Jeremiah. The guys? Yes, because you know they’re guys. That’s all I write. That’s all I want to.
Ah! Here they are!
Kristoff
Jeremiah
Their story?
Kristoff has left Jeremiah’s pack. He feels that somewhere along the line he lost his focus. His need to protect his nephew and his love for Jeremiah has left him vulnerable. He’s failed his nephew and his alpha. He’s failed himself and has moved to Charleston, South Carolina to start over again.
Jeremiah has struggled with his feelings for Kristoff for years, feelings he’s chosen to ignore as he continues to mourn the loss of his mate. When an old enemy from Kristoff’s past resurfaces, Jeremiah decides enough is enough, that Kristoff needs to come home. Jeremiah needs Kristoff where he can see him, where he can keep him safe.
Okay, there’s a ton to go along with this. Shifters and creatures of all kinds. Fighting. Passion. Love. Definitely love. They’ve been waiting long enough. It’s time.
Now, the thing about writing a series is that it’s not easy by any means. How do I reintroduce the characters? How do I continue the story? How do I fit the pieces together without confusing the reader?
I mean, do I want to sound like an old Kungfu movie where the two characters talk, and we know all in a few brief lines?
No, I want the story to flow, to appear natural. Now, there were two great articles I found on this.
How to Write a Series: 8 Novice Mistakes to Avoid
I like this. It gets right to the point of what doesn’t work. It’s worth a look.
Now, this one has some real meat to it. How to organize the series and what to consider are things I’m interested in, and this seems to be packed full of goodies.
Okay, armed with Scrivener, my notes, these articles, and my betas, I should be ready.
Let’s go!
Coming Soon!
Spring Fever
Wing
Spring Fever features six stories. The one that I wrote is Wink.
Blurb:
Calyx, a Tengu goblin, has one thing to do, and that’s to get an education that will help him protect his mountains and lakes in modern times.
Trey, a wolf shifter, has always been afraid of being himself and has lived his life according to his mother’s rules, rules wrapped in fear and heartbreak.
But, it’s spring break, and these two shifters have spring fever.
It’s time for everything to change.
The Guardian’s Prize
Blurb:
Tetra Batair, grandson of Neptune himself and guardian of the god’s military forces, has arrived in Charleston, South Carolina for his mate. The only problem? His mate doesn’t want him. Now what’s a merman to do?
Aoki Tatsuo, an art teacher who’s half dragon and half human, doesn’t want to be anyone’s mate. Or, at least that’s what he’s telling himself.
When the two first meet the earth trembles…literally.
A merman and a dragon.
One will have to learn patience.
The other will have to learn there’s more than one way to love.
Can the two of them work through the obstacles in their past to find their perfect future?
In Other News
School is almost over. Teachers are having a rough time of it in Louisville. Our pensions are being threatened and our retirement limited if we have one at all. And, if that isn’t enough, we just learned yesterday that the state may be taking over our school district. So, while I’m looking forward to summer, I’m more concerned about what will happen in the future.
We’ll have to see.
Love to you all,
Deja
Then and Now
So much has happened since then. Kristoff's book was not only inspired but written and reviewed. Kristoff and Jeremiah's story has been told, and I enjoyed being able to share it with the world. Not only that but there's been a fourth book released in October. Broken Dreams. It's the story of Darren, Samuel, and Dallon. You know what? Here's the cover and blurb just in case you might be interested. Feel free to click on the images for the buy links if it really grabs you.
Blurb:
A human, a wolf-sprite, and a Sandman. How could life for these three go wrong?
Darren Carpenter is running from his love of Samuel and his future as the Coimeádaí of a Sandman. Samuel Tolliver just wants what he wants and is willing to raise a little mischief to get it. Dailon knows he is more than human but has no clue what he is or what he needs. But the Fates have a plan for them, even if family, friends, and fairy royalty must get involved. When everything goes wrong, can they make it right again?
It's a little different, so be prepared. And since this one was released after my Covid Hiatus Period, you may want to revisit the other titles.
Yes, the Covid Hiatus Period. That happened, and my writing took a backseat to all of us on lockdown, the entire family and the frogs. Just recently returned to the writing world. It took a moment to reconnect. But I'm not letting that happen again. I need my writing, and as I have been told, people need my writing. We need something with a happy ending, where struggles are overcome. We need a safe place. Writing does that. It gives us a place to go. I have to remember that. It helps to have people who will remind you of your purpose.
Authors, keep writing. Readers, keep reading. People, keep living. We have to take advantage of every moment. Otherwise, why are we even here?
Oh, and there's a new story on the way. It's titled Flirty and Red. Red and Sebastian are excited to share their story with you. Would you like to see what they look like? Hang on.
Red
Sebastian
Their story is a sweet one, a little twisted with a happy ending. More about them later.
Something else since then? I've created this website. I'm using Wix.https://www.wix.com/ I like it. It's as simple as you can make it or as complex as you want it to be. Me? I'm keeping it simple. The first time I tried using it, I wanted to pull my hair out, but then I found this awesome video.
Santrel Media - https://youtu.be/nIKbN5pBSXo
He does an excellent job of explaining how to use Wix. This video helped me to develop my website and saved my hair.
Now, when you're thinking about paying for Wix and want to know if it might be the best fit for you, this one was excellent to view.
CyberNews - https://youtu.be/tglBBYp71eg
I like how the website flows, the fact that everything is housed in one place, and it's easy to share with others. As a writer, you need a website. It makes it easier for readers to find you and for you to display your work. It's like an online portfolio. It also helps with communication. It's pretty sweet.
Well, that does it for me, people. Have a great week!
Love,
Deja
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