Update: The Young Sorceress

I just finished the first draft for The Young Sorceress.  It clocks in at 65,000 words, which makes it the shortest book in the series (with the exception of book 0), but I think there are a few chapters I need to add to flesh out the story a bit.   I feel pretty good about it.  Chapters 11-14 really came together well.

This has been the most difficult of the series to write.  At times I felt like I was running out of steam for the series.  I love the characters and the setting, but after I finish book 5, I’m going to take a long break before I write any more. 

Watch this spot.  I’ll let you know when I finish the first revision.  In the meantime, here is the chapter list as it stands now.

1. Spring
2. The Blond Girl
3. Nellie Swenson
4. Birthday
5. Birthday Part II
6. The Real Senta
7. Predators
8. Gods
9. Sorceresses and Witch Doctors
10. The Two Sentas
11. Pirates and Princesses
12. The End
13. Mallontah and Hell
14. All Your Fault

The World of Senta and the Steel Dragon

I have a huge notebook filled with maps of Senta’s world.  Many of them are political maps of different times in the world’s history.  Others cover parts of the world which do not appear in the series (though they might in a subsequent series).  Here is the part of the world where our story takes place.

Sumir is a fully settled continent that I usually think of as my stand-in for Europe, though as you can see, geographically it is quite different.  Greater Brechalon, Mirsanna, and Freedonia are the most powerful kingdoms.  You can think of them as stand-ins for Britain, France, and Germany.  Zur was once the seat of an empire that covered the continent, but is now relatively insignificant.  Argrathia is an even older society, now surviving off its history.  They are akin to Italy and Egypt.  Arbrax and the northern islands are sparcely inhabited and quite cold.

The northern half of the map is temperate to arctic, though due to ocean currents and possibly magic, Enclep and the southern part of the Mullien Islands are tropical.

Mallon is a huge landmass.  When I imagine it, I think of Asia, with Birmisia being China and Mallontah being India, at least as far as climate goes.  As far as populations, they are more like North America and Central America at the time of European contact, if the Americans had been cold-blooded reptiles.  The aborigines of Birmisa are different than those of Mallontah, though they are both reptilian.  The lizzies of Birmisia are taller, stronger, and more alien to humans.  Those in Mallontah have been completely subjugated by man and fill the slums of crowded human-controlled cities.

My Den Nearing Completion

I am writing this from my new den.  I’ve been working on it for weeks.  It was originally my den, then became my daughters bedroom for about 18 years, now it’s my den again.  I am so happy.  Everything in it is used (or recycled). My mother gave me the chair when she bought a new one.  My son and I got the desk when a neighbor was throwing it away.  But it’s still all mine.

His Robot Wife : 5,000 Sold

Obviously this is a big deal for me.  5,000 copies of His Robot Wife have been sold as of sometime in February.  Sales have slowed a bit, but it still selling better than my other books.  Hopefully when I have His Robot Wife: Patience is a Virtue done, sales will hop a bit more.  In the meantime, thanks to everyone who purchased my book.

The Drache Girl on Sale

As part of Read an Ebook Week, The Drache Girl is on sale at Smashwords for $2.24.  Be sure to use coupon code REW25 to get the sale price.  Follow this link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/19309 .  I hope everyone had a great Read an Ebook Week.

The Voyage of the Minotaur on Sale

I mentioned the other day that I am dropping the price of Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 1: The Voyage of the Minotaur to $1.99, but this week during Read and Ebook Week, you can pick up a copy at Smashwords for 99 cents.  Be sure to use coupon code REW50 to get the sale price.  Follow this link:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/11536

The Dark and Forbidding Land on Sale

As part of Read an Ebook Week, The Dark and Forbidding Land (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 2) is on sale at Smashwords for $1.50.  Be sure to use coupon code REW50 to get the sale price.  Follow this link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18903 .

Blood Trade on Sale

In celebration of Read an Ebook Week, Blood Trade is on sale at Smashwords.  You can pick up your copy in any popular ebook format for $2.24.  Be sure to use coupon code REW25 to get the sale price.
Follow this link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/86413 .

Astrid Maxxim and her Amazing Hoverbike: Free

In celebration of Read an Ebook Week, please feel free to pick up your free copy of Astrid Maxxim and her Amazing Hoverbike.  You can find it here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/102618.  Be sure to use coupon code DG97A to get yours for free.

The Voyage of the Minotaur is now $1.99

I am dropping the price of Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 1: The Voyage of the Minotaur to $1.99.  I have been struggling to decide a price point on this book and this series.  I want people to read it and I hope this will make it more attractive.

The book has been out almost exactly two years now, and as I write this, it has sold 259 copies.  I think that definitely warrents a price reduction.  By going below 2.99 at Amazon, I drop from a 70% royalty rate to a 30% royalty rate, and I don’t really expect the additional sales to make up for it.  But hopefully there will be an increase in the sales of the sequels, and that will make up the difference.

If you have read my other books, but haven’t yet gotten to Senta and the Steel Dragon, give them a try.  They are my favorite books of all those that I’ve written.