What's in a Name?

As I prepare to start the process of finding an agent and getting this labor of love published, I really started to think about with this novel, its sequels, and the quartet were to be called. LADY OF FIRE (the original name) and LADY OF FLAMES (the first tweak) were just working titles but, as some of my beta readers pointed out, they also sounded like the titles of romance novels, which was not the impression I want to give in my pitch to agents. 

So, after some midnight brainstorming with my lovely wife, I’ve settled on the new name for the book, its three sequels, and the quartet as a whole:

CIRCLE’S CALL, together with VEIL’S GATE, SILVER’S FALL, and HOPE’S RISE, comprise THE PINNACLE OF STORMS QUARTET. The books will follow the pursuit of the Periapt, the rise of the Circle of Ranachen, and the growth of Aemon’s powers along with key events 50, 400, and 2,000 years in the past.

Of course, if (when! Need think positively!) the book is selected for publication, all bets are off on the name, as I expect publishers have rooms full of clever people who just work on crafting exciting titles. However, the romance novel confusion has hopefully been put to rest for now.

I'm a writer and I have an addiction

It’s amazing how you can fall into patterns that aren’t recognizable when you’re writing disconnected chapters over the space of a year or so. It’s only when you see the whole thing from front to back (and new eyes look at it as well) that you discover an unfortunate tendency to over-adverbalize (I’m a writer, I can make up words, so no snarky comments) leading to the Great Adverbial Purge of 2019 (aka Adverbaggedon, Adverbnarok, etc.). 

Also, without realizing it, I discovered that I had a previously undiagnosed addiction to certain words and phrases, resulting in some unintentionally excessive use of such words as trot, chuckle, “cocked an eyebrow”, barked, snapped, snarled, and sneered. 

So, after a heavy duty copy edit and revisions, I'm happy to say that my novel no longer has the trots, among other things.

Quote of the Day

Quote of the day:

"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."
– Neil Gaiman

Whoa, it's real...

The first printing of the whole shebang. If it’s no good, at least it will be a great paperweight or doorstop.

A Thought on Writing

Shared with me by a friend. Sometimes it feels very true.

Today's Thoughts on Reading

Courtesy of a friend

2019 Book of the Year (so far)

2019 book of the year so far. A fantastic look at not only Ted Geisel's life but his evolution as a writer and artist, his personal evolution (including a no-holds-barred look at the racist stereotyping in his early works and how he came to recognize and respond to it), the evolution of his philosophy of reading and education, and his creative process (Did you know it took a year to write "The Cat in the Hat"?). Spoiler alert: he dies in the end, and I'll own up to the fact that I got teary eyed when he did.