I had a great time at Archipelacon, even if I kept looking around for Kari.

I went to a nice mix of panels from a panel about the Hugos ( which was very interesting, actually), to a talk about Viking Age Åland, to one about diversity in YA, to LGBT, to cross fiction writing.  I carefully avoided everything GoT, though, since I am not a fan. ( Though I am sure that GRRM is a great person.)

There might have been plot bunnies at some panels. 🙂

I also attended the Baltic Writers Meeting which was interesting, since we were all at different stages in our careers and had made different choices..

And! I attended a workshop about character creations, led by Gaie Sebold ( And I *still* haven’t bought her books after the WFC mixup. sigh. But maybe she got royalties anyway.) It was supposed to be 10 people, but the room was packed. 🙂 I am not surprised, though, since I think few writers around the Baltic has a chance to go to a workshop.  It was a good workshop, though, even if it felt  a bit weird, since I normally don’t do character exercises. I did get the beginnings of two short stories, though.

Oh, and I think you will able to hear it, since it was recorded by a podcast. Adventures in Science fiction publishing, I think, but I am not certain. I also don’t know when it will air, but I do recommend you listen to it.

Outside the con, the hotel I stayed at was nice, the food was good. In general, I had a great time, even if I didn’t attend any parties.  I just wish I had brought the laptop, since the ferry took 5 hours. But I will the next time. 🙂

And yes. I bought books, mostly used, but they were on my wishlist. I also bought nice chocolate. Nom. No, you cannot have any. Sorry.

Now it is back to one week of day jobbery, before my vacation begins. And the release of The Cauldron Bound. Coming in July, maybe even this week, if everything goes as planned. ( There are some tech issues that I cannot do anything about. Yes, this is why The Alchemist’s Apprentice isn’t available at Kobo. Argh.)

 

 

I didn’t use to write short stories that often but the last year I have found them a nice way to slip some writing in between rounds of edits. It also gives me a chance of publish more stories.  I have pondered what the right approach is, if I should submit to markets and the conclusion I have came to is not right now.

Why? Because right now most the short stories I write is part of the same series which means that they help building sales for the novellas. There are also the fact that I have much less problems offering short stories for 0.99 than I have for a novella, since my monetary investment in the short stories are less than in a novella.

Basically the only thing I am paying for when it comes to a short story is the cover. All the editing is done by my awesome beta readers.

 

 

Look at the pretty cover that Cora Graphics designed for me! It fits the story perfectly, even if  it isn’t depicting how the Priestesshood of Gwynfar dress. But I don’t care. The cover is gorgeous, I love it, and it is entirely unique. 🙂

 

We ate in silence, both of us tired after a long day. Once my bowl were empty, I put down the spoon and looked at Hiwot.

“Do you remember Grandma talking about The wasting?”

Hiwot frowned. “Vaguely. It has something to with the magic turning on the mage, right?”

“Yes. Normally it happens to high powered mages, but today a gnome girl come in. According to the Orphanage, she was fine last week, but she has gradually declined the last days. I think that she is suffering from the wasting.”

“Shouldn’t sending her to the High Temple fix that.”

“Yes. But she is in too bad shape. The First Healer have told me that if her health improves, I can transport her to the temple. I have no idea how to improve her help, though.”

Hiwot’s eyes narrowed. “The Temple might be able to help you.”

I shook my head. “I doubt that. Not after what happened to our father.”

“You will not know until you ask.”

I opened and closed my mouth. She was right. Not approaching the High Temple because of what had happened years ago.

“You are right,” I murmured.

Hiwot flashed me a smile. “I am always right, but it was nice of you to admit it.”

I rolled my eyes. Sometimes it was hard to believe that my sister in fact was a Priestess, a high ranking one.

I looked at Hiwot. “Do you have any suggestions of who I should approach.”

Hiwot frowned. “I would approach Akuchi Na Berhanu, she is high ranking enough to be able to claim the girl.”

“How high ranking?” I wanted to know.

“ When I lived in the temple, she was mentioned as the next High Priestess.”

I stared at her. “You want to me approach the High Priestess?!”

“She isn’t the high priestess. Yet. But she will be able to help you.”

I shook my head. “I hope you are ready to come to my rescue if the temple decides to punish me.”

Hiwot gave me an exasperated look. “They wouldn’t do something like that.”

I wasn’t so certain, but since I didn’t want to argue with my sister, I didn’t say anything.

I realised a couple of days ago that I have been busy the last six months. So far this year I have:

Written Unnamed Portal Universe novella

Written Vanished

Written The Shattered Ward I and II.

Edited The Cauldron Bound x 3

Revised The Alchemist’s Apprentice x 2

Edited The Alchemist’s Apprentice x2

Begun writing the Orphan Girl.

This list doesn’t include stuff like synopsises and worldbuilding.

I know that other writes more, and faster, but this is proof that it ads up. All together, I have probably written 50 000 words of fiction already. Yes, I am both mindboggled and proud of what I have accomplished so far this year.

There are one big difference from last year’s list: Only one novella revised.   The number of short stories that I have written are higher, though.  I like writing short stories, since it is a chance to explore backstories.

The list is slightly out of order, so it doesn’t show that I have done my best to mix up writing, revising and editing.  That was one lesson I learned last year, when I did an revision marathon.

But my publishing schedule for 2016 is *set*. So anything longer than a short story will have to wait until 2017. O_O.

When I reached my apartment building, dusk had fallen. The stairs creaked when I stepped on them. Oil lamps hung on the wall, the flickering light a familiar comfort. The scent of food being cooked drifted from the apartments in the building. My stomach growled, reminding me that it had been a long time since I ate lunch.

I pushed the door open and stepped into the apartment that I shared with my sister.

The spicy scent of beef and cumin that filled the air told me that my sister, Hiwot was home. And that I wouldn’t have to cook dinner. Praise the Gods for that. I hung up my cloak and walked over to the kitchen.

Hiwot was humming softly, and I knew that if we had been home, there would have been magic in the air. Not here. The only thing her song did was to make me long for my grandmother’s home.

Hiwot turned around and looked at me. “ Eshe! I was beginning to wonder if I would have to eat dinner on my own.”

“ Sorry I am late. There was an new patient that required a lot of attention.”

Hiwot just nodded and turned her attention back to the pot on the stove.

I sank down and rubbed my face tiredly. Maybe some food would help. I looked up when Hiwot put down a bowl filled with steaming stew and a pile of flatbread.

“Thank you.”

Hiwot shrugged. “It wouldn’t be the first time you have had a rough day.”

“True,” I agreed.

I wanted to tell her about the girl, but I decided to wait until we had eaten.

I am writing The Orphan Girl, and I am close to the end. Right now the draft is at 2600 words, and I have one or two scenes left. So it is safe to say that it will be longer than 3000 words, since each scene has been 600-800 words so far.

I am glad I decided to write it, though, since it is clarifying things to me for both Daughter of the Dark and the fourth novella. I am also looking forward to settle in and begin revising Daughter of the Dark in July.

The plan is for the rest of the serial go up during the next two weeks, while I am off travelling. Then I work one week, and then I am on vacation for three weeks. Yay!