That book! Part 4

I know what you’re thinking. She has to be done, right?

Nope. The next part in my spare time is going back to writing the second book. I want the release to be close to the first, maybe even the preorder to start with the release of the first. That means I need to write fast.

And….I need another cover. I have chosen my title: Some Late Visitor. I am anxious to get with my cover designer to choose the image. I hope to again use the raven as part of my design.

I already have an idea for my third novel in the series, so I also will start taking notes and maybe write out the first scenes. I want the relationship to move along as well, so I will have to consider what situations to put my characters in to force them to interact on a more personal level.

And then I get to wait a little more.

But, check out the process so far!!
Here's the link for the first book: https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Dreary-Mystery-Rachael-Rawlings-ebook/dp/B079NTWX2S/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1518369720&sr=1-3&keywords=rachael+rawlings

Process of publishing a novel

I have done both the small press publishing and self-publishing, and plan to continue to do this. In my small press, I have some wonderful fellow authors that provide ideas, support, and commiseration as we follow our paths to becoming better writers.

But this time, I have embarked on my second self-published novel. I began writing the manuscript almost a year ago. I had already decided the main characters and how I wanted their relationship to develop. Yes, the book is a mystery, but I am just as interested in building a relationship between two very diverse characters.

I chose a small-town rebel girl, one with tattoos and an attitude, but an insatiable curiosity, and a soft heart beneath the bravado. For her partner, I chose an intriguing mystery man, wealthy and very intelligent, but socially odd. A modern-day Sherlock Holmes with a lack of social graces. From this brief outline, the characters began to grow on their own, revealing pasts that I hadn’t anticipated, skills I hadn’t chosen, and characteristics I hadn’t planned (ask any author, the characters have a way with developing on their own).

Once the main mystery was solved, and my characters were on their way to developing a reluctant respect, and dare I say affection, for each other, I had to write a second. I originally planned for a trilogy, but I think the story will have to lead me. If I need more books to complete the relationship arc, then more books will come!

After rereading and editing my finished manuscript, I also ran it through a magic program called “ProWritingAid”. It was my first step in editing. Once I had reviewed and completed the program, I printed off the document and sent it to some beta readers.

At the same time, I started looking for a cover. I had someone on Fivver I really liked who had done other covers for me (see the one for Talitha and Speak to Me, as well as the ebook Spirit Passing). While the cover artist did her magic, I started on the second book in the series, trying to crank out 1000 words a day. As of this writing, I am almost finished with the rough draft for that one!

Then it was finding a title. I knew early on that my main character, Lenore, would be a Poe fan. She has a raven named Edgar. It works for me! So I chose Midnight Dreary for my title and sent that on to the cover artist. I then went through my favorite Poe Poem and chose a few other lines that might suit the next in the series.

My edits returned to me, and I got to work reworking and answering questions that my readers presented. Once those were done, off to the formatters!

With the bulk of the work done, I am ready to start the pre-orders! The final cover, manuscript, and formatting will be complete by the release date, February 24^th.

I’ll get back to you soon with an update!!

A little steampunk anyone?

Our next Hydra book is Reality Check, which is a dimension-hopping science fiction / steampunk adventure by Eric Garrison.

The talented author is taking us for a little adventure outside of our world!

Information on the book, including the book trailer, Amazon link, can be found here:

http://sillyhatbooks.com/fiction/reality-check/

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This game was beyond immersive. I kept forgetting that it was only a game. I actually cared about these simulated people. The Q-T really must have learned a lot about the human experience, to create all this.

Come to think about it, how did Q-T know what creek water shouldtaste like? How'd it understand pain enough to make me feel it? I'd only been here a little while, and I'd hit highs and lows beyond all my years of experience in the real world.

I found strength returning to me, my breathing slowing and my head clearing. I sat up, and when that worked out well, I made a careful effort to stand. I was impressed with my success. Small victories are still victories.

I saw the column of smoke emitting from a stand of trees not far away, so for lack of any better ideas, I clawed up the bank and out onto some scraggly grass. I kept my pace slow and easy, nursing aches and deep bruises I didn't realize I had. My upper arm had swollen to cantaloupe size from the whack the spinning wing had given it. My poor shin screamed with every step. I didn't even want to check my head for bumps. I could already feel the throbbing.

Maybe that nap wouldn't have been a good idea after all. Staying awake, in case of concussion, seemed like the best thing.

I limped along toward the smoking wreck of my plane. The fuselage was now a frail metal skeleton enclosing black, twisted pipes and tanks that used to be the rocket engines. No trace remained of the wings. The smoke slackened its pace as all the wood and most of the fuel had been consumed. The heat coming from the wreck made it too difficult to approach very close. The trees on all sides had blackened trunks and stank of chemical residue from the burnt fuel.

I heard chittering and turned around. I couldn't believe my eyes. It had started life as a squirrel. It was missing fur in great patches, exposing greyish skin. The thing wore, or had implanted, a steel cap from which wires ran. The wires extended along its four limbs and partway down its bare, rat-like tail, strapped on with metal bands that reminded me of hose clamps.

Its eyes glowed red, and it stared at me, twitching with random jerks, like a cartoon robot.

What the hell is that? Franken-squirrel?

It raised its head and lowered it, panning its nasty, creepy little eyes back and forth, reminding me of an old document scanner.

Was it scanning me?

I decided nothing good could come from being scanned by a cybernetic zombie squirrel.