Mirth and I were forged from the same pocket of the universe. Everything my mother did to protect me, to care for me, steered me toward the destiny unfolding before me. My path tweaked and prodded according to my mother sight just enough for me to be standing here and now.
The revelation is overwhelming.
Mirth tugs on the bond between us. Just lightly. But it definitely snaps my attention back where it belongs right now. Had she been blocking that connection? Shutting it down along with the immense, intense power that now pours from her?
It doesn’t matter. Because now I know for certain it’s there. Now I know for certain why the burgeoning friendships with my other bond mates are so … unburdened with expectation. Now I know why other relationships were, are, difficult. Why I never really bothered to look for anything more than the most casual of connections.
Why I held Mirth in the garden at Lake Thun.
Why I gave her the peaches.
I can see all the strands of essence between us now, including the power spilling over the edge of the stage, creeping across the floor toward the nearest audience members. I’ve always had a sight for power — a genetic gift from my awry mother — but it’s never been this intense, or exact, before.
The why of that twists through my chest. As if Mirth herself is reaching within to grab hold of my heart. And lungs, because I’m not certain I’m breathing at all.
We strengthen each other, our gifts, just by being in close proximity.
The bond between us thickens, then grows taut.
“Lord Williams,” Mirth pronounces. It’s an outright claim, thrumming with power. “You’re standing on the wrong side of this all.”
Centuries of seeking the missing sections of our souls stretch between us, but only seconds have actually passed.
– Mirth, Part 2, Chapter Ten – fourth draft
Are you new to the Conduit World? Content of note can be found on the individual book pages. The suggested reading order is as follows:
As we roll into January 2025, I’m setting all my goals for the first quarter and slowly lining up all my marketing, etc, so I can just concentrate on writing – I’ll be doing a social media/email morning blackout again starting on Jan 2. But before I ‘disappear’ to get Mirth, Part 2 back to the editor by Jan 20 for line/content edit, I thought a giveaway would be a fun way to ease through the transition between the calendar years! 😁
Would you like to win a (slightly foil-damaged*) Tenth Anniversary, autographed, limited edition paperback of Dowser 1, six postcards, two bookmarks, four stickers, a chocolate soy candle (hand poured by MCD), and a single-origin chocolate bar**?
Yes?
Yes!!
To enter, simply comment below with your favourite quote or scene, or any favourite bit really, from the Dowser Series!
*I have very few of these Tenth Anniversary limited edition paperbacks of Dowser 1 left. This one is not numbered (the Kickstarter paperbacks were all hand-numbered) and it has some slight foil damage.
**This is one of my fav bars from my fav Vancouver-based chocolatier!
Notes/Rules: OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. One entry per person. One winner will be selected by random number generator. Only entries that follow the stated requirements will be valid. Email addresses are not collected for any purpose other than to contact the winner. No purchase necessary (all my books are in libraries and Dowser 1 is currently free on all retailers). The comments are moderated. I will approve your entry just as soon as I have a moment.
The chocolate maker is not affiliated with this giveaway. This is not a sponsored post, I purchased (or made) all the items included above.
Giveaway closes Thursday, January 2, 2025 at 5pm PST.
Post background: in case you missed it, about a month or so ago I realized I was sitting on over a decade of stories (all workshopped, edited, etc) that I will never have the time (or the inclination, really) to rewrite into novel form. I asked my readers if they’d be interested in reading some of these stories in screenplay format and they said “yes!” Hence this primer on How to Read a Screenplay!
Also if you prefer to just skip to it, my ‘first’ screenplay, Deception, is now available! 😘
***
If you haven’t read a screenplay before, the trimmed-down formatting can be a little puzzling – I use this word deliberately because screenplays are definitely presented in ‘pieces’. But once you understand how those sections all work together, the entire story will (should) unfold smoothly.
So! If you read too quickly, it’s easy to get confused about who is talking or if the location or time period has shifted. Reading slowly, as well as pausing to absorb and visualize the descriptions is helpful (Warning, descriptions, etc, are NOT repeated after the initial intro of a character or setting). Let the script unfold in your mind like a movie. Each beat is a different shot, or camera angle, edited together with the dialogue to create the full narrative. The world-building is minimal because the action and dialogue are meant to carry/convey the story.
Location/set/costume design, as well as visual effects, and score (music) are added to turn a screenplay (aka the basic story) into a movie.
Things of note
One (1) page generally equals about one (1) minute of screen time, not including huge action sequences (which are often only a few lines but can be 5-10 minutes on screen).
Screenplays are formatted as PDFs for ease of reading on a computer and printing on regular ‘letter-sized paper. I’m offering my screenplays as PDFs (not ePubs) to preserve formatting. You can read on your eReader or phone, but a larger screen might work better (?). Also, you can print the screenplay out (note the page count though, usually 100-120 pages).
Logline: aka the ‘elevator pitch’. This is a tight one-line summary of the plot. Usually focused on the ‘hook.’ Some writers will include a ‘comp’, such as Hunger Games meets Jaws with a dash of Downton Abbey. I don’t.
Three-act synopsis (aka pitch sheet/one sheet for the producer): I’ve included the pitch sheet or one sheet in the back of each of my screenplays. The one sheet is a full synopsis of all three acts. This is how I would pitch a screenplay to a producer because they want to know the entire story before committing to reading the actual screenplay. Therefore, and warning to not skip ahead, it is rife with spoilers!!
Elements of a screenplay
The first page of the screenplay, Deception, by MCD
After the title page and the synopsis page – which wouldn’t normally be added to a screenplay I was pitching to a producer, but I’m adding for ease of reading for my readers – the first thing you will come across is the:
SCENE HEADING
Also dubbed the slug line. The scene headings are written in all caps and INT or EXT for interior or exterior. This is followed by the name of the location and a designation of day or night.
Under the scene heading, you will find:
ACTION
This section describes action that can be seen or heard. Sounds Effects that are important to the story but are heard off-screen will appear in ALL-CAPS.
CHARACTER NAMES
In the action/description character names are written in ALL caps on first appearance, as well as above their dialogue. A character who is off-screen or speaking in voiceover is designated by O.S. or V.O.
PARENTHETICALS
Often found under the character name to provide context or instruction for the dialogue delivery.
DIALOGUE
Dialogue blocks are centered on the page. Parallel dialogue (overlapping dialogue) is written in side-by-side blocks.
FLASHBACKS
Will be noted in all caps after the scene heading.
INTERCUTS
Two separate scenes are cut together to increase tension and quicken the pacing of the story.
Note: I’m usually not a fan of flashbacks (or intercutting for that matter). And I actually now actively avoid them as a literal device, or try to be clever about how I provide that info to my readers, see Amplifier 4. But flashbacks, etc, are very much used in film to get the most story across to the viewer in the shortest amount of the time. And both flashbacks and intercuts appear in the first screenplay I’m posting, Deception (aka Abigale Awakes).
Okay! I’m going to try to revive #TeaserTuesday with a longer excerpt on my blog and a shorter excerpt on my socials. It’s a bit tricky because Mirth, Part 2 is filled with massive spoilers.
Side note: I’m also doing #WIPWednesday with Conduit 2 on my socials. 😁
The momentary hush that had fallen over the audience cracks wide open. Toffs start jumping up from their seats, scrambling for their belongings.
Getting in my way.
Mirth’s blazing gaze runs over all of them a second time. They literally freeze in place, mouths agape, and hands clutching at clothing or each other. All that power at their fingertips, all the privilege in the world, and Mirth’s mere presence has them too fearful to even flee. Let alone fight back.
And Mirth isn’t compelling anyone to do anything. Not yet.
A form of empathy, she called it.
I chuckle to myself, elbowing the assholes who’ve stumbled into the aisle out of my way. Empathy. That was the fucking understatement of the fucking century.
– Mirth, Part 2: Christoph POV
Are you new to the Conduit World? Content of note can be found on the individual book pages. The suggested reading order is as follows:
Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic – Meghan Ciana Doidge (me!!)
And thanks to Laura Greenwood (@authorlauragreenwood ) for organizing! (book: Apprentice Of The Dead)
Caveats and Rules: Three winners (7 paperbacks each!). Open internationally. No purchase is necessary to win. The winners will be contacted by the organizer Laura Greenwood. Entry via KingSumo (see link) with email address. After you enter your email, you’ll be offered steps to achieve additional entries (mostly following the authors).
Hello all! The Oracle Series Tenth Anniversary Kickstarter fully funded yesterday, then tipped over the first stretch goal – aka two more tattoo designs by Inked By Chloe – yay!
So, of course! Now we need a poll!
I bet you saw that coming. 😜
Here are some of the descriptions of Rochelle’s tattoos from the book (just in case you need a refresher:
I had a tattoo of barbed wire with various things snagged in the spikes running up my left arm. The ‘things’ were eclectic — keys, spiders … even a black-and-white Canadian flag. With the addition of the peony, I was getting Tyler to extend the tattoo over my shoulder now. Eventually, it would meet and intermingle about two-thirds of the way across my back with the ivy leaf pattern that ran up my right arm. – I See Me (Oracle 1), Chapter One
Tyler gave me the peony tattoo as a birthday gift. He was cool like that, though he could easily get a hundred and sixty an hour for his tattoo work. I was pleased with the results. I’d drawn a section of the peony’s petals like they were pierced by the barbed wire, so it looked as if the flower was hanging over my shoulder blade by that precarious attachment alone. I could extrapolate that the placement reflected life, or could read something boring and tenuous into it like I was the black peony and the barbed wire was life, but that was hokey as hell. I wanted it to look that way, end of story. Though obviously I wouldn’t be flashing the new tattoo to my shrink or social worker. – I See Me (Oracle 1), Chapter One
Static electricity danced across my left forearm, just below the elbow. I glanced down to where the far seer had turned his attention from the sketchbook to the tattoo of the skeleton key on my left arm. The barbed-wire tattoo passed cleanly through the intricate series of Celtic-looking knots at one end of the key.
“This will come in handy.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you know how sorcerer magic works?”
“No.” And apparently massive segues were the theme of the day.
– I See You (Oracle 2), Chapter 1
While I was waiting for Beau to return, I idly tested the henna I’d mixed on my own right arm, sketching out a snake design I’d been thinking about twining alongside the twists and turns of the ivy vine. I positioned the snake so its tongue flickered through its half-inch fangs against the inside of my right wrist. Next time we went into Vancouver, I’d have Tyler at Get Inked make it permanent. But I hadn’t quite decided on the design of the snake’s body yet. I applied a simple crosshatch to the henna test model. I wasn’t skilled enough with the cone applicator to go for anything decorative, though I was thinking of something Asian inspired, similar to the gold embroidery on Chi Wen’s white robes. – I See Us (Oracle 3)
Tenth Anniversary for I See Me (Oracle 1): October 30, 2024
Kickstarter Info
Essentially Kickstarter is a funding platform. It helps a creator cover their EXPENSES (i.e. money already spent or needed to be spent to create the product). You select a tier and ‘pledge’ that amount to support the campaign. Warning: you cannot pledge multiple tiers. Though I suppose you could do so with multiple accounts. If the main funding goal is achieved, then you receive the item you pledged by the date listed (hopefully!). After the initial goal is met, there are often stretch goals (‘free’ extras/rewards) that come into play. Which people who have already baked the project (at a certain level) receive without spending any more money.
Why run a Kickstarter for Oracle 1 in the first place?
For me, a Kickstarter functions partly as a preorder – I don’t run a store, so I don’t ‘carry’ stock. A Kickstarter lets me know what my readers are interested in so I can order the minimum amount. The only guaranteed way to get any of the limited editions of Oracle 1 is to pledge/back the item you want via the Kickstarter campaign.
A Kickstarter also functions as a way to help creators finance special editions or new endeavors, etc. In my case, I’m taking the opportunity to rebrand the entire Oracle trilogy (with all new covers, etc).
Tiers
The tiers are explained in detail on the Kickstarter page, but here they are in brief:
DIGITAL ART & LOOKBOOK
A limited edition EBOOK OMNIBUS that includes I See Me, I See You, and I See Us.
A limited edition PAPERBACK of I See Me (Oracle 1).
PAPERBACK and EBOOK OMNIBUS bundle.
Three limited edition PAPERBACKS– I See Me, I See You, and I See Us.
A limited edition OMNIBUS HARDCOVER that includes I See Me, I See You, and I See Us.
OMNIBUS EBOOK and OMNIBUS HARDCOVERbundle.
OMNIBUS EBOOK, I See Me (Oracle 1) PAPERBACK, and OMNIBUS HARDCOVER bundle.
OMNIBUS EBOOK, THREE PAPERBACKS, and OMNIBUS HARDCOVER bundle.
ANNOTATED OMNIBUS HARDCOVER – only 3 available.
Add Ons
PR Box (limited to 50): Apple Pie Soy Candle, Apple Pie lip balm, an enamel butterfly pin, plus every piece of art in printed format (postcards, stickers, temporary tattoos). Plus, a handwritten (personalized by name) note from MCD with download codes for the Oracle Series audiobooks (can be gifted if you already own the audio).
GIVEAWAY CLOSED. THE (FIVE) WINNERS HAVE BEEN EMAILED!
Hello, my lovely readers! Today is my 51st birthday (and yes, though I just sailed through 50 without a blip, I’m seriously trying to not freak out about this milestone). If you follow me on Facebook, you know I usually do flash giveaways on my birthday, mostly of my favourite things, and therefore mostly about books! Unfortunately, Facebook is a very uncomfortable platform on which to host giveaways now, and my posts often get hit with a lot of scammers and spam. Hence the move here to the blog.
Also! I collected a bunch of autographed books from fav authors for my book club (etc). But having stepped back from that for the foreseeable future, I can’t just have these pretties collecting dust in my cupboard. So now you all get a chance to win them. YAY!
Are you ready?
😜
Of course, you are!
Well, I’ll get to it. See the ‘rules’ at the end for more info, etc. Presented in alphabetical order, here are some of my favourite books/authors:
Content Note: all of these books contain ‘on the page’ sexual situations and some darker themes, please check trigger warnings.
Giveaway A. An autographed copy of Amanda Bouchet’s A Promise of Fire (Romantic Fantasy/Romantasy), three postcards from the series, a chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate, and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.
Giveaway B. An autographed copy of Jennifer Estep’s Only Bad Options (Sci-Fi Fantasy/Space Opera), a bookmark, sticker, and an autographed bookplate, plus chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.
Giveaway C. An autographed copy of Jeffe Kennedy’s Dark Wizard (Dark Fantasy Romance/Romantasy), a chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate, and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.
Giveaway D. An autographed copy of Kathryn Moon’s Baby and the Late Night Howlers (Omegaverse/Why Choose), a chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate, and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.
Giveaway E. An autographed copy of Lola Rock’s Park Darling (Omegaverse/Why Choose), series branded bookmark, stickers, and quotes, plus a chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate, and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.
To enter, simply comment below and tell me which birthday book box (A, B, C, D, or E) you most desire (or AOTA: all of the above)!
Please be honest, for example, unlike me 😁, not everyone enjoys Omegaverse aka Why Choose, or darker themes (kidnapping, rejected mate, etc), and I would prefer these special books go to the perfect homes!
Happy birthday to me!
Notes/Rules: OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. One entry per person. Five winners will be selected by random number generator. Only entries that follow the stated requirements will be valid. Email addresses are not collected for any purpose other than to contact the winner. No purchase necessary. The comments are moderated. I will approve your entry just as soon as I have a moment to do so.
Neither the authors nor the chocolate maker are affiliated with this giveaway. This is not a sponsored post, I purchased (or made) all the items included above.
Giveaway closes SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2024 at 11:59 pm PDT.
Hello, my lovely readers! If you read my August newsletter, you know I’ve stepped back from doing too many ‘extras’ for the last month, which means I’ve done a lot of reading and a lot of knitting. Plus daily walks (and Sunday hikes), plus binging fav TV series.
Below are some of the books that I’ve been reading, my next anticipated reads, and the new releases I can’t wait to dig into!
[I’ve used Amazon USA affiliate links (yes, out of laziness, sorry!) but remember you can change the .com to .ca or .co.uk (etc) to find your preferred store].
Recent Reads
I’ve picked up more romance-centric books in the last month than normal (for me), tearing through a bunch of authors’ backlists. The standouts were:
Ahem, why yes, I wanted to have this all together for release day … but better late than never?? This is the exact box (only missing a couple of extra touches, not pictured below) that I would put together as a PR Box. I thought it might be fun for one of my readers to win it. 😁
Book Cover designed and hand-lettered by Alicia (aka @CheekyLettering) Scenery illustration by Kateryna Vitkovska Character Illustrations by Nicole Deal
Are you interested in winning an autographed paperback of Mirth, Part 1? A set of seven character/art postcards? A peaches and cream soy candle hand-poured by MCD? And a bookplate? [Plus one more adorable addition that I don’t have my hands on yet].
Yes!??
To enter, comment on this blog post with your favourite quote or moment from Mirth, Part One!
Notes/Rules: OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. One entry per person. One winner will be selected by random number generator. Only entries that follow the stated requirements will be valid (i.e. it must be an actual quote/fav scene, not just a copy/paste of the synopsis, etc). Email addresses are not collected for any purpose other than to contact the winner. No purchase necessary – all my books are available for free via your local library. The comments are moderated. I will approve your entry just as soon as I have a moment to do so.
Giveaway closes SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2024 at 8 pm PDT.
