Author: MCD

I'm a writer. I also bake. And knit. A lot. My novels are available anywhere ebooks/paperbacks/audiobooks are sold online. Find more info on my blog: http://www.madebymeghan.ca

Categories
FAQ newsletter

MCD’s newsletter: troubleshooting

I’m about to send another free download treat to my mailing list/newsletter subscribers, so I thought I should finally get around to clarifying a few FAQs about how to subscribe, how to check that you’re subscribed, etc. This way I can just refer my lovely readers to this post when needed.

It’s lovely that no one wants to miss a newsletter – or more specifically a new free Adept Universe short – but I cannot troubleshoot the mailing list subscription for each individual at a time. Most of it is actually out of my hands, because: automations, some user errors, and of course, your email provider just being nasty.

So!

If I miss anything I’ll try to add it to this post going forward.

IMPORTANT!! THE NEWSLETTER MAILING LIST IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING SUBSCRIBED TO MCD’s BLOG.

I REITERATE.

THE NEWSLETTER MAILING LIST IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING SUBSCRIBED TO MCD’s BLOG.

The blog/mailing list/newsletter conundrum seems to generate a large amount of confusion. You sign up for the blog to get notified every time I blog, but you have to click through to read the actual post. Whereas, the newsletter appears in your inbox as a whole. The blog is for permanent posts (unless I delete them) and the newsletter only archives the last twenty or so emails.

TO SUBSCRIBE to the newsletter, aka get on my ‘mailing list,’ click this link: MCD’s newsletter. Or the link under the image of the Adept Universe cookbook. Or the link under the image of the Adept Universe cookbook in ANY of my books.

Screenshot of the sign-up form (i.e. what you see AFTER you click the link to sign up).

You will get a confirmation email in your inbox right away. If you don’t, please check your spam/junk/promo folders. If you find any email from me in any folder other than your inbox, please drag it into your inbox and add my email address to your contact list/addresses/etc, to (hopefully) receive my emails in the future.

After the confirmation email, you will get a series of automated emails from me, as well as any new newsletters I might send.

You can unsubscribe at any time.

TO CONFIRM YOUR SUBSCRIPTION simply click through as if to subscribe and try to add your email. The form will let you know if you are already subscribed. Easy!

I’m sorry, but I cannot double-check your subscription on an individual basis. Please don’t ask me, please don’t think you are the exception. I will not be replying to those requests anymore because I feel like a broken record. My newsletter has 5k+ subscribers, certainly you can understand that I cannot – every single time I send an email – dig through the backend of my mailing list provider (i.e. MailChimp) just to confirm you are or aren’t subscribed. It is far, far easier for you and me for you to do so simply by checking yourself. Thank you in advance.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU DON’T RECEIVE MY EMAILS. First, refer to the paragraph under the screenshot (above).

But! Unfortunately, sometimes readers check every junk/spam/promo folder and still can’t find the email they should have received, even after they’ve confirmed their subscription. That means your email provider has declined to send it to you. I cannot fix this issue on my end. The best thing to do is to subscribe with a different email address or unsubscribe, and then re-subscribe to see if you can trigger the welcome email.

I cannot (for the reasons previously mentioned) send out duplicate newsletters and/or short stories to individuals on request. If you are worried that you’ve missed a short see below and/or they will all be professionally edited and published together at the beginning of 2022.

WHAT IF YOU’VE MISSED ONE OF THE NEWSLETTERS OR SHORT STORIES? Simply click the view this email in your browser link at the top of any of my newsletters. Then, once the newsletter opens in your browser, click the Past Issues button at the top left, and scroll down to find the newsletter you missed. Yay!

Hopefully, this is helpful for anyone having trouble!

😊

Categories
writing

Sometimes writing looks like …

… digging through every mention of the Llewellyn family in my master Adept Universe bible, then every mention of uncles and cousins in a specific book – this time it was I See You (Oracle 2). All to roughly sketch out a family tree in order to verify that the current (previously unnamed) alpha of the California pack (aka Beau’s uncle) is actually Desmond’s second cousin.

Then correcting Gabby’s short. As well the short I’m currently writing.

Hastily scribbled Llewellyn family tree. Incomplete.

That second cousin thing always screws with me. Of course, the fact that Robert is Ada’s older brother apparently never occurred to me. Which would have made for far, far less work. Sigh.

😂

So yeah – spoiler alert – that means Kandy’s third Moments of the Adept Universe short is dropping in my newsletter on the last Thursday of August. And it may contain a character you’ve all been begging to see again aching for missing.

Ahem … possibly two. Not including Kandy herself.

Categories
reading

MCD’s preorders through December 2021

Being the greedy soul that I am, I took a moment during my afternoon coffee break (with a dark vanilla ice cream bar in hand, of course) and perused my upcoming preorders to see what series I should be rereading in anticipation. While my list stretches deep into 2022, I was excited to see so many favourites coming my way in the next few months.

A screenshot of MCD’s preorders for the rest of 2021

Note: links are to Amazon just to cut down my work load, and they SHOULD forward to the store in your country. But, if they don’t, as always, simply change the .com to .ca or .co.uk, etc. Also, all these books are available on all retailers, except the Honey and Ice Series.

August: The Devil You Know (Mercenary Librarians Book 2) by the writing duo, Kit Rocha. I enjoyed book one (sexy, fast paced, ‘enhanced’ characters, found family), and immediately preordered book two. I’m very excited about the next romantic pairing!!

September brings three highly anticipated titles!!

True Dead by Faith Hunter. Book 14 in the Jane Yellowrock (Skinwalker) series. I adore both of Ms. Hunter’s ongoing series.

A Throne of Feathers and Bone (The Honey and Ice Series) by Shannon Mayer and Kelly St. Clare. The first book was lightning speed paced with an interesting mix of contemporary setting and the fae.

The Last Graduate (The Scholomance 2). The follow up to A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik. Which I loved so much I’ve already reread it once, and bought it in audio. It’s CRAZY good!

November: Aurora’s End (The Aurora Cycle Book 3). Final book of the trilogy from the twisty and delightful minds of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (also known for their EXCELLENT Illuminae Files trilogy).

And in December, last but certainly not least, Grey Magic (Bonds of Magic 3) by Jeffe Kennedy. Hot, hot, hot dark fantasy (great world building).

Want to know some of my all time fav books? Here is my completely incomplete list, updated to include early 2021.

What books are you looking forward to reading in the next few months?

Categories
excerpts writing

Archivist 2: The Monster Within

I promised a Dusk/Kellan teaser from Archivist 2 last Friday, but got hit hard by a headache that actually took me down for the entire weekend, so I’m making good with some fresh-off-the-page (just written today) slow, slow burn … squee!!!

“You’re not afraid of me, are you, Dusk?” he asked quietly.

“Afraid?” I frowned. Was that what he was picking up from me? Fear?

“Of the monster within.”

Monster? Not wolf?

“You think of yourself as a monster, Kellan?”

He shrugged as if he didn’t care one way or the other, but his hand was fisted on his knee, his shoulders tight. “You watch me.”

“You watch me.”

“I most certainly do. Yet you never close the space between us, you never take the last step. Or any step for that matter.”

I didn’t have an answer for him, not without just lamely repeating what I’d already said.

“Do you wait for everything to be handed to you, Dusk?” His tone was suddenly edged in frustration.

“I can fight for what I want,” I said stiffly, realizing as I said it that it was possible I’d never actually ever fought for anything in my life. Not for myself. I wasn’t certain I’d ever wanted something that it was necessary to fight for. I’d fight to preserve what I already had, of course …

Kellan was smirking at me again, sprawled out against the log, firelight dancing across his skin, defining every muscle. “Me, Dusk. You want me. Your heart rate increases, your breathing slows, your pupils dilate just a bit. I know you want me. I can smell it on you, under all that honey that you use to mask your scent.”

I had no idea what he meant – though I most definitely smelled right now, of seaweed, saltwater, and damp cotton – but a flush of anger rose at the ridiculousness of his statement.

– Archivist 2, chapter eight, first draft

Reading order of the Archivist Series:

I hope you have a fantastic weekend! We’re freaking sweltering here, and the air quality is a bit nasty (from the forest fires), but I’m hoping to write, get in a hike, and make some ice cream.

Categories
inspiration writing

Archivist 2: spoilery inspiration

I’m working through the midpoint of Archivist 2 this week (the first draft is sitting at 48k right now), tackling a scene that my notes tell me I started envisioning all the way back in March 2021.

I often collect little touchstones connected to various series/characters, including stickers and decals that I put in my notebooks. And I thought I’d share a glimpse of my inspiration for the midpoint of Archivist 2. I adore this image so much I haven’t actually stuck it in my notebook yet.

But … I can’t explain it at all because, you know – spoilers.

Octopus and Raven sticker, by Michelle Stoney Art, resting on a page of MCD’s notebook for Archivist 2.

You’re welcome.

😂

Categories
writing

Invoking Infinity: Amazon Monthly Deal

This is duplicate news if you got my newsletter last week (which has more info) but, just FYI, Invoking Infinity (Archivist 1) has been selected as an Amazon Monthly Deal (for Canada and the USA only) – eBook $0.99.

I pretty much never discount the second book in a series, so I doubt it will ever be available at this price again. So, if you’ve been hesitating to dig into the series, and you read on Kindle (or via the Kindle app) from Canada or the USA, here is your chance!

Reading order of the Archivist Series:

Or click here for the reading order of the Adept Universe, starting with Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1) which is currently permafree!

*Just to reiterate.* I have no control over the price or the retailer or the countries included. Amazon asked if they could feature Invoking Infinity, and I said yes to try it out. They then set the parameters. It is disheartening that I have to explain that, and even sadder that I have to ask people to be kind about the choices I make for my career and to hopefully grow my readership. Please try to refrain from sending me nasty comments. But also, please share if you think your friends/family might be interested! Thank you! – MCD

Categories
excerpts writing

Archivist Series: magical … math?

Words, magical creatures, and items of power might be my thing, but math most certainly wasn’t.

– Archivist 2, chapter 3, first draft

I’m rewriting chapter three of Archivist 2 today, and this line (above) made me laugh. ‘Know thyself,’ Dusk. And … in case you ever wondered, math is definitely not my thing either. LOL

Michael is picking up sushi for lunch! So I’ll have to finished up the rest of chapter this afternoon.

Have a lovely weekend!

Categories
personal reflection updates

Chronic daily headache update.

Well … just in case you were wondering how my day is going, my menopause specialist just informed she’s tapped out, and referred me to the Chronic Disease Clinic in Vancouver – which is a rather crazy scary name BTW. It will only take 18-24 months to get an appointment – so much YAY!

Yep, 6+ months of hormone therapy (not including the 4 months of birth control before that) and it only makes the constant headache consistently worse. Sigh.

My headache specialist is likewise tapped out, waiting on a new class of drug to be approved in Canada. Three rounds of the botox (spaced three months apart) has not helped.

So – about to roll into my twenty-fourth month of daily constant pain – all that leaves me with is eating well, exercising as much as possible, and possibly trying to cultivate a daily mediation practice. For the foreseeable future.

Maybe the Goddess of Menopause will decide I’ve suffered for long enough and ease off on the headache (and the other symptoms while she’s at it).

I’m also emailing the massage therapist after I publish this update, because as of next Wednesday I’m fully vaccinated!

In other nicer news, my house is getting cleaned for me today. 🙂 I added 1300 words to Archivist 2 before lunch and my appointment (which isn’t a lot but I’ll take it). And here is a pretty picture of my desk buddy:

Leo the Silver Shaded Persian curled up on MCD’s treadmill/standing desk (tucked behind the treadmill control thingamajig).
Categories
inspiration writing

Archivist series: playlist screenshot

I just remembered that a reader asked me (weeks ago) to post the playlist I listen to when brainstorming books/scenes/ideas for the Archivist series (see Awakening Infinity, etc). I finally grabbed a screenshot. My apologies for the delay.

Please note: I make separate playlists for all my series. But not all the songs are meant to be taken literally, sometimes it’s simply the feel of the music, the energy, the mood, that beguiles the muse and allows the ideas to flow.

Categories
excerpts teaser writing

Archivist 2: fated … enemies?

A little snippet of Archivist 2 (title TBA) to get all of us through the weekend.

“There is comfort in believing that there is one person who is perfect for you,” Prince murmured in that oddly intimate tone. “… a fated mate.”

“Is there? What if you never find them?”

“But fate is destined to bring you together. As the tales go …”

“What about fated enemies?” I asked blithely, forcing myself to look back at the historian instead of watching Kellan as he watched me. “Is that a thing?”

“Well …” Prince snorted, amused. “Logically, magic demands a balance, doesn’t it? Energy can be harnessed but only transformed, not destroyed.”

I met his violet gaze, raising an eyebrow. “So that’s a yes.”

– Archivist 1, first draft, chapter one