Archivist 0: it’s vintage.

I dropped the prequel to the Archivist Series in the editor’s inbox yesterday for line and content edit, which means I’m not allowed to make any more major changes to the storyline. So there you go … my quiet ‘what happens in the moments before the series begins’ prequel novella that wasn’t supposed to be more than 30k is now a novel of 53k, and is on track for a January 2021 release.

I’ll be releasing the book – as a serialized freebie, as I did with Amplifier 0 – on my blog but I’ll also put up the preorder ahead of time for those of you who don’t want to read online. I’m actually hoping to drop the first section on January 1, 2021, but with the holidays coming up I need to check to see if I can get on Pauline’s schedule (aka the proofreader). I’ll keep you posted.

To celebrate getting the book into the editor I’m posting a sneak peek of the book cover over in the Facebook fan group. And I’ve added an excerpt below that totally highlights how Dusk’s mind works.

Scene set-up: Dusk is wearing a sweater with a patterned yoke as well.

The woman was wearing a pretty red sweater with a Fair Isle pattern on the yoke. Her light blond hair coiled into curls that barely brushed her shoulders. So unlike my own wild mane that I felt momentary … frumpy.

She caught me looking, glancing at my own outfit. “Oh, does your grandmother knit?” she asked in English.

In English!

Sigh.

“Um,” I responded slowly. My maternal grandmother, Ruth, had died before I was born, having ventured into sixteenth century China in pursuit of a bashe that — having gone insane and decided it was a dragon — was obsessed with reclaiming a pearl it claimed contained a prophecy. Since my grandmother had inadvertently released the gigantic snake from a misfiled artifact in her own archive, she’d been responsible for its release and therefore its recapture.

My grandmother’s ashes — authenticated, so my mother could claim her inheritance of the estate — were housed in an ornate urn on the mantel in the library. The pearl was safely housed in the treasure keeper’s personal collection where all the exceedingly dangerous artifacts were stored. Pulou, aka the treasure keeper, aka the guardian dragon who oversaw all the dragon archivists, had personally returned my grandmother’s remains. And the prophecy was a separate thing altogether.

That either the pearl or the prophecy even existed was knowledge that wasn’t mine to collect. Yet. But the family library yielded things to my touch it shouldn’t, including personal family journals. And my mother hadn’t caught me. Again, yet.

The woman was staring at me. Her eyes widening as my silence discomforted her.

I touched the neckline of my sweater. “It’s vintage.”

“Oh!” She smiled broadly. “Good find.”

– Awakening Infinity (Archivist 0), fourth draft

Coming January 2021

Archivist 0: the damn egg

The book cover is only a couple of tweaks away from being ready and I’m putting the finishing touches on the edit for Archivist 0 this week. But, before I spend the rest of the afternoon writing a ‘missing’ scene, I decided I was totally overdue to release an excerpt.

I mean, you know I’ll use any excuse to share.

I touched Sisu’s shoulder, worried about how long he’d been in the nexus without me, and possibly not knowing where I was, but his attention turned back to the golden egg as if it was somehow compelling him. And maybe it was. I couldn’t feel anything specific from the egg, but the press of the library’s energy was intense.

Jiaotu reached over his son’s head, plucking up the object of my brother’s obsession. He narrowed his bright blue eyes at the artifact, which was only slightly larger than a regular chicken egg, then he shrugged and handed it to Sisu.

An entire world of hurt and terror could be hidden in that shrug.

Sisu cupped the egg in both hands, grinning. Then he whispered, “Hello, there.”

And … that was way worse than a casual shrug.

Jiaotu was watching me with one eyebrow slightly raised as if he expected me to protest.

I could handle anything that came out of the damn egg. I held the guardian’s gaze, silently letting him know that.

– Awakening Infinity (Archivist 0), fourth draft.

To be released chapter by chapter in January 2021.

Archivist Series: outlining.

Me: a couple of months ago: I have this super fun idea! A totally playful series about a dragon archivist tasked with posing as a witch to walk among the Adept while overseeing a magical archive and taking care of her younger brother.

Also me: I mean, sure, Dusk can kick ass but she’s really not all that into it. She’s a collector. It will be about books and artifacts and mythological creatures.

Also, also me: Well, my version of mythological creatures. It is modern times, urban setting, and all.

Me, always: And kissing, of course. Every book needs serious kissing. Hopefully with much tongue.

Doubled notebooks – aka how you know it isn’t just a fling.

Me: this morning: Now that the editor has the prequel, I’m going to spend the next week brainstorming and firming up the outline for book one, etc.

Me: end of day: Okay … spent the entire day obsessively outlining and brainstorming. In pencil. I finished the entire freaking outline! Plus numerous scene ideas! And now my hand really, really hurts …

[I pause … thinking … the terrible realization of what I’ve just done sinks in.]

Me, continued: … it … the book … isn’t really … super fun anymore. Playful, yes. But … with consequences. Lots and lots of … consequences. Like mind control, kidnapping, and hearts being ripped out of chests sort of consequences …

So … I guess it’s MY kind of playful?

Okay then.

Apparently, I’m sticking to brand.

But there still aren’t near enough kisses.

Yet.

🙂

DON’T MISS THE AUDIOBOOK GIVEAWAY!

Archivist 0: wanton destruction

When Michael beta reads for me – usually after the third draft, before a book goes to the story editor – he mostly highlights typos and anything he feels is awkward. But he also tags favourite bits, usually with a laughing or crying emoji.

I thought you might find this excerpt as amusing as Michael apparently did.

“The fact that we can feel [her power] so acutely should remind us all that Dusk is seventy-five years away from her majority.” Jiaotu pronounced each word precisely. It was the most vivid display of emotion I’d ever heard or seen from him. And I’d placed Sisu into his arms only moments after his birth. The guardian’s only child. A child whose existence was already a rarity in a world more and more filled with environmentally destructive technology.

“So is Drake.” Suanmi tapped her long fingernails on the arm of her chair. They were filed into slightly rounded points, painted bright red. “Yet he is perfectly capable.”

“Of utterly wanton destruction,” Haoxin said gleefully. As if wanton destruction was a good thing.

– [title redacted] (Archivist 0), third draft

The brainstorming continues …

With the prequel to the upcoming Archivist Series waiting for Michael’s notes – he is my first beta reader after I complete the third draft, which I did yesterday – I get to spend the day (week) brainstorming and outlining Archivist 1!

Let’s just say that spilling multiple cups of coffee all over herself is, unfortunately, going to be the highpoint of Dusk’s first week as the head curator for the magical archives at [redacted].

But don’t worry, dragons don’t burn easily.

Just FYI, because I’m already fielding questions (which is totally, completely cool), the Archivist Series is set in the Adept Universe but built around entirely new characters. There will be no MAJOR crossovers. As the writer/creator, I retain the right to change my mind at any point, of course. But only if it benefits the plot. (Read: Jade is too powerful to just pop into other books/series for no reason). It’s best to assume that each series is completely separate moving forward with the exception of the Misfits books. Thank you for hanging out with me on this multi-branched journey!!

Archivist 0: I just recorded it all.

Dragons didn’t tremble. Dragons didn’t beg for forgiveness or break under pressure. Dragons walked through magical maelstroms, quashing demon uprisings and thwarting world invasions before stopping off for dim sum for breakfast. In Shanghai.

Well, guardian dragons did that sort of thing.

I just recorded it all.

– [title redacted] (Archivist 0), third draft

To-Do List #Fail

Me: Okay! I finished the second draft of Archivist 0 and really should do something marketing related for the Amplifier series. Like promote my new release, Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4) with some review quotes. Or like mention in various places on the interwebs that The Amplifier Protocol (Amplifier 0) is only going to be free until the end of the month.

Also me: Let’s spend the afternoon working on Dusk’s family tree!

The Archivist’s family tree … so far … dragons live a long time. And archivists go missing, aka wandering through the stacks. A lot.

So yeah … #AmStillWriting #AdeptUniverse … but totally ignoring my inbox and other duties.

🙂

He hadn’t noticed that I’d just been trying to decide when I was going to murder him.

Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4) is one week and one day old! Yay!! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read, review, and share. It is so, so appreciated (and helps with visibility). I’ve pulled back from email/social media a bit to make more time for writing new words, so I’ve been a little quiet, but next weekend is my birthday! And, as you probably already know, that means a lot of random, flash giveaways will be happening (usually over on my Facebook page)!!!

***

Kader transferred his smile to me. “Just magnificent. Though I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, amplifier.”

“You don’t know me well enough to make that assessment, sorcerer.”

“No?” He arched an eyebrow.

The expression was disconcertingly reminiscent of Aiden’s. I’d seen a disturbing echo of the sorcerer I loved in his brother’s face as well. Thankfully, the feeling of familiarity quickly faded, because I was already feeling off. I wasn’t remotely acting how I’d assumed I would react to meeting one of my makers — specifically, with my blades in hand and that maker’s life blood marking their edges just moments afterward.

“I suppose not,” Kader said despite my silence. “It has been over eight years.”

He hadn’t noticed that I’d just been trying to decide when I was going to murder him.

When.

Not if.

Of that, I had no doubt.

New to the Amplifier Series? The prequel The Amplifier Protocol (Amplifier 0) is free! But only for a limited time. Or click here for the reading order of the entire Adept Universe.

The one time I ignore my phone …

After a few hours of working yesterday – managing my inboxes, social media, checking sales/rankings, etc – I was suddenly hit with this feeling of utter rawness, of overexposure. Nothing bad had happened (the complete opposite, in fact) but apparently I just exist close to that edge with the constant headache/state of the world, etc.

It was an acute enough overwhelm that I had to sit down on my pilates machine and just breathe. When that didn’t alleviate the feeling, I put on my runners, snagged Michael, and walked down to the mailbox. On our way back to the house, we discussed me taking a few days (mostly) off – writing if I felt like it, but letting my inbox, etc, slide – and then, come Monday, implementing a new schedule that prioritizes the writing of new words and limits my inbox/notifications running me quite so thoroughly.

So, of course, when I actually set my phone aside – physically across the room, and muted as always – Michael got stuck on the roof of the cabin addition.

Yep.

Hooked into his harness on the steep pitch of the garage. Can’t reach the ladder. Completely stuck.

He texted.

He called.

He yelled.

I was listening to an audiobook while knitting. ‘Unplugged’.

Michael had to flag down the neighbour to help him (Thank you, Jim!) even though I was hanging out less than the length of the house away. Ironically, I heard them talking, but not what was being said.

So … turning off notifications but keeping my phone nearby might help today’s ‘day off’ run a little smoother.

Oooo, look! A pretty green bestseller ribbon for Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4) on Barnes and Noble. Thank you to all my Nook readers!! Amplifier 4 also ranked highly in the store and in its categories on Apple Books, Kobo, and Amazon (though Amazon calculates things a bit differently), and I am very very grateful to all my lovely readers without whom there would be no roof for Michael to get stuck on!

Christopher’s Granola

Christopher’s go-to breakfast cereal recipe from Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4)! I’ve also added it to the Adept Universe cookbook (click to download).