Moments of the Adept Universe.

I launched into January 2021 with a multi-tiered plan. Not resolutions, but a tweaking of a few aspects of my writing life. Okay, I’m always attempting to reduce portions sizes and get back to daily yoga/pilates. But those are continual personal goals that I’m pretty good at maintaining unless something extreme happens, such as my hip bursitis flaring.

Yes, I’m a 47-year-old with a bad hip. It’s freaking hilarious.

Anyway, I digress.

One of the ‘tweaks’ involves switching up how I do giveaways in 2021. Not all giveaways, but most. I’ve decided to focus more on the digital realm so I can reach (and hopefully treat) more of my readers at once. And, in switching up my giveaways, I’m also putting more focus on writing and less on the effort it takes for me to manage a physical giveaway.

The idea is to set a couple of Saturdays aside a month to write (and rewrite) a random short story set in the Adept Universe for my newsletter, one per month. Most of the shorts will be prequels to the currently published books. At the end of the year, I’ll bundle all the shorts, get them properly edited and proofed, then publish them on all retailers.

Today was my first Saturday devoted to this new endeavour. I intended to draft the entire story in one day, using a second Saturday to redraft, and a third to proof/polish. But apparently Kandy’s tale needs more than what I can give in a single day because I wrote 6165 words (read: a really good writing day for me) and it’s still nowhere near finished.

So … only two days into January, into my multi-tiered plan, and I’m behind schedule.

Typical freaking werewolf. Always taking over every scene she’s in. I really should have known better.

😂

So … I’ll write the rest of the short tomorrow. Because on Monday I’m supposed to be working on Archivist 1, not playing around with a snarky werewolf who, when bored, apparently enjoys getting herself into entanglements that completely screw with her worldview. And yeah, the first short is going to come with a content warning. Did you expect anything less from Kandy?

In case you missed it, I released the first chapter of Awakening Infinity (Archivist 0) yesterday. Also, Kim, over on the reader run fan group, is hosting a discussion of the new book, chapter by chapter, if that interests you. ETA: as of Feb 26 these chapters have been removed, pending the release of the book on all retailers!

Happy New Year!!

Archivist 0: The Serialization Of

The first chapter of Awakening Infinity (Archivist 0) releases on the blog at 8:05 am (PST) on January 1, 2021. I’ll be posting a new section every Wednesday and Friday from January 1 to February 26. The entire novel is also currently available for preorder and will release on all retailers on March 2, 2021.

As with the prequel for the Amplifier Series, when I came up with the idea for the Archivist Series, I knew that we needed to see the inciting incident that takes place about a month before the main story – an introduction to Dusk and Sisu and how they’re connected to the guardian dragons – but it was too much info to be shoved into the beginning of the first book. It would have ruined the pacing.

Awakening Infinity (Archivist 0) is a short novel, approx 53k, that focuses on the relationship between sister and brother, Dusk’s doubts about her abilities, and the blissful moment when she realizes she is on the right path. It’s a quieter story (for me) but no less intense (fingers crossed).

I’m serializing the prequel for my readers as a thank you for traveling this far along in the Adept Universe with me, and also as an introduction to a new character, new series.

Things you might like to know (but feel free to ask any other question below):

Other than the reintroduction of (some of) the guardian dragons, the Archivist Series is a completely new series set within the Adept Universe. Minor, fun crossovers might occur but should not be expected. (Read: NO JADE!). Archivist 0 can be read as a standalone (if you wish to share/recommend it).

You do not need to be caught up in the reading order of the Adept Universe to read-along.

Please feel free to comment and discuss the chapters/parts in the blog comment section (or over in the Facebook fan group). Please feel free to share the blog posts and/or the memes. I’m hoping that gathering to read the prequel and discussing the story as it releases will be part of the fun!

The blog posts will be automatically shared on my Twitter and Facebook feeds but you might wish to also follow the blog itself so you don’t want to miss a post.

Are you ready to dig in?

I’m totally excited!!

***

Are you new to the Adept Universe? Awakening Infinity (Archivist 0) can be read separately, but the first book in the universe, Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1), is currently free as well! Click here for the recommended reading order of the Adept Universe.

How to subscribe to MCD’s blog

Here – updated April 27, 2023 with (fairly recent) pictures – is how to subscribe to my blog (so you can read along with the Conduit on #TeaserTuesday).

On a computer/desktop. Type your email into the box on the top right-hand corner of your screen. You can unsubscribe at any time. You’ll need to confirm your subscription. If you can’t find the email in your inbox, check your spam/junk/promotions folders. If you find the confirmation there, please drag it into your inbox to ensure that future emails arrive directly in your inbox. After you subscribe you will get an email each time I blog (not just the Conduit serialization posts).

On a mobile device. Scroll all the way down past the current blog posts. Type your email into the box situated between the ‘older posts’ button and the cover image for Archivist 0. You can unsubscribe at any time. You’ll need to confirm your subscription. If you can’t find the email in your inbox, check your spam/junk/promotions folders. If you find the confirmation there, please drag it into your inbox to ensure that future emails arrive directly in your inbox. After you subscribe you will get an email each time I blog (not just the Conduit serialization posts).

There you go! I hope you enjoy the read-along.

Archivist 0: Cover reveal and synopsis

I’m celebrating getting the prequel to the Archivist series off to the proofreader today by revealing the freaking gorgeous book cover by Damonza, along with the synopsis.

As with The Amplifier Protocol last year, Awakening Infinity (Archivist 0) will be serialized here on my blog every Wednesday and Friday, starting January 1, 2021. I’ll also make the preorder available by that date for those of you who prefer to read all at once. Don’t worry I’ll email all the details to my mailing list (make sure you’re subscribed) and refresh my ‘how to subscribe to MCD’s blog’ instructions so you don’t miss a chapter.

Without further chatter – the gorgeous cover!

Synopsis: The plan was to hop a train to Oslo, hang out at a coffee shop, and connect my personal archive, Infinity, to the Internet. Yes, completely disregarding the well-established fact that magic and technology didn’t mix. At all.

I was also hoping to browse as many bookstores as I could before my younger brother’s patience ran out. Unfortunately, the five-year-old fledgling dragon was better known for his exuberant — and ultimately destructive — tendencies rather than his attention span.

I almost pulled it all off. Almost proved that my position as Archivist of the Modern World wasn’t just an empty title.

Then I got summoned — by the most powerful beings in the magical world. And when the guardian dragons made a request, no one denied them. Not even a lesser dragon.

Not even if it tore me away from everything I’d ever known — and the one person I couldn’t leave behind.

Awakening Infinity is a prequel novel in the Archivist series, which is set in the same universe as the Dowser, Oracle, Reconstructionist, Amplifier, and Misfits of the Adept Universe series. While it is not necessary to read all the series, in order to avoid spoilers the ideal reading order of the Adept Universe begins with Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1). Or click here for the full reading order.

Questions about the Archivist Series? Feel free to comment below (or +1 other comments) and I’ll write up a FAQ, if needed!!

Spying on Michael

The headache really spiked earlier (it isn’t great now either but I’m trying), and while I was trying to soothe myself (THC cream and peppermint oil on temples, controlled breathing, etc), I took a moment to sneakily spy on Michael cutting the rafters he’s installing today.

He caught me, of course. The addition can only be seen from within the cabin through one corner window, plus I was partly wedged behind the wood stove so I couldn’t step out of view terribly quickly. Then questions ensued.

Michael: What’s wrong? Are you okay?

Me: Head hurts, trying to decide if I’m going to write off the day by taking a triptan.

Michael: *grimancing* I’m sorry. I can come in.

Me: *grinning* That’s okay, I’m enjoying the view.

Michael: View … of …?

Me: You … measuring, cutting … carrying the rafters.

Michael: *laughing huskily* ogling me, are you?

Me, primly: Well, you are my husband.

Anyway – to my point – when you start hitting scenes in the Archivist series (specifically starting in book 1) featuring a sexy carpenter/contractor with strong hands, muscled wrists and forearms, carrying terribly heavy things, you’ll all be exceedingly aware of my inspiration.

Cabin Addition 2020: (far right to left) front door, two windows into the ‘flex’ room (workout space plus Murphy bed), door to the garage, with Michael’s studio in the back left corner. The aforementioned rafters are on the left side. No carpenter pictured because he refused to be splashed all over the blog. LOL

Back to writing the actual book!

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!!