After nine weeks, I dropped the latest round of off-label headache meds yesterday – Candesartan, actually used for blood pressure regulation – because the side effects were becoming too detrimental and the constant/daily headache was completely undaunted. Already feeling slightly better, I happily spent the day working through the story editor’s notes on Compelling Infinity (Archivist 2).
Slowly but surely, I will get the next book in the Archivist series in your hands! Along with the first collection of the Moments of the Adept Universe stories. More info and release dates TBA!
But, more importantly, Michael bought me a treat to aid the editing/story pass.
On MCD’s desk today – editing Archivist 2 with the help of some liquorice Allsorts.
Liquorice (aka licorice) Allsorts!
Allsorts are definitely on the edge of too sweet for me, but I still enjoy the chewy texture. And the childhood connection/memory – one set (of four) of my grandparents always had a bowl of Allsorts on their coffee table when I visited in the summers.
I hope to get Archivist 2 back in the editor’s inbox by the end of next week. Wish me luck!
Anchored in the Moment (Moments of the Adept Unvierse 0.7) aka Audrey 0.5 – First draft. Done. 🙂
Set after Dowser 1, and featuring Desmond, this ‘moment’ turned into a fun and sexy short. I was just going to share it on my blog, but I might also put out a random newsletter next week. [subscribe or check your subscription here] October is usually my fav month – Thanksgiving, my birthday, harvest, and halloween – but things are really rough around here right now – we think we’re losing Leo all of a sudden, because he won’t eat – and I needed something short and sweet to focus on. A distraction that would also help me feel productive.
Snippet below:
A handwritten page from MCD’s notebook
“You have a position open, in your pack,” I said without further preamble.
“The beta position is Kandy’s,” Desmond said, pointedly looking out the side window. It was a beautiful day, sunny but not hot. “It has always been Kandy’s.”
“Yet Kandy is in Vancouver.”
He glanced at me then, narrowing his eyes. “Fulfilling a temporary need.”
I eyed him for a moment, trying to figure out how much Desmond Llewelyn liked to be pushed. “She won’t take it,” I said evenly. “Just like she’ll let her inheritance rot, just like she won’t step up and take the Assembly seat.”
“Those are her choices.” Desmond frowned — I was getting to him, finally.
“Exactly. And you have a hole in your pack. An imbalance.”
He half grimaced, half snarled. “And you will be alpha when your father steps aside.”
“He’ll never step aside. He’ll wait for someone to take the pack from the Rothchilds. And you know —” I laughed bitterly. “You know, he hopes that’s going to be Kandy. A Tate.”
Desmond looked at me then. Really looked.
Finally.
I’d thought about how to approach the cat, already knowing that seducing him wouldn’t get me what I wanted. Though many alphas preferred to fill the position of beta with a lover or a family member. I had no doubt that the sex would be vigorous and as rough as I wanted it to be, but Desmond would never fuck his beta.
“He’s broken,” I whispered, though my voice was still harsh, hard-edged. “Justin’s death broke him. Like it broke Kandy. And me.”
“Kandy isn’t broken,” Desmond snarled, automatically defending his wolf. Like a true alpha.
I smirked. “I’m not saying that she isn’t strong. Fierce. And loyal. But she’s not your beta. She’s not the beta you need.”
“It’s not a post for a princess,” he snapped, shards of green magic flickering in his eyes.
“Test me,” I purred. “I can take anything you throw at me.”
Though I have Amplifier 5 all roughly outlined, I’m finding it difficult to force myself to focus on the first draft while the editor has Archivist 2. I’ve been writing Dusk, not Emma, for almost a year straight, and I have two side projects, not counting the short stories, that are occupying a lot of my brain space. I’m also likely a little burnt out – as we all are with the ongoing Covid19 restrictions/concerns – and, of course and annoyingly, the constant headache always makes writing interesting as well.
Anyway! I made myself a new desktop image, and I’m rereading Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4) to get back into Emma’s headspace. I’m going to try to read slowly (not a strength of mine 😂 ) and I’ll be sharing some favourite bits over on my social media sites (possibly with some annotations). That should help hone my focus!
MCD’s current desktop/computer/treadmill desk setup.
Idols and Enemies is the fourth book in the Amplifier Series, which is set in the same universe as the Dowser, the Oracle, the Reconstructionist, and the Misfits of the Adept Universe series. It is bundled with The Music Box (Amplifier 4.5).
Writing update: Compelling Infinity (Archivist 2) is off to the editor (aka SFG) for story editing. Finally! With the increase of pain (tried hormone therapy from Feb to July which helped with a ton of my other symptoms but unfortunately worsened the constant headache), my writing capacity was really slowed down. Thankfully, while I’m still in constant pain, the level has decreased enough that I’m managing to write most days again for at least a couple of hours.
Which leads me to the excerpt from Archivist 1.5 below. I need to get it sent off to SFG as well, since he’d probably like to read it sooner than later for story purposes.
I’m still not certain if I will simply give this short away to everyone who wants it or make it a preorder giveaway. And then I’m not certain if I should tuck it at the back of Archivist 2 (which technically would be out of order) or tuck it in with the Adept Universe shorts when I get them all bundled together. A preorder giveaway is certainly super fun, but it is a lot of extra work on my part.
Anyway!
This made me laugh out loud this morning:
“Some new playthings will please you,” Brady said.
“Artifacts and books aren’t playthings,” I retorted, then broke into a grin. “But maybe something hidden among the witch’s things will try to kill us. That’s always fun.”
I knew what I had to do. And I needed to move quickly, without regrets.
Because I was a dragon, not a witch.
And dragons protected the world and all the magic within it.
– Compelling Infinity (Archivist 2), Chapter Nine, Second Draft
In other news, all the Dowser Series recipe cards have been mailed (Thank you, Michael!). Canada Post’s delivery standard is supposedly nine business days, even internationally. But I have serious doubts. 😂
A drive-by excerpt of my current work in progress (Archivist 2), just because it made me laugh.
Ravine pushed a plate into my hands. “Kellan is manning the barbecue. Literally.” She grinned suggestively. “Cooking steak perfectly, wearing an apron, and exposing those … forearms. You might want to take a picture.”
I blinked. Once again rendered mute by her teasing. Okay, fine, my brain had just gone blank, then thrust the image she’d just described to the forefront.
Would taking a picture be rude? Or … I mean, people did take pictures to commemorate celebrations, right?
Ravine giggled gleefully, grabbing the salad tongs. “Eat, Dusk. You’ll need the energy.”
– Compelling Infinity (Archivist 2), Chapter Six, Second Draft
I just dropped From One Moment to the Next (Moments of the Adept Universe 0.5) (aka Kandy 0.75) into the inboxes of my newsletter subscribers, and as promised, I actually remembered to start a discussion thread!
The short (2600k) is just a sweet (well, my version of sweet) glimpse into Kandy’s life. It is set between her leaving her first pack and the events of Dowser 1. And features two other reader fav characters.
Please assume that there are spoilers for the short, as well as any Kandy book, in the comments below.
Feel free to discuss among yourselves (I believe there is a follow comments button? So you can see if anyone replies, etc?).
… 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 againaching for missing.
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.
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.
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.
