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!
*Just to reiterate.* I have no control over the price or the retailer or the countries included. Amazon asked if they could featureInvoking 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
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.
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.
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.”
Some sweet peas from Hey Day Farm to add a bit of colour to my other Archivist ‘touchstones’ – my version of Infinity and a brass dragon (see the page breaks in the books).
I’m all geared up to work full time, hopefully with no other distractions, on the second book in the Archivist series for the entire week. Though I’m slightly apprehensive about my second Covid19 shot on Wednesday. The first shot pushed my Chronic Daily Headache into (at least) six weeks of ramped up pain during which very little writing was accomplished, putting me far, far behind my schedule for 2021. But, as I understand it, many people react differently to their second shots and I hope that is the case for me as well.
Other than that, there has been a tiny bit of knitting, and an even tinier bit of gardening. And a ton of other books/stories thrashing around in my head (don’t worry I’m making notes) such as a couple of more Kandy shorts (and an Audrey short), leading up to Misfits 1. As well as more brainstorming for the new Multiverse series (long term project, urban fantasy). If the headache would just give me some peace, I have a ton of books aching to get out of my head!
The first three Moments of the Adept Universe shorts (previously released in my newsletter) are with the editor for story editing. I’ve finished the first draft of what was supposed to be Burgundy’s second story (the first is outlined but not written) but I’m a little torn about ‘releasing’ it next because it falls forward in the timeline (after Misfits 1 but before Archivist 0) and therefore might be a bit confusing. So I might need to hold it back for a bit. Memo is taking break from the sketches for the Adept Universe bible until September, because she is crazy busy, but there are more coming – yay!
I’ve been reading the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh finally (Amazon USA link, for ease of sharing). I just finished book nine and am still really enjoying the sexy, sexy series. I would call it paranormal romance because each book ends in a HEA (Happily Ever After) EXCEPT there is a ton of world building, and a larger overall plot threading through the background of each book, which makes it more of an urban fantasy series.
Okay, wish me luck with the second Covid19 shot, and I should get back to writing Archivist 2!
A brief addendum that I can’t believe I needed to write: I’m not interested in being sent anti-vaccine propaganda. I believe in science and that my medical system/government is interested in keeping me alive, even if only for the taxes I pay. And I cannot believe that anyone would suggest that so-called ‘lifestyle’ changes (rather than a doctor or ‘pill’) would be all it would take to cure my headaches. Do you actually think that anyone would be in this much pain, for almost two years, and not have tried EVERYTHING, including diet and massage? No one with a chronic illness sits around hoping a ‘pill’ will cure them. But! Amazingly enough, because science is cool like that, sometimes the right ‘pill’ actually works.
I’m donating an ‘Adept Universe Swag Box’ to the 2021 Book Bonanza Raffle. The prizes are insane! And all the $$ goes to charity. If I understand it correctly, you buy raffle tickets for certain items to enter to win that particular item. And yeah, I’m about to drop some serious cash myself …
ADEPT UNIVERSE SWAG BOX
Donated by Meghan Ciana Doidge
Items included:
From the Dowser series: six audiobook CDs, nine recipe cards, and Cake in a Cup stickers.
From the Amplifier series: two autographed paperbacks, six oracle cards, and a sticker.
From the Archivist series: two autographed paperbacks and five bookplates.
From the Misfits series: one autographed paperback and a cashmere/merino/silk hat (adult size small/med) knit by the author.
I just bought raffle tickets for four items I’d probably never buy for myself: the Louis Vuitton Purse, Dyson Airwrap, Bose Sleepbuds, and an absolutely gorgeous quilt!
Fun! Fun!
Edited to add more pictures of the raffle items (they are a little blurred on the main page right now):
Treadmill desk, Archivist 0 uploaded on iPad, updated desktop picture, napping Persian cat, and hot chocolate – check! Commencing reread in 3 … 2 … 1 …
Apologies to the illustrator Nicole Deal for the red blush on my desktop. Sisu is definitely NOT pink skinned. I’m having trouble with my eyes/new prescription so I’m trying different filters.
I don’t normally reread my books after they’ve been published … almost never. But I’m (hopefully) coming out from under the oppressive headache that set in after my first Covid shot (Aka back to my regular level of constant pain. Sigh), and find – likely because of the break – that I’m still struggling to hold the entirety of Archivist 2 in my head. I have the linchpins of the entire structure and the first act (aka 28k words) written, but the writing isn’t flowing. I’m hoping a reread of the prequel and book one will envelop me in Dusk’s voice, and I’ll pick up where I left off easier.
I keep getting asked about … well, every novel (from every series) that random readers seem to want (which is lovely, but seriously impossible). Short answer? Yes, the Dowser, Oracle, and Reconstructionist are all complete series. Archivist 2, Amplifier 5, Misfits 2, and numerous Moments of Adept shorts are in the works, to be released as soon as I’ve written each (in the above order). I do try to keep the bottom of my About Meghan and TBR page vaguely updated, as well as the Reading Order. Just FYI.
I submit the following snippet as evidence that words do continue to be written.
🙂
A page from MCD’s Moments of the Adept 1 notebook.
Chuckling, Kandy placed her hands on the ground and levered herself up into a crouch and then to standing.
The skin across her upper chest and arms was darkening, reddening, then rapidly blackening.
Crying out despite myself, I flung my hands forward. The outer circle responded instantly, reaching out for the injured werewolf and gently enfolding her upper torso in the healing I’d instinctively cast. I’d had no idea I could manipulate a barrier in that way. Though perhaps sitting in the middle of the epic flow of the ley line had something to do with it.
Kandy giggled, rolling her shoulders back and stretching as if she just gotten a great … well, I was going to say massage, but I doubted the werewolf luxuriated in anything less than mind-blowing —
“Ooo,” she purred, leering at me, and completely ignoring the interlopers. “That tickles all the right places, healer.”
Every single one of the interlopers turned to look at me. Even through my barrier I could feel their regard.
“My turn,” Kandy said, bouncing in place with anticipation. The burns had completely healed, and not only thanks to my spell, the werewolf healed quickly on her own. “But, let’s make it a party, otherwise I’ll just hear … yadda, yadda … so freaking bored … yadda, yadda … why do you get to have all all the fun … yadda, yadda … Text the dowser, Burgundy. Tell her to come play.”
She turned her attention to the heavily armored interlopers. “But … while we wait …. six … five … let’s see how many of you I can grab on my little, tiny lonesome … four …” Energy swirled around her, brightening and expanding. “Three … two …”
The leader threw an arm up to shield its face. Yes, I assumed there was a face behind the faceplate of the helmet. Anything else was far too creepy to contemplate at the moment.
“One!” A behemoth creature tore through Kandy’s clothing, then skin — all gray, patchy fur, thick muscle, and sickled claws. Standing easily seven feet, she lowered her large head between her massive shoulders, lips pulling back along an elongated snout to reveal wickedly long, sharp teeth. She had a strip of bright pink hair, like a mohawk or a mane, snaking across her head from her brow, down her neck, and along her spine, ending around the middle of her back.
The monster that was now Kandy cackled. Gleefully dark. The sound somehow amplified, brutally eager and malicious.
Fear grabbed hold of me, freezing me in place. Not that I’d been planning to move — what with being a three-hour hike from civilization and facing off with six armed, armored foes with unknown intent — but being able to breath was always nice.
The leader opened fire …
– excerpt from Momentary Incursion (Moments of the Adept, Burgundy 0.5), first draft
“Your guess is as good as mine,” he said. “I’m just trying to follow the tempo.”
I laughed, oddly relieved that I wasn’t the only ignorant one.
Kellan pulled me a touch closer.
I didn’t resist. If I turned my head slightly, I’d be able to brush a kiss just under his jaw.
Oh gods, this was a bad idea.
“What do you transform into?” he murmured against my temple, moving me to the music.
“Nothing.”
“You might be witch-blooded, Dusk Godfrey,” he purred. “But that’s not all you are … you try to hide your golden glow but I see it between the cracks. It’s the same as the trail Sisu left through the city.”
“That was a spell.”
He hummed doubtfully. “Then why was the trail for Neve and Lile the same color as their magic?”
“I’m an archivist,” I said stiffly, clinging to the truth of that title.
“I never said you weren’t.” He sounded amused.
Hunting me, I realized.
I tilted my head back, deliberately catching his gaze and holding it. “I’m not prey. I’m not to be hunted.”
“Oh …” He flashed me a smile full of all sort of promises. “I’m not hunting.”
– title TBA (Archivist 2), chapter one, first draft
Twenty-six – 26! – twenty-six full-length books – written, rewritten (3-5x), story edited, line/content edited, proofed, and beta read …that is crazy! [Am I going to say that every time? Probably, yes.]
Invoking Infinity (Archivist 1) had an exceedingly successful release day yesterday, ranking just ever so slightly below my two most successful releases (both Dowser books, of course). The early reviews have been lovely – excited for this new branch of the Adept Universe. Thank goodness, because book two is already in the works!
To celebrate the release, I watched two of my fav comedies, Spy and Game Night, and read the first half of Jeffe Kennedy’s Promised Queen (we were Release Day Buddies, so it seemed like a perfect way to spend part of my day) in between checking messages/posting online, etc. Archivist 1 hit the Top 50 on all retailers (except Amazon), snagging the coveted green bestseller ribbon on B&N, as well as a spot among Kobo’s Trending Now and New & Hot Sci-Fi/Fantasy Releases. Whoot!
It is a privilege to write books for a living. My lovely readers make that possible. By buying, or borrowing from a library, yes, but also by recommending my books to friends and family, for sharing on social media, and for chatting with me when I need a little boost (or just some contact) (otherwise it’s just me in my writing shed all day long).
I’m so, so glad that you’re enjoying Dusk and Sisu (and Kellan and Ravine, etc).
Yarn: Bowling Alley by Gauge Dye Works. Pattern: Musselburgh Hat. Marshmallow Fudge: by MCD.
Reviews are, of course and always, welcomed and appreciated.
Oh! If you would like to discuss the book (or the series in general) there is a SPOILER group offshoot of the reader-run Facebook fan group. I’m not a member of the spoiler group, so you can all chat freely.
When I get my hands on some paperbacks, I’ll post a giveaway … and if you follow me on Instagram you might be able to guess what adorable extra I plan to add.
