Ben Sherman

I feel like after over a year of delays for publishing book two, I should be way deeper into book three. The most annoying part of the awkward pause between finishing a book and releasing it is that all the logistics sap my will to write.
#writing #selfpublishing #books #series #authors

So... as a fan of Naomi Noviks books... His Majesty's Iggy?

Said is a very important word. For many writers, it’s probably one of the most important and most invisible words in their toolbox. It’s something to slap on, mark who is speaking, and forget. For whatever reason, writing it drives me insane. I like action tags more.

#writing #dialogue #author

There will probably be a few moments that could happen, but I'm not sure she's ready to realize that. She has trouble dealing with the thought of a normal authority figure being wrong or abusing their power. Her dad is on a whole other level in her head.

For this book it would definitely be more trying to live up to her perception of him. She tends to see him as her hero and the type of warrior she wants to be.

Later on I can easily see it becoming trying to escape his shadow as she becomes more aware of just how much others compare her to him.

Also... there's probably a touch of being in her father's shadow, but I wouldn't call that drama.

It's less interfamily drama and more that a certain faction wants their home to stay isolated. The narrators mom and dad are both taking steps to open borders up, and the narrator herself is fascinated with the outside world. I plan to explore the grudges held against her parents projected on her.

A little of both. The first book I was originally going to focus on an entire group of friends before I narrowed the scope to just one, which then naturally led to the second books focus. The third book I wanted to be family well ahead of time, but I had no firm plans until finishing this one.

I cannot stress how important it is to master invisible writing. If every single word I wrote punched my reader in the face, it’d give them a headache. Heh... honestly... with how wordy I can get, it could leave someone in a coma. Some words are better because your reader will look right past them.

It's more I go into each book with a certain character dynamic in mind. Book one focused on the narrator Nightingale and her harpy friend Rak'sha. Book two is meant to focus more on her and her human friends. Whichever relationship I'm focusing on determines how things go sideways in that book.

The proof copy for the book came in just before the end of last week. It feels nice to finally hold it after a year of delays and life being life.
#Book #Publishing #Fantasy #Writing

Alright… I’ve been advised to try and draft several posts in advance to better follow a consistent schedule. I’ve got to say doing it like this helped me organize my thoughts more if nothing else. We’ll see if it helps me get used to this.

I'll be trying for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

First time running a table at a library event rather than a con. Kinda curious if it'll be just as exhausting. Like, it's only two hours, sure, but I don't really mind the part where I get to sit and people watch while waiting for a sale. It's set up, clean up, and travel that exhaust me the most.

The last few days have reminded me of the agony that is trying to come up with a good short description for a book.

I'm also recovering from a cold and have been pondering doing an anthology of a bunch of different fantasy species dealing with being sick as a side project.

And I forgot to show off the table itself... that was the whole reason I thought to post in the first place.

I really need to remember to update more regularly. Anyways! Back at Flower City Comic. Table is all set up, and while the sequel isn't published like I was hoping to have, it's so close to done that I can show off the painting I commissioned for the cover art and take some pre-orders.

Working a bit on the conlang today. It's not essential for the story itself and will rarely come up with how I'm writing the story, but it's fun to poke at. I've been using Ogham for the writing system as it's perfect for scratching out with claws, though I had to map out their phonemes separately.

Felt like sharing a little snippet today.

The mountain of luggage wobbled over me as I looked up; I was definitely not safe in its shadow, and the fact Diane could prattle on as more and more kept getting carted out was not a good sign.

#Writing

Finally taking a little break from editing and logistics. Other night I wrote some horror just to practice writing something different. Not quite sure it was horrifying, but that's paractice for you.

Also... going to a crafts show this weekend with some friends to share a table.

I've been line editing the sequel a few chapters at a time, and rereading it has felt really good so far. Real test will be when I get around to finding beta readers, but I need to finish the editing first.

#Writing #Editing

Draft for the Nightingale Chronicles book 2 is finished. Time to start focusing on edits, logistics, and the publishing end for when it comes out. And if if it's anything like last time... writing the book is the easy part. getting it out there is the hard part.

#Writers #Authors

Third and final pitch for Nightingale's almost finished sequel:

When your world is so draped in shadows that all you're meant to ever see is shades of grey, color becomes a thing of terror. Color is a thing wielded by eldritch abominations and soulless demons beyond mortal ken.
#BluePit #W #YA #F

Yeah, the artist did a really good job. Gargoyles are fun to write and not often explored. A large goal of my writing is xenofiction and exploring more than the usual mix of humans, dwarves, and elves.

When the undead are as natural as the magical beasts, it's a lot of fun exploring the various species in the Nightingale Chronicles. One of my favorites is that gargoyles aren't born made of stone but instead turn to stone over time under the hungry sun.

#Xenofiction #BluePit #W #P #YA #F

When day to day life includes hunting manticores and helping the spirits of the dead, there's far more to worry about than prophesized heroes or ancient evils. For one young gargoyle, she's just wants to earn her name, help her tribe, and meet some of the fabled humans.

📖 #BluePit #W #P #YA #F