Today, Beyond the Stars: At Galaxy's Edge launched and I am a part of that anthology. It blows my mind sometimes, the places my writing takes me.
I heard about the open submission call in the Future Chronicles, which is also a wonder-filled anthology producer, with over 28 titles ranging from Robots, AI, Dragons, Shifters, and so much more.
Flying on three planes, I traveled across the nation from my home in Northern California to Nashville, TN. Attending Utopia convention for the first time, I was grateful for the flight time alone, making the most of flying red eye.
So it was 5 am Chicago time when I landed (3 am PST). The airport didn't have a gate for my next flight. I waited in the uncomfortable seats that felt more like the line outside a principal's office. Bleary eyed, restless, unable to sleep because I didn't know where the next flight would depart, I opened my laptop and found Captain Jonat P. Rutherford and his box of cryogenically preserved penguins. And the Artificial intelligence that aided him in flight, absorbing his wonderful curses and his stubbornness. 
RORA. Which felt like a female in my head, but was in fact only a robot, an extra layer of protection on a junker Epsilon spaceship, headed out across the starlanes. 

That was the first page. And I really couldn't have told you where it would go. Where RORA would need to go to save them all...

I really hope you like the story. I have at least two other short story anthologies coming out this year, and maybe a novel or two...

Excited to share. Also a bit overwhelmed by the awesomeness of the company I keep in this BTS: AGE. 

It's been three months almost since Flying Away was released into the big, wide world. And I am still in awe of how many people have helped support it, as well as the new friends and fans I have met.

Both Flying Blind and Flying Free are edited and on their way to formatting while I am madly trying to learn the contortions of marketing. The whole series has been such a joy to write. I can't wait to hear what people think once they take that ride. This year promises to see the release of five novels and possibly two anthologies, all while I strive to do better, be kinder, write more, love gentler. 

I want to thank Kate Corcino, Cheer Papworth, and Katy Walker, Sarah Noffke and Casey Bond. Amy Bartelloni was the first person to read all three novels. And I could gauge a great deal by her reactions. Audrey, my sister helped so much as well, editing as she went. 

This blog needs to become more than a place for me to reflect. To that end, I am going to ask some of the authors I have met to make guest posts, bringing new perspectives and ideas to the page. 

Flying Away is an odd novel, I know. It starts off with the confusion of a scared girl and only slowly irons out. I am thrilled to be able to share Lani's continuing story with you. Thank you for reading. xx

It's happening soon. Like this week. I will get the final, final, final copy of edits from my editor. The ones that are grammar and punctuation. I mean, who kneeds that?.., And then I submit the finished work back to Sara at Your Elemental Solutions, cause she is kindness itself. And then one sparkly morning, I will become Marty McFly with my very own books being delivered to my door. Books that are right, books that I don't compromise on details, books that I can say, yea, That's mine, and feel like I really changed the world with my typewriter.
Between now and then, I am supposed to launch the book with Advanced Reader Copies. Get free copies in the hands of people who read them, write a review and hold the review until the day I publish. That way, on the first day the book is available for public consumption, there are already feedback reviews waiting for the public to read. This is not a new concept. But it is particularly difficult, since it requires knowing bloggers, readers and having a name that anyone recognizes.
The only bit I have published right now is the Prep For Doom prologue. That's good cause it means some people know me. A little is better than nothing.
But let me tell you about the fear. I did this before: wrote a book, published it. I didn't understand what I was doing, I didn't get an editor, I didn't make it the way I wanted it to be, even the title was off. Publishing was a series of compromises and I was grateful for the help. But I ended up uncertain of my product, my self confidence wobbly. I listened to Susan Kaye Quinn, I listened to Brene Brown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-JXOnFOXQk

So now, this is me, this is the writing I want to put out to the world.
And now, I have a chance to share my own particular brand of stubborn heroines and loyal heroes. Here's to the next 6 weeks.