Back in the Saddle

After the upheaval of 2020, even a little bit of "normal" is a very welcome thing. I was watching a TV show just this morning where two of the characters were simply having coffee at a diner. I didn't even realize how much I miss that: the simple act of going out for a meal. It's something I simply took for granted, pre-COVID. Now, it's one of many things "on hold" in this new dynamic.

Fortunately, life and time do not stop even for a pandemic. One of the blessings of living in this new era is that things must change. We will find an end to this worldwide quarantine, and life will continue. We will get back to having dinner out with friends and family.  Flowers still grow.  Gardens can still be planted.  The beach is still there, waiting for us.

One surprising thing that has carried me through this enforced "quiet" is writing.  The first quarter of the pandemic was financially my best ever as far as my writing was concerned.  It helped enormously when we experienced the emergency of my son going into the hospital, and I can never be grateful enough to the readers who helped me support my family in that way.

Since things closed down, I've also had much more time to write.  For a while, I didn't want to.  It was hard to get into the groove when the entire world was scared and suffering, but eventually, my muse convinced me I needed that therapeutic release from the world's woes.  Art is good for the soul.  In fact, it's necessary.

And it worked.

I submitted a new novella to my publisher.  I'm back to writing in a book that had been frustrating me for ages.  I'm getting new ideas.  Maybe, just maybe, my muse knew what she was doing, and that I had needed this enforced rest to refill the well.  It's good to be getting back to normal, with the promise of more normalcy to come.

In the meantime, I can still get a coffee.

Guest Blogger: J.C. McKenzie!

 

 

Happy New Year, readers! Today, I welcome international bestselling author J.C. McKenzie, who joins us to talk about her new urban fantasy novel, CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS. Let's dive right in!

 

1) How did you get started writing?

 

I've been interested in writing stories from a young age. My mom (also an author) encouraged me to write. The first "book" I wrote was in grade 7 and it detailed what happened *after* the happily ever after in Snow White's story. I used to imagine fantasy worlds and designed maps in high school, but it would take awhile for me to complete my first novel. This happened when I returned to Canada from living abroad for a few years and found myself in that awkward “I’m broke and have no job” stage of life. Like any other time I faced anxiety-inducing events, I turned to reading for an affordable escape from reality and stress relief. After binging on several fantasy series, I started having strange dreams and the urge to write them down. I hadn’t had this feeling since high school, which I ignored at the time, because I was too busy withering in self-doubt like pretty much every other teenager on the face of this Earth. This time, the push was more forceful. I wanted to write a story of a fictitious woman who wasn’t me, nor meant to be a fantastical version of me in any way. I viewed the characters like a spectator and the dreams of the woman’s life and journey were so vivid and real, I HAD to write them down. And since I had no job, I had the time! This woman’s story ended up being the first manuscript I ever completed. I called it “Earthen.” The manuscript was 80,000 words, 300 pages, and a hot, hot mess. It collected proverbial dust on my hard drive but I went on to write other stories.

 

2) What interests or excites you most about your genre(s)?

 

I love escapism, especially right now. I think that's what makes fantasy and all its subgenres appeal to me so much--the ability to escape in a fictitious world.

 

3) Who or what is your favorite inspiration when writing?

 

My mom, Jo-Ann Carson, is one of my biggest inspirations, along with Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews and Faith Hunter to name a few. When writing, I actually try to *not* think about other writers. I have a bad case of imposter syndrome, and if I thought of all the authors I admire and how well they craft stories, I wouldn't get a single word down!

4) Tell me about your latest book or work in progress.

 

Conspiracy of Ravens is best described as a dystopic urban romantasy, which is an urban fantasy with strong romantic and dystopic elements. Set in Vancouver after a "faepocalypse", the main character, Raven, is faced with tough decisions to save her brother.

Here's the blurb:

Raven Crawford knows better than to venture into the seductive world of the dark fae or agree to any of their salacious promises. She plans to pay off her debts so she can get on with her life and stay far away from the denizens of the Underworld.

 

Unfortunately, her numbskull twin steals from the most tempting and lethal fae of them all. Now, Raven must help the Lord of Shadows get back what her idiot brother stole. Her only weapons? Just a little ingenuity and a whole lot of snark. It’s suicide for sure, but she’ll do anything to protect her twin. 

5) Please share with us the first paragraph of your latest work.

 

The bell above the entrance door chimed and Raven’s impending doom walked into Dan’s Diner. She froze with a coffee carafe in one hand and an empty mug in the other.

Buy CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS for a limited-time price of $0.99, now through February 5th, at:

 

Amazon US: https://bit.ly/2O3AtGm 

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/conspiracy-of-ravens-raven-crawford-1-by-j-c-mckenzie

B&N: https://bit.ly/35qdaMZ 

iBooks: https://apple.co/2XAqE5P 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2CZcUrY 

A&R: https://bit.ly/2D1zr7J 

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/37qVSAY

UBL: https://books2read.com/ConspiracyofRavens/

 

About J.C. McKenzie:

 

 

J. C. McKenzie is a book-loving, gumboot-wearing, unapologetic science geek. She predominantly writes urban fantasy and post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy with strong romantic elements. When she’s not spinning tales, she’s in the classroom sharing her passion for science and mathematics while secretly warping the young impressionable minds of our future to carry out her evil plans for world domination. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family.

 

Find J.C. online:

Website: www.jcmckenzie.ca

Blog: www.jcmckenzie.blogspot.ca

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/j.c.mckenzie.author

Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/JC_McKenzie

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JCMcKenzie

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/jcmckenzie
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dc_EQv

Goodbye, 2020 - Don't Let the Door Hit You

New Year's Eve Reflections

 

Like many of us, I am extremely happy to say goodbye to 2020. It's been a long, awful year, and even though I know 2021 isn't going to be better as soon as the year kicks over, the symbolic turning of the page will feel so much better.

 Themes

For 2020, I started with a word that was to be the theme of my year. I wrote it in my journal.

The irony is, I didn't know how much I was going to need this word. Everything went wrong this year, and when I tell you the one good month I had was January 2020, I'm not kidding. I had to remember, every day, to be like water and flow around the rocks I couldn't move. It was hard. It was so hard. I cried a lot. I leaned on friends and family more than I ever have. I learned a hell of a lot about gratitude. I learned how undeserving we humans are of the dogs in our lives. My Macey kept me sane that first two weeks when my son was in the hospital and my husband there with him.

Somehow, I managed to start feeling like myself again. The world is still a mess, and COVID-19 is still a thing, but there is light at the end of this tunnel, and despite what I'd been feeling, it is not an oncoming train. I don't feel as strong as people say I have been, even though it's nice they think that. But I am amazed at how many hits I can take and remain standing. More than I thought I could. It is tiring, though. I kept coming back to that theme. If I could not fight 2020, I would have to flow with it. Adaptability has never been my strong suit. I am a very stubborn, very Capricorn woman of habit. So it took the mountain that is 2020 to move me.

Back to the Beginning

These days, I find myself falling back to the things that brought me joy when I was growing up. Drawing. Reading. Watching old movies and TV shows. And it occurred to me that I needed a new theme word for 2021.

This year, I'm going back to the basics. I'm going to revisit that excitement I experienced as a kid and let it fill the things I do. Just because I am an adult, doesn't mean I have to give up the wonder and joy I felt as a girl. Instead, I'm going to dive into the things that make me happy. Getting my hands in the dirt. Sketching and reading new books. Decorating a room in a fresh way that makes me smile.

I'm going to let being happy become my goal. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy. Just happiness, wherever I can find it and in whatever measure it's there. Like a joyful scavenger hunt. You're welcome to join me. Happy New Year!

Join Nicki Greenwood's Street Team!

 

Want to be part of an exclusive street team for fans of my books? Here's your chance to get exclusive content that won't be available anywhere else! From swag to behind-the-scenes content to excerpts from upcoming works, you'll get a look at my books like never before. Drop an email to nicki@nickigreenwood.com to get in on the action! Happy reading!

Author Meet & Greet 11/14/20 / THE FUDGE RIPPLE EFFECT in print!

Hi, Readers! I've got a couple of announcements for you, and I'm thoroughly excited about both. Let's get right to the good stuff.

Baldwinsville Public Library 5th Annual Authors Meet & Greet

 

This year's coronavirus pandemic may have thrown a wrench in many plans, but one thing it hasn't managed to do is to cancel Baldwinsville's biggest annual author event! Baldwinsville Public Library is excited to bring you a virtual event featuring several of Central New York's awesome local authors, writing in a variety of genres. We'll be bringing you an informative Q&A with each author and a terrific panel discussion about creativity during COVID. You don't even have to leave your seat!

Featured authors include Carol Pouliot (mystery), Patricia Antone (romantic suspense, contemporary romance), Erin Kelly (urban fantasy), Scott Varengo (fantasy, crime, espionage), Nicki Greenwood (new adult, romance, women's fiction), Karen Osborne (science fiction), Thomas Clark (speculative fiction, science fiction, horror, dark fantasy), Ronald Bagliere (adventure, literary fiction, women's fiction), and Pamela Daniell (young adult).

You must register to attend this free online event. Please register at: https://tinyurl.com/BPLAuthorMeetandGreet

THE FUDGE RIPPLE EFFECT in Print!

Do you love reading romance, but long for the feel of a book in your hands? Just in time for the holidays, you can read THE FUDGE RIPPLE EFFECT in print, along with two other delicious romances! ICE CREAM DREAMS is available now in paperback at The Wild Rose Press. Treat a loved one to this dreamy anthology, or save it all for yourself!

Order ICE CREAM DREAMS here: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/product/ice-cream-dreams

How a Construction Project Saved Our Sanity

This year has been quite a ride, hasn't it? It's been hard here at Greenwood House. In May, our son went into the hospital for emergency surgery, and he's been recovering ever since. A medical problem with your child is difficult at any time, but in this post-Covid era, it's downright scary. Our family has been struggling, no doubt.

When I looked in our living room at the hodgepodge of storage we had for books, games, gaming consoles, and DVDs, a light bulb went on. This family needed a win in this year of setbacks. It was high time to make the entertainment center this room needed. My husband never shrinks from a challenge, so when I sketched out a plan with some measurements on a scrap piece of paper, he took up the gauntlet.

During this process of building and planning, we discovered a bonus side effect: much-needed family bonding. My husband, son, and I worked together on various parts of the project, from concept to paint. My son got some experience with various power tools, and I got in some therapeutic painting.

Start to finish, this project took about a month. For all of us, it was amazing to have something to focus on that had nothing to do with pandemics or medical care. While the entertainment center is mostly complete (still needing doors on the lower front), what will last is our visible reminder of something much more important: this family is strong, and even a world with coronavirus won't beat us.