Off and Away

I’m jetting off to Vegas tomorrow. Lest you think I’ve take a sudden and uncharacteristic turn toward decadence, I should clarify that I’m going to attend the Historical Novel Society of North America conference. 

I will be able to hobnob with authors, chat with agents, take a master class on Conflict that Hooks and one on Dual Timeline narratives, meet up with my good friend Alina K. Field, and choose from so many sessions it will be difficult to decide which to attend. Shall I go to one on Feminine Archtypes or the one on Maps for your book or explore various historical subgenres. 

Evenings will include Pub Trivia, and Hooch Through History (I have a hat for that one). What? Casino’s you say? Well I will certainly pop in! I’m not skilled enough or rich enough for table games but I have a weakness for video poker.

MEANWHILE I finished “Valentine Wishes” in plenty of time to get it beta** read and edited before it is due the end of September. I also made a start on my story for the Bluestocking Belles’ annual holiday collection. Story I ideas come in many shapes and sizes: often character first, sometimes and ending or a plot twist, sometimes an unusual trope. The holiday story came to me as an opening line:

They found the shepherd three days before Christmas. Dead. Sybilla Somer, who’d been called, gazed on the man with horror.

It is rapidly taking shape. I’ll work on it on the plane. For now I have to write a post for The Teatime Tattler for Saturday today since I’ll be gone. But first, coffee.

**A note about beta readers. I need some. I’m looking for people who love to read and read A LOT. Members will receive early drafts of my work and be ask to provide feedback on things like plot holes, pacing, character confusion etc. I will communicate with them via Facebook messenger or a private Facebook group so they must be comfortable with that. If you are interested, please send me a direct message.