12/29. Do you tend to write stories in a certain season or geographical location?
My inspiration is the great Mojave wilderness. So. Yes, geography is essential.
#WordWeavers Dec 31: Give another writer a New Year's gift! Either buy their book or say something you like about them/their story/writing etc.
This year I have read (and highly recommend) books by @lilithsaintcrow and @Rowyn
Lilith Saintcrow has a fascinating sci-fi take on Robin Hood
L Rowyn's cozy queer romance continues to enchant
#WordWeavers day 31: Give another writer a New Year's gift! Either buy their book or say something you like about them/their story/writing etc.
I bought @JessMahler's "What You Will: A Queer-er Shakespeare"! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Hi @bookstodon
. Don't forget that the Smashwords End Of Year sale is nearly over. If you're not sure where to start, why not check your favorite Mastodon / Fediverse writers and the #EoYSale25 tag?
In the mood for android heat? @rubyjones has the stories for you!
Dark epic fantasy more your interest? @etaski 's
Sister Seekers has got you covered.
@JessMahler has a mix of fiction and non-fiction including a non-fiction series on Polyamory On Purpose.
@saxbrightwell "has been writing self-indulgent smut about men who are ride-or-die for each other since 2014." Check out their Secrets of Sleipnir free through tomorrow.
There's much more on the tags!
This post doubles as my #WordWeavers response today. 
Hi @bookstodon
. Don't forget that the Smashwords End Of Year sale is nearly over. If you're not sure where to start, why not check your favorite Mastodon / Fediverse writers and the #EoYSale25 tag?
In the mood for android heat? @rubyjones has the stories for you!
Dark epic fantasy more your interest? @etaski 's
Sister Seekers has got you covered.
@JessMahler has a mix of fiction and non-fiction including a non-fiction series on Polyamory On Purpose.
@saxbrightwell "has been writing self-indulgent smut about men who are ride-or-die for each other since 2014." Check out their Secrets of Sleipnir free through tomorrow.
There's much more on the tags!
This post doubles as my #WordWeavers response today.
#WordWeavers day 31: Give another writer a New Year's gift! Either buy their book or say something you like about them/their story/writing etc.
I bought @JessMahler's "What You Will: A Queer-er Shakespeare"! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
#WordWeavers 30 Dec: How has your writing been this year? Any achievements/wins/lessons you want to celebrate?
So, as I discussed a few times the last few months, thanks to Trump's Big Fucking Bill, my family is in a situation where if I don't start bringing in significant (~$650 a month) income in the next 3-4 years we are completely screwed.
After some research (and a bit of panic) I concluded that the only way to bring in that kind of money as a self published author was volume -- publishing lots of books. About a book a month in fact.
So I started in August with a commitment to treat my writing like a business and try to publish SOMETHING every month.
I am delighted to say that contrary to my fears, I have kept this schedule for six months (January's release is already scheduled) and barring disaster should be good to go at least through March.
It's been a rough several months, with one moderate burnout in October and another near burnout in Dec. But I did it and am now convinced I can keep doing it for at least the next six months.
And if I can get through the next six months, I can probably manage this long term.
I'm also already seeing real increase in income, with my royalty payout in December being twice that of my royalty payout in July. Payouts are still in the double digits, but it's real, measurable progress towards my goal.
So huge celebration, much proud, and if you'd like to support my in my goals, a bunch of my books are on sale on Smashwords today and tomorrow:
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JessMahler1449
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity
#WordWeavers 30 Dec: How has your writing been this year? Any achievements/wins/lessons you want to celebrate?
Looking back, I'm amazed to realize that I published quite a few books this year. Granted, most that writing took place last year, but I translated two of them, too. And I went wide with most of my German books.
I've been so focused on my struggle with writing these last months that I totally forgot all about that. It *was* a successful year.
#WordWeavers day 30: How has your writing been this year? Any achievements/wins/lessons you want to celebrate?
Well, this was the year I moved from "writing lots of notes, plans, and background material" to "working on the first draft", so I guess that's worth celebrating!
OTOH, I thought I'd be done with the first draft by now, and instead I'm only about 30% of the way there.
#WordWeavers 30 Dec: How has your writing been this year? Any achievements/wins/lessons you want to celebrate?
Looking back, I'm amazed to realize that I published quite a few books this year. Granted, most that writing took place last year, but I translated two of them, too. And I went wide with most of my German books.
I've been so focused on my struggle with writing these last months that I totally forgot all about that. It *was* a successful year.
12/29. Do you tend to write stories in a certain season or geographical location?
My inspiration is the great Mojave wilderness. So. Yes, geography is essential.
#WordWeavers 29. Do you tend to write stories in a certain season or geographical location?
Most of my stories are set in a biome reminiscent of the Northeastern US. It's the region I know best, so even if the biome isn't really described that's what's in the back of my head even when writing an original world fantasy.
#WordWeavers day 29: Do you tend to write stories in a certain season or geographical location?
Well, this story is very much confined to a certain geographical location! (Although a couple of characters occasionally make trips across the Bay to Oakland.) But the story spans from March to the beginning of November.
#WordWeavers Dec 28: In the end, do your characters stay together or go their separate ways?
Aswathi and Elisabeti will stay together. This isn't a romance, but their arc is the closest to romance that we will see in this series, and they do genuinely care for each other. Their marriage is a practical matter, and a divorce would serve neither of them.
#WordWeavers day 28: In the end, do your characters stay together or go their separate ways?
All of my characters? Not all of them were together in the first place. Hell, some of them were in violent opposition to each other! (Villains are still characters, after all.)
The MCs largely stay together.
#WordWeavers Dec 27: What does your SC or LI dislike most about your MC?
I don't know that Aswathi knows Elisabeti enough to have developed a strong dislike for anything about her. Neither of them had time to get to know one another before Aswathi helps Elisabeti escape and commits to marrying her to protect her.
He does share many of the common biases against werewolves and on that basis is glad that Elisabeti is 'leaving her wolf shape behind.'
#WordWeavers day 27: What does your SC or LI most dislike about your MC?
Jake Mansour, Angel Castillo's boyfriend, really wishes they'd tell him what the hell they're hiding. He dislikes that they feel the need to keep some kind of secret from him.
(To be fair to them, he's the kind of intellectual, academic guy who gives the impression that tell him "magic is real" wouldn't go over so well.)
#WordWeavers day 26: If you had a personal muse, what would they be like?
They'd give me ideas from time to time, and it would be up to me to do the work of turning them into finished products.
(I'm really only using the subjunctive because the question did.)
#WordWeavers 24Dec—What's the gift your antagonist brings to the world?
I suppose he's nice to look at.
Honestly, that's all I've got.
#WordWeavers Dec 22: If the inciting incident never happened, what would happen to your MC(s)?
Elisabeti would have gone with the rest of the wolves to their new home and lived her life there as a single mother raising her cub as part of the pack.
