writing - StarDance Press

Golden September Days & Crisp Nights

September 19, 2024September 19, 2024 elouisebates

The headline refers to both how September has been this year, and also to a few literary quotes:

That September was a month of golden mists and purple hazes […] a month of sun-steeped days and of nights that were swimming in moonlight or pulsating with stars.

-Anne’s House of Dreams, LM Montgomery

September came in with golden days and silver nights …

-The Return of the King, JRR Tolkien

And from one of my favorite lesser-known books:

September was very Septemberish that year.

-Betsy in Spite of Herself, Maud Hart Lovelace

September has indeed been surprisingly Septemberish in New England this year! Golden days that are warm but not summer-hot, cool nights with crisp air, leaves just starting to turn colors, and the glorious promise of a proper autumn just around the corner. My kids were thrilled to be able to start the school year without sweltering heat, and I have enjoyed being able to open my office windows at work during the day instead of needing the air conditioner to keep the temperature bearable.

“But how is the writing coming?” I hear you ask in plaintive tones, enjoying the description of the weather but much more interested in story updates. (At least, I hope that’s what I am hearing from you …)

Writing Update

Never fear, writing is happening! Slowly, as I am making some health discoveries which are prompting some changes to my lifestyle (more about that once I have something a bit more concrete to share–right now everything is still fairly nebulous), but writing nonetheless. I have finally had a chance to browse through Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, which my good friend A.M. Offenwanger has been recommending to me for years. I’m not quite in a place to do the full twelve-week workshop, but I have started trying to incorporate daily morning pages (3 handwritten pages or half an hour of writing, whichever comes first) and weekly artist dates (trying being the operative word there … I’m not very good at thinking up outings that refill my creative cup) into my routine. And just last night, I began work on Julia Part 3–the final installment of Julia’s story, to be shared with newsletter subscribers sometime this fall! I am also nearly done with the first draft of Len’s holiday short story. I’d still like to have that available for purchase for this holiday season, but we’ll have to see–I am learning to be cautious in my goals, given my current energy levels (low. They are low. But we’re figuring out why and making progress toward improvement).

Book Selling

At the end of August I took part in a book festival for authors in my part of New England, and had a blast. I used to help sell my sister’s hand-crafted silver jewelry at craft shows when I was a teen, and I’d almost forgotten the fun of interacting with people and working with them to try to match them to their perfect purchase. Books are a little different from earrings, bracelets, and necklaces–you either like a genre or you don’t, and if I happen to write in a genre you don’t like, there’s not a whole lot either of us can do about that–but it’s still fun. I’ve been researching other local (or local-ish) events I can sell my books at, now that I’ve remembered how much I enjoy this sort of thing. There are a couple of Christmas artisans markets locally that I’ve asked if they’ll accept independently-published books at, and one huge fall festival that I am too late to apply this year for, but will definitely be visiting in hopes of getting an idea what it might be like to do it next year (well, that and purchasing Christmas presents early–two birds with one stone). I’ve learned I would far rather sell my books in person than attempting to do it through social media marketing!

New Start

Between Carl’s years in grad school, the years homeschooling the girls, and my own brief time recently as a returned student myself, September has always felt like the start of a new year, even more than January 1. While I’m not starting any major projects this year, it still feels like a fresh start on the ongoing projects, and a fresh look at the way I market and sell my books. I am excited to see what the upcoming “year” holds for my writing career–and looking forward to sharing the adventure with you all as it happens.

1920s, fiction, newsletter, stories, writing

Julia Part 2, Coming Thursday

August 13, 2024August 13, 2024 elouisebates

If you have been waiting to subscribe to the StarDance Press newsletter, now is a good time! Coming Thursday is the EXCLUSIVE release of Part 2 of Julia’s story (and no worries if you were not able to download the first part–there’s a link to that in the email as well). Part 1 left off with Julia determined to uncover a secret, and Part 2 shows us how that’s going. Part 3, hopefully coming this fall, will wrap up the story!

These story snippets have been so much fun to write. They have a very different feel from either the novels or the short stories I’ve written in this world previously, being much more character focused, with the plot mostly existing to move along the character development. They are also giving me a chance to go a bit more in depth with some of the world-building that is only ever alluded to in my other works.

Plus, they are a fun perk for newsletter subscribers! It’s always lovely to be able to offer people a “thank-you” for subscribing to my thoughts on writing, reading, and life each month.

So again, if you haven’t already done so, now is the time to subscribe! Aside from occasional sale and new release information (and gifts, like this one), I send the newsletter out once a month, and my goal is to always make it a pleasant oasis in the midst of your busy life. And if you subscribe now and decide after a month or so that it’s not for you, you can always unsubscribe with no hard feelings.

So if Julia’s story sounds like something you’d enjoy reading, and the newsletter itself sounds like fun, subscribe today in order to get the new story on Thursday!

1920s, characters, newsletter, stories, writing

Julia’s Story

February 9, 2024February 6, 2024 elouisebates

I took the month of January off from social media (and fiction reading, which was much, much harder), in part because I was hoping it would give me the time and space I needed to start figuring out some better ways to connect with readers and potential readers, whether it be through this blog, my newsletter, social media, or something else. Maia and Len have never had a particularly large following, and I’ve always struggled with finding ways to get their stories into the hands of more readers.

One idea that I had was that of writing little “story snippets,” or “Whitney & Davies Extras”–that is, brief scenes from the point of view of characters other than our main duo, set either during or after the books–and offering those to newsletter subscribers. The first such character I thought of, naturally, having just recently finished re-writing Magic Most Deadly, was Maia’s friend and the hostess of the house party that is the setting for the story, Julia Foy.

In the original edition of Magic Most Deadly, Julia played a much larger role than I was able to give her in the new edition, and proved to have a sneaking suspicion of magic’s existence, despite her inability to use it. I always had an idea of where I wanted to go with that idea, but was never able to fit it into any of the other books, and then some of the world-building details that developed as I wrote those books seemed to contradict the idea that a non-magic user could be aware of magic’s existence.

But Julia still had a story of her own that she wanted told, and as I started writing the story snippet for her, set at the end of Magic Most Deadly, I started to get an inkling of what that story was supposed to be. It is too much to be told in one snippet, however–especially since it develops right alongside the series. I foresee at least three parts, possibly more: the first taking place at the end of MMD, the second at the end of Glamours & Gunshots, and the third most likely happening around the time of Death by Disguise.

I’m excited to share more about Julia’s character and her story with readers! If you are interested in reading more about her, subscribe to my newsletter before the end of the month, as the first of her story snippets will be released exclusively to newsletter subscribers in the newsletter that will go out on March 1st.

I had originally planned to released a Becket snippet next, sometime this spring, but I think I’ll have to get all of Julia’s story out first, and then start exploring Becket’s character after that, later in the year.

This is a fun way for me to explore more of the world of Whitney & Davies without having to focus so exclusively on Maia and Len and the magical mysteries they are called upon to solve, and I hope it will be a fun way for readers to immerse themselves further into that world, and make it a place new readers want to come and visit and hopefully stay a while, as well.

(If you have suggestions for things you’d like to see more of in the Whitney & Davies world, or something you think would be a good draw to help attract new readers to the series, feel free to leave a comment letting me know–I’m still exploring ideas and options, and I welcome input!)

1920s, world-building, writing

Len’s Unreliable (But Gorgeous) Automobile

December 28, 2023December 28, 2023 elouisebates

It’s been a subtle running joke in the Whitney & Davies books ever since Glamours & Gunshots that Len is a keen driver but has the most unreliable vehicle known to man. I recently started working on a holiday short story (hoping to have it ready to publish by next Christmas season, for newsletter subscribers at least if not the wider public) that opens with his car quitting on him in the middle of nowhere in Scotland. What happens as a result of that will, of course, have to be saved for the story itself, but the opening did prompt me to at last settle on the details of just what exactly Len is driving.

I knew he’d want something sporty and fast, but also practical. A 4-seater touring car–or “tourer” as they were called in Great Britain–was indicated. I knew enough about older vehicles from researching them for the second Pauline Gray novella to decide on that much. A little bit of research then led to me the Vauxhall 30-98, also known as the Vauxhall Velox tourer. It was considered a sports car for its day (perhaps not as impressive as a Bentley, I discovered as I read further, but wholly British, generally reliable (unless you’re Len), and an iconic car of England in the 1920s.

Then I found the photo above, and I knew at once that was Len’s car. Look at it! It simply screams, “Len!” to me. The only difficulty is that that particular car is a 1924 model, and int he new edition of Magic Most Deadly I establish that Len’s had an unreliable car since at least 1921. Do I allow the discrepancy to slide, or will it annoy me forevermore if I give him a car that’s three years newer than it should be? (Answer: even if I say I will let it slide, it will annoy me forever)

Then the answer came to me: clearly the above car is Len’s second vehicle, his first finally breaking down irrevocably, forcing him to buy a new one … only this one has all the same problems as the first, leading to the inevitable conclusion that the problem is not with the automobiles … it’s with Len.

That settles the discrepancy, and is also far more funny than if I had just let it slide. Poor Len!

(Adding insult to injury, I’ve decided just now, Maia has little interest in cars but is able to drive when she must, and never has the smallest amount of difficulty even with the crankiest of cars. Len finds this incredibly unfair, and Maia cannot understand why he can’t simply make them work. Alas that his magic won’t do a thing for cars!)

I think this was his first car … also a Vauxhall Velox tourer, but a 1920 model, and while very elegant, not as striking as the shiny red and silver of the 1924 model.

My editor is right–details like this may seem irrelevant at first (she is always having to remind me to include more detail in my stories), but boy do they add a lot of depth! In figuring out his car, I’ve also learned something new about Len himself, and about Maia to a certain extent. And I had a good bit of fun while doing it, too!

Next I’ll be needing to teach myself exactly how cars were manufactured in the ’20s so that I can determine whether any magic at all would work on them, or if they are immune. The rabbit-trail world-building has only just begun!

1920s, Books, publishing, writing

Pre-Order Magic Most Deadly Now

October 24, 2023October 22, 2023 elouisebates

Magic Most Deadly–the new edition–will be released on November 1st, but you can pre-order your e-book edition right now!

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and many more! Click here to order your copy today so it can be delivered to your e-reader instantly on November 1st!

Oh, and that’s not all–from now through the end of November, it’s on sale for $0.99! So if you had the old edition and you’re curious to read the new, you can purchase it for less than a dollar. And if you’ve never read any of the Whitney & Davies books before, this is a great way to get introduced to the series!

When a rogue magician is murdered and secret government papers disappear, Maia and Len must race against time to find the murderer and the papers to decide the fate of all of England’s magicians.

Lennox Davies is no stranger to plots, lies, and even murder. As an agent for England’s Magical Intelligence Agency, that is all in a day’s work for him. But this time, the stakes are personal, the last loose ends from a job that ended in tragedy for him during the War—and keeping his mind on task is even trickier with the enigmatic and lovely Maia Whitney working by his side.

Maia has spent years sacrificing her own interests to those of her family. The revelation that she is a magician opens up a world of possibilities for her. Freedom—ambition—friendship. But first, she has to help Len find this murderer and recover the stolen papers. So long as her newly-discovered magic doesn’t overpower her before she even gets started.

Together, nothing can stop Maia and Len—except perhaps their own stumbling blocks. Will they be able to overcome what holds them back in time to solve the puzzle that has all of England—and beyond—hanging in the balance?

Here again is the first story of Whitney & Davies, the tale of how Maia and Len meet and work their first case together, in a brand-new revised edition. Read it and fall in love with our favorite detective team all over again!

The print edition is coming soon–but if you prefer e-books, go ahead and pre-order now!

1920s, Books, fantasy, fiction, goals, mystery, publishing, writing

Magic Most Deadly Redux

June 29, 2023June 29, 2023 elouisebates

Ten years ago this September, I published my first novel. It was a pretty good debut novel! But … it suffered from quite a lot of the issues that can plague first-time novelists. Such as trying to cram way too much story into one book. And not really being sure what genre it was and so veering wildly between a novel of manners, a cozy mystery, a thriller, a fantasy, and a coming-of-age novel. And trying to force the characters to conform to what the author thought should happen rather than letting them be themselves. And being about 30,000 words too long.

I’m still proud of that novel, my Magic Most Deadly. Even all of the above problems came from aiming too high rather than too low. I’m proud of the world I created, the characters and the way they came to life (despite the occasional attempt to force them into boxes they refused to fit inside), and the way that novel set the stage for the rest of the series.

But because I learned so much from that first novel and then applied it to the next one, and then learned from that and applied it to the next one, not to mention the short stories, novella, and the other books I wrote over the last ten years that also developed my abilities, I am faced with the reality that Book 1 of the Whitney and Davies series is not really a good match for Books 2 & 3 (and eventually 4), or even the supplemental stories.

So this summer I started tackling the job of rewriting Magic Most Deadly in order to tighten the story and bring it more in line with the rest of the series. The overall story will be the same, but the way in which it is written will be vastly different. It will also be getting a new cover, which will also fit better with the rest of the series (I’ll be honest, it was getting a new cover that pushed me from only thinking that one of these days I ought to rewrite MMD, to actually doing it). I’ll be sorry to say goodbye to the original cover, because I do love it, but I am also excited to see MMD look like it belongs with Glamours & Gunshots and Death by Disguise rather than being their awkward stepsister.

I am a couple thousand words into the rewrite and already pretty excited over the way subtle shadings in Maia and Len’s characters are starting to show through, and the way the story is being set up. There are a lot of challenges involved in being a self-published author, but having the ability to say, “that book I published ten years ago? Yeah, I can make that better,” and then DOING it without having to regain rights or persuade anyone that it’s worth doing is AMAZING.

I am so excited for when I can share the new-and-improved Magic Most Deadly with you all!

1920s, Books, fantasy, mystery

Praise for Death by Disguise

June 6, 2023June 6, 2023 elouisebates

I wanted to share some quotes from the jurors who read Death by Disguise for the Maine Literary Awards.

“Bates delivers an absolutely worthy read that blends its dual genres of fantasy and cozy mystery well while taking readers on an adventure that is simply good fun from start to finish.”

“I really enjoyed the setting of this cozy mystery with a dash of magic – a secret college of magic operating inside Cambridge University. The detective team was delightful, as they scoured the college to solve one mystery, uncovering others along the way. As a cozy mystery, it seemed especially subtle, yet this book clearly merits the win, based on its well-executed elements of story and craft.”

Now, doesn’t that make you want to go read it? Get your copy here so that you can join in the fun of Whitney & Davies’ world!

1920s, Books, fantasy, fiction, mystery, publishing, writing

Death by Disguise, MLA Winner

June 1, 2023June 1, 2023 elouisebates

I am honored and delighted to be able to share that Death by Disguise won the 2023 Maine Literary Award for Speculative Fiction. I was not expecting that at all! I was honored enough to be named as a finalist; actually winning the award was not on my radar at all.

The ceremony was held at Bates College (a very nice touch–I think I managed to work a joke about that into my acceptance speech, though I was so dazed I can’t really remember much that I said), and was absolutely lovely. I was pleased to be able to meet and cheer for so many wonderful Maine writers in every category. Our family settled in Maine just as the pandemic was starting to shut everything down in the state–not a good time to try to build or join a preexisting writing community! I joined the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance anyway, and spent a lot of time hoping that eventually they’d move back to doing in-person events rather than Zoom (which gives me a migraine if I use it for long). Now that they have, I am looking forward to participating in more events and workshops, and hope to get better acquainted with my fellow Maine writers. This award has certainly helped me feel more like I belong here!

This award has also helped push me into a project I’d been contemplating for some time but hadn’t gotten around to yet: rebranding Magic Most Deadly so that its cover matches the style and feel of the others in the series. When I wrote and published MMD (ten years ago this September!) I didn’t really know much about branding or how to choose a cover design. While I loved, and still love, the cover that my designer and I eventually came up with, it doesn’t really give off quite the right vibe for the “cozy fantasy-mystery” genre this series has, nor does it carry the Whitney & Davies logo that we developed by the time Glamours and Gunshots was published, and which has been on every subsequent book in the series.

My goal is to have the new edition available by the end of September, to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of MMD’s publication. We’ll see if I make it! I am also making some substantial edits to the story, as that was my first published book and honestly, it shows. I won’t be changing anything about the heart of the story or the characters, but I will be tightening it up, eliminating some unnecessary bits, bringing the characters into better focus, all that sort of thing. Using the skills I’ve learned through writing 3 more novels, many short stories, and four novellas in the ten years since publishing MMD to make it the story it was always meant to be!

I’m also going to be switching over print distribution for the Whitney & Davies novels from Amazon to IngramSpark over the course of the summer, so if you are a bookseller and have been wanting to carry these books but have been unable to due to the difficulties of buying wholesale through Amazon–good news! It will soon be much easier for you.

And hey, if you haven’t read the award-winning Death by Disguise yet, you can click here to buy. (You can buy the other books, too, but I might recommend waiting for Magic Most Deadly until the new edition comes out–unless you’d like to own both and compare them, in which case, have at it!)