Tag: young adult

1920s, goals, mystery, publishing, Sci-fi, writing

Projects

elouisebates

I sat down the other day and wrote out a list of the stories I am working on, and the ones I would like to be working on within the next few years.

It’s quite the list.

First, there’s the next Whitney & Davies book, and the two I have loosely plotted to follow that one. (Both Yorkshire and Cornwall inspired a new W&D story, and I’m really looking forward to getting those written and revisiting both places in my imagination.)

Newnham College in Cambridge provided the inspiration for W&D Book 3–set at the fictional Saint Dorothea’s, the college for magicians hidden inside Cambridge University
The ruins of Fountains Abbey in the Yorkshire Dales provided the inspiration for W&D Book 4
The gloriously wild and rugged (or at least it was gloriously wild when we were there, thanks to all the storms) Cornish coast is the setting for W&D Book 5

Then there’s the unexpected sequel to From the Shadows, which might??? lead to a third book? I’m still not sure. Quite frankly, there wasn’t even supposed to be a sequel, so clearly I am not the one in charge of these stories, I just go where they direct.

I have plot outlines sketched in for a total of six novellas in the Pauline Gray series, and I would hope to be able to carry that series out even longer so long as the characters and stories don’t get stale–for readers as well as for myself.

You would think that would be enough, wouldn’t you? But no–I have ideas for a middle grade fantasy book, a young adult fantasy book, and a cozy mystery series. And this doesn’t even take into account the stories that pop into every author’s imagination and demand to be written!

I’m not complaining, not at all. It’s wonderful to have such a wealth of stories to play with, so many different worlds and characters to explore and share with readers. I am in no danger of getting bored for the next several years, that’s for certain.

So tell me: what sort of projects do you have teeming in your brain these days? What are some of your short-term and long-term creative goals? Whether it be gardening or knitting or sewing (oh, don’t get me started on my knitting and sewing projects!) or pottery or painting or baking or anything else creative at all! I’d love to get inspired by what’s inspiring you.

There’s a story waiting to be revealed here, too, it just hadn’t made itself known to me yet. Maybe you’ll be luckier … or more attuned to its whisper.
publishing, writing

Exciting News

elouisebates

Well, exciting for me, anyway. I hope exciting for you all as well, as it means a new story by yours truly to read in February.

What’s that? A new story?

That’s right! My YA sci-fi short story, “A Spot of Orange,” will be published in the February issue of FrostFire Worlds, put out by Alban Lake.

I stumbled out of bed yesterday morning and checked my email on my phone without thinking too much about anything or expecting anything … truth be told I had almost forgotten the submission to FrostFire, done right before the bustle and hurry of Christmas and travel and all that. Once I recognized the email address and remembered the submission I thought, “oh, another rejection. Oh well, at least I tried–wait. What? An acceptance? Did I read that right?”

I rushed right back into the bedroom and stood there goggling until Carl woke up enough to ask what wrong. I mutely handed him my phone with the email still up on it and continued to stand there in shock.

This makes two (2) published short stories now, The Last Defense with Empyreome last April, and now A Spot of Orange with FrostFire Worlds in February. This seems like an auspicious start to 2018!