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Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I managed to write a short story (4K+) during my travels, so yay! One more done! Now I’m considering the novels that follow that story… some brainstorming with myself to do this week!

And it’s May, so new title! And it’s Wonder Man, a Star Minds Federation novel and the connection between Lone Wolves and Federation stories. If you read the series, you know who Wonder Man is! 😉

We’ll stay in the Star Minds Universe for the next few months… then we’ll see. Not sure what will be ready for public consumption after the summer! 😉

I got the manuscripts back from the editor, so I’ll have some work to do before publishing those titles. And I’m thinking of rebranding a series – or not. Still pondering and writing more books in it.

Now back to the routine… hoping to manage to raise the wordcount a bit, so I can reach 100k… in May… whatever is fine, though. I’m too tired to do more, but this too shall pass! Have a great week!

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I managed 11K+ alternating between writing, research and the chores… and had a taste of what it will be like when I won’t have to go to work every morning. Then this week I went back to the office, and we just lost a beloved colleague (now retired), whom we called Sharon Stone’s Twin because they were born on the same day/month/year. I had lost track of him through the years, but I still remember when we went to watch him at the theater (he was also an actor), and even that I wanted to shoot a short movie with him while I was attempting the conquest of Hollywood (almost 20 years ago now – where did time go?).

Anyhow, it’s April, and of course there’s a new title out! 🙂 Daywalker was the reason for all my travels last year – or most of them. It starts in Romania, which I visited first, then goes through Budapest and Vienna, which I visited second, then to Italy and France, which I already know, so I didn’t have to visit them. I asked my Hungarian friend to check the Budapest part, and she gave wonderful advice.

Then I went to Madrid, but I needed that for another story (it’s a novella) about a secondary character in Daywalker, and soon I’ll be heading back to France to write another story about another secondary character, so you can have a wider view of these European vampire hunters’ wanderings. Both stories will come out after the summer, and then I might make a box set. It will be a very-mini-series, though!

Now I shall go back to my sci-fi, at least until the end of the month… have a great week!

by Barb on 10/04/2024 • Permalink

Posted in indie publishing, real world inspiration, writing projects

Tagged dhampyr, indie publishing, urban fantasy, vampire hunter, writing

Posted by Barb on 10/04/2024

https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/2024/04/10/wednesday-weekly-roundup-235/

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I wrote less than 2K in three days, and spent the rest of the week editing and formatting and publishing and deciding what to write next. I’m going to continue with sci-fi for the month of April, so I can write all the ideas I have as of now, and then I can go back to fantasy.

It will actually be Urban Fantasy, because next title, Daywalker, has two attached novellas – but I still have to write the second one. Meanwhile here’s your final reminder for the Urban Fantasy Kickstarter. It ends tomorrow, so this is your last chance to back it and reach the stretch goal and have Daywalker included in the rewards.

Spring is here, but sometimes mornings are really cold – and then it’s too hot already at lunchtime when I go home. Working on getting rid of that part-time day job that forces me to stand in the heat waiting for buses which are always late! 🙂

And that’s all for today… wishing you a Happy Easter if you celebrate it, and have a great week!

by Barb on 27/03/2024 • Permalink

Posted in indie publishing, writing projects

Tagged indie publishing, kickstarter, urban fantasy, writing

Posted by Barb on 27/03/2024

https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/2024/03/27/wednesday-weekly-roundup-233/

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I wrote almost 4K and I’m almost done with that story as well. I got an idea for a comic and I might go back to high fantasy earlier than expected, but we’ll see. I also got back the translation of Magical Friends so the beginning of April might be a little busy, fulfilling the Kickstarter and publishing two books (one in Italian and one in English).

Speaking of the Kickstarter, it not only has funded, but it’s headed for the stretch goal… Have you checked it out yet? I even added some pretty covers! Only one more week, and then it will be gone! 🙂

Or you can grab only the latest title, Granny Witches, on your favorite retailer! I have updated the Urban Fantasy page on the publisher’s site as well. The one at the bottom is still to be written, but it’s going to happen in May for sure! 🙂

The IASFA promo is about to begin, so don’t forget to subscribe. March 24-28, 2024 – Fantasy Short Stories, including three of mine. And happy reading (have you checked my Bookbub recommendations as well?)!

That’s all for today… Have a great week!

by Barb on 20/03/2024 • Permalink

Posted in indie publishing, real world inspiration, writing projects

Tagged indie publishing, kickstarter, urban fantasy, writing

Posted by Barb on 20/03/2024

https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/2024/03/20/wednesday-weekly-roundup-232/

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I wrote a little over 6k and started on the last book of the Publishing Challenge. Again I have a base story (actually 3 versions) that I need to completely rewrite and merge, so it should be quick enough, since I already know the story.

The Kickstarter is almost funded, have you checked it yet? Also, I will have 3 (yes, three) free short stories in the IASFA fantasy promo this month, so don’t forget to subscribe to it if you haven’t already!

Besides writing, I’m reading (follow me on Bookbub for reading recommendations) and rewatching movies (usually comedies to lift the mood). And planning this year’s travels, since by the end of the month I will have jotted down all the needed vacations.

I was hoping to bring my Italian strips to some comic con, but they didn’t give me a table, so I’ll probably just visti friends. It’s sad, but I’m used to it.

Whenever I manage to get rid of the day job (hopefully with an early retirement), I might concentrate on doing special paper editions of some of my books, but for now I’ll stick to digital rewards on Kickstarter. I shall give time to technology to make things easier for us!

Techie Bro still hasn’t helped me set up the new laptop, so I’m still struggling with the old one. Oh, well… maybe I’m supposed to go back to pre-computer stuff! I wouldn’t mind too much, LOL! There are some perks growing up in the age of the typewriter…

That’s all for today! Have a great week!

ETA: The Kickstarter actually funded while I was sleeping, before this post came out… now we’re ready for the stretch goal! Check it out!

by Barb on 13/03/2024 • Permalink

Posted in indie publishing, reading, writing projects

Tagged ebook, indie publishing, kickstarter, writing

Posted by Barb on 13/03/2024

https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/2024/03/13/wednesday-weekly-roundup-231/

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I wrote almost 10K and finished the second book. This week I might take a few days to go through the first and second book one last time before starting on the third and last of the publishing challenge.

And it’s March, so of course there’s a new title out! You can either find it at the usual retailers, or back the Kickstarter and get 6 other books to go with it! 😉 Check it out!

A couple of posts by Kris Rusch on the Findaway debacle (part 1 and part 2). Check also the comments, they’re worth reading! I’m still in the queue to get my final payment and the account deletion, but I guess they’re a little backlogged!

Now I better go back to my revisions or new book or whatever I’ll be doing today… have a great week!

by Barb on 06/03/2024 • Permalink

Posted in indie publishing, the Human being, writing projects

Tagged ebooks and paperbacks, granny witches, indie publishing, kickstarter, urban fantasy, writing

Posted by Barb on 06/03/2024

https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/2024/03/06/wednesday-weekly-roundup-230/

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I wrote almost 4K – new words on old story that needs major rewrites. I’m quite happy with the new version, the original had too many plot holes, LOL! I’m also re-watching a lot of movies for inspiration (although this is sci-fi, the movies are contemporary action)… I’m done, though!

List of movies (in order of re-watching): Happy New Year (Bollywood), Ocean’s 11, 12 and 13 (Hollywood), Don & Don 2 + Bang Bang (Bollywood), Cash (France). And I still have to watch John Wick 4 that I bought in London last June, but I’m really not in the mood for that, LOL!

And my Kickstarter goes live next week! Check it out and follow to be notified on launch! Which means the March title will also be out… come back to check the Granny Witches! In case you’re new, this is last year’s Kickstarter that didn’t fund… and it may very well be my last Kickstarter since this time offers for “advice” and “suggestion” from strangers started even before it went live.

In case you missed it, the Findaway Voices/Spotify debacle made it to Writers Beware. I got my email saying they’ll get me in the queu for deletion, we’ll see how long it will take them. I was never happy with their distribution and payment system even before they became part of Spotify, it was an experiment, and it’s time to end it after five years.

Waiting for some responses for stories I sent to anthologies or magazine, reading, and basically trying to keep going against all odds. I used to love R.E.M.’s “It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)”, but since I no longer feel fine, my favorite is now Extreme’s “Stop the World”!

I shall post them both below! Have a great week!

by Barb on 28/02/2024 • Permalink

Posted in indie publishing, real world inspiration, writing projects

Tagged 1980s music, 1990s music, indie publishing, inspiring songs, movies, writing

Posted by Barb on 28/02/2024

https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/2024/02/28/wednesday-weekly-roundup-229/

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I wrote 3.5K words, which brings the yearly total to 40K. Not bad for a year in which I’m concentrating on other things. The major rewrite is proving interesting, with a lot of names changes. Back in the 1980s my English was bad, we only watched dubbed movies on TV and in cinemas, so I misused names – at least a couple of girls’ names were used for men. Sigh.

Also, it was definitely set in 20th century setting, despite the starships and the planets and the aliens, but then, we didn’t have cellphones or PCs back then. And I was never good with inventing future tech. It was definitely science fantasy, but now it’s science fiction/space opera again, yay!

You might have heard of the Spotify/Findaway Voices controversy. Already last year there were problems with Spotify taking over Findaway Voices, now they’re also trying to grab rights to what you upload to Findaway Voices. So I’m taking down all my audiobooks and closing my account with them. It was an experiment, and it didn’t work well.

Maybe one day I’ll offer them again, but not in the near future. I saw no return of investment on those three, hence I’m not doing any more. And I’ll keep boycotting Spotify, who doesn’t pay musicians and now tries to grab rights to audiobooks as well.

And that’s all for today! Have a great week!

by Barb on 21/02/2024 • Permalink

Posted in indie publishing, the Human being, writing projects

Tagged audiobooks, indie publishing, writing

Posted by Barb on 21/02/2024

https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/2024/02/21/wednesday-weekly-roundup-228/

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I wrote less than 3K, but I don’t really care. I’m in no hurry and I’m confident that by the deadline with Mighty Editor I’ll have the other two books done. These should go quickly, so no worries there. The story is already there, but it’s badly outdated, so it needs a complete rewrite (the original is in Italian, in case you’re wondering, I wrote it back in the mid-1980s, with some adjustments in the new millennium).

I’m trying to make travel plans for the year, but at the moment I’m waiting to be transferred to another branch from the DayJob, and can’t seem to be able to concentrate on anything. Add aging parents and the toxic work environment is really choking me. But I shall overcome! 😉

Happy Valentine’s Day to those who celebrate it. I never celebrated it in my life, but since we’re here… I wish you all the best, you lovers!

Sorry to keep this short, but I really don’t have anything to say… questions or comments are welcome to spark a conversation at this point, because I’m really drained! Have a great week!

by Barb on 14/02/2024 • Permalink

Posted in the Human being, writing projects

Tagged indie publishing, writing

Posted by Barb on 14/02/2024

https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/2024/02/14/wednesday-weekly-roundup-227/

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

Last week I wrote anothre 8K words and realized I had sort of forgotten whose story it was, so before I move on to the next project, I need to go through this one again, start to finish. Glad the deadline is in a couple of months! 🙂

And February’s title is out, another themed collection of portal stories. In this case, whoever goes through the portal can’t (or doesn’t want to) get back to Earth! Check it out!

After complaining for how messed up Instagram feed is now, a friend pointed me to a nice long essay called “The ‘Enshittification’ of TikTok” which explains how shitty social media have become. I must say that at the moment, TikTok is the only one that still allows me to check the Following feed instead of the For You feed if I want to.

But yeah, they’ve been pestering me with moving to a business account and checking my stats, and the likes. I don’t do that on my Facebook page, I definitely won’t bother with TikTok. Or Instagram (although I tried to add Favorites in the hopes of cleaning up that feed, but it’s probably going to end up like its parent company and not showing me what I want to see).

So I might end up leaving all social media and stick to this blog. Can we go back to emails, so there will be less advertizing clutter in our communications? 😉 Or… dare I say? SNAIL MAIL! I miss my pen pals, LOL!

Don’t mind me, I’m a grumpy Gen Xer who has enough of all these ads splashed all over the internet. I ignore them, but the cookies thingie is still a bother. Especially when I visit two or three articles on the same site and each and every time they ask me my cookie preferences. And there’s no “reject all” button, of course, but I still reject them all manually!

Sometimes I look forward to going back to before the internet… and that’s probably why I spent Sunday afternoon drawing with colored pencils on paper (also because guess what? New laptop is still unusable as is the brand new Xpen tablet… who cares?).

That’s all for today… Check my latest reading recommendations on Bookbub and have a great week!