State of the Library #11
Wherein I discuss Under the Roses, address the Sardis Serial, and give a glimpse into my life.
As I write this in the last week of August, our largest dogwood tree is just starting to change colors. I noticed it the other day. On the highest points of the tree can be seen the faintest turn from green to red. More notably, we had a whole week of low humidity weather. In the South, these are the signals of approaching autumn.
September is a weird time of year for us. The temperature doesn’t know what it wants to be, but the trees are going to change color regardless. Halloween decorations are set out for sale in stores (though Cracker Barrell has been ahead of the game since at least July) while people plan their Labor Day celebration. Summer ends, autumn is here, and just ignore the 90-degree F weather. It will change in about five minutes. Oh, yeah, and there’s still a chance for a hurricane.
I’m glad that September is arriving, because August was terrible for my husband and me. We suffered a massive tragedy. It was almost surreal to come onto Substack and post as if my whole world wasn’t falling apart. (Insert obligatory “never trust what you see on the internet” warning.) But we survived it and, when I’m ready, I’ll write about it. I feel like it’s something important that should be talked about.
But enough of that. On to other things…
Under the Roses Now Locked Away
My Beauty and the Beast retelling, Under the Roses, is now in the Forbidden Section. If you want to re-read it, or never got a chance to, then this is your sign to get a paid subscription.
But I also have some exciting news. The response to the retelling was so good, and I enjoyed writing it so much, that I am currently expanding it into a novel. I have no idea when it will be ready, but I plan on going through a publisher for it. It will have a different title and other things about the plot are being tweaked and changed. But Beatrice remains the same. I’m excited to see where the story takes me.
The Kindness of Family Archived
As well as Under the Roses, I’ve also filed “The Kindness of Family” in the Forbidden Section. It was a tough decision. I really like that story, and it was very well-received. However, I have to make the subscription worthwhile, which means, sometimes, the really good stuff needs to go behind the paywall.
To quote Bill Engvall, here’s your sign…
Sardis Serial
Because of the absolute upheaval that has been my life of late, the Sardis Serial has not gotten as much attention as it needs. And it’s also taken a left turn, so we got to sort that out. I really don’t want to start posting until I’ve actually written the whole thing and gone over it, as a whole, a time or two.
You see, my creativity can be finickier than a four-year-old who doesn’t want what Mom made for supper. It can change direction without warning and will only go in that direction. My creativity can also decide to just not flow anymore, and if I force it, the result is shoddy and awful.
I wish I was like those Substackers who have seasons and regularly posts serials. But I’m less Stephen King and more Robin McKinley, who is notorious for not writing promised sequels (*cough*Ebon*cough*) and saying she only writes what her “Story Council” hands down. The fact that I have been posting a short story every month for nearly a year now has been, in itself, a miracle.
When Sardis is ready to share his adventure with you, he shall. I want to finish the story, so it will be finished. Eventually.
Hey, did you see what I posted in August?
ICYMI: August
A Matter of Honor
And now for the new stuff…
September’s Story
“Callings and Crossings” — An abandoned cottage. An inexplicable healing. A mystery years in the making. What has this wandering dragon hunter stumbled upon?
Excerpt:
Mari watched the armored man limp into the cottage. He paused just inside the threshold, gaze darting over the one-room building. He looked right through her.
She, for her part, took her time in evaluating him. His armor had certainly seen better days: scuffed and rusted in places, one side of the cuirass crumpled as if struck by something large.
He held his sword drawn, though it was a sad piece of metal. It ended halfway down in a jagged edge and the leftover blade appeared pitted.
“Dragon fighting?” she asked.
“Callings and Crossings” will be published Friday, September 6, 2024 at 10 am Eastern Time.
I loved your Under the Roses story. When you get it published, please let me know how to get hold of it. I will buy it.
I’m glad you’ve gotten through that tragedy. I tend to disappear from the internet in moments like that. Also yay for new story and Roses becoming a novel! But what I’ve come here to say is that I pre write all my serials too. I mean, given that the one that’s just started demanded to be rewritten in a rather major way after I finished it, I have to do it that way. Writing “Hiraeth” without having it all done or even planned ahead (I mean, I have ideas) because it’s subscriber-led is so different for me! We’ll see whether or not it’s a success.