Damn the Shoulda's

Don't look at me like that. I couldn't help myself!

To review, what I should have been doing today was something that looked like this...

Audio edits NEED to be done. I have 30 days (yes, that's a self-imposed deadline) to complete the audio edits for three books and upload them to all the major audiobook places so they will release at the same time as the last two books in the series drop on January 1st. But instead of doing that, I spent today writing ad copy and creating visuals for The Glass Forest, Book One of The Chronicles of Liv Rowan.

And all of this futzing about took hours upon hours of tweaking and changes and fixes. I mean, there were backgrounds to pick out, typeface to consider, bylines, positioning, creating a gold foil look for a book that hasn't been finished yet.

I designed bookmarks.

I settled on a simple gold foil edging for my first limited edition hardcover.

The ebooks needed different backgrounds than the audiobooks. Same for the simple paperbacks versus the fancy hardcovers.

My mind briefly wandered to other frufru. Coasters? Custom mousepad? Endpapers? I even picked up some interesting pendants that fit with the storyline inside...

I made less than $500 with my first Kickstarter, but this one? I'm setting the minimum for higher. High enough to cover expenses and hopefully afford to create some really cool collectible hardcovers in the process. Fantasy does well on Kickstarter and I'm hoping I can really knock it out of the park this time.

I think I'll launch this bad boy in February, but we will see. It has to be AFTER I've completed the last of the edits, which includes narrating the audiobook, AND editing the audio, before I hit the launch button.

I have been known to say that the woulda coulda shoulda's will kill us. But in this case? The shoulda is for real. I really need to get back to audio edits now. No more excuses!

The funny thing is, I seem to produce better when under pressure. Perhaps, just perhaps, my unconscious knew what I really needed... another deadline.

In any case, I will leave you with this:

The Glass Forest promises magic, mystery, adventure, and... pterandons?!

Liv Parker’s 21st birthday is going great—if “great” means running across Kansas City in subzero weather to fetch her boss’s dry cleaning, track down off-season tiki bar decorations, and dodging his espresso-fueled temper tantrums.

But things take a turn from bad to what... the... hell when a burst of static crackles through her radio, a blinding flash of light erupts across the road… and her great aunt Martha's ancient Dodge Dart plops her into a humid, monster-infested forest in a completely different world.

Suddenly Liv is being chased by pterodactyl-like creatures, rescued by a hovering orange… thing named Pert, and escorted to a village where everyone insists she’s the long-awaited Magjistare—a magic-wielding savior summoned by the World itself.

There’s just one tiny problem: Liv has absolutely no idea how to use magic. Or why there are two moons in the sky. Or how she’s supposed to solve a deadly sickness that’s killing the children of Glass Village.

Somehow she must defeat the monsters, unravel an ancient mystery, master powers she’s pretty sure she doesn’t have…

…and somehow, some way get back to her day job before her boss realizes she’s missing.

Because saving a fantasy realm is all well and good… but losing your job on your birthday? That just sucks.

You can find it here.