Spring 2019 Writing Update and Where to Purchase My Books

For all those who are interested in my writing, and not the other topics I pen about here, I thought I would give you an update.

Currently I am formatting book 4 in The Conrad Chronicles, editing book 5, and writing the first draft of book 8. Of the three tasks, I prefer the writing of the first draft, followed by the editing. Formatting, which means fighting headers and footers so they end up in the right place, is always a real chore.

Since it has been a while, and the information is in a blog that is at least a year old, I'm going to post links to my novels here.

In The Conrad Chronicles series:

Revolt

Best place to buy as a paperback
http://www.lulu.com/shop/heather-hobson/the-conrad-chronicles-revolt/paperback/product-23411235.html

or

Available as an e-book here:
https://www.amazon.com/Conrad-Chronicles-Revolt-Heather-Hobson/dp/1387319159/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Heather+Hobson&qid=1555614845&s=gateway&sr=8-2




Realizations

Best place to buy as a paperback
http://www.lulu.com/shop/heather-hobson/the-conrad-chronicles-realizations/paperback/product-23554369.html

or

Available as an e-book here:https://www.amazon.com/Conrad-Chronicles-Realizations-Heather-Hobson-ebook/dp/B07BQCMJ3L/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Heather+Hobson&qid=1555615301&s=books&sr=1-5


Rejection

Best place to buy as a paperback
http://www.lulu.com/shop/heather-hobson/the-conrad-chronicles-rejection/paperback/product-23875263.html







My Other Books: 

Callings: Tales of the Conrads of Karna:

Best place to buy as a paperback
http://www.lulu.com/shop/heather-hobson/callings-tales-of-the-conrads-of-karna/paperback/product-21450992
.html

or

Available as an e-book here:
https://www.amazon.com/Callings-Conrads-Heather-Tom-Lewis-ebook/dp/B01AB8FYHO/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=Heather+Hobson&qid=1555614845&s=gateway&sr=8-13


Unicorn's Milk

Best place to buy as a paperback
http://www.lulu.com/shop/heather-hobson-lewis/unicorns-milk/paperback/product-22386624.html


or

Available as an e-book here:https://www.amazon.com/Unicorns-Milk-Heather-Hobson-Lewis-ebook/dp/B016SK8J1W/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=Heather+Hobson&qid=1555615301&s=books&sr=1-6


Stubby the Magic Pencil

Best place to buy as a paperback:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/heather-hobson/stubby-the-magic-pencil/paperback/product-21959411.html

or

Available as an audio book or e-book here:https://www.amazon.com/Stubby-Magic-Pencil-Heather-Hobson/dp/1312328371/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=Heather+Hobson&qid=1555614845&s=gateway&sr=8-6
and under my pend name Echo Ryan:



A Tale of Butts: The Story of a Couch

Best place to buy as a paperback:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/echo-ryan/a-tale-of-butts-the-story-of-a-couch/paperback/product-15642092.html

or

Available as an audio book or e-book here:
https://www.amazon.com/Tale-Butts-Story-Couch/dp/1257633201/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Heather+Hobson&qid=1555614845&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Update on Writing: Conrad Chronicles, Ghost Book and More

For those of you who are here to follow my writing, here is my latest update on what I have been working on and what has transpired.

The Conrad Chronicles: Realizations is still on schedule to be out at the end of this month. The cover is finished, the e-book version ready to go, and an ISBN number has been assigned. Just a bit more formatting on the print version and a review of a proof copy and Book 2 in The Conrad Chronicles will be out.

As for the ghost book that has been sitting with a certain publisher for years, the same publisher who said it was ready to go the printer over the summer, I gave him a call. He couldn't give me an answer on where it was in the publication process and back tracked on it being ready to go to the printer during the summer. This is disappointing, but not surprising given all the "delays" that have occurred. Since I have so many other books and projects I have let this one sit with this publisher all these years, but at some point if he doesn't get the book out there I will self-publish it.

I finished typing up and editing the second draft of the League of Angels inspired book I wrote. The working title right now is The Legend of Star Stone. Since my focus right now is publishing more books in The Conrad Chronicles series, not sure when I will do the third/polish edit of this novel. In addition I am toying with the idea of just releasing it one chapter at a time in a blog format. First I will need to copy right the manuscript.

Finally I am working on a final/polish edit of the third book in The Conrad Chronicles series, Rejections. Right now this manuscript is my coffee house project as I edit a few chapters every week while enjoying a cup of vanilla tea.

The Conrad Chronicles: Revolt and my other writing

Just to give everyone a heads up, the paper back version of The Conrad Chronicles: Revolt is now available on amazon.com. Remember it is retailing there for $17.99.

Revolt on Amazon

Through my publisher I'm able to set a discount with them. If you got to lulu.com you can purchase the book for $13.49, which is a 25% savings. Also, Lulu frequently has coupons in the website for another percentage off or free shipping.

Revolt on Lulu

Now that Revolt is back in the world, I have been working diligently on Realizations. I fully anticipate the second book in The Conrad Chronicles to be out by March, if not a bit sooner. My aim now is to have the third book Rejections out by next December. So I will be busy.

While I'm working on all this editing, polishing, and formatting, I am also spending a bit of time on the second drafter of my League of Angels inspired book. Though I must confuse that other than the names of a few characters my friends from the game wanted me to use, the book has nothing to do with the game other than being a fantasy adventure.  Also, though I had not planned it, I ended up setting the book on the planet Karna and gave it a small tie-in with The Conrade Chronicles. No matter what I write, I always seem to end up back on Karna.

Happy reading.

The Conrad Chronicles: Revolt, a writing update

Good news: Revolt is almost ready for public sale again. Everything has been uploaded and formatted and the proof copy has been order. If all goes well, Revolt will be for sale by November as a paperback, and possible as an e-book even sooner.

As soon as this novel is up for sale, I will let you know (as well as begin polishing up the second novel in The Conrad Chronicles, Realizations.

Here is the cover, which Charles Berton did a great job on creating for me. Happy reading.

Cover for The Conrad Chronicles: Revolt by Charles Berton

Writing Update-ghost book and The Conrad Chronicles

Writing always provides many challenges, especially on the publishing end. The ghost book I mentioned a few months back still hasn't been printed by the publisher. I was really hoping it would be out before Halloween, but it doesn't look like it will be.

Meanwhile, I have been diligently writing the first draft of a new novel which has now over 300 hand written pages.  This is a sequel to another book I wrote earlier this year that I am in the process of typing up.

While all this is going on Revolt, the first of The Conrad Chronicles which was first published many years ago, will be republished. A wonderful artist is working on a cover for the book, while at the same time the manuscript is being formatted as both an e-book and a paperback.  This will be the first time Revolt will be available as an e-book.

My hope is to follow up the publishing of Revolt with the second book in The Conrad Chronicles, Realizations. The cover art for it is being worked on and it is in the process of one last read through before it gets formatted for printing.  With any luck, Revolt with be available again in November and Realizations should be out by the spring, most likely March.

Happy reading!

Summer Writing

I am delighted to report that I have begun writing the next Conrad book. I'm not sure if this one will be the last, or merely the 7th. This piece is still untitled, though it's title will begin with an "R," just like all the other novels in the series.

Unfortunately, at the moment, Revolt, the first book in The Conrad Chronicles is out of print. I'm debating finding a new publisher versus self-publishing.

The Conrad short stories are still available under the title Callings: Tales of the Conrads of Karna.  

I do have the book that follows Revolt ready for publication. Again, I am debating seeking a publisher  or self-publishing. This book is entitled Realizations.

Any thoughts or comments on how I should proceed?

Writing away

I finished the final edit and changes to Realizations this morning. I'm ready to do a dance of joy.  I can now move forward. My critique partner is already beginning to edit the third Conrad book Rejections.  He found it very dark and that took him by surprise.

I've also wrote out the two rough drafts of my next two columns for St. Alban's Tidings.  I'm always glad when I have those written and out of the way for a month or two in advance.

I figure I should share a little of my writing on here, instead of just writing about writing.  Here's a bit from chapter 1 of Realizations.

Chapter 1:  Dreams

    She heard only the sound of her heart pounding and her feet thumping.  The air burned her nose and throat.  Gloria ran as fast as she could. Ebony strands of hair wiped her back. Her dark brown eyes locked on the two figures standing among the wavering, ankle-high grass. Nothing else mattered to her. "No!" she screamed.  She watched the translucent purple-violet shield spring up around them. Stumbling, Gloria fell to her knees.  Tears flowed down her wind stung face.  A searing pain blocked all her thoughts . . .
    "Gloria?" Regal’s warm voice called out to her through the darkness of her closed eyes. He pressed a strong calloused hand against her bare shoulder. A connection was made.  He experienced her dream as if it was his own.
    "No," Gloria whimpered.
    "Gloria?" Regal spoke a little louder.  "It's only a nightmare. Wake up."  As he kept his hand upon her shoulder, Regal sent his yellow energy into his wife’s body. Her heart beat steadied as the warmth of his energy cuddled her.
    With sudden alertness, Gloria's eyes opened.  Instantly, she rolled over and gazed at Regal, her husband and keeper of the yellow energy.
    "It's okay," Regal soothed.  He rubbed a hand up and down Gloria’s left arm. 
    Gloria absorbed the calming energies he directed into her body.  Sucking in several deep breaths, she steadied her pulse.  Gloria then closed her eyes again. Dear Light, she silently prayed, please protect Thera.
    Regal’s eyes opened when Gloria’s did. He had prayed silently along with her. She had not guarded her thoughts from him.
     Regal then rose from the bed and lit the granum oil lamp.  When Gloria had first screamed, Regal's instinct had been to power pray for a floating light.  But then he had remembered their agreement not to use Conrad abilities that could be seen.  The simple fuel lamp would have to do.
    "She has to win," Gloria whispered.  She scooted up as Regal returned to the bed.  He handed her a glass of water.
    Regal sat down on the thin mattress. "And we will continue to pray to the Light that she does."  Gloria cuddled up against him.  He turned his gold speckled brown eyes toward the ceiling of their cottage.  Shutting his eyes Regal inhaled deeply.  He took comfort in the straw scent, as well as the faint smell of Gloria's vanilla-almond perfume on the side table.
    Regal couldn’t help but recall how soon they would depart Karna.  If he had his way, they would stay forever.  He loved the small farming community that had been their home for the last four cycles.  Gloria and he had lived in many such villages, but this one felt the most like home, almost like the planet Aleron.
    "I can't even imagine what I will do if she loses." Gloria brushed three fingers across Regal's thick beard.
    Regal sensed the apprehension radiating from her fingertips.  Lovingly he picked up her left hand and expertly drained the tense energy from her body.  When he finished, Regal lightly kissed Gloria's smooth forehead.  "Better?"
    "Yes."
    "Good."
    "You don't want to leave, do you?" Gloria asked, looking up at her husband and soul mate.
    "No," Regal solemnly replied.  "You know I want to stay here.  I want to raise our future children here."
    "We can't stay. They will get suspicious," Gloria pointed out.
    Regal sighed.  Often he longed to be anything but a Conrad:  to always look thirty-five, and never appear to age, was a curse.  He ruminated over how most of the remaining Conrads were engaged in teaching the humans of Karna the technology lost to them after the Conrad elders' flight to Aleron.  Yet, Regal accepted that it was their duty to prepare the humans in case Xavier won the Death Duel.  For if Xavier defeated Thera, he would return to Karna with an immense Carmine force and continue his human annihilation plans.
    "Besides, I miss Zeplan," Gloria stated, interrupting Regal's contemplations.
    Regal smiled. He too missed Zeplan, his brother-by-marriage.  Zeplan was the sole Conrad remaining aboard the Galactic Falcon, their ship, which continually maintained orbit around Karna.  It had befallen Zeplan to make certain none of Xavier's followers had decided to return to Karna before the thousand cycle Death Duel ended.  Only 328 cycles remained.
    "I know we must move on," Regal said, recalling the hundreds of communities they had made their home, only to move on after a few cycles.  "But I would find it easier if we had a family of our own."
    Gloria pulled free of Regal's embrace.  Her dark eyes assessed him.  "You know we can't."
    "Why not?" Regal questioned, despite knowing the same old argument was about to ensue.  He just wished she would change her mind.  "Rassar and Disa each have two children of their own. Since they are now married, Sherwin and Kinara are planning a family as well.   Why not us?"
    "You know why," Gloria accusingly stated.  Her teeth dug into her lower lip.  Her eyes narrowed.  "If he should win, he will come after me."
    "But Thera could win," Regal argued.



That's enough of a teaser for now.

So I didn't get to writing

Yesterday I never managed to get to work on Realizations.  After promoting my friend's book (Echo Ryan-A Tale of Butts: The Story of a Couch), I ended up sucked up into the world of household tasks.  I did make arrangements to meet with my critique partner, John.  We spent a solid hour on the phone yesterday discussing the publishing world.  He is writing his very first novel.

I find I write more when I'm not at home.  For some reason my best first drafts and editing are done in a coffee house, and not on a lap top. I write all my first drafts by hand. I feel the pen and paper add to the experience. I've tried writing straight to a computer before, and the words don't flow as easy.

Tomorrow I am making a date with myself to go to a coffee house. I wish my small town had more than one, but at least we have one.