A Grand Reveal

Yes, I know I promised an ARC would be released. It is still coming. But first, a cover reveal and preorder link.

A little background:

Tate's story is very near and dear to my heart. Her journey began while I was deployed to Afghanistan. Most people who have never been deployed can't imagine the amount of boredom that sets in after a few months. Things become very routine, very quickly. Day in, day out, you go to work, do your job, work out, eat dinner, then go to bed. Yes, there were missions and danger and even moments of sheer terror, but there is also a monotony that can pray on the mind.

I knew I needed something to keep my mind occupied and away from everything going on around me. Thus, Tate and her world was born.

I had no idea what I was doing in the beginning. I gave her a dragon tattoo, but I had no idea that sucker moved or talked until Ilith started speaking to me. Nor did I realize that Dewdrop would become as integral to her story as he did. He is the little brother she never had, the sarcastic backup that makes me laugh. This story is as much about them and their relationship as it is about the overarching situation they find themselves in.

I hope you enjoy this trip into their world.

When the past rises, the world burns.

Newly conscripted into the Emperor’s dragon corps, Tate Fisher is still trying to figure out all that her new position entails. Along with an elevation in status comes dangerous enemies. Enemies who would rather see the dragons fall into ruin than remain in their current place of power.   

When a dragon goes missing, followed by a child close to her, Tate is forced to confront the hidden agendas of those in the highest seats of authority. Her search for the truth takes her deeper into the maze of tunnels that lie beneath the city. It’s a place where secrets lurk and dangers abound.

There, she’ll uncover a plot whose origins stretch all the way back to the beginning of this world—one that can only end in the destruction of everything she knows and loves. The key to saving her city lies in her uncertain past. If only she could remember what that was. 

The preorder is live so get your copy now.

Library Visit

Recently, I've been stricken with the need to reread some old favorites. I lay some of that blame on the recommendations many of you made on Facebook about your favorite books. It reminded me of how many great books I've read through the years, which meant I needed to dive back into those stories so I could enjoy them all over again.

Hence a late night visit to my library's online site to check out some ebooks. Imagine my surprise when I find out that they have no record of either of my library cards. (Ohio has set up our libraries so that the ebooks are available to anyone with a library card to a participating library, which is pretty much all of them.)

It had been so long since I went to the library that they let both cards expire, which meant I couldn't check anything out until I'd physically visited a branch and signed up for a new card. There was a time in my life when I rarely went more than two to three days without visiting its hallowed halls. Now, it's been so long that I don't even know how long my card was inactive for.

Part of that is because life got so crazy while I was in the military what with basic, followed by more training before deploying overseas. It meant visiting the library or even a bookstore was no longer as easy as it once was. It was a luxury I could only indulge in rarely.

For me, the ebook revolution came at the perfect time and allowed me devour my favorite addiction even while waiting for a black hawk helicopter to carry me to my next mission or the next base I was staying at. It meant I could have hundreds or thousands of books at my finger tips. No more picking which book to take with me or being bored midway through an airplane trip because I'd finished all of my reading material.

That, plus the easily affordable price of many indies now means a majority of my reading is done by buying books on Amazon. It made me forget how walking into a library is like visiting a well loved friend- one I haven't seen in far too long. It was such a welcome feeling that I ended up checking out four books, despite planning on getting them through the ebook library. Here's hoping that I remember to return these.

I love the smell of books. Don't you?

Something I Probably Shouldn't Share

I know I'm supposed to be concentrating on marketing for Dragon 3, but I couldn't resist sharing a small snippet of the current WIP. I think it's the first time I've been mostly happy with an opening sentence.

Small disclaimer: As always this is not a guarantee of the final product and there is every possibility that the below might not make it into the final draft.

P3

Pain blossomed along Shea’s side. She sucked in a sharp breath and gritted her teeth. She could already tell from the throbbing that a bruise was forming.

Chugging Along

Things are moving along on all fronts. Right now, I'm just trying to tread water to stay on top of it all. Between wedding planning, finishing up Dragon 3 and starting Pathfinder 3, I'm having to implement some of the organizational abilities I've gleaned from years in the military, followed by a stint in corporate America to stay focused and continue to get things done.

The comments from my beta readers for Dragon 3 have started pouring in, and I am beginning to sift through to see what needs to be addressed. Technically, the deadline for these aren't due until Friday, but I've found it helps get my brain warmed up if I start thinking of ways to fix some of the problem areas as they come in rather than waiting for the avalanche at the end. Otherwise, I tend to get overwhelmed, which can lead to me freezing up and/or finding the nearest hole to crawl into. Thankfully, most of the comments so far have pointed at minor issues, which is always reassuring.

I've also planned out the first third of Pathfinder 3. It's been a bit of an easier go of it this time, since a lot of my ideas were part of the outline for Mist's Edge. I'm actually kind of excited to get started on this book since all the cool stuff I wanted to write was in the latter half of that outline. It's kind of hard not to just dive into writing, but I've learned from previous experience that jaunting off without a plan usually leads to me wandering lost and confused in one of my worlds. Since you guys probably don't want to wait three years for me to figure out an ending, it's best to take my time and come up with a well thought out story before I run head first into dangerous territory.

On the personal front, I decided on my cake baker, flower person, and photographer for the wedding. All major wins in my book, since these were the last major items I was stressing over. Since I love food and am an amateur photographer, it was very important to me to find people that I liked for this. I think I've done that. There are a few things left, but nothing as stressful as those. This means that I can buckle down and focus on Pathfinder 3. My goal is to have it written and in someone else's hands at least a week before my wedding. Otherwise, I might turn into a writerzilla crossed with a bridezilla because of all the stress.

Calling All Beta Readers

Dragon 3 is finally ready for other eyes besides my own. I'm opening up the beta read opportunity again. For those who have been with me for a while, the below post probably looks pretty familiar. If you're interested, please read the following and let me know. 

Beta Reader Guidelines and Caveat

Here's how you can volunteer: Private message me through my Facebook page or email me at info@tawhiteauthor.com asking to be a beta reader and committing to the guidelines posted below. I can't guarantee I'll choose you as there has been more interest in this in the past, but I will put you on a list and rotate you in when I can.

Beta Guidelines:

This part of the process for me takes place before I send the manuscript to the editor. That means the copy is a little rough still. I'm not looking for intense grammar editing. I'm more focused on comments on the story- pace, structure, characters, things that don't make sense. That kind of stuff. I will outline these questions in more detail for those who participate.

The other thing I ask is for people to send it back to me in the time allotted - usually two weeks.

I also ask that you agree not to share the story with anyone or upload it to any sites. I know for most of you that would never cross your mind, but I need to say it anyway.

Also, be aware that I may not use your suggestions as my opinion trumps everyone else's. Sometimes you ask questions that I want asked or a suggestion goes against what I'm trying to accomplish.

One note: Beta reading is not for everyone. For instance, I don't beta read for people because I like getting caught up in the story and not paying attention to the things that irk me. For that reason, I will be doing advance reader copies that would take place at the end of the process and would require less thinking on the reader's part. (Hopefully) 

If you're interested, let me know. If you're not, I hope you enjoy the book when it comes out. 

Updates

If this first month is any indication of how the rest of the year is going to go, I am going to be very, very busy. Not just on the writing front, but in my personal life as well. For starters, I've finally finished my move, and my condo is being prepared to be put on the market. Factor in that I've made significant headway in wedding plans, and you're looking at someone who is surviving on very little sleep or reading time. (Note- Wedding planning is not for the week of heart.)

In addition to all the personal kerfluffel, I've managed to proof and upload the final, final, FINAL copy of Moonlight's Ambassador to Amazon. This is probably the closest I've cut it to the publishing deadline, so it is a huge relief to know it's up and that I don't have to do anything else to it. No more proofing, formatting, or stressing. Just the soothing knowledge that it's done. Unfortunately, I don't know if it makes sense to do an ARC since we only have a week until it goes live. I may have to wait until the next book to put that idea into production.

In other news, Dragon 3 continues to chug along. I have roughly 35,000 words left of the first draft, maybe more. I'm entering the climax and trying to bring to fruition all those seeds I planted in the first part of the book. I'm at the stage where I have no idea if the story I've written is working and I'm just desperately trying to finish. There are so many tangled threads right now that I'm having serious anxiety about whether I'm going to be able to weave everything together into a cohesive whole in the few words I have left. A lot of things are supposed to happen this book. Now it's a matter of making those things happen without forcing or short changing them. It's harder than it sounds.

The crazy thing is I've been here before on other books. The worst was probably Pathfinder's Way. It's why it took me almost 3 years to finish. Since taking that long isn't really an option anymore, it means having to find my way through the weeds. It can be difficult, but I have faith that the finished product will be worth the struggle. If nothing else, I'll just have a really extensive editing cycle this time. I guess that's a silver lining of a sort.

Sneak Peak

Only a few more weeks until Moonlight's Ambassador is released into the wild. I'm very excited for this book. A lot happens in Aileen's world. Things are revealed, people are betrayed, and vampires. So many vampires. I can't wait for you guys to read it.

In the meantime, here is chapter one for your reading pleasure. :-)

Chapter One