This’ll be a short one. Yesterday I got some new medication and it’s making me very sleepy. It’s also sucked all energy out of me, so I’m condensing everything I was planning on saying in this update to the most important bits π
I’ve set myself a publication date! If all goes well, Rise of the Sparrows, Relics of Ar’Zac Book One, will be out on the 23rd May! I hope I’ve left enough time for the beta readers and the editor to go over everything, but that’s what I’m aiming for. Also, now that it’s official, I’ve got all the more reason to work my butt off to make it happen π Mark it in your calenders, guys!!!
This week I’ve been adding chapters to the draft which have popped up as I was doing the first edit. It’s going well so far and everything will be added by Tuesday next week. I’ll go over everything again after that and hopefully, around the middle to the end of February, I’ll be able to call for beta readers.
A big thank you to everyone who’s read and commented on Bray’s little story this week. I won’t be developing it further into something more, but in two weeks time I’ve got another short serial for you, which might well stand better chances… But more on that closer to the time π
That’s it for this week – only the excerpt left to go!
Enjoy π
βI grew up in a small farm town on the other end of Rifarne. My parents were farmers, my sister is two years younger than me. Only Ailis has inherited their gift, but my mother’s grandfather was a great wizard. Apparently. Four times a year Arlo would visit my parents. They were great at growing crops but they loved to eat meat, too. Red meat in particular was expensive back then, and they could never save enough money to buy it for us. Arlo has been a hunter since he was ten, and brought them deer, pigs and other meats for a much smaller fee then the local merchants offered. That’s how I met Arlo. Barnaby was a present from him, later. One summer some men came. I remember their approach to our farm. They came on black horses, in black armour, waving a flag as red as blood behind them as they rode up to our house, burning my parents’ labour as they went. They were the most terrifying thing I had ever seen. I thought death had come for us. Was right, too. Our mother told me to take my sister and run. Dad held the back door open so we could slip out undetected. I’d never run so hard in my life, but I have done many times since then.β
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All content belongs to the author, Sarina Langer.
For all previous updates on Rise of the Sparrowβs progress, click me!
For Cookie Breakβs front page, take a look here.
January 22, 2016 at 10:49 am
Congrats on setting the date! I bet it’s feeling very real now. I shall definitely be marking it in my diary!!! π
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January 22, 2016 at 10:54 am
Thank you! I think I can do it quite easily if I keep working the way I have been. It should allow for some things to go wrong, too. It does feel very real now, sometimes a little too real! In a few months I’ll be a published author! I’m not sure how to get my head around that π
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January 22, 2016 at 10:54 am
Ah the old ‘medication waltz’, been there more times than would fit a blog post. You have my sympathies. Just keep on keeping on; I used to think about it like walking through mud, or a lightening storm- depending on the side-effect.
Anyhow- I’ve really enjoyed reading the extracts from Rise of The Sparrow and will certainly mark up that date .
Best wishes
Roger
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January 22, 2016 at 11:01 am
My doctor warned me yesterday not to start taking them if the next day is a workday, but I wasn’t expecting this. I can’t remember the last time I had such trouble getting up in the morning! I’m sorry to hear you’ve been through this so often – you have my sympathies, too.
Thank you for reading, Roger, and thank you for marking the date β€ The next few months will be manic with everything that's to come, but I'm really excited for it.
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January 22, 2016 at 7:19 pm
Thanks.
All the very best wishes for the book; looking forward to reading it.
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January 23, 2016 at 10:46 am
Thank you! π
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January 22, 2016 at 11:42 am
Woo-hoo! That’s so exciting! π I let out a little yelp when I saw the title of your post. Congratulations!
I can also sympathize about the medication. About six months ago my doctor put me on a new anti-inflammatory which works great, but leaves me able to fall asleep sitting up! I only took it twice!
Good luck with the rest of the edits π And hello to your top editing friend, the cat.
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January 22, 2016 at 11:57 am
Thank you!! I’m really excited for it, and now that I’ve set myself a date (and announced it) the pressure is on! I’m worried that the meds will make it difficult, but I’ve still got some other things I need to sort before the release so fortunately I can still make progress, even if I’m not writing/editing.
I’m sorry your own medication made you so tired. I’ve never taken medication that could have this side-effect before yesterday so I wasn’t sure what to expect. They definitely pack a punch! I hope you’re okay without the meds.
Thank you, I am making progress – it’s just been a little slow this week. I always feel like that when I work on other things besides the edit itself, though, so I know I shouldn’t worry about it. The smaller parts need to get done, too!
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January 23, 2016 at 12:40 am
Marked on my calendar! Congrats to making your publication a concrete thing. I’ve been avoiding that so far, afraid of making any firm date. You must be excited π
I hope your energy returns soon.
What an excellent excerpt! I love the glimpses you’ve given and they tease an intriguing plot with wonderful characters:)
Best of luck with it! I wish you all the success you deserve π
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January 23, 2016 at 10:49 am
I am excited, and nervous. I know I’ve allowed time for things to go wrong but I can’t help but worry that something huge is going to happen and I won’t be able to meet my deadline. If it does, it won’t be because of something I’ve done. It’ll have to go wrong elsewhere π
Thank you, I’m already feeling a little better today. Still tired, but it’s not as bad as it was so I’m hoping it was just the first time π
Thank you! I hope my characters will continue to intrigue once the book is out, and not let your expectations down. Now all I need to do is work my butt off and meet that deadline!!
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January 24, 2016 at 5:57 pm
Don’t worry about things that might get in the way! Just keep your goal in sight and you’ll achieve it for sure π I’m wishing all the best for you!
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January 25, 2016 at 1:39 pm
Your belief in me keeps me going, Faith β€ Never leave my side, please?
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January 25, 2016 at 10:41 pm
Never! And your support means the world to me too! If ever you need some pick-me-up, reach out. I’m right here π
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January 23, 2016 at 8:18 am
I refuse to take medicine unless I really need it. I especially hate the sleepy side effects.
Congrats! That day is really soon! I refuse to pick any sort of date until I’m further along, probably after I hire an editor. I wish you luck and success. π
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January 23, 2016 at 10:52 am
I agree, I hate taking medicine unless it’s absolutely necessary, but this specific problem has persisted for a couple of years and I’m eager to get it sorted π I doubt it’ll do anything but I’ll have to wait and see.
I know!! I know May is still a way off, but with something as big as that planned for it, it seems like it’s right around the corner. I’ve planned my beta readers and my editor (separately) into that time frame so theoretically it should all work out! π
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January 23, 2016 at 10:09 am
Wow! I didn’t expect it to be so soon, but that’s great. I’m looking forward to it. And hurray another excerpt! Nice glimpse into the past.
Good luck getting everything together. I admire your dedication and optimism, for sure. (I’m so slow at making progress.) I’m eager to see more updates in the coming months and excited for the publication date! π
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January 23, 2016 at 10:58 am
Making progress can be hard, especially when writing isn’t all you do. I already feel like I could do with more time, and I only have a part-time job and no kids! I don’t know how people with a full-time job and children do it, but it amazes me and I bow to them.
I’ve been making good progress lately and have allowed time for something to go wrong (as it always does) so I’m positive that I can meet my deadline. Now I just have to actually do it! π Thank you, I’m eager to give you those updates! ^^
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January 24, 2016 at 10:48 pm
It’s amazing how much work people can do if they just set aside a few hours a day. I’m always impressed by how much progress one can make in a week. I’m glad you’re so confident! You’re positivity is catching. I’m feeling better about my own stuff. You can do it! Looking forward to those updates!
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January 25, 2016 at 1:38 pm
I agree, when I first started writing Rise of the Sparrows one week didn’t sound like much, but I’ve realised how much I can actually get done in that time! Even just one hour is enough to get quite a lot done, if you’re committed to it. I’m glad you caught the positivity bug!! You can do it, Kay! Believe in us!
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January 26, 2016 at 5:38 am
Yes, one hour of motivated work can go a long way. Just the other day, I wrote three new scenes in a couple hours after not touching my story for a week. It felt amazing. Thanks! It’s great to have other writers supporting and motivating you. I believe in us! π
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January 25, 2016 at 2:49 pm
A big congratulations on setting your pub date!! I hope you feel better soon, I know the struggle with medicine so all the positive vibes from me to you that things get worked out.
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