The Official Kick-Off to Summer 2023

June 21, 2023 marks the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.  

For the longest day of the year, Undawnted will begin the festivities with a WordCrafter Blog Tour for the poetry book, Small Wonders, by Kaye Lynne Booth. 

Then A Novelist Newsletter will drop its quarterly update, as well as throw a bash for The Jonah Collector Release Party on June 23rd!

It's a full week here on Undawnted.

Be sure to become a Subscriber to A Novelist Idea and our YouTube Channel for great seasonal programming and entertainment.

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A writer at heart, Undawnted's own creative spark, DL Mullan, began writing short stories and poetry before adolescence. Over the years, Ms. Mullan has showcased her literary talents by self-publishing several collections of her poetry. She also writes novels, designs apparel, and creates digital art. Ms. Mullan‘s creative writing is available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. As an independent publisher, she produces her own book cover designs as well as maintains her own websites. She is an award-winning digital artist and poet. Currently, DL Mullan shares her knowledge via A Novelist Idea Newsletter. If you too want to become a Fearless Phile, then subscribe to her newsletter on Substack.

Her innovative style teaches writers how to reach their creative potential, and write more effectively.

Learn. Grow. Master… with Undawnted.

 

 

Tour Booked for Nov. 29 - Dec. 3 for the Lingering Spirit Whispers Paranormal Anthology Set

Undawnted's novelist, DL Mullan, has been booked for an anthology tour the last week in November.  

The Lingering Spirit Whispers Paranormal Anthology Set is due out December 1st and we here on Undawnted will receive a sneak peek! Isn't that exciting? 

Ms. Mullan will be reviewing this set, in addition, she will be conducting author interviews. 

If you would like to book a tour with Undawnted, please use our Contact form. 

For more information, check out our Bookings page. 

Have a great and wonderful day!

Join The Monsoon Rain

Sonoran Dawn Studios' Sonoran Monsoon: Earth Changes Book and Cover Art Event has used my artwork and poetry as inspiration. 

Check out the online event on their Facebook page. Everyone is welcome to join as a host (artist, musician, or author), please use the sign up sheet to book your time slot. 

If you just enjoy reading, please be to stop by and get to know the authors and artists. Each has an hour to show you their wares. 

Have fun and make a purchase. Your support keeps independent authors and artists creating beautiful words and images for you.

Have a great and wonderful day!

 

Blood Novel Review and Ruth Miranda Interview

If you are into unique writing styles, avant garde with an emphasis on the psychology of individual characters, then Ruth Miranda may be the writer for you.

A fresh perspective on the paranormal genre is hard to discover these days but Blood by Ruth Miranda is up there with the likes of Jim Butcher.

When you think of Ruth Miranda; think the style and composition of George Eliot.

Sometimes the refreshing is found in the unexpected. 

How did you get into writing?

MIRANDA: I started writing short stories as soon as I learned to string sentences together, so I've pretty much written since I was seven, eight years old. I write out of necessity to put down the stories in my head, am constantly making up stories there.

Were you always the creative sort?

MIRANDA: I've always been into stringing words together, but was hopeless at any other form of creative work, can't sing, can't draw, can't play any musical instruments. I did dance ballet for a while and wasn't too bad.

Why the topic of pretenaturals? Did you make up the term?

MIRANDA: I've always liked the idea of creatures living amongst us that are not like us, humans. That they differ from us in their genetics, their capabilities, but are as prone as we are to all that makes us who and what we are as individuals and persons. I don't think I invented the term, though, I think I've seen it around for a while.

Since the paranormal realm and its creatures are metaphors for the human condition, what does your writing say about being human?

MIRANDA: I don't use paranormal and creatures as metaphors, I use them as I may use a character of chinese descent, or african, or suomi. It's just another race, in my books. Of course, they do have powers humans don't, but I've never thought of using vampires for metaphors, for example.

BLOOD by Ruth Miranda is an intriguing coming of age story for Caius part Fey and all immortal. He struggles with events in his life that have left him mourning the loss of his fiancé and confused about his natural paranormal abilities. On the search to discover his past, Caius enters a world unlike his own: the world of vampires, witches, and Fey.

Ms. Miranda brings a new kind of reality into creation. In the same vein as Jim Butcher, Blood opens the reader into her fertile imagination. Dialogue moves the plot and characters along a path filled with suspense and intrigue. What will happen if Caius discovers his true identity? Will he confront his father? Save his brother, Marcus?

Blood is not your typical novel. Descriptive words sketch out characters and setting like a work of art. Enjoy this masterful piece of paranormal fantasy and paint your way through the chapters by the number.

For more information and publications by this writer, please visit her Amazon author's page: Ruth Miranda. 

*****

If you would like to be featured on Undawnted with an author interview and/or review, please see our Bookings page. 

Hode is Now Available at Barnes and Noble with a 2 Chapter Preview

Hode: The Legend Lives Again has been distributed by Barnes and Noble.

It's exciting news! 

This retailer has also provided the first two chapters as a Preview.

Enjoy! 

Hode: The Legend Lives Again has been Published!

Fans and Readers!

Great news. Hode: The Legend Lives Again is available on Lulu. To celebrate its release, my publisher Sonoran Dawn Studios is offering the PDF for FREE.

It's a Limited Time offer.

Get your copy of this exciting update to the old classic now!

Become a Fan. Leave great feedback! 

First Print Mockup for In the Name of Blood is on the Way

As I have been creating new marketing materials, I decided to create the back page for my novel. 

I have had the item on my to-do list but I have always had some other task before it. Not that I crossed off the other tasks, I just made the move to finish what I started a year ago. Now the back page jacket looks pretty good. 

What do you think? 

In the Name of Blood Official Full Book Jacket

After it was done, I then added a table of contents to the book itself. That as they say was that! I had created the full version of the print edition to In the Name of Blood. I will also update the ebook to have a table of content as well.

I have put in an order for the mockup. When it arrives in the mail by next weekend, I will be able to correct any issues that may have arisen. Then I will begin to offer my ebook in print form. 

Hooray!

It is about time I hold my handiwork in my hands. I have a place on my bookshelf for my creative fiction and poetry, but being disabled makes my timetable a little longer than most. Plus the lack of funds does not help my timetable either. 

Now, more positive routes are in motion. It's not the destination, but the journey. Mine just happens to be in the slow lane.

Have a great and wonderful day! 

Pondering the Possibilities

With my book cover work for Delilah nominated this year, it got me thinking. Should I wait to publish my next novel until the start of 2018 so that I can enter into book cover events and competitions spring through autumn? 

In the Name of Blood published in October 2016.. too late for events. 
 

Or is that tacky?

Could be smart. If no one knows you have written a book, then how are you supposed to get any readers? Events and promotions could be a sensible way on a no-string budget to get noticed. 

Readers will be better prepared to come to you.

It appears that events, promotions, and competitions are the mainstays of online, independent authors.  I am in many different kinds of forums for independent authors, but nothing that says: Readers Apply Here. 

The question then comes down to: is the work you have written worth all the fuss?

 Have a great and wonderful day!

Red, White, and Blue Cover Art for Flag Day

How appropriate for Flag Day! 

My new book will be out on Monday, June 20th. History, politics, and civic duty all rolled into one researched essay....

Check out the Schedule page for upcoming publications and Nonfiction for more Historical Context books.

Working on Dark Poetry Chapbook

Halloween is less than five months away.

Good thing, I began putting together a dark poetry chapbook then... This ebook will publish some fan favorites as well as new poetry that our readers have not seen yet.

This chapbook is called The Descent. Here's our workup on the Chapbooks page in the Poetry section of Undawnted:

This chapbook houses "a darker breed of poetry." Just in time for Halloween! Fan favorites like The Collection, Death Replies to Emily Dickinson, and Breathe will make their presence known. Plus new poetry that has yet to be seen by the general public.

So get out your Ouija boards; it's time to divinate great poetry!

We cannot wait for the September 16th debut! 

 

Two Submissions for Poetry Book

As Undawnted moves toward more publishing credits for this year, Story of My Life and A Little Time (Saving Me) were submitted for publication.

This book of poetry and short stories focuses on recovery from childhood abuse. It is supposed to be released in April of this year. I cannot wait to hear if my poems are accepted.

That would make four published poems for this year and we are not even to spring yet. 

Great news as Undawnted seeks more opportunities to expand our horizons!

Have a great and wonderful day!

Novella, Where Art Thou Novel?

So you wrote a novella you want to make into a novel.

60,000 more words and you have it made! Yeah, right. Sounds like a few thousand bags of chips and blocking out reruns on the television for the next two months. 

But you wanted to be a writer... didn't you?

Shoulda, woulda, coulda. My other job qualification these days is disabled, allergic to the world person. So writer should do. That title sounds better than I just spent the last four to five days in bed with a recurrent migraine and several ice packs.

I wonder if I gave my ice packs names, if I could count them as dates? Anyone?

Joking aside, I feel the need for a legal pad and a number two pencil. I wish I could do the whole highlighter and print out thing but I'm pretty much allergic to the printer, its ink, and some types of new paper. Hell, all my books are ebooks now.

So much for the smelly part of learning through musty, dirty books.

Let the horrification begin!

So that was my day after looking up word counts.

Hope yours was better!

Another Day, Another Dollar

I wish I had a dollar!

Today was quiet. I had to stay inside because a neighbor had their weeds sprayed. I wish people would stop using pesticides. Those chemicals are toxic and not good for anything.

Remember if you can't ingest it, why are you using it?

There are far better, easier, safer, and cheaper ways to kill weeds and insects than industrial strength poisons. 

Beyond the ritual toxicity of life, I have been really uploading writing projects of mine this week. I hope I find more in my archives to post. It is always exciting to discover a piece of writing you had forgotten about. Plus I have hidden an Easter Egg on the site. That will be a place for little treasures for my readers.

You never know when a coupon code may just pop up there for something I am selling like a book, art piece, or a design of mine.

I'm just sneaky that way. 

This weekend I will be piling on more of my archives and maybe I'll find something to post on lulu.com or Amazon.  It's not like I am hurting for words.

Have a safe weekend!