@7b682b86 Haha, yes for sure! Her bond with the Water Goddess helps her maintain a steady calmness, but sometimes... 

She's more likely to go the way of ice than steam. She's an internal thinker, so that's only natural. Book 2 is a different matter (for spoilery reasons). 😅 

 @d47a3784 "I write, and stuff happens." That should be the tagline of every pantser. 😂 

 @7b682b86 Thank you! If nothing else, I'd like to get The Way of the Wielder published. That book (the whole series, really) is my heart, and though I'll feel completely vulnerable, I want the world to be able to read it. ❤️ 

 @a3976b27 @a3976b27 I've always felt that FB brings out the worst in people. Which is ironic, given the toxic positivity of the platform (at least, that was the case when I left several years ago).

I'm sorry your friends weren't sympathetic to the very real circumstances some people face. 😞 

 @7b682b86 It's amazing that you have all of the books already complete, so you can publish consistently until they're all out. Bravo to you! 

 @7b682b86 Yeah, ghosting is awful, and TBH it left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't query him, or the agency, this time around.

I'm fine now, but I definitely went through dozens of emotions as I processed what it meant. Like I said, a rollercoaster.

I can only guess why he didn't reply, but like @a3976b27 said, he requested it initially (within a day of querying, in fact). I assume there was something he liked, but what that was, I'll never know. 

 @7b682b86 @a3976b27 So, when I queried The Way of the Wielder (Jack & Jaslan, book 1), the only agent who requested the full manuscript was the same agent for The Name of the Wind.

I loved that book, and I was thrilled he asked to read the full MS. Literally giddy as a school girl. That was last August. I've never heard back.

I was ghosted by the agent of one of my favorite books. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions. 😬 

 @7b682b86 @66e742bb The Foundation series was brilliant, no doubt. I read that during my "hard sci-fi" kick a few years back. Although I much preferred The End of Eternity.

I really enjoyed Seveneves by Neal Stephenson. If epic sci-fi is a thing, I'd categorize it as that. Just brilliant stuff. 

 @7b682b86 @66e742bb Yeah, I'm much fussier with sci-fi than I am with fantasy.

I go through phases, though. 6-10 years ago I was in a sci-fi kick, but for the last 6 years or so it's been fantasy. Funny how that works.

Although I'll note, I intersperse it all with the occasional nonfiction novel. I love a good history or action/adventure story of glory. 😅 

 @7b682b86 To be fair, a so-so plot for Sanderson is much more engaging than it is for other authors I've read. 😅

I also don't think he meant boring. An average plot is alright, because the characters (assuming the reader enjoys reading them) can get you through it. But a flat plot? Very little gets a reader through that.

I personally enjoy Sanderson's work, but everyone has their preferences. No judgement here. 😊 

 @b7ab5d68 She's the cutest little vampire. 🥰 

 @7b682b86 I, for one, welcome our evil adverb overlords. 😆

I know they shouldn't be overused, but a well placed adverb can add so much feeling to a scene! I'll never stop using them—Stephen King can go pound sand. (I said what I said.) 

 @c09f86d3 Yep, I completely agree with you. I also don't have kids, and was always asked to cover maternity leave for those who did (which hurt, since at the time I was suffering through infertility).

I'm sorry your colleagues took advantage of your kindness, and your physical appearance (some men are awful). I hope your current job is a better atmosphere. 

 @7b682b86 I'm glad writing has helped you through tough times, too. The future is bright. 🌟 

 @7b682b86 Addendum: I should have been more decisive sooner. But as my therapist pointed out, I'm a deep internal processor and need to consider all options before coming to a decision.

I was going through a lot then, too. Work aside, depression and infertility were constants in my life. There was too much to process, so I drudged on, miserable and hollow.

Writing was the only thing that got me through. Without it, I honestly don't know where I'd be now. 

 @7b682b86 I won't lie, I started detaching in June 2021.

Long story short, a contractor was hired into a position I was told a contractor couldn't get (I tried the year prior, and was denied).

Manager left in Dec 2021. In Jan 2022 I applied for that job. I was told no. That I "wasn't ready". But exec. leadership expected me to do it until it was filled.

The person who got that job (in June) realized how overlooked I was, but by then it was too late. My LOA started 2 weeks later. 

 @7b682b86 Honestly, the job itself wasn't that bad. Two things wore me out: dealing w/ the [unfriendly] public, and leadership. The former was manageable, if the latter had your back.

My manager left in December 2021 and exec. leadership took over. That's when it went to hell. I was constantly overlooked and undervalued. Coupled w/ personal matters, I quickly hit my limit. By May I couldn't take it. I started a LOA in June, and never went back.

I'm so grateful for @2b1fdc7f's support 💚 

 @4a3f9d7e Good luck! I'm rooting for the Bills, but it's going to be an awesome game! 

 @7b682b86 It’s so hard to not take things like that to heart. At least it was only a document about blurbs, and not part of the story. Be gentle on yourself (it sounds like you are). 😊 

 @7b682b86 Oh no! That’s a bummer, but I know you can do it again! You’re very good with words. 🙂 

 @7b682b86 Thank you! ☺️ I had something similar for my pitch when I queried it last fall. It went nowhere, but I guess I should keep this for when I need a blurb in the future! 

 @a3976b27 @7b682b86 @5a43dd67 Same here. I often find myself comparing my novels to published works of similar word count.

Rise of Iron is about as long as the third Harry Potter novel, for example. 

 @b7ab5d68 Haha, it's alright, I got the gist (could always blame the cats)! 😆 

 @7b682b86 @66e742bb I've definitely heard that, too. By a woman, though, and in a condescending tone. "It must be nice having that kind of time. Enjoy it now before you have kids."

"I do enjoy it. Writing helped me through depression and has been a positive way to process the grief of infertility."

That shut her up real quick. 😅 People can be jerks. 

 @b7ab5d68 😍 They're so handsome! 

 @7b682b86 I would agree with that. I read a lot of epic fantasy, so it's natural that tends to be what I write.

Although, Rise of Iron is only 105k, which is substantially less than either of the books in Jack & Jaslan's story (155k and 172k, respectively).

J&J's story is *very* epic fantasy. It's, essentially, the "universe building" that's needed for what I envision for the rest of my stories to be based on, sooo... 🤷‍♀️ 

 @7b682b86 I just checked the data for Rise of Iron:

Average chapter length - 3.4k
Longest chapter - 5.8k (the climax happens here)
Shortest chapter - 1.1k

😬 

 @7b682b86 I can’t imagine having a chapter that’s only 1-2.5k words long. 🤣

(I take that back. The first chapter of Rise of Iron is only 1,100, which unusually short for me.) 

 @7b682b86 I can’t imagine having a chapter that’s only 1-2.5k words long. 🤣

(I take that back. The first chapter of Rise of Iron is only 1,100 words, which unusually short for me.) 

 @2433bcdf Yeah, when I looked this up (as a refresher) this morning, I saw that it doesn't have to mean characters. It could be your beloved subplot that adds nothing, or even a paragraph you love that doesn't fit. 

 @4a3f9d7e The Pats haven't dominated since 2019. I loved TB12, but it was time for him to let go (it was time in 2019, IMO).

As much as I hate to admit it, the AFC is now a KC dynasty. But for me, if it's not the Pats, it's the Bills. 💙 

 @4a3f9d7e You too! The Dolphins have come along way the last couple of years. The Pats... not so much. We'll need all the luck we can get! 

 @4a3f9d7e Do you get any other games? The Bills are playing the Raiders right now, it's a good game!

(Don't worry, NE is probably going to get schooled by MIA, so you won't miss much. Spoken as a NE fan. 😆) 

 @7b682b86 And that's exactly what happens in Rise of Iron... on both accounts. 😅 I hope it makes for a great story! I certainly enjoyed writing it. 🙂 

 @a3976b27 I'm so sorry you had to go through that, but I'm glad you were inspired to create a story that inspired others. That can't have been an easy story to write. 💜 

 @7b682b86 Thats a good rule, and in general, I’m the same way.

However, with the antagonist in Rise of Iron (the High Chancellor), I based her off my former manager - but I didn’t know her outside of work. I knew she was a mother, and that she was well educated, but nothing other than that.

In that way, it feels less like I used her as a person, and more like the idea of her. That is, of what bad *leadership* is, not what a bad *person* is. If that makes sense. 

 @7b682b86 I think it's alright. You seem to have a good method of finding balance, so I'm not too worried. 😊 

 @7b682b86 When you do what you love, it's not really working.

Although, I will say that I probably spend *too much* time writing or other associated tasks. My husband sometimes tells me to take a day off, and I'm like, "but... but..." 😆 

 @d73175df What is an arc reader? Just someone who reads to make sure the arcs are good? (I’m sorry for my ignorance - I should know this…)

If that’s so, then I could read it for you! 🙂 

 @7b682b86 Thank you! That's kind of you to say. 😊

I just finished editing this novel, and am now going to prepare it for querying. Since it's the first in a new series of mine, I'm going to give it a go with traditional publishing. If it doesn't pan out, so be it. 

 @7b682b86 @2b1fdc7f She's so funny. I've never seen a cat stick her tongue out as much as she does. 😛 

 @d73175df Poor Sammah, indeed! I feel for him so much. 😞 

 @7b682b86 I hope it’s all true! 😅