Not From This Planet

What a year 2019 has been! (I’m aware it’s not over yet, but I also can’t understand how it’s October already?!)

I haven’t been as active online this year as I have been busy working on some amazing projects. As well as a brand new business which I am hoping will reshape the way publishing works.

My editor, Liz Lockwood, and I have been plotting, and we have created a whole new publishing model that we are very excited about. This new model seeks to blend the best bits of both traditional and indie publishing, in a way that the author feels supported and it works financially for both publisher and author. Working closely with authors to create books that they adore feels like the best way forward, and so, we have begun our own publishing house, Not From This Planet.

Under this cosmic umbrella, we are creating several imprints to cover different genres, and so far we have four – The Amethyst Angel (Visionary and metaphysical fiction), Labradorite Press (non-fiction), Amber Beetle Books (children’s) and Jasper Tree Press (General fiction).

We are releasing new books before Christmas, please do check out our website and Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates, and if you are interested in finding out more about how our new model works, do get in touch!

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The Winter’s Sleep by Monica Cafferky published by Jasper Tree Press

 

The end of an era

A month ago I released the final book in my Earth Angel Series – book 10, The Twin Flame Resolution.

What a ride it has been! 9 years of writing, 7 years of publishing, 10 books, 607,158 words, 158 characters.

I haven’t really known how to feel for the last few weeks. In the run up to publication I was so excited, because this meant I could now turn to other projects that have been impatiently waiting in the wings. I was also excited because I knew that book 10 held some ideas that were bound to annoy people. (Not that I love annoying people, but I do love a good twist)

But once it was out there in the world, I felt… sad.

This world of faeries, angels, starpeople and old souls has been my home for nearly a decade, and I love the characters, the places and the stories. So I felt a bit lost. Even though I already have three books lined up to release by Christmas, so it’s not like I don’t have plenty to be getting on with.

I feel the same way when I finish watching seasons of TV shows. Or a series of books I have followed for years. There’s a sense of completion but also a sense of loss. Because now it’s time to return to the ‘real’ world, and leave the characters behind within the pages. At least there is a sense of completion. There is a series of books I read as a teenager, which was never completed. 18 years later, I still await the final book!

If you have been reading the Earth Angel Series, how do you feel about it completing? And what did you think of book 10? (Try not to give too many spoilers 😉 ) Let me know in the comments below.

No doubt I will spring back, and I will try to blog a little more regularly! In fact, I have been working on a brand new project that will be released in Sept, look out for posts on that soon!

I need your help!

Good news! Book nine is now finished, and it is in the process of being edited, and I want to first of all announce the release date, which is…

20th January 2018!

I’m considering it a birthday gift to myself! In case you haven’t seen my videos on FB, the title of the book is

The Twin Flame Reignition

Now, I need your help. I have got six possible covers for the US Edition of the book, and I am asking people to vote for their favourite! I have already posted them on Facebook and Instagram, but I would love your input! Please comment on the post with the number of your favourite. I am planning to announce the winning cover by Christmas.

Here they are!

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Vote now!

Don’t Wait for Perfection – Start Now!

I know it can be an enticing idea, to wait for the perfect moment, to wait until you have the right experience, or money, or connections before starting something. After all, you want whatever you do to be perfect, right?

The problem is, it may never be the right moment. So just start. Wherever you are, with whatever resources you have, get started. And then be prepared to grow, evolve and change as you go along. I guarantee that you will look back at the early days and you will wonder what possessed you to do things the way you did, but chances are, if you hadn’t, then you would never have evolved to the place you currently are.

I used to use the example of my bears when I told students not to worry about being perfect in the beginning, and now I can use the example of my book covers. If I had waited until I could have the beautiful cover I have had created for the 5 Year Anniversary Edition, then it might never have happened at all. I started where I was, with the resources I had, and I took the plunge. It’s been five years of learning, growing, evolving and getting better and better at my crafts of writing and publishing.

Of course, if you have the resources to make your creation breath-taking from the outset, then please do that! If you have people willing to help you, who have the knowledge and skills, then please take them up on their help. Do everything in your power to make it the best it can possibly be from the beginning.

Here are the covers of The Earth Angel Training Academy, from first edition to fifth. Each cover has a place in my heart, for it shows my own evolution over the last five years too.

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Don’t wait another year, another five years, another ten years before beginning. And whatever you do, DO NOT wait until you retire! Write that book now. Paint that art now. Write songs now. Learn an instrument now. Whatever your soul is calling, begging you to do, do it now.

I promise you won’t regret it.

Writing and Publishing Update

I want to share with you a decision I have made in the last few days, which I know won’t make me very popular, but hopefully you will understand…

For the last 5 years that I have been publishing and writing my books, I have published an average of 2 books a year, and I have been putting my calling to write and publish above everything else. Above my health, my finances, and my relationships. In September, my body decided enough was enough and made me focus on it, made me help it to heal, and amazing synchronicities happened in the following couple of months to help me with that, and I feel as though I have more energy now than I ever remember having in my life! 

Over the last five years, I have worked in quite a few different jobs, I have worked on publishing books for others, and I’ve published ten of my own novels – but I haven’t spent much time marketing those books that I have brought into the world. I feel it’s time to press the pause button on writing any more of my own books, and to focus on the precious gifts I have written already. Because by doing so, I will also improve my relationships, as I will then have the time to see my friends and family, and have more fun! Continue reading

Twin Flames Series

The Twin Flame Reunion

A little update for those who follow my blog, but don’t follow my Facebook or Twitter threads – The Twin Flame Reunion, my latest book, will be available to pre-order on Kindle from the 1st November, well that’s the plan anyway!

As for my other plans, well, this book has thrown a bit of a curve-ball. My original intention for this book, is that it would fill in the 20 year gap that was left at the end of The Earth Angel Awakening (hopefully that’s not too much of a spoiler for anyone who has yet to read it!) and so, I started writing, and 40,000 words later, I realised I had covered just a few months out of that twenty year time span. Ah.

So, it appears that this will not just be a single book, but three. Why three, you might wonder, why not two? I say three because that’s the number I keep getting. Of course, as we all know, things might change once the writing begins. So, for all the Earth Angel series fans, this of course is excellent news – two extra books you weren’t expecting! It was just a bit of a surprise to me, and now I’ll have to work out what to call the other two…

But I am still going ahead with my original plan to get this book published before Christmas, which will be quite a mission, because I have a few other plans up my sleeve at the moment, which could make life very interesting in the next few months!

**SPOILER ALERT****

If you haven’t read The Earth Angel Awakening, you might not want to read on!

Because I’m in a teasing mood, I have decided to post a tiny excerpt here from the new book, which I hope to finish writing this week!

 

They had waited until all who wanted to return had left, and then had chosen whose lives and bodies they wanted to walk into. They hoped that their choice would ensure they would meet again once they got to Earth.

“What if we don’t find each other?”Aria whispered, as she stared into the white mists.

“Don’t be silly, of course we will,” Linen responded, his hand tightening around hers. “I will make sure of it.” They turned to each other and kissed for a long time, until Gold had to clear his throat to snap them out of it.

Aria looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. “Sorry! See you again soon.”

Gold smiled, but his right eye twitched as he replied. “I look forward to it.”

Without any further hesitation, Linen and Aria flew into the mists, not letting go of each other’s hands until the last moment.

I will keep you updated! I hope to reveal the new cover soon…

The Writer’s Blog Tour

A big thank you to the lovely Lisa Fuqua, who invited me to take part in this Blog Tour, you can read Lisa’s post here.

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So here is my contribution to the tour, I will be nominating two writers to continue the thread at the end!

What am I currently working on?

My work in progress is the latest novel in the Earth Angel series, which I have called The Twin Flame Reunion. It is not a sequel as such, but a missing piece from The Earth Angel Awakening. It follows the reunions of five Twin Flame couples, as they Awaken, reunite, and go through the struggles that so many Twin Flames are going through at the moment. As usual, I had no idea what I was going to write, or what was going to happen, and as the words flow through me, I am amazed at how the characters and events are coming together, and how much they are mirroring my own experiences at this very moment. I can’t wait to see where the story goes, and in turn, what effect that has on my life, as quite often, what I write in my books comes true in real life…

How does my work differ from others in my genre?

My genre, that of Spiritual or Visionary Fiction, is a fairly undeveloped genre at the moment, though it is growing daily. I think that my books are a little different because I am not creating the stories – I am mostly channelling them. The stories come through me, not from me. Though my own experiences come into them, the overall plot and the characters come to me when I sit down to write. It feels more like I am describing a memory or writing what I can see in another dimension than actually making it up. And that can be a scary process, because I really just have to trust that the next part of the story will arrive, and that it will all make sense, and will be interesting and readable. My last book, I’m Here, was co-written with a spirit, and that was tough for me, because though it was easy to channel his words, I had to really push myself to write my side of the story, which was really hard work!

Why do I write what I do?

I don’t think I could write anything else, because when I sit down to write, the words come through and it’s not always in my control. I think my books contain messages and stories that people need to read or hear. And they are also my way of dealing with being in the world. From the feedback I’ve had so far, they have helped many people to figure out who they are, and what their purpose on Earth is. Which is why I keep writing. Because who knows how many people the next book will help?

How does my writing process work?

I have a netbook that I write my novels on, and I use Scrivener to write them in, because I love the folder system, the corkboards and the automatic backup, which has saved my sanity and soul many times. I usually sit on my bed, or in a cafe or even in parks to write, and I like to set crazy deadlines, Nanowrimo-style, to get me motivated to finish them in time. I sometimes have a scene or a concept in my mind, but mostly, I just put my fingers to the keyboard and see what comes through. If I think too much, then I get in the way of the words, and I stop flow, and if that happens, the best thing I can do is to close the computer down, walk away from it and do something completely different. I like to have music playing that sets the right tone for what I am writing. Sometime I will get stuck on a single song, and I will play it on repeat so it becomes almost like white noise, blocking the rest of the world out.

 

So that’s me! I nominate the following two fabulous writers to continue the Writer’s Blog Tour, and invite them to tell us about their writing.

Rebecca Pillsbury

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Though one of her childhood fantasies was to have superhuman powers that allowed her to travel instantaneously around the globe—or at the very least, fly—it is Rebecca’s distinctly human persona that causes strangers and dogs alike to want to be her new best friend. With a commitment to spreading joy and inspiring others to let go of shame and let shine their light, Rebecca unabashedly reveals her own vulnerability so that others may feel safe exploring their own.

Even as a young child growing up in Wisconsin, Rebecca found solace in writing stories, drawing inspiration from faraway places. Her wanderlust was fed as a young adult via worldwide pen-pal relationships, which gave way to her own international travels in her adult life. It was during her travels that she was exposed to new spiritual guides, paving the path for her journey-inspired transformational writing. Rather than simply leading readers to travel vicariously through her stories, however, she inspires readers to write their own stories.

Rebecca currently resides in Portland, Oregon, though you may not find her there year-round—a vagabond spirit cannot be tamed. You could look for her frolicking in forests or careening on rocks by the sea, but you’ll have better luck following her via her blog or on Facebook.

 

Lori Lesko

Lori LeskoLori Lesko was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She began dancing when she was five and acting at 13. She studied photography for a year at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. She graduated college with a degree in Psychology and Theater. She directed, acted, choreographed and stage managed several plays while attending school.

She loves to travel and has been to France and Ireland. She adapted her first book, a Novella called Our Daughters, into a Screenplay now titled Diamond City. She lives in Florida with her two dogs. She has worked as an editor for ten years at a financial publishing company.

She has just published her first novel titled COPYRIGHT a psychological thriller.

Why I Love Being Indie

While chatting to my editor about Indie publishing versus traditional publishing today, it occurred to me that when I write, I love the uncertainty of not knowing where the story will go, but when I publish, I love the certainty of knowing that it is going to be a published, printed book.

Many writers are the opposite. They plot and plan their novels, knowing every twist, turn, sub plot and cliffhanger, crafting their masterpiece exactly how they envision it. Then they print off copies, put them in envelopes, and start sending them to agents and publishers, hoping that someone will recognise the book for the genius manuscript that it is. They have no idea if they will even get a reply from said agents and publishers, let alone an acceptance from them.

I used to think that I was just too lazy to be traditionally published, that I couldn’t be bothered with the query process (which always seemed arduous, painful and long)  But I have just realised that it’s the uncertainty that I cannot handle. Which is why after I wrote Heaven dot com, fourteen years ago, I stopped writing. Because it was just too hard to get published, so why bother writing stories that would never be read? It was the evolution of Indie publishing that then made me think that perhaps I should write more, and motivated me to start writing novels. (Chris Baty’s book, No Plot? No Problem! also spurred me to write)

I’m not the kind of writer who must write every day. I’m the kind of writer who writes to share ideas, thoughts and channellings, with as many people as possible. And so writing without the certainty that I will be able to share the words, does not appeal to me at all.

I do start to feel a little antsy if it has been a while since I wrote anything, and scenes start to write themselves inside my mind, just begging me to write them down. In fact, Elphite fans will be pleased to hear that I have an alternate ending in mind, which I am thinking of writing and releasing soon.

But I don’t wake up at 3am every morning with the urge to write, which I think is both a blessing and a curse. (I hate mornings, but I would love to write more!)

If you are a writer, how do you feel about the certainty/uncertainty of writing and publishing? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

And just because I love it, here is a new quote photo for I’m Here.

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Would you like to be an Independent Author?

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I never intended to begin a business helping authors to publish, but after publishing several of my own, and seeing authors being ripped off by companies that really didn’t have their best interests at heart, it seemed like the right thing to do. Now, since May last year, I have helped several authors, all featured on my website, to publish their work, in a manner that means they retain the copyright, all rights, and all the royalties.

As an Indie Author, I know how important it is, not only to create a professional, polished product, that is at the same standard as a traditionally published book (if not higher), but also to retain all control over the work. Though I need the help of different professionals to publish (cover designers, proofreaders etc.) it’s important to me that once I have paid for their services, that nothing more is owed. Which is exactly what I offer to authors with my services.

It’s also important to me to be not just a publishing mentor to my clients, but also a supportive friend and cheerleader. Being an Indie is pretty lonely sometimes, and the guidance and support of someone who believes in you and your work is so very valuable. At any one time, I don’t take on more than three clients, so I can ensure I have more than enough time and energy to give to each.

I also do workshops, for the Indie Author who doesn’t want the full publishing package, but needs some guidance on how to complete the process, and which companies to use so that they don’t sign away any rights to any companies.

I offer the workshops in the UK, to groups no larger than 6 (a high level of interaction is important) and I also do short talks (approx. 1 hour) on the publishing journey. So if you have a writer’s group, or you know several people who want to learn how to publish an eBook or a print book, get in touch and we can arrange something.

I have posted my brochure on The Amethyst Angel website, if you are interested, and have further questions, please do get in touch. (And if you need a brochure designing, get in touch with madappledesigns.co.uk!)

A Fabulous Weekend!

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This weekend I was in Cirencester, taking part in the Wellness Symposium. The British Dowsing Society had a shop there, and there were a few other stands, including Shelly Sishton and myself. In the morning there were various speakers, and in the afternoon there was a choice of workshops. On Saturday, I listened to a couple of the talks and then attended Adrian Incledon-Webber’s workshop in the afternoon. Then on Sunday, after listening to Shelly Sishton’s talk about essences in the morning, I then held my workshop/talk on how to publish independently. It’s the first time I have done a talk of that length (75 mins) but there was so much to pack into it, I could probably have talked for another couple of hours! It was also my first ever stab at doing a powerpoint presentation, which thanks to Scapple, was not only fun to create, but also fun to present! The attendees asked lots of great questions, and gave me a nice round of applause at the end, so all in all, I think it went quite well!

I had a great time chatting to people, and selling books, and made the interesting discovery that the majority of dowsers there were StarPeople! It was also the first time I had given out my shiny new brochure, which was designed by the awesome madappledesigns, to showcase the new structure of my business, The Amethyst Angel. There will be a PDF version of the brochure on my website very soon, but here’s a sneaky peak!

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