Well, I’m back from my vacation to Banff, Alberta. I have to say it is an extremely beautiful place! If you are suffering from crippling writer’s block I suggest going there because as soon as you see the Rocky Mountains appear out of the mist, you will be filled with inspiration!!
Although I did not have time to write or edit, I brought back a ton of inspiration. So it’s back to work (even though I hardly consider writing work, because I enjoy it so much). I will be working on the beginning of book four as of now, and going back and forth from part to part organizing chapters. I am editing the books as a whole, going through each just to have a basis. If things change later on I have a chance to revise and change previous parts of the story. So far I am on the beta stage of book one and two, working on three and four (about 50% done Children of the Dire).
Anyways, I have rambled long enough about my adventures and inspiration. While I was gone we reached 40 readers! That is an achievement in my books. So thank you to you all for the continued support!! It means the world to me to see people interested in my work. As a special bonus I will upload another chapter with a new character (just so you all are aware the last two chapters have not been chronological, just introductions to give you all a taste of some of the characters featured in the story).
Thank you again!!
P.S. I am still on the hunt for beta readers for the first book, please email if interested.
I believe that it is important to give back, especially to causes that are worthwhile and strike the heart of the individual. I have decided to use a portion of the money that I will fund in the future for my novel to help support an organization I believe does amazing work for wolves in America.
Since my work features wolves, and I have a real drive to support wildlife I have decided to give a portion of my earnings (that is to be decided when I get closer to funding) to a wolf sanctuary known as "Wolf Mountain Sanctuary" in California. I have been following them for a while, and seen how driven they are in protecting wolves. I want my story to both help the image of the wolf (denoting stereotypes) and to donate to this cause with your help!
Take a look at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqpRK9-enXk
Here is a little about their mission taken from their website:
Wolf Mountain Sanctuary is a non-profit 501(c)3 volunteer educational organization dedicated to the preservation and proper management of wolves in the wild and in captivity.
Recent history has shown that the government and hunters are once again trying to exterminate the wolf.
The wolf is one the most (wrongly) maligned and hated creatures since the beginning of time.
People envision the wolf as a blood thirsty vicious killer that wipes out herds of cattle and consumes small children, when, in actuality, these beliefs couldn’t be further from the truth.
Not only do wolves fit NONE of the popular stereotypes, their gentle temperament and sophisticated social structuring merit our admiration. A wolf will only resort to preying on domestic stock when its natural prey (moose, caribou, and deer) have been eliminated from their natural range.
Wolves serve a great ecological role by preying mostly on the weak and/or diseased animals in a herd, leaving the younger, healthier animals to become breeding stock, which ultimately produces much stronger herds.
WHY SAVE THE WOLF?
Look at them: they are so noble, so beautiful. The wolf, as well as other endangered species, are ecological indicators. It is by studying these species and learning how to preserve them that we learn the main factors affecting our environment.
Perhaps in so doing, we will learn undiscovered ways to benefit mankind!
Unfortunately, there are those who deny the wolf’s place in the ecosystem. Wolves are gunned down from airplanes and snowmobiles (which some consider "sport"). Sometimes the fur is taken; however, more often than not, the animal is simply left to decay.
The wolf is poisoned "en masse," trapped by leg-hold traps, used as adornments for the idle rich.
Today, the wolf’s range is limited to Alaska, Canada, the upper Midwest, and in Yellowstone National Park. Some of the YNP wolves have traveled into adjoining states, which allow hunters to kill wolves on sight and for little to no reason. In the 1930’s, there were approximately 50,000 wolves roaming the North American continent. By the 1940’s, that number had been decreased to 1,000. Today, mostly because of conservation efforts, there are approximately 3,000 wild wolves on the entire continent. They have made a small comeback, but because of the recent delisted from the Endangered Species Act, wolves are once again under attack.
Wolf lovers need to band together and do all we can to help them. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!
Only you can save the wolf from extinction. Proper management procedures must be put into action.
(expert from: http://www.wolfmountainsanctuary.net/our-mission.html)
The amount will be decided when I am closer to funding (the thought hasn’t crossed my mind yet as I am still in beta mode). So stay tuned for further announcements. This has been a long time coming.
Thank you for your continued support!! Happy writing!!