Hello, readers.

Awesome news!

Grimalkin got a nod from the Inkshares syndicate, Break the Bechdel with Strong Female Characters, which means a lot to me because I value avoiding clichés and subverting expectations.  The 2018 Inkshares Horror contest also helped me overcome my latest bout with writer’s block. Now the only obstacle is time.

I had hoped to share Grimalkin up through a major cliffhanger that would hopefully elicit sales from people dying to find out if I really did what it looks like I did. Alas, it won’t be ready in time due to work, illness, and parental duties. It really is a killer cliffhanger, though. ;)

Thanks as always for your support!

PS. I did add Chapter 6.

The Horror Contest is down to a matter of hours now! I wanna express my deepest gratitude to you all for ordering, liking, following, reading, and putting up with these stupid messages. Congratulations to every contestant, its been a tough race, we should all be proud for getting out there and going after it. (That goes for the Mystery contestants as well). If you have time left on your pre-order campaigns, then the fight ain’t over ’til its over.

I wanna send a shout-out to the following authors for their feedback, advice, and in general being super cool:

Shane Lindemoen, Mia Carter, Christopher Huang, Celso Hurtado, Patrick R Delaney, Nick Nafpliotus, Tereyn Acevedo, Z.Z Traver, Chip Colquhoun, Tahani Nelson, Leo Valiquette, Michael James Welch, Paul Brad Logan, Dean Fearce, and if I forgot anybody right now, know that you’re awesome.

Thanks to my friends and family who ordered and have been putting up with me hocking Ereshk non-stop for the last couple months. Know that I still got a month to go. Bear with me guys.

And my warmest thanks goes double for Celia, Jena, Chelsea, Jaida, Tereyn, and Josh who is the owner of an exceptional mustache. You’re the best.

Thanks again everyone, good luck!

We’re now in the final week of the Inkshares Mystery & Thriller Contest and I’m hoping to finish strong with some more orders before December 14. In honor of the fact that I wrote the first draft during National Novel Writing Month (also known as November) last year, I donated $5 of every order to the NaNoWriMo.org non-profit. For the final week I’m going to double that . For every new order placed until the end of the contest, I’ll donate $10 to NaNoWriMo.org. Hopefully that will encourage a few more people who might have otherwise been on the fence to order a copy. If you can help spread the word, that is greatly appreciated. 

The book can be ordered at https://www.inkshares.com/books/gumshoe-rules

I’m 40% of the way through editing the third draft and there are now thirteen revised chapters available on the Inkshares site. There’s a tricky middle part I’m working on now. I’m stuck on a plane for 4 hours, so once I get through this scene, the story accelerates and it should be smooth sailing. The most recent chapters are posted under the READ tab below the cover on the Inkshares site. (Click here to go to the Prologue.) 

I’d like to thank everyone who has supported this creative project. It has been challenging but also a lot of fun. For anyone who has contemplated writing a novel or any kind of creative project, keep in mind the most important step is simply to start. The best way to accomplish a daunting project is to dive in knowing that you can make progress one step at a time. It isn’t always pretty, but the more you work on it, the better you will get. And if I can do it, I know you can too.

As a reminder, if you haven’t yet mentioned this project to others, this is last call! If you can email one person and encourage them to order the book it will make my day. Please mention that $10 of every order is going to a good charity. The more orders, the bigger the check I get to write. 

Thank you for all of your support!
--Z.Z. Traver

PS. I was able to meet up with my editor, Scott Couturier of Mission Point Press at a local writer’s gathering. Scott has helped immensely with his feedback and detailed notes on my manuscript. He’s also a published author of dark fantasy fiction and an all ‘round expert in noir and weird fiction. I highly recommend Scott to anyone looking for professional editing help.   

All, thank you for the support. Things have been progressing well...

The truth is, in the past 25 days, I have reached 3% of my goal. It makes me want to believe there is no way I will reach 250 pre copies by Dec. 14th- it’s also been easy for others to say. When people ask me about my book and how many copies I’ve sold, with a huge grin playing on my lips, I give them the numbers, and they laugh at me. Of course, it brings me down-just a tiny bit, yet it pushes me up a great deal more, and motivates me to prove to them, that I can do it.

I remember when I was still in the process of writing, "In Warm Blood," people would tell me there’s no way I would ever consider it for publication or that I would even finish writing it. However, I did anyways. The book I had been writing since last November, I have finally wrote 37 chapters for.

For my first ever book I am trying to publish, I think I have accomplished something great. I am extremely grateful for all the readers I have gained, everyone who has pre ordered and followed my book. Because without you all, I would be nowhere. Many of you have surprised me with all that you have done for me, and it makes me proud every time I list you guys as my readers. So, what if I didn’t sell a greater number of copies? As of right now, I have gotten somewhere, and that brings me a few steps closer to accomplishing my dream.

I am so excited to have you guys read till the end, and tell me what you thought at each step. And yes, you might be thinking you’ve done your part by pre ordering my book, and now the rest depends on me to promote to others. However, that’s not the case. How far can I go on my own? To grow, we all have to use our connections to spread the word and promote, "In Warm Blood." I am asking you to use what you have, as you stay where you are to do whatever you can in order to pursue my dream.

There, I have said it. This is not your dream. It is mine, which means you won’t express the same passion for it. But, that’s what people fail to understand. No dream can ever be accomplished without the help of others. All the published writers out there didn’t get where they are today because they decided to write a book one day. Okay, maybe, that might be one of the reasons. But, it’s also because of all the readers who supported those writes and bought their book. It’s because of the publishers, editors and anyone you can imagine who offered their help and made the dreams of those authors come true.

Today, I am asking you to do the same for me. Will you join me on this journey and help me make my dream more than just a dream?

Thank you,

Fiza H.

We’re up to 100 Pre-Orders, Faoii! Well done! 

Of course, we still have a long way to go (we need 750 if we want to see this book be real) but this is a good start. As promised, I have sent everyone who has already followed the story the second chapter of Faoii Betrayer. Find out how Alana’s little brother first stepped into the forbidden world of magic, and how Alana responded by clicking here.

I’ll send another update again soon-- assuming more soldiers pick up their blades. Faoii Betrayer only costs $10 for an e-book. I know that if it was your dream and your war that would seem like nothing at all. But, I assure you right now-- $10 can change absolutely everything for me. 

Let’s make it happen. Keep those shields up.

Faoii-Tahani