WH Book 5 done!

This post might contain minor spoilers for the 5th book of "Witch Hollow" series.

Phew!

I'm just too happy. Also relieved. 90.000 words this time. Book 4 was 110.000. Witch Hollow and the Spider Mistress was the longest in the series; there was a lot going on there. I've been a diligent writer, and have tied up all ends together. But if there's anyone who wants to beta-read to check if I haven't missed any storyline, drop me an email at idblindauthor@gmail.com. There's still time; the book won't be published for another month. Yep, another month. Did you think I was going to publish it today because I said I had finished it? Nope. There's still editing, proofreading, and editing one more time. And then there's the cover. I've sketched it:

I tried to keep the same style. There's a face over the moon, but I'm not sure you can see it. Anyways, it's there. I wonder who it is, ha-ha! ;) Maybe you know already? If you have been alert, you might have noticed there's one similarity in all covers. That one thing is always present. That's because I always knew how the series would end. It was a small hint.

So, what's next for me? I've made a to-do list. Firstly, I plan to go through the first 4 books once again. If you only knew how much I dislike how the first book has come out. But there's nothing I can do; I console myself with the thought that I wasn't sure what I was doing back then. Writing in a third language was already so hard I didn't stop to think if my plot was flowing well. Then I changed the story so many times, I'm not even sure which one I left in the end. Something tells me not the best one :-/ Of one thing I'm sure: I always knew how I was going to end the series. Surely there were things I hadn't predicted, deaths I didn't see coming, but the main story had been in my mind when I was still working on the 1st book. Because I love this song:

Hijo the la Luna (Spanish) means the Moon's Child (or the Moon's Son). In our story, she's the daughter. But what was I talking about? . . . Oh, right, going through the first 4 books once again. At first I thought I'll rewrite them, but now I realize it's just a waste of time. I'll just edit them one more time, to get rid of more adverbs and adjectives (I've begun to hate adverbs! And it has nothing to do with Stephen King, I just hate them. They kill the flow.), will add some links, will improve the paperbacks and move on. Because Witchcraft Academy is waiting for us to explore its dark chambers and solve its ancient mysteries.

Did you know it's 2016 in Witch Hollow and the Moon's Daughter? The book starts on Dec 1, 2016, and ends on Dec 6, 2016. That's what my outlines tell me. Duration: 6 days. Body count: 20 + 1. Excluding non-human bad guys. A friend calls me a butcher. But witch hunts have always been bloody experiences. Just look at the history.

Alright, what was I talking about again? Finishing series. That is such a satisfying feeling. Feels 10 times better than ending a book. But the best is to know you've become a better writer. I know I'm not that clueless girl anymore, the one who used Google translate and thought she could patch up words together, self-publish them, and think herself a writer. Writing in a foreign language means doing everything thrice more than the native speakers. Here's what I've been up to in the last 2.5 years:

1. read 30+ books on writing, structuring, and plotting,

2. read 100+ books by the best writers in the world,

3. published half a million words,
4. wrote twice as much,
5. explored any famous, working, reliable promo site (for tours, promos, and reviews). Now I have two big notepads filled with all the info.

 Photo from memecrunch.com.

I might be tired, just a bit. But after a good sleep I'll grab my broom again :)) If I find some free time, maybe  I'll start that blog on writing in a foreign language at last. A friend asked me to give a lecture on creative writing in English to her students, but I declined. It's too soon; I need more experience. But a blog is fine. Sharing my experience on a blog is harmless. I'll try to find time for that.

As for now, I need to work on my books. And meanwhile, why won't you join me on my Facebook page. I frequently share some interesting info there, regarding witches, Ireland, cookies, and history. Don't be shy, come say hi :)
Also, subscribe to my Mailing List to know when the book comes out and get it for just $0.99 on the first day. Then the price will go up.

Stay well,

Irena