Memes – Maggie Hemlock Books

Writing. Editing. Moving. Gaming. Reading. Everywhere except for on the blog, I guess. Life’s been crazy here and that was before people started hoarding toilet paper, hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, and tomato sauce. (Yep, that one stuck with me. You know who you are if you told me that. lol)

In January I made the choice to move again. Midwestern weather and me are not friends. I’m not Dorothy and have no ruby slippers so it’s been an adjustment process. Being back in my small hometown isn’t my idea of a great time, but it’s where I am for now and the foreseeable future.

I’ve addressed mental health on here before. COVID19 is messing with my head sometimes. Logically, I know social distancing, staying home (haven’t left my front porch since Saturday), good hygiene and all of that is the best I can do. On the other hand I’m a writer, so my brain is going crazy with possibilities if I’m not working/reading/gaming. So, I’m finding ways to stay busy. Working is my favorite way or will be once I can start book 9 of the Hemlock Wolf Pack Saga. Yes, I know, you guys want book 8 first (The Crow King’s Heir.)

I’m really excited to share this one with everyone! Yes- this reveals Micah’s fate for better or worse. This has been a challenging book to write. Heart wrenching, even at times, but I’m happy with how things worked out. I only have 2 chapters of rewrites left to do tomorrow. Then my lovely editor will start the next round of edits.

I hope to be more regular on the blog as staying home more gives me more free time. Coming up should be if my schedule doesn’t change: A list of readathons taking place over the next few weeks and similar things. We’re all stuck home alone together and I hope to fill in at least a bit of the gap we all have in our lives right now.

Stay safe and healthy and flatten the curve.

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Writing, Book Covers, and the death of my last nerve

October 21, 2019 Maggie Hemlock

Because I should be working on the book cover for Omega Rebellion ((AKA Cody and Micah’s story), but my last nerve has just died.

If you haven’t caught up with the Hemlock Wolf Pack Saga they are all free on Kindle Unlimited. If you haven’t checked out the program they’re always running some first month free or some sort of promotion. If you read a lot and haven’t checked it out yet, it’s a great source to save you some money on your reading habit. I swear by it which is why my books will remain in it for as long as it works.

Like a lot of people, my adult life has been one big ball of anxiety. Not always the normal sort either. Today is the two month mark since I was attacked by my intoxicated brother. That’s not what killed my last nerve, though. It wasn’t moving across the country while recovering from injuries or the mental aspects of recovery that are still ongoing.

It was tornado sirens last night. Here I was getting ready for bed thinking about what sort of cover Omega Rebellion called for and the next thing I know I’m in a closet pretty sure I’m going to die. Sure, the city I live in is rarely affected, but it only takes one. I see another move in my future, because I have no nerves left. Just none. Zilch. Zero. I know life is never 100% peaceful. I lived here before and knew it was a possibility, but I didn’t know how bad my nerves had gotten.

So, today I’m running way behind schedule and feel like crap. As a writer, I’m pretty good at filling in the blanks in life of what could happen. It’s great for storytelling, but sucks when my brain tries to apply it to real life. I haven’t asked other writes, but I can’t be the only one who thinks like this. lol

Either way, the coffee is ready and I need to go stare of screens full of sexy stock photos to make the cover for Omega Rebellion.

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HeadDesk A Rant on the Universe and Writing

October 17, 2019 Maggie Hemlock

Yes. Yes, I should be writing. I’m on chapter 20 of Omega Rebellion (AKA Micah and Cody’s book). It’s the 7th in my Hemlock Wolf Pack Saga. I should totally be writing. Well, I am writing, but a blog post and not another chapter of the book.\

It’s time to write the big fight scene of this book. I’m half way through it. This book has about 5 chapters left to write give or take depending on how Micah and Cody behave. It’s almost ready to go to my editor

So why am I not writing?

Today is just blah. Each and everything seems stacked against my productivity. I know. Stop whining and get back to work. I will, but first I’m gonna rant about it. Because this colored line going down the center of my screen is driving me crazy. I’m pretty sure it’s a cord problem, because it happened once before when the cord was loose. This time doing everything imaginable with the cord isn’t making it go away. So, I ordered a new one. With the magic of the internet and Amazon Prime it will be here tomorrow.

In the mean time I have to deal with it. If it’s the monitor and not the cord I’ll have to deal with it until next month. Which is really gonna slow things down. I view the blank page as my canvas. I’m a visual writer meaning I sorta see the words I write, but I see the scene more. The black line of doom (Which is sometimes yellow or green or even blue!) is very fucking distracting. My screen capture won’t pick it up either. So I’m starting to think it’s probably a monitor problem.

*head desks*

Okay. Enough ranting. I have to get back to work or at least try to get some writing done today. Wish me luck. I have a feeling I’m gonna need it.

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The Real Tea Behind Saving Cinder & Omega Rebellion (AKA Micah and Cody’s Story)

October 15, 2019 Maggie Hemlock

I absolutely should be writing on Chapter 13 of Omega Rebellion right now. Everyone keeps asking what comes after Claiming the Shaman and I do plan to tell you all – eventually.

Omega Rebellion uncovers the secrets of both main characters: The playboy drummer from the boy band Grim Howlers and Cody, an omega who’s constantly found himself in tight spots.

To be honest, before writing this book I knew next to nothing about these guys. Yes, really. Only I didn’t know it until I started writing. That’s how it usually goes with me and characters.

I knew from the moment Lee Knight walked onto the page he belonged with Bane Hemlock. I just didn’t know how the hell to bring them together. Then I did. Some readers loved it others not so much. Eh… That’s the way of life and I’m okay with that. I’m happy with how Healer’s Oath turned out.

Micah Gilmore and Cody Denton are my distraction and my obsession right now. I’m in love with both of them for different reasons that reads will discover soon. With war looming on the horizon for our beloved Hemlock Wolf Pack they’re going to need all their skills and the aces they’ve hidden up their sleeves.

But what are they distracting me from?

Nothing important. Maybe I shouldn’t call it distracting me as much as I should call it healing me. A lot of you know I unexpected moved across the country at the end of August. Some days I’m still sad about that. I miss my pup more than anything or anyone. Without him I feel like part of me is missing and I don’t know that the feeling will ever go away.

I miss the members of my extended family sometimes, but I’m completely off from them by choice. It was a tough call to make, but it had to be done. In August, a family member who struggled with addiction for years violently attacked me. I’m okay now – physically. Mentally it’s just more baggage to lug around. You know how that goes. I cut ties with the family who continued to support him knowing he has no intentions of getting clean and staying sober. I won’t get into the debate of addiction choice vs. disease, because at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. When someone is a danger to themselves and others, to your personal safety, you have to cut ties. Just because they’ve strapped a ticking time bomb to their chest doesn’t mean you have to die trying to disarm it while they’re batting your hands away from the control panel.

If you or someone you know need help with domestic violence please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233

Writing Saving Cinder was really hard for me. I knew the moment I chose Seth as the next main character (or he stepped forward for the job I should say) it would be difficult and that was before the night everything exploded. I almost scrapped the book after what happened but I decided I needed to tell the story more than ever. I’m not the only one affected by an addiction of those they love. Not everyone gets a happy ending, but I felt I owed Rhett that ending with his brother. It wasn’t Rhett’s story to tell, but he was part of it. Seth’s story affected his in ways that changed him forever. Saving Cinder is the ending I wanted in my life and writing it for my characters helped me more than I could ever say.

Yeah, some days I’m still sad, but I’m moving forward a bit more everyday.

If you see me posting silliness on Facebook when I should be writing or writing without posting just know I’m healing and finding a way forward.

Now that’s off my chest for a bit it’s time to write. Thank you all for you support and love of my book characters. It means more than I can ever say.

P.S. I haven’t forgotten that I still owe you guys a readers Q&A post. It’ll likely be out closer to Halloween.

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I Should Be Working on My Next Novel….

September 27, 2019 Maggie Hemlock

I should be writing. Saving Cinder (Book 2 of my Hemlock Fairy Tales) is on it’s last quarter. I’m on chapter 32/42. I should be writing. The last 5 weeks have been difficult and draining, but still I should be writing. It keeps the bills paid and it keeps me sane.

And…

I took yesterday off to recharge my batteries. I will get some writing done today. Inspiration comes in ebbs and flows, but writers write. It’s what we do. It’s even in our title. So, I will write today. After I procrastinate and caffeinate, I will write.

Finishing any novel is bitter sweet. I grow easily attached to main characters and always miss them, but this isn’t my usual procrastination. Saving Cinder is my first book written mostly in my new apartment. There’s been so much to do and adjust to that it’s been distracting. I’ve written 42k words in the last two weeks so I’m making it work, but distractions are everywhere.

I have a few blogs coming up to answer reader questions from my FB group. I have so much to get done and am already ‘writing’ the 7th book of the Hemlock Wolf Pack Saga .

Lots of readers want to know what happens next and for a while my answer was – well, so do I. I mean, I know loosely how this plot arc/war ends. I know who lives and who dies (Sort of). But as a writer I really don’t know until I’m plotting and writing. With a bit of luck and a bunch of work Saving Cinder will be published around the middle of October.

Since moving into a new house without roommates or anyone else to distract me I’m trying to speed up my publishing schedule. I always said I wanted to write more and would if I had more time. Now, I just have to find the schedule that works for me now that I live alone.

I should be writing so….

I better get to it.