Starting today until Labor Day, all eBooks are $0.99.

I’m very excited about my new fantasy series: Nine Kingdoms, with the first book releasing at the end of this year. With the extent of what I’ve written so far the first two initial books have now been broken into four due to their length. I’ve had to create new titles and book blurbs (which I hate writing), but it gives me the opportunity to expand the series further than I thought possible. I’m not sure how many books there will be as I let the characters drive the story lines and in this particular case there are several points of view telling their part of the epic tale, branching it off into segments which will all tie in together towards the end. It’s quite a challenge that is both fun and exhausting.

I also plan to do something a little different with this series than I have with my other ones. Nine Kingdoms will have it’s own logo and exclusive merchandise depicting each kingdom as well as specific designs for various groups throughout the series. It’ll be quite the undertaking, but one I’m thrilled to dive into.

So, stay tuned for further updates on this epic project and my frazzled nerves.

I’ve created a store on Teespring: Ann Bakshis Author. Here you can purchase a small selection of posters of my book covers as well as mugs, totes, and phone cases with my author logo. Depending upon the success of the posters, I’ll be adding the other book covers at a later date.

Happy shopping!!

https://teespring.com/stores/ann-bakshis-author

 

 

I’ve been very busy the last several months with writing two new series: Relic Hunter and Nine Kingdoms. Both are fantasy, but Relic Hunter has some scifi thrown into the mix. I’m not following my traditional way of creation at the moment since I’ve decided to do book covers last instead of in the middle of editing. Also, I’m stuck on what I want the covers to look like, entail, and how the book blurb on the back should read. I think that’s the hardest part of the entire book creation experience: writing that damn blurb! I struggle with that more than anything. The Arliss will be available in a few weeks and the first book in the Relic Hunter series will be published this fall.

Here’s to plugging away at what I love!!

Starting today and ending on February 12th,  you can obtain a free eBook copy of either Wasteland or Zerah Prophecy from Amazon. Hope you enjoy them!

I’ll be attending C2E2 in Chicago from March 22-24 at McCormick Place. This is my fourth year being a vendor at this awesome event and my second year on the main floor. I’m looking forward to seeing the cosplayers and other vendors as it’s such a family community with each other.

My booth # is: 1488 – so stop on by.

Finding a name for your character(s) can be daunting. It has to fit with the atmosphere of the story you’re telling as well as the character(s) your fleshing out. If the name doesn’t work, then the entire story could fall apart. Sometimes determining the name of your main character can be the hardest aspect, but one way to overcome this obstacle is to get creative… think outside the box. In most of my books my characters have unique names, ones that aren’t used in the everyday world. I do have a few characters with what would be deemed “normal” names, but I try to shy away from those since I feel that if the character’s name is unique, then it puts your story above others.

Names aren’t the only thing you need to get creative with.

Depending upon what type of story you’re trying to tell, you may need to come up with a saying, phrase, song, or poem that is strictly yours. This can be both incredibly fun or extremely difficult, it just depends upon on how complex or essential you make this additional piece of work.

In my Fallen Series, I had to come up with not only one poem, but two. As well as then having to go back and modify one of the poems for a later scene. Here is the first poem, located in Zerah Prophecy, before its modification:

“Come find me in the valley where the ethereal waters flow, and blessings will be given in time as you grow. Sadness must come as your journey awaits, your destiny chosen as the prophecy dictates. The past is a memory of which not to forget, for soon there could be a great deal of regret. Temptation abounds and falter you may, but peace will come on the thirteenth of days. Zerah, my love, your life will divide as evil does its best to trick your mind. Changes to body and soul are assured, but even these tasks will need to be endured. Give in to your fate even as darkness shines, for you are the benevolent, the pure, and the divine. Twisted fate has brought you here, but close to death you have no fear. Magic and mystics call your name, but neither will be glad you came. Horrors await even the loyalist of allies as they burn, turn, and relish your demise. Fear not as all is not lost, for they will all pay a heavy cost. Shadows and monsters now fill the void to ensure those who tremble are forever destroyed. A new world you have created, one of knowing, one of fear. For those who don’t forsake, the end will be near.”

Updated poem, located in the last book of the Fallen Series: Wanderers:

“Come find me where the dead have gone to rot, and evil consumes your every thought. Sadness is inevitable, as the ending looms near. Your destiny chosen by those whom you fear. The past lives as if it were happening today, a never-ending cycle that won’t go away. Temptation your weakness as lust fills your thoughts, so, for this, you shall pay a heavy cost. Aven, my dear, your life was once mine, but they took you away, so I must repay them in kind. Changes you’ve seen, but none quite as fierce as those that await your loved ones most dear. Given in to your fate as my darkness shines, for I am the true ruler of all of mankind.”

Any aspect of your story, make sure you’re original and defining not only your character but who you are as a writer.