Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

It has been such a busy month, and I have been meaning to post more frequently. I have written new scenes to add to Bloodline Inheritance, and I plan to share more about that after the holidays are over. In the meantime I wanted to write up my Christmas post.

I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas this year. I am so thankful for my readers, and there will be a surprise involving Thicker Than Blood in the coming days. If you have friends or family who love to read, remember you can still purchase Kindle copies and they will arrive immediately.

As for the end of this year I will be posting about the end of 2014 and the upcoming new year. In January I plan to post more about the revisions I am working on. Since I have completed NaNoWriMo I've been catching up with work and writing out new scenes to the best of my ability. Also please let me know what else you would like to see on the blog. As I mentioned on my Instagram if everything goes according to plan I would like to release Bloodline Inheritance in April or March of 2015. However, this means I will need to finish revisions, edits, and interior design plus purchase a cover for the book. I am still behind on finding a book cover, so if you have any designers in mind please suggest them. 

Last but not least I will leave you with a collage featuring quotes from Bloodline Inheritance. These are quotes directly from the book, which I suspect will not change drastically during revisions. Hope you are looking forward to Dyanna's story.

Enjoy your Christmas, and I will be back before the end of this year. Until then, happy holidays!

Lindsey R. Sablowski

NaNoWrimo 2014 Winner!

Today from 11am-2pm I worked solely on my NaNoWriMo novel and finished it. I cannot believe it, but I've finally finished my fourth book, Bloodline Inheritance. It is complete at 54k words, which is very short for my books. Now that it is finished I plan to start on revisions right away and add much more to the book. Since a lot of the chapters were handwritten I did not realize how short some chapters were compared to others. With revisions I am certain I can add on another 25-30k more words. The main point is that I have the entire skeleton of the book written down.

After writing three books I did not know what to expect from my fourth. As I shared earlier this month, Bloodline Inheritance is told from Dyanna's POV. So once again I was working with a new story and a new narrator. Honestly the hardest part about this book was deciding where I wanted it to go. I spent a lot of time looking at art work and finding inspiration. When I first started writing I had no idea how I wanted the book to end. Now I do have an ending, though I will most likely rewrite it during revisions. 

Quote directly from the book!

Now as for how I wrote for NaNo this year... Well that was interesting. I really kept myself writing no matter what. If I didn't have my laptop I would handwrite chapters. At night I usually typed up chapters on my iPad (using Werdsmith) if I did not feel like using my laptop. The only problem I had with having such a variety of ways to write was that sometimes my chapters were split in parts. When I went to type up chapter 11 for instance I found 3 parts of it: one in my journal, one in Google docs, and one in a different journal. Next year I definitely do not want to run into this problem again because it ended up as more work for me. Handwriting chapters might not be as efficient as typing, but it actually was very efficient against writer's block. I find writing in a journal is less intimidating than staring at a blank computer screen.

Now that I've reached the end, what's next? Well, I have a lot of work ahead of me in regards to this book. I want to work on revisions and add in a lot of new scenes. It also needs to go through editing stages. This book will still not release until 2015, but I'm hoping now that I have the skeleton finished the entire book will be ready for publication by early 2015. November has been such a busy month for me, but I'm glad I was able to dedicate the time to finish the first draft of the book. Also I am excited that once December 1st comes around I can receive two free copies of my book from Createspace. This will be great to use as proofs before I actually need to order proofs of the final draft. Once this book is released for publication then I can start thinking about my next project (that won't be part of the Magicians series). 

Overall, I am very happy with my choice to participate in Nano this year. I updated my Twitter and Instagram throughout the weeks with my progress. It definitely was not easy, but I am glad I did it and am farther than when I first started out. While revisions might not be as exciting as writing the book, I will be updating my social media with my progress. Perhaps I will even share teasers of any new scenes I add in. 

Last but not least, I hope everyone enjoys the Thanksgiving holiday. I am thankful for my boyfriend, our home, and my readers. I doubt I will post tomorrow because of the holiday, but on Friday I am considering a special giveaway in honor of Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Be sure to leave a comment below with what you are grateful for, and also tell me about your Nano project if you participated this year. 

Lindsey R. Sablowski

NaNoWriMo: Day 4

 
Two hours ago I started at 5921 words, and just a few minutes ago I reached 7047. Nano definitely makes November more stressful than usual. I've stayed in comfy clothes all day, and after some other work around the house I finally sat down and wrote. Lately I've been reading a lot of the Nano email, the ones they send you to remind you that you can do it. Truthfully they have been helpful. In one I read that you just have to keep writing, even if at some point you think "what a minute, this isn't good enough." That's something I find myself running into a lot. There are times when I want to go back to a previous chapter and change everything. For right now, however, I need to stay the course. First I need to reach 50k, then I can go back and change whatever needs to be changed.
So how are you getting through NaNoWriMo? Here's some of the things keeping me afloat:

• Keeping a journal and pen nearby -that way whenever an idea strikes me I can jot it down for later. No need to be neat, but it will help so that I remember later on.
• Rough outlines -outlining in Nano for me means keeping it to the point. Everything else is extra detail that will be in the book. If you're like me and need some kind of outline before you just jump into the chapter write down several ideas of what you would like to happen. Outlines I've used for one chapter sometimes even help with the next one.
• Inspiration of some sort -usually I keep pinterest (with fantasy related pins) or just my Nano page up in the background as a reminder for me to keep going.
• Drink lots of water -stay hydrated and don't forget to eat too! Writing is hard work
• It's okay to take a break -every now and then I just need a break from writing. I cannot write for hours on end. It would probably drive both me and my characters insane. Instead I take short or long breaks, depending on how much time I need. Then when I return to my book I have new ideas and a fresh slate to work with

Today was all about reaching the daily goal of 6666 words for me. I like setting little goals for myself because thinking that I need 50k to make it to the end is overwhelming at times. The book has been coming along. Since I already starting working on Bloodline Inheritance before Nano, I'm only including new chapters in my word count. This way I'll have an entirely new 50k words added on to the book at the end of this. With that in mind I've made it up to chapter 18 and am about midway through that chapter. This morning I came up with a new plot twist I am slowly weaving into the book, which has been really exciting. I love that a new idea can give me new motivation to keep writing. I might write more later tonight, but all in all I am very happy with the speed I am going at.

If you want to stay updated with my progress, check in on my Twitter. I usually update it throughout the day when I am writing. I also have been posting pictures on my Instagram as well.

While this is a busy month I do plan to continue posting on the blog. Hopefully if times permits I can make a few posts that don't relate to Nano at all. In the meantime best of luck to everyone who is participating in Nano. Just a reminder to you and myself: we can do it. 

Lindsey R. Sablowski

Book 4 announcement and NaNoWriMo

mock cover 1

mock cover 2

NaNoWriMo 2014 officially started three days ago, meaning my project is up live on the site. This year I have decided to work on Bloodline Inheritance as my NaNo project. Since the release of Thicker Than Blood (book 3) I've written about 30k, but the goal with NaNo is to add an additional 50k (or more) to the book. If I do reach this goal I should ideally come to the end of the book, meaning I can start working on revising as soon as I'm finished.
Ready to hear what the fourth book in the Magicians series is all about?

Above is the synopsis and a brief excerpt, which you can also view directly on NaNoWriMo. As mentioned in the synopsis, Bloodline Inheritance will be the final book in the Magicians series. Since this book follows the war and the aftermath I do not foresee any chance of a fifth book. Years ago when the series first began I thought there would be enough room for five books, but it looks like this one is the last. As I write this book I also come to the realization that after this the magicians end their story and I must start a new one entirely. What a challenge that will be when we reach that point.

Currently I'm a bit behind on my word count, being at a little over 2k so far. Fortunately I have today and tomorrow to catch up. It has been both exciting and challenging to write this book so far. If you're curious about more don't forget to catch up on my latest release, Thicker Than Blood.

All in all, I expect November to be a very busy month. For those of you participating in Nano this year I wish you the best of luck. I've buddied up with several people from reddit who are also participating in hopes of keeping each other motivated. Inspiration and motivation are essential during this challenging month. I will post as often as I can with my progress, and until next time enjoy your writing.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

NaNoWriMo 2014

October is quickly reaching its end, which means November and NaNoWriMo are right around the corner. After a lot of debating (with myself) I finally made a decision on my NaNo project for this year. For those of you unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, it happens every year in November in which writers are challenged to write a 50k novel in 30 days. I'm excited to tell about my project for this year, as well as briefly reminiscing on previous ones.
I first joined NaNo 6 years ago, typing up my novel on a typewriter. (Lesson learned: don't do that again when working against the clock). While that novel I never uploaded onto NaNo, nor do I remember the title, I've participated every year since then. Here's a quick run down of the novels I have worked on over the years.

• 2010- STRONGER -never completed
• 2011- Innocent and Young -never completed
• 2012- Punished With Destiny -50001 words (completed); also funnily enough this is the book we now know as Shadows and Embers, book 2 in the Magicians series. I continued writing during NaNo in hopes of finishing the book sooner. I still have the old mock cover on NaNo if you want to check it out, as well as the old summary.
• 2013- Thicker Than Blood - completed; once again this was another one that was an ongoing project. I focused all of my time into it, and NaNo helped motivate me to spend more time with it. Again this is another one with an old mock cover and an unofficial summary

Sneak peak at the mock cover!

So here we are caught up to 2014. I debated about whether I wanted to start an entirely new novel for NaNo or work on an already existing project. In the end I decided my project for this year is Bloodline Inheritance, book 4 in the Magicians series. I already uploaded the title on my profile, so feel free to take a look. The exciting part of this is I will finally be able to reveal the summary for the book on November 1st, the day NaNo officially begins. I've been debating on when I should reveal more details about this book, and this has given me the perfect opportunity. In addition, I will be posting a mock cover. While I haven't updated my word count for quite some time it is because I have been handwriting chapters. If I had to guess I assume I am at 30k or over. The goal for NaNo is to add 50k or more to the book. If I succeed in doing so the book should be completed finished by November. This means I'll gain more time to start reading through, editing, revising, and more.

Once November starts expect to see more posts about my writing experience and about the fourth book. In the meantime I have more planned for the blog. 

Lastly before I go remember to pick up your copy of Thicker Than Blood. Ideally very soon I want to do a giveaway including a signed copy of this book as well as a free ebook version. I will let you know when I decide on a date for that. In the meantime I will be writing the next book in the series. Make sure to stop by soon; there's a special post coming up in celebration of Halloween.

Upcoming post: Ready for Halloween? Next time we discuss costume ideas for you to look like characters from the Magicians series.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

Masquerade: Behind the Masks

Before Thicker Than Blood’s release this August I mentioned a masquerade scene within the book. This scene was one of my favorites to plan and write for the book. I’m finally fulfilling my promise and writing a post about it. The main reason I wanted to talk more about it was because these scene also required some research and more elaborate planning than your normal scene might. Without further ado, let’s find out what’s behind Alaire’s mask and others. (Don’t worry though no spoilers.)

The thought behind the masquerade scene was actually inspired by the dance scene in Cursed With Power. Celestria and Alaire first dance in a ballroom, then in Shadows and Embers Leal and Rahela share a dance at one of Esmour’s parties. There is also an additional dancing scene in the second book, but I am unable to reveal it due to it involving spoilers. If you’ve read the book, however, you know which one I am referring to. Finally after these scenes I realized this could be parallels in the series. Each book have a unique dance scene that somehow affects the main character. And thus the masquerade scene came to life for Thicker Than Blood.

My favorite part about working on the masquerade scene was exploring creativity options. Masks, dresses, and even planning out who would be dancing was all part of the work. During the time when I started planning the scene and later on writing it for the first time, I posted several inspirational pictures of masks on CWP’s Facebook page. Personally I cannot wait to hear reader’s reactions to how the scene turned out.

Finally the most important part about these dancing scenes in the series is that they are important. They need to impact both the character(s) and the reader otherwise it might seem like unnecessary fill in material. The ballroom scene in CWP was definitely something that came to me in the later revisions. When I finally did add it into the book I loved how much more it added to the plot and also the characters’ depth. In SandE the dancing scenes fit in nicely and also played an important role yet again. Lastly in TTB the opportunity presented itself again. If the scene would not fit in the novel, however, I definitely would not try to force. While I’m working on the fourth book now a dancing scene is the furthest thing from my mind. It’d be interesting if it was able to sneak its way in, but we won’t know until it’s finished.

If you’re interested to read more about the masquerade, and find out who wore what mask, pick up Thicker Than Blood. Also, I’ll leave links for both Cursed With Power and Shadows and Embers. SandE has also recently been added on Barnes and Noble’s website, so now the entire series is available on there as well. I will be posting again in the upcoming days with more, but until then enjoy the start of fall and find a good book to read.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

The Magicians series on Barnes and Noble

The entire Magicians series will soon be available on Barnes and Noble. For the first time ever Shadows and Embers will be making it's way over to Barnes and Noble's online store for you to purchase. Presently the other two books in the series are available: Cursed With Power and Thicker Than Blood. Fortunately now the entire series will be on both Amazon, Createspace, and B&N thanks to expanded distribution being free on Createspace. (This is why originally SandE was not available on B&N). It will take about 6-8 business days for the book to go live on their website, but when it does I will be posting the link. 

Also don't forget Shadows and Embers and Thicker Than Blood are available for free with Kindle Unlimited. I myself have not joined this program, but I think it's a great opportunity for those of you who read a lot of Kindle books. Otherwise if not both books are available on Kindle for only $3.99. I do plan on doing a ebook giveaway of TTB very soon, but I have of yet to decide on a date.

So since the beginning of this series Celestria and Alaire have been major parts of the story. They really helped me make it through the first book, and they gave me a reason to keep writing. If you're interested in how their stories have evolved and about my publishing journey, another interview is live. Rock the Book recently interview me about my writing and publishing experience, and I also spoke briefly about my new WIP, Bloodline Inheritance. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think. If you have any further questions, you can always leave them below in the comments or ask me on Goodreads.

While September has only just started it seems, I've been very busy. Besides going about my daily life I've also been trying to write at least once everyday (for about an hour). Since I have decided to hold off on revealing details about my fourth book for another month or two, I will say you can always check the Books page here on the blog. Today I added a new novel idea underneath "upcoming releases." Who knows maybe this novel will be my NaNoWriMo project, and maybe I'll have to wait a bit longer.

Until next time, enjoy the cooler weather and I'll be back soon with more.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

Cursed With Power 2 year anniversary

Two years ago my first book, Cursed With Power, released to the public. Since then I have been on quite the adventure, publishing two more books and now presently working on my fourth. Cursed With Power has touched my heart since the very beginning when I first thought of the storyline. Celestria narrated the story, and more importantly she paved the way for the rest of the Magicians series.

"Cover" made back in 2010

So much has happened with this book over its two year span that I do not even know where to begin. I guess I should first “book cover” and image to inspire me. The cover I made myself, though I’ll admit it was not my finest piece of work. It was more so the image itself that inspired me, and the model in the image reminded me a lot of how I envisioned Celestria. For those of you who were on Inkpop and Wattpad, undoubtedly I’m sure you remember the numerous cover changes over the years. Long before CWP was published it was on Inkpop and Wattpad for anyone to read. This story first came to me in the summer of 2010, and ever since then it has been a huge part of my life.

 

Cursed With Power being my first published book is and always will be significant to me. A lot of people have come to know me and my work because of the book. I’ve spoken many times in the past about Celestria, and since her adventure both she and I have grown. My journey as an author has not always been an easy one, but I am grateful to have people to share it with.

In celebration of the two year mark I also wanted to do something special for my readers. I have decided to include a bonus excerpt from Cursed With Power from a different narration. This scene below is narrated by Alaire Sencler, one of the main characters. For those of you who have not read the book there are no spoilers. Those of you who are familiar with it you may recognize when this scene takes place. This is shortly after Alaire first meets Celestria and takes her back to Roana's hut. Enjoy!

I paced around the hut, watching Roana as she examined the girl. Magicians were not meant to battle in public when humans were present. Humans were weak against magic, but they never stopped being amused by it. I barely knew what to do, since it seemed I could not offer any help. Roana was an expert at what she did, and if she needed anything she would ask. Even so, I suspected the girl I had found was not as familiar with magic as myself.

Several minutes passed, and Roana worked quietly on her new patient. She applied herbs on the wounds and wrapped gauge around the injured shoulder. I had no said a single word, and I remained speechless. Esmour had tried to prepare me for this day, but his warnings seemed like distant memories. It never seemed as important until now that this girl survive. I considered revealing to Roana the secret I had hid from everyone, but I questioned my decision. Perhaps it was not necessary for her to know as much as me yet. After all, when the girl awoke she would have many unanswered questions.

"She'll need time to rest, but I believe she will recover," Roana said at last.

I sighed. "Thank you; this means a lot."

She turned to me and raised her brow. "How did you find this girl? I did not suspect another Dark magician to be this close to us."

"She was in danger, and I saved her. It was nothing more but a coincidence," I replied. Though Roana did not question it further, she mentioned a valid point. I had not expected to find another Dark magician after departing from Leal. Perhaps my luck would change after all; this girl could hold all the answers for me. Roana walked away from the patient's table and searched for something amongst the stack of books. Meanwhile I grabbed a chair and pulled it up to where the girl laid. This was a rare moment; I would wait to see what fate had laid in my hands.

"Celestria..." I murmured, smiling at the sound of her name. It was the most beautiful name I had heard of, but it could also be dangerous. Esmour once said every decision comes with a price, and sooner or late I would need to pay. For the time being I bowed my head and prayed to God this girl could offer me the world. She and I had a chance to make a difference in a world where no one accepted us.

Interested to read more of the Magicians series? I am including the links to each book below where it can be purchased. Don't forget later this month I'll also be revealing exciting news about the upcoming fourth book in the series. Until then, there's plenty of time to catch up on the story.

Cursed With Power (book 1) -Celestria's story

Shadows and Embers (book 2) -Leal's story

Thicker Than Blood (book 3) -Alaire's story **Newest release!

Bloodline Inheritance (book 4) -To Be Announced

Before I go I wanted to thank everyone for making TTB's first month of publication a success. It's very exciting to see Alaire's story out in the world, and I hope you are enjoying it.

Until next time, please share this post and help celebrate this special day. Not only is it the 2 year anniversary for Cursed With Power, but it also means I've been a published author for two years now. I cannot believe the time has flown by so quickly, but I love every minute of it.

Many more posts will be coming up soon (much sooner than this one), and I apologize for any slight delay. Interested in sneaking a peek at my progress in Bloodline Inheritance? Drop by my instagram for daily updates. Enjoy your summer, and remember to read a good book.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

End of the Summer

Alas this is my last week to enjoy the summer before returning to work. In many ways I'm eager for summer to end, and I've certainly been waiting for much cooler weather. So let's talk about the plans I have for the next several months, shall we?
You can definitely expect a giveaway very soon. I've been patiently waiting to have all the materials available so that I can start the giveaway, but hopefully it will take place in either September or October. This will also be the first giveaway to feature signed copies of Thicker Than Blood. If you want to see the bookmarks that will also be featured in the upcoming giveaway take a look at my extras page.

I am also awaiting to interviews I participated in to be posted, which I'll be including the links to as soon as I receive them myself. One will be posted within the next day or two, and the other one I mentioned before will be posted on September 11th. In both of these interviews I talked about what it's like being a published author, my published books, and what you can expect next. 

As far as requesting review copies, contact me and let me know you're interested. If you are interested in reviewing any of the books in the Magicians series I am certain we can work something out. I would especially love reviews on Thicker Than Blood, since it is a new release. 

Now what are you expecting from me? Well more writing of course, and that's exactly what I intend to do. I have reached the 20k mark and am moving past it in the fourth book, Bloodline Inheritance. I still feel it is too early to reveal the details about the book, but I have a lot planned for when I do feel ready. I made a "mock" cover for the book that I will share on the day I make an announcement about the book. In the meantime I will try to post now and again about how the writing process is going. Somehow I've made it to 20k and did not realize how quickly the words were adding up. 

Let's make the most out of what's left for the summer, and don't forget to grab a good book and read.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

Character Trading Card: Nicia

Designing a trading card relating to characters in my books has been a dream of mine for quite some time now. Finally I came across a blog that reminded me I still had yet to make one. I'm very pleased to reveal the first trading card I created. I combined both front and back into a collage so you could see the final result.

The front:

On the front of the trading card is the cover for Shadows and Embers, which is the book where Nicia played a major role and also had her first appearance. I really took a look at the colors and the calmness of the color and worked to bring that over onto the flip side.

The back:

The backside of the card required more work, but I really enjoyed working on it. The model image is one I purchased previously about a year ago from Shutterstock. I love using this model to represent Nicia or help promote SandE. Anyways, as for the design I came up with it on my own. I chose light blue colors and a white background because it fit along with the cover image of the book. It also matched nicely with the image of the model. At the top we have the series, book number, and below is Nicia's name fully written out. To the right of the model's picture is Nicia's role, her species, and her hometown location. On the bottom is a quote Nicia said in Shadows and Embers, and underneath of that is a link to my website. The black designs around the corners was an additional item I added because I felt it made it look fancier and still not too hectic.

As for where I downloaded the template for the trading card, you can visit Romance Trading Cards. I downloaded the template from there to have the correct size image to work with, and then cleared it all out to start from scratch.

I have more ideas of characters I'd like to design trading cards for, and who knows maybe I'll bring these along to book events or offer them during giveaways. I do plan to make more for the entire series, so if you have a request just leave it below in the comments. I'll be updating my Extras page to include the trading card (and future ones) for anyone who is interested. 

What do you think of the trading card? It is my first, and I have many more ideas, but I really love that this can also be a promotional tool for authors to use.

Bloodline Inheritance Update:

As for my newest project I am 19k into the book and still working hard. Now and again I run into a few moments where I need to plan what comes next. Ideally I think by September or October I will release more news about the book. Once I decide on a date I will post it on here.

Until next time, enjoy your summer and grab a good book to read.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

Leal's third return

Since the release of Thicker Than Blood the fans and I have talked a lot about Alaire. I couldn't help but be excited that he would finally be telling his story to the world. Who haven't I talked about that has also been major in the series? Handsome Leal, of course.

If you read the teaser posted during the cover reveal a while back you found out Leal returns for a third time in the series. This isn't a spoiler; I decided Leal's return was something I did not want to hide from the audience. Also, that particular scene shared in the teaser is a favorite of mine, so I decided it was worth revealing his identity. 

Leal's first appearance in the series was in book one, Cursed With Power. In the first book Leal was the first Dark magician we met (not including Celestria). I must admit he's grown a lot since that first appearance. By book two, Shadows and Embers, Leal took control of the story and gave us insight into Destin, the Dark magician organization. This was a huge moment for him; he finally narrated the story and told us about past events Celestria never knew about. He lived through some shocking and tragic events, but in the end his true colors showed through. In the third and newest installment, Thicker Than Blood, Leal returns for a third time. He returns with his clever remarks, good looks, and those stylish vests. What's more to love?

In all honesty, deciding to bring Leal back was never a difficult decision to make. He's grown on me, and especially after SandE I've learned more about the man he is. Now when I look back at the books I can see his development and how he has strengthened as a character. And to think when I first started this series in 2010 I had no ideal what influence Leal would have on the story. Fortunately, there have been many characters who have effected the story. Leal's story changed significantly from what I originally had planned out for him to what he experiences now throughout the series. 

What are your thoughts on Leal? Between Leal and Alaire who is your favorite? And what might Leal's third return mean for the other characters?

Hopefully later this year we'll see the possibility of Leal's story coming to life via audiobook. Until then let's see where the third book takes Leal.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

Q & A and upcoming teaser

Yesterday I answered Q & A's on Reddit via the r/Fantasy subreddit. This event lasted from 6:30am-8:30pm, and I received a lot of great questions. In case you missed it, you can view it today. Remember that if you have any further questions that haven't already been answered, leave one for me on Goodreads or leave one below in the comments. I answer questions as often as I can.

Now while summer is reaching its end I admit I'm almost looking forward to it. I'm not a fan of the hot weather, and we've been experiencing a lot of it in Maryland. Even so, the end of summer also means I'll have less time for writing. (And I'll need to be more strict with myself.) To celebrate the end of summer I'm proposing a teaser post. I have several different ideas of what this post could be about. I've done posts in the past around Christmas where I type up a short story with characters from my books. This one I'd like to somehow relate back to summer, so maybe it will be a humid day the characters are living through. Regardless, I want to hear your thoughts. Who do you want to be involved in the upcoming teaser/short story?

• Characters from the Magicians series -may or may not be main characters
• New characters -just make it up on the spot!
• Potential characters to be in a future book -these would be two characters I'm potentially writing the story of after the end of the Magicians series

This post would be going up before August 25th, since that is when I return to work. Until then, feel free to tweet me @LindseyReneeS or via Facebook or the comments here on the blog. I would love to have your feedback before I go ahead and decide.

Now as for updates on Thicker Than Blood I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has purchased the book. There is nothing that makes me happier than checking in on my sales and royalties to discover another purchase has been made. That also includes a thank you to my mom, who purchased the book as soon as it went live. Remember you can find purchase links to the entire series so far on the Books page.

As for writing I've been doing a fair amount of it. As you can see from the word count widget on the sidebar I've reached 18k in Bloodline Inheritance. I'm still waiting to determine when I should release more details about the book, but again for now this is Alaire's month and I'm giving it to him. Expect news within the next month or two. (I can't hide it for too long or I won't be able to blog more specifically about my progress. I really want to tell you about what it's been like so far.)

Lindsey R. Sablowski

How I write

One of the most commonly asked questions I receive is about my writing process. Lately my posts have been really focused on Thicker Than Blood, but I wanted to take the time to talk about what goes on behind the scenes. Every author has a different time when they write, different programs they use, and etc. So let's see how I've been writing my books.
Time for writing
I have very specific times when I can dedicate a lot of time to writing. I usually write in the mornings and late at night. This is especially the case when I am working full time, so that will go into strict effect once summer ends. I like this time schedule I have for myself because it allows me to take a break from writing and gather my thoughts. Then when I return at night and write again I have new ideas.
Also I always have a pen and journal next to me for taking quick notes. Especially with the writing a series, I always find myself having to remind myself of certain facts or recall memories.
In the mornings I have a cup of coffee to keep me awake, and at nights I usually will have a bottle of water. Nighttime is sometimes a hit or miss; if I'm too tired I will not force myself to write. However, if I have ideas floating around in my head I will stay up for a while and write.
The devices
I own a MacbookAir and an iPad mini. So while I know my iPad mini is not the newest edition, I bought a keyboard for it many months ago. It is the most convenient to use when I'm in bed and don't want to drag my laptop out. (And sometimes I'm just lazy...) On the other hand, though, I don't prefer typing on it for too long because of the keyboard being so small.
Now as for my MacbookAir I love using it. It's especially convenient with the light-up keyboard, and overall I am happy its in great working condition. Before the MacbookAir I had an Asus laptop, which is still in our house, but that thing is old and slow. I definitely prefer the MacbookAir, and I'm fully adjusted to it now since making the switch.
On very rare occasions I will use my boyfriend's Razer laptop. Now that laptop is a lot larger and heavier than my MacbookAir, but I do have to use it when I need Microsoft Word. Even so, no complains about that either. Word works great on it (again a lot better than my Asus), and that's really all I need.
Writing programs
There are a variety of programs I use when it comes to writing, so I'll try to place them in the order I use most.
The one at the top of my list is Ommwriter. Whether you're using Mac, PC, or an iPad Ommwriter covers all the bases. Unfortunately I don't have Ommwriter downloaded on my iPad, though I've heard it has some minor issues. However, I do have it downloaded on my Mac. Ommwriter is honestly my favorite program to use. There are a lot of programs out there that will claim to be distraction-free, but I think Ommwriter tops them all. (And I say that because I've used those other programs and have not been as pleased.) When I am writing in Ommwriter it fills up the whole screen, so if I want to browse the internet or do anything extra you have to minimize or close out.
The best part about it is the ability to change the background theme, music, keyboard sounds, and more. Now the themes aren't crazy; they are simply and calming to look at. I prefer this over the hectic and distracting ones I've seen on other programs. Next, there are seven options to keyboard sounds and music. Again the theme being calm and relaxing, and I've never found any of these distracting. Lately while I've been writing Bloodline Inheritance I have used number 5 for both. While I keep the volume fairly low I like the music playing softly in the background.
Overall, I use this program the most because afterwards when I'm done I can save it and email it to myself. (There's many more options as well.) I can spend hours writing in Ommwriter, and if I need new ideas or I feel the scene has changed drastically I choose a new background and new music.

Pages is the program I use because I have a MacbookAir. I recently learned the hard way that if I use Pages I need to do as little of formatting as possible. When I was converting Thicker Than Blood for paperback format I had to re-do all of the formatting in order for it to turn out correctly on Word. Lesson learned, and I won't be doing that again.
Mainly pages is where my entire book goes, and then afterwards once everything is said and done it moves over to Word. Word is where I actually start formatting and so forth.

Lastly I thought I would share the apps I use on my iPad to write:

• Werdsmith - this is a new one I've downloaded to my iPad, but I like it a lot. The interface looks really nice, and it's easy to use. You can have several projects, name each one, and just get down to writing. More importantly you can also set up goals and rituals to ensure you remember to write and make progress. I have only just begun using it, but I'll definitely be using it more at night when I write.
• Writing- I can't find the link to it at the moment, but the app is white with a black quill. I used this one to write up several chapters of TTB at night, and once again it worked very nicely. 
• Word Tracker - you can't actually write on this app, but it helps you with achieving goals. (This would also help a lot during NaNoWriMo.) You start a project, set a goal, and then start the time when you start writing. Once you're finished writing add you word count and see how far you went during that amount of time. You can also see your overall progress with previous days, and this has helped me a lot with trying to write more in a certain amount of time.

This was definitely a lot to write up, so that's all for now. If you have any questions or comments about what I mentioned, leave them below in the comments. Also feel free to share how you write. In the meantime I have writing to do. Expect another blog post before the end of the week.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

Post Release Day

First of all I want to thank everyone who participated in the release. I submitted everything the afternoon of July 31st, so if you see that as the publication date don't be surprised. I did this so that the book would go live on other websites (such as Amazon and so forth) much faster. I am also very happy to say that Thicker Than Blood is now available on all of the websites I mentioned. (I'll be listing them again later in this post.)

Now Alaire's story has made it's way around in social media, and I wanted to share some of the sites it's appeared on. The news of the releases was included on several blogs, websites, Twitter, and more. Let's take a look:

Just Playing Dress Up blog -a dear friend of mine and a fan of the series has turned up the creativity once again. This time she made a set of collections where she included outfits that match along with the covers of the books.

Watch Her Write blog -another friend and fellow reader shares the release of the book on Wordpress

the Magicians series blog  -I've included the release on the Magicians series blog. If you haven't already check it out and see the new appearance on the blog. 

Shelfari -wanting more of Alaire's story? Once you read the ebook you can see what I added to Shelfari about the book or go there yourself and see what's been added. I'll add more later on, but don't worry spoilers are hidden.

FictFact -see the details about the release of the book and also included are the remainder of the series

It's certainly been a crazy couple of days, but now that the book has released I can sit back (slightly) and breathe. I will still be making up promo material and sharing more about the book via this blog and other social media. All in all, though, I'm glad Alaire's story is released. If you want to read "From the Author" on Amazon, in which I talk about what it was like writing the book it's now available. (Scroll down to where it says "editorial reviews.") I have loved talking about this book, and it breaks my heart knowing that Alaire's story is done. I really enjoyed working with him, but as with every book in this series the narration must change again. 

Alas summer is reaching its end, and I plan to split up my time doing housework, promotions/marketing, and believe it or not... writing. That's right, if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you might have seen I've started on the next adventure.

Bloodline Inheritance: brief news

Brief... I'll make it brief. I know I said I won't talk details about the fourth book, and technically I'm not discussing details. There is so much more I have to share about Thicker Than Blood that I cannot begin to talk about book four. However, I have started writing the fourth book and thought I would share.

On the right side bar you'll see a word count, showing my progress in the book so far. I've set the goal for 80k, which might be a bit overkill for now. Even if I finish the book at 80k during revisions anything can happen, and the word count changes drastically. I rather set my goal high and not reach it than too low and need to change it. I'll try to update that as often as I can, especially since I want to write as much as I can before returning to work. And I know NaNoWriMo is coming up in November, but I need to keep writing while the story is in my head.

The picture above might be hard to see, since I posted it on Instagram and took the picture with my phone. That was my word count on Ommwriter, which I've been using a lot because it gives me a calm and distraction-free zone to write. I've nearly reached 7k already, and I've been trying to write nearly everyday. 

Again no details to be released yet, though I do have them ready. I'll set a date for when I want to share them and let you know. In the meantime keep in mind I'm hard at work and drinking a lot of coffee.

Ready to read Alaire's story?

All the links to purchase Thicker Than Blood can be found in my release post or on the Books page. By now I believe I have updated the majority (if not all) of my websites with the links and further details. You can also find links to purchase the previous books on the Books page as well, so stop on by and see what you find. 

Lindsey R. Sablowski

New Release: Thicker Than Blood

When I met Celestria she was an innocent girl, fighting to save her life.

Saving her was something I never intended to do, but it changed me.

Thicker Than Blood is the third installment in the Magicians series. In the third book, we follow Alaire Sencler's story as he struggles with his unique gift and the coming war. We've known Alaire since the beginning in Cursed With Power when he first saved Celestria. He returned again in Shadows and Embers, seeking to help Leal calm his lust for vengeance. Now he is returning for a third time to share his adventure and tell the story from his point of view.

I am very excited today to be sharing the release of Thicker Than Blood with you and hope you'll help spread the word too. Let's get this party started!

Purchase links:

Goodreads - Createspace - Amazon - Amazon UK - Barnes & Noble

Pricing:

Paperback (US): $12.99

Ebook (US): $3.99

Ebook (UK): £2.42 

*Prices may be different in other countries

Autograph available at: Authorgraph  *send in a request to have a digital autograph for any/all three books in the series

Both paperback and ebook formats are available for purchase, and ebook is available worldwide. If you don't see a link available this means it will take a few days before the book goes live on that website. Please be patient, and I will continue to update the site with links as they become available.

Official summary:

Alaire Sencler is not the man he used to be. He left behind a foul and bloody past to be with the woman he loves, but the memories never allow him to forget what he did.

While the White magicians raise an army, their leader hides his true reasons for going to war. Meanwhile the Dark magicians seek out a new haven, one that might keep them hidden long enough to prepare for the war that is raging on outside their doorstep.
Though Alaire has a unique gift and the woman of his dreams by his side, he has yet to come to terms with Esmour's death and what the future holds for him. New faces and the revealing of the fifth Dark magicians offers hope, but only the strongest will survive in the final battle.
Whoever said "blood runs thicker than water" never knew what it is like to be a part of the current.

New Author Bio:

Lindsey R. Sablowski is a fantasy author who lives in Maryland with her boyfriend and two cats. 
Lindsey has always adored reading and writing. Some of her favorite authors include John Green, Phillipa Gregory, Michael J. Sullivan, Tamora Pierce, and Mary Stewart.
She has three books published: Cursed With Power, Shadows and Embers, and Thicker Than Blood. These books are a part of the Magicians series, which follows the lives of five Dark magicians. The fourth installment, Bloodline Inheritance, is expected to release late 2015.
Follow her books and learn more at her website: www.lrenees-fictionalwriter.blogspot.com 

Share the word and tell your friends about Alaire's story. Want to mention him on Twitter? Use the hashtag #ThickerThanBlood or #ThickerThanBloodRelease

There's been a lot of talk about Alaire, and I hope this book can serve him justice. It was a great experience to work one-on-one with him and know him better. Don't forget to send in pictures of when you receive your copy of the book.

In case you haven't read the previous two books, here's the links:

Cursed With Power -Celestria's story

Shadows and Embers -Leal's story

Even though Alaire is a fictional character, I'm sure if he was real he would want to thank everyone for the amazing support and positivity. So on his behalf and mine, thank you for supporting the series. I hope you'll read the book and join in on his adventure. 

Lindsey R. Sablowski