Hey, It Works!
Apologies for the delay, folks. I was having issues with the server connection timing out last night and couldn’t post as scheduled. That issue is now resolved (yay!) and I’ve posted Episode 25 of Spartans: The AWOL Squad.
DID Isn’t Forgotten
The first chapter of His Revenge, the fifth installment of Descent Into Darkness, will be posted as soon my timeline stops rewriting itself. This was something I encountered with His Command, where my starting point for the story kept resetting itself as the plot developed — and I realized that there were a few things I needed to seed earlier than the original first chapter despite all my outlining. Unlike that previous instance, however, I’m lacking backlog to post while I work out the kinks. Thus AWOL has made a reappearance in the posting schedule. Please be patient with me while I work this out and enjoy the offering.
Most of the kinks I’m dealing with surround a new character, one who is scripted to play a significant role much later on. His backstory is more in-depth than some of the characters I’ve introduced, his motivations heavily rooted in certain events of his past, and while the details are vital to his portion of the story, they do draw attention away from the focal character(s) of the series — Ba’tvian, or, as some see it, Ba’tvian and Nerisse. Because of that, I’m contemplating writing a short story for just this character for online posting. It would relieve His Revenge of the burden of introducing a new character, and may just straighten out those kinks I keep running into.
We’ll see how it goes. Until next time, happy reading.
Another Year Begins…
…and I don’t know that I’ve ever been so pressed for time.
Update Schedule Is Up…Sort Of
We have an initial draft of our content update schedule posted here. We’re still compiling it so please bear with us.
There are several things we’re dealing with this year that we haven’t had to deal with before. In June 2012, Trinity Gateways became an LLC which was great, wonderful, fantastic. Yet it means more work: taxes and annual reports to be filed with the state to name the top two. Some of this couldn’t be started until Janauary of this year, which means that we — especially me — have been really busy. So busy, in fact, that I’m behind on my writing goals and that’s reflected in my portion of the posted schedule.
So apologies to those of you who are awaiting more Descent Into Darkness. I’m working to get to it as soon as I can.
Newsletter Submissions
We are still accepting submissions for the next newsletter. We’re looking short or flash fiction, poetry, or articles relating to writing, reading, publishing, or story-telling in some way. Please see our Submissions Page for more information.
Only A Writer
I was recently promoted at the dayjob. Yay! It means more duties. Boo. Lol, that said, I took it because I was already doing most of the work and wanted the raise that came with the new title. The raise comes just in time to pay for car repairs; one of the drive belt tension wheels has deteriorated to the point that the belt has come off. Having this happen while driving to work downtown is not fun in the least. I’m going to give those moments of sickening panic to some poor character later down the road. Another character will get my disappointment and resignation of not being able to enjoy that new raise.
Only a writer would torment fictional people this way.
Happy Holidays!
So I’m a little late for Christmas and a bit early for New Year’s. Still, I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas, and will have a festive New Year. Enjoy your friends, family, and parties if your having or going to them. Myself, I’m hosting a LAN party for New Year’s — and I’m looking forward to the playing Halo. 
Whatever you’re planning, I hope you have fun and stay safe.
Just a quick reminder: for those of you waiting for story updates, they will resume in February, 2013. The update schedule will be posted sometime mid-January. Check back for details in the next few weeks.
Until then!
Ages Have Passed…
And many, many apologies given for the lack of posts. I did not intend to take a leave of absence this long.
They Say That Life Can Throw You A Curve Ball…
It threw me about four. The first curve ball can be called Family, and it was made up of a wedding, out-of-state visits, increased demands on my time, a disruption of electric service (don’t ask), a couple of non-functional vehicles, and a few other things that escape me at the moment. Now don’t get me wrong; I love my family. i appreciate them in every way. Still, all of that had a greater, and more prolonged, impact on my schedule than anticipated.
The second curve ball was the horror anthology I worked on for Trinity Gateways LLC. It was an enjoyable, educational experience. It is, unfortunately, an experience that’s still ongoing. We’re working with a different print and distribution service and it’s the little things that proven to be the trickiest obstacle to work around. That will hopefully come to an end very soon, though.
The third curve ball was Descent Into Darkness: His Command. The novella took much longer to conclude because of curve balls 1 and 2 — and because the bloody thing kept changing the scene sequences on me. I have never had a story that’s bucked the outlines the way this one has. It was very like a rodeo bronco, trying to throw me off at every turn. Now that it’s finished, I’m trying to get His Revenge, the next in the line-up, off the ground. It’s making me build a launch pad first, though, so it’s been a slow starter.
The fourth curve ball was software education. I upgraded some of the software I use, and switched over to a new software suite that will help with e-book conversions. I’m constantly learning new things — techniques, features, ways around limitati0ns — and it’s slowed me down me some.
These are not excuses for neglecting to post. They are reasons, but even reasons can’t don’t make my absence “okay”. So, once again, many apologies to those of you who have come back looking for updates and found none.
The cover of Descent Into Darkness: His Command by Doris Ross, the fourth installment of the six part Descent Into Darkness novella series.
Goal Accomplished
Descent Into Darkness: His Command was published on 11/3/12. It is available for all e-book readers via Smashwords and Kindle, and is currently being distributed to other e-book channels, such as Barnes & Nobles and the iBookstore.
Descent Into Darkness: His Command Teaser
The Mancers are falling, hunted and slain by the blood mage they call the Monster of Menie: Ba’tvian Delthanurk. With the aid of his companions, the elven lady Nerisse se li Astorae and the barbarian Ibestor, he has begun a quiet war, leaving nothing but death in his wake. As he blazes a bloody trail across the breadth of Orthanor, he will make new allies, meet his enemies head-on, and carve his name deep into the history of Einlienn.
Yet the decision to fight comes with heavy consequences. The Mancers will not die easily under his blade, nor will they stand by to watch their brethren perish. With a single message, they have set in motion events that will force the Monster’s most devoted follower, a once-intended priestess, to make a terrible choice in order to survive – and when Ba’tvian gives his command, that choice will be no choice at all…
Check out the Descent Into Darkness: His Command page for sample chapters.
A Reminder
November, December, and January comprise what is considered the “off season” for the authors of Trinity Gateways LLC, myself included. There may be sporadic updates/posts during this time but nothing scheduled. I’ll still be plugging away, though, so look forward to fresh material in February 2013.
A Fast Note
I’m still mired in publication preparations for the Shadows of the Mind anthology that will be headed to print on 8/31/12, so I can only make a brief note here. The rough Chapters 21 & 22 of Descent Into Darkness: His Command have been posted. Enjoy. I’ll write more once this project is off my plate.
And Away We Go…
Have the time when I post blog lately, it’s to say that I’m really busy — that’s the way it seems anyway. Today is, unfortunately, no different.
Crunch
LJ Gastineau, Tricia Sparks, and I are currently neck-deep in preparing our horror anthology, Shadows of the Mind, for publication. Trinity Gateways is aiming to go to print on 8/31/12, and there’s still quite a bit of work to be done to get there. It’s that period we like to call “crunch time” where you work until you drop so you can make the final deadline. Our cover artist, Henry L. Livingston, is still working on the art, but we’ll post the cover image once we get it in.
The anthology isn’t the only thing that has us in crunch right now. LJ Gastineau’s preparing book 2 in the Crystal Garden Saga, entitled Quaking Tower, for e-release next month, I’m endeavoring to wrap up Descent Into Darkness: His Command, and Tricia Sparks is in the middle of a final edit on one of her projects slated for release in November. And that’s just the stuff that the web will actually see. There’s plenty behind the curtain to add to that, and anyone who’s run a business knows what I’m alluding to. It involves things like paperwork, contracts, etc — the boring part of the business. Yet without it, we couldn’t the fun things like the anthology, so we deal.
An Update
I’ve posted the rough Chapters 19 & 20 of Descent Into Darkness: His Command. A reminder for those of you who are following the rough, abidged version of the story: the rough draft gets pulled the first week of September as I enter the revision/editing phase.
Well, I need to get back to the interior layout/design work for the anthology. Until next time!
Last Call
We’re gearing up to finish work on our anthology project, Shadows of the Mind. At the same time, I’ll be starting publication preparations for Descent Into Darkness: His Command, the fourth installment of the series. August and September are going extremely busy for us at Trinity Gateways, and me in particular, so story updates may be delayed in the coming weeks. Check our update schedule for any alterations in our posting dates.
Trinity Gateways Submissions Closes 11:59pm EST, August 1, 2012
Just a reminder, all submissions for the Shadows of the Mind horror anthology must be in before midnight this coming Wednesday, August 1. Please don’t rush when sending us your stories; double-check the guidelines for formatting and submitting before emailing it to us to ensure that your entry will be considered when it is received. Our editing team has been seeing a lot of entries that have not followed our guidelines, which is problematic for us. We want to consider your work so please read through everything on the Trinity Gateways Submissions Page. If you need clarification on anything we require, please email submission@trinitygateways.net with “Question” in the subject line.
The Rough Draft Will Be Pulled In September
Descent Into Darkness: His Command will be pulled off the site in the first week of September as I begin the editing/revision phase. From that point on, only the sample chapters for this story will be up. His Command will be released as an e-book on October 28, 2012. I’ll upload the cover art for it as soon as it has been completed, which will probably be in late September.
September
Is going to be very busy, as previously stated. At this time, I don’t have any online updates planned for this month, but will add things to the schedule as my project deadlines allow and things pop up. When story updates resume, I will let you know.
In the meantime, I need to get back to reviewing submissions. Until next time!
One Week, A Release Date, & A Submissions Deadline
I’m posting a little early this weekend as Sunday, the usual day I post, will be loaded with errand running. I’m seeing to some last minute details in preparation for Ancient Cit Con next weekend, July 20-22. For those of you who don’t know about it, it’s a multi-genre convention in Jacksonville, FL, catering to gamers, anime, science fiction, and fantasy. I’ll be on several panels at the con with my fellow authors from Trinity Gateways, LJ Gastineau and Tricia Sparks. We’ll have a table in the dealer’s area, selling our books and connecting with readers. If your in town, stop by for a chat and pick up a good read.
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Publication Release Date Determined
Descent Into Darkness: His Command, the fourth installement in the series, will be out on November 3, 2012, as an e-book. I have only 9 chapters left to write, then I’ll step away from it for a month before beginning my editing/revision phase. I’ll continue to post rough draft chapters through August, then the story will be pulled from site as I get it ready for publication. This is the longest segment in the series so far, and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.
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Reminder: Trinity Gateways Anthology Submissions Closes August 1
For any of you still looking to submit disturbing short stories in the horror genre for the Shadows of the Mind anthology, the cut off is August 1, 2012, so please be sure to get your submissions in. As assistant editor on this project I’ve seen some really good stories come through and I look forward to seeing more. If you’d like to know what we’re looking for, or need a refresher on our guidelines, visit the Trinity Gateways Submissions Page.
Even if we don’t accept your story, we are giving constructive feedback so that you will be able to learn and improve as a writer. We’ve had several authors who have improved their stories, resubmitted, and been accepted so don’t get discouraged by a rejection email from our Acquisitions Editor, LJ Gastineau. Every good author knows that constructive feedback or criticism is vital to the development and growth of every writer. Since we’re both authors and editors, LJ and I will do what we can to provide that feedback for the submissions we’re reviewing. Yes, it takes longer to go through the stories in our inbox, but it’s also something that we believe in. Seeing those resubmitted stories, seeing the improvements made, and being able to accept them is a wonderful reward. It’s our fervent hope that we will never see the day when we can’t take the time to give that feedback.
Welcome, July
Jacksonville, FL, has been hot. First Tropical Storm Debbie tries to drown us, now it feels like summer is trying to bake us. We’ll reach a happy medium several months from now but will have to hang in there until then. Fall cannot get here fast enough.
What’s Been Happening
We’ve just wrapped the Trinity Gateways Newsletter, so I can now spend more time on other projects. Currently, I have a cover to design for Tricia Sparks as the artwork’s come in, and LJ Gastineau has sent me a few stories that I need to review for the anthology we’re putting together. Then, of course, is my own series work. I’ve had to scale back on my writing in order to get the newsletter out before the end of June but am pleased to say that I’m back on track as of this week. Descent Into Darkness: His Command has now broken 36,000 words and 110 pages in MS Word, making it the longest installment of the series thus far. It feels like it has about another 10,000 words left in it, maybe a little less than that. It’s due out in October but I hope to have to it finished by the beginning of August in order to get it edited by Tricia Sparks while I work with LJ Gastineau on finalizing the horror anthology, Shadows of the Mind.
It means that the busy trend of the last few months won’t be slowing down any time soon.
While all of this is going on we’re prepping for Ancient City Con, July 20-22, 2012. I’ve received my shipment of Descent Into Darkness, Volume 1: He Begins to sell at the Trinity Gateways table. Most of the promotional materials have come in at this point, and we’ve gotten almost all of the display components for the table setup. We’re excited about the con, seeing old friends, making new ones, and are looking forward to a good time.
Now For The Update
The rough Chapters 13 & 14 of Descent Into Darkness: His Command are now up for those of you who are interested. Happy reading and enjoy!
Just A Quick Post
There’s a lot on my plate today and I’ve gotten a very slow start. The caffiene’s finally kicked in, so I can now draft a post that actually makes sense.
My Current Projects
Most of you may know that I’m a member of Trinity Gateways, and that we’ve opened submissions for the horror anthology, Shadows of the Mind. As an editor for the project, I’ve been working with Acquisitions Editor, LJ Gastineau, in order to review submissions and give constructive feedback where applicable. As writers ourselves, we know the value of a good critique. Doing that takes extra time, but we believe in doing what we can to promote a writer’s growth. It’s our hope that the authors are able to use our feedback to strengthen their writing. Right now, our submission deadline is August 1, and we go to print on August 31. An announcement will be made when the book is available for sale.
In addition to the horror anthology, we’re also looking at our next anthology project. Once we have the details ironed out, we’ll post it on the Trinity Gateways Submissions Page.
Another Trinity Gateways project is the second newsletter for this year; I’m the layout editor there, as well as a contributor. It’s due for release on the site later this month and will be available as a free PDF download.
I’ve been writing the fourth installment of Descent Into Darkness. My publication deadline is in October; I’ll post an actual date for that in the next month or so.
The printed omnibus entitled Descent Into Darkness Volume 1: He Begins is currently out on Amazon; I just approved the final proof. The edition includes the first three installments of the series: His Own, Her Lord, and His Beast. I’m working on getting distribution for it elsewhere and will make an announcement once that’s done.
As for graphics work, I’ve got the map to update — again — and cover art to assemble for Descent Into Darkness: His Command. I’m trying to get a head start on it.
Oh, and while I’m think about it…
A Reminder
Trinity Gateways is still taking submissions for the Shadows of the Mind horror anthology. We’ve gotten some excellent entries so far. There are still slots open so anyone who is interested has until August 1, 2012, to get their stories in. Please visit the Trinity Gateways Submissions Page for requirements and guidelines.
Content Update
The rough draft Chapters 9 & 10 of Descent Into Darkness: His Command have been posted.
Until next time, folks!
