Let's Catch Up!

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 It's been a minute, huh?

I'm attempting to be better at the social media game and update my blog much more regularly than I have been doing. 




So, since we last spoke, Not So Grimm: New Takes on Old Tales was released and I am so proud of the work I did for that anthology. Shout out, too, to the cover artist (and fellow writer) Arlo  Blackwood, who did a fantastic job on the cover. I mean just look at it! It's the bomb! 

Listen, cover artists and artists in general do not get nearly enough respect. I adore Arlo's work and honestly, I'm still saving up so I can ask hire her to do some OG art for me. (Pay your artists!!! If you like someone's work, pay for it. It's not a hard. Art isn't easy, and materials don't pay for themselves. I feel like this shouldn't have to be explained, but you know there are choosing ass beggers out there who step up to artists like 'hey, I love your art, it's amazing, could I like, have a detailed character drawing for free? I'll pay you in exposure.' No. Nope. No. Nah. Don't do that. That's not a cute look Becky.) 

On top of releasing Not So Grimm: New Takes on Old Tales, I also had the delight of self publishing my first solo effort; We Might Hit A Planet! 




Cover art for WMHAP! by the incredible Aqua. (I'mma say it again, pay your artists!!) I never expected this to be my first self published work, it's mostly comedic and overly dramatic (a bit like me, really.) It's not serious. Which is what I was kinda expecting. A long, serious piece with real world commentary. Because I have those. They are WIPs that are hanging about, waiting for me to finish them.

So, what is up next? I don't know. I've learned a lot from releasing We Might Hit A Planet! and Not So Grimm, which is to expect the unexpected. Which seems simple and cliche, I admit. It's true though. 

The original story I wrote for Not So Grimm was 15,000 words and a lot. It was a lot. It was trying to fix nearly every element of a 3 page story that I didn't like with some unexpected twists along the way. Which is fine, there's nothing wrong with that, but it's not the version you'll read if you buy the anthology. The story was re-written, edited, re-written, and edited again. 

The version in the book is the best version of the story, but it's not the story I was planning on telling. Corey, our main character in WMHAP! was born half formed. I knew his personality, his goals, his appearance as well as I know my own. He still managed to surprise me. He shifted and became more than the basic human charactor I had expected him to be. 

My biggest take away from self publishing is this: having strict schedules doesn't work for me. So even though I have a list of when I'd like to release the next book, the one that actually gets released might be something completely different. 

Whatever happens, I'm sure the story will be the best version of itself. And really, that's all we can ever hope for.

Until next time, then,

Zelena 










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