New Patreon Post/ Journey to the Water Chapter XLII

“When can I see the all-knowing one? Is he above?” I frowned and studied the small, brown face again. “Or are you the all-knowing one, and this is but a test I must pass?”
Chapter XLII: The Sorcerer’s Tower

Eske meets a wizard, but there’s more going on here than meets the eye. You can read this chapter right now on Patreon.

Song of the Week

Queens of the Stone Age, “My God Is the Sun”

Happy New Year!

I’ll have a new chapter of Journey to the Water on Patreon tomorrow, and last week’s chapter will be up here on Wednesday. This will be the posting schedule until further notice. Right now, I’m writing them only slightly ahead of when I’m making them available, but I hope to build up a backlog over the next couple of months.

I’ll also be working on The Well Below the Valley a bit this week. In case you’ve missed it, this is a historical, Lovecraftian horror audio drama based on my module for the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game system (you can find the tabletop version under the Modules tab above/under the Menu). Let me know in the comments if you are interested in reading the script or would prefer to listen to the eventual audio version without spoilers.

Over on Instagram, I’m doing at-least-weekly, casual one-card readings with a gigantic, mixed-up monster Tarot deck, if that’s something that interests you.

If you have a minute, I’d appreciate you signing this petition: no US weapons for war crimes

The Book of the New Moon Door: Book Club Discussion Questions

I hope these will help any book club, reading groups, or other nerdy conversations! They are spoiler-free. If you have any other suggestions, or questions you’d like to ask me directly, please leave a comment and I’d be happy to answer them or add to the list.

The story is told from two perspectives: Berend and Isabel. Which point of view did you prefer? Which gave you more insight into the world and the story? Would you have liked to see another character’s perspective?
Which scene stuck with you the most and why?
What do you think happens after the end? Was the ending satisfying, or did you want to see something different?
What are the book’s main themes? Does the author take a stance on any of them(e.g., the value of religious devotion)? Do you agree with that stance?
Are there any unanswered questions or unresolved issues that you wish the author had addressed?

Here’s a PDF version with space for notes:

new-moon-door-discussion-questions Download

Some groups like to have themed food and drinks, so here are a couple of harvest squash soup recipes I rounded up:

Butternut Squash Soup by Love & Lemons (vegan)
Copycat Panera Squash Soup by Rachel Cooks (vegetarian)

And here are some cocktails. I don’t drink, so one of you is going to have to volunteer to try them and report back!

Apple Cinnamon Whiskey Smash by Hunger Thirst Play
Smoking Blackberry Sage Margarita by Wicked Spatula

Happy reading!

Year in Review, Part the Second

This year has been rough, and I’m ready to put it behind me. Let’s focus on the positive:

I went to FOUR markets this year and met a lot of cool people!
The Book of the New Moon Door is finally published! As of this writing, it has sold 34 copies, most of them preorders.
Beyond the Frost-Cold Sea sold an additional 49 copies this year, which brings the total number of copies sold to 146. Two of them were purchased in Germany!
I worked on Journey to the Water and The Well Below the Valley, though I had to put both on hiatus while I finished New Moon Door.
Our garden did very well! I was happy to share some photos after planting.
I also released a short story, “The Howler.”

I had to put a lot of my other goals from last year on hold, but I hope to pick back up next year:

I want to finish, edit, and publish Journey to the Water.
I will revisit the script for The Well Below the Valley and start making it into something that might actually, eventually, be good, and hopefully finish it as well.
Over the next month or so, I’ll be rolling out some changes to my Patreon and Ko-fi, to better reward people who want to support me directly.
I’ll return to The Tarot of the Gates and work out a timeline for its eventual completion. I haven’t decided if it will involve serial chapters or if I’ll keep it under wraps. It’s also a collaboration with an artist, so her schedule and availability will have an impact.
I’ll be going to more markets and events, so be sure to stay tuned for those!
I want to do some video content (Twitch or YouTube) and have more nonfiction posts here, like discussion questions, talking about writing, that sort of thing. Maybe some more short stories, as well.
I might not get to a new manuscript this year (other than Journey to the Water), but my long-term goal is to be a hybrid author with both independent and traditionally-published books.
More garden pictures!

I’m more grateful than words can say for you, reader. You make all this worthwhile. May the new year bring you peace and happiness.

Journey to the Water Chapter XL: Isra’s Well

Journey to the Water cover image: three evergreen trees stand on a hillside, shrouded in bluish fog. Subtitle reads: the sequel to Beyond the Frost-Cold Sea.

Table of Contents

This small community of green-robed women had been constructed around a deep well. The underground spring, they told me, belonged to the goddess Isra herself, and it was her will that the water be given to any who asked for it. It also irrigated an expansive garden of small, hardy vegetables and a date palm on either side of the chapel. No matter how much I stared at the garden, it stubbornly remained, its thin yellow-green leaves trembling in the harsh desert wind. This was no illusion. Already this goddess stood higher in my esteem than the serpent god of Svilsara.

Continue reading →

New Patreon Post/ Journey to the Water Chapter XLI

“Does this Deinaros know how to read?” I asked.
The girl’s face turned to disdain. “Of course he does. He’s all-knowing.”
Chapter XLI: The City on the Cliffs

Eske arrives in the first city of the West, perched on the cliffs looking out to sea. He may have found a lead, but the answers he seeks won’t be so easy to achieve. You can read this chapter right now on Patreon.

Year in Review, Part the First

As is tradition, all the Songs of the Week for this year are collected, in order, in this playlist.

I’ll have a new chapter of Journey to the Water up on Patreon today, and tomorrow I’ll have the second part of the Year in Review as well as last week’s chapter. Also, a year-end edition of the newsletter will go out this weekend. Here’s the signup link again.

This week, I’m also working on some book club discussion questions for The Book of the New Moon Door. A reader requested them, but I’ll make them available to everyone in website and downloadable PDF form.

It’s been a rough year. I hope the next one treats you well.

New Patreon Post/ Journey to the Water Chapter XL

“Your serpent is dead,” I said. “I slew him upon the sacrificial stone. He will never devour anyone, willing or not, again.”
Chapter XL: Isra’s Well

Eske of the Bear Clan is back! Now that The Book of the New Moon Door is out, I’m writing new chapters of Journey to the Water. Barring any unforeseen disasters, I hope to publish it next year. If you’d like to follow along, all the previous chapters are under the Stories tab above (under the Menu if you’re on mobile), and this latest chapter is available on Patreon.

Song of the Week

Bright Eyes, “Coat Check Dream Song”

Good morning!

In case you missed it, The Book of the New Moon Door is now available! Check out the “Buy my books” tab above (under the Menu if you’re on mobile) or take a peek at the sidebar. You’ve probably also noticed a few other changes, mainly that the serial version of this book has been moved to the bottom of the Stories page, and the Directory post at the top of the blog has been condensed to help with the visual clutter.

I’ve written a brief little chapter of Journey to the Water to get us back on track with that serial novel, and it will be available on Patreon tomorrow and here on the blog next week. I’m still finding my footing after leaving it for so long, but I want to make sure I’m providing new chapters on a somewhat regular basis.

Along with Journey, I want to get the audio play of The Well Below the Valley going again, and I want to make some changes to my Patreon and Ko-fi pages and create some better rewards. Stay tuned for more updates over the next few weeks.

Before you go, I’ve been collecting all the petitions surrounding a ceasefire in Gaza on Instagram. There’s a story highlight labeled “CEASEFIRE NOW” that has all of them together. If you haven’t signed any of them, I encourage you to do so. I think I have four or five of them from different organizations there.

As always, thanks for being here. I appreciate you.