Sneak Peek: The Lady Astronomer

Today we have a sneak peek from author Katy O’Dowd’s new steampunk novel, The Lady Astronomer.

Lucretia’s life as an astronomer is quickly turned on its head by her eldest brother when he is commanded by the king to build the grandest telescope in the land.

Her nights spent on rooftops gazing at the stars are replaced by adventure as the family move to be nearer the king. In a race to build the Forty-foot telescope on time, misfortunes take their toll. The lady astronomer finds court life to be more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Can she find the strength inside to overcome the obstacles threatening her destiny? Only the stars will tell.

The Lady Astronomer is available on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Here is an excerpt from The Lady Astronomer: Continue reading “Sneak Peek: The Lady Astronomer”

Researching Your Novel…Can You Go Too Far?

“So are you up for a little adventure?” my fellow indie writer asked, blue eyes bright with anticipation.

A little adventure. Sure. I’d recently quit my nine-to-five job and was living the vida loca, writing full-time from home, and figured I could use an adventure. Shake up the old synapses, give me some good material for the further escapades of one of the protagonists in a popular action-adventure series I write. What the heck, I thought. Couldn’t hurt.

I was wrong. Continue reading “Researching Your Novel…Can You Go Too Far?”

Words that Ignited a Dream

Guest post
by Deborah Heal

Meissner Elementary School was a little intimidating when I arrived there as a second grader. The halls went up and down and all around—or at least they seemed that way to me—because of the additions to the building through the years. I used to have nightmares about wandering around lost and unable to find my way to class.

Some of the teachers also scared me. A tall, thin lady named Mrs. Crochet (or something like that) always glowered at me as I tiptoed past her room. Fortunately, I got to keep on walking to Mrs. McCormick’s classroom, where I felt safe, even loved. She was plump and nice and always smiling. Except for the amazing day she was called out to the hall and returned, red-eyed and crying, to tell us President Kennedy had been assassinated.

My 5th grade social studies teacher wasn’t one to smile much. I guess that when you knew as much as he did about things like the Cuban Missile Crisis you were bound to look a little grim. Continue reading “Words that Ignited a Dream”