tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89866280725466189162024-03-13T10:21:12.745-07:00Dez Schwartz BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-7154956907951890022024-02-19T05:00:00.000-08:002024-02-19T05:00:00.141-08:00Currently Writing: PROJECT DWC<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_3tYxA8JA0nkT9J_M_vHFVZUHOeTm1RYp9q9sODODN5j_Adp19q3Vh9cmDKXeOqmAm9n4jdXUm5Y1BJuaGp-L-XHWKegStAP84Wet8Xs3meFwjnDhdrSP4fQkdxUCRvlzTtqIn5sg60LDAcrbqm88KODI8o19w3WQcY5Yb2Rios-cbwRLyo0z11o43o/s500/Project%20DWC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_3tYxA8JA0nkT9J_M_vHFVZUHOeTm1RYp9q9sODODN5j_Adp19q3Vh9cmDKXeOqmAm9n4jdXUm5Y1BJuaGp-L-XHWKegStAP84Wet8Xs3meFwjnDhdrSP4fQkdxUCRvlzTtqIn5sg60LDAcrbqm88KODI8o19w3WQcY5Yb2Rios-cbwRLyo0z11o43o/w640-h640/Project%20DWC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you've read my previous blog posts or follow me on social media then you may have already heard me reference <b><i>Project DWC</i></b>. This is what I'm calling my current work in progress. DWC is short for the actual series title, which I'm not ready to reveal yet!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'd initially intended to write this as a multi-installment serial (short story-length installments), but as I've begun writing the first book I have very quickly realized the format will turn out different than I'd imagined. It's just playing out to make much more sense as a series of novels. Yes, a whole new story world! I'd also initially thought I'd be self-publishing it, which might still end up being the case. But now, I'm also toying with the idea of submitting it for traditional publishing (i.e.- querying it to a publisher). There are still so many decisions that will have to be made in terms of how this story will finally be brought to market, BUT that comes later. I have to finish writing it first! All this to say that: I'm very excited about this story. It's what I'm spending all of my creative writing time on. And while I'd love to share more about it with you all along the way, I also beg for your patience because it might be some time before you're actually able to read it. But, as I always do, I will keep you updated on my progress on the journey to publication!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you've missed my previous mentions of this project, it's a new MM Dreampunk series with an Urban Fantasy setting and built upon the framework of magic and multiverses. And for those who have read the <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/216009-roam" target="_blank">ROAM</a></b> series; yes, it is connected to the ROAMverse and there may potentially be some cameos or references to that series at some point in this one. Fun easter eggs to look forward to in the future!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsf47JM2mjiiY2MWZoo-vNuoqLEuOEbTTmHDRVSWgXcTzRmaHrN0VVxfbRo7_8aDtDAxEuqtZ9HU3WVo08D7iY9QP-X3NbjStjvsbdw9GihbuT9i8Ng0KQaiytdcChFMnUd3xxwUb263cUUoQxSkGyNbnTWil4CoXsQ1vfipCMZ1ZwRfTXtz7fIwa7r1M/s2000/DWC%20collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1333" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsf47JM2mjiiY2MWZoo-vNuoqLEuOEbTTmHDRVSWgXcTzRmaHrN0VVxfbRo7_8aDtDAxEuqtZ9HU3WVo08D7iY9QP-X3NbjStjvsbdw9GihbuT9i8Ng0KQaiytdcChFMnUd3xxwUb263cUUoQxSkGyNbnTWil4CoXsQ1vfipCMZ1ZwRfTXtz7fIwa7r1M/w426-h640/DWC%20collage.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm reluctant to give anything too detailed about this series away yet, as I'm still working on the first draft. But here's a sneak peek of an inspiration board I created that contains glimpses of what to expect in terms of characters, mood, and atmosphere. Each row represents one of the main cast of characters from the first book in the series.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Progress Report:</u></b> I've just finished drafting Act 1 and am about a third of the way through the first draft.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Let me know if there are any specific types of behind-the-scenes teasers you enjoy so that I can share them with you! I'm hoping to keep you updated on my progress monthly as I feel that this book may take some time to fully craft and cultivate into the robust story that I know it will be. I'd rather take my time and give it the care it deserves than rush through it to please the algorithm gods.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also, if there are any certain types of blog topics that you'd prefer to read from me this year, let me know that as well! Whether it's deep dives into stories or characters, writing tips, or something entirely different!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for reading!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Your Writerly Friend,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">❤ Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-27864992182849490862024-02-12T05:00:00.000-08:002024-02-12T05:00:00.144-08:00January Wrap-Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_lWgQf1PlmFw3AdTQj2VqKnbAP0Qcpjpvlg21nCdVS13G0Ai15YYvovtSytiR6Ke8Wmb5slG-wKvPq6LAB9gf7NLnHy_TFJwQVPPo-yFKlOE7IBapXlPnfDuIcReSEpkaMYOfEppWXCkevVFF_RRz9kxqjBJ7syDVhyxZUOq5HV4Avscn-x6q2adzOU/s801/create%20magic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="801" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_lWgQf1PlmFw3AdTQj2VqKnbAP0Qcpjpvlg21nCdVS13G0Ai15YYvovtSytiR6Ke8Wmb5slG-wKvPq6LAB9gf7NLnHy_TFJwQVPPo-yFKlOE7IBapXlPnfDuIcReSEpkaMYOfEppWXCkevVFF_RRz9kxqjBJ7syDVhyxZUOq5HV4Avscn-x6q2adzOU/w640-h640/create%20magic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This year started off strong! I feel like I was more busy in this one month than in the entirety of last year. I've had a lot of fun, but I'm also looking forward to a slightly more laid-back February.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMaWCjm_f7RF6gqzFOtqaDnJb9TPiVNToVyC0a4Okbb0oELyM8fn5xDIYQDMi_epfYqbvUbl5APCvkYEkX7vZoOQdvrcN9WX4ZzLVkJP2MpKmU5e5RGvmRE0n7UG657hqQvhQqox2hizVL6Le5RIaVbLA1HnogdatnMONBNOiHwiS2kXOdBGK2WH4xjs/s803/somniscope%20promo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="799" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMaWCjm_f7RF6gqzFOtqaDnJb9TPiVNToVyC0a4Okbb0oELyM8fn5xDIYQDMi_epfYqbvUbl5APCvkYEkX7vZoOQdvrcN9WX4ZzLVkJP2MpKmU5e5RGvmRE0n7UG657hqQvhQqox2hizVL6Le5RIaVbLA1HnogdatnMONBNOiHwiS2kXOdBGK2WH4xjs/w636-h640/somniscope%20promo.jpg" width="636" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">First and foremost in January, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Somniscope-Convergence-Cliff-Jones-Jr/dp/B0CTH2PW42" target="_blank"><b>SOMNISCOPE</b></a> released! This is the second Dreampunk anthology I've participated in and my short story, <b><i>Looped</i></b>, is included. If you've yet to pick up a copy, this book contains short stories by 27 different Dreampunk authors! You can get your copy <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTH2PW42" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEIV-DL_nMF-42S9quA612MHGiIYTN7Puf79jLBcAke5jyQiK3rf-Ya_PblSvlPucdnJVJQzWIMOLPffmyEC3MJFfHvrQMYDfLmsjJg-WTW8qEW-FG8POsl7GoU5HRo5NkEhGzU-93nV1QNNrZktWgXFrxn5F7SCMMpKJKpb_Mr0jMFjccWLGuKDnWNc/s713/writing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="639" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEIV-DL_nMF-42S9quA612MHGiIYTN7Puf79jLBcAke5jyQiK3rf-Ya_PblSvlPucdnJVJQzWIMOLPffmyEC3MJFfHvrQMYDfLmsjJg-WTW8qEW-FG8POsl7GoU5HRo5NkEhGzU-93nV1QNNrZktWgXFrxn5F7SCMMpKJKpb_Mr0jMFjccWLGuKDnWNc/w574-h640/writing.jpg" width="574" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hit 10K words on my first draft of what I'm now calling <b>Project DWC</b>. This MM Dreampunk story is the first in a new series and I'm excited to share more with you soon!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbmDCeGACWvJ6Qr2xKF8EngSiBZ_-Ugp14qHbKwWv7JpLLc-RuqBM3darDJcinb0k0McoLMgfDrhE-nlyNasSgKDrSS7mXMPUv63DHj9Np9PH4I1xN06uIE07nnVUGD3k0QR8thdDLsvkbH325T_LCHZKpXz20VD9wwVJzFQyHeBaCHd8NGtwJQk_New/s726/GB%20elevator%20final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbmDCeGACWvJ6Qr2xKF8EngSiBZ_-Ugp14qHbKwWv7JpLLc-RuqBM3darDJcinb0k0McoLMgfDrhE-nlyNasSgKDrSS7mXMPUv63DHj9Np9PH4I1xN06uIE07nnVUGD3k0QR8thdDLsvkbH325T_LCHZKpXz20VD9wwVJzFQyHeBaCHd8NGtwJQk_New/w564-h640/GB%20elevator%20final.jpg" width="564" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was very busy in January in multiple aspects of my life, including finally joining a Ghostbusters franchise! I'd tried to start one in my town nearly a decade ago without much luck and had given up. But all in good time, because someone else finally decided to start one and by sheer chance, our paths crossed and--long story short--I joined a group that is growing quickly! I've attended two events with them already, a Comic Con and a Table Top Con, and am looking forward to participating in more this year!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD99G56I_KpmtBMBkv6wKtz1PEWXtAoTVFmPlKSZ93pShoYH3nXeDP0C1nU6AqKvLght8Mfm5YZYKBEgXsEqBzR0H8OGvNDwi87qQ1vAFZVF03ZaQwORaZ7N5EqQ6tHm6gosJBfv9N3QBZ_xAUzbWh_1gR-Qc3PumvrT7f8p0WG82okD3npniK0ZUd91Y/s2048/skateboard%20art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD99G56I_KpmtBMBkv6wKtz1PEWXtAoTVFmPlKSZ93pShoYH3nXeDP0C1nU6AqKvLght8Mfm5YZYKBEgXsEqBzR0H8OGvNDwi87qQ1vAFZVF03ZaQwORaZ7N5EqQ6tHm6gosJBfv9N3QBZ_xAUzbWh_1gR-Qc3PumvrT7f8p0WG82okD3npniK0ZUd91Y/w640-h640/skateboard%20art.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I also prepped for THREE art shows! All of these have taken place during this first week of February, but the time spent creating the art happened in December/January. I'll share more about these in next month's wrap-up post.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What I Read in January:</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSzkTABmhyEBZxriPv9x7vBS9CGjvUG0bmoJ_Oua3Pe4b8ohCJERgPHRJUVppN5qKORgl2tubgj71lUol_4CjaAg5yBUo9FR4n7aIkbVK6MprDYeVY1i_5d2pU1YJYhKu9SolyAdzZqMRgrugLjq8GBtgHAQNSeXse8LCYPUw-UB1elb26E7urcKSl4Q/s1182/January%20Reads.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="1182" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSzkTABmhyEBZxriPv9x7vBS9CGjvUG0bmoJ_Oua3Pe4b8ohCJERgPHRJUVppN5qKORgl2tubgj71lUol_4CjaAg5yBUo9FR4n7aIkbVK6MprDYeVY1i_5d2pU1YJYhKu9SolyAdzZqMRgrugLjq8GBtgHAQNSeXse8LCYPUw-UB1elb26E7urcKSl4Q/w640-h214/January%20Reads.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WABftJX9f1NIKVVkGDD7UuF08o5n1abxQHvJiuFQyP1uWIiK0j2Qvs2p6Nt94KkL7HdSsH4vrD4JwpJ4ru7h_OG9PyeQFu2Q1-QlRz8uR4XrpMtFvyNaDb6H3vH22cbbvLgiIduufQ-qD_UrQxbMI40eacGWeMnb6C1jlhLEZ_XXt8APe5FqncJQFjs/s719/boba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="637" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WABftJX9f1NIKVVkGDD7UuF08o5n1abxQHvJiuFQyP1uWIiK0j2Qvs2p6Nt94KkL7HdSsH4vrD4JwpJ4ru7h_OG9PyeQFu2Q1-QlRz8uR4XrpMtFvyNaDb6H3vH22cbbvLgiIduufQ-qD_UrQxbMI40eacGWeMnb6C1jlhLEZ_XXt8APe5FqncJQFjs/w568-h640/boba.jpg" width="568" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Odds & Ends:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For whatever reason, I watched the entire first season of the <i>Jersey Shore</i> for the first time (Snooki is my fav. lol). About to start S2! I'm back on a boba kick. I'm slowly getting back to posting about my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bookit.girl" target="_blank">vintage collections</a>. And I became obsessed with connecting all of the literary references in <i>Saltburn</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's to a slightly less busy, but hopefully still very productive, February!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Happy Reading!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">❤ Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-2479501697178356382024-01-30T19:09:00.000-08:002024-01-30T19:09:50.409-08:00SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Convergence is OUT NOW!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTH2PW42" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYK5qKPj12sc5a-ut_16ovTdWuHLEojFKCjx2Xw-1eYc-nk9wRDRWfE9bUaT9tGW2jo6vNQMxZGdY2RKtXibv2U3TU6t0bGRKH86fFmiKOCr262pEaJ09_H39FBN8iKrrXRa8VEqLe0vKwZaK_SIrbm2g2cvofH0P6b0dHbCP7GZ8duBPHaGe0MinB1ac/w640-h640/Somniscope_ReleaseGraphic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTH2PW42" target="_blank">SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Convergence </a></i></b>is out now! I have a short story in this anthology titled '<b><i>Looped</i></b>'. <b>SOMNISCOPE </b>features over twenty short stories by popular Dreampunk authors! Now available in print (ebooks coming soon).</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-83256285739490396542024-01-22T05:00:00.000-08:002024-01-22T05:00:00.135-08:00My Dreampunk Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArea5ChPP5cG9Czl8YNU83JabbUcJdd4JA_1g75paNqOZ3AbDFnjd2P3bxARRwVYZYm6WBQCb1iiJOn4BDGGfmC7W-ST6gooFfuHFNI38FSkEwe2piD45QH4hujX2hGRRtcT8oGzN-Qb_8zhKxBR4qnE5Nd9-PM_cpK2Vw65V3zItBFcUOgZapt0gD9A/s1200/Dreampunk%20Books%20Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="1200" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArea5ChPP5cG9Czl8YNU83JabbUcJdd4JA_1g75paNqOZ3AbDFnjd2P3bxARRwVYZYm6WBQCb1iiJOn4BDGGfmC7W-ST6gooFfuHFNI38FSkEwe2piD45QH4hujX2hGRRtcT8oGzN-Qb_8zhKxBR4qnE5Nd9-PM_cpK2Vw65V3zItBFcUOgZapt0gD9A/w640-h160/Dreampunk%20Books%20Blog.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The fictional worlds of Dreampunk take on many forms due to the genre's surreal basis. Many authors will have their own opinion on what constitutes a story as "Dreampunk", though one of the best descriptions so far can be found </span><a href="https://cliffjonesjr.com/dreampunk" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. Due to the nature of the genre, each author has their own tendency to prefer to focus on varying aspects of Dreampunk. In my own work, I love to utilize the "Dream World" as an actual place that can be visited and a sort of in-between of our physical plane and other dimensions accessible through the universal subconscious. I also like to incorporate "dream tech" into my stories with a nod to two other more prominent genres: Cyberpunk and Steampunk.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With a new anthology, <b><i><a href="https://cliffjonesjr.com/somniscope" target="_blank">SOMNISCOPE</a></i></b>, soon to be released, here's a brief look at my Dreampunk books so far and what I'm working on this year!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QWNKLNX?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tkin" target="_blank">THE ROAM SERIES</a></b></u></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tBgaVD29SiUruOKbONBbDXRdkGmDAbXioGUOB8X9ssyPZqGEohi1Zt-M2paIitipwBRYvtntMBY0qzIdJy5xPRGRQiSVTlBLuZrXHiVYUICnAzu4nY1LW4RUAq3R1C6gHAYYUiXBecUOsG5Os3Zno4NPIa4AB6BjrrjjorOPlxq-JGi8m6x3Uf1IXVc/s1200/series%20guide%20-%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="1200" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tBgaVD29SiUruOKbONBbDXRdkGmDAbXioGUOB8X9ssyPZqGEohi1Zt-M2paIitipwBRYvtntMBY0qzIdJy5xPRGRQiSVTlBLuZrXHiVYUICnAzu4nY1LW4RUAq3R1C6gHAYYUiXBecUOsG5Os3Zno4NPIa4AB6BjrrjjorOPlxq-JGi8m6x3Uf1IXVc/w640-h272/series%20guide%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HMBZTR9" target="_blank">ROAM</a></i></b> was my first foray into the genre and my debut novel. In this series, I introduce the Dream World, delve into a Sandman dogma, and introduce both magical occult items and dream tech. This trilogy remains the basis for most of my Dreampunk work and while other stories may not include these characters, they are linked within the same "ROAMverse" if you will.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Revelation-Dacey-Sinnett-Prequel-ROAM-ebook/dp/B01M7T2KBS" target="_blank">THE REVELATION OF DACEY SINNET</a></u></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuse6KiTdTJPtE1Ew6-9SMJyxTfb_2PSf6MsHMUZTGkkQ4lQu6ccLskFX2XRob0XICY0l2Jc3iice4EBArL7lSgFvR4UTmaXOtVxBiYfntE54TRkpHlF9bS5rauYQgWSbACJYiHj3xey9VsCtZ6XKBNV3iBpIPCrvOrT2Z9yrr4jfVoDpkxvezB_n0VlA/s960/The%20Revelation%20of%20Dacey%20Sinnett%20paperback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuse6KiTdTJPtE1Ew6-9SMJyxTfb_2PSf6MsHMUZTGkkQ4lQu6ccLskFX2XRob0XICY0l2Jc3iice4EBArL7lSgFvR4UTmaXOtVxBiYfntE54TRkpHlF9bS5rauYQgWSbACJYiHj3xey9VsCtZ6XKBNV3iBpIPCrvOrT2Z9yrr4jfVoDpkxvezB_n0VlA/w400-h400/The%20Revelation%20of%20Dacey%20Sinnett%20paperback.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This prequel to the <b><i>ROAM</i></b> series is more of a Victorian Vampire novel, but near the end does open itself up to the label of Dreampunk by introducing other characters from the<b><i> ROAM</i></b> series and a bit of the aforementioned magical occult items.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mirrormaze-Dreampunk-Cliff-Jones-Jr-ebook/dp/B08KBH5CJ7" target="_blank">THATCHER MAUGDEN AND THE DREAM WITCH</a></b></u></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVUOLlDI80BWuCcVu72FrCKCNS1t65Zwhj1O1EUK553n48R0GQykgkD0BBS9c_ovFYauEHwRqwdJ5konYsNh4S_H78RSI7IqjpCo1qqoaMJYGBRMcpoJOpj5jOMj7UbkvDQfX0LHf08CpEjsGaSDNc6j0MNchtNnJM4PveZciIJ8Fo1F_rYWetDvuOS0/s1000/mirrormaze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="647" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVUOLlDI80BWuCcVu72FrCKCNS1t65Zwhj1O1EUK553n48R0GQykgkD0BBS9c_ovFYauEHwRqwdJ5konYsNh4S_H78RSI7IqjpCo1qqoaMJYGBRMcpoJOpj5jOMj7UbkvDQfX0LHf08CpEjsGaSDNc6j0MNchtNnJM4PveZciIJ8Fo1F_rYWetDvuOS0/w259-h400/mirrormaze.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This short story included in <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mirrormaze-Dreampunk-Cliff-Jones-Jr-ebook/dp/B08KBH5CJ7" target="_blank">MIRRORMAZE</a></i></b>, is set in the ROAMverse but features all-new characters set in the Edwardian era. This story takes place primarily in the Dream World and introduces very Steampunk-influenced dream technology. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u><a href="https://cliffjonesjr.com/somniscope" target="_blank">LOOPED</a></u></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtQQcUdQGFUtPV5oANYfv6ioOHPpDtgI3b2hcPmU4WFY6qYqHllxfI0HiAmQFDi1LVhYErPXAY_Ddohdex_5C4ds8J2DpLz3wroDxyTZx3LkARscDp5AE_sh9sLfw0r9cIgaDgvo0ztNOSd1C3IV64m7rWK_-fQdQjLFtWMlowsebsbcLJKkIg7KDKDA/s798/Somniscope%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="559" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtQQcUdQGFUtPV5oANYfv6ioOHPpDtgI3b2hcPmU4WFY6qYqHllxfI0HiAmQFDi1LVhYErPXAY_Ddohdex_5C4ds8J2DpLz3wroDxyTZx3LkARscDp5AE_sh9sLfw0r9cIgaDgvo0ztNOSd1C3IV64m7rWK_-fQdQjLFtWMlowsebsbcLJKkIg7KDKDA/w280-h400/Somniscope%20Cover.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Looped is my entry in the upcoming </span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><i><a href="https://cliffjonesjr.com/somniscope" target="_blank">SOMNISCOPE</a></i></b><span style="font-family: verdana;">, and has a more Contemporary setting. This short story is a Psychological Suspense tale that takes place in a mental health facility and is my most surreal writing thus far.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>PROJECT "DWC"</u></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyTku2lO6NN-KT9qRIvkdgUanPxKMjDr4Sq2Nq4bzsUCCRQWcvedHFbFiYxPnZ_XKugvXgxWQYPjj8Iz13pw_g3H5VkD-VjFaJtKdP_EQJ7Z2U3eKJMeZjQUKUHkTYF4WZTPxGo4W6-JuzY0oP_cU26P5_r1HIRe_v4OX6kVYzHCoMwR-xmD7RFL0WBM/s500/Project%20DWC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyTku2lO6NN-KT9qRIvkdgUanPxKMjDr4Sq2Nq4bzsUCCRQWcvedHFbFiYxPnZ_XKugvXgxWQYPjj8Iz13pw_g3H5VkD-VjFaJtKdP_EQJ7Z2U3eKJMeZjQUKUHkTYF4WZTPxGo4W6-JuzY0oP_cU26P5_r1HIRe_v4OX6kVYzHCoMwR-xmD7RFL0WBM/w400-h400/Project%20DWC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My current work-in-progress, which I'll refer to as Project DWC, evokes much of what I created in the<b><i> ROAM</i></b> series in terms of world-building but will be an entirely new series with a new cast of characters. I have yet to decide if any <b><i>ROAM </i></b>characters will make cameos, but it's not out of the question.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm currently working on the first draft of the first book in what, I'm hoping, might become a multi-book series. At the very least, I could see it being another trilogy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's a Dreampunk Urban Fantasy featuring LGBTQ+ characters, dream witches and dream magic, dream creatures, and a lot of new dream tech.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's incredibly fun to write and I can't wait until the day when I can finally share this new story with you all!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Until then, be on the lookout for Looped in <b><i><a href="https://cliffjonesjr.com/somniscope" target="_blank">SOMNISCOPE</a></i></b>, coming soon! Subscribe to my <a href="https://www.dezschwartz.com/" target="_blank">newsletter on my website</a> to be the first to hear when it's available.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Happy Reading!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">❤ Dez</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-60688647333385809762024-01-15T05:00:00.000-08:002024-01-15T05:00:00.129-08:00Somniscope is Coming Soon!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3i_tBr5q9cbAQTESqoAqGuZH-9KGroNV6a2xX_uBDdV3w_U9r9BfA_-c6cyWj-uP8A90WR3DOhJhAzekY3lFzVQRaYoq9U0QB_VHKfZ9WusSjZ7boa9COJeZMEZDkK72L7tJ5xuCa6gWI6OdVyAL4WRJYfC3GAoqrJRcM0KLtyJwCScfFYpEQBZa-RE/s864/Somniscope%20promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="864" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3i_tBr5q9cbAQTESqoAqGuZH-9KGroNV6a2xX_uBDdV3w_U9r9BfA_-c6cyWj-uP8A90WR3DOhJhAzekY3lFzVQRaYoq9U0QB_VHKfZ9WusSjZ7boa9COJeZMEZDkK72L7tJ5xuCa6gWI6OdVyAL4WRJYfC3GAoqrJRcM0KLtyJwCScfFYpEQBZa-RE/w640-h640/Somniscope%20promo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm thrilled to share that <b><i><a href="https://cliffjonesjr.com/somniscope" target="_blank">SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Convergence </a></i></b>published by Fractured Mirror Publishing is coming soon! This Dreampunk anthology features short stories by indie publishing's most prominent Dreampunk authors! And I'm honored to say that not only do I have a story included, but it's also the opening story of the book! My contribution is titled <b><i>Looped</i></b> and I can't wait for you to read it!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Release date to be announced SOON. The publishing company is just waiting on a few backend details. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>BLURB:</u></span></p><p class="Content-block" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.6em 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Another lonely night, another borrowed dream. You know you’ll never get to sleep on your own, so why bother trying? It’ll only waste time, and you’ve got to be up in six hours. Five and a half now.</i></span></p><p class="Content-block" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.6em 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>What is it about other people’s lives that satisfies that gnawing hunger in your chest, if only for a moment? Living in someone else’s skin scratches an itch that can’t be reached any other way. All the little parts of yourself that aggravate like a pebble in your shoe… they’re just gone. Sure, everybody’s got problems, but they don’t have <span style="box-sizing: border-box;">your</span> problems, not exactly. It’s this momentary relief that keeps you coming back night after night.</i></span></p><p class="Content-block" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.6em 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>So you pull out the device, plug it into the wall beside your bed, slip on the headset, and lie back onto your pillow. You close your eyes and listen to those ten hypnotic clicks, your countdown to dreamland. Precisely one second after the tenth click, you lose consciousness. There in front of your eyes is the loading screen…</i></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-72339861450131773722024-01-08T05:00:00.000-08:002024-01-08T05:00:00.143-08:00Books I'm Looking Forward To Reading in 2024<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8OGzGvRMGtYuGe7kde7_bBoK407nk6XYL7MHlIDm8ypajZ4PtIjZt2xqzrYtQiXGq4hCtHABtR90QIfEFIFDK_dcq0_G0diveeFTryOPRzSi0Tm4dwB13NqJehRC1h7jD2hPxsaswHgJzRpq9IrzOG4-QnNujjInp51EL00uC7twOF_xCw_v8Ti-AuA/s940/2024%20TBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8OGzGvRMGtYuGe7kde7_bBoK407nk6XYL7MHlIDm8ypajZ4PtIjZt2xqzrYtQiXGq4hCtHABtR90QIfEFIFDK_dcq0_G0diveeFTryOPRzSi0Tm4dwB13NqJehRC1h7jD2hPxsaswHgJzRpq9IrzOG4-QnNujjInp51EL00uC7twOF_xCw_v8Ti-AuA/w640-h536/2024%20TBR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of my priorities for this year is to make as much time for reading as writing. Here are a few of the books I'm looking forward to this year!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Prisoners-Throne-Stolen-Heir/dp/0316592714" target="_blank"><i>THE PRISONER'S THRONE </i>by Holly Black</a></u></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfmHR9oQpCSviAOYIvHP4kIsU7Nm4cOJpw9psO5r4T8M6DaLkJTXxuX6h4-6lgMFpCz2BuybWPh8OSFUdFsgDhaG_tOYTP9NqxxYhBxhq6Rk0tRTMpou47DtDAOsRUbppoBrcuIj45AmHRss3kg3MTMXHFQmjhuSbiavcpy4GzhCupQUhrNz6x7hyphenhyphenJww/s1000/prisoners%20throne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="664" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfmHR9oQpCSviAOYIvHP4kIsU7Nm4cOJpw9psO5r4T8M6DaLkJTXxuX6h4-6lgMFpCz2BuybWPh8OSFUdFsgDhaG_tOYTP9NqxxYhBxhq6Rk0tRTMpou47DtDAOsRUbppoBrcuIj45AmHRss3kg3MTMXHFQmjhuSbiavcpy4GzhCupQUhrNz6x7hyphenhyphenJww/w265-h400/prisoners%20throne.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have been OBSESSED with Holly Black's Elfhame books. Look, Cardan checks all the boxes for me; what can I say? And while this new series focuses on the next generation of characters, I'm still having just as much fun losing myself in her dark and mystical elven world. This is the book I'm most looking forward to!</span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bride-Ali-Hazelwood-ebook/dp/B0C9GQV1TT" target="_blank">BRIDE by Ali Hazelwood</a></u></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO1Z0JWq18u8frz2ZkAz_TYN4IJl5j-Qqi0J0RZznh3FQXibSn98OwZPAfXylYQc_0jZkojhXj4ikB507INzrRHsuDqPnhhHz6haVD12qu-8ssCsdaGAIu8ZP52c294MY-RHyRWZJRmPJdvlqnHMWcYAD5SPemaYOtREfdZekIYRQyQhuFTgnrnwaADo/s1500/bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO1Z0JWq18u8frz2ZkAz_TYN4IJl5j-Qqi0J0RZznh3FQXibSn98OwZPAfXylYQc_0jZkojhXj4ikB507INzrRHsuDqPnhhHz6haVD12qu-8ssCsdaGAIu8ZP52c294MY-RHyRWZJRmPJdvlqnHMWcYAD5SPemaYOtREfdZekIYRQyQhuFTgnrnwaADo/w266-h400/bride.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">While Contemporary Romance isn't one of my go-to genres, I've enjoyed everything Ali Hazelwood has written with her STEM-based books. I'm curious to see how her writing style transfers over to paranormal romance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Botanical-Daughter-Noah-Medlock/dp/1803365900" target="_blank">THE BOTANICAL DAUGHTER by Noah Medlock</a></u></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdg3yO_DVHL_VG7AAswEpolIWkFWYy7lD3VyIFbl-IJ1jOp3V_TnK5KdLH9ILP1SWthC3Wjx1_bHJp8-fjB8JQnLC0eFP85lQZrY6H7Puf_I7jyvoljCRNr9no_5PsG4FA9xZtdfYL-BhLsNVY-HkKeR7_iIgDNR2CT2mL4LhciXsy_Cjo9GltICsV9eM/s1000/botanical%20daughter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="657" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdg3yO_DVHL_VG7AAswEpolIWkFWYy7lD3VyIFbl-IJ1jOp3V_TnK5KdLH9ILP1SWthC3Wjx1_bHJp8-fjB8JQnLC0eFP85lQZrY6H7Puf_I7jyvoljCRNr9no_5PsG4FA9xZtdfYL-BhLsNVY-HkKeR7_iIgDNR2CT2mL4LhciXsy_Cjo9GltICsV9eM/w263-h400/botanical%20daughter.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've been following Noah's writing journey online and I'm excited to finally get to read his debut novel that I've seen teasers of for a couple of years now! Everything about this Victorian Gothic novel sounds right up my alley.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This year, I'm also looking forward to catching up on a lot of series that I have missed out on over the past few years. I'm also interested in reading more non-fiction and maybe delving into more Fantasy books. I'm sure most of my reads will still consist of MM Romance and Paranormal, because those are my favorite genres. I also plan to sprinkle in some graphic novels and a few vintage middle-grade reads for fun.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll be posting what I'm reading on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14831793.Dez_Schwartz" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>and my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/books.with.dez" target="_blank">Bookstagram</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What's the top book you're most looking forward to reading this year?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As always, Happy Reading!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">❤ Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-30833206894948000632024-01-01T05:00:00.000-08:002024-01-01T05:00:00.128-08:00Happy New Year!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfg3BnUqVSNmbHYFK5VKwKSHJf7pOU6u6rmZ4qkAnintDEgy8Ps0wV6GZH3n3wK6XTRZ8lne6NZ9_ITRLmp1-rQlDV785Lmy1zUen6odqWSZ81BtUnP4UWcmVK6VAmHMmmKC91AZUf80uQJnzcyNhvTkGviqxp0beuJgMLpznPT0wEkO5-FFyk26gEQs/s1080/Happy%20New%20Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfg3BnUqVSNmbHYFK5VKwKSHJf7pOU6u6rmZ4qkAnintDEgy8Ps0wV6GZH3n3wK6XTRZ8lne6NZ9_ITRLmp1-rQlDV785Lmy1zUen6odqWSZ81BtUnP4UWcmVK6VAmHMmmKC91AZUf80uQJnzcyNhvTkGviqxp0beuJgMLpznPT0wEkO5-FFyk26gEQs/w640-h640/Happy%20New%20Year.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Happy New Year, friends!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">2023 was a wild ride of highs and lows. Everything from having my gallbladder removed to taking our 15th wedding anniversary trip to Walt Disney World! A few other highlights were seeing Blink-182 in concert, turning 40, and my daughter turning 20. From the writing/publishing side, it was a bit of a slow year for me (mostly due illness/surgery) so I only had the chance to write and publish one story: <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dapper-Detective-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B0CL2NX6QX" target="_blank">The Dapper Detective</a></i></b>. But I'm more than thrilled with that story and how well it was received! If you grabbed a copy already, thank you again for delving into the Nott Haven world!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIhhNBQDCrmBnIjoEO0k9mmosyHv1OvcL4hv2Dhk1EfgY3IC2ZrRUuWbeJVchSA845l7g5v_xyT3H9-EGQEkX76HYY2uyeCpVsIpyUUoKVUcGwbpvlBaKVEPiZYtXDpjK8KrlXeAx9rXvTcTNRiiIZQngKQFp90P0cs3QDeCTST6IWLokaPFanC_2jXo/s2000/2024%20Vision%20Board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIhhNBQDCrmBnIjoEO0k9mmosyHv1OvcL4hv2Dhk1EfgY3IC2ZrRUuWbeJVchSA845l7g5v_xyT3H9-EGQEkX76HYY2uyeCpVsIpyUUoKVUcGwbpvlBaKVEPiZYtXDpjK8KrlXeAx9rXvTcTNRiiIZQngKQFp90P0cs3QDeCTST6IWLokaPFanC_2jXo/w512-h640/2024%20Vision%20Board.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I haven't made New Year's resolutions in a while, opting to choose a "word for the year" the past few years. For 2024, I'm choosing a phrase! <i>Create Magic</i>. I really want this year to be about prioritizing creating new stories, art, and habits in my daily life that really enhance focusing on the magic in life. This means a lot more Dreampunk content will be heading your way!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are the stories I plan to write/publish this year:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm80T7NRoSG2JyzSv7H2z26zQEdmbRz7xza-YkEsUvF0j0k3ObIL4NVKiNSuNf11li5MOQQavZy8zHxnKvlH2GMeHq53CGh0mgj9kHf2suYRAhHUHWBt55JLgJjB0ZjkkCn2fadYPp2_32fXUKjZFFnTfg-G8v77kv7TdsMIcxxawUwSK-gcwHfDRGvt0/s1080/2024%20Writing%20Goals%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm80T7NRoSG2JyzSv7H2z26zQEdmbRz7xza-YkEsUvF0j0k3ObIL4NVKiNSuNf11li5MOQQavZy8zHxnKvlH2GMeHq53CGh0mgj9kHf2suYRAhHUHWBt55JLgJjB0ZjkkCn2fadYPp2_32fXUKjZFFnTfg-G8v77kv7TdsMIcxxawUwSK-gcwHfDRGvt0/w640-h640/2024%20Writing%20Goals%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also, as many of you know, social media has been an inconsistent and draining place for most of us. Platforms are being hijacked by their hate-spewing owners, algorithms are unforgiving, and just the general time-consumption of it all. So, I've really been putting a lot of thought into where I'm going to allocate my time when it comes to my online presence as an author. For the first quarter of the year (I'm going to see how it goes), I will mainly be on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dezschwartzauthor" target="_blank">Instagram</a> because even though the algorithm hates me there, I do generally enjoy using the platform more than any of the others. I plan to cross-post to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DezSchwartz" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. Other than that, I hope to update this blog more regularly and engage more on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14831793.Dez_Schwartz" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> (especially since I'd like to spend more time this coming year reading as much as I write). Please feel free to join me any of these places to keep up with my writing progress, my reading, sales, and new releases. I love engaging with my readers and I'm hoping that narrowing down the platforms that I'm on will help me to stay better connected with you all!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wishing you all a very happy and magical 2024! ✨</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">💜 Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-35523491109942043062023-11-04T07:03:00.000-07:002023-11-04T07:03:03.673-07:00THE DAPPER DETECTIVE is out NOW!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dapper-Detective-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B0CL2NX6QX" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr57AZdeNkWJbWB-a_OADLhJzZxwImp2Z5U0J71LBFs8F4tzfkf99vpbyHxlCtQ9SlB5by5lMZy4feU76k6VgDVYAAjBODEtwjkb3yqLrScyt59bJxCZCqJeWgPlNMqj_CiwNhadZQ8kyhmMTnHSnYZrks2NKzKp3Ycv0C9tN5SHMkMbCcmywXrjKGwS0/w640-h640/Dapper%20Detective%20OUT%20NOW%20IG.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>Happy Release Day to THE DAPPER DETECTIVE!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dapper-Detective-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B0CL2NX6QX" target="_blank">Get it today!</a></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That's right! My newest book baby has just been unleashed upon the world and I'm so excited to share the second installment of this duology with you all! I hope you love it as much as I do!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Read <a href="https://dezschwartz.blogspot.com/2023/10/writing-dapper-detective-behind-scenes.html" target="_blank">THIS POST</a> to find out more about the behind-the-scenes of writing this book.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Haven't read the first book? It's on sale for a limited time!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dandy-Medium-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B09BBK98NP/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGZqfCUcIYtG6ZnRubPkBgK5UmwIOMK8CZnhpWDNz3wEasZrf_UqRhZMa8Uzvyde2ivOIt9Q19_thyFDnKezVXi9rz48lX3lfgqdo0XGBqDtSwSEonQf0E_pb0znJ-ht4TTOTvggISIGo5JZvvf90K3BwNt2XXQ1vmx8oBzpHTxlCWkGhWa_G8jrTeCw/s320/Read%20where%20it%20all%20began!.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Happy Reading! ❤</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-68185651838346741632023-10-28T08:12:00.003-07:002023-10-28T08:12:48.462-07:00Writing THE DAPPER DETECTIVE: Behind The Scenes<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd2v-bhKBBOMeNMgTFpbXBpquhgf8YB3xTU5Rww4XD9CT5uTH9bm08GygQldAYhEFKzl7gONHoeLHpEkOmHgfQof3x_CoMyUkSau3Jpve_e6KApMccXZmrzyJGSos1lM7IVFRe6Sxg9BdoIpGmFhNs_Ubw9YshUS-3KlQKJrIoUxz4wImO31U3HfYCTQ/s435/dapper%20detective%20writing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="435" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd2v-bhKBBOMeNMgTFpbXBpquhgf8YB3xTU5Rww4XD9CT5uTH9bm08GygQldAYhEFKzl7gONHoeLHpEkOmHgfQof3x_CoMyUkSau3Jpve_e6KApMccXZmrzyJGSos1lM7IVFRe6Sxg9BdoIpGmFhNs_Ubw9YshUS-3KlQKJrIoUxz4wImO31U3HfYCTQ/w640-h520/dapper%20detective%20writing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dapper-Detective-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B0CL2NX6QX" target="_blank"><b>THE DAPPTER DETECTIVE</b></a> <b>releases in one week (November 4)!</b> I'm so excited to finally be able to share the sequel to <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dandy-Medium-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B09BBK98NP/" target="_blank">THE DANDY MEDIUM</a> </b>with you all! This story has been a journey to write and it's so satisfying to finally see it being published and ready for the world.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I began writing <b>THE DAPPER DETECTIVE</b> at a time when my life vastly changed. Due to medical bills and *gestures widely at the economic state of things*, I went back to work full-time. As you can imagine, it's taken me quite a while (a year now) to find my optimum writing time with a fully packed life schedule. Especially, as someone who primarily feels like writing comes more naturally in the middle of the day (not very doable with a full-time job). Along with trying to optimize my schedule, I ended up facing more health challenges which slowed me down. The short version is that over the past year, I had COVID for two weeks and a mysterious illness for several months which turned out to be a distended gallbladder that I then had to have removed. Shortly after recovering from that, I switched jobs and had to have time to adjust to another schedule. All of this is to say that writing this book was a struggle, not because of the story but because life was just A LOT. But then again, when is it not? Even though it took me much longer to finish this story than I would have liked, I'm extremely proud of how it turned out. And although it took me a full year, I finally feel as though I'm finding a good writing groove again and I'm looking forward to creating more stories!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4LWHP6D7O5eIM2VgWLlvnQyGqKfAC4deiJ3Vw_D3yy9C1XU6aAPdqWP4ors83n7w16fsTb7Gt4RjpTvoLbiAuTcfP9OGWDhSzn3_5gSaJ1YtNckNcwaJ_LOfNGipwYNE68JjXJ5Z-eAodEEsNtujpe0QR_h-X5FbfH6huxm-aysWkdF56JBMZ0f7Aw0/s1080/Alfie%20Hughes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4LWHP6D7O5eIM2VgWLlvnQyGqKfAC4deiJ3Vw_D3yy9C1XU6aAPdqWP4ors83n7w16fsTb7Gt4RjpTvoLbiAuTcfP9OGWDhSzn3_5gSaJ1YtNckNcwaJ_LOfNGipwYNE68JjXJ5Z-eAodEEsNtujpe0QR_h-X5FbfH6huxm-aysWkdF56JBMZ0f7Aw0/w640-h640/Alfie%20Hughes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>THE DAPPER DETECTIVE</b> picks up shortly after the events of <b>THE DANDY MEDIUM</b>. Alfie and Sebastian have been working together on cases for months and Alfie has realized that he's ready to make the permanent change from working out of Madame Violetta's psychic shop to being a full-time consulting medium in Sebastian's department. But leaving the Night District doesn't wind up being the positive change he's hoping it will be.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Supernaturals begin to go missing and Francis, the lead vampire of the Crimson Bat Society, reaches out to a reluctant Alfie for help in solving the disappearances.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this second installment, we dive deeper into the world of Nott Haven's vampires, werewolves, and the founding families' secrets. Alfie and Sebastian must fight their way through cemetery brawls, vampiric curses, betrayal, and the effects of a rare magic mushroom.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLjfw0yakHxzW_zcvnsZ2qvHc9xFXYXuZ_C_bmBoPdfR5pDJO1QqTJ5d5ZKEWIwibHJHkPiLuydRH8nYxg2-remDDQpSlaWf49mXJloENqp0gEivAj9MYiYRr3QgOEQgAdPP48NwAQYQeYxJLlmfioSd1qBcrEDAnl7X55OkMII-uRIdOdR_mhn90J9I/s1080/Sebastian%20Davies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLjfw0yakHxzW_zcvnsZ2qvHc9xFXYXuZ_C_bmBoPdfR5pDJO1QqTJ5d5ZKEWIwibHJHkPiLuydRH8nYxg2-remDDQpSlaWf49mXJloENqp0gEivAj9MYiYRr3QgOEQgAdPP48NwAQYQeYxJLlmfioSd1qBcrEDAnl7X55OkMII-uRIdOdR_mhn90J9I/w640-h640/Sebastian%20Davies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As with every story, one of my favorite parts of the writing process is immersing myself in inspiring imagery and music. These curated pictures and songs are a reflection of the characters I've developed and the scenes I've crafted. Feel free to enjoy diving into my inspo board and playlist!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/dezschwartz/the-dandy-medium/the-dapper-detective/" target="_blank">INSPIRATION BOARD on Pinterest</a></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7vGwhmwbq4lPKZuo6mKsIm" target="_blank"><b>SPOTIFY PLAYLIST</b></a></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fdBtZvzxOh5wGowcU-kGQJINQM60VUYipCZTd8EcNOlDE1oB9nPw5TpT0moBdd5zOxrdp-RJRZodfMAb6dFu0CVHYwKZKz7grBPuB1Thr9HSSJiDpo6zZrVORuLOVym6EbTEVUX4doY97mVErOMdSzPYndVmRos9hXZQkTMQN_4jKBMzEIcM02_wUOQ/s819/writing%20desk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="819" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fdBtZvzxOh5wGowcU-kGQJINQM60VUYipCZTd8EcNOlDE1oB9nPw5TpT0moBdd5zOxrdp-RJRZodfMAb6dFu0CVHYwKZKz7grBPuB1Thr9HSSJiDpo6zZrVORuLOVym6EbTEVUX4doY97mVErOMdSzPYndVmRos9hXZQkTMQN_4jKBMzEIcM02_wUOQ/w640-h606/writing%20desk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><u>What's Next?</u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first question I get with any book release is always: "When does the next one come out?" 😅 </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, the next book in line to release is actually the follow-up to the Dreampunk anthology, <b>MIRRORMAZE</b>. The second anthology, <b>SOMNISCOPE</b>, is set to be released by early 2024. I have a short story included titled, <b>Looped</b>. If you like surrealism and psychiatric ward settings, then be sure to grab a copy once preorders go up! I'll keep you updated.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As for my Nott Haven books, I'd originally planned for this to be a duology. And it, quite possibly, will stay as that. However, while this book doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it does end with a lingering sense that things aren't over; and the Nott Haven world has proven to be so rich in characters and possibilities that I'm considering revisiting it at some point. I don't know if it would be more Alfie/Sebastian stories or spin-off stories set in the same town but featuring other characters (I'd love to write from Roxie and Bernard's perspectives at some point). There's hope for more, but they're down the list in terms of priority of projects for the time being.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My next writing project, which I'm currently outlining and world-building, is a new LGBTQ Dreampunk series! If you enjoyed my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QWNKLNX?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tukn" target="_blank"><b>ROAM</b></a> series then you'll probably love this one too. I haven't decided if it will be set in the ROAMverse or if it will completely be its own thing; still ruminating on that. I like the idea that cameos could happen, but I also see the value in starting fresh. I'll share more as that project moves along!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">To keep up with my writing projects, please follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dezschwartzauthor" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DezSchwartz" target="_blank">Facebook</a> as I'm most active on those two platforms.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As always, thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support! Being able to share the characters and worlds I create with other people who love them as much as I do is the best gift and keeps me motivated to keep imagining exciting new stories! I hope you all enjoy <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dapper-Detective-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B0CL2NX6QX" target="_blank"><b>THE DAPPER DETECTIVE</b></a>!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Your Friend in Words,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">❤ Dez </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-79202672319602224482023-10-18T06:29:00.005-07:002023-10-18T06:29:52.218-07:00Pre-Order THE DAPPER DETECTIVE Today!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbal-a8XB2qECCsWnBuvp-P1Ji-Z2hvX7I4sWJ5YoK5ixHozYK35cgK4LAWMH5YD5W2N2cWs4f2sPtUKzvy-Epa2EsUZJU8XepNYrgB6-RpR1SQHlr6v32XbwKVL1VqY0EzS8g87xCZFE5P_qz9Tj-lpCaFFJ-9URt5o5_ldgUiH4OJiIbXkRGzeHatw/s1080/NOVEMBER%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbal-a8XB2qECCsWnBuvp-P1Ji-Z2hvX7I4sWJ5YoK5ixHozYK35cgK4LAWMH5YD5W2N2cWs4f2sPtUKzvy-Epa2EsUZJU8XepNYrgB6-RpR1SQHlr6v32XbwKVL1VqY0EzS8g87xCZFE5P_qz9Tj-lpCaFFJ-9URt5o5_ldgUiH4OJiIbXkRGzeHatw/w640-h640/NOVEMBER%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><i>The Dapper Detective releases November 4th!</i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dapper-Detective-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B0CL2NX6QX" target="_blank">PRE-ORDER NOW</a></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img alt="🖤" class="r-4qtqp9 r-dflpy8 r-sjv1od r-zw8f10 r-10akycc r-h9hxbl" draggable="false" src="https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f5a4.svg" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline-block; height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0.075em; margin-right: 0.075em; text-align: start; vertical-align: -20%; white-space-collapse: preserve; width: 1.2em;" title="Black heart" /><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> LGBTQ Paranormal
</span><img alt="🎩" class="r-4qtqp9 r-dflpy8 r-sjv1od r-zw8f10 r-10akycc r-h9hxbl" draggable="false" src="https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f3a9.svg" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline-block; height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0.075em; margin-right: 0.075em; text-align: start; vertical-align: -20%; white-space-collapse: preserve; width: 1.2em;" title="Top hat" /><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Victorian Gothic Gaslamp Fantasy
</span><img alt="🦇" class="r-4qtqp9 r-dflpy8 r-sjv1od r-zw8f10 r-10akycc r-h9hxbl" draggable="false" src="https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f987.svg" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline-block; height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0.075em; margin-right: 0.075em; text-align: start; vertical-align: -20%; white-space-collapse: preserve; width: 1.2em;" title="Bat" /><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Vampire Murder Mystery
</span><img alt="🍄" class="r-4qtqp9 r-dflpy8 r-sjv1od r-zw8f10 r-10akycc r-h9hxbl" draggable="false" src="https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f344.svg" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline-block; height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0.075em; margin-right: 0.075em; text-align: start; vertical-align: -20%; white-space-collapse: preserve; width: 1.2em;" title="Mushroom" /><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Magic Mushrooms & Cemetery Brawls</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-12522028293099452672023-09-23T08:49:00.005-07:002023-09-23T08:49:47.214-07:00The Dapper Detective Cover Reveal!<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: white;"> Cover + Blurb Reveal</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: white;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyO2v0TaAD3TgrwA8BzJPavBEmxYLnu10yBWJqm0A2fafOjnz354vl5I6Rbgs_6MtqReQ-ECYIMfa4Hsdkee_gk2-KlBdazTrNjZ_PK0zbbF5YRcYV3FagosFNDT7ALFCEWIVCyoXT0ZV7TrnMTFPXG_b0LTV9aStv0g3Rz9jdcNlk3YSDOUEFf7Q7MCA/s1080/Dapper%20Detective%20Cover%20Reveal%20IG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyO2v0TaAD3TgrwA8BzJPavBEmxYLnu10yBWJqm0A2fafOjnz354vl5I6Rbgs_6MtqReQ-ECYIMfa4Hsdkee_gk2-KlBdazTrNjZ_PK0zbbF5YRcYV3FagosFNDT7ALFCEWIVCyoXT0ZV7TrnMTFPXG_b0LTV9aStv0g3Rz9jdcNlk3YSDOUEFf7Q7MCA/w640-h640/Dapper%20Detective%20Cover%20Reveal%20IG.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Solving murders is easy. Surviving them is another story."</span></i></b></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">I'm thrilled to finally share the cover for THE DAPPER DETECTIVE with you all! Book releases later this Fall! <span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="🦇" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t69/1.5/16/1f987.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BLURB</span></b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Alfie Hughes, a dandy medium and consulting spiritualist to the homicide department of Nόtt Haven, is ready for a vacation from ghostly visitors and paranormal predicaments. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">But when Alfie and his partner, Detective Sebastian Davies, are summoned by the vampire leader of the Crimson Bat Society to investigate the disappearances of supernatural members of the Night District, Alfie is forced to put those daydreams on hold.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">What should have been a simple investigation might very well change their lives forever. That is, if they’re lucky enough to survive solving the case.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>From author Dez Schwartz comes a bloodthirsty and haunting sequel to '<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dandy-Medium-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B09BBK98NP?fbclid=IwAR0eAVvJcLQRUugpD7zEwsz4GUUGeBxTrdz9LA3wTi-VzRAO0UzaT2O_KrM" target="_blank">The Dandy Medium</a>'.</i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63060615-the-dapper-detective?fbclid=IwAR0OcqcygeBifA4rkK3KBoE6SNmAYnzhpccQLRhHzl4WJXwE2r6UkjiYGQA" target="_blank">ADD IT ON GOODREADS</a></span></b></span></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-52548521286044634212023-08-09T06:15:00.003-07:002023-08-09T06:15:47.179-07:00Happy 2nd Bookiversary to The Dandy Medium!<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mdqGlW" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kLjvOaHX6iliiasQ8xGY_EnnL7aQTDY0-meehaepdNBMClniF9v4VhF21YyS_XeM1E_zVclrTKkCvfugq5o1VzTGKzTMysdRN0Ck3XKmps2HS9HRmCy6R5bunpm3UwIu-pX8ZoYSSyS9w-LFCj95Z90sfwHGb8w7hmKlnE3aSX4ZcMYB-HmPwcvZYiU/w640-h640/Dandy%20Medium%2099%20cent.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span class="x1xsqp64 xiy17q3 x1o6pynw x19co3pv xdj266r xcwd3tp xat24cr x39eecv x2b8uid" data-testid="emoji" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t5c/1.5/16/1f3a9.png"); background-size: 16px 16px; cursor: default;"><span class="xexx8yu xn5pp95 x18d9i69 x2fxd7x x1yqt14a x1bhl96m">🎩</span></span><span class="x1xsqp64 xiy17q3 x1o6pynw x19co3pv xdj266r xcwd3tp xat24cr x39eecv x2b8uid" data-testid="emoji" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/td9/1.5/16/1f52e.png"); background-size: 16px 16px; cursor: default;"><span class="xexx8yu xn5pp95 x18d9i69 x2fxd7x x1yqt14a x1bhl96m">🔮</span></span> <b><span style="color: #800180;">Happy 2nd Bookiversary to 'The Dandy Medium'! </span></b>Celebrating with a 99 cent sale now through Aug. 15th!<br /><br /><span class="x1xsqp64 xiy17q3 x1o6pynw x19co3pv xdj266r xcwd3tp xat24cr x39eecv x2b8uid" data-testid="emoji" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t5c/1.5/16/1f3a9.png"); background-size: 16px 16px; cursor: default;"><span class="xexx8yu xn5pp95 x18d9i69 x2fxd7x x1yqt14a x1bhl96m">🎩</span></span><span class="x1xsqp64 xiy17q3 x1o6pynw x19co3pv xdj266r xcwd3tp xat24cr x39eecv x2b8uid" data-testid="emoji" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/td9/1.5/16/1f52e.png"); background-size: 16px 16px; cursor: default;"><span class="xexx8yu xn5pp95 x18d9i69 x2fxd7x x1yqt14a x1bhl96m">🔮</span></span> THE DANDY MEDIUM: <a class="x1fey0fg xmper1u x1edh9d7" href="https://books2read.com/u/mdqGlW">https://books2read.com/u/mdqGlW</a><br /><br /><span class="x1xsqp64 xiy17q3 x1o6pynw x19co3pv xdj266r xcwd3tp xat24cr x39eecv x2b8uid" data-testid="emoji" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/td9/1.5/16/1f52e.png"); background-size: 16px 16px; cursor: default;"><span class="xexx8yu xn5pp95 x18d9i69 x2fxd7x x1yqt14a x1bhl96m">🔮</span></span> His problem isn't communing with the dead. It's communicating with the living. <span class="x1xsqp64 xiy17q3 x1o6pynw x19co3pv xdj266r xcwd3tp xat24cr x39eecv x2b8uid" data-testid="emoji" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/td9/1.5/16/1f52e.png"); background-size: 16px 16px; cursor: default;"><span class="xexx8yu xn5pp95 x18d9i69 x2fxd7x x1yqt14a x1bhl96m">🔮</span></span></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Alfred “Alfie” Hughes is a spiritual medium who has more than enough people in his social circle. Unfortunately, they're all dead. That is until Detective Sebastian Davies arrives in Nótt Haven, a tourist town known for its active nightlife, and deems Alfie's abilities—perhaps, even his company—worthy of closer inspection.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">A circus performer, known as The World Bender, mysteriously disappears and a slew of peculiar murders accumulate. Suspecting foul play as unusual as the crimes themselves, Sebastian enlists Alfie to guide him through the town's supernatural underbelly to find answers; and, in the process, Alfie might solve the biggest enigma of all: human connection.</span></span></i></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-64028429408238653442023-07-24T06:01:00.004-07:002023-07-24T06:01:52.152-07:00Camp NaNoWriMo Update<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoWjYEV98eh48X13M05xb_4MrDi9wOjEJTjAhgVAeleFxHD9xj8we8xK0PremtZvyVdjIhG6I-wjh2HCPmgMLYI1zj_xTDSFQfMfWcBnKi-12xYCXynra78BVfizH8KWlRdjYzs7AmgGWUskql_PjPIR1SeJaNHjqK5ylnSh59grWKKYpHKq8NPAsbLQ/s1512/Dez%20Schwartz%20Writing.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoWjYEV98eh48X13M05xb_4MrDi9wOjEJTjAhgVAeleFxHD9xj8we8xK0PremtZvyVdjIhG6I-wjh2HCPmgMLYI1zj_xTDSFQfMfWcBnKi-12xYCXynra78BVfizH8KWlRdjYzs7AmgGWUskql_PjPIR1SeJaNHjqK5ylnSh59grWKKYpHKq8NPAsbLQ/w640-h640/Dez%20Schwartz%20Writing.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I had intended to post a Camp NaNoWriMo update halfway through the month and then got too busy and forgot! But we're nearing the end now and I'm here to report that I've made it halfway through my developmental edits of <b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63060615-the-dapper-detective" target="_blank">The Dapper Detective</a></i></b>! This means I'm right on track to where I'd hoped to be at this point.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My goal is to now finish up the rest of the dev edits over the next two weeks and then I can begin a short round of, what I like to call, "Atmospheric Edits". This is where I go through the manuscript and make sure to sprinkle in descriptions that help maintain the atmosphere/vibe of the story throughout. I've actually done pretty well with this in the manuscript so far, so that should only take a few short writing sessions and then I'll be on to line edits.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One of my favorite parts of revisions/edits is coming across lines I've written but forgotten about and feeling as though the characters took on a life of their own and wrote them themselves. Here's one of my favorites from this story:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStWq4S2LgyV5y6AGkA01Zb0xRCvKTN9a_71MODOUgST0xNlXcfDm80vawQkIK5Cfc4M5j51SD1EFI9tvK8GZrjiwHKvf9t2NzwCy-oQGcyGD_l6-VxfUCzSbXJbo3-Lk3Gv4AlZCmHdAoPSLhJ_roaLsIUAwXPT4X_WFfVpkqAupnq5QbTu5By0pfd-k/s1080/DD%20Quote%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStWq4S2LgyV5y6AGkA01Zb0xRCvKTN9a_71MODOUgST0xNlXcfDm80vawQkIK5Cfc4M5j51SD1EFI9tvK8GZrjiwHKvf9t2NzwCy-oQGcyGD_l6-VxfUCzSbXJbo3-Lk3Gv4AlZCmHdAoPSLhJ_roaLsIUAwXPT4X_WFfVpkqAupnq5QbTu5By0pfd-k/w640-h640/DD%20Quote%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'm so excited to be one step closer to getting to release this book and share this story with you all!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Have a great week and Happy Reading!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">❤ Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-46982984958515214292023-07-17T04:30:00.006-07:002023-07-17T04:30:00.134-07:00My 40th Birthday!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLOboMxoPSxtUho9BWYwVn9LFQrhWPjn1hLP8tpMrAhcZJgV-3_q7zh4mzfXqicmM1JZD3YPLLUqX4jwfux0dESoodzX660DOotJ8tzePcgoKICqfSO0YVzpO2joz1s82Dy7or5a1nynCYQnHAFJqrtotcEVfEbaVOQwfNdDQxrQKCQ11Ic7kQMy3dN4/s803/image2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="803" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLOboMxoPSxtUho9BWYwVn9LFQrhWPjn1hLP8tpMrAhcZJgV-3_q7zh4mzfXqicmM1JZD3YPLLUqX4jwfux0dESoodzX660DOotJ8tzePcgoKICqfSO0YVzpO2joz1s82Dy7or5a1nynCYQnHAFJqrtotcEVfEbaVOQwfNdDQxrQKCQ11Ic7kQMy3dN4/w400-h400/image2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I honestly cannot believe that I'm 40 now! At the same time, I'm totally fine with it. The last year of my 30s was all about acceptance; not only of myself, but of where I'm at in life. And what I realized was that I'd actually accomplished a LOT in my first forty years of existence (I say "first" because I'm hoping for forty more. haha). I grew so much, both literally and in terms of experience, education, and skill development. And I'm fully ready now to implement everything I've learned up to this point to live the rest of my life on my own terms and continue working toward my bigger goals.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And I can't think of a better way to have celebrated my 40th birthday than getting to go see my favorite band in concert!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdkRvwXoosILZovKLrMtOsP_i7ovthp4hobeLfITbtQn-94aM_S9haNKwGO4E61jxhdNhb4vHptuY6ehOR-oR7v5mSWipxkwxxzvMWzLAfLL5ao9uFMcsgroURSfY75B71l0E8ivnYsgIIc58SMy1Wh-i0UavVA9qNqv5-uBb9wTLE-t99VFjOOeJdxY/s1280/image3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdkRvwXoosILZovKLrMtOsP_i7ovthp4hobeLfITbtQn-94aM_S9haNKwGO4E61jxhdNhb4vHptuY6ehOR-oR7v5mSWipxkwxxzvMWzLAfLL5ao9uFMcsgroURSfY75B71l0E8ivnYsgIIc58SMy1Wh-i0UavVA9qNqv5-uBb9wTLE-t99VFjOOeJdxY/w200-h200/image3.jpeg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ALLySuNrj1_2GgsG5s0QZhtj1kg4qLOm-NpAWgbL_XRDsLmLvf0XP7eH7hjSKiRCaxljZQ3wgkIHXG2s-I9aEq4_WeV6Utw0CS1t-yYnKQ-TjnIwSINk9Qz8o9XW9__eC82tOZEYEB0fZzMaZqf5ygmTWp4Dy_Ad1YRXbZkvGWMtjEG4HPxg49QafIk/s488/image0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="488" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ALLySuNrj1_2GgsG5s0QZhtj1kg4qLOm-NpAWgbL_XRDsLmLvf0XP7eH7hjSKiRCaxljZQ3wgkIHXG2s-I9aEq4_WeV6Utw0CS1t-yYnKQ-TjnIwSINk9Qz8o9XW9__eC82tOZEYEB0fZzMaZqf5ygmTWp4Dy_Ad1YRXbZkvGWMtjEG4HPxg49QafIk/w200-h200/image0.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've been a Blink-182 fan since I was 15 and this was my first time to finally see them live. Such an amazing experience and I'm so glad I got to share it with my family!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I spend a lot of time working on my goals, thinking about things I want to do next, and feeling as though there's never enough time to do everything I aspire to do. But I took some time this weekend to remind myself that I've actually accomplished a lot of amazing things in my life already and I should be more mindful to be proud of myself instead of just always focusing on "what's next".</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In my first 40 years of life I've built a wonderful family, earned a BFA in Studio Art, worked for a decade in Advertising, had my art shown and sold in galleries, connected with celebrity clients, written and published a dozen books, worked at an art museum, and visited Walt Disney World several times. That's a lot of amazing stuff! And it's crazy that I never take a moment to just breathe and be proud. I just keep going, going, going. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, I'm hoping my next 40 years will be even more fruitful and I'll be more mindful to take the time to appreciate where I'm at with every step.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wx4eHkcw8zpFb0m_ijkcyEsxMGvS-qJEzHExoi8lzZzUNgbFvLFBgz-LKzCjfPvtdyUIlpwpg5HlGda21ly8X91IQA1BlIa_-aAwIzlFYRYBriVnRZemEX0TbJmgJC-DfCDey5YkztJ5KTLiHRAxrS_LnhhpIwgQQAWnWAvL7hDH-qzJHxUQftp9qzE/s1278/image1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wx4eHkcw8zpFb0m_ijkcyEsxMGvS-qJEzHExoi8lzZzUNgbFvLFBgz-LKzCjfPvtdyUIlpwpg5HlGda21ly8X91IQA1BlIa_-aAwIzlFYRYBriVnRZemEX0TbJmgJC-DfCDey5YkztJ5KTLiHRAxrS_LnhhpIwgQQAWnWAvL7hDH-qzJHxUQftp9qzE/w376-h640/image1.jpeg" width="376" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Love you all and thank you for being a part of this awesome journey called life!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">❤ Dez</span></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-2953721643258979242023-07-10T04:30:00.001-07:002023-07-10T04:30:00.139-07:00Summer TBR Pile<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_c8qm2B27ZY1VsJFdBfsu5R2pMIqEDy9YoVUb1GnHWsKlbRkRffMM1ElmshWqaYLj87EgWMFfj8i-fakKdS37_dmJbtq9RvkZwZrwfy3vHJYmcFY4GBxhEL75W1lePshafSwadErNOV21Vz7n7O1RpKjJ7HHMHSaoGD03Y5YO6w_waalq9cJ8ua5oTes/s1500/TBR%20Pile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1500" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_c8qm2B27ZY1VsJFdBfsu5R2pMIqEDy9YoVUb1GnHWsKlbRkRffMM1ElmshWqaYLj87EgWMFfj8i-fakKdS37_dmJbtq9RvkZwZrwfy3vHJYmcFY4GBxhEL75W1lePshafSwadErNOV21Vz7n7O1RpKjJ7HHMHSaoGD03Y5YO6w_waalq9cJ8ua5oTes/w640-h214/TBR%20Pile.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We'll use the term "pile" figuratively here, because I don't already own the physical copies of most of the books I'm going to list. But here are the books that I'm looking forward to reading this summer!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrk1Zi6k-yEVrOMm6hKtDzYFwe-5E_-LLe8I0IYYUeI8fNxGzp9ogu4Y2Wj4BCXQI2ZI8yEgLytdDudjOtGfoi7TImCdsbFCWXSGWW52tIZTP1qAJVLOu9Eu2rAE0j5j4b3u5FgzNzWMqzZc3-MxYE5o01R4xqjSbOAMVehHRbKClbq0P_sku0CSHCcU/s475/lss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrk1Zi6k-yEVrOMm6hKtDzYFwe-5E_-LLe8I0IYYUeI8fNxGzp9ogu4Y2Wj4BCXQI2ZI8yEgLytdDudjOtGfoi7TImCdsbFCWXSGWW52tIZTP1qAJVLOu9Eu2rAE0j5j4b3u5FgzNzWMqzZc3-MxYE5o01R4xqjSbOAMVehHRbKClbq0P_sku0CSHCcU/s320/lss.jpg" width="211" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrk1Zi6k-yEVrOMm6hKtDzYFwe-5E_-LLe8I0IYYUeI8fNxGzp9ogu4Y2Wj4BCXQI2ZI8yEgLytdDudjOtGfoi7TImCdsbFCWXSGWW52tIZTP1qAJVLOu9Eu2rAE0j5j4b3u5FgzNzWMqzZc3-MxYE5o01R4xqjSbOAMVehHRbKClbq0P_sku0CSHCcU/s475/lss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrk1Zi6k-yEVrOMm6hKtDzYFwe-5E_-LLe8I0IYYUeI8fNxGzp9ogu4Y2Wj4BCXQI2ZI8yEgLytdDudjOtGfoi7TImCdsbFCWXSGWW52tIZTP1qAJVLOu9Eu2rAE0j5j4b3u5FgzNzWMqzZc3-MxYE5o01R4xqjSbOAMVehHRbKClbq0P_sku0CSHCcU/s475/lss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><p></p><h4 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: Copernicus, "Libre Baskerville", Georgia, serif; font-size: 3.6rem; line-height: 4.6rem; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">The London Séance Society</h4><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>by Sarah Penner</b></h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A spellbinding tale about two daring women who hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">1873.</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-sJIFbPDLT-0xTmQJ-3QzqVv7MhPXNnnJFejPLFxGfAToPVU08VOaFWU4prIStIFXsC1cd1O_utSyLdFWiERk69UzSc9fd1A44Tf4nKQd3ceBT2P8VOeOluNZ3u3Uv2SX4x77PikHhltA6yT4-wLjfS4cyzah1kcxOiY_XAJl-FSyGx6bj1aIXBADkw/s2775/muses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1838" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-sJIFbPDLT-0xTmQJ-3QzqVv7MhPXNnnJFejPLFxGfAToPVU08VOaFWU4prIStIFXsC1cd1O_utSyLdFWiERk69UzSc9fd1A44Tf4nKQd3ceBT2P8VOeOluNZ3u3Uv2SX4x77PikHhltA6yT4-wLjfS4cyzah1kcxOiY_XAJl-FSyGx6bj1aIXBADkw/s320/muses.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><h1 aria-label="Book title: Sirens & Muses" class="Text Text__title1" data-testid="bookTitle" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: Copernicus, "Libre Baskerville", Georgia, serif; font-size: 3.6rem; line-height: 4.6rem; margin: 0px;">Sirens & Muses</h1></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>by Antonia Angress</b></h2><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It’s 2011: America is in a deep recession and Occupy Wall Street is escalating. But at the elite Wrynn College of Art, students paint and sculpt in a rarefied bubble. Louisa Arceneaux is a thoughtful, observant nineteen-year-old when she transfers to Wrynn as a scholarship student, but she soon finds herself adrift in an environment that prizes novelty over beauty. Complicating matters is Louisa’s unexpected attraction to her charismatic roommate, Karina Piontek, the preternaturally gifted but mercurial daughter of wealthy art collectors. Gradually, Louisa and Karina are drawn into an intense sensual and artistic relationship, one that forces them to confront their deepest desires and fears. But Karina also can’t shake her fascination with Preston Utley, a senior and anti-capitalist Internet provocateur, who is publicly feuding with visiting professor and political painter Robert Berger—a once-controversial figurehead seeking to regain relevance.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When Preston concocts an explosive hoax, the fates of all four artists are upended as each is unexpectedly thrust into the cutthroat New York art world. Now all must struggle to find new identities in art, in society, and among each other. In the process, they must find either their most authentic terms of life—of success, failure, and joy—or risk losing themselves altogether.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">With a canny, critical eye, Sirens & Muses overturns notions of class, money, art, youth, and a generation’s fight to own their future.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1JJjLar4dEKOzWcEOsL3DaFth87EjIZV0hRalDPyhQYFy6a2ypWLF2EseeidcAgKFIEBHEsDhhOc57ecsklnn_HVhfBPpLDjDQFjX8c2ca-DC4YE3UL5sNgYVbN5_MbfchPkpkbrSaHae3LGxpsmyAKdYqDAVziwoc9JlsCGe8kgq9yb0G5FgshCTcA/s745/dreamland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1JJjLar4dEKOzWcEOsL3DaFth87EjIZV0hRalDPyhQYFy6a2ypWLF2EseeidcAgKFIEBHEsDhhOc57ecsklnn_HVhfBPpLDjDQFjX8c2ca-DC4YE3UL5sNgYVbN5_MbfchPkpkbrSaHae3LGxpsmyAKdYqDAVziwoc9JlsCGe8kgq9yb0G5FgshCTcA/s320/dreamland.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><h1 aria-label="Book title: The Fine Print" class="Text Text__title1" data-testid="bookTitle" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: Copernicus, "Libre Baskerville", Georgia, serif; font-size: 3.6rem; line-height: 4.6rem; margin: 0px;">The Fine Print</h1><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>by Lauren Asher</b></h2><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600;">Rowan</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I'm in the business of creating fairy tales.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Theme parks. Production companies. Five-star hotels.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Everything could be all mine if I renovated Dreamland.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">My initial idea of hiring Zahra was good in theory, but then I kissed her.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Things spiraled out of control once I texted her using an alias.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">By the time I realized where I went wrong, it was too late.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">People like me don't get happy endings.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Not when we're destined to ruin them.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600;">Zahra</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">After submitting a drunk proposal criticizing Dreamland's most expensive ride, I should have been fired.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Instead, Rowan Kane offered me a dream job.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The catch? I had to work for the most difficult boss I'd ever met.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Rowan was rude and completely off-limits, but my heart didn't care.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">At least not until I discovered his secret.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It was time to teach the billionaire that money couldn't fix everything.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Especially not us.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Fine Print is the first book in a series of interconnected standalones following three billionaire brothers.</i></div><div><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhIC1PUdXIwb4rFnIePJk6hYJURniEDXINTDArnWDMQ4raISCcPeM2PdVNDzF8OwG0u1OKXWBoTjo-yLZ0ZgQJKuEkevsrBmyI6QLCIkz41eb0yDQIyBN5zAe5Jl5WKDUK8YU-XWlRQlT-_4dnlIzOhNo2pjy73ilm9Y7gMUVl44BdWHs48ed8_RCcbo/s2048/saddlehill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1376" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhIC1PUdXIwb4rFnIePJk6hYJURniEDXINTDArnWDMQ4raISCcPeM2PdVNDzF8OwG0u1OKXWBoTjo-yLZ0ZgQJKuEkevsrBmyI6QLCIkz41eb0yDQIyBN5zAe5Jl5WKDUK8YU-XWlRQlT-_4dnlIzOhNo2pjy73ilm9Y7gMUVl44BdWHs48ed8_RCcbo/s320/saddlehill.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><h1 aria-label="Book title: Sweet & Bitter Rivals" class="Text Text__title1" data-testid="bookTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Copernicus, "Libre Baskerville", Georgia, serif; font-size: 3.6rem; font-style: normal; line-height: 4.6rem; margin: 0px;">Sweet & Bitter Rivals</h1><div style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">by Jessica Burkhart</span></b></h2><div><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;">Abby St. Clair can’t wait to start another season with her elite riding team at her boarding school. She has something to prove after literally falling on her face during the biggest competition of the year the previous season. And she could really use a win after her mom left her family, her dad remarried, and Abby’s new stepsister, Emery, proved to be a strong rider and stiff competition.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;">Abby wants to return to some semblance of normal but is hiding a secret: she accidentally cost her biggest rival, Selly, a chance at team captain. Then Abby begins to receive anonymous messages, threatening to expose her unwitting sabotage and a video that makes it look like she’s trash-talking Emery. With an important competition on the horizon and the knowledge that someone in her circle knows way too much about her, the pressure is on.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;">Abby tries to put on blinders and have the perfect meet with her horse, Beau, but she’s about to find out the hard way that secrets don’t make friends at Saddlehill Academy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUEloKRufd3l-A2Vr8mOdcMkIrgntnxeryJ6B_PYZa55FUN8ZHptFP04edQUGcbOMMawCx0TipPxFyppJh1oO3V7lMjWPFk-K1G6PUyWj-GVxut_jIu-8jKXJhax1nEDDQQLl4xfiIieCzYOzxEobyLN5SKFQ8pV8o0dWVWYA5ESB51J4xoyk_cvQUdk/s400/creative.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUEloKRufd3l-A2Vr8mOdcMkIrgntnxeryJ6B_PYZa55FUN8ZHptFP04edQUGcbOMMawCx0TipPxFyppJh1oO3V7lMjWPFk-K1G6PUyWj-GVxut_jIu-8jKXJhax1nEDDQQLl4xfiIieCzYOzxEobyLN5SKFQ8pV8o0dWVWYA5ESB51J4xoyk_cvQUdk/s320/creative.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></span></div><h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: Copernicus, "Libre Baskerville", Georgia, serif; font-size: 3.6rem; line-height: 4.6rem; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Inspiring Creativity Through Magick</h2></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>by Astrea Taylor</b></h2><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Find Your Creative Spirit in Every Magickal Act Art is inherently magickal and you, as an artist, are a magician who can ritualize any creative endeavor. Sharing an impressive collection of spells, rituals, deities, and lore, Astrea Taylor helps you bring to life the story, painting, sculpture, or music you've been dreaming about. This book is designed to guide you through the entire creative process. You'll draw inspiration from spirits and the four elements to complete your rough draft, and then use the principles of alchemy to transform it into a masterpiece. Astrea also provides deep insight on releasing your art into the world, resting between projects, and persevering through hard times. From handling criticism to awakening the guiding spirit of your art, this book shares numerous exercises to get your creativity flowing and keep it going. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Have you read any of these? If so, what were your thoughts on them? Let me know in the comments!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Proxima Nova, Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Your Readerly & Writerly Friend,</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Proxima Nova, Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Dez ❤</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-26952819952951353072023-06-26T04:30:00.007-07:002023-06-26T04:30:00.145-07:00Camp NaNoWriMo: July 2023 Edition<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIPBbIZvLMqi1PIu74eytlH5VmqNERam2mNjS1ce4QzF0suZ9d-GQmIefwqXXuUnt-6_ZJ4fs2ot3IZ4baEjGVUrPpE2i8_2SRpwJuDSizeAmRwDwwuJ-1tzQmWkceXj4XxrDC5HPDd_tKvjimbM0YOq7-OfkhpfPFIlgJuXywgNNEuEgNVZ85X4t9QQ/s1079/Camp-Nano-23_writer-badge_final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1079" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIPBbIZvLMqi1PIu74eytlH5VmqNERam2mNjS1ce4QzF0suZ9d-GQmIefwqXXuUnt-6_ZJ4fs2ot3IZ4baEjGVUrPpE2i8_2SRpwJuDSizeAmRwDwwuJ-1tzQmWkceXj4XxrDC5HPDd_tKvjimbM0YOq7-OfkhpfPFIlgJuXywgNNEuEgNVZ85X4t9QQ/w640-h640/Camp-Nano-23_writer-badge_final.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Happy Summer Solstice!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It's hot as a hellhound where I'm from (TX). Yesterday, we broke our record high for this time of year at 114 degrees! So, it looks like it's shaping up to be the perfect summer to STAY INSIDE! Which is fine because Camp NaNoWriMo is right around the corner.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Most of you probably know what <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-camp-nanowrimo" target="_blank">Camp NaNoWriMo</a> is by now, but if not, it's an offshoot of NaNoWriMo which stands for National Novel Writing Month (which takes place in November) where authors attempt to write a 50K word novel in one month. Camp NaNoWriMo is a bit different. It takes place twice a year (April & July) and the goal doesn't have to be to write an entire novel. It's more about making major headway in a specific area or knocking out goals on multiple projects.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My focus for this Camp NaNoWriMo is going to be getting through as much of the developmental edits on <b><i>THE DAPPER DETECTIVE</i></b> as possible. I'd LOVE to complete them by the end of July, but as long as I make some major progress then I'll be happy. I just finished the second draft this past week and while I'm happy with the story, I know it needs to be bulked up a bit. So, developmental edits will help with this by giving me the opportunity to see where I can add more scenes or get a little more descriptive.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">If things go my way, universe willing, I'm hoping to have this book out by Autumn of this year. Fingers crossed! I know so many of you looking forward to this story and I'm eager to get it into your hands.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Since Camp NaNoWriMo is a more social event between writers, you'll probably see me back on social media a bit more during July. I'd love to have you join me there on my progress through writing this book! You can find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/dez_schwartz" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dezschwartzauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Have a great week, everyone! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">❤ Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-73758068953821080162023-06-19T04:30:00.001-07:002023-06-19T04:30:00.133-07:00Happy Bookiversary H2H!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://ninestarpress.com/product/hollywood-to-horses/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyhkGMZygGy1N_QRYhUXZqCqP6X9Ubhbv3SdusuHSpeAOk0MmeGdpQRJy8ylWfWadOK8a-LSmRCyJ4hUborKO0otiAUYYTgmZ05nuR_pwLUt1M3r6NXp6X-wa_noXCEaUw77alkM04JJ8VMwpCPA2Zd8YSCYlMamtrCmTlSvKgCbfH3QktN_-Zmjm/w640-h640/H2H%20Bookiversary.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Happy 2nd Bookiversary to<br /></b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>HOLLYWOOD TO HORSES!</b></span></span></h1><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Two years ago, NineStar Press published my first Contemporary Gay Rom-Com novel, <a href="https://ninestarpress.com/product/hollywood-to-horses/" target="_blank">Hollywood To Horses</a>! This story was incredibly fun to work on and is one of my favorite books I've written.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">🏇</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Mateo Harris, a retired Olympic Show Jumper, achieved just about everything he could want in life. Rising from a nobody to becoming a beloved gold-medalist, co-owning H&H Riding Academy with his cousin—and best friend—Emily Hall, and he’s one of the most powerful and respected men in his hometown of Sweetspire, VA. Nothing can shake the foundations of the life he’s built for himself. That is until he hears his nemesis and former crush, Christopher Wright II, has moved back to town.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Christopher, a runaway movie star, has returned to Sweetspire to inherit the family business: Wright Stables, the only rival riding academy Mateo has ever had to worry about. With Christopher’s charm, talent, and fame taking charge, Mateo is faced with real competition both in and out of the arena. He’ll have to be at the top of his game to prove he’s still the number one equestrian in town, but every encounter with Christopher becomes as challenging as any obstacle he’s faced on horseback.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">🏇</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://ninestarpress.com/product/hollywood-to-horses/" target="_blank">Hollywood To Horses is 50% off on NSP this month with code: PRIDE23</a></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Happy Reading!</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">❤ Dez</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-57553895621876408402023-06-12T04:30:00.001-07:002023-06-12T04:30:00.141-07:00Happy PRIDE Month!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OfAMmqynQgMeCo9_w-KR22vwgxws7yCUw_z5a2LiKasEltfv1Zz9IvnC2wAWmmOSdpqOrSwktHRjWl80-rPWXKGsXm4KXHhOc-4c26dzgdKpfq-EtGHJRS3G9VOIMU1ZUNSN8l6wTJLMvoeng-1HnHMw3V2nZL4e45CEYl0G6_IURylQp0mSBgsi/s2240/PRIDE%20MONTH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OfAMmqynQgMeCo9_w-KR22vwgxws7yCUw_z5a2LiKasEltfv1Zz9IvnC2wAWmmOSdpqOrSwktHRjWl80-rPWXKGsXm4KXHhOc-4c26dzgdKpfq-EtGHJRS3G9VOIMU1ZUNSN8l6wTJLMvoeng-1HnHMw3V2nZL4e45CEYl0G6_IURylQp0mSBgsi/w640-h360/PRIDE%20MONTH.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://ninestarpress.com/authors/dez-schwartz/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnqJPisSkeFvPmfR6Dc17miGdzOGI2WpQzeDxzmvOrzBBCflrviOJ4MG8J0NT1lZOuQaK9SZY2FwIJzCspa0t1CMfY0Pvj1QgHGiJgzC4K5Aqm6_ZHJ2WsFWQZ3IxuVi2z3X-BzasVNUvhPTLzcMkOo13XYi_eZnYGx8bP66UCVuds1BXwYaGpONQ/s16000/NSP%20BOOKS%202.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b>All of my ebooks published by <a href="https://ninestarpress.com/authors/dez-schwartz/" target="_blank">NineStar Press</a> are </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b>50% OFF this month with code: PRIDE23</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Happy Reading!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">❤ Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-38497280169457626172023-06-05T04:30:00.001-07:002023-06-05T04:30:00.132-07:00Current Work In Progress<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsH6bsLLLAn38xv_UNAl6ggWo4E7xjA3797p9r9wZcTAqZzdB_ruHGziZx_LMpU7XreITOFN6FmDTj1z2mXx0sZuUxflKGdRN7jJRE6XY4bPitc1PRJOaErBm8btpANCM9nPLJAL-50nfwrY_gcym3qB6LEXTFc9lSdqRW5LK5JTdEKYLaBSIYdFq/s1940/Dez%20Schwartz%20WIP%20Writing.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="1940" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsH6bsLLLAn38xv_UNAl6ggWo4E7xjA3797p9r9wZcTAqZzdB_ruHGziZx_LMpU7XreITOFN6FmDTj1z2mXx0sZuUxflKGdRN7jJRE6XY4bPitc1PRJOaErBm8btpANCM9nPLJAL-50nfwrY_gcym3qB6LEXTFc9lSdqRW5LK5JTdEKYLaBSIYdFq/w640-h448/Dez%20Schwartz%20WIP%20Writing.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I've been hard at work on <b><i>The Dapper Detective</i></b> (the sequel to <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dandy-Medium-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B09BBK98NP?ref_=ast_author_dp" target="_blank">The Dandy Medium</a></i></b>)! It's coming along, I assure you! Out of all the books I've written, this one has taken me the longest to write. Partly, because I had some health issues slow me down. And partly, because I just want to make sure everything about it is as close to perfect as possible. I know you can never make a story perfect, but I have a vision for this one and where it might possibly lead in the future and I just want to make sure I get it right.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I'm currently working through the second draft (over halfway through it) and I already know I'll probably add several scenes before I call it complete and begin the editing process. I hate to attach deadlines/timelines to creative projects, especially knowing how quickly a health issue can throw you off course; so I won't give any solid release date yet but I will say that I'd love to have this out to you by October/November. I am certainly working very hard to try and make that happen!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><i><b>Here's what you can expect:</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">🎩 Alfie & Sebastian return for another murder mystery!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">🦇 The Crimson Bat Society takes a leading role!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">🌙 A deeper dive into the lore of the </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">Nótt Haven</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #5f6368;"> </span>world</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">🍄 Woodland Magic!</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqdRohq4RsVdFjDHiYJriK9Gi7VIN67bSsS7zTbSuPO51B6UwuYaQ2iBLgB-otAFTig25QPey4jlh7HyvckxD4OxqebgNjMR2Xg-2_lheRNqA5frcneBXYD6zlvVkPOxPPlHDzyO-XobbVK8uu82KrErjQ5xrKTPcaQmRZPqf385wszKub7sNgrXs/s1455/somniscope.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="1455" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqdRohq4RsVdFjDHiYJriK9Gi7VIN67bSsS7zTbSuPO51B6UwuYaQ2iBLgB-otAFTig25QPey4jlh7HyvckxD4OxqebgNjMR2Xg-2_lheRNqA5frcneBXYD6zlvVkPOxPPlHDzyO-XobbVK8uu82KrErjQ5xrKTPcaQmRZPqf385wszKub7sNgrXs/w640-h142/somniscope.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Another thing in the works is <b><i>SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Convergence</i></b>, the anthology sequel to <b><i>MIRRORMAZE</i></b>. I have a short story entitled, <i><b>Looped</b></i>, which will be featured. You can see the full list of contributing authors <a href="https://cliffjonesjr.com/somniscope" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Release date is TBD, but hoping for a late 2023 / early 2024 publication.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">If you'd like to catch up on this anthology series, you can read my short story <i><b>Thatcher Maugden and the Dream Witch</b></i> in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mirrormaze-Dreampunk-Cliff-Jones-Jr/dp/1735217131" target="_blank"><b><i>MIRRORMAZE</i></b>.</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mirrormaze-Dreampunk-Cliff-Jones-Jr/dp/1735217131" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="647" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWnLuo-H9R8J5nN392vy4ERD0Ht7WiLJ1NR-HmtvaXMCGep2_5OcWsDhQVf1kjKEIAQJtEtAn_-gY2kuaKZz2w0LA19P_0H11qdLn74McwoMqXassebwsmFhiiaW44-dQQs1muJ_SO7Jk_Vq46X87r7LK4ZbhxsJBeNOoT010fQ0F6wt093IVF3In/w414-h640/mirrormaze.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">🔮🔮🔮</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><u>Future Projects</u></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Once I complete <b><i>The Dapper Detective</i></b>, I have several other projects I'm considering. It'll depend on my mood at the time; but in the future, you can look forward to these projects:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">- The Dead Oaks: Omnibus</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">- A new Dreampunk series</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">- A </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: trebuchet;">Nótt Haven Spin-Off</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">There are other, more abstract at the moment, stories I would love to write as well. I really want to get some other LGBTQ books out there that aren't just M/M. I have few series ideas for F/F stories and I'm also tempted to test the waters of releasing a Kindle Vella series as well.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">So, as you can see, I'm not lacking in ideas! Just the time to execute them all. 😅</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Until then, if you haven't had a chance to read <b><i>The Dandy Medium</i></b>, it's available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dandy-Medium-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B09BBK98NP?ref_=ast_author_dp" target="_blank">Amazon</a>!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dandy-Medium-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B09BBK98NP?ref_=ast_author_dp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgpMN6UIsF-SDIQj0_fPjRP5sZICmj1XwYE2TDw0qntVX8PiJGcOmcsYC7yIrqfHy3inzpbrwqQ-ZB4w0X3ZuEYsyl5BDkRY8QtvPX6RLO66gc--cndXNwHtZl9xdCF_htnJAbMUabAG14PDoMyseP-VVoTBntF8kGiw4Tz1WaogkVoknNPaZ4kWr/w640-h640/Out%20Now!.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Happy Reading!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">❤ Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-28316154561229541272023-05-29T04:00:00.001-07:002023-05-29T04:00:00.129-07:00Blog Revival<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEIVaOD6YSwpjZntjmMLirGk9MzoVi0-I5557YWdHAnn-b8i9PcUapVRotktiEaDnNjTNPRwPBeETGxGRgOAgIasYiVF-TIFGtHxSSCjeubAPKoPqNnvgA6u0bZqpduCyQONg7QeS31dAB2bCJDpo4_o4ZUXs6s5kAKtcJyk6zzXMm6WZXWmUG-pm/s1609/Dez%20Schwartz%20Writing%20Space.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1609" data-original-width="1247" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEIVaOD6YSwpjZntjmMLirGk9MzoVi0-I5557YWdHAnn-b8i9PcUapVRotktiEaDnNjTNPRwPBeETGxGRgOAgIasYiVF-TIFGtHxSSCjeubAPKoPqNnvgA6u0bZqpduCyQONg7QeS31dAB2bCJDpo4_o4ZUXs6s5kAKtcJyk6zzXMm6WZXWmUG-pm/w496-h640/Dez%20Schwartz%20Writing%20Space.jpeg" width="496" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Welcome back, friends!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">You may follow me on social media but it's been several months since I've posted here. And even if you do follow me on social media, you may have noticed that I haven't been quite as active on any of my platforms lately. Which leads us directly into why I'm slowly reviving my blog!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">To put it as concisely as possible, life is busy and social media can be stressful. I had some health issues at the end of last year and early part of this year, plus changing jobs (I'm now back to working at a fine arts museum. Yay!), and I've just been feeling a general disconnect from the sort of energy that social media platforms bring. The only one I truly enjoy using is Instagram, but I don't have a whole lot of free time to create visual content on a regular basis to make the algorithm love me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">So, in the spirit of staying connected while also protecting my free time, I've decided to attempt to start posting here weekly (most likely my posts will go up on Mondays) and I will still post links to my social media platforms to let you know. I will also use them for other occasional posts, but at least you'll know that this is the place where I'll be more regularly and I hope to be able to share so much more with you here about what writing projects I'm working on along with life updates and things that just generally interest me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I'm hoping this will be a much more personal way to stay connected with you all while providing a place you know you can go to find out updates and more about my books!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Please feel free to let me know what you'd like for me to post about here and if there are any specific topics that you'd be interested in seeing me cover.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I'll be back next week (like I said, hopefully Monday!) with updates on my progress with <b><i>The Dapper Detective</i></b>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Thanks for reading!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">🖤 Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-56084073723869994322022-12-23T07:18:00.006-08:002022-12-23T07:18:51.455-08:002023 Writing + Publishing Plans<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAB6yo9_YtzrGx_md5VeRm4bWe32J7oDYma9lvIPK_TMKem-7qtTsEZ-W5kWljw9-UqV2foTte4mvSWzGoubPi1CtSaUv18ysP6KfY3JxLYzobHN_5aOAIzbpRciIBK-QcaN33Mtkx4Ymut7xkvzjd84wOS7JWH1p6RlntcdeYIfFFqGFhe0lHIYP4/s1080/Happy%20Yule!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAB6yo9_YtzrGx_md5VeRm4bWe32J7oDYma9lvIPK_TMKem-7qtTsEZ-W5kWljw9-UqV2foTte4mvSWzGoubPi1CtSaUv18ysP6KfY3JxLYzobHN_5aOAIzbpRciIBK-QcaN33Mtkx4Ymut7xkvzjd84wOS7JWH1p6RlntcdeYIfFFqGFhe0lHIYP4/w400-h400/Happy%20Yule!.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>Happy Yule, Happy Holidays, and a very Happy New Year to all!</i></b></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As we round out 2022, I just want to say again how grateful I am to each and every one of you who read my stories. I've always said that I mostly write them for myself and if anyone else happens to enjoy them then that's a wonderful bonus. And it does mean so very much to me any time someone leaves a nice review or comment about my books. So <i>THANK YOU</i>! And I hope you continue to stick around for more stories to come. 💜</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTuvc0CTktKB0O-yB3QxN3MOWyCzgH8gIEoMbfsLCOllS056TNOtdcIo9HF1TYGS_zFRFjPzhHEnDZZLGQFsEV8RFwvMaPAKr8Ci9lhOP9NjNTFqws74vNnNNhutkH8aiTVezb3ZwNg6IkPDQr70BTjztdX_phZ3JB8AU-5ik6z50FB-CkFfbwajr/s1512/Dez%20Schwartz%202023%20Plans.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="1512" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTuvc0CTktKB0O-yB3QxN3MOWyCzgH8gIEoMbfsLCOllS056TNOtdcIo9HF1TYGS_zFRFjPzhHEnDZZLGQFsEV8RFwvMaPAKr8Ci9lhOP9NjNTFqws74vNnNNhutkH8aiTVezb3ZwNg6IkPDQr70BTjztdX_phZ3JB8AU-5ik6z50FB-CkFfbwajr/w400-h373/Dez%20Schwartz%202023%20Plans.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking of, I'm here to share my writing and publishing plans for 2023! I'm going to spend the last week of December mainly relaxing before I dive back into working on any projects, but for the most part, I already know what I plan to work on in the year ahead.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">First, sometime in 2023, I'll have a new short story, '<i>Looped</i>', published in <b>SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Anthology</b> which is the follow-up to <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mirrormaze-Dreampunk-Cliff-Jones-Jr-ebook/dp/B08KBH5CJ7?ref_=ast_sto_dp" target="_blank">MIRRORMAZE</a></b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> (both published by <a href="https://www.fracturedmirrorpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Fractured Mirror Publishing</a> and edited by Dreampunk visionary, <a href="https://cliffjonesjr.com/" target="_blank">Cliff Jones Jr.</a>). There isn't a set release date yet, but it is in the editing process.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUEylgUmpHXE-LXDqaIZa5NFp7_bPEvvzEfsPJESdfKrpkXIOoz4tGUzHh7j4PCUS2TkPP8KMrzMaJXm6bf_fJr7pCGoR24Im7FDrvq94ogl_x8lYYtqqcuyXFPJBm1i4mOVMba7qE7t4GqNsSQQx9dIt6YiYcxzTaYjD2YY9m6jvbY7t2PwQ8Awi/s1080/We%20have%20some%20business%20to%20attend%20with%20the%20Crimson%20Bat%20Society..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUEylgUmpHXE-LXDqaIZa5NFp7_bPEvvzEfsPJESdfKrpkXIOoz4tGUzHh7j4PCUS2TkPP8KMrzMaJXm6bf_fJr7pCGoR24Im7FDrvq94ogl_x8lYYtqqcuyXFPJBm1i4mOVMba7qE7t4GqNsSQQx9dIt6YiYcxzTaYjD2YY9m6jvbY7t2PwQ8Awi/w400-h400/We%20have%20some%20business%20to%20attend%20with%20the%20Crimson%20Bat%20Society..jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll also be simultaneously working on <b>THE DAPPER DETECTIVE</b> (the sequel to <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dandy-Medium-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B09BBK98NP?ref_=ast_sto_dp" target="_blank">THE DANDY MEDIUM</a></b>) and <b>THE DEAD OAKS: OMNIBUS</b>. I'm not sure which will release first, but I'm hoping to have one release in the Spring and the other by Autumn. I can't force the muse, so I've decided to let it guide me on which project it would prefer to work on each day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>THE DAPPER DETECTIVE</b> will bring back Alfie and Sebastian on a new mysterious case of murder and deception. But this time, they'll have the leader of the Crimson Bat Society, Francis the vampire, helping (or hindering, as Alfie sees it) their investigation. This story will delve deeper into the history of N</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">ó</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">tt Haven and perhaps open up some possible storylines for spin-offs. </span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dandy-Medium-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B09BBK98NP?ref_=ast_sto_dp" target="_blank">THE DANDY MEDIUM</a></b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and </span><b style="font-family: verdana;">THE DAPPER DETECTIVE</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> are meant to be a duology, but I've very quickly come to realize that so many more stories can be told within this world so there's a possibility of more N</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">ó</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">tt Haven books featuring other characters in the future.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQeeRaxZcS1rXnee8UruDENZOEyb7nVAYEdpj2L6qLWRbaQ1y8p5UVbXXnb-6QUGFzS-_tI0br5WGLiHgZieVFgbiuhao9qcJc1bSuUh03yR4QsDRc7WuH90cIDgq7CggGF1BHxbwUFaaD-NhuwXJIFZZEUySVvOv0TBZQj6aW6y8MMXOs1t-hUMog/s564/dead%20oaks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQeeRaxZcS1rXnee8UruDENZOEyb7nVAYEdpj2L6qLWRbaQ1y8p5UVbXXnb-6QUGFzS-_tI0br5WGLiHgZieVFgbiuhao9qcJc1bSuUh03yR4QsDRc7WuH90cIDgq7CggGF1BHxbwUFaaD-NhuwXJIFZZEUySVvOv0TBZQj6aW6y8MMXOs1t-hUMog/w400-h400/dead%20oaks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>THE DEAD OAKS: OMNIBUS</b> will be a rerelease of all of the previous <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F7JD88Y?binding=kindle_edition" target="_blank">DEAD OAKS</a></b> stories combined into one giant volume and will include a new short story and new cover art. I've always wanted these stories to exist in physical form, not just ebooks, so this will be a great way to offer print editions of the series. I'll most likely host a lot of D.O.P.S.-themed giveaways around the time of this release, so keep your eye out if you need some Jasper & Wes merch in your life! 😉</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_WxQD4D4dQnugqdznNt46Pc4QgmVUoMTYDuNvc813UCePNfuiJPUNRRS9v8269ZxWfeP_ylDT2I6lysQwGRvcsAfPp6unARgJUZCeqXA-9Uzcmcs6d_9IK3EGtKrOVuq92mnPgGkmiQ93iUpEPimYfaq3wDvVm5ARrQqQJq4DqO4c91xiNHf3tFR/s676/adbd10cbaa792f11991fb4d402d1e463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_WxQD4D4dQnugqdznNt46Pc4QgmVUoMTYDuNvc813UCePNfuiJPUNRRS9v8269ZxWfeP_ylDT2I6lysQwGRvcsAfPp6unARgJUZCeqXA-9Uzcmcs6d_9IK3EGtKrOVuq92mnPgGkmiQ93iUpEPimYfaq3wDvVm5ARrQqQJq4DqO4c91xiNHf3tFR/w334-h400/adbd10cbaa792f11991fb4d402d1e463.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And if I have any time left at the end of the year, I have some new ideas that I'm hoping to begin work on. Currently, I'm leaning into a new Dreampunk series, but I also have other stories brewing that I might delve into depending on how I feel when the time comes. I'm also toying around with creating a second pen name for a new genre, but more on that another time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope your holiday season is bright and the new year is fruitful!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Happy Holidays & Happy Reading!</span></p><p><i>Dez </i>💜</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-62125733300889787302022-11-19T05:00:00.001-08:002022-11-19T05:00:00.159-08:00NaNoWriMo Updates + The Bird App<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qyeTDgyZ8ti1rvQv2nMjs-qvzDkL-5U2-s1pdvRH6BrabztRj3DpXLYNWzIu1mSfkJ0Qd5sIb9Q2gkRoDc0Y9eW54UnDUfFLyp0H_ure_f2Jo0utPbgrw_64uHU-GRfd2kj54REaHhk60_TXCl-bKklz2Mwlt09WOHbj5jV5Jffks6HoxjzzDVqJ/s1209/nanowrimo%20update.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="1209" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qyeTDgyZ8ti1rvQv2nMjs-qvzDkL-5U2-s1pdvRH6BrabztRj3DpXLYNWzIu1mSfkJ0Qd5sIb9Q2gkRoDc0Y9eW54UnDUfFLyp0H_ure_f2Jo0utPbgrw_64uHU-GRfd2kj54REaHhk60_TXCl-bKklz2Mwlt09WOHbj5jV5Jffks6HoxjzzDVqJ/w640-h180/nanowrimo%20update.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We're a little over halfway through November, friends! My current NaNoWriMo word count is 15,701. And like all best-laid plans... I've decided to take a step back from NaNoWriMo. I'll still be writing, only without the pressure of having to try and hit specific word count goals every day. Outside of writing, I also work a full-time job and I was just informed I'll have to have my gallbladder removed soon (Happy holidays to me, right?). So, I think slowing down this season is probably smart. But I will still keep you all updated on my writing progress with this book!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking of staying in touch, I know a lot of you are leaving Twitter. With that in mind, I'm going to do my best to try and keep this blog updated more regularly so we will have a chance to stay connected. I'm hoping to get into a routine of posting here at least once a week. You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dezschwartzauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DezSchwartz" target="_blank">Facebook</a> if you'd like. Or just sign-up for my <a href="https://www.dezschwartz.com/" target="_blank">newsletter on my main website</a> if you want to make sure you don't miss any new releases or book sale announcements from me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate, and happy reading!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">💜 Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-86968133584195251872022-11-05T11:11:00.001-07:002022-11-05T11:11:24.258-07:00NaNoWriMo 2022: Week One<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIBM4aqay7Xeys0sTHDOZyK4xuMTXF__mf-zHgDWBCbVuYShgTEQrupvAhshGje-b7S_BKgmEI-qIAbkNu_QUQwDH7zdZECWpWCX2kNnJ__owm3N2y6_WtrYrpmdTark-gS6DvNn0xXIygOj2msMgJ4M_bayPf28VYQSLU9sGou8r9hP2LHr_Iplz/s727/salem%20pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="554" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIBM4aqay7Xeys0sTHDOZyK4xuMTXF__mf-zHgDWBCbVuYShgTEQrupvAhshGje-b7S_BKgmEI-qIAbkNu_QUQwDH7zdZECWpWCX2kNnJ__owm3N2y6_WtrYrpmdTark-gS6DvNn0xXIygOj2msMgJ4M_bayPf28VYQSLU9sGou8r9hP2LHr_Iplz/w305-h400/salem%20pumpkin.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope you all had a very happy Halloween/Samhain! Salem loved the pumpkins but wasn't as big of a fan of the trick-or-treaters. 😹 We had a decent amount come by (though, surprisingly only one Eddie Munson!) but still ended up with three bags of candy left over, so we're all set on treats for the rest of the year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgxQWOa4bTpc0KVep6SwJfEgASGlTUu47twknLftRzp5ADa6EFIhrtv_ONv_0v7tKvBdjLzqfncmL4mvJemj6Zk0IQgjrrCGV3BxZ46pPP9SSirE2FQge0anfxgwsgg9LXjuu3gnknDA17U94tZhTEFQo86OORWa3C-K3RdAtVTqVPRYOvEBOkZWa/s783/nanowrimo%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="747" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgxQWOa4bTpc0KVep6SwJfEgASGlTUu47twknLftRzp5ADa6EFIhrtv_ONv_0v7tKvBdjLzqfncmL4mvJemj6Zk0IQgjrrCGV3BxZ46pPP9SSirE2FQge0anfxgwsgg9LXjuu3gnknDA17U94tZhTEFQo86OORWa3C-K3RdAtVTqVPRYOvEBOkZWa/w610-h640/nanowrimo%202022.jpg" width="610" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This week also kicked off <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/participants/dez-schwartz" target="_blank">National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)</a>! If you subscribe to my newsletter or saw my last blog post then you already know that this NaNoWriMo I'm working on the sequel to <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BBK98NP/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i8" target="_blank">THE DANDY MEDIUM</a></b> which is titled <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63060615-the-dapper-detective" target="_blank">THE DAPPER DETECTIVE</a></b>. It's MM Gaslamp Fantasy and will complete the Duology. Although, I do have plans to write other books in the future within the same universe.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm also participating in the #LGBTQWriMo tag on Twitter. However, seeing as Twitter is in a bad place at the moment and its future is unsure, I would love it if you would follow me on other platforms so we can stay connected. You can find me on: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dezschwartzauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DezSchwartz" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and this blog! 🖤</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This first week of NaNoWriMo went well overall thanks in large part to the fact that I had already started early and entered the month with 12K on this project. I was only able to write 3 of the first 5 days since I'm also now working a full-time job and my personal life was very busy. I don't imagine that changing over the rest of the month. In fact, I expect it will only become busier; so I'm not going to be too hard on myself if I can't make time to write every single day. I'm just glad to finally be making some good progress on this story and I'm looking forward to sharing more with you all about it!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope you all have a great weekend and here's looking forward to more words written for NaNoWriMo week two!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for reading!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">💜 Dez</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-1159803215062384702022-10-25T17:36:00.000-07:002022-10-25T17:36:08.347-07:00Preptober Update + Title Reveal<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpjfbSvXbdCmGitU520M6t6AJ7iHpyhgXiqLbHHJHMh9DkngjYaXSDGhF8S-fgvBkED0SgYx0VGLCC3SqGIV4wjyxiPpFbhPrutQkNlC6jYb3XF_wHgi35mxllln1vQitrmiWS3iM30HEGxfRK_I0PxQ_ikpE4M5dhd-V88uZneEZzIPPQq52jKij/s1600/The%20Dapper%20Detective%20teaser.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpjfbSvXbdCmGitU520M6t6AJ7iHpyhgXiqLbHHJHMh9DkngjYaXSDGhF8S-fgvBkED0SgYx0VGLCC3SqGIV4wjyxiPpFbhPrutQkNlC6jYb3XF_wHgi35mxllln1vQitrmiWS3iM30HEGxfRK_I0PxQ_ikpE4M5dhd-V88uZneEZzIPPQq52jKij/w640-h388/The%20Dapper%20Detective%20teaser.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) again this year and I'm excited to officially announce that the project I'll be working on is <b>THE DAPPER DETECTIVE</b>, the sequel to my MM Gaslamp Fantasy novel <b>T</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">HE DANDY MEDIUM</b><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've actually gotten a head start. I've already written the first 12K words. This Preptober (the NaNoWriMo nickname for October since it's when we do our prepping), I reread what I'd already written and have been jotting down notes, ideas, and further fleshing out my outline so I'll be ready to hit the ground running on November 1st.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've also made the decision that these two books will be a Duology. This story picks up several months after the events of <b>THE DANDY MEDIUM</b> and Alfie and Sebastian are pulled into another gothic murder mystery. But will they be able to survive this time? Who's ready for another Alfie & Sebastian adventure?!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you haven't read <b>THE DANDY MEDIUM</b> yet, you can get caught up <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dandy-Medium-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B09BBK98NP" target="_blank">HERE</a>!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can also follow along with my progress next month on the <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/participants/dez-schwartz/projects/the-dapper-detective-nott-haven-duology-2" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo site</a> and, of course, I'll be posting my process and behind-the-scenes tidbits on social media.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm looking forward to sharing more with you all soon!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Have a Happy Halloween my spooky friends!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Dez 🖤</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986628072546618916.post-73053290421383273602022-09-30T04:00:00.001-07:002022-09-30T04:00:00.159-07:00BELIEVING BIGFOOT is OUT NOW!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Believing-Bigfoot-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B0BDVV2VFX/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=cNeBr&content-id=amzn1.sym.38bb2fca-b288-4f86-afed-5132328a7c6d&pf_rd_p=38bb2fca-b288-4f86-afed-5132328a7c6d&pf_rd_r=NGMF3P12K43DN4SV86M7&pd_rd_wg=kMR7y&pd_rd_r=f2c5c8e2-acb0-430b-bee2-587fe3bdb135&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_mbl" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0lZiUe7YxkUOpZ_j3jqfQeWHr1MxB8gSJ4Hyw6_njKa-sKQhAfhmbSiZRFWYigiGLiM4ct-fgzwg-AJsHncGuvM0dGRR0RWTllkMINT3Ve8Y-rv6D58miMwjhWoqdztOHyYwgIIOPIP5xMbE6Qzb-CgnN48MqVH2RIqnxWNzDmlvy1HZ_2IKFybo/w640-h640/BB%20OUT%20NOW.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">Harvey Clark knows better than to believe in Bigfoot hoaxes. In fact, it’s his job to debunk all the things that go bump in the night. When Harvey books a cabin in Woodland Lake, Minnesota, he intends to do just that for a corporate client paying a hefty sum to disprove anything paranormal is hiding in the woods they hope to build on.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">But the town’s obnoxiously handsome city planning manager, Jonah Bernardi, seems intent on thwarting any attempt Harvey makes to collect information on their local Bigfoot, the Woodland Wildman.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">What Harvey expected to be an easy task turns into his most difficult case yet when he winds up alone in the middle of the woods at night, face-to-face with the truth.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">EARLY REVIEWS</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">This was a really fun read. Low stress, low heat, just a good old fashioned cryptid hunt with a couple of guys making eyes at each other from opposite sides of the table."</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Proxima Nova, Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>- A.E. Bross (Author of 'Sands of Thea')</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><i>"If you enjoy Sasquatch lore, mountain cabins in the fall, gorgeous flannel wearing axe-throwing locals, and in the mood for a quick short story, this one is super cute and fun."</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><b>- Ivy (IG: thegirlsareader)</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">"I loved this story. It was a nice spin on Sasquatch stories with cute leads. There's plenty of snappy humor and also great atmosphere. If you've read Dez's other books there is a fantastic crossover moment that got me excited at the possibility of a crossover book. (Note to Author: I really want that! I think everyone should want that!)</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">The writing is so fun, it's always hard to put a Dez Schwartz book down. This one is just another excellent example."</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><b>- Jennifer Patino, Goodreads</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdHfpL5WVqIDrLjjpAGcvnbbRDK6yVIzhudx1y4FWomvId1Ztw8MZlW9D2i3NYMKkvkwORjrgNrl_P_cBwaPJs1BzH2QJC5aRFsJgrUg1741nK2Ow8bgHRv6BS_aeG8oJFuunTNmlZSW-I_bPH2VwiKRvPhRL6a99lueKju73wcO00dAPJhssIPuU/s1080/BB%20IG%202%20-%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1080" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdHfpL5WVqIDrLjjpAGcvnbbRDK6yVIzhudx1y4FWomvId1Ztw8MZlW9D2i3NYMKkvkwORjrgNrl_P_cBwaPJs1BzH2QJC5aRFsJgrUg1741nK2Ow8bgHRv6BS_aeG8oJFuunTNmlZSW-I_bPH2VwiKRvPhRL6a99lueKju73wcO00dAPJhssIPuU/w640-h476/BB%20IG%202%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Believing-Bigfoot-Dez-Schwartz-ebook/dp/B0BDVV2VFX/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=cNeBr&content-id=amzn1.sym.38bb2fca-b288-4f86-afed-5132328a7c6d&pf_rd_p=38bb2fca-b288-4f86-afed-5132328a7c6d&pf_rd_r=NGMF3P12K43DN4SV86M7&pd_rd_wg=kMR7y&pd_rd_r=f2c5c8e2-acb0-430b-bee2-587fe3bdb135&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_mbl" target="_blank">GET IT TODAY!</a></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0