June has been a great month so far but the weather… wow. So. Much. Rain. Colorado is known for crazytown weather but the state also touts over three hundred days of sunshine per year. At this rate, CO had best step it up. Things are soggy, but the gardens here at Penfield are like mini rain forests of blossoms.
My son Cody came for a visit at the end of May and I got to do something I’ve been pining away at for years—we went metal detecting together! Cody spent the last few years in Okinawa, where he scanned the beaches and found tons of Japanese coins, jewelry, and items left over from the wars. Here is my first ever detecting find. It is a piece of a tin can with a bullet hole through it. The second photo is our combined efforts the next day. I’m hooked!
The Superstars Writing Seminars Scholarship Application
Superstars Scholarship
The Superstars Writing Seminars Scholarship application is open! I know I talk about this a lot, but I am really excited to share. Superstars changed the trajectory of my writing career nearly a decade ago. There are five scholarship types available. If you’re ready to take your writing career to the next level, don’t wait any longer. Apply for this opportunity to attend in February.
The 2024 lineup of instructors includes Jim Butcher, Rebecca Moesta, Jonathan Maberry, Gail Carriger, Kevin J. Anderson, Chuck Gannon, Lisa Mangum, Chris Kennedy, James Artimus Owen, Toni Weiskopff, Michael La Ronn, Ann Rose, Craig Martelle, Lisa Kastner, Henry Herz, Stacey Kondla, Bryan Cohen, and more. You can apply here.
Next Appearance
Western Colorado University in Gunnison Colorado from July 26 – August 2.
I will also have a few local signing events popping up this summer, one of which will be at Barnes & Noble. We are locking in dates so stay tuned.
Eldros Legacy News
Stonewhisper is live for sale!
It’s Book Release Day for sweet friend and debut novelist, Hailey Gregor!
Lovers of the Night Angel trilogy and The Ember Blade will enjoy this dastardly tale of torn loyalties, a criminal empire, and a fallen hero. You can find it in eBook, trade paperback, and a gorgeous, jacketed hardcover here.
Lola Hopscotch News
We’re finally going to sell the full set at an event at Barnes & Noble. The dates are forthcoming, but I can’t wait for this. I might get to do a reading and meet some kiddos and talk about anti-bullying!
Did you know that The Adventures of Lola Hopscotch is endorsed by the PACER Center for Anti-bullying? We also partnered with StandForTheSilent.org during our anti-bullying outreach when I wrote Book One. You can find the full set here.
A Free Story!
I just got the rights back to Betsy and the Time Ship and I’m really happy about it. I learned a lot while researching for this story. I’ve been fascinated by Amelia Earhart for a long time and this little book features some fun alternate history. As a special thanks for being part of my readers group, I’m giving it to you as a special gift for a limited time. You can download it here.
“Betsy and the Time Ship is a fun, mind-bending adventure! Marie Whittaker brings game and new excitement to time travel science fiction. Brava!” -Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of V-WARS and RAGE
A mysterious romp through time from colonial era Salem to alternative history featuring the days of Amelia Earhart.
Steampunk blends with Victorian intrigue and paranormal fantasy in this tale of a witch hunt gone awry when an airship pilot meets a bounty hunter as they travel through time on a mission leading to a deadly grapple for a cursed artifact which possesses the power to control time..
Can a hunter honor a contract without ruining his own honor in the process?
The month of May has been NUTS so far. Between attending a great conference, meeting new readers at the library, and crazy weather here on the mountainside, May has me on the edge of my desk chair.
The first thing I want to tell you about was the amazing time I had teaching at Pikes Peak Writers Conference in Colorado Springs. I met some truly engaged writers and we talked project management, book distribution, writing craft, and so many other great topics that I know I’ll return to that conference to network.
I also attended Mountain of Authors last weekend and had a great time. The event lasted for one afternoon that was packed with great conversation, signing books, an amazing panel of expert authors, and seeing some of my local author friends. It was a great way to spend a Saturday and I was honored to attend.
The weather in Colorado has a knack for punking the weatherman. True to form, it’s been all over the place for the last week. A crazy storm rolled through two days ago and this chunk of pink granite slid down the mountain and landed beside the house. Another rock the size and shape of a football clunked on top of one of my tomato plants. And now it’s raining again! Holy buckets!
Audiobook Sale!
The Witcher Chime audiobook is part of a massive sale on Kobo! If you like chills and hauntings, this is a great book for you. Stephanie, the narrator, is perfect for this book. Take a listen. You’ll see what I mean. All books included in the sale will be 3 for $15 from May 1st to May 31st
Next Appearance
Western Colorado University in Gunnison Colorado from July 26 – August 2.
Did you know that May is Get Caught Reading Month? I’d love to see photos of you getting caught reading in May. Respond here or tag me on your socials!
Eldros Legacy News
Stonewhisper, by H.Y. Gregor will be released on June 13! Check out the pre-order here. And look at this amazing cover!
Lola Hopscotch News
Did you know that The Adventures of Lola Hopscotch is endorsed by the PACER Center for Anti-bullying? We also partnered with StandForTheSilent.org during our anti-bullying outreach when I wrote Book One.
Book One
Here are two fun dates coming up in May:
May 21 international Tea Day
May 23 National Drinking with Chickens Day
May Fun Facts!
May 5, 1961: Alan Shepard becomes the first American to enter space
May 6, 1856: Sigmund Freud is born in Freiberg, Moravia
May 8, 1429: Joan of Arc wins the siege at Orleans
May 10, 1994: Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as the president of South Africa
May 12, 1820: Nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale is born in Italy
May 20, 1932: Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic (I wrote a book about Amelia’s fictional sister! Check it out here.)
May 25, 1803: Author and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson is born
May 28, 1961: Amnesty International is founded
Here’s the latest bloom from one of the gardens here at Penfield. I can’t wait to see what my roses do after all this rain.
Milk Dud has been right at my side while I’m at my desk lately. We had to come to an agreement because she kept sitting on the keyboard. I told her she had to stay on the other side of the stapler. 😊
Thanks so much for being a part of my readers group! See you in June.
I absolutely LOVE it when my writer friends have a book release. Mark is a good friend of mine. He put a lot of heart into his book and you can tell when you read it. The Forgotten King is an epic fantasy written in the sweeping Eldros Legacy series.
Epic fantasy is one of those genres where you really have to have fantastical creatures to make the story complete. There is no better creature for Mark’s new series, Legacy of Dragons.
Mark will tell you that dragons are cool. It’s like he has a long lasting fascination with them that stems from childhood. A lot of us do. If you’re among those of us that crave epics, you don’t want to miss reading this book. Here’s a write up to give you more information.
A millennia of peace shattered. The High King murdered. Dragons have crept back into the land.
A thousand years ago, King Ora Lightbringer slew the Demon of Evernight, breaking his stranglehold on the land, suffusing Ora’s body with immortality, and ushering in an unprecedented era of peace.
Ten centuries later, Ora has long since abdicated the throne. No one living even remembers the time when he was king, and he happily travels the countryside with a hand-picked band of adventurers…
…until his great grandson, the High King, is assassinated. The murder sets off an invasion bent on conquering the kingdom, but only after they slay Ora.
Now, the forgotten king must rise again and fight to push back the invaders.
Or not only will his kingdom fall, but all of Drakanon as well.
Suspenseful, right?!
You can find it here in eBook, trade paperback, and hardback versions.
