Welcome to our new members! I’m A.R. Grimes, an indie author of fantasy. If you love reading books and learning new things, then you’re in the “write” place. Ha ha. Okay, moving on …
Look! A cute little octopus … with weird-looking arms. Why are the suckers on the top of his arms? They’re supposed to be on the bottom! And two of the arms appear to be fused together to create a loop. Well, that’s AI for you.
As you’ll see, I’ve been enjoying the AI image-generator feature on WordPress. I’ve used it to “create” images tied to my Wyldling Dream series. I felt I should be up front about this given the controversy regarding AI. I come up with my own key words for the descriptions and I don’t make any money off these images. It’s all for fun.
I plan to hire real artists to draw my characters. I even have a young artist in mind. But she’ll need existing images as a starting reference point.
Did You Hear?
In case you hadn’t heard: NaNoWriMo is no more. I received an email about it earlier this week. The official statement is that the non-profit is ending due to financial difficulties. However, that’s not the root cause. I won’t go into details, but everything started going downhill with the scandal in 2023 that shook the NaNoWriMo writing community to its core.
Measures were taken to mitigate. It was too little too late. Even before the news broke, the atrocious behavior had been happening for a long time without calling the perpetrator to account. Those who did go to the NaNoWriMo board were either banned from the group or ignored. When trust is broken on such a level it’s nigh on impossible to glue the pieces back together again. Children are to be nurtured and protected, not preyed upon. Okay, now I’m getting upset again. Time to breathe, say a prayer, and shift gears before I go on a rant …
NaNoWriMo’s shut-down has no impact on my writing habits. Yes, I found the website and its resources useful as a tool to set goals and track my progress, but I didn’t make personal connections or for networking purposes. I’d already found my own writing tribe via Facebook and Meetup. These folks have become my friends. I’ve even met some of them in real life.
If YOU feel lost without your NaNoWriMo community, and/or are interested in joining a writing community who loves fantasy/sci-fi like you do – and you’re on Facebook – may I suggest the Facebook group The Writing Warriors? It’s a private group so there are screening questions. The admins and moderators are really nice, and open to evolving the group to meet the needs of its members. They post regularly about the writing craft, help set up critique groups, have a book club, snippet shares, and provide general support/encouragement as needed.
On the Writing Front
March ended and … SURPRISE! Book four is still not finished. I wouldn’t say that I accomplished nothing. I wrote some words. A couple of them were even good words. It appears progress continues to be slow. However, now it’s a new month and I have great expectations! I will aim for 500 words a day. Surely, that’s attainable, right?
What’s Ahead?
April is the cruelest month and I refuse to do anything! Just kidding. What I meant to say is that I have no events planned at the moment. Goal: write 500 words a day.
May 2-3: I’ll be attending the Lakefly Writer’s Conference in Oshkosh, WI to learn new things and meet other authors. I submitted a short story to their writing contest as well. Last year I tried selling books at the attached book fair, but I haven’t decided whether I’ll do it again. Probably not. I won’t have someone along to tend to the table while I attend the seminars and workshops and I don’t want to miss any this time.
May the Fourth Be With You: I’ll be selling books alongside my author friend Huckleberry Rahr at a local event. Stay tuned for more details.
May 25: I’ll be at the Kenosha Book Festival – Chapter 2, hosted by Studio Moonfall.
May 28: I’ll be at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA for the Stray Kids World Tour – DominATE! Sorry; I’ll be too busy dancing and whooping it up to sell any books.
June: Trip to Florida.
July: Trip to Okinawa.
August 25: I’ll be at the Kenosha Book Festival – Chapter 5, hosted by Studio Moonfall.
Looking for Fantasy Books?
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Disclaimer: I have not had time to read all these books, so I cannot vouch for quality or content. In the case you are dissatisfied, please don’t send the Brute Squad after me.
Christian/Clean Fantasy
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These books are free. You’re welcome.
I hope you find something you like!
Oh, I Almost Forgot!
My Wyldling Dream series strictly Stray Kids playlist is now live! It’s available on both YouTube and Spotify. I put the links on my Home Page, but here they are:
Need A Wholesome and Engaging Fantasy Series? Look No Further!
Wyldling Snare
Book One of the Wyldling Dream Series
Available in paperback wherever books are sold! Also available in e-book format on Amazon. Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited.
Apprentice knight Enoch Northward isn’t ready to lead. But when he returns home to find his mentor dead and the heir-apparent missing, he knows he must rise to the challenge.
But the horrifying truth of his guardian’s death and disappearance of his friends leaves the grieving knight with no time to mourn. In search of answers, he ventures into the forbidden forest. There he discovers a portal leading to another world – and a girl who shares his faith and dreams.
The realm hangs in the balance as a mysterious enemy schemes to destroy it, but not all peril comes from the outside. Enoch himself harbors a secret that could destroy all he loves…
Wyldling Trials
Book Two of the Wyldling Dream Series
Available in paperback wherever books are sold! Also available in e-book format on Amazon. Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited.
High school honors student Annabelle Leigh Wells believed she was equipped for a visit to another world. Unfortunately, reading fantasy novels failed to prepare her for a real-life adventure.
When she travels through a wormhole to the perilous world of Tehara, Annabelle discovers that her dreamscape-brother—the Baron-Knight, Enoch Northward—has been kidnapped. Eager to rescue Enoch from scheming nehmwights, Annabelle embarks on a journey with seasoned warriors, determined to prove to Commander Storm that she is a capable member of the team and not just a “weak womanchild” to be left behind.
However, something has broken her dreamscape connection with Enoch, and a shadowy menace stalks her dreams while she searches for him. As Annabelle trains to protect her mind and body, strange things begin happening whenever she’s around water. Desperate to serve what she sees as her God-given purpose, Annabelle realizes she must master the power awakening inside her. But will it prove a lifesaver for her and her companions – or destroy all hope of completing her quest?
If you enjoy portal fantasy and adventure, then you’ll love Wyldling Trials, the second installment of the Wyldling Dream series – a coming of age story with underlying themes of faith, friendship, and found family.
Wyldling Armor
Book Three of the Wyldling Dream Series
Available in paperback wherever books are sold! Also available in e-book format on Amazon. Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited.
When Toad opened his eyes, the world was in flames …
No sooner has Sir Thomas escaped the curse that turned him into a toad than he discovers that Annabelle, the water wyldling he is sworn to protect, and a gravely wounded Raeden have disappeared through an unanticipated opening of a waystone.
Not knowing where they went or if they are safe, Sir Thomas burns with the shame of his failure and with the growing – and uncontrolled – powers of his fire wyld. How can he take time to face his inner demons while Annabelle is missing and Enoch is in the hands of the enemy?
Annabelle and Raeden face their own hardships on the island of the gwerindawr. Raeden, an ancestral enemy of the gwerindawr, is their prisoner awaiting execution. Annabelle is bound by a prophecy demanding her service to her hosts. She wants nothing more than to return to her quest to save her heart-brother, Enoch, but the gwerindawr king has other plans.
Drawing on training, faith, and the love they bear for their friends, Sir Thomas and Annabelle navigate the dangers of Tehara and the dreamscape, trying to reunite and rescue Enoch before the entire world falls into war.
If you enjoy portal fantasy, sword & sorcery, and fantasy adventure, then you’ll love Wyldling Armor, the third installment of the Wyldling Dream series – a coming of age story with underlying themes of faith, friendship, and found family.
Foreshadowing for Wyldling Blood … Or April Fools?
I’m so excited to share some images inspired by Wyldling Blood. Someday, the book will be finished. I promise. Be prepared for magical mischief, mayhem, and malarkey. Enoch is back to being a point of view character! That’s something to look forward to. Also, there may even be a cute furry critter with multiple tails and murder mittens.
I can just imagine my friend Wes saying: “Make them kiss!” Nope! Just forget it. I am not writing a romantic subplot. Well … okay. Maybe there will be a chaste kiss. Let’s see how events unfold, shall we?
Obligatory Cat Photo
Okay, that’s enough joking around. See ya next month for more book recommendations, shenanigans, and cat photos.
Cycle of Tehara 
One response to “April Foolishness”
Stray Kids! Wow! I haven’t thought of them in such a long time. My daughter was a huge fan. She saw them in 2019 for the District 9 tour. I can’t remember, but I think she had a fan meet with them too. Those were back in the days when I was driving her to NY regularly for concerts. That was exhausting! Now she’s in South Korea and I don’t think she’s been to one KPOP concert. lol
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