A friend of mine volunteered to help create a new banner for my books page, to represent the Dragon’s Dawn series. That is the same person behind the dragon that I’m using for the second cover, Charred Wings. He is really good at his work so if you’re interested, and need images done, look him up on devitantart and Facebook – https://www.deviantart.com/muddychickn and https://www.facebook.com/Coopers-Generated-Images-CGI-323674911029519
He’d done the cover for one of those books before, but when I found that first image for the first book Scorched Silence, I ended up changing things around to match that one better. For cohesiveness.
May end up using a temp banner for now just to ensure I can finishing updating my books page. I think I’m finally done updating it for the minute. Ended up completely redoing all the book columns. Needed a more flexible layout depending on how many covers are being shown beneath the banners.
I finished the cover for Sofrir & Pheirgr of Atalantius Omega III. I also got a page up for it. I’m currently about 11,718 words into it. (Since beginning this post I’m now 17,164 words in.) I will be adding the widget to the right sidebar shortly so it can be kept track of. (Only just finished it.) Really don’t know how long the book will be. My original plan had been to make it a short story, but as I write it I wanna know more, and expand it so may go novel. Maybe on the shorter end. Dunno. There’s a bunch I can do with the story. Since I’m 11K words in already and only feel like I just barely started it, I lean toward novel. More so because I barely feel like I started it, I’m really enjoying the story too so that’s a really good sign.
I got The Guardian of Life page up for the world too. Now, a word about the covers. I’ll put the full lineup below too so you can see what I mean. The last two are the newest that aren’t part of the main arc, but are in the world. If you notice, the last two are a wee bit different from the rest. I debated a lot about switching things up while working inside the world. Most of the time writers maintain consistency with their brands, even when it comes to series. It’s why my covers in a world, or a series, will have a common theme. In this world, it’s the font I use for the titles as much as for the author name, and I use a colored “stroke” around the words to add a slight glow without overdoing it. Things uh, don’t entirely match.
Feels like one of those “find the one that doesn’t match,” moments, lol. I went back and forth about not just changing the name on the cover, but on changing the font. The world is science fiction with a bit of fantasy, and a dash of horror. So I can play quite a bit, but did end up going a bit more toward the science fiction route with the covers, and I really like how they all turned out.
When I first wrote Hope of the Future I had no plans on creating it inside a world. I also had zero idea of any other books. Until . . . I edited it. With Hope of the Future, I created one book out of two. There’d been a story I wrote simply called “future story,” where little Kim worked out a bit more angst and it could’ve been labeled BDSM minus the horrid writing. No, it will never see the light of day.
So I took some of what ended up being Hope kept as prisoner to Darrok I think? Can’t recall his name. Think that was his name. Anyhoo. I used that book as a starting point and formed a new story with another I wrote. Don’t ask me to recall the name. Might’ve written about it here, might’ve been Hope of the Future, dunno. Trouble with writing so many stories, and age. Forget.
When I did that original cover, it was just a black cover with the dawning of the moon. Very simplistic and I liked it, but as Hope grew and the other world parts came in, I redid the cover to match the others. I made all the covers before I wrote the entire series. So Under Empty Stars actually helped me determine the story. Based from the cover.
Enter Creations of the Galaxy and Sofrir& Pheirgr of Atalantius Omega III. Gonna go back a few weeks and slap myself for such a mouthful of a title. It works and I like it so I’m gonna suffer through it.
To pronounce it – Sofrir is so-free-ear. Say it as one. Pheirgr is fear-grr. Both are adopted from Nordic language. Norwegian, specifically. I’m half Norwegian. I tried to find Choctaw or Chickasaw words that’d work (also my heritage – one of them), but I couldn’t find words that felt right to play with. So, Norwegian won out. Irish is also my heritage in case you’re curious.
Back to the covers – so, since I am using my full name on covers and both of the last two are in the world, but haven’t been published, they will be a few I start using my full name on. I can always switch them to a new cover with just Kim Iverson, or switch the others to the full name. Since they aren’t part of the main series arc, I’m just gonna go ahead and switch them. Would people say it’s risky? Gripe about changing my shortened name to full anyway? Of course. If you ask people to find issues, they will. And in this day that’s usually the norm. Does it mean I’m not gonna try something different? Something that works for me? No. Would I even think, why are you doing that? if I were in another’s shoes, or that’s kinda cool that you’re trying that, in someone else’s? Yes. That’s why I tend to just go ahead and try.
Goes back to me telling people the only dumb question is the one not asked. Can be used here. The only dumb part would never to try at all, and then regret it later on, or wait and still be going, “I’ve considered it,” and just never trying. Worst that’ll happen is I fail. Or someone finds some way to use me as their example of what not to do and go around telling the entire internet how crappy I am because of it, and this is why and that is.
Try dealing with stuff like that in your face daily. I have. Before the internet. People loved to make rumors about me. Mostly the ones who abused me. So I’d hear stuff and be all I did WHAT? Erm, no. I’m like the wholesome good girl ridiculously so, but hey if you wanna believe lies you do you. People love to believe lies more than the truth. It’s way more exciting to invent their own truth. So let people use me as the example of what not to do and criticize. I’ll be here, doing the work they criticize. Give them more to.
So?
Best thing that can happen is plenty. Maybe someone else will be inspired to take a risk. Maybe someone will use me as reason to show people this is someone willing to take a risk. Or they’ll be inspired to try new things and get outta that comfort zone too. And then again maybe nobody will even notice.
This . . . is why I try things. Because I want to. Because it feels right. Why not?
What else did I do.
I sent off for the paperback version (proof) of Savage Lands. I just checked the shipping and that proof will be here on Monday. (Should be.) I also uploaded the book to Smashwords, D2D, and Google Play. You can clickie to find your store below. If your store isn’t listed, manually search it. Note – It IS listed at a sale release price as I tend to do. Price will raise a dollar in a month or so. Mostly when I remember to raise it, lol. Usually is a month after release, but I sometimes forget.
https://books2read.com/KimIversonSavageLands
Made a page for A Granddaughter’s Magical Curfew & Light Above the Neighborhood. I also started a page for the Sorceress world. Yay, befoooorrrreee it’s all out! There’s a first for everything folks. You can see that here – The Sorceress Chronicles – https://kimberlysueiverson.com/the-sorceress-chronicles/
Oh. I also have to make a page for the Dragon’s Dawn series. Lemme pause this post again to do that, lol. Okay here it is – https://kimberlysueiverson.com/dragons-dawn-series/ My plan is to potentially have a 3rd book in that world.
I was contemplating making the covers for the Sorceress world right now, but I think for now I’ll be holding off. Been so incredibly swamped with this site, and updating everything that I may just wait a bit so that I can edit the 2 short stories I’ve been waiting to edit. I almost have 2 novels done now too. I think I might be done outlining the Sorceress world by the time I’m done editing the 2 shorts, which would be a good time to do the covers for the Sorceress world. 2 of the covers I had an idea already for because I pre-made them long ago, but lost them when a usb drive failed. I still recall what they looked like so could draw from those ideas.
Having read through the Sorceress world before outlining each book, I had written 5 stories? But left ideas not completed so could always create more. It’ll be a neverending world like my DMDU world, and The Guardian of Life world too.
Think I got it all. We’ll see. I’m sure I will recall stuff when I hit post. If I left anything out that is.
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Donations help me keep the lights on, heat running, food in the belly, and keep my sites going. Even a small donation can go a long way, and I cannot begin to express my gratitude enough for anything you can help with. As a FT caregiver to my elderly mother and older brother who have a lot of health struggles, I am struggling these days. I have a couple tiers up to check out as well if you’d like to sign up for that, instead of a single donation. More will come as I think of stuff, or I get feedback on what I should add.
If you prefer Patreon (more payment options) – http://www.patreon.com/kimberlysueiverson❤️️
If interested in following my other sites I post? Including for book information like on the Dark Moon Dynasty Universe website, and other social sites like Twitter of YouTube where I’m most active? If you prefer Substack (also includes more personal posts) over WordPress? Feel free to find all that on the link cave. It’s only me, and my site, if I list it there. I try to keep that updated.
If you like this content, consider a small donation.
Donations help me keep the lights on, heat running, food in the belly, and keep my sites going. Even a small donation can go a long way, and I cannot begin to express my gratitude enough for anything you can help with. As a FT caregiver to my elderly mother and older brother who have a lot of health struggles, I am struggling these days. I have a couple tiers up to check out as well if you’d like to sign up for that, instead of a single donation. More will come as I think of stuff, or I get feedback on what I should add.
If you prefer Patreon (more payment options) – http://www.patreon.com/kimberlysueiverson❤️️
If interested in following my other sites I post? Including for book information like on the Dark Moon Dynasty Universe website, and other social sites like Twitter of YouTube where I’m most active? If you prefer Substack (also includes more personal posts) over WordPress? Feel free to find all that on the link cave. It’s only me, and my site, if I list it there. I try to keep that updated.
Kimberly Sue Iverson - Author 