Author J. R. DuBois: Unfiltered

I just spent two hours staring at my screen, being distracted by my phone at hard scenes, being distraught that my cats didn't cuddle me as they usually do while I write on rainy days, and for all my trouble, managed to write about 150 words. (Of course, the moment I start writing THIS, my boys finally want to come cuddle. Praise God. There is something absolutely magical about a cat's purr.) There's also something absolutely magical about creative flow, when everything just WORKS. Today, I pulled teeth to write a measly 150 words of a scene which I may not keep when I join Nicole for a writing retreat tomorrow at our favorite cafe and creperie , but man, when the Muse starts yammering... I can write thousands of words in the same allotted timeframe, and it. is. magic. But today. Today, today. Today's been a decent day. I woke early for work, but not as early as I usually do, so I got to sleep in some, trained some fabulous clients, got a new one started, then jaunted t...

 Howdy Ho! ((Why won't this thing let me post a picture!? It says I have to sign into Google, but I did, dang it.)) Since my previous post, I've had some significant traction, where the creative process goes. I heard back from one agent, but she desired me to cut my words down from 173,000 to 120,000. Give that this story was already going to be a trilogy turned duology turned single book (with series potential), it had already had a plethora of words sliced from it, but I did my best. Instead of 50,000 words, I was able to slice a little more than 11k. Not too shabby, considering there was little I could slice from the plot. I did reach back out to her, but am still awaiting feedback. Additionally, I submitted to the last remaining agents on my list for 2024, and have already received one rejection. I am grateful I was even given an actual rejection, as ofttimes, you are waiting until a certain time passes to know if you were rejected. (Perhaps I shouldn't say YOU, but tra...

 Hello and good morning. Except it's afternoon. Actually, I think it's the start of the evening. Is 4pm evening? *shrug* It is when you wake at 330am for your 5am clients! Anyway. Conduit of Fire is officially complete. The only thing that remains to be seen with it is for me to hire a professional editor and follow the publishing procedure--ASSUMING I don't get picked up by trad-pub. It has officially been 4-5 months since my last submission to the 3 folks prior to. No dice. I have 6 other names I can submit to, and I intend to, but it's weird how life interrupts your intention. So the James River Writing Conference is coming up, and one of the agents I paid to speak with suggested I go to it. It will be about $400. The cost isn't the reason I'm deciding not to go. It is because 1) there's also the Hampton Roads Writing Conference I want to go to, and 2) it is also $400, and 3) [the main reason] I really want to have a full rough draft of my second book bef...

Hey there, conduits. It's been several months, after which I'd said I didn't want to do to this blog as I had all the others. Well, in this case, there wasn't simply one good reason, but three. If you all have been following me, you know that 2022 was a heck of a year where cat health was a thing. It started in January when my grandfather died on the same day that my eldest cat got diagnosed with IMHA. Throughout that year, my husband and I battled how to help serve our elderly boy without going deep into thousands and thousands of dollars in debt, all while having various issues with the others -- none due to environment; our house was and is fine and healthy to be in. So, Granddad died. Jynx developed IMHA. Ozzy (Oswald) suffered chronic UTIs throughout the entire year, developed stress-related cystitis, which he still has today (just brought him back from the vet for another round of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, but we're figuring it out). Romeo swallowed...

God said, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." That's His very first commandment. Oh, but we are so GOOD at creating idols, aren't we? Even with the very GOOD gifts He gave us! TLDR: My priorities have been realigned; Book Two is coming along nicely; I'm about to answer the final major question about what's going on with the priesthood amidst the magic system alongside corruption and resistance (super frickin' hard); my CP Angela is helping me greatly finesse COF; I think I've decided to officially self-publish, though the thought grinds my guts about actually making it happen and marketing myself into a decent author platform; and I went to a wonderful wedding of two good friends over the weekend like a mini adult summer camp. TW: Long ramble about how I see/hear/interact with God in my life. So.. bunch of Jesus stuff, but hey. He's around, so what do you expect? So this last week, I had a hard reminder of priorities. It's funny, this wh...

What do you enjoy about fantasy books? (Or books/reading in general?) For me, I love the immersion into a world that is different than the one in which we live. That said, the world must be familiar-enough that I could see myself in it, immerse myself into the role of the characters, regardless what gender or belief-system they have. It is, in essence, an escape, but not necessarily because I dislike my life, but because it is a chance to explore new things and experience situations I might not otherwise be able to -- including the ability to do what humans simply cannot: magic. Stories, to me, are one of the best ways we can communicate with one another, to share our experiences, to record history, and to learn lessons. And communication is one of the most important aspects to connecting with our peers. Which is why I am extremely humbled and grateful to God that I have the opportunity to be a part of building that connection. A little about Chronicles of Liren. Firstly, Liren tends t...

 Well hello there, reader. Or more like, absent reader. I bailed on this blog one year ago, when I promised I wouldn't. The reason I promised was that this blog is meant to invite people into getting to know me as an author, to hopefully build rapport (and yes, an audience) for my upcoming novel, the third in a series, which is not yet published. The GOOD (read: GREAT) new is that I have literally spent the entirety of 2021 editing, rewriting, editing, rewriting, beta reading, beta reading, and beta reading my first book. I am quite sure it's time to start pitching to agents and publishers. (Though, I admit; finding male fantasy beta readers is impossible. Goodness. I know the genre is full of readers, so where ARE you guys? Literally?) Firstly, for those very few who have been following this blog before I went AWOL, I apologize for my absence and will be doing better. Furthermore, I will not bore you with my methods. I am an AVID reader, and haven't read about one of my fa...

So here's a thing I've learned about myself during this year, "the year of 2020," "the year of COVID:" once I set a schedule, I am loathe to stray from it, and when I do, it can derail my creative process. And yet, ironically, I claim to celebrate spontaneity -- which I do. Sometimes. So long as I don't have plans. (...) (*Note, upon re-reading this entry, I wish to point out that this blog will include all the ranting and railing and celebrating that comes with writing a book, which includes what is forthcoming, and doesn't always seem obviously linked to the creative process. But if you, reader, are a fellow creative, perhaps you can empathize with how much scheduling can, in fact, impede or enhance the creative process and either stimulate or depress the Muse.*) I am blessed to have the opportunity to work for myself and create my own schedule. It is a luxury I experienced while dabbling with a multi-level marketing business years ago, then shifti...

Welcome to the blog for the development of my, that is, J. R. DuBois's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Liren. My name is Jessica, and I am delighted you are here. The Chronicles of Liren has been in the works for eight or more years (since 2012...ish), and has since grown from the whimsical pantsing of a would-be novelist into the complicated, detailed, convoluted epic that it has become and is still becoming. They liken to the style and length of Tolkien, Jordan, Rothfuss, Sanderson, Rowling, and even Gabaldon (though not QUITE that lengthy). Currently, the saga is expected to be told within three volumes, perhaps four -- that is, of course, unless the characters, now fully-fleshed and well into their own  right minds, carry it elsewhere, my own intentions be damned. This year, 2020, while detrimental to many, opened the doors for my creative Muse to build the world Liren has become. I started with the intention of writing one volume, and have, to my utter surprise and plea...