Happy New Year.

 

I don't think I sent out any newsletters in 2020 or posted many updates, so hopefully this will cover it all. It was an interesting year filled with panic, deep thought, and preparation for the future. I hope you all stayed healthy and are hanging in there. Writing was hard to do with the tension of the pandemic and political atmosphere. I can't say it didn't affect my writing. I watched a lot of TV and movies in 2020. My mom always said it would rot my brain but I think it just kept my brain from the fast toilet-flush swirling of everything going on around me. Any who, here we are. I am grateful if you are reading this amongst everything that's going on. Two of my short-stories have finally published (see below). I've been hanging on to both for years. One was meant for a collaboration that never came together, the other was written from a writing challenge and then I was never able to find a home for it-although I did garner some nice reviews from horror journals. Yes, I said horror. Nightmare is definitely the darkest prose I've ever written. Just to warn you all. In 2019 we opened a bookstore: Midnightledger.com. It's only online for now, until we find a storefront and better faith in the economy. Check us out if you want a break from the Zon. I've been reading but not nearly as much as I used to. In 2020 I reread The Border Keeper by Kerstin Hall about 7 times. It is just an amazing fantasy and dark lore read. I highly recommend this book if you love fantasy. The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes was pretty good, it felt like home being back in Panem so many years after reading The Hunger Games Trilogy. Tor.com Short Fiction for each season was good in 2020. They've had stronger compilations but I always find 1-2 shorts in there that are just so creative. Right now I'm reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab, I'm about halfway through and loving it. I hope to keep reading and limit my distractions, especially since my husband loaded me up with lots of books for Christmas, including The Witcher series (woot woot).  If you follow me on Facebook, I'll be posting a lot of pictures of the stars. I'll also be doing my best to finish the novel I've been working on for the past few years.  Stay healthy and happy. I am grateful for you all. Happy Reading! Meredith (M. R. Pritchard)

Kale is a sixth generation Colony settler. While he’s evolved to survive the harsh landscape of his moon, everyone else has perished. Being alone for seventeen years can weigh heavy on the mind, and when strange things start happening, Kale is sure that he’s losing his. Get your copy here   Clark stands on the precipice of reality and dreams. Dragged from his sleep, is this a nightmare or something more? Get your copy here

New Release! Collector of Space Junk and Rebellious Dreams

It’s been ten years since Jack’s mother nearly died while saving the world against the Venom invasion. She’s moving on, but Jack is having a hard time doing the same. Hell bent on revenge, Jack’s going to hunt down every last bit of space junk that falls from the sky, hoping to find a lead to the Venom—even if those closest to him keep getting in the way.

Get the Kindle eBook free 4/4-4/8   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QC3M4LT

New Release: Midsummer Night's Dream: A Game of Thrones

In the vein of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Theseus and Hippolyta are set to wed in order to unite the people of warring Saturn and Titan. But the Shadow King has been plotting against Theseus and risks everything for the revenge of his people who have been banished to the dark side of Titan. Comedy soon turns to misfortune, as the main characters must trade their convictions for sacrifice.


Kindle eBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CCGFT2R

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1717025277

Sparrow Man 3 Now Available!

The moment you’ve all been waiting for is here!

Scarecrow (Sparrow Man 3) is now available!!

Get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071RJ3FGH

New Release - Nightingale Girl by M. R. Pritchard!

***** Happy Release Day*****

NIGHTINGALE GIRL is Live!! 

A HUGE Thank You, to Everyone who voted for this book on Kindle Scout! 

Get your copy: https://www.amazon.com/Nightingale-Girl-M-R-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B01F5U731S

Book 1, Sparrow Man, is $0.99 for a LIMITED TIME! https://www.amazon.com/Sparrow-Man-M-R-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B00MLUIIV0

Both Books are FREE FOR KINDLE UNLIMITED SUBSCRIBERS.

**If you've read Sparrow Man and/or Nightingale Girl, PLEASE help new readers find these books and leave a review on Amazon, follow the links below and select "Write A Customer Review." If you're nervous about leaving reviews, don't fret, it can be 1 word or 100. (Follow these links to leave a review: https://www.amazon.com/Nightingale-Girl-M-R-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B01F5U731S, https://www.amazon.com/Sparrow-Man-M-R-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B00MLUIIV0)

New Release Week!

Hey guys,

I have 2 new releases this week!

Look for The Phoenix Project Book 6: RESURRECTION

and

FORGOTTEN PRINCESS (Jan 21st)

Make sure you attend the Royals of Monterra launch party for chances to win free eBooks! 

(I’ll be holding giveaways 8:15-8:30pm EST)

Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/events/942114245865772/

ORIGINS Launch Party

Tomorrow is the Day!

**ORIGINS releases**

Get your copy for the limited-time price of $0.99

Join us for the launch party!
Sunday 8/23 @ 8pm EST

Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bandofdystopian/

New Release Tuesday

New Release Tuesday

New Release Tuesday

Happy Book Birthday to fellow KindleScout author 

Monte Dutton

His novel Crazy of Natural Causes releases today!

Get your copy

New Release Tuesday

Typecast

Killing Katie

The Dark Man

A Scrying Shame

New Release Tuesday

Happy Release Day to ANT FARM by James M Jackson

*pop in next Monday 6/22 to read Jim's interview on this blog*

Happy Release Day for 'Let Her Go'

Please welcome Jim Morris author of WHAT LIES WITHIN!

I was lucky enough to "sit down" with Jim and ask him a few bookish questions before his novel releases on June 2nd.  Let's see what Jim had to say about Zombies, reading, and writing.

1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Jim says: Norman Mailer, not because I knew him or have read his stuff (yet), but he was apparently temperamental, and seems like he would go crazy on some zombies; Ernest Hemingway, because I did read a ton of his books in my 20s, and given that he liked to hunt, he would know his way around dispatching the undead; and Stephen King, ‘cause with his imagination, we’d come up with some great strategies to survive.

Meredith says: Good choices!

2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
Jim says: Probably whoever was closest. They have both impacted our culture, and both deserve a shot at making it out of the water!

3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Jim says: I’m reading The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. It was recently optioned for a film, and I like to be up on what’s happening in the book-to-film world so that I don’t end up working on a novel for months at a time, only to finish it and find out, “Oh, so-and-so is starring in a movie just like yours!”

Meredith says: :)

4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Jim says: I usually don’t read books twice because there are just too many books waiting! But I’ve loved Ray Bradbury since I was a kid.

Meredith says: You're killing me, Jim.

5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Jim says: It’s a boring answer, but it’s the same as #6.

6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Jim says: My Amazon wishlist is filled with books, so I don’t often read books in the year they are released because I’m still catching up on things. I will say two books in my memory that I loved were The Night Circus and Beautiful Ruins.

Meredith says: I loved THE NIGHT CIRCUS! (PS if you loved THE NIGHT CIRCUS and HARRY POTTER then you have to read THE PAPER MAGICIAN)

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Jim says: You know, I’d want wishes from a genie, ‘cause I think we all just need some help every once in a while getting over the bumps in life. Having a superpower would make one particular thing too easy, and I think over time, it might make me feel too separate from my fellow man.

8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Jim says: My desk. It’s my office, and it’s got things the way I like them. But when I’ve got a bit of writers’ block, I find mixing up the spots helps, as well as moving from the computer to writing by hand. Something about the shift works different parts of the brain. That’s my theory, and I’m sticking with it!

Meredith says: If it ain't broken, don't fix it.

9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book What Lies Within?
Jim says: I have read my draft over a thousand times, so it’s weird, any affection I had for some scenes got reduced because I saw how much other scenes needed my attention. A writer told me about screenplays that the script is only as good as your worst scene. So I try to find the ones that need the most TLC. But I’ve always enjoyed my first chapter because well, it’s what I wrote first, and I like to think I did a pretty good job of hooking the reader.

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slip into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Jim says: In What Lies Within, that’s probably Winston. He’s Shelley’s best male friend, and he’s got a bad case of being in the Friend Zone, even though he’s funny and sensitive. Alas, that was my high school experience. (Shudder).

11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Jim says: I can only listen to music that doesn’t have lyrics – the lyrics are too distracting. So it’s a mix of orchestral, electronic or upbeat Tango. I do, however, love music, so when I’m not writing, my iTunes is going all the time.

Meredith says: There's nothing quite like a good orchestra compilation. I used to play cello. Have you ever listened to 2Cellos? They're amazing. I wrote many scenes from my book SARATOGA to their album.

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Jim says: I’ve said this before, but “quit.” If you can quit, then writing was never for you, anyway. It’s harsh, but I say learn now what you love or don’t love, because this road is 99% rejection followed by an avalanche of heartache.

Meredith says: Excellent advice

WHAT LIES WITHIN

Releases June 2

Buy Now

Connect with Jim Morris on

Facebook

Twitter

His website

Amazon Author Page

(That looks like a Corgi. Corgis rule)
*Correction: It's a Cattle Dog - Cattle Dogs still rule :) *