A'mara Books Update - June 23, 2019

By Lori Svensen - viking ventures | A'mara Books | 23 Jun 2019

This week at A’mara Books:

It’s been a difficult week. First, we had the news of the passing of our beloved @wolfhart, who was such a positive influence throughout the Steem world. Then, my own world was rocked with the sudden death of my aunt, just yesterday.

She had an illness called Lewy Body Dementia – which is the second or third most common form of dementia (depending on who you talk to.) It’s difficult to diagnose though, and she was only diagnosed at the beginning of the week, but she was pretty far along, with severe problems with hallucinations and confusion.

She was immediately put into an assisted living facility, but only the next day, she was found unconscious – cardiac arrest. She was resuscitated and life-flighted to a hospital 80 miles away, but the brain damage incurred during her episode was too much and she was kept on life support long enough for my cousins to arrive. Then, they let her go. She died very soon thereafter, with her husband, children and remaining sister (my mother) around her.

So, writing has been a bit difficult this week. I still managed:

Over 8,000 words!

Game of the Neví received 5k of that, bringing up to over 50k words. I’m still reworking day-by-day after the last split, but it’s going together okay now. The newer thread I’ve added to it is pulling it together much better than previous attempts and directly ties into later events.
Greta, Savai and the Possessed Doll – got 1300 words before I shortened the final to about 900 words for a writing prompt from @apostrophe pod on Whaleshares. You might like a read of that before Curie get there…
Freebooter Apartments – a collection of dark romance short stories got the rest. The first wraparound section is virtually done.

Philosophy

I had a couple of days after @wolfhart’s passing to prepare for the loss of my aunt. During that time, I had several interesting thoughts.

Keep your concentration here and now – Qui-Gon Jinn

All we truly have is now – the future isn’t here, and isn’t certain. The past is not here either, though we live in the repercussions of the past. It reminds me of this exchange in Star Wars: Episode 1, the Phantom Menace.

Obi-Wan: But Master Yoda says I should be mindful of the future.
Qui-Gon Jinn: But not at the expense of the moment.

Our present is constructed by our choices of the past, so yes, we *should be mindful of the future. But here and now is where we truly live.

The reality of people and characters (idealism + metaphysics)

My aunt will always live in my mind and my heart. But do you know who else lives in my mind and heart? Qui-Gon Jinn… Obi-Wan Kenobi… many of the characters I have created… Supernatural beings that I have met through my life experiences. So, what makes someone real? Right now, my grandparents and lost relatives and even friends I knew in my youth… they are as real as my characters now – in some ways my characters are more real because I’ve had a better chance to get to know them inside and out.

Okay, that may have been a rabbit hole you didn’t need today, lol. But I suspect it’s only the beginning for my philosophical studies.

Whaleshares

I did decide to continue my series on the platform. Partly because two lovely witnesses twisted my arm not-so-firmly (@stevenwood and @mere99.) So, I’ve jumped back in history to share Brighid’s Blood (that I just listed with Lulu last week) again. I do love the story. Everything is set up now, Chapter 1 will be with you tomorrow.

Coming this week

7 chapters of Brighid's Blood on Whaleshares (Please visit if you missed this book the first time around!)
5 more chapters of Mind of the Neví on Steemit.
Finally finish Game of the Neví
Work on Neví 5 and/or the 852 TCE set.
epublishing Mind of the Neví
publish Acting the Part on Lulu, LBRY and Scribl
Continue with Encyclopedia work once I hit my weekly word count.

Reviews?

If you have liked any of my books, please take the time to leave me a review/rating at Goodreads

Anyway, that’s what’s been going on here at A’mara Books this week! I hope you manage to take a few minutes to immerse yourself in my world of Terrenden – which I’m so delighted to share with you!

Crossposted on Steem, Whaleshares, WeKu and Publish0x.

PLEASE CATCH UP! LINKS TO BUY! (in chronological order) Notes: C.E.= "Common Era" (Earth) T.C.E. = "Terrenden Common Era" - B.T.C.E. = "Before Terrenden Common Era"

Brighid's Blood

2006 C.E. and 1213 B.T.C.E.
Katja and Rachel are so desperate for love that they cast two love spells one night.
But the Guardians do not consider spells "fun", but rather as cries for help from the very depths of your soul.
Certainly Katja and Rachel could not have possibly imagined where these spells would take them!

Book 1 in the series: When God Lines Meet

Buy at:
Books2Read - digital formats only
LBRY - digital - cheapest option at the moment.
Lulu - paperback

Birth of the Neví

829 T.C.E.
It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle.

Book 1 in the series: Rise of the Neví

Buy at:
Books2Read - digital formats only

Name of the Neví

829 T.C.E. - All of Terrenden is reeling in the aftermath of the Restrictions brought in at the end of the last session of Parliament. Suffering the most are the industrial countries throughout the world. But the forests of Çtaráña and Shayanda are still being poisoned and fingers are being pointed bringing the continent of Kranisis to the brink of war. How can the A'mara save Kranisis amidst their own personal struggles?

Book 2 in the series: Rise of the Neví

Buy at:
Books2Read - digital formats only

Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance
Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who, through the mysterious “Curator,” have been controlling elections all over the planet.
In this collection, we meet some interesting women.
Iyva - a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death in Rebound of Power;
Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past in Friendship on Fire;
Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness in Courage to Trust;
Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara in Elect to Change;
Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara in Ocean of Empathy. Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance
The Neví have infiltrated the Terrenden Freedom Party. Dr. Jarly is on the run and the Curator still dominates the Terrenden stage. Famous actor, Derick Aiden has released his Neví expose film and now the Neví want him dead...
In this collection, we meet more interesting women.
Kauri - a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; in Acting the Part
Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; in Building on Promise
Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; and
D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; in Spice of Strength
Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; and
Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart in Sands of Survival.
We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously. COMING SOON TO AN EBOOK STORE NEAR YOU!!!

Rise of the Neví

829-835 T.C.E. In this series, the Neví begin their rise in power with the completion of several large housing projects that seem totally charitable, but also hide a great evil within. The draconian measures (829 T.C.E.) have caused major distress throughout the world, perfect for giving the Neví a further foothold on the Terrenden stage. Will the A’mara, now removed from the Council of Peers, be able to shut down the Neví before disaster strikes?

Titles include: Birth of the Neví, Name of the Neví, Mind of the Neví, Game of the Neví, more to come...

**(To be Named)** - 852 T.C.E. Collection of Romance... It's confirmed that the Neví are now in all three houses of Parliament and most assemblies throughout Terrenden. Additionally, some are threatening to introduce legislation to severely cripple the A'mara of all their privileges.

In this collection, we will catch up with our fugitives (Iyva/Zilan, D'zani/Elíaz). We will also meet Celna Dellan in X'lea; Peri Harmon, a Peer Councilor in Irola; Janys Tyne, an elections team leader in Atrua; meet a nice (as of yet unnamed) woman in Kasago; and revisit Vissia and Catalia in Towani.

Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
find me on Twitter
blogging on: Steem, Whaleshares, WeKu, Hyperspace, Publish0x