Shami Stovall

Happy New Year! [Update 1/1/2024]

Added 2024-01-01 22:58:15 +0000 UTC

Hello peeps!

Welcome to 2024! I hope you all had a wonderful time and no one partied too hard, lol

First off, I want to say that my goal for 2024 is to step up my game and improve everything. My writing, my writing speed, the things I'm offering, new horizons--the sky is the limit.

Self-Improvement

I'm going to take a few story structure classes (I've taken some in the past, but you never know when people will come up with newer and cooler insights to cool character development) and I'll also be having "street teams" and "ARC readers" for some of my books. I've never done that before, and I'm starting with Time-Marked Warlock.

I'm also super lucky to work with some awesome editors, and I was to up my prose and writing style and make it even more engaging and funny. I want to improve as a writer in the best possible way. Soon, I'll find someone who writers epic fight scenes, and I'll be improving in that area as well. Fight scenes are some of my favorite in books/movies/shows, and I always want to keep them interesting.

I'll also be releasing a few more short stories this year. Both from my books, and also just stand alones, to try out some ideas I have. Hopefully they'll be entertaining, and improve my craft as a writer!

Conventions

As you can see above, I'll be in Virginia Jan 12-14th this month! If you're in the area, please swing by. If you mention you're one of my Patreons, I should have cool things for you on my person to give out. Thank you again for the support!

I also want to up the number of conventions I go to. Fans say they want me to show up in places that are closer to them, but I must admit, I don't know many conventions. I signed up for the late waiting list for "LibertyCon" but outside of that, where would you peeps suggest I go?

Or, you can always reach out to convention peeps with my email and say you want me to attend, and that will almost guarantee I can make it (the con people only admit so many speakers/guests, and those who are requested get special priority). BUT, the main thing is: I need to know where to go.

Books

Here are the books I want to release this year:

The Half-Life Empire 2 [finished]

Time-Marked Warlock [finished]

Death Lord Arcanist [currently being written]

The Half-Life Empire 3 [currently being written]

Nexus Finale [currently being written]

Crown Tournament 2 [currently being written]

Chronos Warlock [currently being written]

Labyrinth Arcanist [once I'm done with Death Lord]

If I manage to squeeze in some free time, the ending to Star Marque and Ethereal Squadron as well.

BUT, that's like 8 books. Thankfully, 2 are already written, and 1 is being co-written by Ryan Tang (who is awesome) so that means 5 books, 2 of which I've already written more than half.

That's a lot of books!

Hopefully one or more of them appeal to you, and you're excited to see them. If there's a story or book you want to see more than the others, please let me know. I literately prioritize my writing based on what I think people want to see.

Books I've started or liked, but need to tweak to be better:

The 10 of Phoenixes

War of the Eclipse

Both are fantasy projects, one about 10 phoenixes who all wake up, only to find out someone is hunting them all down. And the other is about a normal human girl who goes to a fantasy world (very predictable, I know) but who is considered to be a god in the fantasy world. Additionally, other people from the real-world are gods of the other fantasy nations, and war ensues.

I like both the stories, but since I have so much to write already, I don't have time to flesh them out fully.

But now you have the general ideas, lol - I love both portal fantasy and fish-out-of-water style tales. The most important things: is it fun and engaging? Are the characters cool? Is the magic consistent? Are the challenges and plot twists interesting?

But those are super back burner projects.

Choose Your Own Adventures

I really love writing Choose Your Own Adventures. They're some of my favorite things to do as an Dungeon Master whenever I'm doing that.

I also loved doing it here and for my Facebook group.

The real challenge is: how do I make it more engaging, and easier for people to pick answers? I want to make it cool. Super cool.

So, once I have a way, please look forward to that.

Table-Top Game

So, the Frith Chronicles (and a lot of the Nexus Games) are based off a game my husband and I created. Similar to Dungeons and Dragons, it's a game system to play with friends that involves dice and pen and paper.

A lot of people ask me to put it out into the world, but it's a lot of information. Just... so much. o.o

The real question is: is anyone here on my Patreon interested in the game, and would want to see it? I could probably release it bit by bit here (when I have time to make it a little nicer) to show peeps. If not, I won't bother posting, but since I want to bring people new things, I figured I'd ask.

Physical Things [Posters/Pins/Sweat Shirts, etc.]

I've tried my hand a lot of this stuff in 2023. Some is cool, some not so much. Thank you all for being supportive as I try a bunch of new things out! It means the world.

Posters are the easiest, but I feel like the size and the different types of paper are always a mild issue. What's best for what design? That kind of thing.

Pins were cute, but not that many people seemed interested in them.

Since Patreon people get all these things for free (for being my Patreons) what would you want to see? More posters? Different style of pins? Something else entirely? I'm just going to write all the ideas down and attempt to make them all a reality (so long as they aren't crazy pants, lol)

Personal Life

Everyone here knows that Gigi is doing better! We took her to the vet again. The day we get back from Mars Con is her next surgery. She'll have her knee fixed, and her little uterus removed. I'm tempted not to have spayed, because I'm insane, really. Anything about making an animal sterile gets me sad now (I understand I'm being crazy) but you probably understand.

John and I played games for the New Year, and also watched a movie, lol

My appointment with fertility doctor is at the end of the month. It really did surprise me to hear that fertility rates have dropped around the world. Apparently, from what I've read, it's thought to be chemicals placed in placed in plastics and in everyday items (make up, wrapping, etc.) after laws were changed to "reduce waste." The chemicals make it easier for these things to break down, but apparently, they do the same to human cells.

It's just a theory, though. No one knows exactly why fertility rates are lowered. Still very interesting to me, though morbid and mildly depressing at the same time.

ANYWAY, enough of that, am I right?

I'll be gaming at Mars Con! And so far, a few fan have said they'll be there, so please consider showing up and having fun!

They also have VIDEO GAMES! I'd love to do some Super Smash, lol - maybe Mario Kart.

Hopefully I'll see some of you then!