I missed you guys last week! The conference took all of my focus and energy. I went. I saw. I talked and talked and talked and talked...you get the idea. Being an extrovert wading in a sea of introverts, I must admit to being rather intimidated. Not that I don't know how to talk to introverted individuals (my husband is a super introvert after all), but it usually takes some time for people to warm up to my rather boisterous personality. I tried to curb my enthusiasm so as not to frighten people away and waste what little time I had with each person. I focused on making every interaction count by both being myself (not some sort of marketing robot) and offering what I could to help/support their business. If you missed it, being an author is a small business and if you know me you know that I LOVE supporting small businesses. And there I was, SURROUNDED by small businesses that I could help. (insert glee here) Overall, it was a good experience. I didn't get the benefit of going to the classes because I wanted to be low-key with my first experience, but despite that, I was able to make all sorts of new friends and meet some old friends in person. I gave out all but two of the Clean Fiction Author buttons I brought with me and probably could have given out more if I would have been able to recognize anyone. There were just so many people. If you want to read about my everyday experience of the conference, you can visit my Patreon (patreon.com/cleanfiction) and sign up for the Sneak Peek tier (ONLY $1/month) OR you can become a site member over at cleanfictionmagazine.com. Both have my Realm Makers Conference Diary, but my Patreon also has 6 Sneak Peek pages from the Autumn Edition already available!
May your day be bright and your reading be epic!
~ Amy Lynn McConahy, Clean Fiction Publisher
My new short story "Angie's Will" is coming out August 20th! Ebook preorders are available now at https://smile.amazon.com/Angies-Will-Amy-Lynn-McConahy-ebook/dp/B0B7S7HCF8/ . It is only 99 cents of which I only receive 35 cents so I am practically giving it away. This story is around 3,500 words AND a preview of my novel "Dreamlight" is included. I would really appreciate your support. And now, the book blurb:
Battle, Survival, Friendship, and maybe, Love? "The global war was over now, but it didn’t mean that we earned discharge, not by a longshot. Now battles were fought by the states over disputes, not dominance. The leaders called it a “more civilized way”, but I kept my nose out of politics so I have no opinion one way or another. What interested me was winning. Each victorious contingent would receive an honorable discharge, but unfortunately for us, our contingent of State Northwest wasn’t known for winning."
This Week's Community Activity:
Clean Fiction Cover Design Contest
UPDATE: So far we have three submissions. Though they are lovely, we want more to choose from! Please, get the word out! Tell your friends, family members, and followers! $100 is no small sum and it is our biggest prize of the year. Don't miss out!
Are YOU the Next Artist to be featured on the Cover of Clean Fiction?
We here at Clean Fiction have decided to try something new in this edition. Hold a contest to see what an outside artist would do with the Clean Fiction cover. Up until now, the cover has been painted by our publisher, but it occurred to her that others might like the chance to display their skills. So let’s get down to brass tacks: What are the requirements?1) The artwork must include bold color blocking. This makes the cover easier to enjoy when it is displayed in a tiny format, such as on a person’s phone. Use the past covers as a reference for the preferred style, but feel free to use this style loosely. 2) The artwork must include a figure in modest attire. This could be a man, woman, or creature. Obviously, if the figure is a creature, only humanoid creatures must wear modest attire.3) The theme of the Autumn Edition cover is “Space”. This topic is as broad as you would like to make it. Feel free to be as creative with it as you’d like. And, that’s it! We wanted to leave the requirements as broad as possible in order to give artists the opportunity to flex their creative muscles. The staff will choose their favorites and then the finalists will be given to the Clean Fiction Community to vote on a winner. Submissions open July 1st and go through July 31st. Email your submission to info@cleanfictionmagazine.com along with the following information: Your Name, The Name of the Artwork, your Social Media Handle/Art Website, and an Email Address (for contact purposes only). Voting will be in August and the Grand Prize Winner will be announced along with the Cover Reveal on September 1st. What is the Grand Prize!
$100
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