Author News: New Short Story
Dear Reader,
I was pretty sick over the winter. December ... January ... February ... they've become a painful blur in my memory. It wasn't just one thing, either, which makes it hard to talk about. First I had to withdraw from a medication I determined was causing terrible brain fog, then I got physically ill with something that caused fever, chills, body aches, and extreme loss of appetite. I was off food for about two weeks. And of course, our good friends anxiety and depression had to join the party, too!
I'm doing much better now. I've even gotten back to work on a slow-going novel project. I also have all my Cassie Scot books formatted and ready to self-publish, as soon as I get back the rights. I'm expecting that to happen sometime this summer, so stay tuned. I've even got new cover art for Madison's Song and Kaitlin's Tale to finally make them look more like the rest of the series!
Meanwhile, I realized that while I was sick, I had a new short story come out that I almost failed to notice, let alone mention. So, given the old addage better late than never, let me tell you about Wilderness Asylum University ...
Wilderness Asylum University
This short story is set in the Cassie Scot universe, though Cassie herself does not make an appearance. It was inspired by the anthology itself, which called for stories about the staff of magical schools. Now, the world of Cassie Scot never had a magical school; I made a point of writing a story in which magic was disorganized. Frankly, it's anarchy. But I did seed the idea that efforts at magical unification were on the horizon, and I always wondered what it would take to get a magical school off the ground in such a world.
Enter Stacey, a high school guidance councelor who has spent a career identifying young kids with magic and trying to get them help. She's just taken a job at a brand new magic school, but nothing's going according to plan. The promised teachers haven't arrived, the community seems hostile, and there's this pesty poltergeist wreaking havoc ...
You can read this and other stories about magical schools in Fantastic School Staff.
Author’s Corner
I continue to plod ahead on The Spaces in Between, the story of a young telepath losing her vision and fighting an evil, greedy corporation.
People often ask me how long it takes to write a novel, and I usually say about a year, but that's a misleading answer. It suggests that there's a clear, linear process, and that each year, I can produce a novel.
The truth is more complicated. First, I'm not always working on a novel. I'm often working on a novel, but I also work on short stories, editing, and political activism.
Second, and more to the point, some novels are easy to write. The Spaces in Between is not one of those! Aside from digging into some personal stuff I've had to reckon with and separate from my character, I've also developed a crazy complicated world that keeps throwing inconsistencies at me every time I turn around. That's why even though I've already been working on this for a year (on and off -- note that I was sick this winter), I still expect it to take another year to finish.
Coming to terms with the fact that this is one of those slow novels has really helped me out because actually, given that I need to tangle with the draft two or three more times to iron things out, it's shaping up to be a good book!
Featured Review
In honor of the recent re-release of The Immortality Virus:
"The Immortality Virus is a dark dystopian Science Fiction novel by Christine Amsden. It's an action-packed, fast-paced and thrilling book, spiced up with mystery and sprinkled with a tiny bit of romance. Everything is perfectly balanced, making this book a great treat for every Science Fiction fan."
Reviews don't have to be poetic, they just have to be honest! I appreciate any and all reviews of my book as they help other readers discover my work and decide whether or not they're the right audience to enjoy it.
Best,
Christine
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