Maggie Blackbird

Romancing Canada's Indigenous People

Now that Redeemed has been submitted, my goal is to finalize the first draft of Sanctified, book three in the Matawapit Family Series, starring eldest child Jude and family enemy Raven Kabatay.  Sanctified was my project for NaNoWriMo (where writers writer 50k+ words in one month during November).  So far, I have 60K done.  I’ll be finishing the last 30K words.  Once the draft is done, it’s edit, edit, and more editing LOL.

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WIP Wednesday

The Matawapit Family Series:  In the wilds of Northwestern Ontario, the adult children of a domineering Ojibway church deacon find their faiths crumbling and their beliefs faltering when a vengeful former lover, an ex-fiancé out on parole, and a seductive family enemy challenge Emery, Bridget, and Jude in a duel of love, loyalty, and values that threatens to destroy their perfect Catholic lives and family.

Here is Teaser #7 for Redeemed:

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It’s time for another excerpt from Redeemed, book two in the Matawapit Family Series.  Since I schedule posts a good week ahead of time, my fingers are crossed that when this goes live, the manuscript will be in the hands of eXasty Books.  Woot!

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WIP Wednesday

The Matawapit Family Series:  In the wilds of Northwestern Ontario, the adult children of a domineering Ojibway church deacon find their faiths crumbling and their beliefs faltering when a vengeful former lover, an ex-fiancé out on parole, and a seductive family enemy challenge Emery, Bridget, and Jude in a duel of love, loyalty, and values that threatens to destroy their perfect Catholic lives and family.

Here is Teaser #6 for Redeemed:

Continue reading

Well, well, well…I’m this-close to subbing Redeemed, book two in the Matawapit Family Series.  I’m on round number six of edits.  Then I’ll polish.  I’m anticipating subbing to the publisher mid-January.

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WIP Wednesday

The Matawapit Family Series:  In the wilds of Northwestern Ontario, the adult children of a domineering Ojibway church deacon find their faiths crumbling and their beliefs faltering when a vengeful former lover, an ex-fiancé out on parole, and a seductive family enemy challenge Emery, Bridget, and Jude in a duel of love, loyalty, and values that threatens to destroy their perfect Catholic lives and family.

Here is Teaser #5 for Redeemed:

Continue reading

When this post goes live, it’ll be Christmas Eve in North America.  I wanted to take the time to thank the guest bloggers, readers, and commenters for taking the time to participate at my web site.

I’m not much for newsletters.  I’m a blogger at heart.  I’ve had a personal blog since 2004 (it’s pretty lonely there right now because I haven’t had time to keep that blog updated in months).  So I said to myself when I landed a contract for my first book, “I’m going to use my web site to promote other authors and provide treats for readers of romance–and yap about reading, writing, romance, and rock ‘n’ roll–instead of having the usual newsletter.”

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Because you’re so special…

The first thing I did was sign up to be a host blog for Gay Book Promotions, Xpresso Book Tours, and Silver Dagger Book Tours.  I also host fellow eXasty Books and Devine Destinies authors.  And since I belong to a couple of great Facebook Groups, I also guest host other romance authors.  If you, a reader, are interested in being interviewed, don’t be shy and drop me a line.  If not for readers, who would romance authors writer for?  So I’d be very interested in taking a peek into a reader’s life.

Come the New Year, I really really hope to do one book review a month.  I wish I could do more, but time doesn’t allow me that luxury.  I’m on a tight schedule now–editing one book and a WIP waiting for a first draft finish.

My plan is to have Redeemed to eXasty Books by mid-January, and while waiting on edits, finish drafting Sanctified.

I’m working on  guest sign-up sheet to make contacting me easier if you’re interested in guest blogging, being interviewed, or wish to promote something romance related.

Thank you for your support.  My web site is getting a lot of traffic and new followers–all because of you.

Note:  In lieu of the Holiday Season, there will be no blog posts on December 25th (Christmas Day) and December 26th (Boxing Day).

The Writer’s Tag was created by Lorraine Ambers and Ari Meghlen as a fun way to connect with other writers, and help us get to know each other better.

I have been tagged by my friend and fellow eXtasy Books author V.J. Allison.  Check out her blog at Word Processor, Romance, Cats, Kids, and Creed.

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Tag! You’re it!

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As I mentioned before, I schedule posts way ahead of time.  Today, it’s the 18th and this post will go live on the 28th.  By then, I’ll have received my critique back for Redeemed.  Then I’ll begin working on edits come December 1st.

For November, please see my previous WIP Wednesday, because I’m participating in NaNoWriMo to get a jump start on Jude and Raven’s story, Book Three in the Matawapit Family Trilogy.  I hit the 30k mark.  Woot.  Stick around, because I’ll be posting snippets from their novel Sanctified.

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WIP Wednesday

The Matawapit Family Trilogy:  In the wilds of Northwestern Ontario, the secular world challenges the adult children of a perfect Catholic family headed by a full-blooded, domineering church deacon, when a vengeful former lover, an ex-fiancé out on parole, and a seductive family enemy, all dedicated to their Ojibway culture, test the faiths of Emery, Bridget, and Jude.

Here is teaser #4 from Redeemed.

Continue reading

I won.  Yes, as of November 25th, I completed a total of 50,851 words.  In my previous NaNo update, I mentioned I was shooting for 60k by the end of the month.  If I write 2k a day, which I have been since November 15th, I’ll meet this goal.

I’m on chapter eighteen for Sanctified, Book Three of the Matawapit Family Trilogy, starring big brother Jude and family enemy Raven Kabatay.  These two are a blast to write.  I’m enjoying Raven’s hidden insecurities she masks behind her bold, sassy, sexy ways.  And I love Jude’s confusion and loss now that he’s no longer ruling his life with his usual take-charge nature.

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Words…Words…Words…

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Golfer

Fore!

Just a quick update about Fantasy Friday–when I post my picks every Friday for golf fantasy offered by the PGA Tour, European PGA Tour, and the Golf Channel.  All three games are done until the new year.

Picks for the PGA Tour usually re-open the second week in January.  The same for the Golf Channel.  As for the European Tour, they usually don’t allow picks to resume until they begin the Desert Swing in Abu Dahbi, which isn’t played until February, usually.  My fingers are crossed that I can starting picking the second week of January.

Golf will continue for the European Tour, though.  There is the Australian PGA Championship from November 29th to December 2nd.  The AfraAsia Open from November 29th to December 2nd.  The South African Open from December 6th to the 9th.  And my personal fave the Alfred Dunhill Championship from December 13th to the 16th.  This one is held at Leopard Creek County Club in Malelane, South Africa.

After that, golf is done for the year and won’t resume until the second week in January.  It’s  good thing I recorded and saved Murdoch Mysteries and Frankie Drake Mysteries to view over the Christmas season.

Golfer

Fore!

Yes, it’s been a long time since I last posted a Fantasy Friday.  Fridays at my blog have been busy, but I’m still glued to the TV, watching the Race to Dubai.  That’s what’s airing this weekend.  Woot!  On Sunday evening, I’ll find out who’s the winner of the DP World Tour Championship and the winner of the Race to Dubai for the European Tour.

Naturally, the tournament takes place in…Dubai.  Duh.  LOL.  The sixty golfers who made it this far are teeing it up at the Earth course (designed by Greg Norman!) at the Jumeirah Golf Estates

BTW, when hubby was watching Midsomer Murders the other evening, the mystery took place at a golf course.  I love when that happens haha.

As for the PGA Tour, they’re in Sea Island, Georgia at the Sea Island Golf Club, battling to win the RSM Classic.

Enough babbling.  Here are my picks:

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In my last WIP Wednesday post, I mentioned I was completing round three of edits.  Since I schedule my posts, I’ll be done round four by the time this goes live.  Once my edits are done, it’s off for a critique.  When the crit is done, I’ll do one more pass before sending the manuscript to my publisher, eXtasy Books.

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WIP Wednesday

The Matawapit Family Trilogy:  In the wilds of Northwestern Ontario, the secular world challenges the adult children of a perfect Catholic family headed by a full-blooded, domineering church deacon, when a vengeful former lover, an ex-fiancé out on parole, and a seductive family enemy, all dedicated to their Ojibway culture, test the faiths of Emery, Bridget, and Jude.

Here is teaser #3 from Redeemed:

Continue reading

Strickensmall

Stricken by V.J. Allison

Today, I’m doing something different.  I’ve given the reigns of my blog to fellow eXasty Books author V.J. Allison so she can interview her leading man from her latest release Stricken, a steamy contemporary romance set in Nova Scotia, Canada.

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Good day everyone. I’m V.J. Allison, and today, I’m interviewing Ewan Campbell. He’s the hero of Stricken, my debut novel, which is set in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He’s also a member of the Campbell Oil family, and was heir to that empire until he decided a career in real estate on the east coast was more to his liking.

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Yes, I’m participating.  So I thought I’d give a quick update of my writing goals and progress until the end of the year.  As you know, Blessed was released on July 06, 2018, the first book in the Matawapit Family Trilogy.

At the end of October, I finished the fourth draft for Redeemed, Book Two, and sent off the manuscript for a critique.  While being critted, I chose to participate in NaNoWriMo.  On November 1st, I started drafting Book Three, Sanctified.

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Words…Words…Words…

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Today’s Throwback Thursday is an Author Alert of one of my fave writers: the late great Richard Wagamese.

Maggie Blackbird's avatarMaggie Blackbird

alert Heads Up!

If you enjoy First Nations literary and non-fiction, I highly recommend the works by Richard Wagamese.  My dad introduced me to this author a couple of years ago when he gave me Richard’s For Joshua:  A Native Father Teaches his Son for Christmas–a novel about what occurred to Richard as a result of the “sixties scoop.”

The memoir takes the reader through Richard’s life, from being placed in care at the age of three through the Child Welfare System to his escape from his adoptive family at the age of sixteen.  His journey of finding where he belongs takes the reader all over Canada as Richard attempts to come to terms with his life and what happened to him.  As he recounts his life, he provides lessons he hopes his son will use.

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