Wednesday Writing — Beware the Fearsome Boobrie!

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Purple Moon dead tree fantasy Prettysleepy1 Pixabay
Pixabay

Hello, everyone.  Today we bid farewell to June.  However, it is still June.  The July issue of “Dead of Winter” is on schedule for release on the first Wednesday of the month.  (Although I don’t commit to a firm publication schedule, that’s my own generally desired date.) I’m sharing some of my writing process today.  Don’t worry — no spoilers. 

I’ve mentioned that I draw inspiration from existing mythology and locations, because it gives the reader’s imagination a subtle, perhaps subconscious prompt to fill in details.  The “world” in Dead of Winter includes many countries.  I wanted two of them to remind you of Ireland and Scotland, so I researched Celtic mythology.  There I came across a truly fearsome creature, which first appears in Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls. Although that isn’t the last we’ll see of it. 

Dead of Winter: Journey 7, Revenant Pass by by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene
Dead of Winter: Journey 7, Revenant Pass by by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

Anyhow, the description of this flying mythical monster was exactly what I wanted.  Except for its name.  I stopped reading to laugh out loud.  The creature of legend was named the Boobrie.  Can you imagine… Beware the fearsome boobrie? 

No, that just wouldn’t do.  I’m still laughing.  Fortunately there were variants of similar creatures with less laughable names, a water-horse or each-uisg, and of a water-bull or tarbh-uisg.  So, I created a name for the Dead of Winter creature by using the ending of those names, “uisg” and prefacing it with a Gaelic word for dead — “marbh.” This gave me the ferocious marb-uisg.

In Other News

Pride n Flowers Amazon Promo
Image by Teagan

Also in July (exact date unknown) Kindle Vella Serials will launch.  I’m participating with “Pride and Flowers, Prejudice and Dirigibles.” It’s a steampunk take-off on the beloved Austen classic.  You’ll meet Calytrix Bellefleur and her four sisters.  All the characters have flower or other botanical names.  I always felt sorry for Austen’s Mary character, so she gets a twist, and another twist for their mother.  However, it’s the setting, their world that has the big twists.

Here’s the Blurb

A “country house” comedy of manners ― gone steampunk, with a swizzle of adventure.  In the fantasy world Tellus, technology went terribly wrong.  The planet’s surface was rendered uninhabitable.  However, university botany experiments, housed in dirigibles high above were spared.

Generations later, the Tellurians live in floating cities.  The gentry own airships, rather than land.  There, Calytrix Bellefleur and her four sisters must come to terms with their fears about the future, gender inequality, reputation, and of course, love.

The Delta Pearl Concluded

delta-pearl-cover-1
The Delta Pearl book cover created by Teagan R. Geneviene

The steampunk riverboat that has been my blog serial for two years concluded over the weekend.  You can read the finale of The Delta Pearl here. 

Wishing everyone an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump.  Hugs on the wing!

Dead of Winter Universal Purchase Links

Journey 6, The Fluting Fell

Kindle:  relinks.me/B096CPJNSX

Paperback: relinks.me/B096CPJNSX

Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09431TD6G

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0942KC471

Journey 4, The Old Road

Kindle:  relinks.me/B092G5LB7R

Paperback:  relinks.me/B092M51Y88

Journey 3, the Fever Field

Kindle: elinks.me/B08XTNZ9M8 

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08XXY3JXF

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 3, the Fever Field eBook by Teagan Riordain Geneviene – 1230004609599 | Rakuten Kobo United States

Journey 2, Penllyn

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08VMNSF97

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08VLMR2KD

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dead-of-winter-journey-2-penllyn

Journey 1, Forlorn Peak

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08RBBVRGX

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08R7RH4F5

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 1, Forlorn Peak eBook by Teagan Geneviene – 1230004446033 | Rakuten Kobo United States

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This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2010 and 2021 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

 

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54 thoughts on “Wednesday Writing — Beware the Fearsome Boobrie!”

  2. Oh boy. I better get reading Journey 6 quick before the next one comes out! And good for you for being ready for Vella. I love your blurb. How fun, Teagan. You’re so creative. I’ve been wanted to write for Vella and just… well… haven’t started yet! Yikes. I’d better buckle under this weekend. Congrats on the new story!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

        1. Yes. Amazon is pushing authors to have multiple episodes ready at launch, so readers can binge. To me that defeats the serial purpose, but I do get it.
          Although it’s hard for me to want to get half a dozen episodes ready when they won’t even announce a launch date… We’ll see. 🙂

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

          1. You’re used to doing serials. For the rest of us, having a few ready is probably a good idea. The last thing Amazon wants is for readers to start a serial and the author to drop it or have months between episodes! It’s fairly risky, I think.

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

  3. First time I’ve heard of Kindle Vella Serials.
    Love your title and blurb!
    Girl, you must write in your sleep!
    No, no I’m sure you write in your sleep!
    {{hugs}}

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

        1. There is a payment structure. Such as it is.
          They post one that is negligible. (Even compared to the low payment when you charge 99 cents for an ebook.) However, if you dig into it, there are several — mostly regarding how readers are allowed to buy the payment “tokens.” Package deals and sales, all of which make author payment even less.
          There’s also a particularly unsavory agreement about rights to your work — Yes, you have the right to publish the story AFTER it is no longer running on Vella. BUT not unless you have published at least ten episodes at Vella.
          Why does that bother me so much? Because they won’t announce a firm “opening” date for readers. Which raises concern about whether Amazon will actually support the service for that long. I imagine they would keep it running for a year even if they were unhappy with it.
          HOWEVER that potentially leaves authors committed to a lot of writing — if we have any intention of publishing the story anywhere else.
          These are just my own findings and opinions. While you, Robbie, are professional and easy to work with, not everyone else is. I’m won’t be doing a post about it. With my “issues” I have to avoid inviting contentious “discussions.”

          Wishing you a lovely weekend my friend. I’m holding a vote related to the future serial this weekend. Please drop in to vote. Hugs.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply
  8. Pingback: Wednesday Writing — Beware the Fearsome Boobrie! by Teagan R. Geneviene – DEEZ – Art, Books & more

    1. Ha! You should see my house though… Thanks, John. Vella’s pay structure is a joke — on the surface. When you dig deeper, the truth is that it’s utterly deplorable. The other terms aren’t exactly agreeable either… But I don’t have an advertising budget, so I’m doing it for exposure. Thanks for your good wishes. Hugs on the wing.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  12. I’m glad you are doing the Kindle series. I thought of you when they announced it. Boobrie sounds like a pet name someone would have, not a monster. It cracked me up too. Can’t wait for the next journey, Teagan 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks for everything in this comment, Denise. Hopefully Kindle Vella will bring interaction with more readers who otherwise wouldn’t be there. I realize Vella probably won’t appeal to my WordPress readers, but you know — exposure. Have a beautiful rest of the week. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  13. The big old meanie, boobrie – what were they thinking? Glad to see that imagination of yours will still be getting a workout, Teagan – you really are a hoot!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  19. Great news, Teagan! I won’t be around much from the second week of July, but I hope I’ll be able to catch up with journey 7 anyway. Thanks for sharing the story of the naming of the creature… Now I know where it comes from (I also find the original name quite funny. I like your version much better), and I’ll be on my guard waiting for it to make another appearance. Good luck with Kindle Vella. I like the sound of your story. Stay safe, and agree with Dan. Don’t forget to have a bit of a rest as well. Big hugs!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Hi Olga. It’s good to see you. I hope you’re going to do something fun and relaxing. Maybe that remote family place you visit?
      Ha! I’m glad you enjoyed the tale of the Boobrie’s name-change. It makes me laugh every time I think about it. Yes, maybe a somewhat slower pace for me, for a while. Hopefully I can relax, although that doesn’t seem to be my nature. LOL. Stay safe. Hugs winging back to you.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  22. Yay – another journey is arriving soon! You have been a busy lady, Teagan. And we are the beneficiaries of your hard work. I know of your careful obsession for names and naming characters. As Carver Eastdoor, I am living proof of the effort you are willing to put it. Thanks for the update. I’ll be looking for the July delivery. I hope you can get a bit of rest before marching off on another serial.

    I plan to look into the Kindle Vella thing. I haven’t heard anything about it, except through you. I hope it proves to be useful to you as an author.

    Take care!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. You are so kind, Dan. Thanks for making me smile, and for all your support.
      As for Vella, it sounds like a cool platform for readers. And that’s the main thing. It’s a fresh spin on presenting serials. However, for writers, I really don’t recommend it, for several reasons. I’m only doing it for exposure and to meet new readers. Have a great rest of the week. Hugs on the wing.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

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