M. B. Weston’s Author Newsletter, Volume I, Issue 1

Breaking News
A Prophecy Forgotten (aka APF), Book I of The Elysian Chronicles
The hardback version of APF now has an ISBN#: 1-59507-169-5. APF is still slated to be published in December by Archebooks Publishing, Inc.

Out of the Shadows (aka OOTS) Book II of The Elysian Chronicles
I’m still muddling through the 2nd draft of OOTS, APF’s sequel. Don’t worry, Davian fans, I’ll have the 2nd draft finished soon enough. Keep checking the website for updates.

In September, I visited Annapolis to do on-sight research for OOTS, some of which takes place at the Naval Academy. I had a blast, and I also gathered important information that will help me finish the 2nd draft. For more information on my trip to Annapolis, go to my website and check out my photo album and my online journal. Thank you to the Kobza’s who made the trip possible.

Website Updates (www.elysianchronicles.com)
Recent Updates
The Elysian Chronicles website is finally up and running. Check it out! It includes a sample chapter of APF and in-depth descriptions of Elysia, as well as an up-to-date calendar of my author events, my on-line journal, and a few photos I want to share with everyone. You might even discover some of the things that inspired the creation of The Elysian Chronicles.

Stay Tuned For:

• Updated information on Elysia’s mythology
• Updated information on APF’s main characters.
• More pictures of the creatures of Heaven’s Realm, courtesy of artists Tara Albanese and David Eardley.
• FAQ lists about The Elysian Chronicles.

Contest: Win a Free T-Shirt
I need cool Elysian Chronicles T-shirt ideas. Send your ideas to mbweston@elysianchronicles.com. If I decide to use your idea, I’ll send you a free T-shirt of your choice.

Author Events
Schools
On September 19 and October 3, I spoke to Barron Collier High School’s Advanced Placement English classes about the art of writing fantasy and the process of getting published. If you want me to speak to your class, tell your teacher to e-mail me at mbweston@elysianchronciles.com to set a date.

Young Writers of Naples Club
If you are a high schooler in Naples and want to improve your writing skills, join me and other students at Barnes & Noble (Naples) from 10:00-12:00 on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month.

Monthly Writing Tip
Use strong verbs. Verbs are the backbones of sentences. Make them strong. Avoid verbs that don’t paint a picture or communicate to your reader, such as is/was, go, and put.

• Don’t say, “The mountains were tall.” Make your mountains loom or tower. Make them .
• Don’t make your character go to the store. Make him drive, hike, run, jog, or even fly. Don’t let your character just put something away. Have her stuff it in a drawer and slam it shut or fold it neatly before she sets it on top of the other shirts that are already organized by color.
• Avoid verbs that need adverbs. Don’t say, “He ran quickly.” Make him race or bolt.

Using strong verbs paints a picture in your reader’s mind, and it gives you a chance to show your reader more of your character’s character.

Tags: Elysian Chronicles, A Prophecy Forgotten, Out of the Shadows, M. B. Weston, Elysia, Young Writers of Naples, writing club, writing tips