Happy Thanksgiving

 

Preparing for the New School Year and Writing Book Five

I'm starting the steps to get ready for the new school year. 

I have no clue what the 20-21 year will look like. Is it going to be like we're used to seeing? I think I can

More Masks I Bought

safely say no to this question.

I may find myself teaching in a classroom (which is the current plan), teaching on-line (aka distance learning), or doing some combination of both. Either way, I've started working to rewrite all my lessons so that they are completely in digital format. it is not an easy process, but I'm slowly learning how to do this and what programs work for me.

I really think our new normal is to hope for the best, but plan for facing a lot of unknowns. 

I never thought I would have to purchase face masks to wear in the classroom.  

In the midst of all this, I'm working on the fifth book in the Children of Atlantis series. 

I'm also revising the first four books, reformatting them, creating new covers, and writing new blurbs. 

The series is also getting a new name.

It's fitting for the change to happen now, because Raven is changing. Book five will answer a big question from the first book. What happened to Suzanne Weir, Raven's mother?

Current Covers

This book is also the beginning of a turning point for Raven. Will she survive mentally and physically? If she does survive, how will the events change her? Will the changes be for the better or for the worse?

Book five is the transition to a new path for Raven.

I hope you hang around for the journey.

Happy 4th of July, a New Quarter, and Changes Coming

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. Unfortunately, no fireworks this year. Thank you, COVID.

Like many of you, Mr. C and I stayed home. He grilled some shrimp and beef bites. I made a new rub too. It's a little spicy and a little sweet. 

One of the things I've learned from making rubs, is to blend together the flavors you like. If you don't like the flavors, you're not going to like the rub. 

Here is the base recipe for my new rub (Yes, I'm sharing!)

1/4 cup of your favorite Cajun spice mix

1/8 cup granulated garlic

1/4 cup of paprika

1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix all together and put into an empty shaker.

After you mix these ingredients, taste it. If it's not exactly the way you want it, add a little more of one of the mixes. I didn't add salt to this mix because the Cajun mix I used already had salt in it. We sprinkled this on half of the shrimp and half of the beef bites. And yes, everything was eaten.

This week is the first week of the 3rd quarter. Honestly, I'm glad 2nd quarter is over with, because it was not fun. First, I and all the other teachers in Texas, as well as around the country, moved to on-line teaching and finished out the school year this way. I was in an auto accident. I'm good. The safety features in the car kept me safe, but the car was declared a total loss. Mr. C had a had some heart issues. Twice we were in the hospital overnight. Yes, I stayed with him. 

It's kind of funny, but I bought my teacher planner back in June, and it's sitting on the shelf. Usually, I

would have already taken the new school calendar and written in the dates. This year I haven't done it. I haven't even opened my planner. I'm waiting. COVID has everything in a mess. I don't want to writing in dates and then have to cover them with correction tape.

This quarter, I'm focusing on my Children of Atlantis series. I'm giving the first four books some attention they need, so there are going to be some changes to the series. Some of the changes include new covers, new blurbs, and a new series title, as well as revisions and updates. Lots of changes, but for the good of the stories. 

 

Book 5 is currently in the draft process. I will be releasing it in the next few months, and as I get closer to that time, I will let you know the exact release date. I will start giving regular updates, including title reveal, a cover reveal, etc. 

I plan to spend the rest of July drafting the manuscript. 

You can follow me here, or at

           www.facebook.com/AnnieRachelCole  and/or www.instagram.com/annierachelcole .

 

I’m excited about Book 5. There were several unanswered questions in book 1. Book 5 will answer one of those questions…the question about what happened to a specific missing person. Hint. Hint. 

Have a great week and a great Summer, or at least the best summer possible.

Currently Doing: Packing, Outlines, Ideas, and Paperbacks

Life constantly makes twists and turns. Some journeys are tough, while others are easy. Sometimes we reach our intended destination, and other times we end up at an uncharted destination.

I've been told many times that when one door closes, another one opens. Some doors open to small changes, and others to life-altering changes.

My first week of summer break has been spent packing. I'm moving this week. Mr. C has a new job, so that means we are moving out of the staff housing that we had due to his old job. So in a couple of days, it will be goodbye to San Marcos and hello to New Braunfels. I'm looking at this move as a new beginning. New home. New neighborhood. New office for me to set up. 

New beginnings are a good thing!

A few weeks ago, I started writing the first chapter of Oracle of Atlantis, book 5 in the Children of Atlantis series. I wasn't quite happy with the outline, so I stopped writing and re-outlined the entire book. I love the way the story has turned out! As soon as the move is over, I will dive into writing the story.

Several of my students have asked me about how many books I plan to write in this series. (For those of you who don't know, I teach history and speech at a local junior high school.) I have ideas for about five more books, counting Oracle of Atlantis. I've started working on the outline for book 6, Deceptions of Atlantis. As I write Oracle, I'll jot down notes for the other stories.

Last September, I released Plague of Ares in ebook only. After the move, I will format a paperback version and release it. 

I've been tossing some ideas around and would like your opinion. 

I actually have a YouTube channel, but have not done anything with it. I'm thinking about filming some vlogs on writing and other stuff. Would you be interested? What kind of content would you be interested in? 

I'm also thinking about starting a Street Team. Is this something you would be interested in participating?

Have a great day! 

Happy New Year!

Weekly Quote

Live life to the fullest,

and focus on the positive.

--Matt Cameron

Weekly Quote

If you do enough planning before you start to write, 

there's no way you can have writer's block. 

I do a complete chapter by chapter outline.

--R. L. Stine