Despite having four short stories published last year, a Timaru author is not planning on resting her pen.
Hadassa Waugh had her work published in four anthologies last year.
Miss Waugh’s stories were published as part of the Seasons of Romantasy anthology series, with the first story she had submitted to the publishing company being featured in the final of the four seasonal anthology novels.
Miss Waugh said she first submitted Lord Winter’s story, but because the book was being published by an American company — and their seasons were different time-wise — they contacted her to secure her story, but instead of doing one anthology, as advertised, they said they would be doing four.
‘‘They wondered if I would want to do a story from the point of view of Lady Spring.’’
Her short stories ranged from 5000 to 8000 words.
While she did not have any contract to publish with the company again this year, Miss Waugh was working towards indie-publishing her own short story anthology.
‘‘A collection of tales about the everyday life of legendary knights.’’
‘‘I’m also in the middle of doing illustrations myself for this collection, like I did with all four seasonal anthologies.’’
She planned to release those stories for free serially — with reduced illustrations — to her email newsletter subscribers.
However, the physical edition would have maps, all illustrations and ‘‘bonus interludes’’.
‘‘I’m hoping to have this project done by late this year or early next year.’’
While she worked on those short stories she was also editing the first book in that main young adult epic medieval fantasy series, which was currently called Project Crowns and Castles.
It was the same novel she had been inspired to write as a teenager when she had become frustrated by the lack of epic fantasy appropriate for tweens and teens.
‘‘I can’t share much at this point but it’s a fun adventurous story focusing on friendship and family — both found and blood with plenty of battles and frenemies forced to work together.
‘‘I haven’t decided yet whether I will pursue a traditional publisher for this series or go indie as there are pros and cons to both, but both options are available, as I have an incredible team of people I work with for my indie projects — editors, typesetters, proofreaders — but also have a request and interest for this story from traditional publishers.
‘‘Either way, at some point in the next few years Project Crowns and Castles will be shared with the world, and I hope people will be able to enjoy it as much as I enjoyed coming up with it.’’
