# Irreverent Muse

> Official Author Page of Michell Plested


## Posts

- [GalaxyBillies](https://michellplested.net/mybooks/galaxybillies/): LINK TO AMAZON – for soft cover, hard cover, kindle versions LINK TO EPISODES GalaxyBillies is the story of five humans from the Appalachian Mountains who are abducted by a semi-sentient starship. But what exactly is a semi-sentient starship? In this case, the starship is named Grokmar and the semi-sentient means that he needs an intelligent crew in order to function properly. It just goes to show how far gone the ship was to select the crew it did. The humans are an interesting bunch. There is: Betty Sue – matriarch of the group and wife of Zeke Zeke – […]
- [Happy Holidays to you](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/happy-holidays-to-you/): 2025 is almost a done deal. Hard to believe but there it is. As I write this, only eight days left and then the new year, 2026 starts. I will admit, I didn’t get quite as much done as I’d hoped. I suppose we all look back and see things we could have done (or finished) but didn’t quite get to. That’s okay. By the same token, I also got some things done I hadn’t expected. That gives me something to work towards. I’m happy to say, I’ve almost completed major edits of Mik Murdoch 5 (subtitled: Shifting Alliances). I’ve […]
- [New book about to drop - GalaxyBillies](https://michellplested.net/galaxybillies/new-book-about-to-drop-galaxybillies/): I can hardly believe how long it has been since I last posted an update. I can only say, life is busy. I’m sure you all know something about that. But, I have exciting news! GalaxyBillies, my science fiction comedy, will be available for purchase as an eBook,  paperback and hardcover on November 17th. Yes! One week from the time of this post. Some of you may say, “Wait a minute. GalaxyBillies was released as a podcast novel several years ago,” and you would be right. I wrote GalaxyBillies and podcast it as an experiment and an homage. An experiment […]
- [Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo 2025](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/calgary-comic-and-entertainment-expo-2025/): I’m excited to say I’m all set up and ready for the 2025 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. You can find me in section A2 of the vendor’s room sharing a table with Simon Rose. I’ve got copies of ALL my books if you are interested in your owned author-signed edition. 🙂 Come see me if you are in the area.
- [Super Sonya vs. the Woodpecker](https://michellplested.net/mybooks/super-sonya-vs-the-woodpecker/): Written by: me (Michell Plested) Illustrated by: McQuina Peters I wrote Super Sonya vs. the Woodpecker for my granddaughter’s birthday. She inspired the book by guarding my back yard after she learned that a woodpecker was putting holes in her playhouse, my hot tub and a few other wooden items in the yard. Super Sonya vs. the Woodpecker is currently available in English, Spanish and Canadian French. If you would like your own, signed copy of the book (and live in Canada – sorry, only Canada at the moment), email me to let me know your specifics. My webpage doesn’t […]
- [Come see me at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/come-see-me-at-the-calgary-comic-and-entertainment-expo/): I am going to be at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo sharing a booth with author Simon Rose (April 24 – 27) at the BMO Center in Stampede Park. This will be my 6th (or is it 7th?) time there with Simon. As per usual, I will have my books, Scout badges and all the personality you can stand. 😛 If you are attending, please come by and say, “Hello”. Buying books or badges is always optional (but encouraged).
- [An Experiment](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/an-experiment/): I have an experiment I would like to try. This experiment comes from the lack of support Amazon Canada is providing for my newest book, Super Sonya vs. the Woodpecker. (see earlier posts for details) And, sorry to all my global followers/fans, but this experiment is for Canada only. I say that because, everywhere else, the book seems to be available for order via Amazon. If you are interested in your own, signed copy of the book, for a very limited time, if you reach out to me, I will send you a signed copy for the original published price of […]
- [Guilt in writing](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/about-writing/guilt-in-writing/): Guilt in writing. Have you ever experienced it? I think I’ve been living it and didn’t even realize it was a problem. I was thinking about it last night (when I should have been sleeping) and I realized that I’m actually feeling guilty about my writing, or more specifically, guilty that I have so many outstanding projects to finish (and so many on the horizon to start). Guilt from unfinished projects Let’s talk about unfinished project first, shall we? If you have visited this site at all over the past couple years, you have almost certainly seen the progress bar […]
- [Super Sonya in Conversation](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/super-sonya-in-conversation/): My publisher posted an interesting conversation about Super Sonya vs the Woodpecker here. Enjoy.
- [Book launch stymied](https://michellplested.net/new-books-and-book-reviews/book-launch-stymied/): To say I was excited about the book launch of Super Sonya vs the Woodpecker would be a major understatement. I talked about it. I told people in places I’d never used before. I promoted it a lot. I had high hopes it would pay off. Imagine my disappointment when I checked the numbers with my distributor. Single digits. How was that possible? The book page looked fine on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. I went to Amazon.ca (which I expected would be my initial best selling spot since I am in Canada). The book was there. It had been there for weeks, […]
- [Almost there](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/almost-there-2/): We are almost there. “Where?” you might ask. There, in this case, is the launch of Super Sonya vs the Woodpecker in English, Super Sonya contra le Pic in French and Súper Sonya contra el Pájaro Carpintero in Spanish. Almost there also means the realization of a goal I’ve had for many years – to have a children’s picture book published. And, in this case, not just any picture book but a picture book written for and featuring my granddaughter. It is a very special book to me and I am excited to share it with you. Yes, we are almost there. […]
- [I'm being featured in a book tour](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/im-being-featured-in-a-book-tour/): I’m being featured in a book tour Behind the Story – Super Sonya vs the Woodpecker
- [Super Sonya is now available in three languages](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/super-sonya-is-now-available-in-three-languages/): Super Sonya is now available in three languages! My publisher, Evil Alter Ego Press, with the help of some colleagues, will release Super Sonya vs the Woodpecker in three languages: English, Canadian French and Spanish. (see announcement here) Love to be able to serve a larger audience in their own languages!
- [Super Sonya vs the Woodpecker - final](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/super-sonya-vs-the-woodpecker-final/): The final post. But is it really? See, we are doing something a bit different than all my other books. First off, it will be released in English (normal), Spanish and Canadian French. I have been very fortunate to have friends able to do those translations for me. This book is so special to me, I want to share it as widely as I can. And, if you would like to translate it into yet another language, let me know. Promotion I’m also promoting the book more widely than ever before. That has always been one of my failings. I […]
- [Super Sonya vs the Woodpecker (pt 3)](https://michellplested.net/new-books-and-book-reviews/super-sonya-vs-the-woodpecker-pt-3/): I finally had a rough draft of the story. I had a filled in story template. I didn’t yet have the name Super Sonya vs the Woodpecker. I sent the story template on to McQuina (my illustrator) to review. This all took much longer than I expected. I set a meeting with McQuina to talk next steps. I think this was about June. Next steps We discussed the book and how we would proceed. Now, keep in mind, I’ve done book layouts in the past but never anything with illustrations. What would we use to build the book? I know we […]
- [Happy New Year!](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/happy-new-year-3/): Shocking title for a post, I know. Who else in the world would think to name a post “Happy New Year!” on New Year’s day, after all. I am nothing if not derivative. 2024 – A Year of Loss and Recovery I will be the first to admit, COVID knocked the wind out of me. Perhaps not physically, but certainly emotionally. Not only that, demands on my time were at an all-time high, elevating stress levels further than usual. We had cause to celebrate with the arrival of a new member of the family early in the year. Then, my […]
- [Super Sonya vs the Woodpecker (pt 2)](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/super-sonya-vs-the-woodpecker-pt-2/): Yes, you caught me. I cheated on the title of this post. Instead of “The Children’s book, pt 2”, I’m calling it by its actual title. Might as well start calling it what it is. To continue the narrative from Pt 1 As I talked about at the end of the last post, I was struggling to write a story for the proposed book. I had an idea but I was putting so much pressure on myself to create a “classic” that I was going nowhere fast. I suppose saying I was trying to write a classic is really overstating […]
- [The new children's book (pt 1)](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/the-new-childrens-book-pt-1/): I tried to tease you a little about my new children’s book in the last post. Whether that attempt to entice worked or not, you are here now and I welcome you. Perhaps you are interested in reading it to your own children or maybe you have always wanted to create one yourself. In either case, I hope my story will be of interest. Children’s book – the beginning I may be repeating myself, but I have wanted to release a children’s book for several years. Probably far enough back that my children would have read it (and they are […]
- [Where do I begin?](https://michellplested.net/new-books-and-book-reviews/where-do-i-begin/): Where do I begin? Those words ran through my mind as I prepared to write my first post in months. It isn’t like I haven’t thought about posting. Honest. But, I haven’t posted. I’ve been working on a variety of things, most not writing related unfortunately. There are the normal family activities, maintenance activities, work and volunteering. Note, I said most were not writing related. Not all. I have a project nearing completion that I am more excited about than any book I can think of. I have my first children’s picture book ready for release in February. Why am […]
- [A rest is as good as a...rest](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/a-rest-is-as-good-as-a-rest/): It is very easy to be busy. It is much more difficult to rest. Sounds weird, doesn’t it? It doesn’t even really compute but, for me, it is still truth. I have a full-time job, I volunteer for a couple things regularly, I have my family, I’m taking some classes and, of course, I have my writing. Toss in reading, commuting, and the various other little things that are part of our daily lives and busy becomes the norm. To make matters worse, when I’m not busy, I feel guilt around all the activities I could be working on. Now […]
- [Happy New Year](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/happy-new-year-2/): Happy New Year, everyone! I know New Year’s posts typically are about looking forward, making resolutions and generally putting a positive spin on the upcoming year. Since I don’t want to disappoint you, I will not be deviating (much) from that recipe. 😀 What’s coming? I have talked about this a couple times in the past months but I have a plan to write three books in 2024. Jack Kane book 3 The first is book 3 of the Jack Kane series, written by JR Murdock and me. JR writes the hero side of the story (Jack Kane) and I […]
- [Reconnected](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/reconnected/): After a hiatus, JR Murdock and I have reconnected. You might remember me talking about wanting to work on the third Jack Kane book. I am here to tell you that we are both on board with getting that book written. Our goal is to have a viable book by June. I say viable meaning a book that has already gone through some edits and might be in shape to send to our publisher. We had a great chat as we discussed reinvigorating the book. Both of us have had a few setbacks over the past couple years. Not an […]
- [Something Different](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/something-different/): This week has been very different. For starters, my back has been giving me a lot of trouble (probably because I was trying to move a shower down narrow stairs Saturday and it was temporarily jammed. I was on top holding said shower while my moving partner was below. That meant I was holding it while he tried various things. So, nasty back this week. Fortunately, I think the problem is mostly aching muscles but it has still been a challenge to walk, sleep, etc. I’m also taking a remote study course. There are 11 of us in the class […]
- [Happy Friday](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/happy-friday/): Happy Friday! NaNoWriMo is over. For me, it was a huge success. I was able to hit the 50,000 words in 30 days AND I was able to finish my Mik Murdoch, book 5, first draft. More importantly, I feel like my joy for writing has been rekindled. I already am planning to write 3 new books in 2024 (not least of which is Jack Kane 3 with my writing partner, JR Murdock). I feel like it should be 5 books next year, but I don’t want to set myself up for failure. The weekend is here The weekend is […]
- [Day 28 - I won NaNoWriMo](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-28-i-won-nanowrimo/): I won NaNoWriMo on November 28th. At about 8:30 PM is hit 50,000 new words for the month of November. Shortly after I typed the two words I had been waiting for in my book: “The End”. It was an amazing feeling. Those of you who have completed a book know what I mean. You’ve spent weeks, or months or even years working on a book. It has taken on a life of its own. At times you aren’t sure it will ever be complete. Then, on that fateful day, you are able to finally say it is finished. I […]
- [Day 27 - Almost done](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-27-almost-done/): My day 27 writing saw me so close to being done it wasn’t funny. As you know by now, NaNoWriMo is all about writing 50,000 words in 30 days. By the end of my writing day, I was at 48,002 words. Less than 2,000 away from completing the challenge. The other measure – that of my book being complete – also shows me almost finished. I had a goal of 60,000 words for Mik Murdoch 5 and, as of the end of day I was at 59,994. Why the discrepancy? I started writing Mik Murdoch 5 a couple years ago. […]
- [Day 26 - The end is nigh](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-26-the-end-is-nigh/): The end is nigh. Not in an apocalyptic way, but in a “end of the 2023 NaNoWriMo challenge” way. That’s not a bad thing by any means. I made the last minute decision to join NaNo to try and jumpstart my book, Mik Murdoch 5. I’ve done that. In fact, when I hit the 50,000 word mark, I will also be close to typing “The End” in the book. I would say that is reason to celebrate! I think it is also the end of my writing slump. When I was forced to work from home full time four years […]
- [Day 25 - It feels like more](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-25-it-feels-like-more/): I did something yesterday that I haven’t done for a while. A year to be exact. I had a booth at a Christmas Craft Fair. My craft, as you might guess, is my books. Every year for the past five or six years I have attended this particular Christmas sale. It has been very rewarding over all. I’ve met new readers, teachers, existing fans and, of course, people who just want to talk about their own writing journeys. It is always rewarding to me to meet current fans. I get to find out what they like about my stories, who […]
- [Days 23 & 24](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/days-23-24/): I’ve been pretty diligent about updating my NaNoWriMo status everyday. Unfortunately, when it was time to do my update for Day 23, I was feeling too beat up from the week’s activities to write my post. It’s telling when you sit down to write about the doings of the day and you are too numb to form a coherent thought. I did manage to hit my writing goals for Day 23 and I’m still ahead of the game for Day 24. This is where having a writing buffer really helps. Do I still like my book? I am happy to […]
- [Day 22 - Happy Thanksgiving](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-22-happy-thanksgiving/): Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends celebrating today. If you aren’t writing, I completely understand why. This is a day when you can be thankful for the people who support you and the imagination you have to create new things. Those are two things I try to be thankful for every day. Day 22 Writing I’m not sure the scenes I wrote yesterday will make the final cut. Or maybe, to more accurate, I’m not sure all of the material I wrote yesterday will make it. Still, it was important to write what I did as it helped to […]
- [Day 21 - in the middle](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-21-in-the-middle/): There are days when everything comes together from the moment you start typing. Other days, it never does. Day 21 was somewhere in the middle. It was a struggle for the first hour or so. Then, it was like a switch was thrown and the writing was easy. It could have been that I went from writing dialogue to action. It could also be that my character was struggling in the early part of the writing and was battling in the latter. Whatever the reason, I ended the day with a decent word count and a couple scenes that I […]
- [Day 20 - Ideas](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-20-ideas/): I have often been asked where I get my ideas from. It is a question I’m sure many creative types have been asked, too. The short answer is, ‘Everywhere’. I get my ideas wherever I happen to be, doing or experiencing various things at any time of day. There’s no telling when an idea will strike. Why am I talking about ideas now? I know I’m participating in NaNoWriMo, writing Mik Murdoch 5. I’ve been exercising my creativity on a daily basis, coming up with more exciting ideas for this book. That doesn’t mean I can’t think about other projects. […]
- [Day 19 - I'm in the home stretch](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-19-im-in-the-home-stretch/): I’m happy to say I’m finally in the home stretch with my novel, Mik Murdoch 5 (final name still pending). I’ve brought a number of disparate elements together (not to mention characters) and the plan for the final battle is underway. This is where the fun really begins! Writers fatigue sometimes sets in here I’ve heard anecdotally that this is approximately where writers start to run out of gas. They’ve been focused on building their story and they are simply tired of the book. I will admit, I’ve been there myself. What is keeping motivated (besides trying to win NaNoWriMo) […]
- [Day 18 - Conflicting priorities](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-18-conflicting-priorities/): Weekends are the time I’m able to get things done around the house and for my family. I’m usually able to dedicate a few hours to tasks that need them that I simply can’t during the work week. When NaNoWriMo is on the calendar, this leads to conflicting priorities. Do I write or do I take care of outstanding projects. Do I try to do both? Like I said, conflicting priorities. Day started off strong Many people I know, my family included, like to sleep in on the weekends. I will admit to occasionally doing that too, but not today. […]
- [Day 17 - Ahead of the curve](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-17-ahead-of-the-curve/): In past NaNoWriMo’s I have been able to get into high word count daily writing early. The writing helped me hit the goal relatively early in the month. It took a little longer this time but I am currently ahead of the curve. What do I mean by that? Well, by the end of day 17, my total word count was a full day ahead of schedule. Why that’s important to me Things come up in life where I either have a much reduce writing time available or not time at all. I already had one day where I wasn’t […]
- [Day 16 - Therapeutic and relaxing](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-16-therapeutic-and-relaxing/): Day 16 was another good day. Work has been exhausting lately and the writing was actually therapeutic and relaxing. It went much quicker than expected and I was happy with the results. All positive things. I also left myself with a new set of scenes to write that will address one of the plot elements. Am I overcomplicating the story? If you have been reading about my NaNoWriMo journey this year, you have seen me talk about plot elements. A lot. You’ve also seen me talk about big scenes. Before you ask if I’m making the story to complicated, let […]
- [Day 15 - Characters take over](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-15-characters-take-over/): I like it when I’m writing a scene and the characters take over. “How is that possible?” you may ask. You might even point out that the characters are merely figments of my imagination. They are constructs of my mind. I would have to agree with you. The thing is, if you create characters that are realistic in the what they do, say and think, sometimes the subconscious mind simply starts to build the narrative without you, the writer, being completely aware of it. It’s almost as if they were coming alive. Some of the most fun scenes to write […]
- [Day 14 - Digging out](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-14-digging-out/): Day 13 was not as successful as I needed it to be. That meant I was digging out of a word count deficit on Day 14. How can that be, you might ask. NaNoWriMo is the challenge to write 50,000 words in 30 days. In order to “Win” the challenge, you need to write an average of 1,667 words every day for 30 days. I was a bit short of that average on Day 13. By a bit, I mean about 500 words too few. I grant you, 30 days sounds like a lot of time to get back on […]
- [Day 13 - Rollercoaster](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-13-rollercoaster/): So, let’s start with how this rollercoaster ride began…I wrote my post for day 12 and then forgot to post it. Not a promising start. Then I reread what I wrote for the previous day and had a complete blank on where to go next. Not writer’s block. Not exactly. But certainly the first vertical lift on the ride. I managed a bit of a flow for a while, mostly around filling in some plot holes. I did some reflection after that, realizing that, if I didn’t get the draft of the book finished this month, it would likely not […]
- [Day 12 - Keep on trucking](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-12-keep-on-trucking/): Some days the words come easily and other days I have to fight to get each one. Yesterday was somewhere in the middle, but I was able to keep on trucking. In other words, I kept the story moving forward. I had an idea going in what I wanted to do. The scene I wrote was actually one that takes place immediately before the scene I wrote on Day 9. It was also a scene that involved some of my secondary characters. It’s always fun to let them have some time in the sun without Mik. Where do I go […]
- [Day 11 - A new high](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-11-a-new-high/): I managed a new high on Day 11. I had a single day word count of 2683 words. That brought me right back in line with my daily goal. It was a good writing day. I managed to get more story  going that helps tie some of the big scenes together. Next steps Day 12 will be more challenging. We have a big family meal happening so I won’t get a chance to do any writing until it gets later. That’s okay though. I left myself a hook to keep writing. It is sometimes good to stop in the middle […]
- [Day 9 AND 10 - Come out swinging](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-9-and-10-come-out-swinging/): I’ve been updating this log every day since NaNoWriMo began. Until yesterday. What can I say? Last week was long and exhausting. When it came time to write (including writing a post) I simply didn’t want to. Probably not the ideal attitude when doing NaNoWriMo, but I needed to be aware of my own mental health. Simply put, I needed an evening of doing nothing. I thought I could get away with it if I came out swinging today. I was a few hundred words ahead of goal going into yesterday, so was confident I could make up the count. […]
- [Day 8 - In the Flow](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-8-in-the-flow/): The ideal writing state for me, is to hit a flow state where the words come easily and I lose track of time as I’m writing. Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to hit that state. It was a far cry from the previous day when every word was a struggle. The difference for me for Day 8 was, I had some time to think about a few of the big scenes I wanted to write. I had a fun idea for a scene and decided to work through it. To my delight, I actually ran out of writing time before […]
- [Day 7](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-7/): I called it. The minute I started to feel like I had a handle on things, it would be hard. So went day 7. Now, I grant you, I had a couple additional demands on my time for Day 7 and I didn’t have the opportunity to really think about what I wanted to write. If I had, I have no doubt it would have gone much differently. As it was, while I still hit my word count for the day, I don’t think any of it will be usable in the book. But, I can’t edit what I didn’t […]
- [Day 6 - The Plot Thickens](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-6-the-plot-thickens/): The Plot Thickens. What the heck does that even mean? When I looked it up, it actually meant what I thought. The plot is getting deeper and more complicated. That is actually the right way to describe the direction Mik Murdoch 5’s plot is going. Lots of new ideas Part of what stalled the book in the first place was an incomplete understanding of how the story needed to get from A – Z. I knew what the beginning was. I knew how I wanted it to end. It was all the stuff in the middle that was giving me […]
- [Day 5 - Too much of a good thing](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-5-too-much-of-a-good-thing/): I decided to do NaNoWriMo because I know that I thrive on the challenge. Something about knowing I can count and keep track of the number of new words seems to get the blood (and words) flowing. I was worried I might not feel the same way this year. It turns out I have nothing to worry about. The words, they are a’flowin. But, is it too much of a good thing? I ask the question because I have questioned my sanity more than once since I started. That is compounded by the fact that my company is doing a […]
- [Day 4](https://michellplested.net/nanowrimo-2/day-4/): Day 4 was a good day. I was able to add more than the minimum word count for the day and I was also able to add some more interesting items to the story. One of the criticism I have occasionally heard about Mik is he’s so darn good. Now, I would argue, being good doesn’t make a character unbelievable. In fact, I pity those people who haven’t ever known someone who is selfless and good. They are out there. I know, I’ve met more than a few. Regardless, Mik has demonstrated throughout his adventures that he is less than […]
- [Day 3 - Reflection](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-3-reflection/): I know it’s a bit early to reflect on my NaNoWriMo journey; it has only been three days after all. That’s not the reflection I’m thinking of. No, this is more about that age old question: how do you write? Are you a pantser or a planner? Planner The first novel I ever wrote took me seven years. I wrote it as my project for a novel writing program I did (by mail). One of the early lessons was to plot out the book. I spent days plotting it before I wrote a single line. It was gruelling, but ultimately […]
- [Day 2 - What a slog!](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-2-what-a-slog/): I think I’ve identified one of my problems when it comes to getting my writing routine into a…well, routine. I’ve let that little devil on my shoulder have way too much say – when the day and/or writing are becoming a slog, I let that voice talk me into either stopping, doing the minimum or finding something much more pleasant to give my time to. Day 1 I went into the challenge a bit anxious but eager to go. The writing I did flowed well and I’m pretty happy with where it took me. Day 2…not so much. The ideas […]
- [Day 1 Win](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/day-1-win/): In my last post, I talked about how I made a last minute decision to do NaNoWriMo this year. I was determined to come out swinging and have a Day 1 Win. As you might imagine, I didn’t do a lot of planning prior to working on my NaNo story. That’s okay though because, what I’m trying to do is finish my fifth Mik Murdoch novel. I started this book more than a year ago and haven’t really gotten a good momentum going on the story. So, I sat down to start typing yesterday and immediately had a new idea […]
- [A last minute decision is still a decision](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/a-last-minute-decision-is-still-a-decision/): I made a decision this morning. It freaks me out a little, but now that I’ve made it, I’m committed (or maybe should be). Is it too late? Not by a long shot. NaNoWriMo only began today so I have an entire month to meet my goals. The most important headline here is, I decided to participate. What was that decision, you might ask? Well, I decided to do NaNoWriMo again this year after a two year hiatus. I won’t go over what NaNoWriMo is – I know I’ve talked about it at length in the past – but I […]
- [Simon Rose Interview - October 2023](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/guest-posts/simon-rose-interview-october-2023/): My guest today is Calgary author Simon Rose, who has published eighteen novels for children and young adults, eight guides for writers, more than a hundred nonfiction books, and numerous articles on a wide range of topics. Your most recently published books were those in The Stone of the Seer series. Remind us again of what it’s all about. The Stone of the Seer is young adult historical fantasy series, featuring The Stone of the Seer, Royal Blood, and Revenge of the Witchfinder. The exciting story is mostly set in the mid-seventeenth century during the English Civil War. In The […]
- [Reforming an old habit](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/about-writing/reforming-an-old-habit/): How does one go about reforming an old habit? In some cases (usually negative cases) the old habit comes easily. I think about things like procrastinating. It’s so easy to simply do nothing. Rebuilding a productive habit is much harder. It takes effort. It takes planning. Most of all, it takes diligence. Breaking the old habit in the first place I will admit, I have the problem of overcommitting. I’m usually good, going 100 miles an hour for several months, doing a ton of different things, getting pulled in multiple directions. The problem is, it always catches up with me […]
- [False Start Shouldn't Mean Full Stop](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/false-start-shouldnt-mean-full-stop/): Having a false start shouldn’t mean a full stop. It happens and when it does, you should review what happened, pick yourself up and start again. There have been many times I’ve had to rewrite sections of a book when I’m in the editing phase. Never have I had a book where I’ve started. Thrown away what I’ve written. Started again, only to throw that away too. Until now, that is. It’s been no secret that I struggled during the recent plague years. Very little writing was done although I did think about it a lot (usually with guilt weighing […]
- [A New Day Dawns](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/a-new-day-dawns/): We’re all tired of talking about it. We’re all tired of reflecting on it. And yet, it is now part of our daily lives. Yes. I am talking about wearing pants. The weather is getting colder here and pants are becoming more and more necessary. Not just to keep those increasingly frigid blasts of air from freezing important bits and pieces but because it is expected that those of us who have to go into the office should be professional. We have to think of our fellow co-workers and commuters otherwise chaos and civil unrest could commence. I know we’ve […]
- [Interview - Simon Rose - Royal Blood](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/guest-posts/interview-simon-rose-royal-blood/): My guest today is Calgary author Simon Rose, who has published eighteen novels for children and young adults, eight guides for writers, more than a hundred nonfiction books, and many articles on a wide variety of topics. Today, we’re looking at his latest release, Royal Blood, the second novel in the Stone of the Seer series. So remind us about the Stone of the Seer series. What’s it all about? The Stone of the Seer is an exciting historical fantasy series for young adults, primarily set during the English Civil War in the mid-seventeenth century. The Stone of the Seer, […]
- [Enjoying the Summer](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/enjoying-the-summer/): There has been a lot going on in life lately. Not just mine, but the entire family. But I can’t blame the business for my lack of writing productivity. In fact, I’m going to do something completely out of character and not blame anything for my lack of writing productivity. I am, in point of fact, going to practice some of that self-care my day job continuously talks about. I am going to accept that I’m doing something other than writing and know that I will be getting back to it soon. No self-recrimination, no beating myself up. Just enjoy […]
- [Where Has the Time Gone?](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/where-has-the-time-gone/): Just when I thought I was getting back into the habit of blogging regularly, I realize it has been a month since my last post. How can that possibly be? Where has the time gone?   It would be easy to say I’ve been busy. I mean, I have been busy with work, home, Scouts and, happily, writing. I have been able to maintain a regular writing cadence. In the month of May, I wrote almost every day; 27 of 31 days. That added an extra 11, 000 words to my work. After too long without a regular writing schedule, […]
- [Try Something New](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/about-writing/try-something-new/): One of the many things I enjoy about writing is the ever-existing opportunity to try something new. It could be writing in a different genre, it could be trying to plan a novel (or pantster one) or it could be a new PoV. That is probably why you see me writing in so many different genres. I come up with a story idea and it sort of tells me the genre it belongs in. Scouts of the Apocalypse is a prime example of that. I’d never even considered writing horror before I got that story idea. But my Scouts enjoyed […]
- [More Writing Adventures - Pantster or a Planner](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/about-writing/more-writing-adventures-pantster-or-a-planner/): I know I’ve talked about this before, but it is something that’s been on my mind quite a bit the past couple weeks. Am I a pantster or a planner? The answer, I’ve discovered, is that I’m both. Much like I will write a story in the genre that best fits it, I will also employ either a pantster or a planner methodology as the occasion demands. For example, my first published novel, Mik Murdoch: Boy Superhero, was completely written in pantster-style. There were many reason for that, too. First, I wrote that book as a NaNoWriMo novel, which totally […]
- [Mistaken Identity](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/mistaken-identity/): I feel like I’m coming out of a severe case of mistaken identity. All my life I’ve believed myself to be an extreme introvert. Except, I exhibit all these extroverted tendencies too. My work life is a good example of this. I actually prefer to be in the office. There are a number of reasons for this, not the least of which is, I like being around people. That made staying home to work for the past two years extremely difficult. I think I was in mourning for the first three months before I learned to cope with it (somewhat). […]
- [See you at Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo 2022](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/see-you-at-calgary-comic-and-entertainment-expo-2022/): I will finally be attending the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo as a vendor. That is particularly exciting because I have two new books to show off and, hopefully, sell. Those would be The Goddess Renewed and The Mystery of Silver Lake. If you are planning to attend, look for me in Artists Alley.
- [Guest Interview - The Stone of the Seer](https://michellplested.net/podcastpromos/guest-interview-the-stone-of-the-seer/): My guest today is Calgary author Simon Rose, who has published eighteen novels for children and young adults, eight guides for writers, more than a hundred nonfiction books, and many articles on a wide variety of topics. Today, we’re looking at his latest release, The Stone of the Seer, the first novel in the Stone of the Seer series. So what’s the new series all about? The Stone of the Seer is an exciting historical fantasy series of adventure novels for young adults, primarily set in the turbulent period of the English Civil War. The Stone of the Seer, book […]
- [Announcement #1](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/announcement-1/): Announcement #1 I love it when I have something announcement worthy. At this very moment, I have two things, but I’m only going to give you one today (because I like to keep all you lovely people in suspense). Hence Announcement #1. So, without further ado: The Goddess Renewed is now available as both an eBook AND a print novel. The publisher, Champagne books, typically release their new books in eBook format first followed a few months later in print form. This is true for The Goddess Renewed too. Beyond simply having another book on my brag shelf (admittedly, I almost […]
- [Rejuvenation](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/rejuvenation/): Rejuvenation. The past two years have been a roller-coaster ride for most of us. We’ve hit some highs, lots of lows and, in many cases, have counted ourselves lucky to simply make it through some days. Rejuvenation of our hopes, spirits and those activities which bring us joy is long overdue. I’ll admit, the word, rejuvenation, only re-entered my lexicon in the past days. Prior to that, survival was more of the key word for me. But there have been a number of reminders that I have much to be thankful for. Those reminders have steered me back from survival […]
- [Busy busy busy...](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/busy-busy-busy/): Busy busy busy. That seems to be the phrase of the past couple weeks. Between work, Scouts, house, sanity checks, I don’t seem to have a lot of time right now. I keep meaning to post another update and tease you about the upcoming book, but even that is escaping me. (I know, darn, right? Not getting teased and all) Work Front I’ve been very fortunate. My company is extremely forward-thinking regarding working from home, mental health, personal well-being and a host of other things. As much as I prefer working in the office (yes, I am one of those), […]
- [New book, new series coming](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/new-book-new-series-coming/): I have a new book, new series coming soon. It feels odd to be talking about something that hasn’t released yet, but I’m trying to be better about promotion. So, what is it? What is it about? Middle Grade Mystery/Adventure The book is really an homage to books I read when I was young(er). Think about the Hardy Boys and the Three Investigators. Both series are from bygone eras (the Hardy Boys started in the 1920’s, the Three Investigators in the 1960’s), but I think both still have relevancy. Why? Because – and this is important – kids are smart. […]
- [Extend my Reach](https://michellplested.net/about-publishing/extend-my-reach/): A few months ago my publisher reached out to me to talk about an opportunity that would literally extend my reach to readers. An application publisher (for books, to be clear) was interested in a number of the publisher’s properties. The Goddess Renewed was one of those books. I am very pleased to announce that Goddess is now available to read on the Readict app. That makes the novel available as both an e-book available directly from Champagne Books and via the app on whatever mobile device you might use. Unexpected Meeting of a Goal One of my goals has always […]
- [What the...? (or why is it such a struggle?)](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/what-the-or-why-is-it-such-a-struggle/): Just when I thought I was coming out of this…whatever you want to call it… Funk? Uncentered self? Hiatus? Idontknowwhattheheckisgoingon? Maybe I’ll just take a pass on even labelling it. Suffice it to say, these crazy times we are living in has made building new, positive habits difficult and leave it at that, shall we? So…coming out of this (whateveryouwanttocallit) and building new, positive habits. Not the easiest thing ever. For those of you caught in the same temporal anomaly (yes, I watch Star Trek, Lower Decks the other day – the phrase just stuck in my head), you are likely […]
- [Upcoming Signing](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/promoting-your-book/upcoming-signing/): I hope all of you in the area can/will come. 🙂
- [Squirrel!](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/squirrel/): I’ve started writing numerous posts the past while and every time I manage to get distracted away from it. I feel much like Dug from the movie Up must feel; it would be very nice to hold onto a single train of thought but there are too many other things to grab my attention..  The result has been no new posts on the website but several partial posts in my draft folder. The problem with that is, when I begin writing a post, I always have a direction I want to take. Getting pulled away effectively ends whatever ideas I […]
- [False Starts](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/false-starts/): I will be the first to admit that I was struggling to write the newest Mik Murdoch novel. I had a number of false starts including one where I wrote over 3,000 words before I realized just how slow everything was moving. That got me really thinking about the story and what I wanted to achieve with it. Except, I wasn’t getting any new ideas. I was just regurgitating all the old ideas. Nothing new was coming to mind. Overcoming the Problem I had to tear the story right down to the ground and start again almost from the beginning. […]
- [Revisiting Favourite Authors](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/revisiting-favourite-authors/): I talked about how I have re-ignited my joy of reading in an earlier post.  Today, I want to talk about the value in revisiting favourite authors. I know there are different camps when it comes to the topic of rereading books. Some people don’t like to read a book more than once and others go back to the same material over and over again (for the record, I am one of the latter although I do read new books almost as much). Benefits I receive from rereading a book Reason 1: The big one Part of the reason I […]
- [Calgary Young Writers' Conference (2021 virtual edition)](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/calgary-young-writers-conference-2021-virtual-edition/): I will be running a workshop at the Calgary Young Writers’ Conference this Saturday (April 10, 2021). I’ve now officially lost count of the number of times I have either volunteered for the conference or actually presented at the conference. What I do know is, it is a fantastic day spent with Calgary’s up-and-coming writers and I always leave feeling both exhausted and refreshed at the same time. Exhausted and Refreshed? I put a lot of effort into creating the workshops and ensuring that the participants get as much as I can give out of them. That takes a lot […]
- [Rekindling the Joy](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/rekindling-the-joy/): Growing up, I had an extremely long bus ride to and from school every day. Couple that with living on a pretty remote farm and I didn’t have a big circle of friends I could hang out with whenever I wanted. Add one more element – my parents loved reading Science Fiction – and you have someone who reads all the time. If memory serves, I was inhaling books at the rate of one every couple of days (I did still have chores to do morning and night). That rate of consumption lasted right up until I hit college. Homework, […]
- [Surviving](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/surviving/): How are you all surviving these days? I know I have good days and I have bad. I’ve had to reduce my time on Twitter because there is so much negativity and ridiculousness going on every day. It feels like people are looking for reasons to be offended and/or offensive. That is unfortunate because, I’m a pretty social person. I now work from home (which I am still adjusting to a year in) and I’m lucky to be doing so. But since I’m now alone most of the day, social media was a way of seeing other people safely. Except, […]
- [Feedback and Reviews](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/feedback-and-reviews/): I’m not sure many readers appreciate the importance of Feedback and Reviews. For those people, allow me to assure you, both are VERY important although for different reasons. Feedback I have been fortunate enough to receive feedback from readers on many of my books. Most recently, a lovely lady sent me a DM to inform me she and her son both love my Mik Murdoch books. They have read them all and she had taken the time to talk about them on Instagram. I can’t tell you how important that DM was. Like many of you, I have been feeling […]
- [Trying to do too much in the story](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/trying-to-do-too-much-in-the-story/): I’ve been working on Mik Murdoch 5 and I have realized I’ve been trying to do too much in the story. I always insert little tidbits here and there in the sequels to tie them back to the previous books. That isn’t a bad plan as it provides continuity. Where I am coming up against it is I now see I’m getting carried away, especially since there are now four books in the series. If I reference events from every one of them, I won’t have time for the story in book 5. That isn’t to say I won’t be […]
- [Should I be a planner or a pantster for my next book?](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/should-i-be-a-planner-or-a-pantster-for-my-next-book/): Should I be a pantster or a planner for my next book? I have written books using both methods. I’m told the books were good in both cases. So, which method should I use? Mik Murdoch 5 is the next book, in case you were wondering. I haven’t been doing a lot of writing the past few months. I was busy editing The Goddess Renewed for several months and trying to keep my sanity for several more. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about what the next book(s) should be. In the case of Mik Murdoch 5, I know what […]
- [World Building - Every Character Has a Story](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/world-building-every-character-has-a-story/): An I’ve been thinking a lot about characters and building rich, living worlds for them to live in. I have also been re-reading some old favourites. Specifically Anne McCaffrey’s Harper Hall Trilogy set in her fictional world of Pern. I have come to better understand that every character has a story within their world and approaching those various stories in different ways will enrich the world you are building. Pern – a rich story world Let me use Anne McCaffrey’s planet of Pern to better show what I mean. If you ask any lover of her Pern books what elements […]
- [Locked Down (or Time Flies in a Crisis)](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/locked-down-or-time-flies-in-a-crisis/): I looked to see when I last posted. October? That can’t be right. Should I blame being locked down or claim I was too busy to post? No, the reality is much more boring than that. Simply put, I’ve been keeping my head down and working through each day as it comes. I’ve been staying home as much as I can (groceries still need to be bought) and I’ve completed editing on my now-published novel, The Goddess Renewed. Not the most glamorous explanation, but the truth. The good news is, my family is safe and there does seem to be […]
- [The Goddess Renewed](https://michellplested.net/mybooks/the-goddess-renewed/): Trust may be the only thing that can save you…or betray you. When his family disappears, Kalten knows he must find them at any cost. He desserts his post and meets up with an angry young woman with a vendetta of her own. Their chance meeting draws them into a world of intrigue and danger where they must uncover the plot against the crown. With the aid of a former goddess and a rebellious young dragon, they face a world that seems to be rising up against them. This is book one in The Fallen Goddess series. You can find […]
- [Jack Kane and the Kaiser](https://michellplested.net/mybooks/jack-kane-and-the-kaiser/): When Jack and Betsy meet Kaiser Wilhelm, they immediately suspect an assassination attempt is about to be made against him. They do everything they can to keep him safe, but little do they know the assassination they expect is coming from a different source with a completely different target.  Can the United States and the world survive the resolution? Jack Kane and the Kaiser, is book two in the Jack Kane steampunk series co-written by Michell Plested and JR Murdock You can find the book at the retailers below: Champagne Books store Amazon.com Kobo Chapters/Indigo
- [Today is a Very BIG Day!](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/today-is-a-very-big-day/): Today is a very BIG day in my writing career. Today is the day my 10th published book (both solo and co-written) is available for purchase. The book, The Goddess Renewed, represents a number of things to me. It is actually the first book I ever wrote. That may scream amateur to some of you but it has gone through years of edits and rewrites. I am pretty proud of what it looks like now. It is also my first Adult Fantasy – something I always thought I should be writing. As those of you who are also writers know, […]
- [My email was hacked](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/my-email-was-hacked/): If you have received an email from author@michellplested.net in the past several hours (as of October 14, 2020) please delete the email and accept my apologies. That account was hacked. I have since taken steps to secure the account (again). Hopefully this won’t happen again. Thank you, -Michell
- [Important Developments](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/important-developments/): Mik Murdoch: The Power Within is an Audio Book There have been a couple important developments over the past few months. The first is that Mik Murdoch: The Power Within is now an audiobook. Narrated by Kevin Earlywine, who narrated Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero, the book is available everywhere you can purchase audiobooks. The book continues Mik’s adventures as he works hard to become a boy superhero in his hometown of Cranberry Flats. In this second book in the series, Mik has been having a lot of trouble dealing with his quest. His parents decide he’s due for a quiet […]
- [I Ate'nt Dead](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/i-atent-dead/): For those of you familiar with Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, you will almost certainly recognize the above quote. It is something the character Granny Weatherwax has printed on a placard that she holds when she is out ‘borrowing’ (the art of overlaying her mind on the mind of another creature so that she can see through its eyes and steer its actions without it being aware of her presence). I haven’t exactly been ‘borrowing’ myself, but I have definitely been watching. Specifically, watching the world struggle to deal with the current pandemic. Those are struggles I know we all share. […]
- [What Would You Do?](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/what-would-you-do/): What would you do if you were reliving the same day over and over again like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day? Would you sit back and simply watch everything repeat or would you use the time to do something new? It’s a question many of us are probably asking ourselves (or something like it) as we self-isolate at home seeing the same walls, same people and…well same everything every day. It probably feels like we are living the same life in an endless loop. When this first began and it looked like we might be home-bound for a while I […]
- [A New Mik Murdoch Audiobook is in Production](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/a-new-mik-murdoch-audiobook-is-in-production/): Last year we were delighted to announce the production of Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero as an audiobook. For those of you who have already listened to it, you know Kevin Earlywine did a fantastic job. I am also pleased to say, it is already showing popularity within the public library systems. That was last year. This is 2020 and we are excited to have Kevin working on book 2: Mik Murdoch: The Power Within. I’ve already heard the first fifteen minutes of it and it’s even better than the first one. It’s always fun to see my work come out […]
- [Adding Routine to My Day](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/adding-routine-to-my-day/): I often hear the word “Routine” uttered with contempt. At those times, the speaker is often talking about how routine is the death of spontaneity, a killer of innovation that ultimately puts one in a rut. I’m going to vigorously disagree with that point-of-view. I understand that planning out your day can reduce spontaneity (unless you actually schedule it in, which is a bit of an odd irony in itself), but having a routine or planned day also increases your focus. Especially if you have a number of activities running simultaneously. But why am I bringing this up now? Well, […]
- [What is the Next Project?](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/about-writing/what-is-the-next-project/): How do you figure out the next project? If you are like me, you have several stories percolating in your brain all the time. Plus you probably have notebooks/sticky notes/random napkins with other ideas sketched out. And then there are those new ideas that pop up whenever you aren’t looking. With all that noise, how do you (or in this case, me/I) decide what the next project should be? Stories Under Contract Anything that has a contract attached to it automatically floats to the top of the list. I am mindful that not everyone is at the stage of their […]
- [Downtime](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/downtime-2/): We all need downtime. Life can be hectic and doesn’t always offer anything but a continuous string of busy that we can’t seem to escape. When we do manage to find a little downtime, it can feel so good, we don’t want to give it up. I won’t say I’ve been completely stationary. In fact, I won’t say I’ve even had a wealth of downtime. Just…different time that has kept me away from writing very much. There have been books to edit, a home renovation project and work has gotten even busier. Oh yeah, and Disney+ and Amazon Prime found […]
- [Dalhousie Night Market](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/dalhousie-night-market/): The holiday market season is on and I will be attending my first one (as a vendor) for the year this coming weekend (Friday November 22 – Saturday November 23). I will be bringing all of my books (with the sole exception of my newest – Jack Kane & the Kaiser – which doesn’t release until later this month), my Scout/zombie badges and, of course, my wit and charm (such as they are). Come by and see me. Buy a book or two or well, however many you’d like. 🙂 To be clear, this is in Calgary, AB, so if […]
- [Jack Kane and the Kaiser is in Final Edits](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/jack-kane-and-the-kaiser-is-in-final-edits/): Huzzah! JR Murdock and I have been waiting a while for this and we are currently hard at work on performing the final edits. If the stars align, it will be available very soon. If they don’t, the book won’t be released until some time in January. Either way, it’s very exciting! And one of the best parts for us is the cover. It’s amazing AND Jack Kane and the Statue of Liberty will be getting a brand new cover to match. I cannot wait to get this into your hands. Stay tuned!
- [It Can Be Discouraging](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/it-can-be-discouraging/): I’ve been in a bit of hermit mode the last year. I’ve been busy editing and not a whole lot else. When I took the time to reflect on why that might be, I had to go all the way back to the Fall of 2017. That was when my mother was diagnosed with dementia and I was named her Power of Attorney. If you don’t know what that means, let’s just say both her life and mine changed completely. She became my dependent and I got the unenviable job of being responsible for her affairs. I took some time […]
- [Mik Murdoch: Identity Troubles](https://michellplested.net/mybooks/mik-murdoch-identity-troubles/): You might think being a superhero would be cool but Mik Murdoch knows it isn’t all fun and adventure. Being the self-appointed hero of Cranberry Flats, he has had his fair share of problems to deal with. Like keeping his secret identity hidden – a tough thing to do in a small town. When his father starts asking about his nightly activities, Mik realizes that his alter-ego and his days as a hero may be at risk. But how to stop the questions? It takes an old friend, who unexpectedly comes to town, to distract people. Only, that friend disappears […]
- [Mik Murdoch: Identity Troubles is now available!](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/promoting-your-book/mik-murdoch-identity-troubles-is-now-available/): The long wait is over. Mik Murdoch: Identity Troubles is now available, both in print form and electronically. Well…that isn’t entirely true. It is mostly available electronically. Apparently our friends at Amazon aren’t sure that Evil Alter Ego Press actually owns the rights to publish the book. It seems that a history of publishing the previous three books in the series isn’t enough. Hopefully that will remedy itself soon. For now, here are the links that work for purchasing the book: Print version: https://amzn.to/2n6qipX eBook version (all formats): https://books2read.com/u/mqDqq6
- [Cover Reveal: Mik Murdoch: Identity Troubles](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/promoting-your-book/cover-reveal-mik-murdoch-identity-troubles/): Here you go, my friends. The cover for Mik Murdoch: Identity Troubles. I’m so excited to share it with you. 🙂 As soon as it is available for preorder, I will post links.
- [Mik Murdoch: Identity Troubles is Coming](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/mik-murdoch-identity-troubles-is-coming/): Mik Murdoch: Identity Troubles will be released and available for sale everywhere this September. MM:IT is the fourth book in the Mik Murdoch series and, if my editors aren’t fibbing, the best one so far. When I began working on it, I decided I wanted to spend more time with some of the characters I’ve already introduced. I wanted to get to know them better and give you the chance to as well. And, of course, I wanted Mik to continue his journey of growth as a person and as a hero. I think I managed to do both. Even […]
- [Good Edits Take Time](https://michellplested.net/irreverentmuse/good-edits-take-time/): I am hot and cold on editing. There are times when I absolutely LOVE the process and others when I would prefer to do anything but. Regardless of how I feel about them, I have recognized the need to really think about what my editor is asking for. I find if I don’t, I might completely miss their point and either: (a) write something that doesn’t fit the story, (b) write something I’ve already written so it appears more than once in the story, (c) delete some of the stuff that was good, replacing it with bad/worse writing. In full […]

## Pages

- [Newsletter](https://michellplested.net/newsletter/): [newsletter]
- [Bookstore](https://michellplested.net/book-table/): If you would like a personally signed version of any of my books, contact me directly at author at michellplested dot com. I can figure out how much shipping would be for you and we can handle it in a different way than a webstore.
- [My Work](https://michellplested.net/my-work-2/): I’ve waited a long time to have this page. I wanted to link my work as it becomes available in the myriad of print mediums (including e-formats). Now I can. The stories are listed in order of sale or publication. Stolen Immortality (Flash Fiction) Sorcerous Signals (e-magazine) & Mystic Signals (print) – August 2010 Apprentice (Short Story) Flying Island Press: Flagship (e-magazine) (print & audio) – July 2010 Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero (Novel) EAEP (print) Amazon.ca  Amazon.com Kobo Audiobooks everywhere else books are sold. Rats to Ruins (Short Story) Flying Island Press: Flagship (e-magazine) (print & audio) – October 2011 Scouting Life (Canada) (Article) […]
- [Hall of Heros](https://michellplested.net/hall-of-heros/): AWESOME BOY Powers: Bullet proof and flame proof cape that is sharp as razors; knows martial arts; can release radioactive energy beams. Alter Ego: Classified Location: Classified Origin: Classified. What little is known comes via Twitter. First Appearance: Shortly after reading Mik Murdock, Boy Superhero. Approximately March 24th, 2014.         MIK MURDOCH, BOY SUPERHERO Powers: Bullet and flame-resistant costume. Water-resistant feet and fear-inducing mask. He uses multiple weapons including super-soaker and cow pie launcher. May or may not have super powers (you will have to wait and see in Mik Murdoch: The Power Within). Has a heart of gold […]
- [Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero](https://michellplested.net/mik-murdoch-boy-superhero/): Mik Murdoch is the person we all wanted to be when we were young (heck, he’s the kind of person most of want to be now). He is honest, kind and not afraid to do what’s right, even if it impacts him in a negative way. Don’t think he’s perfect though. Mik definitely makes mistakes. In my first book, Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero you meet Mik as he decides and tries to become a super hero. As he works to achieve his life’s ambition, he battles monsters, helps families and makes many new friends. But does he become a super hero? […]
- [Lord Aquarius, Master of Oceans](https://michellplested.net/a-method-to-the-madness-a-guide-to-the-super-evil/lord-aquarius-master-of-oceans/): Lord Aquarius, Master of Oceans: is a bit of an anomoly, even in Evil Overlord groups. For one thing, he spends the majority of his time underwater. For another, he feels that ruling the dry land or “Overworld”, as he calls it, is just a waste of time. The true riches of planet Earth can only be found underwater (in his opinion). Abandoned as a small boy in a leaky boat, he was rescued by a tribe of friendly mollusks and raised to become champion of the seas. When he eventually discovered that it was better to be rich than […]
- [Dr. Randolph Duplicitous](https://michellplested.net/a-method-to-the-madness-a-guide-to-the-super-evil/dr-randolph-duplicitous/): Dr. Randolph Duplicitous: spends his days ruling and growing his evil empire to be the largest in the Solar System. He has operations that range from Asteroid Belt Mining to Zoo-keeping with everything in between (both legitimate and other). His hobbies include nude cactus jumping and zero gravity ping pong.
- [Appearances](https://michellplested.net/appearances/): Personal Appearances Signal Hill Indigo (Calgary, AB) – February 9th, 10:00 AM Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo – April 25 – 28 Booth 5209 – Big 4 Building Calgary HorrorCon – June 22 – 23 Clarion Hotel Interviews & Articles If you are interested in hearing interviews with me or reading about me you can find them at: The Writing Show: Writer’s Roundtable 2, December 11, 2006 – Interview The Writing Show: Roundtable #3, March 12, 2007 – Interview The Writing Show: How Writing Changed My Life, June 7, 2009 – Interview Random Synaptic Transfers, February 15, 2010 – Article […]
- [Get Published](https://michellplested.net/get-published-podcast/): LINK TO EPISODES Get Published is a podcast I started in January 2009 to talk about writing. I created it for a number of reasons: I had wanted to do a podcast for more than two years (at that point) and since my ambition is to get published myself, what better topic to podcast about? I wanted to get more comfortable behind a microphone and with the actual production of a podcast before I set out to podcast any of my own writing. I had hoped that by forcing myself to talk about various topics I would become more knowledgeable […]
- [GalaxyBillies](https://michellplested.net/book-table/galaxybillies/): LINK TO AMAZON – for soft cover, hard cover, kindle versions LINK TO EPISODES GalaxyBillies is the story of five humans from the Appalachian Mountains who are abducted by a semi-sentient starship. But what exactly is a semi-sentient starship? In this case, the starship is named Grokmar and the semi-sentient means that he needs an intelligent crew in order to function properly. It just goes to show how far gone the ship was to select the crew it did. The humans are an interesting bunch. There is: Betty Sue – matriarch of the group and wife of Zeke Zeke – […]
- [Awards](https://michellplested.net/about-me-2/awards/): Mik Murdoch, Crisis of Conscience – 2017 Prix Aurora Shortlist Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero – 2013 Prix Aurora Shortlist Get Published – 2012 Parsec Finalist Get Published – 2011 Parsec Finalist Get Published – 2009 Parsec Finalist
- [Polls](https://michellplested.net/get-published-podcast/polls/): [page_polls]
- [About Me](https://michellplested.net/about-me-2/): Little is known about the origins of Michell as they are shrouded (or at least covered with a moth-eaten towel) by the mists of time. What is known is largely obscure and often contradictory.  Oh and he sometimes speaks about himself in the third person. One thing that is known to be absolutely true is he is a perfectionist (a nice way of saying anal) as can be evidenced by the number of iterations it took him to write the first chapter (completely) of his first book (31). Michell is an accomplished speaker and has hosted several writing workshops for […]
- [Connect With Me](https://michellplested.net/about-me-2/about-me/): Email:  author at michellplested dot com Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/michell.plested Twitter:  twitter dot com/mplested Facebook Fan Pages and Groups: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=372503069110&ref=ts GalaxyBillies – http://on.fb.me/1ogygW2 Mik Murdoch – https://www.facebook.com/groups/244382889008178/


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