A Series Of Amazing Announcements! (Potentially Life Changing Stuff)

SO, I am going to announce a more stream-lined version of the news below in my AUTHOR NEWSLETTER before the month is out.  #OrCollapseInTheAttempt   But I needed to ramble and gush and EXPLAIN SOME MORE and use GIFS, because I cannot properly express my confusion, angst and excitement without GIFS.

Plus, I wanted to blanket my corner of the Internet with all my news so I figured I’d plaster the announcements everywhere.  So are you ready?

HERE WE GO.  A flurry of updates coming at you like –

FULL TIME AUTHOR

Due to certain World Events that have turned the world topsy turvy, my day job has slowed down . .  a lot.  There’s also been other Stuff and that have changed a lot of my normal routine.

Consequently, I am making good use of this time to pursue writing full time.  This could change, I don’t know how long this situation will last but, for now, I’m a full-time writer.

*INSERT PANICKED AND EXCITED SCREAMING HERE*

This is it, guys. This is my window to make my dream a reality so, consequently, I have been working like a wild animal to pursue this ambition. (okay, I always go like a wild animal, I’m just wilder than normal these days)

Of course, naturally, my health issues have chosen this time to act up again so I’m not making as much progress as I would like. NEVERTHELESS, I’ve got a lot of plans and a lot of different things I’m going to try.  Consequently, things are a little more hectic as I begin working in all directions at once but I’m very excited about some of the opportunities I’m going to be pursuing in the near future!

Current Status: Trying to get a dozen ships out of the shipyard and into the ocean to see which one survives sinking or being eaten by the Kraken of failure.  All flags flying, all cannons firing, and taking on water.

PATREON

Here I am announcing that I am going to be working on Unknown Projects and my Ambia fan girls are over there having a fit because all they really want is the next fairy tale retelling.  #YourReactionToMyNewsBelow

Sadly, as I spread myself even thinner in the writing department over many different projects, this will slow down the writing and publishing process on the Tales of Ambia even more.  *CHAGRINED SOB*

However, I have a remedy for that.

I am planning on launching a Patreon page in the near future that is entirely about AMBIA.  Patrons would get access to behind the scenes, sneak peaks, an exclusive short story, AND a piece of Ambia flash or micro fiction EVERY MONTH.

Raise your hand if you want some Ambia in your inbox every month. 

This is not a replacement for the Tales of Ambia series, merely a “tide-me-over” – so to speak.  I can’t bear to be away from Ambia for every long and I know many of you are impatient for the next Ambia installment, so this would be a way for both of us to get a monthly dose of fairy tale goodness in the interim between book releases!

If you would like to join the launch team and help me spread the word about my upcoming Patreon page, I would deeply appreciate it. Just CLICK ON THE LINK and fill out the information and I can add you to the team!

Current Status:  A combination of “ready or not because here I come, world!” and “just stop dithering and DO it, Allison.”  It looks something like this.

MAGAZINE LAUNCH

There’s no easy way for me to get this out without choking so I’m just going to say it.  Yes, you read that right.  I am launching a magazine  . . . with my sisters!

I know, I KNOW.  it’s like something out of a story.  It’s something we could only dream of doing for so long but now we’re finally seizing the dream and just STARTING.

Oh my goodness, after years of me bragging on my sisters and talking about their writing you are FINALLY going to be able to read their stories!  *FLAILING AND SQUEALING.

It’s actually a family run project as all six of my family members are involved with this magazine launch on everything from writing, website design, promotion, proof reading, graphic design, editing, etc. You name, we’ve got a Tebo for it.

We are not going to be seeking submissions for this magazine (for now) – this will instead be a quarterly magazine featuring roughly seven stories in each issue show-casing the Tebo writers.

That’s really all I’m going to say about it for now, but you’ll hear about it more in the coming months, I assure you.

Current status:  Buddy the Elf running through the revolving door on steroids.

If you would like to join the launch team and help me spread the word about the Tebo sisters magazine launch, I would deeply appreciate it. Just CLICK ON THE LINK and fill out the information and I can add you to the team!

I AM GOING TO START PUBLISHING UNDER A NEW PEN NAME. 

Don’t worry, Allison Tebo isn’t going anywhere, but I am going to be creating a new pen name for myself to help me with author branding.

I have been thinking a lot about author branding and struggling to resolve my two very different author voices.  On the one hand I have my Wodehousian sweet and thoughtful voice and on the other my John Wayne tough-guy voice where the name of the game is action/adventure and where the conservative political statements are thrown around as readily as bullets.

Obviously, these two voices are very different and might confuse or polarize some of my readers.

For a while, I was just running with it and allowing the two styles to overlap (for instance, publishing my gritty sci-fi short story The Key To The Chains, under my real name), but now I’ve decided to separate the two.

Since I will be publishing under a pseudonym, that means I can now refine and hone my current author websites and social media accounts and fully embrace the already established perception of myself as a sweet and whimsical author of retellings.  Going forward, my action adventure speculative fiction will be largely published in the upcoming Tebo magazine under my new pseudonym.

Current Status:  In over my head and feeling like a kid taking swimming lessons with John Wayne.

All of that to say . . . I have another exciting fairy tale announcement!

FAIRY TALE FRIDAYS

On a recent poll on Instagram, my followers told me they would like to see more videos of me and more of my artwork. So I had a fun idea of how to combine them!

Have you ever heard of a Paint n Sip?  It’s an event where people get together to practice their art over drinks.  I want to invite you to weekly Paint N Sips with a new spin.

I am hoping to start a series of live streams on my Instagram platform!  They will be entitled Fairy tale Fridays (or Friday Fairy tales) and every Friday afternoon (short of something bad happening to me) I will be doing a live stream where I’ll have a discussion with my followers about a pre-chosen topic (but always relating to fairy tales) while drawing something fairy tale themed.

 I’m inviting you to sit with me in my studio every Friday with the beverage of your choice and discuss fairy tales with me.  You can either just watch my riveting facial expression, read all the discussion comments and chime in, or draw with me.  Sound fun?

I will also be occasionally interviewing fellow fairy tale authors on a two-way live stream and this June I will be doing a Q&A session with Rachel Kovaciny the authoress of Dancing and Doughnuts and one of the writers of Rooglewood’s Five Magic Spindles Sleeping Beauty anthology .  Make sure you follow me on Instagram and check out my feed and my stories for those updates!

Current Status:  Feeling as cool as a doggone fairy giving Cinderella her dress and pumpkin coach.

And speaking of Instagram . . .

INSTAGRAM CHALLENGE

I’ve started creating my own monthly photo challenges for bookstagram! I can’t guarantee I will be able to do this every month because, you know, life happens, but I do have a fun one lined up for June!  AND, I’m co-hosting it with Rachel Kovaciny!

Look fun, Pilgrim?

This time there isn’t a giveaway involved, but ti’s still lots of fun for priming the old creative brain cells and you just might find some new favorite bookstagrammers by following the hashtag!

Current Status:  Celebrating like John Wayne.

Not exactly like John Wayne: I’ve got root beer in my bottle!

BOOK SALE

One last thing.

All of my books are on sale for only $0.99

but that sales ends on June 1st – so if you haven’t got a copy of one of my stories yet, now is your chance!

Whew!  Okay, that’s everything, I think. *wipes forehead*

But not even a fraction of what I’m working on right now.

I know. I’m certifiable.

*when you’ve got a lot of work to do but you’re still excited*

Are you excited?  Did you sign up for any of the launch teams? (I’m not really begging, just reminding you).  But if you DO want to help me tell the world my big news, well –

Let’s talk, my friend!