2024

Dear Reader,

It's been a while since I crafted my first boxed set. But just when I thought Kingdom Rising was a completed project, collecting its cyber dust, the loose ends I never got back to dealing with over the summer surfaced while I was on winter break. So I posted the boxed set on Draft2Digital for distribution.

As many of you probably know, because of the size of the boxed set, I won't post it on Amazon. I have also created the digital narration of the boxed set. Kingdom Rising Audiobook is available from OpheliaKee.com. I have posted it to Findaway Voices and await distribution. I will update the universal link as new retailers become available.

I accomplished posting all the currently published books to Findaway Voices as audiobooks and am updating the links for them all. It takes a while for the audiobooks to distribute, but I'm hopeful more people will find the dream and choose to walk in it with me. That took a lot of time. It takes hours to create the digital narration and many more hours to upload audiobooks to Bookfunnel, Payhip, and Findaway Voices.

The stories aren't on YouTube yet. But eventually the previews may be available, even if the full books aren't. That requires a lot more thought and I have enough on my plate with editing, publishing, and writing. Don't count me out on that yet, because the idea appeals to me.

Shameless Self Promotion

Kingdom Rising Miniseries cover

Kingdom Rising Boxed Set

A Draoithe Saga Complete Miniseries

Kingdom Rising delves into the captivating world of the Leaindeail, where four enthralling stories take readers on an exhilarating journey through the creation of an extraordinary immortal kingdom. Blending elements of Urban Fantasy and Steamy Paranormal Romance, this boxed set guarantees an unputdownable experience for fans of both genres.

In Kingdom Rising, readers will witness the birth of an everlasting kingdom, one that defies the constraints of time and mortality to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Within the pages of these gripping stories, mythical creatures and supernatural beings coexist with humans in a world eerily akin to earth, seamlessly blending fantasy with reality.

Prepare to be immersed in a realm where mythical creatures roam freely, where dark forces threaten to dismantle newly found harmony, and where the choices made by powerful yet damaged immortals hold the key to a prosperous future.

Urban Fantasy enthusiasts will delight in the seamless integration of magical elements into modern-day settings, injecting an aura of enchantment into familiar landscapes. Steamy Paranormal Romance fans are in for a treat as passion ignites between captivating characters with palpable chemistry, inflaming emotions and leaping off the pages to pull the reader into their world.

Buzzing with supernatural energy and pulsating with unyielding desire, Kingdom Rising immerses audiences in a breathtaking realm which blends Urban Fantasy with the intoxicating allure of Steamy Paranormal Romance. Brace yourself for an unforgettable experience as these four enthralling stories unfold, weaving a tapestry of love, power, and the relentless pursuit of a kingdom destined for greatness.

The Draoithe Saga is more than a story; it's an experience. Step into the first miniseries, Kingdom Rising, and get lost in the pages. Welcome to the dream…

Includes the titles: Thread, A Pack Forms, Druid Fox, and Big Bad Wolf.

Urban Fantasy with Steamy Paranormal Romance Stories and Fated Mates 18+ HEA! NC!

***Warning: Adult Themes, Fantasy Violence, and/or Explicit Sexual Situations. Intended for a Mature Audience.

AI audiobook created by Google. Single voice digital narration.

Behind-the-Scenes Edits

Behind the Scenes Editing

As you know, most of the Draoithe Saga languishes in edits, which I tackle as fast as I can whenever the muse isn't demanding I write. The good news? I finished editing Vampire Panther, and it's in formatting. I hope to republish it this weekend. More on that next Friday. Today, I want to address how I edit.

Someone asked, how do you edit if you need to do it with little or no money?

So, I DO NOT suggest you forego hiring an editor. But these are excellent steps to follow for self-editing, especially short pieces of prose. No matter how you tackle the issue, human eyes, not your own, must view your work. This is non-negotiable! (Read with a teacher's voice in mind.)

Write the chapter. It sounds ridiculous to start with this, but you must have at least some words to work with, and I don't recommend editing more than I chapter at a time. Some people write the entire book, then go back and edit; others edit as they write. That part is personal. I often do both and am a chaotic pantser and recently discovered reverse plotter writer, so when you write, you do you! But for edits, I highly recommend you take it one chapter at a time.
Use the document spell/grammar checker first. It sounds silly, but when typing fast, letters often transpose or are mis-typed, so you need to clean up the page before you edit. Akin to using an eraser on a pencil to correct the mistake, it's not exactly editing, but no one likes to look at scribblings.
Next, use the find-and-replace tool. Check for commonly overused words like very, just, that, and weak adverbs (words ending in -ly) and delete or rephrase to eliminate. Use stronger descriptors and verbs to eliminate weak adverbs. Reread the word 'that'. It's often used to replace words such as who, which, the, or it. Be sure you used it correctly (This and That), or replace it with the word which should have been used. Remember, this is editing for writing, not speaking. Reconsider these rules when writing/editing dialogue as they may not apply.
Reread with an eye for sentences which begin with the same word multiple times in a row. Twice is okay, Thrice is too much. In rare circumstances, this is a technique used to emphasize something for the reader, but far more often than not, it's boring prose.
This is where I spent money. I purchased ProWritingAid. It has by far been some of the best money I have spent on tools for writing. (Atticus and Publisher Rocket are on this list as well, but not for editing.) I don't know where the commas go, and I also can't seem to learn, either. So, I rely on ProWritingAid to help me. I tried other grammar software, but this one worked best for me. If you decide to purchase a tool like this, I recommend you do your homework, wait for a good sale, and buy the lifetime version to avoid subscription fees. This software helps me correct more advanced grammatical errors: things like passive voice, subject verb disagreement, -ing starts, sentence length, reading level, etc.
Read the text aloud, or ask the computer to read it. Listen for things that sound alike too closely together. Did you repeat yourself? Did you use the same word repeatedly? If you used the same word in two sentences back to back, you need a thesaurus. If you wrote the same phrase or nearly the same phrase more than once, it means you need to delete something or rework it for clarity/emphasis. Note: Here, I use another program (Speechelo) to create an AI audio rendering of the chapter so I can hear it with headphones without bothering everyone around me, and I also post the good ones in the miniseries. I paid for this software (the lifetime version), but there are free speech to text applications out there which will simply read the screen. I wanted the mp3 other uses. So you do not have to buy anything, and I'm not pushing any of the software I use. This blog began as a true journey; it will remain true. I'm not an affiliate for these programs.
Have someone else read the chapter and consider their feedback. You need human eyes on the manuscript. Proofreading is a must. A couple of trusted Beta Readers (like my sister and my mom, who do not hesitate to tell me all about how I messed up) are invaluable. Avoid people who love to build you up, and refuse to hurt your feelings. Find someone who has no fear of telling you straight. If they're confused, you need to fix something. Maybe more description is needed or clarity is required.
Put the manuscript away for a couple of weeks and then reread it with fresh eyes. Does it still create the same imagery in your mind? If not, you need to write more or delete superfluous text. Note: In full transparency, I do a full reread of the complete story months (or years) after I first wrote it before I send it anywhere else. I underwrite and usually must add descriptive text. But I'm also a teacher in my day job, so I find I also need to delete repetitious content. I want to be sure I still see the story in my mind as I did when I first wrote it. If I need to rewrite, I repeat the editing process.
Changes made after this point are minor revisions. I rarely change more than a word or two, or correct a typographical error which no one caught, and I rarely rewrite more than a handful of sentences. That's how you know a story is done.

If you did the steps well, quick works like essays or blog posts may be ready for public consumption. For epic novels, it will make an editor's job easier, and hopefully less costly.

Buy Their Book Poster

I'm off to write and publish. For all in America, I hope you enjoy MLK day. I'm glad for a three-day weekend. Until we chat again, please remember to be kind and leave your reviews when you read, and as always, welcome to the dream...

Be Careful!

Happy Reading,

Ophelia Kee

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