Ell Leigh Clarke https://ellleighclarke.com thinking through sci-fi Tue, 22 Oct 2019 19:07:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/ellleighclarke.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/cropped-logo_ellie.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Ell Leigh Clarke https://ellleighclarke.com 32 32 128619556 when experiments go wrong… https://ellleighclarke.com/when-experiments-go-wrong/ Tue, 15 Oct 2019 17:14:36 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=721
“You should probably try publishing under a male pen name”.
I scanned the words on the Slack message again.
The blue glow of the computer screen was harsh on my eyes, and somewhere in the back of mind I was wondering where my computer glasses were.
The words echoed in my mind, as I stared blankly. Processing.
Maybe all this time I’d been doing it wrong?
I mean, sure, it had been a little while since I’d put out a sci fi story, and I was questioning the strategy I’d been using up until now.
Some things had clearly been working.
But others hadn’t.
I was exhausted though. Writing 5-10 thousand words a day takes its toll.
I needed another way of doing this writing thing.
An edge.
I hit the dimmer on the screen brightness as I gazed at the message. It was just a part of a conversation I’d been having earlier that evening with one of my male author friends.
He was doing great in sci-fi.
He knew all the things that worked on Amazon.
He knew what he was talking about.
Maybe he was right?
Maybe publishing as bubbly ditsy Ellie was holding me back?
Maybe that was why I was having to work twice as hard as my male counterparts?
I mean, this isn’t news. While we can point at women who break through in every industry, I still get the sense that on the whole, in mass markets, we’re not taken as seriously.
Of course, it’s totally different with the people who know and love us…
People who read our emails, leave 5* reviews and like our posts on Facebook.
I know who you are, ;). And I’m suuuper grateful.
But when a random person is picking their next read… maybe it does make a difference?
As I sat there, re-reading that part of the conversation, the problem solver in my brain clicked it.
“Well, the only way to know for sure is to do an experiment!” it told me.
Ha!
Famous. Last. Words.
You see, the thing with experiments is you don’t know what you don’t know.
And there were a lot of things I didn’t know.
Things I didn’t control for: like cover design for one! (More on that another time).
So anyway, I decided to go ahead and do the experiment. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained, eh?
I pulled together a team of writers to help me do this… and much in the same way you’ve seen other authors collaborate and create worlds, series and characters, I’ve done this too.
In fact, this had been the very first series I’d started working on before I’d even started The Ascension Myth. I’d sketched out the world details, the characters and planned the first couple of books, but when I started working with MA, we needed to start from scratch in his world. My character, Jack Klingerman, and all his fascinating backstory and special abilities, went on the back burner.
Indefinitely.
And then earlier this year I needed a story concept for this experiment…
So, I dusted it off and got the team working on it, and we put out the Jack Klingerman books, under a pen name: Oscar Andrews.
You may have seen it?
Or maybe not.
Which is my point…
Because when it came to it, barely anyone who would normally read an Ellie-book picked it up because it doesn’t have Ell Leigh Clarke on the cover!
And why would they?
No one told you.
How would you have known?
It was my own dumb-ass fault for not letting you in on what was happening…
Anyway, it was an interesting experiment but I really feel it’s time to loop you in on what’s going on, so that you’re not sitting around waiting for an Ellie book. I am indeed working on more stories in the background (more on those in another email), but in the meantime, if you’re wondering what you’ve missed, check out the Empire Rising series:
Yes, it says Oscar Andrews on the cover, but rest assured it’s “from the mind of Ell Leigh Clarke”.
It has less snark than you’d normally see, but same story and character development you’d expect from Ellie stories.
Check it out and let me know what you think?
I’d love to hear from you.
Just contact me and let me know if you liked it or not.
]]> 721 my Urban Fantasy alter ego https://ellleighclarke.com/my-urban-fantasy-alter-ego/ Fri, 11 Oct 2019 17:16:07 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=723
Hey Ascenders,
Last week I introduced you to my Urban Fantasy alter ego… Isobella Crowley, and I explained how I’ve moved from grinding on the keyboard at a rate of burn out, to directing the stories… more like a conductor will direct an orchestra to produce music.
This email I want to give you the pay off!
Yes, that means BOOKS.
So recently MA and I started working on a new series together.
It’s like a mash up between bad ass vampire detective agency, and Archer.
Affectionately called “The Taylor series” in house, it’s actually called: Moonlight Detective Agency on Amazon. Book 2 is also out now as well, but you can start here:
I had to just go and look that up because all this time we’ve been using the random working title of Dark of the Night Agency on the MSs and notes we’ve been passing back and forth!
(Don’t tell MA, but now I’m wondering if we should have called it Dark of the Night… but very aware that it might just be coz I’m used to that. Familiarity has a HUGE impact on liking. Wow, that has massive implications for dating and relationships… but I’m going to leave that one there, and tell you more about the book!)
So yeah, this is basically a vampire meets former frat-boy kinda story. The vampire (Taylor) is super scary and in charge of a detective agency.
A detective agency that Remy (David Remington) actually owns. But since his family cut him off financially to teach him some responsibility, he’s sold off his other businesses for cash to keep partying and now only has the detective agency left in his portfolio.
Here’s the blurb MA wrote about half an hour before Zen Steve pressed publish the other night…(!)
++
Remy is down to his last $100,000… He's in dire straits.
From Bestselling authors Isobella Crowley and Michael Anderle
While his rapidly dwindling checking account is a problem, Remy finds out the last company he owns is run by something that goes bump in the night.
And she is willing to bump him off if he fails to live up to her expectations.
Trying to get sober, Remy needs to work the day shift for Moonlight Detective Agency.
Can he learn the ropes before the faeries, werewolves or his supposed employee kills him off?
There is only one way to find out. Accomplish what Taylor sets out for him to do, or die trying.
++
If you like paranormal fantasy and Archer(!) – yeah the cartoon :D, then this could well be your new favorite series. I don’t know. I don’t want to build it up too much, but the beta readers haven’t been this enthusiastic about something since Molly.
It’s also funny as hell.
Makes me laugh just reading back through sections. Tee hee.
I hope you enjoy it too.
Let me know?
]]> 723 not just a sci-fi author https://ellleighclarke.com/not-just-a-sci-fi-author/ Tue, 08 Oct 2019 17:19:31 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=725
Hi there,
In my last blog I told you about how realizing I was already wearing spaceships on my t-shirt helped me overcome feeling like an imposter.
All in all, it took about a year before I really started telling people I was an author.
The readers who were around during that era REALLY helped: reading your 5* reviews and comments and banter on my Facebook page… you helped me get through some of the toughest challenges I’ve had to face.
Not that calling myself an author was a massive roadblock — but it was a psychological sticking point that was holding my back, keeping me playing small.
Once I got through that, things were great for a few months.
I embraced my quirkiness and accepted myself as a writer of stories.
I even grew in confidence to take on other writing projects.
But then, the landscape started to shift again.
With all the new projects I was working on, and new series I was leading, when people asked what I did, my “I’m a sci-fi author” response didn’t feel authentic anymore.
At this point I was also creating stories in Urban Fantasy. But — hey, your Lyft driver doesn’t care about that level of detail, so I either felt I was getting it wrong again, or… I turned into a babbling idiot trying to explain exactly what I did!
Additionally, I had already started transitioning into publishing and series creation rather than just writing. Subtle difference, but I was working on more stories, with other collaborators, than I put my name on.
Plus, I was kinda shy.
And being British, I didn’t need to be braggy, or have my name on the books. After all, why does it matter if I get credit for it or not?
Well, it doesn’t. That part is still true.
But the real way I’ve messed up is not letting you guys know that there are books here that you’d enjoy because even if I didn’t write every word myself, I’ve been running the team — kinda like a showrunner would run a writers room.
Not that I’m anywhere near the levels of story-genius my heroes are: Stephen Moffatt and Josh Whedon are just amazing!
But they have influenced a lot of my thinking on how to get more stories out there, and how to think creatively.
But during my “Downtime” I realize that I’ve again, been hiding too long.
It’s time to come out of the closet and start acting like a publisher, rather than an author.
Over two years from when I started, I really need to make this transition.
As such I’m going to bring everything I’ve been involved in (contracts allowing) under the brand of Ellieverse Publishing. At the very least, then you’ll know that there are stories I’ve had a significant hand in.
It’s a quick way for you to see that if you’ve enjoyed my other series, (like Molly and Bentley), you’ll also probably like some of the other series I’ve been working on.
There’s more to tell.
Last week I told you about Izzie, one of the pen names I’ve been publishing under. I’ve got another big reveal about her in the next blog…
]]> 725 Spaceships and imposter syndrome https://ellleighclarke.com/spaceships-and-imposter-syndrome/ Fri, 04 Oct 2019 17:23:41 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=727
Hi Ascenders,
I’ve been hiding.
Again.
Why again? you might ask…
Well, when I first started writing, I didn’t know what to expect. I was super fortunate to have people on my side to make my first series a success, meaning I could carry on writing full time.
I was truly blessed.
The folks who started reading and supporting me in those early days are still around, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am to them…
But even though there were folks reading my stories, I still found it super tough to tell people I was “an author”.
I mean, you know the story… I hadn’t even read fiction since I was a young kid.
And here I was writing?
WTF?
I had no business.
No place.
Who did I think I was?
I was an imposter.
And when I talked to other authors, most of these folks had wanted nothing more than to be able to write full time. They had spent their life reading and writing, penning their daydreams and playing D&D.
They talked about how they would burst if they didn’t just get it out on the page.
That wasn’t me.
I mean, sure, the stories came spilling out… but if I missed a day or two writing, I was still fine.
I just couldn’t come to terms with calling myself an author.
I felt that word was reserved for someone else.
And then one day, something shifted.
I was at my WeWork space in LA. It’s a coworking space, where you can hot desk office space. You’re surrounded by people about my age and a little older, all working on startups and “grown up” businesses that needed phone lines and physical addresses.
I used to love working there because it meant I got out of my apartment and amongst people. (Who’d have thought that writing for a living would be so isolating, eh?) It would increase my productivity, and they had soundproofed phone booths with a desk just big enough for a laptop.
And coffee on tap. <3
It was a little slice of paradise.
Anyway, there I was writing away in the corner one day, the scent of fresh brewed coffee wafting through the open plan area, as a gentle buzz of activity happened around statuesque entrepreneurs captivated by spreadsheets on their laptops.
I was starting to lose focus. Time to take a break.
Reluctantly I took off my noise-cancelling headphones, got up, and headed over to the kitchen to refresh my coffee with hot water…
“Hey!”
I turned around to see a dude in a white t-shirt using the next coffee machine over, smiling at me.
“Oh, hey,” I stammered back. I hadn’t been ready to get into a conversation with anyone… but the odds are 50/50 that you will as soon as you take your headphones off…
“So, what do you do?” he asked, innocently striking up idle conversation.
That damn question! I thought to myself.
That same damn conversation starter that I have to answer every time I get into an uber. The one question I always mess up, because I just can’t bring myself to say author.
I’m an imposter.
I can’t say author.
“I write sci-fi…” I mumbled, ready to turn tail and get back to my desk.
His eyes lit up. “Really? That is so cool.”
His eyes fell to my t-shit. “Oh… that makes sense,” he smiled, pointing at the spaceships I had on my shirt.
I glanced down.
He had a point.
I’m wearing spaceships on my t-shirt. Of course, it’s okay that I write sci-fi.
I’m a sci-fi author.
Something in that realization shifted my psyche. My perception of myself. Suddenly, in that moment, I felt in alignment with who I am… and what I do.
Because I had spaceships on my t-shirt!
The conversation continued, and after a few minutes exchange I went back to my writing.
As an author. 😉
What a shift! From such a minor interaction. From that moment on, I found it easy to tell people that that was what I did.
It wasn’t just the spaceships on my shirt though — it was because at some deeper level I realized that this had always been a part of me… even if books and reading hadn’t been.
I’d love to say this was the end of the story… but it wasn’t.
Only a few months later, things would change again…
More on that in a few days.
]]> 727 I was 8 years old, and casting spells. https://ellleighclarke.com/i-was-8-years-old-and-casting-spells/ Tue, 01 Oct 2019 17:27:46 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=729
This couldn’t be normal.
A moment of clarity settled over me as I sat crossed-legged on my bedroom floor. Frankincense incense wafted through the little room. In front of me was a sigil I’d found in an occult book. Next to me were the tarot cards I’d trekked through town looking for the previous weekend. Only the candle and a little desk lamp lit the room. It was better than way. I could feel things moving in the ethers already.
It was late.
Everyone was either in bed, or crashed out in front of the telly downstairs.
No one needed to know what I was doing.
I’d jammed some folded-up paper under the door to stop anyone coming in.
Not that they would. But just in case.
I glanced nervously at the candle. One stray spark on this carpet would send the whole room up in flames. I’d made extra sure it was stable.
But then, what did I really know about fire safety.
I was eight years old.
How did I know about this?
Who goes looking for, and finds this kind of stuff?
As a child?
I didn’t know. I just had a job to do. This spell wasn’t going to work itself, but already the sigil was activated. Just looking at it in this half-light, I could feel it doing its work, calling out into hidden dimensions, gathering power.
Looking back I couldn’t tell you what the spell was even for. I can guess what type of magic it was, from the sigil… but what bothers me to this day is how an 8 year old can even begin to get into this kind of thing as a hobby.
Both my parents were very down to earth.
I doubt either of them really believed in a god… but nor did they show any signs of believing in anything else. Other than hard work and education. Those were their ‘gods’. (They were a doctor and a teacher).
Yet somehow, one of their kids had managed to stray.
It wasn’t until a few decades later that I found out that my grandfather, who had died years before I was even born, was a Rosicrucian.
Knowing that, I started to realize there was probably something in my blood line. Something that understood that there was more to us as meat suits. Something more than the tangible world.
And it was bound to come out at some point – in creative musings for stories.
Afterall, every time I watched something like Vampire Diaries, there were certain things that just made sense…
So I started planning a series of stories that included British magic. The actual story structure used more of a detective or thriller structure, but magic naturally seeped in.
However, since it wasn’t sci-fi, and since I used collaborators, working to my specifications, to do some of the work, it didn’t seem like a good idea to publish as Ell Leigh Clarke. (It would also confuse Amazon, because it was Urban Fantasy, rather than science fiction).
Thus was born Isobella Crowley: my magical, alter ego. 😉
If you’re interested in magic and mystery, and what life in Bicester, Oxfordshire was like, before I upped sticks and started wandering the globe, then this might be a series you’d be interested in reading.
Go ahead and check it out now. We’ve put book 1 at 99c for the next 24 hours:
There are currently four books in this series. If we get enough interest from it, we may continue it… now you know that Izzie and I are closely… “related” 😉
Check it out, and if you enjoy the read, hop on the reader’s email list in the links at the back to hear about more magical books as we publish them.
]]> 729 Reconnecting… https://ellleighclarke.com/reconnecting/ Thu, 26 Sep 2019 17:37:38 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=732
Hi Ascenders,
It’s been a while since I sent wrote an AUTHOR UPDATE. A lot has happened so I thought I should take a moment to catch you up and loop you in on some of the things that have been evolving behind the scenes.
As you may already know, two years ago I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue.
Luckily it doesn’t cause real problems – I’m just limited in terms of energy and brain power… which just happen to be the two things you need to crank out a few thousand words of story each day.
And to log into Facebook.
And to write emails to the people you adore…
That’s why it’s been a while.
Brittany, my rock star assistant, has been helpful in sending out mails and making sure that Oz’s communications get through okay… but churning out a book a month was just a bridge too far.
That said, there is some cool — BOOK RELATED! — stuff I wanted to share with you.
More on that in a moment.
During this recovery phase of what I probably should be calling Downtime — which I’ve really been calling Transformation time(!) — I’ve been returning to some of the deeper questions in life.
Maybe you’ve been there at times in your life too?
Times when you wonder what the point is… not in a depressed way, but in a strategic way. I’ve been asking, what is the end game?
How do we live our best lives?
What is the yardstick we should measure our decisions against…?
And other such things.
I read a bunch of books (which didn’t really yield any answers) but did prompt a number of new developments in my thinking on the subject…
I’ve also been driving my friends crazy.
Apparently, this isn’t something that most people are interested in contemplating.
On that note, I’ll save the finer details of these musing for a Patreon post!
In the meantime, I just wanted to touch base and remind you I’m still here.
I’ve not been publishing at the same rate, but I have been percolating on things in the background.
There is no doubt a limit to how much one person can output consistently without burning out. Some people are born writers. Some people would write stories just because they have to “get them out”.
That’s not me.
I write to share ideas, wrapped in entertainment.
Bentley was one such project.
She was SUPER fun to work on.
If you’ve read the Bentley series (officially known on Amazon as The Sword-Mage Chronicles) you’ll know it’s sci fi/ space opera, but it’s laced with concepts about the organization of the two worlds: the seen, and the unseen.
I love these kinds of stories because there is so much to play with: the nature of good and evil, and the messy gray bit in the middle, the nature of reality, the possibility of other worlds beyond the veil, which establish themselves as lore on this side of the veil…
Although we’re following the misadventures of Bentley (a chick with a mysterious past, and some mad sword skills), she lands herself in with a motley crew of ex-gods, slap-dab in the middle of a fight between the seen and the unseen world.
Okay, maybe I’m giving too much away now.
I should just let you read it.
There are currently 7 books out — all for your binging pleasure!
The first book is somewhat longer than the others: plenty to get you into the world, and feeling the characters.
I’m going to be in touch again soon to let you know what else is going on behind the veil here in the Ellieverse.
I’ve got some changes manifesting — a by-product of having taken some “downtime” and I want to give you the lo-down as things develop.
I’m not saying I’m back-back… because I’m jacked up on three four cups of coffee as I write this — and I’ve had to learn not to commit to things when I’m caffeinated… Ha! However, I think things have turned a corner and I’m going to be back in the saddle a bit more than recently.
]]> 732 [time-sensitive] Sneaky Bonus version of Bentley 04! https://ellleighclarke.com/time-sensitive-sneaky-bonus-version-of-bentley-04/ Tue, 04 Dec 2018 18:56:27 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=734
Hi there, !
If you’ve been paying close attention to the Facebook comments, Patreon chatter, and indeed yesterday’s author notes for Scarlett(!), you may have seen me mention my new evil plan to take over the world… MWahahahahahahah.
Oh wait…
Oops.
Wrong blog entry.
(Shuffles through notes…)
…
…
No. Nope – it’s not an evil plan.
And has nothing to do with taking over the world.
What it is to do with is getting these books into your hands faster, and with bonuses, without having to always rely on the ‘Zon.
Now don’t get me wrong, the ‘Zon ain't going anywhere… and I’m not breaking up with it. I just think there are other ways for us to do this publishing thing without being 100% dependent on its good favor.
So… Here’s the deal…
I’d like to get these books to you sooner. As soon as they’re ready in fact. (With the ‘Zon stuff we sometimes have to wait to maximize what we’re trying to do with rankings etc. Yadda yadda… I won’t bore you with the details.)
However, there is nothing to stop me delivering these books to you BEFORE we publish them on the ‘Zon, ahead of that schedule.
Now, I know that some folks are on a budget and will want to wait until the books appear in KU. And that’s fine. You’re more than welcome to wait.
But for those who don’t want to wait, I’m putting in an extra little incentive to get them direct:
BONUS CHAPTERS!
That’s right. I’m going to aim to put an extra chapter in each book that we deliver direct to you.
And once I get my thinking cap on straight, we’ll see if there aren’t any additional bonuses I can throw in down the line. (All ideas welcome!)
This plan is codenamed: Ellie-verse Direct
Remember it.
Scorch it into your memory.
Look out for emails with Ellie-verse Direct in the subject line – because ultimately it is code for you to get your hands on the books early, with added perks.
Also – there will be no waiting for pre-orders.
The first book we’re doing this with is Bentley 04 – Resistance.
(It’s still pre-JIT so if you spot typos, please accept my apologies and know that we’re working on that before we upload it to the ‘Zon next week).
We’re going to try and do this advanced, DIRECT release as much as possible – but just know ahead of time it won’t always be possible with all series.
Sometimes, we’re going to be close to the wire just to meet the deadline for the ‘Zon as it is.
But where we can… well, why not? 😉
Now, you may already have purchased a pre-order of Resistance. If you’re happy to wait and forego the bonus chapter, that’s cool. Just wait for the official release date and it will be deployed as usual onto your device.
If you’d like to cancel it though, and pick up this version now, I’m certain it’s possible to cancel a pre-order. Though I’ve not done it myself, I’ve seen purchases reverse on my reports. It’s probably a case of clicking a button.
Oh, and one more thing.
Because I totally appreciate the folks who are part of the Patreon family, I’ll be sending these Ellie-verse Direct versions directly to everyone on the $15 tier and above, for FREE.
If that is you, just keep an eye on your inbox for it hitting. It’s just a small token of my huge appreciation for the support you’ve been giving me. (You might need to check your junk filter).
Ok, that’s it from me for now.
Hope you’re as excited about this as I am!
I’ll be in touch again very soon, and as always, thank you for being here, for reading, and for being so supportive. You’re the best 😉
Ellie x
P.S. Ready to be an Ellie-verse Direct Reader?
]]> 734 [holo trans] New Series!!!! Bentley https://ellleighclarke.com/holo-trans-new-series-bentley/ Mon, 22 Oct 2018 19:01:18 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=736
Hi Ascenders!
Ellie here.
I thought I'd reach out to you personally, rather than leaving Oz to let you know what's happening.
[Oz – I'm perfectly capable of explaining what you're going to tell them!]
I know, Oz. But this is special. I wanted to do it myself. Please? Just once?
[Oz – go ahead then…]
Ok thanks.
So as I was saying, you've probably seen I have a new series coming out. This has been over a year in the works, all while I've been working on all the other books on the schedule.
I'm happy to finally announce that we have three ready for rapid release!
What does this mean?
It means we're going to release three of them in a month, and then if you like it, we'll keep going and release hopefully one a month after that.
Yep. I know. Intense.
I'm so excited.
And nervous.
It's like releasing Molly all over again. I have no idea if you're going to like it. I just really really hope you do.
I'm so massively grateful to the JIT team and beta readers who have been helping out to make sure that it's on track.
But I won't know anything for sure until we hit publish for real…
AGGggghhhhhh!
So I was talking to an author friend and he suggested that I do this with pricing: as you know doing a novel has a lot of up-front costs, so anyone who can buy at 4.99 really helps me out. I understand that a lot of folks are on fixed incomes though, so I'll be doing a 99c sale later, or you can get it in KU.
I hope this helps!
So, if you're ready to pre-order it now, you can go ahead and do that now, with a couple of clicks.
It's due to be released automatically by the ‘Zon on Monday.
Wish me luck! <3
(a very nervous) Ellie x
P.S. You guys are the best. Without your encouragement over the last 18 months I would never have had the confidence to go out on my own like this. I truly, truly appreciate all your support. Thank you! <3
P.P.S. Here's the low-down on the story:
When you wake up with no memory of who you are, you know it’s probably going to be a baaad day.

That’s exactly what Bentley thought.

But she had no idea how bad.

Until she saw the wires that hooked her up to a strange, glowing sword, and an old guy bleeding out next to her.

And then she met the Three.

Three gods cast out of the Unseen World, condemned to make their way in this universe as best they can.

Naturally over their 300 years in space thus far, they’ve devolved into rogues in robes: hustlers with a (strange) moral code.

Mix in Jelly Bean, their android, who has a penchant for getting her crew drunk on tequila, and a Tech-sorcerer who is able to walk between worlds…

…and you’ve got the combination for a rip-roaring adventure in space.
Can Bentley survive when she doesn’t even know who she is?
Will she figure out why she’s being hunted?
Or will the gods ‘space her’ from the air lock, first?
Find out first!
If you like your sci-fi witty and every now and again a little ‘off the wall’, you’ll love this original series, from the best-selling author of The Ascension Myth.

Pre-order it here

]]> 736 [Last chance] Movie and Labo(u)r day mayhem https://ellleighclarke.com/last-chance-movie-and-labour-day-mayhem/ Mon, 03 Sep 2018 19:03:18 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=738
Hey Ascenders!
It’s MOVIE DAAAAAAAAAAAaaay!
Woot.
Today is your last chance to join us for the live movie shenanigans.
As you may have heard, Amy and I are going to be watching a movie – live. Complete with pausing it, banter and discussions.
If you’d like to join us, you just need to be a member of the Patreon family. (Any tier will do!) It’s all just a chance for us to hang, and a thank you for being part of the fam.
Looking forward to seeing you over there. (There will be a recording if you’ve already got plans).
Ellie 🙂
]]> 738 No Rules or Velociraptors… https://ellleighclarke.com/no-rules-or-velociraptors/ Tue, 28 Aug 2018 19:05:44 +0000 http://ellleighclarke.com/?p=740
Hi Ascenders,
So if you’re in the US you’re likely looking forward to next Monday.
It’s what we in the UK call a “Bank Holiday”. I understand here it’s called a National Holiday, though.
I had to look it up on Wikipedia to know exactly what it was all about:
“Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”
So now I know. 😉
And as you may have heard, this year I’m going native.
And it’s all thanks to Amy.
Amy is one of my writerly friends. She hangs out at my place quite a bit. You may have seen pictures of us going to see movies or hanging out in the local café. Anyway, we’ve started watching old movies (that we feel we ought to have seen before) at my place, using a projector set up.
(Coz projectors, like bow-ties, are cool! … You should excuse the Doctor Who reference if you’re not familiar with the show.)
When we watch movies at the theatre there are strict no talking rules – under pain of death from Shelia the Velociraptor.
At my place there are no such rules.
Or velociraptors.
And so, we stop the movie every so often when we want to talk. It’s a hoot. And we discuss everything from the profound to the ridiculous.
My writing about this in the last author notes led Amy to suggest that we should probably do this on a live stream. So that’s what we’re going to do. It’s open to all levels in Patreon, and we’re even taking a vote on which movie you want us to watch. You can even watch the movie along with us. In fact, I’d recommend that, because then you’ll see what we’re talking about.
It’s going to be a kind of Labor day “watch-along”.
I’m psyched.
Again, this is any tier you join at… just a bonus for being a part of the family over there.
We’re even having a poll to determine which film we watch. We’ve tried to keep them all a little British, or British vs American, for maximum humor.
(Amy regularly does an Ellie accent, and is gradually teaching me some American, which is highly amusing. For her.)
If you’d like to check it out, here’s the link to the poll. And the details on how to join us live.
It’s going to be a blast. Hope to see you on the line!
Ellie 🙂
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