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The Journals of The Jacoby Odyssey
is currently available to purchase online only, as a compilation, which includes the first three books released in the series:
Magicante, Firemancer and Initiation.
Use Amazon Link for paperback version of the Journals Compilation... page down for eBook. - ISBN-10: 1448625017
- ISBN-13: 978-1448625017
While my site is undergoing some construction, please enjoy this complimentary PDF/eBook of The Journals Compilation. Download your free Copy!
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The
Journals is based on the lives of thirteen year old telepathic twins,
Meghan and Colin Jacoby, as written in The Journals of The Jacoby
Odyssey, and subsequently discovered by a young boy ten years after
their completion.
And of added importance, is the secret
newly unearthed; a secret purposely withheld from the Journals' pages.
But
a secret that can only be revealed at the Odyssey's end. An end that
not even that most powerful Gypsy Seer could have foretold!
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An interview with Author, Rachel M. D'aigle
How did this fantasy series come about?
This fantasy book series stems from two things. One, my life-long love of fantasy books and movies. And two, my life growing up in a religious cult. A colorful background which often forced me into seclusion (and therefore books) as well as enlightened me to many "Dark" things about humanity. How long did it take you to write the first book in this series?
Writing Magicante was a long journey! I began by writing histories and back stories of all my main characters and groups. This took me about a year, and as each history or story was completed the story of Megan and Colin Jacoby just came together. After writing the first draft of Magicante I spent about a year getting feedback from friends and family, along with help in editing. I was on a very low budget and could not afford an editor. I also spent that year searching out a literary agent or publisher, but had no luck. I self-published the book to make it easier for me to have friends and family get their hands on the book and offer me the vital feedback I needed. During the following year, Magicante went through many trials and variations, until finally, it landed as the book it is today... at least on the inside :) When I first began the series, it actually had an entirely different title. The Dromelandra Odyssey. Dromelandra being a combination of Gypsy Terms meaning a dark journey. But, after some feedback from agents and readers, I realized that it sounded too sci-fi, and my books, although a touch sci-fi, are much more fantasy based, so the name had to go. It just didn't fit. Talking about Gypsy Terminology, why a Gypsy setting for your book series? It just works too perfectly. As I said previously, I grew up in a cult. But, I also grew up the daughter of Migrant workers in the Northeast... Maine and New Hampshire. For the first seven years of my life we did not live in one location for more than a few months at a time. Now, part of this is also due to the fact that when I was three months old, my family was burned out. We lived with our extended family in a suburb of Boston. The family owned a business and worked together too. But, in October 1973 the Great Chelsea Fire or Conflagration nearly burned down the entire city, including my families home and business. There really wasn't anyone who could help anyone because it had happened to us all! This, I believe, was the underlying reason that my immediate family became Migrant workers and joined the religious cult. Our lifestyle was nomadic, very Gypsy-like. It is a life-style I am very familiar with, and , is just in my blood. To this day, even though I have lived in Utah for many years, traveling calls to me. Seeing new places and meeting new people is always a thrill. I dream to one day spend a few years traveling the country side. Full time RV is the life for me!Another reason I chose a Gypsy setting is that I hope to shed new light on modern day Gypsies. Like any culture, a few can make a bad name for the many. But I have had the pleasure of meeting many modern day Gypsies and feel deeply sympathetic with their cause... often outcast to the edges of town, treated automatically like criminals, etc. Most of these people just want to live their own lives, fend for their families just like anyone else and be able to live as their ancestors always have. Their culture is being forced out of sight and the people are being forced to become what so many already call them, criminals, by not allowing them basic human rights. It is a shame to see. I hope that my books, when they are all finally written and read, will give some better understanding not only to Gypsy life, but also to the darker dealings of religious cults and how they can tear families and lives apart. The theme of my books is very dark... painfully truthful sometimes. But such is life. Let's go back for a minute. You said earlier that the inside of your book became final ... what did you mean by that? Well, basically, finding a good book cover that matched my story was very difficult, especially since I had no budget. I'm a typical American living pay check to paycheck ... well, maybe not typical. I do live my life trying to focus on the things that make me happy and fulfilled, rather than just to make money! So often, I don't work as much as I should. Regardless, though, I had no money for an artist. Yes, I maybe could have found an artist willing to do something for free ... but, being a series I needed art for each book as it was published. Who's to say that same artist would be willing to offer their services over and over again? Plus, I felt bad asking someone to do it for free. Artists need to make a living too! So I embarked on probably the hardest part of this journey so far... finding the perfect book cover. I'll just say, that by the time I found it, I had already published the third book. But, my small and loyal group of readers took it all in stride and understood where I was coming from. I feel quite settled now. It's still not perfect, but I feel it better reveals whats inside the book and does not alienate any particular reader group. Very important!
I did do the all the covers myself. I learned some mad photoshop skills ... okay, not mad, but impressive for me, since I consider myself fairly computer illiterate! I spent hours scanning images and learning how to use book cover creation software. I actually enjoyed it, although, at times it was highly frustrating when I really just wanted to write.
Its all a labor of love.
Enjoy this slide show showing the development of the Journals' book covers.
Journals Book Covers Take 1 to Take Final!
If you would like to read more about Rachel M. D'aigle's Journey, from writing this series, to searching out a literary agent, to deciding to self-publish, you can read her blog turned free eBook, My Glamorous Life as a Self-Published Author. Highly recommended for writers considering self-publishing, too. How many books are planned for this series?
Honestly, that has changed a few times and may again. I do keep my books on the shorter side. In an 8 by 5 formatted book the average page count is about 200. They are a fast paced, thrilling and easy read. But, I do fit in everything I need to for that part of the story. There's still a lot left to tell, however. It will, I believe, be finished in six books, but also very likely, more than six. :) What advice would you give other writers, just starting out? Well, right off, I would say prepare to do a lot of work! Whether you self-publish or are lucky enough to snag a literary agent and publisher, you will have to work -A LOT! Be sure its what you want to do!
The hardest part about this journey for me was actually, and this is somewhat humiliating to admit, was re-learning Grammar Skills! I took about ten years off from writing. Back in my younger school and college days I was well known for my Grammar and English skills .. I was even a tutor! People often asked me to look over their work. But then I left school and stopped writing. Tried many other things, started a career in the airline industry, got married, moved to Utah, began using things like email and IM and texting. All of these things combined ruined my once award winning Grammar skills.
My first book was terrible and full of error after error! I had to get a lot of help from friends and family. Plus, I broke down and took an online class to refresh my memory. It helped, but I have that all too common "getting old brain" that just cannot learn things as easily as I once did. But its coming back to me all the time.
Main point is- Edit Edit Edit and Edit again! You cannot edit enough. You will turn off readers if you don't write something that is readable. And finally, always write because you want to. Not because you want to be famous. Fame in this industry is a rarity at best. Write because you must! | |
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