With the holidays now approaching, whether you are looking for yourself or someone you know, books make great gifts! So I wanted to re-share my published works that are available. In this first post, I’m highlighting my work available in eBook and print.
These are my novels, which feature magic, adventure, good vs. evil, forests gryphons, dragons, unicorns, and much more:
And here are all anthologies available digitally and in hard copy that feature my poetry and/or short stories. This one includes my poem inspired by a real black cat:
Hello, everyone. If you remember from last month, I attended Balticon. Well, I had a good time, met some good people, was on some interesting panels, and I was able to sell three copies of Mystical Greenwood!
Also, in recent months, I’ve been featured in a couple new poetry anthologies. Check them out!
Many thanks to Gabriela Marie Milton for the opportunity to contribute for haiku poems to this anthology! Available in paperback, Kindle, and Goodreads.
I’ve also had this Christian poem published in the online magazine, Words of the Lamb, which has featured me before!
I mentioned this anthology a few months ago, but thanks again to Robbie Cheadle and Kaye Lynne Booth for allowing me to contribute not only six poems but also six of my pencil drawings! So yes, you can see me in action as an artist and writer! Available in paperback, Kindle, and Goodreads.
If you’re a poetry lover, be sure to check out my poetry page for other poems as well. And for you fantasy and fiction lovers, don’t forget that Beneath the Deep Wave will be coming out in a few months! You can preorder the eBook edition and mark it to read on Goodreads!
A few things have been happening over the past month. To start, many thanks to author and blogger Sally Cronin for featuring a blog post I did last year in her archive series:
The holiday anthology featuring my short story isn’t out yet. However, my sonnet “Knights in Shining Armor” was featured by Southern Arizona Press in their new poetry anthology Castles and Courtyards.
I hope you’ll read and review it, along with my other published work! If you’re a poet looking to get your poems featured, be sure to check out SAP’s current submissions!
Additionally, I recently learned that a micro memoir piece that I wrote has been accepted by an online religious literary magazine, WOTL!
If you’re interested in giving a presentation at the 2023 Maryland Writers’ Conference, the Maryland Writers’ Association is accepting submissions! It’ll be in person in October, so you know.
At the beginning of this year, I made a resolution to be more positive. It hasn’t been easy, but after the Easter holiday, I was resolved to keep faith in myself and continue toward that resolution. Even after Easter, though, I have still found myself feeling low and battling self-doubt, which makes me question my previous accomplishments.
Nevertheless, I know need to keep going, and I may have to reevaluate my Internet and social media habits even further as well. I’ve tried being more productive and mindful of my time, though I’m not sure I’m satisfied yet. But at least I’m aware of this, and I know I need to once again remember to believe in myself.
Many thanks to Fae Corps for publishing a second edition of Mystical Greenwood! For those who didn’t see last month’s post, the original publisher had to shut down as a result of COVID. Release date is set for August 26th! They did an excellent job on the new cover art!
The Kindle version is available for preorder!
So are the Nook and other eBook editions via Books2Read!
And you can mark the Kindle edition to-read on Goodreads (or switch over if you’d intended to read the original Kindle and hadn’t bought it)!
Print copies, unfortunately, will have to wait until the release date.
I know there are many of you will be asking when Book II will be available. I’m afraid I still don’t have a definitive answer, as I’ve had a lot going on in my life, and I haven’t been able to get those creative juices going. But I am not giving up. I will let you know when I have updates on it. Believe me, I want to get it done.
In 10 days, the two-volume anthology Into the Glen premieres from Fae Corps Inc! The volumes are respectively named Into the Light and Under the Shade. The former will feature my short story The Harbor Master, inspired by real-life stories about monster-sized hammerhead sharks. Many thanks to Fae Corps for this opportunity! They did a great job with the cover and promotional photo:
Some pre-order links are already available on my short stories page, and more will come! Additionally, the 2021 July edition of Pen in Hand featuring my fencing essay is now available on Amazon and Goodreads! Links are on my creative nonfiction page.
One other thing I forgot to mention last time: my novel Mystical Greenwood won in the Science Fiction / Fantasy / Speculative category of the 2021 MWA Novel contest. That’s the first time I’ve won 1st in anything writing!
“The story is cleverly told with a balance of intrigue, challenge and family ties. I loved the links to the natural world and environmental understanding. The world was fascinating and filled with interesting characters, wonderful settings and heart-stopping dilemmas.”
Jamie Adams, Author of Short Dates and The Fathers, the Sons, and the Anxious Ghost
“The tale, packed with mythical creatures, sorcerers of light and dark, and more down to earth villagers scratching a living from the land, was well conceived with rich depth and multiple narrative strands and points of view, all of which are drawn beautifully together at the end of the novel.”
Lynne Fisher, Author of After Black and On Turtle Beach
“[Mystical Greenwood] is a coming of age story where Dermot negotiates familial tensions and conflicts with society at large. There’s also tons of adventure. I recommend this book for fantasy and YA fans.”
“With all the adventure and magical creatures you could every want this epic will carry you away.”
Judy Ferrell, Author of Beginnings: From Country Girl to Poet, Home at Last: Poetry of Home and Family, and Peace Ever Changing
“Andrew McDowell whisks the reader on a fantastical journey filled with legends, magic, and mythical creatures. […] If you’re looking for a high-stakes fantasy plot filled with classic fantasy elements, then this could be just the read you’re looking for.”
K. J. Simmill, Author of The Forgotten Legacies series and Herbal Lore (read her full review on her blog)
“I am not a fan of young adult fantasy, but Andrew McDowell has crafted not only a superb book of that genre, but also a smashing tale of an all-out battle of good and evil, with well-crafted heroes, heroines and villains. […] A most enjoyable read!”
“Andrew McDowell does a masterful job of taking the reader along on the adventure of two teenage brothers through a magical land full of extraordinary characters, animals and scenery, weaving together a suspenseful yet heartwarming journey that makes one ponder good versus evil, the sanctity of life and all living creatures, and how the powerful bonds we forge…of family, friendship, love, kindness and courage…are what matter in the end.”
Michele Chynoweth, Best-selling authorof The Faithful One and The Jealous Son
“Such an amazing story. The descriptions the author uses to describe the scenery and the characters is believable and helps the reader visualize the story better.”
C. Soto, authorof Dare to Dream: Tampa FBI One (read her full review on her blog)
“Excellent story all around. Very well written.”
K. G. Bethlehem, authorof She is to be remembered and Shadow Within A City
P.S. Mystical Greenwood is part of the Support Indie Summer Reading Challenge, along with books by other authors in the Maryland Writers’ Association, as well as the Society for Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. If you have kids in Grades K-12 and want to get them involved in summer reading, check it out!
P.P.S. Also check out this poem of mine featured by published poet Gabriela Marie Milton on MasticadoresUSA, and my appearance on the podcast of reporter and anchor Larry Matthews:
Happy Holidays, everyone! Wishing you all a Happy New Year, especially after a year like this. Today is the day of the Winter Solstice, which is the origin of many winter holidays. As the light and warmth of the sun will return, may the new year bring new light and warmth for all of us! I am certainly hoping 2021 brings changes and progress both career-wise and in writing.
And don’t forget: books (and book reviews) make great gifts! My Amazon author page was updated to include more anthologies from past and present, including As the World Burns, which came out last month.
This month will mark this website’s 5th anniversary (twelve days from today, to be exact)! I’d already done a post looking back after two years, but five years is one of those major milestones that several people mark. So here’s a summary of what this website has seen and went through in five years.
I started out knowing nothing other than I had to set one up in advance, as many friends had advised me so. I looked at other indie authors’ sites to see what I should do, made some choices of my own, and took advice from others about what to include and how to improve it. Over these five years, the website has gone through a facelift as well as a change in domain name. I learned a lot as I went along.
This post is my 60th. I started out discussing personal insights and aspects in the craft of writing, and have since expanded to marketing and sharing books in my inscribed collection as a means to promote other authors. I’ve made guest appearances on many other authors’ blogs too, the majority of which were interviews about me and my work. All can be found on my site’s blog page.
When I started this site, I had two publications in poetry and creative nonfiction, respectively. The latter prompted me to create a Facebook Author page (two months prior to the website). Because of this website, I set up accounts on Twitter and Tumblr, and found new ways to be active on YouTube and Goodreads. And now I have an Amazon Author page!
This website has witnessed more publications in poetry, short stories, and the biggest of all, my novel Mystical Greenwood (which was also a finalist for an award). The Nightmare Whispers anthology series came out a week ago, and Fae Dreams, also from Fae Corps Inc, yesterday. More are in the works, and/or are awaiting publication. Here’s a teaser in an old open mic reading I did at the MWA in Annapolis of some short stories:
This website has been used to promote my work as well as many events that I’ve participated in, in-person as well as virtual. I have acquired followers and readers from all over the globe!
The top ten places from which I’ve had views as of now:
United States
United Kingdom
India
Canada
Australia
China
Brazil
South Africa
Ireland
Philippines
Last month, in fact, had more views than any other month before it, and the day with the most views (as of this moment) when my last post came out.
It has been quite a journey so far. Who can say where I’ll be in ten years? All I know is that I must keep pressing on, learning and experimenting.