Thank you!
JITers
Massive, uber thanks also go out to our JIT team headed up by the ever-vigilant Brittany for all their hard work. They ensure that the words reach you well proofed, read and re-read, with all inconsistencies corrected. Thank you so much for all the care and attention you put into the process.
We couldn’t do this without you.
Reviewers
Mega thanks also goes out to our Amazon reviewers. It’s because of you that we get to do this full time. Without your five-star reviews and thoughtful words on Amazon we simply wouldn’t have enough folks reading these space shenanigans to be able to write full time.
You are the reason these stories exist and you have no idea how frikkin’ grateful I am to you.
Truly, thank you.
Here’s a list of Book 3: Heist reviewers that were live at time of writing:
Steve, S. Petersen, John, John A. Kossey, Terrence Walsh, Les Hager, Trae, Crystal, Dalton, Kathleen F, Raine (Lorraine) Savary, Richard Leach, Steve W, Mary Morris, Charles Wood, Sara L. Skroh, Mary Joy, LoisA, and Mr Andy.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This means the world to me <3
Readers and FB page supporters
I’d like to also thank *YOU* for reading. Your enthusiasm and support are what keep us working hard to bring the next episode to you.
Thank you for being here, for the banter, for reading, and reviewing. You rock, and without you, there really would be no reason to write these stories.
Thank You to Our Growing Patreon Family
Last and by no means least I’d like to say a huge thank you to our growing Patreon family.
Allan MacBain, Amy Teegan, Brian Roberts, Cynthia MacLeod, Darrell Heckler, David Pollard, James Burrett, Jason M. Greatreaks, John DeBlanc, Jolie Brackett, Judith Wiseman, Kendra Gilmore, Lester Nye, Mary Morris, Nat Thongchai, Russell Peake, and Sandra Chapman.
You may also occasionally notice that a “human” name is used for characters here and there. That is because this is one of the ways we honor our Patreon members – we name characters after them!
Unfortunately, sometimes these characters die… but that doesn’t seem to bother some folks ;) They tell me its still a thrill to see their name in print.
In this book you will notice that the surnames of Erin Wiseman and Nancy Greatreaks come from two of our Patreon members: Judith Wiseman and Jason M. Greatreaks.
Certain levels of Patreon membership also mean that you receive FREE books – before they hit the ‘Zon and are subject to Amazon rules and regulations. These books will often have additional bonus chapters. More on this in a moment.
I’ll look forward to hanging out with you over there – either through the Author Shenanigan videos, or on one of our live streams.
If you’d like to get a character named after you, and to continue the back stage shenanigans, feel free to join us over at: www.Patreon.com/ellleighclarke.
Symphony 101
You may have seen in the last installment of author notes, I mentioned that Amy and I went to see the Symphony, and had a great time.
What I didn’t reveal was a funny little sequence of events that have since provided so many of our friends entertainment, that I thought it was perhaps a good idea to share it with you.
So, there we were at the Symphony, sitting in our seats waiting for the performance to start. Amy had already been explaining to our friend Javier that this is a bonus for Ell – watching a stage full of ‘5’s do their thing.
In this instance, she’s referring to 5s n the enneagram profiling system. 5 personalities are know for being driven to be experts in whatever the one thing is that they choose to pursue. Amy’s a 5. Javier says this is why she’s such a smart ass. ;)
Anyway, she leaned over and winked at me. “Look at all those 5s Ell!”
Then she explained to Javier that I tend to fall for 5s. I adore people who are an expert in their field. Competence is sexy. What she didn’t mention is that in an orchestra, sure there are probably 5s, but there are probably a lot of 4s too. Fours are the dramatic, creative types… and at unhealthy levels they are the WORST! (I’m a 4, but I tend not to find other 4s that I like, because of the unhealthy aspects at ‘low frequencies/ levels of maturity’.
Anyway, I digress. I agreed with her and shortly after the lights went down, and hush fell across the concert hall.
The first violin chair appeared, and everyone applauded. Then the Maestro appeared. More applause.
Then Mr. Maestro spoke to the audience.
This. Never. Happens.
At least not where I come from.
(Apart from maybe school concerts, where parents perhaps needed some context).
Anyway, he explained what they were going to play and gave some context around the piece. He was eloquent and humorous. Everything you’d expect from a five.
And then he brought the orchestra to attention and they launched into it.
I leaned over to Amy. “I think I have a new crush!”
She silently laughed her head off.
Later in the car Amy recounted the moment to Javier and they went through the discussion: “Ell are you going to introduce yourself at the party?”, “Why not, Ell? You’re not normally shy…”, “Yadda, yadda”.
I kept quiet, deciding if this was something I wanted to get entangled in.
If you’ve been following my escapades over the last 18 months, I haven’t had much luck with men. In fact, last time, it nearly wiped me out – physically and emotionally.
Eventually I knew my answer. “Nope. I’m not even going to speak to him. Ever. No eye contact. Nothing!”
“Gosh, Ell, that’s a bit dramatic!” Amy teased.
“She can do what she wants, Amy,” Javier said supportively. I appreciated that.
Now I just had to avoid him at the party for the next few hours.
Well, despite Amy and Javier’s teasing and prompting, I managed to. Amy spoke to him, told him he was great and made an impression on him. I stayed clear, finding a haven on the dance floor next to the speakers.
And that was it. We left. No dramas. No chance meetings.
All was well with the world and I got on with my life.
Until a few weeks later.
There was a talk put on by the young people’s organization we’d joined. It turned out that Mr. Maestro was leading the discussion.
I wanted to go and resigned myself to sitting quietly at the back of the room and just listening. No asking questions. No quippy comments or interjections. I was going to be on my best behavior.
And I was.
Except, the layout wasn’t anything like I was expecting. There were only about ten people there when I arrived. I wandered in and was shown through to a room where they were serving snacks and wine, and attendees were standing around chatting.
I started mingling and got myself a white wine. Wine always helps when talking to new people I find ;)
Anyway, things continued and I figured this was going ok. And then someone else arrived in the room and wandered up to our little group of three.
“Hi, I’m Mr. Maestro.” (Ok so he didn’t call himself that, but names are changed to protect the innocent!)
Ellie: Shit.
MM: Sorry?
Ellie: I mean… er… hi. I’m… Ellie, I stuttered.
MM: Great to meet you Ellie. Oh wow, you have an accent…
And so it began…
Twenty minutes later the group had changed out some people, but MM remained.
Ellie: We should probably see when they’re wanting to start….
MM: Yeah. Though, they can’t very well start without me!
Group laughs, and MM moves to wander back through to the other room. The group breaks up and he turns around and comes back.
MM: So, I was wondering if you’d like to talk some more. Not here. Somewhere quieter. I’d like to ask you about Brexit.
Ellie: (looks blankly)
MM:
We could go for dinner, or coffee…
Ellie: (still processing)
MM: It’s just… it’s not okay to talk about politics around here.
Ellie: (still processing and on the verge of babbling….) Er, yeah. Sure. I understand. Are you on Facebook?
MM: No. But we should do it in real life. You know… face to face. A real conversation. Maybe I can get your number before you go?
Ellie: (still stunned) Yes. Of course.
Babbling ensued and I suggested he grab a ‘proper’ drink on his way into the presentation room - which he did, teasing about the way I call an alcoholic drink a ‘proper’ one.
And that was it.
Later that night I got a text from Amy.
Amy: How did it go?
Ellie: Talk was great. MM asked if I wanted to have coffee to discuss the finer points of Brexit.
Amy: GUUUUUUUUURRRRLLLLLLLL! That is the weirdest chat up line in the history of everything!
Ellie: Unless he really does just want to talk about Brexit?
In reality, and all joking aside, I’m sure he’s just being friendly and is interested in talking to someone from a different culture.
Plus, it makes for a fun story eh? ;)
+++
Scarlett – A Very British Witch
As I’m writing these author notes, it’s the evening before we launch a brand new series. It’s in a genre that is completely new to me: Urban Fantasy.
Plus it’s my first collaboration, where I’m the ‘publisher’ and the ‘grown up’. The person that did most of the work, (like I did on the series I worked on with MA) is a lady called Isobella Crowley.
Book 1, Scarlett, goes live in about 12 hours.
I’m super nervous.
Which is kinda becoming a habit for me. This publishing thing is generally kind of nerve-wracking. When I was just writing and slacking the manuscript (MS) over to MA, it was a relief to be done with it. Sure, there were blurbs to write, normally last minute, but for the most part, his production team took over and I’d find out if people were enjoying it a few days later from the reviews.
Not so now.
Now I have the sales reports and stuff to obsess over, taunting me, telling me that this wasn’t as good as that, or making me wonder if people like Bentley as much as they did Molly… or will they like Scarlett as much as they do Bentley.
I’m a wreck!
I jest, but it is pretty intense.
My friend, MD Cooper just this second messaged me on the subject.
MDC [7:47 PM] so what's your plan for your UF launch, btw?
Ell Leigh Clarke [7:50 PM] erm...
obsessively watch my book report tomorrow morning?
His response was super helpful.
MDC: LOL
Anyway, I’m stoked to know what you think of it.
Here’s the blurb:
** Set in Bicester (near Oxford) in England, UK, this urban fantasy has a touch of paranormal cozy mystery in it. It's also more of a thriller than one normally expects from this genre.
Plus, it is also contains the occasional swear word.
And British expressions. (But don't fret about the British, there is a glossary at the front to help you out!) **
+++
When Scarlett is (seemingly randomly) accused of murder, she has no choice but to take up sleuthing and find a way to clear herself of suspicion.
Her only choice is to find the killer before she is arrested.
Her efforts are further thwarted by having no recollection of the night in question, and to make matters worse, weird things keep happening around her.
Meanwhile, the military police are closing in on her, and what she discovers in her own investigation is far more sinister than she could ever have imagined.
Can Scarlett figure out what's going on before the charming, emotionally distant soldier Tim takes her into custody?
If you like your protagonists quirky and hilarious, your mysteries confounding, your vampires secretive, and weres dashing, you're going to love everything in the Very British Witch series!
You can download Scarlett: A Very British Witch, here:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KK4MVS6
+++
Ellie-verse Direct
I’ve been working on things behind the scene. A way 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, by buying them directly from yours truly.
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 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.
If you want in on the Ellie-verse Direct, go ahead and join the mailing list here:
www.ellleighclarke.com/jelly
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? ;)
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).
And if you’d like to join the Patreon family, you can do this here:
www.Patreon.com/ellleighclarke
Ok, I think I’m getting close to the word count allowed in back matter, so I’ll stop babbling.
Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for being here, for reading, and for posting your awesome 5* reviews. <3
You’re the best and I truly appreciate how much you care, and how much you support me.
We’ll get Bentley 5, Legba, out in about a month from the release date of Bentley 04, Resistance.
Until then ;)
Ellie x
Receive updates from Jelly Bean by registering your corteX/ email address here:
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Ell Leigh Clarke Social Links
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Want more?
Join the email list here:
ellleighclarke.com/jelly
(yes, that’s three ‘l’s)
Want more books from Ell Leigh Clarke?
Check them out here, on Amazon
Here are other series written by Ell:
The Ascension Myth
– known amongst the fans as “the Molly series”.
How Molly has survived military life this long, we'll never know.
When her implanted computer interface is hacked by a nascent AI, Molly has to escape.
And her biggest problem?
The swiftest and most efficient way to get out is also the most embarrassing.
Mortifyingl
y embarrassing.
If you your space opera with snark, action and characters that support each other, you will love The Ascension Myth where we find out if a dysfunctional genius can change the universe.
We double-dog dare you NOT to fall in love with Molly.
The Giles Kurns Chronicles
– known amongst the fans as “the Giles series”.
Giles is a roguish space archaeologist.
And a good one too.
The problem?
He's addicted to adventure.
When the continued existence of his whole world is thrown into jeopardy, Professor Giles Kurns may well have to face his biggest challenge yet...
Growing up.
Together with an old war ship, an old frienemy, and a rather spunky AI, he embarks on a high stakes journey of intrigue to uncover the truth about the Ascension Myth.
Will they solve the riddle of the strange but powerful talismans before it’s too late?
If you like fun, Indiana Jones-like adventures you'll love this series because it is a smart, hilarious, swashbuckling romp in space with characters you'll just want to take home with you.
The Second Dark Ages
Books 3 and 4. aka the “Michael series”
– Ell helped Michael (aka Yoda) out on the last two books to help him finish out the series.
And because, well, he wanted to kill his villain using… physics!
Ranger Deuces
This series lays out the (mis)adventures of Tabitha (an enhanced vampire who is off saving the universe – yes, vampires in space!) and spunky Nickie (the messed-up niece who was left behind).
Resistance Page 20