Aberrant Magic 6 Accepted at Loose Id (Patreon)

We have carefully reviewed your story and are delighted to offer you a contract on Texas Charm! We especially loved the twists and turns of the case Zach and Art are working on as well as the lush world-building. We’re so pleased that you chose Loose Id for your new work. Thank you for continuing to trust us with your creations!

If you accept our offer of publication, we will expect you to make revisions to Texas Charm to improve these aspects of the story.

First, we felt the opening scene was a bit confusing, especially for new readers, so we’d like to add at least one chapter that introduces the heroes and establishes both the personal/romantic stakes and the conflict with the Shaman Council.

Second, we’d like to ramp up the romantic arc between Art and Zach. As it stands, they’re an established couple and there’s very little keeping them apart. We’d like to establish more sexual and romantic tension between the two men throughout the story so that when they do get together, the reader feels duly satisfied.

The great thing about Loose Id is that they respond amazingly fast.  The bad thing is that they are amazingly fast. So now I have to take that mystical first chapter and build an introduction to it.  I need to tell readers that Salma is there and has been working with the guys, and I may use that to build more conflict between Art and Zach since Art is not thrilled with having the shamanic community show up on his doorstep.

The part that worries me is that I don't want to create artificial conflicts to keep Art and Zach apart.  When we see them, they have the normal conflicts and annoyances of a long-term relationship between them, and they have to navigate changes to their relationship as Zach becomes a shaman, but I dislike the communication failures that sometimes make grown-ass men sound about sixteen and insecure, so I'm going to have to think about that one.

Wow.  What a difference five days makes.  Since I didn't get around to signing and sending this contract in, the book will not come out through Loose Id.