Pip: Fantasy novels, Substack launches, and the art of asking your friends nicely — Marcia Lee Laycock is keeping busy, and this site is keeping up.
Mara: That’s the territory today. We’re looking at the rollout of a Christian fantasy novel called Pebble’s Bond, serialized on Substack, with behind-the-scenes posts tracking the writing process alongside it.
Pip: Let’s start with the launch itself — how it began, how the world got built, and how readers are being recruited.
Pebble’s Bond: The Launch, the World, the Ask
Mara: The story here is a serialized fantasy novel landing on Substack in real time — chapters going out weekly, paired with a companion series pulling back the curtain on how the whole thing came together.
Pip: The first Behind the Scenes post sets the tone directly. The announcement reads: “I’ll be posting chapters of that novel beginning one week from today, August 24th.”
Mara: That’s a public commitment with a date attached, which is a different kind of accountability than just saying a book is coming. The chapters are live, the companion posts are live, and readers can follow both tracks simultaneously.
Pip: The second Behind the Scenes episode, Creating Pebble’s World, moves from announcement into craft — what the setting actually looks like, the place called Ter Elsker that Pebble calls home.
Mara: And there’s a warmth to how that episode closes. Readers are invited to respond, with the note that the author won’t “growl at you the way a certain character in Pebble’s Bond does.” The world-building is already leaking into the conversation around the book.
Pip: Which brings us to the third post, Help Your Friends Find Pebble, and this is where the math gets honest.
Mara: Very honest. One paid subscriber, roughly forty readers at the time of posting. The ask is straightforward: share the link with anyone who likes fantasy, send proof you did it, and your name goes into a draw for a free book — either a dystopian middle-grade novella or a Christmas devotional collection.
Pip: A raffle for word-of-mouth. There is something genuinely old-school about that, and I mean it as a compliment.
Mara: It’s a direct, low-friction way to turn existing readers into a distribution network. The novel is out there — the work now is getting it found.
Pip: A serialized fantasy, a behind-the-scenes companion, and a reader raffle — the infrastructure of a small literary launch, built by hand.
Mara: More of Pebble’s world is still coming. Worth watching how the readership grows alongside it.
Confession – and a warning – this post contains a lot of grumbling. But stay with me, it does turn a corner!
I’ve been fretting a lot lately. About money, or more specifically, the lack of it. My writing career has not supplied the income I once thought it might, in my long-ago naiveté. I’ve struggled to get the word out about my books, been frustrated by all those wonderful people who tell me what a good writer I am but never leave a review on Amazon. I’ve struggled to run ads for my fantasy books, which my beta readers and those few who’ve purchased the books say they loved.
For a time, book sales from speaking and teaching engagements managed to give me enough to keep writing and self-publishing, until Covid hit and all the speaking/teaching gigs dried up like grapes in a drought. Now I have books I want to have published but little funds to do it.
Reaching our goal in a recent Crowdfundr campaign was a huge boon that will allow me to publish my newest book, Flecks of Gold. But now we have a massive bill to pay for reclamation on our flooded basement and I’m concerned about how to purchase my own copies of that book, once it has been published.
My publisher suggested posting my latest fantasy book as a series on Substack. She suggested putting it behand a paywall. It’s been a lot of fun doing it but so far it has gone unnoticed. I have only 1 subscriber. (You can find it here, if interested).
Then I clicked into a group I’m part of to find they were all celebrating the success of one of the members who had just joined the “100K Club.” Yes, that was his income from his book sales. Now ordinarily I’d celebrate with them, with only a slight sigh, but the man writes what I would label pornography. I don’t even like to look at the covers of his books. It made me want to scream, “Lord, why?!!”
I remembered there was a verse somewhere in the Bible about the wicked prospering, so I looked it up. In the book of Jeremiah chapter 12, verse 1, the prophet cries – “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?”
God answers in verses 5 to 17. Verse 13 says – “They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvest because of the fierce anger of the Lord.” (ESV)
I did not doubt that last sentence, but “profit nothing?” 100K didn’t seem like nothing. And I continued to grumble.
Then I sat down to watch TV with my husband. As he scrolled through Netflix I saw that Babette’s Feast was on the list. I told him that book/film had often been recommended. He wasn’t keen since it’s a Danish film with English subtitles, but he humoured me.
It started off slowly and I feared my DH might suggest we find something a bit more lively. But it didn’t take long before we were both totally engaged in the simple story.
SPOILER ALERT
It’s about two middle aged women who have lived a simple and devout life. A series of circumstances brings a French woman, Babette, into their home. Over time Babette’s presence brightens their lives, most notably by her good cooking. Then fortune smiles on them all. Or is it Providence? Babette wins a lottery.
The sisters fear she will now leave them and return to France. But Babette has another plan. She spends all her winnings, an outrageous amount, to prepare a feast for the two women and all their friends. They all relish the delicacies she has prepared for them, the good wine, the exotic dishes. But they have made a covenant to say nothing at all about the meal. So they leave without giving the cook any recognition, any accolades, any praise at all.
When the two Danish women discover that Babette has impoverished herself by the extravagant gift, and confront her, she says, “Oh, my friends, an artist in never poor.”
Cue the proverbial slap upside the head with a 2×4. The phrase kept ringing like a massive bell in my brain. ‘An artist is never poor.’
Oh! Oh how true! For an artist, especially an artist who has faith, has the joy in creating, the joy of seeing a life touched, perhaps even a life changed. An artist doing what God has given her to do need never be ashamed of the harvest, however small it may be. The art itself is payment enough.
And did not our Lord do exactly what Babette did? He gave everything He had, including His very life, that we may have mercy and grace and joy in abundance, in the very presence of our Father in heaven. We, His artists, are rich indeed.
Then I remembered some other verses in the Bible – Matthew 6:25 -27 – “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. … Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life?”
And then verses 31-33 – “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”
And I remembered the many, many, times those verses have been true in my life in the past. And I stopped grumbling. I stopped stressing and started trusting again.
And in case I’m tempted to forget – and I know I will be — I’m going to post Babette’s words in my office.
Hello everyone and a big thank you to those who have already participated in the Tumbled Stone Fundraiser for Mainsprings Pregnancy and Family Support Centre, Calgary. I want to let you know that the deadline has been extended to August 31st so there are 20 days left to reach our goal.
Today the 26th book was mailed off, so we are just over the half way point in reaching our goal of 50 books. Many local people have purchased a book and donated the cost of shipping as well, so to date we have raised 261.00 that will go directly to Mainsprings.
Please feel free to share this link wide and far, to friends and family. This is such a vital ministry and they need our support to keep funding the good work they are doing.
For those who do not wish to use paypal, an etransfer to vinemarc@telus.net will work or a cheque made out to me and sent to 119 Riverside Place N.W. High River AB T1V 1X3.
I thought you might like to get a taste of the book, so here’s an excerpt:
Exerpt from A Tumbled Stone by Marcia Lee Laycock
Andrea opened the drawer on a small desk and drew out a notebook she had bought long ago. She had a stack of coil bound notebooks that she had used to write her stories and poems and all the other work her high school teachers had so often encouraged her to do. But this one was different. This one was bound like a normal book, but it was black, inside and out. She picked up the white gel pen that had come with it.
Names had been flitting through her mind for days. She’d suddenly realize she’d been listing them, filing some as possibilities, discarding others. But she had never spoken them, never written them. She put the gel pen down, picked up an ordinary pen and found a blank piece of white paper. She wrote the list in alphabetical order. Alyssa, Brandilyn, Cameron, Destiny. She scratched lines through that last one, continued the list for a while, then crumpled the paper and threw it into the garbage can by the door. She pulled the book toward her, switched to the gel pen and turned to the next blank page.
Dear Diary – I wonder if my birth mother ever thought these thoughts I’m having. She gave me away, so obviously she didn’t want me. Why didn’t she just abort me? I guess back then it wasn’t so easy. It is now. I heard two girls at school talking about it in the washroom. They didn’t even care that I was there. One girl knew a lot about it – how to get the doctor to make a referral – just mention suicide, she said, and there would be no problem. “It’s just a tiny blob right now,” I remember her saying, “but don’t wait too long. Waiting complicates everything.”
Waiting. I feel like I’ve been waiting all my life. But for what?
The pen hovered for a moment, trembling. She let it drop and put her hand over her mouth to hold back the sob that threatened to rip from her throat. She had to get out of this room, out of this house. She grabbed a jacket and slipped quietly down the stairs, out the back door and across the yard to the yellowed field beyond. She strode along the fence line toward the creek, her ears perked for its sound, her eyes peering steadily ahead until she saw the thin line of scrub brush where the land suddenly fell away. Her eyes found the brown scar on the bank where she so often climbed down into the gully. When she reached it she stood still, staring down the incline to the creek.
It was swollen with the spring’s run-off, its water muddied and full of debris. Part of the far bank had fallen away, exposing the roots of old poplar and spruce trees. Andrea stared at the churning water. She wanted the peaceful trickle of mid-summer, the small sound of flowing water that so often soothed her. There would be no comfort here today. She stared down at the steepness of the path. If she fell … tumbled over and over … A crashing sound made her start. A young poplar had yielded to gravity and plunged into the creek. She turned away and wandered along the bank, feeling the bite of wind not yet warmed by the sun. She had stopped crying. She felt dry, hollow inside and wondered at the feeling. Shouldn’t she feel full, with a baby inside her? Sitting on an old fallen cottonwood, she put her hand on her stomach. She should feel something. But there was only a numbness now, even when she thought about Cory. What would he do if he knew she was carrying his baby? She could still hear the rushing water in the creek. The wind had increased and seemed to punish the trees. She pushed herself up and headed back toward the house, each foot crushing the ground in front of the other. She could feel the stubble under her shoes like blunt needles trying to break through.
The back door swung silently as she opened it into the kitchen. Earl had fixed the squeak. He was always fixing things, quickly, before they became a bother.
But he can’t fix this.
Edna was standing at the sink. Andrea watched her fold the washcloth over the faucet and knew by the slight stiffening of her back she was aware of her but she didn’t turn. She just stared out the window at the barrenness of the landscape – the land she always said she loved, perhaps too much.
Can anyone love too much? Andrea wondered. The land perhaps, an inanimate thing that can’t love back. But that’s so much safer than loving those who should but never do.
Edna’s long hand rested on the cloth on the tap. Andrea could see the curve of her high cheek bone, a moistness to the curl of her pale eye lashes as her head turned and dropped almost imperceptibly.
Andrea wanted to scream, “speak to me. Look at me!” For a moment she imagined her turning, a smile quick to her lips, her eyes beaming approval of her only daughter, her “chosen one.” She had longed for that look for as long as she could remember. But then a cloud blocked the light like a heavy curtain, dim reality returned and Edna did not move. Andrea stepped across the doorway and past into the hall, slowly climbing the stairs to her room. Her legs felt like heavy logs but her feet made no sound.
Maybe I’m invisible already, only a phantom whose footsteps can’t make the floors creak.
Back in her room, she picked up the book and pen.
I’m sitting on my bed now, staring at the small suitcase partly hidden on the floor of my closet. Edna brought it up from the basement yesterday so I could get ready. She has arranged everything with her sister, she said. A sister I’ve never met. I’m to leave on Friday, go away for a few months, a year maybe, then I can come home, after, and no-one will know.
But I’ve decided. Tomorrow I’ll take that small suitcase and walk away.
A sound on the stairway made her freeze. She closed the book and stood up, leaning toward the door to hear what might be beyond. But there was no sound. She pulled a box of old books out from the closet. Edna had discovered it in the basement the week before and brought it up to see if any of the books were worth reading. But Andrea didn’t feel like reading much lately. She lifted a stack and slid the diary beneath them, then shoved the box back.
*****
Thanks again for your trust, your support and your generosity.
Hi everyone – For those who have been following me for a while, you may remember that I ran a fundraiser for the Pregnancy Care Centre in Red Deer Alberta several years ago. That fundraiser went well so, since I’ve just celebrated another birthday, I’m taking a cue from others on Facebook, to do a fundraiser for the Mainsprings pregnancy and family support centre in Calgary.
I have been impressed with the work they do, including free pregnancy tests, information and education on all pregnancy-related options, advocacy and peer support, prenatal and parenting classes, practical support services, referrals to other agencies, birth family support (adoption), post-abortion support, and counselling.
They also provide baby clothes, diapers, baby furniture and all the necessities for these young moms. I hope you will participate in this fundraiser and help ensure that these programs will not have to be cut back or curtailed.
When my first grandchild was born we were all overjoyed. Sadly, for many young women who find themselves pregnant, that is not the case. It is a time of stress and anxiety. It is the goal of Mainsprings to relieve that stress by offering a multitude of services that help. Just go to their website to read the testimonials of the hundreds of young women who have been helped there.
Of course all of these things cost money. That’s why I’ve decided to set up this fundraiser. This is how it will work –
For the next 3 months, July 14th to August 4th, purchase a copy of my novel, A Tumbled Stone, for $25.00. This book was on a short list for an award at Write Canada and has had some great reviews from readers. It is a story about a young woman who finds herself in a crisis pregnancy situation. If you already have a copy, consider purchasing one to give away, (just send me the address and I’ll mail it for you), or donate a copy to your local library.
$6.00 from each book sold will go directly to Mainsprings. The remaining funds will go toward the cost of shipping the books, paypal fees and a small amount to defray my costs for the books. My goal is to sell a full shelf of 50 books which will give Mainstreams $300.00
Just click on the link below to purchase the book, fill in the form with your Canadian mailing address with postal code, and A Tumbled Stone will be on its way to you ASAP.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me at my email address
Thank you for your trust, your support, and your generosity.
Feel free to share this link with friends and family!
‘Tis the season for gifts! And in the spirit of Christmas, we have a gift for you.
Starting today, for 3 days only, my friends | colleagues, CJ and Shelley Hitz, are giving away copies of their book, Kingdom Writers.
This book will help you move forward in your call to write.
Here’s what a few writers are saying…
“If you are a Christian and feel called to write a book, but maybe you’re intimidated by the process, this book by Shelley and CJ Hitz was written for you. God is a God of story, and He has given us each a story to tell; some people are called to put that story in writing for the world to experience with us. Be encouraged with the practical tips in this book, by Shelley’s own story, and also by the stories of other authors who have been in your shoes whom God has helped follow His plan for their lives.”
– Katie Erickson, Editor, Designer, Author
Kingdom Writers was written to inspire you to share your story. Everyone matters and everyone has a story to tell. God has brought you through many circumstances of life that could be a help or blessing for someone to learn they can make it too. There is no limit to what God can do and this book will provide you with practical tips, encouragement and inspire you to seek God to show you His calling on your life that can be a blessing to others.
By grabbing this bundle, you’ll not only get a ton of stuff to boost your writing but you can also pick from over 40+ other trainings, eBooks, and templates to help you take a step of faith to finish your book so that God can use your message to impact lives.
Here are a few of the amazing offers that are included in this carefully curated bundle I think you will love in these 5 categories:
Improve Your Writing
The Ultimate Writing Mastery Guidebook ($27 value)
Different Kinds of Memoir and How to Write Them ($200 value)
First Draft Fundamentals Course ($47)
Get Productive
Idea to Amazon in 14 Days ($99 value)
Secrets to Writing the Perfect Query ($49)
Blog for Impact
SEO for Christian Bloggers and Writers ($197 value)
Content Kit Magic ($47 value)
Get Paid to Write
Freelance Writing Bundle ($67 value)
Where to Find Paid Christian Writing Opportunities ($11 value)
Be Encouraged
Silence Your Inner Critic ($147 value)
And many, many more.
But don’t wait if you’re interested. This is the last time I’ll be contacting you about this because the offer expires tomorrow, Tuesday, 5/7/24!
p.s. Full disclosure – these are affiliate links. This does not affect the price of the bundle. Thank you so much for supporting me in this way. As a small thank you when you purchase the bundle you’ll receive a link to a pdf of my devotional book, A Traveler’s Advisory. I hope you are blessed as you read it.
Hello everyone and thank you so much for hanging in here with me. It has been a while since I posted, I know, but I hope to do so more regularly from now on. I do wish I could slow the days down a bit. How did it get to be the end of January already??
What’s Up Next?
Well ….I’m really excited to join with others once again for the Abundant Rain Writing Pilgrimage, starting with a meet and greet on Feb. 3rd – that’s this Saturday! We’ll have some special bonuses for you that morning (11:00 a.m. MST) and will outline how the pilgrimage will work. We’ll be using a revamped copy of Volume 1 and will get the link to you as soon as we can. In the meantime, there will be a download of the PDF. Do join us, even if you can’t, or don’t want to, do the whole pilgrimage. Here’s the link to get you started
Feel free to share that link with anyone you think may be interested in joining with other writers of faith as we walk this path together.
Update on My New Fantasy Novel:
For those of you following my progress with Pebble, my next fantasy novel, I have been working on it slowly, and hope to have the first draft ready for Beta readers soon. If you would like to be a beta reader – (all that means is, you read the pdf I send and give any feedback you wish) – let me know and I’ll put you on the list. Please pray that I’ll be consistent in the work and that the Lord will lead as I write.
BTW, the other series I’ve been working on has been popping into my head a lot lately too, so stay tuned for more on that as the days go by.
A Bit of Personal News:
Many of you know that we had a tragic thing happen over the holiday season, with the suicide death of a young man who left his wife and three little ones behind. It hit us hard, since it was in the family, though we did not know him well. Please pray for the young mom, that she would find help and support and above all that she would find the Lord.
Otherwise, our Christmas was great, with my 3 daughters, their husbands and our 2 grandkids all in attendance. Little Sparky was a delight – I think he loved tearing the paper off all the presents more than the presents themselves. 😉 And Thea was thrilled with the big blanket picturing the front cover of my children’s book, Merrigold’s Very Best Home (a lovely gift from my publisher at Seritona Creative Publishing).
The New Year roared in with very cold temps that kept us inside most of the time, except when we had to venture to Calgary for some medical appointments, mostly for my husband. We were very glad to finally have some tests and prodedures scheduled after many months of things falling through the cracks. It really does help when you have a family doctor who gives consistent care. Spence is scheduled to have a hernia repair done on Feb. 6th. Prayer appreciated for the surgery and for the recovery. 🙂
Livy’s Life
Liv seems to be adjusting to life with her new companion, Little Duffer. I’m not so sure about Spence and I!! 🙂 We keep renaming him – Little Terror, Little Stinker, Mr. Pest, Psycho cat, etc. etc. He is most persistent about joining me as I work on my laptop!
(sorry, for some reason it’s not letting me adjust the size of those 2 pix).
February is shaping up to be quite busy but one of my priorities is keeping in The Word more. I’ve taken on the challenge to read through the Bible in 90 days (thank you, Mary DeMuth!) Tomorrow will be day 30 so I’m 1/3rd of the way through! It truly is wonderful to read large chunks of the scripture and get a more ‘big picture’ view. Our God truly is an awesome God!
Thank you all for your interest and support, once again! I love to hear from my readers, so do pop me a note if you have a minute! Or, if you feel so led, use this link to support my writing. thourgh paypal.
