MidgeCenturyModern

Chapter 38 is HERE! 🐺💚

Thank you to everyone who’s been waiting, checking in, and reaching out to ask about the next chapter. Knowing you’re looking forward to more of this story means so much to me!
Back in September, I took a weekend trip to Boston for a figure skating event. I thought the train ride would give me a lovely stretch of uninterrupted writing time. What I hadn’t factored in was flooding in Connecticut, overnight bus rides, and a missed connection in Newark, New Jersey, that almost left me stranded while I was trying to reach Philly and catch my train back to Pittsburgh. The trip came with considerably more plot twists than my itinerary suggested.
A week after Boston, I started a new travel nursing assignment. A week after that, I closed on a house! The assignment has also meant more pieced-together shifts than my usual three twelve-hour nights in a row, so I haven’t had those longer stretches at home that I’m used to having for writing.
Meanwhile, I’ve been writing three different character races through the Rogue Run, with romance, friendship, action, multiple invented werewolf colleges, and a couple of plot twists woven into the mix. These wolves are putting me through my own obstacle course.
My goal is always to give you the most finished, polished chapter I can. Some of my earliest chapters were much closer to first drafts, and I’ve gone back and revised some of those, too. I want to give this story the care it deserves and you something worth waiting for.
Thank you for your patience and for caring about these characters. Writing this book is such a personal adventure, and knowing you’re along for the ride makes it even better. Chapter 38 is up, and I can’t wait to hear what you think! 💚
MidgeCenturyModern
writing as
Haven Jones
An Amusing Trounce of Tired Tropes

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Chapter 37 Is Here, and I Have Something Else to Share

The Rogue Run has arrived. Raider Nation has arrived. And Gage Sutherland has never been more Gage.

Chapter 37 is finally here, and it feels like the right moment to share an important change.

I originally planned to publish under L.D. Burke, using my initials and my real last name. Then I discovered that another writer was already using the name and, ironically, she also writes paranormal fiction. Apparently, even choosing a pen name has it's own plot twist.

So I went back to the drawing board.

After a great deal of thought, plenty of tweaking, and some serious checking to make sure the name and website were available, I found one that felt personal, distinctive, and right for the stories I want to tell.

Going forward, I will be writing as Haven Jones.

Haven is a nod to the hometown that shaped me, and Jones comes from my mother. The name feels rooted in where I came from while giving my writing room to grow.

Many of you have known me as MidgeCenturyModern, and that history isn’t disappearing. Same writer. Same world. Same commitment to Gage, Zara, and everyone who has followed their story this far. Haven Jones is simply the name you will begin seeing on my writing.

I also have one favor to ask.

If you have been reading and enjoying Winning My Alpha Mate, please consider leaving an honest review. Reviews mean everything to an independent writer. They help new readers discover the book, decide to take a chance on it, and understand why those of you already reading have stayed.

I deeply appreciate your loyalty, your encouragement, and every message asking when the next chapter will arrive. I work hard to make each chapter more than another update. I want every chapter to feel like an experience worth waiting for.

Even a few honest sentences in a review can make an enormous difference.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for waiting. Most of all, thank you for continuing to show up for this story.

Now go read Chapter 37.

Raider Nation is waiting.

Haven Jones
Formerly MidgeCenturyModern

Chapter 37 Update

Chapter 37 is in great shape and very close to finished!

I’d say it’s about 90% there now. The entire final sequence has finally clicked into place, which was the biggest piece I needed to solve. Now it’s mostly a matter of getting those last scenes onto the page and giving everything a final polish.

I’m heading into three days of work, but I’m hoping to sneak in a little writing when I can. Either way, Chapter 37 will be posted by this time next week.

Thank you so much for your patience and for sticking with Winning My Alpha Mate. We’re heading into the Rogue Run now, and I am ridiculously excited for what’s coming.

And @lmcsatxx, since you mentioned you’re waiting for the pageant... I haven’t forgotten you. 😉 Consider this a little reminder that the Rogue Run isn’t the only thing Zara still has left to conquer.

Mid-Century Modern
writing as L.D. Burke

Hi, I'm a new writer, plz check out my story
A Mafia's wea

Chapter 36 of Winning My Alpha Mate is now live!

Ironically, it's just over 2,000 words... and it may have been the hardest 2,000 words I've written.

Some chapters pour onto the page.

Others make you fight for every sentence.

This was one of those chapters.

I rewrote it more times than I care to admit, chasing something that didn't have anything to do with the plot. It was about getting Gage's voice exactly where I wanted it. Sometimes that meant changing a paragraph. Sometimes it meant changing a single word.

In the end, I think it was worth every revision.

I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed finally getting it exactly where I wanted it.

Thank you, as always, for reading, commenting, and sticking with me on this journey. Your support means more than you know.

MidgeCenturyModern

Writing as

L.D. Burke
An Amusing Trounce of Tired Tropes

Chapter 36 Update
Hi, everyone!
I wanted to give you a quick update because I honestly thought Chapter 36 would be posted by last Thursday.
This chapter has turned into something I never expected. It wasn't originally part of the outline, but as the story evolved, I realized Gage needed a chapter that bridged everything he'd been carrying for the past six years. That meant writing an entirely new emotional thread instead of simply moving the plot forward.
And, wow... that proved to be much harder than I anticipated.
The good news is I finally feel like I've broken through. I'd say Chapter 36 is about 80% complete, and for the first time, everything is flowing the way it should. I work the next two days, so my writing time will be limited, but the hardest part is finally behind me. Once I'm off, I'll be finishing it.
I'd rather make you wait a little longer than post a chapter that doesn't live up to the story.
Thank you so much for your patience, your comments, and your encouragement. It really does mean more than you know.
As a little thank-you for hanging in there with me, I wanted to share a bonus! While working on some promotional images, one version took an unexpected turn. After a little tweaking, it ended up becoming one of my favorites. It wasn't the one I originally planned to share, but I thought you'd enjoy seeing it.
I hope you like it!
– MidgeCenturyModern
Writing as L.D. Burke

Heyyy!

Just wanna shamelessly self-promote for a sec hehe.
I just published my very first romcom on Inkitt, and it's called Reporting Mr. Oddball.

This isn't your typical bad boy x soft girl story (or the other way around). It's not just about a strong guy saving a weak girl, either. It's about two Gen Z disasters trying to survive life in the most chaotic, ridiculous, and unexpected ways
No one's perfect in this story. Every character is flawed, makes mistakes, carries their own scars, and grows along the way. The romance isn't instantly sweet, either. One of them falls first, while the other has completely shut the door on love because of trauma. At its heart, it's about proving that sometimes, love can feel like coming home.

Slow Burn Romance

Romantic Comedy

Mental Health

Family

Witty Banter

Flawed Characters

Character Growth

If you're interested, maybe give the summary or Chapter 1 a shot first. Who knows? It might end up being your next favorite read. Thanks so much for reading this, and I really hope you'll enjoy Reporting Mr. Oddball!
https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1815162?utm_source=shared_ios

A little update for everyone following Winning My Alpha Mate:

Definitely take another look at Chapter 10 because it is now very different from the version that was previously posted.

I had already done a major rewrite of the chapter in my manuscript and somehow never updated the version on Inkitt. I went back through it again, made a few additional refinements, and finally posted the chapter it was always supposed to be.

As I’ve continued writing the story and receiving your feedback, I’ve learned so much more about these characters, their history, and where everything is heading. That made me look at Chapter 10 differently. It contains important threads involving Zara’s past, what the Delta Trials truly mean to her, and events that will matter later in the book. The chapter now places much more emphasis on the Trials and why winning them is so deeply personal to Zara.

I’m really happy with how much stronger it is.

For anyone who notices the continuity changes, yes, Kristen has gained another son. Welcome Kiefer to the family!

I finally had to admit that two grown men could absolutely manage one five-year-old while supporting Zara. Come on. They could have handled that.

But wrangling two brothers who are four and five while attending the Delta Trials, the Highland Games (beware the face painting booth), the Divine Pageant, and Alpha meetings? That’s not just Daddy Daycare. That’s crowd control.

And honestly, Kristen having two boys close together feels completely right for her. Apparently, she also learned that the Blood Moon will get you every time.

You may also notice that Zara’s brother is now named Lars instead of Zander. There were simply too many Z-heavy names floating around. Zachery, Zara, Zane, and Zander were beginning to sound like the family had been sponsored by the final letter of the alphabet. Three was enough. Four was mutiny.

Please check out the revised Chapter 10. It now connects much more clearly to what happened in the past, what is happening during the Delta Trials, and what is still to come.

And yes, I am currently working on Chapter 36. It is coming, and I know exactly where it needs to go. I’m also making sure the emotional beats and continuity connect properly throughout the entire story. At this point, every new chapter has roots reaching backward and consequences moving forward, so there is more involved than simply writing the next scene.

After Chapter 36, we’re heading right back into the competition, and I know how much you all love that.

Stay tuned. Chapter 36 should be posted by Thursday, July 16.

L.D. Burke
Winning My Alpha Mate

If you found your way here from KristiferAnn Thorne’s feed, welcome, and thank you for checking out *Winning My Alpha Mate*.

A huge thank-you again to KristiferAnn for featuring me, debuting my first marketing poster, and introducing me by my pen name, LD Burke. Her support means so much, especially since *Luna Graced* was one of the sparks that made me look at werewolf romance differently.

Since the poster has officially had its debut, I wanted to share it here too.

*Winning My Alpha Mate* is my new adult werewolf romantasy work-in-progress with sharp wit, athletic stakes, pageant drama, layered friendships, complicated family history, and two former frenemies realizing that being fated can be just as irresistible as it is infuriating.

Thanks for stopping by. I’m so glad you’re here.

Midgecenturymodern

Writing as LD Burke

Hi, how are ya?☺️

I am Berkni, and I would like you to check out my just completed book ’The Purist’
I would really appreciate it if you check it out and leave a review ❤️

https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1775343

Thank you

From,
Berkni