Bookmas

Jan

2025

Show Season Starts in 3…2…1…

I didn’t realize that February starts this Saturday until I sat down to plan our Highland Games afterparty and went… wait, what do you mean February starts this week? Which means that show season starts in 3…2…1…

I have at least one in-person show planned a month from February until June, with a couple of others unconfirmed but in the works.

I’ve ordered copies of books I’m low or out of, and I have swag coming in for the first event on my list (below, and on my Appearances page.) I just have to bring everything down from my office to the first floor (or have Darling Editor do it for me.)

I’m seeing people online pointing out that owning your physical media is more important now than it ever has been before. You don’t actually own your electronic media. Did you know that? You license it from Amazon, or Apple, or Barnes and Noble. Which means that those licenses can be revoked and that media removed from your reader or your game or your streaming platform with no warning. Think about how movies have been removed from streaming services and all copies destroyed — (*cough*DISNEY*cough*). Electronic media is great for accessibility and portability, but possibly not so much for longevity.

This is very much at the forefront of the romance writer’s mind these days, especially if you write spicy. If you want to support your favorite spicy writer? Buy print books. And if you want to make sure that you get them? By them DIRECTLY from the author, if you can.

And remember that reading is a radical act, too. Especially when it’s a book they don’t want you to read. To quote LeVar Burton, “Read the books they don’t want you to. That’s where the good stuff is.”

Work in Progress

Tales from the Arena: King of Swords
(Tales from the Arena, book 4)

11676 / 90000 (12.97%)

The Coral Throne
(The Sea Prince, book 2)

5773 / 90000 (6.41%)

Promotions

The last days of Bookmas are here! Check out today’s offerings here! Did you miss a day? You can still get access to all the offerings by getting an Instant Access Pass.

And you might want to pay attention to TOMORROW’S book… (hint, hint…)

Coming next week! FaRoBub– 200 free fantasy romance and paranormal romance books. One day only, on February 3rd! The link will be LIVE in my blog next week, so keep an eye out for it!

Appearances

6th Annual Love is in the Air
February 8th, 2025
Lakeside Community Center
Port Orange, FL

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Enchanted Knights: Myths and Legends
March 8th, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

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ICFA
March 19 – 22nd, 2025
Orlando, FL

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3rd Annual Spring is in the Air
April 13th, 2025
Venetian Center,
Leesburg, FL

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6th Annual Mother’s Day Bazaar
May 10th, 2025
Ormond Beach Elks Lodge
Ormond Beach, FL

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3rd Annual Summer Artisan Market
June 29th, 2025
Brannon Center
New Smyrna Beach, FL

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Smut Lovers: The Conference
September 17th – 21st, 2025
Orlando, FL

Jan

2025

We’re All Gonna Be Safe…

There’s a Youtube personality named Ranboo, who made up a little song while playing Five Nights at Freddy’s. It starts “we’re all gonna be safe…”

This, I think, is the most accurate reaction to 2025 so far. Don’t you think?

Today is technically my first day back at the keyboard, even though I was doing some business related things last week. Inventory of books on hand, repacking boxes, reconciling accounts, paying taxes and filing copyright. I’m waiting for page proofs on Morrigan’s Heir, which might make an appearance in late January (cross your crossables! As soon as I have a date, I’ll let you know!) The Sea Prince is back from the sensitivity editor, with surprisingly few suggestions! I’ll be getting those done and running them past the editor again, and then we’ll work on getting it out into the world. Looking at maybe April? It’ll depend on when Morrigan’s Heir drops.

I finally really looked at King of Swords and realized that yes, it was two books. So Tales from the Arena: Dead Man’s Hand is currently marinating and I’ll print it off for edits next week. Tales from the Arena: King of Swords already has a wordcount already because I moved two chapters out of Dead Man’s Hand. I also plan on starting The Coral Throne (The Sea Prince, book 2), but right now, I haven’t even set up the file in Scrivener. Maybe later tonight.

I’ve also set up a number of in-person events for this year — I’m trying to have at least one a month, because when I sat down to do my accounting for 2024, I found that most of my income came from in person sales. Which proves once again something I learned when I was still making jewelry — no one can sell your product better than you yourself. The list is below — I’ll be all around the Central Florida area, so if you’re in the area on one of those dates, come check out the show! (Note: I will not be selling at ICFA. I’ll be moderating a panel entitled Reimagining the Night: New Faces of Old Terrors.)

Right now, we’re bracing for winter weather here in Florida (I just saw they’re projecting the temperature to be in the high 20s for tomorrow morning) while friends and family are seeing snow into the double digits. So everyone be careful out there, and stay warm.

Catch you next week!