public displays of geekery

Dec

2025

I’m Doing Breaks Wrong.

After a morning of running around doing errands, I said to my husband, “I need to go and get to work.” He looked at me and replied, “You said something about being on break. Is that over?”

No, it’s not. But for me, being on break means I’m not actively writing anything. I still have shows and edits and marketing. And research — I’m reading up on Renaissance Venice right now. But I’m not writing, so I’m taking a break.

Or maybe I’m doing breaks wrong.

I suppose if I’m on break, I should be walking away from the laptop completely, and not doing research. Saving the edits for after January. But I can’t sit still and do nothing for that long, so… compromise.

(Why yes, I am neurospicy. How can you tell?)

Cookiepocalypse 2025 is coming. Probably next week, and you can tune in to my Instagram to see what cookies will be coming from the Schechter kitchen. I’m not starting this week because I have the last Renaissance Festival of the year on Saturday (at the Oviedo Mall), and I’m saving my spoons.

The last Renn Faire of the year isn’t the last show of the year — my last outing of the year will be a signing at Spellbound Books on December 20th. I’ll have copies of the Blood of the Raven series in paperback and (hopefully) hardcover. (This is the signing that was postponed because the books didn’t get to me in time.)

Once that’s over? Well, maybe I’ll try and figure out the right way to take a break. Or at least, the way that doesn’t involve me actually doing anything on my laptop.

Promotions

Now Available!

A hero. A son of Eire. A reckoning long overdue.

Lorcan never asked for glory. Crowned a noble and hailed as a savior after crushing rebellion, he walks the marble halls adored by all—except himself. Haunted by prophetic visions, he sees not triumph, but torment: his family caged, his homeland threatened, and his cousin’s dark ambitions on the rise.

He knows where he must go.

Leaving behind the splendor of Empire, Lorcan returns to the emerald wilds of Eire, where ancient magic stirs and old loyalties are tested. Beside him stand his mates and his chosen kin—fierce, loyal, and willing to follow him into the heart of danger. But the blood that binds can also betray, and the most dangerous enemy may not be on the battlefield… but seated at his own family’s table.

Now Available!

Stories of Love and Desire

Join us on THEOReads, where you can find stories that celebrate love in all forms, and in all heat levels. Check out the November curated recommendations! (Click the graphics!)

Work in Progress

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

35962 / 90000 (39.96%)

Appearances

Enchanted Knights: Winter Bazaar
December 6th, 2025
Oviedo Mall
Oviedo, FL

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Ravenflight Signing!
Spellbound Books
December 20th, 2025
12:00PM – 2:00 PM
Sanford, FL

2026 Appearances

Galentine’s Day Sip and Shop
Native Home Marketplace
February 5th, 2026
6:00pm – 9:00 pm

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ICFA
March 18-21th, 2026
Orlando, FL

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Storyteller Summit
April 11th, 2026
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Oviedo, FL.

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Summer Lovin’ Book Festival
June 6th, 2026
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Oviedo, FL.

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Tanoshii Con
August 22nd – 23rd, 2026
Ocean Center Arena, Daytona Beach.

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Smut Lovers Conference
September 16th – 20th, 2026
Orlando, FL

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Page and Pen Festival
October 3rd, 2026
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Nov

2025

Today is About 40 Years Long…

I keep thinking it has to be almost bedtime, but it’s not. It’s not even dark here yet. It’s just about 4:30 PM here, which means that in addition to being a Monday, today is about 40 years long.

Why is today being about 40 years long?

Because this past weekend was three days long. Three days of Maker Faire, where I am apparently a local celebrity. Now, I had no IDEA of this. None. Not until someone came by the table to say hi, and told me that when she’d mentioned seeing me, her adult daughter gasped, “She’s going to be there?”

Readers, you could have knocked me over with a feather. And it wouldn’t have had to be a heavy feather either, because I am TIRED. That was… a lot. A lot of a lot. A lot is legion. And I was not expecting it.

When we left the house Friday, I said to Darling Editor, “Today is Field Trip day. I don’t expect to make any sales today. It’ll mostly be networking and outreach.”

WRONG!

I’m not sure why, but I had more traffic and more interest (and more sales) at Maker Faire than at any book related event I’ve done this year. There were people I spoke to on Sunday who said “Yeah, I was there/came by the table yesterday, but I couldn’t get close enough to say hi.” I’m sold out of some titles, and low enough on others that I didn’t think I’d go home with any. Orders have been placed, and will hopefully be here before the Winter Bazaar Renaissance Festival on December 6th, which is our next show.

Maybe I’ll be awake by then.