Jax Cassidy's Blog

The Mermaid Catches Her Mate Release

I am SO very excited about this release! Who wouldn’t be? I get to write about mermaids, wizards, unicorns, Fae and so much more. I get to explore and reconnect with Asian mythology and add my own creative spin on it. Most importantly, I get to create heroines who are ethnic and diverse. Characters a lot

The Mermaid Catches Her Mate Release

I am SO very excited about this release! Who wouldn’t be? I get to write about mermaids, wizards, unicorns, Fae and so much more. I get to explore and reconnect with Asian mythology and add my own creative spin on it. Most importantly, I get to create heroines who are ethnic and diverse. Characters a lot like me who embraced both the Eastern and Western cultures we grew up in. I’m going to be a bit vulnerable for a moment… when I was asked to write for the Nocturne Falls Universe, I was petrified. I didn’t think I could do it. Even though I was familiar with the epic world that Kristen Painter had created, I didn’t have the confidence to write this story. I allowed fear of possibly not meeting her reader’s expectation almost prevent me from walking away from the most amazing project ever! I’m so thankful that I worked through all the pressures, fears, and worries to create characters that I’d love to be friends with in reality! My sense of humor has always been quirky, so it was perfect to let myself go and enjoy the storytelling. I set aside the insecurities and immersed myself in the adventure. That’s what I missed most about writing. When I wrote the last few pages, it was a big turning point. I’d almost called it quits many times but I pushed forward even when the going got tough. When words didn’t flow and I only stared at the blank pages for days, weeks. It was the scariest feeling. Almost as if I’d lost the ability to create. Thank goodness for my support system, friends and loved ones. If they hadn’t cracked the whip and given me tough love, I don’t know what would’ve happened. At the beginning, I couldn’t seem to get the words out. I thought too much about making the story perfect and fitting into the Nocturne Falls series, but I’m not Kristen. I could never write like her or even want to..simply because that is her own unique and beautiful voice. It’snot mine. However, I could be myself and write a story that would fit into that parallel world she’d created. One of the things I learned most about myself is that I needed to focus on my voice, staying authentically me. I didn’t want to mimic any style because it’s not being true to myself. As I started to see the importance of this project, it was a challenge I needed. The more I began to let the outside world disappear around me when I wrote, the more relaxed I became. The story pretty much wrote itself. Luna and Ace were vocal in what they wanted and I just let them lead the way. Now that I’m seeing the final product, I’m beaming with happiness for the joy it brings to readers. It’s given me more fuel to keep moving forward and continue to weave awesome stories in the series. I know some of the original readers of the NF series might believe this is fan fiction, but it isn’t. We were hand picked by Kristen and we didn’t write something without the consent of the creator. You can read the FAQ about the NFU on her website, which will go into detail on why she created this version of her own universe. Not only are we doing this to help bring more stories and characters in that world, but we get to connect with readers who may discover our voice and love our story telling. It’s a wonderful way to honor Kristen’s creation through writing stories we’re absolutely enthusiastic about! For me, it’s an honor to write for this series because Kristen is the most beautiful soul, and I couldn’t say ‘no’ for many reasons. I respect her as a person and her talent is unbelievable! Being her friend is something that I’ve always cherished as we started writing books at the exact same time. It was a journey we both shared and supported each other through the years. Life may have changed courses for us a few times, but our bond, connection, and faith has led us back on the same path. So, you see, this new writing direction is the perfect beginning for me. I’m pretty much starting over, and I couldn’t have been more prouder than to write for the Nocturne Falls Universe. Thanks, Kristen for believing in me! <3 THE MERMAID CATCHES HER MATE Luna Matsya is a local celebrity as a trendsetting hairstylist, but she’d prefer to spread her fin in a nice body of water rather than make a big splash around town. She’s starting to believe that her ability to live and walk among mortals is more of a curse rather than a blessing. Especially now that the flashy tent from a touring magic show is blocking her lake. Where’s a mermaid to swim when the slightest mistake can put her in the spotlight? Ace Conall is infamous for his daring tricks and he plans to make history with an epic illusion before taking a lengthy hiatus. This is a chance for him to finally feel at home after harboring a secret that may be the greatest magic act never revealed. What he hadn’t expected was falling for a smart-mouthed siren tangled up in his plans. BUY FROM A RETAILER:  Kindle | iBooks  | Nook | Kobo

The Mermaid Catches Her Mate

It’s been a while, my lovelies! I’m SO excited to announce that I have a total of 4 stories set to release in the Nocturne Falls Universe series! My latest book, THE MERMAID CATCHES HER MATE is my first adventure in this magical world, based on Kristen Painter’s Nocturne Falls, a town where every day is Halloween. The tourists think

The Mermaid Catches Her Mate

It’s been a while, my lovelies! I’m SO excited to announce that I have a total of 4 stories set to release in the Nocturne Falls Universe series! My latest book, THE MERMAID CATCHES HER MATE is my first adventure in this magical world, based on Kristen Painter’s Nocturne Falls, a town where every day is Halloween. The tourists think it’s all pretend, but the locals know better. Today is my official cover reveal, which I’ve been bubbling over with excitement to share since I received the final artwork earlier this year.  Today, I’m giving away an Amazon gift card, so hop on over to Kristen’s Facebook page and comment on my post for a chance to win. You can pre-order and read the reviews (as they trickle in) on Goodreads! This eBook is also available at all major online retailer sites. Most people have asked me whether this will be in print. It will in October, and audio books will be in the works. I’m stoked about traveling on this journey with some very talented and amazing authors. Some of my besties are also authoring books for the universe and it’s full of awesome! Check outmy first book for the series and I hope you’ll discover some other great series titles as well: THE FORTUNETELLER’S FOLLY by Wynter Daniels, and THE FALCON FINDS HIS MATE by Candace Colt. You may just end up with the entire Nocturne Falls Universe, and the original Nocturne Falls series by Kristen Painter. I can’t wait to hear what you thought of this sweet, fun, light paranormal romance. I hope you’ll love it as much as I did writing it!

A New Direction

It’s been a while… I’ve spent the past few years in writing limbo. Sadly, a series of events in my personal life pulled me away from my storytelling. I didn’t completely abandon writing, but I started to drift into a new direction. I learned modern calligraphy, worked on crafts, and even started painting again. Along the way, I followed my heart and took a spiritual

A New Direction

It’s been a while… I’ve spent the past few years in writing limbo. Sadly, a series of events in my personal life pulled me away from my storytelling. I didn’t completely abandon writing, but I started to drift into a new direction. I learned modern calligraphy, worked on crafts, and even started painting again. Along the way, I followed my heart and took a spiritual journey that would eventually breathe life back into me and my writing. Truthfully, I was scared—terrified I would never write again. I started to wonder if I’d ever get back to that familiar routine when I was able to write at least 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. All during my break, the writing industry changed, publishers merged or folded, and many of my friends morphed into hybrid or indie authors. I was also affected by the shake up when my publishers closed or transitioned. I received my rights back on several projects and managed to re-release those books to readers who hadn’t read them before. My heart sunk and my head swirled from the constant changes in publishing. Well, with all that was happening, it was a reality check for me. I suppose I’d always loved writing contemporaries even though I started my career writing paranormal romances. Even now, this is hard to talk about—only a few knew about this…but the most difficult decision I ever made was to walk away from a three book contract for my paranormal series. I truly truly respect and hold high regards for this well known publisher and talented editor, yet it just wasn’t fair to me (or to them) to proceed with the contract if I couldn’t put 100% effort into my projects. It was an overwhelming time for me dealing with the loss of my father, depression, and declining health. I knew my heart just wasn’t in it. The most important thing that I needed to do was to get healthy again. Mentally and physically. Do I regret it? All the time. I can’t turn back time. I can only move forward and hope I won’t lose any more opportunities. I’m happy to say that I’m in a much better place now. Grateful is a term I use every day. I can honestly say that by embracing and accepting my weaknesses, forgiving myself, I was able to find internal peace. The life-changing lesson I learned was that even though there are things in life I had no control over, I had the power to control my own happiness. I began to cut toxic people out of my life. I did my best to always help others without expecting anything in return. I immersed myself in learning and becoming an individual that I’d always wanted to be. The best part of all? I discovered a real happiness. The kind that led me to a great man and a new life path. Now that things have finally fallen into place, I’m able to get back to my first passion…writing. My calendar is always filled up these days but I’m so excited about my future. I’m ecstatic about the stories I’ll be penning, and experimenting with the different genres. I’ll still weave sexy tales of love, however, I’m focusing more on sweeter romances. Those are the ones that I’ve always wanted to write. Hopefully someday I’ll get back to my screenwriting roots. Heck, I’m proud to admit I’m obsessed with Hallmark movies so I wouldn’t mind penning one. It’s totally on my bucket list! Until then, I’m putting my all into a project that’s been in my heart. One I need to wrap up for my agent. Now about the re-design of my website…I wanted to showcase my new direction with a more romantic theme that embodies the beauty and magic of love. Whether I choose to write non-fiction, contemporary, historical, young adult, new adult or paranormal romance…this makeover simply felt right. I hope you love it as much as I do! I’d love your feedback.  **Crossing fingers** Lastly, I can only say that without my readers support, I wouldn’t have had the strength to create again. THANK YOU for all your emails and outpouring of love. I’m truly grateful. Your daily interaction was what kept me going. Without you—I’d be lost. I hope you’ll continue traveling with me on this new journey. I look forward to releasing many many many more feel good romances and uplifting non-fiction! Stay tuned. Love conquers all…

Abandon Fears

On The Playlist: I LIVED by One Republic

* * * *

I had to make many tough decisions in my life, but one of the toughest ones happened recently. It’s funny how everything you thought you’ve wanted can change, your priorities shift, and you find out that the things that make you happy is really pretty simple.

Writing has been a struggle. Months go by and I can barely squeeze out a page or two. Yet I continue to sit at my desk to will myself to type. Anything. Some days I stare at a blank page and other days I’m fortunate enough to get words down, no matter how crappy they seem in my head. I know if I stop trying to write…I fear I may simply not write. Ever. Again.

This is an ongoing battle writers fight. Life can be stressful and it impacts every part of us. The fear is definitely always there in the back of my mind. The fear of not producing something amazing. I used to write simply because my stories wanted to come out. I wrote for myself, then I wrote for my readers. The more books I put out, the more I noticed that I’m one of those authors that reaches a limited audience and then flatlines. That’s when I started to question myself. That’s when I wondered if my writing simply sucks. Trust me, I’ve read some horribly written books and I always thought I was a better writer than that. Heck, when my head is already filled with insecurities, it’s easy to believe that maybe I am a sucky writer after all. Sucky writer = lack of audience. So what’s the use of putting out more books?

That’s when I realized I needed to step away from deadlines and start from scratch. Start writing for myself again. Back then, I was fearless. When I didn’t give a shit. If someone read my story, great. If no one read them, it was fine with me. Finishing a book was an accomplishment. It made me a better person. It made me see that I wasn’t a quitter. That I persevered. That I achieved something for ME. Wow, I miss that feeling. The adrenaline, the excitement one gets when reaching the very last word―the end of a novel. Pop the cork on the champagne bottle and hand me a box of Ferraro Rocher!

Yep. Writing was therapeutic for me. It was the only thing I felt that I did well. Believe me, I’m one of those type of people who wants to do everything, but never excelled at anything. I get easily distracted, and when I’m frustrated, I move onto something else. Some arts and craft project which would lead me back to the keyboard… SO. Here I am, back at the beginning as I mentioned. I’m working on a story that’s sort of painful to write. It’s dark and it’s beautiful in the sense that the heroine is broken but she’s not going to give up. She’s going to do whatever she can to survive. I’ve decided after this book I’m going to write more upbeat stories but there’s something about this one that I look forward to finishing. I want to delve into the darkness, to draw out all the emotions of my characters and hopefully prove to myself that I can tell a good story.

Whether or not I find and audience, I’m okay with that. I want to challenge myself. I want to write for the pure love of it. I want to feel that rush of finally reaching THE END.

Abandon Fears

On The Playlist: I LIVED by One Republic * * * * I had to make many tough decisions in my life, but one of the toughest ones happened recently. It’s funny how everything you thought you’ve wanted can change, your priorities shift, and you find out that the things that make you happy is really pretty simple. Writing has been a struggle. Months go by and I can barely squeeze out a page or two. Yet I continue to sit at my desk to will myself to type. Anything. Some days I stare at a blank page and other days I’m fortunate enough to get words down, no matter how crappy they seem in my head. I know if I stop trying to write…I fear I may simply not write. Ever. Again. This is an ongoing battle writers fight. Life can be stressful and it impacts every part of us. The fear is definitely always there in the back of my mind. The fear of not producing something amazing. I used to write simply because my stories wanted to come out. I wrote for myself, then I wrote for my readers. The more books I put out, the more I noticed that I’m one of those authors that reaches a limited audience and then flatlines. That’s when I started to question myself. That’s when I wondered if my writing simply sucks. Trust me, I’ve read some horribly written books and I always thought I was a better writer than that. Heck, when my head is already filled with insecurities, it’s easy to believe that maybe I am a sucky writer after all. Sucky writer = lack of audience. So what’s the use of putting out more books? That’s when I realized I needed to step away from deadlines and start from scratch. Start writing for myself again. Back then, I was fearless. When I didn’t give a shit. If someone read my story, great. If no one read them, it was fine with me. Finishing a book was an accomplishment. It made me a better person. It made me see that I wasn’t a quitter. That I persevered. That I achieved something for ME. Wow, I miss that feeling. The adrenaline, the excitement one gets when reaching the very last word―the end of a novel. Pop the cork on the champagne bottle and hand me a box of Ferraro Rocher! Yep. Writing was therapeutic for me. It was the only thing I felt that I did well. Believe me, I’m one of those type of people who wants to do everything, but never excelled at anything. I get easily distracted, and when I’m frustrated, I move onto something else. Some arts and craft project which would lead me back to the keyboard… SO. Here I am, back at the beginning as I mentioned. I’m working on a story that’s sort of painful to write. It’s dark and it’s beautiful in the sense that the heroine is broken but she’s not going to give up. She’s going to do whatever she can to survive. I’ve decided after this book I’m going to write more upbeat stories but there’s something about this one that I look forward to finishing. I want to delve into the darkness, to draw out all the emotions of my characters and hopefully prove to myself that I can tell a good story. Whether or not I find and audience, I’m okay with that. I want to challenge myself. I want to write for the pure love of it. I want to feel that rush of finally reaching THE END.

Abandon Fears

On The Playlist: I LIVED by One Republic

* * * *

I had to make many tough decisions in my life, but one of the toughest ones happened recently. It’s funny how everything you thought you’ve wanted can change, your priorities shift, and you find out that the things that make you happy is really pretty simple.

Writing has been a struggle. Months go by and I can barely squeeze out a page or two. Yet I continue to sit at my desk to will myself to type. Anything. Some days I stare at a blank page and other days I’m fortunate enough to get words down, no matter how crappy they seem in my head. I know if I stop trying to write…I fear I may simply not write. Ever. Again.

This is an ongoing battle writers fight. Life can be stressful and it impacts every part of us. The fear is definitely always there in the back of my mind. The fear of not producing something amazing. I used to write simply because my stories wanted to come out. I wrote for myself, then I wrote for my readers. The more books I put out, the more I noticed that I’m one of those authors that reaches a limited audience and then flatlines. That’s when I started to question myself. That’s when I wondered if my writing simply sucks. Trust me, I’ve read some horribly written books and I always thought I was a better writer than that. Heck, when my head is already filled with insecurities, it’s easy to believe that maybe I am a sucky writer after all. Sucky writer = lack of audience. So what’s the use of putting out more books?

That’s when I realized I needed to step away from deadlines and start from scratch. Start writing for myself again. Back then, I was fearless. When I didn’t give a shit. If someone read my story, great. If no one read them, it was fine with me. Finishing a book was an accomplishment. It made me a better person. It made to see that I wasn’t a quitter. That I persevered. That I achieved something for ME. Wow, I miss that feeling. The adrenaline, the excitement one gets when reaching the very last word―the end of a novel. Pop the cork on the champagne bottle and hand me a box of Ferraro Rocher!

Yep. Writing was therapeutic for me. It was the only thing I felt that I did well. Believe me, I’m one of those type of people who wants to do everything, but never excelled at anything. I get easily distracted, and when I’m frustrated, I move onto something else. Some arts and craft project which would lead me back to the keyboard… SO. Here I am, back at the beginning as I mentioned. I’m working on a story that’s sort of painful to write. It’s dark and it’s beautiful in the sense that the heroine is broken but she’s not going to give up. She’s going to do whatever she can to survive. I’ve decided after this book I’m going to write more upbeat stories but there’s something about this one that I look forward to finishing. I want to delve into the darkness, to draw out all the emotions of my characters and hopefully prove to myself that I can tell a good story.

Whether or not I find and audience, I’m okay with that. I want to challenge myself. I want to write for the pure love of it. I want to feel that rush of finally reaching THE END.

Redirection

On The Playlist: SHAKE IT OUT by Florence + The Machine

* * * *

I struggle every day with words.

At one time, I had the ability to crank out up to 50 pages or more in a day! It’s the truth. I could also finish a project in a weekend and work simultaneously on two or three books at the same time. Then life happened. Thus, began the slow decline of my writing schedule. The fire slowly smothered by all the stress and responsibilities, the weight of the world on my shoulders. I’ve tried so hard to get back that flame back, just so I can build it up again, turn it into an inferno… Easier said than done.

Some days I can barely spit out a page. Some days I sit all day and stare at a blank screen. The words are locked in the recesses of my mind. I know there’s thousands of ideas and stories in there, but they’re stuck in mental limbo. I’m not really a crier. I hold things in, I don’t break easily, and I try to stay strong through all adversity—but frankly, there were nights when I cried myself to sleep wondering if I would ever get back to that place again.

Will I ever complete a novel again?

No, I’m not ready for the answer to that question. Even though I’d entertained the thought of retiring my writing career. Deep down, I knew I couldn’t walk away from a dream I’ve had since childhood. I finally made a decision…I’m going to pull up my big girl panties and own writing again. I just needed to remind myself that I love storytelling. I love my readers. I love creating something that I’m proud of—even if reviewers aren’t too fond of my voice. I know I need to let go of those demons—the insecurities, self-doubt, depression and so on—but it’s something all writers deal with frequently. It’s something I needed to accept and move on from. Even when I thought I’d conquered those pesky obstacles…they have a way of sprouting back up…Although it’s been a few years since I’ve produced a new book, I have a lot of catch up to do in 2015. I have readers who are waiting on me and I can’t let them wait any longer. The past isn’t going to get me down and I’m making choices that will redirect me, set me on the right path.

I’ll be honest, 2014 wasn’t all bad. This is a big one…I finally caught Prince Charming. After years of being single, I managed to find a man who is exactly how I imagined my hero to be. I know no one’s perfect, but he embodies all the qualities I wanted in a partner. Supportive, kind, caring, funny, generous, loving, and so much more. He’s chivalrous more often than not, and he truly loves me regardless of my quirks and OCD-ness. He respects me and my career. Most importantly, his love saved me. I didn’t think I’d be able to get through the hardships if I didn’t have him to lean on. His strength became my strength. I’m so thankful and grateful the Universe sent him to me. I guess I’d resigned to being single forever but if I hadn’t taken that chance, we would’ve never met. I knew he was the one when he told me he wasn’t much of a reader, but read my entire book (and a few others) and really loved them. He found me talented and inspiring. It made me blush. The cherry on top was knowing that I’d turned a non-reader into a reader…that was the greatest reward.

Yes, I’m gushing. How can I not? No words can describe the happiness he’s given me. He taught me something valuable. He taught me to believe in myself. He is my biggest fan, my best friend. What more can I ask for in a relationship? So, there you have it…there is a happily-ever-after after all. There’s still so much more for us to experience on the horizon but I can happily say that 2015 is starting out to be a kick-ass year!

Readers, if you’re reading this…I’m back! The wait is over. Hope you stay for the ride.