R.J. Blain's Blog, page 11

Audiobook Edition of Whiskers on Kittens (Retail) plus one other tidbit!

I have pressed the “go” button at all the usual suspects. I expect Kobo / Kobo Plus to distribute the audiobook edition first, as they tend to be the quickest. (Could be as early as today.) Audible will take 2-4 weeks to show up (as a general rule.)

You may start your engines and go on a hunt!

Bonus: The Prince of New York is now available for preorder at the following retailers:

AmazonApple BooksKoboBarnes & Noble

Yes, it is priced at $7.99, as I’m 30,000 words int...

Why Pen Names? A Guide on why RJ is also Susan, Lilith, GP, and Bernadette, etc.

In general, there is a lot of confusion regarding my decision to segregate my works by pen name. I’ve explained the why of it here and there, but the confusion persists… so let’s try to dispel that, shall we?

I have selected a picture of antelopes doing antelope things in Wyoming for this picture. Until I took this photo, I had never seen an antelope before. Antelope had, for the most part, existed as beasts as mystical as unicorns.

We saw hundreds of antelope during the drive, and the...

Release Date for Prince of New York by Susan Copperfield!

I will be setting the preorder up in the next few days, but I thought you would all like to know that the Prince of New York should release on May 16, 2025 barring any unforeseen circumstances.

I am now back from my trip to Canada, although I’m still trying to catch up on everything I neglected in the real world.

Patreon posting will resume tomorrow, as trying to do anything today would surely cost me what is left of my sanity.

I hope you are all having a fabulous day.

The current re...

The “Backlist” Writing Schedule.

Here are the books that are on the agenda, likely have a Scrivener file open, and writing has begun or is soon to begin. I expect these books to be written between 2024 – 2026, as there is only one of me and I am the only human that actually WRITES the books. (Then it has to go through all three editors, etc, etc.)

If it isn’t on the list, there’s a reason for it. That reason is named “Person” or “I have to do some other books that might pay the bills.” (I am a Taurus to the core. This shit g...

Writing Schedule, General Update, and a Few Reminders…

I dislike opening with negativity, but I’m going to express it so it’s airing out and move on with my day. Entitlement is a nasty, ongoing problem in the publishing world.

This comment was left on the blog today, on a post from several years ago:

Having re-read all of the Magical Romantic Comedy series over the past month, then checking your upcoming releases and NOT finding books 2 and 3 on the calendar I am getting annoyed with you as a writer. 

This is not the first series that you...

General Update: August 19, 2024 (Originally Posted to Patreon)

As the headline states, this post was originally shared with my Patreon subscribers.

I attempted to time travel back to last year… and I’m not sure what I think about that, truth be told.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a general update, so here’s what’s going on in the Blain Household!

1: I’m way behind on A Light in the Dark. It was supposed to be around 100,000 words. Right now, it’s just under 140,000 words. I am not finished yet, and I might not be finished yet, which puts this b...

Regarding Patreon and iOS usage / platform fees…

I am seeing a lot of misinformation about Patreon and the “new” Apple 30% platform fee, and I’m also seeing a lot of knee-jerk misinformation going on about it.

Patreon has always given creators the choice of charging 30% more on iOS to cover the non-optional platform fees. The only difference between Apple and Google (and other platform stores) is that Apple enforces their rules about their platform fees and platform usage.

That’s it.

Smooth your skirts and adjust your ties, ladies and...

A Light in the Dark will be increased in price to $7.99 a day after release.

Consider yourself warned. If you care about paying $6.99 versus $7.99, please preorder A Light in the Dark at your favorite retailer. The book’s length is exceeding 120,000, which means it gets bumped up to the $7.99 price margin a day following its release. (I’m at 116,000 and I’m 100% confident I’m not done yet. And won’t be done in 4k or less.)

Patreon’s store will be priced at $7.99.

If you are a Patreon member subscribed to Otters+, it’s business as normal for you and you don’t need t...

Postponement of A Light in the Dark due to Jury Duty

Jury Duty is an honor and a duty. While it isn’t 100% confirmed I will be serving, I have been summoned back to the courthouse, and having seen the number of hardship cases among jurors, the chance of being in the standard pool or the alternate pool are fairly high. (And both have to show up for the entirety of the trial.)

I’m 100% okay with this! However, I cannot serve on a jury and write books at the same time. As the trial is a criminal case, it could last anywhere from 2-4 weeks… or long...

The Closure of the Per Novel Patreon

The time has come. The Per Novel Patreon has officially been shut down. Thank you to everyone who supported me while it was in operation. You’re appreciated!

Here is how Patreon will move forward from here. Everything will be done through the “Monthly” Patreon. If you can’t do a monthly subscription, you can follow the page for free for news and updates on what I’m doing. There is also a Patreon store where you will be able to purchase ePubs and audiobooks of my titles. (The backlist catalogu...