2017 I Stormed the Castle

Another year has gone by. What have I learned?

So much.

What have I accomplished?

So much.

What have I got left to do?

So much.

It’s been an amazing year for me, which, by the way, doesn’t mean it was easy. It was hard, but beautiful in so many ways. This was the year of my “come back” and come back I did!

After having to take a year off from publishing due to life circumstances, I came back guns a-blazin’, swords a-swingin’.

I published six books last year, SIX. That may not sound like a lot to the voracious readers out there that read hundreds of books a year. But it’s a lot for an author to write. I did it while working a full-time job and being the sole caretaker of my amazing littles, Fox and Twila.

The INK: Series (Deadly Dreams) DONE!

The INK: Series (Now Deadly Dreams) has been completed. I wrote and published the last book! It was a triumph for me, even though it flopped. I giggle when I say that because it’s okay and it really is funny. Finishing the series was more important to me personally than selling lots of copies of the book. I’ve sold less than a hundred copies of Bold Strokes and despite the multiple emails of how much people loved the book, it still only got eight reviews. That’s okay. It doesn’t diminish the accomplishment in the least.

My die-hard readers (that have become my friends) still loved it and if I only entertained them and made them happy, it was all worth it.

Wounded Bird – DONE!

I published the Wounded Bird series. I know, it’s kind of crazy since it’s contemporary romance with a happy ending. But I did it and I love that story. It’s very close to my heart and soul. I may write more contemporary romance, but we’ll have to see where the tides are taking me.

A Wolf’s Hunger – Two Released, More to Come!

My beautiful friend AK Michaels messaged me one day and asked if I wanted to write in her A Wolf’s Hunger Series. Knowing that Ava writes the sexy smexy I was a little apprehensive since it’s not my forte. I explained to her that writing a scene where someone’s intestines were being torn out and used as a basket was far more in my “wheelhouse” than writing a sex scene.

Her answer, You’re a good writer, you can write anything you set your mind to. Now get off your ass and write in my series. Not her exact words, but pretty close. She came to me at a time when I was really starting to doubt myself. I was letting the self-worth demons win the battle, but she unknowingly stepped in and helped me save myself from myself.

I sat down and started researching. What do readers expect from this genre? Because I needed to deliver that! I didn’t want to let Ava down and I didn’t want to let myself down either.

After reading several amazing books in the genre and purchasing Naughty Words for Nice Writers by Cara Bristol I got to work on writing Saint: A Wolf’s Hunger. It still has the Bella-Twists to it, but another happy ending! It did great! The readers really enjoyed it!

What does any smart writer do when they have a series that readers love? They get to work on the next one. Mako: A Wolf’s Hunger was released in July. And the readers loved Mako.

Ava came to me again and said, “I have this crazy idea about Vampires. What do you think?” I said, “Hell yes.” I’m absolutely convinced of this woman’s brilliance and would follow her into Mordor for a great story.

A Vampire’s Thirst

We talked about A Vampire’s Thirst. I knew I was going to have to up my game for this series. I had to really find the balance between the way my mind works and what the readers want. But before I could do that, I had a thing to do. I had to finish the INK: Series.

Once Bold Strokes was released, I got to work on Grey: A Vampire’s Thirst. I LOVED writing this story. It’s my first book written in third person. I really feel as though I hit the mark. Found the balance between needing to write the princess that can save herself and the princess that can let her partner help her. The key was NOT writing real characters like Aiden and Eli. They weren’t really capable of helping Shay, she couldn’t trust either of them. But Mila could trust Grey. They have a love that will literally span eternity and they will be amazing partners forever.

So that was my six for this year. I’ve already released my first book in 2018, Lycan Her Mate in Milly Taiden’s Paranormal Dating Agency world. Another fun and sexy short.

Hopefully, I don’t offend anyone, but I find it chuckle-worthy that I’m writing sexy books now. Not that I don’t love sex, because, duh. But because I’ve always been uncomfortable writing it. I don’t know why. I’m not a prude and I’m usually the friend in a conversation that leaves others stunned by the amount of TMI that flows out of my mouth. I just had to figure out how to get that to translate in a pleasing way to the pages. So yeah, over the course of the last year I’ve given more women orgasms than most men do in a lifetime. BOOM!

And I’m loving it!

So what’s next?

Dax: A Wolf’s Hunger is coming in February, then Hunter: A Vampire’s Thirst is coming in March. After that, I have no idea. I’ve left the schedule blank for now.

There are lots of different directions I could go. I’m toying with creating a new series in the Blood Fairies world. I think it would be a blast!

I also have Moon Wake that needs to be finished. Then I can put the Crescent Hunter series to rest with the INK: Series and move on with my career. Leaving behind the stories I loved to write, but that not everyone loved to read.

You see, as a writer, we literally feed and thrive off of readers. Of course, we love taking the journeys into our stories, creating the worlds, moving the characters into the perfect position for finding love or disaster. But at the end of the day, we do it for you, the readers. When we know that you love a story or a character it’s like a direct shot of energy straight to our writing hearts.

I was in a cabin in the woods with my bestie Sarra Cannon. She was working on the book in the Shadow Demons Saga. We were talking about the book and the plot and she says, “I just really hope my friends love it.”

Wow, what a compelling statement. Her “friends” that she was referring to were the people in her Facebook group, Sarra Cannon’s Coven and all of her readers. I looked at her and didn’t say anything and let the words marinate in my head. She saw the look on my face and said, “What?”

I said, “You hit the nail on the head as to why you stress about this. Because to you, those thousands of people you’ve never met in real life are your friends.”

That’s how many of us indie authors feel. You guys are our friends. In many cases, some of the people I’ve met through them reading my books have literally become some of my daily, talk to friends. It’s a beautiful place this book world and I’m so glad I made the decision to tough it out and keep going.

So that’s where I am. Still loving writing, still loving life and still loving me for exactly who I am.

If you have any input on what you’d like to see from me this year, please let me know. Comment, email me, Facebook me, tap me on the shoulder (but be careful, I carry a gun and a knife so don’t be too sneaky). But please tell me, because I want to know.

PS: The inspirational post for 2018 is coming. Be on the lookout.