2023 - Year End Blog Entry - MK Schultz

I started writing my first novel in the summer of 2016. It was a difficult time in my life that gave birth to a new me. Three years later in 2019, I published my first book, Kassius Kanex. A lot happened in my life up to that point and a lot has happened since. As 2023 comes to a close, I would like to use this blog entry to reflect on three points. The Art, The Numbers and The Future.
1. The Art - 12 PiecesFirst up in this blog entry is a section I call, The Art. I searched for my art for 44 years until it miraculously all came together for me in a single day. That day was my personal epiphany. It was the day that I realized who I was - A writer and therefore an artist just like my father.
The list of my Art started with the introduction of "a seemingly simple man". For those who have read The Kassius Kanex Trilogy, you will know that he is far far more than that. The words began to flow and up to the year end of 2023, here's a list of my pieces of art.
1. Kassius Kanex, A Novel - Paperback2. Kassius Kanex, A Novel - Ebook3. Kassius Kanex, A Novel - Audiobook
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4. The Fishing Trip - Kassius Kanex, Book 2 - Paperback5. The Fishing Trip - Kassius Kanex, Book 2 - Ebook6. The Fishing Trip - Kassius Kanex, Book 2 - Audiobook Click to buy

7. Equilibrium - Kassius Kanex, Book 3 - Paperback8. Equilibrium - Kassius Kanex, Book 3 - Ebook9. Equilibrium - Kassius Kanex, Book 3 - Audiobook       Click to buy

10. The Muse - Paperback11. The Muse - Ebook12. The Muse - Audiobook                  Click to buy
I think of the above as 12 pieces of art. I am grateful to all the people I have met along the way in my journey thus far who have helped me in so many different ways to get to where I am today. A massive thanks goes out to my friends, family, fans, local authors, voice actors, cover designers, publishers, proof readers, social media followers, and local book stores owners and staff. Thank you all!

2. The NumbersThe journey to my dream started late and although it has been a slow go, I am thrilled to announce that I sold more books in 2023 than I had in the previous four years combined. At the time of publishing this blog, almost 500 copies of my books have been sold to consumers of art in Canada, US, UK, France, India, and Australia. 
In 2022, I took part in over ten book events at local Ottawa Indigo book stores and had the great pleasure of seeing my books on many of their shelves. It was so thrilling to meet and talk face to face with people about my books. In 2023, I didn't end up doing any book events, but I did make some new connections with some smaller local book stores. Special thanks to In A Bind, located in Renfrew for stocking my full catalogue of books on their shelves. I look forward to getting back out to more book events in 2024. Stay tuned for updates on this.
As for online book reviews, there are currently over 50 on Goodreads.com and dozens more on Amazon in the various markets. I love reading all of the reviews, even the bad ones but I am thankful that most are quite positive and some are even amazing - like the one that compared my writing to early Stephen King. Wow!
2023 brought me another unexpected surprise. Not one, but two awards!Firstly, The Muse was awarded as the winner of The Author Shout Cover Wars Contest. Special thanks to Michelle Young for designing the stunning cover needed to claim this award. 











At the end of 2023, I also received word that The Muse also placed as a "Recommended Read" in the 2024 Author Shout Reader Ready Awards.










3. The FutureMy writing journey will continue in 2024 and I look forward to sharing new art with you all very soon. 
As such, I am thrilled to announce that I will be publishing a new novel in 2024. The title and the plot are under wraps, but let me leave you with this teaser...
If you enjoyed the adventure and sci-fi of The Kassius Kanex Trilogy and the horror of The Muse, then get ready for a new dramatic sci-fi/horror novel about a man who tries to cope when traumatizing events from his past return to face him head on. This novel with shock, thrill, horrify and have readers guessing until the end. More details to be released about this project in the new year! Stay tuned and buckle up!
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As I bid adieu to 2023, I will end this blog entry with my usual closing line, taken from the song Dream of Mirrors by Iron Maiden...
The Dream is True