Blog
Termination of Many Publishing Contracts
I have finally decided to take most of my titles back from Dreamspinner Press. I won't go into the details of why this is happening. Many of you know already about this publisher's ongoing problems. I hung in for as long as I could, but the time has come to move on. So, what does that mean?
A few things won't change at all. I've opted to leave all translations with Dreamspinner. Second Hand and Family Man will stay with them. The new audio version of Promises will also stay with them until the current Audible contract expires several years from now.
The rights to the following titles have now been returned to me (or, in the case of a couple of audio books, will return to me in a few months):
- Promises
- Putting Out Fires
- A to Z*
- The Letter Z*
- Paris A to Z*
- Strawberries for Dessert*
- Fear, Hope, and Bread Pudding
- Shotgun
- Lost Along the Way
- Never a Hero
- ...
May IWSG: Best of times, worst of times.
It's that time of month again! (Okay. I just realized how that sounded. My bad.)
It's time for the Insecure Writers Support Group monthly post.
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! This group is all about connecting!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
The awesome co-hosts for the May 4 posting of the IWSG are Kim Elliott, Melissa Maygrove,...
moreMarch IWSG, plus a general update
Happy IWSG Day!
moreFebruary IWSG (Where did January go?!?)
I don't know how it can already be February, but here we are, the first Wednesday of the month. And that means time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group.
moreIWSG: Regrets?
I somehow missed the last two months of IWSG. I was out of town for November, and then I don't think I even received the email for December, but whatever! I'm back at it now.
What is IWSG?
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
You ready?
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
The...
moreFREE SCI-FI X 3
Cari Z and I currently have THREE sci-fi books that are FREE through October 18th.
moreJoin my NHL pool!
I initially set up this pool for the writers from The Rink (the hockey website I sometimes write for), but I've decided to open it up to everybody. Go here to join. The objective is simply to predict the winners of the Saturday NHL games each week. Weekly winners will win free ebooks. Good luck!
moreIWSG: Where do you draw the line?
The first Wednesday of every month is dedicated to the Insecure Writer's Support Group. The purpose of the group is to share and encourage one another. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds. Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post (but the question is optional). These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
The awesome co-hosts for the October 6 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, J Lenni Dorner,...
moreNow on Discord!
I've started a Discord server! Why? I don't really know. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
For those who are unfamiliar with Discord, don't be scared! It's simple to use. Each server is basically a chat room with "channels" that can be used to streamline topics. They're also invite-only, so there won't be random people just popping in.
My server is HERE. I hope to see you there! 😁
moreIWSG: What does success mean to me?
I’ve been in a huge writing slump for the past year. Now that it’s fall and my daughter is back in school, I have way too much time on my hands. I decided one of the things I needed to do was engage more with the writing community. But how? Over the last few years, I’ve intentionally distanced myself from certain parts of the book world. I had to in order to stay sane. Unfortunately, I crawled so far into my introvert cave, I can no longer see the light. Now, I crave some interaction with other writers. So where to begin?
In my search for a new writing community, I stumbled across the Insecure Writer Support Group. The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. The awesome co-hosts this month are...
moreA Brand New Blog
Back in December, I contracted a company to rebuild my website. It didn't occur to me at the time how much I'd be losing. It wasn't until it was far too late to turn back that I realized the extent of what would be erased.
12 years of blog posts gone. Also, hundreds of supportive and positive comments left by readers over the years. Glowing reviews and questions about sequels and excitement over upcoming releases, all erased in the blink of an eye. I'm pretty sure I lost all my subscribers, too. 😕
It all just feels so empty and blank now.
moreAha!! That's Why I Need Live Sports!!
Last night, I started reading Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. Chapter one talks a lot about the stress cycle, and how to break it.
moreRandom Blathering and a General Update
Today is the first day of school here in our district, and so it seemed like a good time to check in and let everybody know what's going on with me.
The answer is... not much. I have been in a major writing slump for the past year. I haven't written a damned thing since wrapping up Lost Ship of the Tucker Rebellion with Cari Z last summer. I could blame it on Covid and my disrupted routine. I could say it's because my one big emotional outlet (live sporting events) did not exist last year. I could blame the general contentiousness of the world right now, and the overall nastiness of social media. I could say it's burnout, or laziness, or general apathy. I think every one of those things has contributed to my lack of productivity. But regardless of all that, my kid is back in school as of today, which means I have way too much time on my hands. It's time for me to get serious and either start writing again, or go get a day job.
Trust me, I'd definitely rather...
moreSaviours of Oestend in audio!
Saviours of Oestend is now available in audio!! I have waited years to be able to bring you this series in audio and with the covers they deserve. I could not be happier right now. I can't even tell you how much I love these boys. This is hands-down my favorite of my own work (for what it's worth).
And of course John Solo is brilliant.
Find it here.
moreMarch Madness M/M Romance Extravaganza!
RJ Scott has put together this HUGE promotion. It's so big, she had to break us into four groups.
As part of this March Madness promotion, Song of Oestend will be discounted on Amazon this week (a countdown deal, so the price will start at 99¢ and climb from there).
This promotion also includes prizes!!
One lucky winner will win a bundle of prizes including 3 x $5 gift cards, 9 x backlist ebooks, and 1 x audio code, from authors: Posy Roberts, Suki Fleet, Marie Sexton, Beth Laycock, David C Dawson, Pat Henshaw, Wendy Rathbone, Zoe Piper, Kindle Alexander, Teodora Kostova, Lillian Francis, Jodi Payne, and Grace Kilian Delaney
Browse the titles here:
https://books.bookfunnel.com/marchmadness2021/rmyfm6ic74
You can enter to win here:
http://bit.ly/MMRJGp4
The fine print:
(Starts - 11 March 00:00 GMT - ends 23 March 00:00 GMT - winner randomly selected...
moreSong of Oestend available in audio
Marie Sexton
Song of Oestend is now available as an audiobook! I love this series so much. It has everything I love writing: gay romance, friends to lovers, opposites attract, hot cowboys, a haunted house, and a bit of BDSM. What's not to love?
Find it here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SQDB8WH/
https://www.audible.com/pd/B08SQ2WYV1
moreFREE LGBTQ+ Stories
There are currently two BookFunnel promotions featuring LGBTQ+ stories that can be downloaded FREE or in exchange for your email address. There is some overlap between them, but it’s still a lot of stories from a some great authors. One giveaway focuses specifically on romance, while the other includes a broader range of fiction (but still lots of romance as well). Find them here:
moreOne Man’s Trash is FREE on Amazon
One Man’s Trash is FREE on Amazon from December 12th through the14th. You can find it here.
Just to repeat: the book is free ONLY from December 12th through the 14th. After that, it will be back to its regular price.
moreBetween Sinners and Saints is FREE
Between Sinners and Saints will be free on Amazon through December 8, 2020. You can also add audio for only $7.49!
moreHoliday Stories
Looking for some cozy holiday stories this December? Check out these collections, put together by RJ Scott. There’s one for ebooks and one specifically for audiobooks (although there’s obviously a bit of overlap).
Looking for some cozy holiday stories this December? Check out these collections, put together by RJ Scott. There’s one for ebooks and one specifically for audiobooks (although there’s obviously a bit of overlap).
Happy holidays!
moreSong of Oestend is FREE on Amazon
Song of Oestend will be FREE on Amazon today and tomorrow (November 28-29). It will also be out in audio any day now (just waiting on Audible to approve the listing). You can find it here.
I have several book freebies and discounts scheduled over the next few weeks. A few will be on Amazon exclusively. A few will be available on other platforms. Some will be through Book Funnel. I’ll try to remember to post them all here on my blog, but I can’t make any promises. The absolute best way to stay up-to-date on all of them is by joining my Facebook group, which you can find here.
moreNew in Audio!
I’m thrilled to announce that there is now a new (and greatly improved) audio version of Promises! This is a narration of the updated, re-edited version of the book released in May 2019 and includes the prequel, Meant to Be. And best of all, it’s narrated by John Solo! You can find it HERE.
moreFavorite Horror (Part 3 of 3)
Hello, and welcome back for the conclusion of my favorite horror movies of all time! This one’s pretty long, so I’ll jump right in
My all-time favorites:
Three of these four make the list not just because the first movie is good, but because the franchise has held up over time. These are movies I own and watch regardless of whether it’s October or not.
The Crazies (2010)
This is the only one-shot film on my “favorites” list (as opposed to a series), but man, it’s good.
This “turned up to 11” twist on Outbreak stars Timothy Olyphant as a small-town sheriff, and it’s like watching Raylan Givens take on a town full of zombies. (No, they’re not technically zombies, but the overall effect is similar.) Much like Hush (which I talked about in Part 2), the thing that makes The Crazies so good is that the characters aren’t idiots. They’re smart people trying to find their way out of a truly scary situation where the government and military hold all the cards. My daughter and I just watched this movie again yesterday, and one line...
moreFavorite Horror (Part 2 of 3)
Welcome back for part two of my three-part series on my favorite horror movies of all time! Today, we jump into the fun stuff. I have a lot of fun films to talk about, so let’s jump right in.
They’re good, but are they horror?
The quintessential defining question of horror has to be “is it scary?” These movies are all billed as horror and often found on “best of” lists. They’re movies I love and watch any time I have the chance. I’d even call them favorites! But I just don’t think they’re scary.
Jaws (1975)
Here’s the thing: I live in Colorado. The nearest ocean is more than a thousand miles away. Besides, I already think the ocean is the scariest fucking thing in the world, and not because of sharks. Is this one of the greatest movies ever? Absolutely! Can I quote every line? That’s some bad hat, Harry. But is it scary? Not for this land-locked movie-goer. Besides, all you need is a bigger boat.
moreMy Favorite Horror Movies (Part 1 of 3)
It’s October, that spooky, scary time of year. (Although at this point, can Halloween really scare us any more than real life? No, but it might offer us a fun escape.) And I’m a writer with blog space who also happens to love the hell out of horror. So I thought I’d do a little series on my favorite horror movies of all time. And I’m breaking it into three parts because it was going to be one long-ass blog post by itself.
Favorite vs “Best”
Years ago, my brother and I had a friendly argument over whether disliking something necessarily means that “it sucks.” The topic arose because he said Linda Ronstadt “sucked.” I countered that while he might not enjoy her music, saying she “sucks” implies that she can’t sing, which is a ludicrous statement. I mean, have you even listened to White Rhythm & Blues? I can recognize that Bob Dylan is a songwriting genius even if I don’t particularly enjoy his music.
Likewise, a movie that may be one of the “best” may...
moreIf You Liked _____, You Might Also Like _____.
I’ve had several people contact me lately to say, “I enjoyed [x] story. Have you written anything else like that?” So I thought I’d do a quick “If you liked X, you might like Y” post telling you what other books I think might match certain fan favorites. I’ve chosen these recommendations based on similar themes, and/or similar levels of kink (or lack thereof).
Keep in mind, I’m only talking about my own books here, mostly because I don’t read romance, so I have no idea how to match my books up with other books out there in the broader literary world.
Here’s what I cam up with. Enjoy.
moreRandom Babbling
Don’t Call it a May/December Romance
Can we just talk about this phrase for a minute? I can’t be the only person bothered by it.
It seems to me people used to talk more about May/September romances, but these days, I keep hearing it with “December” in place of “September.” The problem is, December is at THE END of the year. If we’re likening a person’s life to the months of the year, then somebody in December is just this side of kicking the bucket. In romances labeled “May/December”, the older man is usually in his 40s. 50s, at the most. That is NOT the “December” of a person’s life.
Let’s talk numbers.
A quick Google search tells me that the average life expectancy for an American male is 76 years. If we’re going to line that up to a calendar, it means about 6.3 years for each month. So:
January: birth – 6 yrs
February: 6-12 yrs
March: 12-18 yrs
April: 19-25 yrs
May: 25-31 yrs
June: 31-37 yrs
July: 38-44 yrs
August: 44-50 yrs
September: 50-56 yrs
October: 57-63...
more