A Very Long, Overdue Update

Not surprisingly, a lot of life has happened since I last posted. I've changed jobs, have my own home, lost pets and added more, been diagnosed with a few conditions (nothing life-threatening), and discovered an unhealthy love for high-quality, strange perfume (I can smell like tomato plants and dirt now) and Stardew Valley. For two years, I didn't do much writing, which was stressful and pleasant in equal, confusing doses. I didn't even do much reading, though I did try (not an easy feat with a toddler running about, but what is?)

Last year, so of that changed when I decided to create new covers for all of my books and novellas, across my two current author names. I also gave them large edits, and a few even got new names. None went through as many massive changes as The Chaos Trilogy, which was once the Edge of Dystopia trilogy. The core of the story is still the same, and no major plot points have been altered. The main character's name is a bit different, though, which I think reflects her personality better. She's still her bold, offensive, ruthless self, so don't you worry.

This year, I've been focusing on several goals. The first that I've been the most successful with is plotting out story ideas. I've got nine planned, separated between my three author names. By the end of the year, I'm sure I'll have a handful more to add to the list.

The goal that's been taking up a majority of my time is the one about writing. I've finished two books, and I'm currently working on a novella combining a popular Pixar franchise with a very popular horror movie plot. I'm really excited about it, so much so that I've entered the first few pages into a contest.

If I continue with the momentum I have, I'll have four more books written by the end of the year. I'd like it to be more, but I also want to enjoy my family, so I'm not going to force it.

In between writing books, I've been writing short stories for competitions. It's a fun little break, and I've seen mild success. No, I haven't won any, but I have been published several times, and I've gotten really good feedback on a couple pieces, which was a nice surprise. For an added bonus, some of the short stories have helped shape the world of The Unearthly Society (To Become Alpha is the first published work in that series). I adore writing for that world, and I have no plans stopping any time soon.

My last goal, and the one I'm not good at, is the marketing one. For most of my published career, I've avoided that crucial part of the puzzle, and it's no wonder I haven't seen the outcome I want. I know luck is very important, but a bigger piece is consistency. That is my greatest hurdle. I wish I had the money to pay someone to do it for me, but that just isn't in the budget. I've got to muscle through it myself, and it's not going to be pretty. Some good laughs are ensured, though.

My first attempt are reels. I recently made one for The Chaos Trilogy. It spooked my toddler, so that's a win. I know it's not perfect, but I had fun making it, and I'm positive they'll be better in the future.

I won't be doing any serious reviewing. I'd love to, I really would. One of my favorite things is to give indie authors feedback. I know how hard that is to come by, but I just don't have the time. Occasionally, I will post about a book I've read and my thoughts on it. I have stack on my bookshelf that I'm slowly working through. Several are even indie books I discovered thanks to Facebook pages I'm a part of.

I hope to have some commissioned art in the future, especially for Kore/Persephone from Persephone's Awakening. She is one of my favorite characters, and one that I'd love to see brought to life. I have no clue when that would appear, though I do know next year I'm going to put a bigger focus on visuals.

So, that's all for now. Sorry for being absent for as long as I was. Life got the better of me. Plus, unfortunately, out of sight, out of mind. I'm working on that part.