Wandering Aimlessly into 2025

 

Typically, I'd have already written and shared a post where I look back on 2024 and shared what I'd accomplished through the year. I didn't do that for 2024. Why? Because 2024 sucked big time! I'd lost two jobs that I loved, haven't been able to find a new job that works for me, I've been scammed by "jobs", and I've dealt with a host of health issues within my family. I gained back some of the weight I'd lost. My cat died. All of this has led me into a depression that I'm still struggling to get out of. 

I've lost the joy in everything--writing, editing, reading, watching TV, working out, coloring--you name it, and it's become a chore for me. I truly feel like I'm aimlessly wandering into 2025, so I've decided to fully embrace this and use it to my advantage...

Before I get into all of my non-plans for 2025, I do need to reflect a bit on 2024, because it wasn't all terrible. So, here are my highs and lows of 2024...

HIGH: I went on a cruise with my best friend, daughter, and daughter's boyfriend who proposed to her! I was so happy to witness this and be a part of such a special moment. 

LOW: I was let go from a writing job that I loved. It was very unexpected, and the loss of income hit me hard. 

HIGH: My best friends bought a new house and are settling in, which means they will not be leaving Michigan! 

LOW: The publisher I'd been working with for over a decade closed its doors, leaving me without my editing job. Again, the loss of income was difficult, but more than that, I no longer had any job. What on earth was I supposed to do with myself all day now?

HIGH: Without any job, I now have all the time in the world to devote to writing!

LOW: Without any job, I have no money to pay for all the expenses that go along with being an Indie author. 

HIGH: I've redeveloped a working relationship with a serial book app and am once again selling licensing rights to my books!

LOW: My cat, Luna, died.

HIGH: We welcomed little Miss Daisy Ray into our home and lives. She's been such a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster year. 

HIGH: I went on vacation with my girls to Georgia, which despite all the problems we encountered, it was so much fun! I loved the aquarium and the Vampire Diaries Tour. 

HIGH: I read a lot more this year than many years before, and I've discovered a new-to-me genre that I'm obsessed with: Romantasy! My complete list is below.

HIGH: I finally managed to get my husband a French bulldog, which is a breed he's wanted for so long! This is Biskit, and he's 9 weeks old. He's got the attitude of a big dog in the body that right now is literally smaller than our cats. lol. 

So, like I said, 2024 wasn't all terrible, but you'll notice that I don't have many highs that involve writing or publishing. That's because I did very little of that this past year. I used to keep track of all my daily word counts, hours I spent writing, etc. I stopped doing that mid-year, and it was one of the best things I could've done for myself. And this leads into my non-plans for 2025...

In 2025, I have only one goal: 

FIND JOY !

This is how I plan to do that:

1. I'm not going to set a bunch of goals because I know they will only stress me out. 

2. I'm not going to worry about tracking my every moment and word written because that just makes me feel bad when I have days where I can't or don't want to do anything. 

3. I'm not going to berate myself for not writing or for choosing to spend the day doing self-care. Instead, I will live in the moment. 

4. I'm not going to force my muse. I know what personally sells for me in terms of what I write and publish. What sells doesn't necessarily align with what I want to write on any given day. So, instead of making myself write what sells, I'm going to let my muse lead me. 

5. I'm not going to be a prisoner to technology. I will spend less time on social media and more time doing the things I enjoy. 

As promised, here's my complete reading list for 2024:

• The Game by Linsey Miller
• Little Monsters by Kara Thomas
• Pestilence (The Four Horsemen, #1) by Laura Thalassa
• War (The Four Horsemen, #2) by Laura Thalassa
• Famine (The Four Horsemen, #3) by Laura Thalassa
• Death (The Four Horsemen, #4) by Laura Thalassa
• Killer Content by Kiley Roache
• Lost in Michigan, Volume 3 by Mike Sonnenberg
• Kingdom of the Wicked by Keri Maniscalo
• Quarantine #1: The Loners by Lex Thomas
• Quarantine #2: The Saints by Lex Thomas
• Quarantine #3: The Burnouts by Lex Thomas
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Two Degrees by Alan Gratz
• Landry Park by Bethany Hagen
• Truth or Dare by L.L. Hunter
• Ever (The Ever Trilogy #1) by Jessa Russo
• Evade (The Ever Trilogy #2) by Jessa Russo
• Entwined (The Ever Trilogy #3) by Jessa Russo
• City of Bones (Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare
• No Escape by Maren Stoffels
• City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare
• Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban
• Room Service by Maren Stoffels
• Fright Night by Maren Stoffels
• The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
• The Stranded by Sarah Daniels
• The Girl Who Lived by Christopher Greyson
• Rhapsodic (Bargainer Series #1) by Laura Thalassa
• A Strange Hymn (Bargainer Series #2) by Laura Thalassa
• The Emperor of Evening Stars (Bargainer Series #3) by Laura Thalassa
• Dark Harmony (Bargainer Series #4) by Laura Thalassa
• The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
• To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn
• 49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards
• Last One to Die by Cynthia Murphy
• Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are by Kathryn Foxfield

So, how was your 2024? 

And what are you goals and dreams for 2025? 

Kara's Book Cravings: End of Days Series (Books 6 and 7)

 

So, I did it -- I finished the final two books in this series, and boy do I have a lot of thoughts. If you've been following along, then you know I was immediately sucked into this series, and I've blown through it really fast. If you need to catch up, you can do so HERE and HERE. Okay, now that we're all on the same page, let's do this!

GRIP OF EVIL is book 6 and is basically the book where everything really just falls apart -- way more than things already have, anyway. This is the ultimate climax where we finally get more information about the madman terrorizing the town and what his goals are. All of this books so far have had quite a bit of action, but this one was definitely the most action packed by far. 

We also learn a lot more about Isaac in this book, and his backstory, while I'm sure was meant to be tragic (and it was to an extent), it also felt a little over the top. And the connections to the small town and everyone in it was also too much, in my opinion. I mean, I get it -- I was born and raised in a small town, but at times, I felt like the author was throwing everything in just to shock readers. That didn't work for me. 

GRIP OF HONOR is the 7th and final installment in this series, and I struggled with this one. It was a quick read just like all the other books, but after all the action and reveals in book 6, this one fell flat. The defeat of the madman was way too easy. The rescue of one of the main characters was also too easy. 

The overall ending was rushed, yet still felt unfinished. I was left with so many unanswered questions. Like, the town elects a new mayor, yet we never see who. The book ends just before the announcement is made. 

The characters still have no concrete answers as to what happened or when the world will return to normal. I don't know if the characters are going to stay in town or move on. 

Also, beyond the end of the world survival aspect of this, I was really intrigued by the idea of the characters being raised by preppers. While we do get glimpses into their childhood and how they were raised, the whole prepper thing seemed like an easy plot device to give the characters the skills they (conveniently) needed to survive. I would have loved to had more interaction with the prepper parents / community. 

Overall, this was an engaging series, and I did enjoy most of it. Though I do feel like 7 books plus a prequel was too much. What do I mean by that? Well, tune in this Thursday for a more in-depth explanation, because I have a lot more to say on this! 

Kara's Book Cravings: End of Days Series (Books 3-5)

 

If you haven't read my review on the prequel and first two books in the End of Days Series, you might want to go do that now. You can read that post HERE. 

All caught up? Good! Let's dive into books three through five...

GRIP OF TERROR is the 3rd book in this series, and we're back to Cass and Isaac's story. They are still trekking toward her parents' compound, fighting against the weather and the people who are doing whatever it takes to survive -- including robbery and murder. The amount of death they encounter is staggering, but they keep moving, helping those they can along the way. 

Cass's ex is still following her and attacking whenever he gets the opportunity. We also now get a few chapters here and there from his POV, and let me tell you... this dude is disturbed! He believes Cass is his and won't stop until he gets her. 

Thankfully, Isaac is still with her. Between him and her dog, Cass is well protected. Until she falls violently ill. Unable to keep walking, she's on death's doorstep. Isaac is worried about her, but he refuses to leave her. Instead, he carries her until they find shelter that's relatively safe, and then he goes in search of medicine to help her. Which means this is the perfect opportunity for the ex to attack again.

And this is when I go back to Amazon and one-click book 4. Considering I'm still waiting in the ER with my daughter, and we're going to be there for another couple of hours, what else do I have to do, right? 

GRIP OF DEATH is the fourth book, and we're once again shifted back to Charlie and Harper's alternating POVs. This time, I was prepared for this shift, and this book was much more engaging. We get to see all the small town politics in action, and having grown up in a small town myself (population less than 1,500), I found the events in this book very relatable. From the town hall meetings to the "let's come together as a community to help each other" to the church involvement... everything was spot-on. 

I did ask myself, though, why I'm bothering to read these books if I prefer Cass and Isaac's story. At first, I wasn't sure why. Maybe morbid curiosity? I don't know, but by the end of this book -- I knew. Cass and Isaac are headed straight for this town, and when they arrive, they're going to be in for quite the shock.

We see Charlie go home to her parents' compound to ask for help (she currently lives with her grandmother in town), and they turn her away. The relationship between the parents and the two girls (Cass and Charlie) isn't all rainbows and sunshine. That leads me to wonder if Cass will be welcome when she finally arrives. 

Also, Harper the nurse is fighting against small town politics to keep the local hospital open, and she's losing. People are fighting for food and medical supplies. The town sheriff has quit to form a rogue militant group to protect the town. And the townspeople are drinking contaminated water, which is causing a massive sickness outbreak. 

So, if you're keeping track... I've read the prequel and the first four books so far. I'm still sitting in the ER, and well, you know what happens next. I go back to Amazon for book 5. 

GRIP OF MADNESS is the fifth book in this series. Usually, by this point in any series, things start to feel repetitive and somewhat stale, but not with this series! This just keeps getting better and better, and every page leaves me wondering what's going to happen next. 

As I'd predicted, the four different POV character stories finally merge as Cass and Isaac make it to the small town where Charlie and Harper are living. Things are even bleaker than before. The former town sheriff turned militia-man is wreaking havoc on the town. He and his "merry band of idiots" (as Harper calls them) decided to raid the prepper compound for supplies. Things didn't work out quite as he'd planned, and now the struggling hospital is even fuller. I have a feeling things are going to get a lot more tense now that ex-Marine Isaac is in town. 

By the time I finished this book, my Kindle battery died. *sigh* I was stuck in the ER for another hour or so after, and my phone battery was dying, too. In total, I spent 12+ hours in the ER, which sucked! But, I'm daughter is fine, and I had the chance to read what's so far a really fantastic series. 

Stay tuned for my thoughts on the remaining three books in this series. And then I have some thoughts about the overall format from a marketing standpoint. 

Kara's Book Cravings: End of Days Series (Books 0-2)

 

One day, while procrastinating and shopping on Amazon as opposed to writing, I stumbled up on a freebie book, which I tend to look for a lot. I love to try new-to-me authors via a sample or free story. Because I am the type of reader who, if I like the teaser, will go on to buy the book(s). Anyway, I stumbled upon this free prequel...

SURVIVING CHAOS by Sam J Fires is an adult post-apocalyptic survival thriller. As stated, this is a prequel, so it's fairly short, but it definitely packs a punch. This is told in 3rd person from Cass's point of view.

We meet the main female character, Cass, as she's meeting up with her ex to give him back his stuff. While at the diner, the lights go out and a car crashes through the front window. Planes go down. Phones don't work. Rescue never comes. And did I mention it's the middle of the coldest winter on record, and the snow is falling heavily? 

Having been raised by doomsday preppers, Cass has some knowledge about what's happening and what the fallout will be among the residents of Portland, Oregon. She decides her best bet is to head to her parents' compound, which she knows will be the safest place to ride out whatever is happening. She packs up supplies, takes her dog, and heads out. And that's promptly where this book ends. 

Now, I read this while sitting in the ER with my daughter. By the time I'd finished this short prequel, we were no closer to being sent home, so I went to Amazon and one-clicked the first book. 

GRIP OF FEAR is book one of the End of Days Series, and we pick up right where the prequel left off -- except now, we're introduced to a male character's point-of-view: Isaac. I have to assume he's going to be the love interest at some point. 

Anyway, Cass and her dog are braving the weather in hopes of reaching her parents' compound where she'll be safe. Not only is the weather making things difficult, but people are scared and panicking. Looters are out in full force. It's just all around dangerous terrain. 

When Cass stops for supplies, she's cornered by her ex-boyfriend (Nate), who is apparently stalking her. This was a tad weird, but okay. It's just the first book, so I decided to give it some time to see where it was going. 

The new POV character, Isaac, is an ex-Marine and has noticed a strange man following a woman around. He follows and ends up saving Cass from her ex's attack. During this tussle, the dog is injured but not severely, and she's not killed. Because believe me, if the dog died, I was 100% DONE! I would have noped out so fast... (but I'm 5 books in and the dog is still alive, so yay!)

Cass and Isaac realize they're headed the same direction, so for safety reasons, they decide to travel together. And off they go... while I go off to Amazon to one-click book 2. (Still sitting in the ER at this point.)

GRIP OF DARKNESS is book 2, and because I'm already sucked into the story and these characters, I didn't bother to read the blurb. I just bought the book and started reading, fully expecting to dive right back into Cass and Isaac's journey. But nope!

This book is told in alternating 3rd person POV from two entirely new characters! Talk about a shock! I almost stopped reading, because I was so jarred and felt like I was starting a whole new series. But I stuck with it, just to see how things played out. Ultimately, I'm glad I did. 

In this book, we meet Charlie (who is Cass's sister) and Harper (an ER nurse who doesn't seem to have any immediate connections to Cass, Charlie, or Isaac). They are both living in the small town which is Cass's ultimate destination. I fully expect the stories to merge at some point within the series. 

By the end, I'm still only lukewarm toward these two new characters, but book 3 goes back to Cass and Isaac, so of course I'm going to go back to Amazon and one-click.... Yes, I'm *still* in the ER. Might as well keep reading, right? I mean, I absolutely love this genre -- the post-apocalyptic, end of the world, survival type books. I'm in my element with this series, and it's really keeping me entertained while I wait for my daughter's lab results.

Stay tuned on Friday for my thoughts on books 3-5 in the End of Days Series by Sam J Fires. 

Anyone else read this series? Or any of these books?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

Kara's Book Cravings: The Girl From Widow Hills

 

Time for a book confession: I absolutely love reading (and writing) YA, and I tend to choose YA over adult books. But there are just some authors who write in both age categories, and I prefer their adult books over their YA books. Megan Miranda is this author for me. 

I prefer her adult books over her teen books. Why? Because of her writing style. Don't get me wrong -- I love her voice and overall style, but personally, I find her unique style to be better suited to adult books. She tends to write very densely, with quite a bit of exposition and character reflection. For me, that works in adult but not so much in YA. 

So, what led me to this realization and ultimate confession? This book did:

The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda is an adult mystery / thriller, and it is phenomenal! From the very first page, I was hooked, and I had a hard time putting this book down to go do all that adult stuff I have to do on a daily basis. 

This is a story about a woman who, when she was just a child, was swept away during a major storm and stuck in the town's drainage system for three days. Her ordeal became a national story, and her mother cashed in on that by writing a book about everything. On the anniversary of her rescue, the press comes out in droves to check in on "the girl from Widow Hills," when all she wants is to be left alone. Naturally, there's a lot more to this tale that meets the eye. 

The twists and turns combined with the intentional misdirection is just... wow! As a reader, I was impressed with how the story unfolded, and I know this one will stick with me, but as an author -- I strive to write as well as Megan Miranda, to be able to weave a tale that leads readers down one path and then shoves them in a completely different direction. 

Has anyone else read this book? What did you think? What other books have you read that left your jaw on the floor? Share in the comments!

Thursday Thoughts: Pen Names and Passion Projects

It's been almost three full years since I embarked on my self-publishing journey and embraced the Indie world. I've certainly had a lot of ups and downs, and wow have I learned a TON! Looking back, there are definitely things I'd do differently, but now I know and I can adjust moving forward. I have a huge list of things I've learned, but there are two that have really been resonating with me lately, and I want to share them in the hopes they might help another writer.

NEW PEN NAMES:

A lot of authors write using a pen name--this is nothing new. Some authors even have multiple pen names for various genres. I used to have two different pseudonyms. One for YA (Kara Leigh Miller) and one for adult (Lexi Lawton). But when I began to focus on self-publishing, I dropped the Lexi name. Mostly because I knew I just didn't have the time to build two separate names, and honestly, I can only write one book at a time, so I'm either writing YA or Adult, but never both at once. 

However, in my quest to learn the business side of publishing, I joined the Wide for the Win Facebook group. Seriously, if you're an author and don't belong to this group--and you're selling your books on places other than just Amazon--go fix that right now! The wealth of knowledge in that group is astounding and so, so helpful. 

One of the biggest takeaways I got from this group is how multiple pen names are often necessary. See, when you publish on vendor sites, after a certain amount of time, you'll begin to notice a section called "Also Bought." These are books that are, hopefully, similar to yours. It gives readers a chance to see what other customers have bought that are like the product you offer. 

So, using me as an example, if I write and publish YA paranormal romance with limited foul language and no graphic sexual situations AND I also write and publish steamier / erotic adult romance under the same name, my "Also Bought" section will get messed up, because in theory, I'd have a mix of books. And sure, a lot of readers buy and read across a variety of genres, age categories, and heat levels. But stop for a moment and think of what this does should a teen find my books. The "Also Bought" recommendations won't just list other YA books, it will include some very adult books. 

Before anyone comes at me with "yeah, but..." I do realize there are quite a few authors who write a variety of stories under one pen name. And huge kudos to them! I truly wish I could do that, too, but I know I'm not a big enough author to make that work for me. 

With all of this in mind, along with knowing that I'm not the type of writer who can only write one age category / genre all the time, I have decided to branch out into more than one pen name. Yes, I still have my adult pen name, Lexi Lawton, who writes steamy New Adult romances, and while I'm not actively writing or publishing anything under that name right this moment, she's still alive and kicking ;-)

I'm working very closely with an author friend of mine, and together, we're launching a new pen name -- one that we're not going to publicly name just yet -- and we'll be focusing on some darker, steamier romances. 

PASSION PROJECTS: 

When I first began writing Eternal Curse, it was what I called my passion project. It was a story I wanted to write for ME. I never had any intention of publishing it, but rather it was something I would work on when I was stuck on other things. It was my safe, fun space. I had no expectations, no rules, no pressure--and then that single book turned into a seven book series. The words poured out of me, and I rediscovered my love for the act of writing. 

But then I published this, and to be clear: I do not regret that decision in the slightest! I have actual readers now, people who loved my books and want more. That's a huge accomplishment that I'm very proud of. But with that comes pressure -- pressure to write more books faster, to write the books my readers want, etc. Suddenly, writing once again became a chore rather than a joy, and I found myself struggling again. I didn't *want* to write, and well, that made me grumpy. lol. 

So, my second most important lesson learned is to ALWAYS have a passion project handy. I realize not every author can jump from one project to another, and I'm extremely lucky that I can. I've also realized that I simply cannot write without a passion project which, oddly enough, is what pushed me to finally embrace my second pen name. This has also led me to the co-authored venture I mentioned above. Once again, I'm feeling excited about writing and publishing, and I hope 2024 will yield a lot more book releases. 

Are you a writer as well? 

Do you keep passion projects on the side? 

GOALS: 2020

It's my favorite time of year again!!! GOALS!!! I love setting goals, and I'm more excited than ever this year because there are some big things happening, and with me in much better health, I'm going to hit 2020 hard! So, let's do this.

WRITE Until My Fingers Fall Off!

Okay, so maybe that's a bit dramatic--LOL--but I do want to get back into a steady writing habit, and in doing so, I hope to finish a few projects and/or start some new ones. Here is the official list of books I'm going to attempt to finish writing this year:

1. The Georgia Corbins, Book 1. I swear this book is on my goals list every single year, and I'm determined not to let it still be here come 2021. Haha! I have a large portion of this book already written, so it really just needs a final revision.

2. The Georgia Corbins, Book 2. I have a complete draft of this written that will need to be heavily revised to be consistent with the changes to book 1, so I plan to do that this year.

3.  Eternal Bond. This is the sequel to Eternal Curse, a young adult paranormal romance.

4.  Eternal Regret. This is the third book in my young adult paranormal romance series. I don't expect to finish it, but I'd like to at least get started on it.

Resurrect My Pen Name 

A few years ago, I'd written and published a couple of secular New Adult books under a pen name. For anyone who's been around this blog for any amount of time, you know that things didn't work out so well for me with that deal--at no fault of anyone! Sometimes, things just don't work out. That's the nature of publishing, and life in general. So, after some time away and a lot of reflection, I've decided I'm going to bring back this pen name. I'm going to release the third book in the series that wasn't published by the publisher, and I have a romantic suspense series I'm going to work on. (Please be aware that under this name, I write stuff that is not Christian; in fact, it's rather steamy, so if that's not your thing, feel free to stick to my Kara books.)

Officially launch FireChicken Press, LLC

I have a "work-in-progress" website for FireChicken Press, LLC (FCP, LLC). I'd like to release, at the very least, one book under FireChicken Press in 2020. I'm aiming for FCP's debut release to be sometime in late September or early October with Eternal Curse, The Cursed Series: Book One. 

On this specific topic--my husband and I have purchased the (small) house directly across the street from us, and it will become the official office space for both FireChicken Press, LLC and my husband's company, JMT, LLC. Stay tuned in the next couple of months of pictures and updates. I'd love to host a small, weekend writer's retreat there this summer.

Keep On Editing

I'm still with Anaiah Press, and so I'll continue to edit, but this year, I'd like to be a bit more consistent and aim for about one manuscript a month. I've also got a couple repeat freelance clients that I'll continue to edit for---I'm looking at you, Kat and Katie! :-)

Passion: Loving Life and What I Do

Last year, my focus was on persistence, and while that didn't apply too much to my writing life, it helped immensely with my personal life and weight loss journey. This year, though, I'm going to focus on passion--for writing, editing, family, friends, and life in general. If I'm not happy doing something, I'm simply not going to do it anymore. What's the point, right? Life is much too short to spend it being miserable.

What will you accomplish in 2020? 

A Story, A New Venture, A Sad Good-bye, and Taking the Next Steps!

Anyone who reads my blog regularly knows that I'm not shy about sharing the lows of the publishing world, and I've had a lot of them lately. It's been quite doom-and-gloom around here, but not today! Today, I have some really exciting news to share. But, before I get into that...

A STORY:

When I got my license, I had high hopes of getting a car. A little red sports car, to be exact. Of course, that never happened. I was in high school still and working part-time at the local Arby's, and my parents were in no position to buy me a car. So, my first car was some clunker--I think it was a Chevette or something. LOL. As I got older, I upgraded cars, drove a couple minivans and SUVs, but still no sports car--until recently. 

This summer, my husband bought me the little red sports car I always wanted: A Pontiac Firebird!

Isn't she pretty??

Shortly after getting the car, my husband jokingly referred to it as "The Fireturd." Thankfully, that nickname didn't stick around long. So, he then affectionately called it "The Firechicken." That name did stick--my kids think it's hilarious, and every time we leave the house, they ask if we're taking the Firechicken. It has quickly become our family joke, and I love it.

So, what does this have to do with publishing?

A NEW VENTURE:

In my last post, I admittedly whined about the rejections I got for a paranormal romance I was querying. While I'm still saddened by them, I'm happy to report I have received another full request. YAY! So, I'm not giving up on that route, but while I wait, I've decided to focus on something new.

Indie publishing! That's right, I am fully committing to self-publishing. And because I don't ever do anything halfway, I have filed for an LLC and will be creating my own publishing company that will publish just my books.

I'd like to introduce you all to....

FireChicken Press, LLC

That probably sounds like a silly name for a publisher, but as I said, it's solely for my books, and it has special meaning to me. I think it's absolutely perfect!

My daughter even made a couple hand-drawn logos for me!

Isn't she so talented?? Shameless plug time: She'll be opening to custom art commissions soon if anyone is interested. You can find her on her website, Twitter and DeviantArt.

I've worked in publishing for years, so I know how much work this will be--I'm excited and committed and a tad bit overwhelmed. Which leads me to the next section of this post...

A SAD GOOD-BYE:

Because of the amount of time and focus self-publishing will take, I made the difficult choice to resign my position at Anaiah Press. While I have thoroughly loved my time there, I know I can't give Anaiah the attention it deserves while also making FireChicken Press successful. My last day will be December 31, 2018.

And now...

TAKING THE NEXT STEPS:

It's no huge secret that I got my start in publishing in the secular market--erotic romance, to be exact. While I no longer write that (nor do I plan to do so again), I have been doing some soul searching in terms of what I want to write and publish. I love Christian fiction--it has been my focus for the past 5 years. I love to read it and edit it. Sadly, though, in terms of writing it...well, that's a different story. It's not my passion. Therefore, I will be returning to the secular market.

Under FireChicken Press, LLC, I will be publishing YA, NA, and A across a variety of genres; although all of my books will have an element of romance in them. My NA and A books will have cursing, violence (especially my romantic suspense titles), and possibly sex (but not overly graphic). My YA will be a lot cleaner. So, to all of my CF writers and readers, if you chose not to follow me on this new journey, I 100% understand and support your decision. There are no hard feelings on my end, and I wish you all the absolute best.

For anyone who sticks around, I plan to start by re-releasing an older NA title that I recently got the rights back to---Death of a Waterfall. I'm going to revise the heck out of it, add some new words, cut some words, get new cover art with a brand new title and then unleash it back into the world. My goal is to do so in March 2019. I will follow that up with the sequel (never before released), and then book 3 (also never released). Additionally, I have a book written for one of the secondary characters that I'm super excited about :-)

via GIPHY

I have an adult romantic suspense series that I'll be releasing eventually, too. And, of course, I have a TON of YA books that are half-finished that I'll be busy finishing and publishing, starting with my Georgia Corbins series.

So, there you have it. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have some writing to do!