Welcome to the monthly newsletter with all of the latest updates about my books, projects, blog, art, news, and more!
About the photograph featured in the heading: I took this photo in my backyard six years ago. I love seeing the crocuses pop up in the spring!
I thought I was going to ease back into event season, but I’m coming off six weekends of events in a row! I’ve had an unusual (yet pleasant) mix of artisan markets, gaming cons, and small local book signings to start the year off with more variety than usual.
My spring calendar looks a little sparse at the moment, but I’ll likely be peppering in some more local pop-ups before event season kicks into full gear in the summer and fall. I also have quite a few applications pending right now, so my schedule is still falling into place for the year.
And now, as I wrap up the final pieces of Book IV’s launch… I have to turn my attention to tax season. Oh, the joys of being an entrepreneur…
The hardcover version of Lab Rat was published on December 5th. Although the paperback hasn’t gone into full-scale production yet, I received a small batch of ARCs (advance reader copies) last week.
Only twenty of these proof copies were printed, and they’re stickered/numbered limited editions. Many of them have already been claimed, but I just listed the rest on my website after the signing yesterday. So, if you’ve been waiting on the paperback, this is your chance to get an early copy while I’m still reviewing the proof and making some minor tweaks!
The ebook, unfortunately, ran into some major delays with the formatter, putting me far behind schedule. I’ve been struggling to get in contact with my ebook formatter over the last few weeks as he dealt with a family emergency. Luckily… I just received the file this morning, so I’m hoping to publish the ebook this week! 🤞
On that note, I have a favor to ask. If you are planning to download the Kindle version, please wait for me to share the affiliate link on social media and my website. When you use my link (as opposed to going directly to Amazon yourself and searching for the title), I earn extra royalties. Not to worry… the retail price won’t change for you! But Amazon gives me a little kickback as a reward for driving traffic to their page. (And we all know Amazon likes to take as much as it can get, so every little bit helps!)
Current word count: 90,190
Current word count: 2,886
Current word count: 1,040 (15 poems)
Drawings: 30
Photographs: 20
Current word count: 416 (5 poems)
I don’t normally stream on Twitch, but last weekend, I joined Writing with Chaos in a segment called “Books, Plants, and a Bottle of Wine” to chat about my book release, the recent signing at Flourish Books & Plants in New Buffalo, MI, some of the projects and collaborations I’ve done with small businesses, and other writing-related topics.
The Ghost Realm candle inspired by the Chronicles of Avilésor is the featured scent of the month for March! That means you can get it for 20% off on Old Soul Artisan’s website! No promo code needed.
I tested this new product out in my booth last month, and it was a big hit! These little ravens are carved out of obsidian. Last year, I had reached out to a local vendor friend who sells crystals and asked her to keep an eye out for some pocket-sized obsidian ravens within her wholesale network. She came through with a small test batch to see if they would work for my booth.
Naturally, they fit right in with the display! Not that I’m surprised with my resident booth crows Onyx and Shadow, the black feather decorations, and the raven wax seal on the Old Soul Artisan candle…
I’m always updating the booth and didn’t waste any time making some small changes to my display this year with new signs to highlight the tea and candle collaborations and make it VERY clear that AI is not part of my writing or art.
Unfortunately, after recent conversations at events (even after my recent blog post on the subject), I felt that it was necessary to add the AI disclaimer so there’s no doubt for anyone who ventures into my booth.
Lab Rat, the newest addition to the Chronicles of Avilésor, received a stellar five-star review from Literary Titan! This is FANTASTIC news because a good review officially qualifies Book IV to be considered for the Literary Titan Book Awards.
A Fallen Hero received a positive review in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off where it’s competing against 300 other indie books for a top spot in the finals. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the reviewer had listened to the audiobook rather than reading the ebook… and that AFH was the ONLY audiobook in this judge’s batch.
(There’s been more interest lately to see Book II turned into an audiobook… so although that will be an expensive project for me to tackle, it’s on my radar and moving up on my priority list. More on that later.)
You can read the full AFH review here.
If you didn’t know that Book I was available on audio and you want to listen to it, you can find links to various retailers here on my website!
I have a sneaky suspicion that March is going to be a BIG month with the anticipated launch of the paperback and ebook while I anxiously wait for Literary Titan to announce their next round of award recipients.
Also, stay tuned for some upcoming interviews! I spoke with a local reporter at the Flourish signing last weekend, and I’ll be participating in an author interview with Literary Titan as well (regardless of whether or not the book receives an award).
Taking a short hiatus for my mental health last month helped me feel much more inspired and motivated with my art to create this latest piece. Patreon members can watch the timelapse video in an exclusive post.
Subscribers get exclusive content emailed straight to their inbox every time I publish a new post! I offer three membership tiers with varying perks: Human ($5), Kálos ($10), and Alpha ($15). New patrons, depending on their tier, can unlock over 500 posts! Here are the latest posts since the last newsletter:
• Upcoming event announcements
• Behind the publishing scenes: how authors calculate book cover dimensions
• Early announcement: Literary Titan’s review (and why it’s a REALLY big deal!)
• Updates on the ebook delay
• Poll to determine whether patrons are ready for potential Book IV spoilers yet
• Daily progress updates as I worked on “Embrace”
• Timelapse video to watch me draw this month’s featured artwork
$5 a month isn’t much, but these small subscriptions really do add up and help me cover the publishing costs for upcoming books in the series along with other business expenses such as vendor fees, website costs, and more. Thank you to my subscribers for your support!! 🖤
For more information about the membership tiers and how subscriptions/donations support my business, check out this FAQ page on my website.
From copyright protection and publishing imprints to how to autograph your books, I share some basic but valuable tips for indie authors...
February 7-8: Journeyman’s Winter Artisan Market in Valparaiso, IN
February 13-15: Polar Vortex Gaming Convention in Lisle, IL
February 21: Book Signing at Flourish Books & Plants in New Buffalo, MI
March 1: Book Signing at Books & Whimsy in La Porte, IN
Be sure to check my website for the most up-to-date list! To receive event reminders, you can join my Discord server, follow me on Facebook or Buy Me a Coffee, or become a Patreon subscriber.
Watch my website for potential pop-up book signings this month! Here's the current schedule of events:
MUSKECON
March 21, 2026
Muskegon, MI
KALAMAZOO COMIC-CON
April 10-12, 2026
Kalamazoo, MI
VIKING FEST
April 24-26, 2026
Whitestown, IN
ROYAL STAGG RENAISSANCE FAIRE
May 9, 2026
Marshall, MI
CHESTERTON EUROPEAN MARKET
May 30, 2026
Chesterton, IN
SLAY THE LAKE CHICAGO PRIDE BOOK FEST
June 27, 2026
Tinley Park, IL
MICHIANA REN FEST
August 29-30, 2026
South Bend, IN
BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL
September 4-6, 2026
Plymouth, IN
POPCORN FESTIVAL
September 12, 2026
Valparaiso, IN
WOLF HOLLOW WITCHES MARKET
October 3, 2026
Belvidere, IL
NWI PAGAN PRIDE
October 17, 2026
Crown Point, IN
PEORIA BOOKFEST
November 14, 2026
Peoria, IL
If you can’t catch me at a local event, my website is the next best place to shop! Many of my products, including the new Apothica “witch’s elixir” teas, are available online, although a few are still event exclusive.
Browse my custom designs on apparel and accessories, produced and shipped by Spring.
In 2020, I partnered with Old Soul Artisan to make a custom candle fragrance inspired by my book series. Online purchases help to support wolf conservation and a woman-owned small business (as well as an indie author… me)!
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