This past couple of months, I've gone on a sort of unannounced hiatus due to a personal crisis happening in my family, but also just to slow way down and reassess my writing career. I've also decided not to accept any invitations for signings or book events this coming year for much the same reason.
I began writing professionally in 2008 (fiction for myself and non-fiction for a local newspaper) at the same time I also started my own hand-stamped jewerly business. But things really got crazy (and exciting!) in 2013 when I was offered my first publishing contract with Penguin.
The past three years have been a whirlwind for me. So much so that I've had to suspend my jewelry business indefinitely. I've published fifteen books either through a publishing house or on my own and though I know way more prolific writers, that was a TON of books for me! Not sure if I could or even want to pull that off again. BREATHE, JUST BREATHE. :-)
Not only that, I've been writing in three different categories or genres: adult romance, new adult romance, and male/male romance. All with contempory themes. But before that first contract, I had written several paranormal books that have never seen the light of day.
I can honestly say that I've been struggling this past year to figure out exactly where I "fit". Which genre most calls to me, which is the most lucrative for me in order to help contribute to my family's income, which do I want to continue writing in the foreseeable future? Honestly, I still don't have a definitive answer even though I mostly feel like I'm straddling different audiences/readers and wondering if that's truly the way to go. For me. I'll admit that sometimes I don't feel successful in any of those genres at any given moment. Just keeping it real. ;-)
I do know with certainty that I love writing MM romance and being part of the LGBTQ+ community. I feel like I belong there for many different reasons including personal ones that maybe someday I'll be brave enough to be more vocal about. But many of you already know that I have gay siblings, so I definitely feel a calling to write HEAs for them. They deserve it, after all.
Though if gay romance becomes my focus, I would definitely miss writing hetero romance. I certainly have some ideas in mind, but still may stumble through this year unsure of myself or whether what I write will appeal to anyone. LOL! You're not a writer if you don't have a healthy dose of self-doubt.
But for those readers hanging in there with me, THANK YOU! It honestly means SO MUCH!
So here's a schedule of my upcoming releases:
THE SWEETEST GOODBYE (Roadmap to Your Heart, book 3.5), releasing in January of 2017. This novella was originally part of a charity anthology called It Was Always You, which is no longer available. FYI: This is Billie's book. Cover reveal coming this week.
PAINT THE STARS (Free Fall book #3--the M/M series I co-write with Nyrae Dawn), releasing in February of 2017. This is Ezra's book. Cover reveal coming in the next couple of weeks.
THE FAINTEST SPARK (Roadmap to Your Heart, book 1.5), releasing in March of 2017. FYI: This is Mal's book and I felt compelled to write it. He appeared in There You Stand and The Darkest Flame and his book will complete the series.
New series or standlones---to be announced.
That's all, folks! More info to come! XOXO
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