We did it!
Archangel has been released for two weeks now and I am still on cloud nine. Does anyone use that term anymore?
It doesn’t even matter. We got there. We published a book! I’m thrilled with how Archangel is doing and can’t wait to see what is coming up in the future. Still, time waits for no one and that means that we have to keep plugging away.
So what’s next?
There are three big projects on the go right now:
1. Shadow’s Advent Book Two
2. The Indie Author’s Toolkit
3. Nightshade
Let’s talk about them.
Shadow’s Advent Book Two
I’ve received threats about the consequences if I don’t have Book Two of Shadow’s Advent (aka the sequel to Archangel) out within a year of releasing Book One. Not real threats…I hope.
If you’ve been following me on this journey for a while, you know that Archangel took a long time. If you were one of my first followers, you’d notice that I’ve been running this website for about two and a half years, and Archangel’s first draft was written about a year before that.
That’s a long time.
And I could tell you why it took so long, but no one wants to read a blog that lengthy. Heck, that’s another book itself (more on that below).
I have set myself a timeline, though, and am working diligently on the sequel to Archangel. I’ve approached writing with a new vigour and—more importantly—a new work ethic.
Once you read this, the outline for Book Two will be complete. Not just a dinky, good for nothing outline, but a very in-depth one. Special thanks to K.M. Weiland for that.
The first draft of the book should be finished in July, which gives me plenty of time to get it out to beta readers, revise it and send it to an editor. For those of you that loved Archangel, get ready for this. I’m very excited!
The Indie Author’s Toolkit
If you check my Books & Stories page, you will notice that there is a new entry, The Indie Author’s Toolkit. You will probably notice that it says Coming Soon, too. And that soon is sometime in April.
I decided that I wanted to take all the lessons I’ve learned over my journey, combine it with some tips and tricks I’ve gathered along the way and get some insight from industry leaders, then shove all that into one book. I’d like to think of it as my way of giving back to the indie author and writing community that has helped me so much.
So, while most of you are fans of my fiction, I know a lot of you are fellow writers or might be looking to write a book of your own. The Indie Author’s Toolkit is going to be a great handbook to get your idea into a book, without taking the years that I took to get there.
Look for that to drop sometime in April.
Nightshade
Last but not least is Nightshade. What I originally penned as an off the cusp short story two years ago has grown into something much bigger. I want Nightshade to be just as much a part of my author journey as Archangel and Shadow’s Advent.
Nightshade is an urban fantasy series featuring a smartass hero who hunts monsters for a living. The bad kind of monsters, that is. The problem is that she is a monster herself and no one knows if she is the good kind or the bad kind…even her.
Big things are coming for Nightshade. As it stands, there are three Nightshade stories available for FREE on my website. If you haven’t read them, go do it here. They are a ton of fun.
More importantly, there are more stories coming. I’m treating Nightshade sort of like a TV show. It is going to have seasons with eight stories each. So far, I have three seasons planned for it, with more ideas coming all the time.
I didn’t want to just sell short stories on Amazon or through my website though. I’m always looking to try something new, so I’ve decided to take Nightshade (and any other short stories I write) to Patreon.
Nightshade stories will be released monthly over on my Patreon account. For as little as $2 per story, you can get access to all the Nightshade stories coming up. You can also get a ton of extra goodies, like early access, special mention in my acknowledgements, free copies of upcoming novels (e-books and signed paperbacks) and participation in hangouts and beta reading for Shadow’s Advent and other novels.
Once a season is wrapped up, it will be available as an e-book for sale. But people who have joined my Patreon will get two bonus stories for free, stories that no one outside of Patreon will ever get access to.
I really want a way to give back to people who have supported me and continue to support me in this journey. I’m able to pursue what I love and make it part of my job. It wouldn’t be possible without your support.
So, get ready for news on Shadow’s Advent Book Two, keep your eye open for The Indie Author’s Toolkit and check out my Patreon. Big things are coming and I am so excited to take you along for the fun.