Five years ago was an absolutely strange time. We were two months into a global pandemic, and the world had seemed flipped on its head. Within my own family, we were also dealing with my husband's recent brain tumor diagonsis, which although benign, required lots of medical appointments during a time when doctors were less available.
And in that strange mix of uncertainty, I published my first book on May 27, 2020: Chasing Lightning.
It's still the best intro line for a book I've ever written.
I had no idea what I was doing, or even if it was a good time to publish a book, but I sent it out into the big wide world anyway...with a whimper. I'd barely done any marketing besides announce it on some Facebook groups. I made a whopping $103.36 that first month, which covered about half of my editing costs, but nothing else. I squeaked by over next year, making between $50-$100 a month as I published 4 more books, wondering if I'd make a big mistake deciding to publish at all.
Through it all, I've tried a lot of things. Marketing plans failed. A second book series flopped worse than the first (even though I love you, Llenwald). I wrote, rewrote, edited, and wrote day in and day out. Somewhere in there, my husband had successful brain surgery and fully recovered (HOORAY!), my kids survived stressful hybrid homeschooling, and I came upon the idea to write about a mom dealing with her daughter being the Chosen One. That book series took off much better than I expected.
Today, I am so proud of my book writing journey. I make part-time money writing fantasy books. Readers reach out to me to tell me how much they love my characters, especially single mom Melissa and magical librarian Rosalind. My biggest fans preorder my new books the instant I make them available (and I have no idea how they find that information so quickly). I'm still improving as a writer (and a book marketer), but even so, having my books read by thousands feels like the ultimate dream come true.
So thank you for reading my books! I'm eternally grateful that you took a chance on me sometime within the last five years. You are the reason I keep clacking away on my old keyboard. Please know that every time I publish a book, I'm thinking of you. I hope to write many more stories in the years to come.
Here's to another 5 years!
If you love my books and want to talk about them, don't hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected]. I'm always happy to hear from you!
And for those of you who love heartfelt novels with a softer tone, you still have a few days to check out the Cozy Fanasy Reads book fair:
Kick Start Summer Reading
Midlife Magic & Magnolias is a Paranormal Women's Fiction book in Kindle Unlimited. Alex believes her family is cursed after losing everything at age 45. She picks up the pieces at an abandoned family estate, hoping to break the curse...or die trying.
A Nest of Magic is a sapphic cozy fantasy. When librarian Corinthia meets a mysterious woman on a hike, her tidy little life is turned upside down. Corinthia may not believe in magic, but magic believes in her.
Deviously Delicious is a thrilling new mystery, coming out May 31st! When an unconscious boy ends up in their driveway, Dorseigh and Allison must unlock a deadly secret in the small northern California coastal town of Sueños del Mar.
Until next time, happy adventuring!
-DM Fike
Other Books by DM Fike
Magical Midlife Librarian Cozy Fantasy
Recently divorced Rosalind inherits the mythical Library of Atlantis, but there’s a catch. The last librarian died under mysterious circumstances. Can Rosalind embrace her heritage and run the library, or will a deadly killer catch her first?
Magical Midlife Mom Paranormal Women's Fiction
Single mom Melissa Hartley discovers that magic exists in the worst way possible: through her teenage daughter. She never expected her midlife crisis to involve the fae, but she will do anything to protect her child…even if it kills her.
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