The Latest Ramblings from J. Morgyn White

Ramblings from the Desk of J. Morgyn White

2025 has started off with lots of positivity, and I’m riding that wave into March with lots of plans to make this the best year ever. The most exciting news is that Harlan’s story will be published this fall. There’s still a ton to do to get the manuscript ready but I will share details and the cover with you when I have them! 2025 also is the return of regular #writingarmor posts on Instagram so be sure to follow me there if you don't already :)

My current work in progress is in its early days, but it’s shaping up as a fantasy romance which is not a romantasy for those keeping track. This book will have three points of view and a love triangle (because I love them). I did finish writing a romance last year—‘Sexy Farmer’ but the working title is now Don’t You Dare. It’s Bella & Nic’s story and I hope I’ll be able to share it with you soon! I have big plans to get my books out there into the world since traditional publishing is far too slow to get everything I’ve written printed. 

Plans for 2025

My 2025 big rock is to finish all five books of Valravyn by next year and get the prequel, The Black Feather, ready for readers. But… I have to move first! We bought a house in the fall and have been working on updating it, so we hope to finally move in this month. That will mean I have an office with a door—and bookcases! I don’t feel I’ll have any difficulty filling them *wink, wink*. As you can see, that's a work in progress too. I can't wait to show you all of my collections!

What I'm Reading

I’ve been reading a fair number of advanced reading copies over the last year and I expect that to continue in 2025. You can find my reviews on my blog.

My favorite reads from January were The Women by Kristin Hannah (which I finally got to), Grimm Curiosities (a paranormal romance gothic) by Sharon Lynn Fisher, and The Lost Passenger by Francis Quinn.

Quinn’s writing was truly wonderful, and I’ve bought her other two books to read later this year. I also really love Sharon Lynn Fisher’s writing style and I bought her two older fae books to read this year as well. 

What I'm Watching

I’ve been watching a wide range of films and TV shows. I binged all I could find of the young adult movies in the vein of After and My Fault. If young adult romance is your thing, and subtitles work for you, also look at Three Meters above the Sky. My Fault: London came out on Amazon Prime last month- and although the plot is similar to the original My Fault, it’s different enough to carve out its own audience. 

I also watched the original Buccaneers as I was intending to go and rewatch the Apple TV remake because I loved it so much. The contrast was really interesting! I also have a copy of Edith Wharton’s book to read this year. So many books, so little time. 

Teaser

I’ll leave you with a little snippet of a work in progress. I expect to have another newsletter out later this spring and share the release date and title for Harlan’s story!

Until then~ Best Wishes,

Joanne

Excerpt From 'The Black Feather'

When Ales emerged from the shower he was warmer outside and colder inside. The same thought kept rolling in his head. 

Cai’s dead. What now. What does this mean? 

He could answer the real world things: a hole never filled, a hole in the ground to fill. But there was more to it. Cai had already transcended their family by being chosen. That had to still mean something.

Ales sat on the bed unwilling to get dressed because clothing would make him acceptable and he had no intention of interacting with the world right now. He texted Kaitlyn. He should be calling, but the thought of talking was—

OMG. hug emoji, she texted back. I can come over?

Not tonight. I’ll call you later if I can. Your dad is here.

I know. Another hug. It would come with a cloud of the candy sweet perfume she loved. To him she was more than a friend even though he hadn’t asked her out yet. Their family’s professional relationship made that extra hard. Ales tossed the phone on the bed. 

Now he was trapped. He shouldn’t have come back. Sitting at his desk, he picked over the pile of capacitors, sorting resistors by color. Mindless movements. Trying not to think. 

The whistle was Nia, because only she would sing birdsong at his door—and only for her he would unlock it.

He pulled on track pants. The drain of the day tugged on his energy as he rose to open the door.

Nia’s hair was damp, the ends brushing a green sweater matching the flecks in her eyes. The same soft wool of Mother’s.

“Dad wants us downstairs again,” she said glancing over Ales’ shoulder at his desk where his drone lay partially disassembled. 

“I’m not going down there. Go without me.”

“Ales. Please. Don’t…”

“Make me,” were the words again. He heard them in his head though she didn’t speak. Don’t make me go alone. The thing he desired most she wanted least.

Fighting her was too hard, took more effort than he had strength. At least going with her meant he would escape the room and his own thoughts.

Ales grabbed a T-shirt and followed Nia into the hall. Their father would be annoyed by his casual clothing, but he’d have to swallow it. Nothing his father could say would bring Cai back. Ales didn’t want to hear more about how he’d died—he was done. 

Math was still in the living room, obedient and watchful—waiting for something to happen. 

Their mother’s face was pale as if keeping her eyes open was more effort than she had stamina. Cai was not her son by birth, but she’d considered him hers—to a wolf, family was more than blood. Cai’s mother, Myranda had died in a complication of pregnancy. Ales’ father had hand fasted with their mother less than a year after, and then Nia was born. Ales had come two years later. The three of them were divided by an even two years. Their ages were like a song or a secret code. One Three Five, Two Four Six. Now Fifteen Seventeen… and the code was broken.