Hey, folks.

Please note this email also appears on my blog. (I have an ear infection, woke up super late, and went the route of laze... this is the only work I'm doing today, because I want to rip my ear off, I feel like garbage, and anything beyond this is done purely out of boredom, assuming I don't just go right back to bed and stay there until tomorrow.)

Sorry I've been quiet lately. Life is hard, I am tired. There is a fancy Chirp deal going on today for A Chip on Her Shoulder. If you are already a Chirp member, it's a big, bad $0.99. (It's normally like $12.)

If you are new to audiobooks, Chirp was super sweet enough to give me a special discount code for new members, so you can get it for $0.49. Let's just say this is an encouraged steal, so please take advantage of it if you are curious about audiobooks!

And yes, Chirp was super super duper cool and made the graphic because I'm about as skilled as a half-drowned rat with one eye when it comes to making pretty images that don't involve the use of a camera.

I mean, I can draw, but figuring out where to put text in a remotely decent fashion? Not my jam. I more make mud pies, but with actual mud rather than chocolate. (It's bad.)

In general writing news, there is a poll for which short story I should write next (based on which world setting) in the short story patreon. I'll be closing that in a few days, so if you're in the short story crew, vote sooner than later! So far, it looks like the Royal States fans will be getting a short story next. As a reminder, the short story patreon is exclusively used as fun, play money for me, and I won't even lie... the funds are either going to vacations, camera gear, or cross-stitch supplies. So if you like supporting me having fun things to do that is not work related... that's the place to be. Hah!

The general monthly subscription crew is picking between Winter Wolf and Shadowed Flame as the next read along, as Inquisitor is almost completed. These read alongs have general commentary from me about how the chapter in question was written, my observations, and so on. So it's a fun behind-the-scenes look if you're into that sort of thing. All Patrons receive the read along in this case, and they also receive access to the short stories, although the other tiers get the bigger perks.

The Otters, Cindercorns, and Spicy Ponies with Bite receive all single author releases a few days before retail version goes live. ($10+ tiers.)

If you only want access to the novels, this is the patreon you should follow. At current, I can't separate out things, so you get EVERYTHING I write that's a novel no matter which pen name.

Yes, I had some people asking questions, thus the refresher.

Moon Tamed (a sweet, fairly low-conflict paranormal blended with science fiction romance) will be coming out in early December. There are animals. Some of them get eaten by wolves. Most get loved and claimed as pets.

As a sneak peek, let's just say there's a peacock. The peacock definitely steals the show for a while.

To give you an idea of the level of science fiction, space travel is available, but there's also limited forms of magic enabling people to shapeshift. The tech levels are roughly our current Earth equivalent, but it takes place on a different planet with some fun little additions. I will be writing a bunch of storylines taking place on the specific world in Moon Tamed, but I am giving myself the freedom to go Full On Space Opera with it. (As I do quite enjoy Space Opera.) But mostly, it's paranormal romance with a twist.

I am hoping to do one book a year, with a current eight books planned.

I will be in Australia for a Mighty Long Time in June of next year. While tickets to the convention are sold out, there is a wait list if people have to drop out on facebook. Look up BABE (Books and Ballgowns Event) 2023 on Facebook. It will be taking place in Sydney, Australia June 9 and 10 of 2023. If you are in the Sydney area, I will be making an hour or two to say hi to people before or after the convention if tickets AREN'T available. It'll be a meet and greet type thing, and you'll be able to meet my spouse. I'll have more details a little closer to time.

In other general news, I have started a few "all proceeds go to having fun" novels. When these release, I will let you know. (Yes, those in the monthly and novel specific patreons will get these releases. They're just done in the evenings as overtime work / when I want to write beyond my regular work hours, specifically to buy extras, like stupidly expensive camera lenses.)

For those who missed it, here's a general recap of life, the universe, and everything:

I am actively writing on Moon Tamed, Doggone Mess, the Vampire of Montana, a Fun Play Project for the Play Money Fund, The Trickster King, Old Secrets, and The Rift King Stuff.

If the book you want isn't on this list, it is coming eventually, so don't panic. This is the absolute maximum my brain can handle at one time right now. As a project finishes, a new project will get added to the list. Eventually, everything will get done.

If the mag rom com story you are looking for is NOT listed on the full novel release list, it will be done as a novella or short novel in one of the several anthologies in that world coming out. (As a reminder, anthologies are NOT included in any patreons right now, mainly because a bunch of the stories end up going to the patrons first, and I don't want to double charge for them. Novellas and short novels are also not included.)

And yes, the Mag Rom Com series will eventually come to an end, as discussed in this post on the blog. The series is coming to a close because the primary story arc I wanted to write in it is almost over. That's it, that's all. Everything I wanted to accomplish will be finished, so that is where the series will end.

That's a good thing.

The series I'll be writing to replace the Mag Rom Com series (heavier on the mystery, fairly equivalent on the general hilarity) will be the Magic, Mayhem, and the Law in Precinct #153 series. Dead Weight is the first book, and it will be releasing in July of 2023. As the cover clearly implies, there be unicorns here. The lead character, Jace, happens to be that sad eyed pony of a unicorn. And while he's quite a bit more... stable... than Bailey, let's just say he is a master of creating, getting into, and enjoying the trouble he creates.

Jace is probably one of my favorite characters to date.

Yes, the book is $7.99. That is because I'm nowhere near done and it's already 75,000 words. As a reminder, moving forward, all my books that are standard novel length will be $6.99 due to the extra investments and general costs of producing the books nowadays. (A LOT of extra editorial work has been going into these, and yeah... that costs $$$.)

I do believe this snippet will give you a general idea of the book's tone. Or at least I really enjoy it:

“I should be reprimanding you over the use of coercion and threats to other officers, but you’re doing it with such skill,” my captain complained. “How can I reprimand that?”

I uncrossed my arms, rolled my shoulders, and finally shrugged. “Personally, I have no idea, sir. Let’s get this job done as though we’re actually skilled law enforcement officers rather than members of the circus who were given cuffs and guns and told to play cops with the local riffraff.”

“Wait, we’re not members of the circus?” the elephant asked.

“We forgot the lion, and we left the ringmaster at the precinct,” I retorted. The last thing any of us needed was Deputy Inspector Hagfield, another opal dragon with an attitude and a love of all things pretty, coming out to play with us. As for the lion, he’d stayed behind waiting for the drug calls, where he did his best work.

The bloodhounds would help in extreme circumstances, but they claimed dealing with the base-level drugs counted as cruel and unusual punishment, where the lion could handle sniffing out the narcotics without going half-mad from the stench.

“It seems Officer Smithson is on a roll. Let’s see if that roll translates to decent investigative work,” our boss said, helping Hardy pull out the scrubs and various other equipment we’d need to gather evidence. “Listen up, Smithson. I only want to have to explain this once. Under no circumstances do we harm the unicorn. Beyond that, show us what you’ve got, ask questions, and assuming you’re not an idiot, you’ll dodge preschool. This time.”

“Wait. This time?”

My captain chuckled, ignored my question, and proceeded to guide me through the detective’s basic arsenal of equipment needed to gather evidence and bring criminals to justice.

And on that happy note, I am going to do my best to avoid ripping off my own ear due to this ear infection. I hope you have a great day!

~RJ