Hi friends,

It still feels strange to type 2023. But hey, it's almost February, so I better get used to it.

I hope your new year is going well!

I had some fun replies to the idea of setting easy goals instead of difficult resolutions you might immediately quit.

The funniest was from Brian, who said he made a resolution to never make resolutions . . . and hasn't missed a single year - LOL.

I'm still hard at work writing new chapters weekly for my litrpg magic academy series, Shieldwall Academy, that I'm publishing on the web-serial site Royal Road.

Awakening Horde: Shieldwall Academy Book 1

The first book, Awakening Horde, has all the chapters up now. So it's completely free to read over there. The first few chapters of book 2, Emerging Rebel are up, too.

Please leave a nice rating if you have a minute - thanks!

My current plan:

• Get a cover done for book 2
• Investigate narrators to do the audiobook for Awakening Horde (will probably cost $4k - $6k to produce - eek!).
• Plan for a June release on Amazon of the first book, hopefully with an audiobook, too.
• Keep writing, so most of book 2 will be on Royal Road when I have to pull book 1 off to put on Amazon. (Can't have it both places if I want it in the Kindle Unlimited program)
• For Book 1, I've got a huge list of editing ideas suggested by my RR readers, so I have to finish those up before a narrator records, and I send out ARC copies - likely this May.

Are you interested in a free copy? And willing and able to leave an Amazon review right when the book goes live? Email me, and I'll add you to my ARC list for May.

Thanks! Early reviews are really hard to get, so these are super important.

So the big question . . . how much have I made so far with my experiment on Royal Road and Patreon? How many readers are following the story?

Scroll down for the stats . . .

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My new author friend, AM Geever has this new series out!

Undead Menagerie by AM Geever

When the world ends, you adapt or die. Can two strangers trapped in a zoo survive as zombies close in around them?

So many excellent SF eBooks!!

Baileigh's complete boxset is still 99c for a bit if you didn't grab it yet!

Primordial Earth: Complete Boxset by Baileigh Higgins

This is their world, and we are the prey.

So many FREE SFF books!!

TL has a new series! Book 4 just came out!

Brink of Darkness by TL Payne

The World goes dark. All technology is lost.

So many FREE SF eBooks!!

My litRPG buddy, Josh, just published a new series - check it out!

The Well Within by Joshua Kern

Magic is real. The stories parents once told their children were true. Monsters exist in this world.

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Awakening Horde Stats:

Started on Royal Road: 9/6/2022

Posting schedule: 3 chapters/week (T/Th/Sa)

Current numbers:

89 chapters

688 pages

573,277 total views

6441 average views per chapter

2,701 followers

529 ratings for an average of 4.6 stars

Ranked 264 on RR for all stories

102 current paid Patreons

256 total Patreons ever

Total gross income today: $4543.27

RR Advertising cost: $300

Total Net: $4243.27

Average Monthly net income: about $725 - $825

I'm pretty excited that the Patreons who support me have donated almost enough to produce the audiobook, depending on how much that ends up costing.

My goal is for the book to bring in additional income once I publish it on Amazon while the Patreon supporters continue to grow. I'll hopefully earn back the investment in producing the audiobook, and at some point be able to earn a full-time wage doing this writing thing.

A heartfelt thanks to every one of you who has supported me by buying a book, leaving a review or taking the time to send me a friendly note or feedback on my stories.

You're the reason I write!

— Misty :)

p.s. See all my books on Amazon here: Misty Zaugg Amazon Page

p.p.s. For a web version of this newsletter and previous newsletters: https://sendfox.com/mistyzaugg/campaigns