As I am writing this, it is December 27th. Outside my window, the world is smothered in snow, but I am warm inside with a brand new candle burning lavender scents into the room. The fact that I am able to write this post, with working internet, a computer that functions, and family puttering around outside my room, is a blessing that I refuse to ignore.
I am so grateful to be here. To be alive, with stories to write, and a means to write them.
It has been a whirlwind of a year. In the writing and publishing side of things, we saw the release of Nora and the Siren Song in April and, because it left off on a cliffhanger, I pushed myself to release the conclusion of Nora’s first storyline. Nora and the Vampire Court was released in November.
There were a couple of hiccups between Siren Song and Vampire Court that has me convinced not to do that again. Suffice to say, I was pulling some serious late nights and it just wasn’t super healthy, for me or for the story, which I feel needed a little more time to incubate before I released it.
I am likely to nit-pick between now and the first year anniversary, so that when I begin offering the full series package I will feel better about it.
Also this year we saw the release of my FIRST EVER audiobook!
Nora and the Werewolf Wedding can be found on Audible now, which I absolutely love. The narrator was a delight to work with and I am deeply pleased with it.
There are more stories to be told inside Nora’s world-scape and I promise I am not done with it yet. That said, I need to take a step back and work on something else for a little while. In particular, I have a book I promised my son I would finish – Castle of Three Kings – and since he graduates this year, it feels appropriate to conclude this story about responsibility and humanity and what it means to have integrity.
With any luck, this will be the book I put out for the year of 2026. I’m not sure exactly when and I refuse to put a date on it until I have at least the second draft completed and have edits to implement. (See? Vampire Court taught me a lot about my process and what I need as a creative to get from start to finish.)
In June of 2025, I released Blood of the Witch Heir, which was a heavily revised and altered book that I had already published under the Double Dragon imprint. It was only after a long, hard debate that I chose to part ways with the publisher and I have not decided what to do with the others books that were under its imprint. When I know, I’ll be sure to post about it. For now, Blood of the Witch Heir is currently being made into an audiobook and I am excited for everyone to get a chance at listening to it. The narrator is fantastic!
About that Reading Challenge…
I set out to read 50 books in 2025, but I’m afraid I am going to miss that goal. As there are only 4 days left, I will go ahead and throw in the towel and say that, while I did not read 50, I did manage to read 42.
43 is currently being read and I believe I can get it done in time, but just in case, I’ll let the official tally be 42.
42 isn’t bad! I’m going to celebrate that number, rather than let it pester me.
Instead of making a list of what I plan to do for next year, I’m going to close out 2025 with gratitude.
I am alive, safe, and warm. There are books on my shelf that I cannot wait to read, and stories inside me that I have yet to tell.
Stay safe, everyone. Happy writing and happy reading.
