Hi Dolls!
I hope 2025 is off to an amazing start and you had an amazing Christmas and New Year surrounded by new books and a copious amount of time to read!
There's quite a few changes happening for me this year - book signings and book release updates to name a few.
This is the big one, though. The BIG (and scary) change is I have to go back to full-time employment. (Booo!) I've been self-employed for over a decade starting with editing then designing covers then formatting, all while being able to write whenever I wanted to. Now, my family and I can't survive on the sporadic nature of my work.
I've been out of the traditional workforce for over a decade so to say I'm scared is an understatement. Applying for jobs gives me heart palpitations, and some of the questions they ask in the application are ridiculous. I applied for one at the National Library as a shelf stacker and I had to write a 600 word declaration on how I would be able to demonstrate the ethos of the institution while doing my work...
Safe to say, I did not complete that application.
But what you want to know... what will this mean for my writing? Well, it means that I have to covet my free time a lot more. Last year, I started getting up at 5am to write, and I finished The Chief in three months. I think that's what I'll have to do. Juggle writing and work and mothering and wifing while keeping the house clean and cooking dinners every night. It's exhausting just writing it all down.
Now, onto more exciting things...
Book Signings:
I have two this year, after I had to pull out of Dark Delights that's in Brisbane in September due to logistical reasons. That leaves me with Books In Sight next month and the big one - RARE.
For RARE, I'm going to have foiled editions of the existing cover for The Warlord and the Reaper and The Chief. They're going to look so pretty all lined up together. I'm also re-doing the interiors (another post showcasing them) to match the beautiful covers.
I'll be taking a break from signings after this year - focusing on producing more books if possible.
Book Releases:
If everything goes according to plan, I'll be releasing The Chief later this year. It's due to the editor in April, then I want to have the paperback and hardbacks ready for RARE. The cover for the hardback is being designed in April as well, so it'll be a busy month.
I'm putting it out into the universe that I'll get The Master written in the first half of this year and have it for RARE, too, but that is a goal that might have to shift with how I'm doing with everything else.
Graphic Novel Rights:
I had my rights to produce graphic novels for my Dirty Deeds Series at the very end of last year. It's a big goal of mine to get a graphic novel produced for Little Bird. Finding the right artist has been hard, though, and I'm very cautious about using someone and discovering they can't produce my vision.
My other thought for this was to fund it with a Kickstarter - another long-term goal I have. I'll see what happens, though. Would a graphic novel of Little Bird be something that would interest you?
I think that's all for now. I hope I get to see you all soon at a signing this year and thank you so much for your continued support 🖤
K