I know the year isn’t fully over yet, but the sparkling glaze of frost coating my neighborhood this morning sure signals we’re almost there. And 2023 has been quite the year. First off, thank you to everyone who bought a book, and an extra thanks if you reached out to tell me how much you loved it. You have no idea the fuel that gives us authors to keep writing!
A year in review
I released TWO books in 2023—Against the Wind and Soulless Mates.
Getting Against the Wind out was a frantic scramble thanks to some things in my control and many that weren’t. The first version of the e-book was NOT up to my standards but Amazon wouldn’t let me move the date more than 29 days forward without cancelling all of my pre-orders, so I made the crappy decision to release it without sending it to a proof reader, even though I knew it needed it. Luckily I have a wonderful new proofer to go to in the future!
Against the Wind was the only book I was expecting to release this year, but I got the inspiration to rework a short story collection when I needed a break from working on my Almost Like Magic series. I initially wrote Soulless Mates in 2020 and loved the idea, but always wanted to write a different ending. So I did! I went from idea to published in about 6 weeks! Pretty much the opposite of Against the Wind. And I love that little cozy, low-stakes, character-focused story.
I hope to put more of those collections out there for you, because I have 10 years of short stories gathering digital dust in a folder, and I’d love to revisit them and make them available again.
Upcoming events!
Beginning Friday, December 1, 2023 and running through Monday, December 4, both Almost Like Magic e-books are part of the Indie Author Winter Wonderland event! I’m really excited to be included with so many amazing indie authors. You can preview the titles here in advance of the sale, and check out the incredible host Haley Anderton on Instagram for all the details.
If you’ve been meaning to check out Bad Company and Against the Wind, this weekend is the only time they’ll be on sale for the holidays! Authors of all genres participating in the event—and many have free books as well!—so this is a great chance to fill up that e-reader for 2024.
Fellow indie author spotlight
I first met JD Cadmon on (the formerly awesome) Twitter when we bonded over bookish puns. We often chat writing and bookish things and I can’t wait to read her upcoming release, A Fire in Her Bones! There’s no pre-order link yet (But look at that gorgeous cover!), so follow JD on Twitter/X, BlueSky, and her own website to keep in the loop for the release date and a link. You can also check out her other titles while you wait. She has a story in the Winter Wonderland event as well: A Feral Spark.
Dark secrets can't hide from the brightest fires.
Miranda has always been alienated from her family. Being born with the ability to control fire will do that. After a childhood accident killed several people and maimed her grandfather, she was ostracized by those who were supposed to love her unconditionally.
Now at nineteen, with fresh confidence in her abilities and a new werewolf boyfriend who revels in her gift, Miranda goes home to Montana for Christmas. Instead of the closure and reconciliation she craves, she discovers a hole in her memory of that old accident and a connection to a murder 40 years before she was born.
Figuring it all out may put her estranged family at risk. To save them, Miranda will have to use all her talents to ensure everyone gets out alive.
Bookish news
I started a new story for NaNoWriMo on Nov 1, but kinda fizzled out about two weeks in. I’m not sure if it was the story idea not holding weight, or because I simply had a lot going on and didn’t have the energy to work on a new world. Don’t worry, I won’t delete it! Might even come back to it some day.
In the meantime, I’ve got a renewed spark for Almost Like Magic book 3 so I’m going to focus my creative energy there instead, with the intent of publishing it in 2024.
Wishing you all a peaceful, joyous holiday season.
Happy reading (don’t forget to load up on all kinds of deals this weekend, and then leave reviews, literally the second best gift you can give to an author…after reading their books, of course!)
Jill 📚 🎄
I fizzled out on keeping up with NaNo too this year, but I blame work. The story is solid and I’m not stuck on it, I just haven’t had enough brain to write! I hope you ignite on your next writing project soon 😤