Thus far, the 2023 authorial year has been all about my new relationship with publisher JMS Books LLC. We’ve released two novels, a novella, and a novelette. I’ve also signed a contract for one more novelette, for release in December.
This represents a fairly typical publication-and-release pace for me, but it will be a while till the next submission. MISTLETANGO (my first release with JMS) was written between June 10 and November 6, 2022. DRAMA QUEEN was begun August 18, 2022 and completed March 20, 2023. I started the new one in January and am about 60% through, which for me is on the slow side. However, since January, I also wrote and submitted IN TUNE (novelette) and OUR REVELS NOW (novella) for JMS, the forthcoming novelette, a short story for a benefit anthology (publication target: November), and a second short story for a different anthology (still waiting to hear if that one’s accepted).
Writing for anthologies is new. Writing for any kind of submission call is new.
When I started all this in 2012, I was writing purely for myself, which meant whatever I wanted to write, whenever I wanted to publish it. I didn’t have to meet submission deadlines.
This all adds up to: not much in the pipeline right now! I’ll continue to work on the novel-in-progress. But aside from my JMS titles and the benefit anthology, 2023 will mostly be distinguished as the year I finished the redesign project.
I have one backlist novel remaining to revise and re-release with new cover art. Since a couple of side characters in that one appear in the short story for anthology release in November, I want to get it done fairly soon; target is Labor Day Weekend.
I’m also revising my big, complicated moviemaking novel (in progress), intending to finish and re-release by early August.
Why revise backlist titles at all? Well, I’ve talked about it before, but ultimately the answer is: because I can. They’re my work, they’re self-published, I can do whatever I want with them at any time. I’ve improved as a writer. Bringing the backlist up to the current standard is rewarding (also non-stressful, which is significant).
So fairly soon, I’ll have another announcement. Until then, there’s a sale! All four JMS titles are available through Smashwords, and they’re 25% off through July 31. Click that colored link to get the sale page. Happy reading!