August Wrap-Up & September Goals

Since I finally wrote “the end” on Earth & Water on August 1, the rest of the month was focused on the boring admin side of officially launching myself in the self-publishing world. Most of it isn’t very fancy, beyond being able to say I am officially a Maryland small business owner, but I am incredibly pleased with my gorgeous new logo by Steph Westerik Illustration! She did a fantastic job and was lovely to work with.

There’s also been a lot of discourse this summer about the use of AI in writing and editing (and visual arts). I firmly believe that these AI tools do have a place in tech as assistive aids, but absolutely not as part of the creative process. As a writer, editor, and reviewer, I promise that all of my work is my original voice and effort and that I will never use generative AI in any portion of my publications.

Learn more of what The Authenticity Initiative is about and what it stands for.

Updates & Upcoming

Steel Legacy (Steel Empires #7): With the editor — publication date TBD
Earth & Water (Steel Bonds #1): I’ve received some amazing feedback from a few beta readers, and once I get notes from my editor and sensitivity reader, I’m excited to jump into revisions. I’ve also started the process of commissioning cover art. Unfortunately, working with my first choice means pushing publication back to January 2024. I know you’ll agree that the final result is worth it! (To make up for the delay, I’ve got some free fiction plans in the works for this fall.)
Blood & Ink (Steel Bonds #2): Between the delay for Earth & Water and the still undetermined release date for Steel Legacy, the rest of this series has to temporarily hit the backburner. Which means…
[untitled contemporary military romance]: This fall’s writing plans will be something completely new for me! As a military spouse, I have opinions (both positive and negative) about the military romance subgenre, and I’m excited to try my hand at it. Don’t worry, this is me, so it’s still going to be something unexpected.
Events: No official writing appearances are on the schedule for September, though I am traveling to North Carolina for a wedding later in the month.