January Wrap-Up & February Goals

Hi, friends, and belated Happy New Year! I’m excited to be back today with more than book recommendations. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Return to Limani with a FREE Novella!

I was honored to be part of the Neurodivergence in Queer Romance event, and immediately knew I’d be using the opportunity to finally revisit Toria and Liam’s relationship!

Read storm and quill

Storm and Quill is a fade-to-black M/F paranormal romance about what happens after the big adventure, featuring age gaps, second chances, a magic-wielding aromantic mess who no longer understands how time works, and the elven pansexual scholar who took the long way around. It is set in the same world as the author’s Steel Bonds and Steel Empires series but can be read as a standalone novella with a happily ever after and no cliffhanger.

about storm and quill

Unexpected journeys

Toria Connor, warrior-mage and professional mercenary, tripped over an artifact in the ruins of Nacostina and found herself thrust a century in the past, before the city is destroyed during the Last War. Adrift in a time where she must hide everything important to her, from her mercenary career to her true magical ability. She survived with the help and friendship of the man who found her. Then, she discovered a way home.

Unknown futures

Liam once spent six months with a woman who challenged everything he thought he knew. No matter how close together they drew, Toria could never remain by his side. Then, she vanished, leaving him nothing but memories and instructions for how to survive a war.

An unlikely connection

On her return to Limani, once more in the correct place and time, Toria is shocked to discover Liam waiting for her. The bond they forged has withstood the test of time, but whether three days or a century apart, neither of them are the same person they remember. And some things are too dangerous for the human brain, even if time is no longer their greatest obstacle to building a life together.

Return to Valdemar

I’ve also returned to Valdemar for the second year in a row! Don’t miss the next adventure of Herald-Trainees Cam and Duri in “A Haunting in Haven” featured in Smoke and Mirrors.

Read smoke and mirrors

Find me at Pride in Prose!

Pride in Prose (February 6-8, 2026) is a virtual retreat for LGBTQ+ romance authors and professionals created to celebrate and support our vibrant, diverse community. Whether you’re a new or aspiring writer, an established author with multiple titles, or a professional working within the genre, Pride in Prose offers tailored workshops, expert panels, and networking sessions that speak directly to your experience in the genre.

Saturday, February 7, 10:00 AM EST: “Not Your Middle School Sex Ed Class: Current Sexual Health Care State of the Science” Can my characters ditch the condoms? How long do HIV test results take? What is doxy-PEP, anyway? Join author J.L. Gribble as she dons her other hat as a professional medical editor to cover the current best practices for the prevention, testing, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. She’ll highlight aspects of sexual health care relevant to characters engaging in physical intimacy, especially within LGBTQIA+ relationships, with a focus on the details needed to craft realistic contemporary romance.

Updates & Upcoming

In Progress

Blood and Ink (Steel Bonds #2): Discovering halfway through 2025 that I’d burned myself out in 2024 meant I had to take a brief hiatus from this project (you may have noticed the cancelled preorder). I’m excited to return to work on this book in the next few weeks! Current status: 14k/90k words
Secret short story project #1: I have 3 days to come up with a proposal! Current status: Pray for me.
Secret short story project #2: I’m planning a sneaky epilogue to Fur and Honor for a charity anthology coming summer 2026! Current status: In outline.

Author in the Wild

Balticon (May 22-25, 2026; Baltimore, MD)
PrideLit Con (June 13-14, 2026; Richmond, VA)
RomantiConn (July 24-25, 2026; Trumbull, CT)
Rainbow Readers Cruise (August 10-14, 2026; Celebrity Reflection)

-> More info and other scheduled events
-> Preorder forms for all events

Free Fiction & Monthly Meezer

(Click the banners for curated collections of ebooks that are free or available via Kindle Unlimited)

Where I would also like to be, since it has been below freezing here for at least a week.