To-Do List

To-Do List

I haven’t written anything substantial in…oh…probably a year.  Probably since I turned Wolf in way back in August of ’11.  I’ve done revisions, I’ve done edits, I’ve dribbled and drabbled here and there, but I haven’t sat down to actually write anything new.  Mostly because I have been so torn up over whether the series would be continued, and then knowing that it wouldn’t, and… Bleh.  Mental anguish takes a toll on the creative process.

However.  It is now time for me to get off my ass.  So, with that as my goal, here is the list of things I would like to accomplish, in no particular order or priority.

Finish A Night of Fire and Ash:  This book is actually about 3 chapters from being complete.  It was actually my Nano project clear back in ’09 (dear gods, really that far back?) and if The Editor is considering publishing it, she’s gonna want an ending.  They like endings.  But even if I just take what I have now and tack the last three chapters on the end, it’s going to end up way shorter on word count than I’m happy with.  So in addition to finishing it, it needs a complete revision.  Recently, I did a revision on the first three chapters, and I’m really happy with that.  I just need to continue from that point, and then jump into the last three chapters when I get there.  Estimated completion date:  Ideally, I’d like this done by the end of the year, so that I can jump into Book 4 of JJD at that point.

Write Book 4 of JJD:  I currently have about 7K words written on this.  If I start my concerted efforts on January 1, I would need to write approximately 24K words a month to finish it by my self-assigned deadline of April 1^st and a word count of 80K.  That’s 6K words a week, or 857 words a day on a 7-day writing week.  (for a 5-day writing week, ‘cause I like weekends just like anybody, it works out to 1,200 words a day)  Barring any unexpected divergences (ie: stopping to do revisions on a sold book), this should be an easily accomplished task.  Estimated completion date:  April 1^st.

Speak at the RT Convention:  Toward the beginning of May, the RT convention will be here in KC, and I’m slotted to speak on a panel.  I will also be signing books at the huge book signing thingy that they do, and I’m really, really looking forward to it.  It’ll be my first con!  Feel free to locate me and ask my opinion on local barbecue.  Since I imagine that JJD 4 will still be with beta readers at this point, it’ll be a good chance for me to stop, catch my breath, and make more concrete plans for the rest of the year.

Choose a brand new project:  Like I said, I haven’t written anything in over a year.  Nothing I would consider “new”.  So one thing I’d like to do this coming year is to get started on creating something new.  My main potentials are probably a sequel to NoFA, or a sequel to Peacemaker, or maybe, just MAYBE, I might actually go back to The Pugilist and the Alchemist.  A good friend has been helping me hash out the details of that one over the last year, and I finally feel like I’m in a place where I could actually write it.  Estimated completion date:  No idea.  Mostly, I want to do this to at least get me started on creating again.  Whether I complete it this year is up for grabs, especially since at some point, JJD 5 will have to become a priority (and taking into consideration that I may have other books under contract by then)

Get JJD 4 published:   Still not sure what I’m going to do here, precisely.  The way things are going, I’m leaning more toward putting an ebook out first, and then trying to get a paperback in the works a little later.  A lot of it’s going to depend on money, and whether or not I’m brave enough to try the whole Kickstarter thing.  Estimated completion date:  Um…not sure.  But, theoretically, if I can get the type of editing I want on it, and get a good cover created, let’s shoot for the end of 2013.  Don’t hold me to that, folks, I’m just kinda throwing out wishes here.

When you look at it all laid out like that, 2013 looks like a pretty damn busy year.  You have to keep in mind that I’ll be doing all this at the same time that I work a 40-hour week, with an hour of commute time, and then cook/clean/do all the things required to raise a pre-teen daughter.  Oh, and I gotta fit sleep in somewhere.

I can do it.  I’ve done it before.  I just gotta get off my ass.

The Measure of Success

First off, let me say how much I truly appreciate the messages of support I’ve received in the last few days.    I truly feel better now than I have in the months since I found out the news.    It’s good to know that there are people who care enough about Jesse to keep following him.

I also find it very interesting how many people have said “That’s okay, I don’t buy print books anyway!”  It ties directly into something I’ve been pondering for a while, and that’s the idea that (for a writer) the measure of success has changed in recent years.  I mean, real recent.  Like, over the last three.

We can all agree that hitting the NYT Bestseller list is a sign of success.  But for most authors, their successes are measured in much smaller increments.  Just getting an agent, for example, or that first book deal.  There’s validation in that, and confirmation that yes, you really don’t suck.

From the time I was a child, the idea of a successful author for me was someone whose books were in bookstores and libraries.  I saw them every time I went into a store, and I always mentally marked the place on the shelf where my name would go. (Had to move down a bit, once I got married and my name changed.)  Those were the people who were REAL authors.  They weren’t like Great Aunt Matilda who paid that company a ton of money to print her rambling diatribe against garden gnomes and their hedonistic ways.

Even as a child, I knew that real authors had publishers and editors, and losers self-published.  And those people who only had writing available on the internet?  Hobbyists at best.  They didn’t have physical books, they were just playing around.

But fast-forward thirty*coughcough* years, and here we are.

Ebooks are becoming more popular every single year.  I can measure the spread of them just by looking at my sales figures.  And self-published books are hitting the NYT Bestseller list.  It’s no longer absolutely necessary (provided that you have the time, skill, and funds) for all literary works to go through major publishers.

What does it all MEAN???

Well, there are smarter people than I who have been batting this one around for years.  What does the advent of ebooks mean for big publishers?  What does the rise in quality self-published works mean for the industry in general?  I think every possible outcome has been kicked around and talked to death, and the fact is, no one knows the answer yet.  We’re all kinda stuck in this big whirlwind of change, and it remains to be seen what part of Oz it’s going to spit us out in. 

I do think, however, that authors will need to reevaluate what they consider “successful.”  Does having a physical book on the shelf mean as much, when many bookstores no longer care a large assortment of stock?  Will print run sizes be important, when ebooks are taking up the bulk of your sales? 

I know that it’s been hard for me to wrap my mind around it.  I’m old-school, apparently.  The thought of “ebook first, print maybe” seemed like a step backwards at first, and I had to sit myself down and point out some facts to myself.

Self, I says to myself, you’re looking at this the wrong way.  The entire industry is now rushing to catch up to a demand that technology created, and you may actually be in on the first wave of something new and totally awesome!

Do I think big publishers will ever go by the wayside altogether?  Of course not.  Personally, I LIKE having a publisher. I like having an amazing editor, and someone to take care of the cover design, and all that tricksy formatting and such.  Every moment they do that is a moment I can be doing something else, like writing, or talking about writing, or thinking about writing.  Or playing video games.  I admit it, I do that sometimes too.  I know diddly about cover art design (it’s more than just taking a pretty picture, folks) or ebook formatting, or…well, I know diddly about a lot of stuff.  That’s why you guys might very well be getting a crayon stick-figure for a cover on the next JJD book.  (I wouldn’t really do that. I think.)

But I think that physical books on shelves and monster print runs will no longer be the measure of how successful an author is.  Instead, we might get to measure it by how many readers truly loved the books, and I think it should probably have been that way all along. 

In which case, I’m pretty damn successful, because there are a TON of you who love Jesse.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

So.

Been needing to write up this blog post for some time, and kept putting it off.  Partly because I didn’t want it to overshadow Wolf’s release, and mostly because… Well, once you write it, it’s true.  I think Doctor Who said something like that.  Reading it makes it a fixed point in time.

A lot of you have been asking about the future of the JJD series (mostly involving statements like “You can’t leave him like that!!!”)  Even my own grandmother called me up the other night to tell me that exact thing.  Some of you, I’ve even lied to your face when you asked, because it wasn’t a discussion I was able to have at that moment.  (I’m truly sorry about that)  I’ve known about this for several months, you see.

Well, the sad news is, Roc has decided that my sales aren’t good enough to continue publishing the series.  They’re not even good enough to consider a digital-only option.  So, the JJD series with Roc is ended.

I’m disappointed, naturally, but I also feel like I’ve let a lot of people down.  There are a ton of fans who have become so invested in Jesse and Axel and the rest of the weirdos that I love so much.  Part of me knows that sales are what sales are, and there’s a limited amount I can do about it.  The other part keeps wondering what I could have done better, sooner, to get the word out, to get more people to buy.

Every day, it seems, I hear from someone who had never heard of Jesse before, and I keep thinking, dang, if you’d have heard of it two years ago when the first one came out, maybe I wouldn’t be in this position.  Maybe…what if… mighta could.  Y’know how it is.

But.

Two other pieces of news for you on the subject. 

First, I have NO intention of leaving Jesse in this state.  I need three more books to finish up the series the way I want to.  I’ve already started writing book 4.  My intention is to look into self-publishing the last three, possibly funded with a Kickstarter project early next year.  I’m still researching all the details and such.  There would be quite a bit involved with publishing this book the way I want to see it published, and the way I think you all deserve to see it published.

So, since I have no official deadline, and no one to answer to, you guys are now my conscience.  My goal is to have Book 4 written (and titled) by April 1st (barring any unforeseen circumstances which I shall discuss below).  After that, I’ll need to really start putting things in motion regarding a Kickstarter project, rewards for contributors, that sort of thing.  (cover design, editing, ISBN numbers, the list goes on and on.) I’ve learned a lot in the last few months regarding all that goes into self-publishing things the right way, and it’s way harder than I ever realized.  Makes me appreciate all that my actual publisher does even more.

And speaking of, the next bit of news:

My editor at Roc still wants to work with me (and I still want to work with her, ‘cause she’s awesome and I love her).  So at the moment, she has both Peacemaker and a few chapters of A Night of Fire and Ash sitting on her desk.  We’re still in the discussion stage, not in the “official offer” stage, but I’m 90% sure you’ll be seeing a new series from me in the future.  Most likely, expect to see an ebook first, then if sales warrant, a print book later on.  The more I talk to other authors in my genre, the more this seems to be the norm.

(And frankly, seeing how my ebook sales have gone since the release of Wolf, I’m starting to understand why.  Ebooks are really becoming a thing!)  ((Yes, I know this makes me sound old.  Get off my lawn.))

Right now, I’m back at the “hurry up and wait” phase of the publishing game.  Authors spend way more time here than you folk know, even after they have an agent, and a contract under their belt.

Bits and Pieces

Today, you can find me babbling like a looney over at the Once and Future Podcast! 

Seriously, I had a great time chatting with Anton, and I hope you enjoy it too.

Also, since I'm now on their "authors attending list" I guess I can announce that I will be sitting on a panel at the RT Booklovers Convention 2013.  It'll be my very first con!  I'm simultaneously excited and terrified!

Unleash the Kraken!

Yeah! You heard me!

Today is release day for A WOLF AT THE DOOR, so if you don't have it in your hot little hands...why not??

If for some reason you CAN'T get your hands on it today (the horror!), you can tricky track right over to Tynga's Reviews to read an exclusive JJD short story, and enter to win one of two copies of Wolf!  The giveaway is open internationally, so you non-U.S. fans, make sure you get your name in!

Also, want to remind everyone that this Saturday, I will be having a signing at the Books-a-Million at Legends (1843 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, KS).  I'll be there from noon to three, I'll sign pretty much anything you want (I have no shame) and after that, we may retire over to Dave & Busters for some refreshments.  I'm not buying, but I would love to hang out.  Hope to see some of you there!

New Winner

One of my winners never responded, so I picked a new one.

Booklover31, email me your address!  I will send you book!

And the winners are....!

I want to thank everybody who entered my contest!  It makes me smile to see how many people are as excited about Jesse's adventures as I am.

So, without further ado...

The Facebook winner is....  Maer W!

The Twitter winner is...  Donna Simmonds (@DonnaS1)!

The League of Reluctant Adults winner is...  Amanda!

And the winner for this blog is...  Michaela Grube!

All winners, please email me at kari(dot)stewart21(at)gmail(dot)com.  Put "Contest Winner" in the subject line.  Give me a name and address where I can mail your book, and let me know how you'd like it signed.

If you want me to mail your book this Saturday, I have to have your responses by Friday night.  Don't be late!

Giveaway Time!

Eighteen days, can you believe it???  Eighteen days until the release of A WOLF AT THE DOOR.

So what’s a person to do, when they have to wait 18 whole days?  Try to win a copy in a giveaway, of course!

So that’s what I’m doing.  I will be giving away not one, not two, but FOUR copies of A WOLF AT THE DOOR.  Here is how it works.

You can leave a comment on this post.  That’s one entry.

You can leave a comment at The League of Reluctant Adults.  That’s another entry.

You can leave a comment on my JJD Facebook page.  Yet another entry!

And you can leave me a comment on Twitter with the hashtag #sellyoursoulcontest

That’s FOUR entries for very little effort, but you have to leave the comments before midnight, Central time, on Tuesday July 24^th.   I will be giving away one book from each site, to be announced next Wednesday, July 25^th.  The idea being that if the winners get back to me quick, I can mail all the books on Saturday and you should have them well before the book becomes available to the general public.

**Disclaimer – You cannot win more than one book.  That’s just not fair.

**Disclaimer the second – I will accept international entries, but I can’t promise that the winners will get their books as early as the U.S. folk will.  Just works that way and it’s out of my hands.

Book Fort the Third!

Booook fooooort!

Yup, finally here, the loverly box of books! (not to be confused with a loverly bunch of coconuts)

A couple of notes on upcoming stuffs:

On August 7th (release day!), you will find a JJD short story over at Tynga's Reviews.  It's part of the Paranormal Summer Camp event, and it wouldn't hurt to go check out the site ALL month, 'cause there's some awesome stuff going on!

On August 9th, there will be an interview up at The Qwillery.

And maybe...just MAYBE....this coming week (July 16th-20th) I might be compelled to give away a copy of Wolf before you can get your hot little hands on it anywhere else.  Stay tuned!

Note for Reviewers:  Wolf is available on Netgalley, but I believe you do have to request it.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at kari(dot)stewart21(at)gmail(dot)com, and I will forward your requests to my publicist at Roc.

The Future is Now!

Everybody’s always doing these “The Future of Publishing!” blog posts and articles, usually focusing on the end product:   e-books vs. print books, Big 6 Publishing vs. self-publishing, things like that.  Pretty much everything that could be said has been, and by better people than me.

So, that’s not what I’m gonna talk about!  What I want to talk about today is how publishing has changed in just the two years I’ve been a part of it, from the author’s perspective.  They’re small changes to be sure, mostly focusing around the editing process, but I still find it interesting how quickly things have moved.

When I was waiting for my copy edits on A Devil in the Details back in 2009/2010, I was all prepared to buy stock in red pencils and scribble all over huge reams of paper, brush up on my editing marks, all that stuff that other authors said I’d need to do.  Imagine my surprise when the copy edits came to me in a Word file instead, with track changes turned on.  The Editor told me they were trying to go paperless, so they were going to try and do it this way.

Hey, whatever you say!  And after I did it that way once, I was sold. I love doing my edits with track changes now.  In fact, when I beta for other people, I ask them if I can make my notes on their manuscript that way, ‘cause it’s easier for me to jot things down as I go, than to try and remember everything I wanted to say at the end.

When it came time to do my page proofs on Devil, I got a packet in the mail, all pages laid out nice and neat like in a real book.  I went through those, carefully reading every page and marking up the ones that needed changes with a nice pen.  My greatest fear through this whole process was that I would drop the stack of papers, and spend hours sorting them out again.  Didn’t happen, and I got them returned without incident.  Shortly thereafter, I got another package in the mail, holding ARCs of my brand new book!  (ARCs are Advance Reader Copies, also called galleys)  Yay!  It’s a book!

The next year, 2010-11, I got my copy edits on A Shot in the Dark in my email as expected, whipped those puppies into shape, emailed them back.  But when it came time for page proofs, instead of getting a packet in the mail, I got another email with a PDF file.  “Here, just print off the pages you want changed, and scan/email them back.”  Um… ok, sure!  Saving paper!  Go environment.  It was a new process, but I’m cool, I can roll with the times like that.

Still got my ARCs on Shot, nice little paper book in my hands.

And then we roll around to this year, 2011-12, working on A Wolf at the Door.  Emailed copy edits.  Emailed page proofs.  And last night, I found out that we’re doing e-ARCs!  Yup, no more print ARCs for this girl, they’ll be making review e-books available for professional reviewers through NetGalley**.

Okay, I fully admit that a teeny part of me is disappointed.  I liked having that ARC in my hands, and it would have rounded out the set to have all three books in some physical form.  But on the other hand, think about how much money they’re saving by not printing out what is essentially a “rough draft”.  That’s money that can go to publishing a new author (or keeping an old one).  Also (and keep in mind I’m not a reviewer, I don’t have a lot of access to the awesomeness that is NetGalley), I think that having an online database of ARC/galleys has the potential to reach so many more audiences that having a limited number of printed books.

I find it fascinating how processes have changed, just in two years.  I’ve seen a lot of people talking about how publishing is an antiquated system, and needs to catch up to the times, but I think they already are.  As we go more and more into a digital/technological world, there are so many cost-effective alternatives available.  You would think that printing off/mailing an entire manuscript wouldn’t be so bad.  Figure…maybe $30, and that’s if I had to do it myself, without any kind of corporate discount.  However, if you multiply that by ALL the manuscripts a publishing house is working on at any given time, it comes up to a pretty chunk of change real fast!  And that’s not even counting printing out the ARCs to send to reviewers, most of which will probably be destroyed at some point later (or sold on e-bay, despite the fact that they’re not to be sold at all).

I think I’m lucky to be part of publishing in this particular era, when every day it seems like something new and amazing pops up.  I’m anxious to see what the next two years bring, excited to see where we go from here.

**Note to Reviewers:  I poked around on NetGalley last night for the first time (just what the public can see, of course) and first off, you guys are so freakin’ lucky!!  I’d lose my mind trying to decide what to read first.  Second, I didn’t see Wolf up there yet, but it’s coming, so if you want to review it, make sure you keep checking so you can request it when it’s available.

Tools of the Trade

(Cross posted at The League of Reluctant Adults)

When I’m stuck for blog topics, I often poll my friends to see what things they’d like to hear me babble about. Most often, one (or more) of them says “Hey, tell us more about the swords and stuff that you talk about in your books.” And I’ve been hesitant to do that, mostly because I don’t consider my knowledge on the subject that extensive. I know just as much as I need to know to make sure that I don’t look like an idiot in my writing. If I started claiming to be some expert, I'd be a big fat liar.

However, that said… My hubby and I own a LOT of swords. A LOT. And most (99.99%) of them were made by the crew at a place called Badger Blades. I love these guys/gals, not just because they make awesome weaponry, but because they’re awesome people. We’ve known them a long time, long enough that they’ve seen my kiddo grow from infancy (where they spoiled her rotten) to almost-tween (gods help me) and they still spoil her rotten. Long enough that my hubby has a place of honor on their website, because of all the wicked blades he owns.

I’ve learned a lot about swords from Badger and his crew, from how they’re made to how they function. In A Devil in the Details, I mention that Jesse’s katana can almost be bent double and still spring back straight. After that book came out, I had a fan letter questioning whether or not that was actually possible. And I swear to you it is. I’ve seen it. I’ve been hit with shards of flying anvil when one of Badger’s swords has taken out chunks and left not one blemish on the blade. I’ve also seen one punch all the way through a chest freezer without a bit of harm (don’t ask). They’re beautiful, and functional.

Now, when it comes to katanas, we all know that the old Japanese sword masters did amazing things with metal. They folded it an insane amount of times, slowly working impurities in the metal into miniscule amounts in order to keep the blade from having weak points where it might shatter. Those swords are indeed works of art, and the world will probably never see their like again. However, that doesn’t mean that today’s modern weaponry is anything to sneeze at. It basically boils down to the quality of the metal. Old swords were folded because the steel had so much gunk in it. Then new smelting technologies were introduced, and today’s steel is much higher quality than what those ancient masters had access to. So while today’s swords may not require the intricate effort that the old ones did, that doesn’t mean that they’re inferior quality.*

*Note – There ARE inferior swords out there. Cheaply made, easily broken. They’re meant to be hung on a wall and be pretty, not to be used.

**Note the second – Yes, I know that the middle blade in this picture isn’t technically a katana. It’s a nodachi. I just wanted it in with the smaller blades for size comparison.

Frankly, everything I know about modern swords, I learned from Badger and his crew. You can find out more on how they make these gorgeous blades on their FAQ page. Are there folks who do it differently? Sure. But having had my hands on just about every blade they've made in the last...oh...ten years, I know the quality of their craftsmanship, and I trust their work.

If you’d like to see pictures of more swords, you should really swing by the Badger Blades website. Their photos are much better than mine, and they've got some swords there that I don't have examples of at home. (Don't tell my hubby there's a sword he doesn't have yet)

And if you really are a sword lover, check out Badger Blades' show schedule to see if they’re hitting an event near you!

Signing Announcements!

As I've been teasing on various social media outlets, I have a few signings set up for this fall and the release of A WOLF AT THE DOOR. Well, ok, I have two set up (so far). But it's more than one, so we'll call it a few.

The two signings are local (to me) but I'm still exploring the idea of...well...exploring. Sadly, the whole mom-&-real-job schtick doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room, but I'm checking into a few things.

So here we are! (And yes, I know this is WAY advance notice, and yes, I will be reminding everyone as the time draws near. Probably to an annoying degree)

August 11th, 2012
Saturday, 12 noon - 3 p.m.
Books-a-Million
The Legends at Village West
1843 Village West Parkway
Kansas City, KS 66111

This one will be doubling as my release party, so once the signing is done, we're probably going to migrate to the Dave & Buster's across the courtyard to have some drinks and munch on stuff, and play video games like kids. No, I'm not buying for everyone, but I would never object to folks hanging out and stuff.

September 8th, 2012
Saturday, 12 noon - ??
Hastings Books
605 N. Belt Highway
St. Joseph, MO 64506

Yes folks, I'm coming home! St. Joseph is my hometown, and I'm hoping to see a lot of folks here who won't make the hour drive down to KC.

I still have to check with both venues on their policy about bringing in books you didn't purchase there, and once I know, I'll update things for y'all. I've been to a few signings (not mine) where it became an issue, and I don't want anyone blindsided.

And that's my big news for the week. I also got page proofs done on Wolf, and turned in, so that pretty baby is officially out of my hands. I'm hoping to see some ARCs in my mail soon, and provided that I have enough, I'll be trying to do a giveaway like I have in the past.

I'll keep you posted!

Deep Thoughts Being Thunk

Despite my promise to post more often, I fail miserably once again. A lot of it has to do with real life stuff that everyone goes through... Money, job, kid won't clean her room, I won't clean my room... Y'know, normal stuff.

It's no secret to anyone who follows me on Twitter that I have a Real Job(tm) and that my fondest dream is to not have a Real Job(tm). Financially, it's just not viable at the moment, but I find myself thinking about it more and more in recent months. I originally thought that if I had a different Real Job(tm) I wouldn't be as unhappy, but you know what? All I want to do is write. And one Real Job(tm) is much like another, when it's not what I WANT to be doing. So I ponder.

I sit and think, what exactly would we have to have for me to just walk away from a set pay check every two weeks, from paid vacations, from insurance/dental/eye care? All of that we get through my Real Job(tm). What is the magic dollar figure that would result in my freedom?

But the more I think about it, the more I realize that quitting work to write full time will probably be much like having a child. If you wait for the perfect moment to arrive, you'll never do it.

Am I going to be quitting my Real Job(tm) any time soon? No. But I've made the decision in recent weeks to slowly but surely start herding events in that direction. A lot of it will depend on some personal stuff going on (which I won't hold my breath for) and a lot of it will depend on what book deals I have in the near future (which I WILL hold my breath for. Till I turn blue and pass out. Really. It's embarrassing.)

Somehow, I feel that 2012 will be a turning point for me and my family. I'm just not quite sure how and why yet. I guess we'll see.

Cover Art - A WOLF AT THE DOOR

Edited to add the back cover copy for y'all:


STAR STRUCK

Jesse James Dawson was once an ordinary man until he discovered that demons were real, and fighting them meant putting his own soul on the line. His new case is a beauty: Gretchen Keene, a Hollywood starlet who’s become an unwitting catalyst in an all-out demon war. It’s not her soul Jesse needs to protect, but the two-hundred-and-seventy-six others she’s carting around—all the souls sold to spend just one night with the blonde bombshell. That’s a lot of baggage, although it might explain her meteoric rise to fame. And it’s all up for grabs by the demon world.

All Jesse has to do is keep her safe until New Years. Sounds easy. But darkness is casting a nasty shadow in the California sun—a new unseen enemy is closing in and leaving Jesse to wonder, how do you fight something you can’t see coming?

Hello? Is this thing on?

She’s alive! Aliiiiiiiive!

Ok, I’m pretty sure I’ve used that joke before.

But no, really, I am alive. Haven’t updated this blog in forever, which is my bad. But been working through some mental stuff, and it’s kinda stifled my writing drive, even up to and including blogging. I even forgot my day over at the League a couple of times, ‘cause the mojo just wasn’t working. More on that further down. (I still refuse to learn the difference between further and farther, much to The Editor’s frustration)

I’ve been telling myself, “I’ll blog when I have news to report”. Only, there hasn’t been any news to report. And it finally occurred to me (this morning, actually) that this blog was never about only reporting news when I had some to report. From the beginning, it was supposed to be about my process, and about the trials and tribulations of just being a writer. So I guess part of being a writer is that sometimes, there’s nothing to write about.

You all know that A WOLF AT THE DOOR is coming out on August 7th. I should have copy edits to do on that one within a couple of weeks, and hopefully a cover reveal in that time frame too. I’ve seen the rough draft of the cover, and there are no words for how in love with it I am. Theoretically, after that, we’ll have the usual spiffiness of ARCs to give away, signings to schedule (Got one scheduled here locally, so anyone in my neck of the woods, I expect to see you! More details to come later), guest blogs & interviews to write. (Hopefully. Haven’t been asked yet)

Speaking of, if anyone wants me to do a spot on their blog or what-have-you around the time of my release date, go ahead and get in touch with me now. I feel better having those kinds of things done early, so I don’t risk leaving anyone hanging.

And speaking of getting in touch with me, it’s been pointed out that not everyone in the world knows how to find me on the interwebz. So here’s a few ways for you to reach out and touch me. (Note: Actually reaching out to physically touch me will probably result in serious bodily harm to your person. I hit my husband with a car twice, and I LIKE him.)

Email address: kari(dot)stewart21(at)gmail(dot)com
Facebook: JJD Series
Personal Gibberish
Twitter: tasmin21

A few notes about email: I love getting fan mail. I do not love getting crazy mail. One will get a nice reply, the other will get you blocked and/or reported to the FBI, depending on the depth of the crazy.

A few notes about Twitter: I don’t auto-follow folk, but I really like to reply to @ messages, so go ahead and chat me up! If I’m at work, it may take me a while to respond, but I’ll get to you when I get home (and back into the realm of viable cell signals)

And finally…the topic you’ve all been waiting for… No news is still no news. We haven’t had the talk yet about the future of the JJD series. The limbo I feel myself in has resulted in a rather crippling form of indecision. Part of me says “Go ahead and start on book 4, so you have it partly done already!” Part of me says “Start on something new, just in case!” And as a result, I waffle back and forth and can’t seem to write anything at all.

Luckily, my lovely agent has ridden to my rescue in recent days. She asked to read the first two chapters of several different projects I have in the wings. Two of those were Nano projects that I’ve talked about before (A Night of Fire and Ash and Peacemaker). One is a project I’ve been kicking around for years called Tactile. The Agent says she really likes all three, but asked me to go ahead and finish/polish Peacemaker so she can read it in its entirety. That’s what I’m working on right now, and honestly, it’s a relief to be writing SOMEthing, even if it’s just in an editing capacity. I truly am a happier person when I’m putting words on paper, for some bizarre reason.

And that's where things stand right now. I hope to have the new, shinier version of Peacemaker back to The Agent within a couple of weeks, allowing time in the middle for copy edits on Wolf. And after that, I may go ahead and finish/polish A Night of Fire and Ash, too. Just because I can, and there's no reason that I shouldn't be writing SOMEthing.