And we’re nearly a full month into it, I know. Only days from February, which means Valentine’s is right around the corner. Where is the time going?
Well, I can tell you where my time is going. I’ve been converting minutes into words. Then more words. Of course, the delete key is getting a workout, too. More than I’d like, actually. BUT, my one and only goal for 2020 is to write. More importantly, to continue to enjoy writing.
Sounds easy, right? Not necessarily so. And I think that’s the problem. Writing can’t be forced. I mean, sure, I can sit down and write the words, but to fall in love with the characters and the story, I have to let myself breathe during the process. I’ve spent years caging myself into these boxes (also called series) and the most bothersome for me is that I get you interested and then … radio silence from the characters. Not fair, is it? Not for you or for me, I promise. I feel it too when I want to sit down and chat with the boys from Sniper 1 Security, or the mob boss from Southern Boy Mafia. What about the Lambert sisters from Dead Heat Ranch?
So, what happens when they aren’t talking to me? Well, that’s easy, I just start writing something else. Does it work? Yes and no, depends on the timing, really. I mean, after all, that process is what spurred the additional series. And the good news, I’ve completed a few. Club Destiny, Pier 70, The Unhinged Trilogy. However, there are some that are just dangling out there. Austin Arrows, anyone?
I know, I know.
Which brings me to the point of this post, I guess.
When I sat down to plan out this year sometime back in September, I knew exactly what I wanted to work on. Key word: wanted. Problem is, what I want and what I get aren’t always the same thing. In fact, they are often the exact opposite. My heart was full, my motivation meter maxed out, and I set out to work on a few of the series that have gone by the wayside. Southern Boy Mafia, Austin Arrows, etc. And here I am, thirty days into the new year and what have I been working on?
Do you really want to know?
Fine. I’ll tell you. I started off with the next Southern Boy Mafia book. Worked and worked and worked on it. Or rather, I pretended to be working on it. A few words here and there. Nope, not happy with it. Convinced myself that tomorrow was a new day, today I would just relax, take a deep breath and get back in touch with the characters. And that was the process for nearly two weeks. Everything hinged on tomorrow. Right up until I started writing a M/M standalone. Can you say distracted? Yep. That’s me.
And because I am getting frequent messages asking about this series or that one, I figured I would give you a little insight into each of them and my current status.
Alluring Indulgence: You know them as the Walker brothers and they have spun off into The Walkers of Coyote Ridge, although, I realize a lot of people don’t know that. The next book in that series is MACK, which comes out in March (you can get the buy links here).
The book that’ll follow that is KADEN & KEEGAN and I’m happy to say, they are on target. As for the status of this series … it is ongoing and I cannot imagine it will ever go away. Of all my series, I connect to the Walkers most of all. I’m not sure what I would do without them. HOWEVER, in the process of this, another series is about to spin off. It, too, will involve the Walkers, so technically it’s not a new series, but rather an extension. But I can’t share the details with you just yet. No, I’m not trying to be secretive, but until it solidifies, I’m keeping it under wraps.
Okay, on to the next.
Austin Arrows: I didn’t initially intend for this to become a series. However, I did leave it hanging for one more book. It is my plan to release Heath’s book toward the end of this year. Provided all goes well.Club Destiny: Done. With the exception that it spun off to the Office Intrigue series. Some might recall meeting Trent Ramsey. Well, he’s behind the BDSM club in this series and you even have a book for him (again, something a lot of people don’t know).Dead Heat Ranch: As you might know, this one overlaps with The Walkers of Coyote Ridge. And while I want to keep the series going, it’s officially stalled right now. I’m not sure I can get it back.
Devil’s Bend: completed with those to books. In truth, I expected Chasing Dreams to be a standalone, yet it ventured into one more book.
Misplaced Halos: This is where my head’s at right now. Angels and vampires.
I love this series and because my goal is to write for pleasure right now, this one is working for me. In fact, book 3 is complete and will be coming out in the next few months. I haven’t decided on a release date yet, but I won’t make you wait too long. And don’t forget, the 2nd book, SALVATION IN DARKNESS, is coming out in a few days (you can find the buy links here)
Naughty Holidays: as of right now, I do not intend to release another of these. These are short stories I wrote based on reader voting. Within you’ll find holiday books about the Walker brothers, the Sniper 1 Security crew, Luke, Cole and Sierra from Club Destiny, and the Pier 70 boys. They are fun to catch up with if you haven’t read them.Office Intrigue: Fair warning, this series is HOT. I mean, no holds barred hot. Which was my intention when I initially started it. Every book provides an HEA for a ménage (MMF, MMM, MFM, MFMM, etc). And yes, for those of you who’ve read Their Fairy Princess and are wondering what’s next … you’ll get Talon this year. His book will reveal what’s going on with Ransom Bishop, so stay tuned for that.Pier 70: this all M/M series is complete and yes, I miss those guys, but they are off living their happily ever after.
Sniper 1 Security, Southern Boy Mafia, & Devil’s Playground: Technically, these could be combined into one series. The books are written sequentially and are meant to read in order. There are currently 7 in total, but I’m not sure where these are going at the moment. As much as I want to continue them, even set out to write them, I get stonewalled by the characters. The good news: they are complete in that the characters you’ve met and gotten to know each have their own book. The secondary characters were to follow, but I didn’t leave any major cliff hangers.
And that’s it.
To sum it up, as of right now, I have every intention of continuing The Walkers of Coyote Ridge, Misplaced Halos, Office Intrigue and forging ahead with some standalone books.
As much as I want to write every book, I’m finding it difficult at the moment. Will that change? Sure, it’s possible. Who knows, I may wake up tomorrow and have a long chat with one of the characters from a previous book. They never fail to surprise me. But until that happens…
Much love,
Nicole