As this posts, 2022 is only a few hours away...and I think I'm still processing 2020, let alone 2021. When 2021 began, I never thought as another new year started that we would still be in the middle of a pandemic, and I'm sure I'm sure I'm not the only one. Time has been funny this last almost two years. I've been thinking back about this whole year, and time seems to have gone both very fast and very slow. The beginning of last year seems like so long ago—I keep getting surprised that certain things actually happened in early 2021.

I almost didn't do a yearly recap because I felt like I didn't have a lot to list as accomplishments. With regard to writing, I'm still working on the book I was writing this time last year, which is the book I began in early 2020. I don't remember the last time it took me so long to write a book, certainly before I was published! I'm still working on it, though, I promise—for anyone who is still interested after so long! There's romance and happily ever after, of course, and magic and dragon shifters. I'd planned for it to be out a year ago (and I have a gorgeous cover by Natasha Snow waiting), but I'm hoping you'll have it soon and I'll move on to the next Tournai book. I hesitate to make too many writing plans for next year in case 2022 decides to mess them all up, but I have tentative plans and hopes for what I'll be working on next.

This year, like last year, has been tough for all of us. I think what I've had to work on most was being kinder to myself. About what I did and didn't accomplish. How productive I was or wasn't. About my mood in general. I think we all need to make sure to be kinder to ourselves. What else happened this year? I did some decorating in the home I moved into in late 2020—lots of wallpaper and making the living room the perfect cozy space I wanted. I did a lot of baking (this is not new) and cooking (this is not new either). I planted herbs out on the patio for the first time, and ended up with some flourishing sage and basil plants. I went on a lot of walks. I took up embroidery as a new hobby. I got my covid vaccines and booster. And I got to spend my 40th birthday with my best friend/soul sister, who made it so special.

Reading has still been tough for me—so, so frustrating for someone who has always escaped into stories for comfort. A lot of what I read this year was rereads, books that have been comfort reads for me for a long time, and a lot of those rereads were done in audio while walking or cooking or wallpapering. My TBR has grown so much because there are a ton of new books I want to read, and my brain just hasn't wanted to settle into all of them (I'll get to them...). But I read a few new books I especially enjoyed this year, many new installments or final books in series I love.

Subtle Blood by KJ Charles: The final book in the Will Darling Adventures and just so good. But I'm ridiculously sad this is over.
The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles: A delightful standalone historical romance.
The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian: The first book in a new series. Very much looking forward to the next.
Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell: I listened to the audiobook of this sci-fi romance and loved it and the characters.
Peregrine by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly: I've been waiting for Perry and Sebastian's story for much of the Forbidden Desires series!
A Veiled & Hallowed Eve by Hailey Turner: An excellent conclusion to a series that got better with each book.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet: A recommendation from a friend and so thought-provoking.
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang: An absolutely charming graphic novel with a lovely story and beautiful art.
Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper: This fall, I was all about reading witch books and this f/f romance was my favorite of them.

I hope 2022 treats you kindly and brings you wonderful things and good books to read and much happiness. Love to you all. Happy New Year!

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​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

I have more from The Merchant's Love for you today. I haven't written a holiday book yet, but The Merchant's Love begins in autumn and runs through the winter holidays in Tournai. I often call this book—the story of a bookish royal and the merchant who is besotted with him falling in love over books and baked goods—a warm hug in book form, so I thought I'd share some snippets from it. In this snippet, Maxen is giving Faelen a Midwinter gift.

​Maxen pressed the parcel into Faelen’s hands. “I hope you like it.”

Faelen wouldn’t tell him he was sure he would because he’d only sound as if he were saying what Maxen wanted to hear, but Faelen would like it just because it was the first gift Maxen had given him at a holiday. Instead of saying anything, he turned his attention to the package. It wasn’t very heavy. He resisted the urge to shake it.

Maxen laughed. “Are you trying to guess?”

“Maybe?” Faelen grinned up at him.

You can learn more about The Merchant's Love here. Plus, you can get The Merchant's Love and my other books 50% off at Smashwords through January 1st. Don't miss out on a great deal! Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're staying safe and well. And if you celebrate, I hope you had a lovely Christmas.

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​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

I have more from The Merchant's Love for you today. I haven't written a holiday book yet, but The Merchant's Love begins in autumn and runs through the winter holidays in Tournai. I often call this book—the story of a bookish royal and the merchant who is besotted with him falling in love over books and baked goods—a warm hug in book form, so I thought I'd share some snippets from it. In this snippet, Faelen is walking through the city on his way to meet Maxen, thinking about the holiday.

You can find more about The Merchant's Love here. The Merchant's Love and my other books are all 50% off in the Smashwords end of year sale through January 1st, so it's a great time to grab them. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're staying safe and well.

It's that time of year again—the Smashwords End of Year sale started today! There are so many books on sale, including all of mine. My books are all 50% off at Smashwords through January 1st, so if you haven't read any of them, now is a great time to pick them up. Happy reading!

​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

I have more from The Merchant's Love for you today. I haven't written a holiday book yet, but The Merchant's Love begins in autumn and runs through the winter holidays in Tournai. I often call this book—the story of a bookish royal and the merchant who is besotted with him falling in love over books and baked goods—a warm hug in book form, so I thought I'd share some snippets from it. This snippet happens just a little while after last week's—Faelen and Maxen's plans to leave the Midwinter fair early have been foiled by the arrival of Faelen's twin, Alexander, (being overprotective) and their cousin and friend. So the group is now watching performances in the square. I went over the sentence limit—I'm sorry!

At the front of the line, they ordered the cider, and Maxen paid before Alexander could offer. They split the cups between them and worked their way through the thickening crowd. When they returned to the others, it was to find Faelen looking anxious and Meriall standing on a bench.
Maxen glanced up at her and then back at Faelen, frowning.

​“She couldn’t see well enough,” Adora supplied, as if that explained everything. Adora came closer to relieve him of two of the cups, keeping one and handing the other up to Meriall. Maxen had meant to give one to Faelen, but Alexander was already doing that.

“Have we missed anything good?” Maxen asked, not really directing the question at anyone, but watching Faelen, trying to silently reassure him all was well. He absolutely would not complain about Alexander to Faelen, would not let any of his annoyance show. Maxen understood why Alexander felt the way he did, even if he wished he’d been straightforward with him.

“Just the jugglers,” Faelen said and smiled slightly.

“They’re still going,” Meriall added.

“Should you be up there? Etan won’t be happy with me if you fall.” Maxen said it with a smile, but he was mostly serious.

She laughed. “It’s a bench. I’m not standing on a roof. You’re not responsible for me anyway. I am.” A look of mischief came into her eyes. “Though Alexander brought us out here, so I think I’d blame him if anything happened.”

Alexander let out what could only be called an indignant squawk, and Faelen laughed, a delightful sound, full of mirth and a little teasing at his twin’s expense. Maxen smiled just hearing it. Faelen looked at him, the laughter in his eyes softening, blurring into something else, some quieter joy.

You can find out more about The Merchant's Love over here, and you can get it and my other books 40% off with coupon code NARRATIVE40 at NineStar Press through December 18th. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well!

Because time has lost all meaning, it is apparently December already—something that hasn't quite sunk in yet, despite the fact that all of my Christmas decorations are up and I've been listening to a ton of Christmas music. I suppose I'll catch up at some point. But today, I'm talking about November's reading. November was...a lot, and as a result, I didn't do a lot of reading, of new books at least. I read some fan fiction and listened to audiobooks often, all rereads. I did read a few new books, though:

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling: This witchy rom-com was fun and funny and the light, easy read I needed. It starts with a witch and her cousin drunkenly cursing her ex, never thinking they were doing real magic. Fast forward several years, the ex is back in town, and it turns out the curse was quite real. 

Wolves of Kismet series by Sam Burns: I've been reading a lot of Sam Burns's books lately and enjoying them. The three books in this series—in which three wolf shifters and found brothers come together to make a pack and family and find love along the way—were no different, though I would've loved a little more development and a little more wrap up.

​What have you been reading lately?

​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

I have more from The Merchant's Love for you today. I haven't written a holiday book yet, but The Merchant's Love begins in autumn and runs through the winter holidays in Tournai. I often call this book—the story of a bookish royal and the merchant who is besotted with him falling in love over books and baked goods—a warm hug in book form, so I thought I'd share some snippets from it. In this snippet, Faelen and Maxen are still enjoying the Midwinter festival...

You can find more about The Merchant's Love here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well!