Going indie + a poll, a class, and a thank you

Things, they are a-changin' and I'd like your opinions...

Hey there!

I hope you’ve have a great week.

Mine has been good, but I’m over here learning to live with less sleep. The kiddo has started high school and is in marching band. I had no idea this was such an intense extracurricular. He has to be there every day by 6:30am and then has two-a-days on some days and goes back after school until 9pm. I think this may be a very subtle and brilliant campaign by him to make sure that when he turns driving age, I will absolutely want to get him a car so I can sleep past 5:30am.

However, despite the lack of sleep, I have actually gotten some writing done this week. It feels good after the sabbatical to get back to writing stories again.

I’m also excited to report that I’m almost finished the book I’ve been working on even though I’m just coming back from a sabbatical. That’s because this story has been something I’ve been working on in the background here and there for TWO years. Yeah. I know. That’s a long time. But it’s one of those stories I was “cheating” with when I needed a break in between writing the books I actually was contracted to write.

Going Indie

However, now I don’t have to keep it on the side. I’ve finished out my contract with my publisher and haven’t sought a new one. I’ve loved my experience in traditional publishing and am not ruling out going back to it one day, but for now, I’ve decided that the best thing for me is to go indie as an author.

I’ve been continuously under contract and on a book deadline since 2010, which has been a blessing, but my muse has started to rebel over the last few years.

My muse has an attitude

Meaning, I’ll sell a book idea and then not get to write it until three years later and by then, I’m not excited about that idea anymore and it becomes a slog to write.

So this move for me is about freedom and recapturing the fun of writing more than anything else. If I get an idea I’m jazzed about, I can write it when the muse is still obsessed with it. For you, as a reader, I hope it means I’ll be able to give you a variety of books at a good price on a regular basis. :)

But that’s what I wanted to get your help with today. Some of you here are OGs who’ve been reading me since Brynn walked into The Ranch and met Reid Jamison in Crash Into You. Others have just discovered me through my latest series. I’m so happy you’re all here! But I know if you’ve found me through different series, you may want different things.

So, I’d love to hear what you’re hoping to get from me in future books and made a poll to find out. (I did a similar one in my Facebook reading group, the Fearless Romantics, so if you filled that one out, feel free to skip this one.)

Please give me your input! Let me know your thoughts. If you pick “something different” as your option, please leave a comment on what that thing might be. Also, I don’t plan to go back and add on to previous series because that gets complicated with publisher rights and such. All right, let’s hear it! :)

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And speaking of romance….

Want to learn to write a romance?

For the first time this year, I’m offering my Comprehensive Beginner Romance Writing course. This is an 8-week online course where I teach you via written lectures and live Zoom calls on Saturdays (that are recorded if you can’t make it.) It’s also introvert-friendly. I’m the only one on camera so you can show up in your pajamas. :) Also, homework is watching the movie Dirty Dancing.

Here’s what we cover:

If you are interested and sign up by August 25th, you can use code EARLYBIRD or EARLYBIRD2 (for the two-payment plan) to get $20 off.

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RAD Reading Podcast - thanks for the help!

You helped with the podcast this week! I’m sharing some of YOUR recommendations from last week (with shoutouts to whoever recommended the book) in this week’s episode. And I’m testing out a new feature where you can listen to the podcast right here in the newsletter (see below). So let me know if you like the change! Just hit play. :)

It’s too hot here in Texas so today we’re dreaming about Fall and sharing a BIG list of paranormal reads to add to your TBR. We’ve got vampires and witches and shifters, oh my! Plus, you know Dawn is bringing dragons and Roni’s going to talk too much about Buffy. We’re also talking about how the trend of paranormals has waxed and waned over the decades and how it seems to be coming back after a dormant period. And we’re so here for it! 

Don’t want to listen here? Listen in your fave podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

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I think that’s all for this week. I hope you have a great weekend!

*Book links are affiliate links (Amazon, Libro.fm, and/or Bookshop.org), which means I earn a small commission if you buy through my links. Also, I receive advanced listening copies of some audiobooks through Libro.fm’s Influencer program. However, all reviews and opinions are my own.