I can’t believe this year is coming to a close. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! After Halloween sneaks up on us, it always feels like the remainder of the year flies by in a blink and this year has been no different. November was crazy busy for me and this month hasn’t been running at the same pace, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I got to watch a lot of football and spend plenty of quality time with family and friends.
What blows my mind the most is that Taming J has been out in the world for almost four months now. I hope more people continue to find Jackson and Jenn’s story. If you have read it, please leave a review! Nothing helps spread the word more than reviews!! If you haven’t had a chance to dive into this action-packed, second-chance romance, you can grab your copy here → https://books2read.com/TamingJHS1
December is always full of many highs and lows for me, but the one I like to focus on the most is the release of Conflicted. I cannot believe it’s been TEN years since I sent my first book baby into the world. To say I was green at the time of release is a bit of an understatement. Over the past decade, I’ve learned a lot, made some great friends, attended signings as a reader and author, hit milestones I never dreamed of, and created a fictional world that has brought a lot of joy to my life and I hope to many others. To everyone who gave Mia and Ethan a chance, thank you from the bottom of my heart. An even bigger shout out to the many people who helped me learn the ropes of the industry, provided insightful suggestions, helped me promote all of the books throughout the years, left reviews, and joined all of the fun along the way. I’ve got precious memories because of so many of you. It’s been quite the ride for me and I’m so grateful for the friendships I’ve gained through the reading community.
For the tenth anniversary of the release of Conflicted, I’m giving away free audiobook copies of Conflicted and Complicated. To get your free audiobook, head to my FB group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551613128496611) and mention you’ve read this blog and what interests you most about reading books. I’ll send over the code to grab it. This will run for as long as I have codes so jump on it as soon as you can.
If you’re new to me, I strongly suggest picking up the Secrets and Lies series before reading Taming J. There’s enough of a recap in Taming J for you to have an idea of what happened in the past, but reading that series will make Taming J such a richer experience for you. Listening to Conflicted on audio is a great way to jump-start the series for you. Complicated is also available on audio as well. I intend to give more than a few audiobooks away so I encourage you to jump on the chance while it’s free. Once you have your codes, you can pick up the audiobooks at the links below. If audiobooks aren’t your thing, you can pick up the box set at a discounted price of $4.99. It’s normally $9.99 so this is a pretty good deal that I’ll be running for a limited time. There are a ton of deleted scenes from all three books in it, so if you want a little extra of Mia, Ethan, and the gang, I’d grab it and take a trip down memory lane.
You can pick up a copy of Conflicted on audio here → https://adbl.co/3PA5rUF
You can grab a Complicated on audio here → https://amzn.to/3NlqY2K
You can grab the entire box set on ebook here → https://bit.ly/3ztfZNu
I’ll be putting Conflicted and Complicated on the wide audio market in 2024. All of my ebooks are already wide so it seems like the logical direction for me to go in with getting all of them out on audio. Audible hasn’t been a very good experience for me at all over the past two years, so I’d also like to see what Findaway or Tantor might have to offer. That transition will occur within the next few months. Once they’re moved over, I’ll dive back into actively looking for narrators for Concealed and Taming J. The Someday Series will go to audio at some point, but I’d rather focus on finishing the S&L series and Taming J since that is my most recent release.
I did not pick up any signings for 2024 or 2025. My focus remains on writing and publishing Saving Us. I’ve mentioned this many times and will continue to do so every month so no one says they weren’t warned before they finished Taming J. There’s a warning that specifically states it is not a standalone and it was promoted as a romantic suspense book with a cliffhanger. Saving Us ties everything together across all series. As you know by now, I created a lot of characters across 7 books, so there are a lot of loose ends to account for to ensure everyone has a proper wrap-up to the arc. I’ve been working on the outline for it for quite a while now. It’s been quite similar to when I worked on Taming J. I’ve changed my mind a lot based on where the characters' voices are taking me.
It’s crazy how quickly time flies. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I got to watch a lot of football in November. My godson, Jakob, made it back to the state high school championship game. They played incredibly well against a very tough opponent. Even though they didn’t win the championship, it’s pretty damn impressive that they snagged second place again in state two years in a row. I could go on about just how impressive Jakob and his team were this season, but this article does a much better job of it
I'll miss watching him throw the pigskin down the field but look forward to what he does on the baseball diamond this spring. It’s been a thrill to watch all of my favorite kiddos giving it their all on the field, in the classroom, and at home. I’m very fortunate to be a part of a lot of extraordinary young people’s lives.
Like the majority of this year, the rest of the weeks flew by with a lot of work amongst my many jobs, quality time when I could squeeze it in with friends and family, plenty of time enjoying all of my favorite things and people outdoors, trips here and there with the girls, and a lot of laughs at home with Max and Maverick. It was hard to lose Marley in January, but Maverick has been a blessing in disguise for Max and me this year. He has more energy than the Kool-Aid man on a sugar high and you never really know what kind of mischief he’s about to stir up, but I wouldn’t have him any other way. He keeps Max on his toes, loves playing with his stuffies and soccer ball around every square inch of the house, always has a smile on his face and a kiss to give, and is the best cuddler you’ll find in southwest MN. As we head into 2024, I have no doubt that the adventures of Max and Maverick will continue to bring endless bouts of joy and a lot of laughs to our household.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for stopping by, and don’t be a stranger in 2024. I wish all of you and your families a very Happy New Year!
MMK