The first week of January has been more eventful than expected! Because of that, this week’s blog is a news and notes post. I will also share my 2022 writing goals, as I didn’t want to get too specific last week before Cambion Book 2 was officially announced. Now that the Publisher’s Marketplace announcement is up, I can get into more details about my projects for the year!
CAMBION’S BLOOD announced for Summer 2021
Yes, I get to write another book in the Cambion series! Or rather, I get to revise CAMBION’S BLOOD yet again!
I wrote the zero draft of CAMBION’S BLOOD in NaNoWriMo 2018, long before I knew CAMBION’S LAW would get a publisher and well before I even dreamed of querying it. One of the things my editor asked me when I signed book 1 with her was whether I had a series in mind. Because I had that rough draft on hand, I could honestly say that yes, I did have series plans!
I’m very excited to share this book with you. It has some fun new characters I can’t wait for you to meet and expands the supernatural world introduced in CAMBION’S LAW with elements of Celtic mythology. Readers will learn a bit more about Lily’s demon nature and cubine culture. Meanwhile, Lily is faced with some personal challenges as well, as she deals with the consequences of her actions in Book 1, negotiates her deepening relationship with Sebastian, and takes on some responsibilities she is absolutely not prepared for.
Of course I had to make a trailer for it!
CAMBION’S LAW is nominated for a Queer Indie Award!
This news came as a delightful surprise on New Years Day, when I learned that CAMBION’S LAW is up for a Queer Indie Award in the Mystery/Thriller category! I would be honored to have your vote, and while you’re at it please check out some or all of the amazing queer indie books in your favorite categories.
Vote here before January 15, 2022!
Agency news: my agent has moved to Copps Literary!
This news has been in the works for a few weeks as well! I learned soon after I signed with Maeve MacLysaght that she was planning to make a big career move from Ladderbird Literary Agency to work with Elizabeth Copps at her new agency. There was never a question in my mind that I would go with her and continue working on our shared vision for my Pitch Wars book. I signed with Copps Literary on Monday, and I think this is going to be a great opportunity for both of us!
My 2022 writing goals
I developed my 2022 writing goals with the help of Savannah Gilmo’s great post on How to Plan Your Writing Projects for the New Year. In answering the questions she poses, I found that revisions and edits, book trailers, and blogging feel the easiest and most fun to do, and I loved putting the results out in the world. Drafting and marketing feel the most challenging. I want to spend more time enjoying the writing and publishing process this year, and I hope that some additional planning will help with that.
With that said, I have a lot of drafting on deck, so I’m definitely going to be experimenting with ways to bring more ease to that part of the process.
Here are my main goals in rough order of priority:
- Prep Galatea’s Paradox for sub (January)
- Edits with Heather on Cambion Book 2 (timeline TBD)
- Outline and draft new project (90k) (March – July: 30k per month with 2 months cushion)
- Weekly blogs (1-3k words per week, 2-5 hours)
- Finish drafting Fire & Fury (60-70k, August – October: 30k per month)
- Participate in 2022 NaNoWriMo challenge in some capacity
That’s a lot, and I fully expect that some of these will shift around a bit, especially during the summer when I will have a book release happening and all the work that comes along with that.
New Years links and recommended reads
Check out the Santa’s Secret Pen masterlist for lovely stories written in a gift exchange between writers!
Some recommended reads from this project:
Once Upon a Time on the Chesapeake, a sweet friends to lovers story written for me by Joy Marcel!
Mel Grebing’s Mistakes and Resolutions, an emotional, voicey story of a New Year’s détente between exes and lab partners.
Adria Bailton’s timeline-twisting Time for Magic spins a tale of mage tests and alliances made.
CinnamonGate by Anthony Eden: “Until I met Fredrik, my silent assassin, kills you with kindness, more tattoos on him than a Victorian noblewoman, Norse hunk of sugar and spice–I thought I had a fairly good grasp on what Christmas was all about.”
And don’t miss Daughter of the Rising Tide by SarahWriteAway, a gorgeous piece about an old woman called to the sea.
Other New Year’s themed links:
I loved Kate McKean’s thoughts on setting goals that fit your individual style.
Also highly recommended if you’re in the goal-setting space: Stuart Danker’s guide to crafting a productive morning routine. Stuart is one of my consistency role models for blogging and a great follow for writing/blogging advice!
I really enjoyed M.A. Crosbie’s post on New Year’s intentions and not JUST because it includes an adorable and hilarious narcissistic fox saga – her thoughts on working with her “squirrel brain” really resonated with me.
I’ve always been hard on myself, but goshdangit the world is hard enough right now. I just want to float along and start enjoying things again.
M.A. Crosbie
Hell yeah to that. Here’s to being less hard on our unique and amazing brains in 2022.
Erin Fulmer Writes SFF 
I’m so honoured you’d mention me with such kind words, Erin. From a fellow SFF writer, no less! Congrats on the award nomination! I went on and voted for you. Hope you snag that mystery/thriller category!
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Thank you so much for voting!!! And yes, your blog was one of the first I followed when I joined WordPress and I’m always impressed by the consistency, quality, and conversational tone of your posts!
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Ahh congratulations!! So excited for you, and can’t wait to support your books! And aw shucks thanks for mentioning my post 😀
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Thank you so much! I loved your post, it made me smile!
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Ever since we met for PW I was dreaming of holding Galatea in my hands as a real book and I am still crying every time I think this will be reality. 😭😭😭
Also, looking forward to Cambion’s Blood.
And thanks for putting a new agency on my radar. Gotta catch them all for Saya. 😉
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All the love to you Mel!!! Your support means the world to me. Manifesting the perfect agent for Sava 🕯🕯🕯
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