Huckle audiobook, Battle Phoenix, Book Annoucement, Ember Savita Chronicles, huckleberry rahr, i heart sapphfic, New Book, Veiled Phoenix, Writing, Xenagogue

Cats, kids, and clocks

It took me way too long to think of a third word that had that hard ‘c’ sound for the subject of this newsletter! Last year we got a new kitten. We have too many cats, but, what can you do when the spouse is addicted?

Well, the new old kitten (full blown cat, age 4, almost 5) doesn’t not like that we have a new kitten, and attacks the new one. So the new one is a bundle of furry fear. The new kitten, one and a half years old, is coddled. She gets to be in our bedroom at night, hidden from the other cats. She’s very protected. Despite that, every now and again, she pees indiscriminately.

Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com

Next week is spring break. Last week there were quizzes. This week exams. Lots of grading. Lots of things to do. But next week, nothing.

I had two students blatantly cheat. I’ve been teaching log enough that it wasn’t even a question. I hate doing the paperwork for this type of situation. Can’t they think of me and what they’re putting me through?? 🤣🤣😱

I think I’ve acclimated to the time change. I haven’t gotten used to driving into the sun. It had just passed the point of beaming into my eyes and BAM, it’s back!

But now, the good news.

  1. Xenagogue is up on iheartsapphic! It has it’s own page and everything!! Xenagogue by Huckleberry Rahr – I Heart SapphFic | Find Your Next Sapphic Fiction Read
  2. On April 11th, when Xenagogue comes out, there will be a release part on The Reading Lounge, a facebook page. A bunch of authors are coming together, offering free books and prizes. Join the page, and have a fun day of it!
  3. All of the Ember Savita books are out on audio. I have free audio codes, I’m just trying to figure out the best way to generate readers or engagement with them. I tried on my author facebook page, it didn’t work. If anyone has an idea, let me know!
  1. I finished Aura Of The Chameleon, a new dystopian book I wanted to write. I released half of the first chapter on facebook. Should I put the first chapter in my next newsletter?

Well, hope you’re all doing amazingly well!

Huckle

Huckle audiobook, Battle Phoenix, book deal, books, Ember Savita Chronicles, i heart sapphfic, lgbtq author, Marketing, Moonstone Phoenix, Newletter, Pebble Stone Chronicles, queer books, Veiled Phoenix, Xenagogue

Ups and Downs

I teach math when I’m not wrangling cats, directing my family, or trying to control what my characters do on page. Though I don’t teach trigonometry, one of the first things you learn in trig, is the sine wave:

No, it's not negative cosine, I created the graph myself, I just did a screen shot from a weird place.

What does this fun little graph, which isn’t negative cosine, thank you very much, have to do with anything? Well, that’s what the temperatures around here have been like week by week. Warm one week, cold, wet and snowy the next. Since I work a battery heated coat this week, I’m looking forward to all my students wearing shorts next week!

This semester, wanting to get a class I teach to have a better pass rate, I’ve implemented a few new policies. One of them is points for coming to class every day. Now, I know we’re in the midst of a lot of different illnesses, and teaching at a university, when one student is sick, they’re all sick. I do have ways students can earn points back if they miss.

That said, my policy for making up points for missing is not a way to turn my class into an online class. I’ll discuss online class in another newsletter. Over the last few weeks, I’ve had a student email me when she hasn’t attended, not with her reason for not being there, but just with the words like, what pages do I need to do? There hasn’t even been a subject, greeting, or salutation to the emails. 🙄🙄🙄

They continued like this. Nothing explaining her reason for missing class, just her obvious absence and this type of message. Ironically, the other thing I added to class was a warm-up that focused everyone for the weekly quizzes.

I’ll be honest, both these changes do seem to be helping.

Anyway, I did email the student explaining that the playlists, copies of the lessons with links to my youtube videos that mimic what I do in class, were for the few times students missed, not to replace class. She replied she had no idea that had been my plan.

Though I am skeptical, I still await her return to class.

And wait…

And wait…

As I wait, I write!

My new book is just over 30k. I would love to say that is the halfway point. I may be beyond the halfway point. I may post bits of chapter one to my facebook author page. Also, until pi-day, March 14th, if you join that page, or get a friend to join and name you as their inspiration on a post, you or they could win all three of the Ember Savita eBooks or audiobooks free! If you want to check it out, here is a link to the post!

The ARCs for Xenagogue have gone out, and three people have left reviews on goodreads. Though I’d LOVE to say everyone has given the book 5-star reviews, I know that isn’t ever going to happen. Despite two 4-star reviews, I’m not unhappy with them. 🥰

Xenagogue comes out on April 11th, pre-orders for the eBooks are up now.

If you’re looking for other books, don’t forget iheartsapphic always has deals available, as well as weekly giveaways and challenges. Check out their website and reader page on facebook. You could always nominate any of my books as your favorite for the year! I would not be completely unhappy with that. 😱🤣🤣🤣

If you’re worried about all the talk on boycotting Amazon, I’m with you. However, KU supports authors more than Amazon. And, honestly, there isn’t many other places for indie authors to sell out books. You can wait a week to pre-order or read my books, but for many authors, not buying books on amazon means they won’t be able to make ends meet.

That’s just my two-cents, for all it’s worth…

Happy March, y’all!

Huckle

Huckle audiobook, Battle Phoenix, Book Annoucement, book deal, book event, book fair, books, free book, huckleberry rahr, New Book, Pebble Stone Chronicles, queer books, Veiled Phoenix, Xenagogue

Xenagogue – and more!

Well, we did it, it’s March! As the date says in a few days, March forth and buy books!

At the university where I work, students are, mostly, in the swing of things. Exams, homework, excuses, the works. I have my pattern of getting things done as well. I’m trying to stay on top of my work so I can write my new series. No one said any of this was easy, but it is fun!

Anyway, I sent the ARCs out for Xenagogue. If you signed up, please check your email. It will have come from bookfunnel, not me. That’s the site I can send eBooks out from. So far, the few people who’ve read it have given the story good reviews!

Xenagogue - book Book 1 of Pebble Stone Chronicles

Veiled Phoenix is part of an online book fair. This event goes on for over a month, and you can win prizes. You should go and check it out! Get discount and free books! What a deal.

check it out here: https://clcannon.net/bookfair/

Speaking of Veiled Phoenix, I’m pretty sure Battle Phoenix will be out in audio hopefully this week!

Let me know if you want me to email out the first chapter of the new book. It won’t be edited, but it could be fun!

Huckle

Huckle audiobook, Battle Phoenix, Book Annoucement, book deal, book event, book sale, books, Ember Savita Chronicles, free book, New Release, wolf healer, Xenagogue

Books and More Books

Hi my friends! I wanted to send this out last night, but it was Monday.

Let’s start at the beginning and work through all the fun and exciting news. First of all, I am about half way through editing Xenagogue! Yep, that means the editor got the manuscript back to me and I’m slogging through all their notes. Book 1 of Pebble is a reality!

Pre-Order Xenagogue
Xenagogue – Available April 11, 2025

Now, if you wanted to be an ARC reader, and just never signed up, here is your last chance. I’ll take applicants through February 27th. My goal is to send out the eBooks on March 1st, or maybe the 28th if I’m really on top of the ball! Sign up here.

Now, why might I NOT be on the ball, you ask? Teaching? Grading? Classes? Nope. I started a whole new series. A dystopian fantasy. Maybe I’ll send out the first chapter, what d’ya think?

As for our favorite phoenix, Ember, well her final story, Battle Phoenix, is out. You all knew this. The audiobook is in review. It’s been there since Friday. It takes up to ten days, so I expect, if you love audiobooks as much as I do, you’ll be able to listen to the story, soon!

Battle Phoenix - book 3 of the Ember Savita Chronicles.
Battle Phoenix – book 3 of the Ember Savita Chronicles.

Last, but very much not least, Year of Queer Lit has a free and $0.99 book event TOMORROW, the 26th of February. Wolf Healer is part of the event. She’ll be on sale for $0.99. If you want to go grab some amazing books, check out this website.

Year of Queer Lit – Stuff Your Kindle Day!

I am so happy to be part of this event!

Huckle

Huckle audiobook, books, huckleberry rahr, Short Story, wolf healer, Writing, Xenagogue

A Cold Month 🥶❄️☃️

To anyone who has read Wolf Healer, you know my opinion of February. On the 14th, V-day itself, the roads were so bad, the spouse ended up not getting me anything because it was safer to just drive home. My son called me on his drive home from work, not to talk, but in case the car left the road, someone would know right away.

As for me, I was home Friday. My teaching schedule this semester is Monday through Thursday. I cooked macaron cookies and a nice dinner in (don’t ask about the diet!)

(By the way, the image above is my cat with the same opinion of February as I have!)

A friend of mine started listening to the full Jade series. On Sunday she started Battlefield and something distracted her after she finished chapter 5. I sent her this short story, linked on my website. It occurred to me that not everyone here may know about all the short stories I’ve written.

When I first wrote Wolf Healer, I had a flashback to when Jade was six, out running with Owen and her cousins. It’s the story she and Owen elude to when they discuss her knowing her future path to become the next wolf healer. The writing group I was with at the time thought it was too much for the first chapter so I took it out and added it to the website as a short story.

There are four short stories. The fist is the one about Jade when she was six. the next is when Bevin is young, coming out to the kiddos about his name. The third one is Bevin during spring break when Jade and Sarah are in Florida, and the last is the first chapter of Battlefield in Pebble’s point of view. You can find them all under the ‘mini’ menu tab on my website.

If there are any other questions you want seen fleshed out in a short story, let me know, though I may wait until after Pebble’s trilogy is out. Unless the questions are about Ember’s world.

Xenagogue is scheduled to drop on April 11th. There haven’t been many pre-orders, though I guess I don’t get many for this series in general, so I’m not too surprised. I’ve been told by my most amazing editor that it should be back to me in the next 7 to 10 days. If you want to be part of the ARC team, receive an early copy of the eBook and review it on the day it comes out, please fill out THIS FORM. (You can review it on goodreads as soon as you’re done, the only review that has to wait until April 11th is amazon)

Xenagogue - Book 1 Pebble Stone Chronicles
Xenagogue – Book 1 Pebble Stone Chronicles

I hope you are all doing well, and surviving this February!

Huckle

Huckle audiobook, Battle Phoenix, Book Annoucement, book sale, books, New Book, New Release, Pebble Stone Chronicles, Xenagogue

A Whole New World! 😱😍📚🌈

It’s the last week of winter break. I’ve been putting off setting up my classes for next week, but it’s getting to be critical! By Wednesday, Thursday?, I’ll be set for Monday. That’s my birthday gift for myself.

My birthday is Friday. This is the first year … ever? Well in a long time that I’m not teaching or working in some way the week of my birthday. The spouse’s bday is next week, so this weekend is the big celebration for both of us. We’re going to a Dinner Detective … dinner and a murder mystery all in one! I’m pretty excited.

I have a friend who loves to get me goose themed gifts … I have no idea where she got that ideas. (Do you hear the droll sarcasm dripping from me?) It amuses my family to no end. Today in the mail I received this!

Because of her, and my editor, I can go out multiple days wearing goose themed shirts, goose themed socks, and now I have a bookmark. It is sharp, it could double as a weapon! I’ll admit, it’s all amazing! 🥰😻

As you know, Battle Phoenix comes out on Friday. Kassandra Novell, the narrator, was sick at the end of December. Because of this, the audiobook will be a bit delayed. I don’t mind. For the most part, all my audiobooks have come out after the rest. As I write this, I’m listening to chapter 7, 8, and 9. As always, Kassie is doing an amazing job!

Battle Phoenix - book 3 of the Ember Savita Chronicles.
Battle Phoenix – book 3 of the Ember Savita Chronicles.

From where I’m sitting, Ember’s story is done. I don’t plan on going back into this world again. A few people have asked that I poke around more. Right now, I’m going to let the world be.

Before you all clamor to say you want more. I have a new idea I want to explore. My son, the original inspiration for my writing, loves the idea. The concepts are still in their infancy, but I do like where the story could go.

As for our favorite baby sister, Pebble’s first book, Xenagoge, is being edited. I’ll send out a sign up for the ARC soon!

Xenagogue - Book 1 Pebble Stone Chronicles
Xenagogue – Book 1 Pebble Stone Chronicles

I hope you’ve been surviving this cool January. As always, you can order paperbacks from the website.

Cheers!

Huckle

Huckle audiobook, Battle Phoenix, Book Annoucement, books, Ember Savita Chronicles, Marketing, New Book, New Release, Pebble Stone Chronicles, Xenagogue, Yugen, Zephyr, Zephyr_Pebble

Happy January!

Hi friends!!

I know, it’s been too long. I’ve been meaning to say hi since last year, literally! I don’t have much of an excuse. So … what have I been doing?

  • Battle Phoenix is with the advance readers. If you really want an advanced copy and will get a review up by end of January, send me a note. I can get you a copy right away!
    • The book itself will be published on January 24 (fun fact, that would be my birthday 😱🙀)
    • The audiobook will come out some time in June, for pride month. If anything changes with that, I’ll let you know.
  • Xenagogue is heading to the editor!! I know, so very exciting. It is scheduled to publish April 11th.
  • Yugen, Pebble’s second book is coming in June, if everything goes as planned!
  • Zepher, the end of Pebble’s trilogy, comes out in August.
  • As always, you can pre-order all of these books

If you want to know things faster, join my facebook page or instagram, I post things there first and mostly daily. I know emails fill fast so I try not to put too much here.

Cheers!

Huckle

Huckle audiobook, Book Annoucement, book deal, book event, book fair, book sale, Book Store, books, Ember Savita Chronicles, free book, huckleberry rahr, lgbtq author, Marketing, Moonstone Phoenix, New Book, New Release, Veiled Phoenix

Exciting News! 📚😍😘🔥

Hi my friends! We are in the middle of August and things are happening!

For any of you of facebook, there is a new page for readers and indie authors that is very supportive of us authors, The Reading Lounge. Tomorrow, August 20th, they will be opening it’s virtual doors for the first time and during the day there will be a slew of games and book give aways! You should come check it out!

Please note, all those times are Eastern Standard Time. I’ll be closing out the night with a give away of Veiled Phoenix, though, if you have that book and are interested in Moonstone Phoenix, and are the winner, just let me know!

On Sunday, I’m back in Kenosha for the Kenosha Book Festival. I am so excited to be there. I always meet amazing people when I visit Kenosha, including the narrator to Veiled Phoenix!

On August 26th, I’ll be part of Year of Queer Lit – Stuff Your Kindle, which will offer a ton of free and $0.99 queer lit! I hope you’re as excited as I am!

I hope in all of this you found something you thought was fun and interesting!

Huckle

Huckle audiobook, Book Annoucement, book deal, book event, book fair, books, Ember Savita Chronicles, Moonstone Phoenix, New Book, New Release, Pebble Stone Chronicles, Veiled Phoenix

On The Road Again

Hi friends! I have so many exciting things to share with you.

First of all, Ember Savita Chronicles. Veiled Phoenix is available on audio. The narrator did SUCH an amazing job, I’m thrilled. Meeting her at the Kenosha Book Festival in June was just one of the best things ever.

Speaking of, I’ll be heading down to the Kenosha Book Festival again on August 25th with author A.R. Grimes! If you can make it, it’s a great place to meet indie authors, get books, and have a good time. There are also deals on used books, so there’s something there for everyone.

As for something happening SOONER, I’ll be visiting WordHaven BookHouse in Sheboygan THIS weekend, on August 10th. Again, I’ll be traveling with A.R. Grimes. We’ll be holding a class on How to Publish a Book. We’ll also have our books there.

Every time we’ve gone to WordHaven, we’ve had a ton of fun. It’s an amazing bookstore. Even if you just want to stop in to say ‘Hi!’, we’d love to see you.

Back to Ember. I’ve been getting some good feedback on Veiled Phoenix. I hope all of you are enjoying the story. I just sent Moonstone Phoenix to the narrator. My hope is to have the audiobook publish close to when the book itself releases. I MAY even release earlier than November. What are your thoughts on a good release date?

Now, this series is planned to be a completed trilogy. Once I’m done with it, I’ll be working on getting Pebble’s trilogy out.

I have physical copies of Meowgical Tales, the anthology with the Jade short story. If you want to get a signed copy from me, send me a message. I don’t have this book on my website because I can’t order them easily.

If you have any thoughts or opinions on what direction I go on my writing after Ember and Pebble’s stories, I’m open. I do have a shift-octopus series I wrote that I can finish up, but beyond that, let me know what you’re interested in!

Happy August!

Huckle

Huckle audiobook, Book Annoucement, book deal, book event, book fair, Ember Savita Chronicles, free book, Veiled Phoenix

Mid-Summer Books! 😍📚🎧

Hi my friends. As many of you know, Veiled Phoenix is out in the world! My mom, who had read the first three Jade books, read it. She said she wanted to wait for Moonstone Phoenix before reading the remainder of the Jade series. So … I guess she liked it! 🤣 That said, I’m hoping to get her to finish Jade’s college years.

When I was in Paris last summer, Andrea Kummer contacted me, saying she was interested in narrating the Jade Stone Chronicles. Getting books narrated is scary, but exciting … and very expensive.

Just over a month ago, I was in Kenosha, at a book fair, and I met Kassandr Novell. She is an up and coming narrator from Wisconsin. She sent me a book she’s worked on. Then, as things go, we got to talking and it turned out, she loved Veiled Phoenix. As of now, she has six chapters left to narrate. I can’t see it taking her more then a few days to get them done. Then ACX has to double check everything.

Yes, it’s true. The audiobook for the Ember Savita Chronicles will not wait for the full trilogy to be out!

Tomorrow I will be part of a facebook book party. A group of authors are congratulating an author whose book is coming out soon. If you’ve never been to one of these parties, I can’t suggest them highly enough.

For several hours, every thirty minutes a new author tells you about themselves, what they write, and offers something for free. All you have to do is interact with the posts and you can win signed books, or eBooks, or all sorts of things. I’ve won a ton of things in the past. They are fun, and always worth it.

When: Tomorrow, July 15, noon to 9pm Easter Standard Time, US. twelve hundred to twenty-one hundred…

Where? The Queens Library on Facebook.

Other fun news. I am part of an anthology. Paw and Pen International have put together their second anthology of cat short stories. The book comes out tomorrow. Both the first and second book are on sale right now for $2.99, but will increase to $4.99 very soon. You should go and check these books out. A lot of great authors have contributed.

If you read book 7 of Jade: Pack Presents, and wondered where those cats came from, the short story is in the second of these two books: Meowgical Tails

The first book, PurrAnormal Tails is also full of great stories.

You should get out and check them BOTH out right away. All the profits go to cat rescue, not the authors or anyone else. It is such a great organization!

Anyway, hope your July is going great!

Huckle