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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

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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

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Treat or — 📚🔥🔥🔥😘

Did you survive September? Did I?

The start of a new semester is always a challenge. New instructors, new students, new schedule, new classes, new … just new.

Because the weather in Wisconsin is nice, I’m still bopping around doing book events, so it really feels like I’m maintaining two jobs. I tell you, it’s a trip.

Okay, let’s talk books. Veiled Phoenix is out, but you know that, the book has been out since June. As has the audiobook. Moonstone Phoenix is out. They came into the world on September 27th. ACX, the biggest producers of audiobooks has been … special? challenging? exciting? frustrating? All of the above? Probably all of the above.

I actually have a few books held up in their QA maze and I can’t get a clear reason why they won’t release my stories. This isn’t the first time I’ve struggled with them and their odd requirements. I’m wondering if in the future they’ll deny my book because I didn’t perform the correct dance of their people. Don’t worry, I’ve been dancing up a storm!

As for the last book of the Ember Savita Trilogy, Battle Phoenix, I’m still hoping to move the publication date up to before Christmas of 2024. Wouldn’t that be nice? That would leave Pebble’s trilogy for 2025. (Did you notice you could pre-order Battle Phoenix AND all three of Pebble’s books??)

For those of you who have read my friend A.R. Grime’s series, Wyldling Dream, I thank you. The first two books, Wyldling Snare and Wyldling Trial are out and ready to be loved.

Well, Wyldling Armor is out (now?) Depends on when you’re reading this. It comes out on 10/8 (octopus day!). You should read this fantastic follow-up to the first two books, just check out this cover. We get to learn about more of the magic, both good and bad. There are three point of views, and one isn’t a hero! Getting into the mind of the villain is fantastic! More than that, LOOK AT THAT COVER!

If you are in Wisconsin. I’ll be at Studio Moonfall in Kenosha on October 12th. I’ll be there again 26th with A.R. Grimes if you want to get one of her books, signed.

I hope you’re having a great October, my friends, and I’ll have some great news for you in a week! Just you wait!!

Huckle

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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

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Let’s Make a Deal!

Hi my friends! It’s August, schools are starting up, and I want to do a back to school deal. I actually have TWO deals for you in this newsletter!

Okay, first of all, I have a new cover for Wolf Healer. I’ll reveal it… soon. Probably when the audiobook comes out. I’ve been listening to the chapters, and y’all, I’m SO excited! I can’t even tell you. It will be fantastic!

So, what’s my good news? With my new cover, I have a stash of paperback books with the old cover. Get a signed copy of Wolf Healer, with the OG cover mailed to you for $17. This offer is good to anyone who lives in the continental US. You can find the deal on the home page of my website. Here!

As always, you can order all of my books, signed, at any time… here.

But I did mention TWO great deals. Check out this amazing book, FREE right now! The Vessel Games, by E.J. Eden is free from the 16th of August through the 20th. The second book comes out on the 16th. The book is a cross between the Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale. Interested? You should be!

I will warn you, the book DOES come with a few warnings…

Did you see me mention the audiobook? Are you as excited as I am? And the Christmas novella… the cover is ALMOST done. I’ll let you see both the new Wolf Healer cover and that cover in the next newsletter.

Photo by Sanket Mishra on Pexels.com

If any of you are near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on Saturday, August 19th I’ll be doing an author event with another author at a most amazing bookstore: WordHaven Bookstore. If you are interested in learning about how to create a book series, click here!

Happy back to school!

Huckle

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Did you say a sale?

I don’t often talk about being an indie author. If you want the real story, I’ll talk. Anyone who knows me knows this about me: I like to talk!

One thing I will share is this: as a teacher I can set deadlines, and students have to follow them. As an author, an indie author, I’m held to the timelines of the people around me. I ordered a cover, but I get my covers from a Ukrainian company, and they usually need a bit extra time. I know this, and am okay with it. Beta readers, editors, reviewers, they all take time; and I may want them to be done in a day, a week (or, lets be honest, instantly) but they are people with their own lives, and to get a good critique, they need to be given time.

What does this mean? Well, Traitor comes out the first of December. That is really soon! I have a cover, the manuscript has been sent to the formatter. It is all coming together.

But you said sale! I know, I did. I partnered with i heart sapphfic once again, and Epsilon and Alphas are on sale.

Over Thanksgiving weekend in the states, the 25th to the 29th of November, you can get these two books for half off. But as you can see, there are many other books for sale. Check them all out! Support authors during the holidays, and read some excellent books.

Cheers!

Huckle

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A very busy month

Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA on Pexels.com

I love July. It’s the month I can just do what I want. The time is mine. I mean… I have some responsibilities, but much of the time is mine to do with as I please. August is a time of transitions. I must prepare to go back to school, both for me and my kids. I had the pleasure of reading some excellent books, and the stress of having new people read Traitor, book 4 of the Jade Stone Chronicles.

Okay, I need to clarify: it wasn’t bad stress, it was just that they were reading the book critically, and hadn’t read the first three books. It puts the series in an interesting light. In my round up last night, one of them really wants to go back and read the first three books, and, well, the next two books as well, she loved the characters, and the story arcs I began. They did have other things I need to work on, of course, but I have some time before the book comes out in December.

I’ve decided once again that I don’t love marketing, but that is the only way to get my book out into the hands of readers. It is a full time job outside of writing, and the one starting in September where I stand at the front of the classroom. This month I spent many hours learning about creating ads, making better ad copy, and other ins and outs of marketing. Some of the things I learned I don’t know if I agree with as much, but then again, they are the experts. It’s hard when you are told… when I am told… I’m doing it wrong.

In the end, it was a good month. Traitor, book 4, comes out in December. As always, there will be a book give away for people who join this website OR leave reviews for books read starting in September. Get going, friends! If you know people who may be interested in Wolf Healer, but have hesitated, it will be on a free promotional on September 21st through September 24th through the website iheartsappFic.

Cheers!

Huckle

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So Many Good Books!

I love to bring you good books! Today I have so many!

Photo by Thought Catalog on Pexels.com

I am currently reading Blasted Research by Coffee Quills. I am almost half way through reading this gem of a book, and it is fantastic. Jules, our hero, lives in a dome in this post apocalyptical future. The premise of the story is excellent, but I also wanted to read this book because of the use of the neo-pronouns xe/xem, it intrigued me. In books 4 – 6 of Jade Stone I do introduce they/them characters, but his is so much more.

In the dome, everyone is required to marry and have kids. Jules doesn’t want to pair off. This is only one of the story arcs. Xe is also asked to travel out of the dome to help gather materials to test the radiation.

The story is fast paced, and the characters are fun. If you want to check out Coffee Quill, they have a website, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and so much more!

Another book I love just came out this month: Romancing Celia by Parker Love. It is the second book in this series. It is a sweet, sapphic, fade to black romance that takes place in the Wild West.

In this book, the characters take a path of discovery to learn who they are, and what they are willing to do to live the life they feel in their heart. In Ann’s case, she knows who she is and who she loves, but she also understands what happens if a community doesn’t approve. For Celia, it is a story of growth into the person she wants to be and learning who she loves.

The last book I want to feature is Wylding Snare by A. R. Grimes. I talked about this book before, but in case you missed that newsletter, it is a fun-filled high fantasy/portal fantasy that comes out in a few weeks! On September 10th, when it arrives to Amazon, I hope you’ll take a chance on it. The author, like me, spends a lot of time creating fun loving characters who you just can’t help but love.

As always, I, myself, have three books out in the Jade Stone Chronicles series. If you haven’t read them, I’d love for you to check them out. If you have read them, please drop a review, tell a friend, or share on social media! The fourth book, Traitor, comes out in December and is available to pre-order now. This year has been a whirlin of crazy… so exciting! I think you for your continued support.

Cheers!

Huckle

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I LOVE books!

Do you?

There are all sorts of ways to find amazing books online. At the start of July, I told you about a place to find great reads for the month. If you don’t remember, check it out right here! The promo is only open a few more days, so be sure to check it out.

But wait, there is more!! During the month of August, Astrid has found fantasy books that will be available to you for free or for $0.99! Each week, a new set of books will be there for your perusal! How amazing is that. My books will be there the week of August 17th, don’t worry, I’ll remind you. You can find her fair here, book mark it and enjoy a month of amazing reads!!

If you want more information about Astrid and her amazing book or book offers, you can follow her on Amazon, or Instagram. And I hope you take as much advantage of this as I do…it will be amazing!

Cheers!

Huckle

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July has started off with a BANG!

Oh my!

What do I do now?

Alphas goes live in 21 days… 3 weeks… and the cover is up… now! What do you think? Isn’t she a beauty? You are the first to see it!

I have found marketing my book is hard… no, harder than that… a bit harder… there. Yep, really hard. I didn’t go to school for this, and to be honest, I’m making it up as I go. I joined a book promotion for this month… check it out! Right here! There are lots of book available on the site. You could even share the link with others!

In June I traveled to Florida, but didn’t have the same adventure Jade did. In July I’ll visit New Orleans… maybe a future book will have adventure taking place in the French Quarter.

Now for the big news, the winner of the free signed copy of Alphas. Drum roll please. The winner is… Samantha Day (I know she’ll be thrilled!)

I want to welcome all my new subscribers, and a warm thank you to the ones who’ve stuck by me from the beginning. With the release of Alphas later this month, half of Jade’s story will be released into the wild.

Cheers!

Huckle