Gratitude & Thoughts on Smut
Updates and opinions by yours truly.
It would be an understatement to say it’s been one helluva year.
I know I’m a little early for the whole ‘end of the year wrap up’ thing everyone seems to do in December during that weird liminal space between Christmas and New Year’s, but I reflect often and express gratitude when moved. It helps keep me sane.
If I could cite one important thing I’ve learned this past year, it’s to treat myself with the same love I tend to lavish on others. This means professionally as well as personally. I love creativity so much and often lose my mind when I see it in others. I want to protect it and nurture it, however it manifests. It’s the reason I hold the torch for indies, and I work so hard at my publishing house. But I am a creative, too. I am an author, too. Somewhere inside, I knew I’d throw myself headfirst into the business side of things, and I finished my entire trilogy before I even jumped on social media. I’m really glad I had that foresight because since then, I’ve struggled to prioritize my own writing and my career as an author. It’s so much easier to lift others instead of focusing on myself. Even now, I can think of a million things to do for the company instead of writing this newsletter.
But you can’t pour from an empty cup.
I saw a TikTok today where a woman claimed self-publishing is the easy way out. The rage I felt at that moment was palpable, even though I know opinions that ludicrous are often just rage-farming for views. These words are difficult to ignore when I know that others and I work like hell for everything we’ve got. I know the struggle of going against the natural tendency to be humble and not promote yourself, lest you be considered cringe. I know the exhaustion of trying to keep up with ten thousand social media apps. To make videos. To run a business. We all feel it, and maybe before the holiday season hits, we can remember to prioritize self-care and creative expression (and ignore the ignorant naysayers).
We need it.
Which brings me to my latest project. Although I enjoy writing for others, this upcoming book is also a love letter to my creative self. As some of you may have seen, I have decided to try my hand at dark romance. As my husband so eloquently put it, “You’ve always flirted with it in your stories, but you never let yourself go there.” He’s not wrong; I actually cut quite a few spicy scenes out of The Ancient Ones and shortened the scenes left in there. Romance is the undercurrent of the trilogy, but I tried to promote the fantastic and mythological elements above all. I was worried the other aspects of the book would be written off if I included more erotic scenes. I don’t regret that decision, but I do feel I didn’t fully honor all the aspects of my creativity.
In a burst of impulsivity, I decided it was time. I’m officially working on a dark romance novella from The Ancient Ones world featuring new characters and a few familiar faces. It encompasses my favorite things—historical fiction, romance, horror, vampires, and spice. The Dark Queen’s Apothecary can be read as a standalone or as a spicy treat for those who are familiar with the trilogy. It will debut on February 14th (because, of course, it is), and it’s open for Kindle preorders now.
I am thrilled to reveal the cover soon, and as soon as I do, physical books will be available through my store, The Crow Shoppe. If you’re interested and not following me on my 150 personal social media accounts, please do so! I try to keep everyone updated, but it is challenging. Mother of Crows is still my #1 landing space.
Last year, I toyed with the idea of starting a dark romance imprint under Quill & Crow. I decided against it at the time, but I wanted to draw a line between what I publish personally and what Quill & Crow will continue to publish and promote. Depending on the success of the Dark Queen book release, I will consider expanding Black Rose into a fully operational imprint; again, be sure to follow me and Quill & Crow for more updates.
Dislike sexy romance? Never fear. I still plan on writing as much horror as my twisted brain can produce. In fact, it’s been eye-opening to see how similar writing horror is to writing erotica—both rely on a certain tension-building that I’ve come to love using in my work. But horror and dark historical fiction are still my jam. My Little Black Book of Horror is still set to drop on Nov. 10th, and I can’t wait to hear what you all think. Grab your copies now from The Crow Shoppe and get them this week.
I still plan to debut my latest full-length dark fiction novel, Welcome to Meadowbrook, very soon. I’ve kept it shrouded with secrecy because I don’t want to give too much away, but it was an absolute blast to write. While most of our books follow the standard ebook, paperback, and hardcover dance available through the usual retailers, electronic versions of Meadowbrook will only be available to Mother of Crows subscribers. If you need an excuse to subscribe, here it is!
Speaking of MoC, this newsletter will continue to be a space for helpful indie tips and tricks. I hope you all are getting some solid insight from the Indie Thoughts portion of this newsletter; I know I am. It’s incredible to see how many authors are out there achieving greatness all on their own. It’s inspiring as hell.
All that being said, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to all my readers and to those who have stuck by me and supported me throughout my ever-changing journey. I know it’s not easy—my mind goes a mile a minute, and I tend to follow my instincts, no matter how crazy they seem. But those who continue to believe in what Quill & Crow represents, who shop in The Crow Shoppe, who buy my books, and subscribe to my newsletters—I see you. I know I seem busy (I am), but even if I don’t have the time to comment, I notice and appreciate you. You are what fuels this crazy train forward, and I thank you from the bottom of my black heart for doing so.