Alexa Grave's Blog

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean!

The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right?

Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50 ~ #51 through #55 ~ #56 through #60 ~ #61 through #65 ~ #66 through #70 ~ #71 through #75 ~ #76 through #80 ~ #81 through #85

❦ 86. After giving meds to your cat with a UTI, you're battered and scratched. No energy to clean after that skirmish!

87. Another year, another writing challenge. This time you're planning to write an entire novel in a year. That includes first draft, revisions, edits, cover art, publication, and marketing. It's a breeze for some writers, but you've never accomplished the daring feat. Write now, clean never.

88. Love & Pies. Yes, a game. A merge game, as a matter of fact. Best one out there, too. The story lines are really cute. Merge, merge, merge, merge. Clean? Nope. Merge.

89. Exercising has moved to the top of your priority list (after writing). You're determined to lose weight before your 25th anniversary in October so you feel awesome at the vampire masquerade in New Orleans you bought tickets for. (There are other health reason you should get in better shape as well, but the masquerade is honestly what's motivating you right now.) You'll clean after Halloween. Right?

90. Actually, you're reconsidering this whole no cleaning thing. You want to have a gorgeous, sparkly house like in the unrealistic pictures you see on the internet. Instead of not cleaning, you're going to ignore everything else in your life to clean from sunup to sundown... April Fools'! Writing jokes instead of cleaning is a much better way to pass the time.

Another year, another Capricon, and another post-con coma (which seems to be stretching through the entire week this year - ugh). XD

Due to heightened anxiety issues the second half of 2025, I decided not to be a panelist this year. Thankfully that annoying anxiety stayed away for the con itself. However, I did help a writer friend with the party she hosts yearly. Which included having my books out for sale and signing. Both Friday and Saturday night turned out pretty awesome, especially since I sold some books!

This year, I took it a bit easy with most things, aside from the aforementioned parties. The panels I attended were: Loving Something When The Creator Is Toxic, Geek Out About Genshin Impact, Star Trek At 60, Geeky Gardening, and Non-U.S. Tropes. All fun!

Of course I spent a lot of time in the Game Room. I played Sushi Go, Trivial Pursuit, Twisted Cryptids, and Zombie Kittens. Hubbie and I participated in a couple scheduled games. Weirdwood Manor was the first, and let me tell you, what a challenging game! So I ordered a copy because... challenge accepted! We also played Flamecraft again. Amelia brought her adorable buddies Meat and Bread this year, and they watched over our playthrough. So cute!

Then of course the parties I helped with. All the books! Donna J. W. Munro (the best party host ever) threw a release party for her collection Dark Workings of Wild Women on Friday night.

Saturday night Deanna Sjolander joined the party, featuring the collaborative book she edited Blue Plate Special , the first in the Dark Reflections series.

And then I had my titles on display as well, along with some of my Speculative Stitches crochet. Honestly, the best part of Capricon this year was hanging out with Donna and Deanna. Always a blast to catch up with writer friends!

I'm planning to attend in 2027 as well, though I'll definitely have an adolescent in tow... Let's see how that shakes out - lol.

So... Let's see if I can write a novel from start to publication in one year! XD I really hope I'm not setting myself up to fall flat on my face, but seven days into 2026, and I'm feeling pretty good about it. I've already written 3k words of Once Gorgon Bitten, Twice Shy (Magic Morsel, 2), so I'll ride the wave of optimism for now.

Last year was great for writing, and I intend to keep up the momentum. Plenty to do to get a novel drafted, revised, edited, and prepped for publication. But I also have a few other goals for 2026. Time to get into the nitty-gritty.

2026 Mantras

❦ Just Write.

❦ Trust My Instincts.

❦ Focus.

Same as the last couple of years. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. =P

2026 Publications

❦ Hell Of An Unlife (Devil Made Me, 4) - Spring 2026

❦ Once Gorgon Bitten, Twice Shy (Magic Morsel, 2) - Fall 2026

Hey, at least Hell Of An Unlife is already revised. And it's the last title in the series! Consider grabbing the first three if you haven't already, starting with Hell Hath No Fury.

2026 Writing Goals

❦ One novel in a year!

❦ Edit & Publish Hell Of An Unlife.

❦ Draft, Revise, Edit, & Publish Once Gorgon Bitten, Twice Shy - It was really easy slipping back into the world of Morthmagica, and here's hoping it stays that way!

❦ Plan the third Magic Morsel novel (currently untitled) and/or plan Blood Stains the Soul (Trinity Torn, 3)

❦ Newsletters - 9 scheduled again.

❦ Born to Write - One post a month, with a break in August.

❦ Networking - Capricon again in February, but no readings or panels. I'll still have paperback copies of my books available, if you'd like to buy a signed copy!

❦ Social Media - More Instagram and Tiktok posts! Last year I kind of forgot about all that. Oops. Reminders set in Todoist now - lol.

❦ Marketing & Promo - Likely more Facebook and Amazon Ads, depending on how much I feel like gambling (because that's totally what it feels like to me when I run ads).

❦ SPFBO XI - Yes, back to Self-Publishing Blog-Off, and the eleventh year of the contest! Leave No Dragon Stone Unturned (Magic Morsel, 1) got through the lottery (I like to say it won the 50/50 because there were around 600 submissions this year), and has been assigned to Fantasy-Faction. Fingers crossed that the novel makes it to the semi-finals at least!

That's what I got for the year. The caffeine flowing through my system from my Chai is bolstering my optimism at the moment, but we'll see how I feel once my youngest, who has an upset stomach, gets home shortly. Heh.

If you have any writing goals for the year, please join us in the Writing Quest group, where we support each other in our progress (or commiserate when walls prevent that progress).

Happy 2026, all! And here's the obligatory bullet journal pic.

Wow. That's the only word I have at the moment. Just, wow.

Okay, I guess since this is a blog post, I should attempt to elaborate. 2025 was crazy productive. Guess the Double Time worked? Maybe. Successfully tricking my brain could have been a fluke. I guess we'll see in 2026 when I shoot for the stars without the sneaky brain tricks. Lol.

But I need to focus on 2025 and all that I accomplished before revealing my goals for next year, huh? Yeah. Save all those new goals for another post.

If you'd like to check what my original plan was for this year, take a look at 2025 - Double Time? - I did veer off track, but definitely in a good way! I mention some of the planned changes in Writing Update - June 2025.

Let's see what I actually got done, though...

2025 Publications

❦ Leave No Dragon Stone Unturned (Magic Morsel, 1)

❦ Intricate Agony (Fortunes of Fate, 8)

❦ Hell's Bells (Devil Made Me, 3)

Yes, I published three titles this year - one more than originally planned. Smashed it!

2025 Writing Progress

❦ Revised, edited, and published Leave No Dragon Stone Unturned.

❦ Drafted, revised, edited, and published Intricate Agony.

❦ Drafted, revised, edited, and published Hell's Bells - the drafting was planned, the rest was not!

❦ Drafted and revised Hell Of An Unlife (Devil Made Me, 4) - not planned at all!

❦ Edited Hell Hath No Fury and Hell On Wheels (Devil Made Me, 1 & 2) - mentioned in my June update, and then it took longer than expected.

❦ Downward Spiral (Urban Unicorn, 1) - this draft is now on hold, and I'll be jumping into the next Magic Morsel draft instead come January.

2025 Writing Tasks

❦ Newsletters - 9 sent, as intended, though more new release and cover reveals than planned.

❦ Born To Write - 11 out of 12 months, but that works for me.

❦ Networking & Social Media - Capricon 45 was attended, including the excerpt reading, but I fell flat on my face with the social media.

❦ Marketing & Promo - Did some Facebook Ads, and I also ran Amazon Ads when Dragon Stone was in Kindle Unlimited.

❦ Yes Writing, Screw Cleaning - my house definitely shows I stuck to this goal in 2025 - heh.

2025 Numbers

Yay, I made it to my favorite part of the post! All the numbers!

❦ Words Drafted = 41,635

❦ Words Revised = 78,999

❦ Total Words Drafted & Revised = 120,634 (A good chunk of my 150k For Funsies goal!)

❦ Words Edited = 79,156

❦ Hours Spent Drafting, Revising, & Editing = 272.58

❦ Hours Spent On Cover Art, Formatting, & Publishing = 48.75

❦ Total Hours Spent On Writing & Writing Tasks = 425.25

Wow. I'm stuck on that single word again. My total hours are equitable to 2023 (not 2024 - ha), but I spent more time drafting and revising this year, plus I averaged more words per hour. Just, wow. It feels awesome to have accomplished so much. Here's hoping I keep up the momentum. The end of this year has been kind of meh, but I think I deserve a little downtime. XD

I hope everyone else is happy with their 2025 and looking forward to 2026!

At long last, the third title in the Devil Made Me series is here. Hell's Bells continues Moira's story with a bit of holiday flare. And yeah, she's still balancing relationship issues as well as her imminent rise to the position of devil.

Peek into her unlife madness with the excerpt below. If you want to grab a copy, you can find the ebook for purchase at all major online retailers. Books2Read will show all retailer options, but here are a handful of direct links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google.

Oh, and next spring, be on the look out for the final installment of the Devil Made Me series, Hell Of An Unlife.

❦

I gripped the door handles, willing a different floor to manifest on the other side. Any but the second. Or the seventh. Best to avoid Douglas. Forever.

The millionth time was the charm?

Throwing the doors wide, a flurry of activity greeted me, more than typical for the floor of lust. Unfortunately, that didn’t change the fact that this was indeed the second. “Crap.”

The huge common area was designed similar to a dorm. Large screen TV along one wall, the only allowed on our floor according to the inexplicable rules, and a kitchen on the opposite. Though the dead had no need to eat, many indulged in their favorite foods from life.

Anything to drive away the sense of emptiness, the lack of true emotions. A person only enjoyed items and activities they resolved to, and they turned it on and off like a light switch.

Except me. Ever since I’d arrived, I was an anomaly, longing stirring in my gut when my ex-boyfriend Jared was nearby. And occasionally contending with a comfort washing over me – a sensation I’d never experienced until my death.

Unique. That summed me up. Also the reason why Pandora had tapped me as her successor.

Actually, no longer a total aberration.

After I’d banished Dick, Jared and I admitted our love for each other. Emotions had overtaken him. A spark of life igniting in a realm where people sought to lose themselves when they could no longer bear to gaze at their reflections.

Now Jared was like me. No clue how or why, though. Not that I’d discussed it much with him.

And I refused to ask Pandora. Best she not know about it, anyhow. And if she already did, my lips were zipped unless she broached the subject. She kept too many secrets from me, so I’d keep a few of my own.

Screw her. And screw these crazy people on my floor.

An evergreen tree now towered in the corner near the bathroom – my hiding place of choice during my Welcomer shifts, since it was rarely used. Multicolored lights twinkled on the pine boughs, with half a dozen people adorning the branches with ornaments.

The sports freaks had been kicked off the TV, a shock in and of itself, and a holiday movie played on the screen. One of those romantic comedies, so trite that it proved nearly impossible to discern the difference between one or the other.

Sarah approached, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “We decided to celebrate the holidays. Liven the mood a little.” She beamed, her excitement contagious. Almost.

I had a love-hate relationship with Christmas. Pretty much a noncommittal pagan, I never attended church, sticking to the secular side of the holiday.

No issues with a sparkling Yule tree, but I preferred spiked eggnog and mistletoe. Made life interesting.

On the other hand, I hated that nog because once I sobered up, I wallowed in the horrible decisions I’d made while under its influence. Including hooking up with Jared after we’d split – a mistake resulting in a ton of yelling and broken furniture the following day.

You see, on Christmas Eve the previous year, I’d caught him in bed with a friend. They’d both blamed the booze.

Jared and I had a horrible track record during the holidays. And we were now together again in this insane afterlife.

Hard to fault Sarah’s desire for a distraction, though. She’d died young, still a teenager. “Well, happy holidays.” I forced a smile, but it felt as fake as it was.

“Hey, Moira.” Naveah, our newest Welcomer, emerged from one of the doors leading to the endless hallways and rooms. And no, the irony of her name was not lost on me. “The buzz vibrated my brain, so I’m it. Has it been busy?”

“Nah. Even slower.” And with her appearance, my shift ended. “Have fun.”

Now to find my boyfriend. More teleporting attempts tomorrow. At the moment, getting laid sounded far more appealing.

No sign of Jared among the crowd of decorators, which had multiplied, spreading to bedecking the ceiling and counters. Man, it would look like Christmas threw up in here once they finished.

I slipped through one of the many doors, intent on changing. Then I’d check his room, which was connected to mine unless we were arguing.

Giggles led me around a corner.

And there stood Jared, his back to me, and a woman in a bright blue bustier leaning toward him, mistletoe in her outstretched hand. He laughed, and turned his head enough for me to spot a lustful grin on his face.

“Hell, no.” The pun failed to amuse me as usual, anger grabbing hold.

I wished my plastic pitchfork was metal, but it remained in its current tacky form. One of those stupid rules on our floor. Pity, because I yearned to skewer Jared to the wall.

❦

Happy holidays... In Hell? Not with a cheating boyfriend.

The inhabitants of Hell’s second floor deck the common area for the holidays. Moira thinks them all crazy, though she enjoys a good cup of eggnog. Unfortunately, instead of drinking to her heart’s content, she discovers her boyfriend Jared in a compromising position with another woman and a sprig of mistletoe.

Moira’s anger whisks her off to the eighth, where she learns what Kara wants in return for helping her and Jared escape an angry mob of shysters a while back. To retrieve the woman’s grandson from limbo. Limbo, the first floor of Hell, where all the innocent souls land. Also the tamest floor, according to Pandora, the sexy-voiced cloud of a devil. But Kara insists it’s the opposite.

As the devil-in-training, Moira’s bound to the deal she made, and promises to rescue the child if the dismal rumor proves true. So she scopes out limbo, her definitely cheating boyfriend tagging along. Will she uncover a paradise in Hell, or finally stumble upon the brimstone?

One thing’s for sure. Between Moira’s relationship drama and sneaking around under Pandora’s nonexistent nose, she’s sure to have a terribly unhappy holiday.

October means Halloween! Totally the holiday I own the most decorations for.

Unfortunately, I decided on no party this year due to several factors. Right about now, I'm glad I made that decision because this week has been a nightmare between jury duty, a car that needed fixing, and the thermostat in the house failing. More fuel for future Fractured Fairies stories, right?

No party, but I still decorated! Acquired a couple new items this year, as well. I seriously need more room to store Halloween decorations.

So here come some pictures! Carved pumpkins aren't happening until Friday, so no pics of those this year.

This last pic is of one of my favorite new decorations. The bowl is super creepy and neat, plus it reminds me of the cover backgrounds of Do Not Go Gentle and Dead As Dreams. Yeah, so I put a copy of the latter in it for the pic. Shameless self-promotion? XD

I hope everyone has an awesome Halloween! Don't forget to grab a handful of good horror books to read during spooky season.

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean!The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50 ~ #51 through #55 ~ #56 through #60 ~ #61 through #65 ~ #66 through #70 ~ #71 through #75 ~ #76 through #80

❦

81. You don't want to clean. Hubbie doesn't want to clean (sometimes you think he might actually clean more than you do). Why fight it? Binge all 10 seasons of The Blacklist together instead!

82. There's this double time challenge you've decided to test yourself with. Writing goals? Yeah, try to double them! This means more writing time. But something's got to fall off the list to make room. Cleaning - see ya never!

83. Your middle schooler insists on regaling you with every moment of her day. Yes, all those unimportant details. When she's finally done, an hour has passed, and you neither have the time nor the energy to do anything other than nap.

84. The middle schooler might chat your ear off, but the teenager prefers hiding in her room. Every time you look in there, the mess has multiplied. It oozes across the table you told her not to pile stuff on, and spills onto the floor so you can barely walk. No matter how often you tell her to pick up, she belligerently agrees, then never does it. And seriously, do you have the energy to force her to clean (or gods forbid, clean it yourself), when you avoid your own chores? Nope.

85. Oh, it's been far too long since I've chosen a game as a reason... Must plant flowers in Pikmin Bloom! Hey, at least this one gets you moving. True, vigorous cleaning can also be exercise, but you'd rather collect all the cute decor Pikmin. Mini dopamine hit, for the win!

It's release day for my next Fortunes of Fate title! Intricate Agony is the 8th story in the series. And this one takes place on Earth, though you'll see a handful of familiar faces from previous titles.

You can purchase a copy of the ebook on all major online retailers. Books2Read will direct you to your retailer of choice, but if you want direct links to the bigger stores, here you go: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google, and Apple. So, how does this story fit into the tapestry of Fate? An excerpt is below, but read the whole tale to find out!

❦

The shadow in the corner quivered, and familiar prickles of pain cascaded across Lucas’s skin. A yelp snagged in his throat. Don’t react, or I’ll never escape.

Dr. Kimberly glanced over her left shoulder, the end of her pen pressed against her bottom lip. “Do you see a creature in the corner?”

This psychiatrist had good intentions, hoping to ease his affliction. But like many others before her, she was failing.

His sole means of relief hid in a desk on the third floor of his house, not here in the Fortune Psychiatric Center. “No. Just the light filtering through the blinds.” Steady and calm voice, disguising the agony building inside him.

Mocking his lie, the shadow detached from the corner and oozed across the floor. It wound its way toward Dr. Kimberly’s chair, threatening to consume her in a single gulp.

Or at least that was how it appeared to Lucas. An empty threat, though. The monsters preferred to remain hallucinations, which was what his visions had been diagnosed as. They aimed to keep themselves secret to all but him.

A throbbing pulsed behind his eyes, then dripped down the back of his neck, heightening his misery. The professionals labeled this psychogenic pain. Various medications they’d prescribed him did nothing to dull it, though. Nor had physical therapy, changing his diet, or intense psychotherapy.

Well, Dr. Kimberly assumed that last one had worked. “Still no pain over these last couple weeks?”

The meditation techniques she’d taught him granted him the ability to conceal his torment. “None.” And his lying skills had improved while trapped in this facility – a tortuously long three months.

Yet he yearned to twist and turn, voicing his misery. As well as take a needle to his skin, adding to the intricate design on his chest. Appear cured, and they’ll release me.

When his father Lester Kline V had been alive, he hired the best therapists to help his son, but never admitted him into an institution.

A year ago, though, his dad had suffered a fatal heart attack while working late at the law firm. His assistant had found him in the morning, dead.

The shadow jumped and jittered, as if laughing at Lucas’s reflections. Heart attack in a healthy, fit forty-year-old? Yeah, right.

Lucas suspected the true, more sinister cause of death swirled around Dr. Kimberly’s feet. It taunted him, lighting up his nerves.

He’d never told a soul about his hunch. It would have simply turned into another item added to the list that proved his madness.

His stepmother Nadia had admitted him. She perceived him as a nuisance and burden – a fourteen-year-old in the way of her inheriting his father’s wealth.

If he showed improvement, she’d be required to bring him home. Gone were the days of sending children off to an insane asylum for the rest of their lives without question.

So he masked his torment, bottling up his anxiety over the roiling darkness. A normal teenager. Nothing wrong with me.

Dr. Kimberly beamed. “You’ve made excellent progress. I think it’s time for outpatient treatment.”

The exact words he wanted to hear. Freedom.

“If the pain or hallucinations return, though, we’ll admit you again immediately. The pressures of the outside world might cause a relapse, but I have high hopes you’ll do well. Please contact me if you experience a recurrence, or if you develop new symptoms.”

Lucas deflated. Once released, he’d still need to hide his anguish, or Nadia would call the psychiatrist the second she noticed him slip. “Of course, Doctor.” Fooling his stepmother would prove difficult, since she obsessively scrutinized him. Any excuse to get him out of her way.

“Excellent. Pack your things. I’ll contact your mother and schedule your release for tomorrow.” She scribbled on her notepad.

Not my mother.

Mara Kline had died from medical complications the day after he was born. His dad had shared happy stories about his mom, along with albums full of pictures. She’d chosen his name, breaking the long running tradition in the Kline family of the firstborn son inheriting the name of his father.

For ten years, it had been him and his dad. And then Nadia wandered into their lives.

Wretched, gold-digging woman. Unfortunately, she’d fooled Lester Kline, whose heart still ached over the loss of his first wife. He’d yearned to love again, Lucas’s warnings of Nadia’s nefarious intentions falling on deaf ears.

The shadow looped around the legs of Dr. Kimberly’s chair, each twist delivering fresh pangs, like a rusty nail stabbing him repeatedly.

He clenched his teeth, refusing to succumb to the stinging sensation.

Finally, the monster yielded and slithered to its corner, soaking into the wall and disappearing.

His pain faded to an annoying vibration. A level he tolerated easily, as he’d contended with it his whole life. The shadows had initially emerged when he was eleven, so he’d only dealt with them for the past three years.

Lucas relaxed into the couch and smiled. Soon, he’d add to his tattoo and bask in the momentary relief it offered.

❦

No way to evade the shadows’ torment...

A constant undercurrent of pain has weighed down Lucas his entire life. When he turns eleven, shadows only he can see emerge from the darkness, heightening his affliction. Then two years later, his supportive father dies of a heart attack, leaving him with his greedy stepmother.

Nadia desires the fortune her husband left behind, and she’ll do anything to wrest it from Lucas’s hands. Including establishing that her stepson is completely crazy. She aims to declare him mentally unsound, and in turn take full control of his finances.

Fourteen, Lucas has four more years before he escapes from under his stepmother’s thumb. Can he survive that long without proving Nadia right, or will he lose everything his family built, along with his own mind?

Worldhop into the stories of Fate. Each fantastical tale takes place on Earth or Fate, where you’ll find magic, tarot cards, and the three cat sisters woven throughout. Though each adventure stands alone, webs connect these fantasies like an elaborate design. What card illuminates your destiny?

Holy shit, what an awesomely productive writing year so far! I have to scream it to the four quarters as loud as possible, as it's an insane rarity for me.

*shouts as loud as I can about how much writing I've gotten done*

OK, now that I've gotten that out of my system, let's get down to business. First order, my word counters to the left. Right now it's just my For Funsies tracker, and this is because I totally haven't been updating the current project one while plowing through shorter titles. Too much of a pain in the patoot. I'll bring it back when I start drafting another novel, which will be later this year. *knocks on wood*

For a refresher on what my goals for the year were, visit 2025 - Double Time?... or don't. You can read on without any context. Fine by me. XD

2025 Publications

❦ Leave No Dragon Stone Unturned (Magic Morsel, 1) - April 16, 2025

Yes, it was published on time (actually slightly early, as my original target was late May). Right now you can find the ebook and paperback on Amazon, and it's also available via Kindle Unlimited. Barnes & Noble also has a paperback version. The ebook will be available at all other major online retailers in October (and at that time it'll no longer be in Kindle Unlimited).

❦ Intricate Agony (Fortunes of Fate, 8) - July 30, 2025

Wait, wasn't I going to publish this one in fall? Yup. I'm currently revising this story (which clocked in close to 12k for the initial draft), and it should be ready to move to the editing stage in a couple weeks. Plus my newsletter subscribers are getting a sneak peek of the cover today!

❦ Hell's Bells (Devil Made Me, 3) - Late Fall/Early Winter

Not only am I publishing titles early, I'm also adding a third to the publication list this year! The first draft has been written, and wow, Moira is as snarky as ever. A little bit of Christmas in Hell, too.

2025 Writing Progress

*takes a deep breath* This is going to be a fun list!

❦ Revised 35,023 words of Leave No Dragon Stone Unturned, and edited all 79,516 words. Published, as stated above.

❦ Drafted 11,509 words of Intricate Agony (and I'm currently 5,866 words into the revision).

❦ Drafted 14,184 words of Hell's Bells.

❦ Drafted 15,942 words of Hell Of An Unlife (Devil Made Me, 4) - What the hell (excuse my silly pun)? This wasn't on my original list of goals! Well, I wrote it anyway, and I'm still way ahead of schedule. This is the last title in the series, and I'm aiming to publish it in Spring 2026.

❦ Excluding editing, I've written and revised a total of 82,524 words so far this year. Over halfway through my For Funsies tracker. O.o

❦ I'll be sending my 5th newsletter out today, and I've actually written a blog post every month.

❦ Had fun at Capricon with my writer friends. Fiddling around with Amazon Ads for Leave No Dragon Stone Unturned and the Trinity Torn series (the latter is no longer wide, but in Kindle Unlimited now for a while). Facebook ads were pissing me off again.

2025 Writing Goal Changes

Aside from what was mentioned above in the other sections, I've also decided to veer off into another direction than what I originally had planned. Following the path that leads to the greatest dopamine hit!

❦ Downward Spiral (Urban Unicorn, 1) is back on the postponed list. I had so much fun with Lila and the wacko characters in Leave No Dragon Stone Unturned, so I intend to dive into the next Magic Morsel novel instead! Title still to be determined. I'll likely draft it first and then settle on another twisted idiom.

❦ Not only do I have revisions and edits to do for Hell's Bells now, but I'd like to clean up Hell Hath No Fury and Hell On Wheels a bit. Not heavy revisions - likely an edit to line up better with my current voice/style.

❦ Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I'm starting to get the itch to return to the Trinity Torn series. No way am I starting the draft of the third novel this year, but I may try to read through the previous titles and note down all the threads that need tying up. I'm really hoping I can end the series in the next book (making it a trilogy)!

❦

What a long post! That's good, though. It means I've been keeping busy. And Double Time has been working splendidly. Oh, yeah, I'm still on the Yes Writing, Screw Cleaning bandwagon, too. Woe is my poor house. Maybe it'll get more attention next year. Or never...

Yes, four exclamation marks, due to my four kitties. And this is another one of those posts chock full of cat pictures, with little substance. Sometimes we need more images than words, though, right?

Next month I'll have my mid-year update, and I'm looking forward to telling all of you about the writing progress I've made. Until then... Kitties!!!!