So perhaps some of you have noticed that I’ve been MIA the last few months (I can’t believe we’re almost halfway through March. Where has the time gone!). Basically, I’ve been considering semi-retirement for awhile. After the feedback from Work Wife I started considering a move to clean romance, complete with a different pen name (which will remain mysterious– just in case!) I felt like I could better serve that audience with the kind of stories I was interested in telling. But that all changed when I had a spiritual encounter with God around the end of September.

I didn’t realize it’d changed at the time, but by the time I was getting ready to launch Spellbound, and I saw that the book just wasn’t coming together, I suspected that I was done telling these stories.

Now, that doesn’t mean that I’m going to remove my catalog or anything (at least I don’t think it does). And maybe I’ll realize my clean romance dreams in the future (I mean it’s free money practically for me haha). But as of right now, I can say confidently that the energy and enthusiasm I once had for writing romance has all but left. Fitting since it was God who gave it to me in the first place. The Lord giveth and the taketh away, I suppose.

I still have a 53K-ish Spellbound manuscript just collecting dust which sometimes sits well with me and sometimes doesn’t. I’m thinking of making a few tweaks to it and just releasing it exclusively to you guys for free. Though keep in mind that it didn’t get released for a reason. There are some things about it that simply do not live up to the standard I know C.L. Donley readers have come to expect.

But as a mailing list freebie? It’s alright I guess, lol.

Not that I’m saying, “Here’s my trash book for you subscribers!” Of course, there are some elements to it that I think are great. And I think it would be a fitting way to thank you guys for your support. If I do decide to post it, I’ll let you know when it’s available!

So, I hope this hasn’t been too cryptic. In essence, though I might be back in some form (and I hope I still have your permission to let you know if I am), the C.L. Donley catalog is done, and the pen name is retired. Some of you have been around since I was in my little apartment, recently separated, and wondering if I could possibly support myself by writing stories. That was only five years ago but it’s been a rich, productive five years.

I would be remiss if I didn’t end this with a personal plea: find Jesus. He is the hero we are all writing about.

With gratitude,

C.L.

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