I find myself drifting in that nebulous time between Christmas and New Year’s this week, unsure of the day of the week and too full of leftovers and snacks, yet charged with the knowledge that something else, something important, lay ahead.

Of course, I’m not really talking about New Year’s Eve.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to see 2023 to the door. Conflict everywhere you look, people just generally being mean, friends and family going through some stuff, car repairs, leaky toilets, etc. You know what I mean. You know what you did, 2023.

Of course, it’s not fair to say that the past year was all bad. It could have been a little friendlier a good portion of the time, but I’d be remiss in not celebrating that the first book I’ve released since 2020 hit the shelves in October. And while I might have previously complained about the difficulty writing Fury, 2023 was the year I finally got through it.

So, okay, fine, it wasn’t the absolute worst. It wasn’t a 2020, amirite?

But again, something really important lays ahead, and it’s not just a new year. In fact, it’s a big new year with big new plans. I’ll be releasing three new novels in the coming year: Fury, a new middle grade adventure (sci-fi, anyone?), and the sequel to Goldenshield. I can’t wait to share it all with you!

(Oh, and did I mention that all three parts of Fury (Tempers Rising, Savage Storm, and Reckoning), as well as the complete digital novel, are now available for pre-order? Order your copy today and make sure to start 2024 off with a vampire-filled bang!)

Something else I’m planning to do in 2024 is build up my inner circle, or what they call a “street team” in the industry. Personally, I think the term is dumb, but no one asked me, I guess.

I have a handful of friends who get early access to everything I release weeks beforehand. The smart people on the internet say a successful author should have a dozen or two members of their support team. With that in mind, I’d love to add a few more readers who would like to get in early and help me out with release ratings and reviews. I would never ask for anything more than someone’s honest opinion, of course, so if you enjoy my work and would like to join the team, reach out on social media, leave me a comment, or send an email and let me know!

At any rate, I hope your holidays—or, heck, your waning days of December, if you don’t holiday at all—have been wonderful. May your 2024 be filled with good times, good luck, and good stories.

Now, I believe it’s time I had another eggnog.

Happy Holidays!

—JR