Romancing Miss Stone releases on June 25, 2024, and I'm so excited! And nervous. Previously, I've published independently and with a small press. The audience for those channels are...let's say...not as large as Harlequin Afterglow. That doesn't mean I didn't hustle, but the Harlequin platform is indisputably larger and able to cut through the noise better than I can on my own.

Which means more people will read my work. Which is absolutely the goal! But I can't help but think about the things that come with a higher profile that might sting a little. Anyone who pays attention to Publishing on social media sees authors going through low points. 

 Now, it's not my habit to borrow worry from tomorrow. I'm an optimist at heart, but with a healthy dose of realism! So, I've decided to game-ify my "ugh, what if that happens" concern. 

I present to you: M.C. Vaughan's Author Milestones.

This is a list of things that I want to happen, along with things that might happen (even though I really, really hope they don't). I don't want to manifest all of these things, obviously, but even the less-than-stellar moments in publishing are worth recognizing, because I'm in the arena. Like, you can't get a bad review if you haven't published, you know? There are some things I've achieved already (partnering with an agent; publishing with a small press; good reviews), but I'm starting with things I haven't yet crossed off.

Here's the 'game' part -- for every 5 of these milestones achieved, I will treat myself to... I don't know, a nice dinner? Maybe a spa day? Something to celebrate the fact that, good or bad, I'm in the mix.

We'll see what happens!