What's Up With My Samhain Books?

By now, the majority of folks have heard the news that Samhain Publishing has closed its doors (for real this time). Ebooks are down from all major retailers, and their site is no longer functioning. Paperback versions are still for sale wherever they have remaining inventory, because the vendors own those books, and those listings will disappear once the books are sold out. Rights reversion letters are supposed to start going out to authors any minute so we can do with our books as we please.

I had eight books with Samhain, spread over two interconnected series (Cost of Repairs and Perspectives).

The good news: I'm going to republish my three Perspectives titles (The Truth As He Knows It, The World As He Sees It, and The Heart As He Hears It) on Amazon with their original cover art as soon as I get the rights back. Like, same day if possible. I'm also going to experiment by having them in Kindle Unlimited for a three-month trial. Hopefully this happens in early march, because these books are entwined with my March 17 release, Here For Us, which will also be in KU.

The less great news: the Cost of Repairs series won't be available again for a brief period of time. Why, you ask? Good question.

First, I want to re-edit them. Mostly a spit-shine, but my writing has improved over the years, so I want to go back through them. Address some errors that have popped up over time, and maybe even add some content. Second, I want to re-cover them. I'm already in contact with my original cover designer with Samhain, and the entire series is going to get an updated look. This means re-releasing them later in the year, probably beginning in the summer. I'm still fluid on that.

On a personal note, I'm sad to see Samhain shut its doors. For many, many years, it was my go-to retailer for quality m/m romances. Some of my favorite authors were published there. Hell, the very first m/m romance I ever read was published by Samhain. The day I received an acceptance email from my editor for Cost of Repairs, I about peed myself with joy. I was sad when that editor left after one book, but my second editor, Christa Soule, was a gift. She made the rest of those books shine, and I miss working with her.

So that's what's what with me right now. 

I wish all of my fellow Samhain authors, editors, artists, and other employees the very best as we all pursue new endeavors.

New Release: Fractured Hymns

It has been more than three years since Ethaniel Shockley first showed up in my zero draft of "Foundation of Trust" (Cost of Repairs #5), and he never did go away. Even I wanted to know why such a handsome fellow was still single, and why he told strangers that his niece was his daughter.

Two years ago, I began the first draft of Fractured Hymns and progress was steady. I loved Ethan and Angel and the extended Shockley family, but after about 30,000 words I got stuck. Really, really stuck. So I put the book aside and worked on other things. 

About a year ago, I dusted off Fractured Hymns once again, gave it a reread, and suddenly I knew how to fix it. I knew where the story needed to go. And I finished it. I initially contracted the book to Samhain Publishing, but after this spring's We're closing/We're not closing debacle, I received my rights back and decided to step into the world of self-publishing.

It's been kind of fun, and I'm so happy to finally be able to put Fractured Hymns out into the world with an amazing cover my Lyn Taylor. This book is about so many things, like family and personal faith, but it's also about self-acceptance. And it's about pushing past adversity and pain and living the best life possible.

I hope you all enjoy your time with Ethaniel and Angel. It's available now on Amazon, and will be on other retailers soon.

Edit: Available now on Nook.

Still firmly in the closet at the age of thirty, Ethaniel Shockley is content leading a solitary—if lonely—life working on a construction crew with fellow military vets. After a tragic worksite accident leaves two of his friends dead, Ethaniel returns to his family home to recuperate from a spiral leg fracture and severe Post Concussive Syndrome. He may be lucky to be alive, but he hates the independence he’s lost. Matthew “Angel” Garrett has worked at Shockley Stables for three years, content to muck stalls and polish saddles, and to be as unnoticeable as possible. Except for weekly church outings, he avoids going into town so he doesn’t see The Look. The Look that says “I know you went to prison for killing a man.”
 A chance conversation with Ethaniel gives Angel hope that maybe he can have a friendship with the gorgeous Shockley sibling he’s crushed on for years. But the more time they spend indulging in their shared love of music, the clearer it becomes that they both want more. Ethaniel sees a kindred spirit in Angel, whose soul is just as fractured from his time in prison as Ethaniel’s is from war. But Angel has another, deeper secret that haunts him—one he’s positive will destroy this new song with Ethaniel before it’s even written.

Prodigal and Frozen News

So I have some news regarding my first two m/m publications, PRODIGAL and FROZEN. As of October 26, my contract for PRODIGAL expired and I chose to have my rights to that novella reverted. The same thing will happen next March when my contract for FROZEN expires.

What does that mean? It means that at some point in the very near future, PRODIGAL will go out of print. So if you've been meaning to give my supernatural romances a try, now's the time. FROZEN has a few more months of life left, but it will go out of print next spring.

Will I self-publish them? Probably. I do want to re-edit both books and quite possibly re-release them at some point next year. I've thought about doing another supernatural story set in that particular universe of demons and magic, but I have a pretty tight schedule for the next six months or so. So there's a good chance that if I re-release PRODIGAL and FROZEN, it will be alongside something new.

No promises. I have to wait for the characters to come to me.

In the meantime, Tristan and Gabe are calling my name....