Reflections + Resolutions

 

It's that time of year again! The time for reflecting and making plans for the upcoming new year. While I do understand that pretty much every year never goes quite as planned, I do still enjoy creating intentions to take into the new year and then trying my best to work on them between the day-to-day responsibilities and challenges of life.

2024 was an oddly challenging year for me because, on a personal front, everything was pretty normal. But as you all know, the world was still a dumpster fire and in mid-March, my day job produced a bully as my new boss and I spent eight months in complete frustration and dismay wherein my creative flow suffered until finally, in November, that negative person left and I was able to start to regain a sense of normalcy in the workplace again. However, I stand on the precipice of meeting yet another new boss this coming year, and I can only hope that they will be, at the very least, your average expectation of a boss. If not, I've certainly learned my lesson about protecting my mindset so that hopefully this time around, I can still create despite the challenges I cannot change. I think we're all going into 2025 holding our breath and hoping to stay above water for various reasons. And in the in-between moments, I hope we all still find it in ourselves to create a little magic.

As far as writing goes, 2024 ushered in the release of SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Convergence. This is a collection of short stories from various Dreampunk authors and includes my story Looped. I hope you enjoyed it! And if you haven't grabbed a copy yet, now is a good time to add it to your 2025 TBR stack!

I also began writing Project DWC but stopped about 15K words in because of two reasons. One, the aforementioned attack on my creative energy. Two, I really wanted to rush The Dead Oaks: Omnibus into production. I spent most of the summer re-editing the previous four Dead Oaks books for this new edition and in the Fall, I began writing a new short story that will be included. It's almost complete and I plan to spend the first part of the year putting on the finishing touches and setting a release date.

I'm not making any promises about what will or won't be released in 2025, but my intentions are to:

Finish & Publish The Dead Oaks: Omnibus

Write a New Short Story

Continue Writing Project DWC

I'm also hoping to work on some mini-projects related to my books, such as more illustrations and maybe even a few craft projects. I'll share these on Instagram, so be sure to follow if that sounds like something you'd like to see!

I'm wishing you all a very happy new year and I'm here to support and cheer you on in all of your endeavors as well.

As always, thank you for all of your continued support and happy reading! 

❤ Dez

Currently Writing: PROJECT DWC

 

If you've read my previous blog posts or follow me on social media then you may have already heard me reference Project DWC. This is what I'm calling my current work in progress. DWC is short for the actual series title, which I'm not ready to reveal yet!

I'd initially intended to write this as a multi-installment serial (short story-length installments), but as I've begun writing the first book I have very quickly realized the format will turn out different than I'd imagined. It's just playing out to make much more sense as a series of novels. Yes, a whole new story world! I'd also initially thought I'd be self-publishing it, which might still end up being the case. But now, I'm also toying with the idea of submitting it for traditional publishing (i.e.- querying it to a publisher). There are still so many decisions that will have to be made in terms of how this story will finally be brought to market, BUT that comes later. I have to finish writing it first! All this to say that: I'm very excited about this story. It's what I'm spending all of my creative writing time on. And while I'd love to share more about it with you all along the way, I also beg for your patience because it might be some time before you're actually able to read it. But, as I always do, I will keep you updated on my progress on the journey to publication!

If you've missed my previous mentions of this project, it's a new MM Dreampunk series with an Urban Fantasy setting and built upon the framework of magic and multiverses. And for those who have read the ROAM series; yes, it is connected to the ROAMverse and there may potentially be some cameos or references to that series at some point in this one. Fun easter eggs to look forward to in the future!

I'm reluctant to give anything too detailed about this series away yet, as I'm still working on the first draft. But here's a sneak peek of an inspiration board I created that contains glimpses of what to expect in terms of characters, mood, and atmosphere. Each row represents one of the main cast of characters from the first book in the series.

Progress Report: I've just finished drafting Act 1 and am about a third of the way through the first draft.

Let me know if there are any specific types of behind-the-scenes teasers you enjoy so that I can share them with you! I'm hoping to keep you updated on my progress monthly as I feel that this book may take some time to fully craft and cultivate into the robust story that I know it will be. I'd rather take my time and give it the care it deserves than rush through it to please the algorithm gods.

Also, if there are any certain types of blog topics that you'd prefer to read from me this year, let me know that as well! Whether it's deep dives into stories or characters, writing tips, or something entirely different!

Thanks for reading!

Your Writerly Friend,

❤ Dez

January Wrap-Up

This year started off strong! I feel like I was more busy in this one month than in the entirety of last year. I've had a lot of fun, but I'm also looking forward to a slightly more laid-back February.

First and foremost in January, SOMNISCOPE released! This is the second Dreampunk anthology I've participated in and my short story, Looped, is included. If you've yet to pick up a copy, this book contains short stories by 27 different Dreampunk authors! You can get your copy here.

I hit 10K words on my first draft of what I'm now calling Project DWC. This MM Dreampunk story is the first in a new series and I'm excited to share more with you soon!

I was very busy in January in multiple aspects of my life, including finally joining a Ghostbusters franchise! I'd tried to start one in my town nearly a decade ago without much luck and had given up. But all in good time, because someone else finally decided to start one and by sheer chance, our paths crossed and--long story short--I joined a group that is growing quickly! I've attended two events with them already, a Comic Con and a Table Top Con, and am looking forward to participating in more this year!

I also prepped for THREE art shows! All of these have taken place during this first week of February, but the time spent creating the art happened in December/January. I'll share more about these in next month's wrap-up post.

What I Read in January:

Odds & Ends:

For whatever reason, I watched the entire first season of the Jersey Shore for the first time (Snooki is my fav. lol). About to start S2! I'm back on a boba kick. I'm slowly getting back to posting about my vintage collections. And I became obsessed with connecting all of the literary references in Saltburn.

Here's to a slightly less busy, but hopefully still very productive, February!

Happy Reading!

❤ Dez

SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Convergence is OUT NOW!

 

SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Convergence is out now! I have a short story in this anthology titled 'Looped'. SOMNISCOPE features over twenty short stories by popular Dreampunk authors! Now available in print (ebooks coming soon).

My Dreampunk Books

The fictional worlds of Dreampunk take on many forms due to the genre's surreal basis. Many authors will have their own opinion on what constitutes a story as "Dreampunk", though one of the best descriptions so far can be found here. Due to the nature of the genre, each author has their own tendency to prefer to focus on varying aspects of Dreampunk. In my own work, I love to utilize the "Dream World" as an actual place that can be visited and a sort of in-between of our physical plane and other dimensions accessible through the universal subconscious. I also like to incorporate "dream tech" into my stories with a nod to two other more prominent genres: Cyberpunk and Steampunk.

With a new anthology, SOMNISCOPE, soon to be released, here's a brief look at my Dreampunk books so far and what I'm working on this year!

THE ROAM SERIES

ROAM was my first foray into the genre and my debut novel. In this series, I introduce the Dream World, delve into a Sandman dogma, and introduce both magical occult items and dream tech. This trilogy remains the basis for most of my Dreampunk work and while other stories may not include these characters, they are linked within the same "ROAMverse" if you will.

THE REVELATION OF DACEY SINNET

This prequel to the ROAM series is more of a Victorian Vampire novel, but near the end does open itself up to the label of Dreampunk by introducing other characters from the ROAM series and a bit of the aforementioned magical occult items.

THATCHER MAUGDEN AND THE DREAM WITCH

This short story included in MIRRORMAZE, is set in the ROAMverse but features all-new characters set in the Edwardian era. This story takes place primarily in the Dream World and introduces very Steampunk-influenced dream technology. 

LOOPED

Looped is my entry in the upcoming SOMNISCOPE, and has a more Contemporary setting. This short story is a Psychological Suspense tale that takes place in a mental health facility and is my most surreal writing thus far.

PROJECT "DWC"

My current work-in-progress, which I'll refer to as Project DWC, evokes much of what I created in the ROAM series in terms of world-building but will be an entirely new series with a new cast of characters. I have yet to decide if any ROAM characters will make cameos, but it's not out of the question.

I'm currently working on the first draft of the first book in what, I'm hoping, might become a multi-book series. At the very least, I could see it being another trilogy.

It's a Dreampunk Urban Fantasy featuring LGBTQ+ characters, dream witches and dream magic, dream creatures, and a lot of new dream tech.

It's incredibly fun to write and I can't wait until the day when I can finally share this new story with you all!

Until then, be on the lookout for Looped in SOMNISCOPE, coming soon! Subscribe to my newsletter on my website to be the first to hear when it's available.

Happy Reading!

❤ Dez

Somniscope is Coming Soon!

 

I'm thrilled to share that SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Convergence published by Fractured Mirror Publishing is coming soon! This Dreampunk anthology features short stories by indie publishing's most prominent Dreampunk authors! And I'm honored to say that not only do I have a story included, but it's also the opening story of the book! My contribution is titled Looped and I can't wait for you to read it!

Release date to be announced SOON. The publishing company is just waiting on a few backend details. 

BLURB:

Another lonely night, another borrowed dream. You know you’ll never get to sleep on your own, so why bother trying? It’ll only waste time, and you’ve got to be up in six hours. Five and a half now.

What is it about other people’s lives that satisfies that gnawing hunger in your chest, if only for a moment? Living in someone else’s skin scratches an itch that can’t be reached any other way. All the little parts of yourself that aggravate like a pebble in your shoe… they’re just gone. Sure, everybody’s got problems, but they don’t have your problems, not exactly. It’s this momentary relief that keeps you coming back night after night.

So you pull out the device, plug it into the wall beside your bed, slip on the headset, and lie back onto your pillow. You close your eyes and listen to those ten hypnotic clicks, your countdown to dreamland. Precisely one second after the tenth click, you lose consciousness. There in front of your eyes is the loading screen…

Books I'm Looking Forward To Reading in 2024

One of my priorities for this year is to make as much time for reading as writing. Here are a few of the books I'm looking forward to this year!

THE PRISONER'S THRONE by Holly Black

I have been OBSESSED with Holly Black's Elfhame books. Look, Cardan checks all the boxes for me; what can I say? And while this new series focuses on the next generation of characters, I'm still having just as much fun losing myself in her dark and mystical elven world. This is the book I'm most looking forward to!

BRIDE by Ali Hazelwood

While Contemporary Romance isn't one of my go-to genres, I've enjoyed everything Ali Hazelwood has written with her STEM-based books. I'm curious to see how her writing style transfers over to paranormal romance.

THE BOTANICAL DAUGHTER by Noah Medlock

I've been following Noah's writing journey online and I'm excited to finally get to read his debut novel that I've seen teasers of for a couple of years now! Everything about this Victorian Gothic novel sounds right up my alley.

This year, I'm also looking forward to catching up on a lot of series that I have missed out on over the past few years. I'm also interested in reading more non-fiction and maybe delving into more Fantasy books. I'm sure most of my reads will still consist of MM Romance and Paranormal, because those are my favorite genres. I also plan to sprinkle in some graphic novels and a few vintage middle-grade reads for fun.

I'll be posting what I'm reading on Goodreads and my Bookstagram.

What's the top book you're most looking forward to reading this year?

As always, Happy Reading!

❤ Dez