DůO Release Day - OUT NOW!

 

‘DůO ’ OUT NOW!

This MM Speculative Fiction Novella is a standalone prequel to the ‘ROAM’ series. You do not need to have read the series to enjoy this story.

Blurb:

In the 1980s, two hitmen from Earth are transported to Planet Demonot to work for a secret society of occultists known as the Order of Azoth. Deadly partners, Doyle and Oscar, typically take out targets in the demonic world without questioning their directives, until the night they receive an out-of-the-ordinary mission that opens them up to a multitude of questions and, surprisingly, the multiverse itself. The pair fight demons and their growing feelings for each other as a sinister scheme shakes up the life they’ve grown accustomed to. Will they survive rebelling against an entire clandestine organization or die on the altar of the Order as two dangerous humans the world will never miss?

MM Spec Fic

Friends to Lovers

Hitmen vs Demons

Obsessed x Oblivious

READ IT TODAY!

Hello, my wonderful reader friends!

I'm so excited to finally release this novella to the world. I previously released this as a Ko-fi serial during 2020 as a way to keep myself and others entertained during that very difficult year. Things are still difficult now in similar and different ways, so I figured the time was right to share this fast-paced MM sci-fi romance with a broader audience.

I hope you all enjoy it! And keep checking back here and on Instagram and Facebook for more updates on projects and releases.

Thank you so much for all of your continued support.

Happy Reading!

❤ Dez

Reviving & Revisions: Rereleasing DůO

 

Spring is here! And with it for me comes a sense of renewed creativity. I'm pleased to tell you that I'm currently working on the last of my "catching up" projects which is revising, reformatting, and rereleasing my serial DůO (previously a Kofi exclusive) as a novella available to everyone! Once I complete this project, anything I work on moving forward will be completely new material. It's like the bookend on an era of my author career thus far! That's not to say that I won't continue to add to the series I've already written or spin off the characters into new stories. In fact, The Dead Oaks Omnibus and a DůO release allow me the transitional point to do exactly that in the future if I ever so wish!

If you've read the new short story included in The Dead Oaks Omnibus then you probably picked up on that possibility already!

Why Revive DůO?

I've wanted to do this for a while but I wanted enough time to pass that it wouldn't have made it less special to those who got to experience it when it was an exclusive. A few years have now gone by and I'm currently working on some revisions that will enhance the story. I adore all of the couplings and characters I've created but Oscar and Doyle have what is probably my favorite partnership of all the pairings I've ever written (their banter truly can't be beat!) and I want all of my readers to have access to their story. I know my entire reader base will thoroughly enjoy them. It's also a fun opportunity to delve back into the same storyverse that ROAM takes place. DůO is a prequel to ROAM; on the timeline it takes place in the 1980s but in a different galaxy (side note: I really should create a timeline graphic!). However, there are enough references to ROAM dogma that readers familiar with the series will connect the dots. It's also an enjoyable read even if you've never read the series! And, without getting too spoilery, the ending does set up a potential plot point if the muse ever hits me to write another Ethan/Grady adventure.

After this, I plan to return to my draft of a new MM Dreampunk novel with all new characters (I'm calling this one Project DWC until I'm ready to announce the official title).

Updates on a DůO release date to come!

As always, happy reading!

- Dez 🖤

The Dead Oaks Omnibus is Out Now!

 

The Dead Oaks Omnibus is out now! Whether you're an OG D.O.P.S. fan or just now thinking about jumping into the series, this omnibus is for you! The omnibus includes all 4 novellas plus a brand-new short story. Available in both ebook and paperback.

I'm so happy to finally be able to share this collection with you all! And if you love it, please share it on your socials because every little bit of support helps indie authors like me.

Thank You & Happy Reading!

❤ Dez

Jasper Jelinek believes in ghosts. Probably more than he believes in himself. After living a life of relative solitude and misanthropy, he suddenly becomes saddled with some unexpected new friends. Their obsession with the paranormal forces them to face the thing they've been avoiding most: Life. Together they learn that there's more to being haunted than just ghost stories.

Buy It Now!

Pre-Order The Dead Oaks Omnibus Now!

 

Pre-Orders for The Dead Oaks Omnibus ebook are now live! A Print edition will also be available on Release Day (March 3).

I am THRILLED to have this omnibus heading out into the world! I've been wanting to offer this for so long and I'm looking forward to this series finally being available in a physical format so that we can all add it to our bookshelves.

I receive more messages on this series than any other asking about a new story, so I'm happy to finally give you an update on the D.O.P.S. crew in the new bonus short story, Wedding Spirit. The best part? It paves the way for a possible continuation of the series sometime down the road. 🖤

Looking forward to celebrating the release with you all on March 3!

Much Love & Happy Reading,

Dez

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

Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year, friends!

2023 was a wild ride of highs and lows. Everything from having my gallbladder removed to taking our 15th wedding anniversary trip to Walt Disney World! A few other highlights were seeing Blink-182 in concert, turning 40, and my daughter turning 20. From the writing/publishing side, it was a bit of a slow year for me (mostly due illness/surgery) so I only had the chance to write and publish one story: The Dapper Detective. But I'm more than thrilled with that story and how well it was received! If you grabbed a copy already, thank you again for delving into the Nott Haven world!

I haven't made New Year's resolutions in a while, opting to choose a "word for the year" the past few years. For 2024, I'm choosing a phrase! Create Magic. I really want this year to be about prioritizing creating new stories, art, and habits in my daily life that really enhance focusing on the magic in life. This means a lot more Dreampunk content will be heading your way!

Here are the stories I plan to write/publish this year:

Also, as many of you know, social media has been an inconsistent and draining place for most of us. Platforms are being hijacked by their hate-spewing owners, algorithms are unforgiving, and just the general time-consumption of it all. So, I've really been putting a lot of thought into where I'm going to allocate my time when it comes to my online presence as an author. For the first quarter of the year (I'm going to see how it goes), I will mainly be on Instagram because even though the algorithm hates me there, I do generally enjoy using the platform more than any of the others. I plan to cross-post to Facebook. Other than that, I hope to update this blog more regularly and engage more on Goodreads (especially since I'd like to spend more time this coming year reading as much as I write). Please feel free to join me any of these places to keep up with my writing progress, my reading, sales, and new releases. I love engaging with my readers and I'm hoping that narrowing down the platforms that I'm on will help me to stay better connected with you all!

Wishing you all a very happy and magical 2024! ✨

💜 Dez

THE DAPPER DETECTIVE is out NOW!

 

Happy Release Day to THE DAPPER DETECTIVE!

Get it today!

That's right! My newest book baby has just been unleashed upon the world and I'm so excited to share the second installment of this duology with you all! I hope you love it as much as I do!

Read THIS POST to find out more about the behind-the-scenes of writing this book.

Haven't read the first book? It's on sale for a limited time!

Happy Reading! ❤

Writing THE DAPPER DETECTIVE: Behind The Scenes

 

THE DAPPTER DETECTIVE releases in one week (November 4)! I'm so excited to finally be able to share the sequel to THE DANDY MEDIUM with you all! This story has been a journey to write and it's so satisfying to finally see it being published and ready for the world.

I began writing THE DAPPER DETECTIVE at a time when my life vastly changed. Due to medical bills and *gestures widely at the economic state of things*, I went back to work full-time. As you can imagine, it's taken me quite a while (a year now) to find my optimum writing time with a fully packed life schedule. Especially, as someone who primarily feels like writing comes more naturally in the middle of the day (not very doable with a full-time job). Along with trying to optimize my schedule, I ended up facing more health challenges which slowed me down. The short version is that over the past year, I had COVID for two weeks and a mysterious illness for several months which turned out to be a distended gallbladder that I then had to have removed. Shortly after recovering from that, I switched jobs and had to have time to adjust to another schedule. All of this is to say that writing this book was a struggle, not because of the story but because life was just A LOT. But then again, when is it not? Even though it took me much longer to finish this story than I would have liked, I'm extremely proud of how it turned out. And although it took me a full year, I finally feel as though I'm finding a good writing groove again and I'm looking forward to creating more stories!

THE DAPPER DETECTIVE picks up shortly after the events of THE DANDY MEDIUM. Alfie and Sebastian have been working together on cases for months and Alfie has realized that he's ready to make the permanent change from working out of Madame Violetta's psychic shop to being a full-time consulting medium in Sebastian's department. But leaving the Night District doesn't wind up being the positive change he's hoping it will be.

Supernaturals begin to go missing and Francis, the lead vampire of the Crimson Bat Society, reaches out to a reluctant Alfie for help in solving the disappearances.

In this second installment, we dive deeper into the world of Nott Haven's vampires, werewolves, and the founding families' secrets. Alfie and Sebastian must fight their way through cemetery brawls, vampiric curses, betrayal, and the effects of a rare magic mushroom.

As with every story, one of my favorite parts of the writing process is immersing myself in inspiring imagery and music. These curated pictures and songs are a reflection of the characters I've developed and the scenes I've crafted. Feel free to enjoy diving into my inspo board and playlist!

INSPIRATION BOARD on Pinterest

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

What's Next?

The first question I get with any book release is always: "When does the next one come out?" 😅 

Well, the next book in line to release is actually the follow-up to the Dreampunk anthology, MIRRORMAZE. The second anthology, SOMNISCOPE, is set to be released by early 2024. I have a short story included titled, Looped. If you like surrealism and psychiatric ward settings, then be sure to grab a copy once preorders go up! I'll keep you updated.

As for my Nott Haven books, I'd originally planned for this to be a duology. And it, quite possibly, will stay as that. However, while this book doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it does end with a lingering sense that things aren't over; and the Nott Haven world has proven to be so rich in characters and possibilities that I'm considering revisiting it at some point. I don't know if it would be more Alfie/Sebastian stories or spin-off stories set in the same town but featuring other characters (I'd love to write from Roxie and Bernard's perspectives at some point). There's hope for more, but they're down the list in terms of priority of projects for the time being.

My next writing project, which I'm currently outlining and world-building, is a new LGBTQ Dreampunk series! If you enjoyed my ROAM series then you'll probably love this one too. I haven't decided if it will be set in the ROAMverse or if it will completely be its own thing; still ruminating on that. I like the idea that cameos could happen, but I also see the value in starting fresh. I'll share more as that project moves along!

To keep up with my writing projects, please follow me on Instagram or Facebook as I'm most active on those two platforms.

As always, thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support! Being able to share the characters and worlds I create with other people who love them as much as I do is the best gift and keeps me motivated to keep imagining exciting new stories! I hope you all enjoy THE DAPPER DETECTIVE!

Your Friend in Words,

❤ Dez 

Pre-Order THE DAPPER DETECTIVE Today!

 

The Dapper Detective releases November 4th!

PRE-ORDER NOW

LGBTQ Paranormal Victorian Gothic Gaslamp Fantasy Vampire Murder Mystery Magic Mushrooms & Cemetery Brawls

The Dapper Detective Cover Reveal!

 Cover + Blurb Reveal

"Solving murders is easy. Surviving them is another story."

I'm thrilled to finally share the cover for THE DAPPER DETECTIVE with you all! Book releases later this Fall!

BLURB

Alfie Hughes, a dandy medium and consulting spiritualist to the homicide department of Nόtt Haven, is ready for a vacation from ghostly visitors and paranormal predicaments.

But when Alfie and his partner, Detective Sebastian Davies, are summoned by the vampire leader of the Crimson Bat Society to investigate the disappearances of supernatural members of the Night District, Alfie is forced to put those daydreams on hold.

What should have been a simple investigation might very well change their lives forever. That is, if they’re lucky enough to survive solving the case.

From author Dez Schwartz comes a bloodthirsty and haunting sequel to 'The Dandy Medium'.

ADD IT ON GOODREADS