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

2023 Writing + Publishing Plans

 

Happy Yule, Happy Holidays, and a very Happy New Year to all!

As we round out 2022, I just want to say again how grateful I am to each and every one of you who read my stories. I've always said that I mostly write them for myself and if anyone else happens to enjoy them then that's a wonderful bonus. And it does mean so very much to me any time someone leaves a nice review or comment about my books. So THANK YOU! And I hope you continue to stick around for more stories to come. 💜

Speaking of, I'm here to share my writing and publishing plans for 2023! I'm going to spend the last week of December mainly relaxing before I dive back into working on any projects, but for the most part, I already know what I plan to work on in the year ahead.

First, sometime in 2023, I'll have a new short story, 'Looped', published in SOMNISCOPE: A Dreampunk Anthology which is the follow-up to MIRRORMAZE (both published by Fractured Mirror Publishing and edited by Dreampunk visionary, Cliff Jones Jr.). There isn't a set release date yet, but it is in the editing process.

I'll also be simultaneously working on THE DAPPER DETECTIVE (the sequel to THE DANDY MEDIUM) and THE DEAD OAKS: OMNIBUS. I'm not sure which will release first, but I'm hoping to have one release in the Spring and the other by Autumn. I can't force the muse, so I've decided to let it guide me on which project it would prefer to work on each day.

THE DAPPER DETECTIVE will bring back Alfie and Sebastian on a new mysterious case of murder and deception. But this time, they'll have the leader of the Crimson Bat Society, Francis the vampire, helping (or hindering, as Alfie sees it) their investigation. This story will delve deeper into the history of Nótt Haven and perhaps open up some possible storylines for spin-offs. THE DANDY MEDIUM and THE DAPPER DETECTIVE are meant to be a duology, but I've very quickly come to realize that so many more stories can be told within this world so there's a possibility of more Nótt Haven books featuring other characters in the future.

THE DEAD OAKS: OMNIBUS will be a rerelease of all of the previous DEAD OAKS stories combined into one giant volume and will include a new short story and new cover art. I've always wanted these stories to exist in physical form, not just ebooks, so this will be a great way to offer print editions of the series. I'll most likely host a lot of D.O.P.S.-themed giveaways around the time of this release, so keep your eye out if you need some Jasper & Wes merch in your life! 😉

And if I have any time left at the end of the year, I have some new ideas that I'm hoping to begin work on. Currently, I'm leaning into a new Dreampunk series, but I also have other stories brewing that I might delve into depending on how I feel when the time comes. I'm also toying around with creating a second pen name for a new genre, but more on that another time.

I hope your holiday season is bright and the new year is fruitful!

Happy Holidays & Happy Reading!

Dez 💜

HUNTER Now Available For Preorder

PREORDER NOW

Preorder to get the book three days early and use coupon code "PREORDER" for 30% off!

BLURB

Dr. Grady Hunter has a vampire infestation on his hands in the town of Shady Pines, but he’s been deserted by those best suited to help. After enlisting Chris Reed, a techno-mage, they find the vampires might only be the tip of a deadly iceberg.

Returning home from his dream travels, Ethan Roam is eager to experiment with his newly discovered powers. But Ethan isn’t the only familiar arrival in Grady’s life. As more reminders of his dark past crop up, Grady and Ethan are swept up in a mystery of cosmic proportions.

Grady must fight to keep an ever-evolving Ethan on his side while being challenged by the ghosts of his past.


Be sure to save your receipt!  I'm planning to give away some fun swag after the release to everyone that preorders. 

PREORDER HERE

Thank you, darklings!  See you on the page. x

- Dez 

The Dead Oaks: Where Jasper And Wes Go From Here

It's been eight months since the release of the second book, Midnight Monsters, in my YA Paranormal series, The Dead Oaks.  I haven't talked much about it over the past few months and I'm sure those of you that read it would like to know more.  So, here's what's happened since then and where it goes from here:

Midnight Monsters was self-published in June 2018 and although I've received a number of positive emails and messages about it, I still didn't see it gain much traction in sales.  I only have myself to blame for this as I was still a novice indie author (to be perfectly honest, I'm still learning so much about book marketing) and I didn't promote it like I should have.  I wasn't aware of possible venues for it at the time or that there are reviewers who will take on sequels without having had read the previous books.  Thankfully, I know of them now and will definitely reach out to them for future releases.  Another mistake that I feel I made was releasing it on Wattpad.  Wattpad is a great platform for YA and I wanted it to be available for readers that might not be in the position to purchase books like this themselves (i.e.- teens) and while I think that's still a great reason, perhaps I shouldn't have put the book in full on both platforms.  

Moving forward, I still have not made an official decision as to whether the rest of the series will strictly be a Wattpad series or if I will only release it on Kindle Unlimited.  There are pros and cons to both and I haven't had time to really weigh those yet.  However, if you personally have a preference then let me know!

As you've seen, I've been swept up in a very exciting time for me in publishing.  The first two novels in my ROAM series were picked up by NineStar Press!  ROAM was re-released this past October and HUNTER will be out in April.  I'm also currently working on the first draft of the third (and final) book in this series.  So, my writing life has mostly been filled with ROAM-related business.  This is why I haven't begun the third Dead Oaks book yet.

That being said, fear not!  I do plan to write it.  I have a general outline ready and as soon as I finish up the third ROAM book then I will begin working on it.  Ideally, I'd like to have it available for you by autumn of this year but if not, then at least by early 2020.  I will definitely keep you updated!  I love these characters so much and they continue to grow on me as they grow together.

As for any teaser bits, I can tell you this much:  
Roadtrip.  Cryptids.  Relationship Leveling-Up.

It will be worth the wait.  :)

Your Writerly Friend,
- Dez -

If you haven't read the first two Dead Oaks books yet, you can find them on Amazon and Wattpad.

- Be sure to stay updated with special announcements and new releases through my newsletter!  You can sign up on the main page of my website.
- If you're interested in my daily life, what I'm reading, and writerly musings, you can also follow me on Instagram and Twitter.

OUT NOW

Amazon | B&N | NSP

It's time to face your nightmares.

 

COMING SOON

- HUNTER (ROAM: Book Two), coming April 8, 2019 through NineStar Press.

Meet My Characters: Benny the Werehuahua

In this week's "Meet My Characters" blog linkup, I'm going to give you a little more insight into a ROAM fan favorite.

Benny, the Werehuahua

Benny is a staple in the ROAM series and such a fun character.  I feel his enthusiasm really jumps off the page.  Most readers tell me that he's their favorite (Beside those who have fallen for Dacey, of course. haha).

Technically, Benny would be a "reverse" Werehuahua.  Yes, it's exactly as it sounds.  He began life as a chihuahua, found himself cursed, and now becomes a human every day and reverts back to his natural form every night (No full moon necessary.).

For being a cursed creature, Benny is actually extremely positive and joyful.  I think he views his condition as more of a blessing than a curse and is actually kind of worried of it ever breaking.

I've had Benny's character in my back pocket for some time.  Originally, he was a silly little thing that I created for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG (Throwback Thursday, much?) over a decade ago and I always knew that I wanted to use him in an original story.  He finally found a forever home in ROAM. (Fun Fact:  He and an early version of Ethan Roam both came from that RPG.  They met when Ethan walked in on a guy [Benny] drinking out of a toilet.  haha)

In the series, he becomes both Dr. Grady Hunter's pet and employee (depending on his physical state).  He befriends Ethan and considers himself a loyal protector of his small misfit family.  Unless food is involved.  Then it's every man(dog) for himself.

(Ethan & Benny illustration by Whimsy and Noir)

Where does he go from here?

Benny will be traveling soon.  You'll have to read HUNTER for more clarity on that.  :)


Thanks for reading!  Also, a quick update:
I now have an official website and will soon be importing my blog.  I'll be sure to let you all know when it's up and running over there.

-Dez ☿

Meet My Characters: Dacey Sinnett & Marcus von Rottal

Joining in again with the weekly blog linkup hosted by WhimsyAndNoir!  This week's characters are ones that I've written about before here.  However, I know I have some new readers, so I'd like to reintroduce them!

(vibes // Dacey Sinnett & Marcus von Rottal)

Dacey Sinnett & Marcus von Rottal

Dacey Sinnett and Marcus von Rottal are my leading vampires.  Well, one is much more than that but I'll leave it to the books to give you that story.  They are featured in the ROAM series and helm their own story as antihero protagonists in the prequel, The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett.  They're also perpetually entwined in, an admittedly, unhealthy and deeply passionate relationship.  I tend to refer to them as my "problematic favorites" for a reason.

The invention of Dacey's character was rather serendipitous for me.  At the time of writing the first ROAM book, I had a vague plan in mind for Ethan Roam's journey.  I won't post spoilers but those that have been reading along with the newest book, HUNTER, will probably know what I'm referring to here.  It was an "idea" but the roles hadn't really been cast, so to speak.

Enter a chapter where I have to tackle a definite issue in Dr. Grady Hunter's life.  He was always meant to have a literal tryst with Death (*wink*) in the form of a vampire.  It was a solid life event for his character that I wasn't going to back down from.  In order to move the story forward, I had to create a vampire that I felt would have been compelling enough to entice someone as guarded, jaded, and sharp-witted as Grady.  And thus, Dacey was born.

I definitely looked to the works of my favorite writer, Oscar Wilde, for inspiration.  In many ways, Dacey is my take on a vampiric iteration of a mixture of Oscar himself and his most famous character, Dorian Gray.  Then, I sprinkled a bit of 80's neo-romantic goth vibe on top and ended up with a character that I absolutely adore writing.  And definitely one that would keep Grady, and pretty much everyone else, on their toes.

Dacey is a natural telepath and insatiable flirt.  Wouldn't you be too, if you could easily read the minds of everyone that was attracted to you?  He was born in 19th century France and worked as a cabaret pianist and street illusionist until he became a vampire.  From there, he joins forces with his sire, Marcus, as the second half of a deadly duo of dandies bent on commanding an existence based solely in pleasure and luxury.  That is, until everything begins to go wrong. 

(vibes // Marcus von Rottal)

Once I had made the big decision about Dacey's ultimate destiny, it became quite clear that I needed to map out his backstory and share it with readers as well.  I felt the best way to do this was to ease the audience in with a moment that would link both the prequel and segue this "idea" into the sequel.  Marcus' appearance at the Halloween party in ROAM was precisely for this purpose.  At that time, he's simply introduced as Dacey's sire and former lover.  The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett tells that story in full and establishes the setup for the events that will transpire in HUNTER.

 ("The Picture of Dorian Gray" ~ Oscar Wilde)

Marcus is an Austrian aristocrat that took up procuring and dealing occult antiques (Usually "black market" as they're almost always stolen.) in order to maintain his preferred lifestyle.  Circumstances lead him to meet Dacey and, for both, it's love at first sight.  He finds himself spending the rest of his existence with a chaotically possessive obsession for keeping Dacey at his side.  He's clever, manipulative, and not the least bit afraid to leave a situation with blood on his hands or his dinner jacket.

Whereas Dacey wants to explore everything and everyone that the world has to offer, Marcus has a sharp singular focus -- and that's Dacey.

Where do they go from here?

Currently, you can read more about them in HUNTER, which is available chapter by chapter, bi-weekly on Wattpad.  I'll be releasing the Kindle and paperback editions later this Spring.  They will also be returning for more action in the forthcoming novel DREAM WEAVER.

Don't be afraid to leave comments letting me know which characters you'd like to see featured here.  I'd love to hear your suggestions or thoughts on the ones I've already posted!  Also, please feel free to play along with the blog linkup.  I can't wait to meet your characters as well!

As always, thanks for reading! ♥

~Dez~

Meet My Characters: Ethan Roam & Dr. Grady Hunter

WhimsyAndNoir is hosting a new weekly blog linkup for creators to share their original characters!  You can join in on your own blog by using this graphic and linking back to her and/or sharing your characters through social media with the hashtag #MeetMyCharacters so that everyone can find each other.

This week, I'm featuring my two main leads.

Ethan Roam & Dr. Grady Hunter

(Dr. Grady Hunter & Ethan Roam)

Ethan & Grady are the two main protagonists of the ROAM series.  If you're reading the books then you probably already know them well.  I also illustrate them from time to time, which you can see on my IG.

Ethan is one of the first original characters I'd ever created.  His first iteration came into being over a decade ago in a role-play group.  His powers were much different back then (He used to just be a telepath.) but his personality was exactly the same. (Fun Fact: Benny the Werehuahua was another character I created at the same time for the same group.  So, they've actually been friends for a while. *wink*)

I loved his character so much that I knew I needed to bring him to life in story format.  Creating that story was a long on and off process over the past few years but everything finally clicked together and I began officially writing ROAM in 2015.

(Ethan "vibes" // Inspiration)

Ethan is a musically inclined college student that very quickly finds his life turned upside down by the onset of inherent supernatural powers that he was previously unaware of.  He has the ability to dream travel, among other things, and his powers only intensify as the story moves forward.

Ethan isn't exactly shy but he is a bit clumsy and self-deprecating.  He's also adorably innocent and overly optimistic; traits that both impair him and bolster him through his life's journey. 

(Grady "vibes" // Inspiration)

Early on in the story, Ethan meets Dr. Grady Hunter in a peculiar introduction that ultimately teams them together as partners (both professionally and intimately).

Grady's backstory is as interesting as his current one and I won't lie, I have definitely thought about writing a Grady-based prequel.  No promises.  For now, his personal history is divulged to the reader through dialogue and memories.

Grady is another character that I first created several years ago.  Originally, I'd planned to write my first novel about him and what is now his past.  Ultimately, that never came together but once I thought of combining his story with Ethan's everything fell into place.

Grady, a bit older than Ethan, is a mysterious and charming alternative healer.  At least, that's what he wants you to believe.  Really, he's a British monster hunter haunted by personal demons with questionable motives of his own.

He's quick-witted, handsome, and fairly formidable in a fight.

Together, Grady and Ethan find that they make a rather dynamic duo; whether that means facing paranormal foes or finding balance and comfort in each other.

Where do they go from here?

I'm currently on the last few chapters of writing HUNTER and then you're going to have to wait a bit for more of  them.  I know, I know.  I'm evil.  BUT it's really important to the timeline of the overall story that I go ahead and write the spinoff, DůO, before rejoining you with Ethan and Grady in the third installment, DREAM WEAVER.  They won't be disappearing anytime soon, however.  I'll still illustrate them and I'm sure they'll show their faces in other projects that I have cooking up.  I honestly can't imagine not working with them in some capacity on a fairy regular basis because (though I love all of my characters) they are my favorites.

If you're a writer, artist, etc. that has created original characters and would like to join in, please visit WhimsyAndNoir for more details!

Thanks for reading!

~Dez~

February Updates

I've been keeping myself as busy as possible this past month.  I have a long goal list for this year and I'm glad to say a few things have already been checked off.

January Round-Up

√ Paperback Release of The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett
    You can now obtain a copy for your book collection on Amazon & Barnes & Noble!
√ Reviving Redbubble
    I mentioned this a few weeks back but one of my goals for the year is to produce more original art.
    I've already added my first new piece, a Dacey Sinnett illustration, and updated my best-selling Dice Dragons design.
√ Goodreads Challenge
    I read two books toward my yearly goal.  You can check out my reviews here:
    The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
    Leo Loves Aries by Anyta Sunday
    Also, if you're not already, please feel free to follow me on Goodreads!
√ Writing Contest
    Syfy & Wattpad are hosting a fanfic contest for The Magicians!  You can read my entry here. 

Coming Up

- I'll continue to work on my art and reading goals and update my progress regularly here and on IG.
- Roughly 4-5 chapters left to write of HUNTER!  I can't wait for you to see how it ends.  You'll either hate me or love me.  Please, do inform me either way.  haha
- I'm looking into hosting some sort of giveaway soon.  Details to come.


I think that pretty much covers everything!  I'd like to do an Author Q&A post sometime soon, so if you have any questions you'd like to shoot my way in the comments or through social media then please do!

On the personal side of things, my husband and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary!  I've started a 30-Day Ab Challenge because no workout is more legit than a pin from Pinterest.  lol  I'm also trying to play "catch up" with everyone that I owe some hang out time with. *slings coffees down the bar at you all*

Thank you so much for all of your support and I hope February treats everyone well!
~Dez~

Happy New Year

(Quote from John Muir // Images found on Pinterest)

Hello 2017!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!  Mine was great and extremely relaxing which was something I definitely appreciated.  Of course, "relaxing" to me is a slightly different definition than most people would have.  I did a lot of research which goes hand in hand with writing.  I also had a chance to sit down and make some long-term decisions and plans regarding the ROAM series which I'm very excited about.  I hope everyone feels refreshed starting out this new year and ready to tackle their creative and personal goals!

The Softcover edition of The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett is almost here!  I'll be reviewing a proof copy soon and if everything looks good then I hope to have them available through Amazon sometime this month.  I also plan to release Fossegrimen (short story) on Kindle early on in the year.

I have two books on Wattpad which are being updated regularly.  HUNTER and The Dead Oaks: Book One.  I'll continue to work on these in the first part of the year and then hope to finish the year out with my (ROAM) spin-off/tie-in DůO.  I can't give too much about it away but I can tell you that it will delve deeper into the Order of Azoth, Hunters, and Techno Mages.  But that's all I'm revealing for now!  I may even begin some other projects but we'll just have to wait and see how scheduling works out.  I also plan to submit some things to a few publications and enter some writing contests.

A book signing event may be in the works.  No date set yet.  Still mulling a few possibilities over.  I will keep you all posted, though!  That leads into an art-related question that I've already been asked.  Will I have any booths at conventions this year like I have the past couple of years?  I have no idea.  I haven't made any plans to and I'm still juggling the logistics of it.  Please keep in mind that everything I do to market/promote my work is 100% me, so it really just depends on time/finances.  I do love seeing you in person, though!  That's why I think perhaps a book signing might be better suited this time around.  You can always find my art online, though!

I already listed a few fun sketch cards in my Etsy shop over the holiday and I plan to list more periodically throughout the year.  I could write an entire segment on my artistic plans and because of that I'll end those musings here and save them for a future post.

 

   

Speaking of art, how awesome are these drawings of Ethan, Benny, & Dacey (ROAM), and Jasper & Wes (The Dead Oaks) from Gaby of Whimsy and Noir!  I absolutely love them!  She also runs a paranormal webcomic and has her own Etsy shop; so be sure to check her out sometime!

If you guys have any fanart or things you'd like to share from these series please send them my way so that I can include them here on the blog!

 

Thanks so much for reading and I hope you all have a fantastic year!

~Dez~

New Release & Shop Talk

I hope everyone is having a great December so far!  I just wanted to drop in and let you know that the first couple of chapters of my new YA Paranormal Fiction series, The Dead Oaks, are now available to read on Wattpad! 

SYNOPSIS:
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 all been avoiding most:  Life.  And each of them must learn to deal with what it truly means to be haunted.


Typically, I plan to update this much like I currently do with HUNTER.  Bi-weekly, unless I have those lucky weeks with more time to work on writing.

   

Speaking of HUNTER, have you caught up to the latest chapter yet?  What did you think about that bombshell (without getting too spoilery)?  I think you will love where this story is headed.  It's probably not what anyone expected but you'll realize the clues have been there all along.  Enjoy the rest of the crazy ride!  There are a couple more books to come after this one that tie everything together, so plenty of surprises still await you.

     

As for my illustration work, (Which I generally don't talk about much on here because this blog is mostly for my books but I might start to incorporate it more.), I have some ideas lined up that I'm really excited to work on over the holidays and into the new year.  I've got a fairly solid idea of where my focuses will be.  I'm also getting my hands on some new creative tools soon and I can't wait to practice using them.  Vague, I know, but I'd rather just wait to post the results once I get to that point.

There's really only one area that I'm debating on:  What storefront to use to sell my work??  I really don't know.  Currently, I mainly use Etsy & Redbubble but they're both rather empty at the moment while I decide my next move.   Most of my sales have actually happened by people contacting me directly through DMs on social media.  So, I'm not really sure how I should move forward with that.  I am definitely going to keep using Redbubble because they give me the ability to offer products that I normally couldn't on my own; but for prints and original drawings... I'll either just stick with Etsy or maybe give Storenvy a second chance.  I know, personally, I purchase most art from Storenvy.  I've also seen people just sell their work directly on their Twitter, Instagram, or Tumblr pages.  So many options!  What do you all think?  Thoughts, opinions, preferences, experiences?  Any feedback would be great.

Until next time, here: Have some Ethan/Grady feels!

 

Thanks for reading!
~Dez~

COMING SOON: The Dead Oaks

Thank you so much for your feedback on my last blog post!  I will, indeed, go ahead and work on both of my series simultaneously.  So, with that said, I will be posting up the first chapter of my new YA Paranormal Fiction series, The Dead Oaks, very soon!  Be sure to follow me on Wattpad for update notifications so that you can be the first to know when it's available.

Thanks for reading!
~Dez~

Vibes and a Q&A

I have a few thoughts to share today.  Before I get into that, though, I want to give a HUGE "Thank You" to everyone that purchased a copy of The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett on Kindle!  Also, much love and appreciation to everyone that has read it, either through there or Wattpad.  It made it to 1K Reads which is wonderful for a prequel story!  That means nearly everyone that read ROAM took the time to check out Dacey's origin story as well and I can't tell you how happy that makes me.

For those that have asked, I'm still working on getting print editions made.  I'll let you know the moment they're available.  I'll probably host a giveaway, so be on the look out for that.

I've started a fun little image series called "vibes" on my social media (I've included the first few here.).  Pretty straightforward and I love making them.  A mix of the "fan casting" idea and Pinterest-inspiration in collage form.

I'm about halfway through writing HUNTER!  Which brings me to the Q & A portion of today's post.  I've had a few inquiries flow in and so I'm going to go ahead and address them here so that everyone gets the information and not just the people that DMed.  Here goes!

• How many books will be in the ROAM series?

A:  This is a tricky question.  The base response would be 4 books total.  ROAM, The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett, HUNTER, and the final novel- DREAM WEAVER (also - There's your next title announcement!  haha).  However, that answer would be slightly misleading.  You see, I do plan to write at least two "spin-off" novels that will incorporate characters from the ROAM series in their own stories but with brand new lead characters.  I'm also not opposed to writing more "spin-off"'s in the future.  But, as for Ethan Roam and Dr. Grady Hunter, the four main books will cover their story arc to completion.

• Is Dacey dead or not?

A:  LOL, I get this question more than any other.  He would kill me if I told you.

• You've mentioned DůO is your next book.  Any details?  Is it part of ROAM or something else?

A:  DůO is one of the "spin-off" books.  It is a loose tie-in to ROAM but you won't have had to have read ROAM to read it.  Although, there will be a couple of character cameos that you'll enjoy if you have.  As for details, I don't want to get into it too much because it involves spoilers from HUNTER.  I will say, though, that the decision to write it before writing the final ROAM book is due to the timeline of events.  That's all you get for now.  :)

And now I get to turn the tables on you all!  I have my own question to ask.  You can feel free to answer in the comments or shoot me a message on social media at your leisure.  Here's the deal:  I've been "secretly" working on a YA Paranormal Fiction novella series.  It's completely separate from ROAM and, as novellas, the stories will be shorter.  So here's my question to you readers.  Would you prefer for me to only work on one series at a time OR do both simultaneously and just rotate?  Honestly, either way works for me, so I just want to know from a reader standpoint what you all would like best for your reading experience.

Thanks in advance for your input and please feel free to shoot me questions any time!  Now, I'd better get back to writing.  ;)

~Dez~
---------------------
"vibes" credits: Lyrics: Lana Del Rey, GUNSHIP // art: Len-Yan, Art of Animation/Tumblr

November 2016: Updates

I hope everyone had a fang-tastic Halloween!  I also hope you all enjoyed my short story, Fossegrimen.  If you missed out on it, have no fear.  It's available to read for free on Wattpad and I will also be offering it as a free download on Kindle soon.

Thank you to everyone that has read The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett!  I'm so glad to hear how much you all have liked it.  Getting DMs and comments about which characters are your favorites and why is incredibly fun.  If you have some free time, please leave a review on either Goodreads, Amazon, or both!  It helps the book reach more potential readers on those sites and I would love to get this series into as many hands, minds, and hearts as possible.

This year I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo for the first time!  "Casually" participating, anyway.  I'm not really trying to win any awards at the moment or compete with anyone or whatnot. (Oh dear.  Now I'm starting to sound like Dr. Grady Hunter...)  Mostly, I just want to see what all the fuss is about and I'm using it to track my progress while I write HUNTER.

Speaking of- HUNTER is back on track!  Now that Dacey has been let loose into the world (Print version still to come.), I can get my main focus back to Ethan and Grady.  I think you guys will really enjoy the twist this book will bring to the series as a whole.

What else?  Oh, yes.  Commissions are now CLOSED.  If you follow my social media then you probably know I also do illustrations.  Thank you so much to everyone that ordered from me this year!  I finished up my last commission of 2016 last night and I am done.  Probably for a long time.  While making extra cash is nice, working on commissions is extremely time consuming.  After a lot of deliberation, I've decided not to accept any more for a while with one exception:  I'm still willing to collaborate with other artists so long as your idea fits my aesthetic.  Have some supernatural dapper dudes you want drawn or colored?  I'm there!  Otherwise, I'm outties for now on the illustration game.  Save for working on my own projects, of course.  I've had a number of people request more illustrations of my OCs and even, potentially, some web comic style posts.  So, if I'm going to devote time away from writing to drawing then I'd rather it be for projects in that vein.  I'm sure you all understand.  Mostly, I just want to write!!

Do we feel good and updated now?  Was that a sufficient 'Welcome-To-November' blog post?  No?  You want more?  GOOD!  I HAVE SOME MORE!

I'm looking into putting some progress bar widgets onto this blog so you can keep track of my work.  Still trying to decide exactly how I'd like to go about that so it's just a WIP at the moment.  For now, here's an old school style write up of what's to come.

UPCOMING RELEASES:
Kindle
Short Story // Dark Fantasy, Historical Fiction
'Fossegrimen' - Mid. to Late November

CURRENT PROJECT:
Novel // Paranormal Fiction, Urban Fantasy, LGBT
'HUNTER: Book II of the ROAM Series'
Status: 22,500 words of approx. 50,000

NEXT UP:
Novel // Sci-Fi, Urban Fantasy, LGBT
'DůO'
Status: Outline


That last one probably left you with more questions than answers.  ;)

Thanks for reading!
~Dez~

NEW RELEASE - The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett

Someone SINister is waiting for you!

It's finally here!  'The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett' is now available on Kindle!  You can get your copy HERE.

Thank you so much for all of your support and enjoy these mischievous vampires this Halloween season!

~Dez~

Wilde Wednesday: How Oscar Helped Shape Dacey Sinnett

I'd like to make this a regular feature on my blog but I don't blog regularly so, I suppose, that would make it relatively a matter of perspective as to how "regular" it is.  It feels apropos to dedicate some time to the inclusion of Oscar Wilde's influence on my own work as he is singly the most pivotal of all my inspirations.  In many ways, he is my muse in both my creativity and personal existential exploration which are incorporated themes in my books.  It's important to me to spread awareness of his life and work and also to carry on the spirit of his ideas and writings.  Thus, I've also become a member of the Oscar Wilde Society in support of precisely that endeavor.

My books are not intended as an echo or mimic.  They are uniquely their own.  They have their own voice and say the things about life and existence that I personally wish to be said.  They deal with a multitude of different topics.  They are, essentially, my own personal revelations shared with the world in the only way in which I feel comfortable being entirely honest and raw with my audience.  I simply enjoy employing the paranormal to help me do that.

That being said, and having had some readers request it, I would love to take time now and again to delve deeper into the ways in which Oscar's work has played its role in shaping the stories that I enjoy writing most.  Think of this as an occasional pit stop of analysis on dissecting my own work with a Wildean filter.

I felt that, with the upcoming Kindle release of The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett, this quote was a great place to begin.  (I can't cover all the ground in one post.  I will simply tackle one angle at a time; which is why a series of blog posts over time makes the most sense.)  Firstly, because The Picture of Dorian Gray is my favorite book.  Secondly, but most importantly, because the sentiment plays heavily into the way that I threaded the relationship that exists between Dacey Sinnett and Marcus von Rottal.  I'll try my best to expound upon this without revealing too many spoilers.

In a sense, there is a bit of Dorian Gray in both Dacey and Marcus.  I would say Dacey better represents the earlier Dorian (though much less innocent) and Marcus the darker version he becomes by the end of the story.  Essentially, they are two men that land on the same path, engage in the same vices, but still manage to retain their own personalities and convictions (Though, they are always magnetically drawn together despite their better judgement.).

This is where the quote and Wilde's personal life begin to weave together in my reinterpretation of an interpersonal dynamic that ultimately forms the, more tragic, basis of my vampires' relationship with one another.

Right now, Wildeans are having an "Aha!" moment.  If this isn't you then, for the sake of not spoiling anything, I will only say to please take some time one afternoon, evening, or preferably night (Night research is always the best, don't you agree?), to look into the history of Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas.  In this regard, the similarities might guide the reader into seeing a parallel of Dacey being like Oscar and Marcus more like Bosie.  Although, it should be noted, there is no definitive outline or boundary for this and both characters are indubitably their own personalities.

Neither were purposefully modeled directly with Oscar or Bosie in mind.  Rather, they were born of the idea of splitting apart who Dorian Gray became and the man he originally was and setting both characteristics against the same obstacles.  The Oscar/Bosie correlation was something that came to me after I'd already outlined the book but then I felt as though it were staring me right in face.  A nuance that I hand't necessarily planned initially but that couldn't be denied once I saw it coming to life in their interactions.

As I stated earlier, my stories are not complete homages to Wilde but he definitely has his place on the color wheel of inspiration that's constantly spinning in my mind while I create.  My favorite muse, indeed.

I hope you enjoyed this feature!  If you have any questions or would just like to discuss this topic further then please feel free to talk to me on Twitter or submit a query on my Goodreads Author Page (that way other readers can get involved).

Also, if you're a fellow Wildean and would like to join the Oscar Wilde Society then please visit their page through the link on my sidebar.

Thanks for reading!

~Dez~