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 💜

Author Life: New Books + New Routine

Hello, friends!

Because if you read my books then I definitely consider you a friend of mine. :)

Is it just me or did January last twice as long as it should have?? I was overwhelmed with "adulting" and constantly busy. On the bright side, I made a lot of progress on my writing projects and even found some time for my hobbies (which is always a great way to recharge the creativity well).

I'm still utilizing a daily planner which has helped to keep me on task and also helped in tracking what routines work best for me. I've come to realize that my optimum writing times are first thing in the morning and mid-afternoon, so I've been trying to write for at least two hours a day (broken into those time-frames). I would love to have written more each day but this month was just too packed with other things. Overall, I managed to write for approx. two hours a day at least three days a week. My goal for next month is to see if I can write for longer stretches and to increase that to around 4-5 days a week. I enjoy having weekends off to catch up on things around the house or just do something fun (Other than writing! Which is still great fun for me and why I have a hard time forcing myself to set it aside.) and give my brain a rest.

WIP UPDATES:

- I'm about 15% of the way into writing the M/M Contemporary Rom-Com novel and I'm thoroughly enjoying the process so far. I just know you'll love these characters. :) It is different not to be writing supernatural elements, though! But this story called to me so strongly that I just had to write it, even though it's outside of my Paranormal wheelhouse.

- As of now, DREAM WEAVER is still slated for a Spring release. However, the original publication date of March 9th might change. My publisher had to shuffle some titles around and I'm waiting to hear if mine will be moved or not. I'll let you know as soon as I know!

- Thatcher Maugden and the Dream Witch is finished and sent off to be included in the Dreampunk Anthology, Mirrormaze. More news on that as it comes.

- I finally sat down and outlined a short story prequel series about Grady Hunter! They will take place over the two decades prior to when he meets Ethan. I plan to make them very dark horror and very '90s/'00s. Depending on content guidelines, I might put them up on Wattpad; if not, then I'll find another platform. You know I will definitely shout from the rooftops when I'm ready to unleash the first one. ;)

To be directly informed about any new releases or sales, please visit www.dezschwartz.com and sign up for the newsletter. I only send them out once a month or if I have a new release/promotion, so you don't have to worry about being swamped with them.

Later this year, I'll start working on the final book in The Dead Oaks series. If you're a fan or interested in learning more about it, I'll be back on the blog next week to recap the series. Let me know if you have any questions you'd like answered!

Until next time,
♥ Dez 

Promotion Exp. 02/05/20