Character Highlight: Jasper Jelinek

(Fan Cast Inspiration)

Jasper Jelinek, aka "J.J.", is a supernaturally obsessed teen swathed in melancholy and misanthropy.  He only recently has begun to come out of his shell after meeting Wesley Shain.  He's one of the founders of the Dead Oaks Paranormal Society, which doesn't do much to help him dispel his unwanted local nickname "Casper".

His OOTD

What's On His Playlist

(Links to YouTube)

Contagious - Night Riots

Black Water - Of Monsters And Men

B a noBody - SOAK

The Woodpile - Frightened Rabbit

Each Coming Night - Iron & Wine

Favorite Book

Favorite Movie

You can get to know Jasper better in: 

The Dead Oakes: Ghost Stories - Available on Kindle and Wattpad

UPDATES: March 2018

I'm a few days later on my monthly update than usual due to being extremely busy and also not feeling 100% the past week.  Today has been great for catching up on things and so now I'll get you caught up!

WRITING

Life has kept me pretty tied up with tedious tasks so this morning was the first time in nearly two weeks that I'd had a chance to write.  Thankfully, though, my muse returned and I'm back to working on The Dead Oaks: Book Two.  I know I'm making you wait a long time for this one and I apologize but it's still in the works, so don't worry.  One major difference between this follow-up to the original that I can let you in on early is that the characters are becoming more of an ensemble cast, which is quite fun.  You can sample a small preview on Instagram.

I also finally made a decision about Grady's Case Files (A prequel to ROAM).  As much as I would love to turn it into a webcomic, I have to be realistic.  I don't have the time or resources to tackle a massive project like that in the way that I would want to.  So, I'm going to write it as a series of short stories for Wattpad.  I'm very excited to get started on it. (Hence Grady making an appearance on my new blog banner!)

ART

I feel like my art is always in flux.  haha  And in all honesty, I will probably stop posting about it here unless it ties into one of my books.  If you'd like to keep up with it, I post pretty regularly on my Art Account.  Mostly now, it's just a way for me to relax at the end of the day.  I do still sell my work on Etsy or Redbubble, though, if you see something you like.

PERSONAL

I did get a chance to catch up on the newest season of Voltron: Legendary Defender!  This weekend is for working on personal projects and, very importantly, relaxing.  Going to bake cupcakes and do some journaling with my daughter.  I hope you all have a great weekend!

Grady's Case Files: A Work In Progress

I haven't "talked shop" on here in a while but that's something that I plan to rectify.  Starting with the indomitable Dr. Grady Hunter!

If you've been around for the past couple of years then you probably already know Grady.  He's one of my lead protagonists in the ROAM series and a reader favorite in terms of characters.  If you're new then you'll get to know him soon; especially when ROAM gets re-released through NineStar Press this July!  But this post is about the possibility of you getting to know him a lot better, much sooner!  At least...that's the tentative idea.

As stated in the post title, this is definitely a work in progress but also a long time coming.  Allow me to give you a little background.  I first wrote ROAM in the Autumn of 2015.  Grady was a full-fledged BAMF with quite a thorough, and vastly mysterious, backstory.  After finishing the first book and beginning work on the sequel, HUNTER (Currently unavailable due to ROAM finding a publisher.  HUNTER will have its own re-release down the road.), I quickly realized that there were so many possibilities for a prequel.  I had already tackled a prequel novel with The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett and I just knew that eventually I'd want to give life to all of the adventures that had already crept up in my mind in forming Grady's early years.  His pre-ROAM life; specifically in the early '90s.

Thankfully, I retain the rights to all of my characters and have quite a few liberties in writing whatever new material that I'd like for them.  And I finally feel that I'm ready to really dive into this project.  The characters are already there, the stories have been percolating over the past couple of years, so I really only lack making one definitive decision.  What format should I tell it in?

I'll start by discussing the current frontrunner; although, it would also be the most time-consuming and challenging.

Webcomic.  For years, I've had people telling me that I should create a graphic novel or comic.  As a freelance illustrator with a BFA in Studio Art, this seems like a no-brainer.  My style is already cartoonish and, to be honest, I could probably use some focus in my art life.  I tend be all over the place!  Taking on a project like this would be an exciting learning experience and it would also finally tie in my illustration with my books in a cohesive and fully encapsulating way.  It's terribly tempting.  EXTREMELY tempting.  The drawback would definitely be finding the time to work on it regularly.  But here's a peek at what some of the characters might look like:

Wattpad Short Story Series.  Another option would be utilizing old reliable Wattpad.  Really no drawbacks there and a lot of you found me through that platform in the first place.  I think this would be the most obvious option.

Blog Series.  That's right!  Posting them right here on the blog in its own series.  Not really sure how practical that would be.  And if I did it, then it would probably become a mixture of short story and minor illustrations.  A lot of planning would still need to go into a structure for this venue.

So, that's where I'm at.  Grady's Case Files.  I just need to choose a medium and then I can really get to work.  If you have any preferences, let me know!  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

x, DS

***

WEEKLY LINKS & THINGS

Alternative Model, Nils, keeps being lions and other beasts it's as amazing as it sounds.

If you're not already listening to  BØRNS you should be.

Whimsy & Noir is starting to illustrate her daily outfits and I hope she continues because they're rad.

Prisma Visions Tarot is its own brand of magic and I'm obsessed.

UPDATES: February 2018

I feel as though I have some explaining to do and as this is a blog, well, I'll do it here.  I have been less compelled to engage in social media lately.  Your best bet in keeping solid tabs on me is through Instagram because I enjoy its gallery-style interface so much more.  I suppose I'm growing into one of those people that likes to have some privacy.  I watch others spilling their guts all over Twitter and, honestly, I sort of cringe.  That's great for them if they need a space to vent (as most of it usually tends to be that) but I'm just not that personality type.  I enjoy creating stories and art and I love to share those with the world but, for the most part, I have no inherent need to share much else.  I'm sure, if you've read my books, you could probably guess that I'm much like a lot of my characters and prefer to keep things mysterious and close to my heart.

This means I'm sort of shit at social media promotion.  LOL  Oh well.  I figure that if people like my work then they will stick around regardless of how often I post or not.  I would hope so, anyway.

The point is, I have been posting a lot less on platforms like Twitter and Facebook.  I haven't (and won't) disappear from them but when I do post it will mostly just be project updates.  I think any meatier stuff is best kept for this blog and the occasional over-share caption on Instagram.  :)

Now - On to the real updates!

WRITING

ICYMI - I added two new microfiction Short Stories to Wattpad last month:  "Undercurrent" & "The Undead Craftsman".

Along with that, I've been working on the second "Dead Oaks" book which I may or may not have to set aside for the moment while I ponder a plot point.  Thankfully, I have a couple of other projects I can work on while I take the time to sort that one out.

ART

As pictured above, I illustrated a lovely "Call Me By Your Name" piece (Phenomenal story, btw. ❤) and it has quickly become my Best Seller on Redbubble!  Thank you so much if you've ordered it!  I definitely appreciate it.  One of my goals for 2018 is to be more active on Redbubble and that was a great start to kick the year off.  I'm currently working on some new "dapper" designs and patterns to add there.

Also, I'm submitting work to two local art shows this Spring.  I'm currently working on prepping for that.

PERSONAL

I think my intro. pretty much covered that but there are a couple of extra bits I can throw in.  Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary!  I was showered with flowers and gifts and taken out for a nice romantic dinner; so I'm in a pretty great mood, as you can imagine. haha  What else?  Oh yes!  I've been working at the museum for three months now and I love it.  I'm also working toward a couple of other huge goals that I can't really talk about yet but they have definitely kept me busy.

I hope you have a fabulous February!

x, Dez

Goodreads Bookshelves

This month has been all about organization for me in virtually all areas of my life.  When you've got what feels like a million projects on your plate, plus a full-time job, plus a family, plus a household to run then you definitely know that organizing is a must!

But I'm posting here for a fun organizational reason today!  One thing I decided for 2018 is to be more active on Goodreads.  Honestly, a lot of social media platforms are leaving me feeling blase' lately so I've decided just hone in on a few sites that I truly enjoy and not worry so much about the rest.  Goodreads is definitely one of them!  And being organized comes into play via their "Bookshelves" feature.

Right now, I've created two shelves that readers will hopefully find useful.  One is a shelf of all the books I've published.  And the other is a list of books that have influenced my writing.  I plan to add more shelves as the year moves forward.  Everything from books that I've referenced or used as research, to genre favorites, to blasts from the past.  I think you'll find quite a few titles you'll enjoy adding to your own reading lists!

Do you use the Goodreads bookshelf feature?  If you have any shelves that you think might interest me then please leave a link to them in the comments!

Top 5 Favorite Reads of 2017

We laughed, we cried, we went on adventures, we fell in love, and we reviewed it on Goodreads.  That's right!  2017 was, hopefully, full of great reads for all of us.  Though not all of these books were new releases, here's a list of my Top 5 Favorite Reads this year:

5.) FISH AND GHOSTS by Rhys Ford

This book was sexy and surprisingly fun.  I had no idea what to expect going into it which was probably part of what made it so entertaining.  I had never read Rhys Ford before but now I definitely get the appeal.  While the main characters were pretty standard fare as far as Romance novels go it was the setting of this one that ultimately won me over.  I won't spoil anything for you but if you like truly imaginative ghost stories with a side of erotica then this won't disappoint.

4.) LEO LOVES ARIES by Anyta Sunday

I read a lot of Romance this year, what can I say?  Venturing bravely out of my usual Paranormal Fiction genre, I picked up this charming Contemporary Romance by well-known M/M author Anyta Sunday.  It was a sweet, non-perilous (There's always peril in Peril-normal Romance), slow-burn story that had me hooked pretty quick.  The characters (All of them, not just the MCs) were completely lovable.  It'll leave you with that warm, fuzzy, feeling that any HEA romance should.

3.) THE MAGPIE LORD by KJ Charles

This dark, steamy, supernatural historical thriller took me entirely by surprise.  A mystery disguised as a romance.  I fell so very much in love with this one and KJ is now one of my favorite authors.  Please do read it.  PLEASE.

2.) THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller

I'm still crying nearly a full year later.  This was my first read of 2017 and oh man, it will hit you hard.  This isn't your average retelling of a classic.  This is pure poetry.  Invest in tissues first.

1.) ROMANCING THE WEREWOLF by Gail Carriger

It feels like a holiday gift that I would end up reading my favorite book of the year as my last book of the year. (Bonus points that it also took place during the holidays.)  Add to that the fact that I've read all of Gail's books and this one is now my favorite to date.  I might be biased since it featured my favorite couple of her's but this novella was SO GOOD!  Not only do I think it's her best Romance writing but I also feel she's at the top of her Humor game in this one.  I laughed out loud so many times.  This was a reunion story worth the wait.  Thank you for the Christmas present, Gail.  We can definitely tell it was made with love.

What were your favorite reads of 2017?  Did we happen to read some of the same titles?

Oh yes, and just for fun...

My Least Favorite Read of 2017

GEMINI IN DARKNESS by Clarissa Ross

There's a reason some books are out of print...


Here's to looking forward to more great reads in 2018!  You can follow along with my reading journey on Goodreads if you'd like.

Cheers! x

Blog Revival & 2018 Plans

SURPRISE!

That's right.  I've revived this old blog space.  I gave the built-in blog platform on my website a try for nearly a year (That's a fair enough shake.) and didn't really like it.  I prefer this format SO much more.  As you can see, I'm still working on updating and adding things but this will be my blog home now.  If you'd like to receive updates whenever I post, please scroll on over to the right-hand side and sign up through Bloglovin'.  Thanks!

I'm not even going to worry about deleting old posts here.  It's kind of fun to see the progress I've made.  And I won't be importing the past several months of posts because they were mostly just updates.  I think because I didn't like that platform it ended up deterring me from ever wanting to post anything there.  One of my many plans/goals for 2018 will be keeping up with my blog a bit more.  I've had a few people ask me in person if I blog or say that they would like to see me blog more.  So, NOTED.  Here I am.

2018 PLANS

The thing I'm looking forward to most in 2018 is the official re-release of ROAM through NineStar Press on July 30th!  I'm so happy this story has the opportunity to find a wider audience and I can't wait to see what they do with the cover art.  I feel insanely lucky to know that one of my favorite designers, Natasha Snow, is lined up to create it!  She's one of the best out there and I've read a number of books that she designed covers for.  Truly exciting!  The cover pictured above is actually a mock-up from the first test print when I was self-publishing.  I threw it together really quick just so I could try out a printer and see if they would work out for me.  There are only two physical copies that exist with this cover and one sits on my bookshelf in my writing nook to remind me of where I started.

Here's what else I've been planning and contemplating for the coming year:

WRITING GOALS

I'll probably be fairly busy in this area with the ROAM release.  Any other designated writing time I have will be put toward writing The Dead Oaks: Book Two (Which I've already started.) and a super secret manuscript that I plan to submit to my publisher once it's finished.  Also, as mentioned earlier, building up this blog space.

ART GOALS

At the end of this year, the thing that I feel I lacked doing most in this area was actually keeping up with my Etsy and Redbubble shops.  Thank you to everyone that bought something with that Riverdale Jughead illustration on it because I sold a number of those and that kept me motivated!  I think selling art can be difficult because you just want to draw what you feel like drawing and worrying about how well it will fit onto a marketable product is both annoying and, at times, stressful.  Right now, I'm only really offering the items Redbubble can make and mini-prints in my Etsy shop (Plus, a few sketchcards.).  I haven't made a solid decision on what other forms of art I could offer but I do have a couple of ideas that I might explore. If there's some specific item you'd like to see, let me know! Mostly, I just want to keep drawing and painting and see what happens from there.

I will have three pieces on display at the Stranger Things Art Show at De Nada in San Angelo, TX this coming March.  So come check it out if you're in the area!

PERSONAL GOALS

Oh, you know, the usual culprits.  Fitness is definitely on the list along with eating healthier.  Those should just be daily goals in general but holiday snacking is what makes you think of it more. *guilty smile*  Scrapbooking, organizing, and hopefully taking a trip.

Another personal goal will be to allow myself time to actually relax every now and then and to enjoy my successes without immediately feeling the obligation to jump into a huge new project.  I left myself feeling burnt out and exhausted many times this year or feeling like I hadn't achieved enough (When my achievements were actually insanely awesome!).  No more.  I'm going to start being as nice to myself as I am to everyone else.  Self care isn't just a trend.  It's important.

And I'll end this list off with a fun one.  MORE READING.  I have a new Instagram Author account (Still have the old account but it's just for art now.) where I'll be updating all of my Current Reads along with doing so on Goodreads.  I've toyed with the idea of posting book reviews here but I don't really think people engage with those as much.  You're going to read what you're going to read no matter what anyone else's opinion on it is.  So, I might try to find some other fun way of sharing what I'm delving into. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!  Thank you for all of your support and friendship this year and I definitely look forward to seeing what we all accomplish next year!

Cheers! x

NEW RELEASES

AMAZON

The Julbock by Dez Schwartz is now available on Kindle.

(Yule themed M/M Paranormal Romance Short Story)

UPCOMING BOOKS

ROAM

M/M Paranormal Dreampunk

July 30, 2018

Official re-release through NineStar Press.

THE DEAD OAKS: BOOK TWO

YA M/M Paranormal

Coming Spring 2018

The second in THE DEAD OAKS series.  Jasper, Wes, and Liv tackle personal demons, haunted houses, and something truly terrifying.  Graduation.