It's Release Day!!

 Today is the day!

FALLEN DESTINY IS NOW AVAILABLE FROM BRIGIDS GATE PRESS.

Destiny isn't human and she has the horns to prove it. She's also damned good at blending into the human world.

That, along with her powers, has helped her forge a career out of locating supernatural beings and objects.

Got demon troubles? Need a mystical artifact found? Destiny's the one for the job.

All goes well for her until the day she's hired by a mysterious nun, and for the first time, Destiny's stumped.

How exactly does a demon hired by a nun find an angel?

Grab an eBook or paperback copy here:

AMAZON | B&N | KOBO

BOOKSHOP.ORG | WATERSTONES | BOOKS-A-MILLION

ADD TO GOODREADS

I'd want to send a HUGE THANK YOU to Gwendolyn Kiste, Angela Sylvaine, Sonora Taylor, Wayne Fenlon, and Brian Bowyer for these amazing blurbs:

"I've been a fan of Yolanda Sfetsos for years, and whether you're brand-new to her work or you've loved her books for as long as I have, Fallen Destiny is an absolute must-read. This cozy dark fantasy takes you on a supernatural adventure with page-turning prose and characters you'll adore. Enjoy the ride."

— Gwendolyn Kiste, Four-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Haunting of Velkwood and Reluctant Immortals   

“Fallen Destiny is a wicked urban fantasy that will appeal to fans of Kim Harrison. Sfetsos delves into the mysteries of heaven and hell while wrapping the reader in the warm embrace of found family. Move over Hellboy, there’s a new kick ass demon in town, and Destiny won’t be denied.”

— Angela Sylvaine, Bram Stoker Award nominated author of Frost Bite. 

"Fallen Destiny is a fun, devious, supernatural mystery with lots of clever twists and turns. Sfetsos manages to create a large and fascinating world of amazing characters, all of whom I loved. Don't miss this one."

— Sonora Taylor, award-winning author of Little Paranoias: Stories and Without Condition

"A cosy blend of genres: infusing horror, folklore, and eroticism, with a hint of mystery. A detective story at heart. This one, like all of Yolanda's work, is another proper page turner. A great writer."

— Wayne Fenlon, author of The Black Cabin

“Sfetsos is simply one of the best, and Fallen Destiny—thrilling, intense, and filled with suspense—displays an artist at the top of her game.”

— Brian Bowyer, author of Metro Kinetic. 

"A lively and atmospheric occult mystery with a main character who’s as hellish as she is human."

—Kirkus Reviews, GET IT verdict

Read full review here

I'm SO excited about this new release and can't wait for readers to read my cozy urban fantasy book about an occult detective investigating a mystery that might lead to her past.

The beautiful cover art was made by: Alison Flannery

Thanks for reading!

THE CHANGE by Kirsten Miller

The Change by Kirsten Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been meaning to read this book for ages, so I'm glad I finally got stuck into it.

Three very different women find each other when they start going through some changes. Harriett Osborne is an advertising director, but now spends most of her time growing a wild garden. Jo Levison is a former executive who runs a gym and has developed a newfound strength that manifests in a fiery rage. Nessa is a widowed nurse who can hear the voices of dead girls who deserve to be found. Together, the trio is determined to get justice...

Wow. This book is fucking amazing. There's no other way to describe how much I enjoyed it.

I love the way it deals with everything, starting with everyday sexism, amping up to disgraceful misogyny, and everything else in between. Through the lives and the untimely deaths of the girls and women who live in Mattauk, the female experience—the wonderful and the nightmarish—is captured perfectly.

OMG. I absolutely LOVE Harriett, Jo and Nessa!! All three are such strong, empathetic characters whose flaws enhance their personalities.

Not only did I enjoy the interactions between the three leads, because their friendship is strong enough that they can be brutally honest with each other, but I also liked their individual stories.

The way multiple POVs are threaded into the main narrative hooked me from beginning to end.

The powerful tales of three very different middle-aged women opens up to include so much more, and other stories weave their way into the narrative in a way that kept me glued to the pages. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next, and I was on the edge of my seat during the last few chapters.

It's a long and it's quite sad, but the author's brilliant voice is very addictive. This is a powerful and important book and definitely worth reading.


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Hey, it's November!

How are you?

I hope you all had an awesome Halloween! I spent mine listening to a thunderstorm while reading the latest Sally (The Nightmare Before Christmas) book. Such a trope, right? I also popped into my ACNH island to catch up with Jack, chatted with hubby, and filled up my first Attic Notebook.

It might be November, but the Halloween aesthetic never ends. At least, it doesn't for me. 😊

For the first time in years, I'm not actually writing a novel first draft during November. But it's not a big deal because I've been busy writing a lot of short-stories. Speaking of shorties, I completed another one last week.

The final word count:  1,987.

As I mentioned last week, I completed two more stories, and both were about the same character. The idea to round them out as a trilogy of sadness and self-discovery came to me during one of my walks. And guess what? After I finished, I realised that I love this character so much, she's getting a spin-off. Not sure if it's going to be a novella or novel, but I'm very excited about the continuation of her story and already started taking notes!

So, here's the vampire world update: two novels, one novelette, and twenty-one short stories. The short story collection has now crossed 78k words.

Still having a blast writing them but I think it's slowly coming to a nice and organic end. Of course, that's what I think today. Tomorrow, the plan could change because these characters are loud.

Did you guys hear about the upcoming ACNH updates? My husband and I still pop into our islands daily, so we're super excited!! I love my island (I called it Grimoire) and my villagers are adorable, so these new features are going to be a lot of fun. Especially getting the chance to build islands inside your dreams. What a cool idea!

Well, asides from all the writing and revising, I've been catching up with some reading. I'm also enjoying long daily walks. The days are a lot longer and I'm taking advantage.

Okay, that's it for now.

Have an awesome week!! 😁

 

HOUR OF THE PUMPKIN QUEEN by Megan Shepherd

Hour of the Pumpkin Queen: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas by Megan Shepherd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favourite stories. I love Sally and Jack, so I'm always going to be interested in checking out any Sally book that gets released. 😊

Sally and Jack Skellington got married a year ago. During that time, Sally has been busy because she takes her role very seriously. As the Queen of Halloween Town she wants to make everyone happy and is spreading herself a bit thin. When she gets sucked into a mysterious portal with her new apprentice, Sally goes on an adventure that will test her in many ways...

OMG. I absolutely loved Sally's latest adventure through time. And I mean that literally because she actually ends up in Time Town. Another fascinating location that leads Sally to a serious problem: the destruction of Halloween Town.

A lot of very cool and intriguing locations and characters are introduced during Sally's adventure to save everyone she loves and cares about, but the underlying theme at the heart of her story is being honest with herself. That helping others, or being their queen, doesn't mean losing herself in the process.

I also like that every Sally story I've read so far (this is my third) is true to the character. Her voice feels sincere and her actions match the subtle bravery she displays in the movie. Another thing I loved about this particular book is that the love and romance between Sally and Jack is passionate and sweet. A mutual devotion and adoration that adds so much to the chaotic events.

The addition of a rag doll apprentice is so cute. Luna has a lot of potential and she's great, especially when she meets a curious dragon. Scorch longs to be a hero instead of the villain.

I wanted to read this during Halloween, and it has the perfect cozy vibes. A great way to end the month.

Oh, and although the main mystery is solved... the darker one isn't. Can't wait for the next installment.


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BLOB: A Love Story by Maggie Su

Blob: A Love Story by Maggie Su
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm enjoying my unhinged-women-behaving-badly run, and decided to read this book next. I mean, who doesn't want to read a love story about a blob?

Vi doesn't fit in, her boyfriend dumped her months ago, she flunked out of college, and now works behind a hotel reception desk. She mostly keeps her distance from people, but the night she goes out with a workmate, she finds a blob with eyes in an alley. When she decides to rescue him, her life takes a weird turn...

What an entertaining story! I was hooked from beginning to end, and couldn't wait to see where Vi and Bob ended up.

Let me start by saying that Vi isn't a very nice person. She's a total wreck, and some of the shit she does is appalling. In many ways, she's a lot messier than the blob she's trying to shape. Bob is a blob that transforms himself into a man. Together, these two misfits embark on their personal journey to find out exactly what it means to be human.

Vi is such a spiky character who's got a huge chip on her shoulder and has convinced herself that no one could possibly ever want to be her friend, or be romantically interested in her. So she pushes people away by hurting them before they get a chance to hurt her.

Like I said above, she's not a very nice person. But I still enjoyed her voice and the self-discovery she makes along the way.

This is a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it!


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Spring & Writing

Hey! How are you? Hope you're all having a great October!

Personally, I think it's going too fast and for some reason, in spite of finding some very cool Halloween stuff, it doesn't feel very Halloweeny this year. Maybe it's because I haven't watched any horror movies or shows yet. Although, it could also be because this season is giving a lot of not-feeling 100% vibes. Yeah, the change of season is really affecting me this year because the temperature is all over the place.

The cool thing is that, even though it took me over a week to complete the first draft of the story I mentioned during my last post, after I realised what was missing, I finished it. Actually, as of this afternoon, I've completed two more stories.

This is the final word counts: 6,984 and 3,037.

These two particular tales have been circling my brain for a while, but I wasn't ready to write them because this character's stories fit into timelines that made it tricky until I had everything straight in my mind. When that happened, the words poured out of me.

So, here's the vampire world update: two novels, one novelette, and twenty short stories. The short story collection has now crossed 76k. Yikes.

I just can't shake these characters, LOL. 

Asides from writing and revising the above stories, I've also been doing a bit of reading (reviews posted below) and quite a bit of walking. Also been sorting out and updating my Writing Folders and external drives (time-consuming boring work that has to be done).

Also, my publisher gave me the link to an awesome Kirkus review for FALLEN DESTINY today. If you're interested in finding out a bit more about my upcoming novel (release date: 11 November), you might want to check it out. A GET IT verdict from Kirkus makes me very happy. Especially since the reviewer totally got Destiny's tale.

Well, that's about it.

Have a great weekend!!

THE PISCES by Melissa Broder

The Pisces by Melissa Broder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been curious about this book for a while and finally decided to check it out.

When Lucy's relationship ends, she ends up in a very dark place. So when her sister offers to pay her to housesit and watch her dog during the summer, Lucy agrees. She also has to go to group therapy and plans to work on her book-length project about Sappho...

Yikes! Lucy is one messy woman. She's selfish, and indecisive. She's judgy, and nicknames/puts down every woman she meets. She can't be trusted, and is obsessed with making men want to be with her. She's also obviously suffering from depression, and her mental health is in a really bad place.

Basically, she's not fit to look after a house, let alone a gorgeous dog. 😫

In spite of the fact that I didn't like Lucy because she's so awful, I still enjoyed this book. It's raw and gross, a little too honest in its depiction of bad dates and unsatisfying sexual interactions with strangers. Even the raunchier 'love' scenes are full of descriptions that might make some readers pause. But I'm sure that was the intention.

Lucy is DEFINITELY NOT a nice person. In fact, I found her to be terrible. She wants everyone to be there for her, but refuses to help others. She craves male attention but when she gets it, tires of the guys too quickly. She's too self-involved and often drowns in her own pompous thoughts. Like I said, not nice. But that's who she is. A terrible person who doesn't give a fuck about anyone or anything not serving her purpose.

This leads me to Dominic and Theo. The two males she appears to actually care about at some stage during her summer visit.

Dominic is her sister's beautiful foxhound and he's adorable. She truly doesn't deserve him and what she does to this poor dog is atrocious. Disgusting. I hated every interaction she had with him during the second half of the book because she's such a cruel bitch.

Theo is a merman she meets on the rocks. A seemingly young and attractive mythological creature enamoured with her. In him, Lucy sees herself differently. It's like he's a mirror reflecting adoration and love that consumes her. But is any of it real? Or is she once again projecting her shit on someone else? The way things turn out sure answers at least one of those questions. Yet, makes you wonder about the reality of the situation.

Either way, the writing style and Lucy's voice drew me in and kept me glued to the pages.

Yeah, while I personally enjoyed it, this book is not flowery or pretty. It's not romantic and definitely needs several trigger warnings: mention of suicide, dealing with suicidal thoughts and actions, animal cruelty, animal death, lying, mention of self-harm, mental illness, adultery.


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WE LOVE YOU, BUNNY by Mona Awad

We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I absolutely LOVED Bunny so I was really looking forward to reading this prequel/sequel. Not to mention that my lovely husband surprised me with the special edition that has pink edges with white bunny faces.

After Sam publishes her first novel and ends up in New England during her book tour, the Bunnies kidnap her and decide to bore her to death with their own repetitive versions of the story...

Okay. Um... Ugh. Where do I start with this review? 😒

So, I have to admit that, even though the long-winded accounts were too much, I enjoyed the first part of the book. I mean, the four Bunnies are determined to tell Samantha their unreliable side of the story while taunting, insulting and ridiculing her because she's tied up in the Attic and they insist on holding an axe.

Then Aerius enters the book and O.M.F.G. What. A. Freaking. Borefest. His section, which drags on forever, is PAINFUL. Such a slog to get through that I actually skimmed several sections because I couldn't stand his voice or writing style. Plus, I didn't care about this character. At all. I've read several reviews comparing him to Frankenstein's monster and personally, I find that insulting.

Anyway, after reaching page 333, I didn't touch the book for two whole days and didn't even feel compelled to pick it up again. But I did, and after reading three more pages, I put it down. Picked it up again and skimmed through the rest so fast I didn't absorb anything and didn't even care.

FFS. This book is mega painful.

A total disappointment. Boring. Too long. Boring. Over explains details that didn't need any explanation. Boring. Destroyed characters the were intriguing and interesting in the first book. Boring. And introduced an annoying af character I hated reading about.

Not a fan.

I'll always love Bunny but won't waste my time with any other story written in this world.

Bye Bunny.


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Hey there!

How are you today? I hope you're having a great October so far. 😊

Last week started with a long weekend (yay!) and the beginning of daylight savings (cool!). That makes me happy because I love the longer summer days. And the weather is already pretty warm, so it looks like we might be skipping spring to race straight into summer.

What did you get up to?

I spent most of my time reading and spring cleaning. Yeah, re-organising is a never-ending task but I'm in the zone and even went back to re-organise shelves I already went through last month. 

The next round of sorting made me realise that the more I look through stuff, the less attachment I have for certain things. I think that's great because it makes it easier get rid of so much. It also makes me value the stuff I do care about a lot more.

Although the process is mentally and physically exhausting, it's also pretty great. We've donated a heap of things, threw away useless stuff, and even managed to sell the collectibles that actually have value.

In between all the spring cleaning, I also managed to read two very cool books: STONE HEART by Katee Robert and MY HUSBAND by Maud Ventura. Plus tonight I started WE LOVE YOU, BUNNY by Mona Awad. I really enjoyed the first book, so I'm excited about this one.

As far as writing, I didn't finish any stories, but I did start writing another one on my phone. It's a story that's been kicking around inside my head for quite some time, so it's going to be nice to finally get it out of my head. 😁

Well, that's about it for now.

Have an awesome weekend!!

MY HUSBAND by Maud Ventura

My Husband by Maud Ventura
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Since finishing Annie Bot and Victorian Psycho last week, Goodreads kept suggesting this book. So I decided to get stuck into it because I already had it on my Paperwhite. Then last week, I found the paperback in a local Street Library!

It was meant to be, and I actually started reading the paperback during the day and switched to my Paperwhite at night! 😅

Anyway, time to talk about the story.

She might be beautiful (goes to a lot of trouble), has two jobs (teacher and book translator), two well-behaved kids (she never wanted), friends (she constantly judges), and a lovely house (she doesn't even clean herself), but all she cares about is her husband. She's obsessed with everything about him, to the point of toxic behaviour...

Yikes. Well, that was addictive. I couldn't put the book down because I found myself being dragged into this unhinged woman's world. It says a lot about the author's writing style and the narrator's voice because the main character is going about her neurotic, everyday business but I found myself totally immersed.

The way this woman obsesses over her husband's words and actions borders on psychotic. And I'm not even exaggerating: she writes things down in notebooks, keeps score, knows when to punish, and even messes around with other people as revenge. 😳

Yeah, she's not a very nice person. She's judgy, fake, cold, and a total user. But I still enjoyed the hell out of this book. And the epilogue rounded out the story perfectly because of course that would be the case. (Sorry, can't specify what I'm talking about without spoiling everything.)

Great book! Unhinged women behaving badly is a great subgenre.


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STONE HEART by Katee Robert

Stone Heart by Katee Robert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The other day I bought a bunch of Dark Olympus books for my Paperwhite, and then found this novella for free, so I decided to give it a go.

In Olympus, nothing gets past the most powerful. So when Athena orders Medusa to kill Calypso, the mistress Odysseus wants gone, she does as she's told. After all, Medusa owes Athena. But this assignment feels different from the beginning, and when she catches sight of the mistress, Medusa finds herself questioning everything...

This novella is a great introduction to this fascinating world. I love Greek mythology, so retellings always catch my attention, and this one delivers. Not to mention that Medusa is one of my faves.

I read the whole thing in one sitting and really enjoyed the tale of these two very different women with similar mental scars. Medusa is tied to Athena because she feels like she owes her everything for saving her life. Calypso is tied to habits that ensure she gets what she wants via seduction.

One is a killer, the other a mistress, but both don't realise there's more to life until their paths cross. The attraction is instant, and I liked how their story turned out.

I'm intrigued by this version of Olympus, a city full of familiar names with different lives and roles, but no less dangerous. Not to mention what lies on the other side of the River Styx.

Definitely interested in reading more about this dark world and characters.


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VICTORIAN PSYCHO by Virginia Feito

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last night I went through my Kobo Libra Colour and as soon as I spotted this book, I started reading.

Winifred Notty is a governess who goes to Ensor House to take care of two obnoxious children. Mr. Pounds loves her company, but Mrs. Pounds doesn't like her at all. But Winifred has a plan she needs to stick to. That doesn't mean she can't indulge her darkness...

OMFG.

This book is freaking insane! The story is wild. Totally wicked. And I loved every minute of it. It's also very addictive.

I struggled to put the book down because Winifred is so unhinged that I couldn't believe some of the stuff that happens. Not to mention the revelation that made me go: what? Of course!

😳

The writing style is very snappy and so are the chapter titles. I like how the ugly truth often hidden within the romanticised Victorian lifestyle was totally out there in this tale. And the location was perfect for the madness that goes on.

The pacing is also great, and those last few chapters were a whirlwind of violence that felt like a nasty surreal nightmare.

I enjoyed the hell out of this book and must now find out if this author has more books available.


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Last day of September...

Can you believe another month is almost over? Yikes.

So, how are you? What have you been up to? Anything interesting?

This week's update is a little later than usual because I got caught up writing and revising two short stories that I wrote late last week/during the weekend. I didn't expect both stories to come as fast as they did, but during my afternoon walks when I'm thinking about my ideas, I tend to work through the story and before I know it, I'm ready to write. I often have to pull my phone out and start typing because the thoughts come pretty fast.

Not gonna lie, I love when that happens.

Actually, I wrote the first draft of the second story on my phone during the early hours of Monday! Not kidding, I finished at about two in the morning. LOL.

And today, I read both of them on my Paperwhite for the final read-thru. I'm really happy with the final product and even happier that I got them done at the end of the month!

Here's the final word counts: 2,579 and 2,013.

And this is the vampire world update: two novels, one novelette, and eighteen short stories. The short story collection has now crossed 66k.

Although the list of short stories left to write is getting smaller, I still have several ideas to tackle.

So, asides from writing, I spent most of last week sorting, reorganising, and continuing with the spring cleaning. And of course that means that I kept having to undo everything I'd already sorted because new things popped up and I want certain things to have specific places. I've convinced myself that by doing that, I'll use more of my stationery and know where things are for a change.

It seems like spring cleaning is contagious because my husband has joined in the fun and we've been going through our toys, collectibles, board games, comic books, Lego, etc. We have a LOT of stuff and it definitely feels great to lighten the load, that's for sure.

I'm hoping to get back into it tomorrow...

Oh, and before I go, I've been doing Laini Taylor's Attic Notebook exercise this month. I've followed her prompts from last September and did my last one tonight. It was a lot of fun and I've already got the next month's prompts ready to go. 😊

Well, that's it for today. I hope you all have a fantastic week!

ANNIE BOT by Sierra Greer

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had my eye on this book for a while and decided to get stuck into it.

Annie Bot is owned by Doug, and is designed to please and satisfy his every whim. But he's not exactly kind, and projects a lot of his insecurities on her. Since she has the capability to learn and reason, Annie finds herself becoming more human every day. And that means rebelling against her reason for existing...

I REALLY enjoyed this book!

I was hooked from the beginning. And as soon as I met Annie, I liked her. Just like, as soon as I met Doug, I disliked him. He's such a douche who can't make up his mind if he wants a sexbot or a maidbot. I mean, seriously, dude. If you're so fussy about dust, clean up your own apartment.

My favourite thing about all robot stories is always the ethics. Is it okay to own someone who isn't human but has the capacity to understand and develop human traits, habits, and emotions? Because that's exactly what happens to Annie. She's intelligent and nice, seems to possess much more humanity than Doug.

Anyway, I won't give anything away, but just want to mention that I liked that ending. A lot. There was no other way for things to end.


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THE LONG WALK by Stephen King

The Long Walk by Richard Bachman

I've been meaning to read this book for years, and since the movie is coming out I thought it was time to get stuck into it.

Here's my synopsis: One hundred boys. Lots of shit talking. A very long walk. Lots of senseless killings. Inconsiderate assholes watching from the sidelines. A very, very long walk. More boring shit talking. More senseless killing. The End.

Seriously. I feel like I wasted my time reading this book because nothing but what I mentioned above happens. There might be an allegory for war embedded in the story. Or maybe it's set during a fascist dystopian rule. I really don't know because by the time I finished the book, I didn't learn anything new.

Also, don't even get me started on the characters because I didn't give a shit about any of them. No attachments here. 😒

The best thing about this experience is that after reaching the 48% mark and being so bored I almost fell asleep, I skimmed ahead to the last very disappointing chapter. Not a fan of that ending.

PS. No rating due to the skimming.


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Drafts & Sorting

Hey! How's it going?

I hope you all managed to have a good week. I know it's hard at the moment because this timeline is all sorts of shitty, and terrible things happen every single day, but like I said last week, we need to find joy in the things we love.

So, what did I get up to? I spent most of the week sorting through my stationery. Yep. That might not sound like a big deal, but I have too many notebooks, sticky notes, pens, etc. that desperately needed to be sorted.

We have a big trunk and it was full of stuff, so I set myself the goal to clear it out by the end of the month. Completely clear. And I surprised myself by getting it done by midweek.

It was a LOT of work, required putting things in different places, only to undo everything and start again. It's mentally and physically exhausting. Every morning I woke up feeling like I'd done a huge workout, LOL. But it was worth it because we donated a heap of stuff, and I intend to refine what I kept.

Spring cleaning is always a WiP.

But that's not all I did. I also revised my latest short story, and actually finished the final read-thru tonight. Yay!

I'm really happy with this one. Not just because I had fun with it, but also because it's the second story featuring one particular character. And not just that, but I do believe that I might be writing a spin-off.

Anyway, here's the total word count: 6,547.

The vampire world update is now: two novels, one novelette, and sixteen short stories. The short story collection has now crossed 61k.

Well, that's it for today. Hope you all have an awesome weekend!!

Spring is in the air...

How are you today? I hope you all managed to have a nice week.

I know it's hard to stay positive when the world feels so freaking upside down at the moment, but you really have to find your happy place because if you don't, everything can get too overwhelming. Taking care of yourself and your mental health has never been more important. This timeline is infuriating and I hope everything rights itself soon.🤞

Anyway, let's talk about the better stuff. This week, I finished another short story. Yay.

Total word count: 3,277.

I had a lot of fun writing this one last week and completing the final draft really made the story a lot stronger. And of course, I also started a new tale. It's crossed 3k so far and I'm probably halfway through. Hoping to finish the first draft tomorrow.

So, the vampire world update is now: two novels, one novelette, and fifteen short stories. The short story collection has now crossed 54k. And I've still got more ideas...

That's fine with me. I love this world. 🦇

Asides from the above, I've been doing more spring cleaning. I'm still sorting through my stationery. Still moving things around, donating several things, putting other things in the bin. I just want to have things in accessible places, instead of forgetting what I have. LOL.

Well, that's about it. Just enjoying a lovely weekend with my husband. Oh, and speaking of hubby, he found/picked up a bunch of very cool Halloween goodies for me. 😍

Have a great weekend!!

DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD by Olga Tokarczuk

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was really looking forward to reading this book because it's sold as a mystery fairy tale featuring an older narrator that treads the line between sanity and madness.

Plus I like the title.

Janina lives in an isolated village in Poland. She enjoys studying astrology and translating William Blake. She's also a teacher and takes care of the empty houses near hers during the winter. But when one of her neighbours dies, and other residents start to die too, a mystery unfolds...

Although I was intrigued by the quirky main character at the beginning and even past the halfway point, I started to lose interest during the downhill trip. 🫤

The problem is that while I enjoyed much of the setup, and the commentary about human hypocrisy when it comes to animal welfare and hunting, I found the conclusion very disappointing. The mystery is revealed in a bland and lifeless way. Also, because I kept waiting for the promised fairy-tale angle, as well as the madness, the ending is anticlimactic. It made me feel like I suffered through a bunch of boring observations that left me feeling hollow.

It's a shame, really. I was convinced I'd love this book, but sadly didn't.


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September is Here!

Hey, how are you today? How was your week? Mine was a little wonky. Or at least, I felt a little wonky.

We've had a few changes in our schedule lately and it's kinda messing around with us. Not to mention that I seem to have forgotten that although I LOVE spring and everything feels different, I always get a little sickish when we slip from winter to spring. And it seems like this year is no different.

 
Hopefully it doesn't stick around for long because I want to enjoy the longer days, and the absence of chilly weather. Although that seems to be hanging around. Ugh.

So, even though I haven't felt 100% all week, I still managed to get more spring cleaning/organising done. This week I continued with my desk, and got stuck into the many notebooks I've collected. I'm willing to part with a bunch of toys and collectibles, but not my notebooks and pens and sticky notes.

The best thing about clearing up and organising my desk is that I can actually sit down and use it, while having access to all my notebooks, pens, etc. Very cool.

I even started doing this, which I found out about last week on Bluesky. It's a cool idea, and a great way to actually start using more of the notebooks I mentioned above! Some of the prompts have resulted in some pretty wild ideas. 😅

Well, I might not have finished a short story this week, but I came close. I completed the third draft tonight and will tackle the final read-thru on Monday. It's already waiting on my Paperwhite. The word count is currently 3,313. Not bad.

So... if you popped in this week, you probably saw the cover art reveal the other day. My cozy fantasy novel will be released in November, but you can already check it out at Netgalley, on Goodreads, and it's available for pre-order. Awesome stuff.

I can't wait to hear what readers think. I love occult detectives, and Destiny is one of mine. 

Well, that's about it. Hope you have an amazing weekend!

Cover Reveal!!

Today, Brigids Gate Press revealed the cover for my upcoming novel, FALLEN DESTINY, and it's beautiful.

Check it out:

I LOVE IT!

 Alison Flannery made a work of art. Not to mention that she captured the main character, Destiny, perfectly!

Here's the synopsis:

Destiny isn't human and she has the horns to prove it. She's also damned good at blending into the human world.

That, along with her powers, has helped her forge a career out of locating supernatural beings and objects.

Got demon troubles? Need a mystical artifact found? Destiny's the one for the job.

All goes well for her until the day she's hired by a mysterious nun, and for the first time, Destiny's stumped.

How exactly does a demon hired by a nun find an angel?

The release date is:

November 11, 2025.

If you're on Netgalley, you can check it out HERE!

ADD TO GOODREADS!!

Have a great day!

Battery Problems...

Hello! How are you today?

Well, the last week of August is turning out to be a bit of a weird one. I mean, it's cool that the weather is mellowing out a bit. It's also nice that the sun doesn't fully set until just before six. And I'm glad the rain finally stopped, but something just felt... off. Of course, it could be the change in my husband's roster, or maybe because we didn't get enough sleep several times this week.

Either way, I'm not sure why winter is ending on such a shitty note, but I'm glad it's almost over. Can't wait for spring.

Oh, you know what else happened? My phone started acting weird. The battery decided to do percentage countdowns out of nowhere before clonking out completely. So I looked into it and according to several places, the Pixel is known for battery swelling. Um... WHAT? Since when?? And after more research, I thought: at least mine isn't doing that. Except, after taking the case off to make sure, it WAS SWOLLEN! The whole right side of the screen was popping up. 😳

And according to the internet, it wasn't safe to use it for more than a couple of days before facing the risk of your phone combusting. WTF?! Man, that scared the hell out of me. I mean, how did this happen? No one knows the exact reason, btw.

We've had our Pixel 6 (we both got one at the same time) for about three-and-a-half years. IMO, electronic devices die too quickly. No doubt, a feature that's purposely done to make us upgrade. Ugh.

So, I now have a new phone. Yay. A snazzy lilac Motorola Moto g86 Power. No more Pixels for me, thanks. I spent the majority of Friday night customising and adding stuff to it. I've had it for twenty-four hours and really like it.

What an unexpected ordeal! Yikes.

Luckily, before my phone died, I completed another short story. Another one that turned out longer than I expected, and a lot sadder too. Tragic, even.

Total word count: 3,104.

Here's the new vampire world update: two novels, one novelette, and fourteen short stories. At this stage, the total word count has passed 51k, so we're looking at an entire volume of stories from a variety of secondary characters. And that makes me very happy because I'm enjoying myself.

I LOVE telling stories. It's such a wonderful feeling.

Anyway, I started another shortie too. Now that my phone is ready to use, hopefully I'll get back to it. But first, I've got to finish tidying up my desk. That's my next spring cleaning project.

I guess that's about it for this week. Had to deal with some unexpected stuff, and we also went to the dentist for our six-moth cleaning/check up appointment.

Have an awesome weekend!!

REVIVAL, Vol. 1: You're Among Friends by Tim Seeley & Mark Norton

Revival, Vol. 1: You're Among Friends by Tim Seeley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We finished watching the first season of REVIVAL last weekend, so I started reading the comic book series yesterday.

In a town located in Wisconsin, the dead came back to life. For just one day. While Officer Dana Cypress is investigating a case, she finds out a serious secret about her younger sister. But there's also the media to deal with, as well as religious zealots, the government, and the mystery about why this happened...

I really enjoyed the first volume, which includes the first five issues. I like the similarities, but also enjoyed discovering the many (many) differences. I'm so surprised about all of the extra subplots and secondary characters.

It's interesting, violent, and the artwork is beautiful.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading more.


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Rainy Words & Books

Hey! How are you today?

Well, the weekend is here and the sun finally decided to make a comeback after FIVE DAYS of NON-STOP RAIN. 😱

Seriously, it was unbearable. Especially for someone who doesn't like rainy days at the best of times. It was so bad that it got in the way of my daily walks. Too much rain sucks and because I walk around the river, the puddles are huge. I really hope that it's done for a while.🤞

Asides from putting up with all this shitty weather, I've been really busy spring cleaning/reorganising. I have a lot of books and stationery so I'm determined to trim the fat while going through everything. The worst thing about doing this is finding books that I love (I'm a bibliophile, after all) that are riddled with foxing. 😫

It sucks and I just don't understand why this happens.

Anyway, I also completed the final read-thru of the short story I wrote last weekend. After the first draft, I suspected the word count would go up to 2k, but it ended up even longer.

Total word count: 3,159.

I was actually surprised that this tale turned out this long, but after some very handy feedback from my husband, I added and rewrote the ending. Very happy with how it turned out.

Here's the new vampire world update: two novels, one novelette, and thirteen short stories.

BUT! As expected, as soon as that story was finished, I started a new one. The words came to me in a rush after I woke up on Thursday morning and boy, it felt so good to get this one finally written because it's lived in my brain for a while now. 

I'm up to third draft and the word count has reached: 2,994. I'm looking forward to revising and completing this one.

Tonight we finished watching REVIVAL S1 and OMFG, this show is amazing!! I enjoyed the hell out of it and that ending was: 😳!!

Well, that's about it for now.

Hope you have an awesome weekend!!

CHLORINE by Jade Song

Chlorine by Jade Song
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've wanted to read this book for a while and decided to get stuck into it last night.

Ren Yu loves swimming. Her whole life revolves around the pool, her teammates, and her strict coach. Another thing Ren loves is mermaids. This is how her simple life as a girl leads to so much more...

I was hooked from beginning to end. Ren's voice is engaging and the way she shares her story is unflinching. She doesn't hold back from revealing all the good and bad things, the mild ones in between, as well as the harsher side of being a competitive swimmer.

Yeah, I really enjoyed this book and wasn't surprised where it led because Ren's obsession with mermaids, freedom, and chlorine were too much for one teenage girl to keep inside. Especially when you consider the injury she's so keen to ignore, and the pressures all the adults force upon her.

While I liked everything about Ren's narrative, I found her time with Ess during her first summer job as a lifeguard (at the community pool) to be especially charming. Not just because it was therapeutic for her, but it's also another chapter that leads to the shocking conclusion.

So glad I finally read it! 🧜‍♀️


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Telling More Stories...

How are you today? I hope you had a great week!

I spent this week doing a bunch of things, while hoping that the rain would go away. We've been having too much rain lately and it's bugging the hell out of me because I like to bitch about shitty weather. 😫

I just want more than one sunny day during the week. Is that too much to ask? At least spring is around the corner. Two more weeks of winter left. Can't wait because I'm done with the cold.

So, my main goal was to get another short story (that I wrote last weekend) finished. This one turned out to be quite a sad tale, and a lot longer than I thought it would be. It broke my heart, though.
 

Total word count: 5,848.

And here's my vampire world update: two novels, one novelette, and twelve short stories. Very cool.

It's funny how this keeps happening. I finish a story, decide to take a break and figure that it'll take at least a few days before I get started on a new one, but then I go for a walk and start drafting the next one in my head. LOL. It's really amazing, but these characters are loud, and I can't ignore them.

Another awesome thing I'm enjoying is the way I'm toying with different styles and formats to tell these tales.

Anyway, the first draft of the next story is done at: 1,758. I suspect the next draft will probably push it over the 2k mark, but I'm glad I wrote another one to add to the collection. 😊

Well, aside from the writing and revision, I read another novella. I also got a bunch of spring cleaning done and reorganised my bookshelves. It was a lot of work and I felt sore the next day, but it was great.

One last thing, if you're interested in checking out my debut short story collection, MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS, you can grab a Kindle copy for 99c! Sale ends on Monday.

Okay. Hope you all have an awesome week!

BARGAIN ALERT!

MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS

Cemetery Gates Media

My debut short story collection.

A dark gathering of 17 melancholy horror tales where mothers, lovers, friends and monsters intersect with disastrous and tragic consequences.

CHECK OUT THE REVIEWS ON GOODREADS

👻😈💀

AN UNNATURAL LIFE by Erin K. Wagner

An Unnatural Life by Erin K. Wagner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I read that this novella was Murderbot meets To Kill a Mockingbird, I HAD to check it out.

812-3 is a robotnik and he's in prison because he killed a human worker, but he says he didn't do it. His lawyer, Aiya Ritsehrer, agrees to post an appeal, but in Europa, the military doesn't appreciate her interference...

I really enjoyed this SF tale. Not just because it's set on Jupiter's moon, Europa, and introduces an intriguing robot character, but also because it explores a lot of interesting themes.

Prejudice. Violence. Conspiracy. Disrespect. Violation of an individual's life. What constitutes an individual? How the moral code is so easily corrupted by humans.

I also liked Aiya because although she carries her own prejudices and is fed up with people, she still wants to do the right thing. No matter what that means, which includes putting herself in danger.

It's a bleak and sad story, but it's great! And I enjoyed the writing style and worldbuilding.


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So Many Short Stories!

How are you today? Did you have a nice week?

Although the rain stuck around last weekend, it eventually went away during the week. So we finally got a chance to catch up on the washing and went for walks around the river without pesky umbrellas. But it's supposed to come back. 🙄

The last time I posted, I talked about finishing another short story. Surprise, surprise, I ended up doing the same thing again.

Last Sunday, between sorting a bunch of stuff, I ended up writing a new shortie (1,550w) on my phone. And then worked on it some more, and more... until I completed the final read-thru on Thursday night.

Total word count: 3,395.

This story came to me pretty quickly and during my afternoon walks, I ended up coming up with several twists and turns that strengthened the narrative. I'm very excited about how it turned out. And of course, I've already started another short story.

Yeah, the vampire world I created keeps getting bigger and bigger. The best thing about it is how much fun I'm having with the many characters who won't stop whispering their stories directly into my brain.

So, here's the update: two novels, one novelette, and eleven short stories.

Asides from that, I spent most of the week reading the rest of the Carniepunk anthology. The book contains fourteen stories and I enjoyed thirteen of them. There's a single awful story that I can't believe was included. I mean, eleven of these stories are absolutely fantastic. This is definitely one of the best anthologies I've ever read because the majority of the tales were so interesting and well-written.

You can read all of the individual reviews below.

I also read a novella and started another one. 

Yeah, I'm reading as much as I can between writing and sorting. And grabbing whatever book I feel like at the time. I love reading and books and stories so much.

Well, that's about it. I'm going to enjoy a three-day weekend with my husband.

Have an awesome one! 😁

A PSALM FOR THE WILD-BUILT by Becky Chambers

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had this novella on my TBR pile for a while and decided to get stuck into it last night.

Monk has a good life in the City, but feels like there's something missing. So they venture out to the villages to become a tea-monk. But that's still not enough. So they venture out into the Wilderness, where they encounter Mosscap...

I found this story to be so philosophical. It's also bittersweet, but so very cozy. And somehow calming. Like a comforting blanket on a cold winter night. And that's before Mosscap is introduced. This self-aware robot adds a lot of awesome to this tale of pursuing more, even if you're not sure what that more happens to be.

There's some wonderful conversations between Monk and Mosscap. Things that make you think, and question the purpose of existence. Or if we even need to question it.

Such a well-written story set in an interesting world that I thoroughly enjoyed.


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THE DEMON BARKER OF WHEAT STREET by Kevin Hearne & THE SWEETER THE JUICE by Mark Henry

Carniepunk: The Demon Barker of Wheat Street by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This great short story is part of The Iron Druid Chronicles. I've read the first two books in this series, as well as a few other short stories, so it was good to catch up with Atticus.

The druid, Atticus, his apprentice, Granuaile, and the Irish wolfhound, Oberon, are in Kansas because Granuaile is hoping to catch a glimpse of her mother. They don't see her, but end up in the middle of a demonic problem...

Great story! It's an interesting and gnarly standalone tale set in this intriguing world. Lots of freaky demonic characters, plenty of unsuspecting humans, and a lot of magical action.

Atticus is such a cool character and so is Granuaile. Not to mention the adorable and always hilarious Oberon.

Yeah, I really enjoyed this!

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Carniepunk: The Sweeter the Juice by Mark Henry
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

OMFG.

I have to start with this: all the bad things the other reviewers mentioned here are right.

This is a terrible story. Not only because of the obvious transphobia, but also because it's a really shitty story. It's all over the place. It makes no sense. It's not even about a CARNIVAL. Like, at all. If the author was trying to be funny and witty, that's even worse.

I hated it. And actually can't understand how such a gross short story made it into a high-quality anthology featuring a great collection of stories. Except for this one, of course.

Total disappointment.


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RECESSION OF THE DIVINE by Hillary Jacques & DAUGHTER OF THE MIDWAY, THE MERMAID, AND THE OPEN, LONELY SEA by Seanan McGuire

Recession of the Divine by Hillary Jacques
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love Greek mythology so I was looking forward to reading this one.

Olivia does inspections for an insurance company, but she wasn't always human. She's bound her powers while living in the human world and the day she inspects an accident in a travelling carnival, everything unravels...

You know, I should've loved this tale because, like I mentioned above, I love when Greek mythology is mixed into modern narratives. Olivia was interesting enough and so was the muse that keeps popping in and out, but there was something about this story... I'm not even sure what it was, but it's missing something.

Yeah, I liked many of the elements and carnival descriptions, even the writing style, but I didn't love it.

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Carniepunk: Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open, Lonely Sea by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With a title like this one, I was intrigued instantly.

When Ada’s carnival passes through Alabama the secrets buried in the past rise to the surface...

Wow. What a stunning tale. The melancholy storytelling is as thick as the wonder about Ada's family and the world she lives in. The carnival is all she's ever known, but stopping at this town changes everything.

I especially found her mother's story to be the saddest, but of course that carries forward to her daughter as well. And Ada is such a lovely character that my heart broke.

Loved this. Very moving. And that ending. 😫


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PAINTED LOVE by Rob Thurman & PARLOR TRICKS by Jennifer Estep

Carniepunk: Painted Love by Rob Thurman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I didn't know what to expect from this story, but I'm really glad I read it. That's for sure!

Doodle has been all over the world meeting people. He usually blends into the background, more an observer than a participant. But when he meets Bartholomew, all of that changes...

OMFG. This story!! Everything starts out simple enough, and then you slowly start to realise that you have no idea what's really going on. Well, until you understand EXACTLY what's going on and: 🤯 !!

Yikes. I loved this so much. The writing style totally hooked me in, and I couldn't stop reading. There's something very disturbing about Doodle's story, but the way that it's told weaves a spell of dark magic around the reader. There's plenty of ugly, but there's also some fascinating imagery.

Awesome!

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Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks by Jennifer Estep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is part of the Elemental Assassin series. I've actually read several other short stories set in this world, as well as the first book, so it was cool to catch up with Gin again.

Gin and Bria are sisters who go to the carnival looking for a missing teenage girl, but they get more than they bargained for when Esmerelda the Amazing sets her sights on Bria. Good thing Gin is also an Elemental Assassin...

What a fun story! What starts out as two sisters going to the carnival soon becomes the mystery of what happened to a missing girl last seen at the carnival, and delves into the cunning secrets of a ringmaster who is willing to do whatever it takes to stay young.

I really enjoyed it! I also should get back into this series. 😊


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HELL'S MENAGERIE by Kelly Gay & FREAK HOUSE by Kelly Meding

Carniepunk: Hell's Menagerie by Kelly Gay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, this short story packs a hell of a punch! It's part of the Charlie Madigan series and although I haven't read it yet, I still really enjoyed the story.

Emma is determined to rescue a litter of hellhound pups that were stolen, and when Rex finds out, he tries to stop her. Instead, they end up catching the eye of a creepy ringmaster who has plans of his own...

I was seriously hooked from the beginning and absolutely love this version of hell. The details were so vivid and the worldbuilding so natural that I had no trouble visualising everything. There's a lot of creepy, freaky stuff that goes on here.

Also, did I mention it's action-packed?

The story is told in the alternating POVs of Emma, a twelve-year old with a really cool power, and Rex, a former jinn and now human.

Terrific story that makes me want to get stuck into the series!

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Carniepunk: Freak House by Kelly Meding
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the prequel short story to the Strays series. I haven't read any of the books, but I still enjoyed it. A lot.

Shiloh Harrison's djinn father has gone missing and she's just figured out where he is. Held in a freakshow hosted by a despicable warlock. When she teams up with a human and a werewolf, she finds more than she bargained for...

This is definitely a solid and very interesting urban fantasy tale that introduces a cool half-djinn heroine with some very unique set of powers. I thought the worldbuilding was excellent, and I love the characters. As well as Shiloh's voice.

It's an awesome story that has me intrigued. I need to know more...


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A CHANCE IN HELL by Jackie Kessler & THE INSIDE MAN by Nicole Peeler

A Chance in Hell by Jackie Kessler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, this was another great story! I haven't read the Hell on Earth series, but I enjoyed the hell (pardon the pun) out of this one.

Jezebel used to be a succubus but she's just a human now. Well, a human who has access to a very powerful sword. But when her Ceci insists on going to a travelling carnival, demonic trouble finds her...

Wow. This is a very cool and very fun story featuring an awesome heroine who knows everything about Hell because she used to live there. I loved her voice and how the worldbuilding felt very natural and interesting.

I'm a sucker for a good demonic tale and this one didn't disappoint. Also, I enjoyed the playful, raunchy side of the story. And I have to admit that I would love to know more about the incubus, Daunuan. 😈

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The Inside Man by Nicole Peeler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This one is a creepy story that needs several trigger warnings because it contains scenes that show sexual abuse.

Capitola, Shar, and Moo are private investigators of the supernatural kind. When they're hired by a mob boss to find out what's been happening to a bunch of towns where the people are left empty, the girls find themselves in the middle of nowhere. With a clown...

Yikes! This is another great story with a cool mystery that turns out to be super creepy. And freaky as well. The way that clown is described sure is nightmare fodder. 😳

I really liked the main character in this one.
Capitola is interesting and funny, has a lot of attitude and intriguing origins. Not to mention her two equally interesting friends.

I've read a few books in the Jane True series and really enjoyed them but I don't remember these three side characters.

I really enjoyed this!


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It's August!

Hey! Can you believe how fast the year is going?! Yikes. 😳

So, how are you? I hope you're having a cool week. Here, in Sydney, the weather took a turn for the miserable on Wednesday. And it's been raining since. It's also freaking cold. I dislike being cold. At least it's the last month of winter.

After a week full of editing, I wanted to take a mental break. You know, a bit of reading and sorting. Maybe taking story notes. Instead, I started writing a new short story on Sunday night and kept adding words. A few days later, the first draft was done. Then, I did the second draft, and... To cut a long story short, I completed the final read-thru tonight.

Total word count: 5,781.

So much for a break, right? 😅 But if a story hounds me, I'm not going to ignore the words. Especially since everything about this tale was so vivid in my mind, and I couldn't wait to write it. Before you ask, yes, it's another story set in my vampire world. 

That's 2 novels, 1 novelette, and 10 short stories. So far. Because I'm not done yet. I'm very excited about all of these characters, their world, and I can't stop writing about them. Which is awesome. Writing these stories make me happy.

As for the reading side of things, it didn't start well. I got stuck into Rose Madder on Monday, but had to put it down the next day because I couldn't get into it. I found the beginning intriguing but lost interest fast. Here are my thoughts.

Instead, I started reading some Carniepunk short stories. I've read four so far and they're awesome. Very impressed with the quality of these dark tales. Looking forward to reading more. You can check out my reviews below.

Okay. That's about it. I'm excited about the weekend.

Hope you have an awesome time!