Bonded is re-releasing!

 Hi Darlins!

Mkay, so there is no Chelen City today. Why? Because we had a birthday party weekend (also OMFG MY BABY IS SIX, HOOOOW?!?) with lots of prep needed beforehand, and now my honey's on a work trip so it's just me and the kidlet handling things on the home front. It's a lot, so new chapter must come next week.

BUT! For those of you who are interested, I'm starting up re-release of Bonded, and eventually every single one of its sequels too. Serial style, once more, but they're going to be ebooks after that. You can find Bonded for free on Wattpad (two chapters a week, W/F) here:https://www.wattpad.com/1382271177-bonded-book-one-in-the-liminal-space-series

 

 or read ahead on my Patreon here (the sci-fi tier is $3/month and you'll get to read faster, is all I'm saying!) here: https://www.patreon.com/Cari_Z/membership

Also! My other pen name just put out an urban fantasy with a magical crime scene cleaning heroine, dangerous supernatural drugs, an intern who (partially) shifts whenever he gets nervous or isn't high, and more cryptids than I can name right now. You can find it on Amazon, but it's also on every other big ebook retailer except Apple books (because fuck them, omg, the process has been ridiculous): https://www.amazon.com/Magical-Hazmat-Supernatural-CSI-Book-ebook/dp/B0CCQ92B43/

 

Notes on stories and what to expect next!

 Hi darlins!

Just a quick update to let you know that I'm alive (Christmas is a blur of presents and food, oy) and will be posting the next-to-last chapter of Cloverleaf Station tomorrow. Yes, we're almost to the end! Very exciting :) And as for what comes next...

Well, I had a lot of ideas and was reminded of a whole lot more I could write about, but then I wrote tomorrow's chapter. And tomorrow's chapter kind of opens a whole can of worms that I want to dig into, so the next story--probably novella-length--is going to be a continuation of this one, from the perspective of Elanus. We're going to have him dealing with the refugees, handling the repercussions of killing his former business partner, trying to hide sentient tweenage ships that really don't want to be hidden, keeping his business running, and quite importantly, keeping his lover from falling apart.

Why would Kieron be falling apart? Read tomorrow and find out!

So yes, that's what the blog holds next. For fans of Cloverleaf, this is surely good news. For those who aren't fans...I'm sorry! I've got more content coming on Radish (M/M urban fantasy this time, I post as Cari Z there), a continuing exclusive Patreon story, and a newsletter story I have yet to decide on but apparently it's going to be about dragons, so possibly set in the Luckless world. This is in addition to all the other books I'm writing, because I'm a little bit mad, so! Links below if you're interested, otherwise you get two more chapters of Cloverleaf Station and then--Chelen City.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Cari_Z

Radish: https://radishfiction.com/ (it's an app)

Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/x1x1m4

Updates and a "hi!"

 Hey darlins!

 

 

Just in case you're new here or coming back after a while away (I saw that comment!) HI! Also, I still can't comment on my own freaking blog, so sorry if this is impersonal, it's all I can do right now. *grumbles for fiftieth time*

In news you'll probably want to know, I just signed a contract for Mutable to go up on a serial story app in the next few months, so...if you've been wanting to re-read it, do so now before I take it down.

I'm writing a different story for another serial app company that I'll post more about later--hopefully this turns out to be a good decision. That one will be a really fun m/m/m fantasy story, so we'll see!

I'm re-releasing Cambion: Dark Around the Edges at the end of the month. I have a gorgeous new cover, a new edit on it, and a new title (dropping the "Cambion" in the beginning). This is a very long urban fantasy/suspense I wrote in six installments back in 2013, and then the publisher folded and I got it back and I had no idea what to do with it until I got a handle on the basics of self-publishing. I hope you'll enjoy it!

I've got a book I co-wrote with Marie Sexton (back before/during my pregnancy--no wonder we shelved it for years, lol) coming out next month--science fiction with very little romance, but it's a hugely fun and hopefully very approachable story. More on that soon!

Hmm, I'm writing another novel with L.A. Witt that's going swimmingly, I finished edits on a Middle Grade retelling of The Odyssey (yeah, I did, I know--what?), and I'm working on a YA ghost story, all in addition to the other stuff up there and the blog story. I'm...so busy, and that's not counting my freelance work. I love it though, no complaining, I just hope some it pans out in a big way so I can be more focused with it in the future.

Speaking of, is there any interest among you, my faithful blog readers, in me doing a Patreon? I've never gone there, in part because I feel like I don't do very well in what is essentially a popularity contest, but I've got lots of content I could work with and I'd be willing to tailor it to my patrons. For example, someone asked me about a Changing Worlds sequel. Readers here know I've written those characters into the Pandora universe, but honestly it's hard to track down anything in that series without a lot of time on your hands. One Patreon project could be dedicating time to compiling and editing those for you to access better. I could also buy custom artwork for stories, better covers, more formats...idk, there are lots of options.

Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm open to all kinds of feedback here, you guys are the best :)

Happy Sunday!

Happy New Year! New projects, a giveaway, and best wishes for 2018.

It's 2018! 

One can only hope that, for those of us living in America, it will be a less politically toxic place than it was last year. I'm not holding my breath, but hope springs eternal. Anyway, onto more fun things.

I've got two books coming out in January with L.A. Witt from Riptide! They're the last two books in the Bad Behavior series, and while yes, we do put the guys through the wringer in the third book, the fourth is pure, unadulterated, delicious fluff. So if you like cop stories, if you like romantic suspense, if you like my work or L.A.'s or both, then I hope you pick these ones up. Reckless Behavior is out now, Romantic Behavior comes out on the 15th.

https://riptidepublishing.com/titles/reckless-behavior

Amazon: Reckless Behavior

https://riptidepublishing.com/titles/romantic-behavior

As far as other writing projects go, I've got a novel coming out in Dreamspinner's Dreamspun Desires line, called Handle With Care. It should be here in September. Also, the audio book of Off The Beaten Path will be available in January as well. I'll let you know exactly when.

This year I'm going to try and self-publish the first few installments of stories in the Bonded Universe, as well as The Train and The Tower as a duology. Tempest should make a reappearance as well, and I've got plans for a new blog story as soon as The Tower is done that I've got high hopes for. I've got another co-authored story with Lori in the works, I've got solo stuff I'm working on, and I've got my baby to take care of, so everything is going to happen when it happens. But I wouldn't trade extra time with my baby for anything, so...no rush :)

Last but not least! I have four copies of the audio book of Friendly Fire to give away! It's narrated by Nick Russo, the same guy who did the first two stories in the Panopolis series, and I love it. 

To win, all you need to do is leave me a positive, hopeful comment about this coming year by January 15th, when I'll randomly select the winners. 

Thanks for all your support, your affection, and your time. Here's to a happy 2018 for all of us!

Two Amazing New Contracts!

Hi guys!

Yay, I finally get to spill the beans! I just finalized contracts for two novels, both to come out next year, both with either a new publisher or someone I haven't published with in a long time. This isn't because I'm not incredibly happy with my current publishers (Riptide, I love you) but timing wise it just worked out better this way.

The first novel is a completely new one that I talked about, like, two years ago. It's my massive epic fantasy, genderbending m/m romance version of The Little Mermaid, tentatively titled Tempest (here, have a tongue twister), to be published by...wait for it...Samhain!

Sploosh of happiness!

This is big for me, because I've tried to publish with Samhain twice before and been very nicely turned down. I don't have an agent, I'm not a big name, I wasn't at all sure they would go for this but I thought I'd try again with this novel. I sent it to them and settled in to wait, and then they got back to me in a week! It should be coming out next April, and I'm just...incredibly pleased by this. I think this story is really special, probably my best so far.

The second novel is technically a reprint, but not really, because the first time around it was free. Yeah...if you've read my stuff on Literotica, then you know I've got a ton of stories on there. You also might have noticed that one of them has been taken down. Not Bonded or Pandora! It's Shadows and Light, my take on the vampire mythos, and it's going to Totally Bound's new Pride imprint. It should be out in March of next year.

Luke Evans as Rafael, because omg why not? WHY NOT!?

So, yeah! Two novels next year, I'm so thrilled. Plus I've got Where There's Fire coming out next month, and In Memoriam, and Camellia 2 is out on Wednesday. Lots of stuff. 

Also, tomorrow is my birthday, so look for something special as your serial update ;)

The Ginormous New Year's Giveaway Post!

Hi darlins!

Oh wow, 2015! You coy minx, with so much potential on offer. 2014, you were a year for a lot of personal growth and learning to follow through on things, and in 2015 I'm going to try to reap the benefits of those lessons.

I've got stories lined up with Less Than Three Press, Riptide (my new venture of last year, I'm so excited about this one) and hopefully Dreamspinner as well. I'm going to be querying agents for one novel that I've just finished (praise be) and one I plan to write later this year. I'm trying to write 4 novels this year. 4. Plus novellas and short stories. I'm so tired of my day job, I can't even tell you. It's time to stoke the fire and get into doing what I really want to do, which is write full time.

I'm keeping up on the serial novels on the blog, and will be turning some of them into self-pubbed novels in the new year. I won't be taking anything away, but I'll do my best to make the new versions worth your time. Once I finish Soothsayer, I'll be moving on to the sequel/spin-off of The Academy (muted cheers) so there's plenty to come that I hope you'll enjoy.

**Special note of thanks to Traductores Anonimos, who graciously provided my first ever Spanish story translation for You Get Full Credit For Being Alive. They've got another one coming in 2015, I can't wait!**

So, yes, busy busy. But I wouldn't have this kind of motivation if I didn't have fabulous people from all over the world helping me, and I want to let you (yeah, you, the people reading this blog for the most part, you're the group I'm talking to) know that I appreciate you. Hence the giveaway!

I couldn't narrow down the number of gifts I want to give to only one, so I'll just list them all.

1) An e-copy of every new story of mine that's published in 2015. This includes anthologies, I will work something out.

2) A paperback copy of LT3's Missed Connections anthology (don't look at the reviews, those people haven't made it past the first story for the most part. I'm incredibly pleased with the sci-fi story of mine that's in this antho) that I will ship anywhere in the world. Anywhere. Except Antarctica, that's just prohibitively expensive.

3) An original short story (it has to be short, I've still got some monkeys on my back when it comes to writing on story prompts (yes, if you're reading this from Bath, you know the one I'm referring to--it's happening this year!)) on just about anything you care to prompt me with. A spin-off of something I've written before, something completely new, any genre, and pairing--it doesn't have to be a romance, it can be anything. Anything but fanfic, because while I will be putting some of that out there in the New Year (it's so relaxing to write) I can't say it's any good, so. That's my caveat.

4) The chance to be a beta-reader for any project of mine that interests you. What's on deck? I've got a 110k m/m fantasy novel roughed out and ready to go, I'm working on a cyberpunk novel, I've got a contemporary percolating that I'll start in February...there's lots, and you'll get first dibs. You don't have to critique if you don't want to, it could be as simple as just getting your hands on it before everyone else.

Is that enough? It sounds pretty good to me...I hope you think so too! And now for: The Rules!!! 
All you have to do is comment below to get entered. Other ways to enter: shoot me a comment on Goodreads when this posts there, message me on Twitter, comment on Facebook. So much social media, oy, but it's part of being engaged, I guess. Be sure to mention which #  gift/s you're interested in (ie 1, 2, 3 or 4, you only get to pick one so choose wisely, Indiana Jones). I'll use a random number generator to pick winners on the 8th, one week from today. You can't win more than once, but you can enter multiple times to increase your odds.

Happy New Year! *throws confetti at you*

Me in my traditional New Year's garb. I sit like this all the time, yeah.