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I hope this update finds all of you healthy and in good spirits, despite the trying times.

I am happy (and decidedly relieved) to announce that , the fourth book in A Clairvoyant's Complicated Life, is now available for sale on Amazon. As I write this post, it's in the submission queue at B&N, Kobo, and Apple and will probably be available on those sites in a day or two. The print version is also chugging its way through Amazon's acceptance process.

Whew! I have to confess � this one was a slog. In the early stages, just thinking about all of the plot threads that needed addressing overwhelmed me. And even after I'd started, halfway into the adventure with Lire and company knee-deep in trouble, I didn't always know where the story was headed or whether I could tie up the ongoing plot threads without my own magic wand. Somehow, though, in spite of the stress and sleepless nights, it eventually came together. I sure hope that you enjoy the result.

Thank you all for sticking with me, even though I'm terrible at keeping you guys posted. Thank you for your support and your kind words. Thank you for your emails asking how things are going and whether the next book is coming. I write for myself and my own sanity but knowing that you guys enjoy what I come up with and actually look forward to my next book gives me so much joy.

With this announcement, I've priced my first book in the series, , at 99c. Spreading the word to your greater circle of fellow readers is, as always, greatly appreciated.

Stay safe and happy reading!

-Kat-

A Jot of Blood is now available for purchase on Amazon! Woot! That's two days earlier than I'd announced, but better to be early than late, right? (The print version is coming in the next few days.)

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As I write this, the is listed as a pre-order and should go live this Friday. We've also submitted to Barnes and Noble and hope to see the Nook version lighting up in the next day or so. Apple, as usual, has the most labor intensive process, requiring my husband to jump through all kinds of hoops to get the ebook formatted to their exact specifications. That one was just submitted a few minutes ago (after a fair number of profanity-laced rants on Hubby's part). Whew!

Bottom line: Keep your eyes peeled at your favored retailer!

This book was a labor of love and hands-down my favorite Lire story so far. I had so much fun imagining the characters at Coventry Academy, especially Lire's friends. Zach is � well, Zach. You'll see! If you guys enjoy their adventures even half as much as I enjoyed writing them, I'll be riding high.

Let me know what you think, okay? My greatest hope is that you like it enough to spread the word!

All the best!

-Kat-

When it comes to my website, I have the best of intentions, I swear. But I'm just not one for posting things unless I have something significant to talk about. And I do. Have something to talk about, that is.

My newest novel will release on August 11th. That's in nineteen days!

I'll confess that I'm both thrilled and massively nervous. I'm thrilled because this story is my favorite Lire adventure yet. I get excited just thinking about it. I'm nervous, though, because this isn't the book that many of you are expecting. This one is a prequel that follows Lire through the beginning of her junior year in high school.

Now, before you grab your pitchfork, let me explain! I had to write this book. After touching on Lire's past while writing Reluctant Adept, I was hooked. I couldn't stop thinking about her youth at Coventry Academy—living in the boarding school’s dorm, being taught by teachers with their own magical abilities, hanging out with spellcasters, shifters, and the magically cursed. What kind of experiences did she have attending an exclusive school for the magically gifted and afflicted?

There was no way I could pass that up. And living under the same roof with three teenagers of my own only added to my excitement. More than anything, I wanted to write a book that they’d be thrilled to read, one populated with interesting characters, intriguing places, and magical ideas, yet still grounded enough to depict real issues that concern teenagers every day.

With those desires in mind, I started writing. I began with the following tagline:

Adolescence is hard enough. Throw magic into the mix and things are bound to get complicated.

What initially started as an idea to write a short story, turned into a full-length novel. I hope you’ll forgive my diversion and consider following sixteen-year-old Lire on her newest adventure. My test readers all seem to think it’s worth the detour. (If you decide to read it, you’ll have to let me know whether you agree.)

Without further ado, let me show you the cover my husband designed.ÌýHe did a kick-ass job, don't you think? And Daniel, my cover artist, totally nailed it.ÌýWait until you see the interior drawings.ÌýThere are four of them and they’re awesome! So, stay tuned.ÌýWe’re almost there!

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I am thrilled to announce that Reluctant Adept, the third book in the A Clairvoyant's Complicated Life series, is now available. At the time of this post, Reluctant Adept's listing was active on Amazon, Apple iBooks, and Kobo. Barnes & Noble was lagging behind the other retailers, but I'm sure it will be available in the Nook store very soon. The print version of Reluctant Adept, along with my other soft cover books, are available exclusively through Amazon.
I'm also excited for you guys to see the new cover treatments for Deadly Remains and Deceiver's Bond! It was a ton of work readying all three novels for a simultaneous print and e-book release, more than I think we anticipated, but I hope you'll agree it was worth it. I can't stop ogling the illustrations. They make me want to give Red a big squeeze! I'm sure you'll agree that Daniel, the artist responsible, is amazingly talented.

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I can't wait to hear what you guys think. After you've finished reading Reluctant Adept, I'd love it if you'd take a moment to post a review on the site where you purchased it.

I sure hope you enjoy Lire's newest adventures.

As always, thanks so much for all of your support. Have a terrific holiday and a happy new year!

Just a quick note to let you all know that the third book in the A Clairvoyant’s Complicated Life series is on track for a late fall launch!
I am super excited because with the upcoming release of Lire’s third installment we’re redesigning the first two covers so all three books will have a uniform look. What’s more, thanks to the success of the first two books, we’re having all three covers professionally illustrated.

Oh my gosh, you guys! So far, the third book’s cover is finished and looks SO SO awesome! I’m on pins and needles waiting to see what our illustrator comes up with for Deceiver’s Bond and then Deadly Remains. (I’ve seen the preliminary sketch for DB and I’m practically jumping up and down waiting to see the next iteration!) I think you’ll be as thrilled as I am when you see what our talented artist has done for Lire. And just wait until you see Red! (I’m totally ready to create a line of posters, mouse pads, coffee mugs, pajamas, etc. just so I can plaster Lire and Red all over my house! LOL)

I can’t wait to show you, so stay tuned!

Before I give y’all the lowdown on book three, I’d like to take a moment to thank everyone out there who noticed my book(s) and decided to take the plunge, despite the fact that my writing was an unknown quantity. Unless you’re lucky enough to be living a life of leisure (if only!), you have precious little free time and a limited entertainment budget, so the fact that you invested some of each to read one of my stories means a lot to me. And if you moved on to reading Deceiver’s Bond after finishing Deadly Remains—thank you so much for sticking with me! I know DR isn’t perfect. In fact, there are things in it that now make me cringe a little. Live and learn, right?

And I can’t thank you guys enough for posting your thoughtful reviews on the sites where you purchased my books. Not only does your feedback help me improve as a writer, but it also helps other people figure out whether they might like my stories. Word of mouth is super important for a relatively new author like me, so I appreciate everything you’ve done to help spread the word.

Okay, status �

More than a few of you have asked about the third book in Lire’s story—am I working on it and when is it coming out?

The short answer is: “Yes (feverishly), and late this year (if all goes well).�

If I had to guess, right now I’m about two-thirds done with the first draft, possibly more. I’m a pantster (I write by the seat of my pants), so I don’t always know where things are going to end up. At any given time, I might have a roughÌýdirection in mind,Ìýbut once I wind things up and let them go, the story can sometimes veer into places I didn’t initially expect. Which is why I can only offer a rough estimate of my progress. That said, I’m pretty sure my goal of a solid first draft by early summer is just about right.

Once I finish the first draft, my test readers get to pick it apart and then we’re off to the races with a round or two (or three) of edits and more test reading until we’re all happy with the results. I’ve come to learn that the editing process takes twice as long as I think it will.

Okay, I should get back to Lire. She and her friends have gotten themselves into a heap of trouble, and now I have to figure out how they’re going to dig themselves out.

-Kat-

If you prefer the feel of paper, the second book in the A Clairvoyant's Complicated Life series is now available from in softcover. I just received my own copy today and am thrilled with the results. I am beyond lucky to have a husband who has the skills to do this stuff—and do it well.
For those who took the plunge and decided to follow Lire on her journey, a heartfelt thank you! Because of you, my latest installment is running in the top 100 of Paranormal & Urban Fantasy new Kindle releases. If the story entertains you, then I'll count myself truly blessed.

So far on Amazon, I've received two reviews, both of them glowing (thank you!) and both from folks I don't know. At least, I don't think I know them. (If I do know you, just leave me in the dark, 'kay?) Seems silly that a review from a stranger would stand higher than a review from a friend. I guess it's because I think a person who doesn't know me is more likely to give their unvarnished feedback, while a friend might be tempted to pull their punches, especially in a public forum.

In all honesty, reviews scare the heck out of me, mostly because the thought of disappointing you guys makes me squirm. However, I'm smart enough to know that hearing feedback is key in helping me grow and improve as a writer and storyteller. So, to that end, I hope that once you've read Deceiver's Bond you'll take the time to let me know your thoughts in an Amazon (or other seller's) review. Let me know what worked and what didn't. It means a lot to me.

And, if you enjoyed the story, I hope you'll spread the word!

If I wasn't so busy biting my nails, I'd be dancing in the streets.
, the sequel to Deadly Remains, is available now on Amazon. The B&N and Apple versions are in the queue. (Those retailers always take longer to process their submissions for some reason.) The softcover will be available mid-July through Amazon. Scot and I are waiting for the print sample to arrive before approving it. Fingers crossed that there are no issues with the layout.

A big thank you to all of my supporters. I couldn't have done it without you. My story is better because of your honest feedback. Hugs galore!

I hope you all will let me know what you think of the latest installment. The story unfolded as I was writing it and Lire's adventures took me in a direction that I hadn't anticipated. At the very least, I hope you guys decide it was worth the wait.

To celebrate the new release, I've priced Deadly Remains at $0.99 for the summer. Please spread the word!

Cheers!

Leave it to life's propensity for chaos (and an out-of-state move) to blow up the best laid plans.
But, even though life keeps getting crazier and I'm still surrounded by boxes, I've been pushing forward on the Deadly Remains sequel.

Here's where things stand �

Last week, I locked down the last of my edits and sent the manuscript to my copyeditor� the final stage of the editing process. Over the weekend, my husband finished my e-book cover. I think it looks fantastic. Check it out—Deceiver's Bond!

So, now, we're getting down to the wire. A few more steps and we'll be ready to release it into the wild. When it comes back from the copyeditor, I'll fix all my stupid errors, and then my husband will convert and format the file for the e-book, layout the print version, and write the jacket copy. After jumping through half-a-dozen hoops and uttering a few choice curse words, he'll upload it for sale to each book seller's website (Amazon, B&N, Apple, and Kobo). Easy as you please, right? ;-)

A big 'thank you' to all of you who've taken the time to stop by my sadly neglected website to ask, 'When, oh when is it coming? Please, while I'm still young!'

I am relieved to finally say: Deceiver's Bond is coming very, very soon! Okay, yes, it's taken quite a bit longer than I intended, but every time I go through this process, I gain a tad more confidence, write a little faster, and learn more than enough to keep me feeling like a complete newb. That's okay, though. If I knew everything there was to know, life would be more boring than ironing socks.

Fingers crossed that you all decide it was worth the wait.

(And, for the record, I might not post regularly, but I do make time to respond to all your comments.)

Cheers!

'What's this?' you say. 'A post? An actual post?'
Okay. Yes, an actual post. I guess you could call it that. But, personally, I'd say it's more of an update.

After eight months of perseverance and more than a little slogging, I've finished the first draft of the sequel to Deadly Remains. Finished it a few weeks ago, actually. And it's a bit on the long side. 165K+ words. Suffice it to say, the draft will need some serious editing. (I think Deadly Remains was around 130K, if I remember correctly, and I'll be the first to admit it could have used more pruning.)

At the moment, the sequel is being read by my initial test readers and I'm waiting to hear their feedback.

I'm biting my nails, though. You know all those authors who plan way ahead of time, from book one, how each subsequent installment will drive the story? Ahem. Yeah, I'm not them. When I set out to write the sequel, I had absolutely no idea where Lire's story was going to take me. Consequently, I didn't anticipate how things would turn out.

I'm definitely not a plotter. I fly by the seat of my pants. I'm a pantster. (For Lire's tale, anyway. The 7th Tear was different. For that one, I knew where it was going, from beginning to end.)

When I wrote Deadly Remains and, now, its sequel, I simply let Lire out to play and then followed along with her. She decided what to do next and took the story with her. And, now that the sequel's done, I can only hope the whole thing works. My husband thinks the story is terrific, but � not sure he's 100% objective about it. (Shocker, I know.) That said, I DO know he'd tell me if he thought I could do better, and he certainly wouldn't let me put something out in the world knowing it would be an embarrassment. Still, this is why I have test readers. I rely on them to tell me whether the plot works for them, if the characters act in ways that are realistic and expected (given their personalities), which parts bored them to tears or made them roll their eyes, etc.

Once I get a feel for how the story has played for them, I'll have a better idea how much editing will be required. As far as an ETA for publication, my best guess is the sequel will be ready no sooner than the end of the year, perhaps December of 2013. But don't be surprised if it goes into early 2014. There's a lot of work yet to do.

Just thought you guys might want to know. And, I'll warn you now � the next post I write will probably be the announcement of the sequel's publication. You know how I am about posting regularly. ;-)

Cheers!