Dear humans,
This is the notice that the female posted to facebook, now added to the website. Read carefully. Do not ask the status of any play projects, please. The answer is the same as written in the post below.
This is what is being confirmed as being worked on. After Booked for Kidnapping releases, no preorders will be set up without the book being completed. Audiobooks will be produced on a case-by-case basis, depending on how well the ebooks sell. (The ebooks pay for the audiobooks, and the audiobooks cost around 2k+ each.)If you do not see the book or series you want on the list, it is officially a play project. That means it gets worked on only after my daily obligations to the books that pay the bills (see the list below) are worked on.
This is the best compromise I can give you.
Yes, Royal States and the Bernadette Franklin books are play projects, and they are being worked on. Yes, I will be continuing to work on the Rift King and Erelith books. Yes, I’m planning on a Mag Rom Com anthology that contains a lot of the ‘book two’ or sequel stories people want. No specific publication dates will be made for these play projects. (They are going to be for my amusement, and I’m doing them to keep my promise to finish them.)
Unfortunately, that leads me to the next bit of important news: any future pen names I write will *not* be made public, and if you accidentally stumble upon them, great!
I will be writing in fiction genres that the majority of my readers would not enjoy, and there are enough readers within my fanbase that would like me to stay in my lane that I will be writing my other interests incognito and as play projects.
It’s not worth dealing with the hate. If you do find the books I’ve written in other fiction genres in the future, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself that you’re awesome, and keep it to yourself.
No, I will not be private messaging anyone with the pen names, and I probably won’t even announce what the genres are. They’re play projects, and I want them to stay fun for me.
Onto the schedule.
2020:November 3, 2020: Outfoxed
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Rutjfi
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/outfoxed-14
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/outfoxed/id1486409080
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/outfoxed-14
November 24, 2020: the Flame Game
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/35V1yoP
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-flame-game-rj-blain/1134742763?ean=2940163600809
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-flame-game/id1486451929
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-flame-game
December 22, 2020: License to Kill
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Frs529
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/license-to-kill-rj-blain/1135737520?ean=2940163964703
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/license-to-kill/id1492780139
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/license-to-kill
December 25, 2020: Murder Mittens
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FLWjwE
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-mittens-r-j-blain/1136428778?ean=2940162827900
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/murder-mittens/id1498988866
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/murder-mittens
2021:January 12, 2021: Dirty Deeds (Anthology, contains a Mag Rom Com novella that will be expanded into a Big Fat Fantasy later.)
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RDYWD3
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dirty-deeds-rj-blain/1136016469?ean=2940163974443
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/dirty-deeds/id1494802029
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dirty-deeds-44
January 19, 2021: Wild Wolf
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2E7oeGF
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wild-wolf-rj-blain/1135737517?ean=2940163940615
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/wild-wolf/id1492779784
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wild-wolf-11
March 2, 2021: Client from Hell
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hCFYHI
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/client-from-hell-r-j-blain/1136603040?ean=2940162831457
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/client-from-hell/id1501706586
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/client-from-hell
May 11, 2021: Catnapped
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZFQrvF
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/catnapped-r-j-blain/1137023147?ean=2940162894155
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/catnapped/id1513416935
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/catnapped-9
September 7, 2021: Booked for Kidnapping
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FG8vPh
- Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/booked-for-kidnapping-r-j-blain/1137633381?ean=2940162644118
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1531541105
- Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/booked-for-kidnapping
2021 Writing Schedule:
- Up in Smoke (Outfoxed #2)
- Pirate Magic (magical pirate unicorn pony)
There are no precise dates for anything following Booked for Kidnapping; they’ll be set up for preorder as they are finished.
2022 Writing Schedule:
- Doggone Mess
- #3 of the Booked for series
- Death’s Door (Outfoxed #3/series finale)
- Dual Nature (Duet finale)
- Edge of Midnight (Wolf Hunt #3, Witch & Wolf Finale.)
2023 Writing Schedule:
- On Pointe (Mag Rom Com)
- Lost at Sea (Magical pirate unicorn pony #2)
- #4 Booked for novel
- Break from Standard Programming (This is not a book title, but what I will be working on is private.)
2024 Writing Schedule:
- Dragon Her Heels (Mag Rom Com)
- Flight of the Desert Rose (Magical Unicorn Pirate Pony Finale)
- Booked for Finale (#5)
- Second Client From book (unless the second one is done as a play project sooner, in which case finale.)
Incognito is a great idea! You should also figure in some quiet vacations! I think it would refresh your soul or heart to try different genres. Go for it!!
I have. That’s why there’s only 4-5 books per year on the list moving forward.
I, for one, am overjoyed that you’re choosing to write anything at all. Thank you so much for contributing to the little spurts of joy that are all that keeps me from dissolving into a puddle on the ground every day. The world sucks right now, and I am truly grateful you are so generous of your Self – because it IS yourself that you share with us in every word of every tale you choose to give us.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
RJ, take care of yourself. This is still a brutal schedule and we need you to take care of yourself, physically and mentally. Much as I want/need every MagCom you can put out, and the new unicorn book sounds fantastic, I’d rather have you around for a long time than killing yourself with schedules. As far as keeping your other names on the downlow, good for you. Don’t give haters the chance to ruin your RJ books because they don’t like the other genres you’re writing in.
:stares: This is absolutely not a brutal schedule. Honestly, this is a “I’m being lazy and working two hours a day” schedule. This is literally how I will end up bored out of my mind.
This is not a brutal schedule, at all. It’s really not!
I’ve recently begun reading your books. I’m enjoying them very much so thank you for sharing your talent. I just finished the second Jesse Alexander book and was wondering if it is one of your play projects that will be continued at some future point. I hope so because I find it a spectacular series. Thanks again.
Eventually, yes. Two more books in series plus an anthology.
Good keep it fun, that’s the only way to go, you only hurt yourself if you force your art, and some little mysteries will keep things fresh, Take some time for yourself and you’re own projects it’s important, take care ?
I hope to stumble upon those pen names and eternally wonder! Why should any reader think they have the right to tell any author to “stay in your lane”? Write what makes you happy!
I am sorry you are having to separate your writing styles so drasticallt, you should be allowed to enjoy your craft and not be bullied into fitting into a pigeon hole decided be otgers. Please carry on with play projects and I hope to discover them as I read a lot of different tbings.
The only thing that should dictate what you write is grammar, and you do wonderfully at that. I hope you don’t get too discouraged and stop writing as that would make me sad, but I’ll be be sad and understanding.
I hope I stumble upon your secret identity, as I have so far not read a single (and I have read them all) book I haven’t liked.
You are one of the few authors that have books I enjoy reading over and over again (finding new things to laugh about, and little bits I missed that make your stories so much fun). I’m a little sad to hear that the royal estate series isn’t a priority as that is what drew me to find you. But when you get the chance, please keep Mr Wiggles alive for another Part and Jessica story (that part always makes me happy). You keep writing and I’ll keep buying.
In my head canon, I swear to Satin on a Cracker, Mr. Wiggles is IMMORTAL. Immortal, I tell you. That snek will never die. Ever. But yes, I can definitely try to do a little story with Mr. Wiggles making a second appearance. (I love Mr. Wiggles.)
In other news, I have 3 Royal States on my play project docket for next year… so I wouldn’t worry toooo much about your Royal States fixes. They just aren’t on the ‘main line’ project because I want to keep them pieces of joy rather than hard work.
Thanks! Keep dreaming and writing. ?
I was introduced to you as a writer via bookbub.com in a get it free or .99, something like that. I can’t even remember which book, but it was a mag rom. I liked it so much I immediately bought another….and then I bought every book by RJ Blain in nook bookstore. Immediately buying new ones when they came out. Then I found out about your nom de plumes….and I bought all of those immediately! I have read your books like Bailey eats napalm (but without the hangover). As much as I have loved all your books, Requiem for the Rift King is far and away my favourite. It makes me sad to know that you have received so much harassment from people that you are unwilling to let your readers know what other names and genres you might write under. Know that you have fans who would be interested in at least the opportunity to try any genre you wrote, under any name you choose. I understand and support your current choice. I hope that maybe in a few years things might be different and you might be willing to reveal some of those new AKA’s. Until then, the hunt is on! But I think I’d like a hit of some Grade A pixey dust first!
<3 I love the Rift King world. I reaaalllyy wish it was fiscally possible for me to pay more attention to that series. But when the box set DOES come out (eventually) it'll be a REALLY BFF!
I will have a standalone in the Rift King world that will release before the boxset, only because I'm already 80k words into it, and it's a prequel style story taking place long before Kalen and co were born. But fun!
Just... need time?!