A State of the Blain Address: General Updates, etc.

This will be cross-posted to the newsletter as well, so please don’t be surprised if you get something twice. (I’m tired, quite lazy, and so on.)

It’s been a while since I’ve done a general update, so let’s get down to business. I’ve linked to Amazon, but I think everything is available at all major retailers.

1: Upcoming Anthology, Pets in Space 7, Releases in early October. It costs $4.99, and you can preorder it at Amazon. Some of the profits go to an animal charity. My contribution is a 50,000 word novel. Yes, I will eventually single release it, albeit I have to check my contract to see when I’m allowed to do such a thing. Yes, the solo release version will be different from the Pets in Space 7 version. (I really like the story, and I wish to expand on it, and/or do a sequel within the solo release.)

In my opinion, I would rec getting both versions, then you can play the ‘what did the author change?’ game. Because I will be changing some things. (I was given a strict limit of 50,000 words. I turned the project in at precisely 50,000 words.)

To preemptively answer some basic questions… yes, I will be doing more in that universe, but I am not certain I will be doing more with that specific character. (I would like to, and I’m debating if I can do some minor scaffolding on the original to open enough plot threads to make more than one actual book.) I’m thinking about it. I’m thinking about it rather hard, because I really like that story in the anthology. Really, really like it.

2: In case you missed it, I have a short story in the Shattering the Glass Slipper anthology. When rights release back to me, I will be releasing the story to my patreons, after which it will become part of the Patreon collection of shorts I’ll release in an anthology edition. (If you read the anthology and enjoyed it, please leave a short review? The other authors in the set could use some review love.)

3: Since we’re here, let’s talk and clarify more patreon things. Again.

Please read this VERY carefully, as it will cover the commonly asked questions that are driving me a little bit insane.

A: If you are contributing to the MONTHLY patreon, and you are an Otter, a Cindercorn, or a Spicy Pony with Bite, you get all of the novels and short stories released to my patreons. (This is the $10, the $25, and the $100 per month tiers.) The only difference between these tiers is that the $25 and $100 tiers also get sneak peeks at other stuff, and how much of a sneak peek they get is based on which tier they’re in. The $10 per month tier on that patreon gets you all novels and short stories.

Yes, I’m behind on the Inquisitor posts. I was going to get that rolling today, but I’m actually sick, so it will get rolling tomorrow. (Breakfast didn’t agree with me, so I went back to bed. Lunch, also soup, agreed with me a little better than breakfast did, but I took it easy the rest of the day.)

B: If you only want to pay when a NOVEL releases, you should be subscribed to this Patreon. It is $5.99 regardless of length, so as a general rule, unless I would charge $5.99 a pop, I am not going to cheat out my subscribers. You pay for this ONLY when I set up a charged post. The “$$$$.$$ per month” stuff is patreon being weird. I’m only paid when I release a novel.

B1: In May, there will be a link to the Payhip store for those who want to buy the Vampire of Montana early. I do not want to double charge anyone for the month because or budget considerations. I know this is upsetting for some people, but this was the only fair way to do it. Payhip allows you to directly download the ebook files AND it will hook you up with bookfunnel as well. The Payhip store will ONLY be active for the first two weeks of the release, and it’s an honor system, so please don’t share the store link with those outside of the patreon, please.

B2: I will be trying out a new system for the book releases. The charged post will still have a backlist book to entertain you until the release. Then there will be the post with the actual book file when Doggone Mess releases. Instead of bookfunnel, the books will be attached to the post itself. The posts with Doggone Mess will be deleted after two weeks at ALL patreons.

C: This Patreon is for those who want access to the short stories but do not want to have a monthly sub. Frequency varies. I will be doing a short story post as soon as my editor is finished. All funds earned on this patreon will be shamelessly used for fun stuff, including saving up for fun things while on vacation, camera lenses, and anything NOT work related. Each story will be at least 2,500 words OR a combination of several stories adding up to at least that much. As a general rule, the stories will be below 10,000 words.

Those who were NOT part of the monthly sub WILL be able to catch up on the short stories on this patreon; I will be including original stories along with the new things so people can enjoy the material, too.

3: Upcoming Releases.

A: Moon Tamed (Audrey Greene) is releasing in December of 2022. This is very much a warm and fuzzy type of series, although serious subject matter and some tragedy shows up now and then. There are some conflict points, but really, these stories are about people discovering themselves and their loved ones in an environment where the actions of the characters rarely (but sometimes) change the world.

They’re somewhat low-key, and these books are really just designed to be an escape from the real world for a while.

Animals being animals are frequent flyers, and sometimes the people become animals. There are science fiction elements.

B: Vampire of Montana (Susan Copperfield) is releasing in May of 2023.

C: Doggone Mess (R.J. Blain) is releasing in May of 2023. If you read the original version in Dirty Deeds 1, you have read approximately a third of the book. Opt to skip if you want, but you will miss the Chicago crew, the Devil, the Quinns, and other series frequenters along with the core series contribution for this title. (It’s on you if you become confused later because you opted to skip.)

The Dirty Deeds 1 contribution was meant to give readers and introduction to the series while entertaining those old to the series. (And it was priced as a bargain for the number of stories and length of the anthology as a whole.)

You got the complete story of how Joyce and Wayne partnered–where the version releasing in May gives you the whole story of how they partnered plus how their actions change the Mag Rom Com world and plug into the series.

I won’t be doing anything like this again because people complained so much, but it is what it is. Personally, I enjoyed giving the first third in the anthology… I like that I was able to step out, give readers a preview of the larger story to come, and essentially wrote the first part of a mini trilogy within the DD1 anthology.

Oh, well. It is what it is. There won’t be a next time because readers disliked the presentation that much, which is fine.

B & C 1: The release day is my birthday, and I have a tradition of releasing two books any Tuesday that happens to also be my birthday. This is a thing I do, and I’m sticking my fingers in my ears because this is a thing I enjoy doing.)

D: Old Secrets (Karma #3, R.J. Blain) will be releasing sometime between June to September of 2023. I have not hammered out the precise release date, as I won’t set up the preorder until the book is fully done and to the editor. It’s about a third towards halfway completed. Old Secrets WILL complete Karma’s trilogy unless something goes WAY off the rails by the end of the book. That isn’t going to stop me from doing a standalone mystery with Karma and Jake afterwards if I feel like it, but their primary arc will be finished with Old Secrets.

E: Dead Weight (G.P. Robbins) will be releasing in July of 2023. This is the replacement series for the Mag Rom Com world. At current, I have six books planned with an intent to do more. Unlike the Mag Rom Com series, the series has a focal point character, who you meet in Book One. There are other cops who get single stories, but the cop you meet in book one will be a frequent flyer as a lead. This is a standard M/F romantic series. Generally, the books will have HEA for characters; Jace’s relationship with his partner will be much like the Bailey/Quinn relationship: a long-term, healthy partnership.

There is a great deal more focus on the mystery elements, but there are plenty of side trips for fun, games, etc.

I’m 99% sure there was more stuff I wanted to mention, but I’m tired. Have this picture I took with my Sony a7ii as a distraction ploy.