So, I’ve been chewing on this, because… it is January 26, 2026, and I’m JUST recovering from the intense marathon that was needed to get Dragon Her Heels finished on time after it went over estimated word count by 50,000 words. I don’t regret that, mind you… but it was 50,000 words that went to Dragon Her Heels rather than Death Dance.
I’m tired. I’ve been trying to work through just a brutal, bone-deep exhaustion… but yeah, I’m tired.
Getting my new vroom vroom has been a huge help and a joy! You can watch a video of my vroom vroom on my Patreon.
So, here’s the thing… can I get the book done on time? Absolutely.
… I just want a few days to hunker in my bunker, play some video games, go on a joy ride, and not worry about cramming, because in reality, while I CAN finish on time, I’d still be cramming.
In good news, it won’t completely destroy the REST of my schedule, though it will make it a little rough in spots. Just not as rough as getting Death Dance done on the heels of the monster that was Dragon Her Heels.
Would quality for Death Dance be changed? No, not really… I don’t tend to flail about on that front. It’s just all stress things for me.
So, that’s where I’m at. Pitch in in the comments for your opinion. I’ll make a decision either way next week.
This week, I’m just trying to get back into the habit of writing without being on the verge of having a meltdown about it.
(Did I mention Dragon Her Heels was a bit rough on me?)
What every will be, will be. If we have to wait, we will wait!
Hugs!!!
I have been eagerly awaiting Death Dance for a few years now. I can easily wait another month. More time for my Dresden Files reread! 😉
Enjoy petting cats, drinking tea and playing games. Your health is always the most important thing. In these wild and uncertain times it is best to cuddle a furry animal!
You’re absolutely correct, I should 100% take a full day to serve my feline overladies and pet them to their heart’s content.
Do what is best for your health and creative spirit. I will appreciate/love the books when they come out.
You do whatever you need to do. I will eagerly read everything you write whenever you write it! ❤️
If you need extra time, you should take extra time. You’re human and humans need rest and recharging. I’ve been waiting on this book a while and I’m going to be fine waiting a little longer. If you burnout, you may not want to write other books later. Be kind to yourself. I know it’s your job and you have standards and goals to meet, but you should get to enjoy your life, too. I love your work and that’s not going to change because I have to wait a little longer.
Hunker down for a while. I’m not good at wa*ting but I can see the value in a nap when needed to restore your equilibrium. Is it true that “A happy author is a good author” or do I have that backwards? Loved Dragon Her Heels!! I can always read it again.
Ann
You take care of your own mental and physical health first. Nothing else matters in the long run of life
Please take care of yourself first and foremost. Take the timeout that you need. We are greedy book dragons – but we can wait.
I am grateful for any words you share whenever you share them. I will be just as eager to read it in a couple months or even years, as I am now. (I like to remind people of The Clan of the Cave Bears)… I would rather you be happy and healthy!
Do what you need to do to take care of your mental and physical health. Book deadlines can be changed, and your wellbeing is much more important.
I’m thinking healthy with less stress is better😻. Of course your talking to someone who has a very hard time getting things done on time😹 I have stayed up so late to get things done, I have finally decided I will not be telling someone they are getting something til I’m putting it in their hands😹😹😹. I have only been quilting a little over a year, and I love it but I get bored and start a different project. I jump from project to project. I did find a one page calendar I like and I’ve colored in days I want to give things to people in red so I’m hoping it will help. 😸
Take whatever time you need, your mental health and reducing stress levels is far more important to me. I can wait a bit longer, more time to reread your other books.
Take the time you need. Your health, all aspects, comes first.
Take your time and enjoy your new vroom vroom!
Have fun!
Enjoy your life. Take the week off!
Do what you need to do to stay mellow, and take out any angst on characters. I’ll read your next books when ever they release, and I don’t want you to now enjoy the ride.
Rest up
As an ex-teacher, I can tell you that stress over deadlines (even though they are self-imposed) are not good. If moving a deadline back is a possibility, I’d recommend moving it. Yeah, I’m ready to read whatever you write. But I won’t advocate raising your stress level to do it. I can wait; I know it will be worth it!
This will and should always be your choice. Would I be disappointed to wait? Yes. Should I have a vote? No. Your quality of work is always excellent. I will wait (grumpy) for what I pre-ordered.
Take the time you need. We’ll be here with baited breath and much anticipation for when it drops. 😁🤣
I think you should take care of yourself first.
I would rather have a happy and healthy author. Whatever works best for you is fine by me. I don’t mind waiting for however long it takes.
Push it back a month. Take time to enjoy your vroom vroom and play.
Hi, relax a bit. Make the adjustment if you need to to remain sane.
D
As always I love when new books come out but I don’t think you need to stress yourself by trying to get it done faster. I would rather you take a break and not burn yourself out. Take the time you need so we can keep getting amazing books from your wonderful imagination!
I would much rather you be rested and comfortable, rather than overworked and stressed. Please take as much time as you need to finish the next book. 💖
Take the time you need to sustain your mental & physical health so you can continue to bring us book joy long-term. And keep enjoying the new vroom vroom!
Please take care of yourself so you can feel better. We can all w*it for the book while you recharge. Dragon Her Heels was fabulous and we’re grateful for the extra words but we don’t want them at the expense of your mental health.
I am happy to wait for Death Dance. I want you to take care of yourself and take the time to rest.
p.s. I LOVE all your books, under all your different names. You write great stories I enjoy reading.
Go! Fly! Be free! I can assure you that we will not hold it against you and start rumors! I LOOOOVVVVEEE your books! All of em!
Take your break!!!! That’s it, lol. Short and emphatic!
Your health (mental, emotional and physical) is the most important thing in the this situation. I love your work and look forward to all you release and am willing to wait until you are comfortable with your schedule.
You need to ensure YOUR health and sanity, YOU are the only one that counts in all of this, YOU burn out, no more books, YOU are the vital source, so please, please do what YOU need to remain healthy and happy. ❤️❤️ thank you for all your books.
Please take the time you need! I’d prefer that you stay healthy and happy – rereads are a thing, and I’m happy to do them
I am currently reading Draggin Her Heels and loving every minute of it. Your books can never be too long. 😍
I do want Death Dance, but I will wait while you get less stressed. Just take care of yourself.
Please do what you need to do in order to be healthy and happy. 😎
I am all for you taking time to rest and recover – everyone needs decompression time.
You deserve rest constant stress can’t make you medically vulnerable to whatever is going around
Do what’s best for you.
I think the amount of books you put out is amazing and you NEED a break. Take care of yourself first. Some people will always want the next of series X immediately, f* em and prioritise yourself.
I say take a breath. Staying healthy, physically and mentally, should take priority. So I say play games. Take naps. Maybe indulge in some comfort food. Get the rest. The work will be there when you’re ready.
Author’s health is prime. Be well.
Take the time you need! You have earned a rest and I for one am happy to wait.
Take the break! Pushing through just means you’ll hit a burnout wall even harder later on, with (potentially) less control over not having it decimate the rest of your plan. A controlled and needed break now, when it won’t notably impact anything but the publication of one book (and that by only a little bit) is definitely better than exhaustion and burnout. And that’s all without even considering that it’s awfully hard to be creative when you’re fried!
You deserve time for self care! I don’t think anybody wants you to burn out or melt down. Schedules are only suggestions, goals to strive for, and massaging them in real time is perfectly reasonable (IMNSHO).
We need you to be around and healthy to get maximum books! Don’t overdo now and deprive us later, please.
Please take the time. I’ve loved almost everything thing you have written, a later release date won’t change that! Take care.
Take your time and look after yourself. We can wait
Rest and reset for your peace of mind and spirit. I can wait for another treat from you. Your health is what matters.
Take all the time you need 🙂 there are so many of your books i can re-read in the meantime that one or two months delay makes no difference 🙂
When you feel the need to rest, REST! I love your books and wait, impatiently, but don’t want you to burnout. I think we can last an extra month.
Take your relaxation time. Enjoy your car and have fun. Recharge your battery? We can wait.
I’m eagerly awaiting Death Dance, but please take time for you. Sanity is very important. The wait will just make getting Death Dance that much sweeter!
No.
Health comes first!
Push back the date, you’re mental well-being is more important ❤️
I vote for you taking all the time you want. This is a selfish wish, I want you to be healthy so you can keep writing in the future. Dragon her heels was a really great book. I reread other books before reading it and am glad I did. Dragon clarifies some of the underpinnings of its world, while raising some new questions to think about.
Write it and I/we all will read it. Take as much time as you need.
I just wanted to add…I don’t think it was necessary to separate your books under different pen names even if we know why you did it. Hopefully, more readers found you.
It’s just, your writing style is unique and recognizable, different names just take a bit digging to find them all. If you’re not on the mailing list.
It is necessary because a lot of people don’t like everything I write and the pen names are separated based on numerous elements.
People REALLY struggle with keeping what series is in what universe straight as it is. Having them all under one pen name? Ooooy. It really helps ME manage everything too.
So yes, it is actually necessary.
Also… it’s listed right in the back of every book. It’s not hard at all to find. Just look at the about the author.
No problem. Your health is more important. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Take all the time you need. A month delay isn’t that much. Your health is never not a number one priority. Take care of yourself, husband and Lucile(out of my head, I mean your yellow lady). If they are taken care of maybe think of us.
Whilst I would like more books as soon as possible I think your health and well being is more important than this. Take time out to recharge your batteries. We can wait.
Take a mental health break! You need it🥰
Please take the time needed to take care of yourself. We will, reluctantly, w@it. (Nasty 4 letter word.) After all, if you burn out, books will be even slower to come. (And you might not have the time, energy or inclination to maybe, hopefully, make it to BayCon this summer in Santa Clara.)
No worries girl. Take your month! You need a brain rest body rest soul rest then you take it, else you will burn out and there will be no more books. I’d rather wait than risking you not writing at all. Have fun on your game and enjoy your joy ride.
Just concentrate on look after yoursel
Take the break! You deserve it!
Rest. I am currently recovering from pneumonia and it’s been about a month. Pushing yourself past exhaustion is needless. Your body is telling you to rest; listen to it. Death Dance can wait!
You know how you are feeling, so you do what realistically suits you. Of we, your fans, want everything asap, but we would prefer you to pace yourself and keep going than force things and melt down. X❤️
Everyone deserves a break. It’s good for your mental health. Your fans will be here for you when you get the book done. Take some time. Be well.
Do what is best for you. We readers need to practice our patience, so we can enjoy your work and not worry you’re working to hard.
Please, please, please take care of yourself. If you break your brain, you will not be able to write. We need you to be able to write at whatever pace works for you.
Rest if you need it, if you don’t, maybe you won’t break now, but you Will break at some point; and really, there is just not need for that. Take care of yourself first and then the books will come…
While I enjoy the work of many authors, including yourself, whether a book comes out on a previously announced date does not actually affect my life in any material way. So, do what works for you and your life, and ignore any entitled gripers who think because they like/buy your work they are “entitled” to bitch about dates/topics/series/pseudonyms, etcc.
Push it back! Your mental health is more important than hitting a date. Enjoy some time with Lucille, she has such a bright, cheerful color.
If you need a break, take a break! Thinking long term, have to preserve the health and sanity of one of my favorite authors!!
Rest up! If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t be there fully for other folks and your eventual goals. Fatigue builds up and does long lasting or permanent harm to your body and mental state, which means it wears away on the future you. You will be better for the rest.
Get your rest, it will be done when its done, and its something to look forward to at a later date.
Dragon Her Heels was wonderful. Every new book you write becomes my new favorite. As far as Death Dance goes, I just finished re-reading the first two in preparation but I can wait an extra month to help you cope. Your good health means almost as much to me as it does to you. Take care
Talk however long you need. I’ve had books released 3 weeks late and 2 weeks early.
take care of yourself!
Based on the poster post you did on Jan. 26th:
Here is a stick. Use it to take care of yourself and beat back the stress. If you need more sticks your fans are happy to provide them.
I’m going to have to show my husband the poster and tell him sticks can come in taco format, now that I’m thinking about it…
Rest! Rejuvenate! As someone with chronic exhaustion I can honestly tell you it sucks. Life is too short. Do what you need to do to stay healthy, alive, and fueled for the battle.
While I am excited about Death Dance, I can wait so you can be healthy enough to write more books!
You taking time off means less stress for you, more joy and health, and long term that means that you don’t burn out and I get more books to read. So I selfishly wish you to play games and have a nice break.
Do what you need to, to make it the story you want it to be.