Hello everyone,
I wanted to post an update about where I'm at and what I'm doing. The last update I gave was in June 2023; before that, I had only released some goals for 2023. In typical "me" fashion, things have changed and developed (in a good way).
In February 2023, I announced some plans involving a secret project I still can't share details on. However, if you've noticed the changes on my website, you will see a "coming soon" placeholder. Well, this project is almost ready, and I'm beyond excited. I won't promise any dates yet because they aren't finalized, but it's big, it's steamy, I cried, and I cannot wait for you all to get your hands on it.
Next, I want to talk about the two stories I had previously released on Kindle Vella. As of today, I've requested Amazon remove both Betrayed and Solace from Kindle Vella. At this time, I would like to focus on releasing full novels. However, my other reasons were discussed in my blog post from June 2023. My feelings about how Amazon treats Indie authors still hold true, and until I feel better about how Amazon is treating Indie authors, I will continue with my plans to limit my connection to them. This choice does not mean I won't offer Kindle ebooks, it just means I will limit my use of Amazon KDP services in favor of other companies.
While I am choosing to limit my connection with Amazon, I understand the market favors Amazon and Kindle. I have plans for how I will publish moving forward, but it will not have a negative impact on you, my readers. There may come a time when I choose to opt back into Kindle Unlimited for certain books to reach my reader demographic where they are at. I know that in this economy, Kindle Unlimited is a cost-saving tool for ravenous readers like myself. I will do my best to both stand on my morals while also meeting my reader's needs. Ultimately, I write these books for you.
So, what happens to Betrayed and Solace? I already have plans for Solace. I actually had to divert my attention from it for a little while for two other projects, but coming up soon, I will be re-working the plot thanks to a crazy dream I had that sent my mind sprinting for a major change for character development and the ultimate end goal of the plot. But don't you worry, Solace will be released! I swear it! Betrayed is a whole other ballgame. I'm not sure if I will release Betrayed at all. I've found myself deep in a genre I didn't expect to grab me by the throat and hold me down, but it has. So, if you couldn't tell already with Solace, MM Romance has had me trapped in its grip. In fact, the MM Romance ideas won't stop coming. I currently have 3 novels in progress in the MM Romance genre that I'm actively writing (one of which is 95% written as of this morning) and no less than 6 others waiting in a folder of ideas.
2020 until now has been a hell of a journey in finding myself as an author and a person. It took a lot of courage to convince myself that it is, in fact, okay to write romance. Once I leaped over the hurdle of fear and self-doubt, boy, did the walls holding me back tumble to the ground. While I don't plan to exclusively write MM romance, of the 6 work in progress novels I have going right now, 4 are MM, and one is FMM. I've settled comfortably in the realm of contemporary romance as a genre, but I will continue to write stories like Solace occasionally. Sometimes, I need a little magic to add some spice to the world-building, but I think I will mainly focus on contemporary romance.
I hope you are all having a great start to your 2024. I wish you nothing but the best this year. Please look forward to the stories I have in store for you.
One last thing. If you haven't heard about it yet, check out the indie hub a fellow author created to help readers find and support indie authors worldwide: My Indie Bookshelf
Please support other indie authors where and when you can! Thank you!
Always,
Jamie Avery King