A Brazen New Chapter
Brazen – Word of the Year
It’s been a few years since I’ve chosen a word of the year, and choosing Brazen probably sounds ambitious, but I’m taking a different path with it.
By definition, brazen means bold without shame. Writing has always been the one thing I’ve never apologized for doing. And, being an author of sexually charged stories—aka smut—it’s something people expect you to be ashamed and/or apologetic about. I refuse.
My writing life has always been feast or famine and the only type of rapid-release I’ve ever done would be in 2017 when I wrote for Masturbation Monday almost every week. The ideas for stories are always feast. Something new and potentially exciting is always popping up in my brain. I do my best to put notes down and save it for later.
I still want to write the Revelry Island books, but I’m definitely going to be writing stand alone novellas in a connected universe. Stumbling Toward Serenity opened the world for me in a different and wonderful way. My mind refused to let me do anything until I started writing All Access Pass, which I’m considering in the category of “unhinged smutty goodness.”
Speaking about Stumbling Toward Serenity… it comes out of Kindle Unlimited on February 12th. So, if you have KU and want to read it, now is your chance. It’s short, sweet, and a touch spicy. Once it’s out of KU, I’ll be adding chapters monthly to… you guessed it, Patreon, Ream, and Substack.
Brazen Bonuses
When I was originally daydreaming about the story of Stumbling Toward Serenity, I wanted it to be dual POV. I mean… who doesn’t want to know what the guy is thinking in these things? Especially Marcus because he’s a bright ray of sunshine.
So, I’m hoping to add some Marcus scenes after the fact. I also plan to slowly plot out Sarah’s story, too. She’ll be getting a very different trip to Revelry Island than Natalie. I have in mind to finally introduce a character I’ve been thinking about for a couple of years now and have tried to write, but the proper story hasn’t manifested yet. Sarah’s will work as an introduction story, I think.
Brazenly Smutty
Yes, I will continue to use the word Smut. I’ve been writing smut quite a long time and people can try and demean sexually charged stories all they want, but that’s their problem, not mine. I am the Smut Merchant, after all. Despite the fact that I make very little money writing smut.
Speaking of money… if you’re inclined, I have unpaused billing on Patreon, which means new people can sign up, I’m on Ream, and Substack. There will be words above the paywall divider line on Patreon and Substack (because it’s an option) but not on Ream. I’m on all three because I know people like having a choice on where they support someone. Unfortunately, I am way too smutty for Buy Me a Coffee and Ko-Fi. Don’t ask me how since there are smuttier people than me on both.
Brazen Content Promises
All Access Pass is one of the smuttiest stories I’ve ever written in my opinion. And in doing so I had a fun time coming up with Content Promises. Yes, it sounds a little weird, but I wanted people to see what they’re getting into in a fun way.
Basically, it’s a why choose smutverse. One woman, five men, and all the swords cross. Some of the men are having a hard time keeping their hands off each other. Not realistic? Well, this is fiction. There will be lots of lube and consent because it’s sexy. And aftercare where the Dom Daddy not only feeds his sub, but also runs a hot bath for them to soak in… and then they have fun again.
More Brazen to Come
I’m also still building the paranormal? fantasy? scifi? (modern tech and magic) why choose romance universe. Every time I think I have everything, something else pops up. And that’s okay! I don’t need to know every tiny detail to know the characters and how their stories interweave.
There are so many stories I’ve written mentally that will never see the light of day because… well, I told myself the story and now I know it. And then there are stories like these that take hold and want to see the light of day, be written down, and shared. It would be nice if they’d take turns, though, so I’m doing my best to corral them so my heart and mind can pause and visit the universe that makes sense at the time.
Brazenly Artisan
Like I said earlier, writing for me has always been feast or famine. Now, I understand better. An Artisan Author writes the words as they come. Sometimes that might be in a rapid release format and other times they might dribble out a few words here, a few pages there. I’ve always read or listened to multiple books and I’ve always worked on multiple WIPs. I have lots of stories being forged at once and that means flipping from one thing to the next, working in a way that feeds my battery instead of draining it. It’s slow sometimes and other times one thing, like All Access Pass, will grab me and hold me in just the right way. I hope you’ll come along for the weird and wild ride.
