In May 2013, I self-published my first novel, Small Town Witch. I’d read about this self-publishing thing for a few years and I thought I had a good idea of how it worked. But I’ll admit it now: I didn’t really know what I was doing. I’d been researching how to write a novel, working with critique groups to edit my novel, and learning how to format an ebook to upload it to various ebook stores. I’d already been writing a blog for years and I thought that was enough.

The first edition had a homemade cover. It was edited by critique groups and proofread by my family. I wasn’t even sure what categories to put it into on Amazon. Was it urban fantasy if it didn’t take place in a city? Is it okay to be in the LGBT category if the main character is bisexual and she has a male love interest?

Despite this lack of knowledge and preparation, I jumped in with both feet. I used free promotions to get visibility. I offered free review copies by emailing book bloggers.

I got a few reviews, mostly positive. (Two negative reviews from vindictive people that I used to know.)

Since then, I’ve learned there is a lot more to being an author, publishing books, and marketing.

Now I’m writing my twelfth novel, working on my fourth series, and I’ve lost count of the number of short stories I’ve published. I have wonderful readers like you who send me kind words about my stories. I’ve had some ups and downs with my personal life and health which have sometimes interrupted my writing but I have stuck with it and I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I hope to have many more years of books ahead of me.

Thank you for coming along on this journey with me. Whether you’ve been with me since the start or you’ve just found me recently, I appreciate your support. I have fun writing but knowing that someone is reading my books makes all the work of publishing worth it.

To celebrate seven years of Small Town Witch, I’ve put the trilogy bundle on sale for the first time ever. For the entire month of May, you can get all three books for $3 when you buy the digital box set. Happy reading!