When I started writing with a goal of publication back in January, I never expected to end up where I am. I was writing a contemporary romance about a cowboy falling in love with the clerk at a hardware store, country life versus city. Butterflies, as I call that manuscript, was sent out to a number of agents in query form, in partials, and even in a few full requests, but in the end, either the story wasn’t what could sell to traditional publishers or my style wasn’t.

While editing Butterflies and waiting on the edge of my seat for every request or rejection, I decided I wanted to write some paranormal romance novellas. A little dirty, a little fun…something to keep my mind off the rest of what was happening.

What started as something a little fun, and perhaps a way to dip my toes into the world of self-publishing, has turned into the possibility of a career I never expected. From the first day Claiming His Fate came online, sales and responses have been better than I could have hoped. And with each book released, this business of being an author grew.

I’ve written 317,468 words in 2014. I’ve published 197,285 of them since August 4th and have solid plans for the majority of the rest of them. Those published books have been purchased in 14 countries. I’ve been able to do things I never imagined I could, been blessed to hire friends to help me, and have met some of the most supportive and amazing people along the way. I may never hit a major list or crack the top 100 on Amazon, but I’m a happy little mid-lister in the self-publishing world, and that’s truly an awesome thing to be. So while I’ll never say a traditional publishing deal is out of the realm of possibility, I have to admit…

I’m kinda happy nobody liked my cowboy/store clerk romance enough to sign me. If they had, I might not have ever pulled the trigger on publishing the Feral Breed series. Silver linings, and all that.

Maybe someday I’ll open Butterflies back up and rework it. The story holds a place in my heart like no other, so the possibility is there. Until then, I’ll keep writing about biker werewolves and the women they love, shifters finding fated mates, and witches with great powers and even greater attitudes.

My plans for 2015 are almost locked up. Look for four new Feral Breed titles, a handful of additional shorts rounding out the world, the introduction of a new breed of warrior within the Feral Breed world, a new season of the Gathering, and perhaps a look back inside the world of the Weaver witches. Who knows? The only person running this ship is me…and I’m a believer in making no small plans.

Blessings to you and yours as we get ready to begin again. May your new year be filled with big smiles, big hearts, and big successes.

And to all my Feral Breed readers, get ready to get claimed.