Wrapping up 2019

In 2019, I’ve had eleven individual releases and my stories have been featured in three anthologies.

Think about that for a minute.

Yes, one book is a re-release, so “only” ten new stories. Two are under 10K words. The longest book is only 34032 words and a collab with Kris T. Bethke so I only wrote about half of those words because she wrote the rest. But it’s still a lot. It’s still 185 685 words in one year.

I wrote and published my first fantasy and paranormal stories in 2019. And my first M/M/M story. I wrote about 40+ characters, about age gap, about a fluffy bunny shifter, about a party boy who wanted more in life. I wrote about a homophobic family and an awesome ex-wife. I wrote about star-crossed lovers and about the fear that can grip you when you’re at risk of losing the love of your life.

All that…and I still found the time to move across the world.

I mean. Look at this:

So maybe I don’t need to feel bad for not writing much the last three months of the year (because of the move from Malaysia back to Sweden)? And maybe, we can all agree that this many releases in one year is a bit…excessive?

That being said. OH MAH GAWD, I released eleven books this year. How awesome am I?

Have you read them all? Which one was your favorite?

Thank you, all, for this year, I could never do this without you. I hope you will stay with me for the next year, maybe even for the next, new decade.

Happy New Year to you all. Don’t commit to resolutions you’ll break before February, and if you celebrate the coming of 2020 with a glass of champagne, think of me 😉

Buy links:

Awakening & French Songs | Snowed In: Nen and Anani | All I See | Diving In | His Steady Heart | 9 Willow Street | Team Luker | Of Autumn Leaves and New Beginnings | In My Arms Again | Red Popcorn Strings and Gumball Rings | Four Christmases

Legendary Loves vol 2 | Most Wonderful Time of the Year | 2019 Top Ten Gay Romance

Snowed In: Nen and Anani, release day!

Today is release day for my first ever fantasy story, Snowed In: Nen and Anani. I’m spending this release day in Singapore with my husband, sipping champagne, enjoying the view over the city, and celebrating my newest release. I hope you’ll like them as much as I do.

Happy weekend!

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”It is time to go to my son.”

Nen waited to hear those words from the Vasilissa for fifteen rotations, since that time the snow wouldn’t stop falling. But now that he’s about to meet Anani, the love of his life, again, he’s afraid. What if Anani doesn’t feel the same anymore?

Anani, the guardian of the water element, was only seventeen when he was banished from his mother’s court. Heartbroken that he couldn’t be with the one he loved, he lost control over his emotions and his power. No matter what he tried, the snow wouldn’t stop and as a last resort he was sent away.

When they finally meet again, Anani is hopeful but disillusioned. The law that kept them apart hasn’t changed. How will they be able to find their happily ever after?

And what happens when the snow starts falling again?

BUY LINKS / ADD TO GOODREADS:

JMS BOOKS (20% OFF)| AMAZON | AMAZON UK | KOBO | ITUNES | B&N | GOOGLE PLAY

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Excerpt:

A third knock hushes the forest even more. Not a single insect can be heard. Is the wildlife waiting for me to leave? Is he? Would he answer if I call out to him? Or will the sound of my voice make him even more resolved to stay behind the closed door?

Before I have time to come to a decision, the door is yanked open and he appears in the opening.

The Vasilieu.

Oh, great Spirit, still my heart!

He is magnificent!

He is willowy tall and has grown so much these last fifteen rotations, reaching me to my nose, standing over a head taller than any other member of his family. He’s dressed like a commoner in a tunic and pants even plainer than my own — where’s his kaftan? The clothes hug his body and reveal every long sinewy muscle in his legs and arms.

Hair as white as newly fallen snow is parted in the middle and hangs straight to his waist. His nose, slightly upturned, gives him a mischievous look. His pale lips, imperceptibly darker than his skin color, are pillowy but set in a severe line.

But it’s his eyes that draw my attention. Pale blue eyes staring at me as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing. After a few heartbeats, they widen, and he lets out a gasp.

A wave of emotions hit me square in the chest. What was muted just moments before grows into an avalanche as though he let them loose, or lost control of them. They overwhelm me; I physically feel them, poking and prodding my breast, invading my heart. I stagger a few steps backward and sink to my knees without hesitation. I don’t avert my gaze. “Vasilieu.”

He narrows his eyes. “Do not call me that. You know my name. Use it.”

The barrage of his emotions intensifies, making it hard to breathe but easy for me to identify them. Disbelief. Uncertainty. Hope.

… Happiness?

Yes, definitely happiness.

“Anani,” I whisper. Never before have I uttered his name, not even alone in the night. Saying it now is terrifying and freeing all at once. And it feels right, as though my lips are meant to say it. Whisper it in his ear as our limbs are entwined and sweaty.

He surges forward and throws himself on his knees before me. Cups my cheeks and lets his thumbs caress my beard. His gaze flits over my face as if though he’s trying to take in all the changes that have happened since we saw each other last. The crow’s feet by my eyes. The corners of my mouth that are downturned from the lack of smiling. The first gray at my temples in a sea of black, bristly hair.

I’m an older, more tired-looking version of the man who watched him walk away all those rotations ago, while he’s more breathtaking than ever.

“Vasilieu. Don’t kneel before me. It’s not proper.”

“Nen. Oh Nen. Is it really you?” he asks as if he didn’t hear my plea. His hands explore my face; the fingertips linger in my wrinkles and lines, sending sparkles through my body. He tugs lightly on my beard and gazes into my eyes. I wonder what he sees.

“Vasilieu. Anani.” The second time I use his name is even more momentous. “Stand, I beg you.”

He sits back on his heels. “What are you doing here?” His disbelief melts away. Clearly, he trusts his own eyes and what he can see before him. Confusion takes its place. With grace, he rises to his feet, bends down to grab my hands, and pulls me to standing with little help from me. Spirit, he is strong!

He doesn’t let go.

Snowed In: Nen and Anani – 2 weeks until release day, and pre-order links

Today, it’s only two weeks until the released of Snowed In: Nen and Anani. It’s a part of a themed release by JMS Books where several of their published authors have written a story about main characters being snowed in together. They all have the same cover, and they’re all named Snowed In: [MC1 and MC2].

It’s my first ever fantasy story and I had so much fun writing it.

I thought I’d tempt you with an excerpt today so that if you like what you read, you can clickety-click the links and pre-order my story. (Amazon links will be added as soon as they’re up, but why not take advantage of the pre-order sale at JMS?)

PRE-ORDER NOW:

JMS BOOKS (20% OFF)| KOBO | ITUNES | B&N

Excerpt:

I step out, unable to see more than a meter in front of me because of the heavy snowfall. I kick the door closed and dash to the barn, but it’s empty. Not even the cat is perched on its shelf anymore. I force myself to slowly walk the path back to the cottage, squinting my eyes in hopes of catching a sign of him. Not until the third pass I discover something—a depression in the deep snow leading into the nearby forest.

Without hesitating even for a breath, I veer off the path and plod my way through the snow. After only a few meters, my breathing grows ragged and my heart races in my chest, slamming against my ribcage, making me agitated and twitchy.

Again and again, I call his name without getting a reply.

Doubt starts to creep into my mind. What if the tracks I’m following weren’t made by Anani but some wild animal? What if I’m going in the wrong direction? What if I get lost and can find neither Anani nor the way back to the cottage?

My steps falter and I glance over my shoulder. My tracks are still visible but are filling fast. I need to make a decision.

“Anani!”

I brush snow from my face with my forearm. There’s no way I’ll find him in this darkness and with the storm howling around me. But I refuse to return to the cottage and abandon him. I hang my head, trying to stave off the dejection that creeps in.

Then something pulls at me. I jerk up my head and whirl around, but no one is there.

“Anani?” I feel the tug again, and this time I make myself stand still. I close my eyes and try to ignore the chaotic stimuli surrounding me, focusing only on what’s yanking at me.

And in the stillness, I feel it again. It’s faint, and if I move the slightest, I lose it.

I hold my breath.

Listen.

Wait.

When I feel the pull the next time, I trust my instinct, whoosh out my breath, and head off in that direction. I need to walk only a few more meters and make my way around a tree before I see him.

A pained cry escapes the depth of my chest and my hand flies to my throat.

Anani is stark naked, standing on bare ground, in a wide circle with not a speck of snow, as if it all vanished. The sky above it is clear—not a single snowflake makes its way down from the heavens—and shimmers with a pale light. The edge of the circle is sharp, as though someone used a knife to carve it out. A few flakes fall in slow motion at the edge, but the farther away from Anani, the faster the snow falls, and the storm is at full strength where I’m standing.

His arms reach for the sky, as though he’s diverting the frozen water from himself, commanding it to leave him alone.

He’s magnificent. And clearly in distress.

His pale skin has taken on a blue tinge, his shoulders shake, and his eyes are squeezed shut. I’m too far away to be sure, but it looks as though he has frozen tears on his cheeks.

That’s what finally gets me moving.

Update

For the entire month of July I have my darling daughter and her boyfriend here for a visit (they live in Sweden) and I’m ecstatic. There won’t be a lot of writing, but I’m trying to do a little at least. I signed up for Camp NanoWriMo with a ridiculously low word goal, and I’m kind of happy I did because otherwise there would probably be no writing at all.

I’m still working on my fantasy story Snowed In: Nen and Anani. It’s slow going, but at least I’m moving forward. Yesterday, I researched tapestry weaving and learned a lot of words I hadn’t heard before. And OMG what an amazingly interesting art form it is. I’ve never realized before (sorry weavers!!)

Smashwords has a sale for the entire month of July, and my books published by JMS Books are 50% off! If you’ve visited my blog before, you know by now that “book sale” is my favorite two words in combination, so clickety-click this link if you’re in the mood for cheap books and still don’t own all mine.

Nobody Else’s has received a lot of love from readers and reviewers so far, and it’s made me so humbled and happy ❤️ If you haven’t bought it yet and want to read a few reviews before making up your mind, check out any of these lovely blogs:

Boy Meets Boy | The Blogger Girls | Making It Happen | Love Bytes | Padme’s Library | Dog Eared Day Dreams | Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words | Bayou Book Junkie | Extreme Delusions | Wicked Reads

I’m especially happy that people loved my quirky, nonsensical horoscopes. I had so much fun writing them.

Buy links/Add to Goodreads

JMS Books | Amazon| Amazon UK | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play | B&N | Smashwords

 

 

 

WIP

Happy Monday, everyone! Are you one of those who hates Mondays, or are you happy about a new week?

Today, I thought I’d share an excerpt from my current WIP, titled Snowed In: Nen and Anani. It’s my first ever fantasy story and it’s really fun to write. Makes me wanna write more of them, so watch out for Nell Iris, the fantasy writer 🙂

I also made a mood board, because my dear friend Addison made mood boards for her stories and inspired me to do the same. So, below are eight inspirational pictures, and a (very) short unedited excerpt from Snowed In: Nen and Anani.

I hope you enjoy, and have a great week! 🙂

Excerpt:

Before I have time to come to a decision, the door is yanked open and he appears in the opening.

The Vasilieu.

Oh, great Spirit, still my heart!

He is magnificent!

He is willowy tall and has grown so much these last fifteen rotations, reaching me to my nose, standing over a head taller than any other member of his family. He’s dressed like a commoner in a tunic and pants, even plainer than my own—where’s his kaftan? The clothes hug his body and reveal every long sinewy muscle in his legs and arms.

Hair as white as newly fallen snow is parted in the middle and hang straight to his waist. His nose, slightly upturned, gives him a mischievous look. His pale lips, imperceptibly darker than his skin color, are soft but set in a severe line.

But it’s his eyes that draw my attention. Pale blue eyes staring at me as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing. After a few heartbeats, they widen, and he lets out a gasp.

A wave of emotions hits me square in the chest. What was muted just moments before grows into an avalanche. Overwhelms me. I physically feel them, as if he pushes a blunt-tipped lance into my breast.

I stagger a few steps backward and sink to my knees without hesitation. I don’t avert my gaze. “Vasilieu.”

He narrows his eyes. “Do not call me that. You know my name. Use it.”

The barrage of his emotions intensifies, making it hard to breathe but easy for me to identify them. Disbelief. Denial. Suspicion. Uncertainty.

…happiness?

Most intense of all is happiness.

“Anani,” I whisper.