2024 Recap
First of all, I wanted to thank you all for your support! Thank you to those who purchased my books, audiobooks, translations, subscribe to Patreon/Ream, and who recommended my stories to others. I wouldn’t be able to do this without each one of you contributing in your way, so thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Special shout out to those on Patreon & Ream for being so dedicated to my storytelling. For being there to bounce ideas off of, providing character names, and being so rock solid in your support that I have no time to doubt myself. Thank you for helping me mold Bitter Confessions into the book it’s become.
Writing in 2024
I published Bitter Confessions on September 30, 2024.
This book came out way later than anticipated, but the important thing is that I’m happy with the finished product. I’ve received more messages, emails, and comments about this book than any other, which means the story did its job!
I had planned to dive right into book 4, but I was so burnt out emotionally that I decided to switch to another project. During a re-read of Corrupt Idol (under my pen name, Dinah Harper) I found myself thinking, “Hey, I could write a quick prequel for this…”
What was supposed to be a little prequel has turned out to be longer than Corrupt Idol at 63k words. I just finished the first draft a couple of days ago and plan to publish it in late January. At the moment, it has no title. As soon as this prequel is released, I’ll be jumping into book 4 of the Singed Series, which has been percolating in the back of my mind. I think I needed some time away from the series to gain a better perspective of where I want to go moving forward.
Translations
The Singed Series came out in German, Italian, and French this year! It’s been such a blast seeing comments in other languages. I never imagined I would see my work translated. It’s surreal and thrilling! Shout out to my publisher for being so patient with me and putting my books in the hands of readers I wouldn’t have reached otherwise. For those waiting for the translation of Bitter Confessions, I’ll post release dates as soon as I have them!
RARE 2025
Unfortunately, I’ve decided not to attend RARE London 2025. I’m so sorry for those who bought tickets in hopes they would see me there. I’m sure you’ll find many other amazing authors in attendance, but sadly, I had to bow out. I didn’t know I would release Bitter Confessions so late in the year, which set me back for my next deadline. I’m hoping to attend RARE in the future, but for now, I think it’s best I stay put and finish my work.
Personal
This was an extremely tumultuous year for me. Maybe one of my worst. Last year, I moved three times and this year, once: Hawaii to the Pacific Northwest. It was a family emergency, and it threw my world into a tailspin.
The rewrites for Bitter Confessions took so long because what was happening in my personal life seeped into the story, bringing certain themes into focus and adding darker emotional undertones. At times, the only thing keeping me sane was Roth and Jasmine.
I’m fortunate that I have writing to funnel my emotions into. If I’m happy, enraged, frustrated, grieving—all of that is absorbed by the story. I don’t know how non-writers cope with it all. Thankfully, Bitter Confessions was a great match for my inner turmoil during this period of my life.
I learned a lot of hard lessons and through that process, found something I didn’t even realize I was missing: my sense of self. When everything you used to define yourself by is stripped away, you start questioning who you are. I’ve been working on that and can honestly say, I’m happier than I’ve been in… maybe ever?
This year I was forced to ask for help, which is so difficult for me since I’m hyper independent. I was forced to rely on strangers and put everything I thought I knew to the test and… I’m forever changed. Looking back at the challenges we handled, I’m amazed I’m standing at the end of the year with a smile. It would have been easier to fold. Thankfully, I have people in my life that wouldn’t let that happen.
I’ve moved 17 times in the past 16 years. I thought I was just restless, but thanks to my therapist, I’ve been digging down to some deeper issues I wasn’t even aware of, and it’s opened my eyes to so many things. Thankfully, I’m with my sister who has the same trauma that we’ve dealt with in totally different ways. We’ve been sorting through our issues, improving our relationship, and being there for one another when we need it most. It’s made us stronger and better people.
In 2025, I am determined to put down roots. If I stopped moving so much, who knows what I could actually do writing-wise? I still have to go back to Las Vegas to tie up loose ends, but I’ve decided to settle in the Pacific Northwest, which has been a healing haven for me during this time. I’ve met great people and love the PNW’s moody weather.
I feel like 2024 was a transformative year for me spiritually, emotionally, and professionally. I’ve tried so many things I never have before. I’m so excited to see what 2025 brings!
2025 Projections
Prequel release in January
Book 4 in Singed Series (write & release)
A break to care of business in Las Vegas. Come back to PNW to put down roots.
Write book 5 in the Singed Series.
I would love to release book 5 this year too, but we’ll see how everything falls into place. The Crime Lord Series is in the process of being rebranded and I would love to get my books into audio but it’s a slow and expensive process so… I’ll just do the best that I can.
Conclusion
Overall, this was an extremely busy year for me personally and professionally. Business-wise, I marketed more than I ever have leading up to the release of Bitter Confessions. I learned how to make reels and joined TikTok (though I wouldn’t follow me there since I haven’t been on in months and probably won’t be posting there in future). I made a pop-up shop and sold signed paperbacks (I still have copies if you’re interested!). I also sold the e-book of Bitter Confessions directly, which I think will be instrumental moving forward since I am being blocked by a lot of retailers. I also joined Ream, a subscription platform similar to Patreon.
Personally, I realize I need to follow my intuition more and stop thinking so much of the future and enjoy where you are in the moment. I’ve also realized I’ve become far too serious in a lot of things and need to play instead of trying to be so rational all the time.
I really strayed out of my comfort zone while writing Bitter Confessions. I experimented with writing techniques, put myself through emotional hell, and let Roth and Jasmine take the story into territory that I personally would rather not go. With the prequel for Corrupt Idol, writing from a pre-teens perspective and going back to my religious, blue-collar roots was extremely uncomfortable… which is why I knew it was the right decision to go there.
I recently listened to Rick Rubin’s, The Creative Act, which is a great read for any creative. I also read Viki King’s, How to Write a Movie in 21 Days. I’m not planning on writing a screenplay, but I watched some interviews that she did and loved the way she talked about writing, so I read her book and got some great nuggets out of it.
During this short break after writing the prequel, I’ve been watching the TV show, His Dark Materials which is based on the series of the same name by Philip Pullman. This series was a favorite of mine as a kid. I was amazed at how many character’s names I recognized when I haven’t read the books since I was thirteen. It’s renewed my love of the fantasy genre that I grew up on. This does play a role in book 4 as well, so we’ll just chalk this up to research ;)
I’m rediscovering my joy in writing and creativity and I’m eager to wrap up the Singed Series and, when I can, the Crime Lord Series. I lost a lot of time sinking my energy into the wrong areas and almost quit completely. Thankfully, I’ve come full circle, back to what I’ve always loved. While I think social media is a great tool, I don’t think I will be on there often. The discourse, algorithms, and the addiction to checking on likes and comments is distracting and draining. I would rather focus on my stories, so that’s what I’m going to do. I’ll post monthly on my blog once I’m working on book 4 of the Singed Series to keep you all updated of my progress.
Once again, thank you all for your support and for helping me end 2024 on a high note. I can’t wait to see what 2025 brings!