Monthly Author Check-In: August 2022 (What’s Next?)

What I’m Writing: Bonus content for Hopefuls
What I’m Reading: Cult Classic by Sloane Crosley
What I’m Loving: Only Murders in the Building—just finished the second season

First up: Thank you all so, so much for all the love and support you’ve been giving the launch of Janie One More Time! Seriously, I cannot even begin to express how pleased I am to see people so excited for this third book in the Hopefuls series.

If you haven’t picked it up yet, it’s available now at nearly every one of the standard book retailers (a few stragglers still haven’t picked it up yet, but we’re getting there!), so you should be able to get your copy in pretty much whatever format you like best.

And please don’t forget to leave a review! I know every author says it, but seriously, I cannot stress how helpful reviews are in getting the book out to more readers.

As for me, I’m back in the office this week after my post-book-launch vacation—which wasn’t quite as relaxing as it should have been due to Random Life Stuff, Plus a Bear (don’t ask), but what can you do? Regardless, I’m happy to be back at work, and of course that brings me to the most common question I’ve been fielding lately…

What’s next?

So the very first thing I’m tying off is a quick little bit of bonus content for the Hopefuls universe, that should be available sometime in October. This is a few scenes covering part of the first Hopefuls book from an alternate point of view, and will become a newsletter-exclusive download. If you’d like to get your hands on it, you can sign up now, and you’ll get notified once it launches.

A return to The Beacon Campaigns

Beyond that, my main focus for the rest of the year is shifting back into the world of my fantasy series, The Beacon Campaigns.

That’s right, we’re finally going to see not only a continuation, but in fact the long-awaited conclusion to this sweeping saga. But don’t worry: although I am talking about The End, there is still plenty more story to be told before we reach that point.

In fact, there’s even more story awaiting you than you might think. Astute readers may have noticed that The Beacon Campaigns section on my website has long since had a placeholder cover spot for books 5 and 6. Those books will conclude the main story arc we’ve had going since The Lady of Souls.

However, because my brain just won’t shut up about these characters, you will also be getting a little tie-off novella set after the events of the final book, as well as (probably possibly most likely) a (hopefully shortish) spinoff novel set about twenty years later, following some, but not all, of the main cast of the Beacons series.

If you’re sitting there thinking, Wow, Jenn, that’s a lot of books to deliver, are you sure you can do it? The answer is: I think so! The goal is to hunker down and get at least the final two books plus the novella finished and released in rapid succession, and then we’ll see how far through the (probably possibly most likely) spinoff novel I’ve gotten by the time that happens.

At this point, I don’t have an ETA for any of that. Definitely not in 2022. I should have something for you in 2023, though whether that’s the first release of this Beacons marathon or a second Hopefuls bonus story, we’ll have to wait and see.

But I’ve already started dipping back into that world, and oh my god do I love these characters. All the remaining books and bonus stories are currently underway simultaneously, and so far I’m optimistic about how the rest of the process will go. Wish me luck! 🤞