WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH?
Welcome to the monthly newsletter with all of the latest updates about my books, projects, blog, featured artwork, news, and more!
About the photograph featured in the heading: I took this photograph in my backyard a few years ago.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Calypso hopes everyone had a wonderful holiday season and is ready for the new year!
BOOK UPDATES
Chronicles of Avilésor (Book IV: Lab Rat)
If I can stay on schedule, my line editor will be receiving the manuscript in a couple of weeks. Based on the word count, she’s estimating a six-week turnaround time.
While she’s working on edits, I’ll be finishing the cover, character list, pronunciation guide, and new map, plus formatting the interior files. Luckily, I’ve already made a lot of progress on several of these tasks.
The front cover will be unveiled publicly very soon! (Patreon subscribers have already seen an early sneak peek at the cover in progress and the first image of all four covers together, plus the early concept sketch of the new floor plan that will be included in Book IV.)
Lots to do in the final push toward publication! In the meantime, I recently shared a teaser of the upcoming book cover on social media to ring in the new year…
Inked: An Author’s Advice & Inspiration for Writers
No updates to report since my focus has been completely on Lab Rat.
Cobblestones
No updates to report at this time. So far, I’ve gathered 26 drawings, 20 photographs, and 13 poems.
PREORDERS COMING SOON
I’m planning on two preorder launches in the next few weeks.
The first is, of course, Book IV: Lab Rat. I will be launching a hardcover collector’s bundle, which will include a numbered limited edition from the first print run, the five collectible buttons I designed for the book, a sticker, and a tea light of the Ghost Realm candle to burn while reading.
(When Book III: Blood of the Enemy was released, I offered limited copies from the first print run. These first fifty hardcovers were numbered and had a sticker on the inside cover. I’ll be releasing LR in a similar manner… so the best way to guarantee that you get a numbered copy from the first print run is to preorder it on my website. The number of preorders I receive will help me determine how many copies will be in the first print run.)
I’m also planning to offer preorders for pocket journals that feature my artwork on the cover. This is a new product that recently had a highly successful trial.
I ordered three test journals (the minimum quantity I could order from my supplier) to verify the quality before committing to a bulk order. They arrived right before my final event of the year, so I put a price on them and included them on my table. I was pleasantly surprised to sell all three of them at that single event!
The A6 notebooks measure 4.13 × 5.83 inches. My next task is to format my art to fit the cover template so I can begin ordering inventory, but because I have so many art prints now, I’ll likely have to order in small batches.
Offering preorders will help me see which prints are in the highest demand so I can prioritize them while also giving interested customers the opportunity to guarantee they get their favorite print without having to wait for a long time before it’s in stock.
NEW! LIMITED FIRST EDITIONS
I have a limited supply of first editions of the Chronicles of Avilésor that are now available for purchase on my website. These copies do not have the Literary Titan award on the cover and are no longer in print. Needless to say, I can’t get any more inventory of these versions once they’re sold out.
(For A Fallen Hero, most of these hardcovers were published through B&N Press before I transferred the title to Ingram, which is my current distributor.)
A few notes about these books:
All copies are in excellent or very good condition, but some of them were returned from bookstores, so they might have minor scratches or dents due to being handled/displayed/transported.
Some copies have a Barnes & Noble "Autographed Copy" sticker on the cover.
These books are lacking some minor updates (like corrected typos) that were made when the award versions were published later.
Some copies have already been signed and dated but can still be personalized if desired.
BOTE is sold out! I had only a few copies left from Blood of the Enemy's first print run, and they've already been claimed by patrons after Patreon subscribers got an early announcement so they could have first pick during a patron-exclusive 20% off sale. (Early access to content and special promotions are just a couple of the many benefits of being a patron!)
CHANGES TO LOCAL RETAILERS
My books and products are no longer for sale at the Co-Op Shoppes on State Street or Bennett’s Up Towne Shoppes in La Porte, IN. I am no longer affiliated with these two businesses.
Locally, you can still buy autographed copies of my books (depending on availability) at HotSpot Café in La Porte and Sip Coffee House in Crown Point.
In the past, I’ve also partnered with Wolf Hollow in Rockford, IL and Indy Reads in Indianapolis, IN to have signed copies for sale at those locations, but I haven’t been in touch with those retailers in quite a while and don’t know if they still have any of my books in stock.
And, of course, the books can be purchased through most online retailers. The best way to order them is still directly through me, whether at an in-person event or through my website so I can sign, date, and personalize the book (and send a few extra little goodies).
NEW KEYCHAINS, NECKLACES, & BROOCHES
Last month, I added several new keychains to my lineup, plus a handful of art prints joined my necklace and brooch collections.
New keychains:
Dark World (graphic design)
Certified Bookworm (graphic design)
Magic Portals (graphic design)
Full Moon (artwork)
Broken (artwork)
Sunflower Swallowtail (artwork)
Winter Kit (emoji)
New necklaces & brooches:
Aurora Borealis
Broken
Full Moon
Selenophile
Titon
NEW SPECIALTY HOODIE
The Lab Rat design featuring Jay’s silver eye is officially available in my apparel shop along with the other Chronicles of Avilésor specialty hoodies!
ARTWORK OF THE MONTH
Project Alpha Floor Plan: Concept Sketch © 2025
Not exactly my typical art feature! In lieu of the usual timelapse video I share each month with Level 2 and 3 patrons, I sat down to sketch out and discuss the Project Alpha floor plan that will eventually become a new map for Book IV. The art feature of the month is a high-level concept sketch rather than a finished piece.
NEW! If you aren’t a Patreon subscriber, you can sign up for a free seven-day trial OR purchase access to this 25-minute video for $3 (the lowest amount Patreon will allow me to set for single purchases).
PATREON & SUBSTACK UPDATES
Subscribers get exclusive content emailed straight to their inbox every time I publish a new post! I offer two types of premium subscription content on two different platforms.
Patreon is a fan-based community featuring behind-the-scenes content centered around my books and art. I offer three membership tiers with varying perks: Human ($5), Kálos ($10), and Alpha ($15). Here are the latest posts since the last newsletter:
• Upcoming event announcements
• Patron-exclusive 20% holiday promotion on my website and apparel shop all month
• Author Q&A: How do the neutralizer bands work?
• Give the gift of Patreon (new feature)
• In-depth news and updates happening behind the scenes
• Early announcement and first pick of the limited-edition novels
• Poll to vote for Book IV character list formatting preference
• New year’s recap and goals
• First look at all four book covers together for the first time
• Video and discussion as I drew the concept sketch and explained the layout of Project Alpha’s floor plan
Substack features business-oriented content for creative solopreneurs and artistic professionals. I discuss tips I’ve learned from my experience as an author, artist, and entrepreneur after doing over 165 events ranging from book signings and artist pop-ups to festivals, markets, and conventions.
Subscriptions are only $5/month, and members have the opportunity to read, share, comment, and network with other creative professionals within the community. Just like Patreon, these exclusive posts are sent to your inbox when I publish them.
**These posts are partially visible for free subscribers, but to read the entire post, members need to upgrade to the premium subscription tier.
$5 a month isn’t much, but these small subscriptions add up and help me cover the publishing costs for upcoming books in the series along with many other business expenses such as vendor fees, liability insurance, website costs, and more. Thank you to my subscribers for your support!! 🖤
For more information about the membership tiers and how subscriptions/donations support my business, check out this FAQ page on my website.
RECENT BLOG POSTS
2025 List of Literary and Book-Themed Holidays
I updated my annual list of relevant holidays for readers, writers, bibliophiles, librarians, and anyone who appreciates the written word.
Author’s Year in Review | Reflecting on 2024
Looking back on each year has been a tradition since I founded my website back in 2016. Here’s a look at my accomplishments of 2024 and goals for the new year.
RECENT EVENTS
December 6-7: Indoor Santa Market in Crown Point, IN
December 8: Christmas at the Civic in La Porte, IN
December 13-14: Kris Kringle Market in Whiting, IN
UPCOMING EVENTS
My 2025 calendar is still falling into place with pending applications! Be sure to check my website for the most up-to-date list.
To receive event reminders, you can join my Discord server, follow me on Facebook or Buy Me a Coffee, or become a Patreon subscriber. Here's the current schedule of events:
19th ANNUAL GARDENING SHOW
Saturday, January 25, 2025
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Porter County Expo Center
Valparaiso, IN
Friday, January 31, 2025
4:00 pm - 11:30 pm
Saturday, February 01, 2025
10:30 am - 11:30 pm
Century Center
South Bend, IN
Saturday, March 15, 2025
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday, March 16, 2025
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Porter County Expo Center
Valparaiso, IN
FANDOM FEST
Saturday, April 05, 2025
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Grand Upton Hall @ The Mendel Center
Benton Harbor, MI
Friday, April 11, 2025
12:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday, April 12, 2025
10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sunday, April 13, 2025
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Kalamazoo Expo Center
Kalamazoo, MI
MICHIANA REN FEST
Saturday, August 23, 2025
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday, August 24, 2025
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
St. Joe County 4H Fairgrounds
South Bend, IN
Friday, August 29, 2025
12:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Saturday, August 30, 2025
9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Sunday, August 31, 2025
9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Monday, September 01, 2025
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Centennial Park
Plymouth, IN
WOLF HOLLOW WITCHES MARKET
Saturday, October 4, 2025
3:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Boone County Fairgrounds
Belvidere, IN
SHOP
If you can’t catch me at a local event, my website is the next best place to shop! Many of my products are available online, including notecards, keychains, buttons, postcards, bookmarks, stickers, mouse pads, novelty CoA merch, and autographed books. Some products, such as my canvas prints, puzzles, resin book holders, and build-your-own bookmarks, are still event-exclusive.
Browse my custom designs on apparel and accessories produced and shipped by Spring. Shop for Chronicles of Avilésor designs plus others inspired by reading and writing (and my popular banned books graphic).
In 2020, I partnered with Old Soul Artisan — a small USA business operated by an amazing woman solopreneur — to create a custom candle fragrance inspired by my book series. The “mystical forest” scent is a blend of apple, cedar, chrysanthemum, and green leaf that captures the essence of Avilésor. Online purchases help to support wolf conservation!