It’s been quiet on the blog this week, because I’ve had a deluge of things that need doing – when they’re things other than writing, we might as well call them this ‘n that. Once upon a time, there were never very many of these things landing on my desk, but now that I’m also my publisher, they seem to be breeding like the bunnies who lurk under my hydrangea bush. There are always more!

What kind of things qualify as this ‘n that?

• This week, there have been covers. Covers are pretty exciting to me, more exciting than most this ‘n that. I have covers for a new medieval trilogy to show you and also more Dragons of Incendium covers. Newsletter subscribers get to see them first, so you might want to subscribe. 🙂

• Covers mean pre-orders. I’ve been setting up a number of them at various portals – look! There’s The Crusader’s Handfast at Amazon live this morning! – which means a lot of uploading and processing. That means adding new links to the website, too.

• Covers also mean formatting. I’ve been sending book files and cover files and metadata to my formatter, and she’s been sending book files back to me.

• Covers also mean setting up interior files for print books. I used to be a typesetter, so I enjoy this flavor of this ‘n that.

• Covers also mean new swag! Yay! I ordered some new postcards and bookmarks this week, and you’ll be able to see them first in my August newsletter. (I hope they arrive by then.)

• New covers also mean new banners for the site, the newsletter and the Facebook pages. I should update some of the other social media banners, too.

• Audio! The audio edition of Wyvern’s Mate is available for pre-order for September 13 delivery. I had to think about the short stories and what to do with them. We’re going to keep it simple and record them individually. Nero’s Dream will go into audio production at the same time as Wyvern’s Prince, probably later this month.

• I like to hang charms on bookmarks for special occasions and had no inventory. I caught up on the Flatiron Five bookmarks and the Champions of Saint Euphemia ones, before the new ones arrive.

• Then there have been edits, which technically are writing, but tend to feel like this ‘n that. I’ve finished my edits on Something Wicked This Way Comes, my contribution to the Spellbound anthology. I’ll give you some sneak peeks of that over the next few weeks. (You know what I’m going to say – newsletter subscribers will see more first. You might want to subscribe!)

• We’ve been updating digital book files with new end matter and front matter, as well as fixing some typos. The Jewels of Kinfairlie new editions went out with the new covers. The time travel romances have been updated in their print editions and the digital ones are half-done. (I’ll tell you when the new files are all uploaded.) And we’ve started on The Coxwell Series. The books need their table of contents moved to the front for Amazon now, and the end matter hasn’t been updated for two years. It’s also a good opportunity to change the covers, if I have plans to do that. I’m very happy with the new covers for The Jewels of Kinfairlie: The Prometheus Project will be getting new covers, too.

• I’ve been working on the newsletter, adding bits and pieces as I think of them. My VA Chelle is on vacation for part of this month, so I’m doing most of the newsletter. I’m always sure I’ll forget something! (This is going to be a long newsletter. Have you subscribed yet? LOL.)

• There’s a book sale coming up later this month, which means arranging for price changes to happen in time, and also booking some promotion to spread the news about the sale.

• And then there’s writing. I’m working on Wyvern’s Prince and having a wonderful time with Gemma and her unexpected ally. Next up, I have to finish The Crusader’s Vow. (Back to Scotland for the big finish of the Champions of St. Euphemia. Yay!)

Phew! It’s going to be a busy fall, but a fun one.

• I also made a spreadsheet for myself of all the upcoming releases and updates to current book files. There are a lot of things in the works that I can’t tell you about yet – but the plan takes me through 2019 at this same kind of hectic pace.

Stay tuned. Things are starting to get interesting. 🙂