OK, no more procrastinating. Without fanfare (or defense), here is the back-cover blurb for my upcoming novel:

The grave could not contain her grief.

Annette has devoted her life—and afterlife—to reclaiming her departed family, no matter the cost. To stop her from destroying the dreamscape, former enemies must unite and declare war on the so-called Lady of Peace.

But how do you defeat someone who is already dead?

If Dreams Can Die depicts the final confrontation between a death-defying cult and the CIA-sanctioned dream drifters sworn to defend the collective unconscious.

Ideally, these 100 agonizing words (or less) will entice those who’ve already read the first two installments of The Soul Sleep Cycle to buy Book 3—as well as encourage new readers to give the series a shot—when If Dreams Can Die releases this spring.

Next month I hope to share another revelation: a sneak peek at the cover!

Meanwhile, I have plenty to keep me busy, including planning for my next novel and a handful of events.

Another ‘Year of Yes’?

2018 pushed me beyond my comfort zone, especially when it came to conferences, conventions, and book fairs. I learned a lot, and even if some events weren’t exactly worthwhile, others bore fruit—though not always how I expected.

For instance, I presented to the Fond du Lac Area Writers last year, after which the president of the club submitted an article to the local newspaper, highlighting the books of area authors. An author from farther north saw the piece and invited me to be on a panel at a book festival in Green Bay this spring.

And while participating in the 24-Hour Theater experiment was rewarding in itself, I’ve been asked to return to the Fond du Lac Area Writers to talk about my experience.

All in all, it looks like I might be doing just as many events in 2019, if not more. Here are a few of them:

  • How-To Fest — I’ll be conducting a workshop on how to self-publish a book (as well as the pros and cons of doing so) April 6 at the Fond du Lac Public Library in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. More info here.
  • UntitledTown — In addition to participating on a panel about writing speculative fiction, I’ll be leading a fantasy world-building workshop. The book festival will be held April 26 to 28 in Downtown Green Bay, Wisconsin. More info here.
  • Lakefly Writers Conference — Last year, I attended this conference and sold a few books in the vendor hall. This year, I’ll be giving a presentation about the essentials of world building in speculative fiction. The conference takes place May 10 and 11 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. More info here.
  • Fond du Lac Area Writers — This will be my third time serving as a guest speaker at this local writing club. With If Dreams Can Die fresh off the press and the aforementioned events under my belt, we surely won’t run out of things to talk about. The meeting is May 28 at Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac. More info here.
  • Fondue Fest — While nothing is set in stone yet, I’m confident I will be selling and signing books at this annual downtown Fond du Lac festival (Sept. 7). After all, it was my most lucrative event, sales-wise, last year. More info here.

Sprinkle in a flash fiction-writing workshop for teens, a nontraditional book release party, and maybe a farmer’s market or two, and it seems my “Year of Yes” has indeed earned a sequel!