Axegate Walk

Couple of Monday thoughts, bulleted because reasons:

• I’ve ordered some print copies of CONFEDERACY OF DRAGONS and DESPERATELY SEEKING VAMPIRE for the Etsy shop, so if you want a signed copy, be patient. It takes a few weeks to get them into my hot little hands. I’ve also ordered a few other books that were either sold out or are low.
• I miss talking to you about books. Not me yammering at you, but an actual discussion about characters, plot decisions, speculation about what X means, etc. Due to the inability to hide spoiler talk on social media, we can’t really do it here. I have a Discord channel, but that isn’t easy to parse if you are looking for specific discussions (or wish to avoid spoilers on books you haven’t yet read). So I’m looking at a message forum again. Thoughts? Is that something you’d use? Hit the CONTACT link and let me know.
• I need to start writing the next book today. My brain is a bit fuzzy with an allergy headache, so I’m waffling over what that book will be. Why am I telling you this? When I ask you what you want to read next, it has an impact on what I write next.
• Hillary Huber is recording the audio for CONFEDERACY as I type. It will be out in early October. I just called her an aerator instead of narrator in a text message. Voice to text FTW!

*cough*

I’m waffling on what book to write next, partly because I’m watching sales on the books that have been released this year with an eye to seeing what readers want.

And since I can’t read minds (yet!), I figured I’d do a general survey of you, my beloved reader. Here are a few questions that I’m really curious about. Feel free to message or e-mail me here with your answers: katiemacalister.com.

Ready?

Thinking about books you’d like to read in the next twelve months:
1. Do you prefer books in existing series (i.e. dragons, vamps, Greeks, etc.)?
2. Would you prefer books in a new series? And if so, what type–paranormal? Contemporary romcom? Something else?
3. Would you prefer something in an older series that hasn’t been updated in a while (Emily, historical, Time Thief, Karma Marx, which, yes, is getting an update in September)?
4. A sideways book (AKA a book that isn’t in a series, but skews off kind of sideways because it includes characters from standalones like Men in Kilts, Corset Diaries, Blow Me Down, etc.)?
5. What sorts of tropes ring your chimes right now? Tropes are a plot/theme/device that is very recognizable. In romance, popular tropes are friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, fish out of water, fake relationship and its close cousin marriage of convenience, billionaires, fated lovers, etc.
6. How do you feel about quicker stories (novellas) versus longer books? Does size matter to you if the story is in a genre you like?
Do you like to revisit old friends from previous books? Would you like to see them in shorter works (novellas) even if there are no steamy scenes? Is there someone in particular you want me to include in a future novella?
7. In general, is there a book of mine that looked interesting, but which you didn’t read?
8. Do you know when my new books come out? Do you get notices from Amazon, Book Bub, etc.?

I greatly appreciate everyone who takes time to let me know what they’re thinking. Not only will it influence what I write, it lets me get to know you better.