Summer Lovin', Having a TOUR and More
What's going on the next few months? Check in here!
Dear Soul Bards and Merna-loving Lovelies,
How in the heck has the first half of 2025 been treating you thus far? I think it has been a true roller coaster unto its own naming.
I have officially been graduated from high school for 20 years as of today… that’s a hard pill to swallow. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on how my life has changed since then, and I realized that this season of life has its elements of graduation involved in ways that are discomforting for the sake of being a better person.
For the business, there is so much good going on right now—and if you told me on the day of my high school graduation that Nephtyri isn’t living rent-free in my head forever, and that she’s going to be the star focal point of not three books. Not five books. Rather an ocean of stories?
I would have laughed. In. Your. Face.
Well, past me: SURPRISE! Scroll down for more information!
I am very happy to be living the life of a soul bard. What even is a soul bard? As I told my coaching cohort over at Soul Bard Academy recently, in ancient Ireland, bards were revered as the custodians of culture, history, and tradition. They were the storytellers, poets, and historians who wielded the power of words to entertain, educate, and inspire. Their ability to craft lyrical verses and mesmerizing tales made them highly respected figures in society. Today, writers continue this noble tradition, serving as the modern bards who capture the essence of our times.
While artists of other disciplines express their creativity through visuals, sounds, or movement, writers possess a unique understanding of the power of words. They recognize that a well-chosen word can evoke profound emotions, spark imagination, and foster a deep sense of connection between people. Whether through a poignant poem, a gripping novel, or an impactful speech, writers have the extraordinary ability to touch minds and hearts.
Nephtyri’s journey has taken me on those quests. That is why I call the spin-offs and connected stories are lovingly called The Side Quests. They deepen the lore to the greater mirror reflection that is The Merna Annals. Yes, this eventually will contain a sci-fi component—way, way, way more about the future with Regolith’s Relics when we get back to there in a year or so—yes, I have that many stories ahead to share with all of you from my nerdy, hopelessly romantic, dark and fuzzy soul.
Are you in or around the Maryland area? I have several events coming up this summer as part of The Side Quest Book Tour 2025. We’re going on tour as each of The Merna Annals Side Quests releases! This includes the upcoming BOOK LAUNCH STREAM over on my YouTube later this week for The Winged Ones!
The Winged Ones Book Launch Party
YouTube Livestream—Click here for the link!June 6, 2025
FREE eBOOKS being given away!
Merch from www.themernaannals.com also up for grabs!Sci-Fi Valley Con
Altoona, Pennsylvania—click here for the link!
June 13-15, 2025Summer Heat Stuff Your eReader
Virtual event with Indie Authors Central—click here for the link!
June 17-21, 2025Pearl and Gold Book Launch Party
YouTube Livestream—Click here for the link!July 7, 2025
FREE eBOOKS being given away!
Merch from www.themernaannals.com also up for grabs!Midsummer Expo
Lancaster, Pennsylvania—click here for the link!
July 12-13, 2025Something Strange Stuff Your eReader
Virtual event with Indie Authors Central—click here for the link!
July 15-19, 2025
The Write Women Book Fest
Bowie, Maryland—click here for the link!
July 19-20, 2025Oakenmist Renaissance Faire
West Friendship, Maryland—click here for the link!
August 16-17, 2025Harrisburg Conic and Pop Con
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania—click here for the link!
August 23-24, 2025FrightReads Book Fest
West Friendship, Maryland—click here for the link!
September 13-14, 2025Four State Comic Con
Hagerstown, Maryland
April 25-26, 2026--spot secured early!
Mama Magie Ward and I are doing another livestream of Mythology and More Research Lab over on YouTube this week on June 5, 2025. Care to join us for a chat about Wings and Things? I love doing this with Magie so much!
What are your favorite winged mythologies in the world? Come and join us for the chat, if you want to share.
After some rescheduling, we are meeting with Baka for Write a TTRPG with Us later this month! How is The Merna Annals TTRPG set in Ancient Egypt. Care to join us here, too? This one is getting me so excited to start writing the PREQUELS to Season 1—yes, we are going to have our very own Season Zero! We gotta get through the Side Quests, Season 2, and VITAELANGICA before we go that far.
Baka inspired Tuce in The Winged Ones for a reason. Hope to see you there!
The WriteNow Community is hosting a Fated Fantasy Competition, and they have asked me to participate as a reader for the semi-final round. Sounds like a blast. Check it out by clicking here.
Congrats to all of the semi-finalists, and I cannot wait to see who the winner is going to be. So much going on this week, for sure!
👀 Looking for some bookish deals?📚 Our Fantasy & Sci-fi book fair has over 100 free & discounted books, plus KU finds! There's also a HUGE giveaway at the bottom!
🚀 View the fair here: https://clcannon.net/bookfair ⚔️
Enter for your chance to win a Kindle Fire, a one-month gift subscription to Owlcrate, and a $10 Starbucks gift card! 📚
New book release alert!
Lair is set in a world where vampires live on yachts and prey on women…until a DV survivor decides to stand up and take down the vampire patriarchy to free her lover from his curse. Perfect for those hungry for Pirates of the Caribbean meets Van Helsing. The first book in the series is currently on sale for 99c and you get the entire series on Kindle Unlimited: mybook.to/Lair1.
Check out the book launch party to, my friend, Mama Magie’s newest addition to the Relic of Time Wars saga!