The last month and change has been quite busy around here. First off, I’m excited to announce I tinkered around and made an Etsy shop! I made some mugs. And a bag. This is mostly just fun for me – and hopefully for you guys too!

These are based on some fan suggestions but let me know what else I should make. If you’d like to order anything for the holidays, I believe the latest you can order mugs to get them by Christmas is December 15. Not sure about this awesome little bag, but it’s probably either today December 13, or also the 15th!

They’ll be more stuff added over the coming months too, like the Enslaved Chronicles map on some stuff, the Deserter cover, and the gorgeous new art from Audacity 3!

A beige eco tote bag with images from R.K. Thorne book covers featured on a gray background with some cotton plants

In other news, I’m heads down trying to finish Audacity 3, but this book is giving me quite the challenge! At 136,000 words and counting, it’s 36,000 words longer than I expected it to be, and although I’m at the end, the end is far from short. (Also sometimes “the end” for me is a good 25K words or more.)

A meme image of a little boy coloring fiercely with the text Can't Stop Won't Stop in a meme like font
Actual picture of me writing

I was planning to have this book available to you already, and I’m pretty bummed that it’s not done yet. Honestly, it’s driving me crazy! Bummed is not strong enough a word. Disappointed? Devastated? Beating myself up about it?

It’s more important to me to get it right, but still. Wish it was ready to read.

Anyway. Here’s a silly little story snippet to tide you over!


“But if there is anything Merith was likely to have edited during my unscheduled downtime,” Xi said, “it was her own files.”

Ellen shook her head. “ ‘Unscheduled downtime’ is a really polite way to refer to her nearly deleting you. And probably attempting to kill us all.”

“I do aim for politeness.”

“Xi, I don’t think you have to be polite to people who shoot at you, or similarly try to kill you,” Levereaux put in.

“God knows I’m not.” Ellen tapped a finger against her chin.


And if you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you’d have seen the snip of the upcoming cover art! Gorgeous as always by Julie Dillon.

In other news, I was able to take a few days to learn from fellow authors and catch up with some awesome people at the 20Books conference in Las Vegas. I got to meet several author friends for the first time, learned a ton, accidentally ran into one of my best friends who I didn’t know was in Las Vegas, and generally got my social on. It’s not easy working by yourself all the time, so it was nice to rub elbows with people who understand. ^_^ If you’re a writer, you can find some of the talks recorded here on YouTube.

I am longing to return to swords and dragons. My hope is that I can continue work on Clanblades with the start of the new year. If Audacity 3 will withdraw its claws from me… We’ll see.

Stay warm, stay cool, keep readin’!

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