Book counting time! (So. Many. Books.)

Sometimes, I’ll reshare a newsletter post here because, well, because. But not always, so sign up for my newsletter if you don’t want to miss any of the insanity!

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Ten years ago, I quit my well-paying, full-time job because of various reasons componded by a thirties-third-life crisis (thirties-third-life crisis is the first midlife crisis, I'm pretty sure).

I wanted to pursue writing and creative arts, so dove in without a plan, no savings (and many debts, in fact!), and boudlness enthuasism for the written word.

Perhaps predictably, I fumbled. A lot. 

So. Much. Fumbling. (Forever.)

But I had fun and lots of adventures, too, and wrote many books under various pen names and as a ghostwriter.

Now it's Thursday morning, I'm half asleep sipping coffee, I'm a terrible counter to start with, so I figured now's the time to count with all of you how many books I've actually written. (Please note that you're still on the newsletter of someone who writes fantasy, science-fiction, and horror. This is just my foray into romance/erotica to pursue $$$.)

Let's start in 2014, which is when I left my job (I had a few books out by then under my name, but we'll add those up at the end).

My first pen name followed a trend of the time...monster "romance!" (Monster smut! 🦖🔥)  I wrote thirteen stories of roars and romance. 

The second pen name tried to follow the reverse harem trend (one girl to multiple guys. I feel emojis are helpful in this email:👨👨👩👨👨). This was my second attempt at writing to market and both didn't do amazing because I wasn't, you know, reading in those genres. HA!  (Writing to market means basically following a trend to target maximum readers, something I was trying to do for romance (my own books are whatever story and characters hook me!). I had lots to learn.) I wrote five books under that name.

Then I decided I needed to learn a lot more about romance writing and wanted to get paid to study it, so I became a ghostwriter. (Meaning I wrote books for other people and most times don't even know what name they were published under. But I know of one, and it hit the USA Bestsellers list!) 

This was my main gig for about three months, within which I wrote over a million words. I learned so much about writing romance, and erotica, and dictation because wow my fingers. I wrote 17 👻 novels during that time. That's...more than one a week. 

But I learned so much! So I turned right around and applied that newfound knowledge to another pen name, which is my most popular to-date: reverse harem again (it's easier to fill in words when you have so many characters and relationships to develop), but this time with heavy paranormal elements (so ✨👨👨👩👨👨⚔️).

I've written ten books under her name, but only her first five-book series made any money (but, like, good money), so marketing continues apace for that series, but no new books are forthcoming.

BUT! By then I was freelancing for Hallmark Channel, writing their Countdown to Christmas Facebook content for years. (All Christmas all the time!)  So I started a short fiction Christmas romance pen name (🎄❤️). She's got twelve stories out so far, and they still do relitavely well.

So, um, wait. Where does that leave me? Did I forget anything?

Shoot, yes, one more pen name: midlife post-apocalyptic monster romance because it was pandemic and why the hell not. (I don't even know...how about ❤️👩☢️🦖🔥? ...I'll keep workshopping that one.) She's got five shorter books, and does decently with absolutely no support.

I think that's it. I might have forgotten a few books and/or pen names. I need more coffee.

If we tally up how many stories have been written by my pen and published under other names, that's...62? 

Holy crap. 

Okay, add my books, of which I currently have 14 (not counting various editions, reprints, different formats, out-of-print and upcoming books). No, wait, Magic Breaker just came out, so that's 15. 

And there will be one more at least this year (to be announced), but we'll add that one later. Right now, all together, I'm at 77 published books.

Ooo! I like that number! I'm probably missing a few, but it's a good number so let's stop thinking about it.

Celebrate this ridiculous amount of books with me by picking up my latest book, Magic Breaker! If you haven't started Keepers of a Broken Land (middle-aged women kicking ass, epic fantasy style), the first book is currently on sale on my website. And you can preorder book 3! Grab all three and make this author's day! 

Thanks for being a part of these past few years, and here's to many more 📚! 

Happy stories,

Marie
xo