Writing Tea
You know, sometimes I be lying to myself.
In May (there was no June newsletter), I said I would be sticking to a strict writing schedule, getting book 3 done, etc. Just a bunch of malarkey!
What I didn’t anticipate was a total shutdown of my mind and body. I had writer's block so bad that I was in tears. I started and stopped so many times that I felt like a failure. After talking to some friends (shout out Terri and Karmen) and my husband, I think i got back on track with Book 3 in the Secrets Series. It is still an age gap romance. It is still a sexual awakening story. But.. it’s not what you all think it’ll be at all. I kept trying to focus on one character when another was right there, with a story bubbling to the surface.
I pray you all like it. No set date when it comes out. Maybe next 2025… after Losing Sight. Speaking of which…
I turned in my final copyedits and front/back matter for Losing Sight, coming out February 2025 (not sure the exact date). I’ve seen the cover mockup and it looks great. I still don’t know about audio or who will narrate. Hopefully at our 6 month meeting I will find things out. Still, Generous Press has been so transparent about things which I appreciate.
So, to update:
My goals are STILL as follows:
Finish Book 3 in the Secrets Series. It is an age-gap/sexual awakening story. This is going to be a deeply difficult story. There will be light moments but it is mostly some tough stuff.
Finish Book 2 in what I am now calling my “Sense and Irresistibility” series. The first book isn’t out yet, but I already got an outline going. It’ll feature the cousin/friend from book 1. (I sure do like cousins huh? LOL)
Finish my elusive “Lumberjack” standalone. I do have a name. PINE-ing for You . It is a gender-flip, Black retelling of Taming of the Shrew.
As for things on the T. M. Richardson side.. The BIG NEWS IS
The Offer, book 2, is coming July 30. You can pre-order the e-book and paperback will be able to be ordered July 26th (for July 30 delivery). It’ll also be on KU as well. I am absolutely in love with the cover. Folks loved it and the buzz is going strong on book 2. I am so excited to see the ARC reviews coming in as well as the anticipation for book 2. I pray you all love Alisa, Kadeem and Christophe. Also, Lacy Laurel returns to narrate book 2. You can get the EBook on Amazon and via KU. And the paperback on Amazon and via Ingram/Bookshop.org. Check out my linkTree for more info.
Podcast/Social Media Tea
Podcast is on a break until September. Yaki and I spend the summer with our family and recovering from our schedules. Our author sign up schedule will be out in end of July/early August. NOTE: We prioritize FIRST TIME guests and BIPOC and Queer authors. We still are accepting advertisements for next year as well.
In the meantime, stay tuned for the rest of the season’s podcast. Every other Friday!
I will also be on a panel at The Ink Escape on July 20. It’s a contemporary romance panel and I’ll be on with some awesome folks.
For more on The Ink Escape, visit their website here.
Random Thoughts
This summer, my husband and I are alone for 5 weeks as my baby has the adventure of a lifetime on my husband’s home island. She is enjoying the sunshine, beaches, chasing lizards, and plenty of sticky mangos with her cousins and my in-laws. I love that she is having that adventure. We don’t send kids on enough adventures anymore.
Speaking of adventures… This has been a wonderful time to reconnect as a couple. I took a week off from work and we did so much. Golfing, wineries, etc. We are restaurant buffs so we made a bucket list of places and things we wanted to do. Some were hits. Some misses. LOL. We even went to the Megan thee Stallion concert. You’d think my 6’5” bear of a husband would be like “what is this?” But we had an amazing time. We felt like we were in our twenties.
We do miss our baby but because of our schedules, we rarely have time to just recharge and be adults. This has been a godsend. I feel like after this summer, we will come out stronger, healthier and mentally focused parents for our baby.
Funny…it wasn’t until I took that full break from EVERYTHING that my mind was able to recharge and start writing again.
I guess breaks are good for you, huh?
Tati is Reading
I have not read much as I have been kind of on a mental cleanse. I do not read when I write. I do not want to be inadvertently influenced by anything. BUT… I paused EVERYTHING to read Intrigued by Danger by Endiya Carter, book 3 in the Danger Family series.
My god! Endiya is the gold standard. I am telling you. I fell more in love with Declan and I def wasn’t expecting that. And Elle was that girl! But she is a master with the pen and erotica. I pray I can be that good some day.
Until next time,
