Hello and happy holidays!

I wanted to give a small “Year in Review”.

Short version: AAAH.

Normal version:

In January 2025, I released my debut novel, Morvelving, to the world. It has sold 300 copies. On Goodreads, there’s over 30 ratings, 10 on Storygraph, and on Amazon there’s 16 reviews that average four stars. Nine indie bookstores agreed to carry Morvelving on their shelves! These numbers are far more than I ever expected! And I have you, dear reader, to thank. Thank you!

I did my ARC (advanced reader copy) campaign after release. This isn’t the norm, and it was a mistake. Though I aggressively threw over three hundred free copies at people, I only received a handful of reviews. From what I hear from other indie authors, this is normal. I will do a proper pre-release ARC campaign for book 2.

The first draft for book 2 of the Mourning Sword Series, Daughter of Mourning, took all of 2025. I was not expecting this. The combination of events and day job promotion sucked precious time away from me. Also, I had alpha readers picking at it as I wrote, which may have made the process longer. The active criticism vastly improved my storytelling. I hope that book 2 will not only be stronger and more awesome than the first but will break you and knit you back together as it has for me. The second draft edits and revisions have begun.

As some of you know, I was a panelist at Mac Minicon and Orycon. Both were fun and fantastic experiences. It was a blast meeting new people and nerding out about stories we love.If I could just write stories and go to events without marketing, I would.

Speaking of marketing, this was the single hardest lesson I faced as a first-year author. An indie author is forty percent writer and sixty percent marketer (maybe 20/80). The balance is unforgiving. Results are minimal unless you strike the right chord, are lucky, follow trends to the letter, are lucky, are chronically online, and debase yourself. Okay, the last one is ridiculous and untrue. I couldn’t help myself.

I’m honestly not sure what I need to do. So, if you follow me on socials (especially Instagram) you may witness remarkable and desperate clips in 2026. The Fates are cruel and timeless, yet shudder at social media.

I commissioned character art from a local artist, and the art is almost finished! I can’t wait to share it with you!

My primary goal for the next several months is to complete book 2’s second draft. Once it’s complete, I will have beta reader sign-ups. Beta readers are test readers of a manuscript who offer feedback on story, plot, characters, and more. They are critical for authors to get a “feel” of whether the story will resonate with readers. If that sounds interesting, keep a sharp eye on my newsletter and socials for the sign-up link. Personally, I enjoy beta reading to encourage the author with constructive criticism and to see how a story evolves into its true form.

Quick goals rundown for 2026:

–          Complete book 2 for end-2026/ beginning-2027 release

–          Start book 3 and Standalone

–          Begin audiobook production

–          Reach more readers

–          More interviews (I have a mic now!)

Alright, I have my work cut out for me. Wish me luck!

As always, don’t be afraid to reach out to me on socials. Thank you for accompanying me on this journey.

Happy New Year!

Love,

C.J. Switzer