First Cup of Coffee – November 1, 2024

How I’ve been calming myself about the US election and voting with joy! Also, thoughts about the Uncanny Valley (unrelated), and what it really does and doesn’t mean to be a “bestselling author,” how the lists work, and the only metric that truly matters.



First Cup of Coffee – September 10, 2024

An exciting sneak peek of the interior design of NEVER THE ROSES! Also, a deep dive into author finances, how to manage income by maximizing tax-deductions, promoting your work, and when to DIY vs. paying an expert.



First Cup of Coffee – December 11, 2023

A theory I’ve been mulling on a major influence on series sell-through, but that might be even more difficult than most to quantify. Also, a bit on author taxes, a quasi-epiphany on my work plan for December and being good with scaling back.



First Cup of Coffee – December 4, 2023

Some pitfalls to watch for in contracts with traditional publishing and literary agencies. Also author finances and taxes, why owning your process doesn’t mean loving it, and why experienced authors find it hard to teach.



First Cup of Coffee – September 18, 2023

I’m talking about author finances today and the challenge of a variable income – particularly if you don’t have a salaried spouse – and how that works out for predicting taxes. Also why I don’t think advertising is the be all and end all for Indies.



First Cup of Coffee – January 20, 2023

Cover reveal for ROGUE FAMILIAR today! I’m also talking more about finances for creatives, monetizing creativity and why there’s a fundamental problem with it, and other aspects of being a professional creative that aren’t widely discussed.



First Cup of Coffee – January 19, 2023

Financial emergencies and other downsides of earning one’s living as a creative. How the demands of monetization affect creativity – and how being a fulltime writer isn’t the idyllic, dreamy, artsy life we envision.



First Cup of Coffee – January 3, 2023

A bit more on how I’ve increased my author income stream over the last 7 seven years so that I can make my living as a writer, my strategies, why a robust backlist is key, and how I’m refining my approach for 2023.