First Draft of Hexborn is Now Complete

After a creatively productive February, I'm pleased to announce that the first draft of Hexborn (the second Thorne Witch Novel) is finished! It's early days, with lots of work ahead, but a completed first draft is something to celebrate for sure.

Though it will take all my willpower not to tinker with it, it has to sit and steep. I need distance from it so when I do revisit it, I can see it more clearly.

New Awards for The Never Witch and Blood Mark

The Never Witch is now a Finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards. The winners will be announced at the beginning of April, so keep your fingers crossed. Three of my other books have reached the Finalist stage, but none have gone on to win. At least I'm consistant. Maybe the fourth time’s a charm??

I’m also thrilled to announce that my narration for Blood Mark (book one of the Dark Dreams Novels) is likewise a Wishing Shelf Finalist! Submitting for the audiobook was a leap of faith, as I truly didn’t know if my performance reached the calibre expected by listeners. I'm pleased to say it has surpassed my expectations.

Next In-person Events

My first market of 2026 will be at the Union Bay Community Hall. Normally, I’d also attend the Union Bay Fall and Christmas events, but I’m double-booked on both occasions. Darn! If you’re a Union Bay reader looking for an inscribed book, check my events schedule here, or catch me in Union Bay:

Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location: Union Bay Community Club
Address: 5401 South Island Highway, Union Bay, BC

I’m excited to say I’ve been invited back to Coles and Chapters for encore book signing events. I’d be delighted to inscribe a book for you at either location:

COLES in Courtenay
Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location: Driftwood Mall, Courtenay
Address: 2751 Cliffe Avenue

CHAPTERS in Nanaimo
Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026, Noon - 3:00 pm
Location: Woodgrove Centre, Nanaimo
Address: 6670 Mary Ellen Drive

What I’m Reading/Listening to

Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices, Book Three) by Cassandra Clare. This is the third tome/brick in the series. Though I've thoroughly enjoyed Clare's imagination and the characters, I’m ready for something new.

Chatterley (A Corrupted Classics Novel) by Cara Clare. I listen to a weekly podcast about indie publishing, and she was one of the hosts for a time, so I was curious about her work. This book isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve ever imagined Lady Chatterley’s Lover, but with vampires, chains, and risque lust, you might enjoy it.

The Black Wolf by Louise Penny, the latest in her mystery series set in fictional Three Pines and centred around Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec. Her characters have found a home in my heart. Books in this series will always be on the top of my TBR list.

In Other News

The switch of host for my website went smoothly thanks to Shawn Wernig of Eggplant Studios. Can’t say enough good things about how on top of everything he was during the transition. The few glitches I had were minor and ironed out quickly. Whew!

On the Home Front

My parents were married on a Friday the 13^th in April, way back in 1956. This April is their 70^th wedding anniversary, and my husband and I will be travelling to Ontario to help them celebrate.

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Until next time…

XO

Jo-Anne