It's Okay to Grow

As a writer. As a person. As someone who is still not a tech pro.

The other day I considered taking down the Ashton series for sale. The Strings that Hold Us Together, Everything You Never Had, Words that Burn like Ash, The Way Were Meant to Be— all of them.

Gone.

It’s all too easy to hit un-publish after all. Then, that would be it. No one would read them again. Or, at least, no one would ever read those books again once they become out of print in paperback from other sellers (which I don’t really understand how it works).

It isn’t that I don’t want people to read the Ashton books or that I don’t love the covers. It is simply… I’ve grown from being that writer.

And that past romance writer that I was, haunts me.

The writing in the Ashton series isn’t my best. The stories feel a little less than what I’d write now if I had the chance to tell the story again better. In fact, sometimes I look at it and kind of cringe at the content as well as the writing.

When I told my mom what I was planning on doing by taking the books down, my mom said something along the lines of. “Oh.”

“Why? Do you think I shouldn’t?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I just mean… it was your start.”

For some reason, the few words stuck with me. They seeped into my mind and so, I guess this is still to say, the Ashton books are still available on ebook, print and on KU for the foreseeable future. At least until I get to anxious about anyone finding them IRL and reading them before telling me that they read them.

That is when the real horror in my head happens.

They may not be my “brand” anymore or the kind of writer I am or want to be, but they were my start. Plus, I still really love the covers.

---

In other news or random bit you may not have known…

Did you know I lost my website for a hot second already in 2024.

Yep. It’s 2024 and I’m still making plenty of mistakes as an author and publishing professional as a whole. It happens. A lot. After a panic, a cry, and a sigh that it is what it is. C’est la vie. We make these kind of silly mistakes to learn from them, I have to say that it’s ok.

But what happened?

Oh, well, I accidentally got over excited about the possibility of selling my paperback books from my website. I changed my domain to Shopify without actually realizing what went into letting people buy your books or any product online on a hosting platform like Shopify.

Let me tell you the big one that stopped that dream in its tracks.

Taxes. So many hoops to jump through, but mainly taxes and the fear of doing them wrong. Especially sales tax collecting. I am nothing but thorough with never doing anything to rock the boat when I don’t know what I am doing. Because I’m not an accountant and I already dread when I have to worry about taxes once a year.

So no more!

As of now until I work out how everything works, all my books are only being sold on my trusty bookseller websites. Love you Amazon and BN. Also there was no more domain on my correct website for 60 days until I could trade it back to where it was to begin with and money down the drain to make that happen.

Again. We live. We learn.

And my website is finally back up to where it should be on my trusty Squarespace.

Thank goodness. Everyone cheer. Take a moment to visit if you haven’t already in case I get over excited about something again.

Oh, and feel free to read a book.

Yes, even if it is the Ashton series.