I hope you had a wonderful, happy and safe Christmas/Hannukah/Yule/Holiday time-off and that you spent it doing all the things you love to do and are ready for however you celebrate the Dec/Jan New Year.
This is my last blog of the year. I can’t believe I’m writing these words – 2022 has been a freaky-still-in-the-pandemic-but-somehow-trying-to-be-out-of-it limbo time where, in the words of David Tennant’s Doctor Who, has been all ‘wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey’! And by that I mean, it has seemed endlessly long and yet somehow has gone so fast I’m not certain if things happened this year or last year or the year before. It’s a strange fact of pandemic-time – it has got all mixed up and muddled.
For me personally, it has been a big year. Family-wise, my husband started a new, busy job which he’s loving – yay! My eldest son graduated university and got his first full time job in the career he wants to be in – extra yay! And my youngest son did really well in his Year 12 subjects (he did 2 of them even though he’s in Year 11). So very proud Mum vibes for both of them. We saw 3 live theatre events (Harry Potter, Moulin Rouge and Hamilton), I read heaps of books and we went on our first proper holiday in over 3 years (2 weeks in lovely Noosa!)
On the could-have-done-without-it side of things, I have weathered a bad car accident (I badly fractured my sternum and a vertebrae in my spine), got Covid, am dealing with long-Covid-exhaustion, and had to make a surprise flight up to Bowen (in far-North-Queensland) to pack up my parents’ holiday apartment and fly my mum back home after she hurt her back and ended up in hospital.
On the making-strides-in-my-publishing-business side of things, I set up an office at my parents’ house so I could separate a little better my business from my personal/family times which was a big step for me and my publishing business. I did all this in preparation for jumping into self-publishing my paranormal romance novels as well as working with my agent to continue to submit my romantic suspense work to publishers. This is what I accomplished this year in publishing:
I also did my first signing – so much fun – and have ordered a bunch of swag for the ones I plan to do in 2023, attended the first face-to-face writing conference since 2019, ran my first 2 successful giveaways, and published the APP Anthologies and the Pack Bound series in print!
The self-publishing was a huge leap to take for me – I had always been published traditionally – but I’m so glad I did it and so humbled by the love so many readers have shown for my work and the following and support of all my newsletter subscribers. I truly appreciate you being here and following me and all that I do.
It does seem a bit insane to have done all that in 11 months, especially given the accident and Covid, but I did it and know now what I’m capable of – although, I’m not going to put so much out in a year in the future because I’m going to make room for the hiccoughs life throws at all of us and not put myself under so much pressure. It’s not just writing and editing I have to make time for, but getting the covers right with my cover designer and writing book descriptions and gaining reviews and doing all the marketing and advertising and social media that is also so necessary and takes up more time than I’d bargained for (although, I have got faster at doing it all over this year!)
Even so, 2023 is still going to be a busy year:
- I’m excited that I’ve got a new romantic suspense novel coming out in 2023 with my publisher – Need You Tonight
- I am also busily writing the 2nd novel in the Dawn of the Curse Series at the moment, Alpha Bound (Leanna and Dougal’s story is set to be an emotional doozy!), which is going to be released mid-late next year
- I’m about to start to write the 5th book in the Gods Cursed Series (in A Perfectly Paranormal Prophecy – due out late 2023).
- I also plan to release a Pack Bound Series Box Set
- And to release Soul Cursed and Blood Cursed as single titles.
- I’m also working on a new paranormal series that I hope to be able to tell you more about next year – this is one my writing groups and beta readers are saying is my best PNR series yet! So I can’t wait to tell you more soon.
- PLUS I’m attending my first signing event for 2023 in Melbourne in February – ARR2023. Details here: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2022/06/15/arr2022-authors-signing/
As a way to celebrate the year that was entering into the tabula rasa of the year to come, I’m keeping the first 2 novels of the Pack Bound Series on special until the end of January.
Pack Bound is FREE!
Moon Bound is only 99c (USD)!
If you haven’t started this series yet, now’s the time. Readers are loving it! But don’t take my word for it, here’s some of what they’ve got to say:
“Wow! I have found a new author to read! Leisl Leighton has created a world full of intrigue and captivating characters that draw you into the story and hold readers hostage until the very end. I was certainly spellbound throughout.” Eva Millien – Stormy Vixen’s Book Reviews
“I was hooked!” Cyn – Goodreads
“I found the premise very cool…I recommend to all shifter and witch fans because this is an intriguing story with tons going on and a new spin that you will love! I can’t wait for the next book!” Cassandra Loskot – Cassandra Lost In Books Blog/Book Reviews
“OMG I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely loved this book. Can’t wait for the next one in the series.” N Parker – BookSprout reviewer
“Holy shiznet!!! What a gr8 story. I was grabbed from the start and held within it’s grasp until the end. I’m looking forward to reading the next book. I recommend this read. 5 Thumbs up.” Sandy (Ladycolor7) – Amazon and Goodreads Reviewer
Join the Were and witches in their fight against the Darkness and bind yourself to a copy of Pack Bound and Moon Bound today.
This offer ends 31st January 2023.
It’s also the last day you can get the rest of my books for free or on sale in the Smashwords End of Year Sale. Click on the image below for the details:
It’s time for me to go now and bring the New Year in with some of my favourite people. Once again, thanks so much for supporting me this year – I really appreciate it.
I wish you the most magnificent of New Years with lots of happiness, joy and good books coming your way.
Take care and …
