One year...

March marks the one-year anniversary of my debut novel, To Charm A Bluestocking. The past twelve months have been a steep learning curve into a potential new career.
The positive moments are easy to discuss. In a social media world, we are all practised at framing our world so we show our best side, our favourite angle, and how well we have our life together. During the past twelve months, the first two books in my Bluestocking series have come out with Harlequin’s Escape Publishing. The third one, The Heart of a Bluestocking, will be out in September 2018. I have two other books on submission, and finished my sixth book just last week. All up, this means I’ve written six books in two years, which is an achievement to be proud of.
In other positive steps, I decided to be proactive about my writing career, and wrote a short story which I’ve self-published. I want to learn that side of the business, and give myself more options (particularly if the two books currently on submission get rejected). I couldn’t have taken this step without the continual encouragement from other writers, and my family.
On the downside, I’ve yet to make any money, and instead earn my crust at my other job. The wonderful community of writers at Romance Writers Australia has enabled me to see that this outcome is normal for this stage of my fiction writing career. My other job is also writing, and I write for two horse racing magazines, as well as do other consulting jobs for various horse racing people. The third Bluestocking book is based around an old horse racing scam (the Trodmore Hunt Scam), and I’m currently planning a horse racing based historical series.
It's been an amazing year, and I’ve met the most fabulous people who have supported and encouraged me on this path. A huge shout out to Kate Cuthbert at Escape Publishing, the 17 Scribes, the Word Count Warriors, and my gorgeous sister Caro who has read every bad draft of everything I’ve written. If you love sci-fi, you should try her novel, Green and Blue, about dragons and a magical heroine.
You can find the Bluestocking series at Escape Publishing, or sign up to my newsletter to get the links for my free Olympics inspired short story.
Links:
To Charm a Bluestocking: She wants to be one of the world’s first female doctors; romance is not in her plans.
http://www.escapepublishing.com.au/product/9781489239112
Amazon AUS: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/Charm-Bluestocking-Renee-Dahlia-ebook/B06VW7TBRP
In Pursuit of a Bluestocking: When he goes hunting a thief, he never expects to catch a bluestocking...
Escape: http://www.escapepublishing.com.au/product/9781489251619
Amazon Aus: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/Pursuit-Bluestocking-Renee-Dahlia-ebook/B07427ZMF6
Green and Blue, by Caro Geelen: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0777MTSR6
You can sign up to my newsletter at: www.reneedahlia.com
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