Bonus Content!!
Ready for some romance novellas!?
Let me start this newsletter by apologizing for failing to post this on time. Things this last week have been a tad chaotic and are only going to get worse moving forward as Kairi finishes out the kindergarten year, we have a new baby, summer hits, and it’ll be just absolute chaos adjusting to this new way of life. This last week, I have not had much in the way of editing work, so my focus has been on my writing, graphics for my upcoming books, and any other back office work as an author. It’s been quiet, aside from all the exercises I’m doing in the hopes of getting Amira into birthing position so we can have a simple birth. Let me tell you, these positions and exercises are exhausting. I slept most of Saturday away because it wore me out Friday and left me in quite a bit of pain. I’ve been attempting to get everything ready for the final Among the Cosmos book, Unifying the Nyanine, but I’m waiting on a cover, so I’m struggling to decide how much to finalize and share without a date to move forward with. I’m also working on editing the final Laws of Love story, When You Prevail, and I’m trying to get teasers started for it so I can share more, but again, no cover, no dates, everything is in limbo until my cover artist gets things done.
I’ve been working on making my own covers for the hunter novella series, and I’ve gotten some advice and feedback from some friends, and I think they’re coming along really well, so if all goes well, I’ll be able to write and hopefully rapid release these for you guys once they’re done. I still have to write the books, blurbs, and finalize all graphics, but I have time, right? I’m trying to take it one project at a time, but I’m sort of balancing between them, unsure where my focus should be because I feel as if I can’t move forward with anything at the moment. I hope you all can understand my internal struggle and will be patient while I sort all this out. I promise, I’m trying to so hard to be more open and share more of my work, I’m just struggling to balance it all and figure out how much is too much.
I also have a random question that’s been on my mind over the weekend. My husband and I were talking about all the changes to restaurants and buildings and other things since we were kids, noting how things have gone from creative and colorful to sleek and modern and elegant. Even McDonalds, a place that used to be advertised as fun for kids, has moved to this fancy look and taken away play places and such that used to make them worth visiting, and it got me wondering. Why don’t more people stick with the colorful and creative way of doing things? Why is everyone insistent on doing everything the same way? Even in the authoring world, everyone wants these elegant graphics and perfect scripts, and I get it, we want a pretty image, but, at the same time, where has the fun and creativity gone from it? Even in writing, there are formulas for writing a perfect romance novel and so on. But why should all romance books follow the same pattern? Isn’t that boring? So, my question to you is this: Do you like to follow authors who follow these patterns and techniques, who have predictable content and books, or do you like authors who follow their hearts and creative flow, maybe stepping outside the box a bit to bring you a story that’s a little different than the mainstream? If I’m honest, I feel outside the mainstream despite some of my books following the formula just a bit, but I didn’t even know that until after they were written. I just followed my instincts to write what I love. I’m just curious to know what you guys think and feel on this topic, and I promise not to judge or criticize, we all have our opinions, this is not to bring up an argument, I’m simply curious to see other points of views.♥ Feel free to email me back, comment on Substack, or even use the chat option if you’d like a more private way to connect with me and other readers on here. I love to hear back from you guys.♥
🖊️Sneak Peek Sunday🖊️
What am I currently working on and willing to share with you? Check it out!⬇️
This week's sneak peek is about my current plotting situation. Sadly, that means I do not have any direct quotes for you or graphic teasers, but I have some dilemmas and information.
As most of you probably know, if you've read my updates recently, I've been plotting the hunter novellas for the Among the Cosmos series. I've decided to name this mini novella series Untold Romances of Among the Cosmos.
So far, I have plotted out Kosiiba, Atsatsa, and Terax's books, but I'm a little stuck on Nakarra. We never got to see or hear from Nakarra a lot in the main series, so I'm struggling to find his voice, he's very quiet. And Leilani isn't helping much either, she's also quiet, reserved, and abused. But based on how things have been playing out in my head when I do manage to sit down and write some notes, it seems that this book will be much less struggle than Terax and Atsatsa's stories and more of a sweet romance. I'm not sure that's a bad thing, but I hope it's not.😅
Terax's book went a tad off script in plotting as well. I intended to make it a strong haters-to-lovers type story since the two have fought and he's rejected her in the main storyline, and it still fits that criteria, I believe. However, the development of their relationship took some turns that I felt were a bit off script, but it also felt right? So hopefully it turns out in a way that you'll all love.🙈
I still have to work on Cruzig and Garvon after Nakarra, so I have a lot of work ahead of me. Cruzig's story was always going to be sweet, he's such a teddy bear, but Garvon's is meant to be a haters-to-lovers as well, so we'll see if they play nice when I get there.🤣
Who are you most excited to read about when it comes to these stories? Do you have a favorite of our hunters and friends??
Bonus Content!
Because I totally dropped the ball and failed to schedule this earlier in the week when I should have, I’m writing it now to send on the spot. And as an added apology, I’m going to give you a little teaser from Kosiiba’s Wish, which will be book 1 in the Untold Romances of Among the Cosmos novella series. If you’ve read the AtC series, you know that Kosiiba is Kari’s oathbound warrior and the youngest in the hunter party close to Jeff. Kosiiba’s only about 16, but he’s got the biggest heart and all the joy of the squad, and he’s finally ready and able to go after his soul-bond, Akiivi, one of the young rescues that Charlie and Ethan brought home from the Reapers compound. I’ve gotten the first 5 chapters started, of course, editing is still required before release, so bear with me if it’s a bit rough. It’s fresh lol. But I hope you enjoy it and are eager to get started on these like I am! (Also, yes, I know this seems to contradict what you read above, I scheduled that at the beginning of the month and have since made progress, doesn’t make it any less true!)
So, here’s a tidbit from my favorite little part in the beginning where Kari puts Kosiiba in his place, because who doesn’t love a mother figure friend wo steps in unannounced to give advice. Lol!
Kosiiba’s Wish : Untold Romances of Among the Cosmos book 1
©Melissa Smith Unedited content
“Tell me everything,” he encourages gently.
So I do. I tell him about the night I revealed myself to her, told her I would come back, that I would love and protect her. But then Kari needed me, Jeff was shot, the demon needed taking down, I got injured and needed time to heal. So I’ve spent all this time away from her, unable to spend time together, to court her properly. I want to do right by her, to court her and mate her properly, be a good mate, but I have to fix this issue first.
“Well, it sounds to me that she’s definitely suffering with depression as her hope and doubt of you warred within, but it also seems she may be struggling with-”
“Neglect. Rejection. And the hurt that comes with it.” Turning to the voice, I find Kari standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. My mouth moves to ask, but she raises her hand. “I felt your distress and listened in like I probably shouldn’t have, but you clearly need me for this.” She shakes her head, her ponytail shifting behind her head. The bright blue dress she wears makes her look tan and elegant, even when she’s scolding me and looks like she’s ready to kick me. She steps closer, and I lean back, afraid she might actually strike me because of that incredulous look on her face.
“You should NEVER have exposed your bond to her if you couldn’t be here to nurture it, dumbass. This girl is very, very delicate, dealing with a shit ton of trauma from her past, and has likely never had a friendly person in her corner. You swooped into her life, offered hope and love, things she’s probably never allowed herself to hope for, and then disappeared, leaving her to wonder if you were a figment of her imagination or not. That is not okay.
“Now, you get to work extra hard and grovel like you’ve never done before to make this right. You need to be here for her one hundred percent, shower her with love and devotion, make her grab a hold of that hope once more.” She pauses, sighing, before she says, “Why you thought this was a good way to go about this, I don’t know. I thought you were secretly seeing her despite all that was going on.”
She sighs again, and the chief chuckles, seemingly enjoying my humiliation. “Look, I’m sorry, I just wanted to meet her! I wanted her to know that she wasn’t alone, I didn’t realize this was going to happen.” Kari smacks a hand to her forehead, and Chief chuckles once more as I sigh, shaking my head. “Okay, so what do I do? Should I bond her to stop the rejection sickness?”
Kari’s hand drops as she gapes at me. “Hell no. Oh, my god, Kosiiba. Bonding her will save her life from the rejection sickness, but you cannot go in and force that on her after all she’s been through. Don’t you think she’s had enough forced upon her as a slave to others? She needs love, attention, reassurance, a friend, and you need to be that. Spend time with her, a lot of time, and build a relationship. Bonding her should be a last resort if spending time and bonding emotionally isn’t enough and only if she agrees to be bonded.”
“Okay, I hear you, I do. I’m going to make this right!”
Kari points at me, one brow raised, her jaw tight in anger. “You better make it right, and, I swear, Kosiiba, so help me. If I find out you were stupid and messed this up again, did something stupid or forced something, I will kick your little ass.”
I nod enthusiastically, knowing that she means it. When she relents and sighs, shaking her head as Chief laughs, I chuckle, making her head snap back up to me. “You’re going to make a great mom, you know that?”
“Kosiiba-”
“I mean it! And I’ll fix this properly, I promise. No ass kicking will be needed. Just give me a chance to fix this. I’m young and dumb, but I’m learning.”
She chuckles and then sighs. “Well, at least you know it.”
We all chuckle, and I begin to think on a plan for what I can do to help Akiivi through this. I need to spend a lot of time with her, shower her with affection and effort, not necessarily gifts but time spent. We need to bond emotionally, not just physically, and I’ll make sure that happens. All I want is to do right by her, whatever it takes.
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