Long Hot Days Up My Way

So of course I've started reading spooky stuff in anticipation of spooky season LOL. And both of the stories I have to talk about take place in the autumn!

RELEASES

First up this month, the new Cary Redmond novel, THE TROUBLE WITH FAMILIES AND GOBLINS, is out live in the world in paperback, large print paperback, and eBook editions!

TROUBLE WITH FAMILIES AND GOBLINS
A Cary Redmond Novel, Book 9

AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE

Trouble meets the family…

Back from Scotland and ready to settle into this new version of her job as a magical Protector, Cary Redmond faces only one big problem. Thanksgiving. More specifically, Thanksgiving with her family of mundane humans and her mate Deacon Jones’s family of leopard shifters.

Cary’s parents have no idea that shapeshifters exist in the world. Deacon’s mother happens to be the queen of the local leopard shifters. Not just the parents plan to gather for dinner, but every single member of each family intends to be there. And every single one of these people in one small house for one big meal means… Trouble.

Fine. Good. Manageable. No problem.

Except for the goblins.

And the mysterious dog.

And, of course, her former faery mentor Jaxer.And her sister’s pregnancy.

But everything is fine. Cary controls her Protector magic now. Thanksgiving involves lots of food and drink. All good. No problem. What could go wrong?

Oh boy…

In this return Kat Simons’ acclaimed Cary Redmond urban fantasy romance series, Trouble picks a family holiday to add a little light chaos to Cary’s already chaotic life. End of the world? Or just a talking-to from her mother? Could go either way. Don’t miss this latest magical Cary Redmond adventure!

~~

For Cary Redmond lovers, a heads up that Cary and Deacon will have a novella in this year's HAUNTS AND HOWLS collection, due out in October. More about that as we get closer, but the Cary and Deacon novella was super satisfying to write because it did exactly what I wanted it to do and that does not always happen. I can't wait to share it with readers.

~~~

Also, coming up on August 1st, I have a story that is part of a really cool project called the UNCOLLECTED ANTHOLOGY. UA is an urban fantasy collection, each edition written to a theme, and each edition having a special guest author. Each story is published independently by the various authors (thus the "Uncollected" part of the anthology) and now all the stories are also collected into a single edition available everywhere! So if you want to read just one or two stories, you can. You can buy them all individually. OR, you can pick up the collection.

For more about the anthology and previous issues, visit their website!

I was invited to be a guest author in issue #40, UNCOLLECTED ANTHOLOGY: EQUINOX! I have been reading UA stories for many years now, so being invited to participate has been really thrilling.

My contribution is called GOLDEN FLOWER REEDS, and is out everywhere for preorder now! All the anthology stories, including the collection, will release on August 1st, so be sure to watch for them.

GOLDEN FLOWER REEDS
Uncollected Anthology: Equinox

Issue Forty

AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE

The equinox marks a balance of light and dark…and the return of the elves.

Abrahm Reed hates the equinoxes with the power of a thousand suns. Not just because each equinox marks the period when day and night balance and the gateway between elfland and the human realm opens. Not just because the beautifully deadly elves should never be allowed around humans. But because every equinox, his father demands his presence.

As a half elf, half human, Abrahm moves between both worlds without restriction. Yet the alien elf realm has always rubbed him wrong. He feels more human and more comfortable in the mundane world. One of the many reasons his elf father hates him.

But something feels different this equinox. Off. Wrong. More wrong than usual.

Stepping through the portal into elfland cuts Abrahm off from everything safe, everything he knows back in Boston. Trapping him in a land of magic and death. Where even the most beautiful flowers prove treacherous. And survival is never guaranteed.

Enter Kat Simons’ richly disorienting and mysterious urban fantasy where the portal between realms marks a line between the safe, mundane human world and the deadly beauty of elfland. Where not even the son of an elf lord is safe.

~~

And as a little bonus, Abrahm also visits the Café on August 1st as well! So you can get a little taste of who Abrahm Reed is at the Café and then read his longer story.

~~~

NEWS AND UPDATES

Speaking of the Café, for those of you waiting for the VOLUME THREE collection, that release got a little delayed due to some scheduling conflicts. It's only delayed about three weeks, though and will be out later in August. So please be sure to check back then for updates!

If you're behind on the Cafe stories, all the stories from 2025 are in two collections that are out now, so you can pick those up in the meant time. And VOLUME ONE is currently on sale at KatSimonsBooks!

And finally, a heads up that DRAGON THIEF, book 1 in the Dragon Thief series, will be on sale for a limited time everywhere starting on July 28th, with the sale running through August 18th! If you're an Amazon shopper, you might have to give them a couple of days to price match--or nag them to price match. That usually works too :)

That's all for this month. Until August, I hope you're having a peaceful summer/winter with a lot of good books stacked up on your readers or bedside table just waiting to be read!

Happy Reading!

Happy Summer/Winter Solstice!

Summer or winter (and a little late), but welcome to the new season! It's warm and rainy here in NYC, so allergies are bad but the trees are full and pretty.

Last month was wild, and I'm behind because of graduation and little league season, so this will be short and sweet--for me.

Out today! A standalone story from the last Haunts and Howls collection. Print readers, you'll want to pick up the full collection of HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND DRAGON TALES. But if you just wanted to try one or two stories from the collection and this is one of them, it's available everywhere in eBook now!

THE DRAGON DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Available Everywhere

A stormy afternoon and a rock dragon in a cave…

Growing up, everyone called that pile of rocks in the cave a dragon. Kid imaginations, of course. For as long as I could remember, we visited the “dragon,” played on the rocks, took refuge from the weather, hid from our parents. But once I grew up, the cave became a memory. A place I hadn’t seen in years.

Until a freak rainstorm forces me to take cover in that very cave deep in the woods. Waiting out a storm in the chilly cavern with the rock dragon brings back lots of memories. But… I don’t remember the dragon’s rocks feeling warm. I don’t remember that hole in the side of the dragon.

I don’t remember that smell.

Revisiting that place of childish imagination might have been a bad idea.

Author’s Note: This story is also published in the collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND DRAGON TALES, under the title The Dragon Redistribution System.

***

Next up, if you didn't get the next Cary Redmond book during the Kickstarter but would still like to enjoy Cary and Deacon's family holiday, the preorder for THE TROUBLE WITH FAMILIES AND GOBLINS is up now! 

This book will be out in eBook, Trade paperback, and Large Print paperback editions. The paperbacks are still working their way through the system so may or may not be available for preorder yet, but should be up soon.

THE TROUBLE WITH FAMILIES AND GOBLINS
Cary Redmond Book 9

Available Everywhere--PREORDER NOW
Out July 7th

Trouble meets the family…

Back from Scotland and ready to settle into this new version of her job as a magical Protector, Cary Redmond faces only one big problem. Thanksgiving. More specifically, Thanksgiving with her family of mundane humans and her mate Deacon Jones’s family of leopard shifters.

Cary’s parents have no idea that shapeshifters exist in the world. Deacon’s mother happens to be the queen of the local leopard shifters. Not just the parents plan to gather for dinner, but every single member of each family intends to be there. And every single one of these people in one small house for one big meal means… Trouble.

Fine. Good. Manageable. No problem.

Except for the goblins.

And the mysterious dog.

And, of course, her former faery mentor Jaxer.

And her sister’s pregnancy.

But everything is fine. Cary controls her Protector magic now. Thanksgiving involves lots of food and drink. All good. No problem. What could go wrong?

Oh boy…

In this return Kat Simons’ acclaimed Cary Redmond urban fantasy romance series, Trouble picks a family holiday to add a little light chaos to Cary’s already chaotic life. End of the world? Or just a talking-to from her mother? Could go either way. Don’t miss this latest magical Cary Redmond adventure!

***

Later in July, I will also have the next volume of STORIES FROM THE CAFE available, so look out for that news next month.

And in the meantime, The Witches re currently visiting the Cafe, if you'd like to enjoy their story for a few more days. July 1st sees Greta visiting the Cafe trying to be as inconspicuous as a vampire can be... *grin*

And there you go! A quick post from me for the end of June as we roll into summer (or winter), and at least in these parts, graduation seasons! Good stuff :)

Until next month, I hope you find some good reading to keep you company in the coming month.

Happy Reading!

May Days!

And things are getting hot in my neck of the woods. Actually going outside without a hoodie in tow just in case. At least for the next few days LOL.

So far the Kickstarter is going swimmingly! Thanks everyone. Actually going a little better than I expected since I was sick when I launched it and so couldn't really do all the drum calls and woot announcements. BUT we funded, we reached our first stretch goal, and we're almost to stretch goal two as I write this. So that's fantastic. I'm excited to get Cary's newest book out to readers.

As a writerly aside, I made myself laugh while editing. Twice. And while that could just be me and my sense of humor, it was fun to make myself laugh. I love these people and I love playing in their world.

If you haven't checked out the Kickstarter yet, please do!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/katsimons/the-trouble-with-families-and-goblins-urban-fantasy-romance

***

In addition to the Kickstarter this month, I also have the first standalone eBook short story from last year's Haunts and Howls collection. 

FOR WANT OF A CONCERT TICKET is a fun urban fantasy set to the backdrop of a Vegas conference room where witches and insurance adjusters are meeting just doors away from each other. And stuff happens.

It's up for preorder now and will publish on May 27th, so if you'd like this one as a standalone, preorder now so you don't miss the launch!

FOR WANT OF A CONCERT TICKET

Available Everywhere -- Preorder Now!

Out May 27th

A Concert in Vegas, a Witch Conference in Vegas, a Disaster in Vegas…

All Mary wants from her trip to Las Vegas? One concert ticket. The witches conference gives her a perfect excuse to travel. Visiting with the other like-minded witches never disappoints. But the lure of a concert ticket got her to Vegas.

Unfortunately, the magical vortex opening onto a shadow realm in the middle of a conference meeting room upends all her carefully laid plans.

Especially with mundane humans in danger.

As distractions go, Mary gives this one high marks. Closing the breach takes concentration, power, and a little luck. But the vortex isn’t the worst thing to happen. What comes out of the vortex…

That could destroy everything.

Author’s Note: This story is also published in the collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND DRAGON TALES.

 ***

For my paperback readers, the best way to get this story is still to just pick up HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND DRAGON TALES in trade paperback or large print editions! You'll get all the stories that way! 

***

Don't forget to check out The Cafe for the cute romance story up for the second half of May! Kara and Eddie at the Cafe is out to read for free until June 1st.

There are also some sales going on at the store to check out! It's my birthday month, so I've got a number of things up for sale that might be of interest!

I'll have one more Kickstarter reminder here next week. The Kickstarter ends on the 28th of May, so if you want an early copy of THE TROUBLE WITH FAMILIES AND GOBLINS, be sure to check that out and back before it ends.

Never fear if you miss it, however. Next month, I'll have details for the preorders for THE TROUBLE WITH FAMILIES AND GOBLINS, which will be available everywhere wide at the end of June/beginning of July. The release date is currently a little wobbly (which is why there's no preorder yet! Sorry about that.) But be sure to check back for the details next month.

And until then, I hope this month is treating you well!

Happy Reading!

April Brought Heat...

And not just because I have a dragon shifter book out this month! New York City has decided mid-April is a good time for late spring heat. Close to summer? I do not want to turn the air-conditioners on yet, but it is nice to go outside without a coat.

But the weather isn't the only heat. Dragon Thief 12, THE CHAIN JOB, the last book in Season Two of the series, is out everywhere in eBook now!

THE CHAIN JOB

Dragon Thief, Book 12

AVAILABLE NOW

How to outsmart a thief who knows all the same tricks…

From beloved author Kat Simons comes the highly anticipated final episode of Season Two in the Dragon Thief series, where magical thief Myra and her dragon shifter prince Christopher find themselves up against the clock in a race to stop a war.

When an old nemesis pokes his head out of his pub to sell treasure removed from the dragon king’s hoard, Myra and Christopher once again find themselves embroiled in a scheme to steal back stolen goods. That the thief used Myra to find a way into the hoard leaves a bad taste in Myra’s mouth. Making her only too happy to destroy her old acquaintance’s plans.

Especially since the stolen treasure holds dangerous magic, so terrible, it could trigger a dragon war. War among dragon shifters endangers everyone in New York and beyond.

But to stop a conflict and retrieve the treasure, Myra, Christopher, and the team have to out thief a thief with the same magic as Myra. All before time runs out.

Dive into the exciting series finale to Season Two of the Dragon Thief series, where Kat Simons blends unique world building, mystery, romance, and magic into a story impossible to put down, with characters readers won’t want to miss.

~~

For my print readers. the individual print editions of each book in Season Two will be out later in the year, around August or September. The full omnibus edition of the Season Two, in hardback, paperback, and eBook editions, will be out in November 2026. So look out for those then.

Season Three will start back up again in 2027 (a year that feels very weird to me, like, how did we get to 2027 already? The 80s were only 20 years ago LOL). More on that as the date approaches. but in the meantime, I hope readers enjoy THE CHAIN JOB!

~~~

As a reminder, I'll have the Kickstarter for the next Cary Redmond novel launching in early May! If you don't want to miss out on that, be sure to follow the prelaunch page! That will help the launch too. Appreciate the support!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/katsimons/the-trouble-with-families-and-goblins-urban-fantasy-romance

I really think Cary Redmond readers are going to enjoy this book. We're visiting Cary's excessively mundane family, with the entire Jones family of shapeshifters coming along for the ride. While Cary's mom and sister are having issues. Jaxer shows up for the craic because of course he does. And there are goblins. *grin* Lots and lots of Trouble!

And Kickstarter backers will get the eBook early!

~~~

Looking ahead to May, it's all about the Kickstarter, but there will be an individual story from the last Haunts and Howls collection, HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND DRAGONS TALES, releasing in eBook, so I'll talk about that a little next month while I'm posting regular reminders about the Kickstarter.

And be sure to swing by The Café for a fun new story! Raven at the Cafe is available to read until the end of the month. So don't miss out!

That is the big news for April. Be sure to check back in May when I'll be all about Cary Redmond!

And until then, I hope the world is treating you kindly.

Happy reading!

Happy Late Equinox!

While it was officially a few days ago, it is now officially the change of the seasons, and we are just starting to feel hints of spring here in my neck of the woods.

This month, a new Percy James Mystery is out! And a little update on the Kickstarter and next Dragon Thief story.

First up, Percy and the Azur Regent return with a new mystery to solve. Those of you who enjoy this series and pick up this book, be sure to read the Thank You afterward. I talk about a passing comment in the story that was based on something that really happened. I'll say no more to avoid spoilers.

MATCHES MIGHT MENACE

A Percy James Mystery

AVAILABLE NOW!

Welcome to the Azur Regent

Summer heats up at the Azur Regents. The perfect blend of activity for front desk clerk, Percy James. She loves this time of year. The busy schedule. The myriad interesting guests. The buzz and life. Not so much the heat and humidity of the heat wave sweeping through the New York City streets. But the Azur Regent keeps the air conditioning on high, and the tourists comfortable.

Most of the tourists anyway.

In the hospitality game, difficult guests and troubled travelers pop up daily. Part of the life. Until those troubles bring danger. Then Percy and the staff must confront the heat. Because if things don’t cool down, someone could die.

~~

MATCHES MIGHT MENACE is out everywhere in eBook, and also a print edition is currently available my store and Amazon. I haven't gotten around to releasing them wide yet. HOWEVER, the whole series is in the schedule to make sure they're all available in print from other booksellers. I'll update when they go wide.

***

Quick update on the Kickstarter. Thanks to the usual business of life, I'm moving the launch of the Kickstarter to May. I want to make sure it's fun and fully put together and I'm behind on it because of getting stuck in Ireland after the Olympics in Italy (long story). So the Kickstarter will launch in May now.

For email reminders when it goes live, please follow the prelaunch page and Kickstarter will let you know as soon as it launches. I'll also post about it here.

***

Because I'm moving the Kickstarter around, I will likely be moving the publishing date of the next Dragon Thief story up to the end of April. Originally, it was on the schedule for May 10th, but since I haven't gotten the preorder up yet, it can come out in April without issue. *grin* An early spring surprise.

So! Look out for THE CHAIN JOB, Book 12 in the Dragon Thief series next month! More on that in the next update.

***

Finally, a little reminder to visit the Café at KatSimonsBooks for the latest short story: ANGIE AT THE CAFE! Where we get to see our favorite Demon Witch just hanging out being a witch, solving witchy problems in uniquely witchy ways. Free to read until the end of March!

***

Until next month, happy reading!

~Kat

 

The Dragon Thief is Back!

Oh boy was January a busy month down my way, but things are settling out a little on the home front (even if the world is chaos and weirdness F*CK ICE!).

But now we are into February and February sees the return of the Dragon Thief, which I'm very excited about! I also have the prelaunch page up for the Cary Redmond Kickstarter. More on that below.

~~~

NEW RELEASE

First up, the new Dragon Thief story THE BLACKMAIL JOB is out everywhere now! This is book 11, the penultimate book in Season Two of the series. And things are getting more complicated in the dragon shifter world for Myra and Christopher. Still, there are damsels to save. And the team is ready!

THE BLACKMAIL JOB

A Dragon Thief Story

Dragon Thief Book 11

OUT EVERYWHERE NOW!

Crushing secrets rise to haunt and devastate… 

Grappling with their discovery of a new and deadly foe, Myra and Christopher struggle to untangle the mess. Political machinations. Dragon shifter politics. Secrets buried so deeply to raise them could prove devastating.

Myra never imagined falling in love with a dragon shifter prince would prove so complicated and dangerous. Yet past secrets and dark plans continue to drag them into someone else’s nefarious plot. Uncovering the truth takes time. And distressed damsels still need saving from unscrupulous, murderous villains.

With a job to do, Myra and Christopher must put their private struggles to one side. And hope they can rescue their latest client before everything implodes. Because when those long-buried secrets find the light, Myra knows they’ll change everything.

Don’t miss this dark, twisty urban fantasy romance adventure through the Dragon Thief world, where a magical thief and her dragon prince face enemies old and new. And a future that hangs by a fraying rope.

~~~

THE CAFE AT KATSIMONSBOOKS

As a reminder, the newest Café story is up now! STRANGE THINGS ARE AFOOT AT THE CAFE is free to read until March 1st. And for people of a certain age, you might recognize some of the references to a certain time traveling duo from the late 80s. *grin*

~~~

NEW KICKSTARTER

So far, so good for launching the new Cary Redmond Kickstarter in April. Right now, the prelaunch page is up, and it is currently very basic. But you can follow that page to get notified when the Kickstarter launches.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/katsimons/the-trouble-with-families-and-goblins-urban-fantasy-romance

The more followers on this page, the better the launch usually goes, so if you could follow that page, that'd be great. I will be posting a few things to the page over the course of March, too, so keep checking back!

I'm really excited to get this book into the hands of Cary Redmond fans because introducing Cary's very mundane family with no idea that shapeshifters exist to Deacon's entire shapeshifter family while there are also other shenanigans going on the background was an absolute delight. And I hope readers will enjoy the story too!

~~~

LOOK AHEAD

So as a look ahead to next month, there will be more Café stories, more about the upcoming Kickstarter, and, with the usual caveats because life is weird, I will have a new Percy James Mystery out! Look out for all those details next month.

The next Dragon Thief story is working its way through the process now and is scheduled to release in May. That one is the last story for Season Two. And of course, it's fun and you should read it. LOL. I'll have more about that soon.

As a reminder, if you'd like to keep up on all my news and releases and such, you can always join my Reader Newsletter and get the details directly to your inbox. Subscribers get two free, exclusive stories (one Cary Redmond story and one Tiger Shifters story), as well as news, updates, cover reveals, excerpts, and occasional discount coupons to my store. Also occasional pictures of my baking exploits or travel. The newsletter comes out (for the most part) monthly and is a great way to keep up without putting in any effort at all *grin*

Finally, as I mentioned getting my AI statement up on the site a few months back, you might be able to tell, I haven't yet. So for the record, I am still NOT using AI in any of my marketing, cover art, interior art, and certainly not in my writing (I literally just write all the time so I have a backlog of things that need to be published). And I do still intend on having a formal statement on the sight sometime soon.

With the art, because I use stock photos, I'm doing my best to ensure I don't use AI, but some might slip through. If I'm made aware of that, I will change things. But this is just a reminder before I can get a page up that, to the best of my ability, I am not using AI in my publishing in any capacity. This is not a statement about the us of AI by other authors and publishers. This is just my own personal position on the technology within my personal writing and publishing.

~~~

OKAY SO, that's good for Romance Month, in which I have very little in the way of Romance to talk about! LOL. But since the Dragon Thief series is an urban fantasy romance/paranormal romance series, it counts. Until next month, I hope the world is treating you kindly and gently, and that you are finding very good stories to read!

Happy Reading!

Solidly into 2026

And all I can say is, at least we have books. At least we have books. (I'm in the US and things here are weird and not good. I feel like where I stand on things is obvious in my fiction, but in case it isn't, I'm anti-authoritarian, can't stand the current administration here, and believe in science. Also, PROTECT THE DOLLS. Spend your money wisely.)

Anyway, let's talk about books and take a little respite. This month is all about The Café at KatSimonsBooks. The Café stories continue. Those are free to read for two weeks, so for anyone who's feeling the pinch of higher costs this year, you can read and enjoy each Café story. Be sure to check back in on those on the 1st and 15th of the month, so you don't miss anything you want to read. The Café is a nice place to escape to for an hour or two.

Currently, the resident familiar, Nina's Maine Coon Boo, has a story from his perspective up. A day in the life of Boo. Don't miss it!

Boo at the Café is free to read until February 1st!

~~~

In addition to the free stories, all of the different 2025 stories have been put into two collections now! And STORIES FROM THE CAFE: VOLUME TWO is out everywhere today.

This collection has all the Café stories from July through December 2025. If you missed anything in the last six months or just want to have the stories for yourself so you can enjoy them whenever you like, pick up this collection. It's available at KatSimonsBooks as well as everywhere in eBook, Trade paperback, Large Print paperback, and Hardcover editions, to suit your reading needs.

Just a little heads up, if the print editions haven't populated out to your favorite vendors yet, they will be there soon!

STORIES FROM THE CAFE: VOLUME TWO

A Cafe Collection

Out Everywhere Now

Welcome back to the Café…

Return to the cozy, mysterious, and magical world of the Café at KatSimonsBooks, where anything can happen. And often does!

Heart-thumping romance. Dangerous mysteries. Otherworldly creatures. Magic and mayhem. Where ordinary humans sip coffee alongside paranormal creatures. Gods hang out reading paperbacks and meddling where they please. The rich scent of coffee blends with the yummy smells of fresh pastries and brand new books.

And at the center of it all, the witch proprietress Nina and her familiar Boo keep everything running smoothly. At least, as smoothly as a magical café can run.

Enter the Café and settle in for a while. Meet old friends and new. And maybe, just maybe, witness a bit of magic. Don’t miss this latest collection of Stories from The Café at KatSimonsBook!

~~~

And of course, if you've missed any of the stories from the first half of 2025 and would like your own personal copy of those, STORIES FROM THE CAFE: VOLUME ONE is also available everywhere in eBook, Trade, Large Print, and Hardback editions.

~~~

As a little look ahead to next month, February is supposed to be Romance month. And as long time readers will know, I'm not crazy about Valentine's Day as a holiday. BUT I do have the next Dragon Thief story coming out! Which is exciting and a little overdue. And also qualifies as a romance so I'm not shunning the holiday all together! 

Myra and Christopher have to deal with the revelations from THE GOLDEN CHALICE JOB, and that's really fun. And of course, they have things to steal and damsels in distress to rescue. If you're a bit behind on the series, now's the time to catch up!

Meanwhile, over at the Café, I'll have one of my angry FMCs making an appearance to meet another very angry FMC in the first story of the month. I love angry women characters. They're so cathartic. *grin* Be sure to swing by on the 1st of February so you don't miss them!

And if you're feeling the need for a little angry women doing stuff right now, check out ANGER MANAGEMENT.

Be sure to check back next month for details about the next Dragon Thief book, and more about the goings on at the Café (though be sure to hop over there on the 1st of February if you don't want to wait for reminders!) And I should also have some news about my next Kickstarter by then. Because I have a new Cary Redmond novel coming soon! That needs to be celebrated. The world needs more Protectors.

Until February, I hope the world is treating you kindly, or at least as well as can be expected, and I hope you find respite and joy where you can. And as always, I hope you find some really good reading for the month!

~Kat

Almost Summer!

Just a couple weeks from the solstice and welcoming in Summer (here) with a whole lot of rainy, spring like weather. Ah well. Good excuse to stay in and read.

This month is another Whole Lot of Dragon Thief! LOL. But also don't forget to check out The Cafe for new stories, including Cary and Deacon visiting The Cafe on the 15th! More below.

First! The releases because that's a little complicated and there's a bunch of stuff.

~~

THE DRAGON THIEF SERIES, Season One Omnibus is available at KatSimonsBooks now! If you missed the Kickstarter, this is your chance to pick up the full omnibus collection in eBook, Trade paperback, fancy deluxe paperback (with a slipcase if you like), and fancy deluxe hardback (also with a slipcase if you like)!

The deluxe editions are only available through KatSimonsBooks. BUT the regular Trade paperback and the eBook will be out wide in August. They're available for preorder now if you don't want to forget!

EBook, Deluxe Hardback, Deluxe Paperback

Slipcase sample (similar for paperback and hardback)

In addition to the omnibus, all six of the first season stories also have their own individual paperbacks available now from KatSimonsBooks! AND you can also buy them in a bundle with their own pretty slipcase/box if you're interested. The individual books ship faster than the bundle with the slipcase because the slipcase is a specialty product, but if you're a collector, it's a nice package!

Mockup of The Dragon Thief Box Set of paperbacks.

The paperbacks (without the slipcase option) will also be available wide! They come out in August when the omnibus is released wide, so I'll have more details on those then.

~~

On top of all this exciting Dragon Thief news, I ALSO have a BRAND NEW Dragon Thief story out at KatSimonsBooks!

Book 9 in the series, THE PAYBACK JOB, is out on June 18th from KatSimonsBooks and releases wide in (you guessed it!) August. (June and August turned out to be very busy release months for the Dragon Thief series!)

THE PAYBACK JOB
Dragon Thief, Book 9

Buy Direct  -- OUT JUNE 18TH
All other eBook vendors -- OUT AUGUST 20TH

So many enemies, so little time…

Working with their new team, Myra and Christopher have rescued “damsels” in distress all over New York City. Even as their relationship develops and deepens. Though Myra tries not to think too much about the future. In the moment, the work makes her happy, and so does Christopher. And their latest job, saving grieving widows from a scam artist, proves a satisfying challenge. Or at least it did. Until the king drops an emergency into their laps and upends all their plans.

Suddenly the team must drop everything to rescue three missing dragon shifters. With only three days to find them and get them back. And it appears an old enemy orchestrated everything. An enemy looking for payback.

But who? Someone from Myra’s past? Christopher’s? Or someone they thwarted together?

With so many adversaries, so many people they’ve managed to anger, Myra and Christopher have a long list of suspects. And very little time to whittle that list down. The lives of the missing shifters and the entire team rest in the balance. They have to uncover the truth or people will die.

And time is running out.

~~

AND if you're a wide reader, book 8 in the series, THE GREEN SCROLL JOB, is now out everywhere!!

THE GREEN SCROLL JOB

Dragon Thief, Book 8

All Other EBook Vendors

Buy Direct

Ancient magic, a deadly bargain, and a whole lot of lives on the line…

Teaming up with a crew of people all with the same goal—to save damsels in distress—seemed like a fun idea. At the time. But growing pains and Myra’s lifetime of working alone complicate the delicate balance of the new team. She doesn’t want to give up on it, for Christopher’s sake as much as her own. Her dragon shifter boyfriend has a soft spot for damsels in distress. To ensure his safety, Myra will willingly work with other people, so someone’s there to have their backs.

But trust never came easy for the magic thief, and now Myra has to learn to trust a whole bunch of people when some of them clearly don’t trust her.

When the team’s latest attempt to rescue a damsel in distress goes bad, and their tight timeline pushes the boundaries of calculated risk, trust might be the only thing that saves them. The only thing that can save their client. Because two wealthy, dangerous men after the same ancient artifact, and one conman without a conscious, have trapped an innocent artist in the crossfire. Myra, Christopher, and the others will do whatever it takes to rescue their client.

Even if it means launching themselves into danger. Confronting deadly ancient magic. And putting all their lives on the line.

~~~

So. Yeah. That's a lot of Dragon Thief. LOL. 

Beyond the Dragon Thief series, this month, I do have two new Café stories available. The first, Kassidey at the Café, is free for a couple more days and then Cary and Deacon at the Café goes live on the 15th!

If you've missed some of The Cafe stories or just prefer to read in print, next month I'm releasing the first collection of Cafe stories! It'll be available in eBook, trade paperback, large print, and hardcover editions, so whatever fits your fancy it'll be available! More on that next month, but the books should be most places for pre-order now. And are definitely up at KatSimonsBooks for preorder.

Okay, I think that's more than enough for one post! LOL. I hope the changing seasons are treating you kindly and that you're finding some very good reading!

Romance Month 2025

For a writer of Romance, I'm not really keen on Valentine's Day. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean I don't like the idea of promoting Romance BOOKS this time of year.

AND because it's also Black History Month, I will recommend some brilliant Black Romance Authors whose work I adore! There are soooo many Black authors I love love love, so this is a very brief and not even close to complete list of some Romance authors to check out (if you haven't already!) Farrah Rochon writes a lot of great Romances, but I think my particular favorite are the Boyfriend Project books. Check out Rebekah Weatherspoon's books for a mix of super hot and remarkably sweet. Kwana Jackson's books, particularly for me Real Men Knot, are all wonderful. She also writes as KM Jackson. Finally, Celestine Martin's Paranormal Romances are adorable. I love the entire Elemental Love series. Especially if you're looking for cozy paranormal slow burn romance. Just delicious!

So! Go forth and purchase lots of lovely reading!

Now! On to my own books. LOL. I have a couple of new releases AND the official prelaunch page to the new Kickstarter is up!

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Kickstarter first! I'm very excited about this one. This will be for the entire first season of The Dragon Thief series put together into one big omnibus edition, which will get a relatively nice paperback edition and a super fancy deluxe paperback edition!

For more, visit the prelaunch page and please consider following that page so you'll be notified the minute it launches! This helps the launch get off to a good start, too, which helps the campaign as a whole. Thank you!

This should be lots of fun. I'm really looking forward to seeing this deluxe edition created!

~~~

And on that note, for new releases this month, I am officially starting the new season of the Dragon Thief!

Season Two is going to be lots of fun. We shift gears ever so slightly and add a team into the mix for Myra and Christopher and that...complicates things, but is also proving fun. The new book, THE CROWN OF KINGSHIP JOB is out now at my store, and available for preorder wide. It will come out from the wide vendors in April, so if you want to order from one of them, highly recommend the preorder so you don't forget (I'll remind everyone, too, though *grin*)

THE CROWN OF KINGSHIP JOB

A Dragon Thief Story, Book 7

Season Two

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Preorder At Other Vendors (Releases April 9, 2025)

New relationship, new heist, new disaster waiting to happen…

Dangling from the side of a building in Manhattan, late at night, with glass cutters at the ready, Myra confronts the start contrast between her old life as a solitary cat burglar and her new life…as the girlfriend of a dragon shifter prince. A dragon shifter prince with a soft spot for damsels in distress and a habit of finding Myra even when she doesn’t want to be found.

What’s a magical thief to do? Falling hard for Christopher did more than throw Myra into the world of the dragon shifters. Navigating a relationship with someone who cares whether you live or die proves a lot more complicated than she expected. She adores Christopher. But she finds this new life an adjustment.

So when he presents her with a new potential job, she hesitates. Until she learns it involves rescuing a damsel in distress. Christopher’s Achille’s heel. How can she refuse to help him with that? Discovering the job requires all her skills, help from some new people, and the lurking menace of an old rival, guarantees Myra accepts this quest.

Because if they can’t steal back the stolen treasure, the dragon king will lay waste to the city she loves. And everyone in it.

Don’t miss this exciting return to the romantic urban fantasy DRAGON THIEF series! The start of a new season of adventures, heists, and danger for Myra and Christopher. Only this time, they’re not alone.

~~~

I also have a second story from HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND FAIRY DALES releasing as a standalone eBook this month! It will be out everywhere on February 25th and is available for preorder now.

This one is another Irish set, pretty weird fairytale story, which I hope readers will enjoy! For my print readers, the best place to get this story is still in the collection.

TO DANCE IN FALLOW FIELDS AT MIDNIGHT

Out February 25th

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Resist the call to the dance when the Fae are about…

Becks rented the country cottage in Ireland to live out a long-held dream of writing in Ireland surrounded by history and myth and some good Irish beer. But the difficulties of the real world followed her to the Emerald Isle along with a frustrating case of writer’s block. Deadlines, business issues, and a novel that decides not to write itself leave Becks wandering the fields, looking for inspiration. Or even just a little of that magic she’d hoped to capture on her trip.

Hearing laughter in a fallow field, mysterious mists crawling along the rich dark soil, and a warning from the local pub owner leave her wondering what magic those fields really hold. What creatures lay beyond that thin mist. What dangers taunt her during the dark nights with music that calls her to the dance.

Becks discovers much more than she bargained for on her trip to a country cottage in Ireland. Including a threat that feels all too real. And a call to a world that, if she dares enter, could lead down a path to her destruction.

Author’s Note: To Dance in Fallow Fields at Midnight is also published in the contemporary fantasy collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND FAIRY DALES.

~~~

And finally quick reminder to visit The Café at KatSimonsBooks for new free short story reads this month! Frank at the Café is available for a few more days. Then I have an adorable Sapphic romance especially for Romance month releasing on the 15th, called Betty and Al at the Café!

Remember, if you miss a story and want to catch up before the collection of stories releases in July, you can pick up each of the stories individually from KatSimonsBooks.

Until next month, happy reading!!

~Kat

Happy 2025!

Happy New Year! I hope the start of this new year is treating you kindly. I know it is not for some people (thinking about the massive wildfires in California as I write this), and my heart goes out to you. I hope you get support and healing, and the rest of the year is kinder.

For my part, January is its usual crazy start to the new year, but it's mostly good stuff, so I will take that!

This month, I have a new Joan of Kerry story out! And a short story from the last Haunts and Howls collection has released as a standalone story. The third Stories from the Café story is up at The Café now as well!

~~~

JOAN AND THE GOBLINS is available now at my store and will be available at other vendors on March 18th. The preorder for wide purchases is up now, or you can pick the book up at KatSimonsBooks.com now, if you're the impatient type.

Also, for my print readers, I have enough Joan or Kerry stories now to put together a nice print collection, so look for that later in 2025.

JOAN AND THE GOBLINS

A Joan of Kerry Story

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All other eBook vendors | PREORDER. OUT March 18th

Bogs, goblins, and a monster more ancient than a dragon…

Joan and her dragon companion Rory find themselves on the hunt. For goblins. A group of annoying goblins who have stolen something they shouldn’t have touched. Something that could raise a monster so deadly and so ancient, even Rory doesn’t have a name for the creature.

Goblins without a king are goblins causing trouble. Goblins trying to be the king cause chaos that could get the entire island of Ireland destroyed. Joan and Rory must stop the would-be king and his companions before it’s too late. Before the deadly monster comes looking for its stolen treasure.

Because even a hero, her dragon, and her legendary sword might not be enough to stop this ancient threat.

~~

Also new this month is the standalone eBook of Black Water Hawthorns, a creepy, weird fairy story from the 2024 Haunts and Howls collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND FAIRY DALES. If you're a print reader, I recommend picking up the collection, but if you'd just like one or two of the individual eBook stories from the collection, those are rolling out this year.

Black Water Hawthorns is available wherever eBooks are sold!

BLACK WATER HAWTHORNS

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Beware the darkest waters, for monsters lurk in their depths…

Ph.D. student Deirdre’s late nights of study have left her exhausted and punch drunk. But she’s so close to the end, so close to finishing her thesis she can taste it. Even the stories of missing people around the Dublin campus can’t deter her. Especially when those tales all have logical explanations. The nervous, jumpy energy on campus worries her a little. But she’s got too much to do to think about the mysteries.

Until a strange dizzy spell bends her world. When she recovers, everything still mostly looks like her college campus in Dublin Ireland. But everything has shifted a bit sideways. Everything looks a little strange. Threatening. And when the red-eyed creature out of myth and legend appears, Deirdre knows she’s either lost it…

Or she is no longer in the ordinary world.

Following a strange creature into a strange realm never ends well for hapless humans. Yet Deirdre finds herself doing just that. Hoping she can find her way home. Before the black water monster lurking among the hawthorns catches her. And traps her forever.

~~

Finally, be sure to check in at THE CAFE at KatSimonsBooks for the latest free reads! From the 15th, Agnes at the Café is available. And a new story will post on February 1st.

For those who'd like to catch up, I've decided (thanks to a recommendation by some fellow publishers) to make the individual stories available for sale from KatSimonsBooks. The full collection of short Café stories will still come out every six months with the previous six months worth of stories. And that collected edition will be available in eBook and Print editions. But if you've missed a story and don't want to wait, or prefer reading on a device of your choice rather than off the blog, or just like a particular story and want your own copy, you can purchase individual eBooks of the stories once they go live in The Café. 

~~~

Next month, be sure to look out for another standalone eBook from last year's Haunts and Howls collection, as well as a new Dragon Thief story! AND news on the upcoming Dragon Thief Kickstarter!

More on all that in February.

Until then, Happy Reading!