Showing posts with label haunts and howls collections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label haunts and howls collections. Show all posts

December 18, 2025

And Now We Come to the End of 2025

And boy what a whirlwind of chaos the end of this year has been (also flu sucks!) ANYWAY. I'm going to use the new year to reset a little and get going again with a schedule I hope will be a little less chaotic.

More on the year ahead below. I also have new books out this month to talk about!

~~~

RELEASES

First up, the final Demon Witch series book APOCALYPSE WITCH is officially out everywhere now! The print and hardback editions should be available most places or will be available soon.


APOCALYPSE WITCH
A Demon Witch Novel
Demon Witch, Book 5

AVAILABLE NOW

The Apocalypse Witch… A disaster? A warning? Or a destiny…

With this new cursed power dangling a knife over her head and pinning a target to her back, witch Angie Jordan faces one last trial to find answers. Before the dark magic kills her. A journey that tests her control. Strains her bond with Sebastian. And reveals secrets that could devastate her realm. A quest that pits her and Sebastian against an enemy unlike anything they’ve encountered before.

As demons hunt them, and the dangers expand with every step, Angie’s powers grow more erratic. Uncertain who to trust, time becomes their enemy. Because if they fail, no one will be safe.

From the demons. Or from Angie.

Don’t miss this heart-pounding final book in the acclaimed Demon Witch series. With everything on the line, and the fate of Angie, Sebastian, and the entire human world hanging in the balance.

 ~~

The paperback and hardback editions of the other books in the series with the new covers are available some places but still populating out, so if you want the new covers, you can either order from my store, or give it another week or so for the updates to go through. Careful on Amazon. I've taken down the old versions of the books but the old covers are still showing so you might get directed to those editions.


Large Print editions of all the Demon Witch Books will be updated and rereleased in the new year. Ran out of time to get those sorted. So if you're a Large Print readers, be sure to check back here for updates.

~~

In addition to the new covers, there's also a new duology of the two shorter prequel stories. The eBook of HOWLING DREADFUL ON A MOONLIT STRANGE is only available in a few places so far, including my store. I'll be getting the eBook of the duology out in the new year as well.

But in the meantime, the paperback and hardback of this edition should be working its way out everywhere. And if you have the individual books for MOONLIT STRANGE and HOWLING DREADFUL, there's no big changes in the duology, so you don't need to buy that extra book.


HOWLING DREADFUL ON A MOONLIT STRANGE
A Demon Witch Prequel Duology

AVAILABLE NOW

When a witch enters the demon hunters’ world… Death and destruction follow.

Angela Jordan planned a future that fell apart one long-ago day in a church parking lot. Though she tries to follow her true path as a witch, fate and the demons pull her away. And when the demon hunter who saved her life knocks on her door, the hunter’s protégé in tow, looking for help, Angie answers the call.

Starting her down a path through a demonic world she hates. The only light…meeting the love of her life. But being in Sebastian’s world takes a toll on Angie. Forces her into her worst nightmares. Death always one mistake away.

To hold onto Sebastian, Angie lives and fights beside him. But the cost she pays might be too high. Even to keep the love of her life.

This prequel duology to the Demon Witch series takes readers on a dangerous meet cute, a beginning to a deep love, that could lead Angie and Sebastian into a bright future, or devastate them both. Don’t miss these darkly magical prequel stories to the Demon Witch series!

~~

AND in addition to the new Demon Witch books and editions, I'm SO excited to have out the latest HAUNTS AND HOWLS book! I'm kind of kicking myself for getting this one out so late in the year. I really do prefer to release the Haunts and Howls collections in October. But the last half of this year has just been crazy. BUT, it's out now! Available in eBook, Trade paperback, and Large Print editions!


HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND DRAGON TALES
A Haunts and Howls Collection

Follow, mere mortals, for here there be dragons…

Beyond the mists of time. Through the thin veil between realms. Enter a world of dragons both old and new. Mystic beings of power and magic. Danger and strength. Wisdom and violence.

Here, intrepid heroes venture into uncharted waters. Encountering creatures so powerful their legends span all of human history. Tread cautiously. For here there be dragons…

In this latest Haunts and Howls collection of seven new contemporary fantasy stories, bestselling author Kat Simons delivers dragon tales from the quiet to the epic. From the truly deadly, to the sublime. Don’t miss every delicious, dangerous adventure into the realms of dragons. Including a brand new Destiny Cats novella!

~~

I'm REALLY excited about this edition of the Haunts and Howls books. If you haven't guessed, I love dragons and have since I was a kid. My gateway into reading science fiction and fantasy was Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series. So this collection is near and dear to me. And I just love the stories in it. I hope readers will enjoy it too!

~~~

SALES

There are all sorts of seasonal sales going on this month as well, so be sure to check those out. I have a bunch of things on sale over at KatSimonsBooks.



AND most of my catalogue is in the Smashwords Annual Winter Sale! So be sure to check that out too. Lots of good books involved.

~~~

NEWS AND A LOOK-AHEAD

So, as I mentioned above, the last part of the year got away from me and I feel like I'm ending on a chaotic note. I'm hoping to corral all that chaos going into the new year and settle on a more reasonable schedule given the stuff going on in my personal life in the upcoming year (all good stuff! Just a lot of Big Events that I want to make sure I'm present for and not stressed about the publishing stuff around those things).

I will continue with the twice a month Stories from the Cafe at KatSimonsBooks. Those will still
come out every 1st and 15th of the month for readers to enjoy for free, with collections of the previous six months of stories coming out...well, every six months. VOLUME TWO of the STORIES FROM THE CAFE will be out in January toward the end of the month. You can preorder the eBook from KatSimonsBooks now if you want to make sure to get it!

The next two installments of the Dragon Thief series are written and just waiting on edits and cover art. Those will be released early in the new year. I was hoping for January and February or March release, but at this stage, it's looking more like February and March or April. If things go better than I anticipate, I'll be sure to update here! But yeah, looking like February and April will be more reasonable release times.

I also have book 9 of the Cary Redmond series just waiting in the wings! That one does have a cover--or at least it's almost finished. Still working through edits--but there's still editing. So for this book, I'm going to celebrate a little by doing a Kickstarter for it! That will be either March or April and I will definitely update here as it approaches and the prelaunch page goes live.

I will also have a new Haunts and Howls Collection out in October 2026, this one with a ghost theme!! Perfect for spooky season. So look out for that one. (I may launch it with a Kickstarter!) It will have a new Cary Redmond novella in it, and I have a story about writing that story. But I'll talk more about that closer to the time. (tease LOL)

Around all of this, I have a few Percy James Mysteries releasing and a couple more collections to put together that I've had on the backburner for entirely too long now. Time to get them out! I also have a really fun collaborative thing I'm doing in August, but I'll tell you more about that in the new year.

Because 2026 is for catching up a little, I will have Dragon Thief on hiatus after the twelfth book comes out, but only for a short time. Except the new season of Dragon Thief to start up again in 2027!

So big plans for the upcoming year, but hopefully a more reasonable work schedule for me. LOL. Wish me luck!

And until next month, may your holiday season be lovely and full of light and peace and warmth and love. Happy Holidays!

Kat






November 25, 2025

Well that went fast!

November was a weird month and now it's almost over! I'm not entirely sure how that happened, but here we are almost upon Thanksgiving here in the US. Eek! But I do have some updates and news, so here we go.

Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who was able to support the APOCALYPSE WITCH Kickstarter, whether by directly backing or passing the word. I truly appreciate all the help! The eBook is currently up for preorder and will release everywhere on December 3rd. If you're a backer, you will have received your copy already. The print books are going to probably launch a bit later than the eBook this time around because I'm doing some fun interior stuff and want to make sure I get the proofs before I let the books go live. But I'll have links and updates on that next month.


APOCALYPSE WITCH
Demon Witch, Book Five
Releases December 3rd

The Apocalypse Witch… A disaster? A warning? Or a destiny…

With this new cursed power dangling a knife over her head and pinning a target to her back, witch Angie Jordan faces one last trial to find answers. Before the dark magic kills her. A journey that tests her control. Strains her bond with Sebastian. And reveals secrets that could devastate her realm. A quest that pits her and Sebastian against an enemy unlike anything they’ve encountered before.

As demons hunt them, and the dangers expand with every step, Angie’s powers grow more erratic. Uncertain who to trust, time becomes their enemy. Because if they fail, no one will be safe.

From the demons. Or from Angie.

Don’t miss this heart-pounding final book in the acclaimed Demon Witch series. With everything on the line, and the fate of Angie, Sebastian, and the entire human world hanging in the balance.

***

In addition to the release of Apocalypse Witch, I have the latest Haunts and Howls collection out!

First, I want to apologize for this one being a little later this year than usual. I do like to have the Haunts and Howls collections out in October for spooky season, but the year got away from me. Hopefully the plan for next year leaves us enough room to get everything lined up and the 2026 Haunts and Howls released at its usual time of year.

But! It is officially here now. And since the theme for this collection is Dragons... Well, those are just as fun in December as they are in October. Really, anytime is a good time for dragons.

HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND DRAGON TALES is out at my store today and will be out everywhere on December 17th. The trade paperbacks and large print paperbacks will release on December 17th as well, so for my print readers, that's the release date for you. (I'll post a reminder next month :D)


HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND DRAGON TALES
A Haunts and Howls Collection

BUY DIRECT  Out Now!
PREODER EVERYWHERE  Out December 17th

Follow, mere mortals, for here there be dragons… 

Beyond the mists of time. Through the thin veil between realms. Enter a world of dragons both old and new. Mystic beings of power and magic. Danger and strength. Wisdom and violence.

Here, intrepid heroes venture into uncharted waters. Encountering creatures so powerful their legends span all of human history. Tread cautiously. For here there be dragons…

In this latest Haunts and Howls collection of seven new contemporary fantasy stories, bestselling author Kat Simons delivers dragon tales from the quiet to the epic. From the truly deadly, to the sublime. Don’t miss every delicious, dangerous adventure into the realms of dragons. Including a brand new DestinyCats novella!

***

I'll have more about the other new editions of the Demon Witch series next month, so keep an eye out for that. I've been debating uploading the duology as an eBook, just to give readers alternatives. The print edition of Howling Dreadful on a Moonlit Strange (the combined book of the two prequel stories in the series) will be released with the other updated print books. I wasn't going to upload the eBook, but I did at the store and now I think I will everywhere. The more options, the better, right? More on that next month!

***

Finally, for my Dragon Thief readers! One of the things that got behind over the course of this autumn were the next two Dragon Thief books. They're written and queued up for editing, but the editing process got behind. 

SO, Dragon Thief book 11 will be out in January now. I'll have more on that next month. And because I'm behind, I'll have it out everywhere at the same time (though, of course, I appreciate it a lot when you buy direct! That's the best option for supporting me and my writing. But getting the books anywhere at all is super great too).

I'm still working on the 2026 schedule, so hopefully by next months update, I'll be able to give you a more solid release date for Book 12 in the series. And then, there will be a slight delay before I launch the third season of the Dragon Thief.



I need to get some backlogged projects and stories released over 2026, and since I am not, as it turns out, a four person team all on my own, the work involved will require I delay getting new Dragon Thief books out until probably 2027. All goes to plan (ha!), Book 13 should start the Third Season in January 2027. (And for the record, I cannot believe I'm talking about things in the year 2027. That makes my little GenX brain wobbly. When did that happen!?!)

I will keep you all updated! And you can check back here monthly for news. But in the meantime, there are still two more Dragon Thief stories on their way! And they're an awful lot of fun. :)

Okay, that's more than enough for this late in the month! LOL.

Until next month! Happy Reading.




September 24, 2024

Spooky Season Begins!

Officially, as of Sunday, it is AUTUMN in my neck of the woods. A fantastic season. And this year, no manic travel plans during this period of time so I can enjoy the lead up to Halloween.

And I have a few books for that *grin*

This month, on Friday the 13th, I had one of last years Haunts and Howls' stories release as a standalone eBook, and it's the second in the Friday's Curious Shop series! Details (and a fun trailer) below!

I also have the latest Demon Witch novel out today!! I'm really having fun with this series. More happens in each book than I anticipate so the writing is really exciting. Since I work about a year ahead of my publishing schedule, I'm writing book 5 in the series now, and it's gonna be very cool. *bwah ha ha!*

DARKLING MIST WITCH is out in print and eBook, but the print books are still populating to the various vendors so keep looking out for those at your favorite bookstores if they are not there already. EBooks are everywhere now!


DARKLING MIST WITCH
A Demon Witch Novel, Book 4

Trade Paperback: Amazon | B&N | Booktopia | Bookshop.org | Blackwells |
Large Print Paperback : Amazon | B&N | Booktopia | Bookshop.org | Blackwells |

Visions of dark shadows past show Angie a terrifying future…

New Mexico changed everything for witch Angie Jordan. Now she must face the consequences. And the target on her back that came with her out of the demon realm. Survival means finding answers in the most secret records of the demon hunters. Answers that could save her life, and the life of the man she loves.

But her search doesn’t go as she hopes. Instead, she finds only more questions. Questions… And a new demon threat.

When allies become enemies and enemies become allies, Angie must question everything she thought she knew about herself and those around her. Saving the people she loves will mean opening herself to powers she never wanted. Powers that could kill her. Powers that can kill.

And a deadly menace from the demon realms.

~~

As for the Friday's Curious Shop story, THREE BELLS RINGING is out everywhere now in eBook. If you're a print reader, the best way to read this story is in HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND JESTERS BELLS which is available in Trade paperback and Large Print editions.


THREE BELLS RINGING
A Friday's Curious Shop Story

A store for the curious. Enter if you dare…

Riley’s new job at Friday’s Curious Shop provides a steady paycheck and her bosses supply a steady stream of sandwiches. More than she expected from the dusty secondhand shop located off a side street in Queens. She doesn’t know how her bosses make money, not a lot of customers seem to come through the door, but Riley keeps busy with dusting and rearranging the shelves, her head down, content with the work.

When costumers do come into the shop, though, they always seem to be a little…odd. Like the man with the strange smile who sets off her alarm bells instantly. Outwardly, a normal man, looking for a perfectly normal item. A jester’s hat.

A very specific jester’s hat.

But Riley’s sure that’s nothing to worry about. Even if the man gives her the creeps and the situation feels weirdly dangerous. What could be dangerous about a jester’s hat?

In Friday’s Curious Shop…

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

~~~

NEWS AND UPDATES

Speaking of HAUNTS AND HOWLS Collections, be sure to check back next month (when everyone accepts that it's spooky season! LOL) for the next collection, HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND FAIRY DALES! Yup, this one has a fairy/faery theme and it includes a new Cary Redmond story, so that's fun. More on that next month!

ALSO, the fifth story in the Dragon Thief series is out next month! THE FEMME FATALE JOB is available first at my story, on October 15th, and then wide a week later on October 22nd. That one is up for preorder now.

And just for fun, go visit my store because I decorated for spooky season! There will be more decorations for spooky season in October, too. And it's fun so I want to share it. LOL! KatSimonsBooks.com will get you there now (as well as the original tanddpublishingbookstore.com) It's silly, I know, but it's cool having a sight to decorate up for the season like that. (I can't do as much decorating here.)

Anyway, as well as giving the store a little Spooky Season glow up, I also have a couple of books on sale! You can get the eBook for Bone Lantern Witch for only $0.99, if you haven't started that series but want to dive in now that we're up to book 4.

There's also a reference made in DARKLING MIST WITCH to a witch who collects witch history...and that's a reference to the novella DEMONIC DATES! Because it's a witchy sort of month, that one is available for FREE for a limited time. That sale will probably only last until the beginning of October, so check it out now.

And if you miss it, never worry. October will absolutely have more fun stuff and sales. (Newsletter subscribers are going to get a celebration discount to the store just for them, so this might be a good time to look into subscribing to my reader newsletter *grin*)

Until next month, Happy Spooky Season for those who celebrate!
And Happy Reading!



 



August 22, 2024

Late for August....

The summer (in my neck of the woods) is in the last weeks, and I am late with the page update. LOL. Trips all summer culminating in my youngest getting sick and then me getting sick robbed me of all the energy. But the trips at least were fun.
 
So this month is just a quick note about releases and I’ll post more next month on all the things.
 
First up, and out now everywhere, the fourth book in the Dragon Thief series! Myra is back and in real hot water this time.

 
THE VAULT JOB
A Dragon Thief Story, Book 4
 
Buy Direct
All Other eBook Vendors

What does a wizard want from the dragon king…

And what do they both want from Myra? Questions she asks herself, repeatedly, while trapped in a vault. A circumstance that leaves her questioning all her life choices. Unfortunately, curiosity bit her again. Because both the dragon king and the wizard lied to her about this job.

A job to steal a relic with nefarious powers.

A job that Christopher doesn’t know about.

Myra trusts the wizard and the king about as far as she can throw them, but she also desperately wants to know what they’re up to. And why Christopher’s father cut him out of this scheme. She also needs to know what the dragon king really wants from her, once and for all. Because her feelings for Christopher grow with every passing moment. Only one thing keeps getting in the way of exploring those feelings. The king.

But before she can get her answers, she has to survive her current job.

And she has to escape the impenetrable vault before time, and her air, runs out.

~~

And out next week, another standalone story from last year’s Haunts and Howls collection. This is one of the weirder stories from that collection. TING LING is available everywhere for preorder now and releases on Tuesday August 27th.

 
TING LING
 
Buy Direct
All Other eBook Vendors

Beware the noise behind the walls…And the dropped Cheetos

Albert just wants some peace and quiet. Work and silence and no disturbances. Instead, a noise…a ringing noise in his apartment drives him to distraction. The noise even invades his dreams. When he realizes the ringing is coming from inside the walls, Albert really starts to worry. Anything could be behind that wall. Anything could be making that sound.

Discovering the truth, however, proves more terrifying, and strange, than anything Albert could have expected.

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

 
~~~
 
That’s all for this month, short and sweet, but check back next month for the next Demon Witch novel as well as another standalone from Haunts and Howls and Jesters Bells.
 
Happy Reading!

October 24, 2023

October October and it's almost Halloween!

Yes, I'm full of excitement this month. It's finally started to cool off here in New York, which means I'm into cozy season--sweaters and hoodies and snuggling under blankets. Perfect crisp days that haven't gotten too cold yet, and weather that only mildly irritates my allergies. *grin* Also, there was a Friday the 13th this month that coincided with a new moon and the next day there was a solar eclipse.

That's some brilliant Octobering right there.

Since it is October and one of my favorite times of year, I ended up with three different releases this month! Also, there's a reminder on the Kickstarter I mentioned in that last post below the release info. And, in case you were looking, I have most of the print links now for STORM SHADOW WITCH. They're below too.

Two of the releases this month are the standalone eBook releases for stories from last year's Haunts and Howls Collection--the two spookiest stories in the collection (in my opinion). Friday's Curious Shop is out now. And The Museum of Small Art's Everyman will be out on Halloween!! I've got a story out on Halloween! I don't know why, I find that very exciting. LOL.

The new book for this month, out today, is another Haunts and Howls collection! HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND JESTERS BELLS. This one is a little different because some of the stories are funny (or at least humorous. In my opinion. Which, you know, might not be funny to a reader at all. But my mom liked them.)

Not all of the stories are funny, though, because jesters are like clowns and clowns are scary (I discuss this more in the introduction to the collection). So some of the stories are spooky. Case in point, there's another Friday's Curious Shop story in this collection, which is pretty spooky.

And for readers who've been enjoying the Haunts and Howls collections, there's also a sequel to Destiny Through the Cats Eyes, from HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND GUARDIAN SPELLS, in this collection.

Lots of fun reading for Halloween.


HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND JESTERS BELLS
A Contemporary Fantasy Collection

When laughter collides with fear…

Where humor meets terror, new heroes emerge. Whether laughing, or questing, or simply trying to survive, fate calls to the worthy. They answer only if they dare.

Because daring to find light inside darkness, braving the mysteries beneath the surface of reality, brings reluctant champions to the fight. A fight for good. A fight for the luckless. A fight to protect the world.

And when the jesters ring their bells, the dangers begin.

Spooky humor and creepy thrills fill this entertaining new collection of six original contemporary fantasy stories from bestselling author Kat Simons. Including an all new Destiny Cats novella, and a brand new Friday’s Curious Shop story.

~~


FRIDAY'S CURIOUS SHOP


A store for the curious. Enter if you dare…

Riley Anderson needs a job. Desperately. If she doesn’t find paying work soon, her roommates will kick her out. And living on the streets of New York City as winter approaches…? Not appealing. The Wanted Ad for Friday’s Curious Shop seems like the perfect opportunity.

Pays well. Starts immediately. She even likes secondhand stores. Perfect. 

Even if the shop does feel a little…strange.

But things get weird once she crosses the threshold. What’s wrong with that customer? Why can’t she go into the backroom unescorted? Why are her self-preservation instincts screaming to run?

Doesn’t matter. A job’s a job. And Friday’s Curious Shop is hiring. Everything will be just fine.

Right?

Author’s Note: This novella is also published in the collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS WHERE DEMONS DWELL.

~~


THE MUSEUM OF SMALL ART'S EVERYMAN

OUT OCTOBER 31!
Preorder available now.

Don’t turn your back on the paintings…

Anne Reynolds shows up at crime scenes that baffle the police. Her specialty, and history, in art forgery make her an easy choice for investigating a murder at the Museum of Small Art. But she hasn’t been called in because of her art skills.

The body on the gallery floor has a story to tell. A story drenched in blood. Sprawled beneath a painting steeped in demonic lore. And only Anne can get the dead to talk.

A touch. One touch, and she sees everything.

But seeing everything in the strange Everyman’s Soul painting opens secrets that haunt.

And screams for murder. 

Author’s Note: This story is also published in the collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS WHERE DEMONS DWELL.

~~

KICKSTARTER

This is reposted from last week:

So, every year, a writer I love, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, edits this very cool thing called the HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR with her publishing company, WMG Publishing. It's basically an advent calendar of short stories! It runs from US Thanksgiving until New Years day, and every day, subscribers to the calendar get a new short story in their email.

There are usually three themes each year with three different moods. Kris does an introduction to each story in her email, which helps readers know what the mood of the story is, so if you're not in the mood for something hardboiled, for example, you can always save that day's story for a better mood. Ditto something sweet and romantic. The stories encompass a lot of winter holidays, and since some of the writers that Kris includes are from Australia, there are often stories set around a Christmas that takes place in the middle of summer.

It's super fun. I've gotten the Spectacular every year since she started doing it. This will be the fifth year. And I can't recommend it enough. I've read some really excellent fiction and it gives me something fun to look forward to every day of the holidays.

And to my absolute delight, I have a story in the Spectacular this year!

I have no idea when it will be delivered during the event--none of the writers know until their story shows up in their inboxes--but it will be there! And I'm pretty excited about it, because I really loved this story, and I really really love the short story advent calendar concept of this project.

To get the Spectacular going every year, Kris and the WMG crew run a Kickstarter for it. That Kickstarter is going on now! It's a great way to get the Spectacular, and if you'd like the collections in paperback form, or other fun holiday related swag, it's a really fun Kickstarter to back.



If you're not a Kickstarter person, the Spectacular will still be available for sale separately. All the information about it all will be at the Kickstarter and at WMG's website.

I hope you'll consider backing the project and/or getting the Holiday Spectacular! It's so much fun.

~~

ICYMI

Finally, just in case you missed the links in the last post when I got them up, here are the full links to print and eBook editions of STORM SHADOW WITCH. I still seem to be having some difficulty with my print vendors, but hopefully that'll all work itself out soon!


STORM SHADOW WITCH
A Demon Witch Novel, Book 3




~~

Happy Reading, everyone! And HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Follow Pickles for a surprise from KatSimonsBooks
(find this graphic on my store and click it for a special surprise)