Apparently August is for Catching Up

At least this year, for me, because it's one of the few recent summers when we haven't been traveling through most of the months off school. This means I'm getting to the back pages of the site and updating some things. There are still things in need of updates, but we're getting there.

AND in the meantime, there are books.

RELEASES

First up, GOLDEN FLOWER REEDS is out in the world now! Be sure to check it out.

GOLDEN FLOWER REEDS
An Abrahm Reed Story

OUT 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.

~

As a reminder, this is part of a larger project, UNCOLLECTED ANTHOLOGY: EQUINOX, and you can get all the stories from that uncollected anthology, collected into a single edition! So if you want them all, that's the best way to go.

~~

Also this month, out on the 18th and up for preorder now, STORIES FROM THE CAFE: VOLUME THREE!

If you've missed any of the Cafe stories from the first half of 2026 and want to catch up, this is the way to do it. Also for my print readers, this is your chance to get this book. It's out in eBook, Trade paperback, Large Print paperback, and hardback editions!

STORIES FROM THE CAFE: VOLUME THREE

A Cafe Collection

AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE

OUT AUGUST 18th

Meanwhile, back at the café…

From the eclectic pen of acclaimed author Kat Simons comes another immersive collection of stories from the Café.

Where regulars sip richly roasted coffees and delectable teas. Newcomers find a cozy nook to nibble their buttery croissants and gooey chocolate chip cookies. And the witch owner and her cat familiar keep the whole thing running smoothly.

Well, smoothly-ish.

Time travelers, mysterious goddesses, vampires, wizards, and occasionally just mundane people meeting someone new. The café brims with mystery, magic, and romance. Held together by the carefully crafted spells of Nina and Boo. A space for every soul.

Don’t miss this latest collection of Stories from the Café!

~~

Don't forget there's also an Abrahm story at the Cafe until the 15th! So be sure to check that out. And if you missed it, don't worry it'll be in the next collection. Also the second Cafe story this month, out on the 15th is a Nina and Boo story, so don't miss that one either!

~~~

NEWS AND UPDATES

Looking ahead to September, I'll have some individual releases from the last Haunts and Howls collection, if you'd just like those as standalone eBooks. This will include the Destiny Cats novella from that collection. If you are a fan of the Destiny Cats, that's a good way to collect the individual stories!

I'll also have the cover for the next Haunts and Howls coming in October, HAUNTS AND HOWLS THROUGH GHOSTLY VEILS! The ghostly theme lent itself to some very fun stories. I'm a little creeped out by ghosts (not unlike Cary Redmond) so writing about ghosts has been both fun and creepy. More on that next month!

Along with the newest Haunts and Howls collection, of course, I'm hoping to have some other fun stuff for October and spooky season, so be sure to check back!

So until next month, Happy Reading!

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!

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

AVAILABLE NOW 

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

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

PURCHASE LINKS

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.

I don't care, it is now OFFICIALLY Spooky Season!

I'm writing this with still a few more days until the actual autumnal equinox (up in this hemisphere) and I figure that's close enough. Plus, I need spooky season this year. There will be spooky books, and spooky shows, and spooky food, and once it cools down, spooky blankets. I'm also doing spooky crochet, just to really get all the spooky out of everything.

And I also have books this month! BUT FIRST...

Kickstarter

Just a heads up about my upcoming Kickstarter. The prelaunch pages is there to follow, but I'm not launching until October, hopefully no later. I want to have everything ready to go so there's no delay in fulfillment and life/work has been pretty busy. I want the Kickstarter to be the best I can make it before launching, and I need a little more time for that. Will keep everyone updated here!

And in the meantime, please consider following the prelaunch page--that helps with visibility and a good launch when I do launch. Plus, Kickstarter will let you know the campaign is live.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/katsimons/apocalypse-witch-final-novel-in-the-demon-witch-series

Releases

First up, we have book 10 in the Dragon Thief series! THE GOLDEN CHALICE JOB sees Myra and Christopher discovering a hidden secret and making a whole new enemy. A very very powerful one. So that was fun to write. LOL It's available today from KatSimonsBooks and up for preorder at all other eBook vendors! It'll will release wide on October 21st.

THE GOLDEN CHALICE JOB

Dragon Thief Book 10 (Season 2)

KatSimonsBooks -- Out Now!

Everywhere Else -- October 21st

Ancient secrets, mysterious relics, and a terrifying new enemy…

Waking in a stone-walled prison, her memories blank, adrenaline rushing through her battered body, Myra has no idea what got her there. No idea what danger awaits outside her cavern cell. Only knows she has to escape. And she has to unearth her memories.

Because a deadly menace stalks her and Christopher.

A menace linked to artifacts she can’t remember. A job that went horribly wrong?

To escape, Myra and Christopher have to trust in her magical thief skills. Have to dredge up the secrets that brought them to the mysterious cavern prison that smells like dragon. Have to discover the identity of their captor. All before their captor comes back for them.

A new enemy, whose very existence could devastate their future. If they survive long enough to have one…

This latest deadly adventure in the action-packed, romantic urban fantasy Dragon Thief series will leave readers at the edge of their seats as Myra and Christopher fight to survive a brand new enemy, and discover if they have a future together.

~~

And coming on September 26th, the third Friday's Curious Shop story gets its standalone eBook release! This is a good one for spooky season because, as is typical for Friday's Curious Shop, it is spooky and creepy. THE RED FEAR PIPES, is out everywhere on the 26th but if you don't want to forget it's release, its available for preorder everywhere.

THE RED FEAR PIPES

A Friday's Curious Shop Story

Out EVERYWHERE on September 26th

A store for the curious. Enter if you dare…

Riley Anderson never balks at doing the work asked of her at Friday’s Curious Shop. True strange things happen at the store sometimes. And occasionally a weird customer comes in. But her bosses treat her well and ensure she eats. The quirky thrift shop provided her a job when she might have ended up on the streets. A little dusting and rearranging in exchange for a steady paycheck feels like a win.

Yet when her boss asks her to dust the children’s toy section, dread wells up in Riley. So strong and choking, she almost says no. Almost refuses.

Almost runs away.

She has no reason to fear the old puzzle games and discarded instruments, though. Nothing in the music box case that can hurt her. Nothing truly menacing about the strange, eerie sounds coming from that part of the store. Right?

But in Friday’s Curious Shop, appearances deceive. And even innocent toys might hold unseen terrors.

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

~~

Eagle-eye readers might notice a slight change in cover art with this book. I've updated the covers for all
the Friday's Curious Shop series, and did a backmatter update for the previous two stories, but nothing in those stories has changed, and the covers are close enough! There's no need to look into updating your previous versions of the first two stories if you don't want to.

And as always, a reminder for my print readers that this story is part of the HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND FAIRY DALES collection and that is where you can read the story in print!

News

Heads up because this is Spooky Season, there will be sales and new merch and the like going on at KatSimonsBooks over this month and next. I will also be "decorating" the store! It's already got its autumn colors on but there will be more spooky next month. So be sure to check it out!

Reminder that stories are still posting on the 1st and 15th of every month over at the Cafe. At the moment, A DRAGON AT THE CAFE is live and free to read until the last day of September. And that story has a tie in with the Dragon Thief series (none of characters but in the same world), so it might be fun for my Dragon Thief readers.

As a look ahead to next month, you can expect the next Haunts and Howls collection! Just in time for Halloween. And (fingers crossed), the Demon Witch Kickstarter will go live! So it should be a fun month for spooky season with all the spooky books.

For those who'd like a monthly update coming directly to your inbox, this is a reminder that I have a monthly reader newsletter and new subscribers will get two free stories (a Cary Redmond story and a Tiger Shifters story).

And finally, I will at some point soon be adding a page to the website, and probably to the store, addressing the whole generative AI thing.

For the record, I don't use any of it, unless it's done accidentally, and I do try to avoid accidentally picking up and using AI art. I don't use any of the text or video AI programs and I have yet to even try out the audio AI programs. As it happens, I'm one of the authors whose work was stolen to train the current iterations of generative AI text programs (see the Anthropic vs the Authors Guild case), so I do not have a good opinion of those programs and the companies making billions from them. And refuse to use any of them in my own writing and publishing.

Since there's at least one audio narration company who PAY the narrators to license their voices for use in generating things like audiobooks, I'm less adamant about that. The AI will never replace real voice actors, but they will have an opportunity to license their voices (getting paid for people to use their voices!) if they wish in the future. And that's a program I can see using to create low price point audio. HOWEVER, I'm waiting on that for now because I also know a lot of readers don't like AI narrated books.

At any rate, I want to put out a formal declaration for people who want that bit of knowledge. And I want to put it on a page that will stay up and be easy to find. I know since I write a lot and publish a lot, it might start to look a little suspicious, but the truth is, I just write ahead of myself by about a year, and I write all the time. So I just have a lot of things to publish (I'm still sitting on book 9 in the Cary Redmond series!) But given that generative AI is a thing now, I just want to let readers know where I stand and what they can expect from my writing and publishing.

Okay! I think that's more than enough for one post. LOL. HAPPY AUTUMN! (And HAPPY SPRING to those in the southern hemisphere!)

Bye until next month! Happy Reading!

April is all about the Dragons!

And one musician finding the music again--see below for info on that.

KICKSTARTER

The Dragon Thief Series Kickstarter is still going strong. Please consider visiting and backing if you can! 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/katsimons/the-dragon-thief-series-season-one-omnibus-deluxe-edition

BUT as promised for my non-Kickstarter readers, the eBook is up for preorder at my store, with a release date of June 4, 2025. And the eBook is available at all other vendors for preorders now, with a release date of August 6, 2025. So the omnibus edition will be available to everyone soon. (Backers just get it first *grin*)

THE DRAGON THIEF SERIES, SEASON ONE

Dragon Thief Series, Books 1-6

Preorder from KatSimonsBooks - OUT JUNE 4th

Preorder from All Other Vendors - OUT AUGUST 6th

Ask dragon questions, get dragon answers…

 Myra makes one of the biggest mistakes of her life when she allows herself to get sucked into an ill-considered bet to break into the dragon king’s hoard. Pride goes before the fall, as they say, and Myra’s pride urges her on to extraordinary risks to prove her skills. As a thief with magic that makes the thieving arts that much easier, Myra manages the impossible. Wins her bet.

And gets caught in the act by the dragon king’s guard.

Facing the consequences of that failure means doing a job for the dragon king. A job that changes Myra’s life forever. When she meets the dragon king’s son, Christopher. A dragon shifter prince with a soft spot for damsels in distress. Who occasionally smells like sugar cookies. And whose fierce devotion and protective nature draw Myra like a particularly complicated lock.

Myra loves sugar cookies. She does not love working for the dragon king. But she does like Christopher. A lot. All of which really complicates a thief’s life. Especially when that new life throws her into the middle of a world with dangers and threats unlike anything she’s encountered before.

Myra faces two choices. Stay in the dragon shifter world and keep Christopher in her life. Or leave the danger and return to her ordinary world. But lose Christopher forever. Knowing no matter what she decides, she risks a shattering fall.

Don’t miss this omnibus edition of the entire first seasons of Kat Simons’ romantic, action-packed urban fantasy Dragon Thief series. Six novellas in one big book. Binge on Myra and Christopher’s romance and adventures as they learn how to navigate their growing feelings for each other while trying to survive the dragon king’s machinations. And a growing list of deadly enemies.

~~~

RELEASES

AND Speaking of the Dragon Thief, the first book in the new season, Book 7, THE CROWN OF KINGSHIP JOB, is now live everywhere! If you've been waiting for it from one of the other online retailers, you can pick it up now.

THE CROWN OF KINGSHIP JOB

Dragon Thief, Book 7

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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.

~~

And yet more Dragon Thief, the second book in the new season, Book 8, THE GREEN SCROLL JOB, is available at KatSimonsBooks on April 23rd! It's up for preorder now, if you want to get it so it lands directly into your BookFunnel library on release day.

THE GREEN SCROLL JOB

Dragon Thief, Book 8

Preorder Now -- OUT April 23rd

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.

~~

THE CAFE

Last, but certainly not least, today, April 14th, is the last day to read MYRA AND CHRISTOPHER AT THE CAFE for free! If you read this on the 15th or later, a new Café story will be available to read! The story for the 15th is a sweet little story about finding music and a new friend. JAMAR AT THE CAFE will be available to read for free through the 30th of April.

  

~~~

NEWS

Lot going on this month, but May will be a little quieter. I have a short story from HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND FAIRY DALES releasing as a standalone eBook, which I'll talk more about next month. And there will be two new Café stories, of course, so watch out for those.

I will also start sending out Kickstarter rewards and finalizing the print rewards. Once that starts happening, I'll also get the retail print editions up for preorder through other online retailers and KatSimonsBooks. And I'll set up the deluxe editions of the book through my store (they will be exclusive to KatSimonsBooks).

A quick note on Tariffs

By the time this post goes live things might have even changed (and changed again), and if they have, I'll come back and comment here, but the tariffs imposed by the current US administration are likely going to affect my small business. How and when, I'm not sure yet, because the situation keeps changing.

Fortunately, eBooks are good to go, no matter where you are. That will remain the same. My three different print distributors also have printing facilities in individual countries outside the US, which should (I hope!) make getting paperbacks in those countries easy enough, without the added cost of higher tariffs.

There's still a lot up in the air, and it will be a changing environment for the foreseeable future *sigh*. When I know how things are affecting my books, I'll post about it, but at the moment (as I type this), I'm not entirely sure how all this will play out. Or even if things will be different for my books or not. Hopefully, the chaos doesn't last too long. (I've edited this section once already before it goes live, so...we'll see.)

~~

Okay, I think that's probably enough for one month! *grin* One last ask for you to check out the Kickstarter! And until May, I hope the world is treating you gently!

Happy reading!

Equinox and St. Paddy's Day Month!

Happy March! And Happy Equinox! And Happy St. Patrick's Day!

For March, I have a whole host of news, books you might enjoy for St. Patrick's Day and upcoming release information.

First up on the news, JOAN AND THE GOBLINS is officially out wide as of today! If you haven't already picked it up at KatSimonsBooks, now's the chance to get at any of the other vendors you prefer.

JOAN AND THE GOBLINS

A Joan of Kerry Story

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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.

~~~

And if you just can't get enough of Joan and Rory, the Free Read at The Café at KatSimonsBooks is a Joan of Kerry story! Joan visits The Café, and there's also a goblin involved, because of course there is. That one's a free read until April 1st so don't miss out!!

~~~

Dragon Thief readers, I have lots of news for you! The prelaunch for the Kickstarter page is available to follow, and I'll be launching on April 1st (I know, I know, but it's not a joke, I promise! LOL). If you follow the prelaunch page, you'll get a notification as soon as I launch, so you won't forget. And apparently having people follow the campaign helps it get off to a good start even if you can't back for some reason. Any help, even just following along, will help, so THANK YOU!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/katsimons/the-dragon-thief-series-season-one-omnibus-deluxe-edition

There will be all kinds of fun stuff in the Kickstarter, but primarily it will be to fund some very cool special editions of the omnibus! Don't miss out!

~~~

And speaking of Dragon Thief, the next book is up for preorder now! THE GREEN SCROLL JOB, Book 8 in the series, and the second story in Season Two, follows our new the team learning to work together. There are growing pains, bad guys, and ancient magic. It's fun! I encourage you to read it.

"Despite growing pains and shaky trust, Myra, Christopher, and the team have a new distressed damsel to rescue. And saving their client from some very dangerous people will mean confronting ancient, deadly magic."

THE GREEN SCROLL JOB is out at KatSimonsBooks on April 23rd, and will release wide on June 10th. You can preorder at either KatSimonsBooks or at your preferred vendor to get the book delivered right to you on launch day!

Missed the Book 7 launch at the store? Never worry, the wide release for THE CROWN OF KINGSHIP JOB is out in April too! It's still available at my store if you're in a hurry and want to get it early. But on April 9th, it will arrive in all the stores. It's also available for preorder now if you'd like to make sure it lands in your reader on the day.

And for my print readers, do not despair! This series begins making its way into print with the Kickstarter. The individual books will go to print and there are options for those in the Kickstarter. They'll be available at KatSimonsBooks to buy direct, and also available wide from most bookstores--available to order if they aren't on the shelf.

More on that next month during the Kickstarter run!

~~~

But speaking of paperback editions of books, I've started putting some of my shorter stories and novellas into print for print readers! I'll be working on this one series at a time. This month was the Percy James Mystery series!

They're currently available at Amazon stores and at KatSimonsBooks for buying directly from me. But they're making their way out to other bookstores soon, so keep an eye out!

Next up on my move-to-print list is obviously the Dragon Thief series, but I'm also going to be getting the Joan of Kerry series into print soon too! Hopefully they'll be ready to go out by May. Just need a little reworking on the covers. I will keep you updated here!

~~~

AND! Because it happens to be St. Patrick's Day (or well, it was just before this page went live), this is a reminder that I have a couple of books for that :)

Not only do I have some fun reads for the day that celebrates all things Irish, JOAN AND THE LEPRECHAUN as well as CARY'S LEPRECHAUN TROUBLES are both on sale at my store now for only $0.99 until the end of the month! They are also on sale everywhere eBooks are sold until March 23rd! Don't miss out.

~~~

With all that, a little reminder that if you prefer to get your news direct to your inbox, my reader newsletter will keep you updated on all of these activities, with the added benefit of the occasional excerpt, cover reveal, store coupons, and all new subscribers get two exclusive stories! So if you're interested in staying up to date without having to remember to swing by the website, join my newsletter now.

Okay, I think that's probably enough news for one month (I did warn it was a lot LOL). Next month, the Kickstarter launches and new Dragon Thief stories go live! An exciting month!

Until then, Happy Equinox! And Happy St. Patrick's Day.

And Happy Reading,

~Kat

HAPPY OCTOBER!!

Well and truly in the midst of the Halloween season now! And it's even feeling autumnal here in New York at the moment with cooler weather. I hope those of you in the southern hemisphere are getting your warm-up finally! Spring is just as groovy as autumn.

So for October, there's a lot happening. Two releases and a whole lot of sales!

First up, and OUT NOW, and perfect for spooky season, the next Haunts and Howls collection. HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND FAIRY DALES is my ode to, mostly Irish, fairytales. There's also a new Cary Redmond story and a new Friday's Curious Shop story in this collection!

HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND FAIRY DALES

A Haunts and Howls Contemporary Fantasy Collection

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

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

Tread carefully through haunted dales where fairies dance…

For when the Fae are about, magic and mischief run free. Wild, unpredictable, neither friend nor fiend. Fairies cross the boundaries between light and dark, taking the unwary on rides through the impossible. The deadly.

And here, at the crossroads, in a shop, by a field, the Fae awaken terror and hope. Only the brave, or the luckless, dare tangle with these immortals. Hoping to survive the night.

Hunt the fairies. If you dare.

Myths, legends, and haunting tales dance through this collection of seven all new spooky contemporary fantasy stories from bestselling author Kat Simons. Don’t miss this latest in the Haunts and Howls series, including a brand new Cary Redmond novella.

~~

HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND FAIRY DALES is out everywhere in eBook and Trade paperback and Large Print paperback editions. The paperbacks are, of course, still populating through everywhere, so keep checking on those. You can always swing by my store for paperbacks since I have those there now for some of the series, including Haunts and Howls. But at the moment, it's mostly the Trade paperbacks. I'm still working on moving the Large Print over.

~~

Next up this month, and out today at my store, next week wide, the next Dragon Thief story!

THE FEMME FATALE JOB is a really fun addition to the series. Things are heating up with Maya and Christopher, and an unexpected guest drops in. Not a welcome one. Don't miss this latest in the series!

THE FEMME FATALE JOB

A Dragon Thief Story, Book 5

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No one saw her coming…

After the last job for the dragon king, Myra vows never again. No more. But for Christopher, and for whatever these feelings developing between them might be… She can’t say no. Especially if the job involves a damsel in distress. Myra’s dragon shifter prince just can’t resist rescuing people in trouble. And when he needs a thief to do that, Myra happily jumps in. The job might be skirting the line between working for the dragon king and not working for the dragon king, but Myra willingly walks that line for Christopher.

What starts out as a simple case of helping one woman rescue her career, though, quickly turns into something Myra never expected, something no one expected. A foe so deadly, so terrifying, that if they get this wrong, the entire island of Manhattan could burn.

Pitting a magical thief and her dragon shifter prince against one of the most terrifying creatures on the planet… How can they possibly survive?

By stealing something of course.

Before everything goes up in flames.

~~

The sixth book in the series, THE SCAVENGER JOB, will be out in December! December 3rd at my store, up for preorder now, and December 10th wide, preorder most places now. This has a bit of a holiday, Christmas-y theme to it, and romance readers will finally get their payout for this slow burn romance! More details next month.

For my print readers, do not despair! I will have the full collection of this first season of Dragon Thief available in print in 2025. In fact, I am planning a fun Kickstarter for a special edition hardback as well as having some fancy paperbacks and an ordinary paperback edition. So print readers will get all the good stuff! More on that as I start setting things up, but there will be paperbacks, I promise.

~~

SALES!!

This month there are a lot of books on sale at my store, some at deep discounts and some free. Don't miss out!

Also, I have THE TROUBLE WITH BLACK CATS AND DEMONS on sale now. Get this first in series in eBook FREE everywhere.

As is probably obvious, I'm still writing books in the Cary Redmond series, because they are fun for me and I love these characters. In fact, book 9 in the series is written and going to be going into editing soon for a 2025 release! I'll have more information about that when things start moving, but in the meantime, if you'd like to catch up on the series, this is a great time to pick up the first book.

~~

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

As promised I have completely decked out KatSimonsBooks for Halloween and even if you don't buy your books directly there, you really have to see the place. The main page feels like I tossed a bunch of black and orange sprinkles all over the place! LOL. 

Next month, if I get everything lined up the way I'd like, I will have a little surprise launching at the store (which will include free reading!) I've been hinting, I know. But since November 1st is my particular witchy New Year's day, I feel like it's a good time to launch this new venture. Check the site in early November or check back here for more information!

And until next month, may your October treat you well and may there be all the fun and spooky things you might like for this month--costumes, treats, scary movies, and of course, scary reading!

Happy Reading!