New Substack Book: Don't Let Go

 

Some of you might remember a mystery/thriller/police procedural romance I teased last year. To finish it or not to finish it became the question. Launching my Substack and finishing up Avarice of the Empire put the thriller, Don't Let Go, on the backburner. 

Reexamining it now, it feels ridiculous not to finish it, not since there's 61k words already written. Since it's a departure from my usual series, and more of a marketing risk, I've decided to share it on Substack. I posted chapter one already and will drop chapter two today as well. I love the idea of Substack becoming a place where I can experiment a little, and share stories with subscribers that might otherwise never see the light of day.

I'll be posting it chapter by chapter just like Inherent Violence. I hope you'll check it out. Happy reading! 

Newsletter 2/1/26

 

**This is a mirrored post from my Substack, where you can read it, and all chapters of the Alex Bonfils-centric Dartmoor tie-in novel, Inherent Violence. 

February greetings from a snowy corner of Georgia. It’s been bitter, windy, ice-breaking weather here, but thankfully we avoided the snow and freezing rain that’s struck Tennessee two weeks in a row. I’ll take all the small favors I can get. Now that the Christmas season is well behind us, I’m ready to trade the midwinter blues for green grass, happy horses, and evenings that melt long and slow into night. Daylight savings can’t come fast enough.

As for today, there are a few news items of note:

• I broke ground on the seventh and final Drake Chronicles book this morning, as of yet untitled. Book six, Avarice of the Empire, released at the end of December and offered some wild twists, including a surprise ending that leads directly into the action of the big finale. I’m determined that book seven will be the last book, even if it winds up being a chunky installment. Before anyone asks, I have no idea when it might release. Sorry! There’s lots to juggle at the moment.

• Last week I started a new post series all about writing. Writing 101 focuses on the importance of reading for writers, and Writing 102, the next installment, will discuss journaling and practice writing. This is a deep dive look at craft, from concept to completion, and as of now, I’m planning to update it on a monthly basis, depending on the rest of my writing workload.

• The Alex-centered Dartmoor novel Inherent Violence is rolling along here on Substack. We’re up to Chapter Twenty-One as of last night, and in Chapter Twenty-Two, Miranda gets to meet the old ladies. For anyone asking if I’ll eventually turn this book into a Kindle/paperback release, the answer is that I haven’t decided. Low Lord Have Mercy sales lead me to believe that it wouldn’t sell very well, and in this format, I get to offer it as an exclusive to Substack supporters. So, we’ll see, but I’m not sure.

I have a bit of personal news as well. If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen my stories a week or so ago when I talked about my health issues. I don’t want to say too much yet, but suffice to say that I felt terrible for most of 2025, especially in the back half of the year. At the beginning of January, I started seeing a new doctor, one who’s actually taking my pain and other symptoms seriously; she’s being proactive, and that’s been a tremendous relief. I had an ultrasound last Tuesday to check on one thing…and the radiologist wound up finding something unexpected. My doctor ordered an MRI, and I have that this coming Tuesday evening. We’ve been moving forward with the hypothesis that I have endometriosis, or ovarian cysts, or both, and now there’s another complication that needs examining. I’m nervous. Hopefully the MRI can shed light on everything that’s going on, and we can move forward with a clear surgical plan.

All that’s to say that I’m not sure what my schedule for the next few weeks or months is going to look like. I’m going to write as much as I can, with the idea that I’ll have scheduled posts set to drop in the early stages of any surgery recovery period. If I’m laid up for a while, I won’t be much use at the barn (ugh!) but should still be able to write. I’ll keep y’all posted!

Stay warm, everyone :)

Updates 11/24

 

Firstly, Happy Birthday to Miss Sonata, who is officially a yearling this month! She's almost as tall as Kit Kat and Bambi already, so she's gonna be a big gal when she comes into her own. Also the sweetest and most cooperative. Thanks for being the best baby.

On to the book stuff.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you'll know that the whole family's been recovering from Covid. Everyone's feeling better, but not well, ya know? That crap lingers. Which means my last two chapters of Inherent Violence have been much shorter and less informative than originally planned. I was grateful to post something, but not pleased with the length. 

This week, I'm returning to the Wednesday/Friday posting model, and both chapters will be properly long and involved. This story is going to move quickly - in the sense that I know straight where to head with it - if I can continue to feel better and better each day. I'd also like to continue with my Dartmoor origins posts over on Substack.

Speaking of: You can get all caught up with paid and free posts on Substack HERE. The next chapter of Inherent Violence drops this Wednesday for paid subscribers. 

Read-alongs pick back up this week as well, starting today with the next chapter of Fearless. Get all caught up HERE.

I'm still scrambling to get Avarice of the Empire out before the end of the year, so keep your fingers and toes crossed that I manage to accomplish that.

Sorry, everyone, for being slow. Thanks so much for sticking around! 

Substack Exclusive: Inherent Violence

Substack subscribers, it's here! Chapter One of Alex's story, Inherent Violence, is now available. This first chapter is free for everyone, so you can go read it and decide if you'd like to subscribe for future chapters. 

Here's the blurb:

Three months ago, former FBI agent Alex Bonfils buried his mentor, quit his job, bought a Harley, and followed his half-brother back to Knoxville with a brave idea that he would prospect the Lean Dogs MC. But now, living at an extended stay motel, the harsh reality of upending his life starts to take hold. He still hasn't made peace with his bloodline - with the violence that lives inside him - and he's exploring all options before turning fully toward the club.

Miranda Reddy is on the run. With her six-year-old daughter Casey in tow, she takes a job as a jumping instructor at Briar Hall Farm in Knoxville, working for Emmie Walsh. She likes her new boss, loves the farm, loves working with students and horses. But her frightening past is still very much a part of the present, and she can't decide if trusting the Lean Dogs - specifically Alex - is a safe bet, or even more dangerous than the threat she's fled. 

This is very much an experiment for me. I've had lots of questions about Substack, about how to subscribe, and about whether or not this book will wind up being published on Amazon. As for Substack, follow the link in line one to go read the chapter, and it'll prompt you to subscribe once you finish. You can subscribe for free, and have access to any free content I post, but will need to become a paid subscriber to read the rest of this story. 

As for a book version - I'm undecided. I'm still working on the Drakes and SoR, but I'm going to see how it goes with Inherent Violence before I make a decision on that. For now, I hope you'll join us on Substack, and I hope you'll enjoy Alex's story.