Hi everyone!
When I was a kid, I devoured books by Robin McKinley, Madeleine L'Engle, Ray Bradbury, and others.
Then I went to college, where I spent so much time studying pharmacy that I went years without reading a book that didn't mention the molecular structure of aspirin.
Romantic, right?
Eventually, I found my way back to reading. Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books and Patricia Briggs's Mercy Thompson series reminded me how much I loved stories with supernatural trouble, a little mystery, and romance mixed in. That's when I discovered urban fantasy, especially when it came with a little romantic trouble.
They also helped inspire me to start writing again.
My first finished novel, back around 2007, was urban fantasy, too. Pandora's Secret featured a saber-toothed tiger shifter and a violet-eyed woman who could open Pandora's box. I don't remember much else about it, and I have no idea where the file ended up. Probably for the best.
I printed the whole massive thing out, begged everyone I knew to read it, and eventually realized I had a few things to learn about writing. Still do.
So I started smaller, with a short story that eventually grew into Blood & Holy Water, which I published about a decade later.
And now, all these years later, I'm back to writing urban fantasy. Funny how that works.
So, what have I been working on?
I'm proofreading Reaper Cursed, the first full novel in my Death's Scythe series.
Meet Kal, a very grumpy grim reaper with souls to collect, trouble to survive, and some seriously complicated romantic options. One man is a laid-back human. The other is a demon hunter. And Kal has absolutely no interest in making sensible decisions. Especially when the demon hunter pulls her into his revenge crusade.
I've been working on these books for years, and getting back into Kal's head has reminded me just how much I love her and the rest of this slightly dysfunctional cast.
I'm hoping to launch the series in January, and I'll have an updated version of the prequel, Reaper Born, ready for you next month. (You might already have an earlier version on your Kindle. You can delete that one. A new and improved version is coming!)
And here's a little peek at the flavor of these stories...
I bought these covers back in 2020 and started writing Book 1 back then. I'm tweaking the covers slightly, but here's a look at the prequel and Book 1. I have covers for three more books in the series. Book 2 is already written, but needs some TLC yet. Books 3 and 4 will depend on how much you like the series. There's no shortage of trouble Kal can get into, so this series could keep going for a while, if you love Kal and her story as much as I do!
I've been so excited about this project that I haven't been paying attention to reading trends: Are urban fantasy and paranormal romance book genres dead?
Do you still read them? Ghosts, grim reapers, witches, vampires, supernatural mysteries, and strange little towns where something is definitely not right?
Or have reading tastes wandered somewhere else?
Hit reply and tell me what you've been enjoying lately.
A quick book update before I go!
My next fae romantasy novella, The Sister in the South, is now available for preorder!
Cael and Penelope are heading south to save his sister. There's a fae hound on their trail, money is running low, and the horse has opinions about everything.
And Cael is trying very hard not to fall for a princess.
He's not doing particularly well.
It's Book 2 of The One Who Chooses, the sequel to The Horse and the Thief and Me. Expect more gothic atmosphere, banter, slow-burn romance, and one very opinionated horse. Oh, and Cael's sister, Poppy. I love her. If you love her as much as I do, I'll write book 3 from her point of view.
Preorder The Sister in the South on Amazon
Thanks for being here and following along with my writing adventures. Whether you've been reading my books for years or you're relatively new around here, I'm glad you're along for the ride.
Happy reading!
Take care,
— Joy (aka Joynell Schultz)
Otherworldly stories, always with heart.
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P.S. Here are the author group promos I'm in this month. All free books.
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