My Big News


Attending the Dreamspinner Press conference for authors in Orlando a month ago was an awesome experience. The highlight was talking with the owner and the editor in chief about my writing career. In fact, I’d call those conversations life-changing.

Regular visitors to my blog know I’ve been disappointed by abysmal sales for my last two novels. It’s not the money. I write to be read. Knowing nobody would read another historical novel took the wind out of my sails.

Dreamspinner Press (and MLR) cater to romance readers. As any fan of romance whose read my books will tell you, I don’t write romance. I’m grateful to both publishers for taking a chance on my stories, but have often felt like a fish out of water.

I told the editor in chief about my unsuccessful attempts to add more romance to my stories. If they accept Whippersnapper (fingers crossed), she asked if I’d be willing to work with an editor to help me with the romance part. Of course I said yes.

Whether I can learn remains to be seen. My reputation as a slow learner is well established. I’m willing to try, and whether I’m successful or not, feel certain the experience will help me to be a better writer.

Dreamspinner Press has a new imprint for fiction other than romance featuring gay characters. We talked about whether or not my novels were appropriate for the new imprint. They said they’d think about it and let me know.

Two weeks later, I got the news. My last two novels are the kind of stories they want to publish through Dreamspinner Press Publications (the new imprint). I’m thrilled!

The novel formerly known as After Christmas Eve is scheduled for release in April or May of 2016. The story will go through editing again with a new title and a new cover. The finished product will be marketed to mainstream audiences as a mystery.

Happy Independence Day is scheduled for release in July or August of 2016. The story will also go through editing again and get a new cover. The finished product will be marketed to mainstream audiences as historical fiction.

From the start of my writing career, my writers group and others put me and my stories in the box with m-m romance. To tell you the truth, romance is probably my least favorite genre. That’s probably why I have such a hard time writing romance.

If I learn to write romance, great — I’ll have more options for future books. If not, I can keep writing mysteries, thrillers, and historical novels and can stop trying to be something I’m not. At long last, I’m home, and my new address is Dreamspinner Press Publications.


15 responses to “My Big News”

  1. Great news, Michael! And welcome to the DSP Publications family, where my horror/thriller novels are finding good homes! You’re going to love it here.

  2. This is really exciting news! I’m glad DSP has created this new imprint and that you’re on board. I definitely thinthere’s a market for the kinds
    of novels you write, and hopefully taking them out of the romance category and promoting them by their main categories will get you more readership! Also, I know it’s been ages since I won your first two books, but I’m finally almost ready to start reading. My backlog got rather large, and I read paperbacks less often than digital copies (though I adore paperbacks still). Anyway, looking forward to reading!

  3. I’m so happy for you that you have found a new home. Best of luck to you and your books! [hug]

    • Thanks, mama! From the moment I first heard about the new imprint maybe a year ago, I’ve thought maybe my novels fit the bill. Meeting the people who make the decisions made the difference. I never would have asked via email. Just goes to show the value of personal relationships.