First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

RUBY is out in the world, completing my re-release of the Facets of Pasion books. Otherwise I'm waxing on about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and my love for Spike, including thoughts on whether their relationship was "abusive." Preorder ROGUE FAMILIAR here https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar RUBY is out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/ruby FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: http...

How my day went all to hell yesterday with several pieces of bad luck. More importantly, I'm talking about my bestie Grace Draven, some stuff she's dealing with, and her upcoming Go Fund Me. Preorder ROGUE FAMILIAR here https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekenne...

On husbands and their Opinions™ and other thoughts on women as writing and publishing professionals. (Yes, this particular dynamic is a binary, IMO.) Also maybe my new author headshot? Preorder ROGUE FAMILIAR here https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/sapphire...

Cover reveal for ROGUE FAMILIAR today! I'm also talking more about finances for creatives, monetizing creativity and why there's a fundamental problem with it, and other aspects of being a professional creative that aren't widely discussed. MY STROKE OF INSIGHT by Jill Bolte Taylor is here https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/142292.My_Stroke_of_Insight Preorder ROGUE FAMILIAR here h...

Financial emergencies and other downsides of earning one's living as a creative. How the demands of monetization affect creativity - and how being a fulltime writer isn't the idyllic, dreamy, artsy life we envision. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/sapphire and PLATINUM is available he...

I'm explaining how to decode the message when agents & editors say a genre is dead. Also thoughts on whether writing cross-genre is actually hip these days, why Murderbot is cool, and an exciting new cover reveal! You can find the Murderbot diaries by Martha Wells here https://www.marthawells.com/murderbot.htm FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-r...

The business of self-publishing, especially ISBNs, and retail platforms for print. Also, raving about Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and what creators can learn from it on prequels and riffing within the canon. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12327578/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3 FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings SAPPHIRE is availa...

On writing cross-genre and pushing the boundaries of fantasy. Does fantasy necessarily mean non-tech/medieval culture? And other thoughts on tropes, reader expectations, and making art. My friend Robin's obituary is here https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/26995925/robin-lynn-perini FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings SAPPHIRE is available...

On burnout - how to identify it, prevent it, and recover from it, should you have to. Also other thoughts on sustainable creativity, monetization (and not) and making a living from your art or passion. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/sapphire and PLATINUM is available here https://jeffekennedy....

Superpowers, immortality, and whether we'd keep everyone alive forever if we could. Also the movie She Said, reflections on the naughty Tumblr I used to have and how the #metoo movement changed so many things for me. My naughty Tumblr is here https://www.tumblr.com/blog/jeffescloset and the movie She Said is here https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14807308/ FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here:...

Sad news - my 17yo cat Isabel passed away over the weekend. She went peacefully at home though. Otherwise I'm talking about productivity, training to increase wordcount and asking a Tarot question. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/sapphire and PLATINUM is available here https://jeffekennedy...

Some industry gossip on the author who pretended to commit suicide to sell books. Also, an online romance book club! Then thoughts on the Mary Sue character and whether we're really still talking about this. This is the online romance book club I mention https://www.meetup.com/Romance-Lovers-Book-Club/ Here's the TV Tropes article on the Mary Sue character https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmw...

On happiness, success, becoming addicted to the admiration of others,  being true to your art, and the effects of monetization on creativity, e.g. what happens when you can make a living with your passion. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings and SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/sapphire THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwi...

A bit more on how I've increased my author income stream over the last 7 seven years so that I can make my living as a writer, my strategies, why a robust backlist is key, and how I'm refining my approach for 2023. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings and SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/sapphire THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RAD...

I'm reviewing my author earnings for 2022 as compared to prior years, talking trad vs. indie income and how a robust backlist is key to earning a living as a write. Also some distressing news about Robin Perini. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings and SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/sapphire THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STA...

Looking at some of my metrics for the year and the implications. Also a discussion of ideas for writing, how it's different for newbie writers, how you know if an idea is good, and how to keep track of ideas. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings and SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/sapphire THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR ,...

I'm talking about epistolary books today - both fiction and nonfiction, and the various styles - along with some recommendations from my recent reading binge. I'm still looking for more recs! Some of the recs I mention: Every Tiny Tooth and Claw (or: Letters from the First Month of the New Directorate) By Marissa Lingen https://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/stories/every-tiny-tooth-and...

Introducing our new Maine coon kitten: Killian! There are kitten shenanigans, and also some discussion of writing - my year-end reevaluations, how good (or not) my data is, and thoughts for next year's priorities. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings and SAPPHIRE is available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/sapphire THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT S...

I'm doing a deep dive into Taoism today, comparing translations, and talking about concepts of desire and letting go in terms of my year-end evaluation and setting goals for next year. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of Magic series, now available!! https:/...

Talking a bit more about AI-generated art in context of the clip-art crisis of the early 90s and why I'm not worried about AI's creatively supplanting humans. Also a CW-flagged discussion later re: intermittent fasting. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs...

Looking back at where I was this time last year and how I really have reduced my stress levels. Also, the difference between writing short and writing long and how not all craft/skill approaches work for both. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of Magic series, now...

More on worldbuilding - including my thoughts on how we worldbuild in EVERY genre, even nonfiction - and how this is the ninth secondary fantasy world I've built and trying to be at peace with *research*. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of Magic series, now...

I'm delving into my worldbuilding process a bit today, trying to shed some light on how I combine the intuitive aspect with research, while minimizing rabbit holes. Also how Google search is shit for this kind of thing. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of Ma...

Reflections on re-reading my first book - WYOMING TRUCKS, TRUE LOVE, AND THE WEATHER CHANNEL - including thoughts on Taoism, the passage of time, and the ways in which who we are changes and doesn't. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of Magic series, now avai...

A kind of hysterical epiphany on the Bandits book, thoughts on Taoism and that eternal climb back onto the pillow - along with death, life, disease, and kittens - and having a gentle holiday. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of Magic series, now available!! https...