FAQs

Due to their incorporation of generative AI “Recaps” and that it took me a month to get someone to answer regarding how our books are used, I have decided to no longer sell series books on Kindle and will be removing others over time as well. Until they include a Terms of Service update outlining how our books are used, it's impossible to say if I will ever have books for sale there again.

Truly, I am sorry. Please know that I am likely destroying my career here, and I'm upset, but this is unacceptable.

Because of the problems I’m having with them paying me. I am deeply apologetic for the inconvenience but I can’t offer books for sale places that go several months without paying me and require months and months of follow-up for help, and that don’t seem remotely interested in figuring out why there are payment issues.

Bloodlines was put out in audio because I didn’t pay for that one. Putting out audiobooks myself is extremely cost prohibitive. They would run me $3K to $5K USD or more per book at least and I would not make that back. I don’t have an agent to sell rights for me. The rest of those books will not release in that format.

In 2024, I struck a deal with Everand to try out some of my books. And then the entire publishing team was laid off and now I have no idea what is happening with those four books.

Otherwise, if you only read audiobooks, I’m sorry, but what is currently available is all there is. Please do not yell at me or "demand" I release more audiobooks, this is out of my control. Find the list here.

Yes! Presently Dweller on the Threshold is available. The Silent Places is scheduled for July 29 2025, Solomon's Seal for September 23, and The Killing Beach in December.

All books are formatted with the visually impaired in mind. I tried to follow best practices for formatting, including a special bold font that's easier to read, space between paragraphs, and left-aligned text. They're larger than my typical paperbacks, which is why they tend to be pricier (prices are based on page count). I'm testing the waters to see how they do and I'm happy to offer this format, it just takes a bit of extra time to do.

Series books will be tricky over time and, if this is a successful experiment, some books will have to be split into two volumes due to the length of them. If this is a format you're interested in seeing more of, please let your friends know.

Unfortunately, I can’t. Shipping is ridiculously expensive for books and while I used to do bookplates, they have a history of getting lost in the mail. If I’m able to change this policy in the future, I will, but for now it’s a no. I’m also immunocompromised and unable to attend events (if you’re in Alberta, you might find signed books at some friends’ tables at conventions.)

No.

No. I offer that to folks at Patreon and once in a while as a giveaway prize. I can’t afford to give out that kind of thing all the time.

No, review copies aren’t available. It stresses me out too much, worrying whether the books will be liked or if they’ll be reviewed at all, etc. I have previously spent a lot of money sending print books that were never reviewed, which is not something I can afford. I’ve also had issues with bloggers sharing files without my consent.

The usual answer is what every writer says: leave some reviews at Amazon/GoodReads/Reddit/your blog, chat up the books to your friends. Honestly, though? I hate those stupid “support your favourite author” memes that go around. Just buy the books. Yes, reviews and word-of-mouth and all that jazz helps, and it’s appreciated, but if you buy my books and would rather just lurk? Totally cool. Unless you steal from me, you’re a fan and you’re awesome, and you just keep on lurking and being great. If you have extra pennies, you can check out Patreon.

Because that's where the bulk of my writing income comes from. I simply do not sell enough books individually to make a dent in my bills. To be able to write and publish more, I have to make money on my work. Patreon does that for me and I want to reward the folks able to support that way.

NO. Under no circumstances. No book you buy from me (or support my writing via Patreon) will ever involve LLMs. I am staunchly against it. I actually like writing. I am not going to use a fancy predictive text generator to do that for me–I’d be miserable.

I have never used any of the “AI” cover art generators for my books. I will never. I have no intention of using AI stock photos, however there are some unscrupulous people who might use AI to generate photos and then put them up for sale. I do my due diligence but the only way I might use a stock photo that was AI-generated is accidentally if it was improperly labelled. Any illustrations and maps are done by hired artists or me. My covers are all done by me (and the illustrated look of the Waverly hardcovers are still by me–I cobble together a lot of photos, do some digital painting, then use a lot of filters).

No. I really wish authors would check for other writers using similar names. (And Skyla Dawn Cameron is not a pen–that’s really my name.)

This usually means one of three things.

• A typo. My books are 90 000 – 130 000 words on average (sometimes more, sometimes less), and no matter how many pairs of eyes go over them beforehand, something is missed. I do have multiple editors and a proofreader, and I’m a freelance editor myself, so I am very thorough. Something always slips through the cracks. If you’d like to tell me about a typo, feel free to use my contact form. I do go through and tweak/update the files periodically, but be certain it’s an actual typo and not Canadian spelling or a stylistic choice.
• You think something I wrote is wrong. Maybe you’re right, or maybe you’re not, but I’m not going back to tinker with major things, no matter how I might want to. Writers reach a point where they have to let things go and not endlessly rewrite because on that path lies madness.
• You don’t like a character/plot line/etc. I don’t write to please you or please ANYONE–it’s impossible to do. I understand if there are things you don’t like in my books but these are books, not a drive-thru menu. I don’t take requests and there is no manager to speak to.

Yes, you’ll find them here. I link to that page now in my eBook files.

I question their usefulness when attempts are made to list everything imaginable without context so I stick to major elements that could cause harm to an unprepared reader with PTSD with as much context as I think would be helpful. I also assume basic media and genre literacy so of course there is murder in my murder mysteries; of course a sense of fear is prevalent in my horror novels.

If you have a specific trigger, you can reach out to me to find out what books you should avoid. If you’re just looking for spoilers, though, note that I abhor them and will not answer.

It’s okay, they probably don’t like you either.

You are welcome to but I’m not going to answer.

There are many, many options out there for cozy stories with safe characters and happy endings. Those stories are important and needed, however they are not ones I write.

I have bent over backwards stressing and warning in advance and enduring hatemail and awful comments about me personally when a book or series did not go a particular way for a particular audience I have never advertised my work to in the first place, and I’m no longer doing it. Being in a constant state of anxiety, bracing to be yelled at, has had a monumentally negative impact on my ability to write (and is, in part, why I have not been able to conclude the Livi Talbot series).

I’m not writing books for people who are looking to feel safe and comforted, nor am I writing for people who want grim and hopelessness. I write for me, and I fall in between. It’s the readers’ responsibility to check the genre of what they’re buying and adjust their expectations.

If you’re looking to learn about the business and craft of writing without spending a dime, you can do that by following the blogs and sites of writers, editors, and agents, and soaking up the things they say like a sponge. Look for online crit groups and workshops, or local networking opportunities.

When I have advice to dispense, you’ll find it at Patreon where I do a monthly craft post for folks at the tier “Double Your Fun”, but I cannot offer personalized advice to everyone who emails me and I cannot read anyone's stories, primarily because my time is limited and I would rather spend it reading my work, work I’m paid to read, or reading for pleasure. If you want to hire me as an editor, I’m currently closed to new clients.

You can follow me on social media or send me a message through my website.

Please do not add me as a friend on Facebook (you can follow my public page). Please do not send me a message through Facebook. I don't use my personal profile and I don't check friend/message requests.

There were to be twelve. I have said from the beginning that how far we get depends entirely on my stress level: factors that will decide whether or not I keep publishing are sales (if they are non-existent, well, no reason to continue) and piracy (if people are illegally distributing my work, more than buying, I will cancel this series as I did Demons of Oblivion and River Wolfe). As of Nov 2021: the series will end at the as-yet untitled seventh book due to low sales and theft. It is too much stress. I loved this series, but it is not worth killing myself over.

No. It never has been, I’ve never advertised it as such, and I have tried to make this clear.

Everand has mistakenly categorized them as PNR on the site. I’m trying to get it fixed.

I don’t write romantic HEAs. There is not going to be an HEA with the series. It is not a romance. The sheer fact that I had to come out and say "there is no romantic HEA here" is part of what killed my enthusiasm for the series because I hate talking about endings.

I don’t know, maybe never. I can't even reread the earlier books to remind myself of stuff because I start having panic attacks. Per my author’s note in Yampellec’s Idol, I am not talking about future book plans publicly until a draft is done and up for preorder. When a book is ready, I promise I will update everyone if I ever write it.

I already heap a huge amount of pressure on myself with writing, and having readers constantly push for updates and complain about the next book not being out yet just makes it harder to write (as grateful as I am for the enthusiasm).

You can’t. You can read it by purchasing them, asking someone to purchase the from you, borrowing it from your local library, or reading on Everand or Kobo Plus (which is like Netlix for books).

If you request, upload, or otherwise illegally distribute my books, you are taking money from my pocket that I need to pay my bills, buy medication, and take care of my pets. You are why my work was fed into generative AI programs. You are responsible when I have to cancel a series.

The Livi Talbot books were on life support and I warned right on the copyright page that if they’re being illegally distributed more than bought, I would cancel this series. You may think it’s a harmless act, but I assure you it’s not.  Piracy was directly responsible for the wait between releases. The series is now ending at book seven.

You are not helping the downtrodden by stealing; you are not Robin Hood. You are making a struggling writer unable to publish books by violating my rights.

Writers are not stupid. We see when you come to our sites looking for torrents; we see you requesting/posting our work at piracy forums. These sorts of activities do not encourage us to write more.

It’s a prequel centered around Dale West from the Livi Talbot series. It’s exclusive to Patreon, as are all his POV stories. Because of someone signing up at Patreon just to read it without paying, my patrons are now charged up front the moment the pledge. I understand only pledging for a limited time, but please do not steal.

None of these are necessary to enjoy the series.

Because the company that I sold the rights to (Everand/Scribd) decided stop producing new audiobooks. I cannot afford to put out audiobooks on my own and with the rights to the first books tied up, there is zero chance I could convince anyone else to take the series on. If you would like to keep reading, please buy the ebooks or paperbacks.

Yes, there’s a whole series. A complete list of novels, novellas, shorts, and collections here. Complete novels include Hunter, Lineage, Exhumed, and Oblivion. Regardless of who narrates them, ALL of these books are sequels to Bloodlines.

Did you skip Hunter and Lineage after Bloodlines?

Yes…
These books aren’t standalone; they have an overriding plot arc and the same characters appear in each. The series order is listed in the front of the books and mentioned in my author’s note at the end. I can offer you tea but no sympathy.

But I liked Zara and didn’t want to read those other stories.
Sorry?

Each character in this series has another piece of the overall plot puzzle (yes, there is a plot) and without them, the story doesn’t hold together.

I get that people were disappointed that the story didn’t immediately go back to Zara after Bloodlines. I get that some people jumped to Exhumed, and though I inwardly headdesk, I can’t stop them. I get that interest petered out as well–some readers didn’t keep going with the books because the idea of Ryann and Peri turned them off (or, let’s be honest here, a lack of Nate). I get that I likely hurt myself in terms of sales and that the alternating narrators with a linked plot was not a popular thing.

But this is how the story needed to be told.

You can’t. You can read them by purchasing them, asking someone to purchase them for you, visiting the library, or read legally on Everand or Kobo Plus (like Netflix for books).

If you illegally download/distribute my work, you are taking money from my pocket that I need to pay my bills, afford medication for a serious autoimmune disease, and take care of my pets. Due to heavy piracy, I am not writing the second arc. If you request, download, or illegally distribute my work, you were directly responsible for the demise of the series.

Every book is a “Zara book”, whether she narrates or not. It’s all one big story.

There were more books planned, but as the bulk of my income has to come from writing (so that I can keep writing), I have to decide what to work on very carefully, and the series is not financially viable. Previously I’d said “if sales ever pick up, maybe it’ll go beyond Oblivion” because believe me, no one wants more books more than I do. And then Exhumed ended up being pirated.

So. Nope. Even if I end up writing Solace or other books for fun on a whim, I will never, ever publish another Zara book. You can thank “jdscott666” (aka “bookho”) and others for that. If you illegally downloaded or distributed that book, know that it broke my heart and can’t stomach the idea of putting myself in that position again.

If you legally bought it, I’m genuinely sorry, but however upset you are about things not continuing, know that it’s even worse for me to be violated like that.

Like “Zar-ah”. The other drives me batty. And yes, I know that’s how the audiobook narrator says it–not her fault, I just wasn’t consulted by the publisher or given any previews despite offers to check pronunciation. And while we’re on the subject, Ryann is like Ryan. Not Ree-anne or Ri-anne.

Yes, it’s set twenty-five years later. There's the complete series reading order (chronologically) if you want to get into the big sprawling thing here.

You can’t. You can get Blood Ties anywhere, and you can get the rest if you support my work on Patreon or buy a paperback.

I spent a full year on Blood Ties–writing, revising, editing, proofing. It went through multiple rounds of revision with two editors. It cost me money to buy the boutique stock art. And I made less than $200 on it before it was being pirated. It sells maybe half a dozen copies a year now.

Future Elis O’Connor works, starting with Witch Hunt, will be Patreon only in ebook while serialized and then publicly available in paperback. Should I finish the series over the next several years, I’ll then consider whether to release them wider as ebooks. I cannot spend a year of my life on a book only to not make enough money to pay at least some living expenses.

It should end with the sixth. I’m currently writing the fifth.

I don’t know? The character is a young adult by necessity of the story but she has a more adult perspective since she’s a wolf. I didn’t write it thinking it was YA, I just wrote it.

Some people let their daughters as young as eleven read it. I know of at least one person who expressed shock to me that she gave it to her seventeen-year-old. In River, there are no sex scenes, the violence is typical physical altercations you find in high school (I mean, River spends a lot of time thinking about killing people and hiding the bodies, but who doesn’t?), and the language is minimal. In Wolfe it’s pretty much the same though there is one fade-to-black sex scene, IIRC.

If you’re ever in doubt, the best thing you can do? READ THE BOOK. And I highly recommend talking to your kids about what they’re reading and showing an interest. Not to censor their entertainment but to teach them to think critically about what they consume.

There’s a Daryl Marsden POV novella called Rebellion that works as both a prequel and companion to River. There's also a short called "How the Werewolf Stole Christmas" that I wrote for fun. Both are on Payhip.

There’s a second novel, Wolfe, but I haven’t completed the rewrites on it yet, so it remains out of print. Yes, there was going to be a third book. I cancelled this series due to piracy back in 2009 and don’t see myself revisiting it–I feel that River’s story is basically told in the duology and it can suffice as is.

They're Payhip-only (meaning direct from me). Honestly, River sells maybe once or twice a year in total, and the shorts sold maybe a dozen copies total over several years. I assume folks were disappointed they weren't full-length continuations because on Kindle in particular the only people bothering to rate them gave them one stars. People are free to do what they like but it's so demoralizing, it wasn't worth having them available since they didn't sell and people hated them, so they are only direct purchases now.

I still don’t have an ETA on that one, I’m sorry. I have a…complicated relationship with that book and it’s very hard for me to go back and work on it.

Nope! Other than horror, I’m moving away from spec fic works in favour of contemp thrillers/mysteries.

No, I do not write genre Romance. The series is firmly a mystery that borders on thriller in some books (and occasionally horror).

Twelve, unless, once again, I have to cancel something due to lack of support and high piracy. They’re structured like the Livi Talbot series with each book having its own mystery but there’s an overriding plot arc that will resolve in the final book. I cannot resolve that plot early if i have to cancel it. Please don’t steal.

Absolutely not. This is serialized storytelling. Each book has a "mystery of the week" plot but there is an overreaching mystery so the entire series is structured like a single story with the individual books as episodes. While I pepper in reminders of important information from book to book, each is written with the assumption that you're caught up in the series.

It's big and will span years, and it demands the reader's attention. This is probably a terrible financial decision but I'm writing the kind of thing I would love to read myself.

Yes, that's the entire purpose of the series. The big reveal is in the final book.

There’s another standalone book in that series called Watcher of the Woods, but otherwise, no. I feel Norah’s story is done (however, there are Easter eggs and references to Dweller in Watcher). There might be a third standalone set in the world (Stranger in the Halls), if I get around to writing it.

A handful of people complained about loose ends or me not explaining everything (and in some cases decided there were "plot holes"): I am actually philosophically against spoon-feeding answers to every little thing in a work. It kills the magic. I am not writing books for people who want everything spelled out for them. Pay attention and use your brain.

The reader can put together their own ideas about things, although certainly Watcher can cause Dweller to be read a slightly different way and raise even more questions.

No. I will also not respond to any questions about what goes unanswered in that book.

Red Fox Lake is briefly revisited in a Waverly Jones prequel story, Mystery at Red Fox Lake, which is now available in the hardcover for The Killing Beach.

There are no current plans for it. I can’t afford the time spent on freebies.

There is no sequel. No, it's unconnected to my other standalones. No, I won't explain anything not spelled out in the book.

Years and years ago it was used as a thank-you gift when I had to fundraise for my dog's vet bills. For a time it was also a PWYC release through my site. For a few years it was offered for sale on third parties, then eventually just on my Payhip shop in ebook. Because it's an older book and I had some comments from people who didn't feel it was up to my "usual standards", I've removed references from my website and taken it off of sale.

I have a fondness for the book and the characters, but until I have an opportunity to go through it and decide whether it needs a rewrite or not (which...honestly, is so not priority, it'll be years before I can do that), I decided I'm not comfortable having it for sale.

Yes, though I only wrote a few chapters. I like to think Ani and Rafe’s story is complete with Soulless. If you’re curious about the chapters of the potential sequel, Devour, they’re on Patreon.