With summer just around the corner, I figured it was time for an update. 

So, firstly, it's been a rough couple of months for me. My dog died. I hurt my back. I've had the worst allergies of my life, and developed asthma. I didn't even know that was possible. After having Covid three times, I guess I shouldn't be that surprised. 

My allergy medication was causing pretty severe depression, and my antidepressant made me a freaking zombie. Wonderful.

Of course, I didn't recognize any of those signs while I was in the midst of it. Only after coming off the allergy med and switching my antidepressant (actually for anxiety) did I realize how bad I'd been feeling for the past three YEARS. 

So, I said all of that to say this. I am way fucking behind. Like, not even in the same zip code of being on schedule. Obviously. Sorry about that. 

I also have a knee surgery coming up in a couple of weeks. It's nothing too major and my doctor assures me recovery will be quick and easy. Still, there's going to be at least a few days where nothing gets done. 

Then, there's physical therapy. I also start my allergy injections soon. I'm getting four injections every week, and from what I understand, I'll have to be in the office for about 90 minutes every visit to make sure I don't have a reaction. Seems like a good time to write, yes? No. I am definitely not one of those "post up in the corner of Starbucks" kind of writers.

In other words, I'm getting shit done. It's just slow right now.
​

Some you win. Some you lose. In the case of a few short titles I released on Amazon at the beginning of the year, I lost. Lean on Me, Stay with Me, Heart of Glass, and Heart of Stone are currently not available to purchase or borrow anywhere.

The problem seems to stem from the fact that I had previously released these books under a different pen name through my KDP account. Rebranding is allowed for books published elsewhere, but apparently, not ones through Amazon. 

Since republishing them with the same title, author name, etc completely defeats the purpose of rebranding, that's not something I'm willing to do. As of right now, I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with these titles. Even though these books aren't published right now, I still have to wait until the 90 day Kindle Unlimited term expires.

So, I guess check back at the end of June for an update. Hopefully, by then, I'll have a plan. 
​

Okay, I made a big deal, hemming and hawing, about how all of these series were getting makeovers and blah, blah, blah. I'm a liar. And an asshole. Again, apologies for that. Amazing what happens when you can actually think straight.

So, here's the deal. 

I realized the story I wanted to tell with Fatefully Yours is a new story.  But I don't need to reinvent the wheel to tell it. I can just--gasp--write a new series. I know...mind blown. 

So, Fatefully Yours is being rereleased as it is. Yeah, I've edited, but I haven't changed anything with the characters or plot. Nothing new has been added. If you've already read the series, you definitely don't need to pick up these rereleases.
​

Ah, Midnight Matings. This isn't a series I necessarily wanted to change. For reasons I can't get into, I just thought I HAD to. Come to find out, I don't. Hell yeah!

These books are undergoing edits and some minor updates. (Blockbuster and flip phones anyone?) Otherwise, they haven't changed, either. I added a couple of paragraphs to the end of Fire and Ash, but honestly, not enough to warrant purchasing a new copy. 

I have changed the series title to Mated by Midnight. This was largely to avoid issues with Amazon. Since the print-on-demand versions of my books are still on Amazon (but not available for purchase?) they seem to think I'm trying to plagiarize myself.

​When I rereleased the first two Fatefully Yours books, it took an entire week for me to convince them otherwise. 
​

Right now, I'm working on getting the rest of the Fatefully Yours and Mated by Midnight books out. At least, the ones I have the rights back to. That includes the entirety of the Fatefully Yours series, minus the holiday special Lest We Forget. 

For Mated by Midnight (previously Midnight Matings) that includes, Fire and Ash, Myth and Mischief, Fantasy, Legend, and the Guardian, and Howl and Harmony. 

I still have a couple of years before I get the rights back to the rest of the series (or any other books, for that matter) so there will be no new Mated by Midnight books until then.

I'm still planning to release the brand spankin' new Shot in the Dark series this year. I just honestly don't know when. I'm hoping sometime this summer, but I've got a lot on my plate right now, both with real life and my other pen name. 

I promise I'm getting there. I'm working hard, and I'll provide updates as soon as I have something relevant to share! 

Every light burned brightly in the sprawling hilltop hotel…for now. 

Leaning against the railing on the expansive third-story balcony just off the ballroom, Tian Zahn rolled his shoulders and rubbed the back of his neck. He understood the necessity of hosting these parties on the first night of the full moon, but he still hated it. 

He fisted and unclenched his hands as he stared out over the bay, watching the moonlight glitter over the dark water. He tapped his foot, his leather loafer scuffing over the cement floor. He rocked his head from side to side. Rolled his shoulders again. Crossed his arms. Uncrossed them. 

Still, the restlessness and discomfort persisted.  

His skin felt too tight, like it had been stretched across a body that no longer belonged to him. His muscles quivered, and his joints ached. A low, barely audible buzzing started in his ears, and his jaws throbbed with the effort of preventing both his upper and lower fangs from extending. 

He hooked a finger into the collar of his white dress shirt and tugged, wincing when a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his neck. Normally, he enjoyed the warm nights of summer, but this was not a normal night. 

For starters, he didn’t often wear a three-piece suit or mingle with the city’s rich and famous. He also didn’t make it a habit of actively preventing his shift, especially not on the full moon. Maybe in another decade or so, he would learn more control, but at twenty-four, he had a tentative grip on his transformation at the best of times. 
​
Yet, there he stood, the breeze blowing in off the bay doing little to cool his overheated skin. For people like him, opportunities like this didn’t happen every day, and he would have been an idiot to turn down the invitation.

Every manner of Daemon—supernatural beings that straddled the line between gods and humans—filled the grand ballroom beyond the French doors. Some, like the shifters, weres, vampires, and demons tended to stay to themselves, their eyes alert and watchful. 

Others, however, like the fairies, elves, and witches, congregated in groups of three or more. Tian even spotted a few humans scattered throughout the crowd, those with enough wealth and influence to warrant their inclusion. 

Once upon a time, or so the story went, it hadn’t been so complicated for Daemons to find the one person they were destined to love. Oh, it had still been a rare occurrence, but the steps involved had been pretty straightforward. A look, a scent, or just general instinct had been all it took to recognize one’s moira, their fated mate. 
​
Then, something changed. The legends didn’t agree on what exactly, only that Daemons had angered the gods. In turn, they had been punished, and a mark had been placed upon their souls. 

Lean on Me: Fire & Ice Book 1
M/M Contemporary | Approximately 21K Words

Or Read with Kindle Unlimited

Bas Diaz has watched parades of alluring men and women walk through the doors of Sintury. Working double shifts as a bouncer to help provide for his recently widowed sister and her three girls, however, doesn’t leave a lot of time—or money—for things like dating. He especially doesn’t have time to chase someone who doesn’t want to be caught, but after a chance encounter outside the club, he just can’t seem to get Kai London out of his head.
​
Intriguing in every sense of the word, and just as stubborn, he challenges everything Bas thought he knew about love and romance. The more Kai pushes, the harder he pushes back, determined to prove that having someone to lean on isn’t a weakness, and being strong means knowing when to bend.

Stay With Me: Fire & Ice Book 2
M/M Contemporary | Approximately 22K Words

Or Read with Kindle Unlimited

Driven and career focused, Sterling North doesn’t have the time or patience for dating. Other than his family, he has only a handful of personal connections, only a few relationships that truly mean anything to him, but he’s content. Or so he thinks. Then the laidback, free-spirited owner of a local toy store blows into his life, making him want things he’s never even contemplated. 

Lucas Wiley fell in love the moment the uptight advertising agent marched into his office, and nothing has been the same for him since. He knows it won’t be easy to break through Sterling’s shiny layer of professionalism, but he’s determined to make the guy his. 
​
All he has to do is convince him to take a chance on forever. ​

Available to Read with Kindle Unlimited

I'm going to be taking a step back for a hot minute to get a couple of Arden books out before Christmas.

This time of year is notoriously busy for everyone, and the same is true for me. Over the next couple of months, I have two trips planned, a few holiday parties--one of which I'm hosting!--and that's all on top of everyday stuff. 

Don't worry, though. It's not going to be a long break. Just until January. After the first, I'll get back to my regular schedule, and I will hopefully have the first book of a new, never released series for you in March! 

Stay tuned for more updates!

When I started editing Leap of Faith, I had a vague idea that I would just proofread, maybe update a few things, and that would be it. By the end of the first chapter, I knew that wasn't going to happen. The story was there. The characters were good, but some of the execution was just a hot mess. While I didn't change the plot, I would say I rewrote at least 80% of this manuscript, even if it was just to fix some awkward phrasing. 

I say all of this to emphasize, that I DID change some things. Like the telepathic bond between mates. What mates are called in this universe. Part of the legend about white shifters. The location. Not big changes in the overall scheme of things, but enough to be inconsistent and possibly confusing for readers who pick up later books I haven't gotten back from the publisher yet. 

This year, my goal is to focus on getting the first 5 books of Moonlit (previously, The Moonlight Breed) revised and rereleased. After finishing edits on the first book, I know this is going to take some time. Also, I have Arden books to write in between.

Here's a look of what I THINK my release schedule will look like.

Leap of Faith: Moonlit 1 - August 10th (on preorder)
By the Light of the Moon: Moonlit 2 - September 21st (on preorder)
Whispers in the Night: Moonlit 3 - October 19th
Softly Spoken Lies: Moonlit 4 - November 16th
Endless Midnight: Moonlit 5 - December 14th

I also have a couple of rereleases planned that were written under a different pen name. My first brand new, never before published book, however, will release sometime in January. I'll be posting more updates on that toward the end of the year. 

I still have several books under contract with my previous publisher. I believe 35 in total. Until I receive the rights back to those books, I won't be able to continue any of my current series. 

Between October 2026 and March 2028, I will receive the rights back to 30 of those books, at least one every month. The last five will trickle in a bit more slowly, but I will have all of my books back by May 2029. 

So, what does that mean? Books from The Moonlight Breed and Haven will be combined into the Moonlit series. I'll revise those and release them as I get them back. Unless something changes, the first NEW book of this series is planned for June 2028.
​

Yeah, I know, five years is a long time to wait. But I have a lot of new stuff planned in the meantime. Of course, I'll be working to revise and edit some other previously published series. A lot of them are getting a makeover, a glow-up, if you will. I'll provide more details once I actually start on those books. 

New series I'll be starting in 2024:

Twisted Fate
Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

They say all magic comes with a price, but what if one wish could give you everything you ever wanted? What if it could change your entire life? Would you risk it? Or do you even have a choice?

Because when Eros is involved, anything goes.

Boardroom Daddies
Paranormal Daddy Romance | Age Play

Five best friends. Sexy, powerful, and filthy rich. There's just one thing they're missing in their lives. Love.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but I'll being posting updates periodically. I'm so excited to be back, to be writing these stories I love again. So, just hang in there, and I promise, I'll do my best to make the wait worth it. 

Okay, we want answers, right? Yes. Let's start there. Then, we'll get to the good stuff. This is going to be long, so bear with me. 

1. Are you still writing?

The short answer is yes. Contractually, I wasn't permitted to announce it, but now, I can tell you that I have been writing as Arden Steele for about 5 years. Mostly M/M paranormal romance, but with a little contemporary thrown in there to keep it interesting. You can find those books HERE, if you are so inclined.

2. Will there be any more Moonlight Breed/Haven books?

Absolutely. I am in the process of editing and expanding the first 5 books of the Moonlight Breed series for re-release. Unfortunately, the rest of the that series, as well as the Haven series, are still under contract. So, I'll have to wait until I receive the rights back before I can re-publish those OR write any new books in either series. More on this a little later.

3. Can we expect any new books?

Of course! I will be continuing all of my series (with maybe one or two exceptions) as I receive the rights back to them. In the mean time, I have lots of new ideas to fill the time. 

4. Is there a difference between Arden Steele and Gabrielle Evans?

I would say that Gabrielle is a lot kinkier. Arden writes M/M erotic romance, but no menage or BDSM or things like that.​

Right now, my main priority is to get the first 5 Moonlight Breed books edited and republished. I will be updating them (They were written in 2011!!) as well as expanding. Obviously, I won't know how much I will be adding until I get into them, but I would say a rough estimate would be about 20k+ per book. This will largely be adding details and smoothing out some rough spots. Even if I add a few scenes or even whole chapters, the original story will not change significantly. 

The rest of the books in the series, as well as the spin-off series, Haven, are still under contract, and they will be for another 5 years. Bummer, I know, but I'll be giving those books the same treatment once I get them back, and when I finally have the entire series, I can start adding new books. So, in simple terms, there will be new Moonlight Breed/Haven books coming in 2028. 

Also, on that note, these two series are so intricately tied together, you really had to read both of them to know what was happening. So, to simplify matters and make it less confusing, I'm going to be combining these two series into one. So all the Moonlight Breed and Haven books will be released in reading order under the series title Moonlit.

Midnight Matings is getting a complete overhaul for a variety of reasons. The relationship arc and characters will remain relatively the same, but the world, rules, setting, and plot will change significantly. Basically, it's going to be a new series. Kiss and Tell will be the first book of the Shot in the Dark series. This is an all-new, never been published book. After that, I'll work on rewriting the Midnight Matings books to fit into this series as well.

Gods of Chaos is another one that is getting a total makeover. Same deal. Basic relationship arc and characters will stay the same, but the world, rules, setting, etc will be completely different from the original. I only have the rights to the first book back so far, which means it might be a while before I get to this one. 

Lawful Disorder is likely going to be integrated into an Arden series, but I'm not completely sure on that yet.

Fatefully Yours...ooh, boy. I don't really know what to do with this one. I know those of you who read it loved it, and I appreciate that so much. It was an experiment, though, and honestly, it flopped. It was also really hard keeping track of 9 dicks in one relationship. I'm going to have to think on this one for a while, but the original version of the series is finished. I have no plans to add any more books to it. 

As for my other series, I'll post updates and plans for them once I get the rights back. No use in putting the horse before the cart, ya know?

That's the million-dollar question, right? WHEN will I start releasing books again? The goal is to have the first five books of the Moonlight Breed (now called Moonlit) series edited and ready to start releasing by the end of the year. 

I'll be posting to Facebook again...finally. I'll also post blog updates when I have something new to share. Or...you can subscribe to my newsletter for updates on my progress right to your inbox. 

NOTE: Since I've been away for so long, I didn't think it was fair to keep my old subscriber list. So, even if you used to get my newsletter once upon a time, you'll need to resubscribe, because that list is toast.