Happy Valentine’s Day! Are you looking for valentines? Feel free to grab these!
Cover art by Pinkpiggy93
Valentines from Faymous
Cover art by Pinkpiggy93
book
Cover art by Pinkpiggy93
Spot the Changes: Faymous edition
Sometimes changes need to be made to the cover after the colour is done. We try to catch as many as we can with the sketch, but the colour adds so much detail that didn’t always pop up in the sketch. In the case of Faymous, there were seven differences between the first colour and the final cover. Can you spot them all? Don’t scroll down until you’re ready for the answer.
Cover art by Pinkpiggy93
Tropes of “Faymous”
Every book utilizes tropes, even if it’s to subvert them, and Faymous is no exception. This book covers: roadtrip tropes, Young Adult, music & riddles, portal fantasy, Hidden magical world, Dual POV, No angst romance, and magical shenanigans.
Cover art by Pinkpiggy93
“Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Hello Family, Friends, and Fans;
What a weekend…. On Thursday night we discovered that Dragon had lice. Then we discovered that the rest of us did. We shampooed them with the special Nix stuff and the rest of the weekend was bagging, cleaning, and countless checks for eggs or bugs. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. I hope we got all the little fuckers. I do not want to do that again.
Other things that happened: Hot water heater died, I switched pills for migraines, and on Sunday I took my nighttime pills in the morning. I was so sleepy. Sigh.
In order to avoid adding more frustration to the whole affair, I cut my hair. Looking for bugs or eggs in blond and white hair that’s curly: not fun. I’m having mild dysphoric seeing my reflection. It doesn’t look like me.
Jen also cut her hair, less drastically. She has an undercut that removed about a third of her hair.
We emailed the school and their teachers but haven’t heard anything. sigh.
This is your reminder to check your kids hair regularly.
We’re all through the laundry and the kids seem okay. The box of Nix says they’ll be protected for 10 days but we’ll check them in case on Saturday.
All of this work and other than the bugs, I feel like my house is less clean then when we started. I made me think of Ozymandias and the poem by Percy Shelley.
It made me think of my own life’s work. All my writing and small footprint on history. Will I be remembered in 10 years? 20? 100? or will I end up just another pile of lost stories? Or will some part of me survive through my work?
I don’t know and that scares me.
On that happy note, don’t forget that reorders are available for Jen and I’s new book:
Cover art by Pinkpiggy93
Stay safe and be kind,
Éric
Faymous Cover Reveal
Did you know that we have a book coming out in a little over a month?
It’s called Faymous, and we wrote it way back in 2022. Time to shine!!
Cover art by Pinkpiggy93
Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests Google Search
If you were to search Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests in Google, this is what might show up…
Not really, but these are related to the book!
Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests by Jen and Éric Desmarais is available now!
Everdome Google Search
If you were to search Everdome in Google, this is what might show up…
Not really, but these are related to the book!
Éric’s 2026 New Year’s Resolutions
Hello my friends, Family, and Fans;
Last year was good for my resolutions and pretty catastrophic for the world. Let’s look to the future and make goals for what we can control. Yeah, that sounds healthy.
1. Write The Hounds of Bakerville
I copy pasted this one from last year. I managed 4 ish chapters so at this rate I should be done in… 8 to 10 years. I’d like to finish this book this year.
2. Write a serial story
I’m not sure what I’m writing this year, but I will try to get a 1000 word chapter out each month. This is going to be the thirteenth year I do it.
3. Record Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers audiobook
Jen recorded her chapters a long time ago and it’s time I do my parts.
4. Read at least 15 books
Last year I almost doubled my reading goal, so I’m upping it to 15.
5. Finish my Starry Night Lego
I got an epic Van Gogh’s Starry Night LEGO set. It has a lot of pieces and I managed to get half way done before life got in the way.
6. Update the look of JenEric Designs
We’ve been using the same wordpress template and look for almost ten years and it’s time to update the way it works. I have big plans for how to organize things. Hopefully it’ll make it more user friendly. (Jen updated the newsletter already!)
7. Pitch/Submit Speakers of The Rebel Sun
This book is a lot of fun and deserves an epic cover. I need to find a home for it. I’ll probably submit to River City and maybe try with an agent.
8. Take the kids on an some adventures
It could be the January blues but I feel the kids could use some excitement. Nothing wild, I’m thinking museums, outdoor kids stuff, and maybe going to the cinema.
9. Give myself permission not to feel well
Between the migraines and other issues, sometimes I feel terrible. If I try to force myself to get things done I feel worse, and if I don’t, I beat myself up for being lazy. I know this is a terrible attitude, but knowing and doing isn’t always the same thing. Let’s hope I can give myself grace.
10. Keep fighting to make my life better
I’m still learning about myself and how my body and mind work. I need to keep figuring out what triggers my migraines, try to increase my physical activity, and keep advocating for myself.
I hope that everyone has a productive, healthy, and good 2026.
Éric
Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers Google Search
If you were to search Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers in Google, this is what might show up…
Not really, but these are related to the book!
Éric’s 2025 Resolutions Review
Hello Friends, Family, and Fans;
It has been a year… Lots of good and lots of bad. Let’s get on with this review and see if I succeeded at my goals.
1. Write The Hounds of Bakerville (Failed)
I’ve written the first three and a half chapters along with the prologue. I need to step up my game this coming year. I kinda lost steam on writing the novel with some behind the scenes drama that’s been stressing me out.
2. Write a serial story (Succeeded)
I really enjoyed last year’s serial story and I can’t wait to find out what I do for this year. Go read it now: The Scarlet Thread Irregulars
3. Master 1 song on the ukulele and record it. (Failed)
The shoulder injury really put a dent in my playing and then life happened. I’ve still been practicing but didn’t manage to record or master the song.
4. Read at least 12 books (Succeeded)
I read 19 books this year, which is pretty good considering I’m not commuting or waiting long hours in doctors’ offices as much.
5. Build my new book nook and Lego (Partially Succeeded)
I built the book nook and loved it. I started the Lego but got distracted by other things and kinda stopped half way. I’ll try to finish it this year.
6. Feel less guilty (Succeeded)
I’m giving myself more grace and letting myself enjoy things to relax. I think it’s going well. Yay me.
7. Design and deploy a new coffee flavour for Ottawa Comic Con in September (Succeeded)
Second breakfast brew is a delightful medium roast with English toffee flavouring.
8. Plan and plot out the first in a cozy mystery series (Succeeded)
I’ve planned the series, I’ve planned the setting, and I have a basic template outline for each book. I’m still super excited for this one.
9. Organize a massive birthday party and book release (Succeeded)
This happened during the summer. If you want to watch our Q&A, here it is on YouTube:
10. Keep fighting to learn more about myself and how to make my life easier (Succeeded)
Oh my goodness! I didn’t realize what a Gordian Knot of interconnectedness it is. The best example I can give is that as I work toward unmasking my ADHD and Autism (letting myself be myself without stressing about being “normal”), I’m starting to notice and be affected more by certain sense sensitivities (especially to light and smell) and it feels like they are triggering my migraines more. Or I just didn’t notice before.
Anyway, I’m learning a lot about myself, and even going to therapy. It’s obviously going to be a lifelong discovery and that’s okay.
Wow, that’s 7.5/10. I think that might be one of the highest success scores I’ve had. Now does this mean I worked my ass off and succeeded or that I didn’t give myself enough challenge?
I’ll take the win. This coming year will have new goals and challenges. I hate to say it, but we live in interesting times.
Stay safe and be kind,
Éric