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Renaissance Press is closing

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What does that mean for JenEric Authors?

First, we’d like to take a moment to thank Renaissance Press for giving our books a home. Éric was one of the first authors signed with them; his first book released in 2016. Since then, he released a book a year. Jen’s first book released in 2022, but before that, she helped out with the metadata and behind-the-scenes data entry that comes with publishing a book.

The loss of Renaissance will be felt heavily in our household as well as across the Canadian landscape. We are losing a fantastic spec-fic press that elevated marginalized voices.

Renaissance Press will be missed.

What is happening with our books?

Well, that depends on the book.

Our series (serieses? seriesi?) have been picked up by publisher River City Siren Press!

We’re already published by them for a few of our books. We’re extremely excited to work with them for the rest of our series.

However, we don’t want to overwhelm them! We have a lot of books! We’ve discussed a slow-ish re-release schedule. Things may change, but for now, this is how things stand:

Everdome and Parasomnia will stay published under our imprint.

Faymous, The Copper Tarnish, and Connections! The Unexpected First Collection will stay with River City Siren Press (obviously!)

Now comes the slightly more complicated stuff.

The Elizabeth series is getting new covers! They will be released yearly over the next four years, starting with “A Study in Aether” very shortly. The goal is for Éric to finish writing books 5 & 6 in time to release them after the re-releases.

The Gates of Westmeath rights are returning to us as of June 15, 2026. There’s a 20% off sale going on right now to try to empty the warehouse of the excess stock. (https://alllitup.ca/book-list/renaissance-press-book-sale/) These covers will stay the same. The goal is to re-release these in time for book 3 to come out in Fall 2027. (Book 4 is not yet written – sorry!)

The Lucky in Love series is staying with Renaissance until the end of 2026. This is partially due to the fact that Crushing It has an audiobook coming out that was part of a CCA grant, and partially because Winging It has been nominated for an Aurora Award! They are included in the 20% off sale. (https://alllitup.ca/book-list/renaissance-press-book-sale/) These covers will not change. Ideally, I finish writing book 3 this year, and we can release the full series by the end of 2028. (Our daughter is a good motivator…)

We’re undecided about where Coffee Shop Between the ‘Verses is going after Renaissance closes at the end of the year, but until then, it is available through the warehouse sale, so get it for 20% off while you still can! (https://alllitup.ca/book-list/renaissance-press-book-sale/)

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Éric’s 2026 New Year’s Resolutions

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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

Éric’s 2025 Resolutions Review

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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

The return of Everdome and Parasomnia

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Hello Friends, Family, and Fans;

Before being published, I thought books lasted forever. Afterall, I can still go out and by a copy of Oliver Twist, The Scarlet Pimpernel, or Pride and Prejudice.

Unfortunately, the average lifespan of a book is 5-10 years. Most books don’t sell more than 500 copies in their entire life.

Two of my novels, Everdome and Parasomnia, haven’t been performing that well, and I’ve decided to buy the rights back from the publisher. They did a great job with the books, but it’s time I try to get them in more readers hands.

Everdome
Parasomnia

What happens now?

Once the rights and files have been completely returned to me, I will republish them with some minor changes. I’m calling this a “Second Printing”.

Part of the buying of rights back was also buying out Renaissances stock. I’m going be selling those at cons and on our website. In a few months, I’ll do a full update, maybe add a short story to the back, and re-release them. Everdome will be getting a new cover to make it match more with Winging It, which partially takes place in the world.

This is new and exciting, but also kinda terrifying.

More news to come. Thank you for reading.

Éric

Winging It by Jen Desmarais is available now!
Cover Art by Pinkpiggy93
49th Shelf Crushing It
Indigo Books Crushing It
Archambault Crushing It
Amazon Crushing It
Rakuten Kobo Crushing It
Apple Books Crushing It

Éric’s 2025 New Year’s Resolutions

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Hello my friends, Family, and Fans;

Typing in 2025 feels like I’m writting some far off date not the actual year. Not sure I’m in love with the future as it is but let’s concentrate on the things that we can control.

This year, I’m going to be extra ambitious with my resolutions. (Quick reminder, my resolutions are goals that are meant to push me.)

A kids slide with a web across the bottom and two spiders on it. The caption reads, "If we pull this off, we'll eat like kings."

1. Write The Hounds of Bakerville

I have a basic outline and I’m going to start re-reading the first four to get back into it. It’s kind of exciting to be working on the penultimate book in the series.

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 twelfth year I do it.

3. Master 1 song on the ukulele and record it.

I wrote a song for Elizabeth 4 and set up the chords, but between the colds and the medical issues, I didn’t get really good at it. I’m going to do my best to get good enough to record it.

4. Read at least 12 books

Last year I crushed my reading challenge and I’m hoping I can do the same this year. 12 might not sound ambitious but it is.

5. Build my new book nook and lego

Three years ago for Christmas I got a Magical Cafe book nook. Over the three years I’ve made it to page 17 of 40ish I think. There’s so much painting and gluing and it’s really hard. This year, my sister in-law took pity and got me another one that doesn’t need the paint or the glue. Maybe this will help build my confidence.

I also got an epic Van Gogh’s Starry Night LEGO set. It has a lot of pieces.

6. Feel less guilty

2024 was a busy year and now that I’m feeling better, I have more time that isn’t just for recovering. I’m having trouble taking that time for me and not feeling bad about it. It’s not selfish to read, it’s not selfish to watch a show on my own, it’s not selfish to do things for me. I know that, but I’m having trouble shutting up the little voice in my head.

7. Design and deploy a new coffee flavour for Ottawa Comic Con in September

I have an idea what it’s going to be, so this should be easy.

8. Plan and plot out the first in a cozy mystery series

I have this idea for a series of short cozy mysteries. The hope is to make them around 40 thousand words and just have fun. It would also give me the chance to play around with self-publishing. The idea would be to write this after Elizabeth 5 before I jump right into the final book.

9. Organize a massive birthday party and book release

This one scares me, but I want to do a joint book release* with Jen this summer. (By the way you should totally check out her cover reveal for Winging It!)

*More details in a future post.

10. Keep fighting to learn more about myself and how to make my life easier

I have learned a lot about my body and mind this year, and I know I have a lot of work, both to improve my health and to accept what and who I am. More details in a future post.

I hope that everyone has a productive, healthy, and good 2025.

Éric

The Newsletter is ALIIIIIIIVVVEEEEE!

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Hello People Who Want to Know What’s Going On with JenEric Designs,

You can now sign up for our nifty Good as New Newsletter.

This time around, Jen (JenEric’s resident publicist and marketing expert) is taking over from Éric (JenEric’s resident coffee taster). That means you’ll get cool stuff and lots of news. Also consistency.

If you really don’t want to go to the link to sign up for our Newsletter, you can do it down below.

Thank you and look to your inboxes for cool stuff.

Stay safe and be kind,

Éric

New Feature

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Hello Friends and Fans,

Look the your right (down if you’re on mobile)… not that far… there we go. The thing that says, “Get Posts in your Email” is exactly what it says on the box.

We’re still working out some kinks, but you’ll get our posts each day in your email without having to worry about finding them.

Enjoy!

Éric

JenEric Can-Con Schedule

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Hello Readers!

This weekend is the wonderful Can-Con: Conference on Canadian Content in Speculative Arts and Literature.

Jen and I will be in the vendors room most of the time.

Here are the vendor’s room hours

  • Friday 5-8
  • Saturday 10-6
  • Sunday 10-4

I have a signing (in the vendors room) from 12-12:30 with awesome John Hass. (Although I’ll sign at any time you catch me.)

Jen has a reading at 1 on Sunday (In Salon D) with the wonderful Madona Skaff. (I’ll be there too and might read if Jen insists.)

Beyond that, I participated in the Digital version of the Con. I prerecorded a panel that will be at 2:30 on Saturday. The panel is called The Horror of Time Loops. I was on it with Gigi Ganguly and Ren Hutchings, both of whom were excellent panelists. Our moderator was Sean Dowie, who did an excellent job.

I’ll try to be in the discord during and after the panel.

Hope to see you there!

Éric

Books, Beards, and way too much face

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Hello My Imaginary Friends,

At Renaissance CON (June 2020), S.M. Carrière noticed my beard that I started growing out in January 2020. She mentioned it was an impressive COVID beard and I said, “It’s a novel beard. I’ll shave when I finish this darned book.”

Fast forward to last week and I finally finished the darned book.

Here are pictures of a wild bearded author who just finished his book (and received another):

Coffee Shop Between the ‘Verses is now available at your local bookstore or on our website.

And now here are the pictures of a newly sheared author who has much too much face for his own liking:

So much face…. I already miss the beard.

You can get any of my books at your local bookstore, or if you’d like, you can buy them on our website under the header of books.

Thank you!!!

Be kind and stay safe,

Éric