Writing

All Good Things…

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Hello Family, Friends, and Fans;

In 2009, I decided to write a story about a young girl who finds mittens in the snow and discovers that they are transformed people. It started as a young middle grade but eventually settled on a YA for 10+.

Just over ten years ago I signed a contract with Renaissance Press. They went on to publish the next 3 books in the series. Renaissance was a wonderful home for my series and I appreciate everything they’ve done.

The Bad News

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and the series rights have returned to me. It’s sad. I hate change and endings.

A Study in Aether

The Good News

The series is not dead yet. I have signed a contract with River City Siren Press for the entire series.

We’ll be republishing the books with updated covers and updated editing. I’m amazed at how fast this is going.

The Other News

That means it’ll take a little while to get all four of the originals republished, but hopefully I’ll have book 5 ready by then.

For those who have been here since I started this publishing journey, thank you!

For those who are new, welcome and also thank you!

Stay safe and be kind,

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

Big NEWS!!!!

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Hello Readers,

We have two pieces of news!

First, both Jen and I are featured in the first volume of The Siren’s Song Anthology. Inside you’ll find stories from Baker, Westmeath, and everything in between.

The second piece of news is that we’ve signed a contract with River City Siren Press for Faymous. This is a spinoff of both The Gates of Westmeath and Elizabeth Investigates. It’s a story about two teens that wake up in the Fay Realms and the adventures they find there. Cover to come!

Stay safe and be kind,

Éric

Recharging…

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Hello Friends, Family, and Fans;

I feel like a faulty battery sometimes, always plugged in but never holding a charge. I’ve been extra tired, extra stressed, and extra not writing. I was hoping to have Elizabeth book 5 half done by now but I’m only part way through chapter 4 of 30.

After comic con, I decided to recharge my creative juices by watching Wednesday. I have to say I wasn’t expecting much. I’ve grown to dislike Tim Burton. As a creator, I find he’s more interested in aesthetics than heart. Lots of style, very little warmth.

I’m done season one and it’s an uneven series but the actors are great and more often than not the writers seem to understand the characters. More importantly, the cast seems to understand their characters.

The high school drama is very CW early 2010’s but it’s fun. It’s the kind of fun that makes me think, “I can do better.”

Yes, that seems a little egotistical but most of my writing is YA supernatural fantasy mixed with mystery. The show is literally my main genre.

I think the themes and some of the drama in Elizabeth 5 will be inspired by Nevermore Academy. The tensions of having multiple magical people in a high school is something I look forward to exploring.

Elizabeth and Wednesday have a lot in common. An obsessive need to solve a mystery, a colourful cast of friends, a habit of pushing people away, precociously intelligent, and viciously clever. Both are giant softies for their friends and family.

I’m back to writing tomorrow and hopefully I can get words down. I want this book ready for 2027.

Stay safe and be kind,

Éric

Thinking of Doing More

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Hello My Friends, Family, and Fans;

I have a small yet dedicated fanbase and I think they are awesome. (The past few months have seen Dragon reading all my books and I’m loving discussing them with her.) But I’m always hoping I can expand my fans far enough that the money from writing will let me do it as a job. (Every writer’s dream!)

I’ve considered doing a YouTube vlog thing for years and maybe doing more TikTok like stuff, but I haven’t really come up with anything that hits the right balance of fun and not too much work. Too much effort will take away from my writing and I’m already having issues finding the time and energy.

While watching the Taylor Swift New Heights podcast, I came up with an idea that was bread for me:

Image with a stylized loaf of bread that says, "Loafing him was Bread." Sourdough's Version

I’m considering doing a cheesy pun/dad joke thing for short videos. It’s low energy and I’ll amuse myself.

I guess it’s time to start writing out a list of puns and creating scripts.

Leave your worst and best puns in the comments, please.

Stay safe and be kind,

Éric

Éric’s 2025 Resolution Mid-Year Review

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Hello Friends, Family, and Fans;

It’s been half a year since I made my resolutions, and wow has a lot happened in the world. Things are mostly okay for me minus a few health issues. Let’s see how I’m doing with my resolutions.

Fair warning, I chose the cartoon before I tallied my score.

1. Write The Hounds of Bakerville (Succeeding)

I’ve written the first three chapters and I have a good plot. I just need time to write. I lost over a month and a half to my tendonitis.

2. Write a serial story (Succeeding)

I’m loving this year’s serial story. It’s a lot of fun. Read it here: The Scarlet Thread Irregulars

3. Master 1 song on the ukulele and record it. (Failing)

Until I get the all clear from my doctor, I’m a little terrified of playing. I tried and it really hurt. Not sure how this one’s going to go.

4. Read at least 12 books (Succeeding)

So far, I’m at 10 books for the year. I think I’ll make it.

5. Build my new book nook and lego (Succeeding)

I built the book nook and loved it. The magical cafe was obviously out of my comfort zone. I might try again but I’m not sure. As for the Lego, I plan on doing that while I’m on summer vacation.

6. Feel less guilty (Neutral)

I was feeling better, and working from home is helping a lot, but the past month has been rough on me. Between the tendonitis and really bad allergies, I’m needing more time to do anything. I am trying hard to do some things that are just for me. I started a new Skyrim playthrough and I’m loving it.

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

This one is easy. I know the theme and I know the flavour. I’m looking forward to having some time to design it.

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

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 is happening. Our publishers took point but I’m looking forward to doing this. I hope I’ll see you all there. Sign up on Eventbrite or Facebook.

*More details in a future post.

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

I’m still on a journey of self-discovery (which has a significant lack of wizards) but I think I’m starting to understand how the ADHD, Autism, and health issues are affecting me.

Wow, that’s way better than I expected. 8 out of 10 is damn good. Now I just have to keep it up. You know what they say, “It’s not over until we ceremoniously slaughter the personification of the year.”

Stay safe and be kind,

Éric

Writing Alone

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Hello Readers and Writers,

Don’t write alone. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you don’t need any help at all.

Everyone needs a little help. Bouncing a story idea off a friend or even just Rubber duck debugging can be a huge help.

A small rubber duck I keep next to my desk. It is all black with skeleton markings like it’s wearing a costume.

But beyond that, it’s important to find your people, or community. As much drama as there can be in writing communities (Oh so much the drama!) the excitement and love of the craft is great to help motivate you.

I know I’m a better author for being around certain people.

Now when I say find your community, I don’t mean necessarily people who are writing the same things. Sometimes writers can be very precious about what they write. (Do not ask a high-fantasy writer about urban-fantasy or spicy-fantasy. Yikes.)

No find yourself some people who are open, kind, and willing to listen.

That’s my best advice for writers. Get a friend or a duck.*

Stay safe and be kind,

Éric

*Friends and ducks may include pets, family, and random people on the bus.

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

“Fanatics! Inevitable Honeymoon Crashers” is finished!

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Hello Readers!

I’m filled with exclamation marks! (Sounds like a medical issue honestly.)

After a year and a month of writing, we’ve finally finished Fanatics! Inevitable Honeymoon Crashers.

This is the third of four books in The Gates of Westmeath series and honestly my current favourite.

Our characters are happily married and on a chase for all the peices of Kennedy’s magical gem. They’re not the only ones though, aliens and Fay alike are going to try and get there before them. It’s a treasure hunt and race across the world, with stops in Ottawa ON, Montreal QC, Hope BC, Parry Sound ON, Paris France, and the magical archives of the Library of Alexandria.

The next step for us is editing and sending it to beta readers. Once that’s done (hopefully a few months) then we submit to our publisher and if they like it, it should be published, if we’re lucky, in 2027 or 2028.

We’ve only been publishing one book per year and next year will be the thrilling sequel to Crushing It!, and in 2026 we have slated a book called Faymous, which is a fun portal/Fairy book.

If you’re interested in being a beta reader, and you’ve read the first two books, please contact us. We have two spots available.

Good Reading,

Éric

Until you get to read this awesome new book why not read the first two?

49th Shelf Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers
Indigo Books Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers
Archambault Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers
Amazon Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers
Rakuten Kobo Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers
Apple Books Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers

Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests by Jen and Éric Desmarais is available now!

Indigo Books Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests
Archambault Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests
Amazon Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests
Rakuten Kobo Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests
Apple Books Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests

Add it to your “Want to read” on Goodreads here!

Happy Birthday Jason Johnson

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Hello Friends, Family, and Fans,

Today is Jason Johnson’s birthday. He’s one of the main characters in The Gates of Westmeath series written by Jen and I. With the books set in the early 2000’s, he’d now be in the second half of his forties. We chose that time period to have the characters fit in what I’d already written in The Copper Tarnish, which almost seems silly since the crossover characters have had so much more development outside that still unpublished book.

We chose today’s date in honour of my Mom who passed away in 2008. She was my biggest supporter and harshest editor. She helped me with some of my earliest stories, before I knew I wanted to write professionally. She never got to see me finish a novel or publish. I’d like to think she’d be proud and love the stories Jen and I have created. I still miss her.

Happy Birthday Mom and Happy Birthday Jason Johnson!

Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests by Jen and Éric Desmarais is available now!

Indigo Books Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests
Archambault Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests
Amazon Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests
Rakuten Kobo Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests
Apple Books Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests

Add it to your “Want to read” on Goodreads here!