Reflecting on 2025 and What is Next in 2026

 2 months and 6 days, or 9 weeks and 4 days, or 67 days...that is how long it has been since Under Your Skin went live. Or that is how long I moved from someday to today.

This year I went from writer, to aspiring author, to Published Indie Author. I went from over 80,000 hits on my writing online to a little over 1400 page reads and 37 books sold. It is starting to sink in, this writing thing is not just a pipe dream. It was something I wanted, I dug in deep and I fucking did it. I am Audie Godfrey, published Indie Author. Like is this real life? 

I can google my name, and it brings up an Amazon listing. I am talking about having meetings with an editor and hiring an artist. I am talking about possible attendance at writer cons, having tables, and fucking MERCH? 

I have had my best friend of 20 years stunned about the world that I just nonchalantly carry around in my head and someone who went from customer to regular to friend still in disbelief that I write books and stories about two boys kissing. 

Me, my sticker covered laptop, my spotify playlists, headphones, and copious amounts coffee against the world. It is a scary time to be trying to break into this world, but hey if you don't do it scared you never get outta your comfort zone. 

I thought hitting publish on a fanfic was nerve racking...there is no greater fear than uploading the Final, Final, really the fucking final upload copy onto Amazon. 

I also expanded my street team presence on other indie author street teams. I got real good at Canva and creating scroll stopping graphics for other authors and myself. I got good at asking for help and guidance on all things publishing. I also had to get good at marketing. I have one hell of a friend who is not only my editor, but she is also my cover designer, page designer, and so much more. 

What I kinda knew but what really was driven home in these past few weeks...Not only do I have to write the books, I have to read them, reread them, and of course market it, go over edits, and of course I also have to deal with some naysayers. 

Last night it was brought to my attention that someone smiled and congratulated me about the book, but then turned around and was talking all kinds of shit about how I couldn't have a book out. 

I will say between the pretty cover art and the amazon link that I can share determines that the above is a lie.  Under My Skin go ahead it is a safe link, it will take to a very real book. 

But before I digress...woooosahhh 

I said all of that to bring me to this...

I am finishing 2025 on 6 different Street Teams, one beta team, with over 100,000 words written for fanfic, 8 blogs (hey that is almost one a month!), and a ranking of #12,814 in Gay Romance on Amazon's list of bestsellers. 

So, this whole thought process brought up the whole weight loss thing that started this whole damn blog 13 years ago. It also had me looking at 2026 and the writing/publishing schedule and that I want a better balance of things. 

1st the easy part the writing/publishing schedule: 

Current WIP: Outta My Mind 

Cover Trope reveal: January 15th

ARC's going out: Feb 15th

Release: March 3rd (SHHHH Amazon thinks it is the 17th)

Starting in Feb the WIP: Into Your Arms 

Cover and Trope reveal: June 18th

ARC's going out: July 1st ish

Release: July 30th

July brings new WIP: Slavic Skin (The 4th and final book in the Skin Deep Series) 

Cover/Trope reveal: September 3rd

ARCS Out: September 15thish

Release date: October 15th

1 year-4 books! 

I also have some Gallavich fics coming next year! I will never forget where I got my start! 

After that we will be starting a new series, new artwork, Midnight Rebels with book 1 not coming till May 2027. After 4 books and 2 if not 3 major Gallavich projects in 2025/2026. I will need a minute to switch gears and move into a new part of my Aud World. 

Now, the other piece of this...the whole reason I started the road so far...

The fitness piece of it. I will schedule to blog twice a month. Kicking off 2026 with a beginning of the month goal setting both the writing and fitness. Then end of month check in and setting the goals for the next month. 

That way, I keep the blog up and running, I have a place to put my fitness since FB and IG are pretty much bookish. And the blog is where I come to dump my brain and get all my thoughts in order!

I can't not believe we are close to 30,000 hits but it tells me someone is reading and for that I will ever be grateful! 

Time to wrap this up, refill the coffee cup and do some adulting before work...

2026 is gonna be big. It is not my year...the universe will step in if I try and claim it. Stay calm and press forward. Check in with y'all after the holidays!

Till Next Time-

Audie