End of the Month Chaos – June Edition

(a.k.a. The Month That Looked at May and Said “Hold My Iced Coffee”)

June didn’t arrive so much as it slid into my inbox wearing sunglasses, sunscreen, and carrying a to‑do list I definitely didn’t agree to. It had that smug “I have plans” expression before the calendar even flipped, and honestly, it wasn’t wrong. If May was loud, June was hot and caffeinated.

This month was a blur of publishing deadlines, author wrangling, metadata updates, formatting marathons, hosting the Inklight Festival, and wrangling the kind of tech gremlins that only show up when you’re already behind schedule. IUPH was humming with new books moving through the pipeline, authors polishing their projects, immersive experiences being updated to Inkrealm, welcoming two new authors to our growing ranks, and the usual behind‑the‑scenes mayhem that keeps the house alive, thriving, and occasionally questioning its life choices.

And somewhere in the middle of all that, I set up my book, 404: Apocalypse Not Found. It will officially step into the world on July 15th with preorders, trailers, and early readers who were suspiciously enthusiastic under its belt. It’s surreal watching a book sprint out of your brain in under a month and then immediately start making jokes at its own expense, including ranking #404 in “Androids, Robots, and Artificial Intelligence” for a brief period of time. I’m choosing to believe the universe has a sense of humor.

My Thursday writing ritual survived June, though not gracefully. But I’ve started a new book, and who knows, it might even be introduced to the world in early 2027. If the universe could just stop throwing wrenches, weather, yard disasters, and the occasional cat at me, I might even get it done sooner. Still, words were written. Effort was made. And that counts.

Outside the writing cave, Inklight wrapped up in controlled chaos. Schedules shifted, confirmations rolled in, creative ideas multiplied, and my inbox developed a personality I didn’t care for while I was away. But the excitement was real. Connections and new friends were made, workshops passed on valuable knowledge, meals (and maybe a few drinks) were shared, stories told, and awards were given. It was a chance to mingle with peers, strengthen bonds, and wear a pretty dress... and I always love a good excuse to wear a pretty dress.

But, as much as I love hosting these types of events, I did announce during the ending awards dinner that this would be the last Inklight Festival. We had a good run of three years hosting this author/reader event every June, and I have loved every moment of them. But hosting an event like this takes a great deal of time and effort, and after looking at my growing list of authors — and all that comes with meeting their needs — I have regretfully decided not to continue hosting Inklight. In the future, we may revive it or maybe even do something completely different that brings together our authors and others, but for now, I’ll be focusing my attention on other things that support my authors and strengthen IUPH as a whole.

But I do want to say thank you to everyone who came to one of my author events. Hosting these gatherings has been special and has left me with wonderful memories and lasting friendships that I cherish.

And July? July is already peeking around the corner with that “I have plans” look and I’m sure those plans involve more deadlines, more launches, and at least one project I didn’t know I agreed to.

The chaos continues.

But so do I.