Do you remember my short stories Just Friends, Lena’s Ex-File, Dream Boss, and Chateau Luxure? They were some of my first published short stories on Amazon. Back then, short stories were my go-to. I loved telling succinct stories that revealed the details as they unfolded, without needing extra space to be impactful—and I was perfectly okay with that.  

Shorts and novellas let me trim the fat, get straight to the point, and keep the pace moving. Even now, I love the quick, immersive experience they offer. But lately, something has shifted. Longer, more in-depth stories have started occupying what I like to call my character hotel (a.k.a. my imagination). And that shift has rubbed off on me in the best way possible.  

Last year, I made the exciting decision to take some of my favorite short stories and reimagine them. Will I do this with my other stories? No! This is a one and done thing and I’m excited to introduce the Author’s Cuts series—a collection of reedited and reimagined stories that deliver something truly special.  

The way I keep mistaking 2025 for 2024! Like, as I was writing this blog, I kept saying “2025 wrap-up” or “2025 year in review.” That should indicate how much I want to get out of 2024—and fast—lol. I hope that doesn’t give the impression that I hated this year, though. It was a mixed bag for me. I had a love/hate relationship with 2024, and we’re going to get into why.

If there’s one thing that happened to me this year, and that was undeniable, it’s that I went through a major metamorphosis. On the career front, with my sights set on celebrating my 10th year in self-publishing in July 2025, I can confidently say that 2024 me is nothing like 2015 me.

So much has changed, so many awakenings have occured. I have a gift with the written word, so we’re about to get all these thoughts lol. But first, let’s start with the highlights of 2024.

Stories Published

The holiday season is officially here, and you know what that means—twinkling lights, cozy nights, and all the feels that come with this magical time of year. I don’t know about you, but I love a good soundtrack to set the tone for the season. Whether I’m wrapping gifts, sipping on mulled wine, or just staring out the window daydreaming about romance (yes, I do this often), the right music makes everything feel a little more magical.  

That’s why I curated something special for you: the Romancing the Holidays Playlist!  

Gratitude is one of those things that’s so important to me. I love giving it just as much as I love receiving it. So, of course, I want to share immense gratitude for your support yesterday. Thank you so much!

Yesterday marked a major milestone in my self-publishing journey. Taking something from just an idea and turning it into something tangible—pages and pages of words I can hold—is surreal and such a blessing. I’m beyond grateful, and I thank you for your support yesterday, for your support before yesterday, and, God willing, for your support in the future. You are truly appreciated.

Until my next post ❤️. 

BK

To say I’m super excited to introduce my latest serialized romance, From Friends to Forever, would be an understatement. Set in the charming town of Rose Hill, New York, this story is extra special because it brings back two characters you might already know and love. And I know how much we love reconnecting with my story’s side characters.

Remember Kelli Sutherland from In Love, I Trust? She was Serenity’s childhood friend and the sweet manager at Serenity’s bistro, Bellyful. Well, In Love, I Trust is part of the Rose Hill series, a dope collaboration I did with ShanicexLola. When Shanice reached out to me about this project and described Rose Hill, I fell in love with the idea instantly. And now I’m returning there to tell another one of those love stories that makes Rose Hill one of the most beautiful fictional towns on the page.

That brings me to Ryder Wallace. He first appeared in my story One Mic as a contestant on a music reality show. I enjoyed developing Ryder’s character, and he became a favorite of mine. His passion for music and his complicated feelings about his hometown made him someone I knew had more stories to tell. In One Mic, Ryder mentioned his best friend Kelli, and that got me thinking about their story. Since then, I’ve been waiting to make a temporary home in their lives.

It feels like I was writing a 2022 year in review just yesterday.

This year started off with me running on a ground that felt like it was already in motion and it’s kind of ending the same. I have been working all year, and I am not exaggerating. Home has been busy and so have my writing and creative projects. There has been very little time for rest, and you know what? I’m not complaining! This was apparently the season for me to work and build sturdy foundations. A season for many storms to hit, too, and to clear what no longer served me out. But nothing compares to the amount of work and building I had to do in faith. 

I’m proud of myself! I have made goals this year that I have set and crushed, and this is yet another one of those goals.

When I released A Love Deferred five years ago today, I told myself I would re-do both A Love Deferred and the story it continues, Unsilent Knight’s, book covers. Although I loved both covers individually, I wanted the covers to share similar elements visually. I wanted them to have similar styles and not look so different from each other. 

I put off the task several times over the years, but this year I said I would do it. 

And I did. 

This year I celebrated 8-years of self-publishing. And eight years later, I still feel I could do a better job recommending books to readers who are new to my work.

My book world is diverse. Most of my books aren’t like the ones before it in my catalog. And while there may be similarities in my stories, if you are looking to read a book exactly like a book you’ve already read in my catalog, it won’t be an easy find unless it’s in a series or shares a similar trope.

That’s because my vision for my catalog is to create a book world like the melting pot I call home. Filled with a variety of characters with varying personalities, from different upbringings, and having experiences both good and bad that differ across the board. But regardless of how different they all may be to each other; the characters will all connect in some way. The unspoken idea in my storylines is based on the idea of six degrees of separation. Meaning, all my characters connect to each other by six or fewer other characters in my book world. 

Like life.  

While my first response whenever I get the question, “I’m new to your work. What book do you recommend I start with?” is for readers to read my books in the order I have released the stories, often that isn’t necessary.

Let me set the scene.

I was in my spring-cleaning mode this week and was clearing out the shelves in our home office, going through old dollar store crates I’ve had for close to a decade, and I found this, my very first completed manuscript I printed out in 2014 the same year I wrote the story. 

It’s the first completed story (full-length and not a short), I’ve ever completed. A NaNoWriMo project. And though I’ve never published it, me finding it is a moment, it’s significant. Because not only is it my very first book, but I’m finding it close to a week before I release my 35th self-published story. 

If you remember, I counted this time. We’re at a milestone! 

But back to this manuscript.

Here we are again! Another year and another yearly review, thank God! To start, I’m giving thanks for seeing the end of another year. This year was a perpetual rollercoaster with wins and lessons. Like, literally, the wins and lessons were 50:50 split for me! And while 2022 had its share of lows, the highs were everything. Let’s start with the books, though!

I Released Four Books In 2022

What does that even mean, right? 

Let me explain.

With every year and the books published in that timeframe, I realize my stories follow a certain theme. One year, I centered most of my books on my characters letting love in after resisting it. Another year, almost all my books dealt with redemption and forgiveness after my main characters made questionable decisions in their pasts. 

Based on the theme for Home Before Midnight–my last release for 2022–and the books I will work on in 2023, they seem to all center on my characters nurturing the love they‘ve cultivated in their relationships after their happily ever after.

You know what I love the most about this journey as an independent author? The lessons I learn along the way. I’ve gone through different phases as an author. Going from wanting to write but not being able to finish a single book. To writing the books but not knowing how to market them. To marketing them but not really knowing my audience. And on and on it continues to go with the realizations, adjustments, and challenges that blossom into lessons learned and the proper moves being made.

It sounds overwhelming but honestly, it’s something to be grateful for. I’m growing and with growing there are growing pains, but baby, I am not where I started and if I had to start all over again, I won’t ever start from the beginning. I’ll always start from experience.

And that brings us to today…

I published a Glimpse for Mello and Rayelle from They Call Me Mello. The update is live now on my readers’ website, BKBookLounge.com. If you want to know what Mello has been up to in Miami, check out his Glimpse.

And I know I said he wouldn’t get another book, but ever since I created his Glimpse, I’m having second thoughts.

Click below to read…

I’m so deep into Gluttony that there’s no turning back now, which is a great thing, because the love I’m nurturing for this project has me enjoying every chapter I create. The details in Gluttony are so precise, I’m taking my time to bring them to life in story form. The details matter and the details help move the story forward. I can’t wait to share more. 

As mentioned in a previous post, I have plans to include a few familiar faces from my previously published stories. While a lot of the couple updates have and will continue to appear in the BK Book Lounge (there’s a new glimpse publishing next soon!) some couples deserve an update too detailed for a glimpse but too short for another book.

Meki and Cadence Knight (nee Cadence Nice) are one of those couples. 

After months of outlining, researching, and maybe some procrastination, the creative process for Gluttony, book five in the Love is Cure, Vol. 1 – Vices & Virtues series has started.

To write a book about a sin that revolves around consumption, most notably consumption of food, has been an eye-opening experience. Though the story is thematic, it’s told in a relatable way with a storyline that’s interesting given the subject matter. 

This year I learned what I loved doing the very most as a writer – growing. 

I told myself at the start of this year that under no circumstance would I end the year the same way I started it. I would need to have evolved even if measured on a small scale. I promised I’d add to my writer’s toolkit and challenge myself to think bigger. I did all of that. 

I just love having an idea, seeing it in my mind, planning, and working that plan into something I can see with both eyes. 

Today, I launch a new website, BK Book Lounge – a website I’ve been thinking of launching for a while. A website that will serve as the official home for readers who love my books. It was a delight creating the content and building another home on the web to delight my readers as well.