series – Kate M. Colby

After over a year of working and waiting, I’m pleased to announce that The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2) is available in ebook AND paperback formats on all major online retailers.

First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who has helped me get to this point. I couldn’t have published one book, let alone two, without the support of my family, friends, and fellow writers. My readers deserve a special thanks: your encouraging emails, social media shout-outs, and heartwarming reviews are the fuel that keeps my inspiration burning. Thank you joining my journey.

When I published The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1) last year, I thought my heart would burst from panic. Here I was, an unknown and inexperienced author, putting her art out for the world to judge. Publishing my nonfiction booklets has felt significantly less personal (more like writing one of my craft blog posts), so I thought I would be better prepared for this launch. After all, this will be my tenth publication. It’s old hat now, right?

Wrong. I’m still a bundle of nerves and excitement, of dread and hope. I’m not a parent, but I have to imagine that this is what it feels like to send your child off to kindergarten or university. I did the best that I could. Now it’s up to you, little one.

I’ll write a longer reflection post after the book launch buzz simmers down. For now, I’m off to take deep breaths, celebrate, then start book three.

If you haven’t bought your copy of The Courtesan’s Avenger yet, click this link to download it from your favorite retailer.

If you’re waiting on signed paperback copies, stay tuned. I’ll have purchase links available once I have copies to sign.

The title of this one says it all, folks. As regular readers will know, I have a new book coming out this month: The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2). If you’ve been living under a rock (or in more interesting corners of the Internet), here are five things you need to know to get up to speed. Read them, then pre-order your copy on your favorite online retailer.

It’s a sequel!

As you’ll see in the title, The Courtesan’s Avenger is the second book in the Desertera series (aka Desertera #2). It’s the sequel to The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1), and a continuation of the story. It picks up about a month after the action of TCD, only with one major change to the storytelling …

It’s written from Dellwyn’s perspective.

For those of you who have read The Cogsmith’s Daughter, you’ll likely remember Aya’s best friend and roommate, Dellwyn. In The Courtesan’s Avenger, our witty friend takes center stage, and we join her as she solves the mystery of grotesque murder. Along the way, Dellwyn tackles her own ambitions, plays big sister to a new brothel worker, and grapples with her feelings for the dashing Lord Collingwood.

The main theme is vengeance vs. justice.

The Cogsmith’s Daughter centers on revenge. Aya’s mission is to take vengeance on King Archon for ordering the wrongful execution of her father. Dellwyn doesn’t do vengeance. In The Courtesan’s Avenger, she’s all about justice. True, lawful, legitimate justice. This is especially important as we begin to see the social and political fallout from the first book and Dellwyn’s reactions to it.

It’s a novel about friendship.

Despite living in the underbelly of Desertera, Dellwyn’s quite a popular gal. Friendship is very important to her, as her friends are her family. You’ll see how the dynamics of her relationship with Aya have changed, meet her allies and enemies at the brothel, and watch her make a few unlikely new friends. As the author, I really enjoyed tackling this topic in The Courtesan’s Avenger. After all, what really makes a true friend?

You have plenty of ways to read it!

If you’d like to read The Courtesan’s Avenger, you have several options:

Preorder the ebook NOW through your favorite online retailer. It comes with a special pre-order bonus: a Q&A with me about my writing process, my thoughts on the novel, and my future plans for the Desertera series.

Paperback lovers can grab their copy on Tuesday, September 20. And yes, signed copies will be available on my books page!

My Reader List subscribers have the option to receive advance review copies. Keep your eyes on your inboxes!