My Books

Status Update

I’ve had some reader questions about when we’ll be getting new installments in various series and what I’m working on. So, here’s an update on what I know about now. Of course, it’s subject to change, based on inspiration and reality.

What I’m working on now:
I would like to find a publisher for my young adult books. Those don’t seem to sell as well as independently published books, and school visits and library visits are a little easier to get with books from traditional publishers. So, I’m working on a new concept for a potential YA series, and because I want it to be a book that has publishers getting excited enough to actually remember that they’re publishing it, I’m taking the time to make sure it’s just right. So that’s getting the bulk of my writing time right now.

I’m also working on a fun little treat for the holiday season. I love those made-for-TV Christmas movies, particularly the ones with little fantasy elements. A few years ago, I wrote a screenplay for one. I figured that romantic comedy with some magic in it was right up my alley. But selling a screenplay is kind of an ordeal, and I wasn’t even sure how to start. I did love this story, though, so I’m turning it into a holiday novella that should be coming out sometime in November. It’s not related to any of my other series, but maybe it’ll be just the thing if you want a light, shortish romantic comedy read with a touch of magic and some holiday spirit. Stay tuned for specific release date, title, etc.

Now, for the series status updates:

Enchanted, Inc.
I’ve got a new Enchanted Universe short piece coming out August 15. It’s another Sam story, but this one is a direct prequel to Enchanted, Inc., giving some insight into what was going on with the magical people before Katie became aware of the magical world.

I also have a rough outline for a ninth Enchanted, Inc. novel that I hope to start writing when I finish that YA book. We’re looking at a tentative release date in March of next year, but I haven’t written a word of it, so this is all subject to change.

Rebels
There will be a fourth Rebels book. I have some general ideas for it, and I think that will be my fall writing project after I finish the Enchanted, Inc. book, which means a release maybe in late spring or early summer, depending on how long it takes me to write it.

Fairy Tale
I do want to write more books in this series, since I haven’t finished all the character stories I want to tell. But these don’t sell quite as well as my other books and are much more difficult to write. I’m thinking of trying a new approach with them, but at the moment I don’t have a firm plot in mind. I’m hoping something will come to me by the time I finish these next two books so I can do more. I really love this series, but the effort/reward equation is so out of whack that they tend to fall lower on the priority list. Since I do this for a living, I need to focus on work that will earn money. If you love this series, you can help change that by telling people about these books, reviewing them on the various retailer sites, etc.

Meanwhile, I have a lot of other ideas I want to play with but that I’m not ready to talk about. So I guess I’d better get to work so I can get all these ideas written before I get even more ideas.

8 Responses to “Status Update”

  1. Joann Reinsel

    Hi Shanna, I am currently inhaling the Enchanted, Inc. series (I started the first one around Memorial Day and will be on to Frogs and Kisses on Monday when my husband goes out of town again) and I would love to jump into more of your books. I have looked at the fairy tale series but I can’t tell if it’s YA or intended for the same audience as Enchanted. The covers make me think YA but I thought I would ask, just in case. Thanks!

    • Shanna Swendson

      The Fairy Tale books are aimed at about the same audience as the Enchanted, Inc. books — if anything, slightly older, as the main characters are older. But, really, I think all my books are suitable for the same audience, from teens to adults. The “YA” is just a marketing label on the Rebels books (I originally wrote the first one as an adult book, but the main character was young, and it ended up selling as YA).

  2. Michelle

    “if you want a light, shortish romantic comedy read with a touch of magic and some holiday spirit”
    I love these kind of short books.

    On another note, I just finished reading….well listening…to Rebel Mechanics. Good book and I love the originality of it. I want to move on to the next 2 in the series, but as a single, working mother of 3 kids I don’t have too much time to sit down with a book. So my question is, do you have any plans of releasing the other Rebels books on Audible? I’ll read them regardless, it’ll just take me some time to get to them lol.
    Also, I love the covers for them. A lot of books I read are in my Audible or Kindle library and I don’t feel the need to purchase them in physical form, but with the rebel books, not only was the first one a good book with an awesome heroine that I want my daughter to read (she’s 5 so it’ll be a while), but they’ll also look great on my bookshelves…so Thank you for that 😀

  3. Emma Benbrook

    I love the Rebel Mechanics books. I just finished the third one yesterday and it was amazing. You have a gift of writing, and I hope that you will continue to do so. The way you describe your characters is phenomenal. I hope the forth book is just as good as the last three. At first when I started reading Truman books, I looked at the titles and covers of the books and didn’t think I would read Rebel Mechanics. My friend had also started to read the Truman books and said it was a good book and that I should read it. I started reading it as soon as I could. I was immediately hooked. I finished the first book in about a week. Then I got the second book and finished it in less than 12 hours. The third book I finished in about three days. I can’t wait to read what will happen between Verity and Henry. When I first started reading the series, I wanted Verity to be with Alec. After hearing what he did though, I was outraged. I thought that Henry would never stand a chance against Alec, but I was wrong and I accept that and am glad that I was wrong. In the second and third books, I looked forward to every moment with Henry and Verity alone. I just couldn’t wait for the romance to grow. When Verity and Phillip were dancing, but Verity didn’t notice that her partner had changed to Henry, I got butterflies in my stomach and couldn’t help but smile. I know you will do great on the forth book and can’t wait for it to finally come out. =)

  4. Mandi

    So I know it’s been a little of 6 months since you posted the original update… Any update on the update? I’m kind of dying for Rebels 4! I read the first one fairly soon after it came out… historical romance, alternate history, and anything magical are my go to genres, and having them wrapped up in one is practically heaven. Reading a series as it is released is torture lol

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