Author Katy Milkman is an economist and a productivity scientist. She wrote a book a few years back called “How to Change: The science of getting from where you are to where you want to be” that explores the power of new beginnings. Because of the way that we look at time and schedules, we feel like we have a fresh start on Mondays or at the beginning of the school year, and most importantly, January 1st. These fresh starts are why we get a boost in productivity. However, she says that we also have the ability to create a fresh start feeling whenever we want so we can control our productive surges.
That is why I am declaring February as the start of my new year. It is my fresh start. It is my new beginning. January was way too chaotic for me that I can’t even remember what happened. Below is one of the only pictures in my camera reel from the month:
If you don’t think I’m serious, here are the things that I have done to declare February first the start of 2024:
I have ripped out all of the January pages in my planners.
I have started all of my resolutions, my “Ins” if you will, on February 1st.
I did not do any homework for school (which started in month 13 of 2023) until February 1st.
I left the happy new year sign on my door until the last day of month 13, 2023.
I have declared that I met all of my writing deadlines for 2023 since 2 books were submitted in month 13.
Now tell me you don’t feel the rush of a new beginning, too. It’s pretty intoxicating, isn’t it?
Since 2024 is (finally) kicking off with a positive, exciting start, I wanted to share with you what I’m doing, what I’m reading, where I’ll be and the books I have coming out. Are you ready? Let’s go!
What I’m doing
I am in my second semester of my PhD program in English and Social Justice, and shit just got real. This semester I’m studying social justice theory as well as race, gender and queer formation in popular romance.
I am writing my first romantic suspense! I sold The Lotus Inn to Atria back in 2023, and after months of brainstorming, I’m finally putting pen to paper. It’s been really…hard. I mean, I’ll just be honest with you. This is DIFFICULT. But I’m also feeling challenged which is amazing.
I also have a class of 18 year old students, and for the first time I am able to really develop the course and teach them what I want. It’s still a rhetoric and argument class, but we’re covering everything from Loving v. Virginia to Love is Blind.
What I’m reading
I finished the audiobook of Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver, and it was a PRODUCTION. It is a dark romance comedy about two serial killers who fall in love. I was talking to Kennedy Ryan, Nana Malone and Adriana Herrera about the book, and I have thoughts. First, it’s important to give Brynne the credit she’s due because she really wrote a fantastic story and hired two A-list narrators for the audiobook, but we’re seeing readers label it as ‘ground breaking’ and publishers jumping on the bandwagon. What is groundbreaking about 2 serial killers falling in love? This is very 90’s dark romance (in the best of ways!) and not as new as we might think. And if publishers jump on this dark comedy train, can marginalized people participate in this narrative without it developing into trauma porn? There may not be an answer for this, or people have different answers, but it’s just a thought!
Listen up, it’s BLACK HISTORY MONTH which means that we are reading and amplifying black romance authors. I posted a few recommendations on TikTok, but I want to also mention that Nana Malone has a billionaire arranged marriage romance coming out February 20th, and y’all should pre-order ASAP.
Where I’ll be
In the month of February, I have 3 whopping events as I gear up for my first book launch in 2024! Here they are.
I will be at the North End, Maryland Library on February 10th at 11AM for a romance author showcase. You can come whenever, hang out with us (myself and a few local romance authors) for a few hours and buy some books!
I will be at Book Club Bar in New York City on February 13th in celebration of Galentine’s Day at 6PM. This is a panel with authors BK Borison, Priscilla Oliveras and Celestine Martin! This is a ticketed event, so make sure you get your tickets ASAP.
And I will be at Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown PA on February 28th for Romance Day with another slew of fav authors including Eric Smith, Rosie Danan and Laura Piper Lee.
Just as a reminder that if you’re planning on seeing me at Apollycon this year, which isn’t until April, I am bringing a limited number of books with me, so the best thing you can do is pre-order to ensure you get books and swag!
Books releasing this year
This year I HAVE FIVE BOOK RELEASES. Some of them are re-releases, but whatever, it’s happening.
My So-Called Bollywood Life comes out in print and in e-book on March 11th! It’s a re-issue of my first romance and includes 2 bonus scenes. You can pre-order a copy of the e-book here!
The Pirate Queen, formerly To Plunder a Pirate Queen that is currently in e-book and published as part of the Bonkers Romance Book Box is getting a paperback edition in a new cover in April just in time for Apollycon! The reason why this is a Nina Saxena title is because it is sci-fi fantasy dark romance, so read triggers first. Pre-order links will be available soon!
My first traditionally published release of the year is The Letters we Keep which is my first New Adult romance about two college students who find letters in a library from lovers that disappeared in a fire back in the 1970’s. If you’re interested, the best way to support is by pre-ordering!
The last and final book in the Shakespeare series comes out this year on August 27th, and y’all finally get to read about Deepak and Veera. This one is also up for pre-order now!
And my fifth book is also a series finale: THE RIVAL PARTNERSHIP which is book 3 in The Singh Family trilogy. I’ll have a cover to share in the summer but you can look for this title in late fall.
I know that’s a LOT, but I’m so glad to have you a long for the ride! If you want to know more about what’s going on, you can always find me on my website at www.nisha-sharma.com or follow me on social media (I am usually posting TikToks 4x a week these days).
Until next month, when My So-Called Bollywood Life is finally out in the world (again), wishing you the best hot-person hibernation season!
xoxo,
Nisha