iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 29/09/2026

ROGUE SPIRIT, book two of the Shades of Humanity trilogy, is ready for pre-order! Here's a short blog about it, and enjoy the stunning cover art by @sketchgoblin.bsky.social: jblakemyersmannbooks.com/2026/09/29/r... #writing #scifi #selfpublish #booksky

cover art of ROGUE SPIRIT by J. Blake Myersmann, featuring the crew on the run across an alien planet.

090

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 28/09/2026

Check out my real interview with a real book blog! eastbaybookshelf.com/2026/09/27/a... #self-publish #writing #booksky

Screenshot from East Bay bookshelf blog: title reads “author Spotlight: meet J Blake Myers Mann”

081

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 24/09/2026

A huge thanks to everyone that came out to celebrate the release of Stolen Ghost! It was wonderful to get to see old friends and new and truly a surreal experience reading from my book to an audience. #selfpublish #scifi #booksky

251

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 22/09/2026

Today's the day! Come out to Stonecloud to celebrate the release of Stolen Ghost! We'll have paperbacks available (free beer with purchase) and at 6:30 I'll do a short reading and sign copies the rest of the come-and-go night 😊 #selfpublishing #scifi #booksky

Event flyer: celebrate the release of Stillwater local author's debut novel Stolen Ghost at Stonecloud Brewing Co. Taproom in Stillwater OK. Tuesday, 22nd September from 6-8pm. Reading at 6:30 with signing to follow.

031

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 20/09/2026

I have a confession to make...Stolen Ghost isn't my first book! In third grade I was fortunate enough to attend a G&T enrichment program through the school and one of our projects was to write and illustrate a story. Here it is! #writing #selfpublishing #scifi #throwback #booksky

Picture of a young Blake reading his "first" "published" story aloud.

Cover of "Bernard's Great Adventure", written and illustrated by Blake Myers.

1101

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 11/09/2026

I wrote the Shades of Humanity trilogy for everyone, so trying to categorize it has been difficult. It certainly leans adult, but it's definitely "YA-friendly". Hope this graphic helps! #writing #selfpublishing #scifi #booksky

Picture of a shelf labeled "Trad YA" with Brandon Sanderson's Skyward, Neal Shusterman's Scythe, and K.A. Applegate's The Hork-Bajir Chronicles. Above that, a shelf labeled "YA Friendly" with J. Blake Myersmann's Stolen Ghost. Above that, a shelf labeled "Mature YA" with Pierce Brown's Red Rising, Becky Chambers' The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows. Finally at the top, a shelf labeled "Adult" with James S.A. Corey's Leviathan Wakes, Anne Leckie's Ancillary Justice, and Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time.

191

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 06/09/2026

Self-Publishing Might Kill Me is back with a new post! This one's about pricing books: jblakemyersmannbooks.com/2026/09/06/c... This has been a pretty rough week but I'm proud that I was able to do this on top of everything else. Time for a nap! #blog #selfpublishing #writing #scifi #booksky

A screenshot of Ben Wyatt from Parks and Recreation holding a claymation doll. Doll is memed as "New blog post". Caption reads: "Do you think a depressed person could make this?"

081

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 05/09/2026

The Barnes & Noble paperback link is live! www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stolen-gho... Order it here or request it at your local store! #selfpublishing #scifi #booksky

Cover art of Stolen Ghost by J. Blake Myersmann with Barnes & Noble branding.

071

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 04/09/2026

Stolen Ghost is now on Libby! Ask your library to add by clicking the "Notify Me" bell in the app. #selfpublishing #libby #overdrive #libraries #scifi #booksky

Screenshot from the Libby/Overdrive library app of Stolen Ghost by J. Blake Myersmann.

061

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 04/09/2026

Happy book birthday to Stolen Ghost! I've included the full gorgeous cover art by @sketchgoblin.bsky.social and written a short new blog post here: jblakemyersmannbooks.com/2026/09/03/s... #self-publishing #scifi #booksky

Full front, back, and spine cover of Stolen Ghost, featuring hexagons, stars, planets, and nebulae, and the alien crew of the main characters. Text on the back cover reads:

"FIREFLY MEETS THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA IN THIS INTERPLANETARY HEIST STARRING ALIENS IN A GALAXY WHERE HUMANS ARE A LONG-FORGOTTEN MYTH.

Captain Trace Abraxi has more planned for her crew's next tour than the usual idle piracy. She's after a fleet of her own, stolen from under the noses of religious zealots. But when a virtual stowaway is found on board, it threatens to derail the entire heist - or it might be its only chance of success.

Strap in for the beginning of the Shades of Humanity trilogy!"

051

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 03/09/2026

Come celebrate the release of Stolen Ghost with me later this month! Big thanks to Stonecloud Brewing for hosting and @britney.myersmann.com for organizing 😊 #selfpublishing #scifi #booksky

Image describes a book release event held 22 September 2026 in Stillwater, Oklahoma at Stonecloud Brewing Taproom. Come and go from 6-8pm with a reading at 6:30. Free 10oz pour with book purchase!

061

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 02/09/2026

Stolen Ghost's sequels are close behind! The entire Shades of Humanity Trilogy was written together so that you won't have long to wait between reads. Learn more at jblakemyersmannbooks.com #selfpublishing #scifi #booksky

Three book covers with release dates 3 September, 22 October, and 10 December. Text reads "Tired of starting a series that isn't finished yet? Don't worry!"

061

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 31/08/2026

Check out a few of the early reviews of STOLEN GHOST over on Goodreads! Learn more at jblakemyersmannbooks.com #selfpublishing #scifi #booksky

Book cover feature aliens on a strange planet with text overlay. Top: What are advance readers saying about STOLEN GHOST? Bottom: 4.71 star rating from 7 ratings.

Review quotes for STOLEN GHOST. First: "You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll cheer, and you'll be left satisfied yet still wanting more."
Second: "If you're looking for something to pull you out of a reading slump or take a break from the real world over lunch, this is a great pick."
Third: "This book is for you if you love space, pirates, mystery, lovable and real characters, and action (space races! fighting!)."

170

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 30/08/2026

We are less than one week from the release of Stolen Ghost (3Sep)! Enjoy the fabulous cover art designed by @sketchgoblin.bsky.social, a sneak peek of the first lines, and learn more at jblakemyersmannbooks.com/stolen-ghost/ #selfpublishing #scifi #booksky

Front cover of Stolen Ghost, featuring hexagons, planets, and the five alien main characters.

Back cover of Stolen Ghost, featuring a planet, a starship, and a holographic person.

First lines of prologue of Stolen Ghost. Text reads: Captain Trace Abraxi ran down the hallway, hooves sliding as they tried to find purchase on the hard ceramic. In one hand she carried her sword, and the other dipped slightly with the weight of the heavy hard drive. Her fur was disheveled under her stolen jumpsuit and her long ears swiveled around on high alert.

Her first mate, Riktik, ran beside her, his much shorter Crix legs taking three or four steps to a single lope from Trace. The bright lights reflected back many times in his compound eyes, and part of his own jumpsuit was burned away to reveal reddish chitin. Blue plasma bolts splashed against the wall behind them, and Riktik fired back a few of his own.

081

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 10/08/2026

Nine megabytes. ~180,000 words. Six years. It doesn't quite feel real. But among those swirling emotions is an excitement I haven't felt for this project in a very long time. Stay tuned... #booksky #selfpublish #scifi #writing

A screenshot of three 3MB word documents

150

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 07/08/2026

Yar! Rewatching the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy (for the first time in years), watching @esynthia play AC4 on Twitch, and putting the finishing touches on my space pirate trilogy. Edward, Trace, and Jack have more than a few things in common... ;) #booksky #selfpublish #writing #pirate #scifi

Picture of similarly dressed pirates across three franchises: Assassin's Creed, Shades of Humanity, and Pirates of the Caribbean

071

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 27/07/2026

I love this music video (youtu.be/JOGdEIaa_V4?...) but didn't realize just HOW perfect so many of these character archetypes line up until a beta reader pointed it out to me. Click through to see the parallels with cover art excerpts! #booksky #writing #selfpublishing #legendsofavantris

191

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 30/06/2026

They say you can’t take it with you. But as the breeze weaves through the trees and tousles my hair in the early morning light, I hope that somewhere, in that darkness before birth that we return to after death, I can carry this with me.

110

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 20/06/2026

New blog post! This one's all about commissioning cover art 🎨 jblakemyersmannbooks.com/2026/06/19/h... #booksky #selfpublishing #writing #advice #art #books p.s. there's a surprise at the end of the blog...

Stylized image of a book featuring the adage "Don't judge a book by its cover"

161

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 13/06/2026

This vacation was unfortunately more stressful than relaxing (missed port, got a rash, caught a cold, etc.) so I'm still recovering, but one of the best parts was reading the second and third Emily Wilde books in the aft lounge with my love. #booksky #selfpublishing #heatherfawcett #cruise

Two people holding the second and third Emily Wilde books in front of the bottom half of their faces.

041

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 20/05/2026

Happy (belated) Publication Day to "It's Hard to Be an Animal"! Robert Isaacs has crafted a wonderfully cozy romance/mystery/urban fantasy. I loved it as an advance reader and pre-ordered two hard copies of my own. It's my only 5-star of 2026 so far! www.goodreads.com/book/show/24...

Book cover of It's Hard to be an Animal by Robert Isaacs

031

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 11/05/2026

New blog post! jblakemyersmannbooks.com/2026/05/10/d... Part hiatus explanation, part advice for fellow anxious authors. #anxiety #self-publishing #writing #booksky

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, with the words "DON'T PANIC" printed in large, friendly letters on its cover.

051

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 06/05/2026

Yes, I'm back! It's been a rough couple of months but I survived thanks to the wonderful people in my life ❤️ Three exciting updates: - Trilogy revisions are done! - Stolen Ghost ARCs are going out now! - New blog post coming this week! #booksky #selfpublish #writing #books

A picture from Doctor Who with the Doctor saying "I've been away for a while, but I'm back" and another person asking "You were away?"

071

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 20/02/2026

No posts for a while! Nearly done with final revisions for Rogue Spirit and then it's on to the same for Cruel Phantoms. I'll be back when the trilogy is ready for ARCs! Enjoy this picture of my common view in the computer room 😺 #booksky #selfpublish #writing #cats

A picture of two chairs in front of desks, occupied by cats (one of which is in the author's lap). The word "hiatus!" is featured front and center.

190

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 13/02/2026

Just a short and practical one today! A step-by-step guide on how to get your books on the reading apps. (it's not as painful as Harold makes it seem) jblakemyersmannbooks.com/2026/02/12/g... #booksky #selfpublishing #books #socialmedia

A "Hide the pain Harold" meme. An old man giving an uncertain smile while sitting at the computer with a cup of coffee. In this version, he is surrounded by icons of different reading apps.

171

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 06/02/2026

What do YOU call stories like these? I need a name! While I also enjoy Redwall and its ilk, I think a hallmark of this genre is the internal rather than external anthropomorphization. Bonus points if the animals protect people from supernatural threats! #booksky #genre

Book covers of stories that involve animal protagonists

260

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 30/01/2026

The third entry in the "Self-Publishing Might Kill Me" blog series is live! Today's post is about navigating self-promotion online. jblakemyersmannbooks.com/2026/01/29/h... #writing #booksky #selfpublishing

Two buttons meme: choose between "patronizing evil platforms" or "floundering in obscurity"

031

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 23/01/2026

Lord of the Rings is back in theaters and though I should have stayed home doing revisions, I instead went out with friends, dressed up, and watched 14+ hours of the best dang fantasy movies ever. Reading, though, I confess I’ve never made it past the arrival at Meduseld… #lotr #shelfie #booksky

Blake dressed as a Hobbit standing in front of his bookshelf.

Blake in front of his bookshelf wearing LOTR socks and a matching ugly Christmas sweater.

Blake wearing a Gondorian pullover in front of his bookshelf.

190

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 09/01/2026

A few interesting observations from my Year in Books! What did you notice in your own stats?

J. Blake Myersmann's overall Goodreads "Year in Books", with 8,708 pages read across 23 books.

Picture comparing Blake's shortest and longest books. The Mist and the Flame (181 pages, twelve days to read) vs The Bright Sword (688 pages, ten days to read)

Blake's three five-star books: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Husbands, and Heavenbreaker.

121

J. Blake Myersmann @jblakemyersmannbooks.com · 02/01/2026

Hello #booksky! I'm Blake, and I'm self-publishing a trilogy of Sci-Fi novels this year. I'll be blogging about the process at jblakemyersmannbooks.com/category/sel.... Follow along wherever is easiest for you!

Blake sitting in a chair, trying to write. There's one cat in his lap and another between his shins.

1131