May | 2026 | WENDY CHEAIRS

May has flown by over here, and between writing, editing, and everyday life, it’s been a wonderfully busy season.
First, a huge thank you to everyone who has been reading and sharing Trial by Fire! Seeing Shayla’s story find readers has been such a thrill. If you haven’t jumped into Richmond Academy yet, Book One is available now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
And I’m excited to share that Trial by Sea is coming June 23, 2026—and the countdown is officially on!
Trial by Sea – Richmond Academy Book 2
The Phoenix has risen… but the tide is coming in.Shayla thought the worst was behind her. After surviving her first year at Richmond Academy, she’s no longer the girl who can’t control her spark. She’s a Phoenix Guardian in training, stronger and steadier than ever.But as her relationship with Georgios deepens, so do the complications.Georgios has secrets of his own—secrets tied to a mermaid heritage that demands a price Shayla isn’t sure they can pay. When they’re drawn into a series of deadly underwater trials, their trust is pushed to the breaking point.
With a charismatic new rival determined to come between them and the Academy’s dark secrets rising to the surface, Shayla must master her powers before they’re extinguished forever.
Perfect for readers who love fated mates, elemental magic, supernatural academies, and slow-burn romance.
And because apparently I enjoy keeping myself busy—in the best way—I’ve officially started writing Trial by Earth, which will be releasing this August 2026! It’s been so much fun diving into the next stage of Shayla’s journey, and outlining the later Richmond Academy books as the series continues to grow. What originally started as a shorter plan is shaping into a full five-book series, and I’m so excited to keep building this world through the rest of the year.
Outside of Richmond Academy, I’ve also been editing several new stories coming later this year—including another installment in the Seasons of Magic anthologies.
Seasons of Magic: Spring is still available for only .99¢ on Amazon and also in Kindle Unlimited!
My story “Magical Matchmaking” is part of the anthology—a fun little romantic fantasy about a clumsy witch whose attempt to cast a spell to find true love definitely goes sideways… and somehow lands her face-to-face with exactly the wrong person: a very handsome mundane who absolutely does not believe in magic.
And later this year, Seasons of Magic: Summer will be arriving—and I’ll have another short story in that anthology to share with you soon.On the non-writing side of life… I’m still dealing with the dreaded frozen shoulder and all the glamorous fun that comes with PT. It still sounds completely made up every time I say it, but apparently it’s very real and very stubborn. The good news is it does seem to be improving—very slowly, very steadily—with lots of physical therapy and patience. Right now PT is on the calendar through August, and I’ll also have another shoulder shot in July, so I’m crossing my fingers and hoping for continued progress and a lot more movement soon.
In the meantime, books are still the bright spot, and I have a bunch of exciting reads and deals from other authors to share with you this week.
As always—thank you so much for reading, supporting indie authors, and sharing books you love.
Happy Reading,Wendy

May is here, and it’s already full of stories to fall into.

Seasons of the Year – Spring is now out and available on Amazon and KU (links below)! My story, Magical Matching, is part of this collection, and I’m so excited to finally share it with you. It follows a clumsy witch who casts a spell looking for love, actually finds it… and then has to figure out how to keep it. It’s magical, messy, and full of heart—everything I love about spring stories.

Also out now…

Trial By Fire is officially live on Amazon and KU!

This first book in the Richmond Academy series (part of the Mystical Society world) follows Shayla, a phoenix shifter who can’t shift, sent to an academy in Virginia where she’s expected to learn—no matter what. There’s pressure, friendship, magic, and plenty of twists as she starts finding her own strength and place in the world.

And behind the scenes, I’m already deep into Book 2: Trial by Sea, coming later this year. I’m hard at work writing it now, and I have to say—the cover is absolutely stunning. I can’t wait to show it to you.

Even more exciting… what started as a three-book plan is now looking like it may grow into a five-book series. I’m completely thrilled about this, because it means more time with these characters, more stories to tell, and more adventures at Richmond Academy. It also means I’ll be happily busy writing in this world through this year and into next.

On the real-life side, I’m still working through PT for the “frozen shoulder”—which still sounds completely fake, but is very real. I’m putting in the work to “unfreeze” it, even if I’d love a magical shortcut (sadly, those don’t exist outside of books). For now, it’s time, physical therapy, and a lot of patience… plus learning not to overdo it, which apparently makes it worse. Not my favorite lesson, but I’m getting there.

Through it all, I’m still writing, still building new stories, and still excited for everything coming next.

And of course, I’ve gathered up more exciting books, new releases, and deals from other authors below—because there’s always room for one more story on your list.

Happy Early Mother’s Day to all!

Happy Reading,
Wendy