S.J. Cairns creates paranormal romance from her hometown in Southern Ontario, Canada. When S.J is not plugging away on her witchy series, the Soul Seer Chronicles, you can find her chasing around her six-year-old daughter alongside her husband of twenty-five years or working in true chaos as a social service worker.

Author: @sjcairns

Cat Links Blog

10 Year Publishing Sickness

Posted on @sjcairns

I’m sick in the head! With a cold. Congested, not deranged… Well, maybe a little since it has been 10 years (this year) since I started publishing. 10 YEARS! While the first few books were published a bunch of different times with different publishers, I have no regrets returning to self-publishing in 2022. And now, I’m working on the *mumble 4th mumble* revision of DISARMED, Book 9 of the Soul Seer Chronicles. I cringe at all the uses of the “sensation”. Yikes! BUT I also am having fun with it and had a recent book blast event for the first

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Cat Links Blog

The Terror of the Retreat Intro

Posted on @sjcairns

Back in the summer, I travelled with a fellow author to Arkansas for the third annual writer’s retreat with our publisher Oghma Creative Media, the first for both of us. While I was thankful not to be travelling alone, my brain was on overdrive about “homework” given to all the writers a couple of days before the retreat. Cue my groaning. LOUD groaning. Groaning turned into epic overthinking freak-out status as I couldn’t wrap my head around the assignment itself AND why we needed to do it at all. Knowing myself as I do, I knew this was because I

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Cat Links Blog

Journalling – A Look Back

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Do you journal? WAIT?! Don’t leave yet. I know, I know. People blather on about journalling and why you should do it. I’ve even done it in an old blog from almost 4 years ago. And I stand by it. HOWEVER… Bad me. I’ve been a shitty journaller and there’s been huge swaths of time between my entries. I took a look this morning and realized I hadn’t journalled since February 3, 2018. Soooo much has happened in my life since February, good and bad. From negatives such as the death of my beloved pug and snuggle partner, Bosco, and

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Cat Links Slice of Advice

Full-Time Job vs. Haphazard Routine

Posted on @sjcairns

Original Question: I recently began a full-time job for the first time in a couple of years and almost immediately suffered from panic attacks, increased stress, and worsened depression. Before this full-time position, I worked on a contract by contract basis, so the regular paycheck was a big reason to jump on the work, but it feels like all my money now goes to shrink appointments and medications to try and level me out enough to deal with a job which I now can’t bear. My time away from work seems to be made up solely of dreading going back

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Cat Links Slice of Advice

Relationship Limbo

Posted on @sjcairns

Original Question: Sami-Jo, I have a friend I dated several months ago who I know didn’t experience a “lightning bolt” of attraction when we went out. But, I also know that I check just about every box, except maybe the “IS HE CHRIS HEMSWORTH?” box, on her partner checklist. There are times where I’ve been available to her or made her laugh where I get the feeling the thought crosses her brain that I might be worth a second shot, but it’s momentary and so I’ve never acted on it. So, my question is: I like her a lot, but

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Cat Links Slice of Advice

Sleepless in Canada

Posted on @sjcairns

Original Question: I have chronic insomnia. Over the past eight years, I have tried every possible remedy, home-cooked or prescribed. After a visit to my doctor this week to follow up on my progress, or lack thereof, I asked her if she thought cannabis would be a realistic option. I have a friend who has had great success with it and figured it’s the one thing I haven’t tried yet and I’m at the point where I’ll fucking try anything. My wife was skeptical about it when I mentioned it to her and my 16-year-old daughter furrowed her brow when

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Cat Links Slice of Advice

Not My Cup of Tea

Posted on @sjcairns

Original Question: While I have to sort of laugh at myself for starting the advice question with “I have a friend” but: I have a friend who is a fellow author. She asked me to read a work in progress ages ago and asked for constructive criticism. I gave her my thoughts. She recently self published the work and asked for reviews. I asked her if she had changed anything from last time. She said yes but from what I can see from my former notes as well as comparing the two files, there weren’t any changes. I had loads

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Cat Links Slice of Advice

Two Different Beasts

Posted on @sjcairns

Original Question: I’ve been going back and forth about what to do with a book on suicide I’ve drafted over the past few months. It currently sits around 200 pages and includes everything from sex, abuse, and personal stories in between. I want to copyright it and provide it freely because there is such a huge industry revolving around life coaching and people who exploit those who are vulnerable. I also implicitly state that I’m also hoping to create an audience for my writing. At the same time, I’m concerned I too will draw the wrong attention and it may

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