New Year, New Substack
New Year, New Substack
I can't believe it's February already!
Hi Everyone,
That month break really flew by. It wasn’t a complete break, mostly a break from my regular posting schedule. I spent the time getting the Marredbury series ready for publication and submitting short stories to anthologies and magazines. I dusted off my submission tracking doc and confirmed I hadn’t sent anything off since 2021! Last year was a busy year. I wasn’t too surprised. I’m ready to jump back into the rejections! It’s more of a traditional publishing route to send your work to magazines. I see it as publicity opportunities and networking. I’ve made many writer friends working on anthologies. It also feels good to find a home for those pieces I wrote as a pallet cleanser between my larger projects. I have three stories out for submission right now. Wish me luck! I should hear back in a month (or two or six…)
In Writing News
Like I had said earlier, I’ve been pushing to get the first several episodes of the Marredbury series ready for you. The series will officially launch in March. My goal is to have the first four episodes scheduled for you, giving me time with the newest bundle of joy arriving in just a couple of short months (so close!!)
This month, I will be sending teasers. Spreading the word will be so helpful as I get this project out there for the first time. It’s been an interesting journey, lots of experimenting. The series is turning into something I’ve really become proud of.
Marredbury is a serial anthology. This means that it’s a collection of short stories, but they are all connected through their setting, the town of Marredbury. A short through story will introduce each short story as the mysteries of the town are exposed. I’m playing with visuals and audio (more on audio later). I’ve been encouraged by a few of my first readers. They had gotten to read quite a bit of the through story. I needed someone to look at it and tell me that it wasn’t complete garbage because I couldn’t tell!
Check out a blurb for Marredbury below. Share it with your friends! That would be a huge way to support this project.
In Publishing News
I’m going paid! Substack has a paid subscription feature where readers can support their favorite writers. Last year, I was testing the waters of substack and playing with this idea of paid subscription. I’m ready to take the leap now.
Marredbury is going to be offered to all my readers, free and paid. That won’t change for this Marredbury season.
Readers who pay are those who want to support the growth of my author business. Paid subscriptions offer a regular monthly income that I can count on when making financial choices. I am far away from a point of making any kind of profit with my writing. Paid subscriptions support the cost of editing, book covers, and audio (new!) As a thank you to paid subscribers, they will receive an audio version of the short stories of Marredbury. I have other treats in mind as well, but I’m taking this one step at a time. Audio is a whole new industry I have yet to explore (as a writer, but as a reader, audiobooks and podcasts take over my radio daily). It’s been fun so far hearing my work read by narrators. They do such a good job bringing the words to life! (I will not be narrating my stories. I’ve always found my voice to be on the more nasal side. My students have to listen to me all day already, no need to continue the agony 😉)
Paid subscriptions will be launched this month. I’ll keep you updated. As a brief preview here:
Readers will continue to have a free subscription option and have access to all posts
Readers can pay $6/month for access to audio versions of Marredbury short stories (two short stories a month)
Readers can choose to save a few bucks and pay for a year subscription in advice at $60/year
Finally, readers can choose to become a founder member at $180/year. This will get you full access to all my work, including my published work, as well as other goodies.
Welcome New Readers
I’d like to end this newsletter by welcoming my newest readers. Thank you for subscribing. Your support and readership make this writing journey so much more enjoyable! I’d like to recommend my most popular story on substack. It’s a short piece of flash fiction inspired by a folklore creature in my Daughter of Isis series. Don’t worry, you don’t need to have read any of the novels. The story is a stand-alone.