Happy belated Fourth of July! I didn’t actually celebrate this year. My husband and I had just gotten back from our belated honeymoon and spent the long weekend resting. We could see (and very much hear) fireworks from our bedroom window. It was comfy, but not a great view.
I’ve been busy this month since summer vacation started (perks of teacher life). I really enjoy the extra time to work on my writing. The amount of writing I do doesn’t really increase, but I do get more time to read and work on other aspects of the independent author life. One area I’ve been reading up on is author newsletters. An email list is invaluable to authors. I want to ensure I’m using this time in front of my readers well. I’d love to hear from you and what you look for in an author’s newsletter. Let me know what you think of my newsletter in the poll below:
In Writing News
I have had a slow writing month. I’ve been busy revising (my least favorite part of the process, but so so important). My release schedule is packed through January and I want to get everything in its best shape for you all. There are a few world-building issues I need to iron out with my upcoming Marredbury series. I’m excited to work through those and get back to writing the horror serial anthology. Stay tuned for sneak peeks of what’s to come from Marredbury!
In Publishing News
I announced last month that Son of Horus is being released October 25th! It’s coming up so fast. You will hear more from me in the next few weeks because Daughter of Isis will be going on sale August 6th. If you haven’t read Daughter of Isis, you can buy the first book in the series for $0.99 and get all caught up for the sequel in October. Keep an eye out for a couple quick emails from me as we get closer to August so you don’t miss the sale.
Speaking of getting caught up in the series, my book club chose Daughter of Isis last month. I had so much fun chatting about the story and the characters. I was touched by the thoughtful conversation. It was amazing to hear directly from readers and has made me so much more excited to share Son of Horus with you all. Since I didn’t read that month for book club, I put together some questions we could discuss during our meeting. It turned out they weren’t needed much! You can take a look at the questions here.
On My TV
I don’t have a book share this month, but a tv show that my husband and I have been binging: Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. The premise intrigued us: the main character, Zoey, sees people on the streets suddenly break out in song based on how their thoughts and emotions (we loved the humor in her reactions to the musical numbers). The show is so well done. I really appreciate the way they are writing grief. It feels honest and raw (I tend to cry at least once in an episode, but I’m a crier, so that’s not out of the ordinary). Grief is something I write about often. It’s so much a part of human life and such a complex emotion. But don’t let that scare you away from the show! You laugh, you cry. It’s the whole package. (And I want to have Mo as my best friend)
Indie Spotlight
I actually have a whole collection of Indie authors for you, stories about found families. Check out these independent authors on sale or free through July 19th. Pride, Prejudice, and Penguins has caught my eye. It’ll be added to my neverending to-be-read list.
That’s all I have for you today. You’ll hear from me again next week with part 1 of AfterWorld. The four part story is a bit of a teaser for Son of Horus. Some of you guys have already read the story (you’re not going crazy), but I want to make it available here on my substack. I have also gave it another polish for you guys.
Stay tuned for the story of ShyShy, the girl trapped in the Other World!
Finally, don’t forget to take the newsletter poll. Your feedback will improve these emails: