Hello everyone, and welcome back to my newsletter! As always, previous newsletters and other extras can be found hereat my website's exclusive email archive. Stick around until the end for a bonus kitty picture!
January Report
I am pleased to report that I am on track with my goals so far! I spent most of January finishing up revisions of book two and doing a final read-through to make sure the changes all made sense. I did some light editing as I went, cutting approximately 8000 words, which is huge! The book was resting at about 162k when I finished my revisions, which is way too long; I'm hoping to get it down to 130-140k before publishing.
In addition to revisions, I assembled my team of awesome beta readers, prepared some notes for them and an end-of-read questionnaire, and sent them all a copy of the book!
Goals for February
Now that Shadows of the Vale: Book Two is in the hand of beta readers, I can turn my attention to book three again. I'm hoping another draft will give me a clear idea of the series trajectory so that I know if there are any additional changes I need to make to book two. Plus, working on book three immediately after finishing my read-through of book two will help me keep a better sense of flow and progression between the two books!
I'll be out of town for a week this month, but taking that into account, I still hope to get roughly a third into the draft if possible.
Indie Ink Finalist!
Some of you will remember that I was nominated in four categories of the Indie Ink Awards in December, and I am very pleased to announce that I am a finalist in three of those categories! Best Setting, Best Friendship, and Writing the Future We Need: Mental Health Representation.
It is very exciting to make the top ten in so many categories, and I can't wait to move into the judging phase! Judges will start reading in February, though the process will likely take several months before the winners are announced.
Thank you again for everyone who voted for When Shadows Fall!
Redbubble Shop
As I am still struggling to get back into the habit of adding new designs to my Redbubble shop, I thought I'd showcase some of my older designs instead!
These were the first two designs I added to the shop when I started it in 2021. They were some of the first chibi I ever made, and I'm still pleased with how they turned out. I had a lot of fun with the hair and clothes especially!
Currently...
Reading: I'm currently reading Troupe of Shadows, an indie book by Jennings Zabrinsky. So far, I'm really enjoying the creative blend of a wild west setting with the fantasy genre!
About My Book
When Shadows Fall is a YA fantasy novel about an anxious teenager who must go on a perilous quest to save her sister. It is available on Amazon in eBook and print and in the Kindle Unlimited library.
Afflicted with debilitating panic attacks and constant anxiety, Ara Holstenner is the last person who would ever oppose the tyrant lord who subjugates her people. But when her sister is taken by shadow creatures, Ara must defy The Lord's edicts and brave the forbidden night world to save her.
Can Ara overcome the fears that have defined her since childhood, or will she doom her sister—and herself—to a lifetime of torment?
If you've already read When Shadows Fall, don't forget to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. I appreciate every single review and rating I get!
Thank You and Closing
As always, I am so grateful for your support and for this opportunity to share my writing and publishing journey with all of you!
If you've made it to the end of this newsletter, you have earned some kitty pictures!
A typical morning with me and Kaylee. ❤
Kaylee loves curling up on this tower!
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