Merry Bookmas!

HAPPY DECEMBER!

Usually I find myself feeling nostalgic and retrospective this time of year. This year I’ve released a book, completed two full MS drafts, attended the Better Books workshop, and connected with some incredible new writing friends and critique partners. It’s been one for the record books!

That said, I’m not actually doing much retrospecting because your girl is on deadline. For Embers in Wait Book #3!

So mark your calendars because Book 3 is coming this MARCH 2024.

That’s right! You heard it here first! I love Arden and Declan so much (and Beck too, when he’s behaving…) and can’t wait for you all to see how their story ends.

UNCHOSEN NEWS

Thank you SO MUCH for helping UNCHOSEN a #1 new release on Amazon! I literally could not have done this without you.

I have just one more request from everyone who has read Unchosen: Please consider leaving a review on Amazon and/or GoodReads. Reviews cost nothing to post and can make a HUGE difference.

FOR THE WRITERS

This month I’ve been thinking a lot about how the holiday season can quickly overwhelm our schedules. And the first thing to go when schedules get busy are the extra things we love—for myself and so many people I know, that becomes reading and writing.

If I can leave you with one piece of advice this holiday season, it’s this: Just say no.

Boundaries are a lovely thing. Full stop. If you planned to read a fantastic book for an hour and then a holiday something or other pops up, it’s okay to say no.

I’ve blocked out time for myself to write this month, and there have been days where it’s the only reason I get anything done. And in the few occasions where I’ve had to decline an invitation, I’ve been amazed at how well my friends understand. They’re pretty great. (Which should go without saying—why would they be my friends if they weren’t?)

So this season, I hope that you find time for your writing, reading, or whatever other vocation fills your cup.

BACKLIST BOOK CLUB

This month’s backlist book club is going to be a little different. As you may know, GoodReads removed middle grade from its categories of books to vote on as book of the year. It is becoming increasingly harder to write middle grade, and as a parent of middle grade reading kiddos, I can attest to the fact that it is really hard to find great middle grade recommendations. So here is a list of our favorite middle grade books that we’ve read over the years.

1. Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce: Yup, that Lincoln Peirce. All Max wants to do is be a knight instead of inheriting the family business from his troubadour uncle—who is terrible. With clever illustrations and jokes and puns galore, it’s a fun read for anyone.

2. Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King: I’ve already recommended this book as part of this segment, but I’m going to recommend it again. If you have a road trip coming up, consider downloading the audio book—it’s excellent.

3. The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole by Michelle Cuevas: It should come as no surprise that I love a good, heartfelt story with a speculative bend, and this book does exactly that. We laughed when Stella’s pet black hole ate her ugly sweaters, and might have shed a few tears when we realized what this book is really about. (CW: death of a parent, grief)

4. Five Things about Ava Andrews by Margaret Dilloway: This book has it all: a main character who experiences social anxiety, a villanous property developer, and improv. Yup, that kind of improv. My kiddos were on the edge of their seats for the second half of this book and audibly cheered at the end. (CW: social anxiety, anxiety attack depiction)

5. New From Here by Kelly Yang: While this is not truly a backlist book, it has been one of our favorite read alouds of 2023. Set at the beginning of the pandemic in Hong Kong and San Francisco, this book follows Knox and his siblings as they grapple with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic—in hilarious ways. (CW: racism)

In case you missed it, I’ve made available resources for writers, including a plot point worksheet and an ebook to plan your perfect novel in 6 easy steps. If you’d like to access them again, click THIS LINK.

Thank you again for being here on this journey with me. I hope that 2023 has been good to you, and here’s to good health, kindness, and adventure in the new year!

Until next time…