A full moon for celebrating progress...

A practical Capricorn moon paired up with a lot of major astrological shifts has really made for some chaos in the world, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

It figures I drew Temperance for our collective reading. Ah, we met agian, old nemisis. A card that asks us to move slowly, to think before we act, to show discernment and patience as we try to sort through complicated feelings.

What a nightmare...amirite??!

All jokes aside, the Temperance card reminds us that the most heart-centered rewards don't come from speed. They come from being clear on your values and putting them into action.

Meanwhile, I'm just out here wondering if the moon will chill and let a girl get some rest so she can try to think clearly.

Temperance asks us to pause and actually recognize which goals we have achieved. It reminds us to take the time to celebrate those things and give gratitude to those who helped us achieve them. Then, it's time to check and adjust if we are on course for future goals, if they're still in alignment with our emotional desires, and if our timeline is realistic.

This full moon is a prime time to do these things, so I urge you to listen to this reading, take a pause, and gift yourself with the time to truly be present in this assessment. Capricorn energy brings a grounded, methodical approach to planning that offers sustainability for the long term.

Happy new moon!

What you'll find in the rest of this email:

• A Pick a Card reading
• A DIY Tarot Reading
• Sheila's Annual Library Drive - Feral Forties edition
• THE POISON DAUGHTER Art
• A Writing Update - TPD and Ballad
• TBR Stack
• Villains and Vixens Preorders - LAST CHANCE

Full Moon in Capricorn - This full moon asks us to recognize our wins and recommitt to our vision for the future. Maybe our priorities have changed, and our approach needs to change to match them. Maybe the havoc in the outside world has forced you to go back to the drawing board and figure out more aligned long-term or short-term goals.

Whatever the case may be, this is a time to believe in the power of a well-laid plan and slow and steady progress.

Take a breath and choose the card you feel most drawn to. The card you choose represents the energy to embrace as you work toward your new, more aligned plans.

REVEAL TIME - The card you choose represents the energy to embrace as you work toward your new, more aligned plans.

Page of Wands - Move forward with curiosity about new passion projects. Even if these new ideas are a slight deviation from what you expected to be chasing, this shift will be a good exercise in self-trust. Where you're going, you're going to need both the ability to adapt to changing circumstances as well as the will to be honest with yourself when you are becoming complacent. Leading with passion won't lead you astray.

Ace of Swords Rx - You may be plagued by the feeling that you're not ready to take any action yet because you don't know every single step you'll need to take. Surrender the need to control everything. The overanalyzing is robbing you of vital energy. That anxiety of doing something imperfectly is preventing you from taking any risks at all. Growth requires that you leave your comfort zone.

6 of Pentacles - This is a good moment for taking big swings. Don't be afraid to ask for the resources you need as you chase down your next big idea. Claim the time you need and protect it fiercely. Accept help from those who offer it, and hire the pros who can close any gaps in your skillset. Trying to do it all yourself will only slow down your grand plans.

The Return of the Birthday Library Drive - Feral Forties Edition

If you remember all the way back to last August, I hosted a birthday library drive to try to get physical copies of THE LOST GOD into as many libraries as possible.

This year, I thought we'd take an even bigger swing to represent this milestone birthday.

Libraries are having a tough year. Between funding cuts and censorship lawsuits, they need our support now more than ever.

One of the best ways to help libraries is to use their services. Check out books, borrow books on Libby and Hoopla, and in this case, request that your library order your favorite indie authors' audiobooks.

Requesting that your library order books you want to read not only helps them effectively distribute funds to books they know their members want to read. It also shows that they are spending the tax dollars they're granted to fulfill requests from engaged patrons.

It also helps me since library copies of audiobooks tend to come at a higher royalty rate.

So what am I asking of you? Request my backlist from your local library and help me get THE LOST GOD Series, SONG OF THE DARK WOOD, and A LEGACY OF STARS into as many libraries as possible.

Most libraries have an online form, but there are some old-school outliers that have a physical form for you to fill out. You can find all the book details here, including titles, release dates, and ISBN numbers.

This birthday celebration will help your local library while also helping me reach tons of new readers, and who doesn't want to go shopping wiht someone else's money? Put those tax dollars to good use.

Then, pop over to my form and let me know which books you requested and from which library. For every book requested, I will add a tree to the FERAL FORTIES AUDIOBOOK FOREST, and I'll keep a weekly tally on my Instagram stories of how the woods have grown.

On top of my undying gratitude, I have another little gift. If I reach 40 requests by August 20th, I'll do a giveaway, and one lucky winner will get The Storm King Library T-shirt from Book Club Clothing Company and a $25 donation to the library of their choice.

Follow progress every Friday over on Instagram, or wait for the update in the new moon newsletter.

THE POISON DAUGHTER Art:

Today I have a special treat. Some of you may have seen this over on Instagram a little while back, but I know not all of you are on there, and even those of you who are might have missed it with how the algo likes to play. You've all been so good to me, and the world is crazy, and I thought you deserved a lil treat.

My lovely assistant, Anastasia, was kind enough to beta read TPD, and she absolutely outdid herself with this stunning art of our FMC, Harlow.

A reminder that this standalone dark fantasy romance is coming October 3, 2025. The preorder is live, and there will be some fun goodies for preorders closer to release. So hang on to your receipts.

If you are interested in an ARC and you are not already on my street team, you can fill out the interest form here.

What I'm Writing:

THE POISON DAUGHTER - Copy Edits

WE MADE IT! THE LONGEST BOOK I'VE EVER WRITTEN IS OFF FOR COPY EDITS.

There are a lot of things that contributed to making this one a bear, but I managed to squeeze in line edits just under the wire.

As long as TPD is, I am relieved to report that even on this readthrough, I was not sick of it. That is the best feeling! I just have a feeling about this one, and now I'm in the restless waiting period before it returns with Erin's questions about which of the five different derivatives of a fake plant name I want to go with and other such ADHD typo-blindness.

BALLAD OF THE HEARTLESS - Drafting Take Two

While TPD is off wiht my lovely editor, Erin, I'm busying myself with trying to finally focus fully on Ballad of the Heartless.

No, there's not an echo in here. I was supposed to be finishing this book up back in April, and then again when TPD was with betas in June, but my plans had to change this year. I underestimated how insane the outside world would be and how hard it would be to be creative while all of that was going on.

Writing has always been a way to process emotions and thoughts for me, but it's tough to go deep and touch that level of vulnerability when the world feels so volatile. I know I'm not alone in this struggle. It seems most of the authors I know are struggling wiht the same things right now.

Add to that the ongoing struggles with piracy and rampant AI book scraping and AI content farmers flooding Amazon with books, and it's been a rough time to create.

Such struggles pale in comparison to everything happening both in the US and abroad. This leaves many of us feeling like there's no point in continuing to create, but creativity is a lifeline.

It's art that draws us together, makes us feel seen in our suffering, and inspires us with its ability to turn pain into something beautiful.

I'm so grateful to all the readers who have reached out to me over the past few years about how my stories have moved them. While many of these stories come from a deep, driving need to create that I can't shake, it's those reader messages I turn to on the hard days (months/years). It's the reminder that other people relate to this work, carry it with them, and turn to it for comfort in trying times.

As I return to this story, which is itself pretty dark, I'm finding myself in a story that feels a little too close for comfort. So often I have some distance from my work. This is more than just the distance of the fantasy world. It's distance from the characters' experiences.

But as I come back to Ballad from an experience much like our Ballad FMC's. Time will tell if that's cathartic or harrowing, or some combination of the two.

For the TBR Stack:

Serpent and Shadows by Taylor Lynn - This is book two in the Essence and Runes series, and it comes out TODAY! As not to spoil this sequel, I'm going to share the blurb from book one, Essence and Runes, and trust me when I say you need to stay for the turn this one takes, because I was hooked

After leading the charge to reclaim Promithia’s northern border, Raya Ontaria—a fearsome warrior and a powerful wielder of a magic called essence—is captured and held prisoner at the court of Corath. Rather than auction her off to the highest bidder, the malicious king seems to have other sinister plans in mind.

Just as all hope seems lost, an unforeseen rescue comes from none other than the cunning Prince of Corath himself, Orion Valor.

As Raya slowly begins to trust Orion, they join forces. In their pursuit to end the 300-year war that has terrorized both their kingdoms, an unexpected spark ignites between them, yearning to be set ablaze.

There’s just one problem: Raya is already entangled with the queen of Promithia. Spurning her powerful lover could extinguish any chance of peace talks while also risking Raya's claim as heir to the wealthiest region in the realm.

Can Raya resist the force driving her and Orion together? Or does fate have other plans?

You can click the gorgeous cover to check it out on Kindle Unlimited.

PREORDERS CLOSE THIS JULY 15TH:

My preorder for Villains and Vixens closes in six days on JULY 15TH. You can click the image above to access it.

If you are planning to purchase books from the event, I BEG you to preorder.

Pretty pretty please with a cherry on top and rainbow sprinkles.

It's really hard to estimate demand for events, and I'm always guessing, so the only way to guarantee you get what you want is to preorder.

You do not have to buy books there if you are bringing your own with you. I will sign any of my books you bring from home.

This preorder is open ONLY to those attending Villains and Vixens and will now be open through July 15th.

I can't wait to see you there.