Happy New Moon!

Now that the traditionally published cat is out of the bag, we return to our regularly scheduled newsletters. Thank you for bearing with me and for your enthusiasm for all of my exciting news. I know there is a lot to still be revealed, but I promise I will share more information as I receive it.

Today brings us a new moon in Aries, and I must say that the Aries energy has been really intense this season. Very Spicy. Very God of War.

Interesting that I pulled the 5 of Pentacles Rx for our collective reading. Obviously it's been a rough time for the economy (see $4.20/per gallon gas) and whenever tough economic times come around, it's hard to ignore the onslaught of doom and gloom headlines and the very real stress about personal budgets. But the 5 of Pentacles Rx is a card that comes up when we're trying to break out of scarcity and build a healthier outlook.

It's not an invitation to throw caution to the wind and use your entire savings to book a seven week trip across Europe, so much as a time to take a good hard look at how and where you've been playing things too safe in your life.

5 of Pentacles Rx is asking, if you've saved for a rainy day, why are you so afraid that it's raining out there? When we're paralyzed by fear we can't see anything clearly. Sure, you might be safe, but have you made safety a cage? Luckily this Aries new moon is a great time to find the spark to push you out of your comfort zone.

Wishing you a pleasant new moon.

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

• THE POISON DAUGHTER - News and Stats
• Writing Update - Ballad of the Heartless
• The Lost God Series Sale
• A more in-depth Pick a Card Tarot reading
• TBR Stack
• TPD Q&A - popular requests
• TPD Merch - New shirt for pasta lovers

TPD Stats and News:

Since the big announcement, the exciting news just keeps coming. I'm thrilled to share that TPD will also be headed to Finland and Thailand, bringing our totals to 19 territories (18 translations). I don't have any further release date news yet for our foreign markets but I will keep you updated here every other week with anything new and exciting.

Speaking of which, a little birdie told me that we might see a TPD ebook flash sale on Sunday 4/19. Keep an eye out for that if you've been wanting the read the ebook.

I did get some advance reader copies of TPD yesterday and they are GORGEOUS. I can't believe how vibrant the purple is but I love the lighter background and darker font...and the USA Today Bestseller tag 🥹😭 (Fun fact, I only new that I made the list the first time because my editor, Nicole, emailed to congratulate me about it. I just stared at her email for a full minute before I understood what she was saying. Then, I pulled up the list and cried...as one does.)

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with these advance copies yet, so don't come for me, okay! I know you would all love a copy, but I only have a few here. Peep the gorgeous design compared to the original below:

For a quick stats update....The Poison Daughter has been inside the top 40 books on Amazon AND the best seller in the Dark Fantasy Horror category for more than two months. Goodreads reviews are at 47,608 and Amazon reviews have grown to 23,747.

I'm even more gobsmacked to say that The Poison Daughter has now surpassed 150,000 copies in combined formats. I realized a day or two late because it happened so quickly. It only hit 100K A MONTH AGO! 50k copies in a month!!! Is this real life?

I can't thank you all enough for continuing to share this story with your friends, booksellers, and on social media. I can't wait for you all to see the exciting things in store for the rerelease.

The Lost God Series ebooks are on sale in the US through Sunday, and you can get all four books series for just $10. That's less than the price of a martini for hours of entertainment. Reminder that the entire series is also on audio with four fabulous narrators and amazon usually allow for discounted addition of the audiobooks at checkout.

What I'm Writing:

BALLAD OF THE HEARTLESS - Drafting

I left my gremlin cave this weekend and went on a field trip to see my friends Madeline James at her first book signing and to celebrate Gretchen Powell Fox's birthday and rerelease of Smoke and Scar. It was a lovely trip and I got the bonus of getting to meet some new author friends as well when I had dinner with Alex Sloane, Harper Hawthorne, Alexis Maragold, and Brittney Arena. It was such a good time and I think every event reminds me of how grateful I am to be part of such an amazing supportive author community.

But now I'm back at my desk and I am IN IT with this draft. Things are clicking and despite a bumpy start with my MMC, Cade (You know him from Song of the Dark Wood), I feel like I'm starting to really get him.

I'm also having a really good time writing the magic in this book, since the witch hunt vibes allow for more spells and more stereotypical "witch magic" than I've been able to include in past stories. I'm excited to say that Winter is a bit more on the Harlow end of the FMC spectrum, but in her defense, she doesn't have a heart. I joked that the eras of dreamgirls was over and that i've fully entered my nightmare women phase, but it's been fun to write some more knife-edged ladies.

Since Ballad is a standalone in the same world as Song of the Dark Wood, I have a good worldbuilding foundation. The tricky part is making sure I include enough information so that reader who start with this book will know what's going on. I can't stray too far into the past or the pace will drag, but if I jump into this new part of Eirione too quickly, readers will be lost.

I learned how tricky this was when I was working on A Legacy of Stars. When you know a world so intimately it can be hard to see your world building blindspots. That's why I did a round of brand new to the world beta readers (props to Jenny and Ana for saving me!) I imagine I will have to do something similar for Ballad, although I'm saved by the time jump (10 years) and the fact that this part of the island is so different culturally than Ballybrine.

One tricky thing about coming back to a first draft after doing minor copy edits on a finished draft of TPD, is that I find myself wanting to perfect every single little thing about the book. Instead of letting the words flow, I get mired in what Liz and I call "second draft problems". This can be anything from fretting over the pacing, to trying to make everything sound pretty (which is really a problem for the line edit stage).

Slowly but surely I've stopped comparing this first draft for the TPD final draft, but even on my eleventh manuscript, it remains a struggle. Perhaps it will always be that way. The key is finding enough inertia to push past the awkward "is my draft ugly" phase. I know I always make it to the other side, and this time I think it's going to be the press of weekly drafting targets that help me get there.

The farther I go on this publishing path, the more I recognize how important it is for me to keep up momentum. I'm a firm believer that everyone needs to find their own individual process. For me, that looks like writing (at least a little bit) everyday. The more immersed I am, the easier the words flow.

So if you see me on socials a little less in the next couple of weeks, or I'm slow to respond to your texts, I hope you'll forgive me for my hermit. I'm in full gremlin mode from now until Ballad is finished.

I think I will have some TPD related announcements in the next couple of emails, but I'm hoping to have some more Ballad news later in May.

New Moon in Aries - This new moon brings us the fire starting energy to invigorate stalled plans and ideas. Aries is the rebel and the change-maker. This is a great time to summon the fire needed to make tweaks to your daily life and get in touch with the things that inspire you to push out of your comfort zone. Refresh stale routines and rework your schedule so it suits you better.

Take a few grounding breaths and choose the card you feel most drawn to.

Then, scroll down for the reading reveal.

For the TBR Stack:

The Thorns We Inherit (Tales of Nyxarra #1) by Lindsey A. Hart - I have been looking forward to this one. The Thorns We Inherit is a dark gothic fantasy romance centered on trauma, devotion, and the cost of legacy. It follows a woman drawn into a dangerous political and magical web while fighting to save the last family she has left. The story leans into lush, atmospheric worldbuilding, slow burn romance, and blood magic and bargains. Click the gorgeous cover below to get it now or read it on Kindle Unlimited.

Because the Beasts Came by Madeline James - Maddie and I have been friends for four years and it was so fun to get to see her celebrate her first indie book release this past week, but you have to read this book because it's fabulous and she is an amazing worl-builder. From her blurb: In a world ravaged by beasts, a broken guardian infiltrates a brutal gang to steal access to the magic her outpost needs to survive. As the lines between friend and foe blur, Iryana realizes the hardest part of the mission isn't keeping up her deception-it's letting herself be healed by the very people she came to betray. Click the gorgeous cover below to get it now or read it on Kindle Unlimited.

Sovereign (Queen) of Wands- When the world gets overwhelming you can always return to your passion projects. Protect that sacred inner peace by still making time for the things that light you up. There's nothing frivolous about inspiration. It's the thing that will carry you through the hard days and keep burnout at bay. Tend to that inner fire and it will keep burning for a long time.

The Wheel of Fortune Rx - There's a certain surrender to the wheel when it come up in a reading upright, but often the inverse it's less of an issue of going with the flow, and more a problem with refusing to make any decisions. There's a big difference between releasing the need to control every outcome and becoming a bystander in your own life because you're so afraid of making the wrong choice. Don't be afraid to chase what you really want, instead of hoping it will just magically happen.

3 of Wands - Sometimes we get so stuck in seeing the long view, we miss what's right in front of us. When anxiety carries you so far out ahead of everything that you're missing the joy of everyday interactions with friend and family, it's time to reign it in. No amount of planning can protect you from every single negative outcome. The key is to have faith that you have set yourself up to make the best of any circumstances and that starts with being more present now.

I hope your card was resonant.

THE POISON DAUGHTER Q&A:

Q. Will there be an audiobook of TPD?

A. Yes. The good news is that it's looking like it will happen this year. The bad news is that I still don't know when. I'll update you as soon as I know firm timing.

In the meantime, you can find my entire backlist on audio with some truly phenomenal narrators.

Q. Will there be any special editions of TPD?

A. Yes. I know how much a special edition is coveted, so I've covered all my bases, trying to get TPD as many special edition opportunities as possible. Right now, there is one upcoming subscription box that I've hinted at, as well as a two preorders that I'm sworn to secrecy about. I loathe keeping my own secrets, but I'm afraid I must for now. I promise I will share loudly and repeatedly as soon as I'm permitted.

Q. Do you offer signed copies?

A. I don't at the present moment. Unfortunately, I don't have time to manage fulfillment. I would like to be able to offer signed copies in the future, and this newsletter will be the first place to hear about it.

Q. I loved TPD. What should I read next from your backlist?

A. If you are mourning the end of TPD and wondering what to do next, I made an Instagram for exactly this purpose and it will help you decide where to go in my backlist.

Q. What's the best way to get more people to read TPD?

A. There are a few things you can do to help the book grow.

First of all, I am forever shamelessly asking for reviews because they are the metric most of the publishing industry uses to gauge readership. I would be very grateful if you would leave a quick one or two-line review for my books on Amazon and Goodreads if you haven't already done so. You can copy the review from one platform to another.

Second, you can request a physical copy of TPD at your local library. Not only does this help me, it also helps local readers find a new romantasy read, and provides evidence that your librarians can use to prove that local readers are using their services. Most libraries have a digital or physical form you can fill out. Your local librarian would probably be thrilled to point you in the direction of it.

Finally, you can recommend the book to your reader friends, share it in Facebook reader groups, tell your local bookstore to stock it, or post about it on social media.

Every little bit counts, and I'm so grateful for your support.

Q. I tried to order your hardcover on Amazon, but I'm getting an error. Is there still a way to get it?

A. Amazon decided not to deliver my book (and other indie books) at all to certain parts of the US. If you encounter an error stating that the book is not available in your region, it's likely due to their new "efficient" AI features. That's right. They drove most book stores out of business, established a monopoly, and now refuse to deliver to certain areas, even inside the US. I am working to get this remedied, but I don't have high hopes. If you are a reader who is experiencing this error, I HIGHLY recommend you voice your displeasure to Amazon customer service.

My advice in the meantime is to buy the hardcover elsewhere. In the US Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org are options. In Canada, I reach out to the Indigo Chapters team with every release, so it should remain listed there without issue. Same for Waterstones in the UK and Booktopia and Fishpond in Australia.

THE POISON DAUGHTER MERCH:

I mentioned that Jaimee (@thtgrlreads on IG) has a new TPD merch collection but she just dropped what is probably my face shirt in the entire collection. Perfect for the readers who like to play with their food. Pasta lovers, rejoice! (Don't worry, Gretch. It's not penne.)

In the Media:

Book Bits & Chill Podcast - I had the best time chatting with Cassie and Emily (who record live from their beds in pjs) about all things Poison Daughter. There are some light spoilers in here but we give a warning before we get into the most spoilery content. This is a great episode for anyone who isn't related to me (hi mom.)

​Apple Podcasts - Spotify​

Storybeast Podcast - I was a guest on Story Beast, which is one of my favorite bookish pods. What I love about this show is that they talk so much about the creative journey of writing a book. I love hearing other authors talk about craft, but as we all know, I also just love to yap about it myself.

​Apple Podcasts - Spotify​

The Broke Book Girls Podcast - I had a lovely chat about The Lost God Series and The Poison Daughter with Anne and Bree of the Broke Book Girls Podcast last week. It will air tomorrow/today, depending on where you are in the world.

​Apple Podcasts - Spotify​​​