it's spooky szn!

what's really spooky is how badly I fell off the wagon doing a newsletter 💀

🎃 it’s the most wonderful time of the year! 🎃

And by that, I mean Pumpkin Spice Latte season, which quickly transitions into Peppermint Mocha season. At no point have I advertised myself as anything less than a very basic white girl.

It’s been a minute since I’ve done a newsletter and I should get more regular with them because behind the scenes, things are HAPPENING. And soon enough, there will be real things to share.

Love and Other Conspiracies has a cover and it is FANTASTIC. It really encapsulates the spooky and swoony vibe of the book. Some of the people I shared it with said it was giving “sexy Scooby Doo”, which is exactly what I was hoping for. I’m so excited to share it, but we’ll be waiting until pre-orders go live, so we’ve still got some time.

The book is also done with copy edits and I’ve seen sample pages and the interior design (which also looks amazing). I got to make up my blurb list and am going to actually be putting this book out into the world soon, which is terrifying and also exciting.

This summer has been a roller coaster of emotions because this transitionary period between writing for you and writing for the world is very strange. I think someone needs to teach a crash course on “debut year” or the lead up to it because it’s such an odd and confusing time. I definitely feel like I’m walking the line between being an author and not being an author. The book is coming out (but not soon). No one’s read it, but maybe they heard about it (though most people have not). When you introduce yourself and say you’re an author, cool, but no one can go read or pre-order it.

it’s me, hi, i have imposter syndrome it’s me

What I’ve learned and tried to be better about lately is protecting my peace and not partaking in things that do not serve me. Most of this comes down to communities and social media presences. I realized that groups full of people who thrive on humble-brags or complaining about not having the red carpet rolled out for them are not serving me. I gain nothing from being around those people and comparing myself. So, I left.

I started asking myself “If I were doing this in a vacuum, with just my supportive communities, how would I feel?” And the answer was that I’d feel great. I have a fantastic agent in my corner and a brilliant editor. I’ve felt really lucky and happy with my publishing experience so far (of course, there’s downsides and anxieties that come with it, too, but as a whole…). The only times I’ve felt like “I’m a failure” have come because I compared myself to others, who have written other books. Who have other agents. Who have other editors, who have different imprints and goals. If it were just me and the people who are genuinely happy and supportive of me, I’d be trying to relish this time rather than feel miserable.

me, to spaces and people who make me feel bad about myself

One bit of news I can share now, though, is that I am going to be mentoring in this year’s SmoochPit! Last year, KissPitch helped me immensely and got Love and Other Conspiracies into fantastic shape to hit the query trenches. I learned so much about myself as a writer and I’d love to give someone else that great experience, too.

Applications are open until 9/19 (this Monday!), so if you have a completed manuscript that you want to work with a mentor on, send them our way! My MSWL is here. I’ve been blown away by the subs that have come to me this past week and I can’t wait to read more.

Since its been a minute since I wrote a newsletter, I’ll also recap some amazing books I’ve read lately/have come out lately that you should all check out, if you haven’t already.

• With Love, From Cold World by Alicia Thompson - I got an ARC of this one a few months ago and I swear I have thought about it every day since then. This was the kind of book that by page 50, I was like “oh no, they’re going to be an emotional problem for me, aren’t they?”. Spoiler alert: They were. Lauren and Asa are such fantastic protagonists and their love story is just *chef’s kiss*.

• You, With a View by Jessica Joyce - If you’d like to be emotionally destroyed, swoon, and get wild wanderlust, I have the book for you. Noelle and Theo are absolute banter ICONS and their romance is so tender, yet steamy because every jab they have at one another is foreplay in itself. These two are perfect and Jessica can just have control of my wallet, while we’re at it.

• Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura - This book has been one of my most anticipated titles since I saw the PM announcement and it so lived up to my excitement. Give me a romance with enemy archaeologists, stick them in a jungle, make them hookup in a waterfall. This book is so steamy, hilarious, and action packed. Definitely pre-order this one! Releases 12/5/23!

• The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy - When I say to you, I do not understand half of what I consumed in this book and that did not detract from how much I loved it one bit. Are they in a beachy setting? The desert? Are they driving around in actual ducks? Why is that owl human sized? No one knows, but I do not care! This book was unexpectedly steamy and such an interesting twist on a classic trope.

• Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross - I want to understand what Rebecca Ross puts in her books that makes them so addictive and vibey. She has a way of making everything feel so comfortable and ominous at the same time. I loved this one and am so happy I read it close enough to the next one coming out, so I don’t lose my mind.

I have so many amazing ARCs and 2024 debuts on my Kindle right now that I cannot wait to dive into. I am currently in the midst of my Spooky Szn reads, where I’m reading all my speculative and horror books on my TBR. So I will absolutely have more recs and reads to share in the coming months!

Now, Obligatory Out There Meme: