Hey Reader,
Hard to believe it's almost the end of July already! It has been a whirlwind summer over here. Thankfully, we've escaped the worst of the heatwaves many parts of the northern hemisphere have experienced.
It's been almost a month since Alchemists of Dawn was published, and I'd just like to say thank you once again to everyone who's bought, reviewed, and spread the word!
I've had several people ask how they can best support me, and the answer is to tell others about my work! Word of mouth, reviews (especially on retailer sites e.g. Amazon, Kobo etc.), and social media all help.
Interview with K.C. Vellum
I recently did an interview on K.C. Vellum's Substack, where I talked about some of the ideas that inspired Alchemists of Dawn, as well as my process. You can read it here. K.C. also writes some very interesting articles on the tech industry, so give him a follow if that's of interest to you!
Work In Progress
One of the unexpected outcomes of publishing Alchemists of Dawn was improving my understanding of how my work fit in the market.
With that understanding, I took a very hard look at the project I was working on previously and decided to shelve it for now. There were several reasons behind the decision, but ultimately I realized it wouldn't help establish me as the author I want to be.
The good news, however, is that I have pivoted to a new project that I am very excited about, and am already more than halfway through the first draft! I'm looking forward to sharing more in future newsletters when I'm a bit further along in the process.
Recent Reads
It feels like ages since I've done one of these! I recently had a few weeks off work and managed to get a TON of reading done. Here are just three books I've read recently that I loved:
The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty
The second in the Amina al-Sirafi series is finally here! A middle-aged lady pirate and her former crew continue their quest to retrieve mythical treasures. In the process, they discover an island where all is not as it seems. I love Chakraborty's approach to incorporating historical details and mythology into her work. If you haven't read the first book in the series, make sure you read that first before diving into this one.
The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
Continuing on the theme of bad*ss middle-aged lady protagonists, Fonda Lee's latest standalone sci-fi features a hero with a bad knee and far too many regrets in life. Isako is essentially a space management consultant on a harsh, hostile planet, except she's also a corporate assassin (because if consultants existed in a sci-fi world they would definitely be shady assassins). On the brink of retirement, she unearths a mystery involving her last and worst apprentice, which leads her to take on one last contract.
This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
My only regret is not reading this book before getting married, because there are some great lines here that would have made for amazing vows. Two soldiers on opposite sides of a time war begin a correspondence that make them question everything they know. Written mostly in epistolary form, this lovely short book has some absolutely gorgeous prose, and you can probably finish it in a few hours.
Cool Non-Book Stuff
I recently bought a Kobo ereader! I'm a Kobo fangirl - my first ever ereader back in 2011 was a Kobo, and I use Kobo Plus which is their subscription service. Bonus, it's a Canadian company!
Since I bought the ereader to encourage myself to read more instead of scrolling, I decided to splurge and get the full kit i.e. a cover, a remote, and a stand, which means I can now read lying down in maximum comfort!
If you're in the market for an ereader or ebook subscription service, a reminder that my book is also available on Kobo Plus - another reason to try out a great product!
Until next time!
G
