Hi, happy spring.
It’s been a busy few months. Last we spoke, I’d just signed with my literary agent after two years of really hard work (it still feels like a big deal!), and together, we’d started revising my first YA space fantasy manuscript. In the time since, we finished polishing that book and have sent it off on submission, which is the process where your agent attempts to sell the book to a publishing company.
For authors, the submission process involves a lot of waiting (and also lots of lying awake in bed at night staring at the ceiling contemplating one’s life decisions). The best thing to do when you’re on submission for one novel, they say, is to write another. So that’s what I did.
After that space fantasy was off my desk, I started drafting something new, another young adult fantasy set in an entirely new world. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve likely heard me refer to this story under the nickname “Thieves.” It's a gritty, romantic take on two boys from very different backgrounds whose freedom has been stolen from them, so they band together and steal it back. I really pushed my creative boundaries with this story and also wrote a villain I am (for once) pretty proud of. Last week, I officially finished my first draft. That’s my seventh book!
Next, the manuscript will again go to my agent, and we’ll spend the next weeks working to get it submission ready. More on that below.
What’s up next (the honest version).
Currently, I have three books that are written but unpublished. The sequel to To Poison a King called To Save a Kingdom, a YA space fantasy that’s currently on submission, and my most recent manuscript, which is another YA fantasy.
If it seems like I’ve got books piling up but no upcoming releases, that’s because I do. I really, really want to fulfill my dream of getting picked up traditionally, which is when you’re published through a publishing company rather than independently. To make that happen, I first had to pitch my YA space fantasy to my agent. Actually back up. I had to write To Poison a King, pitch that book to agents, get rejected by all of them, self-publish it, write an entirely new book (my YA space fantasy), again pitch to agents, and finally sign with Creative Media Agency (it’s been the best thing!). As I described above, my agent and I spent some time reworking the novel, and now she’s pitching the book to editors at publishing companies. If an editor decides to acquire the manuscript (there are no guarantees), it will go through more revisions, and then a release date will be set.
It feels…like a very long tunnel to be staring down, actually. Moving from indie publishing to traditional publishing has absolutely been an exercise in patience, and I won’t pretend waiting (there has been a lot of waiting) is easy. But I love writing books. I have never wanted to do anything else. So what if it’s hard? I remind myself that this is the good kind of hard, the hard that comes from striving for big things. It’s also kind of the point. We choose our goals and then go for them, day after day, and that’s what makes a life.
Why you should write that book you’ve got in your head.
I was at a party recently where I hardly knew anyone. People asked what I do for a living. When I told them I’m an author, four different people in four different conversations confessed that they’d thought about writing a book. I get this a lot. It’s really common. Everyone has a story to tell, and there’s always a reason not to start.
I’m here to tell you: just start. Do it now. Anyone can write a book. It’s literally free. For all the reasons I’ve mentioned above (and possibly many more unnamed reasons), it’s going to be hard, but it’s good to do hard things. Also: you can do hard things.
For those who have started and given up, the book is still there. It didn’t walk away when you got busy with life. It was just marinating. And if you sit down and it’s still hard: yes. That is correct.
I think people have this idea about what it’s like to be an author, and when the expectation doesn’t live up to the reality, they give up. But you’ve stopped too soon. It’s going to suck and it’s going to keep sucking and it will never stop sucking, and actually, at some point it will probably start sucking more. But you keep going because you’re stronger than the urge to quit and because your story deserves to be told. And because one day you’ll finally hold your finished book in your hands. And my god, is that a feeling.
My recent book recommendations.
It’s been a slow reading year for me, in part because I’ve spent the last six months totally immersed in my latest manuscript. But! There are a few books that have stood out to me, and some that have become new all-time favorites. I am an incredibly picky reader (hazard of the job) so that’s saying a lot.
If you want to read a murder mystery set in 1905 with some of the best characterization I’ve ever encountered, read Death in the Spires by K.J. Charles. (It’s not a romance, but there’s a little bit in there!)
If you’re looking for a witchy, romantic Jane Eyre retelling, read Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher (I loved it).
If you like romance-heavy murder mysteries (I do now, apparently?) featuring duchesses and a little bit of magic, read Murder at the Seven Dials by Cara Devlin.
Honorable mention (because honestly what even is this book?), if you want something different from anything you’ve read before, with no chapters and told from everyone’s point of view at once, read The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez.
I’ve always shared book recommendations with you, but I’m also occasionally writing more thoughtful reviews for the books that really wow me. You can find a list of those on my Goodreads.
Sharing links to my book freebies.
The River of Reversal (Free Short Story)
The River of Reversal is a short story that takes place six years before the start of my full length novel To Poison a King and introduces Selene as she was in early childhood, before she makes the mistake that changes her life. It's about choices and fate and a father's love for his daughter. The story (specifically, the legend of the River) plays a major role in the plot of the full length book, so if you’re interested in the series, it’s a great way to dip your toes into some of the lore.
The River of Reversal is free. I give book away as a thank you for those who’ve been following me since my early days and to welcome those who are new. You can download the story onto your preferred e-reader through BookFunnel, or you can quickly access a web version on my site.
Free Fantasy Books from Fellow Authors!
Every quarter, I partner with fellow authors who are offering readers free books. It’s a great way to discover new favorites, so follow the links below to check out the full giveaways.
Magic and Mayhem - 118 books
Noble Bright Sci-Fi Fantasy - 50 books
Science Fiction and Fantasy - 101 books
Indie Fantasy Adventure - 97 books
Adventures and Quests - 37 books
Fantastic Realms - 80 books
Free May Fantasy - 68 books
A few final housekeeping things.
Find me on social media.
I've switched all book-related social media things to my author account on Instagram; if you were following my old personal account, you should switch to this one. You can also find me on Goodreads and BookBub.
My affordability policy.
I’ve written a note regarding my book affordability policy. Please read this post if you'd like to learn more.
Leaving your review for To Poison a King.
The more reviews a book has, the more attention it tends to attract. To everyone who has taken the time to leave a review for To Poison a King, thank you, thank you, thank you. Your support has directly impact my success as an author.
If you'd like to support me, leaving a review is the easiest way to do that!
Thank you for sticking around, reading what I have to say and supporting me on this journey. And as always, happy reading.
- s.g.