Hello, friends!
As the title of this newsletter suggests, June was quite a busy month for me. Unfortunately, that busyness wasn’t related to anything about writing or publishing at all. Meaning that I don’t have any updates regarding book 2 for you this month—and probably won’t for a while, unfortunately—even though I had initially planned to have a few to share.
I’ll be honest: My initial reaction to realizing I wouldn’t be able to make any announcements about book 2 in June was to feel a bit disappointed. I was really excited to start formally talking about book 2 details, but I’m just not at that place quite yet with the story, so I decided to push my entire release schedule back. And even though some of the reasons I felt the need to do so were beyond my control, that didn’t manage to relieve the sting of the situation at first.
But then my amazing husband came through with some much needed perspective—indie publishing gives me the flexibility I need when life happens and I want to be present, or when the story I’m working on needs a bit more time to meet its full potential. I have room to give myself a little grace. And for that I’m thankful.
So, when I wasn’t worrying about my book 2 release schedule, what did I get up to last month?
Traveling! Celebrating weddings! Attending my first MLS game! Among the regular activities of reading, gaming, puzzling, and hiking. While I’m usually a homebody, content to sit in the fictional worlds of my beloved books, it felt good to set them aside for a while and be present for the “real life” things. It left me feeling so grateful for the community I’ve been given as of late and excited for what’s in store for the future.
Monthly Book Recommendations
Just because I committed to being fully present last month, that doesn’t mean I didn’t get to dive into some great reads in my down time (i.e., in the car during all my road trips)!
For the mystery/thriller readers:
Killer Instinct (The Naturals #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes — This second installment of Barnes’s YA book version of the TV show Criminal Minds did not disappoint! I loved getting to spend more time with these characters and getting to know them better. And, as always, the mystery Barnes crafted through the FBI case had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
As Good As Dead (AGGGTM #3) by Holly Jackson — I have to say that the ending of this book (and the series as a whole) took me by complete surprise. Without spoiling anything, I will say that I do have some particular feelings about said ending. But I still appreciate this story for what it is and would still highly recommend this series for anyone who’s looking for a YA mystery/thriller that’ll keep them on their toes!
For the romance readers:
Mixed Signals (Lovelight #3) by B.K. Borison — The Lovelight series once again delivers on a sweet and swoony small town romance, this time between a baker and a high school teacher. I genuinely can’t say enough good things about Borison’s novels—my heart simply smiles whenever I read them!
And that’s a wrap on this month’s newsletter! As always, thanks for keeping up with my writing and publishing journey!
-Abby
Looking for my debut contemporary YA novel? Click here to check out The Cracks That Form Us, available now via paperback, ebook, and Kindle Unlimited!