JULY 2026

Goodbye, July…

Goooood morning! It’s me, Julie Johnson, back in your inbox for our monthly catch-up session…. along with a surprise cover reveal!

Shhhh, don’t tell anyone I’m sharing it with you guys a few days early. I’ll be scolded.

How have you been? Did July treat you well? Honestly, it was a very busy month for me between birthday celebrations and family visits and, as always, lots of book-related things. I’ll tell you all about it below.

As a special surprise just for you newsletter subscribers, I’m also showing off a sneak peek at THE REALM REAPER cover before everyone else gets to see it during the official reveal on Monday.

Trust me, you don’t want to miss it. My jaw DROPPED when it first landed in my inbox. So, if you have a few spare minutes, stick around. Pour yourself a cup of coffee. Sit down here beside me in the sunshine.

Let’s have a chat…

When we last spoke at the end of June, I was ankle-deep in a horrendous round of copy edits. Happily, those have now been turned in to my editor, which brings us one step closer to publication.

At the same time, I had to submit my final acknowledgments for the trilogy. I teared up while writing them, which surprised me! I’m not typically a big crier. But reflecting on everything that’s happened these past few years, trying to find the words to thank everyone who played a part… Whew! It really had me all up in my feelings.

I also settled on the book three dedication, which (spoiler alert!) reads: “To the gardeners of salted earth, who coax beauty from the most inhospitable soil.”

Next up is the “pass pages” stage. This will be my first time seeing the manuscript looking like an actual book instead of a messy stack of Microsoft Word papers, formatted with all the pretty fonts and chapter headings and interior design flourishes. It’s usually an author’s last chance to make any teeny, tiny changes to the project before it goes to print.

While I’m waiting for pass pages to arrive, I’m attempting to regain my writing momentum with my dark fantasy duology. Deadline is slowly but surely creeping up on me, so the rest of my summer will mainly be spent locked away in my writing cave, getting down as many words as physically possible before my brain melts out of my skull.

That said, I do have some exciting events coming up that will force me out of hibernation! If you are in the Massachusetts area, I would love to see you at one of them.

📆 August 9, 10AM-1PM : I will be at The Bell Inn in Peabody, MA for a bookish brunch with readers, hosted by the Enchanted Bookmobile! Tickets are still available if you want to join in the fun. GET TICKETS HERE

📆 August 15, 1PM-2PM : I will be signing at the lovely Book Ends in Winchester for their Romance Day celebration. Swing by to say hi, get some books signed, and support a great local indie bookstore.

📆 October 10, 12PM-5PM : I will have a tent set up in the Boston Seaport at the Boston Book Fair, hosted by Front Paige Media. Come swing by to see me, snap some pics, and get your books signed.

Before we move on to discussing life behind the scenes, as promised, I want to give you guys an exclusive first glimpse at THE REALM REAPER cover.

It’s absolutely epic, if you ask me. Possibly my favorite of the trilogy… though, I can never truly decide which one I like best. In any case, I cannot wait to see it on the shelf. It’s going to look AMAZING in print beside THE WIND WEAVER and THE SEA SPINNER.

Without further ado…

Isn’t it divine?!

The artist, Tom Roberts, really knocked it out of the park. (Doesn’t he always? He’s so talented.) I am obsessed with the way the bird’s wings have been damaged, but she’s about to take flight anyway, rising up from the darkness… How the light filters through her wounds… The creeping vines twining around her feathers…

Epic.

That’s honestly the only word that comes to mind.

I think this design is so fitting for the final chapter of this trilogy, which is full of big battles, high stakes, emotional turmoil, and intense character development. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Please feel free to share the cover on your social media on Monday, August 3rd, during the official cover reveal. Any support you can give me in my never-ending battle against the algorithms is always appreciated!

Pre-order your copy of THE REALM REAPER so you have in hand for release day: February 23, 2027.

I blinked and July was over. A whole month gone, just like that.

The first week was dedicated to time with my extended family. My brother and his wife came for a visit from California with my niece and nephew in tow. Together, we celebrated my birthday, plus the Independence Day holiday weekend. Lots of beach time, some great adventures, and many good meals.

During their visit, Boston hosted the “Parade of Sail” which brought about 60 tall ships from all over the world to our waters. It was very cool to see the fleet. Like something out of a pirate-themed fantasy novel!

Speaking of sailing, I’ve been doing more of it this summer than the past few. (Albeit on a much, much smaller vessel than those pictured above. Haha.) I try to get out in the evenings for a short cruise at least once every week.

Even if it’s only for a few hours, my heart always feels full after being on the water. I find so much joy out there, hand on the tiller, wind in my hair. My little beach town may be dreadfully quiet in the dead of winter, but these endless July days are a good reminder of why I would never live anywhere except Massachusetts.

Someone once told me that if the summer is a weekend, July is a Saturday and August is a Sunday. Logically, I know there’s still a full month left to enjoy, and yet…

Time starts speeding up as soon as the calendar page flips. Autumn starts creeping in at the edges of every sunset. The light changes, just the smallest shade of orange filtering through the blue. The hydrangeas start to fade a bit, their petals losing some of their vibrancy.

Fall has always been my favorite season. It is truly spectacular here in New England when the leaves change and the vibes turn spooky… But this year, I’m just not ready for summer to slip away.

Until further notice, it’s still July in my mind. Please consider today the 32nd day of the month.

When I sent this newsletter at the end of June, I told you I was halfway through book two in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Friends… I am now halfway through book seven. The obsession is real! I haven’t read about anything except Carl, Donut, and the Dungeon for weeks now… and I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.

This series is such a breath of fresh air, with interesting world-building and tons of action. I’m enjoying every book even more than the last, and dreading the day I finish book eight, as I know I’ll have to wait YEARS for the final two books to be released.

(See? The cliffhanger pain happens to authors, too!)

As for what I’m watching…

I went to see The Odyssey last week in IMAX at my local AMC. My eardrums are still ringing from the volume but, otherwise, I thought it was absolutely awesome. I highly recommend seeing it on the biggest screen you can find.

As for smaller screens, I recently streamed the thriller sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come and loved every minute of it. I’ve also resumed my abandoned rewatch of Game of Thrones. Amazing how well it holds up, even after 15 years. (The early seasons, at least.)

What are you watching? What are you reading?

Please tell me, I am always in search of recommendations.

I hope August (aka the Sunday of summer) treats you kindly. Hey, maybe I’ll even see a few of you at one of my local events! If not, never fear, I’ll be back in your inbox before you know it at the end of the month.

Until next time…