MARCH 2025

Oh, hi! I’m freaking out…

Do you know why? (Don’t worry, I’m about to tell you.)

THE WIND WEAVER HITS SHELVES IN 27 DAYS!

That’s right, we are officially less than a month until release day. Mere weeks remain before this book that I’ve been prattling about for a full year is finally in your hands.

Obligatory reminder: this is your LAST CHANCE TO PREORDER if you haven’t already. Preorders are so, so crucial to a book’s success. I’d absolutely love your support, whether it’s from a big chain like Amazon, Target, or B&N, or your local indie shop.

I can’t wait to share this story with you.

Between pre-launch marketing obligations and wrapping up my current manuscript, the past few weeks have been busy all around. But I’m never too busy to carve out a few minutes to chat with you, dear friends.

If you’re new to this newsletter, welcome! So happy to have you here. FYI, I split my monthly mailing into three sections. First up, you’ll find publishing news in Between the Pages, followed by life updates in Beyond the Books, and finally, I close out with what I’ve been reading and watching lately in Filling the Well.

This time around, I’ve got BIG news to share about my book launch celebration, which is happening in Boston from 6-8pm on April 8th. (Tickets are on sale now!)

You’ll also get a writing status update, plus a peek behind the scenes at my latest zany marketing efforts, which are scattered throughout this email so you can make fun of me as you scroll along.

Right now, as I’m typing this, it’s 6:30PM and still gloriously sunny here in Massachusetts. I have a glass of chilled sauvignon blanc sitting beside me, and the window is open to let in a warm breeze. We’re in the throes of what we New Englanders call a “false spring” — next week, it’ll probably snow again — but I’m enjoying this unseasonably warm spell for as long as it lasts.

Pour yourself a glass, will you? Let’s catch up before we lose the daylight…

Like I said, this has been a busy month when it comes to work. Between long writing days at the keyboard, I’ve been a guest on three bookish podcasts (I’ll share the episodes on my Instagram when they drop) and been interviewed twice about the upcoming book release. It’s genuinely a thrill whenever I get the chance to chat about this story with people who’ve read it. Though, I admit, it’s sometimes tricky to avoid spoilers.

I’m thissss close to finishing book three in this trilogy, and a lot has happened to my characters between then and now. The last thing I’d ever want to do is slip up and reveal big plot twists prematurely.

Speaking of book three: no, I’m still not finished writing it. HOWEVER! I am now near enough to the end that I can confidently tell you I will be done by the next time we check in.

Since I first sold this trilogy back in summer 2023, my goal has always been to complete the series before book one ever hits shelves.

I’m rather proud to say that I’m on track to do exactly that!

Honestly, it’s been a loooong journey, getting to this point. Three years of writing, rewriting, meeting with my agents, going on submission to publishers, receiving offers, navigating contracts, and keeping secrets. By this point, I am beyond ready to get this story out in the world.

I hope you’re all as excited as I am to finally read it. And, even more exciting, I hope some of you will be able to celebrate the launch with me in person on April 8th.

If you are in the Boston area, come hang out with me on release night at the adorable Lovestruck Books in Harvard Square. There will be cupcakes! (Oh, and I’ll be there too.)

__________

Tickets are on sale now.

I’ll be there from 6-8pm to discuss The Wind Weaver, answer your burning questions, snap photos, and sign your copies.

Can’t be there in person, but still want a signed copy? Don’t worry! You can order a signed, personalized edition through the Lovestruck Books website.

One last Between the Pages update for you before we move on to my non-bookish life: yesterday, Reactor Mag revealed an exclusive excerpt from THE WIND WEAVER!

If you’d like to read it, you can do so at the link below.

It’s finally getting warmer here in Massachusetts. This week, the clocks sprang forward, which has given us a bit more light at the end of each day. The snows have finally melted away and there’s a promise of spring in the air that makes my heart sing.

As I told you in last month’s newsletter, my plans for February and March were mostly limited to hibernation in my writing cave as I finish up my current manuscript. Those plans held true, though I couldn’t stop myself from escaping on the first sunny, 60 degree day of the year.

I put the top down in my convertible and went for a drive up the coast, blasting the music, breeze in my hair. Yes, my heated seats were on. And no, I did not dare remove my snow brush from the trunk. (This is New England, after all.) But it was the first hint of warmer days to come, and a dose of much-needed sunshine after staring into the unearthly blue glow of a laptop screen for three straight weeks.

Whenever I near the end of a writing project, I find myself clocking super long hours at the keyboard. I’m consumed by the need to get the words out as fast as physically possible, like a sprinter in the last lengths of a race who spots the finish line and kicks up their pace.

But this hyper-productivity comes at a price — and my body is the one that pays it. Maybe I’m showing my age here, but I genuinely believe human beings were not built to spend 10 hours in a row sitting at a desk, staring at a screen. (My back did not crack like this when I was writing books at 22, I’ll tell you that much.)

I try to remind myself to take stretching breaks between scenes, and to occasionally drink a beverage other than coffee throughout the day. (Results vary.)

Thankfully, now that the air isn’t so frigid just stepping outdoors hurts my face, I’m actually able to take long walks again. This is highly preferable to pacing in circles indoors like a caged animal as I work through bits of dialogue or sort out plot holes. But, in whatever form it comes, movement always helps shake inspiration loose when I find myself stuck.

I tell myself all these long hours will pay off when I type “THE END” on this beast of a first draft. (Did I mention this is on track to be the longest book I’ve ever written?)

Only a few more chapters to go…

And then, maybe this section will return to our regularly scheduled programming, in which I retire Deadline-Mode Julie and bring back Fun-Freewheeling-Julie. You know, the Julie who actually sees her friends and family members, goes on trips, visits restaurants, and generally lives her life.

Gosh, I miss that girl.

I admit, my tv/movie/book consumption has been lower than usual this month. Turns out, doom-scrolling political news nonstop for three hours before bed each night really cuts into my efforts at filling the creative well. (Shocking, I know!)

However, along with the rest of the world, I have sliced out time to watch the new season of White Lotus each Sunday. Thus far it is a slow burn of tension; here’s hoping it starts to boil soon. And despite my general disinterest in sports-related content, I really enjoyed Netflix’s cute new basketball dramedy Running Point with Kate Hudson.

As for books, I was in the mood for a thriller last week, so I dove headfirst into The God of The Woods by Liz Moore which has been sitting patiently on my tbr for months now. I haven’t finished it yet, but it’s hard to put down! And yesterday I picked up a copy of Blood Beneath the Snow, a new romantasy by Alexandra Kennington, which I’m very excited to start as soon as I have some free time.

Well, well, well…

The end is nigh.

I’ve droned on enough for one month. Next time you hear from me, it will be release day for THE WIND WEAVER, and I will likely be a ball of nervous energy. Apologies in advance if there is an overabundance of exclamation marks and shouty capitals.

This April is going to be a wild one.

Until next month…