AUGUST 2024

So long, summer…

August. A month of sultry evening breezes and scorching midday heat. Abrupt afternoon thunderstorms and unrelenting sunshine in the aftermath. A month of sudden changes — in the weather, yes, but also in life in general.

Bear with me if I ramble more than usual as I catch you up on everything that’s happened since I last popped into your inbox. I blame the humidity. It makes everything feel sort of soupy, even my thoughts. (Don’t even get me started on my ever-expanding hair.)

Alas, I have several fun updates I can share — and a few I can’t share YET, but will hopefully be able to very soon! There’s also a book sale going on (you can grab my most popular rom-com for just 99¢ this week!) and, as always, at the very end I’ll delve into what I’ve been reading/watching during these sluggish days of summer…. when my fingers aren’t glued to my keyboard, that is.

Grab a beverage — I’m currently drinking a deliciously cold iced chai latte, as it’s way too hot for anything else — and settle in. It’s time for a catch-up session…

Last month when we checked in, I was doing one last read-through of book two in my fantasy trilogy before sending it off to my editor at Penguin Random House. Now, I’m happy to report the manuscript has officially been turned in, leaving me in a rare lull between projects.

Make no mistake: that doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy. I’ve spent the past few weeks outlining all of book three. (More on that below.)

If by chance you missed last month’s newsletter, I was finally able to share the stunningly beautiful cover art for the US hardcover edition of THE WIND WEAVER. And, shortly afterward, my publisher was kind enough to send me a few paperback galley copies in the mail.

Check it out!

“Fate is a tempest. But so is she.” 🌪️

THE WIND WEAVER by Julie Johnson

It was totally surreal to hold this book in my hands for the first time… I still can’t get over how beautiful the cover is. And this is just a galley! The final hardcover edition that hits shelves next spring will be even prettier.

I’m also so, so excited to see all the different international editions from my foreign publishers. If you can believe it, this new trilogy has sold in sixteen different languages so far. That honestly blows my mind every time I think about it.

Have you pre-ordered your copy yet?

In other bookish news, I’m currently running a 99¢ sale for my bestselling romantic comedy NOT YOU IT’S ME — an opposites-attract love story between Gemma Summers, a struggling artist, and Chase Croft, Boston’s most notorious billionaire bachelor. Worlds collide at a basketball game when the jumbotron kiss-cam lands on these two total strangers… and, as it turns out, one kiss just isn’t enough for our boy Chase! 😉

This standalone is a funny, fast-paced romp though the streets of Boston. It balances a bit of steam with some suspenseful moments. Perfect for poolside reading! Grab your copy at any e-retailer before the price jumps back up to $5.99 in a few days.

We’ve chatted before in this newsletter about the odd pendulum swing of productivity many full time writers experience. How years are defined by deadlines; how months are carved up into either “writing” or “definitely not writing.” But, upon further consideration, I would like to expand on those two extremes, and add an additional category.

Namely: “Thinking about writing.”

Like I mentioned at the start of this email, I spent the second half of July in an odd lull between manuscripts. Working on a trilogy — especially one of this scope — is inherently a challenge. You want each book to be bigger and better than the one that came before, ultimately culminating in an epic finale that satisfies every reader.

High stakes, indeed.

There are so many characters and moving parts, it can be difficult to keep all my plot lines straight. Enter: my ginormous bulletin board of index cards, each containing a different key plot point. I’ve fondly nicknamed it my “serial killer theory wall” since I stare at it like a haggard detective in a thriller movie most of the time. (I’d include a picture, but… spoilers.)

When not staring at said serial killer wall, the rest of my time has been spent taking morning walks down to the beach, coffee in hand, watching the seagulls and the crashing waves before the day gets too hot and the cooler-toting sunbathers begin to arrive in droves.

The beach is a good place to think; to make some sense out of all my many index cards and character arcs and plot devices. There’s something soothing about the ocean. Maybe that’s because I grew up on an island. There’s seawater in my bloodstream and salt in my bones.

Much like the coffee in my cup during these morning interludes, when I’m plotting out a book, my brain needs time to percolate. My ideas have to steep a bit, until they’re strong enough to pour out of my head onto paper.

And — drum roll please — after two weeks of thinking, ruminating, pondering, contemplating, and occasionally cursing like a sailor… I’m pleased to report all that percolating eventually resulted in a 10-page, 3-act outline. One that not only feels cohesive, but also slightly… well…

Intimidating.

Don’t worry. That’s a good thing. I love a challenge. There’s nothing my stubborn brain enjoys more than proving I can do something that feels impossible at the start.

So, just two short days ago, I cracked open a fresh word document and started putting words down on paper. That’s right, folks…

Book three is officially in the works.

I’m aiming to finish this by the holiday season. A Christmas gift to myself, so to speak. I don’t know if I’ll manage it. (We’ll have to see how cooperative my characters feel like being!) But, in any case, I’ve made a start.

Wish me luck as I bring this trilogy to a conclusion that I sincerely hope will live up to the cinematic masterpiece playing out inside my head…

Before I let you go, as promised, I wanted to touch on what I’ve been consuming lately to fill the creative void. July’s favorite read was Dishonestly Yours by Krista & Becca Ritchie, which follows two con artists falling in love. (I read it super fast, and need book two in my possession ASAP!)

I’ve just started reading Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver, which I’m very excited about. I loved the first book in the series, Butcher & Blackbird, when I read it at the start of this year. (Highly recommended but, for the love of god, CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS FIRST!)

For my fellow romantasy fans out there, I also recently picked up copies of A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden and Gild by Raven Kennedy, which are both highly acclaimed in the genre. Can’t wait to dive in when I have some spare moments!

As for tv, I haven’t watched very much this month, as I’ve been falling asleep at 10pm like a grandma most nights… though I did start The Gentlemen on Netflix (Theo James, yum) which is a very good time. I also had a chance to see It Ends With Us last week! Every seat in the theater was packed, and it was so refreshing to see a book adaptation on the big screen. (Hey, Hollywood… more adaptations please! We’re begging.)

If you have great book or tv/movie recommendations, please send them my way! My TBR is relentless and all-consuming. You can reply right to this email if you’d like. (In fact, you can just say hello, no recommendations necessary.)

Speaking of TBRs…

Well, my chai latte is long gone and I think I’ve rambled quite enough for one month. This third book isn’t going to write itself. I hope you’re enjoying these last few weeks of summertime. I myself am usually such a fan of autumn but, this year, August has been especially sweet. (Yes, even with the damned humidity.)

See you in September! xx

Until next month…