HEARTBREAK INCORPORATED by Alex de Campi hits stores this week, and I could not be more excited. Alex is well known in the comics world, and this, her second prose novel, further shows off her storytelling skills. Plus, how can you not love this cover!
Evie Cross had big dreams of becoming an investigative journalist, but at 25 and struggling to make it in New York City, she’s finally starting to admit that her dream is her side hustle and her day job is actually… her job. That is, until she signs on as a temp for a small consultancy whose principal, Misha Meserov, specializes in breaking up relationships. Misha is tall, infuriatingly handsome, and effortlessly charismatic–he can make almost anyone, man or woman, fall into bed with him. And he often does. But the more Evie is exposed to Misha’s scandalous world, the more she becomes convinced that he’s hiding something… When a wealthy San Francisco tech CEO with a dissolving marriage starts delving into the occult and turns up dead, Evie has to decide between her journalistic desire for the truth and her growing desire for Misha.
HEARTBREAK INCORPORATED combines the action adventure of a thriller with the mysteries of the occult. And don’t forget a dash of romance. Find this great read at your favorite bookstore or online vendor. If you’re still sheltering at home, try out Bookshop.org or Bookshop.uk. Support an indie bookstore!
Happy Friday! Somehow we’ve reached the end of the month. When did time start moving normally again? I take it as a sign of hope for good things to come. But as we kiss February goodbye, I have some random housekeeping announcements to share before the links.
First, I’m happy to let you all know that I am in the process of prepping an online version of my course on synopsis writing. I’ve offered this before through various venues, but pandemic times call for more availability. The new, updated course will go into greater detail than I could previously due to time constraints, and include handouts. More details to come next week.
Next, to address the state of my inbox (otherwise know as submissions). It’s no secret I am woefully behind. I did virtually no reading of new material over the holidays and came back to a bunch of client projects, which means I’ve not caught up. No, I am not closing to submissions in order to do so. However, I am about ready to switch up what I’m looking for, so I will be closing over the weekend to make that adjustment. I’ll post a revised wish list early next week. As always, please follow submission guidelines! If you’re waiting to hear from me on something, I’m reading as fast as I can. I’ve requested more pages on quite a few queries, which is great, but also means… more to read. So please hang in.
And on that note, I’ll share some fun links and let you all get on with your Friday. Wishing you a wonderful weekend, filled with bookish goodness and inspired writing. Enjoy!
Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Poet Who Nurtured the Beats, Dies at 101. – Excellent obituary that includes a worthwhile video history. Ferlinghetti lived a wonderful, long life, and left a real mark. I’ll look forward to getting back up to City Lights books as soon as travel is safe again.
Pandemic Pen Pals. – A lovely little write up of Penpalooza, the pandemic-era pen pal exchange started by New Yorker writer Rachel Syme over social media. Matches are still happening, so head over to penpalooza.com if you’re interested in some old fashioned snail mail. You can check out the #penpalooza tag on Twitter to get a feel for things. There are somewhere in the range of 11,000 people signed up at the moment, from all around the world.
February feels endless, even as I wonder how we got here. I may not be buried by snow, but I do have work piled all around me. That answers the question of how it’s been so long since I updated here. But today I return, with links to kick off the weekend, and a promise for some exciting news and content next week.
Whatever your weather, we’re still dealing with the pandemic, which means staying indoors and reading a good book. Right? Maybe it means time to work remotely or cook endless meals, or children to chase down for online learning. But try to squeeze a little you time in there. It’ll help keep your brain on an even keel.
Most of this week’s links are book related, because so many great titles keep hitting shelves. But I have some fun, writerly extras, as well. I hope they keep you entertained, and that you’re all staying safe and well. There’s an actual light at the end of the tunnel. Happy weekend.
This week’s links:
The 2021 Rainbow Book List. – This year’s list of terrific LGBTQIA+ literature aimed at readers from birth to 18 years old. I’m glad to note it includes works by two Knight Agency authors, Loriel Ryon, for the middle grade novel Into the Tall, Tall Grass, and T.J. Klune, for the YA novel, The Extraordinaries.
All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in February. – Pretty much what it says on the label. But since we’re more than halfway through the month, a good number of these beauties are already available!
75 Books to Add to Your 2021 TBR List. – I know, I know. 75! But honestly, I kind of wish I could read most of these. It’s a mix of fiction and nonfiction, the latter being mostly memoir. New titles from old favorites plus debuts. Listed by month of release, and this only goes up to September. Better get reading.
Miniature Book Nooks Belong on Every Bookshelf, It’s Just a Matter of Time. – This is from last year, pre-pandemic, and I might have shared it then, but now it feels particularly appropriate. Miniatures seem to be a lock-down hobby, particularly among writers, so what’s better than creating a mini book nook and combining obsessions?
Happy 2021! The year took off with a bang suitable for the heels of 2020, but I remain hopeful about the months ahead. Not everything will be roses and sunshine immediately. We need to work for better times. I do believe, however, that despite notable chaos, we can turn things around. And I’m starting with my reading list. I want to focus on reading more broadly and discovering a few new authors that I love.
I read quite a bit in 2020, but I still have a tall pile of books I meant to get to. It’s always the case. But I refuse to deny myself the pleasure of upcoming releases just because I’m behind. I will dive into this new year of books with gusto. How about you? If you’re like me, you’re looking forward to new titles by favorite authors and new discoveries as well. So this week I’m offering up links to some lists of books on the horizon, as well as a wrap up of things read in 2020, both recent and old. Whatever your take on reading in the new year, I hope you find some new favorites and a lot of inspiration. Happy reading!
This week’s links:
A Year in Reading: 2020. – One of my favorite features at The Millions is their annual year in reading series. Dozens of writers weigh in with brief reflections on their readings for the past year, sometimes a whole list and others one or two notable choices. The master list links to all of this past year’s contributors.
I Will Never Watch “Children of Men” the Same Way Again. – A writer looks back on the dystopian film in the wake of recent events. Please note that the novel, by P.D. James, came first, and is well worth a read if you haven’t checked it out previously.
24-in-48 Readathon. – My favorite readathon is back this February in a slightly pared down version. I love this event, which challenges you to read for up to 24 hours out of a 48-hour period. No pressure, though. You can drop in for an hour or two and enjoy the social media bookishness, or hang in until the bitter end. Chat is about books read and loved, what snacks are best for a reading weekend, and other bookish joy. Go sign up.
A Touch of Stone and Snow by Milla Vane hits bookstores today. This second installment in Vane’s romantic fantasy series, A Gathering of Dragons, catapults you out of everyday life and into a magical adventure. Amazon.com lists it as one of the best romances for July! (Plus, book 1 in the series, A Heart of Blood and Ashes, made the list of best romances of the year so far.) And I have to admit, I’m a sucker for this cover…
A Touch of Stone and Snow
Milla Vane returns to a world of kings, magic, and passion in her exhilarating A Gathering of Dragons series. A great alliance forms to stand against an evil warlord intent on their destruction.
Danger lurks in the western realms. The Destroyer’s imminent return has sent the realms into turmoil as desperate citizens seek refuge—but there’s no safety to be found when demons and wraiths crawl out from the shadows. Even Koth, a northern island kingdom left untouched by the Destroyer a generation past, is besieged by terrors spawned from corrupt magics.
When Lizzan leads the Kothan army against these terrors, only to see her soldiers massacred and to emerge as the only survivor, she is called a coward and a deserter. Shunned from her home, Lizzan now wanders in solitude as a mercenary for hire, until she encounters a group of warriors seeking new alliances with the northern kingdoms—a group that includes Aerax, the bastard prince of Koth, and the man who sent her into exile.
Though they were childhood friends, Aerax cannot allow himself to be close to the only woman who might thwart his treacherous plan to save their island realm. But when a goddess’s demand binds them together, Lizzan and Aerax must find a way to overcome their painful pasts. Or there will be no future for the western realms…
New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her breathtaking Psy-Changeling Trinity series with a mating that shouldn’t exist…
Alpha wolf Selenka Durev’s devotion to her pack is equaled only by her anger at anyone who would harm those under her care. That currently includes the empaths who’ve flowed into her city for a symposium that is a security nightmare, a powder keg just waiting for a match.
Ethan Night is an Arrow who isn’t an Arrow. Numb and disengaged from the world, he’s loyal only to himself. Assigned as part of the security force at a world-first symposium, he carries a dark agenda tied to the power-hungry and murderous Consortium. Then violence erupts and Ethan finds himself crashing into the heart and soul of an alpha wolf. Mating at first sight is a myth, a fairytale. Yet Selenka’s wolf is resolute: Ethan Night, broken Arrow and a man capable of obsessive devotion, is the mate it has chosen. Even if the mating bond is full of static and not quite as it should be. Because Selenka’s new mate has a terrible secret, his mind surging with a power that is a creature of madness and death…
Gear up for summer with this exciting, romantic read. Find ALPHA NIGHT through your favorite onlineretailer, in hard cover, e-book, or audio, or try your local indie bookstore. Be sure to call your favorite store to see if they’re open or doing curbside pickup. If not, order through Bookshop.org, which shares proceeds with a host of independent booksellers.
Happy Friday the 13th! It feels appropriate, doesn’t it? As the world loses its mind and everyone struggles to determine the appropriate level of self-quarantine, I am here to remind you you’re better safe than sorry. Even if the measures you take seem ridiculous, please err on the side of caution anyway. You might be healthy and unlikely to get ill, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t capable of carrying the virus from one place to another and infecting someone more vulnerable.
And on that note, I’m moving on to the fun stuff. Namely, links to lots of great book recs so you can fill your spare time with brilliant reads. I’m also curious to hear what you’re all reading and loving these days. So, share your own recs in the comments! The more the merrier.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and have a wonderful weekend filled with reading and writing.
This Week’s Links:
#24in48: The Social Distancing Edition. – The ladies behind my favorite readathon have drummed up a low-key version for the weekend of March 21st/22nd. Go check it out and sign up for some serious reading time and wonderful online chat about your reads.
12 Books about Pandemics. – Personally, this isn’t my preferred reading at the moment, but I know there are folks out there who are gobbling up everything in this vein, so these recs are for you.
The latest installment in New York Times bestselling-author Nalini Singh‘s Hard Play series, LOVE HARD, is out today. This contemporary romance marks the third book in the Hard Play series. And according to Amazon, it’s one of the Best Romances of the Month!
Jacob Esera, star rugby player and young single father, has worked hard to create a joyous life for his six-year-old daughter. After the death of his childhood sweetheart soon after their daughter’s birth, all Jake wants is safety and stability. No risks. No wild chances. And especially no Juliet Nelisi, former classmate, scandal magnet, and a woman who is a thorn in his side.
As a lonely teenager, Juliet embraced her bad-girl reputation as a shield against loneliness and rejection. Years later, having kicked a cheating sports-star ex to the curb, she has a prestigious job and loyal friends—and wants nothing to do with sportsmen. The last thing she expects is the fire that ignites between her and the stuffed-shirt golden boy who once loved her best friend.
Straitlaced Jacob Esera versus wild-at-heart Juliet Nelisi? Place your bets.
