July 15, 2025
I have been very late bringing you the Complete Demo Tapes! It’s available only at my online store, with a reminder that it’s cheap, and it’s better than a box set because it has more than the mere contents of the first four Demo Tapes collections.
Yesterday was a day at the mechanic. Today it was my monthly massage. Guess this week is just going to be a late week, overall.
So let’s get right to it.
I’d had an edit in hand, and the author had a chance to have their dev editor look at it, so now I’m not working on that project. This is why I began, after my bike accident, to use a Send When Ready schedule. I can pivot — and I do! And it’s so much less stress for me. I hope it is for my clients, too!
I got in a couple hundred words yesterday afternoon, but it was time for my bimonthly dinner group, so I went and had dinner and relaxed with friends and listened to their great stories and now I have more fodder for a future Sheep Farm book or two…
Seriously!
Maybe the Bird Will Rise remains on sale at Kobo (US and Canada only) for 99c this month.
The Trevolution is free this month at Smashwords!
And my newer fiction is 50% off all month, but only at Smashwords!
My thanks to everyone who’s picked up copies (including the print copies that have been flying out of my personal stash!), and a reminder that if you’re so inclined, leave a review online. That helps others find me and your favorite fictional crew.
La Bastarda, by Trifonia Melibea Obono and Lawrence Schimel (translator)
As always, that’s an affiliate link, so have at it and earn me a few pennies, why don’tcha?
Alternatively, supporting me can come in the form of booking my editorial skills, buying my books, talking about my books to others (including leaving online reviews), and stuffing my ko-fi, either with cash or by using my Beta Reader’s Guide and/or Writer’s Guide to Library Events.
Thanks in advance and tomorrow, I’ll try not to be so late!
July 14, 2025
Want a real quick read? Broken but Undaunted. It’s quick, it’s fun, and it’s a good introduction to the Trevolution, as there are a couple of stories in there from that series. Let it be your real quick entry to a time capsule back to the age of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
The two title stories — Broken, and Undaunted — are my two favorites in this collection. Not enough of you have laid eyes on them.
If you have aversions to buying it in my online store (the link above), here’s the link to any retailer… even though it’ll cost you more at any other retailer!
Anyhow…
Real quick today because I had to take the car for an oil change and I love my mechanic, but being there sets me back for the day, and I have a dinner with friends planned for tonight.
I’m hoping to finish this edit today and get it back to its author. Yay! It’s been a lot of fun to work on and I can’t wait to see it do well once it’s for sale.
I got a LOT of words in over the weekend, but am still behind where I should be. Being out tonight isn’t helping!
I should be back on track by the end of the week, at the latest.
Maybe the Bird Will Rise is still on sale at Kobo. Still 99c. Still going to last to the end of the month.
The Smashwords Summer/Winter July sale is still going on, too! Also all month long, here are the links you’ll need:
For the Trevolution, which are always free during these events, use this link.
For the short story collections and the Tales from the Sheep Farm series, use this link.
The weekend’s top seller was Populated. Grab a copy and see why!
A History of Disappearance, by Sarah Lubala
Want real quick? This is a poetry collection!
And of course, it’s an affiliate link, so your purchase nets me a few pennies I can put toward overhead here at West of Mars.
Other ways to support the cause… book my editing skills. Buy my books. Stuff my ko-fi like you would for any other subscription-based plan.
That’s it! I told you it would be real quick!
July 11, 2025
Things I need? There’s a lot of women needing things in Permission to Enter. This small collection of short stories and a novella is a popular seller at in-person events. Be sure to pick up a copy for yourself and see why! It’s half-off at Smashwords this month and always even cheaper at my online store!
I snuck out last night and went to the book launch for my friend Lainey Davis. Held at Blythe Books, it was like going and hanging out with friends… because it was. But I’ll tell you, if you haven’t talked writing and marketing with Lainey, you’re missing out on an entire education in a conversation. Wow. If only I could convince her to run my career while I do nothing but write!
Speaking of which…
I’m okay with not getting any words down last night. Talk about things I need? Not feeling guilty about not writing… even though yes, I just took four days off to focus on the selling part.
Know a couple more things I need? The weekend! I need down time in which I’m doing nothing. Unfortunately, we’re scheduled to be at the Aspinwall Farmer’s Market… hopefully more people will be there this time than last.
Maybe the Bird Will Rise is still on sale at Kobo, for you Kobo fans. And of course it’s always free with Plus.
The Smashwords summer/winter July sale continues!
Use this link for the Trevolution (they’re free! As always during Smashwords sales)
And this link for the short story twins and the Tales from the Sheep Farm. They are only (only!) half off this month, so grab those deals while you can.
If you’ve never used Smashwords before, yes, you can get versions of the books that are compatible with your ereader, no matter which you use. And they pay some of the highest royalties in the business, so that makes it worth shopping at YET ANOTHER storefront. (Plus, not owned by billionaires!)
I’m only putting this second today because one of the things I need is good flow in my post! (Do you buy that?)
But also, there’s not much to say here. I’m chugging away, hunting down those inconsistencies and making sure I caught everything I should have caught the first time through. I won’t finish today, but that’s okay.
Black Moses by Alain Mabanckou
That’s the affiliate link!
As always, booking my editing skills, buying my books — talking about my books (three different people yesterday told me they’re reading my books!) too! — and stuffing my ko-fi are the best ways to support me and what’s really the heart of this project, the Book of the Day. That remains my mission; the rest is fluff to keep the SEO spiders happy.
If you haven’t figured out the how or why of the Book of the Day project, you’re not paying close enough attention…
July 10, 2025
I’m not sure if anyone in Broken but Undaunted is running late, per se, but I felt like making it today’s featured Susan Book. As always, the Book of the Day is at the bottom!
So. I put it out to my group of authors that I’m going to get us a booth at next year’s Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival and three authors in the group immediately saved their spots. I’m excited and flattered… and of course a bit wary. Outdoor shows can ruin a tent full of books! But if the weather will hold again for us, I’m confident we’ll have fun and put books into readers’ hands.
That’s not why I’m running late today, though. Every fiber of my being wants me to treat today like a Saturday and you know what? I just might. I need some time to be lazy; I haven’t had a break in almost two weeks. It’s been worth it, but a lazy day will also be worth it.
Second read-through, so lots of scrolling.
The client whose manuscript I was going to work on next has asked me to hold off while more changes are made. That was all that was in the queue, so we’ll see what next week looks like when we get to next week.
I got words in last night. Some inside while my watch charged, some outside. Nothing really exciting to write home about. I’m still running late on my word count, but closing the gap daily, even if only a little bit.
Tonight, though, I’m going to the release party for my friend Lainey Davis‘s new book. Gotta support your friends, right?
Sale reminders!
Maybe the Bird Will Rise is 99c at Kobo all month. Always free with your Plus subscription.
Not your retailer yet?
Well, the Smashwords summer/winter July sale is still going on.
Get the short story twins and the Sheep Farm books here. They’re half-off, so still a bargain.
And the Trevolution here — it’s FREE.
And if you already have them, go read them!
Life and a Half, Sony Labou Tansi (Author), Alison Dundy (Translator), Dominic Thomas (Introduction by)
That’s an affiliate link and I have two big goals in sight now that I’ve earned enough to cover my business insurance this year: moving into audio books and a website redo. Your help, in the form of booking my editing skills, buying my books, or just stuffing my ko-fi will help me get there.
The sky’s the limit. Let’s get there together. No more running late to my own party.
July 9, 2025
Most of my characters work, of course, being in their late 20s and early 30s, but my favorite is Vassily. You meet him in Populated, and I do recommend reading that one first, but Saving Sima is where he shines. Grab a copy (half off in the Smashwords July sale!) and see why.
I swear I was more tired yesterday than Monday, and I wound up out on the back deck last night, both for dinner and after I’d cleaned up the kitchen. The nice thing about first drafting is that I can write garbage and so long as the plot points are there, it’s all good.
So… I wrote garbage. More on that in a minute.
Yep, as expected, so far, the second read-through is going faster than the first, even with all the scrolling and finding details that don’t match up. This is truly fun for me. Don’t ask; I don’t get it, either, but it doesn’t feel like I’m working, so much as… well, fine. Working. But not drudgery!
I got probably 1500 words in last night, which leaves me only about two thousand words behind my goals. Not bad for having missed working for four days!
The sale on Populated ended, and so did the giveaway for it, so now we’ve got:
A sale on Maybe the Bird Will Rise, at Kobo only. But at 99c, it’s the cheapest you’ll find it.
The Trevolution books are free this month at Smashwords. Did I say FREE? I did!
And my newer fiction — the short story twins and the Tales from the Sheep Farm books — is all 50% off, again at Smashwords and again all month long.
It’s been a great month so far, but you can help make it better.
The Villain’s Dance, by Fiston Mwanza Mujila and Roland Glasser (translator)
As always, that’s an affiliate link, so if you use it, I’ll get a few pennies from your purchase. That helps me keep the lights on around here.
Other ways to support me, since I’m not paywalling any of this fun stuff: book my editing skills. Buy my books (sale links are above!). Stuff my Ko-fi full of green cash goodness.
Thanks, and see you tomorrow!
July 8, 2025
Trevor goes through something that leaves him very tired. In a way that’s different from how I am tired today. Grab your copy of this time capsule story of sex, drugs, rock and roll, friends, and secrets that must be kept at all costs.
I am working my day down my To Do list, so that’s good. I’ve gotten almost all the accounting from the weekend done — all those bundle deals that you all love so much create quite the headache when I’m trying to figure out how to break that down among the books. But there’s still plenty more to do — including repacking my stuff for this weekend’s appearance in Aspinwall on Sunday.
Right on schedule, I finished the first read-through of this new series. Great stuff! And I even remembered to type my notes in, since I take them longhand. I’ll be starting the second read-through today. It should go pretty fast — I hope. Gotta look for those inconsistencies that always creep in.
And then the next manuscript is waiting for me, too! With three more set to arrive imminently.
I’m busy.
Bring it. This is not the sort of thing that makes me tired. If anything, it’s the opposite. I get such a charge out of the books I edit, I can’t tell you.
I sat down last night and… started to catch up on this latest version of Authentically Alyssa. It feels so much better — but I’ve said this before, too. So we’ll see how we do once we’re into the meat of the story.
Maybe the Bird Will Rise is still for sale on Kobo. Grab a copy and see why it was my #1 bestseller over the weekend.
And Populated remains on sale — through tomorrow only, though!
Is that not enough? Then how about the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale?
Go here for the Trevolution — they are free!
Go here for the short stories and the Tales from the Sheep farm — they are half off!
That’s a LOT of books on sale. In fact, it’s every book EXCEPT The Complete Demo Tapes, which is still available only at my direct store.
WHEW.
And you ask why I’m still tired?
The Stone Breakers, by Emmanuel Dongala and Sara Hanaburgh
Like usual, this is an affiliate link, so your purchase will earn me a few pennies, which I’ll put to operational expenses here at West of Mars.
Other ways to support me? Buy books! Book my editing services! And if neither of those appeal to you, stuff my ko-fi with cash.
It’s easy, and your support means the world.
But excuse me while I go take a nap. I’m still tired.
July 7, 2025
A lot of my books — okay, almost all — feature transformative moments. But when I think of the word transformation, I think of the cover of Maybe the Bird Will Rise. That’s Tess. And this cover art makes my heart sing. Thanks, as always, to Frauke at Croco Designs for her amazing work.
Speaking of Frauke’s covers, I can’t tell you how many people stopped at our tent at the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage festival, drawn in by the cover for Legacy. I even sold quite a few of them, just as standalone books! (I am glad they can be read that way!)
Anyway, I’m exhausted — it was around 90 degrees (32 Celsius) all weekend, and when it gets that hot, I can’t eat, and then I get weak and feel crummy and wind up sprawled in unglamorous positions and it’s not fun. But I did not pass out, and I’m on my third glass of water so far today.
It’s all good.
It’s all transformative. And so the weekend was for me. I realized a LOT of things, let go of a LOT of baggage, and even did something I haven’t been able to do since before my bike accident. It’s no big deal: I hopped up onto a card table chair and adjusted the tent walls/sides and stepped down without hesitation. First time in almost ten years.
Transformative, friends.
Yeah, I got some words written on Thursday and Friday, back when I had energy and it wasn’t so hot. Nothing since. We’ll fix that. I know the cats miss me.
Maybe the Bird Will Rise, my weekend top seller, is on sale at Kobo this month for 99c. If you’re a Kobo reader, grab it at that price! If you’re a Plus reader, just get busy. It’s always free with your subscription.
Populated remains on sale across ALL platforms (and thank you to those of you who are buying it), so pick up a copy of that while it’s half off.
And the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale continues!
Go here for the Trevolution
Go here for the newer (2023-onward) books, including the Sheep Farm and Permission to Enter. I’d love for you to spend time with Broken but Undaunted!
Talk about transformative… take a look at how I recycle themes but do new things with them in the two series.
I’m excited to be back at my desk, despite my exhaustion and dehydration. I get to finish this first read-through today! I’m super stoked; it’s been a great book so far.
Aimé Césaire: No to Humiliation, Nimrod (Author), Emma Ramadan (Translator)
This is an affiliate link, and I encourage you to use it.
Instead of my usual spiel about how I’m not paywalling this fun stuff, including the book of the day, just either book my editing services or buy my books. Or leave a review online for them. Or find a way to support me.
I’m flying high today, despite the exhaustion. It was a fabulous weekend. Truly transformative.
July 2, 2025
What else is between? The Demo Tapes collections! Shorts designed to fit between the moments of the novel, giving the reader a more rounded, better enriched experience when they read Trevor’s Song.
Reminder that the Complete Demo Tapes is available only at my store.
Another reminder that Trevor’s Song and the rest of the Trevolution (well, except the Collected Demo Tapes) is FREE this month, but only at Smashwords. Grab your copies, or just pay the $1.99 for the Complete Demo Tapes.
Oh, wow.
That’s all I’ve got to say.
And yeah, I know I say this about every book I edit. Know why? My clients come to me having done the super hard work. They are working hard and writing books that get better with each one. I’m so thankful to be their editor.
I will not finish this read-through today. Which… AARGH. Now I have to spend four days in the woods at a huge craft festival, wondering what happens and how it all resolves.
Although we got home from the festival site later than I’d anticipated, I still managed to get my words in and I’m still ahead of schedule. The bad news is that the festival’s going to interrupt that and come Monday, I’ll be at a deficit again. But I’m so much happier with the story.
It’s not always write what you know. It’s write what your gut tells you is the right thing.
Also, don’t forget that the Tales from the Sheep Farm books are part of the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale, as well. They are all 50% off during the entire month of July, so go grab some deals.
Not steep enough of a discount? Get over to Kobo, where the ebook of Maybe the Bird Will Rise is 99c.
Is that not enough? Well, stay tuned… today’s the day between, after all! There might be (there will be) something else on sale tomorrow, but for only a quick six days. Don’t blink; you don’t want to miss it.
And a reminder, if you’re in Western PA, to come on out to the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival, where we’ll be hanging out and selling books. Our books. We’re right by a food truck court and a bunch of picnic tables, and across from the bathroom, and does it GET any better than that? Oh, yes it does — the trees right there are pretty tall and we might be in shade most of the day!
Stop in and make the long days fly past for us. We’re looking at 12-hour days the first three, and only nine on Sunday. Only.
So. Ready for the Book of the Day?
My Nemesis, by Charmaine Craig
There ya go! That link, of course, is an affiliate link, and I’d love it if you’d use it. Any funds I get — from book sales, from editing fees, from affiliate links, and from when you simply stuff my ko-fi with cash, or a thank you for picking up the Beta Reader’s Guide and/or the Writer’s Guide to Library Events — all goes to operational expenses here at West of Mars. With over a hundred miles round trip a day for the Festival, that includes my gas tank this week!
July 1, 2025
You’re going to be seeing a lot of Maybe the Bird Will Rise this month; it’s on sale at Kobo for the entire month (US and Canada only; sorry–but it’s always free with Kobo Plus!).
It’s also part of the Smashwords Summer Sale, where ALL of my titles are discounted, from 50% to free.
Use this link to get to the recent titles. They are all 50% off.
Use this link to get to the Trevolution books. They are, as always, free!
I do not know why you still need two links to get to my entire catalog. They were supposed to have fixed that. Maybe by the next Smashwords sale?
Anyway, yeah. Setup is today’s word, and that’s because Mary Walsh and I are going to set up for the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival. It starts Thursday, so come see us and check out our awesome setup.
I said yesterday I was hoping to finish this read-through before the Festival, but that’s not going to happen. I’m still taking copious notes (I’m on page 7!); there’s a lot going on in this manuscript.
Thankfully, none of the promised other manuscripts have shown up yet.
I crossed the 4k mark last night, headed to 5k, which puts me way ahead of schedule for once. Good thing; I won’t be writing the four days of the Festival.
Lots of other stuff going on… There’s a Festival of Books group at Facebook, and I have four books being featured in the current Beach Reads sale–and I’m taking over the site tomorrow, from 2-4. Join the group and meet some new-to-you authors. This one’s all genre, which is my favorite pool to play in, so don’t be shy. There’s something for everyone here.
I’m right now anticipating going dark for Thursday and Friday so I can focus on the Festival, but if you need a copy of Populated, it’s going to be on sale at Kobo (again; me and Kobo. Can you tell Kobo readers and I like each other?) from July 3-9. Mark your calendars!
The Pearl that Broke its Shell, by Nadia Hashimi
Like usual, that’s an affiliate link, and if you use it, you’ll help me cover operational expenses here at West of Mars.
Other ways to support me: Book my editing services. Buy my books. Stuff my ko-fi with wild abandon and glee.
You’re supporting a small business, of course, when you do any of these things, and even when you simply talk up my books and/or editing services. (and/or the Book of the Day, too!)
But things I’ve got my eye on… a website redesign here at West of Mars. I’ve got the ideas, just not the funds. And a move into audio for the Sheep Farm books. And some swag for when we sell in person — shopping bags, for example!
Mutual aid comes in many forms. So does resistance.
You know what I’m saying.
June 30, 2025
Trevor’s Song is about disasters in the titular character’s life, and not just because his best friend commits an act of monogamy.
So… what went wrong?
My garage freezer has finally died. It’s about to be 25, or maybe it already is. So you know, it had a good run. But I am now eating a lot of stuff I’d stuck in there for a rainy day. Thankfully I didn’t lose that much; a well-packed freezer maintains its cold even after the condenser dies!
I had a chip in my windshield repaired last Tuesday, and after being parked outside all day at the Bad Bitch Bazaar, the repair… showed it wasn’t worth what the insurance company paid them. Thankfully I have glass coverage on my policy, but now I have to drive around for a week — including back and forth to the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival five out of the next seven days (counting today) — with a nice crack right in my field of vision.
And… I chucked ANOTHER 50k words of Absolutely Alyssa, but now I know what didn’t work about it, so yay and let’s go getting this ship right. I only started writing it 20 months ago.
Yep. 20.
I’m telling ya. Litany of disasters.
Y’all better like this damn book once I get done with it!
On a happier note…
I worked on Saturday for a bit and am hoping I can get the first read-through done over the next three days. Then it’ll be a break for the Festival, and then the second read-through. If I’m so lucky.
I’m still waiting on more manuscripts to arrive here. I’m expecting a LOT. I think I’m okay if they don’t show up within days of each other.
Yesterday was the Bad Bitch Bazaar and I had someone come by the show just to get the next book in the Sheep Farm series and WOO HOO! My three friends (, Lainey Davis, and Paige N. Regan and forgive the lack of links; it’s not that I don’t love my friends — I really do! — but I’m running SUPER late here and feeling very stressed) sold INCREDIBLY well. The queers were out, the romance lovers were out, and we were THERE for them. I got compliments on my t-shirt, we got compliments on the vibe in our tent, I had a reader (hello!) come to the show just to get the second book in my series! Woo hoo! So while my friends sold more than I did — which in and of itself is always worth cheering for — I had a heck of a great day.
But yes, I did chuck yet another verison of Authentically Alyssa. Sigh. This BOOK, y’all. DISASTERS. It’s one book. It’s multiple disasters.
The good news is that I figured out what’s bothering me about those earlier attempts, and I’ve fixed that. The first five books? Are all about relationships. This was focusing too much on the job at hand (if you’ve read Legacy, you know what that is, and if you haven’t, why not?), and so I moved the timeline up just a few weeks, got the sticking point out of the way and bam! It feels so much better.
I know. I said that last time.
This book had better be the one that breaks this series open and makes the world sit up and take notice.
Oh, and Populated was the best selling book of the weekend! Woo hoo!
I’m confident Delia Ford will make an appearance in Absolutely Alyssa.
Ugliness, by Moshtari Hilal and Elisabeth Lauffer
As always, that’s an affiliate link, so help a girl afford her business insurance so I am covered when I take a group to a vendor affair like the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage festival.
Other ways to support me, since I’m not paywalling the daily fun: Book my editing services. Buy my books. Stuff my ko-fi full of yummy cash.
Because, yeah. I’ve still got two disasters to pay for… the new windshield and the new garage freezer. Mutual aid. It’s a thing.
June 27, 2025
Because he owns a jewelry shop, Vass often works through the weekend. That’s going to be me… for the foreseeable future, it seems! Pick up a copy of Saving Sima at all the usual retailers, and at my direct shop for the best price!
I did a volunteer edit of a short story for an anthology, and it was SO beautiful, so beautifully written, so well considered and conceived… totally blew me away.
And then I went to my monthly writer’s meeting and… well, it was interesting. I have to say, it was the first time in all the years I’ve been going that I didn’t leave with a smile on my face. My kid says that’s a pretty good track record.
Okay, ready to laugh at me? On Wednesday, I wrote the client letter and the email and thought I’d sent it back to the client. You know where this is heading…
I sat down yesterday morning, opened my mail and… there it was, waiting for me to hit send. Which I did. Unfortunately, with lousy timing; yesterday just wasn’t a great day for me, it seems.
Today, I get to start on the next client manuscript… a new series from an established author… I say that SO MUCH. But my clients and I are loyal to each other; what can I say?
This is one of the things I’ll be working on over the weekend.
Despite all that, I got my average of 1200 words down on Authentically Alyssa. I’ll take that as a win, of course.
I had been invited to be a vendor at a nearby cat cafe’s yard sale day, but when I asked if we could meet — it’s about five minutes from here — to discuss details, the woman running it apparently decided I was too high-maintenance for her.
I simply don’t like discussing business over Meta platforms. That’s all. And since they’re so close, an in-person meeting so I (with a slight disability and post-concussion syndrome) can get the lay of the land is helpful.
Ahh, well. I still have the Bad Bitch Bazaar on Sunday, and the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival at the end of next week and into the weekend. It may not be at my desk, but vendor shows are still ways in which I work over the weekend.
Good Girl, by Aria Aber
That’s, as most of you know by now, an affiliate link and I’ll get a few pennies to put toward operational expenses here at West of Mars.
Other ways to show your support of me: Buy my books (especially from my direct store) Talk me up on social media — that one’s huge. Request Saving Sima and Legacy on Hoopla. Book my editing services.
Or just stuff my ko-fi. Because mutual aid is a thing and yeah, even I need it from time to time.
June 26, 2025
Cover for Populated, written by Susan Helene Gottfried
Yeah, yesterday saw me being SUPER productive. Like, wow.
What all happened? Well, I finished the edit I’d been working on. (and then promptly forgot to send it back to the author. Way to go, Sooz!)
I made a no-bake cheesecake, thanks to King Arthur Baking. (It took a lot longer than it was supposed to.)
I wrote almost 2k words.
That’s me being productive, all right!
I’m feeling the pressure of the deluge I know is about to hit me. The plan right now is simple: keep being as productive as possible, at every minute of my editing day. That includes weekends until things slow down again.
This is the freelancer’s life, though. Huge feasts that remind you of a Monty Python movie, and then famine that’s so severe, you think you’re a crappy editor (you are not) and don’t know what to do with yourself (yes you do).
Yep, almost 2k words last night! We have Tess being the Tess we met in the Bird, Chad up to no good again, Mack not sure what to make of any of this, and whoo boy, some things I did not see coming but now that they are here, they are right and natural and perfect and… honestly? When my friend called my books “the right kind of silly,” this is why I took it as a compliment.
I woke up to both royalties from Hoopla (thank you, Hoopla readers!) and word that Demo Tapes 4 is now available on the platform as well. So now all the Trevolution books are there, but only the first three Sheep Farm books, which are newer (and, frankly, better), and I don’t understand, but that’s probably okay.
Remember to request the last two Tales from the Sheep Farm books, Saving Sima and Legacy, when you’re browsing the platform.
And if you’re in Pittsburgh, on Sunday, I’ll be joined by Beck Grey, Lainey Davis, and Paige N. Regan at the Bad Bitch Bazaar! We’ll be there from 2-7, hanging out, selling books, and having a great time.
Octobers, by Sahar Muradi
This is, as usual, an affiliate link. And yes, it’s a book of poetry! I don’t usually post poetry collections, but this one crossed my radar and why NOT? The criteria is the criteria and I never said I couldn’t include poetry. I’m the one who chose the criteria, after all.
Reminder that your support helps me keep on being productive like this! Be it booking my editing services, buying my books, stuffing my ko-fi, or even just talking me up and/or visiting me when I’m at a craft show, it all adds up.
June 25, 2025
So many of my books are about releasing… the past, preconceived notions, relationships that don’t work for them. Start the journey with Maybe the Bird Will Rise.
Lots of releasing happening here… the weather’s supposed to be releasing some of the extreme heat we’ve been dealing with since Sunday. Monday’s migraine has been teasing me with promises that it’ll do a total releasing thing… and mostly has. And of course, my friends are releasing so much, as they deal with the death of a family member.
I went and paid a shiva call last night, since I’d missed the funeral and shiva on Monday, and as I was leaving, I said to my friend, “Let me know if you need anything.”
Her response?
“Do you have a new book?”
She has read all of the Tales from the Sheep Farm novels while keeping vigil at her son’s bedside when he’s been hospitalized over the past two years. She calls my books perfect because they keep her mind occupied, don’t demand too much from her, and are perfectly silly — although she immediately paused and told me that wasn’t meant to give offense.
“I put Chad in a dumpster. I think of that as high praise,” I told her.
I’ll be sending over a draft version of Stray for her as soon as I can get it roughly formatted for her Kindle.
This migraine has been just problematic enough to slow my editing work done, but thankfully not problematic enough to stop it.
This is huge on two fronts. First is that I’m trying to get this done and back to its author.
But second? I have yet another client ready to send me manuscripts. Yep, plural.
I always say that when it rains, it pours around here. I’ll be working as many weekends as possible, in between all the bookselling I’ve got going on.
The good news is that hey! I’ll be able to pay my business insurance!
I did get words in before leaving for the evening shiva call, so that’s a win! I’m not sure how many, but I think the gap is widening rather than closing. With my evenings free the rest of the week, I should fix that.
Brewed with Love, by Shelly Page
Yes, this is an affiliate link but HEY! Bookshop.org is having a sale on romance right now, and this book qualifies for that sale code. Go check it. (If you are reading this after June 25, I can’t make promises that it’s still an ongoing sale!)
As always, your support through the Book of the Day links, stuffing my ko-fi, booking my editing skills (Uhh… September? Yeah, that sounds right.), and buying my books helps keep West of Mars open and running. And you know what else it goes? Goes toward releasing my anxiety that I can’t pay my bills, let alone start to save up for things I need (website redesign) and want, like branded shopping bags for in-person bookselling.
You releasing anything good? Let’s hear about it.
June 24, 2025
I wasn’t yet experiencing the particular fun of a migraine when I wrote Trevor’s Song, but if I had, I’m sure Trevor would have claimed he had those, too. Anything to hide the truth.
So… we’re in the heatwave over here, like millions of others. Sunday night into Monday, my upstairs was HOT and I was mourning the loss of my attic fan, which is something that’s no longer up to code or used in modern roofing. And, of course, I got a new roof over the winter. Last night, I adjusted a few vents down here, just a tweak, but it made a difference.
Still, the combination of heat plus not sleeping left me in a world of hurt yesterday. I was supposed to go hold a friend up at her son’s funeral, and then pay a shiva call on the family in the evening. Nope. I hid on the couch and tried not to whimper so loudly, I disturbed the cats.
Fun times.
Despite the pain in my head, I was able to focus and work. I needed my reading glasses, which I only need sometimes (don’t ask; brains are weird and just wear your eye protection, okay?), and I’m sure the fact that this was a second read-through helped. I’ve got a short story and another novel waiting for me — and another one’s set to arrive soon — so it’s not like I could take more time off. Not with the disruption that the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival is going to bring.
Another thing I did to help my brain was to spend about half an hour outside. Maybe more. By then, the sun was blocked by the neighbor’s house and although the temperatures hadn’t come down that much, it was manageable out there. I got my thousand words in, but not too much more than that. At least I’m not falling farther behind in my goals.
The Undetectables, by Courtney Smyth
As always, that’s an affiliate link, and I appreciate it when you use it. Every little bit helps, and as I’ve been saying lately, I’ve got big goals over here. (Read: I’ve got expensive goals, but worthwhile ones.)
Pick up the Book of the Day, past or present, via my affiliate links, book my editing services, buy the books I’ve written, or just donate to my ko-fi. It all helps add up to get my books into audio, covers expenses, and more. Plus, it makes me feel good, and isn’t that what it’s all about?
Take care of yourselves if you’re in this heat… or if you’re not! Having a migraine SUCKS.
June 23, 2025
Cover for Populated, written by Susan Helene Gottfried
Like a huge chunk of the country, I’m caught in the heat wave. The house has been cool, I don’t have a lot of reasons to go out, and it’s all been good until…
Okay, lemme put it this way. My old roof had an attic fan in it. You know the kind: The attic temperatures would hit 100, the fan would turn on and suck the hot air out. But when I put the new roof on, they told me that a well-constructed roof would make that attic fan unnecessary.
They lied.
I spent a sleepless night, the first of what I’m sure will be four or five. Because my upstairs? It’s better than it was before I put the attic fan in, but it’s not as cool as it was with that fan. And that makes sleeping damn near impossible.
Going sleepless tends to leave me with migraines. And I have a busy day today, of course.
I was at my desk yesterday, working; Friday turned into a not-great editing day for me. So I have about 100 pages left in this second read-through, and I’m eager to start collecting my thoughts. I’ll finish this in a day or two and get started on the next.
Doug and I were at the Butler City Farmer’s Market on Saturday, and he was on FIRE. It was wonderful to see; Doug’s a fabulous writer and just a good friend. I’m super grateful to have him in my life.
And speaking of Populated, it may or may not be related, but I was talking to a reader at the market, and they took my postcard, saying they wanted to buy the book on Kindle. Okay; works for me. But also, I have these conversations a lot. But when I checked my dashboard, yep, there was the sale!
Now, maybe it was coincidence. But I’m choosing to believe it wasn’t.
In terms of Authentically Alyssa, I’m still not caught up to my goal, but I cut 2k more words, and I’m narrowing the gap. Slowly. Very slowly. But… slow and steady wins the race, right? I sell books in drips and drabs, and gain newsletter subscribers in drips and drabs and… when I look at the overall gains, they’re not insubstantial.
The Island of Forgotten Gods, by Victor Pineiro
That’s an affiliate link — the drips and drabs of the pennies I get from your purchases all go toward operational expenses here at West of Mars. One thing I’m saving up for? A website redesign.
So when you book my editing services, buy my books, or just stuff my ko-fi, that’s what you’re helping with. The monthly costs, my annual business insurance, moving the books into audio, and yes, a long overdue website redesign. And that’s just some of my wishlist! I also want bags to use at vendor shows, and I need to pay my cover artist and proofreader and my developmental editor…
Wishing no sleepless nights for yinz and y’all. I’ll be back tomorrow with another Book of the Day.
June 20, 2025
The last time I did a Stuff Your Ereader Day back in December, I offered the Bird and had thousands of downloads.
I’m not, however, joining today’s Stuff Your Ereader event. That doesn’t mean I don’t support the event — I totally do and have already downloaded freebies written by friends or authors who are colleagues in one way or another — it just means Facebook didn’t show me that signups were open, and it was too late to execute my plan on time. Sigh. Such is the nature when you forget to write yourself reminders of things to be on the watch for.
I know there’s a LOT of books and the list can be overwhelming, and it’s just for today only, so you’ve got to move quick. I’ve started downloading only when one of my friends sends a newsletter telling me which book to search for, or if I see them on social media saying the same thing. It’s worked for me, even as I know I’m missing a LOT of good books. Such is the nature of the beast.
Anyway…
I started the second read-through of this manuscript, and a story that I’m doing a freebie edit for an anthology showed up yesterday, as well, so I’ve got to dive into that. I’ll be spending part of Sunday at my desk again; my next paid edit is also here, waiting for me and I’d like to start that sometime late next week.
It was another late afternoon and early evening of storms, but I got outside for about 20 minutes. I also got my 1k words in, but not much more than that, unfortunately.
Tomorrow’s another day at the Butler City Farmer’s Market, and I hope it goes well. I love the vibe up there. It’s laid back and chill.
If you’re local, stop in and say hi. Meet the other vendors and definitely bring a wallet full of cash. Doug and I both spend a lot of money at this one.
Hard Sell, by Hudson Lin
As always, that’s an affiliate link!
And as always your purchases and donations and a portion of my editing fees go to operational expenses, and I’ll feel a lot more comfortable once my business insurance is paid off for the year!
Remember that supporting me by buying my books (and talking about them, too! Sharing them on social media when you’re reading them… you know how this goes), booking my editing skills, and/or filling my ko-fi supports the infrastructure around here, which in turn lets me do… what I do. Likes and interaction with my own social media also help, too. Anything to get the word out…
Now, go stuff your ereader and have amazing books to read, even when they’re not mine.
Have a great weekend!
June 19, 2025
Legacy has absolutely nothing directly to do with Juneteenth, but I do want to acknowledge the holiday and my wish that in the future, everyone is free and we learn to stop this stupid hate. People are treasures too, and that’s not just the tag line of the Sheep Farm books.
People are treasures. Period. Hard stop.
Today, let’s celebrate the arrival of word of emancipation, even as we gnash our teeth in frustration at how long it took… and is still taking.
But I went with Legacy because last night, in between running in and out between storms and the furniture drying so I could go back outside (Freya Cat was hogging out usual spot and not wanting to share and can I just say? RUDE), I was working on Authentically Alyssa and it’s got a couple scenes with Sir Ginger in them. And that makes me think of Legacy, since that’s where we meet Sir Ginger and…
Kinda hard to imagine I could work, with all the in and out I was doing.
But I DID! I got a lot written, and I even deleted about five hundred words and still had over my daily goal of a thousand. Not bad. Not bad at all.
Doug and I will be at the Butler City Farmer’s Market on Saturday, and I’ll be at the Bad Bitch Bazaar with Lainey Davis, Beck Grey, and Paige N. Regan on Sunday the 29th.
Gonna finish this first read-through today! I am!
Crowning Soul, by Sahira Javaid
That’s an affiliate link, as always.
And as always, your purchase via these affiliate links, and/or of my books, booking my editing services, and stuffing my Ko-fi all go to the same spot… covering operational costs here at West of Mars. My deep thanks to all of you who are following along with the Book of the Day — I think it’s an important project, or I wouldn’t keep doing it — and reading my books, either via purchase or any of the library apps — and the subscription Kobo Plus and Everand, too!
If you’re a Hoopla reader, be sure to request Saving Sima, Legacy, and Demo Tapes 2 and 4. And if you’re an Everand user, ask for my recent works! They are only carrying the Trevolution for some reason? I swear, these two sites are keeping me on my toes, with parts of my catalog going in and out and what feels like random intervals and for random reasons
June 18, 2025
Let’s wish a happy book birthday to Saving Sima! It turns one today! And it’s also a fitting book when you need to talk about your an evening that went sideways. Vassily’s life definitely goes sideways during this story.
May my own outcome be as promising.
It’s not that what happened was nearly as strange as what happens to Vass in Saving Sima. It was just an evening spent in the pantry, cleaning it out and cleaning it up a bit. I just hadn’t been planning on it, but sometimes, you get inspired and the simple task occupies your brain and your body as you walk back and forth around the kitchen, emptying shelves, cleaning everything, and putting things back. In some ways, it’s cleansing of myself as much as it is cleansing of the house.
Still, it ate into my writing time.
And yet… when I sat down, I felt a lot better.
I didn’t quite hit my page goal yesterday, but that’s okay. I was doing a lot of cross-referencing with my notes and working on the timeline. Slow editing is okay when I’m doing that. So I’ll finish this read-through on Thursday, I think.
When I finally did sit down to write, I was working on next year’s newsletter story instead of Alyssa. I had expected it to be a quick tweak. Nope; that too had a moment of being sideways, as I found another mistake that I have to address. You generally don’t have homework over summer break! Summer reading, sure. But not assignments!
I’m enrolled in the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale, like usual, so look for that coming up in July.
And Populated was awarded a spot in a promotion at Kobo, so look for the price to drop, also in July.
Combined with the in-person event at the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival, and July is shaping up to be a bonanza of book sales. (Reminder that my books are ALWAYS cheaper at my direct store!)
Lavash at First Sight, by Taleen Voskuni
As always, this is an affiliate link. Go forth and buy from this link, knowing that any pennies you earn me will go toward operational expenses here at West of Mars. (My business insurance is coming due soon! I could use the help.)
Want to help more? Book me for your editing needs. Buy my books. Just stuff my ko-fi, in lieu of a monthly subscription.
June 17, 2025
What better book to feature today than the one that I’d tell you is my most quiet? Broken but Undaunted doesn’t get NEARLY the love it should. Why don’t you fix that? It’s super cheap at my direct store, you get to own the copy outright (not a license, like from the big retailers), and I get the most in royalties.
So, yeah. Quiet around here and I’ll TAKE it. I pulled some weeds yesterday, brought half the checks I had to deposit to the bank (oops; thank goodness for mobile deposit!), got a lot of words written, played in the kitchen.
Kind of an ideal work day, to be honest.
One thing struck me about my current edit, and that’s how absolutely brilliantly the main character is written. She’s a victim of abuse and while we’re conditioned to expect kickass, badass women in our protagonists, this character… isn’t there yet. She ignores her gut feelings and allows herself to act against her own best interests, because being bullied is what she knows. It’s authentic, and it’s heartbreaking and I can’t wait to see how she emerges triumphant in the end. It’s an authentic, touching look at the path to transformation and being able to open yourself to healthy relationships and true love.
Damn.
The rest of the story of Authentically Alyssa snapped into place for me overnight/this morning. I spent a nice chunk of yesterday outside on the deck, writing. It’s supposed to rain here a lot again — more flooding. Whee! — so I expect to be writing inside today.
Tomorrow is Saving Sima’s first book birthday! (And of course, without thinking of that, I chose to feature it in my social media posts today. So much for planning!)
Grab your copy, if you haven’t yet. The direct store link is there, or you can just go here for it. Reminder that when you buy from an author’s direct shop, you get to keep your copy — it’s not a license, like the other retailers give you, which means it can be whisked off your device without warning — and I get the maximum royalties. Everyone wins, and you know I like it when everyone wins.
If you’re a Hoopla reader, please request Saving Sima be added back to their lineup. They delisted it in February for some reason, and haven’t rectified that.
Not Safe for Work, by Nisha J Tuli
(Affiliate link)
Just a reminder, if you’re new to the Book of the Day, that I quietly mention one book every day, never disclosing the criteria for it. It’s not hard to figure out, so have at it! What ties all these books together?
And now’s the spot where I get less quiet: Buying my books, booking my editing skills, and simply filling my ko-fi are all ways to appreciate me. Picking up print copies from Blythe Books, or direct from me in person… coming to the big author shows to see me… it all adds up. So do any reviews you leave of my writing, regardless of how many stars you leave my books.
We’re in an age of mutual aid, but that doesn’t always look like Go Fund Mes.
June 16, 2025
Want a book that’s packed? The Complete Demo Tapes is packed with stories–over 100! It’s as long as a novel but the entire contents are flash and short stories. At only $1.99, it’s a bargain. Available only at my online shop.
The weekend wasn’t nearly as packed as I’d expected it to be, but I also didn’t get enough writing done. And yep, I made it to a protest, although I wound up being a drive-by honk-and-waver. Turns out I should have stopped and joined the ranks… I knew a lot of people who were at my local protest, and if I’d known THAT, I’d have been okay. Life with a damaged eye means I have to take special care to make sure someone has my back — not just in case things go sideways, but because of general safety issues that crop up whenever I’m around a lot of people. It’s complicated to explain and yes, I can still spot a comma at ten feet, so don’t ask me how it works. I can’t explain.
I’m working on one and had a surprise hit me on Saturday — a good surprise, a new series from a prolific and established author — and got word late last week of more coming my way too. The summer’s going to be packed, so I expect that every weekend when I am not out selling, I’ll be at my desk, if only for a few hours, so I can keep everything moving along. I hate making my authors wait for me!
The edit I’m working on is a contemporary, the second in a series, and if you’re a horse lover, this one’s for you!
Well, I haven’t caught up from my trip yet, and I need to cut a slew of words, but I’m also incorporating them into the new stuff, so… At this point, I want to get the draft done. I’ve been struggling with it for so long that at times, I want to give up and work on something else entirely — like more standalones and/or entries to the series. But nope. I’m not a quitter. Not yet, anyway.
I’ll get this story told properly. I will.
If you’re a Hoopla reader, the Trevolution is slowly being added! Right now, Demo Tapes 1 and 3, Trevor’s Song, and King Trevor are all available. Hopefully DT2 and 4 will be added soon.
Remember to request the rest of the Sheep Farm series while you’re reading.
The Dragon and the Pearl, by Jeannie Lin
Like always, it’s an affiliate link.
And like always, since I’m not paywalling these posts at all, I’d love it if you’d pack my Ko-fi, buy my books, or book my editing services. All the money I make from my Ko-fi and from book sales, including the affiliate link above, goes to operational costs here at West of Mars.
That’s it! I’m getting back to work… my queue is packed right now and this is how I love it, believe it or not.
