April 28, 2025
Cover for Populated, written by Susan Helene Gottfried
ALL the Sheep Farm books! No wonder I’m tired!
Happy Monday! The sun is out, the temperature is low, the house is cold, and I’m tired and recovering from the kickoff Bad Bitch Bazaar here in Pittsburgh. It was a good day, albeit a bit slow. I think everyone spent their book money at Indie Bookstore Day, which had been the day before. Which… I’m not complaining! You’re here because you agree with me that books are important and worth standing up for.
Not much to say here. I didn’t get a lick written on Sunday, go figure, with the Bazaar eating up my day. Saturday, I worked on a variety of projects, more as a palate cleanser, so to speak. I do really like being able to switch between projects.
One other big thing I did was formally submit my story to the Books Books Books Author signing organizers. It’s called “Bashert” and will be included in the anthology that’ll be given to the 50 VIP ticketholders. If you want to see the story (and get me to autograph the first or last page, depending on how the anthology is laid out), look into joining us for the event, and getting a $50 VIP ticket. Another reminder is that the money from all tickets sold goes to charity.
A note about “Bashert” — as soon as the event is over, I’ll have the rights back, which means I can offer it up as a bonus story to my newsletter subscribers, or just save it for another anthology like Broken but Undaunted or Permission to Enter. If you have thoughts or feelings, I’m all ears.
And finally (what happened to not much to say here? Hush. I’m tired), two more days for Safe House to be on sale!
I’m finishing up a short piece today and getting it back to its author, and then starting a really long one. Still waiting on six others to arrive, and I’ll need to take some time off at the end of May/start of June to move my youngest.
As always, it’s a good time to get in touch if you’ll need me anytime after mid-June, with a reminder that if you need a hard deadline — both to get the manuscript to me and to get it back — I gladly hold dates. But if you miss the date getting the manuscript to me, I’m not going to get it back to you on time. In fact, if something’s in the queue, it’ll get priority.
A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows
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If you’re having fun with these short updates and the Book of the Day, remember that this isn’t a Patreon, where you subscribe for the content. So if you have a minute and an extra buck, Ko-fi loves to tell me that I have supportive friends. Why not make a donation and help cover operating expenses here at West of Mars?
April 25, 2025
While I had a late night on the deck, y’all were busy buying copies of Safe House. I hope you found a comfortable place to read it!
Yeah… I was working outside again last night so late, I was able to turn on the pergola’s lights. I’ll have to upload the pictures; they are very cool. (VERY cool.) They are, unfortunately, not completely what I wanted, as I’d wanted lights bright enough to read by. That’s not going to be the case. But they’re cool!
I did spoil myself a bit, but after almost 30 years of wanting to have that part of the deck covered so the deck was actually usable… I figure it’s okay. I waited a very long time and spent a lot of time wishing I could actually get outside on my deck. I love to be outside, and if I can figure out how to get my desktop computer out there so I can edit under the pergola? I’m there.
Yeah, I was writing last night. A lot of friends wanted to chat, too, so maybe I didn’t write as much as I’d wanted, but I also spent less time on social media and playing solitaire, so there’s that. The writing I got done pleased me, so that’s another win.
Five more days for you to get your copy of Safe House while it’s still on sale! If you’re in Pittsburgh, you can also get your copies from Blythe Books (at full price; sorry) or from me at the kickoff Bad Bitch Bazaar. First of the season, and I’ll be there with Mary Walsh and Paige N. Staudt. When you catch me in person, I do discount slightly (mostly so I’m not drowning in ones and change!). And, of course, my ebooks are ALWAYS cheaper at my online store.
When it rains, it pours. That’s the mantra of the freelance editor (even those of us who spend a late night on the deck). Another of the eight manuscripts I’ve been waiting on arrived, so now I’m waiting on six, am about to start working on one, and have one in the queue. I love being a busy editor; it lets me sink into the work and forget about life. Total stress reliever. Not to mention how much fun it is, and how gratifying. I love helping my client list be successful. It’s fun to watch, too!
Just for Show, by Jae
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That’s it! It probably won’t be another late night on the deck because first, it’s Reggae Shabbat night at temple, and this metal head thinks that sounds like fun (and folk Shabbat was getting old and yes, I still am pushing for a Heavy Metal Shabbat), but also? It’s a rainy day here, with storms predicted for later. The pergola is only an overhead cover, so even if I sit out there to dig the thunderstorm (what could go wrong when you sit under a metal structure?), there’s still a chance the furniture and/or I can get wet. Nothing worse than a soggy ass. Plus, it’s hard to write when it’s wet; computers and rain don’t mix. Go figure.
Have a great weekend and I’ll be back with fresh content on Monday. Don’t forget that tomorrow (Saturday) is Independent Bookstore Day! Go support and indie. Keep 37% of your purchase price in your local community, help a local business stay open, and more. There’s never a bad reason to choose to shop local.
Don’t forget to fill my ko-fi and help cover operational expenses! You can grab either the Beta Reader’s Guide and/or A Writer’s Guide to Library Events.
