August 4, 2025
How can you resist that sunny cover?
Also, Maybe the Bird Will Rise was, again, my weekend bestseller. Go figure!
It was a good, laid-back weekend, including a few hours spent at Blythe Books — and people thinking I work there! That’s a compliment — and something I turned to my advantage and hand-sold a copy of Maybe the Bird Will Rise to a very excited patron. A few doors opened for me this weekend, too, so we’ll see which ones I choose to walk through. More on that later… I have plans to lay!
I did NOT work over the weekend. Mostly. A client needed a bit of help via email, and that was easy enough, fix a turn of phrase, insert a comma… and we’re good to go.
I’m looking forward to getting back into the manuscript at hand, however.
I can not write a word until Thursday, and I will be ahead of schedule.
So now I am switching gears. Got my thousand, twelve hundred words in? Go play for a bit with a different project. It’s good to play!
And now the big news: Blythe Books is doing a fundraiser for our local PBS station, WQED. If you don’t know, this is the station that Mr. Rogers was directly affiliated with. It’s got history. And while it’s maybe not as threatened as other PBS stations, it’s still a gem we can’t afford to lose.
So I’ve pledged to donate a dollar from every sale Blythe makes of my books — be it online sales or in-person sales, or what. Any one of my books — and right now, the entire Tales from the Sheep Farm series is in stock. I’ll make sure those shelves remain stocked this month, but you’ve got to make it hard for me! I want to make a donation of around $50!
Print books make great gifts, and it’s getting to be time to think about gifting… all the books are autographed.
Go on. Let’s support public broadcasting AND put books in your hands.
Backhanded Compliments, by Katie Chandler
As always, that’s an affiliate link, and it’s an easy way to keep the lights on around here.
Since I’m not paywalling this weekday Book of the Day, remember that I appreciate it when you book my editing skills, buy my books — or leave a review online and/or talk ’em up to your friends! — and of course, you’re free to simply stuff my ko-fi with cash, or pick up my Beta Reader’s Guide and/or Writer’s Guide to Library Events. Don’t forget the fundraiser at Blythe!
Enjoy the sunny day; I grew up here in cloudy Pittsburgh but I’m not tired of the sun yet. YET.
July 18, 2025
I’m told my books are great escapism, and that’s helpful when you want to be resting, right?
Yeah, I’m flipping into resting mode for a bit over here. This will be good because I’m running a bit ragged and I need to get this draft of Absolutely Alyssa in gear. But I’m also not good at staying home — it’s one of my favorite parts about in-person selling — because I think I stay at home a bit too much.
Balance. It ain’t for the faint of heart.
But for now, I am resting. When I get restless, I’ll go explore my city a bit more. I’m overdue.
I had a short day yesterday, between the Block Northway Farmers Market and the cat’s adventure at the vet, but still got a stupid amount edited. This client makes it easy, and the fact that this is the eighth book in the series helps, too. I have to spend less time making notes. They’re there. They’re established.
And yes, my notes are 26 typed pages long for this series!
The nice thing about being experienced at vending is that setting up and taking down goes quickly. Good thing because I was barely set up (but still waiting on Lydia and Cristina to arrive) when someone walked up, wanting a copy of Maybe the Bird Will Rise. It was like she had scouted me out and wanted that book. It was super flattering, and set a tone for the evening, which I’m always grateful for.
And since tearing down goes smoothly, I was home just after seven thirty, had the day’s dishes washed and the car unloaded and the event’s accounting handled just after eight, and had a little less than an hour to settle in and write. Now, settling in isn’t just a nice way of saying… anything. It’s true. I have to recapture the mindset (I read somewhere a number of years ago that creatives need about 20 minutes to settle into their work… after every interruption! … and I believe that.)
So I got about 500 words down, but it was 500 more than I’d been expecting to do. I’ll take it as a win!
Maybe the Bird Will Rise is, in fact, still for sale at Kobo! It’s 99c, or if you have Plus, it’s free.
Want more of the Sheep Farm books? They are on sale this month at Smashwords. So are the short story twins!
And of course, since it’s a Smashwords sale, the Trevolution books are FREE.
Hey, want more free reads? Here are two…
Here’s a collection of women’s fiction
And here’s a collection of Sand, Sun, and Free Summer Reads.
Both of these feature my free newsletter story, Origins: Delia and Meter.
And looking to add to your bookshelves? Try this one! Poolside Picks and Hot Deals
If you’re asking why I need to be resting, maybe this is some enlightenment. It’s been a BUSY month!
Your Body is War, by Mahtem Shiferraw
Yes, this is an affiliate link to this book of poetry, and I appreciate every click and every penny these affiliate links earn me. A website design, moving the books into audio… These are all my plans for the future, and your help’s appreciated. Be it help via booking my editorial skills, buying my books (leaving reviews, or talking them up to friends counts too!), or just stuffing my ko-fi, I appreciate it ALL.
Talk to you Monday, and may it be restful for us both.
July 17, 2025
The only writing of mine that I can think of with significant water is the short story, “The Taste of Pink Snow.” It’s now available in the Broken but Undaunted collection, so if you’ve never read this bit of literary mayhem and fun, what’s stopping you?
Storms rolled through yet again yesterday afternoon and evening, but the one that came through after 8 was a DOOZY. So much water. SO. MUCH.
And… problems with my electric as a result, including a light fixture that stopped working.
I have word in to my contractor, since it’s one of the lights that was affected by my recent renovation.
One of the manuscripts I’ve been waiting for showed up yesterday! Last night, actually.
I can put aside the project I’ve been working on for a few days and start this… but tomorrow. I’m having an “away from my desk” day, and I hope it doesn’t involve more storms, let alone storms with so much water to drop on my house. Or my head.
I didn’t make a huge dent in my word count deficit, but I didn’t fall behind, either. Slow and steady, drips and drabs… it’s how I’ve built my newsletter, how I make sales at all the shows and farmers markets. Little pieces add up.
Today’s the farmers market at the Block Northway, so if you’re in Pittsburgh, come out and say hi.
Kobo’s still got Maybe the Bird Will Rise on sale for 99c. And of course it’s free with Plus (ebook only).
And then there’s the Smashwords summer/winter July sale! All month!
Click here for the Trevolution, which is FREE this month.
Click here for the short story twins and the Tales from the Sheep Farm.
Shadows of Your Black Memory, by Donato Ndongo and Michael Ugarte (translator)
This is an affiliate link, and any purchase you make with an affiliate link will go to operational costs here at West of Mars. I’ve got my business insurance covered now (whew) so we’re working on saving up for a website overhaul and the day-to-day costs of West of Mars. Which… yay! It’s nice to be getting even a tiny bit ahead again.
Other ways to support me include booking my editorial services, buying my books, leaving an online review or just telling my books about a friend of yours, and of course stuffing my ko-fi, whether or not you pick up The Beta Reader’s Guide and/or An Author’s Guide to Library Events.
That’s it. Remember if you’re out and encounter so much water, turn around; don’t drown!
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 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.
May 16, 2025
So there’s this thing happening with the Bird. It was SUPPOSED to be free today and tomorrow, as part of a promo with a really awesome group of folk. But Amazon’s a total pain in the ass, especially when you’re trying to set a book free, I totally muffed it, and so the organizer and I scrambled and put the book on sale for 99c. Except Kobo didn’t let me change it. And I forgot to change it up in my newsletter because yikes, I’m distracted.
But in other news, I found it! My missing mojo! It’s back!
We’ll see for how long, as I’m super distracted. Focused on my kid coming home tomorrow, on my signing at Blythe Books on Sunday as a closing activity of the Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl, on getting my last print copy of King Trevor in the mail to a long-time fan. Plus I’m getting ready to move the same kid across the country in a few weeks…
Good thing I have editing to keep me busy! Let’s start there…
I made TRACKS through my edit yesterday. And I have a client who has to deal with some life stuff and then is going to send their manuscript on… this is one of the many I’ve been waiting for, and it’s the second in a duology or trilogy. Bring it! This is one of my favorite clients, and one of the few who’s become a friend.
Like I said, I found it. My writing mojo.
I also moved out onto the back deck, even though it was hot and when I opened the pergola’s louvers for some air, I got a bad eye full of sunshine. Later, as dusk approached, I turned the lights on — green this time. I found it lovely, although I did consider searching for a blue to match the sky.
But I got 1600 words done on Absolutely Alyssa and while that doesn’t make up for Wednesday’s nothing, it’s still above my average of 1200.
And I was able to add a couple hundred words to what I’m now calling Shattered (what is it with me and Sheep Farm books that start with the letter S?) before I ran out of time.
Grab your copy of Maybe the Bird Will Rise! Like I said, it’s 99c instead of free and I apologize for that and if it matters that much, holler and I’ll send you a link so you can have it for free.
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon, by Kimberly Lemming
(NOT an affiliate link; the affiliate link isn’t working for some reason and refused to play nice, so here’s one that does work instead.)
Thanks for the support, as always. Tell a friend, send an author to my editing self, come out and see me on Sunday at Blythe Books, and use my ko-fi to show your appreciation since I’m not paywalling any of this information.
And let’s keep celebrating. I found it. My writing mojo took a day off and now it’s back. Hopefully it’ll stick around.
May 15, 2025
Community’s a way to heal the blahs, right?
I sat down to write last night and looked at the page and thought, “I just don’t have it in me today.” It’s a continuation of my birthday/Mother’s Day and I’m just tired y’all.
But both sides of the front railing are done! All that’s left is the last bit of landscaping, and this project is, six months later, DONE.
I’m going to miss all the contractors. So is Freya Cat. She loved the activity.
I’m deep into this project I officially started yesterday but actually started on Tuesday — when I say on my invoices that I’m starting work now, I’m not kidding!
This is a bit of a unique edit for me, as it’s mostly looking for small points where continuity doesn’t work. It’s great fun and I’m taking lots of notes and trying to keep ’em all organized by storyline/detail.
I’ve got openings if you need me… such is the beauty and the horror of working on Send When Ready!
Like I said above, I looked at the page and sighed. I did get maybe a hundred or so words in; just enough to outline where I’m headed, and then gave in to the blahs. And then I fired up Netflix and decided to just let it all marinate. If it counts when my friends and clients do it, it counts when I do it too.
Need a digital copy of Maybe the Bird Will Rise?
This Cursed House by Del Sandeen
(affiliate link)
May we all flush away the blahs and get back on track. Right now, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and my neighbor just got back from walking her kids to the bus stop.
May 14, 2025
Permission to Enter features women in transition periods in their lives. Grab a copy. Request it via Hoopla — it used to be there! — and read it through Libby if your library has it. Not all do.
Transition day around here really means I’m transitioning to a new edit, although I may have actually started it yesterday. What can I say; I love what I do. (Also? Thanks to the clients who are quick with payment! You are always my favorite clients.)
I do have a couple of errands to run today first, though.
Like I said, I’m starting something new that’ll take me up to my week off. Don’t think it’s a week at the beach; I’ll be moving my youngest over a thousand miles away. And yikes, do we have a lot to do between now and then!
Another night of exceeding my thousand-word goal with Absolutely Alyssa. I was hoping to hit 10k words, but fell a few hundred short. Not bad, though, to be so close! It’s still a lot of fun, although it is VERY much a rough draft.
I woke up to royalties this morning! That’s always fun, and it’s so wonderful to see people reading the whole series. And this report contained royalties for the Legacy launch… it was my best book launch yet. May you all keep reading with me and helping me reach new readers, too.
If you’ve been wanting to grab a digital copy of Maybe the Bird Will Rise, keep an eye on your favorite retailer between now and the weekend. That’s all I’m saying. Remember it’s always part of your subscriptions at Kobo Plus, Scribd, and others. Got a Fable group? Why not read it together? And it’s on Hoopla — remember to request the rest of the series — and in some Libby systems.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club, by Malinda Lo
(Affiliate link)
That’s it! Remember to feed my ko-fi if you’re enjoying the content — I’m not paywalling it, and appreciate your support. Send your reader friends to my books and your author friends to my editing services.
Not all transition periods hurt, and I am eager to get to work today!
April 14, 2025
Cover for Populated, written by Susan Helene Gottfried
This is why, as an editor, I don’t work on books that glorify abuse.
It’s a dream I’m living. Good times.
In situations like this, you learn to look for silver linings. An online friend taking a selfie with the copy of Maybe the Bird Will Rise, which they were about to go buy while at Blythe Books. A Sunday spent on my new back deck, sitting on my new porch furniture, debating opening the louvers on my new louvered roof.
Purring cats.
Reaching the end of one of my manuscripts in progress (the standalone!) and putting it aside to sit some more as I work on something else.
But also!
Populated is still on sale at Kobo for another two days. Grab it while it’s cheap!
Safe House is still on sale across all retailers. Grab that one while it’s cheap, too.
Not much new to say here… The number of manuscripts I’m waiting on hasn’t changed.
If you need me, I’m here. Come prepared to do the hard work. Or come already having done the hard work!
The Three Little Tardigrades, by Sandra Fay
That’s all I’ve got. Hope your weekend was better than mine, Chag Passover Sameach to those who aren’t sickened by matzah, and check back tomorrow for another book of the day.
Remember, if you’re jamming this series I’m doing, filling my ko-fi jar is always a great way to say thanks, if you don’t simply pick up one of my books. Anything you contribute to the jar goes to operational costs around here.
