Click here for your FREE ebook: The SPARREW One-Year Anniversary Ebook!
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SPARREW ISSUE FIFTY-FIVE
Welcome to the SPARREW Newsletter!
The newsletter for Self-Publishers, Authors, Readers, Reviewers, Editors and Writers!
Welcome to the August 2026 issue of the SPARREW Newsletter! So glad to have you on board!
Negative self-talk is a dangerous thing for writers. Unfortunately, many of us still have to deal with it, and dealing with it can really throw us off course. We get distracted by it, waste time, lose track of what we were doing, and stumble off our path. While we know that all of those things we hear in our heads isn’t true or simply the opinions of others (since any new criticism and harsh words from other people often become a part of what we say to ourselves whenever negative self-talk hits), they can still slow us down and dampen our spirits.
As a neurodiverse person with chronic depression, a former alcoholic, raised in an abusive home and experienced bullying both on- and offline, I know negative self-talk very well. In fact, it’s something I have to deal with on a daily basis. I often have to counter all of the negative self-talk with the following reminders: “I’m doing a thing!” or “People are depending on me for this” or “That was just their opinion” or “Haters gonna hate.” And while these reminders help me to press onward, they don’t eliminate the negative self-talk altogether. And that’s where support from other people can be helpful. Talking with others who love and support you is a great strategy for coping with negative self-talk.
In my case, I usually ignore the negative self-talk, but sometimes, it hit hard. Thoughts such as “Nobody cares about your writing” or “Everybody hates you” or “Nothing you write matters” among other thoughts can really bring the whole writing task to a halt. It can even ruin any interest in writing at all that day. But these thoughts are only true IF I believe them, and I don’t. I know they are not true and just keep going. Or try to keep going. I can only give my writing my best effort.
Talking with others can help a lot. So the next time negative self-talk pulls you down and makes you question whether anything is worth it anymore, reach out to someone who is willing to take your hand and help you to get back on track.
We’ve got a great issue for you this month!
If you’ve been reading this newsletter for some time, you might remember reading about author Michelle John. Michelle made the leap to self-publishing some time ago, and she has never looked back! Her books have been received with rave reviews and she has been enjoying her role as a self-published author. Michelle took some time to be interviewed for the self-publishing section of this newsletter, and you won’t want to miss it!
I often learn about other authors through posts on social media, and I reach out to connect with them. That’s how I found out about Jonathan Tripp, and when I learned they have a book out this month, I contacted them for an author interview. Fortunately, Jonathan was able to set aside the time. Check out my interview with Jonathan to learn all about their new book!
It was from other authors that I learned about the writer, Rick Powell, and I had the pleasure of reviewing some of Rick’s poetry books. Shortly after I connected with Rick online, I learned about the many places he has had his work published. So naturally, I reached out to Rick to see if he had time for a writer interview, and fortunately, he was able to make the time. Read all about Rick’s journey as a writer in the writing section below!
Even though I have had a call for articles posted in this newsletter for some time, I have not received many submissions. For the most part, I have had to reach out to writers to see if they were interested in submitting an article for this newsletter. So it was a nice surprise to receive a submission this month, without having to ask for one for a change! Tony Riches, another author who I am connected with through social media, submitted a book review for this month’s issue of the SPARREW Newsletter, and I was happy to accept this review! Check out his review of the novel The Orphan from Verona by Siobhan Daiko.
The lovely Carolyn Howard-Johnson returns with a new Tricky Edits column, and she has some great advice on how to find just the right word by using a nifty trick. Check out her column in the editing section to learn more!
I hope you enjoy this issue! Feel free to drop me a note or connect with me on social media! I'd love to connect with you!
Enjoy this issue!
Catch up with me online!
Check out archived issues of the SPARREW Newsletter here:
https://sparrewarchives.blogspot.com/
All current issues will be posted on my website here:
https://www.dmcwriter.com/the-sparrew-newsletter
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!
The SPARREW Newsletter is now a paying publication!
If you have an article you think might fight our needs, please send it our way!
We are interested in articles on the following topics:
Self-Publishing
Authors (interviews, articles promoting new releases, book marketing and promotion, website building and pointers, etc.)
Anything to do with books (analysis, reviews, breakdowns, etc.)
Book Reviewing
Editing and Editors
Writing
Each article should be no more than 2000 words. Must include a headshot and bio with your submission. Payment is $10 through PayPal, on publication. Reprints welcome and you retain all rights to your work. You grant SPARREW Books the right to reprint your article in a future ebook edition as well as the right to promote your article online.
Submit your work to Dawn at DMCWriter@gmail.com with "SPARREW Submission" in the subject line. Please submit your article as a .doc or .docx file. No PDFs. Any articles not relevant to the newsletter will be deleted unread. Please send your best work; articles will be published as-is.
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ATTENTION WRITERS OF BOOKS AND ASPIRING AUTHORS!
A new publishing company is in town! This indie press specializes in horror, but it is also open to books in other genres.
Twisted Dreams Press is a brand new independent publisher accepting submissions of short story collections, novelettes, novellas and novels from authors in a variety of genres!
Check out the new website to find out all the details!
Be sure to follow us on our Facebook page and our other social media platforms, which are all easily accessible from our website and Facebook page.
Please like our Facebook page
Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our news
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MY AUGUST SUBSTACK POSTS:
Are You Stuck with Your Writing? Don’t Change the Writing; Change How it’s Written
Why Writers Need to Review Their Old Writing
Make Your First Page Good and Your Second Page Better
How Dolly Parton Used “Wee Hour Wisdom” to Keep Her Creativity Going Strong
Thank you First Chapter Plus Magazine for publishing my article “Seven Books Offering Different Perspectives About the Declaration of Independence” in the August 2026 issue. My article is on page 23.
Thank you Alien Buddha Press for publishing an excerpt from my deaf poetry book Noiseless in the Alien Buddha Zine Issue 90. You can get a copy at these links:
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Motivational Quote:
“If a story is in you, it has to come out.”—William Faulkner
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SELF-PUBLISHER CORNER
Self-Publisher Interview with Michelle John
1. What can you tell me about your experience as a writer?
I started writing when I was in kindergarten and never stopped. At first, I wrote and published poetry, then I switched to short stories and finally novels. I spent several years ghostwriting, and one of my ghostwritten books hit #1 on Amazon’s best-seller list. That proved to me I had the chops to make a go of it on my own. I now have twelve books out under my own name.
2. What made you decide to write a book?
I honestly don’t believe people decide to write books. I think the book shows up and holds you at gunpoint until you have no choice but to write it.
3. What circumstances brought you to the decision to self-publish your book?
When I was younger, I really badly wanted to publish traditionally, so I found an agent and waited. The agent was not able to sell the book, so I took it back and started trying to sell it myself. Once I was submitting it on my own, several different publishers reached out to try to acquire it, but I was really young and didn’t know better so I went with the first publisher who asked me. I did not realize the difference between a publisher with distribution and marketing capabilities and one without, so I placed my future in the hands of people who meant well but weren’t really equipped to meet my goals. I was really discouraged for a long time and didn’t try to publish anything else. With the rise of self-publishing and the respectability thereof, I decided to give it a shot on my own. I like having control over every aspect of my publishing journey, and knowing that I have the power to make or break my own career.
4. What has your experience as a self-publisher been like?
For the most part, I have enjoyed it. I do not have the reach or resources of big publishers, but I know for a fact I am sending a quality product to market and that I can be proud of what I do. There is nobody standing in my way but me.
5. How do you respond to the negative stigma attached to self-publishing and self-published books?
I find that over the years, the stigma of self-publishing has largely faded. Even agents and publishers these days have respect for a self-publishing career well-run, and there are thousands of instances of books being picked up by traditional publishers after they have been self-published. T Kingfisher even won a Hugo for a self-published book. As long as I know I am sending out the best possible product I can, naysayers can kick rocks.
6. What is one very important lesson you have learned as a self-publisher so far?
I have learned that you can’t please everyone all the time. No book in the world is going to be for every person, and that’s okay.
It may take some time, but you will find your people.
7. What do you know now about self-publishing that you wish you knew at the beginning?
I thought at first that writing would be my primary business, with publishing and marketing secondary, but it’s the other way around. I spend the vast majority of my time doing tasks that do not involve writing.
8. A lot of authors of self-published books have reservations about promoting and marketing their book. Some even feel that it is a form of vanity or self-importance. What is your opinion about this?
I can see where those people are coming from, but the truth is that those same people who don’t want to market their books will not sell books and then they’ll be heartbroken that they didn’t sell any books. Those people are not bad writers, but if nobody knows your book exists, nobody can buy it. Besides, if you don’t believe in yourself and your book, if you don’t advocate for your book, who will? Everything good that happens to you will come from using old-fashioned elbow grease, and that means marketing.
9. How do you promote your books and what form of book
promotion has worked the best for you?
I promote on social media a lot, I buy ad space when I can, I give away a serial novel on my blog. They all work to an extent, but I’ve noticed that people buy books when they feel connected to you. Nobody wants to see another ad, but everybody wants a writer friend. Engage, engage, engage!
10. What are some other important things you have learned as a self-publisher?
I have learned that my biggest supporters are always going to be other indie authors, and that the best thing I can do is support other indie authors when I get the chance. There are infinite readers and infinite books, so there are plenty of sales to go around. Other indie authors are a valuable resource, not the competition.
11. Do you feel that self-publishing is a viable choice for other authors?
I think if you want creative control of your books and are willing to expand your comfort zone a little more every day, it can be. You get to keep all of your royalties, but there may be fewer royalties to keep since you may not have the reach that a traditional publisher might have. There are pros and cons to any way you choose to publish. Every author needs to think carefully about their career and decide what is most important to them.
12. How do you feel that self-publishing their books has helped many unknown authors finally get the recognition their books deserve?
I think it’s a universal experience for writers to pick up a traditionally published book and think, my book is better than this, why are these authors published when I’m not? There are gatekeepers between the author and traditional publishing. They measure for a certain quality, yes, but they also measure for marketability—what they think will sell the most copies so they make the most money. It may be their business to pick out commercially viable products, but that doesn’t mean they are right all the time, either about quality or about marketability. You may be sitting on a viable book that agents and editors still pass on. Indie publishing allows your book into the world without having to make it through those gates.
ABOUT MICHELLE:
The first novel Michelle John ever read was ‘The Wizard of Oz’ when she was six years old, and she has been fascinated by the intersection of fantasy and girl power ever since. As soon as she figured out the proper way to hold a pen she started writing stories about princesses who rescue dragons from evil princes. She hasn’t yet found a reason to stop. Her style may have changed a bit since kindergarten, but in the twenty-five years of her career, she has never found a more interesting story to tell than that of a heroic young woman who saves the day.
SELF-PUBLISHING NEWS:
"How a Debut Self-Published Novel Earned Five Figures in 10 Weeks Without Kindle Unlimited" by Ashli O’Connell
via Jane Friedman
"What Do You Really Need To Self-Publish A Book?" by Derek Haines
via Just Publishing Advice
"Should You Offer Your First Ebook For Free?" by Derek Haines
via Just Publishing Advice
AUTHOR CORNER
Author Interview with Jonathan Tripp
1. When did you start writing?
I published my first book, Speaking to the Dead, in 2021, then republished it with an added story in 2022.
2. What was your journey towards becoming an author like?
I've written all my life, or at least as far back as I can remember. I would write little stories and draw pictures for them. Then in high school I started writing scripts and filming movies. I went to film school and did that for a while. I still wrote short stories off and on during that time. Around 2016 I started getting more serious about wanting to write and get a collection published. I finally did in 2021.
3. What can you tell me about your latest book? (Feel free to include an excerpt.)
My latest book just came out. It's called Flesh Eaters from Hell 3. The third book in a trilogy. It is a throwback to Italian horror like Hell of the Living Dead, Zombie, Zombie 3 and Zombie 4.
4. What sort of methods do you use for book promotion?
I'm actually horrible at self-promotion. I'll promote the hell out of my friends’ books all day long. When it comes to mine, I'll post what I am working on then when it comes out and I am already off to the next book. I rarely take breaks between.
5. Where do you get your ideas for stories?
I'm inspired by all types of things and then they all mold together. From stories I've heard. I might hear one thing that I'm like, "Wow, that's creepy," and it gets my mind working. Like everyone, I am inspired by books, movies, and even music. Sometimes I get inspired by a word. It just really depends. I tend to like to write the movies I always wanted to see but couldn't afford to make.
6. What are you working on right now?
I'm working on another Italian inspired horror called Zombie Rot 2. If you like movies like Demons, Demons 2, City of the Living Dead, and The Beyond, then check it out.
7. Any advice for other authors?
If you like it, keep doing it. Take advice from people who know more than you. Don't listen to people telling you that you can't do it. Most of all, if you enjoy writing, then do it.
ABOUT JONATHAN:
Jonathan Tripp is a writer from Louisiana. Tripp has written over 60 books ranging from collections, short stories, novelettes, novellas, and novels. Tripp's second book, Sea of Madness, was turned into a movie in 2023 called Sea of Madness: Siren's Revenge.
AUTHOR NEWS:
"How Authors Can Create an Author Media Kit" by E.S. Foster
via MetaStellar
"How to Successfully Create Your Author Brand" by Gary Sturgis, International Bestselling author of SURVIVING GRIEF – 365 Days A Year
via WritersWeekly
"Choosing the Right Voice for Your Audiobook" by Hannibal Hills
via Jane Friedman
REVIEWER CORNER
My Reviews:
Dawn Reviews Books:
What We Leave Behind: Bloom & Grow is a collection of poetry about life, loss, and memories
Reader Views:
“Queen of Starlight” by Molly M. Hammond
“The Mitigator” by Samuel Colabufo
“Somewhere Else” by Joe Robinson
Other Book Reviews:
"Riley Sager’s “The Unknown” Is His Creepiest Thriller Yet" by R.G. Belsky
"The Prehistory That Inspired This Profound Speculative Thriller" by Noëlle Michel
"Terror Comes From Within in Kailee Pedersen’s The Minimalist" by Matthew McCarty
"Karen Odden’s Riveting Tale of Thieves and Treachery in Victorian London" by Linda Hitchcock
"“Sometime This Century” Is an Enchanting Regency Romance Across Time" by Linda Hitchcock
"More Soul-Satisfying Travels Through Time in Latest Kawaguchi" by Linda Hitchcock
"Epeolatry Book Review: The Withering Hours by Morgan Sylvia" by Jennifer Griffin
"Epeolatry Book Review: Devil Inside by Clay McLeod Chapman" by Joseph Pietris
"Epeolatry Book Review: Perspective by Kevin J. Kennedy" by Joseph Pietris
"Epeolatry Book Review: Corpse Creek by Vincent Ralph" by Joseph Pietris
"Epeolatry Book Review: House Haunters by KC Jones" by Joseph Pietris
"Epeolatry Book Review: Traps and Specters by Philip Fracassi" by Paul StJohn Mackintosh
"Epeolatry Book Review: Tiki Horror, ed. Catherine Jordan" by Jennifer Griffin
“After Appomattox” by Diane Green
“Deadly Dilemma” by Anthony Gurley
“So You Want to Be a Spy (Intelligence Agent)” by Linda Soules
“The Answer is 17” by Julia Ash
“The Monarch Alliance” by Jessica James
“Justice Rendered” by Kit Karson
“The Knights with No Lords” by Rock Kitaro
“A Body in the Square” by Carol Amorosi
“Humm on the Farm” by Doreen Baker
“Prism Phonics: I Love My Dad” by A. Child
“Songcoming” by Torran Anderson
“Blood Moon” by Evelyn M. Exley
“The Call to Authorship” by Tim Lindsay
“Born of Fire” by Lisette Martinez
“An Era in Anddemar” by Maureen B. Roberts
“The French Effect” by Patricia Sands
“Fortune Falls” by James L. Peters
“Sparks” by Laura DiNovis Berry
“The Oak and the Acorn” by Dean Grissom
“Ghost Music” by Alice McVeigh
“Killing Her Sharply” by Katherine Burnette
“The Colonel’s Revenge” by Jeffrey K. Schmoll
“Island Girl” by Charles R. Hinckley
“The Lucid Spider” by Charles R. Hinckley
“Looking for Cornelius” by Diana Hayes
“The Legend of Leanna Page” by Cedar Flyte
“The Canvas We Share” by Bradley Carter
“Ghost of Kotoama” by J. Von Swan
“I Was Never Broken” by Hazel Anthony
“The Little Blue Ewe” by Dr. O
“The Hanging Boy” by Joseph Malham
“They Could Be Saviors” by Diana Colleen
“The Wells of Callystra” by Elizabeth Klein
“They Called Him LongMan” by Georgia Lovett
“Locked in a Box” by Sheila Sharpe
“The Frangitelli Mirror” by G.R. Thomas
“Whispers of the Silver Heart” by Renee Remeta
“Blood Moon Over Betonville” by Bernard Doucette
“Time Will Tell” by Shirley Lee Baldwin
“Evanswood: Part I” by Evelyn M. Exley
“My Husband Is Going to Kill Me” by Bonnie Traymore
“Bling’s on the Trail of a Fluffy Puffy Tail” by Dawn Secord
“I Am the White Horse” by Evalyn McKnight and Allen R. Kates
“The Third Estate: Devil’s Tango” by D.R. Berlin
“Shadows in Dream Stone” by Kelly K. Branyik
“The Charabanc of Death” by Brian Kavanagh
“The Dream Dimensions” by Megan Mary
“Mystery of the Jebusite Tattoo” by Catherine Lilai
“Skyler and the Moonstone Medallions” by Susan E. Chappelear
“Horse Tales of the Revolution” by Peg Casey
“Cavalcade: The Nepa Republic” by Evelyn M. Exley
“The Secret Life of Sonia Davey” by N.S. Scholl
“Watch List” by Edward Y. Tanner
“The Girl in the Redwoods” by Karen L. West
"Thirst by John Robins audiobook review – an ex-drinker’s darkly funny journey" by Fiona Sturges
"Sky City by Jacqueline Crooks review – an ambitious, lyrical portrait of trauma" by Emma Loffhagen
"Is Beauty Good by Rosalind Belben review – the literary equivalent of free jazz" by Lara Pawson
"Universality by Natasha Brown audiobook review – a sparkling multi-voiced satire" by Fiona Sturges
"The Beverly Hills Housewife by James Cahill review – a trip inside Hockney’s world" by Ben Eastham
"Agrippa by Robert Harris review – persuasive portrait of rivalry in ancient Rome" by Sam Leith
"Sunrise by Téa Obreht review – secrets and myths in the American west " by Nina Allan
"Ukrainian Lessons by Charlotte Higgins review – when art and war collide" by James Meek
"Blue Giant by Jordan Prosser review – would life be better on Mars?" by Catriona Menzies-Pike
"All of Us Atoms by Holly Dawson audiobook review – an extraordinary self-portrait" by Fiona Sturges
8-6-2026 Latham's Last Words: The Rishi by Leo Giroux, Jr.
08/10/2026 Kerry E.B. Black Binges Books!
08/11/2026 Candace Reviews: DECEMBER PARK by Ronald Malfi
8-13-2026 Latham's Last Words: Worms by James R. Montague
Christina Critiques - Special Review: IF IT’S THE BIRDS, WE’RE IN TROUBLE
08/17/2026 Kerry E.B. Black Binges Books!
8-20-2026 Latham's Last Words: The Sentinel by Jeffrey Konvitz
Extra Book Reviews:
via Omnivorous
"Book Review: Love Letters to God" by Gina Dalfonzo
via Dear, Strange Things
via Lachlan's Book Reviews
"Book Review: "Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face"" by Dr. Thomas J. West III
via Omnivorous
"Book Review: Who Was That Masked Fan:? A Wrestling Tale by J. Rocky Colavito" by Nora B. Peevy
via The Demon Stole My Pencil
via Public Books
via Nora B. Peevy
"Review: No One Heard Her Screams" by Cyan LeBlanc
via Writing for the Hell of It
"Swoony Sunday Book Review: "Thirty Love"" by Dr. Thomas J. West III
via Omnivorous
"Book Review: Art Is" by Gina Dalfonzo
via Dear, Strange Things
via Lachlan's Book Reviews
Calls for Reviews
I’d love to find reviewers for my books! Contact me at DMCWriter@gmail.com if interested.
READER CORNER
BOOK BLOGS:
Garik16's SciFi/Fantasy Reviews and Other Thoughts
In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
NEW IN BOOKS:
"Chickens in Space" by Elana Gomel
via A Guide to Unreality
"Nine publishers turned this book down. Now it’s an absolute must-have for all children" by Jessie Thompson
via The Independent
NEW BOOKS:
Tales from the Hearth: An Anthology
By Various Writers
Genre: Horror Anthology
Darek Thomas
Category: Poetry Collection
Kiki and the New Magic (Book 2 of 2: Kiki's Delivery Service)
Written by Eiko Kadono, Illustrated by Yuta Onoda, Translated by Emily Balistrieri
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Phoenix
Genre: Coming-of-Age autofiction
Claire Boyles
Genre: Literary Fiction
Kang Minyoung
Genre: Suspense & Thriller
Jaclyn Moriarty
Genre: Science Fiction
Fiona Mozley
Genre: Literary Fiction
by Paul Yoon
Genre: Magical Realism
Meet Me in the Garden: A Novel
Nina LaCour
Genre: Historical LGBTQ+ fiction
Tracy Borman
Genre: Historical Fiction
Ellery Lloyd
Genre: Thriller
F. A. Davidson
Genre: YA Fantasy
The People's Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn
Dave Zirin
Category: Biography & Memoir
Jack Love
Category: Poetry Chapbook
Moods and Megrims Volume 2: More Hysterical Women
By Various Writers
Genre: Anthology
Jill Dearman
Category: New Age
Marie Hoy-Kenny
Genre: Romance
Alex Rose
Genre: Gangland Thriller
Riley Sager
Genre: Suspense & Thriller
Small Town Slasher (Woods Bay #1)
Stephanie Rose
Genre: Horror
C. D. Major
Genre: Gothic Horror
by Dane Erbach
Genre: Horror
Bloodbound: Quincey Morris and the Hunt for Dracula
Anthony Lee Head
Genre: Western Horror
Diana Stout
Genre: Gothic Suspense
Carmen Loup
Genre: Science Fiction
Murder at the Wedding Greenhouse (The Stoney Ridge Cozy Mystery Series Book 2)
Kaylynn Smith
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Bloodstone: The God's Ransom: Boons and Banes, Book 2
TC Ross
Genre: Fantasy
The Infinite State: Book One of The Decurion Saga
Richard Swan
Genre: Science Fiction
Jan-Andrew Henderson
Genre: Psychological Horror
Maple Muffin Magic (Witchcakes)
Sara Bourgeois
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Leslie Bazzett
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Rajani LaRocca
Genre: YA
Téa Obreht
Genre: Literary Fiction
The Responsible Party: A Novel
Claire Carusillo
Genre: Historical Fiction
Richard Russo
Genre: Literary Fiction
Adrienne Tooley
Genre: YA MYstery & Thriller
Randy Ribay
Genre: YA Fantasy/Mystery
A Guide to Open Water Lifesaving: Lessons on Love, Care, and Survival: A Memoir
Virginia Eubanks
Category: Biography & Memoir
Depraved: The Story of Dangerous Art
by Daisy Dixon
Category: Art
Phil Temples
Category: Flash Vignettes
Ariel Alexander Fiore
Category: Poetry Chapbook
George Pelecanos
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Chris Bohjalian
Genre: Suspense & Thriller
Sarah Pekkanen
Genre: Thriller
A Very Special Episode: A Novel
Camille Acker
Genre: Literary Fiction
LaToya Watkins
Genre: Literary Fiction
The Loneliest Tree in the World: A Novel
Written by Mariana Salomao Carrara, Translated by Julia Sanches and Alison Entrekin
Genre: Domestic Fiction
Kailee Pedersen
Genre: Horror
Malavika Kannan
Genre: Coming-Of-Age Fiction
The Song of Stork and Dromedary: A Novel
Anjet Daanje
Genre: Literary Fiction
Raphael Montes
Genre: Thriller
Noelle Monét
Genre: YA Fantasy
Season of the Serpent: The Nameless Republic #3
Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Finding Renée Richards: The Groundbreaking Story of Tennis's Trans Pioneer
Julie Kliegman
Category: Biography & Autobiography
CL Bledsoe
Genre: Fiction
The Golden Age of Trance and Other Stories
James Schwartz
Genre: Short Story Collection
Beverley Harvey
Genre: Psychological Thriller
The Neonate and Other Anomalies
Patrick Rutigliano
Genre: Horror
Jonathan Maberry
Genre: Science Fiction/Horror
Michael R. Collins
Genre: Horror
John Manuel Arias
Genre: Coming-Of-Age Fiction
Edwidge Danticat
Genre: Literary Fiction
Lawrence Osborne
Genre: Mystery & Detective
Written by Anya Niewierra, Translated by Eileen Stevens
Genre: Crime Thriller
They Say a Girl Died Here: A Novel
Sarah Pinborough
Genre: Thriller
Last Day of a Prior Life: A Novel
Written by Andrés Barba, Translated by Lisa Dillman
Genre: Horror
Written by Christelle Dabos, Translated by Hildegarde Serle
Genre: Dystopian Adventure
The Black Shield: An American Memoir of Family and Power
Wilbert L. Cooper
Category: Biography & Memoir
by Susan Stryker
Category: Cultural History
Anita Waller
Genre: Police procedural
By Various Writers
Ganre: Anthology
Poems by Jessica Harman
Category: Poetry Collection
Jeffrey J. Mariotte
Genre: Crime/Thriller
Thasia Anne
Category: Poetry Collection
Tom Prentice
Genre: Horror
Terror from the Cave (Book 4 in the EEK! series)
Jeff Strand
Genre: Middle Grade Horror
The Wolves:: Howling Black Sabbath
Chisto Healy and C. Extreme
Genre: Horror
The Power Mindsets: The 9 Essential Mindsets of Successful Inventors
Stephen Key and Kevin Prince
Category: Business
J. Boote
Genre: Horror
Wrath James White
Genre: Horror
Jonathan Janz
Genre: Horror
Catherine Cavendish
Genre: Gothic Horror
Rules of Engagement (Ransom's Renegades Book 2)
Rick Partlow
Genre: Science Fiction
Devils Don't Deal (Singsong City Book 12)
Juliann Whicker
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romantic Comedy
Jay Bower and Megan Stockton
Genre: Crime Horror
Brush With Death (Penelope Covens Mystery Book 4)
Isabel Campbell
Genre: Mystery
Lullabies for the Lost (Black Shuck Shadows)
Mia Dalia
Genre: Horror
An Ancient Light (Backyard Starship Book 34)
J.N. Chaney and Terry Maggert
Genre: Science Fiction
CJ Hooper, Julie Dron and Tasarla Romaney
Genre: Horror Collection
Little Raccoon Finds the Dream Forest (The Dream Forest Series)
Dawn Wilson
Genre: Children’s Book
EDITOR CORNER
Tricky Edits from Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Finding the Precise Word
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the winningest book in her
HowToDoItFrugally Series for writers, The Frugal Editor,
now in its third edition
This will be short, but I had to share. I was working with a very savvy client of mine and found that she wasn’t using—wasn’t even aware—of a feature in Word designed for the forgetful as well as the writer who is particular about the words they use and that is probably all of us. (It also works to alleviate the strain of entertaining the possibility of dementia rather than spending that time to explore some of the new tests available to see if we need to be concerned about it!)
Let’s call it the Synonym/Dictionary writer’s aid.
It’s the one you find by right clicking on any word as you type. If you know that one, keep reading anyway, because you might not be using its best features … that is, you might be giving up if that first list it supplies for you doesn’t quite do the trick! This is more than a one-click magic! Indulge in a couple more clicks and you might be thanking Dawn for allowing me to do anything I want with this “Tricky Edits” column! (-:
FOUR TINY STEPS TO A MORE PRECISE VOCABULARY
1. Right click on the word you don’t remember or the one you’re substituting for the perfect one you can’t think of in the moment. You get a pop-up on your screen.
2. Scroll down to “Synonyms.” Click on the word on that list you are happiest to see. It will appear wherever you parked your cursor in your manuscript instead—no extra typing needed.
3. But what if the pop-up shows twelve suggestions and they are all, well, sort of blah! This is where you don’t give up. Click on the one closest to the meaning you’re looking for.
4. Aha! Another pop-up list (and replacement in your manuscript!). Ignore the replacement and pay attention to the new pop-up. Sometimes it includes a word that means the opposite of your original. Sometimes it’s just a new list; either way it almost always offers a few for your consideration, words you don’t know or have never used.
Step number three can be repeated several times and might eventually come up with something suitable. The thing is, if it doesn’t, it likely takes less time to than thumbing through a Thesaurus. Don’t worry. You can always resort to a thesaurus—preferably a glorious, fat, paper or hardcover edition. Most times, though, you’ll get the help you need—or at least feel assured you ended up with the best choice possible.
ABOUT CAROLYN:
My thanks to Dawn Colclasure for including my “Tricky Edits” column since she published the first edition of SPARREW through thick and thin as part of her generous #SharingwithWriters effort to give back to the publishing industry. It has done a difficult but great job adjusting to the new model presented to us with the advent of the internet and digital printing. Hooray! It is big enough to accommodate all kinds of publishing and most of the preferences of forward-looking authors. Some of those authors—like me—have tried so many publishing models I’ve lost track. Thanks for coming back here and wherever you can so you can keep benefitting from “the more you know.” Learn more at my website, https://howtodoitfrugally.com.
MORE ABOUT YOUR #SPARREW CONTRIBUTOR:
The triptych that Amazon provides the authors of series published by their KDP unit. It feels like a bonus.
Once a month Carolyn Howard-Johnson shares something writer-related she hopes might save some author from embarrassment (or make the task of writing more fun or creative.) The third edition of The Frugal Editor from Modern History Press includes contact list magic. It is the second multi award-winning book in her multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers. Find it on Amazon’s new buy-page for series where the e-book is offered with one click of online’s version of a set of books. (The availability—free—of that new page for authors with book series that appear on KDP’s pages is another of her #FrugalBookPromoterTips.) And her winningest book, The Frugal Editor, has been fully updated including a chapter on how backmatter can be extended to help readers and nudge book sales. And watch for her new book on—you guessed it—word lists!
Carolyn blogs sporadically on editing at The Frugal Editor and at her SharingwithWriters blog on other aspects of the publishing world and welcomes guest posts with ample author credit lines and links and welcomes guest posts complete with credit lines and ample links for her guests. She also tweets writers' resources and tips at her Twitter account using #FrugalBookPromoterTips hashtag.
New in Editing:
'Irregardless' and other words that aren't wrong but are OK to hate
Capitals and symbols in business names
WRITER CORNER
Interview with Writer Rick Powell
1. Have you always been a writer?
That is an interesting question. I guess I have been “writing” all my life with stories I created in my head. Even as a child, I used to create adventures and such with my imagination. It wasn't until over 13 years ago, that I started typing them out and really dive into the world of writing.
2. When did you realize that maybe writing was actually a "thing" you could do, get published and even sell?
When I had three poems accepted into a small press publication titled Radical Dislocations. When I held that small book physically in my hands and the reality hit, I thought, “Holy Crap! This is for REAL now!” You cannot beat the rush of getting published for the first time. That train left the station at that point, and the journey was on.
3. What was your first sale as a writer and how did it feel to sell your work?
It would have to be for an anthology titled Lustcraftian Horrors: Erotic Stories Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft. Just seeing that first payment, not to mention sharing that anthology with such esteemed authors, left me speechless. It was a feeling I cannot describe when I actually made a sale on what my weird imagination conjured up.
4. How has writing helped you in other areas of life?
It is a sort of therapy for me. I went through some drastic life experiences years ago, and writing is one of the things that practically saved my life.
5. What was your biggest accomplishment as a writer?
Having a reader communicate to me how much they enjoyed my story, and how it inspired them to write one. That is a feeling that is hard to put into words.
6. Who has inspired you the most in the writing field?
Man, that is a loaded question. There have been so many through the years. Lovecraft, Poe, Richard Matheson, Shirley Jackson, Ray Bradbury ... the list goes on and on.
7. What are some of the challenges you have faced as a writer and how did you overcome them?
Books. Reading and collecting them. Painting, crafting. I love to create. I feel when the writer's block hits, I have to step away and create something. It kind of reboots my brain, and when I go back to the story I was working on, I come back to it with fresh eyes or ideas on how to complete it.
8. What is the best writing advice you have ever received and why do you feel it is important?
Do not worry about the damn word count. Just write the story.
9. What sort of writing do you do now?
What I have always done. Weird fiction, horror, erotic horror. I would like to try my hand at science fiction one day.
10. Where can we find some of your work online?
My website:
Rick Powel Author
11. What advice do you have for aspiring writers thinking of taking the leap of getting their work published?
Get a good editor. Get a good network. Keep writing and learning every step of the way. Do not be afraid of rejections or if your work is not good enough. We all have a story within us.
12. What are your final thoughts about being a writer?
Write for yourself. Write for the pure love of it. Writing has introduced me to a whole new world and new friends. It is grueling and painful at times, but the sheer joy of finishing a story or poem, cannot be matched. You created something no one else has. A part of yourself that you did not know existed. It is a piece of yourself that you leave behind long after you are gone. That is true immortality.
ABOUT RICK:
Rick Powell lives in Oak Forest, Illinois. He is a lover of horror and dark fiction and his poetry and stories have appeared in numerous publications including Bon Appetit: Stories & Recipes for Human Consumption, The Ladies & Gentlemen of Horror 2014 & 2017, Infernal Ink Magazine, and Lustcraftian Horrors: Erotic Stories Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft. His poetry books consist of the titles My Soul Stained My Seed Sour and More Regrets Than Glories. He also has a collection of short stories titled A Vault of Whispers, and most recently A Glimpse Beyond the Veil.
New for Writers:
"Quick Writing Tip: A Trick Scene Descriptions" by D.N. Schmidt
via D.N. Schmidt
"Sex" by Dave King
via Writer Unboxed
"The Lie the Character Believes: A Deeper Look at Consciousness and Character Arc" by K.M. Weiland
via Helping Writers Become Authors
"Character Agency: Is Your Hero Being Dragged Through the Plot?" by Colleen M. Story
via Writer's Brain HQ
"6 Mistakes and Lessons from a Decade of Submitting" by Ratika Deshpande
via Authors Publish
"Your Premise Is Not Your Plot" by Peter Gelfan
via Jane Friedman
"How to Pitch Your Novel: The Difference Between Your Story’s Hook and Heart" by K.M. Weiland
via Helping Writers Become Authors
"Risks and AI-Generated Children's Books" by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer
via Writers on the Move
"Why A Sagging Middle Needs a Strong Mirror Moment" by Dr. Diana Stout
via Writers In The Storm
"What Your Character Notices Reveal More Than You Think" by Susan Watts
via Writers In The Storm
"Writing Emotional States (Which Machines Do Not Have)" by Donald Maass
via Writer Unboxed
"In Defense of the “Bad” Ending" by Kit Aldridge
via Writer Unboxed
"11 Sports Markets That Pay Writers" by Karoki Githure
via WritersWeekly
"Why Your Story Isn’t Working: 5 Story Problems to Check Before You Give Up" by Colleen M. Story
via Writer's Brain HQ
"5 Ways to Blend Genres Without Losing the Reader" by Leslye Penelope
via Writer's Digest
“How to Write a Feel-Good Festive Romance” by Julie Shackman
via WOW! Women on Writing
"How to Write a Mind-Bending Unreliable Narrator" by Shweta Deshpande
via WOW! Women on Writing
"5 Creative Approaches to Try for Your Next Short Story" by Savannah Cordova
via WOW! Women on Writing
"How to Accomplish Your Writing Goals" by E. S. Foster
via MetaStellar
FEATURE ARTICLE
REVIEW: The Orphan of Verona by Siobhan Daiko
Reviewed by Tony Riches
Verona, 1944. When an air raid strikes Elisa's home, she is left with nothing but the clothes on her back, the teddy bear clutched in her arms and her beloved older brother. Traumatised into silence, six-year-old Elisa can no longer speak and relies on Robi to guide her through this war-torn world.
Siobhan Daiko’s The Orphan from Verona balances human drama with an atmospheric sense of a city steeped in history. Set against the lingering shadows of the past, the novel offers an immersive exploration of identity and family secrets.
At the heart of the novel is a cast of compelling, related characters, and their journey through grief and personal awakening. Their relationships are portrayed with sensitivity, capturing the tension between desire and duty.
I particularly liked the details of life in occupied Verona, the counterpoint of past and present storylines and interwoven character arcs. The gradual revelation of secrets keeps readers guessing, as the plot unfolds at an engaging pace, weaving together intimate, character-driven moments with elements of mystery.
The Orphan from Verona is a well-paced, memorable novel with a sophisticated narrative that explores the complexities of human resilience. Highly recommended.
A disclaimer from Tony Riches:
“A review copy of this book was provided by Boldwood books via NetGalley.”
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About the Author
Siobhan Daiko is a British historical fiction author. A lover of all things Italian, she lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese dog and a Siberian cat. Siobhan was born of English parents in Hong Kong, attended boarding school in Australia, and then moved to the UK — where she taught modern foreign languages in a Welsh high school. She now spends her time writing page-turners and living the dolce vita sweet life near Venice. Her novels are compelling, poignant, and deeply moving, with strong characters and evocative settings, but always with romance at their heart. You can find more about her books on her website www.siobhandaiko.org
ABOUT TONY RICHES:
Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of historical fiction. He lives with his wife in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the lives of the early Tudors. As well as his Elizabethan series, Tony’s historical fiction novels include the best-selling Tudor trilogy and his Brandon trilogy, (about Charles Brandon and his wives). For more information about Tony’s books please visit his website tonyriches.com and his blog, The Writing Desk and follow his podcast series, ‘Stories of the Tudors and Stuarts’
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Thanks for reading! See you next month!