Bikes and Books
or another heatwave
Hello friends,
Can you believe it? I’m officially a bikepacker after my two-day trip. It has been a long time since I did something so far outside of my comfort zone, just for me, not for any side hustle at all.
Fun being relative in this context. Going out into nature on long runs, hikes, or cycling trips is never comfortable, but the small glimpses of beauty make it all worth it. And if that isn’t enough, it’s the after of having made it. I had both.
Cycling in the heat took a new kind of toll on my migraine-ey head, but the confidence I gained is priceless. I’m already planning the next trip (hopefully below 30°C)
Coming back was weird, even after only two days. And now I’m back here, in a different heatwave, writing this.
Grab your iced tea, and let’s get into it.
Writing News
Events, news and sales – we have all three coming up in August. Let’s get housekeeping out of the way. The stars behold, my news are hot, but I hope August will be not.
207 Years – German edition
The German edition of my upcoming short story is complete and ready for the upcoming event at Tellurian (Stockumer Str. 442, 44227 Dortmund). My author friend Carolin Lüders and I will be reading from our latest work on the 29th of August, between board games and a cosy atmosphere, starting at 4pm.
The German edition will be published alongside the original on October 31. The original English edition will only be available within the anthology Prometheus.
Project Winter
I passed the halfway point and can happily announce that draft three of Projekt Winter has 60k, having added around 15k compared to the previous draft. I’m even happier to announce that the project is past the ‘this is hot garbage, I might have to trash everything’ phase.
If you’ve been reading my newsletter for a while, you know it has been a struggle bus. I’m not saying that this draft will be the last, only that the story will be published in this format and that the next step will be beta readers and editors. We have made it past the garbage mountain in the novel-writing journey.
Sales in August
You can find my debut Carved by Water in the A Better World Itch bundle. I was immediately drawn to this bundle, as my little crew is constantly fighting for better lives and ultimately for a better future. The bundle will be running from August 5th to 26th.
The Narratess Indie Sale will be running from August 29 to 31. My novel Carved by Water will be part of the wide sale and discounted from $4.99 to $1.99, as well as being part of the Itch bundle.
Art
Art for the Trans/Feral
I don’t have much to show off yet, but I finished the sketch to go with Quinn Porter’s debut, Clean Peaches. I can’t wait for you to see it and get more info about Snakeskin Press’s second anthology.
Only this much: it’s going to be hotter than any heat wave we ever had, and I’m saying this fully aware of the 38°C outside.
Reading
I’ve read so many good books this year, and I tell you what? Almost all of them are indie books. I only started to read indie books four years ago, and now most of my favourites are independently published.
INDIE SPOTLIGHT
Meliora by Talli L. Morgan
This was a cosy romantic fantasy at its finest. It included a palace, a dance, elopement AND a road trip.
Arturo burst out lauging "Once again, you are full of surprises.”
”No, I’m full of anxiety […].”
This book was so different from what I'm used to from this author. The scenes were so vivid and engaging while also being warm and comfortable. I appreciate it a lot when an author can write more than one thing, and Meliora was proof of that.
Motes of Inspiration by Claudie Arseneault (The Chronicles of Nerezia '#5)
The setting in this instalment is one of my favourites (after books one and two). The city and culture the crew visited were so interesting and beautiful that I just wanted to stay.
For some reason it felt different from the others, but I enjoyed the change of pace. We finally got the Rumi episode and answers to so many questions. I can’t wait to get to the next one! 😊
Those Left Behind by N.C. Scrimgeour
After reading the Sea of Souls Saga, I couldn't wait to get into the author's sci-fi works. What I found impressive is how much the prose of the author improved later on, which by no means implies that the writing in this book was bad. It was really good!
The new beginning they had been looking for was the middle of someone else’s story. They didn’t belong here.
The story and the different POVs struck the balance between allowing me to build a connection and showing the impressive scope of the story. If I could pick a favourite character, it would definitely be Ridley, and I can't wait to see how her story unfolds.
And the way it ended? I definitely need to start book two as soon as possible!
Merman’s Delight by Skyler Nightshade (short story)
Some super interesting merfolk lore in a short story. I read it in one go, and the writing was great.
And it was hot, that too! XD
Tide Breaker’s Curse by Ivy H. Marikova (short story)
This was a story of female rage and revenge I saw coming almost immediately, but that didn't take my enjoyment. The writing was beautiful and poetic until the end. I had a great time with this short story.
July Wrap-up
A Cast of Falcons by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
Meliora by Talli L. Morgan
You Deserve to Know by Aggie Blum Thompson
Motes of Inspiration by Claudie Arseneault
Those Left Behind by N.C. Scrimgeour
Merman’s Delight by Skyler Nightshade (short)
Tide Breaker’s Curse by Ivy H. Marikova (short)
How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
Watching
Movies
Purple Hearts
”In spite of their many differences, Cassie, a struggling singer-songwriter, and Luke, a troubled Marine, agree to marry solely for military benefits, but when tragedy strikes, the line between real and pretend begins to blur.”
Okay, listen, I’m not a fan of military anything, but this was cute? Both main actors were amazing, and the characters felt vulnerable and fleshed out. I need a cute romance every once in a while, sue me.
Rim of the World
”Four misfit campers must band together and conquer their fears in order to save the world during an alien invasion.”
I’m a sucker for the ‘a bunch of weird kids save the world’ trope, and this was fun to watch. Not very deep, for sure, but I don’t need deep for action movies. I was thouroughly entertained
Mini Series
“A father imprisoned for his son's murder receives evidence suggesting his child may be alive, compelling him to escape and uncover the truth.”
Action, some family drama and intrigue, mystery, and a ‘we can trust no one’ vibe. I’m a fan of mini-series, as this format gives writers the chance for more space than in a movie without dragging it out over four seasons. So, not bad. Again, I was quite entertained, if not blown away.
I sound so unimpressed every time, but like, it was good. Stories don’t have to be mindblowing every time.
It is way too hot to be writing long newsletters, I tell you. This gets me thinking. Would you like a different format for these monthly newsletters? What about having a quarterly catch-up with my usual list of recommendations, but monthly shorter newsletters?
Hit me up if you have an opinion (it can also be: I don’t read newsletters anyway, fair!).
That being said, I’m going to sit before a fan and wait for the official start of spooky season (next newsletter). I’m not built for this.
Love,
M.K.