Are you making the most of the settings you've chosen for your novel? Let's chat about how setting can help build an immersive reading experience, in today's newsletter: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/tell-me-wh...

Publishing Professionals Against Book Bans is proud to stand with our esteemed colleagues in the defense of the freedom to read! #BannedBooksWeek #ReadBannedBooks

Are you making the most of the settings you've chosen for your novel? Let's chat about how setting can help build an immersive reading experience, in today's newsletter: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/tell-me-wh...

Yesterday was a chaotic day, but in the hour or so before the movers showed up with my furniture, I issued a challenge to myself and my readers over on my newsletter. nepheletempest.substack.com/p/100-days-a...

Yesterday was a chaotic day, but in the hour or so before the movers showed up with my furniture, I issued a challenge to myself and my readers over on my newsletter. nepheletempest.substack.com/p/100-days-a...

This September seems to be luring more and more people into a back-to-school mood. Have you fallen prey to the personal curriculum trend? Discussing the latest wave of self-education, in today's newsletter: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/back-to-sc...

David Letterman on his career mocking presidents: “Beating up on these people, rightly or wrongly, accurately or perhaps inaccurately, in the name of comedy—not once were we squeezed by anyone from any governmental agency, let alone the dreaded FCC.” Watch more: bit.ly/4n0Uv2p #TAF25

This was great and I want everyone to see it. Because I want them to look at what journalism was, and what it used to do

The irony of Trump usurping power over the BLS, Federal Reserve, the tariff power of Congress, and a growing portion of the private sector is that these abysmal job numbers can only be pinned on him. If nothing else brings him down, his authoritarian control over the economy surely will.

How many times have you started a novel draft over because you needed to change the POV? Join me for an overview of the different POVs and to discuss what each might bring to your project, in today's installment of series on editing for submission: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/whos-telli...

Still time to sign up for pitches this weekend, so be sure to check this out. Plenty of agents with some slots remaining. Hope to see you there!

Wooooo! THE SEA WITCH is a USA TODAY bestseller!!! Thank you to all the readers who helped make this happen!!

Long overdue IMO. www.gov.ca.gov/2025/09/03/c...

How many times have you started a novel draft over because you needed to change the POV? Join me for an overview of the different POVs and to discuss what each might bring to your project, in today's installment of series on editing for submission: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/whos-telli...

Far too young…RIP.

I think there are a number of people on here who would be interested to see these pics of Dodie Smith’s London pad. www.countrylife.co.uk/interiors/co...

The difference between the text of the post and the headline of the article below it is staggering

Today in my newsletter, discussing everything that stood between me and my ambitious summer reading plans this year: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/my-summer-...

Very excited to take one-on-one pitches at the 2025 (Online) Minnesota Writing Workshop on September 5-6. Join me! Anyone from anywhere can attend. Learn more about the virtual writers conference here: minnesotawritingworkshop.com

You can call your reps easily! 5calls.org has the phone numbers and scripts to use. Get RFK Jr. IMPEACHED so he can stop doing harm.

Today in my newsletter, discussing everything that stood between me and my ambitious summer reading plans this year: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/my-summer-...

Fun fact: If you do graphics for your ebooks and you want it to show up nicely in both darkmode and lightmode? A medium gray is always going to be your best choice.

25 countries now have ceased shipments of packages to the USA because of its removal of de minimus exceptions and application of tariffs.

From a world where women are forbidden to use magic & the only freedom is found on the Caribbean seas comes a swashbuckling romantasy. THE SEA WITCH by @evaleigh.bsky.social‬ is out now! B&N: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sea-wi... Amazon: www.amazon.com/Sea-Witch-Sa...

Just like trumps war on universities isn’t about antisemitism, it’s about a power grab.

For those who need #Uplift: bsky.app/profile/debb... Hand-curated by me; I'll be mostly offline for few days but will still try for daily. Criteria unapologetically subjective. bookish • quirky • word nerds • art that shows human process • science-nerdyfun • obscure interest deep-dives • alt-text

Nothing like spending five minutes reading social media to kill your mood on a Saturday morning.

Pasadena folks! There are now a bunch of signed copies of Lessons in Magic and Disaster at Vromans..

i don't think there's any way to overstate how much we're going to regret this entire cultural moment in the future, for how it's destroying our creative lives, destroying respect for art, destroying respect for creativity and the creative process, destroying our ability to connect to art.

Do the characters in your manuscript jump off the page? Discussing how to breathe life into the cast of your novel, in today's latest installment of my series on editing for submission: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/creating-c...

Once buried under silt and nearly lost, Wular Lake in Kashmir is seeing lotus flowers emerge again after 33 years. A five-year desilting campaign has restored water depth, clarity, and native flora, along with centuries-old culinary and cultural traditions. buff.ly/4vuVcm6 #ShareGoodNewsToo

Do the characters in your manuscript jump off the page? Discussing how to breathe life into the cast of your novel, in today's latest installment of my series on editing for submission: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/creating-c...

This really sucks. Libby is already not very good but it’s also the almost universally-used ebook lending platform.

A fallen angel, a tired waitress, and a road trip from hell--INCORRUPTIBLE is $2.99USD (and CAD) in ebook until August 30! books2read.com/saintcrowinc...

Saying this again: there is a scammer out there targeting newbie authors, claiming I'm one of their clients. They use different names, and I'm already pursuing legal action. But I have never worked with a PR company, editing service, or book packager, so anybody saying so is lying, period full stop.

Has your brain gone on strike? Discussing decision fatigue in the latest newsletter, including symptoms, typical advice, and some ideas on how to adapt it for your creative lifestyle: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/decision-f...

If you're looking for Greek retellings or thinking of writing them, I urge you to read this piece by @danaiwrites.bsky.social first - many excellent reads suggested plus much to chew on. www.khoreomag.com/non-fiction/... @polisloizou.bsky.social this relates to our coffee chat btw

Has your brain gone on strike? Discussing decision fatigue in the latest newsletter, including symptoms, typical advice, and some ideas on how to adapt it for your creative lifestyle: nepheletempest.substack.com/p/decision-f...

“We are the sum of our collected ruins and the amalgamation of thousands of years of stories, stories that were neither perceived by nor sanitized for the Western lens.” ICYMI, my essay on Greek myth retellings and adaptations is now free to read in @khoreomag www.khoreomag.com/non-fiction/...

Trouble captivating readers from the start? In today’s newsletter, take a look at some great first lines from a range of novels, and pick up some tactics for how to make your own opening stand out. nepheletempest.substack.com/p/opening-se...

Trouble captivating readers from the start? In today’s newsletter, take a look at some great first lines from a range of novels, and pick up some tactics for how to make your own opening stand out. nepheletempest.substack.com/p/opening-se...

The first book in my Scarlet Revolution trilogy, SCARLET, is currently just 99p on Amazon. Revolutionary France, vampires, the Scarlet Pimpernel, guillotines, and one poor maid just trying to keep her head down - and on their shoulders… www.amazon.co.uk/Scarlet-Gene...

One of West Seattle's hidden treasures. Salmon Bone Pedestrian Bridge spanning Longfellow Creek, near Dragonfly Garden and Pavilion. All looking north except for last photograph. Dragonfly Garden and Pavilion, as well as the bridge designed by Seattle artist Lorna Jordan, installed 1999:

Looking for a great new read beyond the BookTok favorites? Discussing resources for where to discover less publicized titles for your TBR list, today in the newsletter. nepheletempest.substack.com/p/two-roads-...

The rapid decline of American science has few precedents in history, writes @rossandersen.bsky.social. We are witnessing an unparalleled act of self-sabotage:

Looking for a great new read beyond the BookTok favorites? Discussing resources for where to discover less publicized titles for your TBR list, today in the newsletter. nepheletempest.substack.com/p/two-roads-...

Heads up for writers in the querying trenches. I'll be closing to submissions again at the end of the month so I can catch up reading all the goodies in my box. Plan to reopen in the fall, exact date TBA, but most likely October-ish.

Heads up for writers in the querying trenches. I'll be closing to submissions again at the end of the month so I can catch up reading all the goodies in my box. Plan to reopen in the fall, exact date TBA, but most likely October-ish.

I'll never forget convo a friend had with a 70 year old lesbian who had been living with her partner for 50 years. Friend asked, "Now that gay marriage is legal, don't you want to get married?" "No," she said. "Then they will have a list." This was in 2013. It has haunted me ever since.

This month’s @morningtransport.bsky.social stories are all free to read and o I love them all to bits. Today’s is from @izzyxen.bsky.social ! www.sundaymorningtransport.com/p/mothman-an...