Inside:
June greeting
Endling News!
Arty things
Reading Recs, including a new release
June
The last newsletter I wrote was peak newsletter performance, if I do say so myself. I was in a fun mood and I think my personality (weird, sarcastic, simultaneously a little irreverent but a deep thinker/writer) shone through. I was a little scared when I pushed send. But after a bi I thought, this is the way.
If I just keep being authentically myself, I’ll find my people, my readers. The problem is I’ve been up all night delivering/caring for puppies and their mama for a couple nights and June was so incredibly full that I just don’t have it in me. And I need to get this out because well…exciting things are happening!
I know. Everyone is always busy. But last month was definitely in the top ten busiest months I’ve ever had. Despite the title of this newsletter, I know it’s July now.
With all the busyness of hauling kids to and from camp, hosting friends, and selling/feeding our bumper crop of lambs this year, I didn’t get around to writing a newsletter in June. However, it turns out that’s pretty convenient. I tell readers that I try to send out only one newsletter email a month, but I know I’m going to have mega exciting things to share with you soon! So this will be June’s email and in the actual July one…
Publishing Journey
I’LL REVEAL MY COVER!!!
I’ve seen the first draft and honestly, it hardly needed revision. It’s gorgeous.
If you haven’t heard the story,
I hadn’t even signed my contract before the (amazing) design/marketing gal at Descendent Publishing blurted out, “I ALREADY FOUND YOUR COVER!”
I. Was. Terrified.
I’m picky. I had always imagined having a physical painting as the main art—some moody painting of Sanctius City with the ominous Wilderness encroaching. Well, the cover Stacy found is by a digital artist, so it’s nothing like I imagined. But somehow, it’s also everything I could have asked for. Even the original color scheme was up my alley. With a few changes to the mock-up, it’s just one more dream come true.
In my last email, I raved about how thankful I am for every one of you, and here’s where I get to show my appreciation:
You’re going to get the VERY FIRST LOOK at the cover!
No one else will get to see it until the Realm Makers writing conference, and only after that will we reveal it publicly on social media!
Art Updates
Summer is my favorite time for art. I love to paint en plein air on our hikes and river days. It’s taking some time to get back in the groove, though, so I’m not overly excited about these. I know as soon as we do a new hike or take a family trip to the lake, beautiful things will happen :)
On a super fun note, I have new stickers in stock! My map & bird sticker sets were wildly successful during the bird migration at Freezout Lake. So, I painted more animals for stickers. I’m considering painting some simple scenes to go along with them. But the stickers are also waterproof and fade-resistant, so they can go on cases, cups, cars & etc. The sheets are 4x6, and the individuals vary around three inches.
If you’re local, all of these are available at Copper Creek in Fairfield or directly from me. I’ve loaded the sheets in my store, here, and the individual stickers will follow shortly. And always, you can reply to this email, and I can help you find what you’re looking for or take custom commissions!
Recent Reads
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Currently Reading:
Besides pouring over my own manuscript and annotating the copy of Emma that my daughter got me for mother’s day, I’m reading The Body Keeps the Score By Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. I’ve been trying to pull my body out of an adrenal tantrum for about six years now, and this is basically required reading for trauma related stress issues. It’s good, but heavy and has triggered trauma responses in me along the way. So use caution or just find a professional who can work with you through the same things. (Remember, counseling isn’t punishment and it doesn’t mean you’re broken:)
I’ve slowed down with reading a little, which is good! It means I’m making time to move, be outside, go on adventures and work on my own books. I’m sure I’ll pick up a new fiction read soon!
Recently Finished Book Reviews/Ratings:
The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry; I don’t think I’ve ever read anything, fiction or nonfiction, from Mr. Berry that didn’t deserve five stars. I think reading his work constantly, like one of those “every day with CS Lewis” devotionals would make us all better humans.
Ann Cleeves’ Shetland Mysteries Last month, I told you’d I’d been screaming through Ann Cleeves’ series. This month, I’ve added Blue Lightning, Dead Water (which introduces the adorably granola CIO Willow Reeves), Thin Air, and Cold Earth. The first few primarily impressed me with the mystery and plot structure. With these ones, I was struck by the uptick in character development. The characters weren’t glaringly flat early on, but they were much more dynamic and intricate, especially after Dead Water.
The Frugal Wizard’s Guide for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson —Three stars, because it was good but not “the best book I’ve ever read” good.
The best part of this book is the premise. I think it was sort of child’s play for Sanderson, as if he wrote it just for fun, the way some people play basketball on Sunday afternoons. The story was enjoyable and had some quotable lines. Worth checking out from the library.
Somehow, I’ve already reached my reading goal of fifty books this year. If you want to keep up with all my Goodreads reviews (or just ratings when I’m super busy), you can do that here.
That’s all for today. I don’t have an exact date for the cover reveal, but keep your eyes on your inbox!
Happy adventuring (literary & otherwise)
Elicia Johnson
Excited to see the book cover!