May Milestones

Greetings, dear readers!

Another month of 2020 under our belt. Despite all its ups and downs, May went by as smoothly and enjoyably as I could have hoped for. Amid several projects winding down, I was able to focus on a new venture and am having a blast writing it. I am already about 30% of the way through the manuscript, which is hard to believe. I often struggle with beginning new books, just because there's a lot to consider and wrap one's head around, but there is something about this project that has just been so delightful and engaging. I am treasuring this feeling, as it has been a while since writing didn't feel like it had become a "chore." As sad as that sentence is to write, I want to acknowledge that as a writer, I know I am extremely privileged to do what I do, and I certainly love writing. However, not every day is sunshine and daisies. There are (a lot of) times when writing is a struggle, with moments of crushing self-doubt, where I find myself wondering, why am I doing this? I could just go back to working a 9-5 job and be done with all the angst that comes with following your dream. But life isn't about taking it easy. These past few months have shown me that tenfold. Life is about rising to the challenge and being better for it.

My challenges this month consisted of a lot of author administration work. Not a whole lot of creative work going on, which may be why I'm finding such joy in this new work-in-progress I mentioned above. Let's take a look at what my goals were this month:

·         Work on Court of Mystery Branding

·         Send edited manuscripts to editors/agents

·         QA Paradise Plagued for Audible

·         Prepare for Harrowed Heir launch in June

Let's break them down and see what I accomplished:

Work on Court of Mystery Branding - As the Court of Mystery series continues to grow (I'm getting ready to release the 6th book in the series) I wanted to revisit my branding options and refresh them. When I launched the CoM, I did so with a fun "Welcome to the Court of Mystery" Facebook banner and that was it. With Canva magic, I have been cropping and pasting that banner into various graphics, but after two years, it was getting stale. Luckily, the amazing artist who creates my covers was able to assist in developing new materials for me, including a book banner, a new FB banner, and a sticker! I am having such fun slapping the Court of Mystery sticker onto branding materials. It feels like a real seal of approval.

Send edited manuscripts to editors/agents - After revisiting requested edits and feedback from beta readers, both Book 2 of the Trending Topic Mysteries and the first book of my new Book Blogger Mysteries are back in the hands of my publisher/agent. Time will tell what happens next. I continue to remain hopeful for progress.

QA Paradise Plagued for Audible - It is always a delight to listen to Melissa Green's amazing work. She has brought to life another Duchess Jax adventure with such style. I eagerly await for Audible to launch the new title so you all have a chance to read it. If you are interested in listening to any of the Ducal Detective Mysteries on Audible (with the hopes you will leave a review), email my author@saraheburr.com account for the chance to receive a free promo download code.

Prepare for Harrowed Heir launch in June - Besides creating marketing materials, I have been working on edits requested by my editor. If all goes according to plan, I should be able to release HARROWED HEIR by June 23rd at the latest.

Sarah's Bookshelf:

As for book recommendations, I've been spending so much time on my work that I’ve had little time to dig into all the books waiting on my bookshelf. Once HARROWED HEIR is launched, I will be able to sit back and take a well-earned break, but until then, I am squeezing in precious reading time when I can, and these books were two of this month’s standouts:

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

It has been a long time since I read such engaging fantasy. The world created in Furyborn is intricate and incredible. Book One in the Empirium Trilogy chronicles the lives of two women, a thousand years apart. One is a royal, one is an assassin, yet somehow, their lives are linked. With breathtaking lore and world-building, I am hooked on this series. Fans of Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series would definitely enjoy this saga.

A Mysterious Mix Up by J.C. Kenney

As an avid cozy mystery reader, Allie Cobb has quickly become one of my favorite heroines in the genre. Not only is she funny, gutsy, and smart, but she's also relatable in a way that's sometimes hard to find for a reader my age in this genre. The pop culture references peppered throughout this installment reflect a well-rounded main character that readers of all ages can identify with. A MYSTERIOUS MIX UP provides a new take on a poisoning mystery. Without spoiling, this story morphs into a mystery not many cozies venture to explore. Allie's investigation into the town librarian's death was fresh and exciting, and so well-paced, I read it in a day.

Until next month's review, be healthy, emotionally wealthy, and wise!

Arms around,

S.B.