Dear word lovers,

 

Winter is upon us, at least for this thin-skinned southerner battling the wilds of Maine. Okay, not exactly winter, but you come up here and let this icy wind hit you today, then tell me different. Thank God it's about the most beautiful place on earth right now with this dazzling explosion of color in the trees. 

 

I'm wrapping up my edits for The Only English Bookstore in Bologna (publishing next fall) and teasing out a new story about a family of three picking up their broken pieces and trying to start again. 

 

Huge appreciation to those who've joined me on Otis's journey in Before We Say Goodbye. Considering I really wrote this one for me, I never would have guessed this would be my most well-received novel to date. I don't read reviews but my wife says readers are happy. That brings me big joy. Apparently, we're all having a hard time imagining an end to the Red Mountain saga. I wonder what could be done about that…

 

The big news is I have a merch store! Shirts, hoodies, tanks, notebooks, coasters, stickers, oh my! You'll see each shirt, etc., is available in multiple colors. I had to go through a lot of shirts to find ones I really liked; these are super comfy. Click here to dive in. 

 

(Sorry, US shipping only. Also, if you don't see what you're looking for, let me know, and I'll see what I can do.)

 

You might notice the website is new too. Isn't it lovely? For you book clubs, I've updated my discussion guides to make them printer friendly.

 

I have a new website guy from Haryana, India, who I'm thrilled to now call a friend--and not only because he loves to talk Indian food with me. If you're on the search for a fast and reliable designer who also has a good heart, click here to connect with Sid.

I continue to explore the craft of writing in my series of essays on Substack. In this latest one, I tell you more than you wanted to know about the use of beta readers, who are an integral part of my process. 

Continuing with writerly advice, check out my latest contribution to Writer Unboxed, in which I overshare about my agonizing struggles with The Singing Trees and how my relationship with deadlines has changed over the years. 

A friend of mine recommended I read Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary before the movie with Ryan Gosling hits theaters. I'm so glad I jumped in. Wow!! This guy Andy…he's a pure genius. Not only does he flaunt serious brain power apropos math and science and space stuff, but he's a fine writer with a killer sense of humor. Reminded me a lot of early Nelson Demille. Have you read it?

P.S. Please forgive me if I don't respond to your emails. Know that I joyfully read each one. Your notes keep me going, but I best put my energy into meeting the next deadline. Thanks for understanding.

Catch up on old newsletters here.