For those of you who are just dying to know what’s going on in my world lately, I’m happy to tell you that my mood is probably the same as most people’s right now: bloody sick and tired of Covid! Thus far, my family has managed to avoid being infected (knock on wood, throw salt over your shoulder, spit into the wind), but as a teacher I’m seeing more and more kids being called out of class and not returning. It’s a scary time. Do I let my kids go to gymnastics classes and birthday parties? Do I continue wiping down my groceries? Is this ever going to end? It’s frustrating – but I hope that you and yours are doing well, and that all of us will be out of this gray cloud soon.
I have good news on the audiobook front! I’ve contracted with an excellent producer, and as of right now it looks like the audiobook is on track for wide release on the same date as the paperback and the ebook: April 5, 2022. I’m learning a ton about audiobook production (enough to know that I know nothing, actually), and it’s far more interesting than I ever imagined it would be. There are so many talented voice actors out there – it was tough to narrow down who would be best to bring Verity to life. I think you’ll be pleased with the results.
Speaking of the audiobook, I’ve started a kickstarter to help fund the production. One of the best parts of being a writer is that (usually), it’s pretty inexpensive. All I need is my laptop, or even just some paper and a pen, and my own imagination. When it comes to publishing, however, there are a lot of hidden costs that add up quickly. I’m a single parent who teaches high school English for a living, so I’m not exactly rolling in extra cash, and my children are insistent that I do things like feed and clothe them. So, I’m swallowing my pride and asking for a bit of help from you. Check out the kickstarter here. There are some great incentives, and you can sleep well knowing that any donation, no matter how small, is helping an artist to put her creation out into the universe without turning her children into tiny Oliver Twists, asking “Please sir, can I have some more?”