This was originally published in my newsletter, Postcards from the Cosmic Void. Subscribe here to get updates early and directly to your inbox!
Hello, starship passengers! Welcome to Issue #3 of Postcards from the Cosmic Void (February 2022)! It's been a busy month with lots going on & lots of news to share.
A Sneak Peek at the Book Swag!
Next week, we'll hit the 3-month mark before publication, & we'll be unveiling the preorder campaign for Under Fortunate Stars, including some amazing book swag that I'm so excited to share!
Preorders made from participating indie bookstores will receive a UFS bookmark, Sëgra City postcard print and a ZeyCorp laptop sticker (along with a signed bookplate!)
Thanks so much to everyone who places an early order, this helps debut authors immensely! Stay tuned for a full list of the indie bookstores that will include the UFS swag with every copy! Will there be international swag?
Signed bookplates & book swag will also be available from me directly! If you've preordered UFS from any bookshop or any online retailer around the world, save your receipt, and there will be an online form you can fill out to get all the swag in the mail. :)
What else is going on with UFS right now? Well, we finished final pass pages in January (the last chance to tweak things/make changes before everything is locked down) and now the book has gone to print(!!!)
I've received some amazing blurbs from fellow authors, which I'll be sharing each week as we get closer to publication day. Here's the first one above, from Michael Mammay, author of the Planetside series (and The Misfit Soldier, which comes out later this month!) Mike was one of the very first people to get my ARC, and his enthusiasm for this book has meant so much.
Advance reader copies are out with reviewers, slowly making their way into the world. Under Fortunate Stars is getting some lovely early reviews from book bloggers (here's one of my faves) & I'm thrilled to see the story resonating with readers.
If you like mysteries in space and time, with a heavy dose of existentialist dread and deeply flawed, but admirable characters, then this book is for you. —A. R. Frederiksen, ARC review
AuthorMentorMatch Round 9!
I'm mentoring in Author Mentor Match again this round, and mentees have just been announced! My mentee for AMM R9 is Lula Lockwood with her adult sci-fi Children of Hesperides! This book grabbed me right from the first chapters: a group of strangers linked by a past they can’t remember, a mysterious psychic bond, terrifying dreams, & a road trip to uncover the truth behind it all. I can’t wait to work with Lula to turn this fabulous story up to 11!
Author Mentor Match pairs unagented writers with mentors to help them with their manuscripts and guide them through the publishing process. Mentors help writers revise their manuscript before querying, give advice and tips on agents, and support through the process.
New Stelliform Books Coming Soon!
Last week, two novellas that I've been working on as an editorial assistant at Stelliform Press were announced! I'm so excited about these stories & grateful for the chance to work with Stelliform's list of incredible authors.
Stelliform Press is a small press focusing on genre fiction (sci-fi, fantasy and quiet horror) and creative nonfiction that centres climate change and environmental themes. Together, we uplift powerful stories speaking on themes of hope, action, change and humanity.
Weird Fishes by Rae Mariz (Summer 2022)
This is a wildly imaginative story, told from the dual perspective of two species of sentient seafolk. It delves into themes of loss and grief, belonging and interconnectedness, and addresses the climate crisis in a deeply affecting way that will stick with you for a long time. (There are scenes in this that have made me cry on multiple reads!)
Arboreality by Rebecca Campbell (Fall 2022) is a multi-POV, generational story about the way small acts of compassion, care and stewardship echo into the future, exploring how human communities are reshaped by a changed and broken world. It's a story laced with aching nostalgia and glimmering hope that shines from the page.
I'm also eagerly awaiting the cover reveal for House of Drought by Dennis Mombauer, Stelliform's upcoming horror novella about a derelict house that's more than it seems, a colonial past that haunts with deep and tangled roots, and an ancient presence that slithers from the encroaching forest, seeking retribution for what has been taken.
Ask Ren: Q&A
You asked, I answer! I got some great questions for the Q&A, which I popped into a blog post so I could share more widely. Hop over to find out...
What was the hardest part of writing Under Fortunate Stars?
Did you always want to write a multi-POV story?
What was the first spark of an idea for Under Fortunate Stars?
And, most importantly: Ren, why is the famous ship in your book called the Jonah?
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Under Fortunate Stars will be out in hardcover, ebook and audiobook on May 10, 2022. For (semi)regular posts & book updates between newsletters, follow me on Instagram and Twitter!
Until next time,
