SPARKS is a RONE Award Nominee!
This award is given out my Ind’Tale Magazine, a leading reviewer of indie and small press novels. To be nominated, a book must have earned a 4.5-star review or higher within the previous calendar year.
“The story will pull the reader in from the first page, keeping them enthralled with chapter after chapter of epic fantasy and the quest to right wrongs and save the world.”
To be a finalist, I’m going to need your votes!
The voting period for Fantasy is May 3-9, but you can get ready now by registering with Ind’Tale now.
Notice: Change of Email Service
Quick note that after this email, I’ll be switching my email service from Substack to ConvertKit. There’s a few reasons for this related to functionality, analytics and such, and I detailed this more fully a few weeks ago, but the biggest trigger for why I’m doing this now is that Substack’s been engaging in practices I disagree with.
It shouldn’t change anything for you, but if future emails look a bit different that’s why, and there’s tiny chance you may need to add hello@ejwenstrom.com to your Safe Senders list again to keep recieving these updates where you want them in your inbox. Sorry for that hassle!
Update
Simon & Schuster cancelled plans to distribute a book to be published by one of its imprints, Post Hill Press, by one of the police officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor. Two days later, amid a walk-out protest from its staff, the publisher insisted on publishing a book by VP Mike Pence. Meanwhile, amid numerous state bills to pare down the rights of trans kids, award-winning speculative fiction author Charlie Jane Anders articulated the cost of such measures in the Washington Post.
Meet solarpunk, the science fiction subgenre that’s actually…hopeful. We’ve finally got evidence the TV adaptation of Y: The Last Man is real. Joss Whedon’s inappropriate behavior probs continue. RIP Joyce Hummel, the first woman to write Wonder Woman comics.
Around the web, catch my deep dive guide to worldbuilding for authors. And, if you missed my co-host appearance on PubTalk with Sarah Nicholas and guest Gabriela Pereira, instigator of DIYMFA, follow the link to watch the full interview.
Reading
I’ve started to realize that when I’m caught up reading the same book(s) for as long as I’ve been reading these, it’s almost always a sign that something is wrong—burnout, illness, overoworking, something. In this case, I’ve recently connected the dots that I’ve been having escalating migraines almost daily for a few weeks now. Oops. Don’t worry, I had a doctor appointment last night and should be on my way to recovery.
Meanwhile, did I add another book anyway? Yes, I did. For reasons. Reasons I hope to share soon.
Mood
The vaccine shuffle super cool party people dance
Getting my first shot today and could not be more excited or relieved. Get vaccinated, ya’ll.
Literary Hill Digital BookFest May 2
Literary Hill BookFest is coming! Mark your calendars for a week from Sunday, May 2, for a festival of DC authors including live panels and pre-recorded author intro videos, including yours truly.
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E. J. Wenstrom is the award-winning SFF author of the Chronicles of the Third Realm War series. Start with Mud.
Yeah, when I came across Gideon the Ninth I didn't even consider sleeping until I'd finished it. Then immediately began Harrow the Ninth, though I did eventually pass out from exhaustion a few chapters in.