Spooky Season is Upon Us!

Hey, hi. I writing to you from sunny California, and that is my biggest announcement this newsletter, although do please keep reading because I have other important things to tell you. . .

I am moving to Southern California! Ryan has started a new job, and we are in the process of setting up a home base on the Left Coast. It’s possible that the mountain views and copious sunshine will get old, but I seriously doubt it. We’re really excited about this new adventure, and our own regret is being further away from friends and family.

Copyedits have been completed on Little Miss Petty, which will release in March 2026. I’m pleased with how it’s going even if that book was a bit of a problem child. Let’s just say that the past twelve months have been. . . challenging. Often exciting, but also stressful. Ultimately all has worked out well, but also stressful. Many much traveling, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Speaking of, I’ll be sure to tell you about what I’ve been reading and watching toward the end.

Okay, announcements.

First, I’ll be giving my online workshop on overcoming procrastination through Savvy Authors October 6-19, and I have a direct link for you this time. Huzzah! Click here to sign up for all of the tips and tricks I use to keep myself moving forward.

Later this month October 20-31, I’ll be giving my online workshop on humor through RWF. Scroll on down through their workshop offerings and or send an email to raw.wf.chap@gmail.com if you would like to learn more about taking that course.

Are you ready for the audio version of Better Get to Livin’? Well, it’s gonna be available on October 7th! Check my socials or my website for that link as soon as I have it.

Bless Her Heart will once again be available in print and as an ebook on October 28th. Audio’s coming—just inked that deal.

Oh My Stars has a new cover, which I will share below. It will be available in print and as an ebook soon and will also eventually have an audio version. Live near Read It Again Books? They’ve made Oh My Stars their book club selection for December, and I’m gonna do my best to meet with them on December 4th.

What I’ve been reading…

The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman—It is fall, and you simply must jump on this funny contemporary. Warm, witty, funny, charming—just like its author, Valerie Bowman. For heaven’s sake there’s a rogue goat, and a pug in pajamas.

The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth by Barbara O’Neal—a sweeping story about two women who needed to find each other to heal. O’Neal also crafts a mystery that needs to be solved through visiting lush locales.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler—There’s a reason why this book is a classic. A bit scary to read a dystopian book set in 2025-2027, but well worth a read.

Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women who Created Her by Melanie Rehak—fascinating for all of my Nancy Drew fans. My biggest takeaway is that I want to read a biography about Mildred Wirt and to find some of the original Nancies from before they were edited in the 50s.

What I’ve been watching…

The Naked Gun—Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson do such a great job. Is this movie a laugh riot? Yes and no. When a joke hits, it really hits. When a joke misses? Eh. Definitely worth a watch at home if you like parody and slapstick.

K-Pop Demon Hunters—I loved this movie. What a nice twist on a very universal story! Good vs evil, forbidden love, and catchy tunes. Also, it’s almost as if they consulted Brené Brown because it’s a great metaphor for how shame fuels our demons.

Highest 2 Lowest—It’s quite possible that Spike Lee is our most underrated director. This one is a reimagining of a Kurosawa film, and it had no right being as riveting as it was. Not only is the movie suspenseful, but it explores friendship, the limitations of friendship, authenticity, and that not all money is good money. Denzel Washington chews scenery like the absolute pro he is. ASAP Rocky puts in a quite possibly Oscar-nominated performance.

One Battle After Another—I just…I don’t think this one was for me. That said, it’s a solid film, and it will more than likely also get Oscar nods. Sean Penn’s character is utterly disturbing. The actresses in this film (Hall, Taylor, Infiniti) are incredible. Leo is, well, Leo. Benicio del Toro, a delight. I like the idea of exploring Black revolutionary women, but the film still centers Leo in a way that I’m not sure a washed up substance-abusing character merits. Supposedly it’s a dark comedy. I found that it was far more dark than comedy, BUT as satire it’s particularly effective skewering both the radical right and the radical left.

Wicked Little Letters—what a delight! Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley reunite in a movie based on a true story about a buttoned up spinster, the young hellion she took under her wing, and a series of poison letters blamed on the young woman. It started off more comedy and ended more thought-provoking. Definitely a study of class and gender.

And there you go! Here’s the new cover for Oh My Stars. . .

and stay tuned for more information about how I’m bringing the South to Southern California. Apparently, I have an orange tree in my backyard. Something new to cultivate. As always, thank you for your continued support.

Speaking of, what kind of story would you like to see set in California? We almost rented a 1920s house that had dusty suitcases in the cellar. I’m tinkering with that idea at the moment.