Hello from freezing cold Sydney, folks! I’m writing this in a state of shock – how are we halfway through the year? And how is it less than two months until my book’s out? June absolutely flew by, hence the mild panic attack right about now…
But anyway, enough chit-chat, let’s dive in.
My Books
Heart of Mist, Book I: The Oremere Chronicles
June saw me pick up my first round of proofs from the printer… It was an incredibly surreal experience, and I actually got to see the books trimmed (the beauty of using a smaller press). I know I’m biased, but guys, they’re gorgeous. I’m so so thrilled with how they’ve turned out.
And the map… The map of the realm that’s been in my head for so long, looks amazing in print.
And there’s even more that’s been happening on the Heart of Mist front.
People have been adding the book to their Goodreads lists, and there are a handful of early ratings up. Check out the Goodreads page here.
A gorgeous ‘in-the-wild’ shot of ‘Heart of Mist’ from reviewer Jen who runs A Bookish Peach.
Some lovely book bloggers have also started commenting on the book…
“Heart of Mist is a compelling fantasy novel with some refreshing twists to the classic hero’s journey. I was captivated by the characters and the mysteries of the realm, I cannot wait to find out the many secrets of the mist.” – Jamie @ The Last Page
“Heart of Mist is captivating in its world-building and brilliant character development. Helen is a true master at weaving together magic, mystery, passion and politics in her standout debut.” – Sofia @ The Literary Casanova
Another stunning ‘in-the-wild’ shot of ‘Heart of Mist’ from a lovely reviewer, Sofia at The Literary Casanova.
To my surprise, I’ve also discovered that people have been reviewing my prequel shorts! Both ‘Break’ and ‘The Gift’ have been added on Goodreads, and I was contacted the other day by the lovely Megan from Under The Book Cover, with a wonderful review of both short stories.
This quote in particular made my day:
Some of the most beautiful and alluring writing I’ve encountered in a long time.
As I’m sure you can imagine, it’s veryyyyyy strange seeing Heart of Mist out in the wild after all this time. Strange and nerve wracking as anything!
Book II, The Oremere Chronicles
Guys, I’m actually deep back into writing this book and am LOVING it! I think I’ve probably got less than a third to go of this first draft, which is a massive amount of progress since my last recap.
I think I’ve written about 11,000 words in the last six weeks or so. Not as much as I would have liked, but I’m feeling good about this book, and that’s the most important thing. I’m so grateful to be writing again, and to be enjoying the story (and putting my characters through hell).
Other works
To be honest, I was hoping to have written a third prequel short by now, but alas – there’s just been far too much going on.
I’ve got a number of ideas for shorts floating around in my head, so I’m definitely hoping to write another one before Heart of Mist comes out!
Remember, if you haven’t got your free prequels yet, be sure to get them here.
Editor’s life
Writer’s Edit
I know I’ve been saying this forever, but we’re NEARLY READY to launch the first ever Writer’s Edit course.
We’ve been working round the clock to get the lessons, modules and bonuses absolutely perfect. Dave’s done an incredible job on the sales page and I’m quietly confident we’ll be launching the Freelance Writing course within the next month or so.
Freelance
When it comes to my freelance work, I’ve been in a similar position to last month – having to turn away clients.
As the Heart of Mist release date inches closer and closer, unfortunately I’ve got less and less time for editorial work on other people’s books.
However, I’ve already got some clients locked in for September and October, which feels great.
This blog
I haven’t published as much additional content on this blog as I would have liked. But I did participate in my first ever ‘book tag’, which you can check out here.
I’ve got another ‘Author Confessions’ instalment on the way, so keep an eye out for that!
What I’ve Read
I’ve had a much better reading month in June!
- Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
- Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
- #Girlboss by Sofia Amoruso
And that’s about it for now! This recap has taken me far longer than it should have to write, so I’ve gotta get back to finalising the Heart of Mist pages for proof round #2!
Until next time,
Helen.
Note: Featured image courtesy of Sofia from The Literary Casanova.