Website Updates & Book Recommendations
Last month was crazy busy
TLDR!
Here’s what to expect from this month’s update (it’s a little longer than usual, so please feel free to skip sections that don’t interest you):
Monthly update
Tips for a safe Halloween
A new look to my website, comments welcomed
Bookish events for October 2024
Book recommendations
September 2024 Accountability
Halloween & 10 years as a published author!
We’re rapidly coming up on Halloween, a time of year I love for a number of reasons:
Deciding what costume to make/buy this year
Costume competitions at work, with prizes (I love that our locally owned Napa does things like this, and encourages us to be creative).
This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the first publication of “Under A Hunter’s Moon”, which takes place on Halloween night (reviews on my website).
Sharing spooky/horror stories with friends.
Keep this Halloween safe!
Halloween is a fun time for children and adults alike, and accidents can happen. But there are ways to keep it safe & fun. Here are a few that I’ve shared with people over the years:
If you’re supervising trick-or-treaters, be sure to check their candy.
Stock up on reflective tape and glow sticks, and use strategically on costumes to help drivers see you.
Cross streets at crosswalks, lights, or corners.
Keep electronics in your pockets, so you don’t get distracted.
Drive with headlights on at all times so you can see further, especially before twilight and during those darker hours.
Slow down when driving through residential neighborhoods, and watch for kids.
If you’re out drinking with friends, get a sober ride home.
Need more tips?
Find more tips on staying safe here (Daysoftheyear.com), or here (Safekids.org), or here (healthychildren.org).
Share your own tips in the comments, or chat.
Let’s make sure we’re keeping things fun for everyone, and stick to the fake scares!
A new look for my website!
Since I was changing web hosts, I decided to do a complete overhaul of my website. Here’s a taste of the new look (click the image/button below to take a peek).
So what changed?
A completely new look to most of the pages
Updated top-level menus
Added links to my social media & this newsletter
Added reviews for my books
What’s still to come?
I’ll be rebuilding my store, and working on adding new book related items.
A list of book recommendations from fellow indie authors
These are both low-priority, so expect these to be added only when time allows.
Bookish events for October 2024
October 1st-31st - Mental Health Month - The importance of mental health cannot be overestimated. I personally manage a life with anxiety, and am blessed with a great support network!
October 1st-31st - Reading Group Month - Reading groups are a blessing to all authors. What’s better than reading a book? Sharing that experience with others.
October 1st-31st - Halloween Safety Month - Halloween is a fun time for children and adults alike, but there are ways to keep it safe & fun. Find some here, or share your own in the comments.
October 1st-31st - National Book Month - Read, share, and experience new worlds and adventures.
Oct 1st, 2024 - International Coffee Day - Ahhhh, Coffee!!! Or as I like to call it, Author Fuel!
October 2nd - Random Acts of Poetry Day - Share your poetry (or someone else’s) with the world!
October 7th - World Day Of Bullying Prevention - Growing up is tough enough, without bullies making it harder. It’s time to end bullying in all forms, and make this world a better place to grow up in!
October 12th - Love Your Bookshop Day / Bookshop Day - Who doesn’t already love their bookstores???
October 16th - National Dictionary Day - Who’s parents told them to look it up in a dictionary if they couldn’t spell a word?
October 20th - Information Overload Day - We all get overloaded with the amount of information thrown at us. Learn ways to reduce the stress, and take a step back.
October 26th - Howl At The Moon Day - Try it sometime. Let your inner wolf out!
And of course the biggest day of the month
October 31st - Halloween - Remember to stay safe, and have fun! And maybe curl up with a good Halloween story, or two…
Feel free to share any local book-related events in the comments.
Writing/Editing Update - October 2024
Words edited: Completed (second pass) - Shadows Over Seattle: Prequels 1-5”
One last read-through to go…
Days I’ve written something: 0
Days I’ve been unable to write anything: N/A (Editing)
Outline pages: 13 (finalized for “Shadows Over Seattle #1: Of Wolves & Men”)
Draft pages: 4 (for “Shadows Over Seattle #1: Of Wolves & Men”)
Words written: 4,083 (draft - for “Shadows Over Seattle #1: Of Wolves & Men”)
Book Recommendations
These recommendations come directly from the authors.
Please read the descriptions carefully for any content warnings.
Some links are associate/affiliate links, and may earn commissions.
Feel free to review any of these books in the comments for this post.
Sara Dragen was born into a world overshadowed by her father's sins, the darkness of his actions casting a long, ominous shadow over her life. Despite this, she discovered an inner strength and determination that fueled her resolve to break free from the legacy she never chose. The Guild, a powerful organization shrouded in secrecy, controls the supernatural underworld, and Sara's father, one of its most ruthless leaders, wields his power through a legion of enslaved supernatural assassins.
Determined not to be defined by her father's actions, Sara embarks on a perilous journey of liberation and redemption. Her mission: to free the brothers she left behind, those trapped in the chains of her father's dark machinations.
In her quest to atone for her father's sins, Sara finds her true purpose and the courage to stand against tyranny. Her fight is not only for the enslaved assassins but for the future of the world itself. Sara's story is one of resilience, hope, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. It is a testament to the power of friendship, the pursuit of justice, and the belief that even in the darkest of times, hope can still triumph.
In 1942, Rupert Rocket’s grandmother was cursed by an Irish fairy, the Pooka, to end her bloodline.
But the Pooka's sister, the Grogoch, blessed the boy to counteract the curse.
As a young gay man, Rupert’s life spins wildly between the competing spells through adventures as a dancer, a model, an actor, and a spy…
But what will happen when the blessing runs out?
