Lesli's Newsletter for March 2026
Happy March!
It’s sunny, beautiful, and not too cold today here in Spokane, Washington (US). We’ve seen birds frolicking (or fighting over territory; it’s hard to tell with birds), grass greening, and, in our house, we are “lightly turn(ing) to thoughts of love.”
Our twentieth wedding anniversary is this month, and I am not exaggerating when I say that everything I have accomplished, or want to accomplish, or have attempted and failed gloriously at, or struggled through and overcome, or everything normal and plain and quotidian… it’s all better because of the incredible man I married. Antione de Saint-Exupery said that “love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” I am beyond lucky to have married not only the love of my life and my best friend, but the best life partner possible. We’ve got a good trajectory going, and I can’t wait to see what the next twenty years bring.
Newsletter Developments
You may have noticed that I didn’t send a newsletter in February. That’s because… well, a few reasons, really, but the most important is that I was waiting for news to happen. It doesn’t feel like much of a newsletter when I don’t have anything new to tell you. So, I’m changing the cadence of my newsletter to… when there’s news. After all, who needs more noise in their inbox? So, instead of shouting progressively louder to win your attention, I’m going to speak less often. That way you know: if I’ve emailed you, I actually have something to say.
If, on the other hand, you want the noise (or simply want more frequent updates), follow me on Instagram. I do have a tendency to blurp random thoughts there.
Publishing Developments
In that vein, I finally have news.
I had been waiting for the cover art for The Song of the Butterflies to be finished before sending this letter. I wasn’t going to be able to reveal the image just yet, but I had planned on telling you about the process and my impressions of the results.
Ah, the best laid plans…
Everything for Butterflies has been delayed. This is not a reflection on the story. This is a rejiggling of my publisher’s 2026 schedule, which has pushed Butterflies and a host of other great books into 2027 release dates. I don’t have a new publication date yet, though I’m told to expect the new schedule within the next two to three weeks. Please accept my apologies for the change in plans and know that I will keep you updated as soon as I know what’s happening.
So if you were hoping to see cover art soon, you’ll have to draw your own and send it to me!
Other Developments
As we wait for Butterflies to release, I thought we could have some fun.
‘Writing prompts’ are creative story nudges. They can range from scenario outlines to sentences to a loose association of words. They help writers to keep the creative muscles working during times when inspiration may be running a little scarce. (See this random word/sentence generator or this full plot generator for examples of writing prompts.)
This month, as an experiment, I’ll be opening a new page on my website called “Our Stories”. The premise is simple: you send me a prompt, I write you a story and post it on my website for the world to see.
Q: What kinds of prompts are off-limits?
A: I won’t write anything with anyone else’s characters. But I’m happy to create new characters, or maybe even write new scenes using characters I’ve already established put into new situations.
Q: How long will the stories be?
A: Who knows? We’ll see how much there is to say about each one.
Q: How do you send a prompt to me?
A: I’d love to hear your ideas on this, but you could:
* Reply to this email.
* Send me a comment via the ‘Contact Me’ form on my website.
* Comment on an Instagram post.
Q: How will you know it’s your story?
A: I’ll give you credit for the idea, of course! Unless you want it to be anonymous, in which case nobody (but me) will know what kind of fiction you’re into, you weirdo.
Q: Will I write a story for every prompt I receive?
A: Probably not, actually. Sometimes a prompt just doesn’t land. But I will give each one a try.
Q: How will you know when there’s a new story?
A: Check in on my website regularly. Or follow me on Instagram. Or wait for my next newsletter.
I’m ready to get started, so send me your ideas!
Book Recommendations
There are too many good books to read in one lifetime. The one I’m reading now is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.
“Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....”
I’m only just starting it, but wow. I was pulled into the story from the first page and can’t wait to find out what the heck is actually going on here.
Also in my reading rotation right now is fellow indie author Linda Martin’s Poems From the Heart. I don’t read much poetry, but Linda’s pieces are short yet poignant, accessible to people like me, to whom poetry often seems a bit too foo-foo to be applicable. Some of my favorites so far have been “The Love Boat”, “Reading”, “Vacation”, and “Dreams”. I find that Linda’s book is not a book to be rushed through but rather paused over and savored. I’m looking forward to reading more.
And That's It for March
Everyone have a wonderful spring! Hope to hear from you soon.
As always, happy reading!
Lesli
