Goodbyes and Hellos
July 2026

Hello, friends!

Long time, no email! That's because I'm keeping my word: I'll only pop into your inbox when I actually have something to say. Hence, newsletter and not emptynoiseletter.
​
Since you're reading this now, there must be something you ought to know, so... read on!

Goodbye, paycheck. Hello, liberty.

Good decisions, good work, and good fortune combined to allow me to retire from my day job last week. As a result, I now have more time to... well, to do whatever I want! And what I want to do, after I finish marveling at my newfound freedom, is write. And write. And write some more.

My job was great in many ways, but, especially in the last couple of years, it took a lot of my energy, creative and otherwise. So, after I take a hot minute to adjust, I have plans.

I am grateful to have reached this milestone and excited to build what comes next.

And what was the first thing I did to celebrate? Well, I guess the first thing I did was to have a cupcake. But what I'm getting at is that I updated my website. New colors, new layout, new backgrounds. (Seriously, check out the backgrounds. I'm flexing my graphic design skills, such as they are.)

Goodbye, publisher. Hello, new publisher...?

The business world can be unpredictable, especially for small businesses, who may find themselves unprepared to weather the economic storms that surge in every industry from time to time. The publishing industry is no different, and even the best of intentions is not always enough to carve out the success of one's dreams.
​
Rising Action Publishing, the small, independent publisher who entered into contract with me to publish my fantasy/horror novel The Song of the Butterflies, has found itself pushed beyond its limits by the challenges of the industry and will not publish any new books/authors after the end of this year. Since my book's publishing date had been moved to February 2027, that means that I'm out of a deal.
​
To their credit, the owners/operators of Rising Action are shopping Butterflies to other publishers, trying to find it a new home. As of now, I don't have any idea where my book and I might land. What I do know is that one way or another, Butterflies will see its way into your hands. I'll let you know as soon as I have... you know... news.

Book Recommendation

From Amazon:
​"You’re riding in your self-driving car when suddenly the doors lock, the route changes and you have lost all control. Then, a mysterious voice tells you, “You are going to die.”

Just as self-driving cars become the trusted, safer norm, eight people find themselves in this terrifying situation, including a faded TV star, a pregnant young woman, an abused wife fleeing her husband, an undocumented immigrant, a husband and wife, and a suicidal man.

From cameras hidden in their cars, their panic is broadcast to millions of people around the world. But the public will show their true colors when they are asked, "Which of these people should we save?...And who should we kill first?""

I had so much fun reading this one! And it didn't seem all that far-fetched, which was the creepiest thing about it. Self-driving cars? Not outlandish. Social media deciding people's fates? To an extent, we're already there. High tension, misdirection, and a multi-layered surprise ending make this novel hard to put down. Full disclosure, I found the conclusion to be a little too convoluted, but it didn't detract from the overall experience. 4.5 stars out of 5. Definitely recommend!

That's all for now! Please forward this to anyone you think would be interested.
​
Have a great summer!
​
~Lesli