K.R.'s Monthly Newsletter

❄️ The long Pacific Northwest Winter 🌧️

February 2024
Vol. 201

Hello,

First, I’ve had so many new subscribers to this free monthly newsletter that I wanted to take a moment to welcome you and tell you how honored I am that you’ve chosen to spend your valuable time with me. For those of you who have been with me for a while, welcome back and thank you for being here! 🩶

Last time I checked in with you we were going through an unusual cold snap, a foot of snow in one day, and plenty of burst pipes—not ours, thank goodness. Now, we are back to typical west coast weather that feels like we’re in monsoon season. Compared to Southern California though, we have nothing to complain about (but we do, anyway!) Seriously, my heart goes out to everyone there and the heartbreaking loss of home and destruction. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

What I’ve Been Doing

As you may know, I absolutely love writing here for you on Substack. If you’re curious about what else I write, please check out Words, Wisdom & Conversation for some of my latest posts for my paying subscriber community. No pressure; I just wanted to let you know 😉.

As much as I do love writing for you here, I was recently reminded that first and foremost, I’m a novelist. It’s not only what I do, it’s more than that. It’s part of the air that I breathe; it’s what makes me who I am. And so, as I announced in my last newsletter, I am back to writing Book #4 five days a week, several hours a day. After five months away from my manuscript, I feel reconnected to my story and have fallen back in love with my characters. I always know I’m re-engaged when the story is the last thing I think about at night and the first thing I think about in the morning. And in the shower, and when I’m walking the dog, and… just about everywhere else. And it feels good!

I have changed the working title to something much more indicative of the story and I’m up to twenty-one scenes—just fleshed out, not fully written yet. A huge thank you to thriller author, J.T. Ellison for sharing her “40 Scenes” method.

By the way, if you’re dying to read bits of the raw manuscript, vote on the title (I’ve got some really cool alternatives) or be the first to see the cover reveal, I have a little gift for you. For about the price of a cup of coffee per month, you can join the Words, Wisdom & Conversation community by clicking below.

What I love most about working on this story is that the setting is closely modeled on the tiny seaside village in which I live. Although the name of the place has been changed (to protect the innocent 😉), it’s such a joy to know every trail, road and nook and cranny like the back of my hand, because I’ve lived here for 29 years. And whatever I don’t know, I get to make up! I still have to do a lot of research (which I love doing, by the way) but not as much on the location as I did for my previous three thrillers which are set in Italy and Malta.

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Okay, I should have changed the graphic above to say what’s in my TBR pile that I’m dying to get started on. With my husband going through his treatments and having to sleep a lot, I get to read a lot more in the evenings than I did (before the TV would reach out, grab me, and hold me hostage for a few hours!). However, I’ve been quite slow in getting through books. Even those I’ve loved. I find myself reading the same paragraph over and over, which is frustrating.

So, while I can tell you what I’m reading now, I’ll also give you a round up of books I’ve had on hold at the library and others I’ve purchased but haven’t been able to start yet. I hope these might give you some inspiration for choosing your next best read.

The book I’ve just started (and am loving) is The Helsinki Affair by Anna Petoniak. I absolutely loved Our American Friend when I read it last year and was thrilled to hear she had a new one out. When I saw this blurb by John Banville, author of Snow and Booker Prize winner, The Sea, I was hooked.

“If you are one of those people—we are not a few—who think they don’t write thrillers like they used to, then The Helsinki Affair is for you.

And from author Evan Thomas: “Move over, Alan Furst and Daniel Silva and say hello to Anna Pitoniak.”

Next in my TBR pile is The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay. And this is what Steven King said about Barclay’s latest book: “Find You First starts with a bang and ends with an even bigger one. Barclay is a terrific writer, but he’s outdone himself with this. It’s the best book of his career.” That sounds good to me!

My third, but by no means the last in my TBR pile is by a fellow British Columbian author. The Almost Widow by Gail Anderson-Dargatz. Not to be confused with her first book, The Almost Wife, this one is described as:

“a fast-paced and breathtaking story that had me furiously flipping the pages until the very end.” Another description says: “Remarkably authentic and chilling.”

If you’ve read any of these or have some recommendations of your own, let’s make this more of a Conversation and please leave them in the Comments section below.

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*This newsletter contains affiliate links to Bookshop.org, which supports independent book stores. There is no additional cost to you if you use one of my links and Bello and Gracie thank you for helping keep them in kibble 🐾💗

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📚 And now to the winner of last month’s giveaway!

Every month, I draw a name from those of you who open the newsletter and I say thank you to one loyal reader with a $25 gift card to the bookstore of their choice.

Drum roll, please… the winner of January’s gift card is patsmithcma Huge congratulations, Pat. Please check your email. 🩶

IF YOU WOULD LIKE THIS MONTH’S GIFT CARD, please leave a message in the Comments below and you’ll automatically be entered in the draw (I have your email so no need to give up your privacy). Good luck!

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And that’s a wrap. I hope you might be somewhere balmy and warm. 🏝️ Maybe on a desert island with a TBR pile of your own.

Be good to yourself and others. Kindness is always rewarded. Thank you for yours!

K.R. 🩶