It’s currently 800,000 degrees (exaggeration? never), and while I’m very much an autumn girl, I’ve been enjoying the summer season. Except for my surprise appendicitis that happened over the 4th of July weekend…I did not enjoy that. We’re gonna blow right past that little disaster and talk about more exciting things.
First and importantly, I’m still repped by the wonderful Bethany Hendrix, but we’re now part of the Spencerhill Associates team! I rejoined with Bethany in late June and sent off the latest version of my dark academia fantasy adventure, Project Dice, for her review. That revision round was my biggest by far, and while it was TOUGH, I’m very proud of how this story is shaping up. It has all the things I love: complex friendships, romance, betrayal, magic, and creepy places we should absolutely NOT be entering but will, in fact, be entering.
More on Project Dice down the road!
Second, I’m officially attending YALLFest in Charleston, SC in November! I’ve been wanting to attend for years, and my best friend and I are finally making it happen. I’ve never been to Charleston (or South Carolina for that matter), so I’m excited to explore a new place and be around fellow writers and industry people. The fairly solitary nature of the writing process can be a bit lonely sometimes, and while I’m grateful the internet gives me a constant place to be with the writing community, there’s nothing quite like being in person together.
Now, I’m coming up on the end of my break from revisions, but it’s been a nice few weeks doing other non-writing related projects. My golden retriever turned one, and we threw him a puppy party with the neighborhood dogs, which was a delight for all. He’s never slept so well in his life. My friend and I tag-teamed a very cute bookstore puzzle, and while it got dicey in the middle, we triumphed in the end.
I’ve also been playing a lot more video games, including jumping back into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which I could lose days to playing if I’m not careful. Big same with Disney Dreamlight Valley, too. My husband, Shaun, and I also played Still Wakes the Deep, which had us hooked from the very beginning. Talk about nailing those dread-and-horror vibes throughout.
And of course I’ve been reading more! Here are a few of my recent summer reads:
She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran, a YA debut from 2023 brimming with gothic and horror vibes. Goodreads describes it as “A house with a terrifying appetite haunts a broken family in this atmospheric horror, perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic,” and I most certainly agree. I’ve never read anything quite like it, and it reminded me a bit of Mike Flanagan’s gothic romance The Haunting of Bly Manor. Tran’s debut is also set in Vietnam, and its main character, Jade, battles with her complex feelings of identity and colonialism.
The Do-Over by Lynn Painter, which is pretty much a 180 from She is a Haunting! Don’t blame me, I’m a mood reader. This YA contemporary rom-com is set on the world’s worst Valentine’s Day, but don’t worry, our heroine has a chance to fix it. This was both funny and heartwarming, while reminding me of the best memories of high school (and frankly, some of the cringiest ones).
Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu, a YA action-adventure in which an international pop star becomes embroiled in a Mission Impossible-like scenario and teams up with a skilled yet arrogant bodyguard with a chip on her shoulder. I’ve been a fan of Lu’s since Legend, and this was such a fun romp that had me eager to keep reading. The second book in the duology, Icon and Inferno, released a few short weeks ago, and I’ll be jumping in soon!
In about a week, I’ll be returning to the world of revisions. I’m aiming to have Project Dice ready for sub this fall, but we’ll see if that’s realistic once I get my edit letter back. I also have a few other projects cooking in between, but I’ll share more about those down the road!
I’d love to hear about how your summer is going and if you have any book recommendations for me!
Sending s’mores with extra chocolate,
Valerie
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valerie c. norton 