Rather not receive emails from me? It's easy to unsubscribe. Just scroll to the bottom of this email and click the link! But remember, you may not be able to join again with the same email address.

Hey ❤️

I'm going to share some quick thoughts on the state the world's in, but if that's not what you're here for, I understand. Scroll down to the next line of bold text to jump into book talk.

The world is hurting right now. I don't think I can send you an email without acknowledging that.

In the last decade, I've been reminded several times of an English saying that's sometimes said to be a translation of a Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times.

We're all living in interesting times that are going to be discussed and debated long after we're gone. It's exhausting. It's heartbreaking. It's terrifying. And I say this from the relative safety of the United States... but frankly, I haven't felt truly safe here, either, since 2015.

The other day, I was speaking to another author about how our projects were going, and whether we thought we'd be able to keep working on writing fiction when there was so much history happening all around us. Then we both made what felt like a confession: when the outside world is at its worst, we work as much as ever. Maybe more.

The imagination is one of the secret weapons of humanity. It's how we invent things, connect with each other, and work through our problems. And sometimes, it's how we escape.

Writing is a trap door in the back of my mind where I can find a few hours' reprieve whenever I want to, and I've been taking advantage of that.

Reading gives me a similar feeling, especially if I pick up an old favorite.

I don't want to be living in interesting times, and I bet you don't either. I hope you have someone to talk to if you need them, and to remind you that you shouldn't feel bad about turning off the news and picking up a book.

There's no easy transition into talking about love stories in times like these, so I'm just going to jump into it, trusting that books are the reason you opened this email in the first place, and I'm happy to help open the trap door.

What I'm reading

I have been trying to give some attention to the unread books strewn around my house! I love buying physical books, and every time I find myself on thrift books, I get carried away. Plus, if the paperback is only a couple dollars more than the ebook, I can never resist that.

The thing is, I'm what I've heard called a "mood reader"--meaning, what I feel like reading on any given day varies widely. When I place an order, no matter how fast shipping is, there's a solid chance my mood will have shifted by the time the darn book actually reaches my front door.

Anyway, I have some fantastic books just lying around. And this week I've been reading Playing the Palace by Paul Rudnick.

I bought the book after hearing a charming podcast interview with Paul, and then when I saw how pretty the cover was, I decided I needed a hard copy.

The interior is just as delightful as the exterior. It's a sweet, fun, and laugh-out-loud funny book. I highly recommend it.

What I'm writing

This week I've been working solely on the secret project. I can tell you that it's coming in September and it's a contemporary m/m romance, but that's about it. Hopefully there will be more to say in a couple of months!

I've also been preparing to incorporate edits into Night & Day, which releases on the 25th of this very month. Where does the time go? Anyway, it's almost time for advanced reader copies, or ARCs.

Many of you read the first draft of Night & Day chapter-by-chapter right here in the newsletter, but I have made some major revisions.

If you're interested in reading a free, early e-book copy in exchange for an honest review, you can fill out the form to request one by clicking below. For this book, I'll be distributing all ARCs personally.

Request an ARC of Night & Day

Until next week...

Are you a mood reader? How many physical books do you own that you haven't read? Do you own physical books at all? How are your pets? I'd love to hear from you!

xo,

Rachel

find me in more places

Website | Rachel's Party Barn on Facebook | Instagram | Discord

my books

Long Winter | Signs of Spring | Burning Season | As the Tallgrass Grows | When the River Rises

Jaywalking | Sleepwalker

Night & Day