A Quick Note & all the best writing/publishing links

Resources, industry news, tea, oh my!

Greetings readers & writers,

I don’t know about you, but the entry into summer is always madness. Between end of school year activities, birthdays, travel, deadlines, and of course, illnesses that strike as soon as the weather gets nice, I feel like I’m in a mental and logistical marathon.

So please excuse the fact that there isn’t an essay or much of a note at the top this month. I’ll make up for it in July. Know that the writing and the anthology are clicking along; the peach tree is faring well so far *fingers crossed*; and I have already frequented at least three lemonade stands since the start of June.

In the meantime, you can look at the very extensive essay from last month on music, genres, and gatekeeping. And for this month, here are some resources, news, and oldie-but-goodie issues to get you through. And be sure to add your favorite new releases to our Summer 2024 new releases thread. What’s on you TBR this summer?

~Allison

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Writing/Marketing Resources

Happy Pride! Support an LGBTQ+ owned bookstore near you! {Oprah Daily}

I am definitely one to shelve my books by vibes, as well as a sense of nostalgia for when and where I was in my life when I read them. So I feel a deep affinity for “Bookshelves for Your Book Selves: Monica Wood on Why She Organizes Books by Emotion” {Lit Hub}

Thanks to writer pal

C.R. Kellogg

for sharing this article in Esquire: “Why Are Debut Novels Failing to Launch?” which looks at the modern debut author’s experience in a historic context, comparing it to that of Jack Kerouac, whose novel On the Road “created the blueprint for the literary “debut” phenomenon.” Already this forebodes the difficult changes that have happened in the industry! Even so, the tldr;? “Community is the single most powerful tool for a debut writer.”

As we’re progressing with our anthology, we’ve been putting together contracts for our contributors. Here are some great resources for writing (and vetting!) literary contracts:

• Model Trade Book Contract Guide {The Author’s Guild} — also check out their legal/contract review services for members!

• Model Contracts— Book, Magazine, Agent, Audii {SFWA Blog}

• Author Rights Resources {Cornell University} — focus on scholarly publications

• MWA Model Novel Contract {Mystery Writers of America}

• A Model Contract for Literary Translations { PEN America}

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Industry News:

• Le Guin Family Donates Portland Home to Literary Arts for New Writer’s Residency. They are currently running a public fundraising campaign to both preserve this historic family home and transform it into a working space for writers.

• Beloved Denver indie-bookstore chain, The Tattered Cover, is being sold to Barnes & Noble {Denverite}

• After a spate of high-profile editors and publishers-of-color have quit or been let go from major publishing houses, here’s an in-depth article + an interview from The Atlantic about the current state of diversity in publishing: ”Has the DEI Backlash Come for Publishing?” and “Will Publishing’s Diversity Gains Last?” {free links}

• The Lambda Literary Awards, which honor LGBTQ+ books and writers across a wide range of genres, were announced on June 11th!

• Also the Nebulas, which honor outstanding SFF, were awarded on June 8th! I am particularly tickled that Barbie won the Ray Bradbury Nebula for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation. Sarah Gailey was the Toastmaster for the award ceremony and gave a superb opening speech.

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Tea

Y’all know I love my iced tea maker. But sometimes I’m impatient. I can’t wait for a full pitcher of hot tea to cool down all afternoon. So I’ve been experimenting with some other methods. I came across this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated that has you brew 1 1/2 TBS loose leaf tea in three cups boiling water for 4 or 5 minutes, then add a cup of ice water and let it continue brewing for an hour, before serving over ice. It works equally well for MEM tea’s Golden Green as well as a more run of the mill Tropical Hibiscus Herbal tea from Wegmans. I still have to wait a little bit, but it does feel like I have a little more control over the potency of the tea, especially if it’s a strong flavor.

image source: Cooks Illustrated

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Stay cool, use sunblock, and support your local lemonade and popsicle stands!

~Allison

Writer & Marketing Coach
Keep Writing, Keep Connecting! Substack | Facebook | Website | BlueSky | Anthology

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