As part of my experiments with AI art, I commissioned human art. Which I prefer.
I have a couple of pieces around the novella in progress from artist Paul Humphreys. One is a study of fire jays, birds local to Suncup Falls, and the other is a character study of Livvy and Marcus, two of the six main characters at the school. They are talented theatre kids and oh boy, do they know it.
My free newsletter talks about submitting my novel to get a new agent. It's happening. I review two new books I liked and an old book by one of my fave detective writers, which I didn't rate highly. A beautiful premise, a bold choice of heroine, a meh outcome. And the novella dilemma - make it a novel, or cut it further? It will go to early readers soon.
Do subscribe, social is unreliable to stay in touch. It's free.
So a dilemma. A book with a great premise, written with panache, should be in my love zone, by a small press I admire.... doesn't land for me.
I don't particularly like posting meh reviews, unless they're big authors who can take it. It has a hefty number of reviews which really like it. And I'm not an edgelord who just wants to be a contrarian.
Packing my bags again. This time, I'm speaking at the Historical Novel Society of Australasia's conference in Sydney this weekend. I'm on a panel titled Truth-telling in Historical Fiction.