Dear Etherfriends, 

Hiya! It’s been a while, huh?

Thanks for still being here!

The blog is getting this Ethernotes update before the mailing list! Why? Please don't make me cry harder by asking me to explain... I wanted a Ghost blog because it would simplify my life to send posts to a mailing list, but that functionality doesn't work here for NO STATED REASON. Just a lovely repeated 'failed to send to mailing list' error. And the old Mailerlite account won't send because they have new verification requirements and something I don't understand has to happen, but can't happen until the person who helps with that kind of thing is available. Which is 'probably Sunday'. So, yeah... Anyway... Posting here because I spent all day on this and can't handle NOT putting it somewhere.

Life Updates

You (maybe): Are you okay???

Andy: Mostly? I’ve survived another summer and have been keeping myself busy despite being quiet. (NOTE: This was more accurate when I wrote it than it is several hours later as I am an emo-level sobby mess sitting all alone because my suport humans have buggered off together. But I will probably be fine by tomorrow.)

You: Is it snowing yet?

Andy: No… But any week now! And eventually it will be ski season again. I’m hoping to work for a new ski school this year, hoping that it will bring the fun back to ski instruction. And hoping this winter is MUCH better than last. I’m not sure I can handle a repeat of last winter’s soul-crushing doldrums.

You: Still writing?

Andy: Always!

Work Progress and Plans

Winter’s First Verse: Is this section about me???

Andy: In part! I’m happy to announce to everyone that Winter’s First Verse is in final edits and will be releasing very soon!

Winter’s: How soon?

Andy: I expect the digital version to be available on November 20th, the very day the book’s events begin! And the print should follow on December 1st. Pre-order links are below!

Lesbian Cheese Romantasy: Are you going to mention me?

Andy: Yes! You and your siblings are something I’m excited about.World? I managed to write the rough draft for two novellas with a third in their series to be written over the next fortnight!

Lesbian Cheese Romantasy: Tell them what inspired me!Andy: A little while ago I saw a submissions callout for romantasy short stories centering on cheese. A story leaped straight into my imagination! The execution took too long to be a short story, but was inarguably a solid novella! And, better yet, two more stories came to mind to accompany it!

F/F/NB Triad Coffee Romantasy: Mention me!

M/F/NB Asexual Triad Soup Romantasy: And me!

Andy: Yeah, so… There are three novellas following a set of triplets from a family where people form magical matebonds when they eat something their bondmate made. They live in the same country as the characters of the Songs of Niaretya series but at a completely different ski area in a neighboring province. I’m having a lot of fun working on the ways the settings are alike and how they’re dissimilar. One big difference is that people in the new province have dogs they try to take everywhere. Such weirdos…

In The Lesbian Cheese Novella, Illian recognizes she has a mate bond but as no idea with whom, so must quest to discover who made the cheese she ate! Meanwhile, the woman secretly in love with her struggles to hold herself together long enough to help.

In The Agender Coffee Novella, Kres knows exactly who triggered eir matebond. Bad news: it wasn’t eir wife. Good news: it WAS someone ey and eir wife have been crushing on! But she’s already turned them down before…

In The Asexual Soup Novella, Aethen quickly discovers who made the soup he just ate. It’s someone who recently quit playing piano in his night club at the insistence of her possessive boyfriend, who has unusual limitations on her dating other people.

Triplet Novellas: We think you should mention when you plan to share us.

Andy: The hope is to release one a month during the spring. Probably in the order of Coffee, Soup, Cheese.

Triplet Novellas: When do we occur in connection to the Songs of Niaretya Timeline?

Andy: Good question! I’m still working that out. I know they’re spread out over several months despite their release schedule. I think Cheese takes place after the events in Winter’s First Verse. 

The Melody of Shining Stars: I’m feeling somewhat overlooked and forgotten…

Andy: That’s understandable and I apologize. I expect you to be out late summer/early autumn 2027 with Book 4 of your series hopefully coming out winter 27/28.

Songs of Niaretya: And Book Five?

Andy: Is still in the planning stages. I sort of have a lot going on…

Newsletter: Stop whining, you two. They were working on Melody yesterday. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since they updated ME?

Andy: Valid point. I will try to be better about that with so much going on! And also about the blog…

Blog Highlights

Ethernotes: I don’t have much that’s new…

Andy: No. But since the last Ethernotes update, I DID get around to posting reviews for a book and a books series.Readers can find my review of polyamorous slice-of-life novel Life in a Dying City by Jess Mehr, which reminded me of Ursula Le Guin’s Haimish Cycle at https://andybrokaw.com/planting-life/ and/or my thoughts on the Triple Strike series, a light hearted and fun space opera featuring aliens who revere Earth’s Golden Age of Piracy at https://andybrokaw.com/the-triple-strike-series-by-g-m-gray/.

Things I Need Help With

First off, it’s enough that you’re here. Your support means a lot to me!But if you want to help me in other ways, reviews are very important to indie authors. I have some scattered around the web, but the most important places for them are Goodreads and Amazon. In changing my name and re-releasing Harmony, the book lost the few reviews it had on those platforms. I’d be incredibly grateful to anyone adding new reviews. 

Also on the review front… I would LOVE to give away some free review copies. If you know of anyone who runs a book blog or who would be willing to leave reviews on Goodreads and sale sites, please invite them to fill out this Google Form. (Or fill it out yourself if you’ve been lurking around here but haven’t picked up a copy yet!)

I would also LOVE some pre-release reviews for Winter’s First Verse. If you would like an advanced copy in exchange for promising to leave a review, please comment here or fill out the Harmony form and select that you’d like a copy of Winter’s in the appropriate section.

Did you know that pre-order sales are very important to authors? If you plan to purchase Winter’s First Verse from a vendor that offers pre-orders, please consider pre-ordering it. You can preorder on itch.io or find other participating shops such as Amazon and Smashwords here. (Note that there will be more links as it becomes more widely available.)

And I am fulfilling this promise!