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In the blink of an eye, 4 months have passed since my last newsletter update! This looks like a whopper of an update
Sunday Time Bestseller
The title says it all. Fathomfolk hit the Sunday Times Bestseller list at NUMBER ONE! I actually refused to believe it until I held the paper in my hands, and even then it didn’t quite feel real. I am considering signing off everything with No 1 Sunday Times Bestseller - birthday cards, texts, permission slips for my son’s school. Everyone will appreciate that, right?
Joking aside, I know it is an utter privilege to be in this position and not in small part due to Fathomfolk being chosen as Illumicrate’s March book of the month. I have drooled over sprayed edges and book related merch for a long time online but I am both a miser and an overthinker so I’ve only got a couple of sprayed edges in my library (The Green Bones Saga and She Who Became the Sun for those who were wondering which). It is absolutely surreal that on my debut, I could tick so many bucketlist items off the list. Hardback, special edition AND Sunday Times Bestseller.
I also participated in a bunch of bookshop and convention events including York Lit Festival, Cymera, It’s Strange Up North, panels in London, St Neots, Glasgow and Manchester. So I love events for hanging out with other authors whilst quietly whispering to myself, be cool Eliza, don’t let them know you are making it all up. But over the course of the events I also started to meet readers who had finished the book. People who wanted to thank me, punch me for the ending (sorry not sorry), who had made fan art, bracelets, who were speechless because Fathomfolk really spoke to them. Thank you. Sometimes in all the noise, I forget that there’s a person at home, screaming at a book and staying up past their bedtime, and that’s the most important connection to make.
Tideborn
Book 2 of The Drowned World duology now has a title, TIDEBORN. If you have read Fathomfolk you can guess who the Tideborn are. If Fathomfolk is a book about immigration, identity and belonging, TIDEBORN is about grief, growth and mothers.
Here’s the official blurb, with mild spoilers for Fathomfolk.
Preorders are opened and coincidentally Barnes & Noble are having a 25% off sale for preorders until 17th July using code PREORDER25.
I’ve not seen cover sketches yet but can confirm we are getting another beautiful Kelly Chong cover so I cannot wait!
TIDEBORN has gone to copyedits so the main structure is done, this is just smoothing over any smaller issues before proofs. It was very strange going from writing a book in 4+ years to turning it around in 1 year and I was not certain I could pull it off at first. I am incredible happy with TIDEBORN now and the character arcs through the duology. I hope you will be too when you read it.
Other Writing Projects
Novels:
I’ve been pottering away in the background on another novel which I cannot talk about but I clearly have talked about in multiple interviews if you’ve been following. Lol. Fingers crossed for an announcement soon!
I’m also doing something completely different that I’ve not really talked about that has been a fascinating challenge in being concise. I will be less vague when I am allowed!
Short fiction:
Whispers in the Earth, a short story anthology ed and illustrated by Gabriela Houston successfully kickstarted and will have a sprayed edge special edition! My short story A Match Made in Earth will be in it. I can’t say much about it without giving it all away, but it’s definitely on the horror end of the scale about a young woman trying to get away from a persistent matchmaker. Gabriela made lino cuttings of all the stories herself and it has been a real labour of love. Don’t worry if you missed out on backing this, you will still be able to pick up the anthology in paperback or ebook at a later date.
Nova Scotia, vol 2, a short story anthology ed Neil Williamson and Andrew J Wilson with Luna Press, has had a cover by Jenni Coutts and table of contents reveal. This is the best in Scottish speculative fiction and I was delighted to be included with my short story If You are the Hammer, Strike about villain hitting and witches. There is going to be a launch at Worldcon in Glasgow. Preorders are now open!
My short story The Ng Yut Queen ( The 五月 Queen) will be reprinted in Neon Hemlock’s We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2023 ed Charles Payseur and Darcie Little Badger. You can preorder through their kickstarter campaign.
Upcoming Events
Thu 8th Aug, Glasgow
Thu 8th Aug - Mon 12th Aug Worldcon Glasgow SEC
Schedule TBC
Thu 22nd Aug, Manchester
Curtis Brown Fantasy workshop Oct-Dec
The excellent Lucy Holland (Sistersong, Song of the Huntress) is running a 6 week Fantasy workshop in Oct and I will be guest appearing for a masterclass for one session.
As always, please check my instagram for the most up-to-date list of events.