Let's add some books.

SICKOOOOOOOS! You know what it is by now, time to tell me what you're reading this week in the comments (or what you finished recently) and I'll do the same (plus some other media and life updates).

READING

REVIEW

NOT BUILT IN A DAY: HOW SLAVERY MADE THE ROMAN EMPIRE by EMMA SOUTHON

Progress: Finished

I've praised this book here, there, and everywhere and will continue to do so, so I'll go in a different direction. Our equivalent of the "Viggo broke his toe for real in this scene" over-cited piece of LOTR trivia is "did you know I'm in the acknowledgements of Not Built In a Day"? I've known this for a while, but seeing it in the natural flow of finishing this wonderful book did fill me with the good 'n' fuzzies. One of my very first videos with my book account was about Southon's Agrippina biography and I remember telling somebody that she doesn't know it yet but we are gonna be besties. And now we are, which is dope as hell.

MEN AT ARMS by TERRY PRATCHETT [City Watch #2, Discworld #8] (satirical fantasy)

Progress: 302/428

You know what I found to be absolutely riiiiipping now that I'm older, dude? A tasty multi-book fantasy world that I can appreesh. Men at Arms has a strong hook and it's taking a while to cash in on that, but it does seem that we are in the stages of ramping up towards the real stakes. The Carrot/Vimes arcs are getting stronger and I want to know everything about Angua.

As a side note I think part of my delay in picking up Discworld is that I was never drawn in by the covers, which is shallow I know, but I'm happy to find these style of covers that give me the full on 90s quirky fantasy vibes that match the style of this world.

DEFIANCE: A MEMOIR OF AWAKENING, REBELLION, AND SURVIVAL IN SYRIA by LOUBNA MRIE (nonfiction memoir)

Progress: 102/417

No new progress made but as promised this is now my priority nonfiction read so I'll have more to say on it soon.

PREVIEW

I need to order the next Discworld so while I wait I'm either going to dive back into the cowboy life with Streets of Laredo or I'll decide to be a Hobbgoblin by starting The Rain Wild Chronicles. Yesterday I went book shopping in my own home to hunt for a nonfiction to have on deck and in the process started vetting options for the next History Sickos Book Club vote. So what I read next will probably be dependent on what you weirdos vote on when that goes live.

EVERYTHING ELSE

• A Complement of Scoundrels got another review from a trad publication, this time from Publishers Weekly (who are the biggest of their kind!), check out this blurb: "... an imminently delightful cast working a deliciously complex scheme filled with well-developed politics and moments of true catharsis. Indeed, Lockwood imbues this tale of cynical criminals with a surprising amount of heart. Fans of Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora and Robert Jackson Bennett’s Foundryside will want to check it out."

• Getting on ADHD meds was apparently a good decision, as my work flow has become much more efficient (when I'm not bugged eyed snorting Civilization VI and Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced). Meaning all the videos for this week are already shot, huzzah! Reminder that the TikTok blackout is still happening for another couple of weeks, simply because I hate that app and need a break from it.

• I saw John Cena recommend Million Dollar Secret and I gotta say, he was right. I inhaled both seasons and enjoyed the psychological complexity. I'm chasing that same high with The Traitors and while it has some of the same aspects (and the endgame of S1 was super strong), the mid-episode challenges are mostly useless gibberish and I feel less connected to seasoned reality hoppers, especially when they're coming from Bravo shows. So any recommendation for competitive reality shows that aren't filled with unbearable C-listers would be appreciated.

• Connor McGregor found Jesus and Jesus promptly fried the ligaments in his knee. Fair play to Big J.

• Spain is making me root for France and Argentina is making me root for England in the World Cup semifinals... and I resent both of them for it. Nobody could ever make me hate Jude Bellingham tho (heja BVB fam!).

• Haven't hit the climbing gym since last Tuesday as I've been trying to not aggravate a minor TFCC sprain and the gym was unexpectedly closed this morning. Basically it's a common wrist strain that you feel from your pinky to the lower, inside forearm. It's mostly fine now but certain movements (like turning the key to the medicinal gummy safe) are unpleasant. I am gnawing at the bars of my enclosure waiting to get back to it.

• Now that we've been doing these Weekly Checkpoints for some weeks, I'm curious if you're missing the old video format. I've included a poll to gauge where y'all are at with this. The idea behind the switch was to provide y'all with more exclusive content while also accommodating for the fact that I typically climb on Monday mornings and making that a filming day wasn't super optimal. Happy to reassess depending on how y'all vote.

First, THANK YOU to everyone who followed me over here and even signed up for Bindery 💕

I know leaving one platform and joining another (especially one you may not know much about) is a lot, so I truly appreciate you being willing to come along with me. Thank you for being a part of The Nerdy Babe Community!

So yes… I kind of stole y’all from my other platforms and dropped you into the Bindery wild west without any directions. My bad. 😂

So… what is Bindery?

Bindery is an independent publishing company that publishes amazing books and uplifts authors in the bookish space. They also created this literary community platform (the very one we’re on right now!) where creators can connect with their audience more deeply around the books we love.

Also… did you know Bindery has an app? 👀

The app is the easiest way to keep up with everything, imo! Whenever I post an update, you’ll get a push notification, and clicking it will open right into the app.

A few things you can do:

• Home — See posts from tastemakers you follow

• Search — Find books and other tastemakers

• Notifications — See when someone posts something new

• Profile — Manage your settings and explore Bindery books

One of my fave features is that you can save my book recommendations to your own shelves!

Just click on one of my bookshelves, tap the little bookmark icon on a book cover, and you can add it to your own personal TBR. Basically, you can create your own little digital bookshelf right here on Bindery.

Whenever you get a chance, I recommend playing around with the app, following other tastemakers, updating your profile and creating your own shelves!

I’m figuring this platform out with you, but I really think this is going to be such a fun space for us to build our little bookish community 💕

Hey there book besties,

I told you yesterday that the September new release alert was coming your way this week. Well, wait no longer! This is an incredible list of books that I KNOW you're going to love. There are SO many big releases, plus a few that have flown under the radar. I can't wait to dig into some of these books, especially the new Lawhon and Hoffman. Let me know which are going on your reading list!

Without further adieu, here's the link: https://shesbecomingbookish.com/new-historical-fiction-books-september-2026/

Secret Password: cozy

Get those library holds in stat!

xoxo

c

Guess who's back?

Thanks for bearing with me as I prioritized my family. I may not have been making content here, but I was still reading!

So let's get back to the books. These are the new releases for July 7th and 14th that I'm excited for and think should be on your radar!

Good Morning Means I Love You by Kendra Allen 4/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you like a woman who stands up for patriarchal norms, doing what she wants with her family/love life, not what is expected of her.

Crash Into Me by Robinne Lee 3/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy contemporary fiction that explores raising teenagers in this age as well as figuring out your own ish at the same time.

Tsubaki Stationery Store by Ito Ogawa 3.25/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy the exploration of language.

The Memory Bookshop by Song Yu-jeong 3/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy East Asian cozy fantasy (and how can you not) or exploration of the meaning of life.

And a few I haven't read yet...but will soon!

The Great Wherever by Shannon Sanders

Why it interests me: a capitalism dropout explores her family's past with the help of (I think?) friendly ghosts.

Some People by Parini Shroff

Why it interests me: complicated family relationships, yes please.

Dominion by Jean Kwok

Why it interests me: I tend to shy away from romantasy, but this is supposed to be inspired by Chinese mythology, so I'm game.

The Devoted by Catherine Cho

Why it interests me: literary fiction about family set in Asia.

Astronaut! by Oana Aristide

Why it interests me: a coming of age story set in 1989 Romania.

Not with a Bang by Temi Oh

Why it interests me: a post-apocalyptic work by the author of Do You Dream of Terra-Two?

This was a very slow reading week for me. I plowed through two books last weekend during the heatwave and then...stopped, ha. I couldn't focus, and then a migraine whacked me at the end of the week. Anyway, here's what did get read. Books marked with a * are books I was gifted.

Murder In The Dressing Room by Holly Stars* - A cozy mystery about the murder of the owner of a drag cabaret? Yes, please! With this one, I loved the characters and story but not the execution. The MC kept endlessly rehashing old clues without getting anywhere new, and then everything happened right at the end. I did love that our MC was a nonbinary drag queen, and that we got to see how them being Joe vs being Misty was both separate personalities and also impossible to separate.

I Love You Don't Die by Jade Song* - Anyone who gave this one a low rating is INCORRECT. I love love love Song's writing style. This book is less physically visceral than CHLORINE was, but it's...emotionally visceral? Is that a thing? Well, it is. This book is super heavy, but I loved the explorations of the intersections of friendship and love, life and death.

Well, that's all for this week. Come on over to the Discord and share what you've been reading!

Where do you store your books? 

If you watched my video showing all of the books on my physical TBR, I mentioned that my books are kind of, well, everywhere. In boxes, on two bookshelves, and on the floor of my bedroom. There's also probably some in my closet!

Are you chaotic like me and just put books wherever you can store them or do you have a system?

This week was my first in-person author event at Village Books. I was incredibly anxious leading up to it, but it turned out to be such a wonderful night. People came to hear me talk about Hiding Lies and Small Town Slasher, asked thoughtful questions, bought books, and reminded me why I keep doing this even when the behind-the-scenes parts feel impossible sometimes.

Village Books was so welcoming, and it still feels surreal that such a beautiful local bookstore hosted me. I’ve already reached out about possibly returning for an event after Small Town Slasher releases, even if it happens a few months later.

I finished up my round of edits for I Wish I Was a Vampire and now it's with beta readers and my editor is also working on it. Small Town Slasher releases August 4, which is now only a few weeks away. I’ve finished final formatting, the acknowledgments, and an Author’s Note. I also spent an unreasonable amount of time fighting with Amazon over an ISBN trapped inside a draft listing. This is the kind of publishing work nobody sees, but it can eat an entire day while making you question every decision that led you there.

There has been a lot of outreach happening behind the scenes too. I’ve been contacting bookstores throughout Washington and Oregon, pitching future author events andlooking into horror film and book programming. There have also been screener requests and attempts to get on the right PR lists.

Events are challenging for me because I’m disabled and never know exactly how I will feel when the date arrives. That uncertainty is always there, even when I’m excited about an opportunity. The Village Books event gave me a little more confidence that I can find ways to make these things work without pretending they are easy.

I also was invited to a TBRCon 2026 panel, “Problems with the Final Girl Trope.” I’ll get to talk about final girls who move beyond the usual stereotype, including disabled characters and stories that make room for more than one final girl. I’ve wanted to be part of TBRCon for a long time, so I’m very happy to be on this panel. I can't wait to share who I'm on the panel with. OMG! https://fanfiaddict.com/tbrcon2026/ It's free!

The first Death by TBR Books novella open call is now up. I’m looking for horror novellas that use journal entries, documents, or other forms of mixed media as part of the story. The summer slasher submission call for the fourth Twisted Tales to Tell in the Night anthology is still open too.

Work continues on the Yuletide horror anthology. The cover is looking incredible so far, but two invited contributors who had committed to the project had to withdraw. I’m disappointed, but there isn’t anything I can do except adjust and keep moving forward.

I write these updates for everyone following along, but I also write them because my gremlins have a way of looking at a week like this and insisting I didn’t accomplish enough.

That is obviously not true.

I held my first in-person author event. I worked on two upcoming books while running a bookstore and press. I handled outreach, publishing problems, client work, submission calls, and all the smaller tasks that never make it into an announcement.

BOOKS
Witch Season by Julia Bianco
The Divine Gardener's Handbook by Eli Snow
The Secret Lives of Zombie Wives by Barbara Truelove

Currently reading: Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison and The Creed Falls Massacres by Jon Cohn

SHOWS

NEW
Sharkfest

FILMS/DOCS - I'm on LetterBoxd - horrormaven13
Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea

Rewatches that I'm enjoying as I pretend to live in the late 90s/early 00s.

TV
Gravity Falls
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The X-Files
Law and Order: SVU
Owl House

FILMS
I Know What You Did Last Summer 2025
Independence Day
The Bay
Scream 4
Doctor Sleep

That's all for this week! Please share what you've been reading and watching!

xoxo

Spooky Girl

Photo Credits

Welcome back to Goosebumps Bookclub. Today we are diving into some readalikes to Return Of The Mummy. The books below all feature some kind of ancient evil awakening--just like a mummy ;D

The Reddening by Adam L.G. Nevill--A journalist and lone parent investigate strange happenings in a coastal town, uncovering ancient horrors and facing their own personal demons.

The Hollows by Daniel Church--Folk horror meets ancient gods in a remote snowbound Peak District town where several murders take place…

The Ruins by Scott Smith--Trapped in the Mexican jungle, a group of friends stumble upon a creeping horror unlike anything they could ever imagine...

Ararat by Christopher Golden--When an earthquake reveals a secret cave hidden inside Mount Ararat in Turkey, a daring, newly engaged couple are determined to be the first ones inside...and what they discover will change everything.

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger--Nolan sets out to retrace the steps of an explorer from 1909 who claimed to have discovered a mysterious cavern high up in the ancient rock of the Grand Canyon. And, for once, he may have actually found what he seeks. Then the trip takes a nasty turn, and the cave begins turning against them in mysterious ways.

How is everyone enjoying the book?

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

16 July 7pm EDT

Melissa will join us at 7:30 so bring your questions for the queen!

Hey book buddies,

Happy Sunday!

I READ A TON this week, but I can't tell you about it just yet. This week's update might seem a little cryptic, but I don't want to spoil anything about upcoming content. So bear with me. 🧸

I finished Mad Mabel, and it was only ok for me. I think it's just a me thing though because everyone else has loved it. I enjoyed the way Hepworth played with the reader, dripping out clues throughout the book, but overall I was a bit underwhelmed. 3.5⭐️

I re-read a forever favorite in anticipation of a new project and LOVED it just as much. I am not ready to share the title with everyone, but I did share with the Book Besties here on Bindery. Don't worry, I'll share with the masses VERY soon! 5⭐️

I know y'all voted for The Parisian Heist, but I got distracted by The Giver of Stars. Still early into this one, but it's pretty good so far. It's set in Kentucky during the Great Depression and follows a young British woman who joins a group of pack-horse librarians. The audio is narrated by THE Julia Whelan, so I was instantly pulled into the drama. So far so good!

I am about 60% of the way through with The Secret Society of Librarians and, honestly, I don't want it to end. It's 5⭐️ material, which is no surprise given how much I loved Thompson's previous work. If you in the market for a great WWII novel, this should be on your radar.

Lastly, I did something I haven't done in ages! I went to the library and checked out a physical book, then read the entire book (all 510 pages) in 4 sittings. Spoiler alert: I LOVED IT! Luckily, I filmed the entire thing for a very special vlog for paid subscribers. Watch for that this week!

I have every intention of listening to The Parisian Heist this week and starting my physical copy of A Founding Mother. I have seen a lot of great chatter about that one over on Fable, so if you're looking for a great community of like-minded readers to buddy read with, here's your sign. 😜

In other news, I updated an old reading challenge over on the blog and wanted to share. I've been thinking alot about changing up my reading habits and figured that a good reading challenge would be a great place to start. The Intentional Reading Challenge is designed to help stretch our reading boundaries and expose us to new genres, authors, cultures, and places. Check it out and let me know what you think!

ICYMI:

• Get a sneak peek at my July TBR (Youtube video coming this week)

• The Great California Bookstore Tour & Book Haul is live (sadly this flopped majorly on YT, so appreciate everyone who has or will check it out)

• Don't miss this gorgeous copy of The Odyssey

• Here's a quick review of a brand new American Revolution novel

Hear it Here First:

SO much new content is cooking that I can't wait for you to see. Paid Bindery subscribers should expect a new special edition reading vlog this week, as well as early access to the September historical fiction look-ahead blog post. Free Bindery subscribers can expect a list of books I recommend after reading The Calamity Club, as well as a Yesteryear reading vlog and my July TBR jar pulls.

Until next time, happy reading!

x0xo

c

Every Sunday after Link and I finish our walk, I sit down and think about what all of my books had in common. Sometimes there's an obvious theme. Other weeks, I don't notice it until I'm writing.

This week, every single book surprised me...not because of shocking plot twists, but because they all turned into something bigger than I expected.

The book that felt like a dream

Habits of the Sea was marketed as magical realism, but I wasn't prepared for how deeply emotional it would become.

At its heart, it's a story about grief, time, wonder, and the impossible choices we make when love asks us to give something up. Shea Ernshaw creates one of those rare settings that completely consumes you. The floating island, the crashing Atlantic, the weather-beaten farmhouse...they all feel as alive as the characters.

It's been a long time since I deliberately stopped reading because I wasn't emotionally prepared to find out what happened next. I wanted to freeze the story in one perfect moment before reality caught up with it.

This is the kind of novel that won't work for everyone. It's quiet. It's lyrical. It asks more questions than it answers.

The thriller that redeemed an author for me

I went into The Season of Sinking cautiously.

I loved most of Night Watcher, but its ending didn't quite land for me. I wasn't sure whether that was a fluke or whether Daphne Woolsoncroft simply wasn't going to be an author for me.

Thankfully, this answered that question.

Her greatest strength it's atmosphere.

Lake Blair feels haunted long before anything supernatural (or not supernatural) happens. Every conversation carries tension. Every memory feels unreliable. You're constantly asking yourself whether Imogen is uncovering buried truth or rewriting her own past. That's exactly the kind of psychological thriller I love.

The dragon book that made me cry

If someone asked me to describe The Dragon Has Some Complaints, I'd probably pitch it as "a cozy fantasy about a grumpy three-headed dragon."

Which is technically true.

It's also one of the most compassionate books I've read this year.

John Wiswell has this incredible ability to wrap enormous emotional truths inside funny, whimsical fantasy. Beneath all the dragon antics is a story about disability, loneliness, belonging, and found family.

I hugged Link more than once while reading this.

And yes...I'm fully accepting that John Wiswell has become an auto-buy author for me.

The romance that was secretly science fiction

I expected The Romance Revival to be Christina Lauren's version of a second-chance marriage romance.

Instead, I got speculative fiction. Imagine The Vow colliding with Frankenstein.

The science never overwhelms the romance, but it fundamentally changes the emotional stakes. Luca doesn't simply have to forgive Emery.

He has to fall in love with her all over again.

It's one of the more ambitious books Christina Lauren has written, and I appreciated that they were willing to take such a big swing.

Cinderella...if she inherited a drug empire

I don't think Ember could have been marketed more perfectly for me.

A Cinderella retelling. Black mafia romance. Morally gray hero. Family power struggles.

Sign me up.

Ember herself was my favorite part of the novel. She's brilliant, determined, and refuses to let everyone else's expectations define her.

Asad? He is every red flag wrapped into one dangerously charismatic man.

My only hesitation was that I wanted him to earn Ember's forgiveness a little more by the end. If you've followed me for a while, you know trust is one of the biggest factors in whether a romance works for me.

Still...this was dramatic, addictive, and impossible to put down.

When religion becomes horror

The final book I finished this week was Before the Devil Knows, and it reminded me why detective thrillers remain one of my comfort genres.

An FBI investigation. Ancient biblical rituals. A secretive church. A town where no one wants to talk. It has all the ingredients I love.

The mystery kept escalating in ways I didn't expect, and while I guessed a couple of the reveals, the final twist still caught me completely off guard.

I'm officially invested in Gus and Vanessa's partnership, and I'll absolutely be picking up the next installment.

After the Walk

The older I get, the less interested I am in books that perfectly fit inside one genre box. The stories I remember months later are almost always the ones that quietly become something else.

• The cozy fantasy that's really about belonging.

• The romance that's secretly science fiction.

• The thriller that's actually about grief.

• The magical realism that becomes a meditation on wonder.

Maybe that's why these six books worked so well for me. None of them stayed inside the lines I expected them to color in. And honestly? I hope next week's reading surprises me just as much.

Hi folks!

Just a reminder that our discussion for Dreaming The Eagle will take place on Tuesday at 8pmGMT… link is below!

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87257065003?pwd=Z2uRYZ6QOgnFeli2a9WQIgPs4BbfV7.1#succes

We will be joined by Manda Scott herself, so prepare a question or two! We will be announcing the winner of the giveaway during the discussion.

Can’t wait!

Ed and Will

So. In one of the cooler things I've had the chance to do, I got to send over an interview to THE Kaden Love, author of Toothsucker. Kaden is an indie author who wrote a wild sci-fi cyberpunk vampire story unlike anything you've ever read. Original concept, chaotic energy in the best possible way, and one of the weirdest interpretations of vampirism I've seen.

I had the great fortune of asking Kaden a few questions about himself, his process, his inspirations, and a lot more. Here's what he had to say!

Tell me about yourself! What’s your favorite genre to read? What are you currently reading? What’s your grand-slam all-time favorite book?

As you can tell with my writing, I am a huge fan of cyberpunk and thought provoking scifi. The weirder and the more it hurts my head, the better. I grew up being a much more of an epic fantasy reader, which I still love, but I've been tending towards scifi as of late. It's hard to pick an absolute favorite, but to choose some, it would be Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Memories of Ice by Stephen Erikson, Neuromancer by William Gibson, and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the world by Haruki Murakami 

The obvious question: Why teeth? How did we get here? What prompted the dentata of it all?

funny enough, this all started as a short story I wrote in college that was a play on the tooth fairy. I love the moral dilemma of an ethical vampire who hates to hurt people, but has to feed. I wondered what if we gave tooth fairies a reason for collecting teeth then made one wonder if he could trick people into leaving their teeth under their pillows to avoid ripping them out.

Did you always envision this as a cyberpunk world or did it start somewhere else first?

It started as a fantasy short story. When I decided to turn it into a novel, it was a dark fantasy reminiscent of Dark Souls. I got super into cyberpunk when I was about 3 chapters in and decided to start from the beginning with a new light (you get the pun if you've read Toothsucker).

Describe how it is you picture this manifestation of light-as-currency in your book as best you can. Bad drawings are encouraged. So are good drawings.

The color spectrum is really interesting, noting especially how in light there is different energy emitted by ultraviolet and infrared. This was the basis. I wanted to make light something physical, in the sense that data is, so it turned into currency, ammunition, apparel in the form of clothing highlights and make-up, and so forth. Society in this hyper-capitalistic world is sorted by the colors. Blue is the average city, Violet is reserved for the elite of the elite, Orange is the poorest of the poor, and Red is a literal wasteland for fiends created by this world’s neglect (mostly beings that were once human but have since changed due to this whole pharmaceutical mess that gives the story it's backbone).

Have you ever pitched this story to a traditional publisher or literary agent, or was this always “meant” to be an indie project for you?

I queried it for a month or so but went indie and am happy with the audience I have so far. I love having it indie because I can pump books out a the speed that I like (books 2 and 3 are both being released this year), but I would love to go traditional to help it reach a wider audience eventually.

What was your experience like with getting the audiobook made for Toothsucker? How did you find your narrator? What was the most surprising thing you learned while working up the audiobook?

The audiobook was actually a really funny experience. I tried for a long time to get a publisher to help me do an audiobook, because my social outreach has grown a lot since the first books release. With a larger social media following, I get random messages all the time from people trying to promote their own things, but I still try to check them even if I don't answer them, I got one from a narrator saying that he would like to throw his hat in the ring to see if I'm interested in having him narrate Toothsucker. At this point I was still looking for a publisher, but I listened out of interest. Turns out, Jordan Joshua WAS THE VOICE for Petya (the main character in the series). We started working together quickly. I loved his work and his wide range of voices, that I think is starting to rival Jeff Hayes for me. He's doing so well and it's putting even more sound effects into book 2 and I can't wait for more people to listen to it! Funny enough, even though I think he is one of my favorite narrators I've ever listened to, I hate listening to my own audiobooks cuz I feel like I'm listening to myself. Talk. Whenever I am reviewing them for potential errors, I have to do something to distract myself because I hate listening to my own words, even though I am pretty proud of my books.

How is indie audiobook publishing different from print? What would you do differently?

With indie, I was able to negotiate a rate and do a one-time payment to my narrator, rather than sharing royalties. Even though it's a little more expensive up front, it's pretty nice because I get all of the money from the sales, except whatever audible steals from me. At this point, I'm about to publish my fifth novel and I feel like I have the system down pretty well. The only thing I want to change is a larger audience, but that is hopefully coming with time.

Are there any people in your real life that you’ve used as inspiration for any characters in the story? Do they know? How do they feel about it?

As you read in the dedication, this was made for my wife's best friends who were stuck in detainment in the US for 1.5 years while trying to flee the war in Russia. The stories that Petya tells about his detainment were inspired by the inhumane conditions of ICE facilities here and the tragedy of people seeking safety. That is a long depressing story that never ended in them making it to the US, so I felt they deserved a story. They both know about the dedication and appreciate it immensely. The romance in the novel is somewhat inspired by me and my wife, though there are many characters with minor inspiration. 

Have your parents read your book? What do they think?

Funny enough, they have both read the first book and loved it. They are currently working on reading book 2. They're fans and I think it makes them proud 

Your social media is very active and engaging. What do you think helps you market your work the most online? How do you stay so connected with your online audience?

I'm glad that people find me entertaining and enjoy my book reviews, I've been very blessed to have some success on social media. The best for marketing tends to be when other people review my books or talk about how much they enjoy. Then. I might make some sales from my post, but whenever I find a genuine fan that talks about how much they love my books, that does so much more for me. That genuinely enjoys my books, because any any support like that means the world to me. The Instagram community has been a lot of fun from me as an author and I can't thank the people that talk about my books enough. When Brandon Sanderson or George RR Martin get another book review. Their world doesn't change. When someone reads one of my books, there is a good chance. I will see the review posted and it means so much to me. Every sale matters. Every reader matters.

When you were first putting this story together, was there an author or authors you wanted to emulate or were drawn to for inspiration? Or did you just open a Word document and start flying?

Most of my earlier books were very plot focused, but I know a lot of people enjoy character focused stories. Pierce Brown did this very well with Red Rising, by making the characters and plot equally as interesting. I tried to tap into that with this, but I think the greatest inspiration was the anime cyberpunk edgerunners. This show managed to pack such an emotional punch into 10 mere episodes. I loved the blend of cyberpunk crime, with a brilliant romance and the drastic fall of a certain character. To me, this is the perfect cyberpunk story, which made it such a big inspiration. I am also a huge manga fan, and each novel in the series was drastically influenced by a certain manga. Chainsaw man, and the works of Naoki Urasawa were particularly influential to my work.

What one piece of advice would you give to anyone just starting to write their story or manuscript?

Just start writing. Write everyday no matter how few words and don't let a day go by without writing. Use every moment you have to write, even if it's on your phone during a busy work day. Utilize all the spare time that you have to make that novel happen, because unless you commit it won't.

Okay, so I lowkey hate promoting myself 😂 but I recently updated my tier offerings and wanted to share them with you all!

No pressure at all to upgrade your tier...seriously!! But if any of these sound fun and you want to join in, I’d be so grateful!

Here’s the breakdown:

The Reading Lounge (Free Tier) ✨

This is where you’ll find my general posts, unhinged book thoughts, reading updates, and all the random bookish things I want to talk about!

You’ll also have access to our Discord chat! (Which, I’ll admit, we need to use more 👀)

Think of Discord as a fancy group chat where we can share what we’re reading, swap recommendations, talk about books, and hopefully build an actual little bookish community together!

The Reading Nook ($5/month) 📚

This is where the digital book club officially begins!

Each month, you’ll get:

• A monthly newsletter with our reading vibe/theme

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You’ll also get access to my digital book tracker/planner (iPad-friendly for apps like Notability, Goodreads, etc.) and possibly a private Discord space for Nook members, depending on what everyone wants!

So basically:

The Reading Lounge = casual bookish fun, my random thoughts, and a place to hang out.

The Reading Nook = a deeper reading experience, a digital book club, and a space to connect with other readers.

Again, no pressure to upgrade. I just wanted to clear up what each tier includes!

I’m so excited to build this little bookish corner of the internet with you all 📚✨

If you love stories that are haunting, psychological, and twisty, you’ll want to put author Elizabeth DeVecchi on your radar immediately.

Her upcoming novel, The Shadow Beside Her: A Horror Novel, masterfully blends the grim realities of historical horror with spine-chilling supernatural suspense. Set against the backdrop of Italy during World War II, it promises to be a deeply atmospheric nightmare that horror fans won't want to miss.

We sat down with Elizabeth to chat about her childhood transition from scaredy cat to horror author, the fascinating historical rabbit holes she encountered while researching her new book, and why real-world dangers can be just as frightening as the monsters under the bed.

For readers who are discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe your books in three words?

Haunting, psychological, twisty.

Horror clearly holds a special place in your heart. What first drew you to the genre, and what keeps you coming back to it as a writer?

I was a total scaredy cat as a kid: horror films terrified me (though I admittedly saw my first horror flick at a drive-in … when I was 8. So that might be why.), I wouldn’t go near roller coasters, and jumped at anything that went bump in the night. Then I picked up some Lois Duncan books and loved them.

My parents had a basement library in the furnace room where they kept the scarier, more adult stuff. That is where I found Jaws, The Omen, Carrie, and other more mature horror books. Once I was hooked … I was hooked. I think the scaredy cat in me liked the idea that the things in the pages were so much more horrible than anything I was actually facing. Like, if I could survive the book, I could survive the real stuff.

As an author, horror is my go-to because I find it cathartic. There are also so many horrible things that happen in real life that are beyond our control. When I sit with paper and pen, I am in control. Well … until one of my characters goes rogue and the story shifts in a different direction.

Your upcoming novel The Shadow Beside Her blends historical horror with supernatural suspense. What inspired this particular story?

The creature in The Shadow Beside Her appears in my first novel, A Whisper in the Dark. I started this project to give some back story. Thinking about the events that eventually lead up to A Whisper in the Dark were my inspiration.

The Shadow Beside Her takes place in Italy during World War II. What made that setting and time period the right backdrop for this novel?

The creature I created thrives in environments of conflict and terror. So, I was looking for actual events that would fit well as a backdrop for the story I wanted to tell. Research led me to the events that occurred in the Apennines in 1944.

I have such love and respect for the Italian culture; writing something with Italy as the setting was an amazing experience. It also warms my heart that I was able to share some linguistic and cultural aspects in the story. My family in Italy will actually be able to read bits and pieces without having to translate.

What was the most interesting or unexpected piece of research you came across while working on the book?

I inevitably fall down research rabbit holes when I am writing a novel. First and foremost, the abject horror of the events that occurred on Monte Sole in Italy in 1944 shocked me to the core. We didn’t study any of that in school.

On a more pleasant note, I also did a deep dive into the minutia of how photography worked back then. From choosing a camera for Maria’s uncle (a Zeiss Ikon Nettar), to figuring out how he would have developed the pictures in war-torn Italy (Kodak sold home processing kits in a box), I was totally absorbed by this bit of research.

Many readers love stories where the real-world dangers can be just as frightening as the supernatural ones. What draws you to exploring that balance in your fiction?

In my own experience, I find that the more realistic a danger is, the more it frightens me. If I cannot picture myself in that situation, I might be scared by the story, but at a more superficial level. When we mix the supernatural and fantastical with real-world horrors, blanket the impossible with the possible, it makes for a deeper, more primal fear.

🌟 Unlock the Full Interview!

Want to dive even deeper into Elizabeth's writing world? We asked her the tough questions about her specific writing routines, how she handles characters who go completely rogue, her favorite fictional characters, and what she's working on next!

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Connect with Elizabeth DeVecchi

Don't forget to support this incredible debut author by pre-ordering her upcoming release or grabbing her backlist!

• Pre-order The Shadow Beside Her: Amazon Link

• Catch up on her previous books: A Whisper in the Dark and A Twist of the Lens are both available on Amazon.

• Website: www.elizabethdevecchi.com

• Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky | Threads | LinkedIn

Today, we are diving deep into the dark, atmospheric, and brilliant mind of horror author Elizabeth DeVecchi. Her upcoming novel, The Shadow Beside Her: A Horror Novel, seamlessly blends supernatural suspense with the grim historical realities of World War II Italy.

In this complete uncut Q&A, Elizabeth opens up about her journey from a childhood scaredy cat to a master of psychological horror, her extensive historical research rabbit holes, her unique writing routine which involves a surprising amount of yarn, and why her rescue dog deserves a co-author credit.

Grab your favorite beverage, turn on a reading light, and enjoy this exclusive insider conversation.

For readers who are discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe your books in three words?

Haunting, psychological, twisty.

Horror clearly holds a special place in your heart. What first drew you to the genre, and what keeps you coming back to it as a writer?

I was a total scaredy cat as a kid: horror films terrified me (though I admittedly saw my first horror flick at a drive-in … when I was 8. So that might be why.), I wouldn’t go near roller coasters, and jumped at anything that went bump in the night. Then I picked up some Lois Duncan books and loved them.

My parents had a basement library in the furnace room where they kept the scarier, more adult stuff. That is where I found Jaws, The Omen, Carrie, and other more mature horror books. Once I was hooked … I was hooked. I think the scaredy cat in me liked the idea that the things in the pages were so much more horrible than anything I was actually facing. Like, if I could survive the book, I could survive the real stuff.

As an author, horror is my go-to because I find it cathartic. There are also so many horrible things that happen in real life that are beyond our control. When I sit with paper and pen, I am in control. Well … until one of my characters goes rogue and the story shifts in a different direction.

Your upcoming novel The Shadow Beside Her blends historical horror with supernatural suspense. What inspired this particular story?

The creature in The Shadow Beside Her appears in my first novel, A Whisper in the Dark. I started this project to give some back story. Thinking about the events that eventually lead up to A Whisper in the Dark were my inspiration.

The Shadow Beside Her takes place in Italy during World War II. What made that setting and time period the right backdrop for this novel?

The creature I created thrives in environments of conflict and terror. So, I was looking for actual events that would fit well as a backdrop for the story I wanted to tell. Research led me to the events that occurred in the Apennines in 1944.

I have such love and respect for the Italian culture; writing something with Italy as the setting was an amazing experience. It also warms my heart that I was able to share some linguistic and cultural aspects in the story. My family in Italy will actually be able to read bits and pieces without having to translate.

What was the most interesting or unexpected piece of research you came across while working on The Shadow Beside Her?

I inevitably fall down research rabbit holes when I am writing a novel. First and foremost, the abject horror of the events that occurred on Monte Sole in Italy in 1944 shocked me to the core. We didn’t study any of that in school. 

On a more pleasant note, I also did a deep dive into the minutia of how photography worked back then. From choosing a camera for Maria’s uncle (a Zeiss Ikon Nettar), to figuring out how he would have developed the pictures in war-torn Italy (Kodak sold home processing kits in a box), I was totally absorbed by this bit of research.

Many readers love stories where the real-world dangers can be just as frightening as the supernatural ones. What draws you to exploring that balance in your fiction?

In my own experience, I find that the more realistic a danger is, the more it frightens me. If I cannot picture myself in that situation, I might be scared by the story, but at a more superficial level. When we mix the supernatural and fantastical with real-world horrors, blanket the impossible with the possible, it makes for a deeper, more primal fear.

You write across horror, suspense, and short fiction. How do you know when an idea should become a short story versus a full-length novel?

Funny story: both A Whisper in the Dark and A Twist of the Lens started as short stories. But something in my brain knew that they needed to be developed … that there was more to tell. Many of the short stories I have written as of late were for specific submissions calls, whether by invitation or not. So, I knew I had to keep my word count within the parameters and to get my ideas across in the space allotted.

Looking back at your publishing journey so far, what has surprised you most about becoming an author?

I thought that writing the books and finding a publisher would be the hard parts. Turns out, there is a huge amount of work after that: from promo to setting up signings.

The most wonderful surprise has been the dedication and support of readers who have stumbled upon my work in the most organic ways. Readers who approach me and talk about characters in my stories as if they were flesh and blood real. It is amazing.

You've lived, studied, and traveled in several countries. How have those experiences influenced the stories you choose to tell?

In the back of my mind, I sometimes wish I had started this writing journey earlier in my life because I often feel like I am playing catch-up … though to what I don’t know. That said, the experiences I have accumulated along the way, traveling, living, and studying abroad are an essential part of the stories I now tell.

Each language opens a door to understanding the people who speak it. Each sojourn in a different culture offers new knowledge for the gathering. It’s extremely humbling to be outside one’s comfort zone, to be taught new ways of seeing things. Those experiences and ones I have only gained through aging, have made me a much different storyteller than I would have been had I started earlier.

What role does setting play in your writing, and how do you create an atmosphere that feels immersive for readers?

Setting is extremely important to my stories and I try my best to make it come to life for my readers. If my characters travel a certain road during the story, for example (like in A Twist of the Lens, where Charlie rides a restored motorcycle from Indiana to Colorado), I want to know what is on that road, what the scenery actually looks like. If I can physically get there, I will. If not, I’ll look through photos and even “travel” it on Google Maps.

I immerse myself in studying the plant life, smells, temperatures, sounds, and tastes of the places I choose for my stories (whether they are real or I need to invent them) before I begin to write. The more I know about the place I have chosen as a setting, the more the descriptions will naturally seep into the story as I tell it.

Do you tend to plan your stories in detail before writing, or do you enjoy discovering twists and surprises along the way?

I am not really a planner. I tend to start writing when I have a general idea of where I would like to go with the story. You never know when a character is going to say “not so fast!” and do something that turns everything in a new direction. I prefer to let them lead me.

That said, I do write an ending to my books when I am about halfway through. It inevitably ends up changing, but I want to at least have a coherent and developed endpoint down so the final product doesn’t seem rushed.

What does a typical writing day look like for you?

At the moment, there is no typical writing day, as I write around my other responsibilities with my family. I try to eke out blocks of time to write each day, sometimes heading to coffee shops or the library to get away from seeing the things I need to get done in the house.

That said, when I do have time to write, I start clearing my mind by crocheting a kraken. I can think about what I am going to write while crocheting and when I finish, I’m ready to write and have a cute little creation to boot. This has earned me the name The Kraken Lady in some circles, as I like to give them out at conventions and sometimes have them for sale on my table or as part of giveaways (when you make one every day, you end up with A LOT of krakens).

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most: brainstorming, drafting, revising, or hearing from readers after publication?

I love love love interacting with readers. When my characters come to life in the mind of a reader, it is a total high. Of course, I also love writing the stories and it can sometimes be hard to write the end and have to move on to another world and another tale.

If you could give aspiring writers one piece of advice, what would it be?

First, I would say to not judge yourself while getting down that first draft. Don’t get caught in a cycle of continuously going back to edit every time you sit to write. I did this and it drastically slowed any progress. Get it all down. Then you can go back and begin to edit. You can’t edit what isn’t there. Also, find a good tight group of Beta readers. A group that will be brutally honest.

As a reader, what kinds of books are you most drawn to when you're not writing?

I am drawn to stories with elements of horror … especially psychological horror. That said, I am in four book clubs and only one of them is horror-themed. This has me reading books from all sorts of genres, often ones I wouldn’t search out on my own. I would suggest this to other readers (ok, maybe not four book clubs. It can be a lot). You may find yourself in love with a book you never would have picked up on your own.

If you could experience one book again for the very first time, which book would it be and why?

Honestly, there is more than one book that fits in this category. Though, I think books have a different effect on us at different times of our lives. I’ll pick one. If I could, I would love to go back in time and read Watership Down for the first time again. It had such a profound effect on me when I was a child. For one thing, it taught me to look at something “mundane” like the bunnies in our backyard through a whole new lens.

Your bio mentions an ever-changing menagerie of pets and guest creatures. Have any of them ever inspired a character or scene in one of your stories?

Dante, our rescue dog, inspired my debut A Whisper in the Dark. In fact, the very first scene is what happened to inspire the book. I bring a life-sized photo cutout of him to my signings and he signs each copy with a nose or paw print.

My son’s gecko, Limoncello, inspired some of the aspects of the creature in that book and in The Shadow Beside Her. And the cat in A Twist of the Lens is based on our kitties.

What is a question you wish readers asked authors more often?

Oh, I am always blown away by the variety of questions my readers ask. No complaints here!

Just for fun: if readers could only pair one snack and one drink with The Shadow Beside Her, what would you recommend for the ultimate reading experience?

For authenticity’s sake, I would have to say homemade tortellini, a slice of castagnaccio (chestnut cake) and a glass of Nonno’s negretto wine.

📚 Support the Author!

Thank you so much to Elizabeth DeVecchi for giving our premium community such an amazing behind-the-scenes look into her work! Show her some love by pre-ordering her next release or expanding your bookshelf with her backlist below.

• Pre-order The Shadow Beside Her: Amazon Link

• Grab Her Backlist: A Whisper in the Dark and A Twist of the Lens are both available right now on Amazon.

Connect Online:

• Website: www.elizabethdevecchi.com

• Instagram: @themoonthesunandlittleman

• Threads: @themoonthesunandlittleman

• Facebook: Elizabeth DeVecchi Profile

• Bluesky: @esdevecchiauthor.bsky.social

• LinkedIn: Elizabeth DeVecchi on LinkedIn

A very happy almost-weekend to you! I am feeling giddy after a NetGalley approval email I received this morning—We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman, the sequel to 2024’s We Solve Murders, might just be my weekend read. Osman’s writing never fails to bring me joy.

What’s on your weekend shelf? 😊

This week’s reads:

• The Great Game by Arvind Ethan David (read): A pacey historical thriller with a touch of Conan Doyle. I liked Balvinder dev Singh’s narration and the book’s broad themes of colonialism and empire. The writing was a touch wordy but the action scenes were solid and at the end it leaves you with much to think about.

• The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon (read): It was an absolute pleasure to read this 1930s mystery/romance inspired by the real-life Detection Club. The mystery is solid and while I had a hunch for most of the book, I was surprised—and very happy!—to be proven wrong at the end. Look for an interview with Jackie in the next Cluesletter!

• Scary Movie Night by Miranda Smith (currently reading): A horror-themed birthday party turns deadly! I am loving the Hitchcock references in this one, plus the juicy drama and chaos. These characters are messy. 👀

• Wisdom Corner by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (currently listening): Virgil Wounded Horse is trying to escape his vigilante past on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. But murder pulls him back into the game! I literally just barely started this one, but I’m looking forward to high-stakes justice.

This week’s book mail:

• Promised Land by Henry Wise (out September 1): A Virginia-set mystery following Deputy Sheriff Will Seems as he pursues a missing persons case. Sequel to the Edgar Award-winning Holy City.

• Night Objects by Eli Raphael (out now): A coming-of-age mystery set on the rugged Washington coast in which, after sudden tragedy, a teenaged girl is sent to a renowned boarding school for the Pacific Northwest’s elite.

• The Season of Sinking by Daphne Woolsoncroft (out now): Another Washington-set mystery in which a woman’s unsettling past creeps back into her consciousness after she returns to her hometown after her mother’s recent death.

• Let’s Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry (out now): After the death of her best friend, a grieving workaholic joins a yacht trip in Greece—and when a guest goes missing, she assumes the worst, and sets out to investigate.

• A Neighbor’s Guide to Murder by Louise Candlish (out now): In an exclusive London apartment building, lonely resident Gwen befriends a new neighbor, triggering a dangerous train of events.

Thank you to my friends at Atlantic Crime and Hachette/Grand Central Publishing for these gifted books.

Yours mysteriously,

Manon