Hello Readers!
These last few weeks in Tucson are jam-packed with social commitments, long- and short-term projects, a speaking engagement, and hopefully, time for hiking and swimming and seeing friends before we head back to the Pacific Northwest for the summer.
Do you know Tucson? It’s a great small city of 1M people of diverse backgrounds (although geographically, it’s spread out over 227 square miles). Known for its arts and music scene, Tucson is also a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, celebrating more than 4,000 years of Mexican and Native American traditions (it’s said that Tucson has the best Mexican food in the U.S., and we’re on a mission to find out!)
Tucson boasts festivals almost every weekend—bluegrass, sculpture, agave, jazz (we can’t keep up with all of them)—and, of course, one of America’s biggest book festivals every March, the Tucson Festival of Books.
One thing we’ve found over the seven years we’ve wintered here is that Tucson is filled with surprises. Around one corner, a taqueria; another corner, a mid-century antique mall; down the road, a mule farm; and in the city center, one of America’s most historic and beautiful cathedrals (and even a minor league hockey team!)
Hiking and bicycling are big here; Sabino Canyon on Tucson’s east side is second only to the Grand Canyon on Arizona’s top attractions, and The Loop encircles Tucson with paved paths for biking, running, and walking. Of course, there’s golf, too. And two wonderful botanical gardens, Tucson Botanical Garden and the smaller, and charming, Tohono Chul (plus the world-renowned Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum just west of the city).
Now that I’ve whetted your whistle, maybe you’ll come to Tucson yourself one of these days . . . but try not to book for June (the hottest month) or moody February, unless you’re ready for snow (there’s actually skiing here in Tucson at Mt. Lemmon, skier friends, hint hint).
Photo “Tucson Skyline” by Sean Pavone
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Writing Update
I’ve finished a preliminary outline and am busy doing character sketches now for my work in progress (WIP). It’ll be a busy 18 months until I have a first draft. This one I’m keeping under wraps; I’ll share more as time goes on.
For now, I’m waiting for the interior design for The Irish Girl, which is into She Writes Press and on track for December publication. And I’m finalizing a robust marketing campaign from September 2024 through February 2025 with Blue Cottage Agency, along with blog tours with Women Writers Women’s Books, Suzy Approved Book Tours, and appearances at three bookstores in Washington in December.
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Speaking Engagement
Being asked to speak at the Newcomer’s Club of Tucson is an honor—thank you for the invitation, Paula Zigant! On April 26, I’ll address a large crowd about my author journey and writing process.
I expect questions such as:
What type of research do you do for each novel?
How do you develop your plot? Your characters?
How do you choose your settings?
How do you decide on your titles?
What is your writing schedule?
What are you working on now?
What questions would you like to ask me about the author life? I’ll answer the questions above and some of your questions in next month’s newsletter. Ask your questions here.
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New Contest
Okay, here’s a fun contest: Three Truths and Three Lies. If you know me well, I’ll disqualify you from this contest so it’s a fair playing field for other readers.
- I’m claustrophobic
- I’m allergic to pollen
- I’ve been to Iceland
- I love sushi
- I’m blind in one eye
- I worked for Redbook Magazine in N.Y.C.
Tell me which three facts you think are lies by responding here, i.e. 1, 3, 5. I’ll ’fess up next month and tell you which “facts” are truths and which are untruths.
The winner will receive an e-book of Hardland (in the case more than one of you chooses the correct choices, the winner will be chosen randomly from that group).
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Launches from Author Friends this Month
A few SWP/Spark Point author friends are publishing this month:
- Iniquity, by Laurie Buchanan
- Kate’s War, by Linda Stewart Henley
- Five Days in Bogota, by Linda Moore
- Daughter of a Promise, by Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg
For info on these books, and other books from SWP, visit https://shewritespress.com/digital-catalog-2024/
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On My Bookshelf
So, I had to buy a new bookshelf! Here are eight new titles—a mixture of historical, contemporary, and western fiction—that I can’t wait to read:
- The River We Remember, by William Kent Krueger
- Weyward, by Emelia Hart
- The Fallen Woman’s Daughter, by Michelle Cox
- Enemy Women, by Paulette Jiles
- Mad Honey, by Jodi Picoult
- Particular Savage Beauty, by Jessica McCann
- North Woods, by Daniel Mason
- Those People Behind Us, by Mary Camarillo
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In Closing
Is traveling on your schedule this spring? If so, bring books with you. I’d love to hear what you’re reading (and where you’re traveling!)
Until next month, Happy April and Happy Reading!
Ashley