Hello Readers!
We’re just back from our last jaunt out on Polaris this season, a lovely four days off rural Hope Island, Washington. The weather was moody, but comforting, the way the rain bounced off the water and the fog enveloped us like a cocoon.
In addition to reading, Michael and I enjoyed long suppers, two fall hikes in between weather systems, deep conversations, fierce card games (unfortunately, I did not come up on top this go around!), and streaming a lovely 2023 movie titled, The Taste of Things (in French, with Juliette Binoche). Highly recommended.
Just getting away, even an hour away, makes all the difference. Here’s hoping you are able to carve out even a half day away this fall in nature.
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Publishing Update
Just two months now until the release of The Irish Girl on December 10th. . . with trade reviews coming in weekly. So far, Kirkus Reviews has given Mary Agnes’s story a glowing review:
“The poignant narrative is helmed by a sturdy young protagonist who faces a series of obstacles and injustices with courage, picking herself up after each emotionally challenging (and sometimes tragic) setback and pushing forward with determination. Sweeney imbues her prose with a gentle Irish lilt: “a beauty she were, that Laffey girl, when she were young; such a shame what happened to her, do you think it could have been her—no, no, best not to say, best not to say.” Her depictions of life in Ireland, the tortuous journey across the Atlantic, and Mary A.’s experiences as a young immigrant, complete with the rampant bigotry and misogyny of the era, are always vivid and compelling.
An addictive . . . drama with a strong female lead who shines with resilience.”
–Kirkus Reviews
The Irish Girl is available for preorder now at your favorite indie bookstore or online.
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Judging Opportunity
Like many authors, I had the opportunity to “give back” this month. Asked to judge the Women Writing the West high school literary contest was an honor; after reading many entries in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, it was with great pleasure that I sent in the final results.
Congrats to all the students who entered the contest—and applause all around to the winners announced at the WWW convention in Denver this month.
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New Releases from My SWP Historical Fiction Cohort
Congratulations to my five hist fic cohort members on the release on your wonderful novels!
- A Golden Life, by Ginny Kubitz Moyer
- A Wolff in the Family, by Francine Falk-Allen
- The Vow, by Jude Berman
- Sleeping in the Sun, by Joanne Howard
- Lookin’ For Love, by Susen Edwards
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Contest Winner
I heard from more than 50 readers about your favorite fall beverages, which included some yummy ones: London Fog, Iced White Chocolate Hazelnut Latte, Vanilla Chia Tea, and, of course, anything pumpkin spice.
The winner of the fall drink contest is Jan Tomalis. Her favorite fall drink is an Americano. Congratulations, Jan! Jan will receive a $20 gift card to her favorite coffee shop.
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New Contest
Now that She Writes Press has completed its switch to Simon & Schuster for distribution, I received boxes of back stock in the shuffle—which means I have extra copies of all my novels in my garage.
This month, I’m offering five copies of my second novel, Answer Creek. The award-wining novel, set in the summer, fall, and winter of 1846-47, introduces Ada Weeks, a fictional character who travels with the Donner Party on their trek across the U.S. continent searching for a better life.
If you’d like one of five copies, either for yourself or as a gift, tell me what one item you would have taken with you if you had been traveling West in the mid 1800s.
I’ll look forward to your responses! Enter here
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Word Contest
I took a recent BuzzFeed IQ Challenge by defining 35 “difficult” words. I’m pleased to say I got 31/35 correct, fooled by two answers that were similar to the correct answers, and stumped by two words altogether, sprezzatura and selcouth. Goes to show even though I’ve been reading the dictionary my whole life, there are always new words to master!
If you dare (!), click here to see how you do
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In Closing
I’m deep into writing my fifth novel, which consumes much of my waking time. I hope to be finished a year from now, and will drop hints along the way. But I am intentional about taking time away from my desk to admire fall colors, visit local farm stands and pumpkin farms, make soup (and more soup), and get together with dear friends.
Hope you are enjoying this special time of year, too.
Until next month, Happy Reading!
Ashley
PS Don’t forget to VOTE on Nov. 5. Every vote matters!