⤝❖⤞The Monday Missive ⤝❖⤞
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May 11, 2026
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Hello friends! The weather has been extremely wet and rainy all this month thus far, leading to endless vernal pools all across Northeast Ohio. While I understand the value of these tiny habitats, I don't quite appreciate the constant mud and muck when doing the barn chores on the weekend!
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Some of the thunderstorms we've had have been quite fast and violent; one lightning bolt struck right next to my house on Saturday, making us all scream during dinner. As I could have guessed, all the horses were anxious the next morning and their stalls were filthy from spinning around all evening.
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But, despite how unpleasant these downpours can be, I do appreciate how they're filling our lakes and rivers so that we can hopefully avoid a dry season. Let's take a look at a short but beautiful poem about rain to show some respect.
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Ermita in the Rain
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It is not the rain that wanly
Sobs its tale across the bay,
Not the sobs of lone acacias
Trembling darkly in the gray,
Not the groans of harried breakers
Flinging tatters on the shore,
But the phantom of your voice that
Stays me dreaming at my door.
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About the Eirenic Verses
On Saturday, I opened up the Advance Review Campaign for Absent All Light! You can also preorder if you'd just like to reserve your copy without any stress.
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A lot of folks get unusually anxious about review campaigns, as they feel they must be able to provide literary-level critique or a long review. Not at all. Even a few sentences would be extremely meaningful and help me out a lot, so don't be shy. You don't need to be wildly articulate or provide great depth, though of course that's welcome too; it's just to help other readers know what they're getting into.
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In other Eirenic Verses news, I have started work on Shadow and Sword, the seventh book, which is coming June 23, 2027. I'm about 21,000 words in, and I project that the whole book will be around 98,000 words, so I'm a little under a quarter of the way done.
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This book has two alternating POVs - Cerie and Mordrek - so I am writing the Cerie parts first, then I will go back and do the Mordrek parts. Writing it this way may seem weird, but it ensures that the voice is consistent because I am fully occupying Cerie or Mordrek's mind instead of switching back and forth. I already have everything outlined scene by scene, so I'm not getting confused and wondering what I'm supposed to do with Cerie in this specific chapter.
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I'm hoping to have the first draft done by the time Absent All Light releases on June 23rd of this year, which would give me a full year to sit with it and ensure it is perfect.
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Weekly Writing Tip
RF Kuang has stated that writing flowing means that you're only auto-completing what you think should be written and that you're not actually thinking very hard about what you're writing. I would disagree.
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The longer you practice writing (again, after a million words or more), the more that the writing flows. Being able to autocomplete your draft as you create is a good thing; it means you're skilled enough that your brain can seamlessly generate the right words without having to peck at them. It's typically beginner writers who have to fight their way through every sentence because their brains don't have enough pattern-matching yet.
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That's not to say RF Kuang is a beginner, but this attitude of "you have to wrestle the words out and struggle" is not very reassuring and will likely make people give up before they ever hit the jackpot.
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If a writing session is flowing during a first draft, that's great! It should do that, because then you have more material to form after you're done with the draft. The goal of a first draft is to get it done so you can let it sit and figure out where to go with it next.
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What I'm Reading
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Sunday was Mother's Day here in the United States and some other countries. While I have a wonderful relationship with my own mother, I know that is not the case for everyone and that this holiday can be quite painful for many. "I'm Grieving My Mom - Even Though She's Alive" addresses the ambiguous loss of having a cold or uninvolved mother. This is one of the deepest wounds a child can experience because the mother is the first relationship. For those with absent or challenging mothers, I hope you were able to get through this tough holiday with your head held high.
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Last Week's Posts
First, the announcement for the Advance Reader Campaign and preorders! I include links to all the places where you can preorder and instructions on how to claim your copy on Booksprout. Please do not use AI to write your review, as this can get me penalized on Amazon and other platforms.
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Next, my interesting article on pacing in fiction. I point out that readers experience books as chunks of time rather than as chapters, which is why certain chapter lengths work best; anything above 3,500 words is going to be difficult and feel slower, even if the section is actually fast-paced. I learned this the hard way with 9 Years Yearning, so don't be like me.
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Fixing "Summarization Style" Prose
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Struggling with summarization in your writing? Discover crucial tips to enhance your storytelling and engage readers effectively.
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Join the Review Campaign for "Absent All Light" - and Preorders!
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Today's the day! It's finally time for the review campaign for Absent All Light, coming June 23, 2026! And this time, I am also opening simultaneous preorders, mostly so reviewers can share their thoughts on all available platforms. I am delighted to finally share this fast-paced, thrilling adventure with you after many months of impatiently waiting. This novel finally introduces …
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Weekly Quote
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"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
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Share the Monday Missive with your friends!
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I hope you're enjoying my newsletter. If you are, maybe your friends and colleagues would too! Please send them this "Manage Your Subscription" page where they can sign up! Your support is greatly appreciated.
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Thanks so much for joining me today, and please consider signing up for the review campaign! Space is limited with only 25 spots, so reserving your spot now is crucial.
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Stay dry, and I'll check in with you again next week!
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