In my last newsletter, in the “What I’m Working On” section, I posted this:
Secret adult science fiction project 1: Finally done and turned into the editor at 110,000 words. This was 20k words more than I intended. That last 20k kicked my tail, but I think they’re good words that are really fun and will be worth it! Now awaiting edits!
And I am very happy that in this newsletter, I get to tell you about it!
I AM WRITING THE WEDDING AND HONEYMOON OF HAN SOLO AND PRINCESS LEIA AND THIS IS A REAL BOOK THAT IS COMING THIS YEAR!!!
You can read the full, official announcement here, including a fun interview with me!
I have often talked about how writing Star Wars: Rebel Rising was a literal dream come true. Star Wars defined my childhood; Leia was such a big role model for me that even now I keep my long hair for the occassional space buns. Jyn Erso’s story felt like it was made for me—a regular girl who wasn’t a Jedi, who struggled and failed and tried again.
And while that story will always hold a desperately dear place in my heart, I cannot express how much Leia has meant to me over the years. In fact, one of the first things I did after writing Jyn’s story was commission some art from one of my favorite artists, Nathan Greno, to illustrate my two favorite girls:
(They stand in defense of my bedroom, across from one of my favorite droids, illustrated by Brian Kesinger.)
When people ask me what my favorite Star Wars movies are, I always say it’s a mix between Rogue One and Return of the Jedi. ROTJ was my childhood. I ran through the forest in my backyard with a PVC pipe painted red, smacking my brother Luke (yes, that was really his name), space buns over my ears. When I got older and met the man who became my husband, we’d joke that he was my scruffy-looking nerfherder.
In fact, it was my own love story that ultimately twined itself around this new story that I got to write. You can see hints of it in the dedication page I wrote in Rebel Rising (pictured here with my Valentine’s gift to my husband—matching rings that feature “I love you” on mine and “I know” on my husband’s, written in aurebesh).
So, The Princess and the Scoundrel came to be because of my love for Leia, my love for my husband, my love for Star Wars, my love of love.
It is the story of how Leia and Han get engaged, married, and start their first adventure together as a couple. It explores new ships and new worlds. It explores old feelings and old stories. It questions whether love is enough. It answers whether heartache is worth it. There is both kissing and space battles, and that’s about all it takes for me to love a book.
I hope you love it, too.
Museum of Magic updates
Museum of Magic is trucking along wonderfully! This chaos experiment has been simply a joy to escape into each weekend for me, and a delight to discover new things.
Last newsletter, I told you all about my Crown Club, which is basically a new, separate email list to remind people when new episodes drop. It’s also a way for me to give out the fun background information as well as neat prizes. You can see the archive of the latest Crown Club here, including some of the actual charts I use to plan a recent conversation and the super cool prize that went out to own follower this week.
Followers of my Crown Club get not just weekly drawings for prizes, but also weekly updates on the new chapters (one new one every Sunday) as well as behind-the-scenes peeks on research, which recently involved discovering the ruins of an old church and the revitalization of a native herd of ponies in Scotland!
You can go further behind-the-scenes, with detailed notes on story structure, publishing, research, and more, plus options to vote on how the story goes, by becoming a member of my Patreon! (Plus, you also get the story episodes included and all other bonus content first.)
You can also read the story now on Kindle Vella—anyone with an Amazon account (in the US) can read the first three episodes absolutely free, and first time readers get free tokens to continue the story!
If you’re like me and somewhat overwhelmed by the idea of reading an entire novel in one sitting (whew did having a baby make me realize how hard it was to find free time!), serial novels are truly wonderful. Each episode is designed to progress the story, but reading just one a week isn’t that overwhelming. My episodes are all scheduled to come out on Sunday, and there are only seven out so far, so you can easily catch up and keep up. Start reading for free now!
What I’m working on now…
Museum of Magic, a YA fantasy with witches and witch bottles. Prologue to Chapter 3 are up by Sunday, with a new chapter every week. Available on Patreon and Kindle Vella. Subscribe to my Crown Club for weekly reminders of the new chapters posted on Sunday and to be entered in weekly give-aways!
The Princess and the Scoundrel—announced today! Coming to your bookshelves soon! I’m getting edits and notes to revise, and that turn-around will be tight, so this baby is getting most of my attention right now.
Secret adult science fiction project (previously known as 2): currently drafting: 62,000 words written, plot fully outlined. I’m almost at the sexy bit and it’s intimidating. #avoidance
YA historical co-written fantasy: 🤐…but working on it again in (late) February
New story idea (paranormal with ghosts): outline done, planning to start it in the new year, but not until summer at this rate.
SO excited for you! What an absolute dream come true.