May

It was a surprise to return to Australia to find summer completely gone, replaced by the need for heaters and hoodies as soon as the sun goes down. The ground is crunchy with leaves, and it’s the perfect weather for visiting farms and markets with my now-four-year-old. Everything looks so pretty!

🗞️ In this newsletter:

COVER REVEAL!

TEG NEWS!

What I’ve been up to

What I’m working on now

Recommendations

Epiphany

Puzzle

COVER REVEAL!

I’m extremely excited to reveal the cover of my next YA murder mystery, coming out in Australia in September. TA DA!

Isn’t it BEAUTIFUL? This book has a piece of my soul in it. I started it with a pen and notebook, when my daughter was only one month old. Four years later, I’m ready to share it with you. I hope you love it as much as I do.

If you want the short summary, it’s about five teenage friends who run a podcast. One of them is murdered, and it’s clearly a co-host who’s done it. Guaranteed to make you cry at least three times!

If you want the longer summary:

HE MESSED WITH THEM ALL. SOMEONE GOT REVENGE.

Five Voices is the hugely popular podcast founded by five friends – Rosie, William, Simone, Zac, and Ocean – who debate contentious issues while playing classic board games. Until one night when, an hour after a huge argument during a recording session of the podcast, William is found dead. Everyone claims innocence, but something doesn’t add up ... somebody must be lying.

Rosie was on the phone with William minutes before he fell to his death from his apartment balcony. He was on the brink of telling her a secret about one of their co-hosts, and his last words imply they were interrupted by the very person he was about to expose.

As Rosie searches for answers, she realises her world isn’t as black and white as she believed, and that sometimes doing the right thing isn’t as easy as it sounds. Especially when it comes to solving a murder.

Pre-Order Five Voices Here!

TEG NEWS!

In April, THE ESCAPE GAME debuted at #2 on the New York Times best seller list, which was absolutely mind-blowing. But then, after six weeks of sitting there, this happened:

WE HIT NUMBER ONE!!!! What an absolute dream! Marissa and I were in shock when we got the email. We’re still pinching ourselves. Thank you so much to everyone who’s buying, borrowing, and spreading the word about the book.

What I’ve Been Up To

I had my Perth book launch for THE ESCAPE GAME at Boundless Books. It was a really fun night, but much harder to do without Marissa as my co-host. Still, I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who came along, and to the people at Boundless Books, who are truly lovely.

For Mother’s Day, I went out for coffee with the family then spent the rest of the day reading in the hammock while my husband and daughter brought me food and drinks. Sounds pretty good, huh?

What I’m Working On Now

Now that copyedits have been sent in for book 2 of THE ESCAPE GAME, I’m working on my next solo YA murder mystery. It’s very very very very very slow going, because there are historical elements, and it turns out writing historical fiction is ridiculously hard. Go figure.

Recommendations

📖 The Renegades series by Marissa Meyer

• Renegades : Book 1

• Archenemies : Book 2

• Supernova : Book 3

I reread this after touring with Marissa and absolutely devoured it. I don’t think I’d read the final version – just the draft that I’d critiqued – so it was fun to see the changes Marissa had made. People are obsessed with it in the US, and I actually found some similarities between the series and our two ESCAPE GAME books. I wonder if anyone else will spot them…

📺 Gruen

For those of you who don’t know, Gruen is a show on the Australian ABC hosted by comedian Wil Anderson. It breaks down current advertisements in their larger cultural context. It’s been running for almost twenty years and is extremely funny but also incredibly informative. I’m not sure how you can get it outside of Australia, but if you can find a way, give it a shot. Totally worth it.

🌴Hammocks

We recently bought this one from Bunnings, and as you saw from how I spent my Mother’s Day, it’s gotten some good use. I’ve even written on my laptop while sitting on it! Not only is it blissfully comfortable, it’s great for when you have a sore back.

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

Cowriting. Is. AWESOME.

I mean, I already knew that, but listen to this. Right before our tour began, Marissa and I were finishing our latest draft of book 2 of THE ESCAPE GAME. Our deadline was a few days away, and suddenly I realised that basically the first half of the book (as in, the first fifty thousand words) had this underlying issue that I had no idea how to fix. I panicked. As you can imagine. Emails between Marissa and I were sent back and forth. I was fully freaking out. A couple of days later, I woke up to an email from Marissa. Building on the ideas we’d brainstormed, she solved the problem by adding, like, 50 words to the start of the manuscript.

Seriously.

AWESOME.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

I almost always tell the truth. On one thing I will lie daily. What is it?

Answer: A bed!

Did you get it? Are you ready for a cryptic clue?

Sounds like I took a stab at a person staying at my house.

5 letters

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Thanks for reading SOUTHERN KEYS | Author Tamara Moss!

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I experienced my first spring in the US, and let me tell you, there was some pollen.

🗞️ In this newsletter

What I’ve been up to

What I’m working on now

Recommendations

Epiphany

Puzzle

What I’ve been up to

Touring!!! Marissa and I travelled to 13 (maybe 14? I lost count) cities in the US over the last three weeks. It meant getting on a plane almost every day to head to a new place, meeting readers, talking about our book, signing, signing, signing. I feel so lucky to have had this experience. It was an absolute dream. I posted a lot about the tour on Instagram if you want to find out more, but here are a few highlights.

We had a blast performing in front of audiences. There was a whole thing we did at the start. IYKYK.

We were interviewed on TV! It was a five-minute segment on a morning show, and it was surreal.

I mean, look at this wall.

Of course, we did an escape room. And yes, you read that screenshot right - WE DEBUTED ON THE NYT-BESTSELLER LIST!

Finally, the day after I arrived home, I turned 40. So . . . it was a big month.

What I’m working on now

During the tour, I dusted off my solo book that’s coming out next year (more on that soon) and continued to work on it. It’s due in September, so that’ll be my main focus, besides copyedits for book 2 of THE ESCAPE GAME and page proofs for FIVE VOICES.

And because when you get co-authors together nonstop for three weeks they simply can’t help themselves, Marissa and I began brainstorming our next collaboration . . .

Recommendations

The Housemaid

I watched it on the plane, and I get it now. I GET IT.

Pub Dates Podcast

Authors Amie Kaufman and Kate J. Armstrong discuss the behind-the-scenes stuff that happens during publication. Since the books they started this podcast for are now out, they don’t update it very often anymore, but the backlist is great, and honestly, their voices are so soothing it’s worth checking out.

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

(How could I not?)

Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show’s trickiest escape rooms. There’s Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master, and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of all: who killed Alicia Angelos?

Order in the US

Order in AU

Order in the UK

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

I learnt a lot about writing during my US tour with Marissa, but something that particularly resonated with me was how fleeting books rise and fall now. The “next big thing” is basically the same as a social media trend, where everyone’s obsessed for a couple of weeks, and then it’s forgotten. And yet, Marissa has fans who’ve stuck around since CINDER in 2012. Some of those fans are now introducing their teenage children to Marissa’s works. There were multiple criers in the signing line, overwhelmed with meeting their hero. On top of that, all of Marissa’s novels are still in print. THE LUNAR CHRONICLES consistently sell, and there are numerous copies in every bookstore. If I knew exactly how Marissa was doing this, I’d be doing it to. But I know it has something to do with writing epic books, pushing them as high and far as they can go. And I know that romantic subplots play a part. I lost my inner romantic some time ago, but talking with Marissa about writing love stories may have awaken that part in me again.

I think I’m rambling at this point – you’ll have to forgive me, I’m very jet lagged – but basically, my epiphany is, if you want your book to endure, start by thinking EPIC and ROMANTIC.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

To make someone feel alone, an extraterrestrial feasted.

(8 letters)

The synonym here is “to make someone feel alone”, with the second half of the clue being the breakdown of the word.

An extraterrestrial = ALIEN

Feasted = ATE

To make someone feel alone = ALIENATE

Did you get it? Are you ready for a riddle?

I almost always tell the truth. On one thing I will lie daily. What is it?

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

It’s publication day for THE ESCAPE GAME! Go buy it! And don’t forget, Marissa and I are still touring!

🇦🇺AUS Get my Copy

🇺🇸USA Get my Copy

🇬🇧UK Get my Copy

March

While we’ve had a few gasps of cooler weather, summer is giving one last roar and even this late in March I’m melting into a puddle. But with autumn comes some HUGE events!

🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

What I’ve been up to

I was lucky to attend the book launch of Whale Shark Jack by Kathryn LeFroy. It’s also a movie on Stan, coming out April 2^nd! Here’s the trailer – it looks incredible.

I also went to A Night With Our Stars, which is a wonderful annual showcase of West Australian children’s authors.

Don’t forget the places you can see me this month:

Marissa and I are going on tour in the US!

🎟️ Book Ticket

*LAST CHANCE* If you’re in Perth, you can see me at the Kalamunda Readers Festival for an exclusive early launch of The Escape Game – which means you’ll be the first in the world to have the chance to buy finished copies!

🎟️ Book Ticket

THE ESCAPE GAME has gotten some wonderful new reviews, included a *starred* review from The School Library Journal!!!!

‘Meyer and Moss take readers on a thrilling hunt uncovering conspiracy, murder, and secrets.’

📖Read Full Review

'The whole concept of The Escape Game is decidedly original, with its delightfully unpredictable characters, clever puzzles and a rich, revelatory plot. From the first page, the book grabs you. […] A thoroughly entertaining read for mystery and thriller lovers aged 14 and up.' - The School Reading

📖 Read Full Review

🇦🇺 AUS Pre-Order my Copy

🇺🇸 USA Pre-Order my Copy

🇬🇧 UK Pre-Order my Copy

What I’m working on now

Marissa and I are still chugging along on edits for book two of The Escape Game. It’s taking much longer than we anticipated. The plot elements are so complex, it’s difficult to solidify them and weave them together. But we’re so close - I actually think we’ll be finished the day this newsletter goes out!

Recommendations

Deadloch

This Australian crime show came out in 2023 so a lot of people already know about it, but if you don’t, consider yourself lucky because now you can watch it for the first time! It’s so funny and insightful. Plus, it’s set in Tasmania, possibly my favourite place on Earth. It’s currently available to watch on Amazon Prime. And I believe season two is out March 20th!

Who Knew It with Matt Stewart

This is like the game Balderdash, but with comedians. It’s chaotic and hilarious and very dirty – fair warning. If you’re a Patreon of the network, you can submit questions, the wackier the better. I can’t decide whether it’s funnier to listen to guests take the rules extremely seriously (Tom Cashman), guests who play mind games with their opponents (Mish Wittrup), or guests who give the most ridiculous answers (Suren Jayemanne – listeners have even started a game where you try to guess which answer is Suren’s, rather than the correct answer).

Blood & Stone: A Radazan Mystery by Tamara M. Bailey

Since Marissa and I are still in our revision cave, I haven’t had time for reading, so I’m recommending you one of my books instead. It’s under my adult brand name and is a fantasy crime. Think gritty steampunk city, Kate Beckett-esque detective, murder, a wandering frost, mystery drugs, and hidden witches. You can read an excerpt here.

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

Misunderstandings!

This is a particularly great technique with a multi-pov book. During the drafting of The Escape Game, our editors wanted us to amp up the misunderstandings between our teammates to create tension. I’ll give you an example from the beginning of the book.

First, we have Adi, who was raised by his narcissistic celebrity mother, which has made him heavily prejudiced against influencers. When he meets Carter – an influencer in The Escape Game fandom – he sees a girl with a short skirt and shiny boots, face full of makeup, and glasses she doesn’t need. He dismisses her as a superficial fraud.

Meanwhile, when you read Carter’s pov, you’ll see that she’s so shy she hides behind an avatar in her videos. She was stuffed into that short skirt by the show’s producers and forced to wear the glasses. She’s longing to make friends with her new teammates and has no idea Adi has made a snap judgement against her.

And that’s not even mentioning the fact that Sierra Angleos, one of their other teammates, is the prime suspect in her sister’s murder.

With misunderstandings like these, the reader races through the book, waiting for the moment where everything’s out in the open. I’ve read books that do this really well – I find I can’t put them down until I know all the characters are on the same page (pun very much intended).

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

APPLE – apples are a common symbol for a teacher’s gift, and an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Did you get it? Are you ready for a cryptic clue?

To make someone feel alone, an extraterrestrial feasted.

8 letters

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

Happy February!

It’s been a much cooler February than usual, which is a welcome relief. We even got a bit of rain. RAIN! In February! My daughter’s started kindergarten and looks so cute in her oversized uniform and school bag. The year is gearing up, and while this month hasn’t been as busy as January (I don’t think I would’ve survived), I’ve still had a lot of work to do.

🗞️ In this newsletter

• NEW BOOK!!!!!

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

NEW BOOK!!!!

My newsletter subscribers (that’s you!) have a special treat this month. You’re getting this news early - something I’ve been dying to announce for ages. But you can’t tell anyone until after the official announcement in March. Deal?

Okay, here we go….

3

2

1

…

I have a solo book coming out this September!!!

And it’s going to BLOW. YOUR. MIND. I’ve been working on it since my daughter was one month old … which is almost four years ago. While the story is a murder mystery, it’s really about friendship and love and hate and how life is never black and white, no matter how much you want it to be. It will break you apart and put you back together. I promise you will cry at least three times while reading it.

Wait until you see the cover. It’s incredible.

Here’s the synopsis:

An hour after a huge argument goes down during a recording session of Five Voices, a popular podcast in which five teenagers—Rosie, William, Simone, Zac, and Ocean—debate contentious issues while playing classic board games, William is dead.

Rosie discovers she was on the phone to him just minutes before he was pushed to his death from his apartment balcony. He was on the brink of telling her a secret about one of their co-hosts, and his last words imply they were interrupted by the very person he was about to expose. Everyone proclaims their innocence, but something doesn’t add up . . . somebody must be lying. And deeply troubling secrets are about to come out.

Perfectionist Simone is on the verge of a breakdown as final exams creep up. Nerdy, quiet Zac snuck into William’s apartment block the day William was killed. Loveable stoner Ocean possesses a key piece of missing evidence—one he refuses to give to police. And when Rosie learns the truth about William’s dark nature, she realises her world isn’t as black and white as she’d believed, and that sometimes doing the “right thing” isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Even when it comes to solving to solving a murder.

What I’ve been up to

After nearly burning out last month from having to put in some serious hours to meet deadlines, I was able to take a two-week break. One of those weeks was relaxing in the Gold Coast with family, which was lovely. While I was away, however, I received edits back for Five Voices AND book two of The Escape Game, so I’m once again glued to my computer.

In the meantime, I have a few updates:

Marissa and I are going on tour in the US!

🎟️ Book Ticket

And if you’re in Perth, you can see me at the Kalamunda Readers Festival for an exclusive early launch of The Escape Game – which means you’ll be the first in the world to have the chance to buy finished copies!

🎟️ Book Ticket

🇦🇺 AUS Pre-Order my Copy

🇺🇸 USA Pre-Order my Copy

🇬🇧 UK Pre-Order my Copy

What I’m working on now

My copyedits for Five Voices are now done (champagne was had), and now Marissa and I are trying to finish edits for book two of The Escape Game before mid-March. It’s much more difficult now we’re not sharing the work online. We have to email one Word document back and forth, which isn’t too bad in terms of our different timezones, but still tricky to navigate.

Recommendations

Dragon Friends Podcast

Look, this podcast won’t be for everyone. It’s a bunch of Australian comedians playing Dungeons and Dragons. There’s a lot of swearing and dirty jokes. Some hilariously bizarre things happen, like the time Michael Hing bought a bunch of stocks in the middle of combat so he could take over the police force that was pursuing him. It’s best to start it at season one, episode one to get the full impact of the story.

Side note: I’m recommending it in this particular newsletter because it inspired me to write Five Voices. (If you want to know the slightly scandalous reason for the inspiration, you’ll have to come to one of my live events and ask me in person.)

Moroccan tapas

I went with some writing friends (shoutout JL Peridot and Wole Talabi) to a Moroccan tapas and grill in Leederville and it was incredible. Spicy potatoes and seafood and grilled eggplant and falafel – everything was delicious. I’ve done Spanish tapas before, but this was my first Moroccan one, and I’m already planning to go back.

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman

This book is a YA pitched as The Martian crossed with Die Hard, and I read it in an afternoon. If you loved the Illuminae Files (recommended in an earlier newsletter), Red Star Rebels is basically a condensed version of Gemina. It’s face-paced and swoony and was picked both by Dymocks and UPQ as their YA book of the month. It was so fun, and so light, and exactly what I needed.

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

I’m blatantly stealing this from Meg Caddy, who borrowed it from Renae Hayward, who heard it from Meg McKinlay (all fantastic West Australian children’s authors), but it’s so good that I had to share it.

You know those extra words of world-building, research, and character backstory that you end up having to delete later? Meg likened them to bay leaves in a curry. You put them in at the beginning to add flavour and depth, and when you take them out at the end, the flavour remains. Isn’t that beautiful?

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

Beams of sunlight will lift you up, I hear.

(4 letters)

Your trigger phrase is “I hear”, suggesting this is a homophone clue. Beams of sunlight = RAYS. To check your answer is correct, compare it to the homophone “raise”, to lift up.

Did you get it? Are you ready for a riddle?

It is said that those who teach attract me,

and those who heal are repelled by me.

What am I?

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

Happy January!

I have no words for January, and you’ll see why.

🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

• Giveaway winner

🇦🇺 AUS Pre-Order my Copy

🇺🇸 USA Pre-Order my Copy

🇬🇧 UK Pre-Order my Copy

What I’ve been up to

Nothing, see below.

However, a wonderful review has come in for THE ESCAPE GAME from Publisher’s Weekly:

📚Read here

And we got a STARRED REVIEW from Kirkus!

📚Read here

Come celebrate an early launch of THE ESCAPE GAME, get your hands on copies before the release date, and have them signed! Book your tickets here for the full day, or here for the event only.

What I’m working on now

After requesting a small extension, Marissa and I have sent in our draft of book two of THE ESCAPE GAME, and while that sentence read easy enough, the last stretch was anything but.

Basically, Marissa and I had to do a full rewrite in a very short space of time. And with book tours and family visiting for Christmas, we had even less time than we thought. In the last few weeks before the deadline, I ended up working 12/14-hour days. I was sleeping maybe three or four hours total, my brain buzzing with plot holes and inconsistencies. I was constantly on the brink of tears. I wasn’t retaining anything outside of the manuscript—my husband would tell me things which I would immediately forget. I accidentally missed three meetings with friends. Marissa said she was similarly affected.

That lifestyle is something I never want to do again, but it wasn’t intolerable. Why? Because, well, the work… the work was joy. Magic happened in this draft. The story is epic. The stakes are even higher than the first book. The escape rooms are next level. The characters are so fun, and there’s a relationship subplot that has managed to thaw my cold heart, which is Grinch-like when it comes to romance, so every scene I got to write between the two characters was pure delight. (Rather than the central romance, it’s a subtle, underlying love story where all the small moments matter most.) Also, in a chapter I wrote, Marissa left a comment that had swearing in it (her mouth is usually squeaky clean) because she loved it so much and it made me SO HAPPY.

Now the draft is with our editors, and I hope hope hope they love it as much as we do. Champagne has flowed and I’ve managed to zone out in front of the TV, finally. (Succession, Heated Rivalry, Percy Jackson s2, Stranger Things s5 if anyone’s wondering.)

Recommendations

Konga

Most days during this month, I managed to get out and do some exercise, otherwise my body would’ve caved in on itself. Yoga was great for stretching, but Konga was my happy place. Dancing to excellent music was a saviour.

Back to the 80s Remix by Trinix

Thanks to Konga, I discovered this gem, and listening to it basically kickstarted that magic I was talking about for book two. The entire vibe of the rewrite came from a scene I dreamed up while listening to this song. Plus it’s AWESOME.

A Perfect Partner

Look, I basically didn’t do anything this month, so I’m cheating by recommending something you can’t have: my husband. While I was drowning in edits, he did everything around the house. He kept me fed. He ensured I was uninterrupted. He walked in horrendous heat to take our daughter to swimming lessons so I could drive the car to the gym. If you’re a writer and you manage to find someone who’s willing to do the same without it causing major relationship issues, then I strongly recommend you keep them.

Epiphany

Don’t burn out. That’s it. That’s the advice.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

What common word goes in front of these words to make a new one?

Red, side, ting

ANSWER: SEA

Seared, seaside, seating

Did you get it? Are you ready for a cryptic puzzle?

Beams of sunlight will lift you up, I hear.

(4 letters)

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

Giveaway

The winner of last month’s giveaway has been contacted and an ARC of THE ESCAPE GAME is winging its way towards them now. Keep an eye on my newsletter for more giveaways soon.

Happy December!

It’s getting hotter, the shops are packed, everything is Christmas. I’ve just been to an epic event called Santa’s Christmas Village where games, showbags, activities, and rides kept my toddler entertained for almost three hours. There’s sugar, sugar everywhere. As well as lights, eggnog, cinnamon, Christmas-flavoured gin, tea advent calendars… I really love this time of year.

🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

• Giveaway!

🇦🇺 AUS Pre-Order my Copy

🇺🇸 USA Pre-Order my Copy

🇬🇧 UK Pre-Order my Copy

What I’ve been up to

I missed quite a few events this month due to a cold, but I was so glad to make it to an amazing event at Beaufort St Books. Madeleine Gray, Kate Mildenhall, and Bri Lee were all fascinating, insightful, and witty, and all their books sound incredible.

I’ll also be appearing at Kalamunda Reader’s Festival in February.

Come celebrate an early launch of THE ESCAPE GAME, get your hands on copies before the release date, and have them signed! Book your tickets here for the full day, or here for the event only.

What I’m working on now

Marissa and I are powering through structural edits of the second ESCAPE GAME book. It’s due early next month, so I really hope we’re happy with this new version before the deadline. Trying to wrestle this beast is turning out to be quite difficult, but I think we’ve got something good going now and I’m really excited about it!

Recommendations

A Gentleman in Moscow

Okay, I get the hype now. I was certain a story where a man in 1920s Russia living under house arrest in a hotel for several decades would be boring and depressing, but it was the exact opposite. This book was a joy. I got to sit down with a cup of tea or coffee every day and read a chapter or two, laugh at the Count’s wit, marvel at the beautiful prose, and watch the capers unfold. If you’re looking for a piece of media that makes you feel good all of the time and still be compelling, this is for you. Shoutout to my sister-in-law for lending it to me!

Black Sails

This show didn’t get nearly as much love as it deserved. It was fantastic, using pirates from Treasure Island and mixing them with pirates from the real world. At first it took its cues from Game of Thrones and included a lot of gore and sex, but when it found its rhythm, it settled down. I really love that the payoff for Captain Flint’s backstory doesn’t come until halfway through season two. This was a show that wasn’t afraid to wait and let the story unfold as it should. Also, it’s really beautiful. Four seasons, mostly ten episodes each, completed story arc. *chef’s kiss*

Puzzle Cards

These are escape room puzzles… as greeting cards! Basically, you receive a picture inside the card and a short message. Once you decode the first clue, it leads you to a second and maybe third within the single picture. Then you go to their website to type in your answer and see if you got it correct. They usually take thirty minutes to an hour to complete and are SO fun!

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

I’m doing another workshop with CeCe Lyra called Hacking Writing on a Line Level and am enjoying playing around with:

- “power verbs”, which are common verbs that have an unusual use e.g. “Pride divorced itself from me”

- mixing up adjectives e.g. “chubby notebooks”, “swampy trouble”, “stale contempt”

- using specific adverbs e.g. “stubbornly cheerful”, “mercifully short”, “quietly hostile”

My goal is to find plain words in my incoming copyedits and figure out better ones! I already have a good list going in a notebook, ready for me to implement.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

Beneath, not sitting, comprehending. (13 letters)

Beneath=under

Not sitting=standing

The answer is a synonym for comprehending, which is UNDERSTANDING.

Did you get it? Are you ready for another?

What common word goes in front of these words to make a new one?

Red

Side

Ting

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

Giveaway

I’m giving away an ARC of THE ESCAPE GAME, open internationally! All you have to do is tell me a theme you’d love to try (or have tried and loved) in an escape room. Are you into squishy submarines? A murder mystery in a 1920s Paris hotel? A spy mission? A zombie apocalypse? Let me know in the comments below, and you’ll go into the draw to win!

Entries close midnight 15^th January, Australian Western Standard Time (which is a day earlier for some people, so double-check if you’re going to leave it until the last minute!).

After that, keep an eye on your inbox!

Happy November!

The air smells of flowers and the weather is touching hot without yet being unbearable. I’m enjoying reading on my backyard patio beneath the blooming jasmine with ice-cold drinks. Holiday plans are being made, and placement of the Christmas tree is being considered. Still, the year’s not over yet, and I have deadlines to meet.

🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

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What I’ve been up to

Kate Emery’s book launch was so much fun. Her new book A MURDER IS GOING DOWN is about an elevator ride and a murder mystery, and is a masterclass in tension. I couldn’t put it down!

What I’m working on now

I’d sent in my structural edits for a soon-to-be-announced project early, but after completing an incredible writing course by CeCe Lyra, I asked to continue working on the manuscript until the actual deadline in December, so that’s where my focus has been. I ended up adding 12,000 words of character development to the manuscript and am so excited with how it’s looking. I’ve fallen deeply in love with this story. I can’t wait to share it with you.

As well as that, Marissa and I are working on structural edits for book 2 of THE ESCAPE GAME between Marissa’s book tours and events. It’s a big book with a lot of moving parts and is proving to be even more difficult than the first one.

Recommendations

The Happy Writer Podcast (backlist)

Marissa Meyer’s podcast is finished now, but it’s well worth going through the backlist to hear some amazing author interviews. Marissa is such a happy, positive person—I guarantee it’ll bring some joy to your day.

The Resilient Author – Sara Foster’s Substack

Substack is free but it’s well worth paying $5 a month for the extra content, especially if you’re an Australian writer. Sara rounds up industry news, provides links, and gives a balanced but optimistic perspective of all things literary. She also regularly sends through craft tips and resources. This page is where to get started.

T2’s Advent Calendar

I ordered this last year and adored it. I can’t wait to get started on this year’s! There’s something simple yet delightful about getting to try a different tea every day. And isn’t it beautiful? (Speaking of T2, a special shoutout to this year’s Christmas Tea, as well as their Gingernut Chai. Delicious.)

Epiphany

I always print out my manuscript at the copyedit stage. With the story physically in front of me, I’m able to see the excess words and trim 5k-10k from the total wordcount, easy.

But with my current structural edit, I decided to print out my manuscript at the “character” stage (which is a stage I’ve just made up). This time around, I highlighted points where I explicitly mentioned a character’s feelings. Then I dug deeper, asking questions like:

- How does their current circumstance inform their emotions? (Where have they just been, what else is on their mind right now, what other factors are impacting their life, where are they planning to go after this moment)

An example where I found something lacking in my manuscript: One of my characters (Z) has done something illegal with his friend (O) and they’ve just realised the cops can trace them. In the scenes with Z, I have him stressing about it, but at no point did I have him actually try to call or text O. Why??? It should’ve been the first thing he did!

- How does the person they’re interacting with inform their emotions? (What is their relationship, what shared experiences do they have, what are the complicated emotions they feel about this person, how is this person reacting to them right now)

An example where I found something lacking in my manuscript: This story has a large cast of characters, and working out how they all relate and fit together was tricky. One thing I realised during a love interest interaction was that two of the core group have partners. So why on Earth didn’t I think about the fact they’d go on double dates? Now four of my cast have a history and connection much deeper than their original layer.

- What are some different or even contradicting emotions they can also be feeling? (How could I make them feel something that’s surprising to the reader, how can I make them feel something deeper and more complex)

An example where I found something lacking in my manuscript: My main character was abandoned by her mother at birth. Now her mother’s trying to get in contact again. At first, I just had my main character feel angry. But digging deeper, I found she was secretly pleased to be wanted, to finally be the one with the power.

- How can I make it ugly? (What emotions would they be ashamed to admit out loud e.g. selfishness, jealousy, unfair blame, schadenfreude)

An example where I found something lacking in my manuscript: One of my characters lives with his dad, who has depression. Up until this draft, my character was diligent and caring and understanding. Now I’ve added a seed of resentment, an inner desire to scream at his dad in frustration. The story is so much juicier for it.

I’ve been surprised by how much I’ve gotten out of this technique. Some of these changes have actually impacted the plot of the book. It’s been a really worthwhile exercise. And, as you saw above, I ended up adding 12,000 words, so it obviously made a huge difference.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

After a fancy dinner, you plan to sneak away from the dining room and break into the host’s vault. Your spy on the inside has given you the four digits to open the lock, but they’re written in code.

Congratulations, you ate. Now we’ve won the right to protest publicly for our freedom. Check the third, I hear.

What are the four digits?

Answer: Your clue is Check the third, I hear. This is telling you to check every third word for a homophone.

Congratulations, you ATE. Now we’ve WON the right TO publicly protest FOR our freedom.

Code: 8124

Did you get it? Are you ready for another cryptic clue?

Beneath, not sitting, comprehending.

13 letters

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

Happy October!

The warm weather came back for a bit then disappeared, but the flowers are out and the air smells like blossoms. My three-year-old loves spooky stuff so is excited every time she sees anything remotely Halloween-y. This is a hugely busy month for writing events—it feels like I have something on every week!

🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

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🇬🇧 UK Pre-Order my Copy

What I’ve been up to

At the end of last month I attended the Ned Kelly Crime Writers Awards at Beaufort Street Books featuring a discussion with Sara Foster, Josh Kemp, and Ruth McIver.

I went to another escape room. For research.

I did a couple of workshops with kids, one at StoryLab with Deb Fitpatrick.

There was, of course, the epic Festival of Fiction. Benjamin Stevenson, Sally Hepworth, Jay Kristoff, Melina Marchetta, Christos Tsiolkas, Dervla McTiernan, Mem Fox… I was walking around like that starry-eyed emoji!

I attended Rachael Johns’s book launch for The Lucky Sisters, which happened to be at the venue I got married!

And for one special night, I booked myself, into a hotel and smashed out 5,000 words, because I currently have a lot of work to do!

What I’m working on now

TEASER ANNOUNCEMENT 📣

I have some exciting news to announce VERY soon - keep an eye on my Instagram! But of course, this exciting news means a lot of work, including two structural edit deadlines for two separate books due at the same time (hence the hotel). I actually developed an eye twitch after I received those deadlines.

Plus, I’m still working on my Tasmanian book. So I’ve been keeping very busy.

Recommendations

Writers Behaving Badly Podcast

There are four podcasts that immediately jump to the top of my list as soon as an episode drops, and this one of them. It’s three writers who spill publishing industry tea, talk about their word count goals, and giggle over bad first drafts. Lisa Ireland gives really useful advice, and there have been some amazing guest interviews (Sally Hepworth and Tess Woods, anyone?). Annie Bucknall ( ) is another host, and also my incredible VA. It’s just a lot of fun - I strongly recommend this one!

Unruly - David Mitchell

I had very few history lessons growing up and was never really interested until recently, which meant I had no idea how England, like… started? Where did the monarchy come from? What was life like before kings and queens were there? Who are people referencing when they talk about Lady Grey, and what did William the Conqueror actually conquer? David Mitchell explains it all in short, funny chapters. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hello, My Twenties

This Korean show came out in 2017 and remains one of my favourites—a true writing inspiration. On the surface, it’s about five university students who live in a sharehouse but they have very different personalities and clash often. What makes it exceptional is that you’re watching the first episode thinking it’s a cute little story, then a bombshell drops at the end. From then on, there’s this compelling plot that slowly reveals the deep, dark secrets of each girl.

Note: The first season is epic quality. Unfortunately, the second season undoes everything. It’s like the writers forgot the point of the show. I’d strongly recommend ignoring the second season.

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

In the past, editors have praised me for being able to integrate exposition into story. I took show, don’t tell to heart when I first heard about it, and have been sparse with explanation and interiority… which actually might’ve been a mistake.

In my current WiP, I have a young girl auditioning for a show. She’s desperate to get the role. Up until recently, I would’ve written the scene without revealing the reason for her desperation. It makes the reader curious, right? There’s tension in that. Why does she want this so badly?

But after my course on character with Cece Lyra (recommended in a previous newsletter), I’ve realised that type of curiosity might not be the strongest way to tell my character’s story. This is the very first scene with her, and I really want the reader to root for her. So I wrote her interiority. I explained her situation, giving the reader an insight into her life. Hopefully, now the reader understands her, they’ll care about her. They’ll want what she wants. The tension becomes about her desire.

Hiding some things from the reader might make them want to continue, but having the reader care for the point of view character gives them a stronger attachment and will leave a deeper impact by the time they close the book.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

A giant secure, I hear.

(5 letters)

Your trigger phrase is “I hear”, which tells you this will be a homophone. For this one, I’d recommend looking up a synonym for giant first–in this case, “titan”. The homophone of titan is “tighten”, as in, to secure, which is how you check you’ve got the right answer.

Did you get it? Are you ready for a riddle?

After a fancy dinner, you plan to sneak away from the dining room and break into the host’s vault. Your spy on the inside has given you the four digits to open the lock, but they’re written in code.

Congratulations, you ate. Now we’ve won the right to protest publicly for our freedom. Check the third, I hear.

What are the four digits?

A hint is in the comments.

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

It’s September!!!

White flowers have popped up all over our wedding bush, and the smell of blooming jasmine always puts me in such a cheerful mood. There have been plenty of warm, sunny days for picnics at the park, and the days are getting longer.

🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

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🇬🇧 UK Pre-Order my Copy

What I’ve been up to

I went to an escape room finally. I don’t get a lot of opportunities because people can’t come with me during weekday, and I can’t do weekends since I have a toddler. So it was such a treat to get to do a murder mystery in a 1920s Paris hotel. Escape This is a brilliant franchise with so many different rooms to choose from.

I also went to a panel at the Celebrate Reading Conference – a YA crime and horror panel that was lots of fun.

But my biggest event was an incredible trip to Tasmania, which doubled as writing research. I was looking into old manors in rural countries, as well as reading up on a certain royal visit in the 1920s… though I probably shouldn’t tell you any more about that yet. Here are a couple of pictures to give you an idea of what’s to come…

What I’m working on now

As you can tell from my trip to Tasmania, I’m hard at work with my latest book. It’s proving to be the toughest thing I’ve written – it took me five-and-a-half hours to write a single 1,300-word scene because of all the research required.

I’m also in the process of signing 3,400 tip-ins. These are loose pages that will be put into the final copies of The Escape Game. The pages first had to go to Marissa for signing, then came to me, then they’re heading back off to the US to the printer. I’ve been catching up on podcasts while signing, although sometimes I’ll giggle in the middle, especially while listening to Do Go On, so you might find a few of my signatures are a big wonky. If you get one of those, consider it one of my happier signatures!

Recommendations

Rabble Books and Games

They may not be a sprawling, multi-storeyed behemoth with beautiful marble pillars, but they’re still my favourite bookstore in the world. This small shop in Maylands, WA is the safest, most welcoming space you can imagine. I highly recommend visiting them if you’re in the area, or ordering from them online. They’re run by very good people doing very good things.

The Word Count Podcast

I’m a relatively new listener to this podcast. It’s following the journey of three Australian writers, with Jo Dixon already a published author and the other two – Fiona and Jacq – aiming to get there. I find these three so lovely to listen to, and in a recent episode Jacq announced a very special kind of book she’s written has been picked up by Affirm Press. Check it out if you want more Aussie authors in your ears.

We Could Be Magic – Marissa Meyer and Joelle Murray

I read this graphic novel in an hour and a half. It’s cosy and adorable and aesthetically beautiful, telling the story of a girl who wants to be a character actor at a theme park even though her body shape doesn’t fit their expectations. If you need a hit of dopamine, pick this one up.

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

I’ve always said I’m a pantser (writing by the seat of my pants with no real idea where the story is going), even with my murder mysteries. I often don’t know who the killer is until my main character does! If you read my last newsletter, you’ll see I handwrote my newest (Tasmanian) story in notebooks with only the vaguest idea of the plot. I like to get that first draft down fast, even though it ends up being much shorter than the final draft – say, 40,000-50,000 words as opposed to the end product of 80,000-100,000 words. It occurred to me this time around that my fast draft is my outline. It’s a rough approximation of where the novel might go. When I write the second draft, I love getting out my index cards and highlighters and referring to craft books specialising in structure. The story changes a lot in the second draft, fleshed out and coherent and on its way to looking like a real book. This time, I’ve even used a spreadsheet to do a scene-by-scene breakdown! So I guess my epiphany is I’m a planner disguised as a pantser?

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

What common word goes in front of these words to make a new one?

Mat

Get

Age

Answer: FOR

Format

Forget

Forage

Did you get it? Are you ready for a cryptic clue?

A giant secured, I hear.

(5 letters)

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

Happy August!

It’s still cold and we’ve had a lot of much-needed rain, but we’ve had patches of sunny days too, which have buoyed my mood significantly. I’ve decided my favourite month is September—the warmer days are perfect for picnics, the air smells fresher, and the scent of flowers is such a pick-me-up. Blooming jasmine is the BEST! The cheery Christmas vibe is stirring, but the weather isn’t yet burning us to a crisp. Not to mention people in the northern hemisphere are posting beautiful pictures of turning leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, and the occasional Halloween decoration. I guess this is all to say, next month’s newsletter is going to GUSHY.

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🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

What I’ve been up to

I’ve been to quite a few events this month!

• Dervla McTiernan in conversation with Michael Robotham for his new book THE WHITE CROW

• Chenee Marrapodi in conversation with Holden Sheppard for KING OF DIRT

• Crime with Wine, featuring Holly Craig, Alexander Thorpe, and Deb Jordan

What I’m working on now

Marissa and I have sent our editors book two of The Escape Game series. We’ll get the structural edits back soon, but in the meantime, I’m still working on that side project, which is becoming more of a main project. The first draft is sitting in the three notebooks below:

Now I’m working on draft two on Scrivener. I find the second draft to be much more difficult – with the first draft, I could sit down with a glass of wine and write whatever I felt like. Now I have to research and build characters and figure out tricky plot mechanics. And this one is particularly tricky - my most challenging one yet!

Recommendations

Boundless Books

Since I’ve just been to one of their events, I thought it would be a good time to plug this new bookstore in Leederville, Western Australia. It’s open until at least 9pm every night (late night book buying, anyone?) and the lovely owner Allyce has plans for many literary events - the next one is a fantasy extravaganza in November. Sign up to their newsletter at the bottom of their website to keep up to date.

Last week I recommended Book Cheat, pitched as the podcast where the host’s read the (classic literature) book so we don’t have to. This one’s similar, but usually it’s more recent literary releases such as Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. If you don’t have time to read many books, or you want to sound like you know about literature you’re not particularly interested in reading, this is another great new cheat.

A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais

I assume a lot of you reading this newsletter are into puzzles, so trust me when I say this book is HEAPS of fun. You have to solve the puzzles with the protagonist before you can progress through the story! Plus, you can literally email the main character to ask for a clue. How cool is that? Don’t worry – most of the puzzles aren’t as hard as the ones I pose in my newsletters, and there are a huge variety of them too. My favourite puzzle was the nonogram which I’d never heard of before but it’s hugely satisfying.

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

When writing fantasy, I usually start with a top-down method - by mapping out the land, cities, and geographical features so I have an idea of things like cultural foods/clothing, trade routes, religious and political ideologies etc. Then, as I’m writing, I’ll chuck in certain descriptions of household items or building materials and work backwards, figuring out where they came from, how they’re mined etc.

On a recent podcast I listened to with author Richard Swan, he suggested starting your world-building by figuring out the name of the street your character lives on, and the names of the streets surrounding it, and the main roads and highways. I thought this was another good place to start. I’d like to include an additional suggestion – have reasons behind the names too. For example, in my fantasy murder mystery Blood & Stone, my characters visit a place called Ariela Park. Ariela Madeira was one of the founders of their city, and while the reader never learns this in the book, the fact that I know gives the world a richer feel.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

Finally loses tail to get reference book.

(5 letters)

This was a tricky one! With something like this, it’s best to start with the reference book, which is very unlikely to be an anagram or hidden clue—it’s more likely to be the clue itself. Types of references books include: dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, biography, atlas…

ATLAS is the reference book that has five letters. But how do you know that’s the correct answer? By looking at the first part of the clue – Finally loses tail. Tail, as in the last letter. Finally, as in AT LAST. If you take the last T off AT LAST, you get ATLAS.

I know, I know, sometimes these things do my head in too—but these are still easy compared to ones you find in the newspapers. It takes practise!

Did you get it? Are you ready for another puzzle?

What common word goes in front of these words to make a new one?

Mat

Get

Age

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

Happy July!

It’s shivery-cold outside, but things are heating up in my writing life. Being in Australia, with my good news coming through my US agent, I’ve been waking up at all hours to check the latest exciting email. Not so great on my sleep, but still a lot of fun! If you want to keep up with what’s happening (say, for example, The Escape Game being available in Australia and the UK, or any pre-order deals), follow me on Instagram @writermoss.

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🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

What I’ve been up to

I went to Hamilton Island for a much-needed holiday. Sipping cocktails by the pool and buzzing around on a buggy was pretty relaxing.

And check out my writing desk:

What I’m working on now

Marissa and I are hurtling towards our deadline for book two of The Escape Game. It’s due at the start of August, and is looking very good to be finished on time. It’s also just looking very good, full stop. I’m so excited for everyone to read it, and the first one isn’t even out yet!

As well as TEG, I have a little side project going on. I’m writing it in a notebook, because I prefer to do my first draft by hand. That way, I’m forced to rewrite everything when I type up the next draft. It allows me to spend time on the craft at a line level, which is something I ignore while doing that fast first draft. Also, there’s nothing quite so pleasurable as curling up on the couch with a pen and pretty notebook, a coffee or tea at hand, and just free writing for an hour.

Recommendations

Writing workshops with CeCe Lyra

I’ve recently completed a four-day workshop called Writing Emotion and Relationships with , who’s a literary agent and also one of the hosts of . I know, I know, I can’t stop talking about it, but I’ve done a lot of workshops and read a lot of craft books in the last few decades, and I feel this was single-handedly the most useful webinar I’ve ever attended. I’ll be signing up for every workshop she does from now on.

Book Cheat

Book Cheat is pitched as the podcast where the host’s read the book so we don’t have to. Dave Warneke (who co-hosts the Do Go On podcast recommended a few newsletters ago) summarises a classic novel to save us from slogging through literature we wish we’d already read. It’s a highly useful way to get “reading” done. Be aware that he invites comedians to join him, so there are a lot of tangents. And they’re Australian, so, naturally, content and language warnings apply.

Cosy Poems—chosen by Gaby Morgan

I don’t read a lot of poetry but would love to get into it, so I asked Rabble Books to put aside an easy book about nature or happiness. They didn’t disappoint! I’m reading a poem a day, and each one is short and joyful. If you’re also looking to dabble in reading poetry but don’t know where to start, this one is perfect!

PS Please leave other poetry recommendations in the comments if you have them!

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

Your greatest strength can also be your greatest weakness. I heard this on a podcast where the host was talking to a guest who admitted to being a people-pleaser in high school. He said he was popular and outgoing, but that was because he didn’t have confidence to stand up for himself. That got me thinking about how I could turn my characters’ greatest strengths into their greatest weaknesses as well, and vice versa. A sullen, closed-off character would be very good at setting personal boundaries, for example. Or an energetic, happy person could constantly be putting their foot in their mouth. I like the idea that a character’s weakness is tied to their strength, rather than the two being on opposite spectrums.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

There is a hidden connection between these sentences. What is the missing word?

1. She required a zipper, clasp, ring, and button.

2. The plane flew internationally.

3. I like adventures, the high seas, pirates, um, mermaids, and sea monsters.

Do you see the hidden words bolded in each sentence? Each one contains a season! The missing word is either “autumn” or “fall”, depending on where you’re from.

Did you get it? Are you ready for another?

Another cryptic clue for you this month:

Finally loses tail to get reference book.

(5 letters)

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

It’s June!

It’s been cold and rainy and cosy at last. The heaters are on; the fuzzy socks are out. Our roof is leaking, so there are buckets and towels all over the house. The first bout of sickness has hit. Winter really puts me through the wringer, but the cooler weather is certainly a relief.

🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

What I’ve been up to

COVER REVEAL! We were so lucky to have People.com exclusively reveal the cover of THE ESCAPE GAME. Have you seen it? We’ve been squealing in delight for months over this thing, and we can finally share it with the world. Look closely to see if you can spot any clues…

Follow me, Marissa, and Putnam over on socials to see what all the fuss is about.

@writermoss @marissameyerauthor @putnambooks

As well as that, I’ve had some wonderful book events this month. First was ‘s book launch for Made of Steam and Stardust on the 31st of June, then I went to see her speak at Kalamunda Library a few days later.

I also had the honour of playing a water witch and launching Kitty Black’s debut middle grade Everglade: Rise of the Witch. This book is a joy to read because you can tell how much fun Kitty had writing it. The event was incredible! (Photos courtesy of Paper Bird Books and Sharon Giltrow.)

What I’m working on now

I have a galley of THE ESCAPE GAME!!!! That’s right, in my hot little hands is an actual physical copy of this book. The final pass pages are imminent, and once they’re done, this book is finished finished.

We also completed draft two of book two! I celebrated with prosecco, blueberry danish, and vanilla ice cream. Then it was straight into draft three. Deadline is 1^st August, so we are smashing it!

Recommendations

Material Girls

I call this my “smart podcast”. The hosts study something in the zeitgeist and connect it to different scholarly ideologies. Basically, they are delightful people who blow my mind on a regular basis. Recent notable topics include Pirates of the Caribbean x American Exceptionalism, Severance x the Kafkaesque, and The Notebook x Melodrama.

The Beer Pioneer

I imagine everyone has seen, or at least knows about, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (and if you haven’t, go watch it immediately). For those who are looking for a similar show with an Australian flavour, The Beer Pioneer on YouTube is a delight. Comedian Matt Stewart (co-host of the podcast Do Go On, which I recommended in a previous newsletter), follows the trails of colonial pioneers while trying local craft beers on the way. Note: make sure you have a craft beer on hand while you watch it!

The Priory of the Orange Tree

This is a stunning book series full of incredible women—dragon riders and queens and handmaidens and secret warriors. The world-building is outstanding. By the second book, basically every character is LGBTQ+. It is my happy place.

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

Still on character development here. I’m currently reading The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas, and the skill with which Tsiolkas has crafted his (honestly, monstrous) characters is next level. All that stuff they talk about on the podcast is laid out, plain to see. Making a character awful, but also self-reflecting and willing (but unable) to change. Contradictions between a character’s thoughts and their actions. Showing a character feeling two opposing things towards another character. Allowing a character to (wrongly) imagine an event before it happens. Giving characters depth and backstory and nuance to make them feel like real people. This book isn’t for the faint-hearted, but if you’re after an example of some solid character creation, I’d strongly recommend it.

Puzzle

A person who is easily frightened? Sounds like they have hidden.

(6 letters)

The trigger phrase in this cryptic clue is sounds like. This means you’re looking for a homophone—a word that sounds the same but has a different spelling and meaning. So you’re looking for a word that means a) a person who is easily frightened and b) hidden. The answer here is COWARD—a person who is easily frightened (which is also spelt cowered, as in hidden).

Did you get it? Are you ready for another? Here’s a cryptic clue.

Cryptic clue:

There is a hidden connection between these sentences. What is the missing word?

1. She required a zipper, clasp, ring, and button.

2. The plane flew internationally.

3. I like adventures, the high seas, pirates, um, mermaids, and sea monsters.

(Because this is a particularly tricky one, there’s a clue in the comments if you want it. Answer revealed next month.)

Leave a comment

Happy May!

Crunchy leaves everywhere. Autumn soups. Cool nights. Unfortunately, it’s still very hot during the days here in Perth, and we’re desperately thirsty with no rain in sight. But at least it means my daughter can still happily play outside all day (gotta look for the bright side, right?).

🗞️ In this newsletter

• Winner of last month’s giveaway

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

• Giveaway!

Winner of last month’s giveaway

The lucky winner has been contacted by email! Make sure you check your junk mail and reply to me so I can organise postage.

Check below for next giveaway.

What I’ve been up to

I hosted a writing event for kids over the April school holidays, and it was a full house! As always, my little writers blew me away with their skills and imagination. I’m planning to ease up on my primary school presentations and workshops as I start gearing up for my YA-based series, so it was nice to have one of my last hoorahs for now.

I’m heading out to Bianca Breen’s book launch at the end of the month. I absolutely cannot wait to celebrate the release of Made of Steam and Stardust. Bianca is a treasure in our local YA community. Everybody knows her name! There’s still time to book your ticket if you haven’t already.

Book a Ticket

Pre-Order Bianca's Book

Also, my daughter turned three – three times! (There were a lot of celebrations this year.) So that’s where most of my May disappeared to.

What I’m working on now

I’ve seen the final cover of The Escape Game and I. Am. In. Love. The typeset pages are due in a week or so, and there’ll be a few graphic surprises inside! This also means early copies will start going out VERY soon. Terrifying/exciting. Terror-citing? Exerrifying?

Marissa and I are also tackling revisions of book two, which feels a little bit like hitting it with a sledgehammer to find the right angle for those cheeky plot threads, then using a teeny tiny hammer and chisel to fine-tune them. Tiring, but rewarding.

Recommendations

Writers Off the Page

I was saving this one for a bit later because the podcast had wrapped up, but then surprise! The lovely Chenée Marrapodi is dropping a new series of minisodes about the publishing industry! This is mostly Australian-based, but the interviews (both past and present) are so professional and so interesting, I would recommend it no matter what country you’re in.

The Cheeky Toddler Alphabet by Davina Bell

A picture book recommendation for you this month! I’ve bought so many copies for so many parents. An absolutely beautiful book that just… gets it. Trust me.

The Recycle InTent

Bel is, honestly, one of the most amazing people I’ve had the privilege to meet. On the first Sunday of every month, she heads to the Kalamunda Markets to collect people’s specialised recycling. Stuff that isn’t taken by our recycling trucks, like plastic lids, used toothbrushes, blister packs, old pens. She’s passionate about recycling and does the hard work that most people (myself included) don’t do, despite the fact it’s better for the environment. If you live anywhere near Kalamunda in Western Australia, start collecting your specialised recycling and bring it to Recycle InTent. While this business is a local venture, there might be a similar one near you – please take a few minutes to do an online search and see if you can find one!

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

I’ve mentioned before the podcast The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing - - and honestly, I can’t get enough of delving deep into interiority. When something big happens to a character, I ask myself: Has this happened to them before? How do their past experiences influence the way they’ll react? When they meet another character, I ask myself: How do they compare themselves to this person, both aesthetically and personality-wise? How do they feel about those comparisons – proud or self-conscious?

It’s an ongoing practice, but it’s a fun one!

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

I march, I drag, I do not sleep,

I heal, I kill, I race, I creep.

What am I?

Answer: TIME! Well done to the people who answered in the comments!

Did you get it? Are you ready for another? Here’s a cryptic clue.

Cryptic clue:

A person who is easily frightened? Sounds like they have hidden.

(6 letters)

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

Giveaway

I’m giving away a copy of Blood & Stone: A Radazan Mystery, a fantasy murder mystery written under my pen name Tamara M Bailey. All you have to do is be a subscriber of this newsletter by June 15^th 2025. Open internationally.

About Blood & Stone

Tomi Cardozo, the top Justice Official in the thriving metropolis of Radaza, has been called to investigate a gruesome murder of a professor who has been mutilated in his own apartment.

She discovers both the professor and his killer were witches, and therefore illegal residents of the city.

As Tomi is on probation for alleged witch sympathies, she is determined to prove her loyalty to the Justice Department by catching the professor’s killer within the four-day grace period given by the court.

But, as she untangles the knots of the case, Tomi discovers odd similarities between the professor’s death and the unsolved murder of her parents 23 years before.

She soon learns that she is tied to the world of the witches, and that no one in her life, living or dead, is who they appear.

Tomi must decide whether upholding the law is worth exposing the people she loves, while racing to catch a killer who has the one thing she lacks – magic.

Get my copy

Happy April!

It’s rare that I’m home for April – usually I’m travelling at this time. There’s still a lot on, though. This newsletter is due to come out around my birthday, which is right after the Easter break. Two days later is ANZAC Day. And I’m going to see Michelle Brasier, who’s the author of the book My Brother’s Ashes Are in a Sandwich Bag, which I recommended in my very first newsletter. I can’t wait!

🗞️ In this newsletter

• Winner of last month’s giveaway

• What I’ve been up to

• Event

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

• Giveaway!

Winner of last month’s giveaway

The lucky winner has been contacted by email! Make sure you check your junk mail and reply back to me so I can organise postage.

What I’ve been up to

Kalamunda Library is doing amazing author events, especially recently. I got to attend a writing workshop run by Fleur McDonald, author of twenty-something rural crime books. Her latest novel, The Prospect comes highly recommended and I’m looking forward to digging in.

The City of Joondalup and Joondalup Libraries are also superstars when it comes to author events. I went to the launch of Sara Foster’s latest book When She Was Gone, with Dervla McTiernan as the interviewer. It was heaps of fun – I’ve already started reading the book and I’m worried it’s going to wreck me.

Events

I’ll be hosting a writing workshop for children just after this newsletter comes out. If you’ve got kids aged between 8-12, check out Manning Library’s events page.

What I’m working on now

We’re about a year away from the release of The Escape Game. Copyedits are done and we’re waiting on the typeset pages, with all the fancy designs inside. I may have been privy to some visuals that I’m not allowed to talk about just yet…

Marissa and I are also working on edits for book 2. Now that we’ve finished the first draft, it’s about streamlining, adding description, wrangling stray subplots, and going back and forth on the WHO and WHAT and WHY. Let’s just say, I suspect this book is going to be even trickier to pin down than the first one – and the first one was a doozy.

Recommendations

Do Go On Podcast

This is a weekly podcast where three Australian comedians research a topic – biography, event, whatever – and talk about it like a report. It’s a bit like The Dollop, but with waaay more tangents and riffs. Because it’s Australian comedy, there’s a lot of foul language, so consider yourself warned. It might take a few episodes to really get into it, but I promise it’s worth it. I’ve had so many story ideas from these reports, including a new solo project I’m currently outlining.

The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond – Marissa Meyer

This non-fiction book by Marissa Meyer is a pleasure to read (and I’m not just saying that because she’s my co-author). Her optimism shines off the page and reminds you to find joy in each step of the writing process. I recommend you peruse it with a cup of tea and a piece of chocolate (or a glass of wine and a cheese board, whatever makes you happy!).

Invisible Boys (the TV show)

Based on the book by Holden Sheppard, this beautiful, raw mini-series will change you for the better. I loved it so much. I’m incredibly proud of the shows Australia are bringing out at the moment – if you can get Stan, that’s where it’s available. Just a heads up: there are a lot of sex scenes, as well as some disturbing events at the end.

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

Marissa and I have been collaborating a little bit differently for book 2 of The Escape Game. Rather than focus on a particular point of view to share the storytelling, we’ve each taken a specific, important plot thread to focus on. There are other plot threads too, but we’ve been working on those ones together. Basically, we have four (five? I’m losing count) important plot threads in this book. Which is a lot. Too much, maybe? I sent Marissa an email suggesting we drop one of the threads, to which she rightfully pointed out wouldn’t work (for various secret reasons). Instead, she suggested we spent more time integrating the threads. While I’ve read writing advice in the past about subplots, I’ve never read an explicit explanation on how to weave in a subplot. One plot thread needs to influence the other, mostly negatively. How can we make Thread A impact Thread B on more levels? On deeper levels? How can the turning point in Thread C adversely affect Thread A? How can a character trying to achieve something for Thread D ruin something that was happening in Thread A? All the threads in this book are only loosely connected, so now we’re working on intertwining them further to bind the people and events from each thread so tightly together that the plot would unravel if we lost one.

Writing is hard, friends.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

Initially, we acquired very eagerly something found in the ocean. (4 letters)

The trigger word in this cryptic clue is initially. That means you need to look at the first letters of the words in this sentence. The actual clue is “something found in the ocean”, so take the words We Acquired Very Eagerly, and you get WAVE.

Did you get it? Are you ready for another one? I’ve got a riddle for you this time.

Cryptic clue:

I march, I drag, I do not sleep,

I heal, I kill, I race, I creep.

What am I?

(Answer next month. Or in the comments section if someone gets it before then.)

Leave a comment

Giveaway

I’m giving away a copy of The Other Olivia, my adult techno-thriller set in Western Australia, written under my pen name Tamara M Bailey. All you have to do is be a subscriber of this newsletter by May 15th 2025. Open internationally.

About The Other Olivia

Pitched as Orphan Black x The Matrix, The Other Olivia follows Olivia Alexander (nee Sharp), who thinks her biggest problem is discovering her husband’s affair.

Then a stranger accosts her on the street warning, “Don’t sign anything.” When Olivia reluctantly follows his advice, everything starts to fall apart. Suddenly assassins, safe houses, and ruthless global corporations are her new reality, and she’s running for her life.

In a shadow world unknown to Olivia, Livvie Sharp’s partner goes missing, someone tries to kidnap her little girl, and now she too is on the run as someone hunts her. Someone who knows everything about her. Someone using her loved ones as weapons to bring her down.

Then Livvie meets the other Olivia.

Get my copy

Happy March 👋

It looked like autumn was coming early this year, with some lovely cool weather and even rain. But the heat’s returned with a vengeance, with temperatures hitting peak scorching summer again (seriously, we’re forecast to get high 30 degrees C all week this week). At least I get to watch the tree out of the front of our house turn from green to those beautiful autumnal colours. Most of our native trees in this part of the world are evergreen, so it feels like a treat.

🗞️ In this newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

• Giveaway!

What I’ve been up to

I’ve booked a writing research trip for later in the year! I’m heading to Tasmania, one of the most beautiful places on Earth. My next solo book will be set there, and I can’t wait to go again. I also went to three book events and one writing workshop this month, which is very socially busy for me. My next event (as an audience member only) is A Night with Our Stars, which is a big showcase for children’s authors in WA. It would’ve happened by the time this newsletter comes out – I’m sure everyone performed beautifully.

What I’m working on now

Marissa and I have FINISHED an incredibly messy first draft of our second Escape book! We did it in about two months, which is ridiculous. I’m still not sure how that happened. It needs a lot of work, though. We’re aiming to have the revisions done by our deadline in August. Dabble (the online program we’ve been using) has its pluses and minuses. The most annoying thing is that we can’t track changes, which feels like it should be a must for any collaboration software.

Recommendations

Publishing Rodeo

They don’t update this one very much these days, but it’s an excellent behind-the-scenes look at the industry. The hosts have an interesting premise – two authors with the same publisher who released a book in the same year talk about their wildly different experiences based on their very different advances. They have some great guests who give their own insights and experiences. It’s fascinating, and also gave a lot of publishing context for when I read Yellowface by R. F. Kuang.

The Illuminae Files

I believe they’re about to print a ten-year anniversary special of this series, which I can’t wait to see. But I reread one of these books last month for research (can’t tell you what about yet), and it reminded me how special this series is. It changed the way I think about reading and writing. How can you care so much about characters who only exist in dossier files? How did the authors manage to make it so epic? It’s rare for me to think of a book as pure perfection, yet Illuminae and its follow-ups are the pinnacle.

Inside Out 2

I know, I know, I’m late to the party. I haven’t had time to watch many movies since I had a baby mid-2022. But I got to this one yesterday and my mind was blown. I sent a message to my husband saying it was an avalanche of tears disguised as a children’s movie. What impressed me most was how the stakes were so low compared to a blockbuster where the whole world is in danger, yet how could you not be completely invested in Riley’s well-being? It’s a masterclass in storytelling, and well worth a rewatch to see how they did it. PS If you’re a writer and you haven’t yet read Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling, I’d highly recommend it.

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

I’ve learnt this lesson so many times already, and yet I still need reminders. While working on the next Escape book, I was finding it difficult to untangle the many plot points. It was only later I realised that I didn’t know the villain’s story arc. Massive facepalm. I spent several hours writing out the villain’s motivations, the catalyst for their actions, their plans to get what they want, and how they would pivot when our heroes inevitably got in their way. And voila! Now I also had the plot for the protagonists.

Can’t believe how many times I have to be reminded of this technique. Ugh.

Puzzle

Answer to last month’s puzzle:

Angry without the thing you wind in a ball (The thing you wind in a ball is YARN, so take those letters out of the word ANGRY and you get the letter G)

Next comes the sound of a guard dog’s call (A guard dog says RUFF)

Then the word you use when one will do (You just want one? You use the article A)

Last is when you’re feeling blue. (Another word for blue is LOW (LO))

Answer: GRUFFALO! A character my toddler loves!

Did you get it? Are you ready for another one?

Cryptic clue:

Initially, we acquired very eagerly something found in the ocean. (4 letters)

Answer next month. (Or in the comments section, if someone figures it out and shares it before then.)

Leave a comment

Giveaway

I’m giving away a personalised, signed copy of Lintang and the Pirate Queen! All you have to do is be a subscriber of this newsletter before mid April. The winner will be announced next month, and can choose who the personalisation is addressed to. Open internationally.

About Lintang and the Pirate Queen:

Lintang dreams of escaping her island home and having adventures on the high seas. She gets her chance when she and her best friend, Bayani, face a deadly mythie and survive, attracting the attention of the infamous Captain Shafira.Lintang’s bravery earns her an invitation onto the ship of the pirate queen, who is on her way to hunt down a nest of vicious sirens.

But they’ve barely left the island when Lintang discovers that Bayani has risked his life to stow away. Worse, he won’t tell her why. Lintang must choose whether to be loyal to Captain Shafira and continue with her adventures, or be loyal to her best friend and lose everything she’s ever wanted.

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Happy February 👋

The temperature is scorching down here, so our days are filled with ice creams and swimming. Also, our toddler had a meltdown last week because she wanted to put up the Christmas tree… so guess what happened in the middle of February?

🗞️ In this Newsletter

• What I’ve been up to

• What I’m working on now

• Recommendations

• Epiphany

• Puzzle

What I’ve been up to

Besides writing and catching up with writer friends (shoutout to Briony Stewart, Kitty Black, and Shirley Marr), I had a family holiday in a little beachside town south of Perth. The place we stayed was basically an old barn that had been converted into a cabin.

The highlight was definitely riding on the pirate ship, where we spotted dolphins playing in the bay!

What I’m Working On Now

Marissa and I are flying through the first draft of our second collaboration. It’s the sequel to The Escape Game and has SO many cool twists and puzzles. I can’t wait to talk more about it.

This time, we’re using Dabble, an online writing software that’s supposed to be good for collaborations. It’s sort of a mixture between Word and Scrivener, and so far it’s been easy to navigate.

We’ve also received copyedits for The Escape Game. Going through copyedits separately can be inefficient, so we’ve scheduled a Zoom session where we share one screen and go through the edits together.

Recommendations

My Brother’s Ashes are in a Sandwich Bag – Michelle Brasier

I’m the last person in the world to pick up a memoir, but I chose to read this as part of my research and I’m so glad I did. It’s brilliantly written, with an incredible voice, and it made ugly sob in places. It reminds you how precious life is while being a romp. What convinced me to give it a go (besides the absolute love it’s been given on bestseller and award lists) was Michelle reading this hilariously ridiculous extract.

📹Catch her performance on Instagram!

Print Run

This is THE podcast that, when a new episode drops, I stop everything and listen immediately. It’s two agents giving publishing industry updates while also being delightful human beings. They’re the type of people who do query critiques on their Patreon, but also tell listeners who can’t afford the Patreon to write to them for a free subscription and they’ll grant one, no questions asked. With Twitter gone and too many new social media platforms for me to figure out, this is now the main place I get my industry news. And speaking of which…

Substack!

Maybe most people who read this newsletter already have one, but for those who don’t, hear me out. I was very reluctant to get on Substack. My line of thinking was I don’t have time to read thousands of words every time a newsletter pops up. Instead, I’ve found it’s more like LiveJournal (for those who remember that). I get to see what my friends are up to! Where my favourite authors are at with their WiP! What the weather’s like in other parts of the world! It’s actually become one of the rare joys of being online. BUT. I think it only works (socially) if people keep their newsletters free. Once you have to start paying for every newsletter, the dollars rack up quickly and it ends up costing more than a monthly streaming bill. For now, though, I’m loving it!

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

As I mentioned above, Marissa and I are doing a fast draft—like, super fast. Forget descriptions, minor characters, even minor plot points. We make a note to add it in later, then plough on with the story. This draft is more of a thorough outline. It’s sort of like skimming a stone to get to the other side of a river, rather than stopping to explore the surface and depth. That’ll come later, in revisions. I haven’t written like this before—I usually at least stop to give minor characters a placeholder name and look up inspiration pics for setting details. I find it difficult to move through a story when I don’t have a sense of place. But in two weeks we’d written 25k, even though both of us had to take a few days off writing in that time. So it’s certainly a productive way to work! Recommended if you want to get that first draft done in a flash.

Puzzle

Karl’s confused about these birds. (5 letters)

Cryptic clues are mind boggling at first. But the more you do them, the easier they become. First, see if you can find a trigger word—that is, a word in the sentence that will hint at what to do. In last month’s cryptic clue, the word “confused” is where you start. It tells you that you need to unjumble either the next word or the previous word. Names can often be used for anagrams – in this case, it’s “Karl’s”. The synonym you’re looking for is “birds”. So, how can you unscramble “Karl’s” to make a type of bird?

LARKS.

Did you get it? Are you ready for another one?

This month’s puzzle is a tough one! Figure out who my toddler loves from the clues below:

Angry without the thing you wind in a ball

Next comes the sound of a guard dog’s call

Then the word you use when one will do

Last is when you’re feeling blue.

Answer next month. (Or in the comments section, if someone figures it out and shares it before then.)

Leave a comment

Welcome 👋

Welcome to my first newsletter! I’m Tamara Moss, an author in Perth, Western Australia (Whadjuk Nyoongar boodjar). I write all kinds of things for children, YA, and adults.

🗞️ In this Newsletter

• Ever wondered how two writers—one in Perth, one in the US—co-write a murder mystery about an escape room reality show? The result is a rollercoaster of puzzles, plotting, and a LOT of Zoom calls.

• How parenting a young child while writing murder mysteries actually works.

• Exclusive: My hot take on the books and podcasts you need in your life right now (trust me, you’ll want to bookmark these).

• Oh, and there’s a brain-twisting puzzle to solve at the end because… why not?

My Publishing Journey 📚

The Lintang series kicked off my publishing career:

👀 Check them out

Then came my adult books under the pen name Tamara M Bailey:

👀 Check them out

Next will be my YA murder mystery (out spring 2026), co-written with superstar Marissa Meyer:

The Escape Game is a murder mystery set on an escape room reality show. You can find out more about our writing process in part one of our interview below, as well as this Publisher’s Weekly article.

You can also hear Marissa and I talk about it on Marissa’s podcast The Happy Writer.

🎧 Listen now

What I’m Working On Now

In 2022, when my daughter was a month old, I began writing an adult murder mystery. I used a pen and notebook, because it was easier to do it with one hand while I held my baby with the other.

Two-and-a-half years later, Marissa’s sent me notes from her beta read and I’m about to make a bunch of edits before sending it out to the world. Meanwhile, I’ve just beta read her upcoming novel The House Saphir (SO good).

Then we’re diving into the first draft of book two of The Escape Game!

Interview with Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss Part 1

How did you come up with the idea?

Tamara: A brief pitch for The Escape Game: escape room reality show murder mystery. Basically, it’s Hollywood, contestants, puzzles, codes, and murder. This was so hard to write, but so much fun.

Marissa: Tamara and I have been beta readers for decades, and we’d always wanted to co-write a book together. But it was never the right time, and we never had the right premise. Then one day, I was at an art-heist-themed escape room with my family when I thought, “What if we unlocked one of these props and there was a dead body inside?” I was immediately smitten with the idea of a murder mystery set in an escape room, but I was also intimidated by the concept. (Tamara’s not lying, it was both very hard and very fun to write!) So I knew right away that I would love to have a cowriter, and I knew just who to ask…

Tamara: Interestingly, the original plan we came up with is now the premise for book 2 (title still to be announced). As we were working on the outline, we realised we had to go back and tell the story of how our four main characters met… and The Escape Game was born.

What was it like co-writing a book?

Tamara: Great! Being in different time zones meant we were continuously drafting, day and night. Marissa’s big on outlining, so we knew where the book was going, and could skip ahead if need be. We initially took a point of view each (two characters per author), but by the time revisions and edits came through, we’d both worked thoroughly on each character.

Marissa: I think there are also books that just benefit from having two brains trying to tackle the big conundrums and come up with solutions, and this was definitely one of those books. There are a lot of moving pieces, with a cold case murder mystery and numerous suspects, the drama of the reality TV competition, the puzzles within the escape rooms, and the puzzles intended to lead to the murderer. When we got stuck or overwhelmed, it was so great to be able to have a zoom call and work our way through it together.

For the second half of this interview, sign up to Marissa’s newsletter (scroll to the bottom of her home page.

Sign up to see Part II

Recommendations

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan

I’m currently reading the third in the Empire of the Wolf series and it is, honestly, bliss. You can sink into this world the way you would sink into a cosy armchair by a crackling fireplace. The Justice of Kings was my top read for 2024. It’s about a small law enforcement team travelling to the outer reaches of the empire to maintain justice… while in the background, the empire begins to fall. From the cover and the first few pages, it seems very male-dominated, but I was thrilled to realise the point of view is a woman, and as the series goes on, more women make their way to the forefront. Political betrayals, death magic, monsters, adventure… did I mention bliss? Be warned, though – it gets gory.

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Podcast

If you’re an author and you’re not on this, get on it. Their Books with Hooks section is invaluable. It’s two agents and an author breaking down submissions (query letters and the first five pages). The show not only teaches you how to correctly construct a query letter, but I’ve learnt so much about interiority from listening to hours and hours of them discussing where authors can dig deeper into their characters in the first five pages.

Wine Bars

I went to my first wine bar ever recently. Can’t believe it’s taken me so long to try one! The lovely YA author Kate Emery took me to Vincent Wine. Not only did I get to try a delicious red, but I had a fresh crab tart and we shared a cheese board. A fab way to spend a Friday night! (Side note: I was late because my toddler thought it would be fun to hide naked under a bucket (pretending to be the Ghost Basket from Bluey) instead of getting in the bath.)

Epiphany

A snippet of wisdom that’s helped me become a better writer.

Going back to my recommended podcast, The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, here’s something I’ve picked up from all their talk on interiority. Think about a major theme of the book you’re currently writing (e.g. love, death, spirituality, justice, freedom), and consider how the characters in your book relate to this theme. For example, my current WiP is a murder mystery, so I’ve spent time thinking about how each of my pov characters have experienced death. Have they known someone who’s died? What was the funeral like? Do they believe in an afterlife? How does their prior experience differ from the current one?

A simple exercise, but it’s been useful for understanding my characters better.

Puzzle

Solve this cryptic clue (5 letters):

Karl’s confused about these birds.

Answer next month. (Or in the comments section, if someone figures it out and shares it before then.)

Leave a comment

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