Book Release Party and New Character Art!

I’ve always wondered what goes into being a movie producer, and I believe I’m getting a taste of it as an indie author. Who knew there would be so many decisions and emails? So many emails. But it’s all starting to come together, because we’re three months out from THE GREAT TREE OF IRIS and its release on 10/21. 🫠🥳

And so, as my newsletter community, I have a couple of super exciting things to share with you before anyone else! And there might be two newsletters in August (because my cover is almost finalized and we’ll have preorder links and ARCs and a website and and and 2 character art pieces of the main couple in the book).

But for now, here’s what I have to share:

-You’re invited! If you’re local to New Jersey USA, I hope you can join me for a book release party! More coming soon, but for now, save the date for 1 pm on Saturday 10/25/25, just 4 days after TGTOI releases. We’ll have giveaways, an author talk/reading/Q&A, book signing, and doughnuts (in honor of Hippa the dragon). This event is open to the public, and I hope you can come celebrate!

(I mean, please come?) 😊 SAVE THE DATE!

-I am so excited to share with you the second and third pieces of character art I’ve commissioned to advertise and celebrate this book (wait until you see what I have planned for my entryway wall at my house). I’m so excited to introduce you to Sol Tovar and Icarion El’Narie, who fall quickly in love and have their own stories, too, within the novel.

Sol (they/them) is the younger sibling figure in the book, a jeweler who yearns for adventure after going through a terrible illness. Icarion (he/him) is a grieving and well-known tattoo artist (inkdelver) who has been trapped in his city for many years, only to find that his heart, his home, is elsewhere.

(Secretly, Icarion is my favorite character on most days, but you didn’t hear that from me) (I actually love all of my characters, it’s really hard to choose, please don’t make me)

Thank you to the always amazing @indigowildcard for her incredible work on these two pieces (with and without masks)! I can’t stop looking at them. It’s wild seeing your characters come to life after only being in your head and on the page for almost 3 years.

Watching: I gobbled down season 1 of Etoile on Amazon, and, once again, am super bummed that it’s not being picked up for a second season. It’s about the NYC and French national ballets swapping their stars for a season and how that impacts their lives. Give me any show about making art and I’m sat. I really loved it and actually burst into tears at one point in the finale, a long-awaited love confession that I was totally expecting but apparently was not emotionally ready for.

Also watched My Lady Jane (also on Amazon), and also very annoyed to discover season 1 has not been renewed. Sigh.

Listening: *goes to repeat playlist* *mutters to self about how I’ve already mentioned many of these songs in previous months because I tend to listen to the same songs all the time*

Crafting: I made some cute double-sided tape with fabric scraps recently! Otherwise, I haven’t been sewing all that much.

Reading: I just finished Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, which I read at top speed. While it was an engaging and easy read, the topic was a lot to stomach (about all the little and big ways white saviorism is harmful). It was definitely worth it.

Now, I’m reading The Great Tree of Iris by Jess Skultety (!! whew, what a rush) one final time (can I count on my book tracker how many times I’ve read my book in the last 3 years - 20? 25???). I’m also rereading the Monk and Robot novellas by Becky Chambers, which I’m proud to own. The dedication for the first book is, “For anyone who could use a break,” and boy do I need it. They are delightful books.

Amber hopes to see you in a couple weeks with a cover (?!?!!!)!

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