PAPERBACK PREORDERS and lantern night art are heeere!

Wow. It’s been a month of extreme excitement and also fatigue.

While I have an amazing team behind me, producing a book in these final stages is no joke and feels very solitary sometimes. I say that not to sound like I’m complaining, but I don’t think I truly realized what it would take, to promote and set up this book release the way I want to do it. But it’s almost here, y’all. 🥲🥲

I’ve been working hard for months (since March) on the production of this book (everything beyond its writing)—and of course, the project as a whole is almost at the three year date. Except for my bachelor’s degree, I’ve never worked on something for so long! It’s kind of surreal to work so hard behind the scenes and only now be able to reveal everything and see the payoff. 🥲

There’s a scene in Parks and Recreation where two characters (no spoilers) talk about how their new unborn baby is just theirs, and soon, everyone else will know about it. The book feels like that. ARC readers are starting to message me about the characters and it’s so BIZARRE. I know them so well, and now a whole bunch of people at any time could pick up the book and meet them! WHAT!?!

I’m so happy and tired and proud and spent and giddy and nervous and PROUD AGAIN. Just…it’s hard to really put into words what THE GREAT TREE OF IRIS means to me. I wrote more about that in the author’s note at the end of the book, so I’ll let you read that for more. 😉

The two BIGGEST pieces of news are finally here, and you’re hearing them first!:

Signed paperback preorders are open (US only, sorry)! Get all the fun goodies below when you preorder from me on my website. And of course, I’ll sign in purple. 🙂 This is a limited time option, as I will not always have signed copies available. 

(If you’re coming to the launch party on 10/25, keep reading)…

Party people - click here to RSVP please (even if you told me you’re coming), get your free pickup code for preordering, and then preorder (same link on my website). I can’t guarantee I’ll have extra books, so please preorder!

If you don’t want a signed paperback (but why wouldn’t you?), you will soon (next week?) be able to preorder from all major book retailers (Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, for example). I’ll make an announcement on Instagram and Threads when that happens. There won’t be Amazon paperback preorders (unfortunately they don’t let indie authors set that up, to my understanding), but you’ll be able to order those on 10/21 on the official release day. Amazon is the place that I earn the most from, but I also recommend Bookshop.org because ordering from them benefits indie bookstores (I use them all the time!).

Goodies for everyone! Because of course, e-book preorders are also open here on Amazon! We’re already up to 11 and I have barely started promoting it. Thank you so much! You can also preorder the ebook from many sites here or from Barnes and Noble.

If you preorder the e-book from anywhere, or a paperback from outside the US, fill out this form to claim your digital goodies!

OKAY and here’s the second big, amazing thing! I’m thrilled to share my last piece of commissioned character art (for now) by Jacqueline Brianne (@jacqueillustrates). We have been discussing this piece for MONTHS and I can’t tell you how amazing it was to watch Jacque draw my beautiful main sapphic couple at the Night of Ten Thousand Lanterns! Please be warned—the scene IS romantic, but this artwork is what Rory is imagining (to the left). It’s a little early in the slow burn romance for them to kiss. 😉

Again, everyone who preorders the book (digital folks must submit a form) will get a version of this amazing work (postcards for signed paperbacks, digital wallpaper for both). I hope you fall in love with Lia and Rory. As my first official review says, “Truly one of the most touching, realistic love stories I’ve ever read,” which was so lovely to hear (and exactly what I was aiming for). So give it up for Jacque and her incredible artistry—I already have plans to book her again in the future for Pirate Princess!

And I hope you enjoy the lantern festival scene. 😊 It’s one of my favorite moments.

-Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) went out, which means a whole bunch of you might be reading my book right now. 😱 Just over 100 people applied for ARCs, which I am absolutely thrilled about. THANK YOU for your support of a debut indie author. This book means everything to me, and having your support is a huge help and morale booster. The reviews are also starting to roll in, which is a bizarre experience, but just to say I’m so glad people are loving the story. I’ll share more in the next newsletter.

-And to everyone reading here—once you read (especially if you enjoy the book, haha)—please spread the word! Tell your fantasy-book-loving friends, share one of my posts or make your own on Instagram, LEAVE A REVIEW. That’s how books find their readers, and I need your help!

If your review is less than 4 stars, I just ask you not to tag me on social media. Thank you for taking authors’ mental health into account.

Watching: Oh my gods, where has Gentleman Jack been all my life? I need lovesick lesbians (and sad, sexy sapphics?) in all my period shows. I heard we might be getting more in Bridgerton, and I am SAT.

Listening: The official playlist for The Great Tree of Iris has been on repeat as I finish up all these administrative and marketing tasks (if you’ve ever fought with Ingram Spark over color bleeds, you know what I mean) (don’t forget, if you preorder, you get a detailed glimpse as to why each song is on that playlist!).

Also, I love AJR’s new EP (no surprises there), especially “The Big Goodbye.” Just don’t listen to “A Dog Song” unless you want to cry.

Reading: I’m finishing up A Restless Truth by Freya Marske, and really enjoying it (honestly eager to find out how the story resolves). On my To Be Read Very Soon:

-Katabasis by R.F. Kuang (if I hear one more person accuse her of writing with AI, I SWEAR. Nope. Nope. She’s a genius. Also can we stop doing that unless there’s real proof? And I DO NOT mean em-dashes)

-Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon (and then I’ll probably reread The Priory of the Orange Tree and A Day of Fallen Night because life is too short to NOT reread your favorite books)

-Eleutheria by Ruth Cantu (my friend wrote a witchy book! Check it out!)

-The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

-The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri

Amber hopes to see you again soon - there might be one more newsletter between now and book release on 10/21!

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