Lore Keepers,
What a busy month it’s been! I had so much fun at my craft fair in November and have a few newcomers to my tribe as a result. Welcome, everyone ☺️ With the holiday season in full swing, life is like the current state of my house—controlled chaos every day. But I’m excited to share some updates from the world of Lily’s Passage with you.
Book Spotlight
“None of us are ready for the roles required of us. What’s more important is being willing.”
The above quote is from my recent edits. Many of the characters in Lily’s Passage face tough choices that shape the course of their lives. While they may not know who they will become as a result of those decisions, they must find courage to make the first step—even in the face of uncertainty.
Reading
Story Engineering by Larry Brooks
If you have a writer in your life, this book would make a perfect gift this holiday season! Brooks covers the “ingredients” of successful stories in a digestible way.
Write from the Deep podcast
I stumbled across this podcast through another favorite (the Novel Marketing Podcast), and if you’re a writer looking for encouragement from some seasoned veterans of the publishing industry, give this show a listen. You won’t be disappointed!
Space Boy by Stephen McCranie
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know I’m OBSESSED with this series. I swallowed the latest release in about an hour and have to wait until March for the next one 😢 If you’re looking for a wholesome book series to gift someone (especially a teen or reluctant reader) this Christmas, I can’t recommend these graphic novels enough!
Research
Marketing strategies and website design have been top priority (aside from finishing edits). I’ve been dialoguing with my project manager about the back end stuff of publishing, like book launch and Amazon author interface. And of course, all the usual suspicious things have popped up in my search history this month… (If you ever wanted to know the history of spear warfare, I could give you a crash course.)
Updates
✨ In case you missed it, Lily’s Passage is fully funded! However, I have some “stretch goals” to meet—including hardcover and audiobook versions—so if you want to give towards my project, there’s still room at the table. If you’ve donated in the past, expect me to reach out sometime in the new year—I have gifts for my supporters.
✨ I’m 82% finished with editing Lily’s Passage! Woot woot 🎉 My pace of about a chapter a day should put me in a good spot for one last read-through this year before handing the manuscript back to Redemption Press.
✨ Laurel’s Price is coming along nicely. My goal is to finish by Christmas, but edits are top priority. But… oh my goodness, I got a sneak peek of the cover artwork for this short story and I can’t wait to share it!
✨ I had some fun doing a professional photo shoot with a dear friend. I’ll be posting those on my social media soon. 📷
Lore
This excerpt is modified from a longer blog post. Read the full post here.
I don’t care for flying. Motion sickness aside, I hate the feeling of being out of control of my circumstances. Though I may trust the pilot, my instincts tell me I should be where my feet could run from danger. But there’s no running on a plane.
And sometimes, the aircraft doesn’t land when it’s scheduled. I’ve been stuck on a plane circling, waiting for clearance. In those moments, my anxiety escalates to frustration. I’m so close to the destination but unable to disembark. Though there’s any number of reasons for a holding pattern, my limited knowledge often gets in the way of peace.
I’ve faced many periods of waiting. In the midst of the holding pattern, my heart can get discouraged. I’ve followed God’s leading—why isn’t anything happening? I’m tempted to move out of God’s will because surely, waiting isn’t what He intended for me.
But the Holy Spirit’s assurance rings louder than the shadows—I’m called to this. And no matter what may come on the way, every switchback and valley has its place in the Kingdom.
The road ahead may still be long, but I see the purpose in the holding pattern—sometimes I have to wait for God to orchestrate the ending of my story. Even if the season feels like forever, there’s a reason for the waiting.
As the wind blows,
Sydney Frusti
