Hi friend,
So. Many. Things. This past month was a whirlwind of activity for my writing journey, so I won’t delay longer in sharing them. But… in case you don’t read the whole newsletter, scroll to the end to check out my initial cover design. Things are happening! 🎉
Book Spotlight
In a realm torn by civil war, one young woman’s journey will unravel secrets that could change the fate of an entire kingdom—and one man’s devotion could just as easily unravel her world.
Farrah, a small-town girl with dreams of escape, finds her life irrevocably altered when she meets Asken, a stranger with a hidden past. As armies clash and ancient powers awaken, Farrah must choose between the life she knows and the fate that awaits her.
An outsider from birth, Asken has devoted his life to fighting the darkness around him. But tragedy forces him on a quest for answers, pulling him into a deep web of political conspiracy. With his loyalty shaken to the core, Asken must question everything he once believed in. Can he fight against the very cause he once stood behind in order to bring about peace?
With the kingdom gripped by fear and the enemy gaining power, Farrah and Asken must confront their own inner demons and find the light within to inspire their nation to rise against the encroaching shadows that threaten to consume them all.
Embark on an epic fantasy adventure in Lily’s Passage, a tale of magic, mystery, and finding our place in the world.
Reading
Eye of the World by Robert Jordan is still my go-to during leisure reading. It’s slow going, not because of the book, but because my free time has been hijacked by other things.
Quote to Ponder
“It’s hard to read the label when you’re standing inside the bottle.” —James L. Rubart
Author and copywriter Rubart used this analogy to describe the process of writing back cover copy. And the truth is, sometimes we’re too close to something to see it properly. Which begs me to reflect—how can I harness others’ insights to inform my decision-making?
Updates
📗Cover designs? Yes please! I got my first few mockups for the cover of Lily’s Passage and… I can’t help geeking out a little! Things are starting to feel real. Because not only that…
💬 My marketing copy package also came in, meaning I’ve put my rubber stamp of approval on the back cover copy, website descriptions, and various marketing pieces about my book. Check out the blurb in the book spotlight if you’re curious 👀
✍️ Copy edits came back as well! To stay on track, I need to finish checking over those by April 14th. I need to put in some serious time this week to meet that goal, but I think I can do it. Once the copyedit is done, it’s off to the formatter for my manuscript!
Lore
About a month ago, I forced myself to do something most creative people find impossible—walk away. After six months of edits (rewriting), a month of stewing over feedback, and another month of small additions, I finally stepped away from my draft of Lily’s Passage. And then I hit ‘send’ on that fated return email to my publisher.
Writing out the process makes it seem so simple. But the reality is, perfectionism plagues me night and day. One reason I never pursued publishing until a couple years ago is because I was terrified to do it wrong. But since then, I’ve learned that doing new things—especially things that scare us—requires us to let go of ourselves.
Because we are flawed humans, creating imperfect work. Nothing we do will erase the fingerprints our brokenness leaves. Even the most beautiful things are tainted by our humanity. But instead of letting this fact drown me, I find freedom. Nothing I do will be perfect. And that gives me the ability to walk away.
Are there parts of the plot that could be improved? Maybe. Do my characters need more space on the page to grow? Possibly. Could the story be better with a few more years of work? Well… perhaps, but it would also never be done. Sometimes I have to accept that my best work may not always be my best, but it’s what I have to offer now.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last two years, it’s to trust God’s timing. So if He says to turn in the manuscript now and trust—I’d be a fool to take any other path.
As the wind blows,
Sydney Frusti
P.S. Check out the design I chose for my starting cover! The final version will look a little different, but I already love the direction it’s headed.
