I love this book. It starts with us knowing just as little as Aspen does but oh so quickly we learn more about the world Aspen has forgotten about. The writing is fun, and the characters are wonderfully complicated. The majority of the book is first person from Aspen’s POV and I did find myself screaming a few times at the screen for her NOT TO TRUST THEM. But did she listen? No, she’s stubborn and wonderful and human and determined. Well she did listen, but that didn’t stop her doing what needed to be done anyway. I adore Rachel Rener’s writing voice and her humour is fabulous. Can’t wait to read the next book. This first one ended perfectly, enough things tied up to make this reader happy and satisfied while opening up a whole other can of WTF so that I NEED the next book.
I had two conversations this week that really effected me, and I wanted to note them down. Neither topic is new for me, neither conversation lit a lightbulb but both made a big impact on this-week-Neen.
The first conversation gave me warm fuzzy feelings. It was online, with a fellow author. I won’t go verbatim but in the end I felt so seen and acknowledged. I write sapphic fiction, but not sapphic romance. One day I might but this presumption that sapphic (or lesbian) fiction is assumed to be romance is so prevalent and can be really frustrating and disheartening. Especially for an author starting out. Having a fellow author agree that it shouldn’t automatically be assumed as romance made me so happy. Perhaps with more voices I won’t always have to feel insignificant and irrelevant and often unable to promote my writing.
The second conversation happened this morning. My health has been semi-craptacular of late so off I went to get several vials of blood taken. The pathologist was so lovely and managed to get my introverted self happily talking. She asked what I do, as verbatim as I can remember: *clears throat* Me: I’m a writer, that’s what I go gooey about Pathologist: oh what do you write? M: horror and dark fantasy *insert wide eyes and slightly opened mouth* P: you don’t look like you write dark things, you’re so happy. M: and that’s how I stay happy, putting all the darkness into the words. P: That makes sense. I love that. Stay lovely and happy.
Since then I’ve wondered, what does a horror writer look like? What does any writer look like? Was she shocked I was a writer or the genre which I write? What does each specific genre author look like? I don’t have the answers, but I feel like a meme might be in my future.
I had a small paperback launch for my debut Novella, Cold As Hell. It was cold and windy outside but inside it was wonderful and warm, both the temperature and the support and love I received.
I read out the prologue of Cold As Hell (Stumbling Live over a few points) and made one person actually gasp out loud near the end of the prologue. I felt like fist pumping the air and taking a bow, my work was done. 😀
It really was a lovely afternoon/early evening. I was also blown away by the generosity of the local cafe who hosted the event for me. If you are local to Brisbane/Ipswich or visit anytime, go down and share the love at Forty west Cafe, Ripley. They are a family run business and they are so supportive of the community.
I didn’t end up getting the event filmed, but there were some photos taken. Except for most of the people who came, I’m not good at the practical things AND being in the spot light … it’s one or the other people. In that regard I also need to get the bookmarks I lovingly made (with the help of partner, sister, mother, and nephew) for the event and then subsequently forgot to give out to those wonderful people who came and bought a copy of my book baby.
On that note, I have several bookmarks left over and will be giving them away to first in first served who get a signed paperback copy directly from me. Of course you can buy a digital version here. But, if you are interested in a signed copy, contact me for a quote 🙂
But without further ado, here are a few of the pickies:
I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to have gotten my words out in to the world … now on to my next Novella … bring on the sky pirates and dragons ;-P
Neen Cohen 