✨What's on Reese's Book Club Pick KJ Dell’Antonia's "Author Bingo Card"? ✨
Plus, debut novelist Sarah Sawyer shares her secret to not giving up, and it's time for Bianca's full cover reveal!
Congratulations, writing friends—You made it through another week!
How’s everyone doing this week? What about all you NaNoWriMo-ers? Surviving? Hitting those wordcount targets? Remembering to bathe? If you can’t answer yes to all of those questions (particularly the bathing one), it might be time for a wee break, in which case we humbly offer up this Friday edition of our newsletter for your procrastination consideration (once you get of the shower, that is). 😊
It’s author interview week over on the podcast, and Bianca’s conversation with KJ Dell’Antonia is an especially good one for anyone who may be trying to get over a recent setback—straight-talking KJ speaks candidly about the challenges even successful authors face, including the realities of having your debut be a Reese’s Book Club pick (Editor’s note: Yes, I know what you’re thinking. You should have such problems. But hear me out). That book, The Chicken Sisters, became an instant New York Times bestseller and has also been adapted for television, but this kind of early success comes with its own challenges—including hugely high expectations around how your subsequent books will perform. Tune in and be inspired by KJ’s equanimity as she and Bianca chat about the items—good and bad—they’ve checked off on their respective “author bingo cards.” 🎙️🐔🎧
Also in this issue, we’ve got a Q&A with debut novelist Sarah Sawyer, author of The Undercurrent (out now!), a book described as "a stunning, achingly beautiful and gripping mystery” by no less a person than All the Colors of the Dark author Chris Whitaker! Like KJ, Sarah also has insights to share that might just help you restore any joy you may have forgotten you used to feel when writing—but you’ll have to keep reading to find out how. 😉📕
Finally, today is also the day for the final cover reveal for Bianca’s next book, A Most Puzzling Murder Indeed! Keep reading for details on where to pre-order and to see the reveal video! 🎥📔🕵🏼
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading! ❤️
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Team
P.S. Still not sure about upgrading to paid? Check out our Tuesday Teaser below to see what you’re missing!
This Week’s Podcast✨🎙️✨
Listen to our latest episode here! This week, Bianca interviews KJ Dell’Antonia, author of The Chicken Sisters and Playing the Witch Card. They discuss KJ's journey from nonfiction to fiction, and delve into narrative voice, character arcs, and the importance of aligning emotional stakes with plot development. KJ shares insights into the author life, including the highs and lows of publishing, and how adaptations impact storytelling.
“Never judge your insides by somebody else's outsides.”
— KJ Dell’Antonia
More information about KJ Dell’Antonia can be found on her website.
You can purchase Playing the Witch Card through our Bookshop.org affiliate page here. Doing so helps support Sarah, the podcast, and an independent bookstore! 📚❤️
Deep Dive Virtual Retreat 🤩
This is not a drill! We repeat: this is not a drill! The early bird registrations for our upcoming Deep Dive Virtual Retreat will open at 8am ET on Friday the 29th of November. And with limited discounted slots available, you’ll want to be practicing fastest finger first ahead of time. Anyone having flashbacks to trying to score Taylor Swift tickets? 😂
By now, you should know all about the incredible lineup and the amazing prizes on offer. In case you live under a rock, or have been a bit preoccupied lately, click on the button below for more information and to register for an email reminder which will go out on the 28th!
Q&A with Sarah Sawyer 😍
Sarah Sawyer is an English teacher who lives and works at a boarding school in Western Massachusetts where she finds endless humor and inspiration in her colleagues and students. She is a graduate of Amherst College and the Bread Loaf School of English. The Undercurrent is her first novel.
TSNOTYAW: Do you have a go-to mantra or pep talk for the days when writing feels hard?
Sarah Sawyer: I do! I have a Post-it note on my desk that reads "JOY NOT FEAR." The lovely writer George Saunders wrote them in an email about revision, and they remind me that writing is supposed to be a source of joy...for the writer AND the reader.
Were you ever close to giving up on writing and, if so, what stopped you?
I don't think of writing as a task, and it's not the only thing I like to do; I return to it when I want to, or when I am moved to do so, so maybe that makes it a little less fraught for me than it would be if it were my entire life's work. You certainly hear more "no" than "yes" once you begin to put your work out into the world, so it would be very understandable to want to quit. I think of myself as a person at play, which I think is helpful.
What would you say you’ve done right to build a strong and supportive writing network?
I have been fortunate enough to attend many writers' conferences, such as Tin House and the Iceland Writers Retreat, and I've met so many wonderful writers who have given so generously of their time. They've read my drafts and answered my inane texts, both of which make a difference in terms of feeling like I'm part of a larger community. Writing is solitary, but there are so many of us toiling away!
What one piece of advice (craft- or publishing industry-related) has always resonated with you?
I am a field hockey coach at my school, and we have a mantra for our team: "next play." For us, this means that we have to let our mistakes go—quickly—in order to play effectively. I love this advice, in writing and in life, because it reminds me that this whole endeavor of living is about trying our best to be engaged in the present moment, and to do that we have to let our mistakes or our moments of imperfection go. Maybe I have to cut 10,000 words so that I can make something better, and that's ok. Next play.
How do you ensure you have enough time to write amidst so many obligations competing for your time?
With timers! I'm a huge fan of setting timers for relatively short periods of time (45 minutes, an hour), and I'm ruthless once they're on. When they're not on, I will find a hundred other things to do. I'll clean a toilet, write a belated thank-you note...anything! I don't have a lot of extra time, but I love a schedule, so I try to fit it in when I can.
Writer’s block: myth or unfortunate reality? If you experience it, how do you overcome it?
I think it's just a sign that I'm knocking on the wrong door. It's not, for me, like the "yips" in baseball; it's just a signal that I need to rethink, or perhaps go for a long walk.
How important do you think it is for writers to be on social media?
Apparently, it's important, but I can't say I understand how to post in any useful way. I live and work with teenagers, so I feel like I should probably hire one of them (or my daughter!) to take over. I'm amazed by the Bookstagrammers out there, who are such passionate and joyful readers!
How did you get your literary agent? What was the querying process like for you?
I love my agent, and I'm so glad I found her, but in truth it was sort of a fluke because I was relying on querytracker and general Google searches to figure out who would be the best fit. I sent out lots of queries, and then waited...and waited...and then sorted through the responses that I liked best. I think finding the right agent is incredibly important, because they are your champions in every aspect of the process.
What question do you wish an interviewer would ask you? (And what’s the answer to that question!)
What book made you want to write? Where the Red Fern Grows, which I read in third grade, and which made me cry so hard I almost threw up...and then I asked myself: how could a book do that? Could I do that? And here we are.
You can purchase The Undercurrent through our Bookshop.org affiliate page here. Your TBR will thank you! 😉📚❤️
The Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For! 🤩
This is it! We put the pieces of the puzzle together and share the full cover of Bianca’s latest, coming to a bookstore near you on June 10, 2025! Check out the video below!
Be sure to mark this one’s pub day in your calendars so you don’t miss it! Better still, why not just go ahead and pre-order yourself a copy now from one of the sites below? 😉
For the US:
For Canada:
At Indigo or through a Canadian indie:
[Editor’s note: Bianca would NEVER make such a direct appeal, but she is not the boss of me. Okay, she actually literally is. But I’m just going to go ahead and publish this before she can see it and stop me. Listen, I know you already know that pre-ordering books is one of the best ways you can support authors, and in this case in particular, it’s also a good way to support YOURSELF…by helping ensure Bianca can keep creating content for you every week to help you on your own path to publishing success!]
Tuesday Teaser 😉
Are you querying or about to start? Then you won’t want to miss next week’s newsletter exclusively for our paid members!
Tune in on Tuesday for a video in which Bianca, Carly and CeCe share their thoughts on navigating the increasingly complicated world of querying (that’s right, it’s not just you—it really has gotten more complex) as well as their answers to 20 questions from our listeners and readers on some querying anomalies you might not have thought of—but may yet encounter.
We’ve also got a Q&A with USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of historical romance and well-respected historical non-fiction, Mimi Matthews. Mimi shares her thoughts on a range of topics from the writing advice she doesn’t follow to the challenges of being an author in a digital world.
Not yet a member? For just $8USD a month or $80USD a year you get:
an exclusive newsletter on Tuesdays featuring bonus author Q&As and other exclusive content from industry experts
weekly access to Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra’s written notes on queries from the podcast’s Books With Hooks feature
monthly bonus podcast episodes, AND
regular Ask Me Anythings / Q&As with Carly, CeCe, and Bianca Marais.
If that doesn’t kickstart your writing journey, we don’t know what will!
The Last Beta-Reader Match Up Until March!
Are you looking for beta readers, some of whom might potentially become writing group members down the line?
Are you wanting to be matched up with those writing in a similar genre and/or time zone, so they can critique your work as you critique theirs at the same time?
Your manuscript doesn't have to be complete to sign up for this 3000-word review!
Registrations are open from now until the 1st of December with the match emails going out on the 2nd of December.
For more information and to register, click the button below!
The Ultimate Planner for Writers! Get It Now!
Have you been frustrated with the limitations of your daily planner which, while allowing for hour-to-hour scheduling of your usual appointments, doesn't allow you to include all the myriad activities associated with your rich writing life?
This planner allows you to:
Keep track of your daily word count, as well as assign and monitor time spent on brainstorming, researching, drafting, editing, etc.
Log and track your agent queries
Brainstorm and make editorial notes
Outline your WIP
Create character profiles
Outline your plot/scenes
Complete scene cards
Keep all your ideas in one place
Keep a record of your research and material sources
Make notes of inspiration
Track the books you've read
The Ultimate Planner for Writers has all the monthly, weekly and daily functionalities of a usual planner, but with added features designed specifically for writers. It’s available for purchase either as a hardcopy or as an e-planner that's been designed for use on an iPad or similar touch screen tablet, and makes the ultimate gift for the writer in your life.
That’s all for this week’s news! If you enjoyed it, why not share the love? 🥰
Tune in again next week for more invaluable wisdom from our wonderful hosts! Until then, happy writing! 😍
❤️ The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Team
Our work takes place on land now known as Toronto and Ottawa and we acknowledge that these are the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples as well as the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation. Toronto is covered under Treaty 13 and the Williams Treaties. We respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures, languages, and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada. We invite you to learn more about the land you inhabit, the history of that land, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together at Native Land or Whose Land.
Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work in this newsletter is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe in this newsletter are solely that of themselves and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.
“A person at play”….I like that!