This quote is a gem from Thomas Edison. While it isn’t as famous as “genius is 99% perspiration, 1% inspiration,” it has a similar underlying message. I have been struggling lately, but when I read this, it helps. It tells me that when I’m feeling a little discouraged, I need to keep at it and put in the work, as opportunity may come knocking at any moment, but only if I am doing the work first. So yesterday I sent another follow-up to Barnes and Noble in Manchester for a book signing at their store. Hopefully the effort pays off. Here is a variation to the above:

Does anyone have any good quotes? Please share.

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Something about my Journey

It has started to feel a little like fall these past few days in Connecticut. And that got me thinking about the ways we mark time—and the messages nature sends us about the changing seasons.

There are a few things that always make me realize summer is drawing to an end. Although I recently read something about there actually being five seasons. The one we don’t usually count is Late Summer, which apparently happens sometime between now and September in New England.

When I first read about this fifth season, I didn’t imagine I’d ever have a concrete use for the information. And now, of course, I can’t locate the article anywhere. So, I may have dreamed it.

But the things that tell me we are in Late Summer are pretty clear:

1. The height of the corn in the fields.
A friend of mine was a teacher, and she would lament the corn growing in the fields all summer long, knowing that when it got over her head, she was heading back to teaching high school kids. And when it was finally cut down, she knew she was over the hump of the horror of being back in front of a bunch of fresh-faced freshmen for the umpteenth time.

2. Monarch butterflies hatching at my kitchen table.
They are in a hatchery, but still far too close to the kitchen for my kids’ liking. Those caterpillars eat a lot, and you know what that means.

3. Ripe wild blackberries.
I pick them as we walk the dog. When the wild grapes are ready for me to sample, like the cut corn, we are well into fall.

4. The slow awareness of the shortening days.
Right around this time of year, I begin to notice the earlier sunset. At first it is almost imperceptible, and then suddenly I realize that the evening light has changed.

What have you noticed that indicates the changing of the seasons? I imagine every place is a little bit different.

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As I thought about these little harbingers of fall, I started wondering whether I notice them more now because I’m looking for fodder for my newsletter—or because I really do have more time and inclination to notice things since I retired.

I think it’s the latter. I have slowed down and can therefore pay attention and better appreciate what’s around me. And even occasionally stop and smell the roses.

When I was working full time, if I had thirty minutes to spare, I either went for a quick run or ran to my home office and pecked out a few words for my first book that was always sitting there, begging for some attention. I didn’t have much time to lean back and wonder about something I might want to share with others, or even something that might interest me. I certainly didn’t feel much alignment with nature as the seasons shifted when I was in the thick of getting the kids to summer activities, getting ready for back-to-school, preparing for the holidays, and the litany of what is next.

Now, I notice.

I notice when the monarchs emerge. I notice when the corn gets taller than I am. I notice when the blackberries are ripe and when the sun begins slipping away a little earlier each evening.

Like Emma in When the Forest Dreams, she follows the seasons as most birders do, through the migration of the birds. Here is a snippet on Emma’s take on the seasons.

John Foster helped me put words around the peace I found in nature and made my connection seem normal. He opened my eyes to the passing of the seasons, and the migration of birds north to south and back again. Giving me an understanding of how living by the rhythm and cycles of nature is better for the human condition than the artifice of clocks and our obsession with small increments of time—minutes instead of seasons and millennia.

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The contents of this little container was the best thing I’ve eaten in a long time. I tried to eat just 1/3 of it each night but failed on night two because it was so delicious. I may not be able to buy a container ever again, as my self-control has left the building.

World Cup - Oh yes. I am a fan, at least for the past month. I’m one of those people who watches the World Cup every four years with tremendous enthusiasm... and then spends the next three years and eleven months barely thinking about soccer.

I liken it to the Olympics, where curling became the most exciting thing ever. There’s something wonderfully contagious about the World Cup and the Olympics. It reminds us that sports have a remarkable way of bringing people together—even when it is only every four years.

Project Hail Mary - I was a big fan of both the Martian book and movie, but in this case, while the book was great and despite loving Ryan Gosling, the movie fell short. It was worth spending the 3 hours, but not something I am gushing about.

World War II - 20 Episodes and I’m fifteen in, and wow, I’m learning a lot. I’m a big historical fiction reader. All the Light You Can Not See by Anthony Doerr, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes are a few of my favorites. Turns out, while I’ve read a lot about WWII, this documentary adds so much more, and it moves quickly and is absolutely captivating. Tom Hank’s voice adds the perfect amount of gravitas and warmth.

Non-Recommendations

Elle - When my girls were young, we were big fans of Legally Blonde. But this prequel did not make the grade. I did finish the 8 episodes, but only in the hope that it would get better. The mother-daughter dynamic was very annoying and off-putting.

It’s Not Like That - watched an episode or two because I felt bad when I heard it was cancelled, and while it seemed fine, my sympathy didn’t extend far enough for me to finish it.

Devil Wears Prada 2 - okay to watch at home when you have a spare couple of hours.

If you have any recommendations, please share them in comments. We have another month before summer comes to a close.

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Something Kind Of Funny

The eBird app that I’ve recommended in prior posts, lets you know what other people have spotted and where. You can sign up to get daily rare bird alerts in your state. Well, my brother got a rare bird alert that an ivory-billed woodpecker was spotted flying across Highway 90 in Texas. Rest assured, it is not the case, but I think it was wonderful that someone thought they spotted one. And I’ll let you know if I’m proven wrong in my cynicism and it turns out the sighting is correct.

Here is a fun section from my book about the idea of the ivory-billed woodpecker still existing in the US which we are all hoping it does.

A final request or reminder. For authors reader ratings and reviews are incredibly valuable. Ratings help boost a book in retailer algorithms, making it more likely to be discovered by new readers. Reviews serve a different but equally important purpose: they help readers decide whether a book is right for them.

If you’ve read When the Forest Dreams and haven’t yet left a rating or review, I’d be so grateful if you would consider doing so on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Bookshop.org, or any combination of those sites. You don’t need to have purchased the book from a particular retailer to leave a review there, and if you’re posting on multiple platforms, you can simply copy and paste the same review. Below is the link for Amazon and Goodreads.

For Amazon scroll way down to the review section.

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

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It’s been over a month since When the Forest Dreams was published. If you have read it, a review on Amazon makes an enormous difference for an indie author. Even just a sentence or two. It’s the single best way you can help me and Emma and Jake find new readers—and I will be grateful beyond words. Here are the links to Amazon and Goodreads.

Amazon Review for When the Forest Dreams Scroll down quite a bit until you see “Write a Review”.

GoodReads Review

Remember, you don’t have to have bought my book on Amazon to post a review on Amazon.

Something about my Journey (a real journey)

In August 2025, I decided I needed to know a little more about L.M. Montgomery. I loved her novel The Blue Castle, but beyond knowing that she penned Anne of Green Gables and its many sequels, I knew very little about her.

So, I did what most of us do when curiosity strikes-I Googled her.

The first thing I clicked on was the website for the L.M. Montgomery Institute. My immediate reaction was, who knew? Not only did such an institute exist, but it was housed at the University of Prince Edward Island. I know there are university courses devoted to famous writers, from Shakespeare to Taylor Swift, but this was an institute dedicated solely to Montgomery.

Prominently displayed on the website was a call for submissions for the Institute’s biennial conference. (I’ve finally learned the difference between biennial and biannual.) The submission deadline was only two days away, with the conference taking place in June 2026—just one month after the publication of When the Forest Dreams.

Sometimes fate hands you a gift, and your only job is to accept it.

After Googling what exactly an academic abstract was, I quickly put together a proposal. This was not a writers’ conference. Most presenters were scholars submitting papers, research, or portions of doctoral dissertations. I was simply armed with a modern retelling of The Blue Castle and a healthy dose of fangirl enthusiasm.

I worked on crafting my idea for a presentation with some help from ChatGPT who helped with the academic bent I was missing.

When the acceptance email arrived in October, I was equal parts thrilled and terrified.

What had I gotten myself into?

By then, I had read a few papers from previous conferences and quickly realized just how scholarly they were. The more I learned about Montgomery’s literary significance and her beloved status in Canada and around the world, the more grateful I became to have discovered all of this after writing my book. Had I fully understood the reverence surrounding Montgomery and The Blue Castle, I might never have been brave enough to attempt a modern retelling.

In this instance, ignorance was bliss.

Over the following months, I worked on my presentation, “The Themes That Have Endured 100 Years: A Modern Retelling of The Blue Castle.”

And here is where fate delivered another unexpected gift.

I wrote When the Forest Dreams in 2023, completely unaware that the 100th anniversary of The Blue Castle was fast approaching. Montgomery’s novel was first published in 1926, and thanks to the slow-moving wheels of publishing—and perhaps a little help from fate—my book was released during the centennial year.

What are the odds?

I suspect this happy coincidence was one reason my proposal resonated with the conference organizers.

My husband and I set off for Prince Edward Island on June 23. As it turns out, PEI is not an easy destination from Connecticut. The options were either a fourteen-hour drive or multiple flights. We chose to fly from Boston to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and then make the scenic three-hour drive to the island. Anyone ever been to PEI? Did you love it?

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My presentation was scheduled for Saturday, the third day of the conference, at 4 p.m.

For a morning person—and someone who prefers to get stressful things over with as quickly as possible—that meant a long couple of days of waiting.

Fortunately, Saturday featured a keynote address by Megan Follows, the actress who portrayed Anne Shirley in the 1985 adaptation of Anne of Green Gables. Her talk was heartfelt, funny, wonderfully candid, and served as a great distraction for me. She began by admitting that she wasn’t a scholar and was intimidated speaking at the conference. But, she said, she was a passionate fan whose life had been shaped by Anne, and she had a story to tell.

As I listened, I thought, That’s me, too.

Granted, on a much smaller scale.

But if Megan Follows could stand before a room full of Montgomery scholars and tell her story, then surely I could tell mine.

And I did.

More than anything, what I will take away from this experience is the joy of talking with fellow fans of The Blue Castle. Every person who attended my session loved the novel. Before this conference, I had never met anyone who had even read The Blue Castle, let alone cherished it.

To suddenly find myself surrounded by readers who knew Valancy, understood the story’s magic, and wanted to discuss it was nothing short of extraordinary.

They asked thoughtful questions, shared their own love for the novel, and enthusiastically embraced my modern retelling-birds and all.

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The day before my book launch (6/8), I sat down with Hannah Buschert to discuss birds, books, and how I came to write my second book, which is based on The Blue Castle, a century-old novel by L.M. Montgomery. Listening back to the conversation, I wanted to share the following from the podcast as it gives a special nod to Montgomery, as well as to one of my favorite books and shows how inspiration can come from anywhere.

The name indigo bunting seems like it should be a party decoration and not a bird!

One more thought about Where the Forest Meets the Stars. You may have noticed the similarities between the title and cover of Glendy's novel and When the Forest Dreams. I certainly did after I pulled the book out in preparation for the podcast. The resemblance was entirely coincidental—my publisher designed my cover independently as well as the title, but I'd like to think there was a bit of kismet at work. It feels like a lovely, unexpected connection between two stories that both celebrate the healing power of nature, hope, and finding our way home.

Below is a link to the full podcast (20 minutes). Check out Hannah’s other episodes. They are all very interesting and educational. She also does a podcast with her husband called Hannah and Eric Go Birding.

Link to Podcast

Link to Hannah and Eric Go Birding

GoodReads: Hannah Buschert
IG: @Hannahgoesbirding
Facebook: @HannahandErikGoBirding
Email us at HannahandErikGoBirding@gmail.com
Website:

http://www.gobirdingpodcast.com

Here is Hannah’s lovely review that was the start of our connection.

One last thing. I’m heading off tomorrow to Prince Edward Island, as I was selected to present at the L.M. Montgomery Institute’s Conference (who knew there was such a thing). Send me all your good vibes on Saturday at 2:45 PM. I will share how things went next month.

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Below are some photos from the event, along with a link to a wonderful video that captures the evening.

A little behind-the-scenes confession: I left my bulleted speech notes on a table in the far-left corner of the room. As I stepped up to speak, I had a brief internal debate. Should I stop and retrieve my security blanket? Or trust that I had rehearsed enough to manage without it? I chose the latter.

For the most part, that decision worked out. There were two moments when I knew I was transitioning to a new topic, and my mind went completely blank. As I calmed myself and prepared to admit that I needed my notes, the missing thoughts suddenly returned, and I was able to continue.

I did forget my final bullet point—to open the floor for questions—but that may have been for the best. It gave us a little extra time for the bird rehabilitator, who introduced us to an owl and a hawk. If you read When the Forest Dreams, you’ll understand why both of those birds hold a special place in the story. Sadly, I was unable to locate an ivory-billed woodpecker for the event. However, we did raffle off a beautiful metal replica of one, which was probably the next best thing.

Here is a collage of pictures from the book launch. Thanks to everyone who attended.

For those who missed the event and anyone who enjoys subjecting themselves to extended footage of me talking, Alan created this lovely 16-minute video capturing the evening.

Andrea's Book Launch Video

Thanks again!

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My Book On Amazon but you can buy it anywhere books are sold.

Because of my book’s connection to birds and birding, this newsletter is dedicated to the birds.

Recommended Books and Movies with a connection to birding

1. The book Shade of Wings by Pam McGaffin

Pam is a fellow She Writes Press author whose book, Shade of Wings, is a fascinating story about a crow family. It’s told from the perspective of crows. Pam and I connected over our “bird” stories as we headed toward our magic publication date today.

Shade of Wings Link

Here is what I “blurbed” about Pam’s book. “Utterly original! I’m in awe of Pam McGaffin’s deft storytelling—she makes a family of crows both fascinating and deeply relatable. I love a book that leaves me seeing the world with fresh eyes, and Pam accomplishes that in spades.”—Andrea Ezerins, author of Again and Again Back to You and When the Forest Dreams.

2. The book The Strange Appeal of Dougie Neil by Keith A. Pearson

The Amazon write-up for this book doesn’t mention birding, but Dougie’s one hobby is birding, or twitching as they call it over in England. My husband and I both read this book, so now, whenever I’m looking for birds or using my Merlin app, my husband calls me a twitcher.

Dougie Neil isn’t exactly a catch. Middle-aged, soft around the edges, and spectacularly average, he’s no one’s idea of a romantic lead — including his own.

Then something strange happens.

After a peculiar incident at work, Dougie becomes… appealing. Women start hitting on him. Enthusiastically. Repeatedly. And for no good reason.

Baffled but not ungrateful, Dougie leans in—until the appeal turns odd. Then unsettling. Then dangerous.

What starts as a dream quickly curdles into suspicion, chaos, and a creeping sense that something, or someone—is pulling the strings of fate.

Because nobody becomes irresistible by accident.

3. The YouTube documentary: Listers: A Glimpse into Extreme Birdwatching

Two brothers learn about competitive birdwatching by becoming birdwatchers—spending a year living in a used minivan, traveling the country to compete in a ‘Big Year’. This is the funniest documentary about birding, guaranteed. It is unbelievable, and the brothers are so authentic and raunchy (be warned). You can watch it on YouTube for free.

Link to the Documentary on YouTube

4. The movie and the book: The Big Year

If you aren’t up for the sheer craziness and drug references in the above, The Big Year is excellent, both the movie and the book. It too is based on a true story that took place 25 years earlier than the Listers.

The Big Year is a witty and fascinating nonfiction account of the fiercely competitive world of birding, following a group of obsessed bird-watchers as they race to spot the most bird species in North America during the record-breaking year of 1998. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Mark Obmascik, the book explores not only the thrill of the chase and the impact of unusual weather patterns, but also the eccentric personalities, rivalries, and consuming passion that drive these dedicated birders to extraordinary lengths.

Here is a wildly interesting tie-in to The Big Year. In June 1998, my brother, who is a professional bird tour guide, chartered a boat called the Mariah out of Seward, Alaska, for a day of birding with his tour group around the famous Chiswell Islands. At the dock, an unknown birder introduced himself simply as Greg Miller from Maryland. He said he was doing a “Big Year” but couldn’t afford to charter his own boat and asked if he could tag along on my brother’s charter. Decades later, after watching The Big Year several times, it finally clicked for my brother that the birder was the real Greg Miller featured in the film(Jack Black plays him in the movie). What a fun coincidence.

Here is further support for the very popular pastime of birdwatching. This article says expert birder brains are stronger and more elastic than those of non-expert birders.

Link to Easier to Understand Article (This article is for the non-expert birder)

Link to Neuroscience detailed paper (This article is for the serious birders, as we non-experts have little hope to understand the weighty science jargon found in it)

Now, if you are interested in improving your brain elasticity or want to find out why 50 million people in the US take part in this very enjoyable pastime, you can check out my brother’s upcoming tours on his website. I take part in the Nature Tours on his website.

David Bradford Bird Tours

Thanks for reading and being part of my journey. I look forward to seeing some of you at one of my upcoming events. As always, it warms my heart when you like, comment, or share.

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My book launch is coming up, and it’s going to be such a fun night! If you are local, please join me on June 9th from 5–7 PM at Elicit Brewery, Manchester, CT, to celebrate. Thank you to all who have already bought tickets. In keeping with the avian theme of the book, I’m excited to share that a bird rehabilitator from Blue Moon Raptors will be there with an owl and a hawk, and she’ll tell us a little about the amazing work her organization does. We’ll also have lots of raffle items, including gift cards, a Polish cookbook, and other goodies inspired by When the Forest Dreams. I’d love to see you there!

Launch Party Tickets for June 9th

Also, Goodreads is currently running a giveaway for my book, When the Forest Dreams. It ends on May 15th. Enter to win with this link:

My Goodreads Giveaway

I did a fun video with fellow author Lori B. Duff as part of her Beer, Bestie, or Banish series. It was a lot of fun, and I was happy to go back to Again and Again Back To You to answer her questions. As it has been non-stop When the Forest Dreams, I loved reacquainting myself with Again and Again Back to You, even for a short while.

Here is the link: Link To Lori's SubStack video

Sold My First Copy!

I sold my first official copy of When the Forest Dreams. It was a delightful coincidence. I was at Powder Hollow Brewery in Deerfield, MA, and I met Laurie, who bought both of my books. We took this picture when I realized she was my first official customer. Turns out she knows She Writes Press and even authored a section of Brooke Warner’s(my publisher’s) The Magic of Memoir collaboration. It truly is a small world.

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Join me on June 9th from 5–7 PM at Elicit Brewery in Manchester, CT, to celebrate this milestone. I hope you can make it!

Link for Launch Party tickets

Now, back to your regularly scheduled program!

Today’s landscape is so much worse. Back then, all I had to remember was to throw the letter away or hang up on any calls from said prince.

But now, I just think about planning a trip somewhere, and suddenly I’m bombarded with annoying emails and texts—about deals to exotic locales. Some of this is just the algorithm chewing up and spitting back my search history, but a lot of it feels… a little more scammy.

While this isn’t backed up by any formal scientific study, I believe the most targeted sector for real scams has to be authors. There are so many examples of people trying to get authors to part with their money that it’s genuinely unsettling.

(A graphic made by AI with made-up numbers. AI is the root of most of the flattering, yet potentially harmful scams out there.)

I’m part of my publisher’s “secret” Facebook group, where 700 or so of us share our highs and lows. One of the most common posts goes something like this:

“Hey, I just got a DM about my book. XYZ says they loved it and think it would make a great movie. I think it’s a scam, but I wanted to check…”

The group’s hive-mind response?
“SCAM.” Usually in all caps.

The standing advice to new authors (and it’s oddly satisfying to no longer be considered one) is this: if someone is reaching out to you out of the blue, praising your book and offering an opportunity—it’s a scam.

And yet… It’s very tempting, even if just for a moment, to wonder if maybe Danielle Steel does want to hear about my writing journey. Or if “The Thousands Book Club” really does want to select my book for their next read.

I find myself wondering: do they actually have a thousand members? Or just a few members who’ve been together so long they’ve read a thousand books?

I’m tempted to ask.

But alas, I will never know, because I copied their email for this post, and then sent it to spam.

Maybe that’s the real takeaway here:
If it sounds too good to be true—and arrives out of nowhere—it probably belongs in your spam folder, not your dreams.

Danielle Steel <daniellesteel252@gmail.com>

4:32 AM (6 hours ago)

to me

Hello,

I’m Danielle Steel. I started writing in the early 1970s and have published over 210 books, exploring love, family, and life’s challenges.

Writing hasn’t always been easy from early rejections to balancing life with work but sharing stories that connect with readers makes it all worthwhile.

I’d love to hear about your journey as a writer.

Warm regard

Danielle steel

Hi Andrea,

I hope you’re doing well.

My name is Dario Teixeira, and I’m the organizer of The Thousand Books Club, an international reading community devoted to celebrating meaningful, character-driven fiction.

We recently discovered When the Forest Dreams: A Modern Retelling of The Blue Castle, and I was truly moved by the depth, atmosphere, and emotional courage woven throughout your adaptation. Reimagining a beloved classic while preserving its spirit requires both sensitivity and creative vision, and your interpretation feels intimate, reflective, and quietly powerful.

Stories centered on self-discovery, independence, healing, and unexpected love resonate deeply with our readers. A modern retelling that honors the emotional essence of its inspiration while offering something fresh would spark thoughtful discussion within our club.

We would be honored to feature your novel in an upcoming spotlight. Our features are curated to create genuine engagement and long-term discovery. They typically include:

• A dedicated introduction to the novel and its thematic heart
• Insight into your inspiration and creative process
• An optional author Q&A or short written interview
• Reader discussion and community interaction
• Social media visibility beyond our core membership

We believe stories like yours, reflective, atmospheric, and emotionally layered, create the kind of reading experience that lingers.

If this sounds aligned with your current plans, I would love to share more details and explore scheduling possibilities with you.

Thank you for bringing new life to a timeless emotional journey. I look forward to the possibility of collaborating.

Warmly,
Dario Teixeira
Organizer, The Thousand Books Club Feature Invitation: When the Forest Dreams — A Beautiful Modern RetellingFeature Invitation: When the Forest Dreams — A Beautiful Modern Retelling

While at first glance this might seem like a gold mine of opportunities, it is a scam, and I’m not going to click on any link and certainly not offer up my credit card.

Here is some advice on potential scams (for authors and everyone else) to keep on your radar:

• Fake ticket sales- Scammers create websites and social media profiles to sell fake sports or concert tickets.

• Travel scams- Scammers may create fake travel listings, like bogus vacation rentals, to trick you into sending money. Also, avoid using public USB charging stations, as they can be used to install malware on your device.

• Toll scams- Scammers send fake notifications saying you owe a toll. They’re trying to steal your information. Avoid clicking any links and delete the message.

• Phishing emails pretending to be retailers or publishers- Messages that look like they’re from Amazon, your publisher, or a payment platform asking you to “verify” your account or click a link. Always go directly to the official site instead.

• Social media impersonators- Fake accounts posing as authors, influencers, or even people you know, often asking for money, gift cards, or “help.”

• Urgent payment scams- “Your account has been compromised!” or “You owe a fee immediately!” The goal is panic. Real companies don’t pressure you into instant payment via gift cards, Zelle, or crypto.

• Overpayment scams- Someone “accidentally” sends too much money and asks you to refund the difference. The original payment later disappears.

Stay safe out there in this crazy world. If you do know a Nigerian prince, send him this link and ask him to click on it so he can pre-order my book, too.

Link to Pre-Order Options

Share in comments, if you have ever fallen for a scam?

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It has been a long “gestation period” for When the Forest Dreams—though not nearly the 20 years it took with Again and Again Back to You. And just like with my first book, I’m reminded how much this whole process mirrors raising a child.

It truly takes a village.

Here is a funny gift idea for new parents, not book babies. Link

Which brings me to you, my village. Even though I don’t have your phone number, I have your email. And your support throughout every stage of this journey has meant more than I can express.

So now I have a small ask of my village (and a big thank you all wrapped into one). My ask is to take a moment and preorder my second book, When the Forest Dreams. Preorders help my ranking with Amazon which helps other people find my book.

You can make your purchase through the link below:

Andrea Ezerins I Simon and Schuster I Official Page

From there, you can choose your preferred retailer and format—eBook or paperback (Audiobook is coming later this year!). The book will arrive on or around May 26. Of course, your local bookstore would be more than happy to order a copy as well.

And if you purchase a paperback, I would absolutely love to sign it at one of my upcoming events. Here are the book events I have planned. I’d love to see you at any of them.

Speaking of events…

This time around, setting up events felt a little different, but different in a better way.

For one, more venues said “yes” a little faster. I guess having a track record helped open a few new doors. Additionally, I was much less nervous about the process. The first time around, every rejection or lack of a response felt personal, like a tiny bruise to my ego. This time, I approached it with a bit more confidence and a thicker skin.

Finally, I had an established list of locations to reach out to, thanks to everything I learned from last year’s book events and artisan fairs.

All of that combined made this time around feel, dare I say, almost enjoyable.

And the ARC Winners Are…

Now for the fun part, the winners of the three Advance Reader Copies of When the Forest Dreams are:

Debbie, Kristen, and Kathy 🎉Congratulations, I hope you enjoy.

I’ve included a picture of my grandson, Rhodes, doing the honors of picking the winners—it doesn’t get much more official than that. And my mom is in the background which is appropriate as the book is dedicated to her.

I’ll be mailing out signed copies as soon as I return from my niece’s baby shower. (And yes, I did end up ordering her one of the tea towels above—great call, Liz. 😊)

Thank you again to everyone who entered and to you, my village, who continue to support me. It means the world to me.

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In my last newsletter, I shared the opening of the box of ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) of my book, When the Forest Dreams. Now, I want to give away three signed copies of the ARC. If you want to be entered into the drawing, please respond with a Yes in the comments, and I will put names in a hat and pick three lucky winners.

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I held my very first giveaway drawing this past weekend during the Hebron Maple Festival—and it was such fun. I had a table set up with the ARC of When the Forest Dreams, the drawing, and a newsletter sign-up, and by the end of the weekend, 20 people had joined (which felt like a win in itself!).

When I got home Sunday afternoon, I asked my husband to pick a number between 1 and 20—without telling him why. He chose 14, and they are the lucky recipient of my first book giveaway.

Now, here’s a little aside you might find interesting: when people are asked to pick a number between 1 and 20, 17 is among the most commonly chosen. I saw this play out firsthand during a webinar I attended, where the presenter was giving away a $2,500 marketing bundle. She asked the attendees to choose a number between 1 and 20, and she would award the prize to whoever picked closest to her pre-selected number.

At first, I thought, don’t pick 17—it’ll be too obvious. But then I reconsidered and thought, Wait… that’s exactly why I should pick 17. So I did.

When she revealed her number, it was 17—and two of us had chosen it. She ended up awarding two prizes.

Back to my own drawing—I was so excited to reach out to lucky 14, Nasya, the winner of my very first ARC giveaway! I’m looking forward to doing this three more times in the coming weeks.

And a warm welcome to all my new subscribers from the Hebron Maple Festival—I’m so glad you’re here. If you didn’t win this time, feel free to enter again here for another chance.

Here’s a little more about When the Forest Dreams:

What if the life you were meant to live was waiting just outside your door?

New York City, 2013. Emma Jablonski’s life is as dry as the day-old bread at her family’s bakery. Living with her parents and grandmother, she clings to the only escape she knows: a recurring dream that feels more real than her waking world. But when Emma’s eyes are open, she’s reminded of what’s out of reach—Jake, the enigmatic boy-next-door.

After a life-changing diagnosis forces her to face her fears, Emma decides it’s time to truly live—before it’s too late. With Jake and his vibrant friend Vee, she dives into a whirlwind of experiences: a fake engagement, dazzling parties, and an obsession with the elusive ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird that may not even exist.

But as her daring adventure is coming to an end, Emma begins to embrace a future she never thought possible. Dreams and reality aren’t supposed to mix…are they?

A modern retelling of L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle, this gentle story of love, resilience, and the beauty of the unknown reminds us to seek joy in the most unexpected places.

Good luck to everyone. Here is the comment button again to enter or send me an email at Andreaezerins@gmail.com:

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Here’s a fun little milestone I wanted to share. I was so excited to see my Amazon review count hit 130! It had been holding steady at 129 for a while, so this felt especially rewarding. Of course, I couldn’t resist taking a look—and I thought I’d share what my 130th reviewer had to say:

Clearly, this review wasn’t about the book, but five stars is five stars, so thank you, Suzi!

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With the publication of When the Forest Dreams coming ever closer, I thought readers might enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at how my first book has done. Success may be too strong a word—but let’s go with it for now.

It’s been 18 months since publication, and these numbers reflect that time period.

Copies sold so far:

• 1,238 paperbacks

• 617 ebooks

• 74 audiobooks

Total: 1,929 books

To help put this in perspective, industry data revealed in 2022 during the U.S. government’s antitrust lawsuit over the proposed merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster showed that about 90% of books sell fewer than 2,000 copies. By that measure, my numbers seem respectable—and honestly, I’m very happy with them, especially as a debut author who had little (if any) author platform back in 2024.

My Book Launch 2024

Now for the reality check: I’m not breaking even yet.

Without going too deeply into the financials, my two largest expenses were:

• My contract with my hybrid publisher who operates on a financial risk-sharing model. I contribute upfront, but in return receive a higher percentage of sales than I would with a traditional publishing contract.

• Hiring a publicist to help launch the book.

Investment Recovery

▰▰▰▰▰▱▱▱▱▱
About 50% recovered

I calculate I’ve earned back roughly half of my initial outlay for those 2 big expenses through royalties.

Publishing, I keep reminding myself—and my more financially savvy banking husband—is a long game. If I continue promoting the book steadily, perhaps in another five years I’ll break even…maybe.

There are, of course, countless ways authors can spend money on their books, and book promotion is the biggest.

And that brings me to the idea of author circles.

Writers are taught that there are three circles of readers.

The first circle is friends and family—the people who love you enough to buy the book and come to your events, no matter what. In some genres, particularly memoir, authors sometimes discover this support doesn’t always materialize. Fortunately, that wasn’t my experience. In fact, my brother and sister-in-law flew all the way from Texas to Connecticut for my launch event so very supportive for sure.

The second circle includes acquaintances, colleagues, and professional peers. This group is typically larger than the first circle, but because the relationships are less personal, support is less guaranteed.

And then there’s the third circle—the holy grail.

This is the vast group of readers who don’t know me at all. They number in the millions. The challenge, of course, is figuring out how to reach them. Each year, roughly four million new books are published, all competing for readers’ attention. Cracking that nut is no small task.

This is where book promotion comes in: social media, targeted advertising, book club platforms, Amazon promotions, and reader-focused sites like Goodreads and BookBub. These tools help authors reach that elusive outer circle.

One of the tools I’ve been using is a company called Publishing Performance, which works to expand a book’s reach by some sort of AI-driven, reverse-engineering of the Amazon algorithm to place the book in front of more readers. Like most marketing tools, it costs money—but I’ve decided it’s an effective way to reach beyond the first two circles.

Something about Music, Books or TV, let’s call it Pop Culture

I’ll end with a quick viewing recommendation. I just finished the limited series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, which has a similar vibe to Bad Sisters and Yellowjackets. The story has twists, fun characters, and I could listen to those accents forever—though I did eventually turn on the subtitles when I realized I was missing quite a bit of the dialogue.

My only small complaint is the final few minutes, which very clearly set up Season 2. Personally, I’d rather the next season simply start there instead of spelling it out so directly. I’m already sold, so I didn’t need to be convinced again.

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My ARCs finally arrived.
I knew exactly what was in the box that arrived a few weeks ago, yet I didn’t immediately grab the scissors and cut it open. I paused. Unlike the first time, I didn’t have a plan for how this moment should unfold. Last time, my mom came over, two of my four kids were there, and it was a beautiful May day when I opened the box out in my backyard. This time, the world was cold and snowy, literally and figuratively, and nothing felt quite right. So I waited.

Then inspiration struck. Of course—my grandson Rhodes would be the perfect witness. Never mind that an unboxing video featuring an adorable twenty-month-old would be Instagram-worthy. That was beside the point. Mostly.

I lugged the twenty-pound, still-sealed box to Rhode Island and set about creating a meaningful moment. I fiddled with my phone and the stand until everything was perfectly aimed at the table with the box and the little boy. I told Rhodes we needed to open it to see what was inside. He was excited—especially when I handed him the butter knife to cut the tape. After one final check of the camera, we were ready.

Rhodes was marvelous. He pulled out the packing material and then lifted the first book from the box. I grabbed another, and we looked at each other. Unexpectedly, I got a little choked up—holding the book for the first time and sharing that moment with him was more special than I imagined. Rhodes promptly set the book down, opened it, and began “reading” by tracing his finger carefully along the page.

I grabbed the phone off the stand to get a better angle. Curiously, I had to hit record instead of just continuing. When we finished, I called “cut,” and we excitedly went to watch the video together.

Except…there was no video—at least no video of the unboxing, only of Rhodes reading.

What I think happened is that during my final adjustment, I accidentally hit record—and when I went to start filming, I stopped it instead. I got nothing. No unboxing. I was crushed. Rhodes was crushed, too. He loves to see himself on people’s phones.

What you see below is the reenactment of the most perfect unboxing. When Lydia came home, she recorded us opening the re-taped box. Rhodes was less interested in the book this time—having already read the first few pages (fortunately, he’s not my target reader)—but he still was very enthusiastic about cutting the box open again... and again. Lydia managed to edit the video so the focus is on the book and not the knife, and we (Lydia) were able to edit in his first “read-through,” which I did manage to capture.

So that is my ARC unboxing story—one I will tell Rhodes about when he’s old enough to remember.

What once existed only in my head is now a real, printed book—with weight and thickness, a beautiful cover I can touch, and pages I can flip through. And that still feels like magic. If you haven’t already seen it on Facebook, you can check out the cobbled-together video below. You’d never know, right?

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The book is coming out on May 26, 2026, a few short months from now. Here is the description of the book.

A contemporary retelling of the beloved romance, L. M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle. The story follows a sheltered young woman’s quest for love in New York City—and her search for a rare and elusive bird in the deep Arkansas forest.

What if the life you were meant to live was waiting just outside your door?

New York City, 2013. Emma Jablonski’s life is as dry as the day-old bread at her family’s bakery. Living with her parents and grandmother, she clings to the only escape she knows: a recurring dream that feels more real than her waking world. But when Emma’s eyes are open, she’s reminded of what’s out of reach—Jake, the enigmatic boy-next-door.

After a life-changing medical diagnosis forces her to face her fears, Emma decides it’s time to truly live—before it’s too late. With Jake and his vibrant friend Vee, she dives into a whirlwind of experiences: a fake engagement, dazzling parties, and an obsession with the elusive ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird that may now be extinct.

But as her daring adventure is coming to an end, Emma begins to embrace a future she never thought possible. Dreams and reality aren’t supposed to mix . . . are they?

You certainly don’t need to be a fan of The Blue Castle—or even to have read it—to enjoy my retelling. I have yet to meet anyone who has read The Blue Castle. Please respond in comments if you have ever heard of The Blue Castle? And if so, have you read it? Hoping a larger sample will show a different picture.

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I will be sharing more as May gets closer and providing specifics on how you can support my upcoming release. This time around is a little less terrifying than the first, but in some ways it is more challenging because I know what to expect and what I need to do to give this book a similar chance of success as Again and Again Back To You.

And more to follow on this, but I’m presenting at the L.M. Montgomery Institute’s biennial conference this June in Prince Edward Island(yikes!). I was selected because of the connection my book has to L.M. Montgomery, which carries real weight with this particular audience of devoted Canadian fans.

Upcoming Events

I’ll be at Crystal Ridge Winery in South Glastonbury for a Valentine Author event on 2/6 from 4-6 PM.

Then I’ll be at my favorite brewery, Connecticut Valley Brewhouse, in South Windsor, CT, on 2/7 from 10-4. I’d love to see you.

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This month marks my second anniversary on Substack, and it feels like a good moment to pause and look back—something I don’t often do.

Two years ago, I started here with zero subscribers. Today, there are 447 of you, and that number genuinely warms my heart. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has shown up, read along, responded, and stayed. This space is special because of you.

Here’s a snapshot of where you’re all reading from—seeing this still amazes me: 32 different states and 7 countries.

This newsletter has given me a place to experiment, reflect, and sometimes wander onto the page without quite knowing where I’ll land. Below are links to three newsletters that either had the top number of views (I wish I knew why. Was it the topic, or did I share it on various platforms more effectively?) or the highest level of engagement(Kittens, of course):

Digging through the Desk Drawer This one had 802 views

The Black Hills, Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore This one had 1014 views

Critics, Kittens and The Big Year This one had 31 likes and 16 comments (highest level of engagement)

I won’t linger too long in reflection—I get uncomfortable if I stay there—but I want to acknowledge this milestone and say thank you. Your time and attention are things I take to heart.

First Lines Videos

A fellow She Writes Press author had the wonderful idea of asking writers to read the first line of their book and then reflect on it in three minutes. I was immediately drawn to the premise, and that enthusiasm may be why Jude recently interviewed me for her video series.

We’d love for you to check it out below and give it a like—it really helps with discovery as Jude begins this journey.

YouTube Video First Lines

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In one of my early newsletters, I reflected on how technology has reshaped the act of writing itself—from the quill pen to the ballpoint pen to the steady clack of a manual typewriter to personal computers, and now to stories tapped out on our phones using AI.

Lately, our family took a smaller—but still meaningful—step along that same technological path by cutting the cord. We did it figuratively, canceling our cable, and literally, when my husband snipped the hardwired phone line in my office.

This felt like a big step as both TV and home phones have played such a large role in our lives—and both have evolved dramatically within our lifetime. Remember all this?

• The black-and-white console TV with tubes instead of circuits. The never-ending battle to get the horizontal hold just right.

• Or the rabbit-ear antenna. Too many times, I had to hold one of the aerials so my body could act as an extension and improve the signal. Not exactly an enjoyable way to watch a show, but someone had to do it.

• Then came the rooftop antenna—a huge upgrade. Suddenly, the reception for the three channels we watched was dramatically better. Three channels. Can you imagine? Now there are thousands, and still nothing to watch.

• And then—along came cable TV. Truly revolutionary. Endless channels, no fuzzy, snowy screens, and later, flat-screen TVs growing ever larger and DVRs that let us record anything we wanted. It’s a wonder we ever leave the house.

Now cable and in-home DVRs are old news, and streaming with WI-FI is the thing. The show/channel choices are mind-numbingly wide. With all the various platforms with their original content, nobody watches the same shows anymore. Do you remember how almost everyone could participate in the water cooler conversations when it was just network TV? What’s next? One can only guess, but it seems like Ray Bradbury’s vision in Fahrenheit 451, of walls with TVs full of mind-numbing visual content probably isn’t far off.

The humble home phone followed a similar path.

First, the rotary phone. Dialing a number took forever—especially if it included an 8, 9, or 0. My husband’s father even petitioned the local phone company for a low-digit number, and for years his family enjoyed the small luxury of quickly dialing 643-1232.

Then came the push-button phone, which—looking back—eliminated what felt like the monumental task of dialing all those high numbers. Add an actual answering machine, and suddenly, communication felt downright modern.

But wait, there was more. Next came the cordless phone. Now we could wander the house while gossiping about the latest news. No more need for that charming hallway table that held the phone, a lamp, a writing pad, and an impressive collection of phone books.

All wonderful improvements, but ultimately leading to a dying and now essentially obsolete technology, as the landline has been supplanted by the ubiquitous cell phone.

So goodbye to our landline —something none of our four kids have ever had— and goodbye to cable TV with all the house cluttering wires that each needed.

I recently watched a hilarious video of 17 year olds trying to figure out how to dial a rotary phone. That led me down a rabbit hole to a classic Ellen sketch featuring a map, a phone book, and—yes—a rotary phone. Enjoy!

YouTube Video - Rotary Phone

YouTube - Ellen sketch

We are now fiber optic users and streamers. Sounds really cool and cutting-edge, right? The service provides a faster home Wi-Fi network (with no dead zones in the upstairs bedrooms) so that we can stay connected wirelessly for all our devices. And the icing on the cake is that we are paying 40% less than our old cable bundle!

Now, if only I could figure out how to navigate our new apps of Hulu, HBOMax, Netflix, and Prime, I could finally watch all those shows people are talking about.

Leave a comment on where you are on your cord-cutting journey—wondering if we are early or late adopters. Our kids say we are way late.

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Movie Recommendation

I know this is a long enough newsletter, but I have to add my latest recommendation, and it is a strong one. Song Sung Blue is a wonderful movie. Great singing, acting, and the story is both uplifting and heartbreaking. I went with my 93-year-old mother and sister, and we all loved it. Then I looked up the documentary the movie is based on, by the same name, and watched that. Here is a link. I’m not sure it matters which one you watch first.

YouTube of Documentary

Eddie Vetter is my new favorite person. You’ll have to watch it to figure out how Pearl Jam figures in a movie about a Neil Diamond impersonator.

Have you seen the movie yet? Did you love it as much as I did?

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For the first time in 2025, Edgar and I decided to do a joint New Year’s resolution. We committed to doing something new and different each month.

Here is a review of the activities we have done for 2025:

January - Van Gogh Immersive Experience (Link To Van Gogh Newsletter)

February - Went to Hilton Head, SC, for the first time and had a great time golfing and pickleballing.

March - Did a group trivia night fundraiser for Read to A Child at a Hartford brewery. We discovered we are too old for the vast majority of the questions, so we were very happy we invited our 30-something daughter and her boyfriend to be part of our team.

April-Went to Romeo & Juliet at the Hartford Stage. Neither of us had ever seen a Shakespearean play. We liked it.

May- Started golfing together every week and committed to doing that for the rest of the season. We did this right into October!

June/July- At the end of June, we flew to Pittsburgh and drove a U-Haul truck back to Connecticut for our son, who was moving back home for the summer before starting a new job. While not something we chose and planned, we did take a scenic detour through Amish country, so I’m counting it and even double-counting it, as it seemed like we were in that noisy truck for days at the end of the month, so I’m using this for both June and July.

August - After 30-plus years of vacationing in Cape Cod for our family summer outing, we switched it up and went to Block Island. If you can believe it, I had never been to Block Island. We had a lovely time, and this may be our new vacation spot. Although the family is debating this right now.

September and October seemed to fill up with too much regular old stuff, and we didn’t find room for anything new and different. So we are starting to sputter out.

In November, we visited our son and his girlfriend, who had moved just outside of Philadelphia. We ate at a lovely sushi restaurant called Koi in the cutest town I’ve ever seen called Skippack Village. It was nice to see them settled in their new place.

December - We squeezed in one final new event. I was not at all hopeful that we would have a new experience, but Edgar managed to pull it off. We went to high tea at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme. I’d never been to the museum despite my company, HSB, donating its complete collection of 190 Connecticut artworks to the museum back in 2001. I was thrilled to see some of the old pictures that I remembered hanging on the walls of our home office.

Something about Music, Books, or TV. Let’s call it Pop Culture

I just finished Season 3 of Fisk and loved it as much as Seasons 1 & 2. Fisk is an Australian series on Netflix and Prime Video. It’s a workplace comedy that centers on Helen Tudor-Fisk, who moves back to her hometown and takes a law job at a shabby law firm after her career and marriage fell apart. It’s quirky and funny. I recommend giving it a try.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, it would be great if you hit the heart button at the top or bottom of this post. This helps others find my newsletter and gives me a wonderful and much-needed boost.

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday!!!

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The top left shows how yard signs can be customized with a message and shows my mom’s 90th birthday message, which she loved. This is a cool thing that emerged from the COVID era. You can find a franchise to put up the signs and take them down a few days later. They are loads of fun. Any time I check the time on my writer’s clock, I smile as I reread the very appropriate descriptors. Cute shirts or sweatshirts are always a winner.

The top left is a lovely writing journal. I put a little bit of everything in there and mark the important stuff with Post-It tabs so I can easily find it again. Whenever I meet an aspiring author (everyone seems to have a story they want to write someday), I recommend Anne Lamott’s book. It is funny, useful, and motivating. An old typewriter is a classic gift for writers. I glance at it in my office, and it makes me thankful for technology. The bottom right is a set of plastic birds that light up each night due to a little solar-powered battery. I love my birds.

The other day, I clicked on the link that was advertised before I could play Wordle. It was the coolest Christmas gift for 2025. The products seem annoyingly slanted toward a slightly older demographic, with a few too many toe fungal and neck, ankle, and leg massaging products in my opinion. Perhaps in my house, more ears are listening than just my Amazon Alexa.

Link to Coolest Gift Ideas

Another Link for Gift Ideas

Both list a cool mug that would make a great author gift.

Here is the funny post I recently read that made me laugh out loud.

If you are unable to attend my last event of the year, which is right here in Hebron at the Holiday Craft Fair on the 13th, and would like to give a signed book as a gift, please reach out to me at Andreaezerins@gmail.com. I will mail you a signed & personalized copy of Again and Again Back To You, but please take into account the above joke. I think media mail is USPS, but I’m sure it will get there.

Please share a little love this holiday season by liking this post, as this helps others find me and also gives me a sweet boost.

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I’m toying with the idea of doing another book trailer, this time for my second novel, When the Forest Dreams. Above is my book trailer for Again and Again Back To You. A company called Book Brush created it for me—five hours of work at $24 an hour. The process was simple: I sent them a five-page synopsis and character descriptions, and they produced a first draft. Then I had the chance to give feedback and receive two rounds of updates. I absolutely loved the final product. In just 54 seconds, they captured the story and the magical threads woven through the book. I’m curious—what do you think of it?

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But here’s the funny part. Once I had this shiny new trailer in my hot little hands, I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with it. My original plan was to loop it on my iPad during events—a 54-second teaser playing while I signed books and chatted with readers. I even imagined that, if there were ever a long line for book signings, people could watch the trailer while they waited. Unfortunately, that particular problem has yet to plague me!

And in reality, my iPad kept going to black if I wasn’t hovering over it and tapping the screen. Yes, I could have figured out how to keep it awake longer, but between the Wi-Fi lag and the fidgeting required, it ended up more stressful than magical.

So, instead, I’ve posted it on social media a few times over this past year, and it lives on my Amazon author page. And—don’t tell anyone—but now and then, I watch it myself, and it gives me the loveliest little boost.

I assume that a trailer for WFD would have the same fate. I will struggle to put it to good use. So, tell me, should I make a new trailer for When the Forest Dreams? And if so, what should/could I do with it?

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I’m leaning toward yes, only because of the joy I received from my first trailer. I suppose it is more an ego-driven decision than a return-on-investment one. Honestly, if I were listing my ten things I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving season, that little trailer might make the cut. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Event schedule for the rest of the year. I’d love to connect with you!

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Welcome to all my wonderful new and longtime subscribers! I’m so grateful for your support and curiosity—it means the world to me.

This post was my fourth post and was originally published in February 2024. I decided to reshare after attending the Boston Book Fest on October 25th (what a fun and inspiring experience!). It was there that I met a reader who purchased my book. The very next day, she emailed me to let me know that she had already started reading the book and wanted to share that she’s Sri Lankan—and delighted to discover that Cholan, my mystical channeler, is Sri Lankan too.

Her message absolutely made my day—and reminded me that now might be the perfect time to revisit Newsletter #4, where I first shared the story of how Cholan’s origins came to be.

Something about my Journey

When I started writing my book, Again and Again Back to You, I wanted my two protagonists to connect metaphysically so they could see what their life would have been like if they had made a different choice years before.

My story needed someone with mystical ability that could lead ordinary people back to an impactful point in their life and let them choose a different path; essentially a channeler.

To do this as realistically as possible (magical realism), I tie in Sri Lanka, some MIT astrophysics students, and Schrödinger’s Cat. Schrödinger’s Cat is something that everyone should know about, as it is impressive to drop into everyday conversation. Think of it as the feline version of Pavlov’s dog, which is always a cool reference. I was thrilled when fellow author Lori Duff Writes covered it in her newsletter called Schrödinger’s Corpse. The picture below gives you the gist of it, but Lori’s take was a lot funnier.

I decided my channeler would hail from Sri Lanka (see map above). I love the sound of Sri Lanka as it conjures up far east mysticism, which was just what I needed. I did some Wikipedia research to get facts on climate, capital, and major crops (tea). Watched several YouTube videos and read a book that was partially set in Sri Lanka called No Ordinary Matter by Jenny McPhee. All of this helped me set the scene for my book.

Fun fact: I discovered that before 1969, Sri Lanka was under British rule and was called Ceylon. This is why a very popular tea is called Ceylon tea. Tea is one of my favorite beverages in the world, and I took that as a sign that Sri Lanka was the right choice. My other sign came after I wrote the book. It was when I discovered there is a Sri Lankan Magpie, and they are considered good luck, which was perfect for my newly minted newsletter, I was calling the Magpie’s Quill.

My channeler was born in Sri Lanka in a mountain village, and when he was ten, he was swept up in a terrible forest fire and badly burned. This was the 1960’s and the remote village had limited resources to help him. The healer in the village, to relieve Cholan’s suffering, had him channel back to happier, pain-free places from his past. Ultimately, Cholan comes to the United States for treatment, and he stays, discovering he too can help others travel back to their decision forks, and that is how he meets my two protagonists, Kevin and Marta.

Below is an excerpt from the prologue of my book that introduces the reader to Cholan, the Sri Lankan channeler, when he was just a boy.

Cholan approaches his small wood hut, and he can clearly see that his mother is vexed. When she sees his empty bucket, she shakes her head in exasperation.

“What! Where is my water? You’ve been daydreaming again, haven’t you? Now the making of roti will be delayed and so will dinner.”

Cholan is known as the mekankalitl talaiyutan ciruvan, the boy with his head in the clouds, though now his head droops and his eyes scrape the brown earth. He kicks his sandaled toe against the dirt floor. His mother, usually forgiving, is not so this day, and he wonders why. A slight shiver runs up his back; he senses the gods and mortals are out of sync. That is never good, he thinks.

“Sonam,” his mother calls. “Go fetch me a bucket of water, quick!”

Cholan’s older brother yanks the bucket from his hand, snapping the bucket handle in Cholan’s direction before storming off.

Still visibly annoyed, his mother says, “Cholan, you can start the fire for baking the roti.”

Cholan bites his lip as it begins to quiver. This is a real punishment; he has an unreasonable dread of fire and smoke, and his mother knows it. She normally keeps him from any tasks that involve one or the other. But not today.

Head down, Cholan pulls some of the logs from the woodpile outside their hut and slowly approaches the large, open stone hearth in the kitchen. He scrapes at the ash and uncovers a few glowing embers, then fashions a teepee with the smaller pieces of kindling and starts blowing softly on the pile. His unease increases as he smells the bitter smoke working its way up the rough chimney. Some whorls make their way into the room and circle his head tauntingly. He glances at his mother, who is impatiently mixing the rice flour in her wooden bowl, and she quickly averts her eyes.

“Don’t make cow eyes at me,” she snaps, continuing to stir with much more vigor than necessary to mix the bread.

Head bent, Cholan coughs sadly and continues his task.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, it would be great if you hit the heart button at the top or bottom of this post. This helps others find my newsletter and gives me a wonderful and much-needed boost.

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