From the Author's Desk

Here it is: the first issue of the first volume of the brand new "author newsletter" of yours truly, Nikki Auberkett!

I've actually been pretty excited about this because I'm trying out something new, something segmented for easier reading, and I'm super hopeful that you'll find this to be a genuinely entertaining "twist" on the typical email newsletter:

Instead of one super long section of text, I'm breaking things down into "floating papers"—sections that stand out, have clear titles, and are easy to skim through so you can get to the bits you really want
Every "issue" (AKA newsletter) will have the same sections:
- an intro letter from me
- folklore & myth trivia
- indie publishing news headlines
- news & updates about my current books/series
- Kickstarter info & updates
- what I'm currently reading
- a fun question you're welcome to answer!
- book sales & promos
Scattered throughout every issue, you'll find banners to click on if you're in the "Stuff Your eReader" mood 📚 (btw, if you're new here/to me: I'm in love with emojis. Like...really in love with emojis 😆)
You'll also notice a faintly glowing mushroom somewhere in the "news roll". IYKYK.
- If you want to know what that's about (and feel like maybe possibly joining my ARC team?), go on...touch it. Click the mushroom. There's nothing suspicious about it. Promise.
  - If you've already ~~created an account~~ stepped inside The ARC Circle, this mushroom is your constant "door" to ~~log~~ get back in 😉🍄
There's also a "Tip Jar" that connects to my Ko-Fi—you are in no way obligated to contribute. I sometimes get the off-chance request for my CashApp or whatnot for particularly good articles so I figured, why not cut out the awkward convo? 😅

A bit of grace I must ask of you:

I am, first and foremost, anti-genAI. Writers have been writing long before someone decided Skynet was a "great idea" 🙄 (and not the doomsday warning James Cameron intended...) and I fully support real human artists & creators.

HOWEVER...

Sometimes, something slips through. If I catch it before I commit to it, I won't partake or participate (or purchase)—but I haven't always been able to catch it.

This became very apparent as I prepped this newsletter today and suddenly realized, after long committing to a group promo weeks ago without seeing the banner, that someone used genAI to create the graphic.

Because I made a commitment and they've already fulfilled their end of the deal, I am posting it and moving onward. I'm also making a note to check all banners moving forward 😅

Beyond the Bookshelf

Nothing super dramatic has hit the headlines for self-publishing "indie" authors (and our beloved readers!) this past week, so I'll share what's been on my radar in general:

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) just announced a new structure for preorders: authors can now set up a preorder 18 months in advance, and postpone the anticipated release date! Only twice, and only up to 6 months after the original date, but STILL. How long did it honestly take for someone to figure out, "Hey, we get an awful lot of complaints...should we change this?" 😂
Book Events: are they a hit or a miss? This has been a hot topic on Threads lately, but as I'm writing this I'm realizing...I don't ever see any input from non-vendors. If you're a regular person who attends (or has at least once attended) book events, what are your thoughts? I'd love to hear your experiences—and I think so would a lot of other authors on social media!
Authors are letting go of the Rapid Release strategy in favor of more mentally and ethically sustainable production rhythms. While 4 Books Per Year isn't an impossible goal, it's still quite limiting to specific genres and as a Romantasy author, lemme tell ya: I tried. It ain't happenin'. The worldbuilding is way too robust 🫠
- Another aspect of this has been a rise in suspicion over singular author output: if one indie author publishes 10 books in a single year, did they use genAI? Or did they just slap something out, skip the editing, and shove it into the wild? I had a DM convo with a reader who asked this very question, and I think it's something more and more authors are putting their foot down on. Quality over quantity! (Which does mean, Dear Reader, you're gonna have to ride with us through the series. Sorry not sorry...)

News & Updates

Song of the Sidhe

Only 14 days until the release of Queen of Night! If you haven't preordered it yet...why not?? 😂 It's only 99¢!

I'm greatly encouraged by the early reviews rolling in, and the private feedback from ARC readers who are brand new to the series and actually started with this book—which happens to be the third in the series and not a standalone!

I'm hearing over and over that even if this is your initial exposure, it catches you up "just enough" to still enjoy the story.

That was my goal 🫡 Because I have absolutely accidentally picked up a book at the library that I had no idea was dead-center in the middle of an ongoing series and it didn't even give me a "previously, in..."

The White City

This "companion series" to Song of the Sidhe is actually introduced in Queen of Night via Cade Devoy, the MMC of this Urban Romantasy series' first book, Sinners & Starlight.

I've been greatly enjoying the chorus of, "Oh...oh he's...I love him..." from readers who used to kinda maybe lowkey doubt The White City would be as good as the main series. In all honesty, fae mobster Devoy has zero business being as deeply complex and arguably more fascinating than Devon Rionnaghan—but it's rather apropos for someone who doesn't follow the rules.

But hwæt! There's more...

While I work on ironing out some details in Sinners & Starlight, I've been drafting up a shorter novel (not novella; I tried but the outline got so good) that does stand alone in its story but still connects to both series—and mostly The White City:

Mag Mell's Mochas

Which is partly why our first fae folkore trivia thingie was about Brownies. Mag—the owner and operator of the coffee shop Roxi stumbled into the morning after she moved into her new apartment in downtown Chicago—is a brownie, mischevious and devious and all about serving sweets and stealing names.

So was her ex-boyfriend...a temperamental fae who happened to be particularly skilled at spinning straw into gold.

What's Kickin' On the Kickstarter

Current status: Tiers are figured out!

What we're looking at:

Digital Collection: $5
Journey Pack: $15
Just The Book—{title}: $25
The Collector’s Set: $75
The Book Box: $140
FREE SHIPPING for all orders within the USA (discounted shipping for international orders)

✨If you're crunching the numbers in your head, you're seeing them right: the golden, shiny, super-luxurious editions will be the same exact price as a typical non-fancy standard edition ✨

The "Journey Pack" is a combination of the "Digital Collection" and some physical goodies, such as series-themed stickers and a set of bookmarks I think you're gonna go nuts over...

Speaking of Bookmarks

These are definitely Not Your Average placeholders!

Inspired by a post on Threads, each bookmark will act as a "world guide": one side is a map of wherever that particular book mostly focuses on (i.e. Ithandryll as a whole for Book One, the city of Baronane for Book Two, the Night Realm for Book Three), while the other side is a glossary list with translations and definitions for unique/unusual words and phrases used in that book.

Which means these "bookmarks" will be almost as big as the book! 😅

Prototypes are currently in design right now. I hope to have a batch ordered very soon and pictures posted so you can see the design, the attached ribbons, and the charms I'll be adding on to make it pretty.

The campaign launches: January 2027

(Launch Day Backers will receive a BONUS paperback of the upcoming standalone novel, Mag Mell's Mochas!)

Follow the PreLaunch

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Currently Reading

Reading: Sorcery and Stagecraft by Kristin L. Hamblin
Listening to: The Odyssey soundtrack because it's so hauntingly beautiful (and the movie was EVERYTHING)
Watching: Last season of Locke & Key on Netflix
Researching: Cultural similarities and differences between brownies, hobgoblins, and kobolds (it's important)