August Newsletter

Hello, everyone! How’s your summer been?

You know how summer can seem to drag on forever and yet you blink and it’s over? That perfectly describes my summer. For the most part, I’ve just been plugging away at writing, reading a ton of great books, and being lazy. It doesn't feel like I’ve been doing a whole lot and, yet, somehow it’s August already!

Writing: More about Thawed

I wanted to tell you a little bit more about my recently completed story, Thawed - A Snow Queen Retelling! Like most writers I have a hard time just telling people about my stories, so I’m going to interview myself instead!

How long is Thawed? Thawed ended up being roughly 23,000 words which is technically considered a novella and not a full length novel.

Fun fact: there are five categories for story length (depending on who you ask): flash fiction <1,000 words, short story 1,000-7,500 words, novelette 8,000-20,000 words, novella 20,000-49,000 words, and novel >50,000.

For some context, an average YA fantasy is 90—100,000 words. Since this project was never intended to be a novel, it worked out perfectly!

How long did it take to write? I began writing in the winter of 2022-2023 and finished the first draft in two months. I then took a several month break before coming back to it in late summer of 2023 and finishing it at the end of June 2024. So a little over a year!

Where did you get the idea? I’ve always loved fairy tales and fairy tale retellings, so when I wanted a break from my main project I decided to write a fun retelling. Thawed originally started out as a mashup between the Snow Queen and Beauty and the Beast. It still includes elements of Beauty and the Beast, but not in the way I originally intended.

Why have two POVs (point-of-views)? I don’t really remember a point in this project where I thought there wouldn’t be two POVs. It just kind of fits the story. I personally love writing multiple POVs. You can give more perspective on the same events and give a closer look at how the two (or more) characters help each other grow. I loved having both Adalyn’s more rational POV and Tiron’s quirky, wandering POV! (I hope to talk more about the pros and cons of writing multiple POVs soon!)

Interested in reading the story? Keep reading!

Reading: The Evanescent Hope

The Evanescent Hope by Isabella Ruiz

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Romance

Age rating: (If it’s like book one,) 13-18

You may remember that, a couple months ago, I had the privilege of reviewing The Darkest War and interview its author: Isabella Ruiz. Today, I am so excited to share that The Evanescent Hope, the second book in the Darkest War series, will be released on August 29th! I can’t wait to read it!!

Here’s the official blurb:

Lucien Foster has taken The Night from the newly crowned, and married, Queen of The Day, Isadora Seneca. She is ready to take her kingdom back, but there is just one problem... she has no army. To protect herself she must hide out, letting the people think she had been killed in Lucien's attack. Drykan Seneca isn't ready to forgive his wife Isadora after he finds out that she betrayed him and both their kingdoms. Whilst he holds a grudge against her, he must also navigate his grief for his family. Can Isadora and Drykan make amends and take The Night back from Lucien?

Spotlight: Thawed-A Snow Queen Retelling Giveaway

You know how I mentioned a chance to get a copy of Thawed? Well, I’m having a giveaway! In honor of finishing Thawed, I’m giving away a copy of Thawed - A Snow Queen Retelling to four lucky winners!

What do I have to do to enter the giveaway?

1. Subscribe to my newsletter (if you’re reading this, you most likely are already subscribed)

2. Share the link to my newsletter with three other people

3. Fill out the form below

4. Wait to see if your name is drawn

Quick Writing Update

• Started the 2nd draft of The Phoenix Pendant and wrote 26,000 words

• Worked on a couple side projects

Are you just as excited as I am to read The Evanescent Hope? Do you think you’ll enter to win a copy of Thawed? Let me know by replying directly to this email or leaving me a comment of the website that corresponds to The Introverted Writer! I’d love to hear from you!

Thank you so much for reading! Have a great rest of your day!

Abby Henderson

P.S. I have a very exciting interview that I can’t wait to share with you next month!