HQP September Newsletter

Welcome to September Inklings,

My favorite season will soon be here! I feel like fall is the season where I really come alive, and I am fortunate enough to live in an area where the foliage puts on a show every year. In fact, come October I’ll be taking a train ride that specifically runs in order to see the foliage change to its autumnal hues. 

Right now though, there is currently a thunderstorm raging, which is actually the perfect weather for sitting down and writing out a newsletter, even if I did get caught in the rain during my morning walk. 

Updates at Hook & Quill

We’ve been very busy over here this past month and have a few projects that we’re very excited about. 

First, we will have the physical edition of The Gods of Atalantis by our own Emily Klotz! 

The Gods at Atalantis follows a young girl named Mireia as she finds out she has been chosen as a candidate for the human reincarnation of a goddess known as the Sea Mother as she meets Kena a candidate for the human reincarnation of a god known as the Sea Father as they try to carve out their own destinies amongst scheming politicians, dangerous fanatics, and a prophecy of doom for the entire island. 

I do not have a link to order the physical copy yet, but please keep an eye on Emily’s Bluesky account (here) and the Hook & Quill Bluesky (here) for more updates.

 In the meantime, you can pick up a digital copy here: Amazon | Books2Read 

I am also really excited about the upcoming release of Thief of Death by our own Samantha Breaux! Thief of Death is a romantic fantasy and the first book of The Chronicles of the Gray Lady. It follows the story of Spencer who is a priest of the dead, and Wren who happens to be a thief with a heart of gold as they come across danger and intrigue in the city of Fenholt. 

I sadly cannot make any fun reveals right now, but please keep your eyes glued to our socials because this is one book you do not want to miss! Samantha was actually willing to do a mini-interview for the newsletter, which is posted below if you’d like to learn more.

I sadly cannot make any fun reveals right now, but please keep your eyes glued to our socials because this is one book you do not want to miss! Samantha was actually willing to do a mini-interview for the newsletter, which is posted below if you’d like to learn more. 

Lastly, since there’s no reason we can’t celebrate Pride all year long, we will have a pride zine available very soon. We’re just putting the finishing touches on it so just give us a little more time. 

Personal Updates

Currently Reading: The Vegetarian by Han Kang / Earthlings by Sayaka Murata / Learning Curves by Rachel Lacey 

Currently Watching: One Piece / House Hunters International 

Currently Listening to: There is a Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths 

This is embarrassing to admit, but my life has been pretty boring lately. I’ve mostly just been trying to build a routine of going to the gym, reading, and doing some creative things. One creative pursuit I really enjoyed was building my first RoLife kit. 

These are very fun diorama model kits that you assemble and build piece by piece. Sometimes it can be a little frustrating to work with, but overall it was a very fun and calming experience and I am dying to make more. 

Another fun art therapy exercise I tried was a doodling one, and I think the result was very fun and visually striking. 

I also don’t know if this would count as an update, but I am planning on hopefully dusting off the Rosetta Stone app and picking up a foreign language again. I’ve done some work in both French and German so I have been meaning to get back into the swing of that again, too. 

Where in the world is Quillbert?

Quillbert went with me to a secret location that I reveal in an upcoming Patreon Post, there’s guesses as to where we went. 

I’ll give you some hints:

It’s a place we both love 

It’s a place we think everyone should “check out”

It’s a place that can take you anywhere you want to go

A few Questions with Samantha Breaux

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions, Samantha. How did your writing journey begin? 

My path to writing began as a reader. I loved stories and books from my earliest days and spent a lot of my childhood play-acting being in the stories I loved best. In 6th grade a teacher gave me an optional assignment during a medieval unit to write a short story about a gargoyle. It was the first time it occurred to me that I could actually make up my own stories, and I’ve been writing ever since. 

You’re a huge advocate for working with your neurodiversity while writing, do you have any tips for anyone who might be struggling with that? 

There are a lot of things I could say about this, but the first, most important thing is to accept that there is no one “right” way to be a writer. Learn what works for you and do THAT regardless of whether it fits traditional advice or methods. The second is to give yourself grace. There will be bad brain days (or weeks or even months) and beating yourself up for something you can’t control is not going to make you a better writer or happier person.

What would you say are your main inspirations for Thief of Death? 

I was definitely inspired by T. Kingfisher’s Paladin series set in the World of the White Rat. I love the way she blends dark elements with humor, action, and romance. I wanted to write something that made me feel the way I did when I was immersed in those books. 

Thief of Death manages to combine romance, some spooky vibes, and fun action. Was it difficult to find that balance between the three, or did you eventually find a flow? 

All my favorite stories blend those elements, so it felt pretty natural to me to write that way. I think the trickiest part is making sure a humorous moment or joke lands properly, because humor can be pretty subjective. I leaned on beta readers to help me know if a joke wasn’t working. 

Which character was your favorite to write? 

I am terrible at picking a favorite anything. I enjoy writing different characters for different reasons. Wren makes the most emotional growth and has a fun, prickly personality. Spencer was fun because I am not religious at all and it is an interesting mental exercise to write someone of deep faith. 

And I love a sassy side character, so Mother Borrallo and Elton were both a treat. 

Fenholt is such a vast and interesting city. What was the process like in creating such a setting? 

I think process is a great word, because it’s a work that might never be fully finished. I am always adding more as new things come up. I would say that the key to world building in general is to think about the “whys” and “hows.” For example, Fenholt has 3 massive walls in concentric circles through the city. It’s not enough to write that just because it’s cool. There needs to be a reason why it’s like that– in Fenholt’s case, it reflects the city’s need for defense as a desirable port city and trade hub that has grown and expanded over the centuries. I drew this element from real world history. Lots of ancient cities have a series of walls. But then I had to think about the “hows.” How would this affect everyday life in the city? How would people navigate these structures? What part (if any) do they play in the story. Even if it never makes it onto the page, it’s important for the author to know the whys and hows.

If you could put Spencer and Wren into any other work of fiction, which would you choose? Do you think they’d agree with your choice? 

I think Spencer and Wren would be great in an episode of Supernatural. Ghosts, ghouls, and lying to the authorities suits their skill set perfectly. Whether or not they’d agree? I don’t know. Spencer and Dean would probably butt heads over the rights of the undead and Sam would get on Wren’s nerves with his tendency to bemoan his fate. At least there would be pie. 

And lastly, in five words or less, give your best pitch for why someone should read Thief of Death. 

It’ll make your heart happy. 

If you’d like to hear more from Sam and see some fun snippets from Thief of Death, you can follow her on Bluesky here. 

Closing thoughts

Thank you so much for reading, Inklings! I hope you enjoyed my takeover of the newsletter and I also hope you have an amazing September. 

Remember to be gentle with yourself and try to spread some joy. 

Sincerely, 

Kelsey