Happy April, book friends! I’m getting a late start on my April Newsletter—there’s been a lot going on. All good things, of course. I also wanted to finalize a few book signing events before I wrote this; some are still in the works, but hopefully I’ll have more to share on those in the next newsletter.

As Spring is in full bloom, I’ve been taking breaks from editing and working on my books by spending time outside planting flowers, taking walks with the doggies, and going on short hikes. It’s been sunny enough to read outside in the backyard too, which I love doing. I especially love seeing all the pink cheery blossoms in bloom; they’re so pretty, and I think they’re my favorite sight in the Springtime.

March and April Wrap-up

I received Heartsmith back from my development editor several weeks ago, and I was so encouraged to know she loved it. In her words: If Stardust met Star Wars: The Phantom Menace mixed with Frankenstein and had a baby with The Winter Soldier, you’d have HEARTSMITH. Quite the mash-up of genres, huh?! But I love it, and it’s quite wild how it all works together. I’ve gone through the development edits and made small tweaks here and there, and it’s now in the hands of the line editor. Which means it’s one step closer to being done! Also, it means the Cover Reveal isn’t too far away either…!

At the end of February, I finished drafting The Ghost’s Gambit, book 3 in The Iron Kingdom Series. Right now, I have two critique partners reading through it and giving me feedback. I’m excited to polish this manuscript even more before beginning the editing stage. I’ve been compiling notes for book 4 and adding them into a document, so I’ve officially started writing the next book in the series! Though, I don’t expect to fully dive into it yet. Book 3 took over a year to write, and I have a feeling the next book might take as long too.

I’ve also slowly been working on the sequel to Heartsmith. I’ve been really busy with editing jobs, and getting The Mountain of Gold ready for release. So, when I’ve had creative spurts, I’ve jotted down scenes for the sequel, and worked out a rough outline of where I expect the plot to go. It currently sits just under 9k.

The Mountain of Gold News

My new picture book is less than a month away from its release date. I can’t wait for you all to read it and see my illustrations! Last week, I released the Official Book Trailer for The Mountain of Gold that I made. You can watch it below.

Right now, until the end of Friday, Barnes & Noble is running a Preorder Sale for Premium and Rewards members. If you have a membership, take advantage of the sale and snag 25% off your order of The Mountain of Gold. This Japanese fable story is a delightful read kids and adults will enjoy. See the graphic below for details.

Also at this time, I am launching my Preorder Promo. For anyone who preorders a physical copy of The Mountain of Gold, I will send you free book swag! I have some fun Japanese-themed stickers and magnetic bookmarks to give out, along with The Mountain of Gold stickers. To get your free book swag, just email me at s.daniellacotta@gmail.com with a screenshot of your order along with your address so I can send you the goodies. (US only)

Exciting News!

In the last newsletter, I hinted at an upcoming event I’d be at, so here it is: I am going to be a featured author at the Forever Twilight Festival in Forks, Washington, September 2024! I have been dying to share out this exciting news ever since I found out. I can’t wait to visit the area where the Twilight Movies were filmed. This is such a wonderful opportunity for me to share my YA Fantasy books with new readers and connect with other fantasy writers. I’ll be taking lots of pics when the time comes.

Upcoming Events:

If you’re in the Southern Oregon area, visit me at this Book Faire to Remember in Grants Pass. I’ll be there at a table along with 23 amazing authors part of AIM. I’ll have my YA Fantasy books in paperback available for purchase. It will be a splendid time to meet local authors, chat, and get your books signed. So, if you’re free, come join us!

If you haven’t read The Iron Kingdom Series and are looking to start something new and exciting this Spring, then check out my YA Fantasy series. It has everything you could want in a story: action & adventure, mystery, buried secrets, a hero you can’t help but love, romance, multi-POVs, antihero POV, friends/enemies to lovers, deadly curses and monsters, found family, high stakes, and the importance of community and friendship.

And if you have read The Conjurer’s Curse and The Wraiths of Arjun, please do me a huge favor and leave a review. They help encourage other people to read the books, and increase my ranking on Amazon, which is huge!

Signed Copies:

Also, if you’re interested in getting signed copies of my books, I’ve made that available through Paypal. Just click on my linktree, and you’ll find the link at the top. I’ll include a bookmark and sticker too (while supplies last!)

Check out The Ink Mages Podcast! Your go-to podcast for Nerdy Fantasy banter and story craft. If you haven’t watched our episodes, give us a listen and subscribe to our YouTube Channel or listen on Spotify. Check out our latest episodes using the links below:

Thank you, book friends, for supporting me, encouraging me, and for reading my novels. You mean the world to me. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of April!

-Stephanie Cotta

Book Recommendation:

The Treasure of Rigmore House by Claire Kohler was my latest read. Here’s my review:

Another excellent installment in the Betwixt the Sea and Shore Series! I love how seamlessly the story continues and incorporates the returning main characters from the previous two books. I loved getting to meet Muireall and seeing the enemies to lovers’ trope develop between her and Niall, who I didn’t think could ever possibly be redeemed! The inclusion of the Fair Folk into this book was icing on the cake! I’ve loved all the selkie folklore, so it was neat to get deeper into the fairy folklore surrounding the world of Everton.

If you love Scottish Fantasy Romance, with swoony & sweet relationships, a bit of magic, & folklore creatures, then this is the perfect series to start!