JSH-Writes Newsletter Archive - Volume 3 - 31/08/2025
Welcome to a new series I’m posting directly to my website, for posterity, if you will. I came to the realisation that I do need to keep the place active, and I thought there would be no better way to do this than by documenting my old newsletters - a little trip down memory lane for me, and something of a manual into madness for those of you who find yourself in the nether realms of my website. Enjoy!
Aussie Paperback Preorders and Release Countdown!
Hey legends!
So, here we are, with just 25 days until release. I'm currently spending four full days each week on unpaid placement, and basically every other waking moment on preparation for the launch of Dark Sands. This weekend included online storefront shenanigans, competition news, misprinting AusPost labels, and trialing pens and prose for my writer's signature!
As you know, I like to keep these newsletters brief and informative, so here's all the cool things that have happened in the last month!
1. We have set up an online store, with Australia-wide shipping! For anybody who has been keen to get a signed paperback (and help me collect a significantly higher royalty rate along the way hehe) you can order direct through my Squarespace store!
2. We almost won a competition! My second short story ever, The Cold, was awarded second place in the Geelong Writers Competition, beating out about 65 other works, including a few from trad-published authors! You can read The Cold for free on my website.
3. We are one review away from hitting 20 reviews on Goodreads! Word is, these are the hardest 20 to get, and a large proportion of independently published books never reach this milestone - so a massive thank you to everybody has been a part of this!
4. We got our first newspaper feature, in the local paper of the area where I went to high school! It was so much fun completing the interview and seeing the support come through.
5. We've confirmed out first IRL bookstore features! That's right, DARK SANDS will be available from The Forbidden Forest, a stunning gift store run by my very own family members, as well as the Heads & Tales Bookstore, a local indie retailer!
6. The book launch is coming in hot! For anybody Geelong based or Geelong-adjacent, please consider yourself welcome to Industrie 26, on Pakington Street, Geelong, from 7pm onwards for a reading, Q&A and signings!
Finally, I'd just like to give a couple of big thank-yous to my new friend, Brendan and my partner, GW, as without either of you there is NO way I'd have managed to get my website up and running in time for release. SO much of Indie writing is done alone, and having your support, assistance and encouragement changed everything!
I'll see you all very soon!
~With love, JSH <3
