Wow! This review from Reactor Magazine for In the Hour of Crows is really incredible. The way she beautifully describes the book tells me she really gets my lyrical style of writing and story telling.
BOOK CLUB KIT for IN THE HOUR OF CROWS
Hey, Book Clubbers! Reading In the Hour of Crows as your book club pick? Well, we have the perfect Book Club Kit for you. Complete with discussion questions, recipe for a delicious beverage, and a music playlist. Please be sure to tag me on instagram if you post pics of your book club. We hope you enjoy this guide. And thank you so much for reading, In the Hour of Crows!
💌📫 Newsletter: How I Ditched Social Media for a 6-Figure Book Deal
HOW I DITCHED SOCIAL MEDIA FOR A 6-FIGURE BOOK DEAL
Social media is the devil. If I had my druthers, I’d never get on it again. But it’s a necessary evil for my career so I participate because I have to. Now, I’d be lying if occasionally I didn’t enjoy it. I love getting a good laugh making fun of myself. And of course sharing good news always feels great. But as a whole, I hate it. Social media, or rather ditching it, I believe was a HUGE contributor to why I sold a book for six figures. Why? Because once I cut out all the noise and distraction of social media, I was able to seriously focus on the writing.
When I started writing ITHOC in 2020, I had not published a book in four years. Around that time the pandemic started and politics was in full effect, and I found social media to be filled with negativity. Most of my time spent on there was depressive, mind-numbing scrolling. At that time, there was no benefit to me personally nor professionally. In fact, I was say it was hurting me. Eventually I decided to ditch it. And in those 3 years it took me to write ITHOC, I might have posted on social media 15 times, if that. Where do you start?
Want to read more? Head on over to my Substack to read the full post.
You can also subscribe for my free newsletter. You'll get writing advice, updates on my books, and exclusive first content.
Podcast Interview: New Books Fantasy and Adventure with A.E Lanier
🎙️Podcast Interview: New Books Fantasy and Adventure with A.E Lanier.
Loved getting to chat with A.E.! Thank you so much for inviting me on. To hear the podcast, click here!
Show Notes:
In this interview, Elmendorf describes the evolution of her novel from a romance to a murder mystery and the role that death and grief play in the story. She discusses Appalachian folk magic, abusive family structures, and shapeshifting crows. We also talk about poverty and rural healthcare systems, and the intermingling of the interpersonal and supernatural in contemporary fantasy.
Dana Elmendorf’s novel In The Hour of Crows (Mira Books, 2024) takes place in small town Appalachia and follows Weatherly Opal Wilder, a young woman with the ability to talk death out of the dying. Our story begins shortly after the death of her cousin, Adaire, as Weatherly struggles to find justice for her cousin and to navigate small town politics in a place where her family is treated with increasing distrust.
In the Hour of Crows is an empathetic, dream-like book and it was so much fun discussing it with the author.
Authors over 40 Interview
You’re never too old to get published. I had a wonderful opportunity to interview with Kerri Maher over on her Substack called Sandcastles. She has an “Authors Over 40” interview series that I find so inspirational. I was 44 years-old when my first book came out. (YA contemporary, SOUTH OF SUNSHINE) Fast-forward 8 years later and my second book IN THE HOUR OF CROWS was published one month before my 52nd birthday. I’m living proof, it’s never too old to get published.
My journey as a writer began in 2009. In the beginning I hid my identity, because if I failed at writing, I didn’t want anyone to know it was me. I wasn’t even sure if I could write a book. And I couldn’t, but I did. It was a terrible 113,000 word Twilight fan fiction. But for some reason, I decided to do it again. And again. Until eventually I decided to come out of the closet and admit publicly I was a writer. Your age has nothing to do with getting published. It’s your tenacity, perseverance, and the stubborn will to never give up.
If you’re looking for some publishing inspiration, follow Kerri over on her Substack: Sandcastles with Kerri Maher is a reader-supported newsletter offering book news & behind-the-scenes glimpses into the novel writing life. It is also home of the “Authors Over 40” interview series.
Read my interview here!