Happy April, readers! I hope you all had a joyous and blessed Easter! I purposely sent this on April 2, so you wouldn’t think I was spamming you with April Fool’s jokes. Ironically, our first order of business sounds like a joke, but isn’t.

Beware the Cicada Invasion

What I’m about to tell you isn’t book related, but it is history related. Between mid-May and late June of 2024, many Midwest and Southern U.S. states will experience not one cicada brood, but two at the exact same time. Which means that trillions of insects could be heading to an area near you. The last time this happened was in 1803 and it won’t happen again until 2245.

According to this map, my home state of Missouri is right in the epicenter of the invasion. If you’ve never seen a cicada, these insects are huge – 1-2 inches long with a wingspan of 3-4 inches – and are super loud. They release this buzzing screech that is hard to describe but super distinct (IYKYK). Honestly, I can pretty much tune them out now; I’m so used to it. The good news is that they aren’t dangerous to people, pets, or animals. They don’t bite or sting. They just fly around, make a lot of noise, and leave their dead husks everywhere.

Thank you to my husband for sending this warning. Because of him, we have ample time to board up the windows and stockpile the dry goods.

Off Social Discovery #4 – I’m not trapped.

Did you know that the average person spends two hours on social media every day? If you’re using social media for business purposes, that amount likely increases as you need to add time for planning and creating posts and interacting more purposefully with your customers. You also need to account time for manipulating the ever changing algorithm which means adjusting your approach to post creation whether you want to or not.

For the last year, most of the time, I dreaded having to make social media posts. I’ve never particularly cared for marketing, but I truly started to dread it. As a result, I didn’t want to write my newsletter either. Everything promotional just turned kind of sour. I was trapped in a place I didn’t want to be, but couldn’t get out of. The funny thing is that I didn’t even realize how trapped I felt until I left and suddenly, I wasn’t trapped anymore.

Here’s what else I’ve discovered: When it comes to book marketing, I don’t have to do any one thing, but I can do anything. By realizing there is nothing I have to do to market my books (aka social media), I discovered all the things I can choose to do. It allows me to sit down, truly recognize my strengths and weaknesses, and find new ways to be creative. It’s like a blast of refreshing air in a stagnant room. For example, I know podcasts probably aren’t for me, but I love interacting with readers at in person events. I don’t care for writing non-fiction books, but I still love sharing advice with other authors and readers. There is a world full of open possibilities and I’m excited to see where God takes me next.

Are you feeling trapped by social media, either personally and/or professionally? Is there at least one small way you can change your social media presence to allow yourself more freedom?

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As a reminder, in lieu of social media posts, I have created an “Extra Edition” newsletter which includes special behind the scenes book content just for subscribers. Simply, complete the form at the link below to receive all the inside info. The next edition releases on April 15. If you’ve signed up in the past, you’re already on the list!

Join the Journey – Get Bonus Content

Sparks Fly Upward Out With Beta Readers

Sparks Fly Upward is officially out for review with my awesome beta reader team. These readers perform the last stage of editing before I do my own final edit. They review the book primarily for plot and character continuity, proofreading, and anything else that just doesn’t make sense. They’re a rock star team and I’m so grateful to have them.

Here’s what one of my beta readers had to say: “This book’s content was not what I ‘expected’ of historical fiction. Because of that, I think it makes it unique and a very desirable read!  In my opinion, it’s your best book to date!”

Pre-Order Sparks Fly Upward – Direct from Author (eBook & Paperback)

Pre-Order Sparks Fly Upward – Other Retailers (eBook Only)

Spring Books and Boutiques

Do you live in the St. Louis area and want to support a good cause? Come out to Incarnate Word Academy’s annual Spring Boutique event on Thursday, April 25 from 5-9 p.m. Fellow author, Susan Laspe, and I will have a table alongside many other alumnae vendors. Registration is required with registration fees going toward student scholarship funds. More information, including registration is available on their website.

Get your Spring Boutique tickets.

Releasing in April

Need another read? Here are the new releases I’m excited about:

1. Perilous by Susan Laspe – Roman mythology meets medieval knights in an epic adventure to beat the Labyrinth and save the world…again. I beta read this one and it is the best of the series so far!
2. These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas – 1920s tale of friendship, art, mystery, and love set amid the Blue Ridge Mountains’ Biltmore Estate.
3. The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron – Books and battle scars frame one family’s legacy, inspired by the Forgotten Blitz bombings of WWII.
4. Walking on Hidden Wings by Rachel Scott McDaniel – A 1920s wingwalking barnstorming widow searches for clues into the murder of her husband
5. Until the Last Note by B.M. Baker – Dual-timeline about a mysterious antique diary and the Titanic‘s lost musicians

Want to know what I’m currently reading? Follow me on GoodReads.

Did you know reviews help both readers and authors? Even one sentence is enough, and every word greatly appreciated. Consider leaving a rating on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, and/or your favorite retailer!

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Until next month, happy reading!

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Kelsey

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Purchase signed copies of my books: kelseygietl.com

Due to variability in social media algorithms, the best way to receive this newsletter is through e-mail. If you were directed to this site via social media or a search engine, you can subscribe to updates by entering your e-mail on the Contact page. E-mail addresses are never sold or distributed. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Follow me on:

COPYRIGHT © KELSEY GIETL 2024

Welcome back to the Extra Edition newsletter! I’m excited to bring you bonus content each month with a special inside look at my novels and the history behind them.

Behind the Design of Sparks Fly Upward

Curious how the cover of Sparks Fly Upward came together? The process was similar to the first two Larksong Legacy novels and the infographic below brings all the pieces together.

Want more inspirational photos from Sparks Fly Upward? Head over to my Unsplash board.

Snow on Easter?

March is always a questionable month in my hometown of St. Louis; it could be sunny, rainy, or even snowing. In fact, there were three years where it snowed on Easter – 1917, 1940, and 2018 (photo above), with 1917 holding the record accumulation of one inch. In my novel, Broken Lines, our female MC, Amara considers snow a sign of hope, so I loved being able to incorporate this historical snowfall into her pivotal turning point with our male MC, Emil. For those who haven’t read the story, you’ll find a snowy teaser below, or a fun reminder for those who have already finished the story. This scene begins with Emil and his nieces and nephew who have come for Easter dinner.

Then later…

Emil skipped away from Amara, dancing through the snow, kicking up flurries all the way to his Runabout. With a pirouette and a bow, he hopped inside to fiddle with the dashboard instruments and through it all she laughed. It burst from her like a fountain until she had to brush tears away, until both her face and her stomach muscles ached from the joy of it.

Easter is on March 31 this year. Do you think we’ll get snow in Missouri? Would you like to have a snowy Easter in your city?

For the Love of Little Women

Did you know that the idea for Larksong Legacy originally evolved out of an idea for a retelling of Little Women? I grew up watching the 1949 and 1994 versions of the movie yet, surprisingly, I never read the book. Horrific, I know. All the belles are swooning in distress.

With time on my hands during my social media sabbatical, I decided to finally read this classic, followed by a viewing of every movie version. Having been written in 1868, I expected the novel to be fairly dry and difficult to get through its 467 pages. But when people say that something “stands the test of time,” they were clearly referring to this novel.

Many 19th century critics labeled Little Women a “children’s story,” for it wasn’t considered highbrow and literary enough for adult readers. I think it was actually ahead of its time. The writing style is similar to many 21st century historical fiction novels, easy to read, and with fun conversations between characters. Each character is distinct in their own way and extremely relatable. There are many scenes about faith, marriage, motherhood, illness, and grief that show how years may pass, but we still experience the same emotions and situations. I copied down so many beautiful quotes that hit exactly right. All authors can relate to this one: “She did not think herself a genius by any means; but when the writing fit came on, she gave herself up to it with entire abandon, and led a blissful life, unconscious of want, care, or bad weather, while she sat safe and happy in an imaginary world, full of friends almost as real and dear to her as any in the flesh.“

To conclude, each movie has its merits and, when watched all together, they cover almost everything in the novel. The 1994 version is still my favorite, followed by the 1949 version. If you’ve read my book, Twisted River, 1994’s Mr. Brooke is how I picture Hugo Frye, except shorter and stockier. While I liked the 2019 version, I do not recommend watching it first, as it assumes you’re familiar with the story.

Masterpiece Theater also has a fun quiz to find out which March sister you are. Happily, I got Meg, who is exactly who I think I’m most like, too! I’d love to hear which sister you relate to.

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Until next month, happy reading!

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Kelsey

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Purchase signed copies of my books: kelseygietl.com

Due to variability in social media algorithms, the best way to receive this newsletter is through e-mail. If you were directed to this site via social media or a search engine, you can subscribe to updates by entering your e-mail on the Contact page. E-mail addresses are never sold or distributed. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Follow me on:

COPYRIGHT © KELSEY GIETL 2024

Happy March, readers! First, I have one quick favor to ask. On February 1, several email providers initiated new rules for receiving bulk emails, such as author newsletters. I won’t get into the technical specifics, but basically, I had to update some code behind-the-scenes to try to keep my emails out of my readers’ spam/junk folders. To determine if it worked, I would appreciate if you could reply to this email and let me know where you received this newsletter – either in your inbox, in a promotional tab, or in your spam/junk folder. Thank you in advance!

Off Social Discovery #3 – I have friends.

I am now three months into my six-month social media sabbatical, and learning new things every day. On the heels of last month’s FOMO discovery, here’s what I’ve discovered this month: By feeling like we have to be friends with everybody, we inadvertently feel like we’re friends with nobody (or very few). Who else can relate?

Despite the connections I’ve made on social media, which are wonderful and amazing, it’s been a long time since I felt like I had many real friends. I have three or four close friends and that’s it. Since leaving social media, however, I realized I have more friends than I ever believed. I don’t mean those friends you spill your guts over – that’s still reserved for the select few – but I’m talking about the people you share parenting stories with, who send you fun memes, or laugh with you at the church women’s night. Those you enjoy hanging out with, who ask how you’re doing after you’ve been sick, or send a random text while watching a show you both enjoy. Whether we realize it or not, we all have friends like these, and it’s easy to overlook their blessings in our lives. We expect friendships to be instant, to be as easy as likes, comments, and shares online. Following takes mere seconds, while friendship takes time.

I am following over 300 people on Instagram and 600 on Facebook (I think, I’m not logging in to find out). It would be unrealistic to form close friendships with that many, yet so often we’re told to connect with all our followers on a personal level. That is unrealistic and unhealthy. It is expecting something from ourselves and others that we can never achieve, and both sides will be left disappointed. There are, of course, instances where social media followers become real friends; I have a few authors who I now speak with regularly over text, email, and/or video chat, and I treasure those conversations. For the majority of followers, however, its good to understand those experiences for what they are – an enjoyable yet surface level connection over mutual interests – and never allow them to replace real friendship.

If you’re also trying to determine where your real friendships lie, I suggest starting with a prayer over your friends/followers list. Ask God to help you determine which are life-giving and God-honoring. Then consider all the ways you can connect with them. Is social media the best way? For me, your personal emails are 10 times more rewarding than any like or comment on a post. Is that true for you as well?

If you’re a woman searching for God-honoring friendships, I also recommend joining your local Walking with Purpose Bible study. My church’s group is a beautiful community where I’ve made many Christ-centered friendships.

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As a reminder, in lieu of social media posts, I have created an “Extra Edition” newsletter which includes special behind the scenes book content just for subscribers. Simply, complete the form at the link below to receive all the inside info. The next edition releases on March 18. If you’ve signed up in the past, you’re already on the list!

Join the Journey – Get Bonus Content

Sparks Fly Upward Cover Reveal

So, what do you think? I personally love it! This is the sixth version I’ve created over the past year. I discovered that by trying to bring accuracy to one of the story’s key locations, the design had lost the overall feel of the story. So, I ditched the original background and thankfully, finally found the right balance. Martha’s dress is perfectly suited to her character and is worn during a key scene, the background colors and sparks emphasize the characters’ search for hope, and the red valances add a hint of theatricality.

As with past books, I am offering an exclusive pre-order discount of $2.99 on eBooks through my online store or available for $4.99 at other retail outlets. Signed paperback pre-orders are also available through my online store only, and unsigned copies will be available for purchase elsewhere on release day.

Pre-Order Sparks Fly Upward

Have you fallen down a rabbit hole lately?

I have a confession – I tend to not close my internet browser tabs. On my desktop, where I do most of my writing, I always have my email open, the etymology dictionary and the regular dictionary, and at least one or two other tabs related to my current research. At the time of writing this, it was nautical and railroad maps.

On my phone, the number of tabs is much, much higher. Let’s not even give a number. What amused me most was the range of topics. I always tell people that I write (and frankly live) in organized chaos. I’ll let you decide. Here’s some of what stuck around:

Those last two questions were from a book I recently beta read and were too funny not to include. Do you leave your browsers open? What is the weirdest topic you’ve recently searched for?

Releasing in March

Need another read? Here are the new releases I’m excited about:

1. Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse – the second book in her digging-up-dinosaur-bones historical romance series
2. When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Droagomir – Circus fires blaze in 1944 Hartford, Connecticut
3. A Royal Arrangement by Amanda Schimmoeller – an arranged marriage royal romance as a widowed king tries to provide for his daughter
4. A Noble Scheme by Roseanna M. White – romance, danger, and family secrets set among Edwardian high society
5. Crossfire at the Precipice by Hannah Hood Lucero – the third book in the Sons of Vigilance series, Christian romantic suspense set in the South. The first two books are amazing and highly recommended.

Want to know what I’m currently reading? Follow me on GoodReads.

Did you know reviews help both readers and authors? Even one sentence is enough, and every word greatly appreciated. Consider leaving a rating on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, and/or your favorite retailer!

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Until next month, happy reading!

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Kelsey

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Purchase signed copies of my books: kelseygietl.com

Due to variability in social media algorithms, the best way to receive this newsletter is through e-mail. If you were directed to this site via social media or a search engine, you can subscribe to updates by entering your e-mail on the Contact page. E-mail addresses are never sold or distributed. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Follow me on:

COPYRIGHT © KELSEY GIETL 2024

Welcome back to the Extra Edition newsletter! I’m excited to bring you bonus content each month with a special inside look at my novels and the history behind them.

Valentines and Ashes

My husband and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. We never have. We’ve always said that giving a gift on a random day means much more than a day we’re forced to love each other. It’s unlikely that you’ll find many (if any) Valentine’s Day scenes in my books, but I do enjoy the story behind the holiday. Did you know that this year Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday (the start of Lent) fall on the same day? These two days may seem to clash, but they actually have more in common than you might think.

In the Catholic Church, there are three people attributed to being St. Valentine, all of whom were martyred. The one most commonly thought of, however, was a Roman priest who lived in the 3rd Century A.D. He was arrested and executed for performing Christian marriages which were denied by Roman law. Legend has it that, while in prison, he healed the jailor’s daughter from blindness, giving her a note that read, “From Your Valentine.” Hence, the origin of the modern exchange of Valentine’s cards.

How can we relate this to Ash Wednesday? In Biblical times, ashes were placed upon one’s body as a sign of repentance, grief, and sacrifice, and were often accompanied by fasting and the wearing of a rough material called sackcloth. In the Christian Church, ashes then became the symbol of penance in preparation for Christ’s coming death and resurrection, the most spectacular love story ever told. In a way, we can view Christ’s Passion as God’s Valentine, extending his arms and saying, “See how much I love you. No sacrifice is too great.”

No need to blush. It’s just good clean romance.

I may not officially celebrate Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love to read a really good romance. It’s why all my books have at least one central romance surrounded by one or two non-romantic plotlines. If you’re looking for good clean romance without all the ick, here are a few of my favorite historical romance couples:

• Jo and Professor Bhaer from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – I know most people are on Team Laurie for Jo, but after recently reading the novel, I understand why the professor is a perfect match for Jo’s intelligence and personality. The book also gives more insight into why Laurie and Amy are actually better suited.
• Gabi and Marcello from The River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren – 21st century time traveler meets 14th century Italian knight and somehow they make it work. There is never a dull moment in this five-book series.
• Katie and Russell from Great Waters by Jennifer Q. Hunt – You can give me Second Chance Romance, Married Romance, and Redemption tropes all day long and this has all three. I love all Jennifer’s couples, but Katie and Russell (so far) take the cake.
• Cora and Ethan from A River Between Us by Jocelyn Green – He thinks he won’t live through the war. She’s doing all she can to survive. North meets South in this Civil War romance that was easily one of my favorites of 2023.
• Marty and Clark from Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke – This marriage of convenience story is a lovely beginning to a sweet faith-filled family saga. The movies, while rather different, are also some of my favorites. One Goodreads reviewer compared my Larksong Legacy series to this one, which I consider a huge honor.
• Any of the couples I’ve written – While my novels do have grit and tough topics, they never contain explicit scenes or open door romance. The most you’ll see is kissing and fade to black. I honestly love all of my main character couples, so it’s difficult to choose just one favorite.

Who are some of your favorite romantic couples?

San Francisco Kiss Cam

I have a little surprise just for you, my Extra Edition Adventurers. For this Valentine’s Day issue, I’m sharing the never-before-seen first kiss from Sparks Fly Upward. I’m including this scene via my website as it contains massive spoilers for those who haven’t read the first two books or those who don’t like to read anything before publication. Please do not share this text and be aware that it has not undergone final edits.

Read the Romance.

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Until next month, happy reading!

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Kelsey

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Purchase signed copies of my books: kelseygietl.com

Due to variability in social media algorithms, the best way to receive this newsletter is through e-mail. If you were directed to this site via social media or a search engine, you can subscribe to updates by entering your e-mail on the Contact page. E-mail addresses are never sold or distributed. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Follow me on:

COPYRIGHT © KELSEY GIETL 2024

Happy February, readers! I am now two months into my six-month social media sabbatical, and these have been two of the best, yet most confusing months as an author. Everywhere authors turn, we’re told that we have to have social media in order to be successful. If we don’t, we’ll be left behind and forgotten. This was one of my fears, too, but I’m coming to see that isn’t exactly true.

Off Social Discovery #2 – FOMO is real, y’all.

FOMO stands for the Fear of Missing Out. If we skip a day of scrolling our social media feeds or checking Messenger, we might miss the most important thing in the history of creation. If Jesus returns, how will we know?

I jest (sort of), but this is exactly what it feels like being on social media. Social media tells us that we have to keep up, keep pace, and then race forward. We have to know all the things and do all the things. If we don’t, we might miss out. Without social media, how will we know about our friends’ lives, new babies, new jobs, and every other detail? Where will we get our news? How can we keep up?

The truth is, we can’t. With over 4 billion users on Facebook alone, it is impossible to see and hear all the things. As someone who loves to know all the details, this is difficult for me. As it turns out, there are some things I don’t need to know and what I do care about, I can get another way. News sources are sent to my email, podcast list, or sourced directly. Authors and other influencers usually have free newsletters, podcasts, or blog subscriptions. Small businesses have email lists and/or apps, often with more deals than they post socially. And phone calls/text/video chat/in-person get togethers provide info about friends and family without ever scrolling through a feed. It requires me to be intentional and basically create my own “feed” without an algorithm deciding what I should find important.

Will I miss out on some things? Of course. Infinite scroll was created to be exactly that – infinite and impossible. It keeps us constantly searching for the next thing to excite our brains, whether good or bad. It won’t end, because it was designed not to. There is no way to check off the metaphorical to-do list, leaving us more scattered than ever before. In fact, Aza Raskin, the inventor of infinite scroll, and Leah Pearlman, the co-inventor of Facebook’s Like button both admitted in this article and several others that they no longer like their own inventions.

Is it possible to find balance while using social media? For some, I think it could be. It requires definitive boundaries and specific goals. Does social media works toward those goals or against them? Is it making us and, in turn, others better? Perhaps most importantly, by not missing out on social media, are we missing out on something in real life? And is real life really something we can afford to miss? These are all questions I’m asking myself during this time away.

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As a reminder, in lieu of social media posts, I have created an “Extra Edition” newsletter which includes special behind the scenes book content just for subscribers. Simply, complete the form at the link below to receive all the inside info. The next edition releases on February 15. If you’ve signed up in the past, you’re already on the list!

Join the Journey – Get Bonus Content

Goin’ Sparkin’ in Sparks Fly Upward

The other day, I was listening to the musical soundtrack, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which takes place in 1850s Oregon, the same decade and general location as Larksong Legacy. If you haven’t seen the movie with Howard Keel and Jane Powell, you need to; it’s fantastic, albeit politically incorrect to modern ears. In one of the songs, they use the phrase, “goin’ sparkin'” which, of course, reminded me of the title of Sparks Fly Upward. Have you heard this phrase before? Basically, it’s another way of saying you were dating with the intention of pursuing marriage. Igniting the couple’s attraction, as it were.

(Minor spoilers below.)

In Larksong Legacy, courting and marriage are extremely complicated things, and “sparkin'” means taking on more than mere attraction. For Sarah, it includes the curse of six dead husbands. For Coraline, health complications. For Alice Ann, her dreams over everything. And for Martha, interracial romance in a time when it was both forbidden and illegal.

As Martha says in Sparks Fly Upward, “For a former plantation slave and a former plantation son, in a country fiercely divided by race, it was a situation most precarious and insensible. With as many reasons as she told herself to remain distant, another several dozen encouraged her to fall headlong into the void. He had never seemed to mind her skin’s deep copper hue. To him, their friendship had been like one of her mama’s hymns—the same melody in two separate keys. If only the entire world could sing such a song.”

Please pray for me as I move into the last 20% of this draft. My hope is to send it to beta readers by the end of April. Keep an eye out for the cover reveal in next month’s newsletter!

Larksong Legacy is coming to Audiobook!

After many auditions, much frustration, and a whole heap of prayers, I was blessed to find a wonderful narrator for the entire Larksong Legacy series, including the two books not yet published. Production of For a Noble Purpose began last week with an anticipated release date of June 2024. Dusk Shall Weep should hopefully be available in Fall 2024 and Sparks Fly Upward in either late 2024 or early 2025. Due to royalty share agreements, all audio books will only be available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. eBooks and paperbacks will continue to be available worldwide.

As a reminder, I still have FREE Audible audiobook codes available for Across Oceans. Reply to this email to claim one or you can purchase the audiobook below:

Get your copy of Across Oceans.

Note for my Christian Fiction readers: While Across Oceans is considered clean, it is not directly written as Christian Fiction.

Releasing in February

Need another read? Here are the new releases I’m excited about:

1. Hey, Jude Carpenter by Storm Shultz – The Beatles, Shakespeare, and dairy farms come together in this modern day Romeo and Juliet retelling.
2. The Rhythm of Fractured Grace by Amanda Wen – A violin, shared between the past and present, brings love, hope, and healing to two fractured faiths.
3. While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth Camden – A dentist and a police officer join forces to overcome criminal conspiracy in 1913 New York.
4. All My Secrets by Lynn Austin – Set in Gilded Age New York, three generations of women must confront the past in order to make a better future for their family.
5. The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel – The matchmaker’s daughter has her toughest match yet – to find a widower a wife without falling for him herself.

Want to know what I’m currently reading? Follow me on GoodReads.

Did you know reviews help both readers and authors? Even one sentence is enough, and every word greatly appreciated. Consider leaving a rating on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, and/or your favorite retailer!

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Until next month, happy reading!

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Kelsey

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Purchase signed copies of my books: kelseygietl.com

Due to variability in social media algorithms, the best way to receive this newsletter is through e-mail. If you were directed to this site via social media or a search engine, you can subscribe to updates by entering your e-mail on the Contact page. E-mail addresses are never sold or distributed. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Follow me on:

COPYRIGHT © KELSEY GIETL 2024