Worth Your Weight In PieNeeded Doin’ Is All
Field notes from the world of Silas Lopez.
Vol. 1 | Dispatch 6 |
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| | Why Did I Get This? Because you know me or we’ve got a connection. (Special welcome to new subscribers.) This is a once-a-month letter where I share news about my writing. Announcements are always at the top for those who need to skim. And if it ever feels like too much, the unsubscribe link is at the bottom. |
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| Announcements
Upcoming Events:
I’ve been busy with events around the region. Here’s what’s coming up next. (For the full list, see my events page.) I hope you’ll be able to join me along the way:
July 7 — Truro Public Library
I'll be doing a reading, Q&A, and book signing at 4PM on July 7 at the Truro Public Library. Come join us if you are on the Cape! Event Information.
July 16 — Author Store Event @ J.McLaughlin, Mashpee
I'll be doing a reading, Q&A, and book signing at 6PM on Thursday, July 16, at the J.McLaughlin Store on Market Street in Mashpee. Whether you are interested in fine literature or just want to upgrade your summer wardrobe, you should join if you are around!
July 31 — Hotchkiss Library of Sharon, Sharon, CT
I'll be one of the authors invited to speak and sign books at The 28th Annual Sharon Summer Book Signing fundraising event. Event details. Join if you are in the Northwestern Connecticut area!
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| Postcard From The DunesAuthor’s Notes and Life Updates |
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June has arrived, and with it, the summer crowds here in Provincetown. The sudden influx has become a striking metaphor for exactly where I find myself right now.
Time to check in and get our bearings. Where are we in this crazy process?
It’s been pretty much flat-out for the last couple of months since launch. I currently have three book projects all tugging me in different directions—the first just out in the world, the second mid-revision, and the third barely more than a handful of scattered notes. Trying to be fully present for each means never quite managing to be present for any.
We need a minute to mark where we are on the map. |
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| The pre-release phase of writing a book is like winter on the Outer Cape. There are very few people around, the shutters are up, and the pace of life is profoundly quiet. It’s a world of solitude, self-paced work, and silent reflection. |
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But when the book was released in April, it was as if someone flipped a switch and the summer season instantly arrived.
In a beach town, summer means everything is suddenly crowded. You spend your days bumping up against people and learning patience.
Suddenly you are out meeting readers at events, the book is accruing reviews on the web, email brings a daily swirl of notes from old friends, and social media becomes a non-stop interaction as you try to build awareness.
Just as a beach town is no longer entirely your own when June hits, the carefully constructed, private mental space around a book vanishes the moment you release it. The story suddenly belongs to the readers, and they want to talk to you—and each other—all about it. I spent years wanting readers, then found myself slightly startled when they actually arrived. |
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| It’s a moment of shock, mixed with excitement and anxiety. Will they like it? Why did that reader completely miss the point of that passage? Who is this wonderful person leaving a lovely review?
Yet, visitors are what keep a beach town alive. The same is true for a book. The readers show up, they devour, they interpret, and they discuss. The level of activity can approach overwhelming at times—mostly in a good way, but at especially chaotic times it can make me think fondly of the deep solitude of winter, when it was just me, my interim police chief Silas, the woman he can't quite figure out, and the quiet mechanics of the plot.
But as much as the sudden cacophony is a shock, the reality is that every interaction with a reader so far has been positive, fulfilling, and inspiring. It turns out I enjoy talking with readers even more than I enjoyed anticipating it. They are happy tourists frolicking in the surf of my story.
Most visitors will eventually head home. That’s as it should be. But every once in a while, someone sticks around. They read the next book, reply to a newsletter, or recommend the series to a friend. And somewhere along the way, they stop feeling like tourists and start feeling like neighbors.
That’s the part nobody really prepares you for. Writing is solitary work. Building a community around stories isn’t. I’m still getting used to the noise, but I am so grateful you are here in the room.
If you’re new here, welcome. I’m glad you stopped by.
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| News
Word of Mouth:
The Washashore has been selected by several book clubs for summer and early fall discussions so, in addition to public events, I will be fielding tough questions from lots of new readers in the coming months.
Reader Feedback:
The conversations this book has sparked have been the most rewarding part of the journey so far. Reviews help spark the next conversation by helping new readers discover the book. If you’ve finished The Washashore and haven’t yet left a review, my goal is to reach 100 Amazon reviews by June 30. Even a short note helps: this goes directly to the form. Thank you! |
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| Events of Note: We had a standing-room-only crowd at Provincetown Bookshop and temporarily cleaned them out of inventory. I was nervous about my first hometown event, but readers seemed perfectly willing to indulge my fictional version of Provincetown. |
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| We held an unofficial block party under a shade tree for two hours (pictures) at Elm Street Books in New Canaan, CT. I met a wonderful group of new readers and look forward to returning for The Holdfast this fall. |
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| On The WorkbenchWhat I’m working on right now |
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| Book One—The Washashore With The Washashore my focus remains events, outreach, and social media. I am also moving ahead with the audiobook edition. Progress there has been slower than I hoped because a major Big Five publisher spent several months exploring an acquisition of the North American series audio rights. After a lot of consideration, I ultimately decided to produce the audiobook independently instead. Planning is underway and casting will begin shortly.
IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR WHO YOU THINK COULD DO JUSTICE TO BOTH SILAS’S MASSIVE QUIRKY VOICE AND WREN’S MORE REFINED MANNERISMS, NOW IS THE TIME TO HIT REPLY AND TELL ME!!
Book Two—The Holdfast
The Holdfast is through copy edits and now with the proofreader. We’re still on track for a late-July preorder and a September 15 release!
I am also delighted to announce that New York Times bestselling author William Landay (Defending Jacob) will host the launch event on September 16 at Wellesley Books. If you’d like to see Bill and me in conversation, mark your calendars. I have a feeling it will be a terrific evening. Event info.
Book Three—The ??? Book three continues to take shape. The outline is growing, the title has been chosen (and is remaining secret for now), and I hope to begin drafting this summer. Let’s put a stake in the ground: I’d love to have the first draft finished by the end of the year. |
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| | | In Silas We TrustWhat Silas Has Been Gettin’ Up To |
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| Silas Lopez lines that have come to mind recently:
On managing event crowds:
“Settle down or I’ll turn my herdin’ dog loose on you.” -Silas Lopez
When long lost friends turn up at events:
“Not much for huggin’, but maybe just this once?” -Silas Lopez
On readers and refreshments at author events:
“Like a pack of bloodhounds sniffin’ out the last sandwich on earth.” -Silas Lopez
On precocious questions from young readers: “Ain’t much slips by you.” -Silas Lopez
On being blunt in your answers and posts:
“Did what needed doin’. You want a diplomat, hire one.” -Silas Lopez
On questions that turn into tangents:
“You’re circlin’. Land the plane.” -Silas Lopez
On “why did you write it this way” questions:
“Folks’ll say I’m doin' stuff unorthodox.” -Silas Lopez
On snarky feedback: “More mouth than manners.” -Silas Lopez
On planning for book three: “World keeps churnin’ out new criminals and fresh trouble.” -Silas Lopez |
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| What I’m Reading/ Watching/ Thinking About |
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| I recently blew through Happiness For Beginners by Katherine Center. It’s a beach read, but I keep an eye on her work because she’s deft at disguising tropes, does relationships well, and has a good ear for dialogue. (And because I am procrastinating picking up the intimidating 40th anniversary edition of Pulitzer Prize winning Lonesome Dove.) It’s set on a grueling outdoor survival trip. The plot moves along nicely and the descriptions are lush and atmospheric.
My sister convinced us to watch Steve Carell’s new show Rooster. It’s nominally about a novelist navigating divorce and professional success, but really about his relationship with his daughter. Great cast, sharp writing, and I’m delighted it has already been renewed. |
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| | Thanks for being part of this community.
If you know someone who might get a kick out of the Silas Lopez Mysteries—or these newsletters—please feel free to pass this along. Word of mouth really does matter.
If something here caught your eye, I always enjoy hearing back. And if you prefer longer-form pieces, I post those on the blog.
Finally, if you know of a book club that enjoys author conversations, or if you'd ever like to be on the early-reader side of things, just reply to this message, or drop me a note in the contact form. |
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