A summary for you on what to expect in this edition in case you want to scroll down to the interesting bits: update on the skip last week; special 50% discount on subscriptions; this week on TikTok; and the progress report with an update on my week-on-week sales and writing progress.
Author’s Note - well, actually, no
As I had sort of predicted, I ended up having to skip last week’s chapter.
It was all in service of a good cause, however. I did manage to meet that first work deadline that I was anxious to meet - although I spent a rushed day finishing off high-stakes scenes in a high-stakes situation, and it took me a full couple of days to actually calm down after that! The adrenaline was unreal, and I didn’t like it, so I won’t be trying that again if I can help it.
My four big deadlines this (non-calendar) month were:
Get the paperback sorted for Too Many Cooks release on the 1st May
Finish first draft for client 1
Do first project segment for client 2
Finish writing, editing, and formatting What’s Cooking, Good Looking, before the preorder deadline AND before the personal deadline (i.e. the latest I can finish it before it will start to impinge on my next book and other work).
Out of those four deadlines, the first two are now met, so that’s good news. The third begins soon, but I’m actually working on the fourth in the meantime. I should have finished the first draft by tomorrow, but as you’ll see down below, I’m not there yet. The push continues. At least illness has left the household, which gives me a considerably better shot of making it.
This is very niche information and I’m fairly certain none of my subscribers live anywhere near close enough to care, but just in case: I will be appearing at Tunbridge Wells Lit Fest in the author’s alley selling some copies of my books on the 10th May. We’ll be open from 11am to 3pm, and I’ll be signing everything I sell. It’s free to enter, you just have to turn up to the Royal Victoria and (probably) follow the signs (I haven’t actually seen the signs but I’m sure they will be there).
Don’t forget: you can now get 50% off your subscription to Crowhill Cove for the next year!
Act fast, as this offer will expire on the 13th May. I’ll send out a few reminders between now and then, but once it’s gone, it’s gone. This gives you access to absolutely everything on Crowhill Cove, including:
My past serialisation, Don’t Move Your Desk
Allllll the short stories I’ve posted here
All the writing advice and essays I’ve posted here
The whole of cycle 1 of Hydropower, as it will finish before the end of 2025, and (potentially) the start of my next serial (if plans remain as they are)
Anything else new I come up with between now and this time next year
And, if you subscribe as a founding member,
Everything I publish for a whole year in PDF or epub format so you can read it without having to pay again
That sounds like a pretty damn good deal to me.
Books
Okay, you've read the Substack posts (and maybe you're a little bit confused if that's where you started). Wondering who all of these characters are? Thinking you need a refresher on past books?
Each week, I share the one TikTok video that performed best out of the last seven days.
All of these videos are available on TikTok for free, but if you’re a) not a TikTok user or b) just want the best highlights, this is a convenient place to see it.
This week’s best is below, and it’s my three key takeaways from Gwen and Art are Not in Love:
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Note: Changes are in bold, comments in italics.
TOTAL SALES:
Crowhill Cove series (Don’t Move Out, Don’t Go Outside, Don’t Fly Home, Don’t Leave Town, Don’t Check Out, the 1-5 boxset, and Don’t Move Your Desk): ebook - 1,148, paperback/hardback - 43, KU pages read - 796,487, free downloads - 6,304
Kiss The Cook - ebook - 19, paperback - 1, KU pages read - 6,096 (225 pages = 27 equivalent full-book reads)
Cook Up A Storm - ebook - 18, paperback - 1, KU pages read - 5,982 (212 pages = 28 equivalent full-book reads)
Kiss The Cook: ebook - 7, paperback - n/a, KU pages read - 2,048 (200 pages = 10 equivalent full-book reads)
Serial Investigations full series (Pre-Substack releases: books 1-12, 2 bonus novellas, 2 boxsets): ebook - 501, paperback/hardback - 104, KU pages read - 397,478, free downloads - 1,819 - No movement this week
WRITING:
Too Many Cooks: ebook published, paperback typeset and queued
What’s Cooking, Good Looking?: 32k words written
Cooking on Gas: preorder up, theme ready
Crowhill Club: all covers, themes, and titles done, characters created and romances/interpersonal relationships between books set up
Mystery project: cover design bought!!!, initial ideas on characters, plot, themes
Hydropower: Written to end of chapter 14
SUBSTACK:
Subscribers: free - 81, paid - 3 - Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Followers: 392
By the way, please like this post if you enjoyed it and would like to see more! This helps me decide what to do for future content.
XO Rhiannon
Deadlines: can't live with 'em, can't make money without 'em 😘