Last spring, I announced that the entire Mailboat Suspense Series is coming out in hardback, and I indicated that those hardbacks would arrive in summer of 2023.

Clearly, summer is now over—and the hardbacks are, in fact, not here yet. And obviously, you deserve an explanation.

The good news in all this: Those hardbacks are still on their way, with the interior formatting and page layout nearly finalized. Dust jackets still need to be designed and proof copies printed.

And now for that promised explanation…

So Many Events…

If you’ve been following my newsletter and socials, you know that my calendar has been packed with events.

In part, that’s because I now live in Southeast Wisconsin, right in the middle of my primary fan base, and it was one of my goals in moving here to spend more time face-to-face with my readers, old and new.

But in part—not gonna lie—that full calendar of events is also because the economy has been rough lately. We all know that inflation leapt at record rates, and while that rapid change is finally tapering off, we’re all figuring out this new world.

My busy event schedule has kept the lights on. But it also directly stole from time I could devote to preparing those hardbacks. 

I Spy, With My Little Eye…

In the midst of such a breakneck pace, I’m proud to say that those hardbacks are, in fact, nearing completion. But I sincerely apologize for the delay.

At this point, I think we can anticipate a holiday release for the Mailboat Suspense Series hardbacks. I’ll refrain from making a more firm promise than that, since I’m still maintaining a very busy schedule to stay ahead of those pesky expenses.

Once the interior design, jacket design, and proofing process are completed, I’ll be able to announce a more precise release date. Stay tuned!

How Can My Amazing Fans Help?

Because I have some of the most enthusiastic fans in the world, who genuinely care about my continued success, I’m sure this question is running through more than a few minds.

If that’s you—thank you! It’s true that the book business is a tenuous venture in the best of times—and these haven’t quite been the best of times.

In a nutshell, my faithful shipmates, your financial support directly correlates to me spending more time creating those hardbacks—not to mention writing my next book. I’m sure we’re all adjusting to the new normal, but the cool thing is that my business is built on an army of devotees, all of them chipping in just a little.

So, thank you to everyone who supports me—especially if you do so directly, either at my events, on my website, or at my partner stores, where li’l people like me feel that impact the most strongly.

If you’re interested in chipping in, you have lots of options:

• You’re welcome to place your pre-order for hardbacks now, and be the first to receive your copies when they come out. Just keep in mind that the release date is still a little squishy. I’ll do my best to keep you posted.

• You can introduce a friend to the Mailboat Suspense Series by purchasing a book for them via my website. I can autograph it to whomever you like, and Charles and I can ship it wherever you like!

• You can fuel my writing and my work on those hardback designs by buying me a latte. (Hot chai is my current go-to.) Watch my socials afterwards; I usually give a shout-out to whoever provided my liquid inspo for the evening!

• You can support multiple small businesses (not just mine!) when you walk into your favorite bookstore and ask for my books. If they don’t have it, they can order it for you. Here are some SE Wisconsin options:

~ The Cornerstone Shop, Lake Geneva
~ Dust Bunny Books, Lake Geneva
~ Blue House Books, Kenosha

• And if you REALLY want to be a hero, you can join me on Patreon. My Patrons get to go WAY behind the scenes with both me and the series. Right now, as I hammer out my plans for the next two books, the Patrons and I have been re-reading Mailboat I, and exploring the deep personal experiences that originally brought Bailey, Tommy, Ryan, and Monica into my head in the first place. According to the current Patrons… I’ve been blowing their minds. You can get a taste of the experience for yourself for free right here, and decide if you want to join us to get the full story.

Thank You!

The reality in all of this is that I’m extremely lucky. I’ve always heard of authors who had to pick up a “real job” when times were tough. But my books are popular enough that I can instead lean into making more book sales, or creating amazing experiences for my fans, such as my Patreon page.

So, thank you for loving my books that much. Thanks for that first day when you said “why not?” to one of my books and gave me a try—only to find out you were in love.

I decided when I was seven years old that I wanted to be an author when I grew up—and I can’t believe that I get to look back at three-foot-tall me and say, “You did it, kid.”

With your help, that dream remains my reality every single day. Thank you.

Happy sailing!

~ Danielle