Author Life Lately

Where Did Q1 Go?

Believe it or not, I have written multiple Substack articles since my last post in January…but never posted them. Let’s see if I can’t get back on track in the second quarter of 2025. 😊

First up—let’s address the elephant in the room. (Okay, it might just be my elephant…there are like a million other important things going on and a million more elephants.)

I dropped my pseudonym.

Olivia Day Wallace is no more. (For now. Never say never)

I’ve been thinking about it and talking about it privately with friends for a while. When I started this thing, I honestly thought I would have quit by now. That I’d be focused on doing the daily corporate grind and think fondly back on that I wanted to write a book and follow a dream.

Turns out, three years later, I’m still here. And I’m in this thing. I don’t plan to go back to corporate work which means I have to make a permanent source of income...which means I probably need to bring my work history and experience with me. It was too confusing with two name and I’m nowhere near getting a book published. If I need a pseudonym, I’ve got one ready to go, but moving forward it’s the real me!

Hi! I’m Sabrina Thatcher.

(I can’t even tell you how scary that sentence was to write.)

Moving on to the writing.

I’m still working on the same WIP I’ve been working on since July. Part of me is frustrated—shouldn’t I be faster than this? And the other part of me is playing Brandon Sanderson on repeat: When starting, your job is to aggressively find your process. I’m still at this stage and that’s okay.

And boy howdy, have I been learning. Some upcoming articles will feature elements of writing and publishing I’ve been playing with; choosing comps, title names, synopsis vs back cover copy vs pitch, and character development. A LOT of pitfalls. A few successes. And a ton of growth.

I’m on my fifth draft of this book (I think) and aside from one or two major elements, the story is completely different than when I started it. And I love it.

That was also super scary to write. Allowing myself to really like my work and own that…I’m physically cringing over here. What if I let myself truly love it and then when people read it, they tear it apart? Can my heart (and ego) really handle that? The answer is: if I want to make it in publishing, then yes. And it will suck.

For the first time in a while, I’m excited to get to my desk in the mornings and dive back into my fictional world of horrible people doing horrible things and dealing with the horrible consequences.

I’m pitching this book at ThrillerFest in June this year. I want nothing more than to be able to send a polished manuscript to agents the evening of PitchFest. Strike while the iron is hot. (I’ve learned that this is not a requirement for pitching and highly encourage authors who want to be traditionally published to pitch, even if the book isn’t polished yet, though be aware that agents differ in their preferences.)

I’d intended on a little self-isolation writing retreat last month, but ended up super sick that week, so I’m trying again next week. I can’t wait to spend a few days fully immersed in this world without interruption. Fingers crossed the Universe lets me.

Reading Lately

Note: I am not compensated for any links

Reading took a back seat the last few months and I missed it terribly. Luckily there have been a few stands out since picking it up again.

BEAUTIFUL UGLY by Alice Feeney – I had the chance to meet her at The Poisoned Pen in January and my book club read her latest in February. Feeney’s latest is another fun escape with husbands and wives doing a lot of messed up things to each other—this time on a remote island in Scotland. While I predicted two of the twists, one I did not and it had me gasping. I freaking love a good twist.

THE BUTCHER GAME by Alaina Urquhart – the sequel to The Butcher & the Wren about a medical examiner with a secret…she’s the only surviving victim of a serial killer who has returned to kill again. My library classifies these as Thriller/Horror and honestly…this is my jam. If I had to pick only one sub-genre, this would be it. Dark, gritty, psychological and physical violence, a heroine I can get behind and a villain who chills me to the bone. If you like Chris Carter, Nadine Matheson, or Sam Holland—you’re in for a treat with Alaina Urquhart.

I’ve also been working on my NetGalley shelf. After a lot of trial and error, I’ve found that I prefer to listen to audiobooks for pleasure, so I’m being more diligent about what I request.

I recently finished DON’T TELL ME HOW TO DIE by Marshall Karp. Fabulous. Highly recommend. I think it’s better to go in with few details. Like Space Mountain, go in blind and enjoy the ride.

Finally, I’m reading a non-thriller (GASP!).

AT THE ISLAND’S EDGE by CI Jerez is a contemporary fiction set in Puerto Rico about an Iraq War veteran who returns to her home island to reconnect with herself, take care of her child living with Tourette’s, and learn to manage her PTSD. It released this week on 3/18 on Kindle Unlimited. Grab it and get lost in the beauty of this island and this story.

I’ll be back next week (I WILL, I WILL, I WILL) with more updates, writing food for thought, and reading recommendations.

What have you been reading lately? Give me all the recommendations!