✨ The Bright Side: November News

Hello and Happy November!

I didn’t post on my birthday last week. I meant to, but I was in the middle of living it—family in town, good food, laughter, and the week was just FULL.

Between four classes to teach, multiple sessions to lead, parent-teacher conferences, a band concert, and Halloween, I never got to hit send. (It happens!)

I meant to be VERY mysterious for a big November 1 reveal, so since it’s here already, I’ll cut to the chase lol.

I’m beyond honored that The Wondrous Life and Loves of Nella Carter is part of Amazon First Reads this month, which means readers can download it early before it officially releases December 1.

And this morning, Booklist gave the book a starred review.🌟🌟🌟

The Wondrous Life and Loves of Nella Carter

Booklist

Reviewed by Maribeth Fisher

11/1/25

Collecting souls is really weighing on Death in 1780s Savannah.

With all the ways humans have found to kill each other, wouldn’t it be better to just wipe them all out at once? Then he meets Nella, a young, dying, enslaved woman who is determined to prove to Death that there is enough goodness in the world to redeem it. Intrigued, he offers her immortality if she uses it to seek out stories of goodness and report back to him. All she has to do is give up leaving a legacy, including having a family.

As centuries pass, she reinvents herself with new names in new places while writing about beauty and working to leave each stop better than she found it. Death visits her periodically, always certain that she will give in to despair. Nella finds love over and over, and with it the pain of knowing she can’t grow old with any of them—until the present day, when she finally finds someone that she can be completely honest with, who is worth risking everything for.

This debut is a testament to the strength of light in dark times, and the necessity of hope. Well-developed characters and a strong sense of place throughout history draw the reader in to the very end.

I’m beyond honored by all the energy and enthusiasm, especially as I’m on a deadline for the next one 😅 I did have time to take pictures, because look at what is under the hardback dust jacket!!! 🤗

I got edits back last week with questions that dig into character motivation, timeline questions, and world-building. One edit I made this time around was to clarify the project's goal before I get too far into the weeds. You can see more insight into the process in this TikTok.

I’m truly thinking about the reader experience and what they’d hope to get out of this project, especially since this will be the follow-up to my debut.

I’d like to say it’s a big, beautiful push to get the initial draft in by November 3rd, but it’s more a battle between my bed and the temptation of TikTok lol. I’ll get it done, because I always do, but after that… I’ll finally breathe, for at least two seconds, before I dive back into the cozy mystery.

I hadn’t expected the edits to come in, so I had to push my CapCut self-study class to November as well! I hope to share what I’ve learned and maybe in the future, have you follow along!

This upcoming week is much better with (hopefully) the book off my plate and slowing down as it’s November 1st, which means it’s Thanksgiving, which means it’s Christmas, so it’s basically New Year’s. I am looking forward to joining Write Now with Victoria Christopher Murray and getting more words down on this next cozy draft.

I’m intentionally carving out time to plan the week ahead during my weekly Sunday Action Hour.

If you’d like a way to plan your own week with focus and grace, I’m officially launching the Bold Bright Co. Sunday Strategy Sessions— a live, guided strategy session designed to help you align your energy with your biggest goals.

👉 Join the next Strategy Session - Sundays, from 2-3 pm CST/3-4 EST

Bring your coffee, your planner, and your vision, and we’ll walk away with a clear weekly plan and a calm sense of direction — the best way to start a week.

All the Best,

Bri