I've been birthing a book!

There are times in a writer’s life when you simply have to burrow in and get ’er done. That was my summer, in a nutshell. Read on for the longer version.

First and foremost was my dedication to the myriad tasks involved with getting Crafting Story Movement ready for its release next week—and, due to unforeseen problems, cutting it way closer to deadline than my nervous system could handle.

Or was that secondly and second-most? Because health comes first, right? Without it, we have much less to give. My body demanded that I deal with the inflammation in my knees this summer, so I had arthroscopic surgery on the left in July and the right in August.

Thirdly—yes, there was a thirdly—what is the point of releasing a book if no one knows about it? The elaborate launch plan I’d devised was no longer doable so I scaled down and tackled a few marketing efforts wherever I could wedge them in. But energetically, those last-minute efforts to ensure that word got out were like tapping the tiny bottom of a near-empty bottle of hot sauce and hoping that no one noticed it had lost its zip.

Suffice to say the summer did not unfold as I would have chosen. But oddly, all energies aligned. My friend Donna was able to come stay with me and help with meals once Dave had to head back to PA for the school year. As for my inability to ambulate, taking my book to a finish line I could be proud of required that I sit in one place from 5:30 am to 5:30 pm each day anyway, and my sister had just donated her super-comfy couch to my summer home, so in between short bouts of PT exercises, on it I sat!

When I got back to Pennsylvania two weeks ago, there was a package waiting for me. I knew it contained the fruit of my labors. But by the time my husband and I unpacked the car from my four-month stay in Northern New York State and I hobbled up the stairs, I was too tired to open it! But at 4:30 the next morning? I was rarin’ to go…

I can now truthfully report that this book is a beauty. It looks really big here but I assure you, it’s a typical 6 x 9” size. The increased size is phone-camera perspective, no doubt. Or is it my perspective? It truly is a very BIG deal to me!

Last night, Dave and I celebrated 25 years of marriage, so he knows all about that “burrowing in” syndrome, and why I needed several weeks at the lake to finish what I’d started. I think he’s proud that I somehow pulled this off.

I’ll write again on Tuesday—release day!—with buy links and more about what the book means to me. But before I sign off, I have to tell you why October 1 has special meaning for me. I’m gearing up for 2026!

If you’ve started a novel, and:

• you want craft lessons you can immediately apply and examples you can emulate,

• you’d benefit from page reviews every six weeks to ensure your project stays on track,

• you seek social accountability, and

• you could use one-on-one phone support from an experienced developmental editor,

then this small group mentorship may be for you. In the eight years since I started this program, I’ve worked with writers starting their very first novel to published novelists working on their fifth. Whether they were just starting to accumulate word count or shaping up a later draft, here’s what these writers had in common: They sensed that their story still had secrets to unearth. They wonder if maybe it could be told more effectively. They don’t want to stop working on the story until it moves their reader.

Participant Nicole C. wrote of the course, “Kathryn provides the tools to move a novel forward with knowledge, care for her craft, and frankly, a good dose of fun.” The 2026 cohort will benefit from the perspective I gained by writing my book about story movement.

*Despite the fact that the price of living is rising disproportionately to incomes, I have not raised the price of this program. You can read more about Your Novel Year at my website, or click here if you want to go straight to the brochure. Applications are considered on a first come, first served basis until the class is filled to no more than six people.

Until next week,

Kathryn

P.S. Want to sample some ideas from the book? Check out these blog posts:

Writers in the Storm: 5 Ways to Manage Reader Expectations

Career Authors: 3 Story Movement Techniques to Propel Your Plot