Inside:

Brief chit-cat

Oops, Season three of Shantyman is here!

Other writing updates

Art things

Reading Recommendations

August(ish) Thoughts

Look. I know it’s September. But I didn’t send a newsletter out in August so there’s kind of a lot swirling around in my brain. There are so many exciting things below, though, so I’ll be brief:

This is the best season. I will read your arguments, but you will not convince me otherwise. Harvests are ready. Abundance is all around is. Leaves are starting to change. You won’t be sweaty outside—If that bothered you. I tend just jump in a body of water. Or just stick my toesies in. Which is still an option in autumn and it’s not a polar plunge. It’s like all the best things about summer but cozier. Summer, but with sweater weather. It makes me miss Alaska and cold beaches and mist. But even here in the 406, this girl is an autumn girl.

✨🎻⛵️🌊Shantyman Season 3!!!🌊⛵️🎻✨

Soooooo….if you’ve been around for more than a minute, you already received an update from me this week. Sorry about that! I scheduled it and was like “I’ll remember to send out a warning in a newsletter first.” Nope.

Normally, I’m pretty committed to not sending newsletters more than once a month. (Or less. See above. 😆) We all have enough in our inboxes already! You don’t need me rattling on every week, all year long.

But this is an exception.
The Shantyman is my serial fiction. It releases in seasons of just six episodes, one a week for six weeks. Wednesdays, this time around. It was a silly little idea, but three quarters of you (hundreds!) joined us during the first two seasons, so I must not be the only one who enjoys it! Here’s what it’s about:

It’s the mid 18th century—the age of sail.
The most unnecessary crew member, the shantyman, turns out to be one of the most valuable and trustworthy pieces in an international plot.
Oh, and his music tends to make miracles and magic happen.

It’s basically historical magical realism. So, almost everything is pretty historically accurate. (Though, I’ll admit, some of the shanties are anachronistic. I tried.) But here and there, I push the boundaries of reality and plausibility with how powerful music can be.

If you’re a musician, you might understand that feeling of falling in sync with everyone on stage, as if there is something connecting you, some mode of communication unrecognized my most of mankind. That magic tends to calm crews, move mountains and…well we’ll see what else.

You can catch up on old episodes by tapping the Shantyman tab at the top of my substack. Sorry things are a little clunkier on mobile. Here are the first episodes of all three seasons to help you navigate.

If you don’t like magical stories about sweet middle aged fiddlers who want to save the world, there is a link on every episode to help you unsubscribe to just the shantyman section:)

In other writing news…and a question for you!

The muse is finally musing! I’ve had more inspiration this month that I have since Endling was published! I’ve written two short stories, had a book idea (or maybe something shorter—I'm playing with it) and fresh revelations for rewriting my Selkie novel. (Remember that? Years ago?)

I’m excited to be scribbling notes on every napkin and scrap paper and app available to me. But I still don’t know how to go about regular life with three worlds, a few poetic (or possibly hideous) sentences, seven characters and complete juv fantasy novel rolling around in my head. If When you find my house in less than perfect state, maybe you’ll understand my daily struggle. 😆

Something else I've kept a mental file folder for is an Endling prequel. People (plural. what?!) have asked for a sequel. The nature of the story (last man on earth and all) doesn’t lend well to a sequel. But there is much room for a prequel. If you’ve read it, you probably wondered BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE PEOPLE?!!!!

And I feel that. In fact, I wrote a chapter that explained it. But it didn’t serve the story well, so it was a unanimous NIX IT from all editorial, critique, and beta readers. But now, after the fact, is that something you want to read? If we want a whole novella/novel, it could also include some origin plot lines for Franky and Raina and their [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS]. Do I have your attention yet? Yeah, everyone loves those two.

Really quick, hit reply and tell me if you want to read that story. And please, tell me if really don’t care to hear that story. (This is just as helpful so I don’t waste my time!)

Brief Art Updates

I did several commissions this summer and I have to say a huge THANK YOU for supporting this mediocre human artist instead of using AI, which feels free but rather costs us all dearly in the long run.

I updated my shop with several new prints, most just little 5x7s. I love these in gallery walls or minimal spaces. Here are a few. Go to my shop to see them all.

One hour(ish) illustrations

And just to remind you, I offer a quick draw option on my website. So if you want a couple of doodles for your blog post etc and don’t want to use AI, you can pay me a mere trifle to do it instead:)

How to be a rebel for real creativity:

Grab the Quick Draw option off my website,

use them with attribution as many times as you want,

and stick it to the Computer Rendered Artificial Pictures (CRAP) out there:)

Recent ReadsThese posts sometimes contain affiliate links. If you tap and shop, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you:)

The silver lining about getting a really stupid cold the second week of school, was that I had time to read a whole bunch of stuff on my TBR/library loan shelf.

Currently Reading:

A lot of school books - The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald is a noteworthy one. Galahad and the Grail by Malcolm Guite is another.

Against the Machine by Paul Kingsnorth After I posted about this before, a super kind reader used the “buy me a drink” button at the bottom to send me enough for my own copy (and a round of drinks:). Thank you so so much. I’m writing all over it. I think it’s shaping up to be one of the most valuable books published in a decade.

Recently Finished Book Reviews/Ratings:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Hail Mariam by Huda Al-Marashi - There is too much I love about this book to include it here. It’s packed full of cultural understanding, hard things, and authenticity. Please see my Goodreads review. This is officially required as a school ‘free read’ for my children.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Heart Be At Peace by Donal Ryan* - this was a random grab at the bookmobile. I should really ban myself from going if I want to get through my actual To Be Read shelf, but I love my bookmobile lady become friend way too much. 😘 Anyways, I thought I was going to hate it, kept reading, and the last chapter totally redeemed it. Such a good de-romanticized look at Ireland. *This is not squeaky clean, for good reason. But just to be clear, I’m not recommending this to your teens or even you if crime, drugs, sexual references, and etc are on your list of don’ts.:)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Tolkien, A Biography Learned things. Biographies are biographies. It wasn’t terrible, so that’s cool. I enjoyed that Tolkien felt human for the first time. And, dare I say, it gave hope to this fellow mortal author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️Mad Sisters of Esi by Tashan Mehta - another bookmobile borrow. I grabbed it because one of the stores I’ve been teasing out has a similar feel/world. In fact, I’d give the world-building five stars. But the plot was slow to non-existent (even for someone who enjoys literary and things like Moby Dick). Was it a cultural difference? The fact that I didn’t grow up with sisters? I don’t know. Two and a half stars rounded up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️Ahsoka by EK Johnston - I’ll be honest, I bought this because it’s next to my book’s spot on the Barnes & Noble shelf. Maybe you saw my reel, but I’ve been finding my spot on the shelf whenever I go to bookstores for years. So I’ve touched this book like a hundred times. I finally decided to read it for space girl summer (see the amazing ).

It was decent. I thought the author did a good job weaving in familiar Star Wars canon. Content-wise, there’s some subtle same-sex attraction from a side character. And references trafficking sentient beings and un-aliving children from the canon, but that’s not new if you’re at all familiar with Star Wars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini - Yes, of Eragon fame. Please excuse my audacity when I say I would have rated it even lower, but I need to try again with more realistic expectations. The cover and blurb had me expecting ethereal, dark, enchanting and yes, adventurous. It’s a halo campaign. Unenchanting. Shallow. But yes, adventurous. It made me angry. I will return it to the library and (maybe) try again some other time.

Phew! That was a very productive sick week:)
Be sure to hit reply or comment below if you have thoughts (/arguments:D) or reading recommendations!

Bheannachtaí, mo chara (blessings, my friend)

And joyful adventuring, literary & otherwise,

Elicia Johnson

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I’m a words of affirmation person, comments are welcome! As an alternative, you can buy me a coffee, tea, or pint using the button👆🏻. Sláinte! If you were forwarded this newsletter or stumbled upon it on Substack, be sure you’re subscribed here.👇🏻