A Year Ending - Brings New Beginnings
or my sincerest welcome to everyone here to stay
Hello Readers!
First, I want to welcome the hundreds of new subscribers to my new home. For many this won’t be that big a deal. Just think of it as a move that will bring you even more content from me on a weekly basis. You likely have already experienced the multiple emails I send each week. If you would rather not be bothered so often, I hear you! The last thing I want is to bother you more than you expected, especially as many newcomers may be accustomed to my once a month email updates. Feel free to opt-out of any emails you don’t want to receive. Just below my header where it says my name in cursive, Erica Drayton, is a clickable link that will take you to a page to show you exactly how you can change the frequency of emails you receive from me.
In the meantime, this email, normally delivered on the 1st of every month, is coming 10 days late because I didn’t want to overload your inbox on 10/1 with a bunch of emails from me. Hopefully this will be the last out-of-cycle email you’ll get from me this year.
Aside from having so many wonderful new subscribers, I want to remind you all that I my Friday Fiction 2.0 short stories continue through mid-December and are doing really well! Read by hundreds of you as well as outsiders, I’m so thrilled to have such a great reception for them. I even tested out an idea to let you decide how the story ends! I may introduce that again in a future short.
The Friday Fiction Podcast will be making a comeback. The last episode was in May 2020! So long ago yet it feels like it was only yesterday. Before I get too large of a backlog with my stories I want to get going with recording all of them. My goal will be to release at least two from each month via Anchor where you can find the major podcast platforms/apps to subscribe if you aren’t already. Listen to me read my own short stories aloud! More to come on how you can access every single audio recording.
May your October month be filled with wonderful stories read and outings enjoyed! I’m looking forward to the change in colors on the trees. All those autumnal colors. But some other highlights I’ll be enjoying this October:
Week-long vacation! Don’t know where I’m going, but know it will be amazing time spent with my family.
Reading Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Writing Act I of my serialized fantasy novel
Canadian Thanksgiving
Mental Health Awareness Day
All Hallows Eve
Halloween Day ←Have a costume picked out yet?
How will you be spending your October? Let me know in the comments:
Best of 100-Word Story
Did you know I “secretly” write 100-word stories that don’t get emailed to you but can be found on my Substack page? There is no set schedule when I write them. They can drop at any time! Below is my favorite from last month:
It was meant to be a Summer house, where family gathered to remember good times. But in the Winters it remained empty. There should be no laughter from children or talk of good times from adults.
Winter was for sadness and silence. The season that always takes, leaving behind no mercy in its chilling wake. The wailing of souls but no one ever listened.
All year long they wait for a sound. A chance to be set free into the Summer sun, and inhabit the laughter from unsuspecting youth.
It is Winter still but in the distance a child laughs.
006 - 9/29/2021
SERIES RECOMMENDATION
You’ve gotta check out Garrett Robinson. Long-time friend of mine and all around amazing guy. He’s looking to expand what fantasy can be by including LGBTQ+ characters in all of his books. He's bringing a voice to a genre that needs it. So, if you’re in the mood for gay love and kick ass fantasy adventures? He has a brand new series in a world of his creation: Underrealm (Available on Kindle and Hardcover)
WORTH THE WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEO
Looking for great fiction fantasy & scifi books:
Tap that heart if you like what you just read. Want to leave a comment? Click below the talking head. Or if you just want to share my work with your friends, click below the mailbox. Thanks!
I look forward to all your emails each week. There's always goodness in each one.
My bday is Halloween!! Probably traveling to see the parents for a week or so. Should be a good time. Great post! Excited to see the new format and schedule. Best of luck, Erica!