I proved myself wrong
The Secret Library: Summer 2025. RevPit, Fantasy New Releases, and More Book Recs.
Front Desk
I proved myself wrong.
In the last volume of The Secret Library, I mentioned finishing the first draft of my third book. I also mentioned that I’d applied to RevPit (a revision contest run by editors) with zero expectations. My goal was to get an hour meeting with an editor as that happened in years past when I submitted one of my previous books.
Friend, I say this with absolute shock and humility.
My book was selected for RevPit.
I’ve experienced every emotion on the spectrum of joy and despair. I have cried. I have celebrated. I have contorted my brain in ways I truly never imagined.
My strengths as a writer lie in the sentences, the prose, the atmosphere. I’d say the emotion, too.
But oh my spirits, the plot needed to plot and it was not doing that.
I am eternally grateful to my editor, Jeni Chappelle, who saw potential in Etta and Sam.
But more so, she saw potential in me.
Without further ado, here is a little about my RevPit Project.
For fans of Rebecca Ross’ Divine Rivals, MYTH, MUSE, MAGICIAN (90,000 words New Adult fantasy) is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern meets Peaky Blinders and features 1920s-tinted grit and glamour; slow-burn, star-crossed romance; and a cut-throat crime war set against the backdrop of a stage magician’s competition.
Pitch: Star-crossed lovers—an anxious illusionist and a claustrophobic escape artist—enter a magic competition to win their freedom from their rival crime families.
Featuring:
1920s-tinted grit and glamour
Slow-burn, star-crossed romance
Mental health rep
Ancient generational secrets
Magical bootlegging
A dark-haired love interest with a devastatingly sharp jawline
Only one trunk
Full pitch and first pages are ready for viewing on the RevPit agent showcase website here (you don’t have to be an agent to read!)
Thank you so much for your encouraging notes, screams, and celebrations. This has truly been a highlight of my writing career thus far.
Some things take tears, some things take time. Often, they take both.
If you are stuck in the tears, and time isn’t moving fast enough, know that I’ve been where you are. I’m cheering for you and your dreams.
May you prove yourself wrong,
Nadine
From the Archives
Books I’ve read lately, that you should, too. Click on the image to go to each book’s GoodReads page.
The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche
“Ancient sorcery. Magic gemstones. Only one woman can save a city in ruins…”
This Historical Fantasy is based in 1348 Italy during the Black Plague, and follows banished Ginevra who can heal the sick with the hidden powers of gemstones. However, when the plague runs rampant, the same men who expelled Ginevra are begging for her return…
Features: historical fantasy; magical gemstones; magic with a price; religious and patriarchal undertones; conspiracies and more!
Behooved by M. Stevenson. “A charming slow-burn romantasy featuring a duty-bound noblewoman with a chronic illness, a prince who would rather be in a library than on a throne, and a magical ride through a world of cozy enchantment.”
This book had me grinning and laughing out loud. Also, he turns into a horse?! The banter, the wit, the romance! I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook narration and highly recommend if that is your preferred mode of reading. If you’re in the mood for a cozy romantasy with fractured fairytale vibes, pick up this book!
The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor.
“The New York Times bestselling author of Hotel Magnifique returns with another glittering dark fantasy about a deadly mystery that spans worlds and a teenage girl who must risk everything to uncover the truth.”
Featuring magical post offices and their mail carriers, this fantasy manages to be both dark and cozy, mysterious and sharp. Also, anything with an “infuriatingly handsome” MMC is made for me.
New to the Stacks
Upcoming Fantasy Books Releasing Summer 2025
Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race June 10, 2025
“The king has been appointed by god to marry six queens. Those six queens are all that stand between the kingdom of Elben and ruin. Or so we have been told.”
A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena June 10, 2025
“A debut fantasy romance filled with hope after heartbreak, secrets, and betrayal, as a dancer-turned-spy must decide how far she will go to secure her freedom.”
A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry June 17, 2025
“H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing is a standalone, portal fantasy where Jonathan Strange & Mr. NorrelI meets A Tale of Two Cities in a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution.”
A Magic Deep and Drowning by Hester Fox June 24, 2025
“Set in the waning days of the Dutch Golden Age, this enchanting, lush reimagining of The Little Mermaid is perfect for fans of Jesse Burton’s The Miniaturist and Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar.”
Embrace the Serpent by Sunya Mara June 24, 2025
“In this sweeping romantic fantasy, a dangerous deal binds a young jeweler's apprentice to the mysterious Serpent King in a marriage of convenience, thrusting her into a deadly game between the cunning, fearsome ruler and his rebellious huntsman. Perfect for fans of The Wrath & the Dawn and Once Upon a Broken Heart!”
A Treachery of Swans by A.B. Poranek June 24, 2025
“An enthralling sapphic retelling of Swan Lake, for fans of Allison Saft and V.E Schwab.
Magic has long been outlawed in Auréal . Odile has always known she’d be the one to restore it.”
The Gryphon King by Sara Omer July 8, 2025
“The first in a stunning Southwest Asian-inspired epic fantasy trilogy brimming with morally ambiguous characters, terrifying ghouls and deadly monsters.
Combining cut-throat dynastic politics with expansive worldbuilding and slow-burning romance, this book is perfect for fans of Godkiller and Samantha Shannon.”
The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw July 22, 2025
“A deeply dark academia novel from USA Today bestselling author Cassandra Khaw, perfect for fans of A Deadly Education and The Atlas Six who are hungry for something a little more diabolical.”
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang August 26, 2025
“Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.
The Tales of Arcana Fortune by Hafsa.A. Jawad August 30, 2025
“Seven nights, Seven Tales… Cursed to be trapped in a different fairytale each night, Serena must find a way through her trials all the while trying not to lose her life, her freedom, and her heart.”
Study Room
Writing resources for my fellow writers.
My natural storytelling process includes writing a zero draft. For those unfamiliar with the term, I basically open my laptop and just write with zero plan and discover the story as I go.
Although this is a beautiful and freeing experience, it is often messy and needs a large overhaul to ensure my plot, well, plots.
The first thing I did in this RevPit process was a reverse outline. My editor, Jeni Chappelle, has a plethora of resources on her website. One being a workshop for writing reverse outlines. This was an essential step in taking my story apart, identifying holes, and brainstorming how to create a deeper, richer story.
Jeni also has a plethora of coaching options as well as free resources for writers, including her developmental self-editing webinar.
Jeni met me where I was at, and rather than writing me an edit letter longer than my actual book, broke down the developmental edit process into digestible chunks. Though this was a challenging process (as writing any book is) Jeni was encouraging and empowered me as a writer to acknowledge my strengths while gaining skills in things I wasn’t quite versed in yet. She’s also just the kindest human, so you should find her on BlueSky and Instagram.
From my Personal Collection
Check out my pitch and first pages for the RevPit showcase!
Wishing you sunshine-filled picnics, cool breezes when you want them, and good books.
I’m a real person. If you’d like to talk about books and/or writing, reply to this email or leave a comment below.
Nadine
So incredibly pumped for you, Nadine! Very well deserved.
Congratulations Nadine!! I’m so happy for you ♥️