Surprise! I Wrote Another Book (On a Cruise Ship)
Ciaran Blumenfeld
Hello magical friends!
TL;DR
Surprise!
I wrote another book in the Primrose Court Universe. Get ready to enjoy the cheesiest holiday romance ever. It's The Love Boat x The Grinch, with magic, served to you on a charcuterie platter.
My Two-Week Hiatus Explained
Today's newsletter comes after a two-week break. There are a couple of reasons for the hiatus.
First: I needed to take a breather after the release of The Magpie Oracle of Sense and Serendipity, so I went on a delightful do-nothing cruise to relax. No driving carpools. No "what's for dinner tonight?" and no "Did you remember to rotate the laundry?" In other words, heaven!
We didn't even have to fly to catch the boat. We cruised out of LA, just about 45 minutes from home. As far as the itinerary - it was a classic "Love Boat" tour through the West Coast's Mexican Riviera. We were on the Princess line and I kept expecting to run into Doc, Gopher and Isaac the whole time.
When we ported in Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, the ship's horn even played the old TV show theme. Apologies if you have that theme stuck in your head now. Eight-year-old me got such a thrill when I heard it! All those Saturday night reruns (followed by Fantasy Island) that I stayed up late and snuck into my parents' room to watch shaped me. They cemented my love of slapstick comedy and romantic plots. I'd like to credit Shakespeare as an early influence, but the truth is, it was really Aaron Spelling.
The cruise was great. Except as someone who doesn't drink much, watch sports, gamble or bake in the sun I very quickly got bored.
The Problem with Doing Nothing
It turns out I'm terrible at sitting still and doing nothing. And so are my characters from Primrose Court. They've taken up residence in my head and are just as diligent about messaging me and pleading for more stories as some of you are.
They kept interrupting my planned rest and reading time, forcing me to put the kindle down and pick up a pen to make notes.
I'd had some ideas percolating. Nothing official but I knew I wanted to write a spin off series of shorter, simpler (and more humorous) cozy fantasy novellas set in the same world as the Natural Magic series. This was planned. I'd already drafted half a story about Minerva and Zephyr, off on a Holiday cheese tour through Europe. I though it was for next year...
But there I was on the "Love Boat" with static in my brain, thinking about love and cheese and the upcoming holidays and... BOOM.
I can't remember much else of what happened on the cruise, but I promise you I still slept and ate well, when I wasn't writing.
By the time it was over, I had finished the novella and begun to edit. And by the time it was finished being edited, it became a full-on book.
Disclaimer: I did not get off at a single port. I just sat on the deck dreaming, writing, snickering to myself and editing. All week long.
Do you Brie-lieve in Magic?
Some books I struggle with. Some books feel like they're being dictated by the characters—half gift from the universe, half creative fever dream. When that happens, I feel more like a court stenographer than an author. It's almost hard to keep up with the flow!
This book, the first of the "Primrose Tales" series, is a spin-off from the Natural Magic series. The books in this new series will be a little shorter, simpler, and frankly sillier than the core trilogy.
I'm finding that I need more levity, nostalgia, and love in my life these days, and if you hunger for the same, Holiday Cheese and Capers will really hit the spot.
Note: You won't have to wait long to get it. This book hits the stands on 11/11—an auspicious date for love, cheese, and magic. I'll be back with a quick update when the preorder is done, and if you are a member of my Street Team, watch your boxes. The ARCs will be sent out by the end of this week.
Content Warning: This book contains no explicit language or graphic content, but it does contain groan-worthy puns. A lot of them. Curd is the word, friends.
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