New Year, New You! Just kidding. We know we're all here in this new year, growing each in our own small and large ways. We are not new; we are the same. However we will encounter a million possible changes, a million moments in which we make a decision, a million new ways of looking at the world, if we are open to them.

We are grateful that we're all the same(ish) because that means that we all are still here, together, in community around books, authors, and art. We really are grateful for all of you who take the time to read and expand. We’re especially grateful for all of you who take a moment to open this newsletter of sorts and read about what we and our authors and friends are up to. It's enough to melt the frost off the coldest winter morning.

Here's to all of us finding a new way of looking, or a different way of being that serves us and our communities, or a moment that gives us a glimpse of something possible that we didn't see before. If there's anything we can do for you, or to support you, in 2024, please reach out. We love to hear from you! Happy New Year!

Pro Tip:
Return to the Spark

At Denise Kiernan’s CRAFT this past weekend, a great question and a great answer reminded me of something that I think is really important for writers to remember: the initial spark that moved you to put words on paper.

For background, Denise was in conversation with Rachel Hawkins, whose latest book is The Heiress. Stephanie Perkins, another beloved local Asheville author asked about how these women engage with joy in their craft, and what they do when the joy isn’t there. Great question, right?

Denise spoke about how her current project had her in the throes of joylessness last month and what she did to pull herself out. First, she set aside her writing schedule for a moment to allow herself time to remember what it was that started her on the project in the first place and just write about that. Write about it in any way, for any amount of time, without the pressure of needing it to go in the book.

I love this idea and in our Literary Ecosystem class that we’ve taught over the years, this is something we’ve asked our students to examine when they talk about their work. What got you excited is likely to get someone else excited. Your excitement alone can be catching. And when you are deep in the weeds of a draft or getting ready to share your book that you are super tired of thinking about with the world, the spark can be a magic touchpoint.

So, dear writers, I encourage you to take a moment and think about what it is that got your fingers flying in the first place. Maybe write about it. Or make yourself a Pinterest board or playlist (both things that the fabulous Rachel Hawkins does). Make sure that you can reconnect with that feeling when the cloud is overhead.

(If you weren’t in Asheville at Little Jumbo this weekend, you may get to see video of this great conversation on Denise’s YouTube channel. For now, you can see a number of conversations from the series there. To see what she has coming up, here’s the official CRAFT page.)

– Lauren

Ins & Outs for 2024

Ins for 2024
Building community
Lifting others up
Making goals, not resolutions
Giving grace to ourselves and to others
Reading that book your friend recommended to you
Participating in a bookstore reading challenge
Shopping at your local indie and getting your indie bookseller’s recs
Buying a book from an unknown, un-hyped writer

Outs for 2024
Hustle culture and burning the candle at both ends
People or things that suck up your time
Being dehydrated
Mindless scrolling
Judging other people’s reading choices
Saying audiobooks aren’t real books
Buying a book because an algorithm told you to

GLL in the Community

Lauren was just recently on the Charlotte Readers Podcast. She had a blast chatting with Sarah, Hannah, and Landis about strategies to promote your writing in 2024. Be sure to check her episode out!

Lauren Harr on the Charlotte Reader’s Podcast

Caroline and Lauren have taken their Literary Ecosystem course on the road, and can’t wait to host a new session of the course with The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, NY. This four week course is available to you no matter where you’re located since all sessions are on Zoom! Find out more information about the class at the link and register before it starts on February 12th.

The Literary Ecosystem course via The Center for Fiction

New Faces & Books

A new year means new authors we get to work with! We’re happy to welcome clients new and old back to the Gold Leaf family.

C.L.Willis
Hillbilly Odyssey: Resilience in a Small Mountain Mill Town

January 4, 2024

Shannon Hitchcock
Of Words & Water: The Story of Wilma Dykeman—Writer, Historian, Environmentalist

April 16, 2024

Dale Neal
Kings of Coweetsee

July 23, 2024

Andrew K. Clark
Where Dark Things Grow

September 10, 2024

Look for more announcements in our next newsletter! Booksellers, reviewers, and others interested in early copies of these books, please be in touch.

To Read this Winter

We’re excited every time a client’s book comes out and this winter is no exception!

Christopher Brookhouse releases his latest novel this month. We’re so excited that How It Was is available for you to read this winter!

And Sarah Mughal Rana debuts this February with her Young Adult novel, Hope Ablaze. We’re thrilled for her and can’t wait for this powerful story to be in the hands of readers everywhere.

How It Was
by Christopher Brookhouse

Read more about How It Was and Christopher Brookhouse’s writing process here!

January 23, 2024

Hope Ablaze
by Sarah Mughal Rana

“Fierce, poignant, and brimming with hope, Sarah Mughal Rana has woven a powerful tale about a poet standing up against injustice. Hope Ablaze is an unforgettable book.” — June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace

February 27, 2024