Downtime, dream editions & a series that made me want to move to Kentucky
NEWSLETTERSBOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
9/7/20264 min read
Hi friends 🧡
You know that moment after you send a really important email and you're just… sitting there? Staring at your inbox? Wondering if you should refresh or go outside or reorganize your entire apartment?
That's basically been my life since I sent Book 2 off to my editor Sam 😅
I tried to use the downtime wisely... Working out, resting, getting my head right for the mountain of edits I know is coming my way. I even updated my website! But let's be honest, most of my "resting" turned into reading four books in a row and calling it self-care. Which, honestly? It is 😌✨ I'll tell you more about that in a little bit.
🔥 Kickstarter dreams (and shipping nightmares)
Can we talk about Kickstarter for a second? Because I've been deep in it lately and I have feelings 😍
If you're not familiar with how it works—Kickstarter is basically a marketplace for things that don't exist yet. A creator (like an author) shows you what they want to make, sets a funding goal, and you can pledge to buy it. The campaign runs for about three weeks, and if it reaches the goal, everyone gets charged and the creator brings their vision to life (and a few months later you get the product you paid for). If it doesn't fund, no one pays anything. It's such a cool way to support creatives, and I love being part of it.
One day, I want to do a Kickstarter for Promised to the Pyre. I'm talking a deluxe special edition with sprayed edges, reversible dust jacket, character art, and all the bells and whistles 🔥 We're not quite there yet (and I'm currently in a staring contest with international shipping prices from Sweden… $20 shipping? I wouldn't want to pay that either 😅), but it's a dream I'm actively working toward.
In the meantime, I've been admiring other authors' gorgeous campaigns, and last week I pledged to one I have to tell you about; S.J. Barnett's third Kickstarter. Each campaign she does just keeps getting more and more stunning, and her romantasy series Grayshell Rising is chef's kiss. It features intertwined standalone romances with an overarching fantasy plot, and by book 4 the stakes are SO HIGH I don't know what to do with myself. If you're curious, definitely check it out, you won't regret it 🧡
Here's a link to her kickstarter 😍
(Quick note: to pledge on Kickstarter you do need a Kickstarter account, but it's super easy to set up. I've never had any issues!)
(Quick note 2: I do not get anything for recommending Sydne's kickstarter. I'm doing it because I love her books and enjoy seeing her succeed)
📚 Book recs — the When in Rome series by Sarah Adams
I need to talk about this series because it has completely taken over my life and I'm not even sorry 😍
The When in Rome series is SO cozy and cute, and it's set in this small town in Kentucky that made me want to book a flight (I've never been, and I think it's about time).
When in Rome, is about Amelia, a pop star who's obsessed with Audrey Hepburn and runs away from her life for a bit, only for her car to break down in Noah's front yard in Rome Kentucky. You can guess what happens next 😏
Book 2, Practice Makes Perfect, is my favorite so far. Noah's youngest sister, the shy, timid one, starts fake dating Amelia's tattooed, intimidating bodyguard. I don't know what it is about fake dating (not to mention sexy pirates) that keeps getting to me… IYKYK 😇
Book 3, Beg, Borrow, or Steal, is an enemies-to-lovers (light version) where the oldest sister Emily's nemesis since the first day of college moves back into town... Let me tell you a secret, they're both writers, and there was something in my little writer heart that absolutely melted at that 🥹
I'm currently halfway through Book 4, In Your Dreams, where Noah's best friend and neighbor employs Madison (the whirlwind of the sibling group) as the head chef of his restaurant, a restaurant he literally just made up, all as a ruse to get her to move back home. Did I mention he's been in love with her for years? I can't put it down, there's a big chance I'll finish it within the next 24 hours 😍
If you love cozy small-town romance with found family vibes (though these are actual family... haha), this series is calling your name.
That's all from me for now! I'm going to go refresh my inbox one more time and then pretend I'm being patient 😅
I'd love to hear from you. Have you ever backed a Kickstarter? Or is it something you've been curious about? And if you've read the When in Rome series, who's your favorite sibling? Hit reply and let me know 💛
With bookish love 🖤
Vendy
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© 2026 Vendy Emberfield. All rights reserved.
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