Millie Abecassis

Though I don’t have any bar joke to tell (sorry for setting false expectations), I do have a lot to share about what I accomplished so far in 2024 (besides signing two book deals) (yeah, I’ve been busy).

I wrote a novel

First, I’m happy to share that I wrote a new book, and this time it’s a full-length novel. Those of you following me on social media may have heard of A Legacy of Blood and Bones, a historical fantasy set in France that has been living rent-free in my head since mid-2022. After months of brainstorming and note taking, I wrote the outline in January, and started writing the actual thing. Six months later, I had a beautiful manuscript ready for self-editing and beta-reading.

After getting some feedback on the book and the query package from my spouse, my local writers’ meetup group, and online writer friends, I put the final touches on the manuscript and started querying agents. So far, I’ve had two full requests from amazing agents, and my query is sitting in too many maybe piles for me to remain calm. I really hope this novel will catch the eyes of an agent. It’s been my most ambitious project since I began writing and it took over two years of my life. So, if you’re reading this, please cross all your fingers for me and A Legacy of Blood and Bones.

I launched a pitch event

In February, I decided I wasn’t busy enough writing A Legacy of Blood and Bones (/s) and decided to launch a new pitch event: #SmallPitch, the big pitch event for small presses. Come on, it was too catchy not to actually do it.

I won’t go into great details, as you can simply check out the event’s website at smallpitch.org and learn everything about the event, its participants, success stories, and the two writers who joined me earlier this month to take #SmallPitch to the next level.

And co-launched a book award

You thought launching a pitch event would be enough for me this year? Que nenni, I joined L. N. Holmes and her Small Spec Book Awards project a few months ago, and we just launched it.

Similarly to #SmallPitch, if you’re curious to learn more about this new book award, check out the website!

Next?

Soon will come edits and consequent launches of my forthcoming novellas. I don’t have more specific news to share right now, but hope to have more soon. Don’t forget that you can join my newsletter to receive all my book updates directly into your inbox.

And of course, I have more book projects living rent-free in my head: The Library of the Dead, a high fantasy novel or novella (I don’t know yet) inspired by Le Guin’s The Tombs of Atuan, and The Seventh Sister, a (loose?) retelling of Snow White which is only a vague idea in my mind at this point, but that may very well highjack it and decide to be written before The Library of the Dead.

Thank you for reading!