There’s a particular kind of restlessness that arrives in the days before a book release — a fizzing, humming energy that makes it almost impossible to settle. I’m living in that space right now. With the first book arriving this Friday, my mind keeps skittering between excitement, nerves, and the urge to reorganise my entire desk for no reason at all.

Because of that, The Continental Promise is having a tiny pause. Ilona, Henri, Eszter, and Albert are currently wandering the 1935 World’s Fair on their travels — safe, busy, and blissfully unaware that their author has temporarily abandoned them to pace the living room. They’ll be fine. They’re resourceful. And they’ll be waiting for me when my brain stops vibrating.

Meanwhile, The Lighthouse at Winter’s Edge has been finished for a few weeks now, though I’ve been doing that classic writer thing: nudging the ending, smoothing a line, shifting a breath here or there. I think I finally have it exactly where it needs to be. So this week is all about final checks and edits before I send it off. It’s been oddly comforting listening to Rose and Miles through the read‑aloud function — hearing their story spoken aloud gives me a different kind of clarity, like a second pair of eyes made of sound.

Writer’s Tip of the Day

If you ever feel unsure about spelling, punctuation, or rhythm, try using the read‑aloud feature. The voice will always betray a missing comma, a typo, or a sentence that’s secretly doing acrobatics. It’s an extra layer of editing that catches things your eyes glide past when you’re in full “word blind” mode.

So that’s today: a restless author, a nearly‑ready lighthouse, four characters enjoying the World’s Fair without me, and a countdown to Friday’s release. August feels like it’s holding its breath — in the best way.