Haint Bluesletter - April/May 2023
Hi friends,
I'm sending this month's newsletter just in time for April's departure and May's arrival. As many of you know, I just recently (FINALLY) finished my first nonfiction book that I've been talking about here and there for, oh, 2.5 years.
Getting that mammoth of a tome polished and ready for Griz (my friend and editor) to review has taken all of my spare time. As such, I still haven't returned to a regular posting schedule on social media yet, my roots are silver, and my floors are appalling. However, the family and dogs are fed and my houseplants are watered, so I don't feel entirely guilty for dedicating so much time to this book.
As for details about the book, here's what I can share with you right now:
The book is a resource for every writer.
The topic is magical.
It's FULL of stories, activities, and exercises.
I'm submitting it for traditional publishing in August.
I'm asking for prayers, kind thoughts, and all the positive energy you can send in the book's direction as I begin my querying process.
That's all I can say for now; however, stay tuned for PLENTY of Easter eggs dropped here and there on my blog and social media in the coming months!
Now that the book is in safe hands, I plan on spending the entire month of May traveling and sorting through the TONS of research I've been collecting over the past couple of years for my next fiction project. This new project will be a 6-book series of Southern Gothic literary fiction. I will also be querying it, but I'm excited to share tidbits and doodads about my endeavors as I move through the writing process. All that said, my next Haint Bluesletter will go out in June, and it will be packed with musings from my travels.
As for this month's newsletter, here's what's inside:
In case you missed it! My thoughts about reclaiming curious characters...
Throughout: I hope you enjoy by updated brand colors and icons! Pardon my progress, though, because I am still switching things around on the website and social media.
Who are the most curious characters in your life?
In this Instagram post, I examine my outlook on reclaiming how I feel about being from the South, and what I've learned from the "characters" in my life.
The family and I went to our little local carnival earlier this month. Pictured in our group, from left: My nephew, Desmond, my youngest, Devan, my love Shederal (who hates to have his picture made), my eldest with the haint blue eyes, Jalan, and me!
Every year in the spring, Shederal and I go to the Renaissance Festival. We looooove it. These are a few pics of this year's trip. And, yes, y'all... I FOUND HIM! (If you know this reference, you're alright in my book.)
Here are a few flora and fauna from my yard, office, and the park where I walk. Remember last month when I shared the photos of that wild thistle? It's now shedding its seeds, like a tall dandelion.
New writer resources coming soon!
Brand new blog schedule and posts coming soon!
Pardon my progress, y'all, as I'm giving my brand and website a little nip and tuck! Click the button below to explore my website.
In her more than thirty years as a storyteller and visual designer, Amanda “Mandy” Hughes has written and designed over a dozen works of literary, Southern Gothic, and women’s fiction under pen names A. Lee Hughes and Mandy Lee.
Mandy is the founder of Haint Blue Creative®, a space for readers and storytellers to explore, learn, and create. She holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Psychology, and she has worked as an instructional designer for nearly twenty years.
When she’s not writing fiction, Mandy enjoys the movies, theater, music, traveling, nature walks, birdwatching, and binging The Office. She is a tarot enthusiast who uses the cards to enhance creativity and foster wellness. She lives in Georgia with her husband and four sons, two of whom are furrier than the others (but not by much). Visit her website at haintbluecreative.com and follow her on Instagram @haintbluecreative.