Danielle Trussoni's Newsletter - April 2023
Hello from Japan!
Those of you who know me, know that I’m something of a nomad. I’ve lived in France, Bulgaria, the UK, the US, Japan and Mexico. I lived in Japan 23 years ago. I went as a way to fund my writing habit. After I graduated from college, I knew I wanted to write, but had no notion of how to survive. I applied to the JET program, and found myself with a teaching position that gave me the freedom to write every afternoon. I would teach in the morning, then go up to the library and write for two hours. I wrote the pages that would eventually become my first book “Falling Through the Earth” in Japan.
This was me back then, having dinner with my mom in Japan:
I’m in Japan now doing research for my next novel: The Puzzle Box. The next novel follows Mike Brink (the hero of The Puzzle Master, coming out June 13– be sure to preorder! The link is below) to Japan.
I’ll be going to all the locations that are in the book: Tokyo, Kyoto, and (most important) Hakone, where Japanese puzzle boxes are made. I’m going to go see how they work first hand and I’ll report back here next month with pictures.
Enter my Monthly Giveaways!
Some of you entered last month, but there are more prizes to be had as we countdown to the release of The Puzzle Master. Every month, I’ll be offering new prizes such as exclusive fiction, personalized editorial feedback, a custom crossword puzzle, signed first editions of my previous books and advanced copies of The Puzzle Master.
With that, I am pleased to continue our giveaways with these exciting prize opportunities!
Do you like signed books?
I have 50 signed bookplates to give to my readers! You can put it in your copy of my book. Want one? Just email me at dtrussoniassistant@gmail.com and I’ll mail one to you.
Do you want a free advance copy of The Puzzle Master?
Post about my novel on social media, send a screenshot of the post to dtrussoniassistant@gmail.com, and I’ll enter you into a drawing to win a copy of my new novel!
Are you on Goodreads?
Add The Puzzle Master to your Want-to-Read shelf and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a hardcover copy of Angelology.
Are you in a book club?
Invite 5 members of your book club or 5 bookish friends to subscribe to this newsletter and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a copy of The Puzzle Master. I will also visit your book club via Zoom the month my novel publishes (that’s not part of the contest: that’s just because I love book clubs)
This is an ongoing contest, and the winner will be announced in an upcoming newsletter.
Are you a writer?
Pre-order The Puzzle Master and you’ll be entered to win an editorial evaluation by yours truly. The winner will receive editorial advice on any piece of writing (up to 15 pages). This is an ongoing contest, and the winner will be announced in May 2023.
How to enter:
You can show me which prize(s) you’re entering by emailing me screenshot proof that you qualify (a screenshot of your Goodreads shelf, proof of pre-order, and/or your 5 friends’ names) to dtrussoniassistant@gmail.com by April 30st at 11:59:59pm ET.
Winners will be announced in the May newsletter. US only.
I’ll be announcing new and continuing opportunities with each newsletter, so be sure to check back next month to find out what else you can win!
With that, I am happy to announce the February winner of the Giveaway:
Congrats to Louisa Donovan, who added The Puzzle Master on Goodreads, sent me a screenshot and she won a hardcover copy of Angelology.
Q&A
Finally, I opened the floor to my friends on social media again this month to take any questions about my new books or the writing/reading/publishing world at large.
Q) Do you have any special writing rituals?
Last month, I was at AWP, where I had an event with Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Stephen Graham Jones.
At one point, we got on the topic of writing rituals, and Silvia said that she likes to remain nimble, i.e. that she wants to be able to write anywhere, under all circumstances. Stephen said that he likes to be able to write under many kinds of conditions– and in fact, he said that he was planning to write on the plane home after AWP! I understand now why these two writers are so incredibly productive.
I understand that it can be dangerous to have certain ‘necessary items’ in order to write (a lucky pen or a certain chair or a candle that you light), and that making a fixed schedule can limit you. That said, I do have a fairly strict writing rituals. For example, I write in the morning. This time of day is when I’m most awake, when I’m most creative, and when I’ve created time and space to be alone. I also like to write my first drafts by hand. I’ve used different kinds of pens, but lately I’ve been using a fountain pen.
I also like to have a set word count when I’m writing a first draft. I aim for 2000 words, but don’t always hit it. These pages are not polished. Most of what I write in this draft will be rewritten. But the process of writing this way has become a ritual that keeps me motivated. Seeing my hand-written pages pile up makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something.
As always, a big thank you to everyone for spending your time with me, on my website, and across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. My books wouldn’t be possible without your support! Please stay in touch and let me know how you’re doing.
Yours,
Danielle