Greetings Gentle Reader from the Land of Whimsical!

We’re here to grace your inbox with some exciting news and updates! We hope everyone’s been cozy and warm these past few weeks. It’s been busy over here as we hurry to get you new gorgeous editions of your favorites and put together what we hope will be your next five star read. 

In this newsletter, you’ll find:

• How and where to order Fangs, Fate, & Mondays (and when to read it for free on NetGalley!)
• What makes a Small Press Different than a Big 5 Publisher
• Fangs, Fate, & Mondays Author Interview TONIGHT @ Whimsical Publishing Instagram 

Starting with this newsletter, we’ve decided to throw it back to the blogging days! Each newsletter will contain a small blog style article giving you an inside look on all things books and publishing from our Whimsical perspective. Read on to learn more!

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Fangs, Fate, & Mondays is up for preorder!

Yep! You heard that right. You can now order Hayley Reese Chow’s next novel HERE for the exclusive edition, and/or on Amazon for the eBook!

Look at that gorgeous cover by our very own Micheline Ryckman. We’re absolutely obsessed with all the details! If you need a refresher on what this delightful, fantasy-genre-blend novel is about, here’s the blurb:

In Azalea Springs, a family curse just means more paperwork.

After her best friend was murdered, Dessa Blue McKinney swore she’d never return to the paranormal town of Azalea Springs. But after she walks in on her fiancé cheating with her business partner, she has nowhere else to go but home. Desperate for a distraction, she agrees to fill in at her uncle’s Paranormal Intermediary Office until she decides what to do with her life. But when the new intern is the handsome golden boy of the most notorious family in town and her dead friend’s sister goes missing, old secrets bubble to the surface, and the past may not be so willing to let her go.


Meanwhile, perpetual screw-up, Jamison Kane, is reeling from his role as the primary suspect in a triple homicide and the brand-new bearer of a family curse. When Dessa’s uncle offers him an internship to search for a cure, he reluctantly agrees—and totally not because Dessa was his high school crush. The job description? Keep the werewolves and vampires from tearing each other’s throats out, solve the missing persons case, and don’t fall in love with Dessa McKinney.

It definitely sounds like a Monday, but at least in this office, the coffee really is magical.

Enticed by the plot? Now, can we dangle this beautiful exclusive edition in your face. Look at these absolutely gorgeous sprayed edges and case laminate artwork by Micheline Ryckman and Keri Manlet!

If that doesn’t get you, we also have these amazing preorder incentives right alongside it! I mean look at that adorable little sticker? And the art work (swooning)? But remember, these are only available until May 26 2026.

Snag your preorder now!

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What’s The Difference Between A Small Press And A Big Five Publisher?

Out in the world of publishing, there are hundreds of different kinds of publishers. Some that only publish picture books, others that take every genre on the face of the earth, some that publish three books a year and others that publish three hundred books a year.

Both strive to publish the highest quality stories.

So what makes a publisher considered a small press versus a Big Five Publisher? 

Distribution is a key factor between both. Did you know there’s actually different companies responsible for getting books out? And each of those companies have different reach? Bigger publishers partner with bigger distributors. 

Bookstores, like Barnes and Noble, tend to be picky on what books they stock and therefore, prioritize books from certain distributors over others. Books with bigger publishers have an advantage and a higher chance of getting placed in bookstores.

Small presses typically partner with smaller distributors, such an IngramSpark or handle distribution themselves from their own personal warehouse! This still allows them to get their books distributed widely online, but they have to work a little harder to be noticed by bookstores and aren’t often prioritized when libraries and bookstores stock new books. You can help these odds by requesting books from your favorite small presses at your local library or favorite bookstore!

Budget and Teams are often bigger at a bigger publisher, which can have its ups and downs. While this means more money might be invested in a book and most authors get advances, it also means they can acquire more books and only a few can be selected as “lead titles” (books that are often given the most marketing budget and attention). 

At a small press, they work with much smaller teams (for example, at Whimsical our team is only 5 people!) and budgets. Because of this, small presses can only take a few manuscripts on per year, but are able to invest more equal time, energy, and money into each one. While big publishers often have more resources in terms of publicity and marketing, and have teams dedicated to that sole task, small presses have to take it all on their own and marketing support can vary greatly from publisher to publisher. Small presses rely heavily on reader support to be great (huge thank you to all are readers!)

Both strive to put out the best stories possible! Both are entirely valid paths for publications. Both handle everything from covers to editing and strive to get the best possible version into the hands of readers.

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Tune In TONIGHT on Whimsical Publishing’s InstagramFor A Live Chat With Hayley Reese Chow!

Tonight Whimsical’s owner, Hannah Greentree, will be hosting a book giveaway and interviewing our very own Hayley Reese Chow, author of Into The Churn and upcoming Fangs, Fate, and Mondays on livestream at 7PM MST / 8PM CST). Live on the Whimsical Publishing Instagram (@whimsicalpublishing).

(Psst, we will be doing a giveaway of a copy of Into The Churn during the live)!!

Join us for a fun chat AND for a chance to win the giveaway!

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Make sure to mark your calendar for these upcoming Whimsical dates! We have a lot more in store for you all this year. 

• New Whimsical Classic Reveal – February 17th
• Fangs, Fate, & Mondays goes live on NetGalley – February 24th
• New Instanolde Novella Title Reveal – March 3rd 
• The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Release Date – March 17th 
• Alice In Wonderland Release Date – April 21st

If you’ve read all the way to the end, you deserve a cup of hot cocoa. 

Thank you all so much for supporting our journey thus far. We’re a small team and we appreciate and see all your comments, messages, and orders. As a family run press, it means the world!

Until next time,
Whimsical Publishing 🩷🦩