Tag: hayley reese chow

ALERT: Whimsical has a new book for you to sink your FANGS into… 😜🐦

Published on by Hannah GreentreeLeave a comment
Open me for updates about an action-packed release week, tips for commissioning your OWN bookish art, and a chance to get books in your budget! ✨

Greetings Gentle Reader from the Land of Whimsical!

Summer is almost upon us! Where this newsletter is being written, it’s already sunny pool weather (apologies to everyone who’s still getting snow in May. Sending you some sunshine)! ☀️ Right now is probably the best time to stock up on some new reads. We’ve got good news: We have some FANTASTIC upcoming releases (including one this week!) and opportunities to get some backlist titles for a steal!

Keep on reading for some fun bonuses, like a live chat announcement (Spoilers!!  Featuring our Editor-In-Chief, Micheline Ryckman, interviewing!!) and an article with tips and tricks on commissioning your own bookish art!

HAPPY RELEASE WEEK TO FANGS, FATE, & MONDAYS!

This week is THE week!! Hayley Reese Chow’s latest Whimsical release will be in your hands on May 26th and all of our release week fun starts May 21st! That means it’s your last chance to preorder the book with all of the extra special goodies! Sprayed edges, printed end pages, interior and exterior dust jacket illustrations, embossed hardcover and printed hardcover, preorder incentives and more!

 

Not only that but the whole release week (May 21st – 27th) is full of exciting events:

  • May 21st: Launch week post refreshing you on all of the below!
  • May 22nd: Fangs chapter 1 releases in our newsletter for YOU to read!
  • May 23rd-May 24th: Some social media love for all things Fangs!

All preorders of the exclusive edition of this beautifully fantastic book is going to have:

  • Exterior dust jacket art
  • Interior dust jacket art
  • Shiny foiling on the interior and exterior
  • Glistening sprayed edges
  • Hardcase art
  • Printed end pages with character art
  • Interior illustrations
  • A bonus chapter

Excited!? Us too!

More Excitement: “Fangs” is also Digital!

Yep, you read that right!

You can get this in e-book format right from Amazon, or read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited: Pre-order the e-book here!

This book will ALSO be in audiobook format! 🎉 For those of you who prefer to listen, Fangs, Fate, and Mondays is currently in production to become a full audiobook, available on Audible later on this summer. 😎 Read to you by Chance Carrasco, this book will be just over 9 hours long, and available for purchase or for free with one of your Audible credits.

Release day announcement for the audiobook coming soon!

CANADIAN READERS!! Come meet us in person! (Everyone else, check out our May Bookish Sale!)

Thank you to all our readers we met in April at CalgaryExpo! It was such a pleasure to meet all of you and we’re constantly blown away by all the love y’all give us and our authors! We’re excited to remind our Canadian readers that this is just the beginning of our events!

Here are some other places to catch us:

Not able to make our event (or even if you are)? We’ve got a special treat for ALL of our readers! We’re having a bookish sale on our entire site (excluding preorders) from May 30 – June 1st! 30% of our entire shop with the code MAYBOOKS30 ! Whether the summer sun has arrived or you’re still dealing with snow, this is your chance to get a new read!

 We hope to see you in person or in our inbox! Come take a selfie with our table, or our books, and share it and tag Whimsical Publishing on Instagram so we can see it! ♥️

Commissioning Your Own Bookish Art: A How To From Artists

Something really special about our publishing house is that we’re founded by artist, Micheline Ryckman (and most of our staff is artists too!). Back in the day, the Whimsical Publishing website actually hosted guidelines for Micheline’s commissions! And now it’s full of books (some of which she’s even done the covers for. How full circle!) and no longer hosts individual commissions.

Now that Whimsical has transformed into a publisher, we work non-stop with our in-house artists and contracted artists year-round. Every so often, we’ll stumble upon a question from someone asking about commissions and how they work. This question always brings us SO MUCH joy! Thank you for hiring human artists in an age where generative AI is running rampant. Artists and writers go hand in hand and it’s important to support one another. Artists are vital in this industry to make the stories look pretty and lure a reader into taking it off the shelf. (Sorry writers, words alone probably won’t do the trick)! And while we don’t host individual commissions, we do have a tip or two for those wanting to get art of their own characters or some of their favorites:

  1. Check Social Media!
    Want to find an artist with open commissions? Check your favorite art pieces online! Oftentimes artists will have their commissions posted in their bio, pinned to their profile, or in their LinkTree. It only takes a few seconds to check!
    We love to scroll through fanart and check and save profiles as we go if we like the style!
  2. Inquire Politely (And Humanly!)
    Try your hardest not to be a bot! Artists get scammers filling their inbox ALL the time. A trick we love to use is to compliment the art that drew us to them. Do we have a fandom in common? Do we love the painterly style and think it fits our project well? Tell them! This helps weed out the bots and may break up any initial awkwardness when asking for a commission.
  3. Use References!!
    The artist you are commissioning will THANK YOU for using references! We usually create a PDF of our description and include a detailed written description with images. Did you find a pose you liked? Add it! Do you have photos that remind you of your character? Add those too! Also letting an artist know colors of eye color, skin tone, and hair color can be SUPER helpful and make things go extra smoothly.

 We hoped this helped! Go out there and support some human artists! 💗

Upcoming Release Central: What’s on the Horizon

SUPER EXCITING NEWS ABOUT OUR A BRAND. NEW. WHIMSICAL BOOK! Mark your calendars for June 2nd for a title reveal! 🎉

Excited about our nerdy contemporary romance, The Crafting Con? You could read it for free ahead of its September release by applying on NetGalley on June 9th! Or, apply even earlier through Whimsical Publishing here: ARC Requests!

Make sure you swing by and catch our live author chat with E.P. Stavs on June 9th as well to chat all things The Crafting Con! 🩷✂️

Also, would you look at that incredibly adorable cover by our very own Micheline Ryckman and Megan McCullough! We’re absolutely obsessed with all the details! (Do you see those lil tools in the background??) If you need a refresher on what this delightful, geeky, contemporary romance novel is about, here’s the blurb:

Ava Aimes idolizes her nerdtastic father, but when he ditches her mom for his soulmate—a move that turns her mother into the walking dead—she vows to give up the geek life forever. She won’t let anything remind them of what they’ve lost, even if it means saying goodbye to her best friend, Declan. Their memories are tied too closely to her traitor dad. 

Five years later, that vow begins to chafe as Ava moves toward the end of junior year. Pep club? Check. Potential Greek god prom date? Reluctant check. Gaze fixed firmly away from where her ex-bestie sits on the other side of the room? Not-so-check. The urge to be at his side is strong, but is it worth risking her mom’s newfound happiness for a chance at her own?  

Declan Greene is so over his childhood crush. He barely even registers Ava’s existence tucked in the center of the popular crowd. His sole focus is on the workshop he’s running at the upcoming anime convention. If all goes well, it could lead to a high-profile collab with the area’s leading prop-maker, an opportunity he’ll do anything to secure.

But when his crafting partner backs out three weeks before the con, and Ava shows up as his replacement, Declan will either have to accept her help or chance losing the workshop altogether. He needs it to succeed, but will spending time together rekindle the feelings he’s spent years putting to rest?
—

Enticed by the plot? Excellent!

Now, can we also include that there are going to be multiple preorder incentives? 👀
Including:

  • Double sided bookmark
  • Art postcard
  • A sticker, and
  • A signed bookplate from the author

But don’t forget! These incredible details and preorder incentives are only available for the preorder period, until September 22nd, 2026!

Preorders galore…

Don’t forget, there’s also still time to pre-order Kaitlyn Carter Brown’s Trickster in the Palace & Other Tales!

June 14th-18th is release week for Kaitlyn Carter Brown’s addition to the amazing Instanolde Chronicles, and not only that but you can apply to read an early copy of this fantastic novella on NetGalley now, or apply to read it early through Whimsical Publishing on our ARC Requests page! 😎

This sweet novella preorder will include:

  • Interior illustrations
  • A signed bookplate from the author
  • An art postcard
  • An art bookmark

EXTRA TIME TO PREORDER ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Were you sweating about getting the exclusive preorder edition of Whimsical’s Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland? If you want to escape to Wonderland, you now have till August 11th to pre-order. After that, the sprayed edges will be gone FOREVER. Don’t miss your chance!  You won’t regret it. These books are SO PRETTY (We’re only slightly biased). They’re great gifts, look gorgeous on a shelf, and are an absolute delight to flip through all the illustrations.

Remember to snag all these beautifully fancy editions and pre-order goodies before they’re gone!

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

  • Fangs, Fate and Mondays launch week: May 21st – 27th
  • Whimsical at the Farmers’ Market in Nelson: May 23rd (9:00 AM – 2:00 PM PST)
  • May Bookish Sale: May 30th – June 1st
  • New Whimsical Title Reveal: June 2nd
  • Whimsical at the Junction Public Market in Vancouver: June 2nd – 4th

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

As always, 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 🩷🦩

Attention Beauties, Beasts and Fairies! Whimsical’s Next Fairytale Is Here. 🐉

Published on by Hannah GreentreeLeave a comment

Greetings Gentle Reader from the Land of Whimsical!

Open me for our next fairytale fanatic classic edition and an insider look into how we pick books for publication!

We are SO excited about this particular newsletter. We’ve got lots of news for you all, including our newest classic… and to be honest, one of our favorites! Many books are built off the back of fairytales (shoutout to our very own Numina Parables series by Mckenzie Catron!), but how often can you say we’re publishing our own special edition of the Brothers Grimm?

Grab your beverage of choice and read on for more exciting news like our upcoming sale, a way to read our newest original release for sale, and a look into how we pick books for publication!

Grimm’s Fairytales is up for preorder!

That’s right!! You can now preorder your own newest classic HERE, exclusively available through our website! There isn’t another edition like this on your shelf. Can we say, obsessed!? 😍

Look at that gorgeous cover by our very own Micheline Ryckman. We’re absolutely obsessed with all the details!

So, what is it?

Grimms’ Fairy Tales is a German collection of over 200 different fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm, (Jacob and Wilhelm), that had the first volume published in the early-1800s, with the final volume published in the mid-1800s. This Whimsical Publishing exclusive edition of these classic tales comes with a complimentary pre-order bookmark, sprayed edges, interior illustrations and Whimsical-created dust jacket and hardcover artwork!

Grimm’s Fairy Tales is a collection of various short stories; the first volume was published in 1812, and contained 86 different tales! And guess what? This exclusive collection features all volumes published by the Brothers.

Preorder now, if you want to reserve this exclusive bookmark! We only have a limited quantity, so the sooner you order, the more likely you are to secure one!

We also only have limited quantities of the sprayed edges, so preorder before May 12th to get yours!

Snag your preorder now!

How Does A Publisher Pick What Books To Publish?

Have you ever wondered how a book gets picked from the sea of submissions? Are you a writer anxiously approaching the time where you have to send out your work? Or a reader morbidly curious how this one book you picked up got selected over hundreds, sometimes thousands, of others?

We can’t tell you what every publisher does, but we can tell you what we do here at Whimsical Publishing and give you a peak behind the curtain in the book production process. I think it’s important to start from the beginning. The founder of our press, Micheline Ryckman, after having success with her own books and art, wanted to be able to share the love with other storytellers. Since our press is family-run, she wanted the authors–and the stories they tell–to also feel like family.

First and foremost, it’s important to follow the guidelines. You’d be surprised how many submissions have to be sidelined because someone simply doesn’t follow the rules, especially when they’re stated on the publisher’s website. For example, Whimsical Publishing only takes agented submissions, so therefore, only agents can submit. 

The second step is to make sure it fits with what we publish. Like we said, we want the books to feel like a family, so therefore, we want them to align with what we publish. We publish closed-door books, but we also publish books that have big adventurous plots, strong romantic stories, and high stakes.

Now, the third step is where things get a little trickier. While we want things that align with what we’ve published, we also don’t want to be publishing carbon copies over and over. We want something that’s also a little different from anything we’ve ever published. For a while we primarily had romantic fantasies before we scooped up Hayley Reese Chow’s science-fiction fantasy. This makes it easier for a publisher to market to a wider audience, and to make sure their books aren’t competing with one another.

You’ll hear this a lot if you’re in the business of books, but it’s a very subjective business. Finding a book that’s just in the perfect perimeter of what you’re looking for differs from publisher-to-publisher, which is often why a book is submitted to multiple different publishers before finding it’s perfect home!

If you want to learn more about books, check out of SUBSTACK  for more!

SALE ALERT! 

We’ve Got Books For Your Budget.

Starting on February 22nd and going until the 25th, we will be hosting our Almost Spring sale! For three days, use the code ALMOSTSPRING25 to save on anything on site!

Additionally, we’re having an overstock sale bonus. YES. That means you can get an EXTRA 5% discount on top of our 25% off deal specifically for our overflow of The Arrow and the Alder.

Use the code ARROW30 for a 30% of ANY edition of The Arrow and the Alder.

While it’s not a sale, we do have an opportunity upcoming for you to read a book for FREE! Starting on February 24th, Fangs, Fate, And Mondays, Hayley Reese Chow’s next release, will be available on NetGalley. If you want to read the book early, and help us out by leaving a review, this is your chance!

Speaking of, we’ve got loads of upcoming buzz for our new releases in March. Mark your calendars so you don’t miss out:

  • New Whimsical Novella Title Reveal – March 3rd
  • The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Release Date – March 17th
  • Author Live Chat with Kaitlyn Carter Brown – March 30th
  • New Whimsical Novella Cover Reveal – March 31st

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 🩷🦩

Fangs, Fate, And Updates With Your Favorite Small Press 💌

Published on by Hannah GreentreeLeave a comment

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!

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!

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.

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!

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 🩷🦩

Are You Ready for A Churn in the (Virtual) Society?

Published on by Hannah GreentreeLeave a comment

You thought we were done!?

 Not quite yet! Grab your goggs, Belroy Boys and Babes, because we’re back to fill you in on what Micah was up to during Ezren and Foster’s adventures!

Virtual Society is blowing up. (Figuratively.)

When Micah Belanger saw the word “disputed” pop up after her beloved Belethea Race Royale team won the biggest race in ’verse, all of VSoc heard her shriek. Add in four attempted murders, and she’s on a (virtual) warpath to set the record straight—as any true fangirl would.

Lowell Coppen, of The Royaler Review, is also concerned with the murderous rumors behind the latest BRR, especially with warnings of a system-wide war rippling through VSoc. Determined to shed light on the truth, Lowell, a self-proclaimed objective voice, forges a begrudging alliance with Belethea’s most manic fangirl. If their secret arrangement comes to light, it’ll ruin them both, but if they don’t get the story right, the lies could bring Belethea to its knees.

And falling in love isn’t helping at all.

This Into the Churn novella will be released on September 16, 2025.

The first 40 pre-orders from our website will come with a complimentary art print postcard and signed bookplate from the author. (Kindle ebook version is available via Amazon)

This will be the last story planned from our beloved Casolla system… but we never say never. Hayley could always get a spark of an idea for another story someday. But for now, look at how amazing the full spread looks together!

Mark your Calendars for…

June 13th – Numina Parable Book 3 title reveal
July 10th – Christmas in July SALE!