Happy Birthday Micheline!
Join us in celebrating Micheline a very happy birthday (tomorrow)! Whimsical wouldn’t exist without her. She is much more than the owner and founder – she is the heart and soul of this company. She pours her whole self into everything she does… from drawing and painting to editing the beautiful books Whimsical publishes.
And she would LOVE to hear from you. Reply to this email or send her a message on Instagram! We hope her birthday is as special as she is.
To extend the celebration to our Whimsie family, we’re putting the ENTIRE shop on sale! The code MICHELINE will take 20% off all orders over $10 CAD. But only until September 9th so hurry hurry! And remember CAD converts to less money in USD and GBP.
Indie Author Feature
Meet Michelle M. Bruhn, author of The Dragon Singer Chronicles.
From her website: “Throughout my life, I’ve learned the importance of relationship and empathy, of nurturing others and allowing them to do the same for me. I endeavor to apply these lessons in my writing, providing my readers not only with thrilling adventures and quests to make the world a better place, but also with characters who struggle, fall, and rise. I hope through my work you will be reminded that you are not alone on this journey, and that if you press forward you will become who you’re made to be.”
We asked Michelle a few questions. Check out her answers below!
Whimsical: What is the best advice you have received as a writer?
Michelle: That “write what you know” isn’t as limiting as it sounds. I love fantasy, both as a reader and as a writer, and I’ll tell you a secret: I’ve never ridden a dragon before (shocking, I know), and I’m pretty sure my favorite authors haven’t either (if you know otherwise, please tell me—I need to get in on that!). But I’ve been on a roller coaster before, been in the car with the windows down and the wind in my hair, felt my stomach drop as a plane takes flight, touched scaly critters. Write what you know means to take from one’s own experiences, to research as needed (especially when it comes to life experiences one doesn’t have, such as for disability representation), and then combine them into a livable experience for the reader.
Whimsical: How do you hope your work will impact your readers?
Michelle: I hope that readers will come away having learned how to better see the people in their own lives. Empathy is a huge theme in my stories. I also want readers to come away with hope—a head- and heart-knowledge that no matter how deep the darkness, there is always light to be found.
Whimsical: What is the most meaningful feedback you’ve ever received from a reader?
Michelle: That reading my books made them feel seen. Whether they have a similar personality, live with the same disability/differing-ability, or resonate with a character’s inner struggles, hearing this feedback is so encouraging. I’ve felt unseen many times in my life, so helping someone else to know they are seen and valuable is very important to me.
Whimsical: What book(s) inspired you the most?
Michelle: Dragons In Our Midst and Oracles of Fire, both by Bryan Davis. The former ignited my love of dragons, and the latter (which expands on the former) gave me a love of sweeping stories that span multiple realms (probably the reason I enjoy Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere so much…).
Whimsical: Can you share any upcoming projects or plans for future books?
Michelle: The final book in my Dragon Singer Chronicles is with the editor now and will likely release summer 2025! If you like dragons, introverted MCs, music magic, disability/differing-ability representation, and cute dragon-like fairy creatures who are both fantastic friends and terrifying enemies, you’ll love this series. The first book in the series is Songflight, and the second is Stormdance.
Whimsical: Where can readers buy your books?
Michelle: I have a storefront where you can purchase the books directly from me (meaning that Amazon/insert-big-company-here doesn’t take a cut from it) in paperback, ebook, and audio versions. You can also get a free short story there in either ebook or audiobook, so you can sample my work without spending any money. Store link: https://payhip.com/SongweaverMedia Otherwise, my books Songflight and Stormdance are also available at most online book retailers. 🙂
Be sure to follow Michelle on social media for updates!
Songflight is a heart-filled adventure for fans of McCaffrey’s Harper Hall trilogy, Ciccarelli’s The Last Namsara, and the How To Train Your Dragon movies. Check it out if you like:
- Introverted Main Characters
- Dragons With Personality
- Unlikely Friendships
- Sweet Romantic Subplot
- Music As Magic
- Disability Representation
- Telepaths & Empaths
- Tiny Fairy Dragons
- YA Fantasy Dipping Its Toes Into Epic
Michelle’s books feature fairy-dragons (called dreki). Jessie Barber illustrated the one pictured here!
Reminders & Announcements
The Whimsy Intern
We are delighted to announce that Lauren D. Fulter, better known to some of you as The Whimsy Intern, accepted a permanent position on Whimsical’s staff!
We are so blessed to have Lauren working with us. She helps so much behind the scenes with social media post creation and planning. Her cartoons have the perfect amount of whimsy and fit our brand perfectly! Please join us in giving her the warmest Whimsie welcome!
Check out her website if you want to get to know her better!
Each month, we will also feature an artist from our database in our newsletter. We support human artists who do not use AI. Feel free to browse the list or if you are an artist that doesn’t use AI and would like to join the list, you’re welcome to submit your information to be added!
Current Preorders
Sense & Sensibility – Sept 10th
Sense & Sensibility, the next novel in our Jane Austen collection, releases on Tuesday! There’s still time to pre-order, which is the only way to get the bookmark seen above. Once the book is officially released on September 10th, the bookmark will not be offered any longer.
A Churn in the Dark – Nov 19th
This Into the Churn novella takes place AFTER Into the Fire but before book 3. Do you absolutely HAVE to read it before book 3? No, but it will improve your enjoyment of book 3 significantly. And it’s phenomenal so we think you should definitely read it!
Is there an indie author you’d like us to interview next? Let us know here! And don’t forget to send Micheline some birthday love!
Great warmth,
Christina
Admin Assistant & Shop Manager
