Falling Short
September 2025
Hello everyone!
This month I dived head-first into edits for God Words, realising for the first time that other writers weren’t kidding when they said writing the draft was the easy part… more on this below!
The Projects In Progress
I had lofty goals for September - have 25% of my first pass of edits done for God Words, check in with the Renaissance Project weekly and maybe take a look at writing another short story.
Lofty indeed—none of my goals were really met in the way I wanted them to be.
So what did I actually get done?
I’ve reached 14% of the first pass of edits. It means I’ve been editing 2 chapters roughly a week, which isn’t too bad all things considered!
I’ve been checking in with RP almost every day, through listening to the playlist of songs I made to inspire it. I picture my characters, consider their personalities, the problems they will face and how they are likely to react in different situations. They’re coming to life a little bit more every day, even if it is just in my head rather than on the page.
As for short stories… I will be finally sharing Redglass with you soon, so watch this space!
The Other Worlds I’ve Gotten Lost In Lately
This month I’ve jumped straight back into fantasy, finishing two ARCs by two E.C.s that absolutely knocked my socks off!
The first was E.C. Cardey’s Vestige of the Crown. Oh my god. Be still my torn and bleeding heart. This book ripped me to shreds in the best way, and I cannot wait for her to do it again. It follows a prince and his knight-besties, as well as two amazing and gorgeous ladies, as they essentially get ripped apart emotionally and physically over and over again while they run for their lives. Seriously, at points I thought ‘sheesh, Cardey threw everything but the kitchen sink at them’... and then an entire kitchen landed on them, Wizard of Oz-style. Not literally, but if this actually happens in book 2 I wouldn’t think twice. I fell in love with each and every character, but especially Faolan—what can I say, I like the grumpy snarky ones that know they’re hot shit but are also tearing apart inside. I cannot wait for the sequel: hopefully my poor heart has healed by then, as no doubt it will be stomped on solidly again.
You can buy this heart-wrenching book here!
The second was E.C. Glynn’s Heretic Behaviour: The Lies of Midas. I knew I was in for a wild ride from before I opened this one: the first book, Heretic Behaviour: The Secrets of Demons was so incredibly dark and twisted, featuring so many moments that made me put the book down completely gobsmacked at the audacity of her characters—particularly Jezebel. Dear lord if there was ever Joffrey as a female she is IT, what a twisted human and yet I still found myself feeling sorry for her more than once! This sequel built upon the solid foundation of her first, exploring further the characters and relationships that began in the first and further complicating their lives in such deliciously torturous ways. I am seeking compensation for the insomnia I suffered while reading this book, as once again Glynn’s writing kept me up into the wee hours of the morning reading.
You can buy the first book here and pre order the second here!
Or you can shop hard copies and merch here!
Off On Tangents
For the most part, writing is a solitary pursuit. You spend a lot of time in your own head, talking to people that don’t exist and chronicling their lives in the hopes that someone else will care about them as much as you do. You might try to have conversations with people about your characters and your writing, but their glazed over expressions or lukewarm responses can let you know pretty quick that you’ve rambled on about imaginary people and places long past their patience to listen.
Talking with other writers about it, though? You feel seen. While they might write in all kinds of genres, have all kinds of processes and journeys, the overall grit of the work is shared and understood. They know what it’s like to agonise over a plot hole, to deal with rejection and self-doubt, to rejoice when a chapter is finished or a killer bit of dialogue comes together.
I will be forever grateful for the online writing community that I am a part of — and have been trying to give back where I can.
I love supporting writers at their launches where I can (peep cute photos of me and J.S. Harman at his recent launch of Dark Sands), and share and support other writers as often as possible through my socials and newsletter.
One of the most exciting ways I have begun giving back to the writing community, however, has been through my involvement in something really cool and very Aussie… that I’m hoping to share in more detail with you in my next newsletter! Cliffhanger ending!
Forever yours irreverently,
(except for when it matters)
Ashley Marasco
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