Dear supporters of Henderson House,

  

 

All, thank you for the support. Things have been progressing well...however, we have a long way to go! If you received a thank you note saying I reached my goal, it lied! We are almost one third of the way there. That means we have 74 days left to get the remaining FIVE HUNDRED preorders. I can’t do it without your help. Please spread the word by sharing my page. At certain preorder milestones, I will post another chapter. If you haven’t read chapter one, it’s in the discussion section. Chapter two will be posted when we reach 250 preorders, which should be tomorrow. THANK YOU!!! 

With love, humility, and puppydog begging eyes,

Sonja 

May 16, 2023

Dear Henderson House supporters,

Well, today is the day.

After years of drafts and edits, over 100 literary agent rejections, a lengthy pre-order campaign, delays related to pandemics, supply chain issues, and swarms of locusts, and a college advisor whose best advice to me was that I “pick a real career”, my debut novel, Showtime, has been released into the wild. While it’s the second one I’ve written, it’s the first one that has been published, and it’s crazy to think that something I wrote for me, that once existed only in my imagination, now belongs to…well, everyone (yes, you).

The first draft (written way back in the summer of 2017 took about 6 months to write. I remember exactly where I was when I wrote the first line—in a shoebox of an office, during a break while substitute teaching an elementary music class (which I don’t recommend, by the way)—and the feeling that the story I was waiting to tell wasn’t going to get written unless I sat down and actually wrote it. So, I did. I didn’t end up using any of the first chapter (or the second, or the third) of that first draft, but I got words on paper, and that’s what counts. Which is a long-winded way of me saying that the book has evolved a lot (re: a lot) over the past five years. There were countless rewrites and revisions, drafts and edits, late nights and weekends, and more than a few times when I wanted to hurl my laptop out the window and stuff my face with cake rather than write another damn word (I definitely did that last one, though). But giving up would’ve been easy. It also would’ve given the win to anyone who’s ever told me “no”. Plus, I’m stubborn.

So, while it has taken a lot longer than I thought it would take to get here, I’m so grateful that we’re here together. Your copies of Showtime will be arriving shortly (if not already) and, if you’re lucky, maybe you’ve even got a comfy reading chair, a roaring fireplace, and perhaps a warm beverage or two to pair it with.

Stories are unique in that they allow us to be transported, for however brief a time, into the other: other times, other places, and into the shoes of other people. They’re a blissful escape, but also a vital part of what makes us human, as integral to our lives as a heart and brain, food and water. They make us feel, make us think, and, most importantly, they build empathy in a world and time that could really use a whole lot more of it.

I hope you enjoy Showtime, and the stories of Jordan, Sam, Charity, and Matt. They’re flawed people, but I like them a whole lot. After living alone with them for so long, I’m excited for you to meet them. If their adventures make you think differently about someone or something, or act as an escape as you unwind after a rough day, or make your heart skyrocket with adrenaline—if they make you feel—then I’ve done my job.

I mention this in the Acknowledgements, but it’s worth repeating: while writing the book was a solidary endeavor, it literally would not be in your hands (or on its way into your hands) without the unwavering support, enthusiasm, excitement (and more than a dash of saintly patience) of my family, friends, co-workers, and complete strangers who offered me their time, eyes, and hard-earned dollars. Thank you for your support of my writing, your confidence and trust, and for coming together to support books.

I’ll only ask for one more thing: after you finish the book, would you please leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads? Early reviews generate buzz, and buzz is vital to an author’s securing of another book deal. I’ve got another one written and ready for you (it’s called Monsters, and boy is it a doozy), and I’d love for it to make it into your hands as well.

But for now, let’s read. I’ve got a story I want to share with you. 

Ricky Ruszin
12/6/2022

It’s been almost two months since Showtime was released out into the wild, and it’s great to see reviews starting to trickle in! Currently, Showtime has a 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon!

Aside from actually buying the book, reviews are the next best thing to help a debut author stand out from the crowd. So, as you finish reading, I’d hugely appreciate it if you’d take a couple minutes to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. It doesn’t have to be lengthy or time-consuming (Amazon requires at least 20 words, though), just a quick sentence or two giving your honest opinion about the things you liked or didn’t like.

Goodreads is fairly straightforward, but for Amazon...

1.     Search for the book in the search bar on Amazon and click on Showtime

2.     Scroll waaaaay down to where it says WRITE A CUSTOMER REVIEW

3. Write your review and click SUBMIT

It’s that simple!

I’m loving getting to hear everyone’s thoughts, opinions, gasps, cringes, and sighs as they read — it’s like getting to experience the book with fresh eyes and perspectives each time — so keep ’em coming!

Thanks for your continued support, and happy reading!

Ricky :)

P.S. All books should have been sent out by now, but if you have not yet received yours (if bought from Inkshares), please reach out to noah@inkshares.com.

Hello everyone! It’s time for our February update, and I have so much exciting news to share with you all! 

First up, I’d like to say welcome to all the new followers! For any who don’t know, Audible featured Tantalus Depths as their special deal of the day, which led to an absolutely tremendous influx of people discovering Tantalus Depths, literally overnight. I don’t have exact sales figures for the audiobook, so I’m not sure exactly how many new people downloaded it, but I do know this: before the sale, Tantalus Depths was holding steady at around 40 ratings on Audible. As of the time I’m writing this, though? 238 and still steadily rising! That’s right; in the span of about two weeks, Tantalus Depths’ ratings on Audible have multiplied nearly sixfold, and it’s still holding steady at a highly respectable 4.1 out of five. Nearly half the ratings are five stars! 

These new fans of the audiobook have already trickled onto other platforms as well, and our ratings on Goodreads have also climbed a fair bit in that time. We’re still not up to my goal of 50 reviews on Amazon, but I’m really encouraged by the growth we’ve had over the past few weeks. 

But enough about ratings and statistics. It’s time for the announcement you guys are all REALLY going to be interested in… 

I’m formally announcing my 2023 book tour! I’ve been working hard to get this ready over the past few weeks, and I couldn’t be more stoked to make this announcement. I’m aiming to make a lot of public appearances all over Ohio to promote Tantalus Depths this year, and we are off to a very strong start. Here are the conventions I’m confirmed to appear this year so far! 

 Akron Book Fest: March 11 at Akron Main Public Library, 60 South High St, Akron OH, 44326 

 Cleveland ConCoction: March 17-19 at Bertram Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 600 N Aurora Rd, Aurora, OH 44202 

 The Cleveland Fan Expo: March 24-26 at Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, 300 Lakeside Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44113  

 Ratha Con: April 1st at Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St, Athens OH 45701 

 Pulp Fiction Convention: June 4 Doubletree by Hilton, 1100 Crocker rd. Westlake, OH 44145  

 Con on the Cob: October 5-8,Quality Inn and Suites, 4742 Brecksville Rd, Richfield, OH 44286 

 Ohio Authors Kickback: October 21 5441 Westerville Rd., Westerville, OH 43081 

 Believe it or not, that’s not going to be all. I have several other convention appearances I’m working on scheduling right now, so this list is going to keep growing. But since some of them are coming up in less than a month, I figured now is the time to make an announcement of some of the awesome places you’ll find me this year! 

Really looking forward to seeing some of you out there and having all kinds of exciting new experiences this year as I keep building my audience and preparing for the future. 2023 is looking to be quite a wild ride!