The Calm Before the Storm
50 days until release day! š±
At the time this newsletter goes live, we are T-Minus 50 Days to release day! š¤Æ
Itās absolutely bonkers to me how close we are to publication. Iām simultaneously nervous and excited for everything still to come between now and August 11.
I feel like this is the part of the roller coaster where youāve just reached the top of the biggest dropāthe anticipation of the climb, those suspended forever-seconds at the peak, waiting for whatās next with your breath caught in your throat. Thereās just something about that moment that feels like the perfect analogy for this publishing journey.
So, I plan to use it as a chance to pause, look around and take it all in, before letting go and enjoying the ride.
Audiobook Narrator Reveal
One of the amazing things in this fun and totally not stressful (ha!) process was choosing my narrator for the audiobook version of THE MATCHMAKERāS COTTAGE.
If you didnāt already know, this book is written in third-person past tense, with dual POVāmeaning we get both Ethan and Juliaās perspective, depending on the scene. Unfortunately, because thereās not a clear definition of when we get Juliaās thoughts and when we get Ethanās (e.g., every chapter switching POVs), it would have been difficult to recruit two narrators.
This means that the single (female!) narrator would have to be up to the task of not only reading in Juliaās voice, but also through Ethanās perspective as well.
My PRH audio team was certainly up to the task of finding someone for me, because they did a great job with all the auditions they provided me withāalmost too goodā¦ I could hardly narrow it down!
In the end, though, I had to choose Allie Shae. Allie is an Audie nominated Romance narrator with a Bachelorās Degree in Theatre, almost twenty years of acting experience, and over 150 titles under her belt. Her work is truly phenomenal and the way she brings Ethan and Julia to life took my breath away. I feel so lucky to have gotten Allie as the narrator for this story, and I know youāll love her take on THE MATCHMAKERāS COTTAGE as much as I did.
Book Launch Event
Another fun thing thatās come upāevents are being planned for my book launch and beyond!
For starters, Iām so thrilled that local indie bookstore Hopeless Romantic Bookshop, in collaboration with Penguin Random House Canada, has taken the lead on organizing an amazing launch event for me.
I would LOVE to see my Greater Toronto Area friends and readers there! Here are some of the details:
šļø August 11, 2026
š 7:30 - 9:00 PM
š Hopeless Romantic @ 1080 Queen St W
šļø $5 for entry. CLICK HERE to get your ticket!
Iāll be in conversation with the wonderful Emily Ohanjanians, author of THE BOOK TOUR, which will be followed by a signing and mix & mingle!
Grab your spot while you can! Purchasing a ticket shows your intent to attend the event and it allows for the lovely people at Hopeless Romantics to plan accordingly. Sooo, please make sure you secure a ticket if you plan to come!
If tickets sell out, please contact: romantics@hopelessromanticbooks.com to be added to a waitlist. š
Iām so excited to celebrate this book with all of you. Hope to see you there! And stay tuned for more exciting Event Info to come! š¤
Barnes and Noble Sale
Itās that time of year again!
Starting tomorrow, June 23rd, and going until June 26th, Barnes & Noble Members get 25% OFF all preorders (that means physical books, ebooks, AND audiobooks!) with code PREORDER25.
This may be one of your last chances to snag a discounted copy of THE MATCHMAKERāS COTTAGE before pub day, so if saving money is your thing, check it out!
The discount wonāt be active until tomorrow, but bookmark it now and set a reminder on your phone:
āØ 25% off THE MATCHMAKERāS COTTAGE
It is for B&N members only, but free to sign up! AND if youāre a āØPREMIUMāØ member, you get an extra 10% off print preorders, too... just saying.
If big box bookstores arenāt your thing, a friendly reminder that I have preorder campaigns running with TWO indie bookstores, and have sent out a lot of fun goodies to other indie bookstores across the US and Canada, so feel free to check in with your local indie for your Kat Sloane debut novel needs, as well as these two stores specifically:
Hopeless Romantic Bookshop - receive a beautiful art print and signed copy of the book!
A Novel Romance - signed bookplate, sticker set, bookmark, and postcard!
50 Freaking Days!
Thank you to my readers, supporters, friends, and anyone whoās just stopping by. Iām so grateful for the time you spent reading this, and for any of you who have visited my social media, checked out my website, or even preordered my book. Your support means the world!
I canāt believe I get to live this rollercoaster journey with all of you. Weāve spent so long climbing toward this moment, and now that the view is finally here, Iām going to take a second to appreciate itā¦before throwing my hands up in the air and enjoying the ride! š¢
See you next month!
Looking for other ways to show your support?