Do You Want to Read Iron Rose Early?
First dibs on ARCs; Secrets, Marissa Meyer, & Encouragement
Hi friends!
I’m so glad you’re here. You deserve to take a moment and take a breath.
Before we jump into updates (and there are a lot of exciting ones!), let your shoulders relax, get a glass of water, or make yourself a cup of tea—whatever you need to take a moment for yourself and slow down because this is a moment for you.
And let’s be honest; you should probably get yourself a snack. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.
Now, feeling any better?
Good. There are exciting things ahead!
Book Deal: Advance Reader Copies!
This month, the book deal I’m offering to you lovely people is for my own novel!
For those of you who don’t know, Iron Rose is my debut novel—a standalone dark YA reimagining of Beauty & the Beast, brimming with magic, action, and hard-earned romance in the midst of curses, tyrannical armies, and broken kingdoms.
I am so excited to share Iron Rose with you!
It releases this August, but you can be an Advance reader, which means that you’ll get an exclusive early copy of Iron Rose in order to help spread the word and get other readers excited about its release!
The fabulous thing about book launches from indie presses is that you have a profound impact on the book’s success.
There’s no literary giant doing all the marketing. What each one of you do and say determines if someone hears about Iron Rose, decides to put it on their TBR, or even purchases it. And in a world where it can feel like you’re shouting into the void, something like this is pretty special.
You are my incredible people on the ground (or on IG, in bookstores, at your local bookclub…) and if you think you could read Iron Rose, tell your circles about it, and post a review on Goodreads or Amazon, then please be one of my heroes and sign up to be an ARC reader!
If you want more details about the book or what it means to be an ARC reader, I’ve put the official blurb and a FAQ for Iron Rose at the end of this letter.
Secrets
I’ve been keeping lots of wonderful secrets these past few months (including the cover—it’s gorgeous, but that will be for another time).
Now I finally get to start letting you in on some of them!
Iron Rose was instantly picked up by the team at Readers’ Favorite and was given this beautiful seal (truly, I was shocked how quickly it got snatched up!) and a review that was so glowing that it legitimately made me cry. I don’t know how to fully express my awe and gratitude!
Here are a few of my favorite lines:
This thrilling novel reimagines the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast with a dark and gripping twist.
O'Bryan has lovingly crafted a novel packed to the brim with rich world-building, intense action, and compelling characters that drew me into a dark and enchanting narrative right from the start…every chapter is filled with suspense, romance, and intrigue…
I loved the way O’Bryan honored the darker side of the original story with her own bloodthirsty new plotlines…highly recommended as a captivating read that will leave fans of fantasy and fairy tales craving more.
It is the craziest feeling to have a stranger read my book, totally understand it, and love it. This happened months ago and I’m still reeling!
More Secrets (Marissa Meyer)
Asking her was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done (and yes, as a small-pub author, it was me—not an agent or publisher—who had to do the asking), but my book was picked up, read, and endorsed by Marissa Meyer herself!!
Did I scream and dance around the house, hyperventilate, then immediately call my husband (who happened to be in France at the time)?
Yes. Yes, I did.
For years, she was my picture of success—an author of fairytale retellings, reaching wide audiences and making a full career from her writing. The Lunar Chronicles were coming out as I was writing Iron Rose and they were my touchstone—proof that my dream had a chance.
To have her endorse Iron Rose is a literal dream come true and my 20 year old self would have never believed it…
This is what she had to say—
IRON ROSE has all the tender romance we love about the Beauty and the Beast tale, but now with a deadlier curse, a tyrannical overlord, a brewing rebellion, and a tough-as-nails protagonist. A riveting take on this tale as old as time.
-Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles
The endorsements have been flowing in over the winter and I cannot believe all the incredible people who took a chance on my story. To say I’m grateful is an understatement.
And you beautiful people will be privy to all of the endorsements (not just this one) way earlier than the public!
Encouragement
“If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.”
-Mister Rogers
You are important.
Outside of your career, of how closely life has gone to plan, of how much recognition you’ve gotten for your work and skills—you are important.
Nothing stripped me of all worldly accolades more than becoming a stay at home mom. Before my book went anywhere, I was just trying to figure out how I and my life had meaning. There were no exterior accomplishments or exciting career prospects I could point to, so I had to dig down deep.
And what I came up with was…myself.
When I’m being my truest self, I’m bringing something important into the world, even if it isn’t flashy and there are no awards attached to it.
And I believe the same thing about you.
Until we meet again, I hope that this month you feel empowered to show up as yourself, knowing that you are valuable that there is space for you at the table just the way you are.
—Abigail
Blurb for Iron Rose
No Kiss Can Break This Curse
There is no future for Lydia Brightwood.
The Crimson Lord, a tyrant bent on destroying Lydia’s country, made sure of that. Her only hope of a different life is to find the one person who could unite her country: a royal heir. There’s just one problem…
They’re all dead.
The Beast’s humanity is slipping away.
Shut away from the world by a horrible secret, Adam watches the destruction of his homeland from the ruins of a fortress all the while holding the devastating truth in his chest:
It’s his fault.
Fates interwoven, Adam and Lydia’s paths cross in the ruins of the north where they must find a way to conquer the curse before the country collapses—but being truly human has its price.
A dark, lush, and triumphant reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, Iron Rose is perfect if you love daring escapes, bloody battles, deep family bonds, love overcoming the odds, and a touch of old magic.
FAQ
Q: How long are signups for ARCs open?
A: The month of April.
Q: As an ARC reader, when would I have to have Iron Rose read by?
A: Ideally by July 15th, when preorders open (so you can leave reviews and tell people about it!) but by August 6th (release date) at the latest.
Q: When will I know if I’m on the ARC list?
A: You will get an email on May 1st if you are chosen to be an ARC reader!
Q: I know someone who I think would be interested in being an ARC reader; can I send them a link to the sign up form?
A: Yes, please share!
Q: What age reader is Iron Rose appropriate for?
A: Iron Rose is upper YA, which means ages 14+ (there’s no cap on the age though—the majority of books I read are YA!)
Q: What’s Iron Rose’s spice level?
A: There’s a strong element of romance but because it is classified as a YA novel, it’s kisses only.
Q: Are there any trigger warnings?
A: Iron Rose takes place in an oppressed warzone, so there is PG13 violence.
Q: Is this part of a series?
A: Iron Rose is a standalone. In the future, there will be more standalone fairytale retellings in the same world that will be loosely connected but can be read in any order. You can thank my upbringing as a library kid for this.
Q: When and where will it be available to purchase?
A: Pre-orders will open July 15th and you can order it anywhere—from your local bookstore to Amazon. Iron Rose will release August 6th, which is when pre-order will be sent out.
Q: What formats will it be available in?
A: ARCs will primarily be eBooks, though I have a limited number of physical copies for special circumstances. When Iron Rose is released, you’ll be able to purchase it as an eBook, Paperback, or Hardback. Audio is in the works!