Category Archives: Writing Life

WANTED! REVIEWS. 📖

09 Tuesday Sep 2025

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Tonight’s Specials, Table for 7’s anthology that we indie-published in December 2024, needs book reviews. Can you help?

Wanted-style poster featuring 6 writers holding copies of their indie published novel & smiling

Why Review ⭐

A good way to help new readers discover Tonight’s Specials is by leaving a review on your favorite bookish site. Do you use Goodreads or a similar website? Are you an Amazon customer? Please write a review for us there!

If you don’t have a fav bookish spot on the Interwebs —your local library’s website works, too. Oh, wait. Is your library lacking a copy of Tonight’s Specials on their actual or virtual shelves (think: OverDrive, Libby, Hoopla)? You can recommend Tonight’s Specials by sharing the title and authors with library staff.

How to Review ⭐

Stars are nice. We especially like 5 in a row.

No, for real / if you’re new to writing reviews, or a reluctant reviewer, here’s what you can include: what you enjoyed about the anthology, what you didn’t quite enjoy or what may have confused you, a particular story that you connected with, interesting themes, sensory responses, or memories. Some people like to use the “sandwich” approach, which is to say something positive, add a point or two of constructive critique, and conclude with positivity, praise, or a hope for the book or author(s).

Reviews don’t need to be long. Completing the entire book isn’t necessary, although we’d prefer you skip this task if you haven’t read any of Tonight’s Specials anthology. (Say you got as far as the excellent forward by Annette Trossello and want to compliment her fine work —I bet she wouldn’t be mad.)

Our Bribe ⭐

You knew this was coming, didn’t you? YES! Bribery is not beneath us. Two lucky review-writers will be entered into a raffle (random number generator is our friend). Prizes include:

⭐ Tf7 will mail 1 softcover copy of Tonight’s Specials to the lucky home of your choosing

⭐ 1 sheet of the cutest tasty food stickers you ever saw

To win: read, review, and contact hellopho@hotmail.com by October 15, 2025 for entry into the raffle. đŸ—łïž

New Author x2 – Tonight’s Specials Anthology

29 Tuesday Apr 2025

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My writer’s group did a THING. 👀📚

It’s year five for Table for 7 Press where six writers have combined skills, talents, and interests to develop work and self-publish together. Tonight’s Specials is extra-special because it’s our indie press’s fifth book, and each of our names can be found within, attached to a short story (or introduction page.)

What’s the anthology feature? Five authors from Table for Seven Press weave together short stories that explore the eternal question: “What if
?” when the promise of tickets to see a beloved band are on the horizon. Learn more here.

We’re so excited, and we want to celebrate with you! We hope you’ll consider attending our launch party on zoom. Details below.

What: Launch Party for Tonight’s Specials. Five Stories. One Vietnamese Restaurant.
When: Thursday, May 22, 2025, 7:30 PM
Where: Zoom! RSVP at https://bit.ly/tf7launchparty
Who: Us. You. đŸ“šđŸ“šđŸ“šđŸ„‚

Hi. Yes I AM a new author.

31 Wednesday Jan 2024

Posted by in CoaCS, Writing Life

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Greetings from the other side of my book launch!

Begun in a paper notebook in 2005, CONFESSIONS OF A CANDY SNATCHER (CoaCS) arrived with a whoop of well-wishes at a dance party in its honor on August 15, 2023. Friends and family joined to listen to an excerpt of the novel, participate in a Q&A, and dance in celebration to the beats of DJ Univers-AL (Alison Brill: hire her! Socially conscious DJ, dj.univers.al.beats@gmail.com).

One guest remarked, “Why isn’t every book launch a dance party?”

Why, indeed. đŸ’ƒđŸŸ

Here are some highlights from the rest of Launch Season::

Official Launch Event

On the evening of Wednesday, October 25, 2023, I debuted CoaCS to a packed house at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, MA. My friend, artist-illustrator-author RaĂșl the Third, interviewed me, asking questions about the novel, my creative process, and my favorite scary movie (none; too frightened). I’m deeply grateful to RaĂșl for being so giving of his time and for helping me create the best in-person event I could have imagined!

As well, I thank everyone who attended IRL or via Zoom, with a special shout out to Diane Martin and her young friend, who helped set up and managed the most / least favorite candy game, and also Anna Borges, local musician and Creative / Art Director at Sounds of Brazil Anna Borges Productions, who took the amazing photos you’ll see below.

Mini-Tour Concludes with Launch at Porter Square Books

22 Sunday Oct 2023

Posted by in CoaCS, With Friends, Writing Life

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Well, I really missed out on sharing my full mini-book-tour here on my website. Oops. That’s alright though ’cause there’s one more event on the way.

I’m so excited to conclude this October-ride with my buddy, award-winning artist-illustrator RaĂșl the Third. Join us for a conversation on Wednesday, October 25th, 7 PM, at Porter Square Books, 25 White Street, Cambridge, MA.


More information: https://bit.ly/45zK7oQ

RSVP: https://fb.me/e/bUglSfm4f

Image

Book Birthday Party – August 15, 8 PM EST

13 Sunday Aug 2023

August 15th, Confessions of a Candy Snatcher will officially be published and available for purchase in bookstores and online!

Come celebrate at a reading followed by a virtual dance party featuring DJ Univers-AL.

Date: Tues, Aug 15

Time: 8-9 PM EST

Link: bit.ly/3YyJGJl

Secret Passcode: c@ndyc0rn81523

Schedule (subject to change)

8:00 – Arrive to inviting beats by DJ Univers-AL

8:10 – Intros & zoom how-to’s

8:15 – Halloween-themed game  

8:20 – Virtual book reading (excerpt) 

8:35 – Q&A

8:45 – Dance Party! đŸ’ƒđŸŸ

9:00 – Fin. Maybe . . . 😉

Never attended a virtual dance party? Here’s how (description courtesy of DJ Univers-AL):

This party is an opportunity to dress up and have fun! Wear costumes and outfits that make you feel good, and bust out your fancy lights and festive computer backgrounds. Turning your video on is encouraged to help build community, but if you’re feeling shy, you’re welcome to dance off-camera or turn off your camera.

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Meet Table for 7

04 Sunday Dec 2022

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My writing group’s publishing collective was fortunate enough to be interviewed by writer, coach, and tea enthusiast Allison Pottern Hoch. We’re early days with Table for 7 Press, just two years (and four books) in. We’ve learned a lot, and are encouraged to keep pushing forward –gaining new skills and getting our work into the hands of readers.

Follow along with our journey on Allison’s substack, Books, Marketing, & More: https://pottern.substack.com/p/book-marketing-now-table-for-7-press

Exciting News! 📚 đŸŽ‰

09 Sunday Oct 2022

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I’m pleased to announce that my middle grade novel, CONFESSIONS OF A CANDY SNATCHER, will be coming to a bookstore / library / home-shelf near you in the summer of 2023! It’s being published by my dream publisher, Candlewick Press and will officially launch on August 15. I hope you will be able to join me in-person to celebrate at a book launch event in fall 2023. You can stay in the loop by signing up for my mailing list.

🎉 🎉 🎉 📚📚📚 ✹✹✹

Meet Jonas:

A night of Halloween fun gone wrong has Jonas wondering if he’s really a wolf in disguise in this fast-paced fiction debut delving into accountability, relationships . . . and zines.

For the past few years, twelve-year-old Jonas and his friends have competed to see how many bags of candy they can grab from unsuspecting trick-or-treaters. No one’s supposed to get hurt, just lose their treats. So Jonas is taken by surprise when one of his smaller targets fights back against his snatching attempt. He’s even more surprised when he starts to receive anonymous notes from someone who knows what happened that night. Jonas already has enough on his plate, between his parents’ ill-defined separation and his own guilt—guilt his friend Concepción challenges him to confront in a zine she’s creating around the prompt “What’s the worst thing you ever did?” It’s a complicated question, one that touches on issues of identity, maturity, physical boundaries, and safety.

Featuring zines crafted by award-winning illustrator Theodore Taylor III, Phoebe Sinclair’s debut novel relates an emotive, reflective story about the wonder—and mess—of growing up.

Join my mailing list to learn more and get notified when preorders are available.

National Novel Writing Month 2021: In Miniature

15 Monday Nov 2021

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Nanowrimo – Present: the Mini Mo

This year, I’m trying out yet another of my alternate versions of National Novel Writing Month. A NaNoWriMo subversion, if you will. I call it: Na No Mini Mo. I find this acronym delightfully fun to say and, if you don’t think about it too hard, it almost makes sense. Instead of 50,000 words –50,000 awful, sloppy, silly, embarrassing, and sometimes enthusiastic words to comprise a novela (novelette?)– I’m committing myself to 5,000 words. Don’t laugh. It’s a respectable number, especially if you’re as tired as I am, and especially if you have too many jobs, (I do). So! 166 words per day. Sure I can write more, and I may, but only 166 words count. 

Nanowrimo –  Past: đŸ¶

Why take on this exercise (this sprint) if you’re gonna reduce a mastiff to a maltese, you ask? Well, for one, maltese probably drool less, and I hear they fit in your lap. This November, in Our Year of the Pandemic Cont’d, I’m not rocking mastiff energy but I know I could make it to the end of the block with a maltese. 

Besides, between 2001 and 2012 I raised up four mastiffs. I gamely appreciated the shaggy first, lost the second to a data crash (goodbye Orange Julius the clamshell MacBook), hate-wrote the fourth (that was an experience), and continue to feel great affection for the third, whom I’ll hopefully unconventionally publish once someone launches the type of platform on which it could thrive. (That third nanowrimo is a real pleasure pup.) . . . and NOW this metaphor has run its course!

I’d also like to make note of several NaNoVariations I’ve tried over the past three or so years:

  • NaNo: Steering the Craft writing exercises edition – “For this round, I’m interested to devote time to masterclass lessons from the indisputable, indefatigable, inspiring, pragmatic, kind, and kinda hilarious Ursula K. Le Guin, via her slim, powerful book, Steering the Craft – A 21st Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story.”
  • NaNoZineMo / ZineNoWriMo – Thirty mini-zines in thirty days (harder than it looked! So. much. drawing.)

While the real NaNoWriMo has a deservedly sizable following, my variations are engaged by essentially just me*. I’m sure there are other variations out there, too, like how I know at least one writer takes part in visual-arts focused Inktober (Hi, Erin! Check out her 2021 spooky Inktober micro-fic here.) I’d be curious to see who else is doing what NaNoWri-wise during November. Maybe this means you? What are you up to? Share with us in the comments!

*Update: a buddy-colleague and his teen daughter have now signed on to NaNoMiniMo

News from the Homefront

23 Sunday May 2021

Posted by in Boston Moments, Readin', Writing Life

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Oh, boy. It’s been four years. FOUR YEARS, since I posed to WHL. In that time, those YEARS, I’ve:

Also, I accidentally lost the url to this blog. Thus, we’re now at phoebesinclairwrites.com. I miss my wholeheartlocal address, but perhaps this is for the best. I still want to wax romantic about my adopted city, about the many beautiful little things; small, bright or shadowed moments. Yet, with so much on the horizon, this field needs grow a little wider, wilder.

Looking forward to catching ya’ll up, hopefully. Soon.