Sarah Zimm's Blog

Dear Readers,

One of the most-asked questions I get about book one in the Whispers of Dust & Darkness series always surprises (and encourages) me.

"When will we get an audiobook of Every Dark Shadow?"

For the past year, an audiobook of my dark fantasy debut has been at the back of my mind, behind a mile of to-do's, writing the novella Darkwielder, then writing the sequel Every Thread of Light. An audiobook was a someday project. But, last fall, when I finished writing ETOL, the moons aligned, as they'd say in Magus. Without book two spoilers, I'll say the magic that had been feeding the volatile Witchists' moon in 2024 finally made a shift, and it was time.

I'm thrilled to let you know EVERY DARK SHADOW is coming to Audible, iTunes, and Amazon on February 1, 2025. Why the short preorder phase? Because we've all waited long enough to hear the start of Ophelia's story come to life this way. So, here is some tea.

Voice performance

EVERY DARK SHADOW is narrated by the incredible Shannon Parker Taing, and I just have to gush about her. She has done various romance audiobooks, and when her voice first filled my earbuds, I freaking leapt off my chair. She was the third narrator whose audition scenes I'd listened to, but I knew right away it was her. We'd found someone who captured the longing in Ophelia, the swagger in Falcon, the pining in Rune, the abrasive edge in Hart, so well, and it just had to be her.

Shannon read the entire book in a few days, and when she came back with dozens of voice profiles, it was so clear she understood these characters and had the talent to perform them. (And there are a lot of characters in book one, between four MCs, two antagonistic characters, and various secondaries and backgrounds.) It's my honor to continue to work with her to bring the Whispers of Dust & Darkness series to audiobook, and I hope you'll devour her performance of EVERY DARK SHADOW as I did.

Get the audiobook now

You can preorder EVERY DARK SHADOW in audiobook on Audible or Amazon to be delivered to your listening library on Saturday, Feb. 1.

Now is the perfect time to dive into the world, or re-read, because don't forget! Every Thread of Light, book 2 in the Whispers series is coming fast on March 25!

Happy listening!Sarah

The late author Kurt Vonnegut once offered this wisdom: "We have to be continually jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down."

I chuckled reading this today, because it's exactly how I spent the better part of 2023 and 2024 writing (and struggling to write) Every Thread of Light. With a heavy heart, with all these doubts, flickering and festering. Would the Whispers of Dust and Darkness series ever find its dark fantasy readers? Was I writing this villain-wants-the-girl fantasy romance bravely enough? Was it too dark for readers of Every Dark Shadow? And how many times could I rewrite the opening chapters of this sequel before it felt right?

About 6 months after jumping off cliffs, bruising my backside and picking up yoga again, I did find my wings. I found them in the long nights, the stolen hours, the chaotic margins, the hundreds of voice notes and Post-Its, the desperate Marco Polos to my writing group, the needed hugs from my husband and son, and in that eager, well-meaning question from friends and family that, okay, sometimes made me cringe: How is the next book coming?

I found...my wings.

ETOL will be the fifth book I've ever written, the third to be published. So far, it's my favorite thing. The world is established, but expands into new (and some mysterious) territories. And if book one was about discovering who you are, book 2 is about deciding who you'll become: someone who clings to the trees to avoid the cliffs? Or someone who takes the running leap?

I hope you'll trust where this series is going. I hope, like Ophelia, you'll take my hand and leap with me.

XO,

Sarah

P.S. Looking for ways to support the series?

Read Every Dark Shadow on Kindle Unlimited and preorder Every Thread of Light.

Prefer hard copies? You can preorder the Book Bundle: Limited First Editions of Books 1 & 2 (includes the novella Darkwielder and special hardcases).

Give both books an add on Goodreads, if you're keen.

And please, take a moment to rate/review EDS and ETOL after you've read.

Hello lovelies,

Between blizzards, endless cups of tea, and late-night writing sessions on book 2 in the Whispers series, somehow it's already January and the Special Edition of Every Dark Shadow featuring the Darkwielder bonus novella is in the wild!

I want to pause in all the book launch chaos to appreciate the moment, and you.

It's a dream to see Ophelia, Falcon, Rune, Hart and other characters in this world brought to life through beautiful artwork (@lesyablackbird) and a stunning cover (@okaycreationssh) in this special hardcover edition. Truly, a dream.

The Whispers Edition hardcover features:

✨Every Dark Shadow + bonus villain novella Darkwielder

✨Scene Art dust jacket

✨New, simple case design with serpent-dagger sigil (IYKYK)

✨Interior character art

✨Another scene (that’s spoilery so I won’t say which!)

✨Map

✨Author Q&A and more

Thank you to every single one of you who has picked up the story in any format (ebook, first edition paperback and hardcover, or this Whispers Edition), who's reached out, shared the my debut epic fantasy novel with friends, and who continue to help it find a place on shelves and in the fantasy book community.

There are so many incredible fantasy books to add to TBRs in 2024, and I'm incredibly honored when readers choose Every Dark Shadow to add to their collection. If you do, be sure to tag me on social (@authorsarahzimm).

If you haven't gotten a copy yet and wish to, shipping dates are being updated every day on Amazon; they should have stock now. The Special Edition is also available on other online bookseller sites, including Target and Barnes and Noble. And if you prefer a signed special edition, you can order from my book shop (the next batch ships in early February).

You can also "test drive" Every Dark Shadow on Kindle Unlimited before buying a physical copy.

This year, you can expect book two news, more artwork, info on appearances, etc. I can't wait!

Thank you for your love of books and being here.

XO,Sarah

Hello Friends,

In case you missed it, Every Dark Shadow is available for preorder in both hardcover and eBook formats, and there are GOODIES that come with preordering before the August 29 release date.

eBook:

Preorder. DM your receipt to @authorsarahzimm with your mailing address. You'll be entered to win 1 of 3 signed hardcover copies + 4 character portraits + 1 bookmark. (US & International; author is not responsible for customs fees)

Hardcover:

Preorder. DM @authorsarahzimm your receipt with mailing address. After release, I'll send you a signed character portrait or bookmark of your choice (Hart, Ophelia, Rune, or Falcon).

PREORDER HARDCOVER or EBOOK ON AMAZON

or

PREORDER ON BARNES & NOBLE

(The book should be available to preorder on all major retailers, in addition to those above. Paperback will be available on release day.)

Thank you for your love and support for my debut epic fantasy adventure novel. It means the world. I'll see you in my DMs.

XO,

Sarah

Between five and six a.m. every day, light filters through the slats of my wooden blinds and golden fingers crawl the length of my pillow to pull me into day. If I'm lucky, it's a soft tug up a few rungs of a ladder, and I hover a while between sleep and wakefulness.

It's here, in this golden place, I was transported to 1800s New York, where in a small city a boy in a blue longcoat pulled a girl into an alley and urgently told her, "You don't belong here." I launched out of bed for my phone and furiously typed what I knew. The boy was her guardian, from another time or place, and knew the factory where she was heading was about to burn.

That was it. I set the notes aside for a year and worked on another project. Until last spring when I was invited to join a group of fantasy writers looking to start new projects and swap pages. I'd just finished my first novel called WICKED GLIMPSES and thought I'd be onto book two in that series. But when I sat down to a blank page, that girl in New York looked at me with intent dark eyes and demanded, Tell the story. I need to know how he knew the fire would happen.

So did I.

Eight months later, Ophelia Dannan and her three keepers, Rune, Hart, and Falcon, had taken EVERY DARK SHADOW to places I never imagined. Gritty, gang-infested streets. Tranquil farmsteads. Ethereal forests. Terrifying chambers. Now here I sit, my debut epic fantasy romance available for preorder in eBook and, soon, about to be ready in hardcover. There's character artwork and a map and a book cover, and the story has a life beyond my wildest...dreams.

Every single story I've penned, and ideas I've tucked away for later, have come out of remaining suspended a while in that golden hour. That sweet spot for uninhibited imagining, after we've recharged our minds and before the day has sunk its claws in us. It's one of my very favorite hours. And because of it, EVERY DARK SHADOW will soon be in the world. I hope you love the epic adventure Ophelia and her keepers take. It's the first in a planned duology...but I have to admit, the world has its hooks in me and characters are talking. So it's unlikely there will only be two books in this universe. In fact, I have an in-universe novella I'll be sharing with you later this year.

In the meantime, if you're keen, you can get your copy preordered and add EVERY DARK SHADOW on Goodreads. (I can't tell you how immensely helpful it is to an author looking to find their readers.)

If you order EDS, do send me a screenshot with proof of purchase to enter the giveaway for a signed first-edition hardcover with all four character portraits and bookmark. I'll be revealing this soon and, let me tell you. I hope you'll swoon.

Ophelia, her grumpy/sunshine keepers and I thank you.

XO,

SZ

Between five and six a.m. every day, light filters through the slats of my wooden blinds and golden fingers crawl the length of my pillow to pull me into day. If I'm lucky, it's a soft tug up a few rungs of a ladder, and I hover a while between sleep and wakefulness.

It's here, in this golden place, I was transported to 1800s New York, where in a small city a boy in a blue longcoat pulled a girl into an alley and urgently told her, "You don't belong here." I launched out of bed for my phone and furiously typed what I knew. The boy was her guardian, from another time or place, and knew the factory where she was heading was about to burn.

That was it. I set the notes aside for a year and worked on another project. Until last spring when I was invited to join a group of fantasy writers looking to start new projects and swap pages. I'd just finished my first novel called WICKED GLIMPSES and thought I'd be onto book two in that series. But when I sat down to a blank page, that girl in New York looked at me with intent dark eyes and demanded, Tell the story. I need to know how he knew the fire would happen.

So did I.

Eight months later, Ophelia Dannan and her three keepers, Rune, Hart, and Falcon, had taken EVERY DARK SHADOW to places I never imagined. Gritty, gang-infested streets. Tranquil farmsteads. Ethereal forests. Terrifying chambers. Now here I sit, my debut epic fantasy romance available for preorder in eBook and, soon, about to be ready in hardcover. There's character artwork and a map and a book cover, and the story has a life beyond my wildest...dreams.

Every single story I've penned, and ideas I've tucked away for later, have come out of remaining suspended a while in that golden hour. That sweet spot for uninhibited imagining, after we've recharged our minds and before the day has sunk its claws in us. It's one of my very favorite hours. And because of it, EVERY DARK SHADOW will soon be in the world. I hope you love the epic adventure Ophelia and her keepers take. It's the first in a planned duology...but I have to admit, the world has its hooks in me and characters are talking. So it's unlikely there will only be two books in this universe. In fact, I have an in-universe novella I'll be sharing with you later this year.

In the meantime, if you're keen, you can get your copy preordered and add EVERY DARK SHADOW on Goodreads. (I can't tell you how immensely helpful it is to an author looking to find their readers.)

If you order EDS, do send me a screenshot with proof of purchase to enter the giveaway for a signed first-edition hardcover with all four character portraits and bookmark. I'll be revealing this soon and, let me tell you. I hope you'll swoon.

Ophelia, her grumpy/sunshine keepers and I thank you.

XO,

SZ

Hello, blank page. We're going to be friends.

There is nothing like the unblemished white space, the wide open canvas of uncomplicated possibility. Void of imposter syndrome. Ripe for the seeding. I've been told I'm mad, the way a blank page excites me, rather than twists every nerve. I think it's just a writer thing.

Since summer, I've queried my very first book, WICKED GLIMPSES, and began writing a much darker YA fantasy. At 82K words, I'm in the thick of draft one (title coming early 2023), of the first in a planned trilogy that transports readers between gritty 1800s New York and a parallel, magic-enslaved world on the cusp of war, as a girl grapples with learning she has been hidden in time, her memory reset with every move, to keep a siphoning king from capturing her power.

Essentially, it is Shadow & Bone meets Willow with the mood and dramatic narrative of VE Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic.

It took me 18 months to write my debut (which I'm mapping a pub plan for now). It's taken about six months to draft my second, with 18K to go, and I've never loved characters more. They're authentic, flawed, brazen, complex, dark, and grayer than any I've written. The plot is full of threads that will take a surgeon to untangle if, in the home stretch of finishing the draft, darlings have to go. But this is the first book I've written that has felt like a universe, and I cannot wait to get it in beta reader hands...and in reader hands...hopefully next year.

Three main things I've done differently with this draft than I did with my first:

Start with general premise and core worlds, but develop the intricacies of story, settings and character more organically, as I wrote. (50% plotting / 50% pantsing) Outlined and self-edited in sections, rather than all at once. (For me, it's meant less pivoting.) Joined a brilliant critique group and shared 20K sections with partners each month to course-correct and brainstorm (cleaner first draft).

Whether writers are writing their first or thirteen novel, it is equal parts possibility and imposter syndrome. Passion and hair-pulling. Careening into the unknown and riding the rollercoaster.

We'd go mad if we didn't write. And we write because, maybe, we're a little mad. We do it for ourselves. And we do it for the moment our work finds itself in a reader's hands and they sigh and gasp and squeal along with us.

I cannot wait to get these stories in your hands.

XO,

SLZ