Whisper House Press

Notes from the desk of the editor are offered in the interests of personal posterity and transparency for writers and other potential editors who wish to learn from my experience.

– the editor

If you’ve been following these editorial updates, you know these have been extremely busy months. In this note from the editor’s desk, I’ll tackle the following topics, as concisely but thoughtfully as possible:

Final Editorial Notes on Dread Mondays anthology stories.

I’m down to the final four stories for initial editing + copy editing (which I’m able to do together thanks to the high quality of stories submitted to our last call for submissions). The moment I get that done (meaning I’ve sent out and then have received edits and have clean copies of every story imported into Vellum, my layout software), I’ll set up a galley proof copy for distribution to contributing authors. In the meantime, I’m checking over my own front matter and back matter.

I gave authors access to my content warning document, and many of them assisted with the main content notes for the stories they’ve written and edited with me. When I get it set up, those notes will go in the back of the book as it did with Costs of Living. For now, I’ve got placeholder text (you know, that weird Latin string of words that appear as sample text on web sites and the like? I got a bunch of that stuff to hold the space for the content warning word count for the time being).

My editor’s note was done a month ago, so that part is ready, too.

I’ve been laying out stories as they come back to me and I’ve got clean copies ready for all but these final four and maybe two others that are closing this week.

So we’re approaching the finish here with initial edits—that’s the toughest part of the process, I think. I still enjoy it very much and to say I’m grateful is a wild understatement.

---

All contributors paid and paid on time.

I was careful in contracting authors and paid some right away (those who signed first, basically), some were delayed to 3/1/25, others to 5/1/25, and others still to 7/1/25. I paid everyone, and everyone was paid on time or long ahead of time. This is expected, but it is also important to note. I’m building my reputation: I want to be known as transparent, honest, and trustworthy as well as being kind and skilled; and I’d like for all those things to be true beliefs on the part of the knower.

---

Whisper House Press Autumn events.

This is an area of explosive growth over the last month, as you can see. For reference, our launch dates follow:

• 9/1/25: Costs of Living becomes available (release date)
• 10/25/25: Dread Mondays becomes available (release date)

And here’s what I’ve put together in terms of publicity.

• 9/5/25: Evening launch Event for Costs of Living at The Printed Garden in Sandy, UT.
• 9/12/25: “Art Walk” signing at Central Book Exchange
• 9/13/25: B&N Sugarhouse rotating author + capone event for WHP, 2 to 6pm
• 9/19/25 & 9/20/25: Southern Utah Book Festival (Cedar City).
• 9/26/25 & 9/27/25: Likely (but still uncertain on the details) FanX signings and appearances (Salt Lake City).
• 10/4/25: The Book Garden, Saturday afternoon signings (Bountiful) –  rotating author + capone event for WHP
• 10/5/25-10/8/25: Mountains and Plains Independent Bookseller Association (Capone to Denver)
• 10/11/25: B&N Murray multi-author signing, Whisper House Press promos
• 10/18/25: Marissa’s Books, multi-author signing, Whisper House Press promos (South Salt Lake / Millcreek)
• 10/25/25: Utah Book Festival event at Utah Cultural Center in West Valley City. (I’m facilitating and designing programming for this event.)
• 10/26/25: Multi-Author Signing at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore up in Park City, UT.
• 10/30/25: Launch event for Dread Mondays at The Printed Garden in Sandy, UT.

That’s a lot, right? There are also a dozen or more farmer’s markets to which I’ve gotten an invite, so I will try to pack those in where I am able. This all hints at my last topic, which I’ll get to in a moment.

---

Kickstarter Fulfillment for Costs of Living.

Everyone who backed Costs of Living at a level promising that book without a copy of Dread Mondays has received it. Everyone who backed at any level that receives any awards has received their digital copy of Costs of Living and the stretch rewards. This has all gone out two-ish months in advance of the promised delivery date. Everything else still on track:

The only thing remaining is (1) to deliver first digital and then physical copies of Dread Mondays for those who backed at a level inclusive of these items and (2) to send out both books to those who backed at a level inclusive of both books; this’ll happen in August when Dread Mondays is ready. (I did not send out CoL to those who are awaiting DM so I can ship them both together before the launch of CoL.)

---

Video Editing is ongoing.

I continue editing and posting videos with Costs of Living authors and have been interviewing Dread Mondays authors for edits after this first set is done. Here’s the YouTube channel where all the action happens. The exception: I put Lisa Morton’s interview up last week during StokerCon. That’s the annual Horror Writers Association gathering at which the Bram Stoker Awards are announced / distributed. That interview was heavily HWA focused and dealt specifically with that event and the Bram Stoker Award, so it seemed a good idea to post it sooner rather than later.

---

Possible Kickstarter for Dread Mondays.

I’ve had a thought that a limited-run KS with a very low funding goal might be a good idea for Dread Mondays. I’ve spent around $6k developing this book so far, and trying to recoup a few hundred bucks while simultaneously putting in on people’s radar might be a good idea. I’m not sure about this. I don’t want to double-dip into the wallets of those who have just backed another project, but there’s an audience out there if I can get the word to new ears—and I’m really thinking like a $250 goal or something similar—something I know I can meet. More to come on this, and feel free to let me know what you think!

---

Writing / Editing Balance. Priorities.

I just returned from a weeklong trip to Lake Tahoe with my family—our first major trip in a few years—and I spent a lot of time with the entire Capone squad. I also spent about 25 hours throughout the week working on editing, and I sat out a few activities. There’s a careful balance here, and the goal post is always in motion. I’m trying to be present for my family, to give myself breathers and breaks, and to work hard on a project I’d happily spend every day developing. So I have to be careful. It’s also tough, in a personal (non-editor) sense, to know what I need in terms of personal space and time away from the sometimes-chaotic but often beautiful three-ring circus that is my beloved family.

As an introvert, I can only spend so many hours in a row with the same people before wanting to drive my vehicle into a telephone pole or leave one of the kids in a beach with a lighter, compass, and a vague instruction about how many miles it’ll take to get back home… and I don’t want to be a curmudgeon who sits out fun stuff to no good end. I won’t enjoy activities I feel pressured into doing, so timing is everything.

Over the course of this past week, I did a good job with all of this, I think.

I used a lot of time to read, to edit, and to take notes for writing—and I spent a lot of time watching movies, visiting the beach, going out to eat or eating in, playing mini golf, hitting an escape room, and playing cards with the family. Only a few times did a family member pressure me to do more than I was comfortable doing, which was helpful and shows growth on everyone’s part and which I managed to turn down in a totally chill manner.

I’m almost done with one of two summer college courses I’m taking. These are required by law and are eternally annoying, and I wish I could earn the credit by teaching them instead of taking them.

A general note about publishing: It is very easy for me to get swallowed in an activity I love, especially if it’s a creative and solo activity into which my personality and personal narrative are both woven. The job, whatever the job is and even if I love it, is not my life. And I’m not even making any money. So I’m trying to keep it real, keep it balanced, and be thoughtful about my time.

I leave in a few weeks for a writing residency in France, which has been a major driver in me trying to reach the goals I’ve set for Dread Mondays this month. I do not want to be working on anything that isn’t my own writing while I’m on that trip. I will have a galley proof (more likely) or better a test copy (less likely) in my hand by the time I leave.

This Week’s Mantras: I’m almost there. Unclench those teeth. Take a breath.

Behind-the-Scenes Headquarters