I’ve been hoping to be able to make this announcement this autumn and here it is. My newest nonfiction book, The Swirl and Swing of Words: Embracing the Writing Life, is available today, Tuesday, October 29, 2024, in ebook format on Amazon, BN, Apple, and wherever books are sold. An AI-narrated audiobook is available from Amazon and Audible, and paperback editions are currently available through Amazon. As always, my ebooks are released at an introductory price of 99 cents.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I can remember having two releases in the same year. I think because And Shadows Will Fall is fiction and The Swirl and Swing of Words is nonfiction, I was able to work on both at the same time.

Here is the blurb for The Swirl and Swing of Words:

Some of us are compelled to share our creative visions through the written word. If we want to stay true to our dreams of being writers, then we should embrace the writing life.

Embracing the writing life means giving into the joys and the challenges of our chosen art form. Embracing the writing life means living fully, being present in the moment, and finding meaning in the smallest things. This is how we fill our creative well, after all—with life. 

Whether you are new to writing or have many years under your belt, embracing the writing life may be the best thing you can do for yourself as a creative person, and a human being. 

The Swirl and Swing of Words touches on topics as wide-ranging as finding time to write, writer’s block, finding creative magic in ordinary days, dealing with rejection, and keeping the joy of writing alive. I called this an odd little book once, and I still think of it that way. Writing The Swirl and Swing of Words was a chance for me to share what I’ve learned as I continue to grow into the writer I want to be. I hope other writers will recognize themselves in the joys and struggles that come with choosing a creative life. While writing itself is a solitary activity, we are not alone in our dreams, concerns, and backaches. When we accept writing for what it is—one of the best things we can do for ourselves—then we can embrace it with all that we have to give. 

As with my previous nonfiction book, The Swirl and Swing of Words isn’t about selling as many books as you can, writing 15000 words a day, or marketing anything. This book is about sharing my deep, abiding love for writing, a love that has sustained me through many storms. This book is about how I came to embrace the writing life over trials and errors, ups and downs, experiments and, finally, acceptance of my creative life how it is and not how I wish it to be. Writing this book has helped me clarify my experience with living an authentic creative life in this precious time we have. The book was written for anyone who strives to maintain their creative selves even when the going gets tough, and it does sometimes. Those of you who have been longtime readers of this blog may recognize some of the chapters in the book, which began life here as blog posts. The blog posts have been fleshed out, reorganized, and updated. 

I’m doing a soft launch for this book, which means that I’m not having a big release day to-do as I have with previous books. I have review copies of The Swirl and Swing of Words available for readers of this blog. Let me know through the Contact tab at the top of the page or meredithallardauthor@gmail.com if you’d prefer an epub or pdf review copy.

I hope other writers find some useful ideas or needed inspiration as they begin their journeys toward embracing the writing life. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let me know what you think.

Buy The Swirl and Swing of Words here: