Subscribe now

January was a whirlwind.

If I’m honest, the past four months have felt pretty chaotic, and I felt like I’m just not getting a sure footing (ironic since the outside is currently ice-covered). I feel like I’ve suffered a little bit of whiplash . . . and if you have to, I’m sorry.

At the beginning of January, I was able to meet with a wonderful group of Christian author-teachers, and they encouraged me to go back to my roots: keep Solar Stories just about deisgn and branding. And, without even knowing it, they encouraged me to go back to the heart I have for Substack: to encourage other Christian writer moms.

Life Behind the Pages

As much as I would love for it to be, my days aren’t usually the sweet, slow, I -get-to-spend-hours-writing that I want them to be. Instead, they’re juggling homeschooling, grocery shopping, making dinner, trying to balance two freelance businesses, and writing projects, while keeping my two kids alive and growing a third.

Many times, it’s pure chaos.

It’s loud. The children fight. The dog barks. My drafty house is freezing. The dishwasher broke (we bought a new one). The exhaust fan noise is driving me nuts again.

But they’re also some of the most joyful experiences I’ve ever had.

And I know that I’m not the only one.

Many other Christian writer moms feel this same pull—to tend to their home and children, and their stories.

And that’s why The Barroso Bindery is rebranding tomorrow at Harvest & Handbound.

When I first started freelancing, back in November 2024, I set out to help indie author moms. And, as an indie author mom, I know that budgets are tight. I had lots of interest, but not lots of clients. So, I sort of stumbled my way through to find work. Praise the Lord that he provided. And I’m so excited for him guiding my steps up to this point—to rebrand and refocus on what my heart is: homemaking and writing, and helping other Christian writer moms along the way.

Writing Projects

Anne of Green Gables Cozy Fantasy Retelling

January starting word count: 17,284
Words written: 0
Total word count: 17,284
Word count goal: 30,000

Because of focusing on two complete rebrands (amidst my client work), my fantasy novella took a back burner. However, to get back on track, it’s my main goal for the next two weeks. The plan is to have the first draft completely written by February 14th and the first round of revisions completed by February.

Books I Read this Month

In January, I read:

1. Before You Open Your Bible: Nine Heart Postures For Approaching God’s Word by Matt Smethurst

2. Sword & Shadow by V. K. Dixon

3. Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

5. Jesus is Better: Hebrews Bible Study by The Daily Grace Co.

6. Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson

Looking Ahead

I can’t wait to share more about my plans for Harvest & Handbound. I’ve planned out monthly resources through September. Lord willing, it’s going to be so good.

Share

If you’ve read any of my stories, would you please leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon? Thanks 💛

For more insider info, join my reader group, The Barroso Book Nook.

Subscribe now

Last month, I participated in Novel November, fully knowing that my goal wasn’t to write 50k words. While I didn’t quite meet all of my goals, I am proud of the work that I accomplished—but more on that later.

I also spent time with my best friend from high school. She was able to fly up and stay with us for a few days, and that was a much-needed time together. She left just before Thanksgiving, so we celebrated by having a slow day with just our family of four (plus one, but he eats what I eat).

What I Read

In November, I read:

1. On the Edge of the Forgotten Sea by Alissa J. Zavalianos

2. The Borrowed Life of Fredrick Fife by Anna Johnston

3. Wishtress (reread) by Nadine Brandes

4. The Celestia Ceremony by me (proofreading counts, okay?)

5. Archives of the Warden Book 6 (beta-read) by V. K. Dixon

6. Unnannounced Title (endorsement) by Unannounced Author

7. The Gospel of God: A Bible Study on Romans for Women, Volume 1 of 2 (Part One) by Keri Folmar

What I Wrote

Winter Short Story: The Celestia Ceremony

November starting word count: 0
Words written: 7,892
Total word count: 7,892
Word count goal: 7,500

The Celestia Ceremony is prepped and ready to go for publication day on December 22. You will be able to read it on Kindle Unlimited or on my Substack for free.

Fantasy Novella

November starting word count: 0
Words written: 10,140
Total word count: 10,140
Word count goal: 30,000

This first draft will be finished in December. It’s taking priority over Ivy Creek, Book 1, because it’ll be published first. More details on this project to come soon.

Ivy Creek: Book 1

November starting word count: 30,541
Words written: 0
Total word count: 30,556
Word count goal: 60,000

The goal is to pick this story back up in December to have the draft finished in January.

Total words drafted in November: 18,965.

What I’m Looking Forward To

I’ve partnered with Little Leaf Booksellers and several other indie authors to do an Advent giveaway! It starts today, so keep your eyes peeled for updates about it.

We’re starting a new Advent devotional for family worship, and I’m excited to dive into that.

I think that’s it for this month’s update.

Share

If you’ve read any of my stories, would you please leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon? Thanks 💛

For more insider info, join my reader group, The Barroso Book Nook.

Learn How to Join

Subscribe now

October was such a fun month. I entered the second trimester of this pregnancy, and I’m feeling more like myself (and feeling baby move, which is always fun). With that, I was able to get so many things accomplished that I fell behind on during the first trimester.

What I Read

In October, I read:

1. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones

2. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1 by Beth Brower

3. Olivia’s Only Pretending by Rebecca Jo Jackson

4. The Wolf’s Howl by V. K. Dixon

5. Labyrinth Wolves by Victoria McCombs

6. Praying the Lord’s Prayer by J. I. Packer

What I Wrote

Caught off Gourd is officially available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. You can still read it for free on my Substack.

Winter Short Story

October Starting Word Count: 0
Words Written: 0
Total Word Count: 0

I wrote the last short story in less than 24 hours, so I feel confident that I’ll get this one written quickly as well.

Ivy Creek: Book 1

August Starting Word Count: 30,541
Words Written: 0
Total Word Count: 30,556

What I’m Looking Forward To

I’ve partnered with Little Leaf Booksellers and several other indie authors to do an Advent giveaway! Stay tuned for more information about this.

I relaunched my reader group, The Barroso Book Nook.

Learn How to Join

Get the Publishing Schedule Template

Novel November! Last weekend, I worked through my publishing goals for story ideas all the way through 2032! So, in November, I’m doing my own version of Novel November. The goal is to finalize the winter short story and announce the title, completely draft a novella project that I’ll start, and also get another 10k-20k words into Ivy Creek, book 1.

Winter short story: write and revise, share cover
Novella word count goal: 25k-45k
Ivy Creek, book 1 word count goal: 10k-20k more (40k-50k total)

I think that’s it for this month’s update.

Share

If you’ve read any of my stories, would you please leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon? Thanks 💛

Subscribe now

I’m going to keep this brief so that I can resume my monthly updates on the first of the month (aka in like three days).

Reading

In September, I read:

1. Caught off Gourd (my first seasonal short story)

2. Beta-read for Archives of the Warden book 5.5 by V. K. Dixon

Writing

In September, I just worked on catching up on tasks that I neglected during the first trimester of this pregnancy.

The only writing I did was for Caught off Gourd.

Read the First Chapter

Ivy Creek: Book 1

August Starting Word Count: 30,541
Words Written: 15
Total Word Count: 30,556

Share

Hey, friend! I’m Anna Barroso. I’m a Christian, wife, mother, homemaker, author, and creative. Click here to read the first two chapters of my debut novel, Seas the Day.

Connect with Anna: Email, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube

Tending Home

I have been loving these non-toxic, vinegar-based cleaners from Aunt Fannie’s. Before finding this brand, I had planned on making my own vinegar-based cleaners, and I’m honestly thankful that I don’t have to.

I also got this shoe cabinet for Mother’s Day. We looked for a long time to find something that was narrow enough to fit on this wall and still be able to open the front door all of the way without blocking the entryway to the kitchen. If you’re looking for a narrow shoe cabinet, check this one out (affiliate link).

Telling Tales

Surprise: It’s Ivy Creek!

Because I can’t chill (and because it’s not that big of a deal), I wanted to go ahead and share the series name and location: Ivy Creek, South Carolina. Think Stars Hollow meets The Outer Banks.

Ivy Creek: Book 1

May was a WONDERFUL writing month. I wrote more in the past two weeks than I have in the previous eight months. Seriously. My WIP is currently sitting at over 20k words, and I’m on track to have the first draft complete in the next two weeks.

With that said, I’m looking for one more beta reader.

For those of you who may not know, beta-reading is reading an early, unedited copy of a book with the goal of helping the author gauge the story’s readability. This is different than an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) because an ARC is a finished, early copy of the book given in exchange for an honest review. Beta-readers should be aware that there will likely be typos and other errors in this document. Beta-reading will also take place on one shared Google Doc. Beta-readers will be able to see and reply to others’ comments.

Beta-reading will take place over six weeks from July 5th to August 9th. If this is something that you’re interested in, please reply to this email.

Secret Project

I’m working on a fantasy novella that will only be available to members of the Solar Society. The plan is for this novella to be a serial release right here on Substack. The goal is to begin sharing it in October.

There are many goals to this, but one being that I want to dip my toes into fantasy more quickly than I could if I were to officially publish this story. Ivy Creek will take up publishing for the next four books, but I’m eager to share more of the whimsy worlds that live in my brain. Fantasy is my favorite genre and one that I truly look forward to sharing with you all.

Join the Solar Society

What I Read

In May, I read:

1. Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery

2. Hosea: A 12-Week Study by Lydia Brownback

3. Rogue Secreto by Victoria McCombs

4. Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery

5. Behind the Clouds by Abigail G. Thompson*

6. The Women by Kristin Hannah

Click the links to read my reviews of each book.

*The cover for this book hasn’t been revealed yet, so I will share my review once the cover is revealed.

Upcoming Releases

• Fantasy - has a Kickstarter for her Warriors and Mages trilogy. It’s a sword and sorcery trilogy with elemental magic. Think Jane Austen meets Skyrim. It’s currently in the pre-launch stage.

• Young Adult (YA) Contemporary Romance - has a Kickstarter for her novel titled Behind the Clouds. It’s currently in the pre-launch stage.

• Fantasy - Natalie Colburn has a Kickstarter for the second book, A Secret to Kill, in the Crowning Games series. It’s currently in the pre-launch stage.

• New Adult (NA) Contemporary Romance - Rebecca Jo Jackson’s fourth book in the Sweet River Series, Olivia’s Only Pretending, is coming in August of 2025. The Sweet River Series is a series of interconnected standalones and can be read independently of each other.

If you’re a Christian, no-spice author with an upcoming release, please let me know!

Trusting God

As many of you know, I’ve been slowly reworking my brand to try and create something that’s more sustainable for me, but still accessible for you. With that, I’m reworking my weekly posts. I’ll be doing a trial run in June (let’s see if you can spot the pattern), with the aim of doing a full plan in July with lots of goodies for the Solar Society.

Introducing: Tools for Tending, Telling, & Trusting. The main posts will remain free, but the Solar Society will get access to practical tools and videos that I’ll use to walk through exactly what I’m doing so that I can best help you.

In July, I’ll be addressing exactly how I balance being a SAHM, author, freelancer, and small business owner. I get asked this question a lot, and I want to take the time to truly answer it for you all. So, please reply with what questions you have.

Join the Solar Society

Hey, friend! I’m Anna Barroso. I’m a Christian, wife, mother of two littles, a homemaker, author, and author assistant. Click here to read the first two chapters of my debut novel, Seas the Day. To learn more about the services I help authors with, click here. To learn how to get first access to all of my writing and publishing updates and/or how to get discounts on author services, click here.

Connect with Anna: Email, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube

What’s Happened

I painted my kitchen cabinets in March and I am beyond in love with them. Honestly, it’s an obsession. I sort of, maybe, kinda spontaneously painted my bathroom cabinet the same color yesterday and ran out of paint, so I’ll need to make a trip to the store soon.

(Can you see a theme in my re-branding colors too?)

What’s Coming

ICYMI: There’s been some changes around here. I want to take you on my journey of slow, intentional living. Why? Well because I think it’s biblical to live a simple life and because I think the people who are attracted to slow living will also be the same people who enjoy my books.

First Youtube video is coming on Friday, April 11th. It’ll be about my experience with slow living these past three months.

Author Spotlight coming next this, April 4th with Abigail Thompson.

What I’m Working On

Project Best Friends: Book 1

I realize that I’ve been saying this for a few months, but I am hopeful that with this content creation rework, I’ll be able to dive into writing more this month. My goal is 10k words (instead of my continually failed 30k).

What I Read

In March I read:

1. Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery

2. Archives of the Warden Book 5 (un-titled beta read) by V. K. Dixon

3. Anne of Windy Poplars by L. M. Montgomery

4. Beyond the Wand: The Magic & Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton

5. Anne’s House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery

My goal is to catch up on book reviews this month so that I will be able to link all of my April read reviews in my May newsletter.

What You May Like to Know

You can now order signed copies of my books on my Etsy Shop.

Street Team applications will reopen in the summer.

Remember to check out V. K. Dixon’s Kickstarter for her Warriors and Mages trilogy.

Well, it’s better late than never, right?

What’s Happened

I learned how to make sourdough bread last month and I can honestly say . . . I’m getting worse at it. The first batch I made with a friend (who’s been doing this practically everyday for two years). Every time I’ve done it independently, I’ve messed up. But I am getting better, so that’s cool at least.

What’s Coming

I’ve been struggling on finding a work/life balance as of late. Perhaps you’ve noticed me being quiet. I was burnt out on working too much, and then (wrongfully so) I swung back in the opposite direction too drastically.

I’ve been working a lot behind the scenes and that means I haven’t been showing up much on social media. But I think I’ve found a solution.

If you read my February newsletter, you know what this means, but it’s official now: YouTube channel coming Friday, April 11. This will help me focus on one project at a time that I can then cut down to smaller, shorter form content, meaning that I won’t have to spend hours trying to create content, and find work, and care for my house and my kids.

With this change, I’ve decided to shift my social media platform from just books to books and lifestyle (think Melissa Ferguson at Our Friendly Farmhouse). This will help me stay consistent because I (hopefully) won’t feel that push and pull between my two jobs: writing and family.

Author Spotlight coming next Friday, April 4th with Abigail Thompson.

What I’m Working On

Project Best Friends: Book 1

Sooooooooo my goal of hitting 30k last month definitely didn’t happen (again). I’m really hopeful that this new content creation idea will help me get back into writing more consistently. I miss it.

Also, I started a free trial of Scrivener (love) but I haven’t bought the paid version yet, so I don’t know where I left off on writing, and therefore, I cannot give you a word count update.

My b.

What I’m Reading

In February I read:

1. And Then There were None by Agatha Christie

2. The Terminal List by Jack Clark

3. Raising Kids in a Screen-Saturated World by Eliza Huie

4. Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery

The book club pick for March was Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton.

I’m also working through Praying the Lord’s Prayer by J. I. Packer with some ladies from my church.

What You May Like to Know

You can now order signed copies of my books on my Etsy Shop.

Street Team applications will reopen in the summer.

Remember to check out V. K. Dixon’s Kickstarter for her Warriors and Mages trilogy.

If you’re interested in participating in an author spotlight, fill out this form.

WOWZA! I feel like it’s been a long time since I sent a newsletter. Having a baby and publishing a book will do that to ya.

And we have some BIG news in this one. So let’s just dive right in!

Seas the Day

Edits are done, formatting is done, and proofreading is underway! We had a successful kickstarter (all thanks to you guys!) The campaign goal was $500 and we finished with $2,033! Check out the stretch goals that we unlocked:

(p.s. to my kickstarter backers, ICYMI, the Live Q+A is tonight at 8PM EST).

Now that the KS is over, I can officially announce the pub day! It’s January 28, 2025. I haven’t made it public anywhere else yet, so perks of being apart of this newsletter—you get to read it here first!

ARC Team applications will open to the public on December 1, but I’ll sent another email to all of you to join before then (I’m breaking my once-a-month email for this). If you’re already a member of the Sunshine Squad, you don’t need to sign up again.

Work in Progress

I started drafting a cozy fantasy in May, but haven’t touched it since (again, I had a baby [AND HE’S PRECIOUS]). I’m excited to get back into it! Now that edits for Seas is complete, it’s my next goal—well, almost, but I’ll get to that later.

Think Studio Ghibli meets Halloweentown. My goal is to have the first draft completed before Seas is officially out in the world. That gives me about 3 months to finish it. It feels like a lofty goal, but I think I can do it.

Maybe.

Why did I switch to Substack?

I used to use Mailerlite for my newsletters and while it was fine, it never quite cut it for me. I don’t like group chats for street teams (no offense to those who use them), I just don’t have the capacity for that while also working and being a SAHM. BUT. I wanted something a little more personal than just an email.

Enter Substack. It’s the perfect combination of both. You, the reader, can interact with each post via the app or web browser and I can comment and reply, but because it also gets sent to your email, there’s no pressure to do so! It also allowed me to have separate email for the Sunshine Squad and also separate ARC sign-ups for those who don’t want to join the full street team. Because, as a mulit-genre author, I get that not everyone will want to read everything, and that’s okay!

It’s simply the best of both worlds.

Surprise number one!

Look for Yellow is getting a second edition!

But why?

Simply, I rushed to publish it because I was afraid to do it and I just wanted to get it over with. Though, after prayer and reflection, I decided that I needed to redo it because it wasn’t my best work and that I didn’t glorify God like I should have. Also, there were way more typos that I was proud of.

So what’s different?

The new edition will be smaller, have different formatting, and no more illustrations. I also removed the “for the lover” chapter because I don’t think it fit well with the overall theme of this collection: dealing with depression and anxiety as a christian. But don’t worry, it’ll come back in another one.

The current, first edition, is only available for a little while longer, if you wanted to snag a *limited edition* before they’re all gone.

The second edition is coming on November 12th.

Buy the first edition

Surprise number two

This is the one I’m MOST excited for . . .

I’ve started a business!

I started working on it during a Kickstarter campaign, being two months postpartum, editing my debut novel, and redoing my poetry collection.

Am I crazy?

Probably.

But I did it! I started a business.

So, what is it?

I’m a virtual assistant for Christian Indie Author Mamas! (but if you’re not a mama, and are interested, we can def talk).

The Lord has been so evident in this journey. And honestly, it took a lot of surrendering on my part. I never wanted to be a business owner, I just wanted to help others and to stay home with my babies. Enter, VA work.

I have over seven years of graphic design experience and over four years of assistant work. The website is almost complete and I’ll send you all an early preview (in the ARC team announcement email) for you all to have first access to it.

I’m announcing this publicly on November 26th.

You might also like

My friend Chelsey Gordon has a kickstarter going on right now for her poetry collection on grief called Echoes of Absence and she is blowing it out of the park! I’m so proud of her!

My friend Becca Jo has a Christmas Novella called “One Little Chance” that released today! It’s super cute!

I’m currently reading an ARC by Andrea Renae called “There Bleeds the Light” and it is SO good. So allegorical. It releases on November 20th.