URGENT: THE GILDED BLOOD OMNIBUSES HAVE ARRIVED IN TEXAS 🤩

Hellooooo and happy Tuesday!

This newsletter is positively overflowing with exciting goodies, so please be sure to read to the very end! But first, the announcement we've all been waiting not-so-patiently for....

GILDED BLOOD OMNIBUSES ARE OUT OF CUSTOMS AND OFFICIALLY EN ROUTE TO THE WAREHOUSE! I REPEAT, THE GILDED BLOOD OMNIBUSES ARE ON THEIR WAY AND ARRIVING IN HOUSTON, TX TODAY!!!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

If you supported the Kickstarter and/or preordered yours before April 2nd, KEEP AN EYE ON THAT MAILBOX! ***Just PLEASE make sure your address is correct by messaging Britt TODAY with any changes or updates!!*** We'll send you tracking info as soon as we have it, likely starting next week!

For everyone else who ordered after April 2nd, our next shipment is estimated to arrive right here in Colorado on July 10th! You can literally track the cargo vessel's ("YM WISH") progress here! Britt and I are on standby with a logistics team and tie-dye hard hats to start shipping out those books ASAFP!

(No, really. We'll post selfies!)

BTW, if you find yourself getting antsy while waiting for your omnibus to arrive on your doorstep, you can now read the entire Gilded Blood series for 50% off (or FREE if you're a KU subscriber)! Also, if you're an audiobook fan, keep an eye out for an exciting announcement later this month!

I know it has been the longest wait EVER and we are so appreciative for your patience and understanding during these months of squirming and calendar-checking! When you finally do get your omnibus, please feel free to tag us in any unboxing videos you may do. We'll never get sick of seeing that gorgeous magenta cover! 😍

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Aaaaaand that's not the only seggsy book coming this summer!

As of this week, 1,000 stunning Bone Whisperer Chronicles Special Editions are officially making their way to America! As soon as I get the cargo ship information, we can stalk it--er, track it across the ocean🛳️ I'm working with my project manager to potentially have a few copies air-shipped here early for Denver Fan Expo (July 4-7), where I'll be a featured literary guest and doing several panels! (Topics and times TBA!) So if you plan on being there, be sure to come by and see me!

The rest of the books should arrive at my Colorado warehouse just in time for me to return from San Diego Comic Con (July 24-27). As soon as they do, I'll start signing, packing, and shipping those beauties out into the world! If you haven't preordered your discounted copy yet, you still have a little more time before the price increases in July!

(If you can't see the embedded video, you can check it out on TikTok!)

On the subject of Fan Expo, these are all of the events I'll be signing at this summer. Will I have the pleasure of seeing you at any of them?

As for next year, our list of accepted conventions is already longer than 2024's! 🤯 We'll announce those as soon as the organizers give us the green light!

Speaking of 2025 conventions, if you haven't seen the fiasco I recently posted involving Jennifer Armentrout and ApollyCon '25, I HIGHLY recommend you grab a bag of popcorn and settle in, because that entire white whale expedition was WILD. (How I didn't get banned from ApollyCon for life is still beyond me.)

Cheers and happy reading!❤️



Come follow me! Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Goodreads | Bookbub | Newsletter

PS: If you made it this far, here's an adorable hamster pic to reward you! His name is Bean and I'm hamster-sitting him for the next month :) Isn't he precious?🥲

PPS: Did you happen to notice my new newsletter banner has one letter in particular that doesn't appear to be from any of my current published books? A little bird tells me a related announcement might just be coming at the end of the month! ;)

And Thus Ends the Shortest Pirate Stint in the History of Pirateering😭🏴‍☠️

While I was fully invested on becoming a pirate so we could bring that cargo ship here sooner, I'm thrilled to let you know the Gilded Blood omnibuses have arrived at port right on time! If there's one thing this Kickstarter project has taught me, it's that ocean freight shipping is so much more complex and SLOWWWWER than I ever realized! You basically have these massive cargo ships that cross the ocean at like 25 knots (28 MPH/46 KPH), which can therefore take weeks. And then once they finally arrive at port, they can sometimes sit there for days if the port is congested 🤧

Look at all those cargo ships!

Now, because Britt, Andrew, and I are getting around a dozen messages a day asking where the heck these beautiful omnibuses are, I've been tracking the boat via satellite to give you minute-by-minute updates! I also took it upon myself to research port conditions at Long Beach, which is currently sitting happily at around 1 day of congestion. All excellent news! Now, here's where it gets hairy again:

After the books arrive at port, we'll lose visibility as the pallets (which are carrying 214 boxes of books!) move through customs, warehouses, trucks, more warehouses, and more trucks. Eventually it gets to a warehouse here and they'll call asking about delivery hours. We get an ETA, but it's a loose one, and there's a long period where we don't have any information about where things are. And we can't call to find out, because it's different parties contacting different companies along the way. We won't know who's bringing them until they call us.

Isn't that NUTS? And yet, somehow, it all works.

Anyway, the current ETA for the books to arrive at Andrew's warehouse in Texas is June 11th. It might be sooner. It could possibly be later. But it'll be somewhere around then. At that point, we'll immediately start shipping them and will get you your tracking information in real time. 

If your address has changed since the Kickstarter/Pledgebox survey or you have any concerns about shipment, please contact Andrew at andrew@merrick-books.com. 

If you preordered the omnibus through my website and your address has changed or you have any concerns about shipment, please contact Britt at support@rachelrener.com.

In the meantime, while we all wait for our BBBs (Big Beautiful Books) to arrive, my entire 4-book Lightning Conjurer series is currently FREE on Amazon. That sale ends tomorrow, so if you've been hankering for a new fantasy series, go grab it quick!

When an amnesiac rediscovers her latent powers, she'll shake the entire world...literally.

Captain Marvel meets Avatar: The Last Airbender in this thrilling saga of empowerment, found family, and a sizzling, slow-burn romance.

🌪️🌎🔥🌊⚡

Be well and happy reading!❤️

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✨Gorgeous Kickstarter Alert!✨

Do you enjoy high fantasy with unique settings that move away from the classic medieval backdrop? Do you love fairytales but are curious about lesser-known tales that are rarely retold? Then this is the perfect campaign for you!

The Siblings' Tale Anniversary Edition & Series Hardcovers Five-year anniversary, single-volume edition of The Siblings' Tale & hardcovers for the whole series of lesser-known fairytales retold.

BBBs (Big Beautiful Books) and a Public Call for Pirates 🏴‍☠️

(Be sure to read to the bottom to see a special message from the Queen Helper Bee herself, Britt! As my executive assistant, she's got the inside scoop on the behind the scenes madness, plus plenty of piping hot tea 🍵 about yours truly😅 We'll be including those tidbits at the bottom of my newsletter moving forward!)

Arrrr, Mateys, and Happy Tuesday! 🏴‍☠️

In our continuing efforts to stalk--er, track the cargo vessel OOCL Poland (which is carrying around 1500 Gilded Blood omnibuses), we can see that they are presently on track to arrive at port by the 25th. After that, the books will be put through customs and loaded onto an 18-wheeler that'll be headed for Andrew's warehouse in Katy, TX.

Realistically, I think the books will be shipped in early June by this point, but Terrance, Britt, and I are fully invested in becoming pirates so that we can intercept the books early and get them to you sooner. All we need is a pirate ship and a crew. Any volunteers?

Speaking of Big Beautiful Books (BBBs), look what just arrived - the proof copy for the stunning special edition Bone Whisperer Duology!

(If you can't see the embedded video, you can click any of these links: IG / TT/ FB )

These are already in production and will be shipped at the end of the month, expected to arrive directly at my Colorado warehouse by early July. I absolutely love the Bone Whisperer Chronicles and would love to see Lilah Quinn's VERY unique story in the hands of more readers. The duology features:

⌛ Sweet romance

⌛ Time-bending seizures

⌛ Creepy mystery with an amateur female sleuth

⌛ Found family (best/funniest father figure EVER).

⌛ Multiple converging timelines (think Holes by Louis Sachar)

⌛ ...and has been hailed as "one of the most ingenious books I have ever read" by The Magic Book Corner and many others!

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By the way, if you love pretty purple books, be sure to stop by my booth at San Diego Comic Con this July, where Megan Haskell and I will be signing this SDCC-exclusive collection of short stories!

(Don't forget, you can find my calendar of events and appearances here!)

Have a wonderful week ahead!❤️

Come follow me! Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon

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A Word from our Queen Helper Bee 👑🐝

Hi Fam!

WOW have I enjoyed my first few weeks in Rachel’s world SO much! Not only is she an absolute DREAM to work with, but so is this entire community of readers she has standing behind her! You have been so kind welcoming me into my new role and it has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for all the warm welcomes! Looking forward to getting to know you more as the days go on too.

So, as some of you already know, Rachel is brand new to my world too. I recently dove into her Gilded Blood Series for the first time and just wrapped up reading Inked last week. To say I’m absolutely OBSESSED would be an understatement! I guess it would be weird to work here if I didn’t like her writing though huh?! ;) Thank goodness I can honestly say that will NOT be the case for me. I’m already onto Jinxed and can’t wait to read what happens next! No spoilers please! ;) Lmk if you’re also reading this series for the first time, I’d love to connect with ya.

Alrighty - onto some exciting news! As we all know, Rachel has had quite the laundry list of tasks over the years. Now that I’m here I’m slowly starting to take over those tasks for her so she can get back to WRITING. I know how much she loves being in the DMs and comments with you all and she will still be there, however I will be helping out with answering some of the more generic inquiries. I’m so excited to help in this capacity and Rachel will still be here too reading all your lovely messages.

The # 1 question coming in right now (and rightfully so) is: WHERE IS MY OMNIBUS?

I get it, the FOMO is real, but rest assured we are straight up STALKING the cargo ship bringing them across seas and it is going to be here in just a matter of days! After that we are getting them to our distribution team and shipped out immediately to ya! As soon as they’re in our hands you will automatically receive tracking info for your orders. PLEASE send me an email at support@rachelrener.com asap if you have any changes in your shipping address.

That’s it for now fam. Hope you all have the best week!

XoXoX

Britt