Jodi, Who?
It’s been so long since you heard from me, maybe you don’t even remember signing up for a newsletter about someone named Jodi Cowles and her writing journey! A couple things happened in the past year—!!!!—some I wrote about, some I didn’t, and some I plan to write about in the future.
For instance, we witnessed some actual miracles in the process of finalizing the adoption of our daughter after three and a half years, and, despite being a tiny pawn caught up in a spitting contest between two powerful governments, we were finally allowed to leave Turkey with Joy in an Argo-esque escape scene. That’s a book-in-process you’ll want to read someday.
On the writing front: I got an agent, started a new novel, lost an agent, co-founded a club for Unknown Authors, started a memoir about Joy, wrote a ton of poetry, tried a bunch of marketing ideas, started a creative writing newsletter, gave up on traditional publishing, started a new kid’s book series, co-founded a business, and in less than two weeks I’m thrilled to be a part of launching both a new anthology series and a hybrid publishing house.
It’s been a bit of a year. 😁
Thank you for your interest in my writing, some of you have been cheering me on for decades and I will never be able to tell you how encouraging that has been. Because I believe in a God of perfect timing, I’m really excited to see what’s next. Only He knows, but so many doors seem to be opening at once that I’m curiously expectant…
A few bullet points, descriptions and links for those of you interested in more details.
The Unknown Authors Club, founded by Leslee Stewart, Rachael Mitchell and myself, amplifies the quiet voice of the unknown author through collaborative anthologies and no-nonsense publishing. We offer a safe harbor for unknown authors to be celebrated and published—regardless of their influencer status.
Our first anthology, The Life of an Unknown Author: An Anthology on Writing and Publishing from Some of the Best Authors You Haven't Yet Read, is launching October 11 on Amazon and in person at The Wanderlust Book Lounge in Bothell, Washington. You can read more about the book here! If you’d like to help us even further, join our launch team.
Sketching Faith is a (mostly) weekly newsletter of creative writing attempts to lift our gaze. It’s mainly poetry, but I sometimes include things that might be categorized as meditations or devotions.
You, Me & the Bosphorus Sea: my main work in progress is my first attempt at a comedy novel. Amanda, a young American woman who’s never been overseas, takes a one-year contract with an international school in Istanbul, and (hopefully) comedy ensues as I visit upon her mildly fictionalized versions of the worst and wackiest things that happened to us. The manuscript is about 60% finished and I’m aiming for publication next year. I’m also hoping to have it translated into Turkish, as one of my goals is to honor the Turkish friends who were so kind to us.
Sometime last year I completed the rough draft of Some Dwelt in Darkness, the sequel to Some Wandered in the Desert. It follows Matt as he moves to Istanbul to be closer to Becca, and introduces three new international characters. I’m also about halfway through Some Suffered Bitter Labor, the third in the series, since number two ends in a wicked cliffhanger. 😉 I took a break at the suggestion of my one-time agent to work on my comedy, and plan to get back to this series after that’s completed. I’m hoping to republish Some Wandered under our UAC Publishing Imprint, then publish books two and three shortly thereafter.
Several people have requested I publish my poetry, so I’m slowly compiling some of it for a short collection. I’d LOVE your feedback if you’d be willing to tell me some of your favorite pieces you think I should include.
I’m also slowly working on a children’s series around the idea of a young expat child growing up in Turkey.
My Website | Instagram | Sketching Faith | The Unknown Authors Club
