06 Aug 2025 2 min read

SEVEN WAYS is coming soon! (just not as soon as we thought)

Art by Devin Elle Kurtz

Hello, friends,

I'm excited to share some lovely reviews and a PUB DATE CHANGE with you. Let's start with the item in all caps.

Due to shipping delays, Seven Ways Through the Woods will be publishing on 9.16.25, a week later than its announced 9.9.25 sale date. Which simply means there's one more week to get your pre-orders in. (Seriously, pre-orders help so so much. Pre-order from anywhere! But if you want me to sign your book, then order from my local shop, Annie Bloom's.)

An animated gif of color images. "Not all those who wander are lost--sometimes they're discovering magic!" — And look at this wonderful gif my publisher made! Just pretend the date says 9/16 instead of 9/9.

Now for the good news.

Mossy, magical, and marvelously meandering, this lush forest labyrinth is brimming with magic at every bend.
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Yes, that's right--Kirkus gave the book a star! Read the full review here.

And Publishers Weekly had lovely things to say as well:

Reese, making their picture book debut, uses urging second-person narration to map possible routes through a forest that, in Kurtz’s artwork, seems to glow with benevolent magic.

Another animated gif. "The woods are calling! Will you stay on the safe path or go on an adventure?" — My publisher made this ad too. I stumbled upon it in the middle of a newsletter I was reading -- a glorious surprise.

I'm so excited for this book. I got my author copy and it's stunning. I could stare and Devin's artwork for days and days and still be in awe. Soon I will get some events nailed down, though all of them will be Portland adjacent, I'm afraid. But who knows what the future will bring?

other things

My beloved father-in-law, Jay East, passed away on July 1st. I have not posted much about it publicly, and I still don't think I'm ready to do so. The first half of the year was devoted to giving my partner as many opportunities as possible to fly home and spend time with his dad. Now that Jay is gone, we're still trying to figure out the shape of the rest of the year.

I am woefully behind on emails. If you sent me one, it's likely to be hanging out in my inbox. Rest assured, it is in very good company.

Signing off for today,
Jenn

Me drinking coffee while looking out over a gloriously green mountain topped with fluffy cliche clouds. — I spent a lovely week in North Carolina back in June.