Summer is the Time for Reading

June 2026 edition of the Boopish Newsletter

Jun 02, 2026

Topics (click the link to go directly to the thing):

Kickstarter Update!
The next crowd funding project on the horizon
New private site shop link
Podcast and news
Short story link: Concerto Memento Mori
Book Updates
Free indie prequel
Discount indie book
Review copies of indie novels
Soap Site

Kickstarter Update

I’ve ordered copies of the Northern Roseaarde Series Omnibus and they’re being printed. I’m hoping by July’s update, I’ll have already shipped them out to all the backers, and have been received by all!

If you missed out on the Kickstarter, I’ve listed a “regular” version of the omnibus (without the Kickstarter exclusive cover art), as well as the three separate books for preorder.

ALSO! I’m learning how to link a print on demand service to a shopping cart ON MY OWN WEBSITE! I’m so excited about this, because the printer I’m linking to is such better quality than Amazon, and I don’t have to carry inventory, which ultimately makes it cheaper to maintain.

Depending on how many extra copies of the limited edition cover I end up with, I will also list these for sale on my website.

If you want to check out what’s coming, here’s a private link! I’m new to this, so I don’t believe orders can be placed yet, since I still haven’t launched the site. Stay tuned! I’ll let you know when it’s live.

All 3 images are inside the Kickstarter edition

Alternatively, visit the following links for each volume in the series:

Mainstream version of the omnibus

A NEW KICKSTARTER PROJECT

I’ve been getting a good feel for Kickstarter, and I’d like to give it another go for the next project. While the most recent one was fantasy, this one is going to be a compilation of short stories (some published here, some not) and a few unpublished novellas.

If you’re interested in the strange, follow the project! Again, it will be a while.

Infinity Hall Anthology Kickstarter book - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reholding/infinityhall — Follow the campaign! It’ll be a while, but it’s going to happen :)

🎧 Podcast

I’ve loaded several shorts to the podcast page, so if you’re self-publishing yourself, or like English etymology, take trip to the podcast!

📰 Summer is for Reading

Honestly, it’s been a quiet May. There’s always the same buzzing discussions about AI and the creative industry, and frankly I’m a bit exhausted with it. I have opinions about it, and I don’t think people are clamoring for my opinions because it’s the same story that a lot of people in creative spaces have.

Other than that, there’s been a huge influx of graduation parties in our neighborhood. Cars decorated our streets and fireworks our skies (and their booms, our ears). It’s a sure signal that we’ll be seeing a lot more kids in the streets and parties all around. There’s nothing wrong with this of course.

You’d think more kids (and adults) would bask in the summer sun, drink in one hand, book in the other. But interestingly enough, summer book sales usually stall for most authors. I don’t really have an explanation for that other than maybe readers have books in their “to be read” (TBR) pile from Christmas, or birthdays, or sales, etc. that they’re finally getting to.

OR, perhaps people just aren’t reading as much anymore? There’s a lot of conversation surrounding literacy rates among younger generations that have given me pause. I may dig into this a little deeper, because I do think there’s something to this.

For now, I’ll just continue to write, hoping that future generations will find value in my stories.

🔖 Short Stories

Concerto Memento Mori, a short story written for the Writing Battle winter horror story challenge was sent out last month, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s the link:
Concerto Memento Mori
R.E. Holding
·
May 19
Read full story
I turned in an entry to the Not Quite Write podcast a while ago, and while my story got a very minor shout out, it apparently was “too jarring” for the judge. I thought it was kinda tame, honestly.
Pogonophobia is the Fear of Beards got an Honorable Mention. I think that’s cool, but I was hoping it was clever enough to make it further. Oh well!

Coming to Substack on the 17th of June: A Misplaced Justice.

📖 Book Updates

Work In Progress Updates

I’m currently mapping out two stand-alone prequels for the Northern Roseaarde series—one is going to be around the fall of the East, and the other will be a backstory. I won’t say the back story for whom, because if you haven’t read the series yet, it might spoil things 🫠

I’ve mentioned before I’m also working on some expansions to Metaxsym, and I’m really excited to get these finished.

Subcutaneous Updates

I just checked on my remaining queries, and it’s still crickets. At this rate, I’m thinking Subcutaneous will be a self release. I have tentatively scheduled release for September 30th this year, in time for October!