One Tough Cookie Turns 2


Hi Reader,

Two years ago on July 18, I became a traditionally published author for the first time. I'd been working toward this goal for 8 years, first with a novel I had to shelve after querying it unsuccessfully, and then by writing a new book, which ultimately became my debut, One Tough Cookie.

Publishing a book is a long process, and it was thrilling to finally get to experience all the things that authors do - sharing my cover, getting messages from readers, getting tagged on Instagram, giving interviews to talk about my writing process and inspiration. I will always treasure these firsts, and hope I get to repeat the experience soon with a new book. Thank you for being part of my journey!

Scroll below for writing/life updates and two book recommendations.

Stay tuned for my next newsletter in September. Until then, take care and have a great summer!

Delise Torres

Puerto Rican Author and Book Coach

​https://delisetorres.com/​

​

P.S. You may have noticed a new look to my newsletter. That's because I've switched email service providers, from Mailchimp to Kit.


Writing Update

Project Husband is finally with my agent! I hope I don't need to make any more major revisions and we can submit it to my publisher later this year. Stay tuned!


Life Update

I've always loved to sing, and one of my bucket list items was to be part of a choir or singing group. Well, I'm finally making this dream come true. I signed up for a mass choir project specializing in rock and gospel music, designed to give unexperienced singers the chance to work with professional singers and coaches. We already had our first rehearsal and I'm so excited to perform at the Cologne Philarmonic next year!


Book Recommendations

​Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje - A beautifully written story about regrets and grieving the loss of the future you’d planned for. Ivona lives an unfulfilled life. She’s lost everything she always wanted and struggles to find a new path for herself, having no idea what this path could look like. Her lack of self-confidence keeps her stuck in the past, yearning for the ex-husband she let go of years ago, hesitant to make any decisions that will displease others. Her journey will help give her a new perspective about her past choices and the push she finally needs to move on and start over.

​Out of the Crash by Susan Poole (coming out on July 28) - Out of the Crash is a story about the different ways people deal with tragedy and unexpected challenges in life. When Caroline's son is involved in a car accident that leads to Ethan's mom's death, her first instinct is to fight for her son, the same way she fought against her cancer. But as the story continues she learns that fighting can sometimes lead to isolating those closest to you and that it's not the best option for everyone. If you like reading stories about family dynamics and how people deal with grief, then you should read this book.


Follow me on these platforms!

​

Dahlienstraße 17, Bornheim, North Rhine-Westphalia 53332
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

Delise Torres

I write stories about flawed female protagonists searching for belonging and love, and help writers translate their vision into manuscripts with emotional depth and meaning. I share personal reflections on writing, reading, and the inspiration behind my books in AT THE HEART OF THE STORY, and support writers working on meaninful fiction through THE EMOTIONAL DRAFT. After subscribing, you’ll receive a welcome email where you can choose the content you’d like to receive.

Read more from Delise Torres
Logo for At the Heart of the Story, a monthly newsletter by Delise Torres

Hi Reader, I have some amazing news! Project Husband will now be published by actor/writer/producer/director Mindy Kaling's Amazon imprint, Mindy's Book Studio! As I mentioned in my previous email, I accepted an offer from Emily Freidenrich at Lake Union Publishing, which is also an Amazon imprint. I don't know all the details, but it seems Emily thought my book would be a good fit for Mindy and sent it over to her. And Mindy loved it! It's been a week since I heard the news and I still can't...

Newsletter Logo for The Emotional Draft by Delise Torres

Hi Reader, I recently took part in a character arc workshop, where I was able to evaluate a character arc worksheet and give feedback to the writer. It reminded me on a common challenge many writers face, myself included: how to tie the plot to the arc of change. We may know what our character's misbelief is and why they need to change, but how do we actually show that change as it's happening? It's not enough to tell the reader that the character has changed, they have to witness it....

Newsletter Logo for The Emotional Draft by Delise Torres

Hi Reader, In my experience critiquing manuscripts, I see many writers failing to set up their stories properly. A novel's opening pages need to do a lot of heaving lifting: introduce the characters, the setting, and the plot without overwhelming the reader with too much information. Knowing what to reveal and what to withhold is a challenge that many writers face. So in this issue, I want to discuss the most important information you need to reveal in your opening pages. Who is your...