Hi there,

Welcome back to the weekly JL Collins Publishing update.

Last week was our first real step into making this newsletter feel like a useful map instead of a random pile of announcements. That is still the goal: fewer scattered updates, more "here is what is moving, here is what is coming, and here is where you can jump in."

Here is the rhythm again:

Mondays: the JL Collins Publishing weekly update.

Wednesdays: Jessie Clark, for thriller, conspiracy, cyber chaos, and high-stakes suspense readers.

Fridays: Jennie Wren Foster, Kira Deveraux, and Clara Langford, for fantasy romance, dark romance, romantic suspense, and emotional damage with excellent lighting.

If you have not chosen your lane yet, this is your gentle nudge. Pick what you actually want to read. I would rather send you the story world that fits your mood than make you politely scroll past things that are not yours.

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Here is what is moving across the publishing desk this week:

In other words, this week has secrets, bargains, power plays, emotional fallout, and several fictional people who are making my outline look more optimistic than accurate.

I want these emails to be worth opening.

Not just "here is a book update" or "here is a link," but something that gives you a real sense of what is being built and why it might matter to you as a reader.

So going forward, these weekly updates will include more of the good stuff:

The goal is simple: if you give me a few minutes of your inbox, I want you to feel like you got something back.

There is a lot moving behind the scenes right now, and the projects are starting to separate into their own clear lanes.

Jessie is currently deep in:

Both books are still carrying that "trust no one, and definitely check the second door" energy. Vale & Ward is leaning into consequences and the kind of investigation where every answer makes the room colder. Silent Code continues to pull threads across borders, systems, and people who should absolutely know better.

Translation: the conspiracy wall is getting crowded.

What to watch for: I am paying close attention to how much each reveal costs the characters. A good thriller clue should not just answer a question. It should create a new pressure point.

Jennie is writing Book 1 of the Midnight Auction Series.

The world is sharpening now. The bargains have rules. The magic has costs. The attraction has terrible timing. Basically, everyone is making decisions with consequences, which is exactly how we like it.

What to watch for: the auction itself is not just a setting. It is a pressure machine. Every bid, bargain, and whispered offer needs to expose what someone wants badly enough to risk losing themselves over.

Kira is working on:

Expect power struggles, dangerous chemistry, complicated loyalty, and characters who understand the correct answer and then choose the more interesting one anyway.

What to watch for: Kira's lane is all about attraction under pressure. The question is not only "do they want each other?" It is "what does wanting each other threaten?"

Clara is writing Book 2 of the Mercy General Series.

Mercy General is the kind of place where professional pressure and personal history keep bumping into each other in the hallway. This next book is leaning into emotional stakes, hidden tension, and choices that look practical until the heart gets involved.

What to watch for: Clara's stories are quieter on the surface, but the emotional stakes are not small. The tension comes from people trying to do the right thing while carrying feelings they cannot neatly put away.

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This is the question I keep coming back to this week:

Does the scene change something?

Not every scene has to explode. Not every scene needs a kiss, a death, a confession, or a shocking reveal. But every scene needs to move the emotional or story pressure forward.

For thrillers, that might mean:

For romance, that might mean:

That is what I am looking for in the drafts right now. Not just "is this entertaining?" but "does this scene leave the story different than it found it?"

That is where the real momentum comes from.

This week, the common thread across all the books is consequence.

That sounds dramatic, but it is also the thing that makes a story feel alive.

A twist is fun. A kiss is fun. A secret is fun.

But the real question is: what changes after?

If nobody pays for the choice, if nobody has to admit what they want, if nobody has to live with what they did, the moment does not land the same way.

That is what I am watching for right now in every draft. Not just "is this exciting?" but "does this leave a mark?"

The best scenes do.

And that is also why I am trying to share more with you here. The more you can see the thinking behind the stories, the more fun it is to follow the books before they are finished. You are not just hearing "a book is coming." You are getting a peek at what kind of book it is becoming.

What do you want more of in June?

A. Behind-the-scenes writing updates B. Character spotlights C. Sneak peeks and excerpts D. Cover / world / series reveals E. ARC reader opportunities

Hit reply and tell me your pick. I really do use your answers to decide what goes into these emails.

This week, you can expect:

Thank you for being part of this little reader community while it is still taking shape.

Whether you are here for conspiracies, dangerous bargains, slow-burn romance, or fictional people making choices that make your group chat yell at them, I am glad you are here.

Until next time,

Lori Collins JL Collins Publishing