Happy Birthday, Team Chu! (And Also Me)
Well, hello there!
It has been quite the busy summer and I haven’t had time to send out a newsletter, but I couldn’t let today pass without wishing a happy book birthday to my seventh published novel, TEAM CHU AND THE WILD GHOST CHASE!
And just like that, the series is complete!
As a reminder, each Team Chu adventure stands alone and they do not need to be read in order! I’m very proud of these three books. They are full of action, humor, mystery, and joy — exactly what I would have loved to read as a middle schooler.
This latest edition was a blast to write, since Halloween is my favorite time of year. Any reader who loves a good ghost story — especially ones that are not too scary, but just spooky enough — should enjoy this tale!
Clip and Sadie, the siblings from the other books, return with their sweet, hilarious friend group. This new story features Iggy’s cute and stylish cat, Tuba, who readers met in TEAM CHU AND THE EPIC HERO QUEST!
When Tuba goes viral on social media and earns himself an exclusive invite to the Pet Gala, a star-studded pet fashion show, the gang heads to Spooky World — a massive Halloween carnival — to watch him strut the runway. But then they encounter a ghost called the Spooky Lady, who haunts the theme park, and must embark on a scavenger hunt to find the truth about what really happened to her.
You can purchase it in stores and also online from retailers such as:
Phoenix Books in Burlington, Vermont: This is my favorite independent bookstore! Order your copy from here and I can sign and personalize it for you.
I hope you will enjoy the book! What a fun and perfect kickoff to spooky season!
Book News and Updates
This newsletter is going to be a short one because I am still on deadline and I have a second book coming out in just about a month’s time, so here are a few quick updates on what’s been going on!
Russian rights to NOW COMES THE MIST, my adult debut, sold to Azbooka Atticus! I’m thrilled and grateful that Russian readers will get to experience my version of Lucy from Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
NOW COMES THE MIST has received some high praise from authors I truly admire and respect. Here are just a few of them:
“A lush, thoughtful, seductive reimagining of the Dracula mythos that had me under its thrall from page one, Dao’s darkly dreamy book will leave you thirsting for more.” — Kiersten White, #1 NYT Bestselling Author of HIDE and MISTER MAGIC
Heads up, readers: Kiersten has a Dracula retelling featuring Lucy of her own, LUCY UNDYING, which releases TODAY!
“Lucy Westenra is a force of nature in Dao’s capable hands, taking control of her own story with a vengeance long overdue. A vibrant, chilling reimagining that feels wholly its own.” — Natalie Mae, author of The Kinder Poison trilogy
"A true dark gothic romance, this novel will leave you breathless and make you question what you thought you knew about the original tale. Julie C. Dao is the master of nuanced, complex female leads who will not just demand, but forcibly take exactly what they deserve." — Beth Revis, NYT Bestselling author of Night of the Witch
I am currently on deadline for the sequel to NOW COMES THE MIST and heading straight for the finish line. I will be delivering the manuscript later this week and I’m eagerly awaiting the break I’ll have afterward — that is, until edits come back! I do have another story idea cooking, but I think I may let it marinate some more and just take the time off to read and relax a bit.
Last but not least, I have several in-person events coming up and I hope to see you guys there! If you come to one of my events for NOW COMES THE MIST and purchase a copy, I can promise you one of these absolutely terrifying and cool lenticular bookmarks that my publisher sent me, while supplies last!
Saturday, September 14
1:00pm-3:00pm: Phoenix Books in Burlington, VT, is celebrating the grand opening of their beautiful store on Church Street and I will be one of the authors walking around and greeting visitors between these two hours (though the event will last all day)! Join us!
More information HERE.
Thursday, October 3
7:00pm-8:00pm: Phoenix Books in Burlington, VT. I will be in conversation with NYT bestselling author Katherine Arden for NOW COMES THE MIST! Grab a signed copy and a bookmark that will haunt your dreams!
Preorder a copy of the book from Phoenix HERE.
Thursday, October 10
7:00pm-8:00pm: Porter Square Books in Cambridge, MA. I will be the very first event in their brand-new store at 1815 Mass Ave., in conversation with WBUR reporter Kalyani Saxena for NOW COMES THE MIST! Come get a signed copy and a bookmark that will send fear and delight into your heart!
More information and RSVP HERE.
Tuesday, October 29
7:00pm-8:00pm: Brookline Booksmith in Brookline, MA. I will be in conversation with bestselling author Gretchen Felker-Martin for NOW COMES THE MIST! Grab a signed copy and a vampire transformation bookmark!
More information and RSVP HERE.
Other News and Updates
I recently celebrated my birthday and had a wonderful weekend of cake (chocolate mousse, YUM!), other delicious food, wandering through old mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, and kayaking! It’s the last year of my 30s and I will never take for granted the privilege of growing older. Life has been very, very good to me this past decade, and I hope to spend this year living, loving, and learning!
Two book releases and a deadline have kept me from sending out regular newsletters — never fear, paid subscribers; I froze your accounts at the beginning of summer so that you did not have to pay a penny during my hiatus — but I hope to pick it back up once I’ve turned in my manuscript!
Francine Pascal, the creator of the Sweet Valley Twins book series, recently passed away at the age of 92 and I have been honoring her memory — and the important place that those stories held in my formative years as a young writer — by rereading all of the copies in my possession! These are two of my particular favorites: The Wakefields of Sweet Valley and The Carnival Ghost. I’m so glad I held on to them, and I will always regret the books I donated in my early 20s!
Two TV shows I have been watching are Hometown Cha Cha Cha and Once Upon A Time, which I never managed to get into when it was airing but am now enjoying! They’re both fun escapism — exactly what a writer on deadline needs.
That’s it from me for now! I hope you all enjoyed your summer and I will be back soon with more newsletters in between my deadlines. Have a wonderful September!
XO
Julie
Oh my gosh, happy book birthday and happy you birthday! I hope you get to take a little time away from that deadline to celebrate and enjoy leveling up! <3