Hey Strangers,
How is it 2026 already? Like, seriously. Honest question because I feel like it was just August and I blinked and—
Anyway.
My 2026 goals seem ambitious, but I can’t even begin to explain how excited I am for this year. I took most of December off, and the break was so needed.
And, thanks to that break, I’m excited to announce that Gemma & Theo have been making appearances in my daydreams again, and ideas on how to finish their story are starting to leak through, which is a relief.
I hit a wall last year, and to give myself and the story the break it needed, I wrote an entirely different novel instead. (I know, doesn’t sound like much of a break, right?) But with Hannah and Ellis on the page for MonsterHouse, it freed up some space to brainstorm Gemma and Theo’s finale.
Additionally, you may notice above that “Obey” is listed in the column of Strangers… that’s not a mistake! While Strangers # 3 will tie up Theo and Gemma’s story, and essentially, will be the finale to the Strangers trilogy, there is (at least) one more book coming to the Strangers Universe…
Yep! You read that correctly.
There’s actually going to be a 1.5 in the series, titled Obey. This story doesn’t have anything to do with Theo and Gemma, in a sense, but instead, you’ll see more of John, Theo’s dad, because the story is actually about Jason and Ava, who become prominent players in Strangers in Our Hearts (Strangers # 2).
This is my first-ever completed novel, started back in 2018, so it needs some work. And, I wrote it before Strangers, so I need to go back and add more of the universe into Obey. But essentially, it provides additional background on the Authorities and how Jason and Ava end up where they are in Book Two.
It seems like a lot, but I promise, it isn’t! I originally was going to make it a standalone in the same universe, but my editor convinced me it’d be better off as a 1.5. So, while you don’t need to read it to understand Strangers, and vice versa, it will help bring more light to certain aspects of the universe, and you get more Jason content, which is a plus in my book.
Outside of Strangers, I’m beginning edits on MonsterHouse since I got feedback from my first round of beta readers. I’ll continue swapping between edits/beta readers/drafting Strangers until MH is ready to query, and then once that’s off in the trenches, it’ll be full steam ahead on S3!
There’s also my other novel, The Ravens Mark, that has been out with some smaller publishers and an agent for quite some time, so hopefully, 2026 will bring some good news on that end as well.
I’m currently writing this newsletter on January 3rd, and I already have four book events lined up, with more to come! I’ll keep updating my event page as they come, so be sure to keep an eye on it, or follow me on Instagram since I’m on there the most!
December was a busy month, even as I tried to hibernate and take a break from everything. Holidays and family stuff and, and, and—
If I were smarter, I would have planned a break for January! But alas, I tried to relax when I could, and while I’m still in hibernation mode, and will be until the spring, I’m excited to at least hibernate with my laptop and get the words going again.
Since last month’s newsletter, I’ve read Hollow by Taylor Grothe, What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher, This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, Gentle Writing Advice: How to Be a Writer Without Destroying Yourself by Chuck Wendig, The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry, and Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.
I’m currently reading Hazelthorn by CG Drews, The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald Maass, and Man, F*ck This House (And Other Disasters) by Brian Asman.
There hasn’t been anything recently that I’ve had on repeat like a psycho, so I’m just going through my regular indie playlists.
We are seeing Andrew Bird with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in April, which I’m sooo excited for, so I’ll probably be listening to The Mysterious Production of Eggs on repeat soon to get ready for that!
During my break, I binge-watched the remainder of The Rookie, and am patiently waiting for its return on January 6th. (Even though my TV watching takes a serious hit when I’m drafting or editing because there are so many hours in the day, and seriously, how do people do it?)
I don’t think I recommend this show because it’s objectively ridiculous, but man, I’m obsessed. So, if you’re looking for a cop drama, I guess I do recommend this one, even though there are probably better ones out there, lmao.
Chenford, forever. ❤
One day is all it takes to change a life. During this one day, Julia’s life as she knows it is completely turned upside down and nothing will remain the same.
Julia is an eighteen year old, on the brink of adulthood, who lives in an underground community. She is excited for her future and becoming a cherished member of the Society.
The Society has other plans for her and she must navigate through this perilous journey… continue reading.
Fern is always willing to give people a second chance—even her exes. With the anniversary gala of the dating app she works for—called My Cup O’ Joe—coming up and her parents pressuring her to settle down, Fern revisits past relationships to see if anyone could fit into her present and maybe stick around this time.
Emmie may be Fern’s best friend and co-worker, but that doesn’t mean she wants a long-term, monogamous relationship. However, when the My Cup O’ Joe marketing team makes some changes, she looks to Fern for inspiration… continue reading.
Unbeknownst to nearly everyone around her, Cora Mitchell has been living in a nightmare for the past two years. Night after night, her parents’ arguments escalate into heated screaming matches, leaving seventeen-year-old Cora to handle damage control—and forcing her to become the only adult in the house. As her parents’ rage intensifies, so does her longing to shun her mom and dad, forget about their emotional and mental abuse, and leave her godforsaken hometown of Portland, Maine, behind… continue reading.
Please take note that this is a system to spotlight other indie authors per their request. These titles have not been vetted and readers are encouraged to do their due diligence beforehand.
Until next time friends!
Stay strange, and Go Bills (and Go Sabres – let’s get that win streak back?!)
Bri
BRI EBERHART 
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