July 2026 Newsletter

A Little Note from Me to You

You’re receiving this newsletter because you probably signed up to get a free book — and if that’s all you wanted, you can unsubscribe anytime, and I promise, you won’t hurt my feelings.

But if you’d like to hang out and spend a few minutes with me each month, here’s what you’ll find inside:

• Monthly updates on my comings and goings
• Links to any of my blog posts
• An organizing tip of the month (inspired by my first book, Get Organized, Stay Organized)
• A short-term rental tip of the month (yes, I wrote a book on that one too!) that expands on my book Short-Term Rental Success
• A free short story from one of my book series
• Book recommendations
• Links to free reads and special promos

Some of these will catch your interest, and some might not — and that’s okay! I’m a multi-genre author who loves sharing everything from book ideas and short stories to glimpses of my rentals and garden. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if you’d like to stick around for the fun.

When Words Go Awry

I've been in love with words for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, I would become rather obsessed with them, even if I didn't particularly understand the meaning of it. Once, while reading Anne of Green Gables author L.M. Montgomery's lesser-known Emily of New Moon series, the word modest was all I could think about.

Now I might have loved words, but that doesn't mean I fully understood them. All I knew was that I wanted to be called modest, just like the character Emily was in the books. And I understand the basics of the word, sort of. And thus began my campaign of ensuring that my mother would realize I was just like Emily of New Moon and call me modest.

Now, I was probably eight or nine at the time and had the patience of a gnat. But it felt like days, nay, weeks went by without my mom getting a clue. I mean, it was simple, really. I'd do something wonderful, she'd tell me I was so good at whatever it was, and then I'd just smile and say "It was nothing." And then she would say, "Oh, you are so modest!"

Except that last bit never, ever happened. And like I said, I had the patience of a gnat, so this all might have been as little as a day or two before I began to despair. Obviously, my mother needed help.

And finally, at dinner one night, having had enough and really, REALLY wanting the label of modest applied to me, I stared down at the spinach salad and said, "I'm so modest."

Gales of laughter ensued from the two adults in the room. I was absolutely crushed. Dreams die hard when you're nine years old and staring at a bowl of spinach.

A funny side note to this? A few weeks ago I was competing in a 9-ball Tricup pool tournament. The first game, I get nine of the ten possible points, which was absolutely killing it on that game. As I'm waiting for the balls to be racked by my opponent, a team member walks in and asks how I'm doing.

"I'm doing okay, I shot a decent first game."

And as I get up to start the next game, I hear one of my other team members say, "She's being modest. She effing killed it that first game!"

So you see, it took 46+ years, but it finally happened. Someone actually called me modest! Goal accomplished!

Also, I've recently been playing with prompts on AI. Here was a fun one I found in an AI newsletter: Please redraw the attached image in the most clumsy, messy, and hopelessly pathetic way possible. Make it look like it was drawn in MS Paint with a mouse. It should vaguely resemble the original, but not really — like it’s kind of correct in some places yet strangely off and awkward overall. Emphasize a low-quality, pixelated look, and make it appear ridiculously badly drawn. …Actually, never mind — just draw it however you want in a sloppy way.

I attached an image of myself sitting at my desk with my books a backdrop. And the result?

Compass of Creation - I've spent a good part of June putting the finishing touches on the Compass of Creation and setting up the Kickstarter. The concept of it leapt into my brain during a writing retreat last fall and would not let go. And now that the renovations are done for our short-term rental, I was more than ready to get it out into the world!

If you are a writer or creative, if you are struggling to begin, stuck, or desperate to complete some creative dream, the oracle cards, guidebook, and corresponding workbook might be just what you need.

I dug deep into Jungian shadow work and questioning, created exercises, all designed to remind you that the answers are inside of each of us, we need only to learn to access them. Our creativity, our dreams, and the answers - they are all there - waiting for us to access them.

Get access to the cards, the workbook, and so much more by participating in the Kickstarter, which you can find here.

More German Translations - I've been uploading the German translations of my books on the weekends. It seems like a good thing to do when I have an hour or two. There's the translated title to double check for best accuracy or resonance with German readers, a cover to adapt into multiple formats, lists of keywords and hashtags in German. So many details, so little time!

Audio Edits

As if I didn't have enough to do to get the G581 edits done, I'm also interspersing the Permission to Create series with the Plague Tales II edits. Each Plague Tales story is rather long, so I'm switching back and forth between G581 and the Permission to Create edits to make it a little more bearable! The Permission to Create series will be part of the Compass of Creation Kickstarter.

I have managed to finish the edits for G581: Zarmina's World and that is now up on Audible, InAudio, and I'm busy uploading it everywhere else.

Organizing Tip of the Month

If you weren't aware, the first book I ever wrote was Get Organized, Stay Organized.

Since 2008, I've updated it regularly to include the latest updates in technology and also expanded it to include financial budgeting and time management. You can find Get Organized, Stay Organized on my website as well as at your favorite online bookseller.

Organizing Tip of the Month:

Finances need to be organized just as much, or more so, than the rooms in your home. Set a weekly “money date” by blocking off 15 minutes on the same day and time each week—like Sunday evening or Monday morning—and treat it like any other appointment. During that time, log into your bank and credit accounts, scan for any unfamiliar charges, and check your balances against what you know is coming up in the next few days. This quick ritual keeps you from operating on guesswork and helps you catch problems early, before they snowball into overdrafts, late fees, or credit card surprises.

Then open your budget—spreadsheet, notebook, or app—and compare what you planned to what actually happened over the last week. Notice where you’re overspending, where you’re under, and adjust the rest of the month so your money matches your real life instead of an old plan that no longer fits. Use the last couple of minutes to move money with intention: pay a bill, send a small transfer to savings, or put an extra payment toward debt.

Over time, this simple 15‑minute date builds confidence, reduces money anxiety, and keeps you steadily moving toward your goals.

Short-Term Rental Tip of the Month

I wrote Short-Term Rental Success in order to help future and current hosts create the best short-term rental a guest ever stays in. It goes beyond the basics and dives into the meaning behind true hospitality that makes Airbnb and other STR platforms a preferable form of travel for guests who want more than just a simple hotel room.

Short-Term Rental Tip of the Month:

Sometimes, there's weirdness. Like the following conversation that unfolded a few weeks ago with a guest...

I was at a friend's when this message rolled in. I just stared at it, showed my friend, who shook her head.

"You're going to cancel his reservation now, right?"

I shook my head. "No."

"He sounds unhinged. Or like he's having a stroke."

And while both were certainly possible, I didn't cancel and Charlie was a quiet guest. He was just passing through, staying one night as most do. We get a lot of travelers at our STRs - they are typically trekking through from one end of the continent to the other. But despite the mostly incomprehensible message, I think I understood most of what he was saying. "Thanks. I don't smoke. This is a nice place. I don't need anything."

It was amusing more than anything else. Although I'm pretty sure my friend thought I was insane for not canceling the reservation.

The point of all this is, you are going to meet a lot of people and many of them will not think like you, communicate like you, or share your values. And that's okay. Charlie stayed for one night, gave me a 5-star rating, and continued on with his journey.

We meet people (or interact with them via message) every day, and their lives are often vastly different from ours. And occasionally, they feel like our "brother from another mother" as the saying goes. And honestly? I think that is kind of magical.

Love Your Local Library?

If you a dyed-in-the-wool library patron, I've got great news for you. If one of my books is not already there, you can easily request it be stocked. Here's how:

Specials, Giveaways, etc.

Whether you are waiting for my next book, want to dig into a new series or genre I write in, or simply meet new authors, consider some of the sales promos and giveaways below. You will find my first in series here... Hired Gun, G581: The Departure, War's End: The Storm, Winter's Child and occasionally one of my non-fiction books. It's a great way to dip your toes into a different genre and see if you like it. Or share the link with a friend or family member! No matter what, I know you will find something interesting in the links below! Click on the images below to learn more.

Need Something to Read While You Wait for My Next Book?

And if the promos listed above weren't enough, here is what I've read and enjoyed recently...

It's been a bit of a drought in good books to read lately. And as an author, I don't think it is fair for me to write about books I don't like, so it is simply best to not mention those. So when you see me skip out on reporting any books read, it is partly being super-busy, but also, I just will not drag down another author if I don't like their book. That said...

​Adiel and the Fuhrer by Elyse Hoffman, wow, this book had me obsessed!

I don't even know what genre to classify this book in. Is it time travel, historical fiction, alternate history, paranormal, or some hybrid of them all?

No matter what, it kept my interest and had me stopping in the middle of work to [ahem] "sit in my massage chair and have it work on my back" while I read it on my iPhone. Seriously, I have so much to do, but I couldn't help but obsessively read at any chance I got! It was sooo good! I couldn't help chuckling at the inner monologue that runs throughout the book. That said, I cried my eyes out in the end.

I'm back to reading a thriller now. What Remains of You by Kimberley Hensle Lowrance. Here is the book description:

Eighteen months after her husband Tom’s death, Diana Morgan is still grieving and struggling to move on, while striving to be the strongest parent she can for their two children. When she finds a letter from Tom meant for her eyes only, she expects a final declaration of love—not a cryptic confession to a terrible unnamed crime.

How about you? What are you reading? Drop me an email at christine@christineshuck.com and tell me what you are reading right now!

Did you know I have an estore for my ebooks and audiobooks?

And not just that, but the prices are better than anywhere else!

• ebooks $3.99 each
• audiobooks $7.99 each
• omnibus ebook editions just $7.99 each

I get to keep more of the profits, and you get to pay less - it's a win-win!

Help an Author Out at Zero Cost to You!

I am an Amazon affiliate. That means that when anyone who shops through my Amazon affiliate portal, I earn a percentage of the sale, which is all paid to me directly from Amazon. You don't pay a single penny more for the product!

I get a little bonus check once a year or so from this and it buoys my spirits as I write away on my many projects. So if you order from Amazon, I hope you will consider adding my Amazon affiliate portal. You can do this easily on a PC, by clicking on the link below, then right clicking on the icon to the left of the URL and saving it in your bookmark manager. Every little bit helps!