The Ides of July 2025
Greetings Picklesversians!
It’s the 15th of July, so the Ides are upon us, and it’s time for my monthly message.Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
👩💻 Behind the scenes
👏 Bravo readers wanted!
🌊 Climate solutions
Let’s get stuck in!
👩💻 Behind the scenes
To recap, my deadline for handing over Time Hack to my editor was the 1st of July. It was hard work, but I did it (phew!), so I took a break from my manuscript while I waited for the feedback. But the break didn’t last very long as I’ve already heard back! I’m delighted to share that I only need to make some minor amendments. Debi said it was fine to share excerpts from her feedback, so here’s a small one to whet your appetite for Book 2.
“It’s a genuine pleasure to work with someone who has such a natural talent for storytelling. The story is witty and thought-provoking, funny but poignant, with sky-high stakes and loads of jeopardy, on both the personal and the global level. You pose profound existential questions with a delightful lightness of touch, resulting in an entertaining and thought-provoking reading experience. Your writing is so compelling, I had to keep reminding myself to read critically.”
I wasn’t expecting such glowing praise. It was a nice surprise.
Meanwhile, David (my partner and trusty ‘alpha reader’) has also finished reading Time Hack all the way through for the first time (which was perhaps even more nerve-wracking than waiting for my editor’s feedback!). Mercifully, David enjoyed it even more than Book 1.
I hope you’ll enjoy it, too, when it’s ready to share.
👏 Bravo readers wanted!
On that note, I’m excited to announce that I’m now inviting expressions of interest for becoming a bravo reader! 👏 If you were here this time last year, you may remember the concept of “beta readers.” Bravo readers are exactly the same, but ArkTech’s marketing team insisted on rebranding the concept with a more celebratory name. (Besides, as the daughter of a helicopter pilot, I’m required to make use of the NATO phonetic alphabet at any given opportunity. I hope that’s Oscar Kilo.)
If you joined the Picklesverse more recently, I’ve created a full FAQ section at the end of the Google form where you can express an interest. Here are a few key points:
What’s a bravo reader?
Bravo readers access the ebook of Time Hack shortly before the content is finalised. They read it and provide feedback, guided by a short set of questions. This happens within a specific time window.
When’s the reading window for Time Hack?
“Soon” – exact dates are TBC. It’s fine to express an interest now and then confirm or withdraw when the reading window is announced.
Do I need any editing experience?
No. Bravo readers just need to be humans who’ve read Artificial Selection.
What do I get for participating?
📖 Early access to a free copy of the pre-launch ebook.
🕵️♀️ Your name (or Underbelly alias) in the acknowledgements.
💡 The opportunity to input into the story.
🥰 A warm, fuzzy glow from helping the author.
What do I have to do if I’m selected?
Read the ebook of Time Hack within a specific window (dates TBC). Provide feedback by a specific date, guided by a short list of questions.
Anything else?
I’d be hugely grateful if bravo readers could leave a written review on Amazon shortly after Time Hack comes out. This is entirely optional, but it would mean a lot to me. Even a couple of sentences is enough to make a big difference.If you’d like to express an interest in becoming a bravo reader for Time Hack, hit the button below and complete the sign-up form – it just needs your name and email address.👇
🌊 Climate solutions
There’s an area on my website called Climate Solutions. I created this because some of you have written to me asking about the science behind the solutions to global warming used in the ArkTech Territory, which are all based on research into current and forthcoming technologies.
I’ve organised the page into four sections, each dedicated to supporting people with different climate-inspired emotions:
😕 disempowerment
😱 hopelessness
🤬 fury
🕵️♀️ curiosity
I’ve shared some of my favourite resources for dealing with each one. (If you know of others and fancy sharing them with me, I’d love to hear about them.)
Choosing one to highlight – if you’d like a better understanding of the climate solutions currently available, I recommend checking out Project Drawdown’s Library of Solutions. They provide information about innovations like alternative cement, building automation systems, dynamic glass, green and cool roofs, methane digesters, seaweed farming, and many more approaches used within the ArkTech Territory.
Pretty cool if you like that kind of thing! 😎
That’s all from me this month.I hope all’s well in your own personal universes.
Walk in the sun,
Marianne