Happy New Year!

Hello CK Westbrook readers,

I hope everyone had a healthy and happy holiday season and is having a fantastic new year!

Our house got hit by COVID (but all is well now) and we had a mellow holiday spent with friends and family after following all isolation protocols, of course. I know many people who got the virus recently and hope this wave passes quickly.

Fun (interesting) News

Andrew Van Dam, who writes the Department of Data column for the Washington Post, has had some interesting columns about readers and reading lately. As we are readers (and writers) I thought you might find it interesting.

· Bookstores do as well in January as they do in December and bookstores sales spike in August and September when no other businesses do as well.

· The “state” with the most artists and writers is Washington, D.C., followed by Vermont.

· Vermont has the most bookstores.

· Leisure reading hit a record low in 2022, with just 17% of us reading for entertainment, down from 28% in 2004 (does not include reading to children).

· About 20% of women crack a book for fun, compared to just 14% of men with men’s reading declining significantly and women staying steady.

· Sadly, reading has declined sharply across the entire age spectrum, except for one hopeful exception – reading among ages 15 – 24 is rising!

I included a chart below with what genres Americans prefer and at what age.

To read more fascinating facts about one of our favorite activities, check out: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/08/18/states-most-artists-writers/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/12/22/christmas-spending-spree-bookstores/

Book Recommendation

I read A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts, a historical fiction book by Therese Anne Fowler. If you enjoy American history, the HBO series The Gilded Age, or Jane Austin novels (or modern versions/retellings), you may also enjoy this novel. A friend bought it for me while we were touring a mansion in Newport, Rhode Island last summer and I finally had time to read it and I loved it! Often, women’s stories and their impacts are left out of history lessons, or twisted to be negative if they took control of their lives or challenged the status quo. Life is always harder for women, no matter how wealthy, in a patriarchal society, but some manage to rise above it.

Podcast Fun

I was flattered to be interviewed by Alice Caruth on the N2K Daily Intelligence for Space Professionals podcast. This podcast covers many serious issues on all elements of space exploration nationally and internationally, as well as private industry and government programs. I loved talking about “The Impact Series” and space debris on a podcast where people causing space debris will hear that there are Americans who are aware of and worried about pollution in space.

Check it out: T-Minus, the only daily space intelligence podcast: CK Westbrook interview - https://space.n2k.com/podcasts/t-minus/166

I have added a podcast/interviews section to my website. If you are ever at a loss for what podcast to listen to next, there are many here for your listening convenience. Interviews/Podcasts — CK Westbrook

Meet in person

I will be at AWESOME CON in Washington, D.C. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, March 8-10, 2024!

AWESOME CON is a celebration of geek culture, bringing over 70,000 fans together to enjoy comics, movies, books, art, TV shows, games, and more in a family-friendly and inclusive environment. I will be signing and selling in the Artist Alley! Dean Norris, Hayden Christensen, Ming-Na Wen, Rosario Dawson, Tom Welling, and many other celebrities will be attending.

For more details: Awesome Con – Washington DC’s Comic Con (awesome-con.com)

If you attend, come by and say hello!

Reviews

I truly appreciate reviews. If you read the books and have not reviewed them, please do so.

Check out my review section on my website: Reviews — CK Westbrook

Contact Me

Feel free to email me with any comments or questions about the series. I would love to hear from you! Ckwestbrook.author@gmail.com

Please follow me at - Author CK Westbrook (@WestbrookCK) / Twitter and CK Westbrook (@ckwestbrook.author) • Instagram photos and videos and TikTok

The Impact Series is available in paperback, e-book, and audio wherever books are sold. https://books2read.com/impact03

As always, thanks to everyone who has read The Shooting, The Collision, and The Judgment!

I can’t express the deep gratitude I have for my readers. Thank you for coming on this fantastic adventure with me!

CK