a year in the life of a book

2025 was a hard year in so many ways for so many of us. It feels maybe gratuitous and self-important to want to fill a blog post with reminiscences about my book—but it also feels important for me personally to celebrate this big thing in my life, and to be able to hold this collection of moments and milestones.

And so I give you—or maybe I mostly give me—a year in the life of Who Killed One the Gun?.

It really did fill the year, even though the book didn't actually come out until October. Only four days into 2025 was when we did the cover reveal. It wasn't what would turn out to be the final cover; that came down the line when I'd gotten blurbs and had taken some time, with the help of my fine-artist husband Stephen O'Donnell, to refine the art. But my publisher and I were suddenly up against the deadline to get galleys printed (a first set of advance reader copies to send to potential buyers and reviewers), and so we pressed go.

Those galleys arrived in late January... 

...and we started sending them out, including to some folks who had agreed to read and maybe blurb the book. 

Also during the first part of the year, I was going through copy-edits and strategy sessions with Laura Stanfill, my most excellent publisher.

In April our ARCs (advance reader copies) arrived. More books to send out to potential buyers and reviewers. I read the whole thing for the first time on the page, not the screen, to look for errors. Our copy-editor Gina Walter did proofing. 

In June we did an early reviewer giveaway through Library Thing. I was excited that of all the books in the giveaway, my cover made it onto their promo graphic.

It was also time for final updates to the book, and getting ready to go to press. In July we went to print with a finally fine-tuned story, a slightly updated cover, and blurbs from some wonderful writers / readers / reviewers:

Kurt Baumeister, Michelle Carroll, David Ciminello, Mo Daviau, Brian Stephen Ellis, Bradley K. Rosen, Mark Russell, Kevin Sampsell, Liz Scott, Tegan Tigani, and Lidia Yuknavitch. Also coming in just in time to be included, we got a very nice review by Ho Lin in Foreword Reviews.

In August, we did an advance reader giveaway through Book Funnel. And I got a lovely review in Kirkus, calling my book a “highly original metafictional pastiche” and saying, “the teasing title of Little’s first novel only hints at the layers of playful self-referentiality bubbling beneath its hardboiled surface."

From this point, things started moving quickly. August 20: books arrived at the publisher. Real books. My books.

August 25: celebratory writing retreat all to myself at Moss Rock Retreat.

August 27: A blurb arrived from Robin Sloan, the author of Moonbound and Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. An amazing thing. He called my book "the most surprising book of the year." 

August 31: Laura brought books to my house for an unboxing.

September 7: I got a copy of Foreword Reviews in the mail and in there was my review in print. 

September 10: Got an email from a writer freelancing for the Chicago Review of Books, saying she loved my book and wanted to do an interview.

September 12–14: Sisters Festival of Books in Sisters, Oregon. A wonderful time where I roadtripped with my publisher, stayed in a cute, old roadside motor lodge, went to workshops and readings, and sat on a panel with authors Kristina McMorris, Maxim Loskutoff, and Jon Raymond.

Most significant for me, I got to read from my book in public for the first time. Because my publisher Laura was on stage with me at the time and no one in the audience was a friend, we didn't get any pictures, but later I happened upon a story on Instagram, and suddenly, there was an image of the moment.

September 19: A book-themed present! This is from my writer friend Nancy Townsley. A book cozy beautifully made and all dressed in biscuits, which is in reference to a running gag in my novel using the line "like honey on a hot biscuit."  

Late September, Who Killed One the Gun? was included in Powell's Books' “Cozy Staff Favorites” list on their “Cozy Fall Reads” page online.

September 26: An Instagram post of Staff Picks from Annie Bloom's Books in Portland included my book. Staff-picked by writer and bookseller Mo Daviau. An honor—but also this meant that, even though we hadn't yet reached the official pub date, books were starting to actually reach bookstore shelves. To be out in the world.

September 27–28: The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association trade show in Spokane, Washington. Another roadtrip with Laura, this time also with Mo, who was celebrating the publication of her gorgeous novel Epic and Lovely. We checked out Spokane, spent time on the sales floor, signed lots of books. I spoke at the "Authors on the Map" breakfast and signed more books. 

October 2: A lovely and cleverly written piece by Bob Hicks in Oregon ArtsWatch.

October 7: Official pub day. And a bit of a whirlwind. Locus Magazine included the book on their list of New Releases in Sci-fi, Horror, and Fantasy, and I was excited that, of all the books on the list, my cover made their promo graphic.

The novel also went up on Powell's Picks of the Month.

And that night was the book launch.

5:30 PM. Pre-event party with some best friends.

7 PM. Book launch at Powell's City of Books.

Lovely big crowd and I read to the accompaniment of sound effects performed by expert foley artist David Ian.

And sat in discussion with one of my absolute favorite writers of all time, Margaret Malone.

Had burgers afterward with a few close friends (burgers figure in the book) and then came home late to find the flowers my family in California had sent me.

October 7 was also the day that US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem came to town and stood on the roof of the ICE building looking for fodder for Trump’s lies about "war zone" Portland and encountered basically only a man in a chicken suit. Anderson Cooper did a piece for CNN, to try to help dispel the misinformation, and I was surprised to find that my name, on the Powell's marquee, ended up in the broadcast.

So, that was kind of surreal.

October 8: My friend Shannon posted this lovely video from my book launch night.

October 10: My interview in The Chicago Review of Books! They called my novel a "wonderful new metafictional detective noir," and for a while, if you clicked onto their homepage, you saw this:

October 11: Lovely, in-depth review by Hannah Kate of Hannah's Bookshelf for NMFM 106.6 in North Manchester, England. (Link is the entire episode, and her review starts at about the 29 minute mark). 

That evening, Stephen and I took a trip down to Powell's to sign books for the store.

And to visit some places where it was on display, including New + Recommended Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror in the Gold Room.

And the Read the Pacific Northwest end cap in the Blue Room.

October 14. Publisher Laura Stanfill wrote a wonderful essay on her Substack about the political moment that happened on my book launch day—but also the personal moment of that night.

And a photo of me, my husband, and the two hosts of my book launch, Kevin Sampsell and Mark Savage, (all longtime booksellers) made Shelf Awareness, the booksellers' trade magazine. 

October 15. Reviewer Amelia Beamer did a delightful preview video of my book for Locus Magazine. I love her reels so much that it was kind of a bucket-list thing to have her do one about my book.

October 17: I had an essay about my book in the "Research Notes" column of Necessary Fiction.

And on the same day, I had a short interview up on Shelf Awareness with loads of my own book and author recommendations, as well as a short rant on why I hate The Red Pony by John Steinbeck.

October 23: A really fun interview with Ken Jones on KBOO Radio's Jonesy. Both Ken and I are big old-time radio fans and since that's a big theme in my novel, we had a great time sharing favorite OTR detective quotes and talking about books and writing.

November 1: Broadway Books made the cleverest social post to advertise their upcoming events that were chosen as "Cover to Cover" events for the Portland Book Festival, one of which was my second Who Killed One the Gun? reading. Look! A bookseller got on the floor and posed as my hero One the Gun to recreate the cover of my novel, with books scattered all around. 

Come on! Amazing.

November 5: Event at Broadway Books in Portland. I was in conversation with Laura Stanfill, and we talked about working together on the book, about writing and personal growth and joy. As a little surprise, when I read at the podium, my husband Stephen popped up in the audience to voice one of the characters, Four the Door, and he was hilarious.

Plus themed cupcakes with number sprinkles.

Also on November 5: Got a really nice in-depth review in Discover Our Coast Magazine.

November 8: Portland Book Festival. I spent the morning at the Forest Avenue Press table selling and signing books and talking with festival-goers.

Also in November, Laura, always an innovator when it comes to promoting Forest Avenue Press books, hooked One the Gun up with Partners in Crime, which does giveaways and outreach that garners reviews and other promo hits for mystery and thriller fiction. Through that, the book got some nice reviews like this and this. Podcaster Teresa Trent read the opening of my book—with her own noir-y twist—on her podcast Books to the Ceiling. And I was invited to share a tiny essay about my novel via Bookworm86, and to be interviewed by Catreader18, both on Instagram.

December 13: Sweet to see my book in Mo Daviau's book stack for her official 2025 Annie Bloom's Staff Favorites portrait. I like that she's also cheekily holding up her own novel Epic and Lovely—which, to be honest, would have been my number one pick for Powell's if we still did our beloved year-end round-up Staff Top Fives.

December 18: Brian S. Ellis, poetry editor for Pool Party, included my book in their Top 15 Books of 2025 list—a really cool list full of unique indie press books, my favorite kind of books.

December 21: Friend Steve Arndt sent me this picture of a clever shelf-talker for my book. Look how they decorated the O in One with blood.

December 23: Another lovely book present! Local artist Shu-Ju Wang made a Christmas ornament each for Stephen and me, crafted to look like our books. Beautifully created inside and out—with significant references from both of our books. Again and again throughout this bookish year, I've been reminded how very many creative and supportive people we know.

Whew! If you've made it this far, I applaud you. And I thank you. Like I thank everyone who made this very one-the-gun year special.

2025 was many things. But with all of it, it was, for me the year of my book, and for that, and for everyone involved in any way, I'm so grateful.

a moment in the day: light show

Stephen and I are out for a Christmas-lights walk around the neighborhood. So far, our own block is the most star-studded, but we head up Ash to the house we know is decorated to the nines: the big bulbs lining the walls and roof in warm colors, the lights stabbed into the lawn, the big ornaments hanging from the trees. As we round the corner into the bright glow of Christmas, there's a small crowd of people out on the sidewalk in front, turned toward the house. The adults hold mugs. The children chatter and shriek and laugh, one little boy jumping up and down, up and down. 

We smile and nod as we pass through, and admire the bejeweled boughs, the bedecked deck. Up on the rooftop, something is stirring. A bulbous bulk of white and red plastic. Stephen says, quiet, "The Santa is inflating." At the edge of the sidewalk, ready to cross toward the next, very unremarkably decorated house, we stop and watch.

"Oh, we've come upon the unveiling of Santa," I say.

A woman turns and says, "Yes, you did!"

I feel both lucky for our timing and like we're intruding, and Stephen and I linger for a bit, joining the moment. Santa on the roof, over on its side, slowly, slowly fills in with shape. 

"Look," one of the grown-ups says, and points away from the house, "the moon."

All the kids turn. We turn. It's a golden eyelash peeking through the deep gray sky.

The children call "Ooh!" and "Look!" and "There it is!"

"I'm the moon!" one says. 

"No, I'm the moon!" 

"No, I'm the moon! Mina's the cloud."

Stephen and I walk on, leaving the family behind, happily ignoring the electric glory of their home in favor of a tiny sliver of awe in the sky.

Book Cover: Felan's Fables

Last year, I designed a book, inside and out, for Jamie Yourdon, author of Froelich's Ladder. The book, Swanya, was a limited edition novel (only 100 copies made) based on the story of Snow White. I wrote about the process here.

This year, Jamie's got a new project, and I'm in love with it. It's called Felan's Fables and is a collection of 60 short, charming, weird, fascinating fables that take place in a world of Jamie's creation. They don't all revolve around the eponymous Felan, but Felan is there, and important, and as you read, the world grows up around you in a wonderful way.

I was excited to get to design this book inside and out as with Swanya—and as with Swanya, Jamie gifted me with some gorgeous artwork to work with.

Look at this!

This is Felan. Commissioned from artist Graham Francoise whose art you can check out here. I love his style and I absolutely love the image of Felan that he created. It was such a joy to work on this cover because throughout the process, there was Felan for me to feast my eyes on.

Look at that nose and freckles!

Along with the Felan image, Graham created a patchwork quilt of tiny images each representing a fable. That was to be the background, and also the main imagery for the back cover. (I also used each little square to head its fable on the inside.) Graham gave this to me in layers, and Jamie said I could position Felan any way I wished.

I chose, of course, to put Felan front and center, and then I looked for fonts that felt right for the subject. The challenge for this cover was to get the balance between Felan and text right, and also to ensure that the elements didn't get overwhelmed by the detail of the patchwork background. To make sure the title stood out, I added a subtle wash of color across the top half of the cover. For text color, I stuck mostly with reds and greens to integrate the words into the artwork, adding in some cream and black as well, as I experimented. Sometimes the text wants to stand off of a cover. For Felan's Fables, I wanted it to nestle inside.

At first, I tried also adding a little bit of extra ornamentation because we had included some in the Swanya cover and it had worked well.

But it felt extraneous to both Jamie and me. One element too many. Sometimes the best design is something subtle, that allows the artwork to be the star completely.

I did some experimenting....

And of course sent samples to Jamie to choose from. One thing that happened in the process of this book is that we found out late in the game that the printer couldn't accommodate Jamie's chosen trim size. That meant that after all of my experimenting, we needed to reformat the cover to a shape that was a little taller and thinner. I think, in the end, that served Felan well.

Felan's Fables will be out March 10, 2026. Jamie will be launching a Kickstarter campaign in January. You can have a sneak peek here. For more information on Jamie and all his books, go here. To feast your eyes on more of Graham's work, go here. And here's a taste of one of Jamie's fabulous fables:

Once there was a boy whose bones were made of wicker. His father was a scarecrow and his mother was not.

The boy’s limbs were sturdy as a wicker chair. His ribs were like a picnic basket, with all his organs neatly tucked away. His heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys were all normal. It was only his bones that made him different.

“You must never tell anyone,” his mother had cautioned him, “or people will cut you open to see your insides.”

So the wicker boy had kept his secret safe.

One day the wicker boy chanced upon two brothers by a lake. The brothers had been arguing, but they fell silent when they saw him approaching. Though one brother was clearly older, both were larger than the wicker boy and both had a menacing disposition.

Their faces turned from scowls to smiles.