K. I. Tolles – The First Newsletter

If you haven’t already signed up for an Advanced Reader Copy of A Gathering of Claws, then now is your chance! (If you’d like to sign up, the form is here) The opportunity to snag an ARC closes on 8/16 at 11:59pm EST (ish), and the copies will start hitting inboxes sometime during the day on 8/18.

As of this email going out, I officially have 110 people signed up, which is absolutely wild and incredible, and I do not have enough words in my vocabulary to adequately express how EPIC that is! I am so excited, but also a little nervous. There’s something scary about sending your little book baby out into the world, but I have my hopes up that people will love Arianne and Kael as much as I do. 🥰

Arianne has spent her life running—from hunters, from heartbreak, from a past she can’t remember. When she's forced to cross into Stormclaw territory, she expects death, not salvation. But when a glowing mate mark appears on her skin before the Gathering, everything changes. The catch? No one else bears the match.

Sentenced to compete in brutal trials or die trying, Arianne finds herself under the watchful eye of Kael, a ruthless sentinel with a haunted past and no time for wolves like her. He’s not her mate, and he's certainly not her savior. But as secrets unravel and whatever it is that's between them deepens, Kael and Arianne are forced to confront the terrifying truth: some bonds aren’t written in fate… but forged in fire.

In a world where wolves are born to obey their destiny, what happens when two souls dare to choose?

Preorders open up on September 1st, 2025, and will be available in both Paperback and eBook (I think). If you don’t want to spend any money, my book will be available on KU starting September 22nd, which also happens to be pub-day!

When I started writing A Gathering of Claws, I knew that I wanted to be like all those other girls and add a playlist to the front of the book. I’m not the kind of person who listens to music when they write, however, I have probably listened to this playlist about five hundred times by now, and I think it’s a perfect representation of AGOC’s vibes. Hopefully you love it as much as I do!

– Listen on Spotify

Initially, I didn’t think this book would get a sequel. I thought I’d just write a cute little story about a girl who has no idea who she is or where she came from, shove her towards a morally grey man, and see what happens. Can we all just laugh together? Halfway through drafting AGOC, I realized I needed to start brainstorming a series name. I haven’t fully landed on one yet, but I’ve been calling it The Gathering Saga in the interim. I wanted to love it, but I’m not sure it’s going to stick.

As of today, I’ve already started brainstorming and writing down some bullet-pointed ideas for the second and third books! I am happy to say that I already have book names, and a half-done blurb for book two! One of my beta readers said they are obsessed with Arianne and Kael, and need more of them immediately. I couldn’t agree more. Which is why more books are coming!

I truly appreciate everyone who has supported me so far, whether that’s been on social media, or by reading a copy in some form, and I hope that everyone is as obsessed over Kael/Arianne as I am! I’m in this for the long-haul, and I’ll be distraught when their story eventually comes to a close. (Shush… let’s just not think about that right now.)

Finish brainstorming and plotting book two, continue making instagram posts, and experience everything that’s about to happen with AGOC preorder and pub day!

Start writing book two! I also have an editor in my back pocket that I’d love to work with, so I’ll be doing all the admin work required to make that happen.

More writing! Depending on how October goes, I might be able to get into the editing trenches. It depends on if I want to go ahead and plot out book three or not. Either way, November is going to be a writing-filled month!

▶ Favorite remote-friendly city: Copenhagen, DK

▶ Song on repeat: Dear Space, Roya

▶ Current read: Heartless Sky (Zodiac Academy Book 7)

▶ Must-have gear: A notebook (for writing down ideas) and my calendar

If you feel like joining me for a pint this month, I’ll be devouring my favorite—Blueberry Buttermilk. I regret to inform you that I cannot find it in stores ever, so if you are in charge of ice cream flavors for your day job, I’m going to need to you step on it. This is an absolute must-have in my house.

Until then, however, I have resorted to making it homemade nowadays. (I know, I know, that’s what I’m saying.) If you want to make some with me, here’s the link to my favorite recipe! https://www.thebakerchick.com/blueberry-buttermilk-ice-cream/

[Photo Creds above to thebakerchick.com]