Finding North: January 2025

My word for 2025, and sneaky secrets 👀

Note: The recording above is a reading of this newsletter — there’s no different content, and it’s not produced, so you’ll hear the occasional stumble, or sounds of daily life in the background. If you’re someone who needs or prefers to hear their news, then I hope it’s helpful.

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Hi there! I’m Amie Kaufman, NYT and internationally bestselling author of The Isles of the Gods, Illuminae, Aurora Rising, These Broken Stars, and many more books besides. This newsletter is the place to learn about my latest releases or events, and to follow along behind the scenes as I find my way through writing, and through life.

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Hi, my friends.

January is absolutely my favourite month of the year. Here in Melbourne, it’s the season for buying a tray of mangoes every week, walking to the end of the street to dip our toes in the sea as often as we can, and disappearing off into the bush to camp where they haven’t even heard of phone signals.

I celebrated the new year completely offline — rather than making it all about one big moment, we turned the page from one year to another slowly, in a series of moments as we thought, talked, wrote and daydreamed.

My friends, I’m looking forward to heading into 2025 with you.

In this letter:

• My word for 2025

• An Illuminae hint 👀

• ARCs have arrived!

• A peek at Mars

• An unexpected movie recommendation

• A new prize for young Aussie writers

• Monthly giveaway

One of this month’s bucket-filling activities was visiting the Yayoi Kusama exhibition here in Melbourne. Here I am disappearing into one of the infinity rooms.

What I’ve Been Up To

Each January, I choose a word to guide my efforts for the coming year.

In the past, I’ve used NURTURE and ADVENTURE, and last year I wrote about how I wanted to PLAY. (I am particularly proud of that letter, and for those who remember it, this year the kiddo got her own Sylvanians for Christmas, and was beside herself.)

I took some time away while we were camping to think about my word—my compass, really—for 2025.

We spent a lot of time doing things slowly, on that trip. We went for ambling walks. We drifted down the river on inflatable tubes. We made endless rounds of sandwiches and toasted marshmallows, and I told stories to the kids as they clustered around.

Pictured: The big kids (that is, the dads) enjoying a rare moment of inner tubing without a small child on board.

What struck me more than anything was how in the moment I was. And how, when I pulled out my notebook each evening, my brain unspooled effortlessly into the kind of big picture thinking that’s often so fragmented and difficult to find in modern life. I filled pages and pages, and it felt like no work at all.

It wasn’t because I was particularly well rested — honestly, I was sharing a tent with a five year old, and chasing kids all day — but I do think it’s because I was letting my mind rest. I was giving it a break from something I do constantly: project forward into the future, to meet the problems that might arise.

I’m not a person who’s constantly stressed out, or a worrier — in fact, I’d say I’m calmer and more philosophical than most. But I’ve always looked ahead, my whole life. I’m a planner. I like to strategise.

Part of it is because I’m just a daydreamer who’s inclined toward thinking about the future. (If you’re interested in CliftonStrengths, as I know many writers are, I’m #3 Futuristic, and it shows.)

Part of it is because from the years 2018 - 2024, I had at least one Great Big Terrible Thing appear out of the blue and fall on top of my head every year.

It began to feel a bit like I was living in that skit where someone tries to cross a multi-lane highway, and gets knocked over by a passing car. So they pick themselves up, only to be taken out by a car speeding by in the other direction. They shake themselves off, and we repeat, and repeat, and repeat.

So in some ways, it’s not surprising that I’m always looking ahead. My poor brain is trying to figure out what’s coming at it next, and prepare itself. But here’s the thing: Not a single one of the Great Big Terrible Things has been something I saw coming.

So looking ahead to try and meet and outwit my troubles halfway? It’s really no use at all. And I know that.

Here’s Pip, the queen of living in the moment. I spent some of December on writing retreat in the van, and she came to visit for a few days. We were so busy — walks, ice creams, sandcastles, adventures! — and yet I was so rested after we were finished.

The coming year is going to be the busiest of my career. I have grand, exciting ambitions — new books, a new business. Great big mountains to climb.

What I know, though, is that when I slow right down, when I keep myself in the moment, when I focus on the part of the path that’s right in front of me, when I remember to take it day by day, and make rest a part of each day, I’m capable of climbing some pretty big mountains.

The trick is not to zoom out too far, too often — not to look ahead, at the expense of seeing what’s already beautifully right in front of me.

So, to my word for 2025. Let’s see where it takes me.

I play to focus on being present, this year — and I would love to know if you’ve chosen a word, or have a sentiment for the year. Would you share it with me?

What I’m Writing

I’ve been busy wrapping up a few different projects, and the first of them looks like this. What is it? I’m not allowed to tell you yet. But it’s the tenth anniversary of Illuminae’s publication this year!

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The other great news at my place is that advance reader copies of Lady’s Knight are in the house! I’m so excited to see these winging their way out into the world, and to suddenly be able to say that this book I love so much is coming out this year!

You can look forward to an ARC giveaway in a future newsletter, but for now I can say that I have seen the sketches for the cover, and they are glorious.

Of course, if you’re inclined to preorder Lady’s Knight, I would be most obliged.

🇺🇸 She’s at Amazon or Barnes & Noble, with more links to come!

🇬🇧 She’s at Waterstones or Amazon, with more links to come!

🇦🇺 The Aussie system works on a different timeline, so no links yet, but you’ll hear all about them when they arrive!

📙 And finally, you can add the book on Goodreads right here.

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The final thing I’ve done recently is send Project RSR to copy edits — or at least, I will at the end of this week. The book’s done, even though I won’t be able to tell you much about it until after Lady’s Knight is out. 2025 is going to be a busy year!

A while back, I showed you the opening lines of that book, and I warned you they’d change. Indeed they have, and though I certainly shouldn’t share anything yet, let’s celebrate finishing edits with the new first lines. I hope you’re looking forward to this one!

What I’ve Loved Lately

I have a movie recommendation this month — one I am surprised to find myself suggesting you see, to be honest! I came to see Better Man because we had some movie tickets that had to be used up before they expired, and there wasn’t much on, and I thought, well — so many movies these days are either superhero tentpoles, or remakes. At least it’s original. At least it’s a big swing.

Better Man is a biopic of the singer Robbie Williams, and the conceit is that everybody in the movie is a normal human, except for Robbie, who sees himself as a monkey — less evolved than everyone else, never knowing what to do, or where to fit.

And to my surprise, I loved it. So did my husband, who isn’t even that into Williams’s music. If you want to try something different, I recommend it.

News and Events

We wrapped up the Pub Dates podcast for 2025 with two episodes. You can click on the buttons to listen to each.

The other news I want to share is about the Steph Bowe Prize, named in honour of a wonderful Aussie writer we lost too soon. I was a mentor for the prize’s predecessor, and I’m so glad to see it re-launched now.

If you’re a young Aussie writer with a manuscript on your hands, entries will be open the first week in February, and there’s a cash prize and a mentorship on offer.

Giveaway

This month’s giveaway is an Aurora Rising sticker sheet, which was available years ago as a preorder incentive, but isn’t for sale anywhere. The character art is by the wonderful Kira Night.

To win, leave a comment telling me something about the Aurora Cycle — your favourite squad member, what position you’d hold in a squad (a Face, an Ace, an Alpha, a Gearhead?) or a moment you loved.

One answer will be randomly selected, and I’ll reply in a comment at the end of January to let you know to check your email!

That’s it from me for now — I’m off to polish up Project RSR and send it to copy edits, and then I’m shutting down my inbox for a month. I’ll be in touch with all the serenity of a woman on holiday in Feb!

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