It’s hard to believe that The Seventh Echo has already been out in the world for more than a month.
For so long, August 18 was the date. Everything revolved around it. Writing, editing, formatting, cover design, advance copies, countdowns and the occasional moment when I wondered why anyone voluntarily puts themselves through the process of writing a novel.
Then release day arrived, and something funny happened. The story didn’t end. In many ways, it was only just beginning.
Over the last several weeks, The Seventh Echo has gone from being something that existed mostly on my laptop to something people are actually holding in their hands or reading on their Kindles.
I’ve received messages from readers telling me when they figured things out. Others have told me they never saw the ending coming. Some have wanted to talk about Danny, Iron Forge and what certain moments in the story really meant. Those conversations have been one of my favorite parts of this entire experience.
From Fairmont to the Real World
One of the biggest highlights so far during this journey was my September 5th signing at Barnes & Noble in Easton.
I went into the afternoon hoping to meet readers, sign some books and having a great time connecting. But something totally unexpected happened:
They sold out of books!
I also got to reconnect with people I hadn’t seen in years, meet new readers and watch copies of a story that began as an idea in my head walk out the door with complete strangers. That’s a pretty cool feeling.
And I’m not finished yet. I’ve started reaching out about additional author events and appearances, and I’m hoping there will be more opportunities to bring The Seventh Echo to readers throughout the fall and beyond.
Want to Read The Seventh Echo for Free?
I’ve been making The Seventh Echo available through select reader-review programs Booksprout and BookSirens for people who enjoy discovering new books and sharing their opinions.
If you’ve been curious about the novel but haven’t made the trip to Fairmont yet, keep an eye on my social media pages for opportunities to receive a digital review copy.
All you have to do is promise to leave a review when you’ve finished the story.
Reviews on whichever platform you choose make an enormous difference for independent authors. They help other readers discover a book and, just as importantly, give me a chance to hear what worked for you.
Twenty Books. One Even Much More Important Story
There is another Seventh Echo project happening right now you can take part in, and this one means considerably more than rankings, reviews or book sales.
A few days ago, I announced that I’m donating 20 personally signed copies of The Seventh Echo to help support a friend of mine.
She and I worked together in a hospital pharmacy more than thirty years ago. Life eventually took us in different directions, as it tends to do, but we recently reconnected and I learned about the incredibly difficult battle she’s been facing with cancer.
So I wanted to do something.
For every donation of $25 or more made directly to Gabrielle’s GoFundMe through this campaign, I’m offering one of those 20 signed books as a thank-you. I’ll personally sign it, personalize it if you’d like, and will even cover the cost of mailing it anywhere in the United States. The donations go directly through Gabrielle’s fundraiser—not through me.
If all twenty books find homes, that’s at least $500 raised to help someone who could use a few more people in her corner.
Twenty books certainly isn’t going to change the world for everyone. But maybe they can make one person’s world a little bit easier.
Read how to participate in the Twenty Books, One Good Cause campaign
So…What’s Next?
That’s the question I’ve been asking myself lately.
I spent so much time thinking about getting The Seventh Echo to August 18 that I didn’t spend nearly as much time thinking about what would happen afterward. Bu the book keeps moving.
It moves every time someone recommends it to a friend. Every time somebody leaves a review. Every time a reader sends me a message about Dan or Danny. And now, hopefully, it can move in another way too—by helping someone who needs it.
There’s plenty more coming. More promotions. More opportunities to meet readers. More experiments. Maybe even a few surprises as we head into October, which seems like a particularly appropriate month to spend some time in Fairmont.
Thanks for being a part of the story.
The Seventh Echo is available now from
Adverse City Publishing
© 2026 James Wood
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