Newsletter: September 2025 Edition
The Discovery Prize for Fiction, My Latest Interview, Upcoming Events, and More
Subscribe to get the newsletter in your email inbox. Never miss an update. Subscribe today!
Welcome to the September 2025 edition of my newsletter. It’s been a few months since I’ve sent out a newsletter, but it’s not for lack of interest. I had an eventful summer and much of it was recovering from a bout with covid, then tending to my wife as she recovered from a serious injury. I was glad to care for my wife, but covid can go straight to hell (seriously, get vaccinated). Anyway, I wrote a lot of fiction this summer and my wife has been editing a novel manuscript that I finished back in May. I wrote a new novel manuscript later in the summer and I completed the first draft of it yesterday! I’m hoping to send both of these to my literary agent later this year, so he can hopefully find publishing homes for both of them.
A surprising thing that happened this past August was learning that my novel The Codger and the Sparrow won the Discovery Prize for Fiction in the Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards. I was shocked when they notified me, to say the least. Winning an award from a group of writers is a BIG honor for me. According to the Writers’ League of Texas, “the WLT introduced the Discovery Prize to recognize one outstanding book in each category published by independent presses, university presses, and/or self-published authors… for its fresh voice, inventive story, or some other element that made it stand out.” I’d like to thank the WLT for this prestigious award. I’m honored!
Besides this, I’m just trying to stay positive during these turbulent times. Many people have asked me what they can do and, besides reminding everyone that they should vote (!!!), it’s glaringly apparent what we can do with our own wallets. Tesla sales continue to plunge as car buyers find themselves repulsed by Elon Musk and Target sales continue to plunge as consumers are boycotting the retail store for its negative position on corporate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Starting in January of this year, my wife and I reevaluated where we were spending our money particularly with subscriptions. I canceled my Amazon Prime annual membership, then turned around and donated that $150 to six non-profits: NPR, PBS, Brighter Bites, ACLU, the Dallas Contemporary museum, and the Authors Guild. I’ve continued to donate to Texas Humanities, the Texas Tribune, canceled my Disney + subscription and subscribed to PBS, and donated to American Short Fiction and to Deep Vellum. I believe in supporting the arts and non-profits that are doing good work in the world. You can do the same! Let your wallet do the talking for you.
My Latest Interview
Here’s my latest interview with award-winning author James Wade where we talked about his latest novel, Narrow the Road, as well as literary culture, toxic masculinity, supportive spouses and partners, and so much more. It’s a fantastic discussion! Read it here:
https://issuu.com/wellreadmagazine/docs/well_read_magazine_september_2025_/s/112030560
Upcoming Events
I will be one of the featured authors at the Boerne Book Festival on Saturday, October 4, 2025 in beautiful Boerne Texas. I will be participating in the “Writing to Heal” panel at 3:30pm with James R. Dennis, Lucy Griffith, Bianca Perez, and moderator Cyra Dumitru. Come see us and enjoy some time at the amazing Patrick Heath Public Library. Find more info here:
https://www.boernebookfest.com/
I’ll also be at the Hill Country Literary Festival hosted by the Mammen Family Public Library (another great public library!!!) on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Bulverde, Texas. I know it’s a ways off, but mark your calendar! Find more info here:
https://hillcountryliteraryfestival.org/
My Books
All of my books are available everywhere you buy books. Find my preferred retailers here:
Latest Novel: STARMAN AFTER MIDNIGHT (2025), Publishers Weekly calls it “Darkly funny... Semegran has a knack for drawing colorful characters. This waggish slice of life is worth a look.”
Previous Novel: THE CODGER AND THE SPARROW (2024), the winner of the Discovery Prize for Fiction in the Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards.
The Novel Before That: THE BENEVOLENT LORDS OF SOMETIMES ISLAND (2020), 2021 Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards - First Place for Middle-Grade/Young Adult
The Novel Before That One: TO SQUEEZE A PRAIRIE DOG (2019), 2020 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award Winner - Gold Medal for Humor
Thank you for your support. Take care and be good to each other.
Sincerely,
Scott
Subscribe to get the newsletter in your email inbox. Never miss an update. Subscribe today!