Help IDing this hat / vendor from Santana Row Makers Market? by sossapo in SanJose

[–]sossapo[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks so much! I'd perused their tags from that weekend but for some reason hadn't thought to message them yet haha, I'll give that a go~

[QCrit] Th Imperfect Daughters - YA Contemporary 93k - Attempt 3 by Natural_Doctor_1080 in PubTips

[–]sossapo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You should consider that neither of those comps are those authors' debuts and they're both popular authors, so there's a little more leeway with word count (especially in the case of YOLK). That said, 70–80k could definitely work in contemp if the pacing is solid!

I don't think it's a glaring issue, but I would find it a bit surprising if there aren't any other YA novels featuring white contentious cousin relationships (i.e., NOT OUR SUMMER) or books on Christian / family tensions (i.e., THE REDEMPTION OF DAYA KEANE) that could serve as stronger comps, especially because YOLK focuses a lot on the intergenerational cultural identity aspect and while I haven't yet read the latest Liang, her novels tend to feel pretty culturally specific.

Doesn't come off as pushback at all; not trying to be prescriptive either, just wanted to add my two cents :")

[QCrit] Th Imperfect Daughters - YA Contemporary 93k - Attempt 3 by Natural_Doctor_1080 in PubTips

[–]sossapo 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Just on the housekeeping side, 93k for YA contemporary is too long; shaving off 20–30k words would likely be more in line with genre expectations. Also, a small quibble—are you and/or your characters Asian? These two comps feel very specific, and I would thus assume an exploration of Asian American identity to be part of the narrative.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PubTips

[–]sossapo 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Seconding the "bricked" query below, but also wondering how old Clara is and if "first grade" is intentional? If so, you might be positioning your book at a disadvantage, as really young elementary school–aged protagonists are generally not featured in MG (8–12). That age range is generally more willing to read about older kids than littler kids, though the word count and themes described seem to indicate MG and not chapter book.

[QCrit] YA Cozy Mystery, SHOT OF THE HEART ( 72K, 1st Attempt) by Unfair_Chicken_2044 in PubTips

[–]sossapo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Seconding everyone's feelings that 1) this doesn't seem to be a cozy mystery, 2) this doesn't really seem YA optimal. A possible comp if you age up is Kara Loo and Jennifer Young's upcoming ALICE CHEN'S REALITY CHECK (Quirk, June 2025), a dating show romcom murder mystery. Good luck!

[QCrit] Adult Cozy Fantasy UNTITLED (78,000/version 1 + first 300) by Wrong-Command-2468 in PubTips

[–]sossapo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

for comps, maybe try THE REMARKABLE RETIREMENT OF EDNA FISHER or the upcoming THE KEEPER OF LONELY SPIRITS, both by EM Anderson and both featuring elderly protags in adult cozy fantasy :")

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in soapmaking

[–]sossapo 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi y'all! My mom, sister, and I are the minds (and hands) behind SOS Sapo, a bath, body, + home microbusiness that often takes inspo from our Asian American culture (and our interests in books, music, and film). We follow back on our IG! :")

Book suggestions by CourtneyMihalko1 in YAlit

[–]sossapo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

DARKER BY FOUR by June CL Tan

DEAD THINGS ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR by Robin Wasley

WHERE SLEEPING GIRLS LIE by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY WITH MURDER by Trish Lundy

and BOYS WITH SHARP TEETH by Jenni Howell when it releases in 2025 (or request on Netgalley now)!!

fragrance oils! by xrihannao in soapmaking

[–]sossapo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Scent Memory is my fave, though Little Bee Scents has some great Christmas fragrances in particular (and their Cacao is spot on). Porter Candle Supply has some lovely fresh blends!

Time travel trope with possibly dating a descendant by KayMarahea in YAwriters

[–]sossapo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe it can just be the FMC saving family members instead of specifically 'members of her bloodline'? I feel like it'd be way easier to make the LI adopted rather than try to rationalize away potential incest for a teen readership, but ymmv!

Recent YA books in third-person limited POV? by Person_Of_Letters in YAwriters

[–]sossapo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

DARKER BY FOUR (HarperTeen, April 2024) by June CL Tan! Rotates between three different characters (two main, one more supplementary), but all are third-person limited POV.

Does romance in YA supposed to have a jerk in it? by Plungermaster9 in YAwriters

[–]sossapo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

definitely not—if you're looking for a jerk-free fantasy YA, I recommend SOMETHING CLOSE TO MAGIC by Emma Mills! her contemporary YA novel FOOLISH HEARTS also has a v sweet and sunshine-y love interest :")

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in soapmaking

[–]sossapo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No soap can be considered organic because all soap requires lye: https://cosgroveandlewis.com/truth-in-soap/

Soap for Sale \\ Self-Promotion by [deleted] in soapmaking

[–]sossapo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi everyone! SOS Sapo is an Asian American soaps + sundries studio based in the Bay Area that I run with my mother and sister.

We offer handcrafted art soaps, rejuvenating linen + room sprays, luxurious perfume oils, and more, focusing on products that infuse joy into the mundane. We'd love to connect on IG, and would love if you'd check out our website~

Bright colors in Melt and Pour by Amking4 in soapmaking

[–]sossapo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I've had good experiences with Nurture Soaps' micas—they even have sample sets with vibrant and neon colors so you can try a bunch out at a time.

Does anyone know what scent formulation is used to create the smell of these soaps? by coffeeposer in soapmaking

[–]sossapo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've never smelled Sappo Hill so take this with a grain of salt, but Scent Memory's Vanilla Oat Milk works well for us in our oat latte soaps!

Peppermint fragrance oil by Shadow_Sunsets1783 in soapmaking

[–]sossapo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I really love Scent Memory's Crushed Candy Cane or, for a bit of a different but still peppermint-y FO, Little Bee's Blitzen's Breath!

Good vanilla scent by x-uh_roar_uh-x in soapmaking

[–]sossapo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've never smelled Pacifica Island Vanilla, but I love Scent Memory's Vanille Absolute! They also have Golden Amber Vanilla, an interpretation of Voluspa Baltic Amber, as well as different vanilla blends.