Big news!

The eBook of Doll Parts is on sale for just 1.99. Today, April 7, only! If you’ve been waiting to dive in, now’s the perfect time! Please help me share the news. And if you know anyone who loves to read ebooks, tell them all about it!

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Find her here (Amazon): Doll Parts by Penny Zang

and on Kobo: Doll Parts by Penny Zang

If you don’t believe me, listen to Ashley Winstead, USA Today-bestselling author of Midnight is the Darkest Hour:

"Sad Girl Cult but make it crime fiction: the genre-blending Doll Parts is as dark and evocative as tear-smudged eyeliner, as rebellious and moody as a song by Hole. Part mystery, part bildungsroman, and part paean to female friendship, Zang’s debut examines our cultural obsession with beautiful dead women--and, against a world that might prefer them silent, cold, and pretty, the lengths to which two best friends will go to remain vital, messy, and true to themselves, their bravery reverberating across timelines. "

Or from Samantha Downing, Internationally Bestselling Author of My Lovely Wife and Too Old For This:

"Doll Parts is the most mesmerizing and original book I’ve read in a long time. It’s eerie and addictive, a story that pulls you in and won’t let go. Penny Zang has a gift, and I would read anything she writes."

Little News!

I’m just kidding. It’s all big news to me.

• Accidents Never Happen is available for pre-order. Check out Bookshop.org or any other book retailer.

• ICYMI, I’m giving out really random recs every Friday in my Glimmers Roundup:

Also, I’ve been posting “lesson plans” (craft exercises and writing prompts) every few weeks, but I think I want to rename the series. If you have any fun ideas, share in the comments.

Check out the latest here:

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Have a great week! —Penny

Hello friends and new readers. If you’re new to this space, here is where you can lear…

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After a full week of Doll Parts being out in the world, I am exhausted and overwhelmed and beyond happy. Seriously, the relief I felt the day after my launc…

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Today, August 26, is my book’s birthday. Doll Parts is today years old. This b…

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Note: To read this whole post, you will need a paid subscription OR, better yet, a free one year subscription if you pre-order Doll Parts. Only one week left to pre-order!

Well, my book is still a week away from publication day (August 26), but it is already shipping and already showing up in some stores. This means I’m already getting questions. A lot of different variations of the same question, as it turns out. The good news is that it’s a question I’m fully prepared to answer: how much of Doll Parts is true?

I’m ready to share the truth(s) about it, which parts are inspired by real life and what is completely fictional—without giving away any spoilers, of course. Maybe I should rename this post as “Two Truths and a Lie-ish.”

But before I launch into those details, did you just hear that? That’s the sound of me screaming because we’re one week away from publication day.

Here’s what is going on right now (besides the screaming):

• I’m over at the Debutante Ball sharing the 5 Biggest Surprises of My Debut Year So Far.

• I’ve got some events planned to promote Doll Parts (and more to come)

• Doll Parts is, according to Goodreads, one of Fall’s Biggest Mystery Novels (along with some other amazing August titles)

• Last time I shared the Doll Parts playlist (did I mention there’s a Spotify link so you can listen to it while you read?)

Pre-order Offer

It’s the last week to pre-order Doll Parts! If you have already ordered a copy, let me know and I’ll comp a full year of Mourning Pages so you don’t miss any updates. This comped subscription includes full access to the archive of posts (everything 6 months or older is behind a paywall).

Really, I just want you to buy the book. Please please please pre-order and thank you if you already have done so.

• Here’s what to do: pre-order Doll Parts from any retailer, in any format, fill out this short Google form, and you’ll get full access here (which is usually 50 dollars a year) for the much cheaper price of a paperback novel. This offer ends August 26!

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And now, the truth behind Doll Parts that everyone keeps asking me about. I’m getting a lot of practice answering this question lately with some of my recent yet-to-be-released podcast interviews and fun in-person events.

The short summary of the book is a good place to start: “The Virgin Suicides meets I Have Some Questions For You in a dual timeline suspense following one woman as she begins to uncover the truth of the death of her estranged best friend and the Sylvia Plath adoring sad girls they attended college with decades ago, all while holding a secret that will slowly unravel her new, suburban dream life.”

Actually, let’s start with the disclaimer: Doll Parts is a work of fiction. But, I mean, it all came from somewhere, right?

Truth 1 about Doll Parts:

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I’m writing about music this week because it is always on my mind when I’m thinking about mourning. And even though I’m in one of the most exciting seasons of my life—only two weeks away from the publication of my debut novel—every feeling besides excitement has come to visit, including grief.

But it isn’t all sad! I am sharing the official Doll Parts playlist, the one in the back of the book, the one I listened to on repeat while writing and editing this novel. Stick around for the official playlist…I’m sure you can guess at least one of the songs.

A few quick Doll Parts updates that I’m so excited to share:

• Doll Parts is a Kobo Best of the Month selection! As one of the Mystery/Thriller picks of August, she’s in good company.

• See Doll Parts featured in the Montecito Journal as a Summertime Page Turner and in She Reads: “Dark Academia to Add to Your TBR for Fall 2025”

• If you’re anywhere near Mooresville, North Carolina on August 25, please join me for the coolest book event ever scheduled: a Sad Girl Dinner. With zines! I’m so excited. And author Meagan Church will be there, too!

• Greenville, South Carolina friends can join me on August 26 at M. Judson Booksellers for Books Over Drinks. Cheers!

Pre-order Offer

In these last two weeks before pub date, I’m doubling down on my request for pre-orders of Doll Parts. Rumor has it that Barnes & Noble is already shipping the hardback! If you pre-order (any retailer, any format), let me know and I’ll comp a full year of Mourning Pages so you don’t miss any updates.

This “paid” subscription includes full access to the archive of posts (everything 6 months or older is behind a paywall). Really, I just want you to buy the book. More than subscriptions here, my pre-order numbers could use a boost.

• Here’s what to do: pre-order Doll Parts, fill out this short Google form, and you’ll get full access here (which is usually 50 dollars a year) for the much cheaper price of a paperback novel. This offer ends August 26.

Why a playlist for a book?

Anyone who has been around Mourning Pages for a while will not be surprised to hear me make the connection between music and grief. I’ve written about music and grief here before (if these posts are hidden for you, see above about that pre-order offer):

I’ve been teasing bits of the Doll Parts playlist for months, if not longer. When your book’s title also shares the name of a famous song, it’s hard not to make the music matter. It certainly mattered while I wrote. I listened to a very particular era of music, 90s grunge, nonstop, even in the form of instrumental Spotify playlists.

And the characters in the book listen to this music, too. Music is mentioned A LOT. It’s on the jukebox, it’s in the car. It’s laced into every memory across two timelines.

Doll Parts has a vibe. And it sounds a lot like a mixtape or a burned CD I would have made decades ago.

You can wait for the back of the book version of this playlist or keep reading to see it now, including a link that takes you directly to the playlist online. It pairs well with chocolate cake and Dr Pepper (spiked with a little coconut rum) or so my characters say.

Here’s that short Google form if you pre-ordered Doll Parts. I’ll comp your paid subscription as soon as I can! Thank you so much to everyone who has preordered already.

Subscribe now

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I’m talking about blurbs today because even though a lot has already been written on the topic, I haven’t yet shared my experience with asking for blurbs for Doll Parts—an experience full of ups and downs. When I say “blurb,” I’m using the industry jargon for those bite-sized endorsements from other authors that you see on traditionally published books.

Go to the bookstore or the library and pick up a book. If you see a quote from another author endorsing the book, that’s a blurb.

File this whole post under: here’s what went down for me behind the scenes.

First, a few updates:

1. My book launch event is official! On August 26, I’ll be at my favorite local independent bookstore, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina, for a special Books Over Drinks celebration. If you’re local, I hope to see you there. The ticket cost covers purchase of the book (there will be a book signing) and a drink. One month and counting!

2. I had a great time speaking with LibraryLinkNJ for their Summer Book Bash program called Dazzling Debuts with fellow debut authors J.B. Hwang and Lucas Schaefer. My love for libraries is so big.

3. ICYMI: an offer for a free Substack subscription to this very newsletter if you pre-order Doll Parts. This offer will end August 26. Here’s the Google Form to fill out.

And oh yeah! There’s one last Doll Parts giveaway over on Goodreads. Even if you already ordered a copy, entering the giveaway means that the book will show up in your GR feed, which helps with visibility. There are 50 copies up for grabs this time!

As I mentioned above, there is already so much discourse out there about the culture of blurbs. Authors are asked to solicit blurbs for their books, which can be time-consuming, nerve-wracking, and seemingly impossible for a debut author new to the business. Writing a blurb also involves a lot of unpaid labor to ask of other writers. All of it is made even more exhausting because there isn’t hard data to prove that blurbs from other writers (even a big name like Stephen King) will result in book sales.

This discussion about the necessity (and the frustration) of blurbs has been around for a while, but the conversation started to heat up after the announcement earlier this year that blurbs will no longer be required for authors publishing with Simon & Schuster. And at the end of last year, author Rebecca Makkai really fired up the blurb discourse by announcing she was taking a long break from blurbing due to the labor involved (among other completely reasonable reasons).

*Fun fact: Via my editor, I asked Makkai for a blurb only a few days before her big announcement. I’m not saying that I was the writer who personally caused her to stop blurbing other books, but…the timing is something I can only now laugh/cringe about.

Sure, I have opinions to share about whether blurbs are necessary, but I also want to tell you what this process looked like for me. I want to offer some realistic tips for other writers who are looking ahead to this part of the publishing process.

I haven’t shared this experience with anyone yet, but it’s the exact kind of information I devoured as a debut author, and even long before my book deal.

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Note that the following paywall is here not just because I want to convince you to subscribe to yet another newsletter (really an email list so that I can keep in touch), but because I want you to pre-order Doll Parts. Pre-order sales matter so much, especially for debut authors like me. I’m so thankful to anyone who has already pre-ordered.

Here’s what to do: pre-order Doll Parts (any retailer, any format), fill out this short Google form, and I’ll comp a one-year subscription to Mourning Pages (which is usually 50 dollars a year) for the much cheaper price of a paperback novel. This offer ends August 26.

Anyone who has already paid for a subscription, this deal counts for you, too. Fill out the form and I’ll extend your subscription at no cost.

Now it’s time for the good stuff, including the blurb that made me cry and how asking for blurbs gave me vertigo.

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Hello from a train on my way from Austria to Italy. I started the day with one hell of an apple strudel and a cappuccino. I plan to end my day with a plate of pasta and a spritzy drink that I will only remember to photograph after I’ve finished it all.

It is interesting to travel out of the country a month before my book (Doll Parts, forthcoming from Sourcebooks Landmark on August 26) comes out. The vacation is much needed, for sure. But I’ve realized a few things on this trip, as well. More of that below. First, I want to share some big changes here.

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Some changes to this space

I will be resuming paid subscriptions to Mourning Pages. Payments have been paused for a few months while I made a plan for what to with this space that I love so much. And no, I won’t be offended if you have to unsubscribe to the paid version even if you’re my friend or my mom. I get it. Completely. I can’t subscribe to every newsletter I want, and I also have to unsubscribe from creators I admire, as well.

Complimentary “paid” membership offer

In related (and more exciting) news, I am offering a complimentary “paid” membership to Mourning Pages for one full year to anyone who pre-orders Doll Parts, my debut novel, before the U.S. release date on August 26, 2025. You can order from any store, in any format (e-book, audiobook, paperback, or hardcover).

Here is the link to fill out if you have pre-ordered and want a year of Mourning Pages. Give me a day or two to gift the membership after submitting.

Why offer membership when someone pre-orders the book?

First, let me acknowledge that I am stealing this idea from the amazing Jo Piazza. I thought it was such a smart strategy, one that especially lines up with this last month before Doll Parts is released until the world.

Also, because pre-orders and first week sales really matter. A lot. I have no way to track pre-sales on my own or know how my book is doing. What I do know is that one way for this book to do well (in regards to sales) requires all the pre-orders I can get. Thank you to everyone who has already pre-ordered. My gratitude is so big.

U.S. Pre-order links (though it is also available for pre-order in the U.K. at many other retailers):

• Amazon: https://srcbks.com/3Z3xO2C

• B&N: https://srcbks.com/4hVUbzL

• Bookshop: https://srcbks.com/3B4FM3D

• Books-A-Million: https://srcbks.com/4hWKBwH

• Target: https://www.target.com/p/doll-parts-by-penny-zang-paperback/-/A-94179749

What does a paid membership get you?

As a paying member (including the gifted complimentary membership when pre-ordering), you get the following:

• Access to the full archive of posts (all posts six months or older will be paywalled)

• Posts with behind-the-scenes details, especially about the world of publishing, academia, motherhood, and grief (sometimes especially vulnerable stories)

• Early sneak peeks at information that is not yet available to the rest of the world

• My eternal gratitude for your support

All free members will get access to public posts until they are six months old, after which they will go behind the paywall. You also have my gratitude and big heart eyes. I’m thankful for you all.

The truth (well, my truth) about traveling out of the country a month before my book comes out

Is it weird to travel so far away from home right before my book comes out? Shouldn’t I be in 24/7 book promotion mode right now? Maybe. But also maybe not.

This is the part where I transition to the real point of this post (the headline promise), which is behind the paywall. In this case, I’ll remind you of the aforementioned Substack membership offer for pre-ordering the book: a fifty-dollar deal for the price of a book.

If you pre-ordered Doll Parts and would like a free yearly subscription, fill out this form.

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