Monthly Archives: December 2021

3 posts
A surface covered in grey furry looking material has a stack of old books with a hot beverage on them atop. Leaning on the books is a tablet with the cover of Cast a Shadow of Doubt. A candle burns in the background next to a rose colored pillow.

Getting Closer to Everything

Cast A Shadow Of Doubt Events Novel Updates

Things are happening, even though the year is almost over!

You’d think that December should be a downtime sort of month, what with the holidays and the end of the year quickly approaching. But you’d be wrong! I have been diligently working away in the background on a bunch of different things: events and appearances for 2022, new upcoming projects, goals for the new year, and oh yeah… all of the details surrounding putting together Cast a Shadow of Doubt!

Let me start with CASOD updates first, because they’re exciting! I’ve moved through the editing process and have the finished text. Formatting is almost done, and the next steps are cover, blurb, and technical background details.

All cover images you’ve seen so far have been placeholders, created by me. The central image is a reference to a plot point that is integral to the storyline, and that’s all I’ll say about that. Will the official cover look similar? You will have to wait and see! There will be a cover reveal when I’m ready and I’ll make sure you know all about it.

I feel good about the blurb as it stands, and you’ll see that SOON. And technical background details are things like setting up preorders, ISBNs, registering with the Library of Congress, etc. If you’d like to learn more about what is entailed with these tasks as a self-published author, you can join my Ko-fi as a member of the “A Writer’s Life and Craft” level.

Let’s talk events!

I have started setting up events for 2022, and although it isn’t confirmed yet, I can whisper in your ear that I’ll definitely be at Baltimore Faerie Faire again — and this time, IN PERSON! Yay!

Other places I’ll be, although I’m not sure if it’ll be in an official capacity or just as an attendee, include the 2022 Nebula Conference, Balticon and the Summer Solstice Faerie Festival. I’ll have a section up soon with all of these events listed, and I hope to meet some of you there!

Are there other events where you’d like to see me? Please leave a comment here with suggestions!

New projects in the works

Once CASOD launches on Imbolc [which is February 1st] 2022, I will be turning my hand to some related projects. I am currently working on story #3 set in the world of the Eleriannan. It remains to be seen if it will be a novel or something shorter, but it will be my first published story that features an LGBTQ+ main character. Considering how quickly–at least for a newbie author– I put out two novels, I’m taking a little more time with this story. It has characters really close to my heart, and I think you will love it.

Another thing that I have been discussing is starting a podcast that features theatrical readings from my stories. I can’t afford to make audiobooks [yet] so this might be a fun way to create something folks can listen to in the car or at home. I can’t guarantee that this will happen yet! It’ll take some money for equipment upgrades, for one thing. But if this interests you, and you want to help, supporting me on Ko-fi is the best way to do that.

Oh! One last thing!

In Sleep You Know, right next to a T. Kingfisher book! That’s some nice company it’s keeping!

I went the other day to my local library to see one of my books, one that I wrote, with my own two eyes. And there it was, on the shelf with all the new releases, and I may have done a little dance in the aisle when I saw it.

I’ve had a lot of amazing achievements this year as a newly published author, but this one might mean the most to me. Libraries have an important place in my heart. As a young person with a voracious reading appetite and very few friends, libraries were a lifeline for me. They are hallowed ground, in my mind. And now I have a book in one. Actually, more than one, because In Sleep You Know is in three library systems that I’m aware of – maybe more that I’m not!

And that brings up a Big Ask from me.

Folks, did you know that you can request your library to carry specific books? For free! Some library systems require you to log into a library account, but many do not. You’ll have to fill out a form, but that’s easy and the info you’ll need is easy to get from Amazon or Goodreads. And if they approve it, other people will get a chance to read my book. Or other indie authors’ books, because you can do this for any indie or self-published author who has taken the time to make their books available for library systems to purchase!

So if you want to give me or another author a present for the holidays, please take the time to request our books through your library systems. It only takes a moment and will help us so much!

Your support is the best thing in the world, my magic seekers. Expect another blog post before the end of the year, and I appreciate that you took the time to read this one!

woman leaping across a rocky gap to a sparkling portal

On The Other Side Of Fear

Cast A Shadow Of Doubt In Sleep You Know On Creating

On just taking the leap, and what I’ve achieved in 2021

The end of the year is a classic time for reflection and taking stock, and that’s always one of my favorite activities! A lot of writers right now are posting their #AwardsEligibility posts on Twitter, which is a great tag to follow if you’d like to check out new works from authors in SFF. I only have one book published, and I feel a little foolish joining in with just that – but thinking about the whole concept prompted me to compile a list of everything I managed to accomplish as an author in 2021. It’s a lot!

Step right up and claim that [participation] award

First and foremost: I published a book!!

My debut novel, In Sleep You Know, was published in May 2021. It is eligible for any of the awards for fantasy novels including first novel awards.

Tags: fantasy, hope, community, fae, music

Merrick Moore is just a regular guy with dreams of making it big with his garage band, but not much else – until he crashes a party thrown by reclusive eccentrics.
He gets more than he bargained for: new powers, a girlfriend who can visit him in his dreams, and a seven year bond with the local Fae court.
When the mortal enemies of his new friends show up to his band’s first gig, Merrick finds himself trying to prevent the start of a war that will have consequences for everyone, Fae and human alike.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1736850318

Get on the other side of fear.

Here’s the thing: I don’t expect to win an award, not in the least. That’s not keeping me from listing this accomplishment, though! It doesn’t matter if I win anything at all. The win was getting this story into the hands and minds of readers!

This whole year has been a series of leaps of faith for me. I started the work on publishing ISYK in 2020, because it takes a while to publish a book, especially a debut book. And especially one that’s being self-published by someone who is a hard taskmaster on herself and desperately wanted to get it right.

I have—quite publicly—suffered from impostor syndrome. I have been really open and public about it, because I know that I’m not the only one who goes through this or will in the future, and I think it’s really important to normalize talking about things that make us uncomfortable or make us feel weak or vulnerable. [I recommend my Twitter feed if you want to catch posts about those subjects. I am openly oversharing there!] I’m scared all the time, but I close my eyes and jump, or hit enter, or make the call. If I don’t, I won’t even get the chance to get the things that I want.

I decided that although it’s ridiculous for me to expect to win anything for ISYK [and that’s okay!] it is a powerful thing to compile and share a list of everything I achieved in 2021. So without further ado, here’s my list!

2021 Author Successes

Writing

💜 published In Sleep You Know, my debut fantasy novel

💜 wrote, edited, in the printing process for Cast a Shadow of Doubt, the sequel for ISYK. [launch date 02/2022]

💜 started work on my third novel, A Third Kind of Madness

💜 working on a collaborative novel, details TBA

Appearances

💜 author readings at Baltimore Faerie Fest [virtual], Mythmusica [in person], Fae Productions

💜 vending at Baltimore Faerie Fest, Balticon, Shore Leave, Mythmusica

💜 book was represented at When Worlds Collide’s virtual author table

💜 attended [virtually] as an first-time author at Farpoint, Nebula Conference, Readercon, When Worlds Collide

Interviews

💜 Fae Productions

💜 No Wasted Ink

Other Notable Achievements

💜 Joined Broad Universe and Maryland Writers’ Association

💜 Became a member of The Badasses writing/support group

💜 My books are now available to borrow in Maryland at Baltimore County Public Libraries, the Enoch Pratt library system of Baltimore City, and the Washington, D.C. library system

💜 My book will be available to purchase in person at The Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore, MD

…whoa. That’s a lot for my very first year as an author officially!

Here are my questions for you, readers: where would you love to see me show up next year? What is a new book that you read in 2021 that you would recommend? [Piranesi by Susanna Clarke is amazing] And what’s something that you achieved this year that you’re especially proud of and want to share?

a small ghost pipe plant, centered in frame, with the text "some fragile woodland species" overlaid at the top

Some Fragile Woodland Species

On Creating Writing

It’s one of my well-known quantities as both a writer and a human that I’m extremely transparent and unafraid to share my struggles and joys. Yesterday, that showed up in a small piece of writing that I shared on my Facebook personal page.

After I posted it, and I re-read it a few times as I responded to comments, I decided that I really liked it. It does a good job of describing how I see myself, and how I’m often conflicted by opposing desires: to soar, and to go to ground. 

There are people who revel in ordinariness, in walking in step with the crowd, in fitting in perfectly - or at least trying their best to do so. They take comfort in it, and stepping outside of their concept of what's normal would make them very uncomfortable. 
They actively flourish in that role, and it is home for them. 

There are others who seem destined to stand out, to innovate or ground-break, to inspire. They feel confined when held to an ordinary life, however that is defined by them. They dream of leaving a mark, a legacy, a story that can never be forgotten. 

And then there are people like me.

I want to fly a little closer to the sky, but not so high that my hubris sends me crashing to the ground. I want to leave something of importance, but it doesn't have to be grandiose and life-changing for millions. 
I'm not meant to be a superstar - I'm not that kind of smart or clever, I'm not the kind of beauty that sends men to war over me [thank goodness for that], and I don't have power or money that I could use to change the world. 
But... I don't know how to move through the ordinary world, either. I wish sometimes that I did, that I could be content there, but it doesn't work well for me. 
I'm like some fragile woodland species, the kind that you find when you move the leaves around on the forest floor. Not showy, but still interesting. The ecosystem won't collapse if you take me home, but you probably still shouldn't uproot me. 
I know, the metaphor's getting weird. That's also appropriate.

Anyway, none of those roles are inherently better or worse than the other. I just have always wanted more, but I don't seem very adept at succeeding in creating my own level between these others. I keep doing my own thing, hoping that at some point a curious hiker will wander from the path and lift the undergrowth to discover that I've been hiding under the leaves all along.

Becoming an author is an exercise in hope.

You write the words, and craft the story, trusting that it will be good enough to share with the world. You have to believe so strongly that your writing is Good Enough, Relevant Enough, Meaningful Enough. You give your time and energy and sleep and dreams to this work. Oh, and don’t forget your money, so much money is needed to create the book, and get it in front of potential readers. Editing, layout, cover art, advertising, and all the other little details.

It’s a wonder that any books get written at all.

The hope keeps us going. We write–late at night, at lunch, early in the morning–piling words and imagery like a treasure hoard. We scour websites for tips on how to market ourselves better, and send pitches with our fingers crossed. And we read the books that made it, from our colleagues and contemporaries and classic authors, and let their words and worlds inspire us. We look at their success and think, “Maybe one day, it’ll be me.”

And we never stop writing. We can’t. The words never stop coming.

We live on hope.