A month later after I published Middle Ground!
First, let me start by saying thank you! Thank you to everyone who stopped by the website, who purchased one of my books, favorited me on Smashwords, and wrote a review.

It’s always so surreal to finalize a project—and even more so with the way the entire world has seemed to be in upheaval over the past year. I remember when I first started this blog, a little over five years ago, and I wasn’t sure where any of this would end up. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to build the life I wanted, I wasn’t sure where my next paycheck would come from.

Sometimes, I dwell on the negative and so I wanted to pause and write this post mainly for me as a reminder of how much I have been able to accomplish. I’ve self-published four books in a little over six years. Full stop.

When I first started to explore self-publishing, it was something that I needed as a way to balance out the job applications, the insurmountable denials, and staring down life after college. Now I write for different reasons, but I still write. I still have to make time, carve out moments to the plot, research, edit, format—and then, oh right, actually write. And then write again.
It’s easy to get mired down in what I haven’t done—yet this is a moment for me to realize not everything may be possible at once, but commitment does bear root over time. Little by little, I write. Little by little, I can add yet another book to my shelf.

Check-out the blog next week for more about creation of the cover and in the upcoming weeks for excerpts and snippets!

One of my first courses in earning my degree at library school brought up ethical conundrums a librarian may face. Having never really considered this before, I was surprised by the many different ways librarians are challenged. From the books, and other media, to possible restrictions on sites that may be accessed by computers, all are ways to either help or create barriers to community.

I recently thought back to those as I am fact-checking my current historical fiction. Needless to say my search history would not give anyone pause, but it was interesting to reflect that before the internet my searches--some already frustrating--may have been even more so. My searches have led me as far as afield as when tea, and what kinds, would have been available in Britain during the 1810s--which lead me down some rabbit holes and I now know more about the Opium Wars and how that interacts with the larger history of trade. I now know more about gin, champagne, and bourbon as well. Those led to more interesting results.

But what my searching has shown me, is there are a lot of really passionate people in this area. A lot of the culture, clothing, housing, has come from blogs in addition to other sources. A lot of digital archives of census records and museum archives has helped provide detail and depth in ways that surprised me. The internet has helped make a lot of passion projects reality. In thinking back to my librarian training days, I am reminded that the ability to access information is a privilege hard-won whether that information is on the popular form of decorating or on accurate maps.

My wonderful readers, I have updated my Coming Soon page here on the blog!
Mainly because the muse is the director, and I can only sort of quietly nudge her back into the lanes I thought were mapped out.
To that end, the third and fourth books in the Ravanna Series are drafted. The third, Bone Marrow, is more or less complete--yet I am struggling with moving it forward. When I wrote the story the plot went in a particular direction. Those books in general are written in an odd way, and it did so sort of wild. I am struggling what to do with it. Until, I get it planned out, there can be no third or fourth book. So they are planned. They will continue--just without any definitive time.

The second book in the New World has a title, and I really thought I would start writing that second book immediately. That’s what I did with the Ravanna Series--in fact I really wrote straight through books 1-3. That has not happened so for now there’s a title, I am excited for that universe--just not right now.

So the big news actually, is the next book is (tentatively because this year has been a mess) scheduled to release May 2021. I’m pretty confident where I’m at with it and hope to stick to my guns. That means watch this space for the cover reveal and teasers and count down! The book, Middle Ground, is a historical romance. I can’t wait to hear about what you think of Eveline and her story!

In general, I’ve been sticking to one book published every two years. A part of me would like to go faster, but then my brain tends to decide it doesn’t what to write, and also kind of would like to talk to other people. As always the book writing, editing, formatting, proofreading, cover designing, all happens around everything else.

More details soon!

Last week was a bit of a heavy blog post. It’s fair to say it’s a topic I could stay focused on, but it’s also true this blog--written mainly for me, let’s be honest--helps catalog my creative output. It’s own privilege to be sure. But I think I’m walking a fine line these days with the mental well-being. Hope is its own dangerous tool, and I am trying my best to cultivate it. To be fair, we will probably go adrift to other topics, because no one lives in a vacuum and I feel that way certainly with art. All that to preface, the blog will still stay mainly a space focused on the writing and other projects. All that to say, I am trying to take my joys, my gratitude where I can, and attempt to acknowledge and work through the guilt my current privilege affords me.

My joy of the week, of the month, of the year was my first ever review! I got the notification and literally braced myself for a bad one--for someone who didn’t like my work, or rated it with only a star and no comments.

Instead, deep breath, a person actually out there in the world somewhere took time to a) read my book, and then b) actually write a thoughtful, positive review. I am still floating!!! Like they had a favorite line and everything!!!

For those who are even remotely curious, yes, seeing those reviews, heck just getting the reports that people actually download the books, yes, it makes my day. I know my work isn’t perfect, but sending it out into the world just fulfills me so much as a person and knowing other people are seeing it makes me want to run and hide but also scream for joy.

Any bright spots for you this week?

Back in June (almost a year ago now), I gave an update on my next project with an oblique reference to a historical romance I was crafting and wasn’t sure I would end up finishing. With the world we ended up in, and the amount of energy to focus on world-building versus stepping into one I had already crafted, I ended up turning my focus back to the historical romance story. I’m happy to report I finished my first rough (very rough) draft last week. My mom asked if this one had a happy ending. [Spoiler Alert] I can say this one does in a much more unequivocal fashion then my some of my other works.

The image I’ve included in the post is one I found on Pinterest originally and has been one of my inspiration or mood pieces for the characters. It evocates a lot of my characters and helped orient me back into the feel of the novel. Before posting the image, I did some further research and believe the image was taken by Michel Brodsky in 1959 of Romy Schneider and  Alain Delon. Schneider and Delon were actors and partners for four years but had a relationship/friendship that apparently spanned decades.

In working on stories, I sometimes do stumble on images that ping in my braing connecting it to the story I’m working on. I try not to get too attached to other’s images though as I tend to get disappointed that I can’t use them for my cover art. For the past few works, I also have created playlists on Spotify to help with the plotting. I usually can’t listen to music when actually writing, but it can help on the walks I take to plan. By the end of last book, Don’t Belong to No City, my playlist had about 60 songs to it. The current WIP has abut 45 and may end up getting a few more songs added to it.

It’s true to say writing can channel emotions from disparate parts of my life and what is in the novel may not truly reflect my own state of mind or experiences. However, to fully enmesh in their lives can carry a weight with me that can occasionally catch me unawares. I turned back to the historical romance because I needed some softness in my life. I am about to undertake the editing process, and there is an ease in working through already created work too.

However you are processing this time, I hope you are giving yourself leave to shift focus to other projects, to new projects, to old worn-out stories you have passed the time with in happier moments.

Take Care, Lovelies!

I'm blessed in that I still have a job and one I can work from home. But it's been an odd two weeks in trying to create new routines, have them trampled, and try to settle up new ones. As an apartment dweller, with a roommate, I found it made sense to work at my desk--which is in my bedroom--a desk that I use for both school work and creative work. I managed to balance in my head school and creative before, I didn't even think that looking at the desk I would see "job." It's true though. The minute I'm done for the day, I can't bear to sit at my desk anymore, even as I switch out computers or tablets or notebooks. I have to physically move to another space. It's such an odd detail that my brain has now latched on to that space. Even now, on the weekend, I'm out at the kitchen table, because I see my desk and start to think of my to-do list. I like my boundaries, and I give work the time it needs, but I don't like the idea of it creeping into my off time. It was an odd realization how physical space can attribute to productivity or attitude. Though as I thought about it, I do tend to sometimes need to leave my house to go to a cafe or a library as a way to signal to my brain, we're about to focus! Now, it's smaller distances. It's time in between to signal, whether that's taking a walk, or doing that dishes, that brain needs to focus on other things. I love my desk, and usually I love to create at it. For now, I'll need to create new routines--an ability I'm thankful to have. 

Been a hell of a week. 

I woke up this morning wanting some peace, wanting some quiet, wanting some light. So I headed to one of my favorite spots in the city, the Harold Washington Library's Winter Garden. 

I was here a little before 9 and waited outside with the usual diverse group for the doors to open. I had my pick of tables, and am now firmly entrenched to get some work done. 

Harold Washington Library has the same feel, to me, as a place of worship. There is a stillness here. A stillness not broken by the photo shoot happening to my left, or the security officer talking to the handyman behind me, or the couple admiring the artwork to my right. In fact, the stillness is enhanced by it.

This library is reminder of why public spaces need to be welcoming to everyone, and that everyone deserves the dignity of knowledge, and have the respect of being treated equally. 

Whenever I need to know such places still exist, I make my way here. 

Hey World,

I'm writing to you from Champaign, IL. It's currently 9 degrees (yes, that's Fahrenheit) and when I walked across the snow this morning I saw squirrels huddling in the trees. The little grey creatures looked at me like I was an idiot for being out so early. Since I didn't have a choice in the matter, I could only march on to my presentation. This year sees me back in the hallowed halls of academia--thankfully, just for the week. The rest of my time earning the next degree will be spent online from the comfort of Chicago. And by Chicago, I mean my couch. 

The start of the year always cause me to reflect on the past one. What happened, what didn't. I try not to focus on the should haves. (Like, I should have Catspaw out and don't.) But instead all you can do is focus on what actually did happen--some pretty cool things did get done. And then what you want to carry forward into the new year. When I sat down to write this blog, I wanted to talk about goals. When I actually thought about what I want to accomplish, the long-term aims haven't changed. Keep writing. Keep publishing. Keep moving forward. 

The past two years have been an incredible learning experience in how actually to go about doing that. Both from a creative aspect and in a logistical one. I fully embrace now you can only learn by doing. Let's hope the next book reflects all that I've learned. 

Until then, keep reading and stay warm!