2023 Highlights
2023 is coming to an end and wow, it has been quite a journey. This has definitely been the busiest year I’ve had in a long time! The top news I have from 2023 is this:
THE UNDERWILD: RIVER OF SPIRITS will be released in Spring 2025!
The announcement for my debut went up the week of December 11th and even though I knew it was coming (my book was acquired several months ago), I wasn’t quite prepared for the day the announcement became public. Here’s what I wrote right after I saw the post on Publisher’s Weekly:
“I've been holding onto this news & keeping it close to my heart, preparing for the day when I could finally spill my secret... only to be overcome & at a complete loss of words. That's my book in the deal announcements this week. It's really real ”
I still feel this way - it hasn’t fully sunk in that the book of my heart is going to be on shelves in a little over a year. I can’t wait to share more about the journey it took to get here. And I’ll be sharing lots more information about the book itself as the cover is created (by a truly incredible artist - I can’t wait to scream about them!) and as we get closer to preorders for the release in Spring 2025. I’m already planning some creative pre-order incentives & I am so excited to share those with everyone.
Along with the secret book news, here are other highlights from the past year:
I opened an online stationery store - Ink & Starstuff is a curated stationery and gift shop featuring handmade pencil cases, notebook covers, fountain pens, and more! I have some of my original limited edition linocut art prints up for sale, too. I have big plans for more handcrafted items in the coming months - please subscribe for shop updates (and for a special coupon)!
I started a YouTube channel - Yep, I started making videos showcasing my writing journals, notebook and stationery favorites, and more. I’ll be filming more videos in the new year and will be diving into my writing process and creative inspiration in the coming months. Please subscribe!
Freelance editing services now available - Over the past few years I’ve been working with clients on their traditionally published novels, graphic novel scripts, and RPG games, and in April I officially opened to take on more clients. So if you have a novel, short story, graphic novel script, or RPG game you need help getting as polished as possible, either for the query trenches, self-publication, or for submission to editors, take a look at the services I offer.
I read over 80 books this year! I always set a yearly goal on Goodreads, and this year I decided to up my goal to 80. As of today, I’ve read 87 books! Do I remember them all? NOPE! But I do remember enjoying them.
I started hand-carving stamps and linocut art - Rather than gently falling into stamp carving I kind of cartwheeled off a cliff and slammed head-first into the hobby. Over the year I’ve carved over 30 stamps and linocut pieces, with 11 of those being Ghibli-themed stamps I use in my journal and on letters to friends.
I’m now on Threads - I haven’t posted much (yet) but this will most likely be my landing place for 2024, in addition to Insta. Follow me on Threads and Insta for fun updates, giveaways & more :)
I’ve put my health first and am getting specialized care - this is a major milestone for me. One of my big health issues has been chronic migraines, meaning I have 15 or more days per month of severe headaches/migraines. I started getting migraines as a teen and they’ve been getting worse and more frequent over the years. My journey toward getting treatment and specialized care began in 2022, and 2023 is the first year I gained access to a neurologist for migraine treatment (notice I say “gained access” because the journey to getting to this point has been rough to say the least). 2024 will be the year where I undergo new treatments which should help reduce my frequency of migraines. Cross fingers and send good vibes, please!
I have lots of goals for 2024 - including being more active on socials and sharing my work more widely. For now, I’m going to celebrate all these milestones, ring in the new year, and get back to working on secret book 2.
Happy New Year, everyone! Thank you for all the support 💛✨
Photo by Wout Vanacker via Unsplash