30 Days of Belle Dame Sans Merci

Hello fellow book-lovers! I'm celebrating the publication of my new novel, Belle Dame Sans Merci, with 30 days of quotes alongside beautiful photos. 

Belle is published!

Hello friends.

I'm so thrilled to announce that Belle Dame Sans Merci is now published! I made a video reading the first chapter.

If you're interested in reading more, check it out on Amazon.

I'm going to do a book blast with quotes from the book, too, with interesting pictures. There'll be more videos, too.

Thanks so much for your support and for sharing this adventure with me. I truly appreciate it.

Finishing up Belle: Beta Reader Feedback

The beta reader feedback for Belle Dame Sans Merci is pouring in. It's amazing! So many kind friends volunteered to read it and answer all my crazy questions. I'll be making edits to the manuscript today and reviewing it with my copy editor soon. 

A room full of boxes (my life now), and Casper trying to make a getaway.

I've encountered delays on publishing, which is a little sad. I want to get this book out there! But the reason for the delay was actually awesome: my husband Tim and I found our dream home in late January. As anyone can tell you, the inspections, paperwork and closing on a new house is exhausting. Then there's moving in and cleaning out the old house. Even though we moved in about three weeks ago, we still have boxes in several rooms of the new house.

One of my bookcases before and after the move. I still haven't unpacked my books. :(

Although Belle has had some delays, things have stabilized and I'm more determined than ever to complete the book by the end of the month. Thanks for hanging in there -- I truly appreciate and love your patience. I'll be in touch soon with a publication date and we can all have a little party. <3 <3 And then, I'll unpack my books. Cheers! 

Moving and Belle Update

Hello friends. I recently moved from a tiny, cramped house into a spacious new one, and I'm thrilled to say I now have my own writing room -- with a door! How did I write before this?!

My new writing space is not much to look at right now, but it's coming along. I'll feel better when my favorite books are unpacked and I have more art on the walls. 

But for now, I have candles and incense burning, a string of flickering orange lights, and a comfy pillow on my writing chair. The only thing missing is my kittycat Casper. 

I just received beta reader feedback for Belle Dame Sans Merci, and I'm thrilled to learn people love it! My betas pointed out some small loopholes that can be fixed with a couple of extra sentences. I'm so honored to work with such dedicated friends and reviewers. Belle should be out later this month, although I don't have a date yet. Hang tight -- I'll have a big post when she arrives.

It's freezing here in Ohio. A little space heater is running by my feet, but it doesn't make up for the contrast of biting-cold wind and my longing to walk in the forest and feel the sun shine on my face. In any case, I hope you are happy and snug. And remember, spring will come again. It always does. 

Belle Dame Sans Merci: Ideas and Inspiration Video

I decided to make a video for my forthcoming YA fantasy novel, Belle Dame Sans Merci. If you've ever wondered about the strange workings of my mind, you can see a fraction of it here.

It was really fun to put this together, to pick the music and the pictures, and really gives a sense of the book's tone as well. I'm really looking forward to when it comes out later this month or early April. 

Let me know what you think, or if you have any questions. I love talking about my work, and this is my favorite project so far. 

I'll be doing another video for the first chapter. I'll make a post here, or you can subscribe to my youtube channel if you want to see more. 

Until then. 
❤ 

Another Soul Fire Tribe novel

Hello lovely readers. My friend Lara Donnelly, former Soul Fire Tribe fire dancer, just published Amberlough, a new fantasy novel from Tor Books. It's a unique combination of anti-fascists and a cabaret in an alternate world where lush 1920's-era decadence clashes with a new, oppressive regime. 


Lara was interviewed on WYSO's Book Nook with Vick Mickunas today, and I was thrilled when they mentioned my book House of Transformation. It seems like it was published ages ago, but it was only little more than a year. Time seems to have flied and stood still all at once. 

My new book, Belle Dame Sans Merci (to be published March 2017 or so) is coming along, with a little polishing here, a little continuity clean-up on Aisle 6 . . . slowly but surely. 

Last night, I shared bits of the storyline with friends last at a hip new lounge with fancy chandeliers and lots of beautiful wood. I sipped ginger mead and rattled off all the strange and beautiful events and characters. 

They stopped me at harpies. "Harpies? You even have harpies in it?" 

To which I said "YES!" 

To say I've always wanted to write a book that had harpies would be an understatement. I've been fascinated with them since I learned about them as a child. Perhaps it's because I'm such an air sign myself, or maybe because there's something so wonderful about women and wings. It just feels right. 

In any case, I'm excited to launch this book into the world soon. This Belle has a unique voice and a different take on the Beauty and the Beast theme. It's more a voice for our times. In a strange way, even though I haven't seen Lara for a few years, our books are both about resisting oppressive regimes and characters having the courage to fight back, to live their lives the way they want, not as they are dictated. We need a lot more books like that these days.

Belle Dame Sans Merci is available for pre-order through Amazon. 

Belle Dame Sans Merci Announcements

I just received the new cover for Belle Dame Sans Merci! Do you recognize the painting? It's a Waterhouse, with the same name. It always inspired me to think about Belle's story, so it seemed right to use it for the cover. 

I've been editing Belle almost every day, and am thrilled to announce it just went out to the first round of beta readers. It's such an exciting book to work on, with adventure, fight scenes, moral dilemmas, and characters having to use their grit to get through tough situations. 

Belle is such a badass with a heart of gold, and it's been such a pleasure seeing her character grow. I wanted to give Belle an interesting quirk, so I made her love a good cup of tea. Tea is so underrated, don't you think?


I hope to have Belle Dame Sans Merci out in mid-March. It'll be in the KDP Select program, so you know what that means -- GIVEAWAYS! Keep an eye out for announcements for those free days. 

I'm going to go back to editing -- thanks for sharing this exciting time with me.