On July 22, 2021, my entire world changed. Tor Nightfire made an offer on a book I had written, on my book (it is still so crazy!), and as my agent relayed the information to me over the phone from the east coast, I became, officially, what I had worked the previous seven years to become, what I had put all of myself into trying to achieve. I cried ugly tears. I called everyone I knew. I got to celebrate the evening with incredible family and my amazing boyfriend. And on the ride home from the South Bay, a couple drinks in me and the world turning in a brand new way, I leaned my head out the window of the Uber in the California night, my hand in Kyle’s in the middle seat, and I knew I would remember that moment with the night air on my face and that phone call still playing through my ears, for the rest of my life.
Nearly two years later, I am sitting in my office with my laptop in front of me, and so much has happened. I finished and handed in a second book, we got Maeve in the shape she needed to be in (a many step process that TRULY takes a village!), I started working on a third book (and then simultaneously a fourth, both of which I am still working on now), I traveled to see friends and family, I traveled for book research, I got hit pretty hard with Covid, I got over it. Life happened. We got a fourth dog. I turned thirty, I turned thirty-one, Kyle and the guys started a horror production company (shout out Dylan, Travis, Slashtag!). One of my closest relationships came to an end. Other relationships grew stronger. We found the voice of Maeve for the audiobook (Sosie, you rock!), and I got to hear from writers I admire more than anything. And while I was looking the other way, while life was happening and we were moving ever closer to this moment of Maeve nearly hitting shelves, roots spread out beneath me. It still blows my mind, but I know now, without a doubt, that we have found a community here in California. We have found, and created a home here. A life. I am so eternally grateful.
The outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and now fans (freaking out that I have fans!!!!) has been pretty unbelievable. And here, nearly a month out from Maeve’s actual publication, the moment of something I wrote actually existing in bookstores, I am just so overwhelmed and so humbled by all of it.
I hope to use this blog space to share this journey moving forward. To give you all the updates on news and writing projects and life, and to share this beautiful writing life with you. And with this first post, I really just want to say first and foremost, from the bottom of my dark horror-loving heart,
To all of you who have been here for any step of this, to all of you who are here now,
Thank you.
Now… let’s put on our bloody tiaras and step out into the night. Together.
