How did it get to be July already?! But I'm excited that it is, because July is #SelfPitch month! The brainchild of indie author Shoshana Rain with some coparenting from me, #SelfPitch is happening July 13 and 14 this year. During July, I'm also trying to take it a little bit easy (she said, as … Continue reading Meet #SelfPitch: a Pitch Event for Indie Book Lovers!
Category: publishing
Debut No More: Why the Second Book Hits Different
Read on for an excerpt from Cambion's Blood! My debut year has come and gone. In a way, it's nice to be able to say that. There’s so much expectation and pressure wrapped up in first-time authorship. I wrote here extensively about my debut experience. It was a wild year of ups and downs, lessons … Continue reading Debut No More: Why the Second Book Hits Different
The Publishing Industry Is Not Okay. Now What?
This is the house that oligopoly built... When I originally set out to blog on this topic two weeks ago, I intended to write an explainer of WHY publishing is not okay. My first draft focused on professional burnout, the oligopoly of the Big Four, disruptive technology, and how labor exploitation lines the pockets of … Continue reading The Publishing Industry Is Not Okay. Now What?
Red Flag Warnings: How to Spot a Shady Literary Agent
It’s better to have no agent than a bad agent. Spend any time in author spaces and you will hear this time and time again. For writers stuck in querying hell, it probably grates on the nerves. It seems easy for an author who already has representation to say, but what does it mean? How … Continue reading Red Flag Warnings: How to Spot a Shady Literary Agent
Mindful Querying: Seven Precepts For the Trenches
At first glance, mindfulness and the so-called "query trenches" don't seem to go together. The prospect of querying agents doesn't naturally evoke a sense of calm among writers. Instead, it can spark anxiety, dread, imposter syndrome, fatigue, and disappointment. If that's how you feel about querying, you're not alone. With that in mind, I have … Continue reading Mindful Querying: Seven Precepts For the Trenches
4 Myths (and the Truth) About Getting a Literary Agent
Every time I turn the page on a new chapter of this wild author journey, I realize just how little I knew before. That continues to hold true even though I now have author friends a few steps ahead of me. Despite all their invaluable guidance and advice, each new stage still feels like a … Continue reading 4 Myths (and the Truth) About Getting a Literary Agent
Life Outside the Comfort Zone: Five Debut Year Lessons
Fair warning: I am a big year-in-reviewer. I love December's energy of reflection and processing. I spend time each holiday season curating a playlist to commemorate the past twelve months and I am an absolute sucker for retrospective journaling and blogging. New Year's is probably my favorite holiday. It's a whole thing. As part of … Continue reading Life Outside the Comfort Zone: Five Debut Year Lessons
It Starts with a Dream: from Novel Idea to Agent Offer
Today, one of my biggest writing dreams comes true. Today, I'm signing with my agent, Maeve MacLysaght of Ladderbird Literary Agency. Maeve’s passion for my spooky, time-bending science fiction mystery and her commitment to representing queer, diverse SFF makes her an ideal champion for GALATEA’S PARADOX. Aesthetic features original character art (top left) by Zara … Continue reading It Starts with a Dream: from Novel Idea to Agent Offer
The Five Stages of Debut Feelings
All right, y'all asked for it. Let's talk about what launching a debut novel is like, in a pandemic no less. Or at least, what it was like for me (your mileage and existential dread may vary).
Tomorrow’s the Day: CAMBION’S LAW Is Almost Here!
It's finally here: the eve of my debut release. CAMBION'S LAW releases tomorrow in Kindle and ebook. Because it's Print on Demand, some of you have received your paperback copies already! I love seeing pictures of my book in the wild so keep 'em coming. I am full of so many feelings: nervous, excited, uncertain, … Continue reading Tomorrow’s the Day: CAMBION’S LAW Is Almost Here!