Here’s what I learned about myself from publishing my own novel. Like many aspiring authors, I dreamed of landing a book deal with one of the “Big Five”: Macmillan, Hachette Book Group, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, and Penguin Random House, the publishing houses that produce most of the novels we…
On Aug 7th, 2026, I published my YA Fantasy debut, The Nameless of Ginah Valley. This book took over 6 years to develop, write, edit, market, and publish. Initially, I tried to query literary agents about this book in hopes that it would be traditionally published. It didn’t take long…
Where do story ideas originate? I frequently get asked where my ideas for the nameless, the aldanmas, Talaneamh culture, and the themes in The Nameless of Ginah Valley came from. The final story is completely different than the first few ideas swirling in my brain when I decided I wanted…
What even is an ARC? An ARC or Advanced Reader Copy is a pre-published manuscript that an author gives to a chosen reader in exchange for an honest review. That’s it. It seems simple, but behind that request are submission forms, promotional campaigns, spreadsheets, ebook distribution platforms, and profile vetting.…
Finding the time to write is always difficult. With my first novel, I wrote while pursuing a master’s and working full-time, during my first year of teaching, and through grieving. I considered myself self-disciplined, organized, and diligent. And then I became pregnant—with twins. My pregnancy brain fog was terrible! Thankfully,…
Hi family and friends! Thank you for joining me on my writing and publishing journey. I haven’t considered myself a writer for very long—I always thought of myself as a dabbler, and my writing was nothing more than a hobby. However, after some self-reflection, I discovered that writing has been…