Face Forward

To say its been a turbulent year for me would be an understatement on the verge of comical. I lost my book deal, had a pulmonary embolism, dealt with the physical and mental fall out of getting off a medication I’d been on for nearly two decades, and then decided to abruptly quit my job of 13 years. All with the world burning in the background.

The good news is, the worst seems to be behind me (knock on all the wood, every wood) and I’ve survived all the big scary changes- in no small part thanks to an amazing support system that I know I’m tremendously lucky to have. Next week I start a new job and I’m really looking forward to it. The weight off my shoulders from leaving a career that was frankly devouring me has restored my sorely missed optimism. I feel like I’ve got the opportunity here to stop, take a breath, and figure out what I want my future to look like.

That housecleaning aside, what I came here to talk about was specifically the future of my writing projects and the fate of The Spellbound Alchemist.

When the small press that picked up my debut closed this past February, I knew the best balm to the crushing disappointment was action. I dusted off my query letter and got right back in the trenches. I got some decent feedback and I couple full requests from fabulous agents whose eventual passes I still wear with a grateful badge of honor. In the meantime, I met an amazing critique partner who went through my MS with a fine-toothed comb and, through their careful guidance, I gave the whole book a careful scrub and polish. (Love you Ama <3 Cannot wait to have An Artistic Deception on my shelf one day)

I sent Spellbound back out for one final round in the trenches. As the rejection letters filter in, I accept that the window on this leg of the journey is closing. The question is, what next?

I’ve thought about it a lot, and the way I see it, I have two options: shelve or self-pub.

Shelving isn’t giving up. I have other books I want to work on and I know I can come back to this story if I find my way into the traditional publishing realm through a later project. However, my understanding of how great a role luck and timing plays into entering that realm has me asking- what do I want out of traditional publishing that I can’t gain from self-publishing?

How long am I willing to wait for stars that may never align?

Two years ago, I wouldn’t have considered self-publishing because I honestly didn’t think I was ready, that I was “good enough.” For better or worse, I needed the vetting of the querying process to confirm it for me. And I feel like it has. I’m proud of the work I’ve written and my desire to share it far outweighs the draw of any sort or fame or notoriety that isn’t even guaranteed by traditional publishing anyway. I just want to write stuff and have folks read it- even if its not all that many. I don’t think I’m patient enough to wait.

I’m still mulling my options but if the next couple months turn up no more leads for the trad path, I think it might be time for a new direction.

Thanks for anyone who’s been following along. In the meantime, here’s the official playlist for The Spellbound Alchemist.

I’m going to make this book real, one way or another. Talk again soon!

An Unfortunate Plot Twist

Well, this is not a post I planned on writing. But life is funny that way- sometimes it doesn’t stick to the plan. 

I got a bit of bad news last night. Unfortunately, the indie press that picked up my debut fantasy is closing.

That means Spellbound isn’t coming out this year. 

So I guess we’re going back to the query trenches! I really really want to get this book in your hands, so I will fight tooth and nail to find a place for it!

(Wish me a lot of luck, pls)

Like any good story, the journey isn’t always  straightforward or easy, but we press on.

Here’s hoping for a happy ending. <3

So, What’s It About?

“What’s it about?”

It’s the first thing I’m asked when I say I wrote a book. You’d think I’d have a great answer by now. (I probably should) It’s such a deceptively simple question but so hard to provide a satisfying answer. If you can’t relate, think of your favorite book and try pitching it in a few short sentences- especially if it’s sci-fi or fantasy. Tricky, right? A general summary falls flat. I want you to really get a sense of the vibe, the style, the flavor!

So let’s start with some comparisons, see if we can’t paint a proper picture.

When writing Spellbound, my biggest inspirations were dreamy anime from the early aughts- specifically Inuyasha and Howl’s Moving Castle. I wanted that sweet teenage will-they/won’t-they romance, feisty female leads, beautiful magical worlds, and devious might-be-boyfriends. I wanted it to be bright and whimsical with characters that felt plucked from a romp in a D&D campaign and action and intrigue that was fun and fast-paced. For literary examples, I wanted the interactions to feel like something out of a Holly Black novel (The Cruel Prince) and the adventure to remind readers of Sanderson’s Tress of the Emerald Sea.

(you’ll have to be the judge on whether I achieved that- but know it was my aim!)

Now let’s set the scene:

Our lead is a girl named Ari. She lives in a tiny island town of the coast of Cemre, a wild land of the swords and sorcery variety. We’re talking kings and castles, schools for sorcery, fantastical non-human races, and plenty of opportunity for adventure. But Ari gets to see none of that- she’s stuck minding her mother’s sleepy little tea shop, and she’s deathly afraid she’s going to be stuck there forever. What she really wants it to strike out on her own and learn the art of Alchemy, to travel the lands of Cemre seeking rare plants and making clever concoctions. One fateful night, she gets her chance. She’s invited to run away with a band of traveling fortune tellers in their enchanted carriage. So she does! Hijinks, of course, ensue. She’s mistaken for a sorceress, wrongfully imprisoned by a band of rebels, strikes a bargain with a witch, and ends up bound to a disgraced magician. Now she’s knee deep in a desperate ploy to try and stop a renegade wizard set on overthrowing the throne. The only solution: work together with the bound wizard, a mischievous boy named Wren who is not in any way interested in playing hero.

I hope I’ve painted a proper picture! If I haven’t, here’s some rad character art I commissioned from one of my favorite artists, Seckra. (please check them out on Insta, I love their character design)

Meet Ari & Wren!

Can’t wait for you guys to read it, probably in late Spring or early Summer! Hopefully I find out the official release date shortly. I’ll keep ya posted!

If you made it this far, thanks a ton for sticking with! See you soon.

Our journey begins…

Happy New Year!

I’ve been putting off starting a blog/newsletter for a while since, though I claim to be a writer, I find these things awfully hard to write.

DISCLAIMER, do not judge my actual books on this writing- I beg you. I promise my real writing is much more organized. This is just my brain dump space- a place to tell you about anything new regarding upcoming novels or projects in the works and to just rant & rave. A place to get to know me as an author, if that’s in any way important to you. No offense taken if it’s not!

That said, lets get down to it.

Incoming Brain Dump:

2026 looms with all it’s threat and promise. It goes without saying that I wish you all the best. But more specifically, I wish you the one thing I’m trying to manifest for myself this year: MOMENTUM.

All my shortcomings, writer-wise, stem from stillness. If I can just keep moving, I think I could get a lot done this year. That means when I hit a wall, it’s time to pivot! No sitting down and pouting about it. Pick a different direction and keep moving. Writers block? Switch to a different WIP. (I have like 3 right now) Still blocked? Read! Watch a movie! Chasing inspiration is just as important as actually creating- something I often forget.

And my to-read and to-watch lists are getting loooooong. Unwieldly, even.

I won’t prattle on too long. This was more or less just a public promise of maintaining some sort of online presence. Something I hear authors ought to do. Suppose if I want to call myself an author, I better start acting like one. Right? Right.

2026 is the year of my first published release. It doesn’t feel real. I don’t know when it will start to feel real short of holding the damn thing in my hand and even then I may take some convincing.

I cannot wait to introduce you to The Spellbound Alchemist, my young adult fantasy releasing this spring. But I’ll save that for its own update.

Thanks for joining me- I’ll try my best not to be a bore.

- Sarah