Happy Full Moon!

A LEGACY OF STARS is officially out in the world on the same day that THE LOST GOD is two years old. I really went for it in the second generation of it all.

I can't believe it's been two years and six books. I've learned so much, and my mind is blown looking back at how much has changed in just a short period of time.

A friend who is getting ready to publish her first book asked me the other day what advice I would give to someone who is just starting out. It's hard to narrow it down to just one thing, but one of the things that no one tells you how to handle is that once you publish, your books stop belonging to you and they start belonging to readers. That means that everyone brings their projections and insecurities to your work, and because writing is so personal, you might find yourself wanting to defend your characters, your choices, and the world you've built.

But in the wise words of Joy Sullivan, "In order to endure as an artist, you must commit to being misunderstood, even though no one warns you how painful that is. Evolution is the only way to survive, if any of us can survive at all.

I think early in our artistic careers, we all tell ourselves a version of the same lie: if you and your art are accessible, nice, cute, palatable etc. enough, you’ll be spared. But the truth is—none of us are spared. Interesting art will always piss someone off. And if you write to pacify a Sad Fan Man, you lose. There are many boring things in life—don’t let your art, by your own assessment, be one of them. "

The point is that you have to commit to the bit. I think that all of us have something stuck at the center of us, and if you write from that heartfelt stuck place, it doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks because you're writing something true. Those are the stories that stay with people.

Enough about me, let's talk about the Page of Pentacles Rx. It's an interesting card to pull for this full moon because it's about being curious and experimental in our inner world. In particular, this card asks us about systems of stability and what it means to us to feel at home in ourselves. What does safety look like to you? What does it look like to create a space where you can be your most vulnerable self?

The Page of Pentacles Rx calls us to notice what makes us feel confident and conversely, what makes us doubt ourselves most. The crux of this card is to try to remove judgment, to assess this information dispassionately, and to adjust based on what we find.

I'm changing up our pick a card reading this month because I just received my Snowdrop Oracle Deck, and I love the cards. Happy full moon!

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What you'll find in the rest of this email:

• A Pick a Card reading
• A DIY Tarot Reading
• A LEGACY OF STARS OUT NOW
• A Writing Update
• A Reading update
• So many Events so little time - hear me talk a lot
• Villains and Vixens Preorders

Full Moon in Libra - Oracle reading care of the brand new Snowdrop Oracle deck by Heidi Phelps. I was so in love with these cards I had to use them for my full moon reading today.

Take a breath and choose the card you feel most drawn to. Then scroll down for your reading.
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REVEAL TIME for the Snowdrop Oracle.

Eucalyptus (Protection, Endurance, Prosperity) - The Eucalyptus card stands for resilience and the ability to provide and receive protection. It represents enduring strength through challenging times and the prosperity that comes from perseverance. This card encourages you to create a safe space for yourself.

Hellebore (Scandal, Slander, Triumph)- The Hellebore card represents triumph over adversity, especially in the face of negativity or scandal. It suggests overcoming slander or malicious gossip with grace and integrity. This card reminds you that your true strength lies in not letting others' words or actions define you. Instead, focus on rising above and proving your worth through your own achievements and resilience.

Violet (Modesty, Fidelity, Thoughts of Love) - Violet stands for modest love that is sincere and committed. It embodies loyalty and quiet devotion, often unspoken but deeply felt. When this card appears, it suggests reflecting on the steadfast love in your life and appreciating the subtler, yet profound, ways love can be expressed.

A LEGACY OF STARS PREORDER:

A Legacy of Stars came out on the two year anniversary of The Lost God's release.

What an amazing release week! I kicked off with announcing that A LEGACY OF STARS will be coming to audio this summer. The preorder link is not up yet, but I will be sure to let you all know as soon as it i,s and I'm looking forward to announcing the narrators as well because they are phenomenal.

The ebook, paperback, hardcover are up now. If you have read the book, I would be so grateful if you would review it on Goodreads and Amazon. I know I'm a broken record with asking for reviews, but they really do move the needle when it comes to foreign rights deals, audio deals, and book boxes.

Thank you to everyone who posted, shared the books, bought it for friends, ordered it at their library, or just sent words of encouragement. I'm so grateful to all of you.

And if you're looking for some merch, Creations by Polich Co has some super cute stickers to go with A LEGACY OF STARS. I love them all so much. Check them out by clicking the photo below:

What I'm Writing:

THE POISON DAUGHTER - Current Stage: DESPAIR (developmental edit one)

This is a joke, but also not. It's a fairly common occurrence in the first developmental edit since this tends to be one of the trickiest parts of the process. I reached the dreaded point of revision where I realized I want to go back and change something early on, and it's not a huge something, but it's also not something that's just in one chapter. So I have to retrace my steps back through the whole story, which is, as I've shared before, quite long.

Nevertheless, I will persist. I've already addressed the majority of the larger issues I needed to tackle since most of them were toward the beginning of the book, but I still have one small addition/rewrite to do toward the end and a few tweaks in between. My hope is to finish this weekend, which might be a bit ambitious, but I think it can be done.

Then, it will be off to beta readers next week.

What I'm Reading:

I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew - I love Kelly's writing, and this book is no exception. She tackles complex issues and grief, and disability with such wisdom and tact. One thing I'm always struck by when I read books Kelly's books is how much I feel seen by the way she captures how complicated and messy it is to build intimacy while also grappling with vulnerability or feeling let down by your limitations. This book follows a ballerina and the entity hiding inside her body as they cause havoc for the bodyguard her wealthy father has hired to keep an eye on her. Kelly does horror and relationships so well and her prose is beautiful. I can't wait to see where this goes.

Notable recent reads: The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow, for the thirtieth time. It still holds up.

Villains & Vixens Event Preorder:

My preorder for Villains and Vixens is finally up. You can click the image above to access it.

I will have hardcovers and paperbacks of all of my books. Sadly, I will not have any event special editions for REASONS. But, I am trying to come up with some other fun goodies to offer. If you are planning to purchase books from the event, I BEG you to preorder. It's really hard to estimate demand for events, and I'm always guessing, so the only way to guarantee you get what you want is to preorder.

You do not have to buy books there if you are bringing your own with you. I will sign any of my books you bring from home.

This preorder is open ONLY to those attending Villains and Vixens and will be open through June 30th. I can't wait to see you there.