What I learned launching four books in four months

Last year, I launched four books in four months. It was a massive project that took the better part of a year to do. But it’s done now. Well, at least it’s mostly done. We’ll get to that in a bit.

Launching one book is a project. Launching four in four months is something I will probably not do again.

And then, of course, while I was just at the tail end of this marathon of launches, the unthinkable happened.

Was it a success? Well, the books are out, and they’re selling, so I guess so. Could I have done more? The answer is always yes. The answer is also always no. So, let’s talk about what I learned during this marathon of launches.

It’s going to take so much more time than you think it will

This is the most crucial thing to keep in mind before you even start. Everything, and I do mean everything, is going to take more time than you think it will. At no point during this past year did I think, wow, I’m ahead of schedule and everything is going smoothly. Promoting takes time. Writing additional content takes time. All the little minute details of launching take time. And all of it is going to take more time than you think it will. Especially if you’ve never done this before. Keep this in mind for the next part.

Plan everything out ahead of time

When I decided to relaunch Woven, the first thing I did was sit down and make a plan. And, being the anxious person that I am, I planned everything down to the day. When was I going to make promo material? When was I going to write and post? What sort of blog posts was I going to write that had something to do with Woven so I’d get the right audience to look at the book? When was I ordering covers? When was I announcing covers? When would the presale go up?

Most importantly, when was I going to need to take breaks? When was I going to be busy with family stuff and holiday stuff and not be able to full steam ahead on this massive project? Remember, I work a full-time job. And I had decided to launch these books during the holiday season. Now, if I ever do this again, I’ll certainly plan to do it earlier. But as I had the glorious idea of having all four books available for holiday gifts, my path was sort of set already. So I needed to make sure I had some time blocked out for family and holiday time.

This includes promotional planning

I of course had a promotional calendar ready. Before I announced a launch, I had a five-month promotional calendar set up which included what books I’d be promoting and how during which times. Even if this just meant what book I’d be posting about on Instagram, I knew.

This was important to me because I tend to suffer from decision fatigue. And when I’m already thinking of a hundred things that need to be done, need decided on and need attention right now, little things get lost. So having a written plan of action I could just follow took a few decisions off my mind. And there were days I needed that.

The work starts long before you even announce a launch date

As I mentioned before, the work to relaunch Woven started much earlier in the year. Remember, I actually launched five books last year, including Nova. The work for this marathon year started in December of the year before. I was already planning and working on the material and details. So if you’re planning to do something like this, plan for it to be a long-term project. Rapid releases only look rapid to those outside. To you, it’s going to be a long, slow process.

Plan for the unexpected

I’ll be the first to say that my launches went surprisingly smoothly. There were no issues with Amazon. The covers came back on time and looked great. There were no technical issues at all.

But that doesn’t mean things went to plan. As you might already know, my husband suffered a severe stroke in December. He was hospitalized for a month before he could be released to a rehab facility. As I write this on February 4th, he is only coming home today. And so a lot of the things I’d planned to do, like be on podcasts and do guest blogs and a bunch of other fun promotional stuff got put on the back burner.

Thanks to all of the heavy lifting I’d done at the start of the project, I was still able to release all four books. Because by the time the stroke happened, everything was pretty much set up on autopilot. I didn’t have to think about whether the book would come out on time or the sale prices would go up because I’d already seen to that.

The point is, to be ready for things to go wrong. Because really, anything could happen. This is why it’s important to plan far in advance and don’t announce a launch date until everything, and I mean everything, is ready to go.

The work doesn’t end when the books are out

Finally, I’m still working on this launch. Because this is, again, a huge project. While I delayed a lot of outreach promotions, I didn’t cancel them. And, of course, there’ll be some buzz when the books go wide. (Spoiler, that’s starting sometime soon)

Promoting and selling a book doesn’t stop once it’s out. It’s kind of a long term thing. Which in a way is a huge relief. I don’t need to rush. I don’t need to feel like I messed up my launch by not being on ten podcasts last month. I can streatch out. I can get to things when I get to them.

I can go at my own pace, and so can you.

So now I want to hear what you think. Would you ever consider doing a rapid release? Let me know in the comments.

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Why I wrote a prequel

When I wrote Woven, I thought it would be a simple fantasy trilogy.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I at first thought it was going to be one epic novel that only encompassed the first two books. But as I wrote, I discovered more about the world and its people. This is one reason why it’s so important to finish a rough draft. The story tells itself to you, sometimes.

And the story started to breathe on its own, taking on a life I never imagined when I first started scribbling ideas out on index cards.

Despite this, I was as surprised as anyone to realize that the story needed another book.

Falling From Grace is, of course, that book.

Authors have all sorts of reasons for writing a prequel or additional content for an existing series. And it’s something that most of my favorite authors do. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, for instance. You might have any number of reasons for wanting to write more in a world that you’ve created after your original tale is done. But I’m willing to bet the number one reason is that you felt there was more to the story. More to a side character, or a region, or even a legend told in your tale that deserved more space.

Today, I’d like to share the reasons why I wrote Falling From Grace. Maybe some of these reasons will make sense to you, and inspire you to write your prequel or additional novel.

I wrote Grace by accident

Grace came to me while I was writing a prolog for Starting Chains that I never ended up using. This just goes to show that you should never, ever throw away any of your writing. I wrote a story about a young woman tasked with brushing down and caring for a horse before a long ride. This young woman overhears Calvin’s plans to invade Septa.

But this seemed like such a small peak into her world. Who was she? What was it like living in this village with our main antagonist? What would she have to say, if I gave her space and time to say it?

I wanted to see more of the world than the nobility saw

I loved writing about Devon, Sultiana and Lenore. But, they all had one thing in common. They were nobility. Even Victor, by the time he’s a main character, is a prince.

Grace is not a queen. At least, she is only a queen for a short amount of time. She is a simple woman who stepped up and led a rebellion.

I wanted to write about witchcraft and magic and rebellion

Speaking of which, Falling From Grace deals with a lot of things I wanted to write about. And that, of course, was the real gift it gave me. I loved writing about a rebellion. I loved writing about women and men discovering witchcraft.

Falling From Grace was an indulgence of a writing experience. So, as much as I had all of these other reasons to write it, this was the most important reason. I wrote it because I wanted to write it. Because it was such a joy to write it.

I realized that I hinted at a massive story that I never told.

Finally, though, I did have a concern when I was writing the Woven series. I hinted at a war in Montelair, Victor and Grace’s home. I mentioned, however briefly, that Calvin took over the country and killed their king. Later, I talked about a little girl whose story deserved to be told.

There was a story there. There was a whole story in Montelair that I wanted to tell. Because, and I think this is the most important to take from this. If nothing else stays with you, let it be this.

Don’t write a prequel unless you feel like there’s a story that’s waiting to be told. Don’t write more because you think you’re supposed to, or because the original series sold well and you want to capitalize off of that. Write the story that is there. Write the story that is calling to be told. You, and your readers, deserve nothing less.

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My thoughts on the TikTok ban

Bonus post because I’m sad.

I didn’t talk about this for a while because, if we’re being honest, I didn’t think it would happen. And, if I’m being honest, it wasn’t hugely on my radar until this past week. The darling husband is still in rehab from his stroke. LA is on fire and that has me scared in a deep extensential way that makes me fear for the future of our planet. The worst president in the history of America is seating his fat ass behind the honored Resolute Desk on the same day we honor one of the best men America has ever known.

Then, there’s the fact that I don’t use the TikTok. I’m 38, I use Instagram like an adult. I don’t post there or consume the content. I’ve never once installed or looked at the app. The only time I see any content from TikTok is if the iconic Loey Lane is doing a video about it.

So, why do I care? Because, despite everything I just said, I care deeply. And I wish to God that it wasn’t happening.

To start, so many amazing creators I love got started on TikTok. And I will be honest, I didn’t realize how many until they all started posting about how this app gave them their start. Jordan and McKay started on TikTok. A lot of progressive pastors I admire started there. B Mo The Prince, Professor Neil and Pastor Sarah, just to name a very few. While they eventually transitioned onto other platforms, they got started on TikTok. And I wouldn’t get to enjoy their content if they hadn’t started there.

I’m glad that these amazing creators are not going away. I hope that if you have content creators you love on TikTok you follow them onto other platforms. But the truth is that not everyone who follows someone on one platform is going to follow them on other platforms. So yes, every creator involved in TikTok is going to have to rebuild. They’re going to lose money in an economy that is already struggling. And while I don’t create that sort of content, I am still a content creator. I don’t want any content creator to suffer.

I have two pieces of advice for content creators of any sort. Writers, comedians, activists, video essayists. Do not put your hopes in one app. Don’t wait until your app of choice is going away before you encourage your followers to follow you on other platforms. Do it now.

Create for multiple platforms if you can at all. I write blog posts here. I review horror content on Haunted MTL. I post silly pictures of the pets and my life and microfiction on Instagram and Threads. I also get mouthy and political on Threads. I post and repost writing and reading content on Pinterest. And, of course, my books are available on multiple platforms. (Woven is going wide soon. Stay tuned.) If one of these platforms goes down, I can rely on others until I find an alternative. Remember, I used to post a lot on Twitter and Facebook. When those turned to Hell, I left. I didn’t lose that many followers.

Platforms come and go. Do not wait to diversify where your people can find you.

Speaking of apps coming and going, do not think that your favorite platform is safe. Because it’s not. That’s the scariest thing about this incident. The reasons why TikTok was banned were nebulous at best. And if they took it down, they can take any app down.

Any site down, if I’m being honest. I worry that this has opened the floodgates. I mean, I don’t know if anyone would want to ban Pinterest, as it’s about as dangerous as your sweet auntie who collects ceramic birds. But I didn’t think the silly dancing app was all that dangerous either.

That isn’t the only way an app can die. They can get taken over by terrible and dangerous people. They can become so full of toxicity that anything beautiful or worthy gets choked out. I’m concerned about some things I’m hearing about Meta, so Threads and Instagram might be next to go.

Everything we lose gives space for something new to grow. New apps will come to take the place of TikTok and hopefully give new creatives a place to find their tribe. I want that for them. I want creatives who just lost their platforms to find their people all over again. And I don’t want anyone to take this lightly. Losing the TikTok platform is a blow to creatives, some of which will not recover. It’s a blow to freedom of speech and freedom of creativity. And I dearly hope that I’m wrong when I see this as just the first of many platform losses.

Protect your art, my friends. Vote every election. Diversify your platform. And above all, do not stop creating. Do not stop posting comedy skits, creepy horror content, microfiction, progressive Bible knowledge, new music, book reviews, pictures of your pets, cleaning tips, and witchy aesthetic content. Don’t stop putting your good stuff out there.

We need it.

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I didn’t raise my 2025 Goodreads Goal

I think I mentioned this in my first post of the year. And when I did, I promised more information to come. Well, here it is.

After surpassing my Goodreads goal for the last four years in a row, I’ve decided that for 2025, I’m not going to increase it. My goal last year was to read 50 books, and my goal this year is to read 50 books. Every year I’ve read more books than the year before, and now I’m done increasing this goal. Let’s talk about why, and why you might consider doing the same thing.

I reached a number I like

50 is a good number of books. It’s almost a book a week. It’s also kind of a hard number to reach, while also being reachable. Like, I’ll have to put some effort into it, but not so much that it stresses me out and feels unattainable. At least at this point in my life, I can read 50 books and it feels like a challenge, but not an unachievable one.

I will eventually hit a number I can’t reach and that’s upsetting

There is a limit to how many books anyone can read in a year. Especially someone like me, who frankly has too much going on to read a lot of days. Reading takes time. Time I don’t always have between hospital visits, working and writing. And I swear, the older I get the less time I have to read.

Even if that weren’t the case, no one is adding more time to my day. I will continue to have the same number of working hours, the same number of writing goals, the same house to clean and a husband to care for. There isn’t anything that should make me think I’ll have more reading time.

But if I keep increasing that goal every year, reading will become more and more stressful. I’ll struggle more and more with the goal, intentionally taking shortcuts or just getting overwhelmed by the whole thing and tossing it away altogether. And no matter how many times in a row I reach my yearly goal, you can sure as shit believe that what will stick with me is the year I don’t make it. Let’s not forget the time I failed to reach my Nanowrimo goal and bitched about it for a year.

I want to be able to read longer books without fear

Books I like vary in size. Horror tends to be short, but then I also read Stephen King who writes super long. I also just got the new Grady Hendrix book, and she’s a big girl. Not the biggest I’ve read by far, but at 476 pages it’s no novella. It’s certainly longer than any novel I’ve written.

I like a long book. I need the space and ability to luxuriate in a good long book. I want to read things that take me some time to get through because they’re good stories that are full of detail and depth.

That isn’t to say that short books can’t be deep. Brevity has its perks. But I don’t want to be scared of getting into a long book for fear that it will endanger my Goodreads goal for the year.

All that being said, why am I still doing a Goodreads goal at all? It would seem much easier to just not do one, right? Then I wouldn’t have to worry about stressing myself out, taking the fun out of my reading or fearing to get involved with a long novel.

Well, aside from the fact that I like a challenge, I need a reading goal. At least, if I’m going to read a book for pleasure.

I read a lot of books for very adult reasons. I read books to review here and on Haunted MTL. I read books to learn things. Sometimes I read books because I’m an asshole who can’t keep my eyes on my own work. (I’ll be reviewing The House of My Mother on Haunted MTL soon.)

But I also read for pleasure. For something fun that I enjoy that isn’t productive or efficient. I read to relax. Except, well, in the society we live in relaxing is hard. While hustle culture is becoming less and less acceptable, the effects linger. And reading when there are a thousand other things I could be doing is often hard. What am I wasting time on this book for? The dishes need washing, I’ve got to scrub the salt marks from my boots off the floor, Oliver would like to go outside, and I could always be working on marketing.

I could spend all day working on marketing and still not feel done with that particular project.

So giving myself a reading goal helps to shut up the part of me that needs to be productive all the time. It gives me a pass to read not for any productive reason but a joyful one. Someday, I hope to heal that part of myself and just be able to rest and savor the joys of life. Until I get there, I’ll make reading goals.

So what about you? Are you making a Goodreads goal for 2025? And what books are you most looking forward to reading this year? Let us know in the comments.

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Self Care is survival

I know that I’ve talked about self-care before. But it’s 2025 and it feels like we might all need a little refresher. And for those who feel like they’re too busy, or depressed, or the world is too on fire (literally) for them to practice self-care, I hope this will serve as the inspiration you need.

I also hope we’re going to talk about something we haven’t really before. Because, maybe this is just me, but it seems like a lot of people don’t really understand what self-care is.

For example, I watch Fundie Fridays a lot. While watching the episode about Ally Beth Stuckey, I was blown away by what her interpretation of self-care was.

And by blown away, I mean pissed off.

Stuckey tells a story about being dumped by her boyfriend and deciding to give into a worldly self-care/self-love lifestyle. She talks about exercising two or three times a day, drinking too much, and eventually developing an eating disorder.

In what world is any of this self-care or self-love?

But she’s not the only one. Abby Roth (maiden name Shapiro) talks down to women who need ‘self-care nights’ where they have a bubble bath, a glass or two of wine and binge some mindless TV show.

Yeah, that’s what self-care looks like sometimes. My darling husband had a stroke in early December and is still in rehab. Some nights, self-care for me does look like a few glasses of wine and binge-watching Great North. My house is too quiet, damn it.

The thing that really got to me, though, was of course an ad for some productivity app or another. I don’t recall which one it was, which is probably good because I’m about to roast them. Based on this ad alone, I will never use this product.

This company put out an ad complaining about people taking ‘Self Care Weeks’, where they rot in bed and scroll through social media. The ad suggests that people would be a lot better off taking a week to do all the things they’ve been putting off. Like making doctor’s appointments, doing the little home repairs and odd chores they’ve been avoiding, and taking the time to make good meals.

First, who’s got a week just to take off? But also, my guy, that is self-care! That second dream week of simple adulting is actual self-care. Self-care is, by definition, taking Care of your Self.

In most cases, I believe that we should never assume malice when ignorance and laziness are much more likely. But in this case, I believe at least some people are doing this on purpose. Demonizing self-care and self-love because it’s so much easier to manipulate people who are exhausted, sick, and don’t really think much of themselves. No one who wants something from us benefits from us being cared for. Not politicians who want us to produce without taking up space. Not religious zealots who want us to listen to them, not our own still small voices. And certainly, not corporations who benefit from us being tired, emotionally drained and desperate for the slightest amount of serotonin we can get.

So let’s get real about this. Let’s get real about self-care so that we can show up as the best versions of ourselves. And let’s do that by first pointing out that self-care is never going to be self-destructive. As with everything else, the dose makes the poison.

A night binge-watching TV, ordering in and drinking some wine is self-care. Doing it every night for a month is a huge red flag.

Exercise is great self-care. Going to the gym twice a day is concerning.

A little retail therapy if you’ve got some expendable cash is self-care. Overconsuming is a really bad idea.

And in the end, real self-care is usually not going to be about these fun things. They’re fun, and they’re fine. But real self-care looks a little less exciting.

Real self-care is

– Making doctor appointments and therapist appointments.

– Taking your medication.

– Keeping your home the level of cleanliness you want it to be. Dishes done. Clothes are cleaned even if they’re not put away. Trash taken out.

– Drinking water.

– Finding a way to move your body that doesn’t feel like a punishment. If it’s the last thing you want to do, it’s not the right exercise for you.

– Doing what you need to do to like how you look. Wearing clothes that fit you and you enjoy. Fixing your hair, doing your nails, putting on some makeup if these things bring you joy. I feel put together when I have on mascara and perfume.

– Making the things you like in life a priority. I like reading, writing, doing silly little art projects and crocheting. These are vital things that make my days better.

– Taking time for your spiritual journey, whatever that looks like to you.

– Saying no to things you don’t want to do and don’t have to do. No is a complete sentence.

– Taking the time and space you need to heal from the heavy blows in life.

This is all-important for everyone, but I specifically want to talk to creatives today. Especially if you, like me, are just reeling from the world.

We want to create things. Some of us want to transmute the pain and fear we’re feeling into art. Some of us want to escape the darkness and create light. Both are fantastic goals, neither one is better or worse than the other. Both are needed in these troubling times. But we’re not going to be able to do either if we’re too busy just trying to limp from one day to the next. If we barely have the energy to microwave dinner, we aren’t writing our novel. If we’re too sick to get out of bed, we are submitting our work. And if we aren’t creating good art, then good art is drying up. And soon the only art out there will be created by rich assholes with no inspiration, corporations pushing writers to create marketable stories instead of honest ones, and of course whatever stolen puddles of words and gross weird-fingered images AI can crank out.

We need to create things. And if we don’t, then the world is going to be a lot darker than it is right now. And we can’t do that if we aren’t cared for. So we have to, have to, care for ourselves. Love ourselves enough to do what is needed to see us through another day.

And I know what I’m talking about. As I mentioned in the beginning, my husband had a stroke. I mean, a bad stroke. Right now he’s not in a good place. He’ll probably live, but we’re not sure what condition he’s going to be in.

And I am not handling that well. My best friend, my partner, isn’t here right now. I know he’ll come back. I have faith he’ll come back. But it’s going to be a long, hard road full of setbacks, tears and sleepless nights. And through all that, I still have to go to work. Life doesn’t grind to a halt so I can just focus on this one big scary, shitty thing. I have to keep the lights on, and food in the bowls of the pets. I have to take care of myself.

So when I say that I’m practicing self-care, I’m not talking about anything light or cute or self-indulgent. I’m talking about base survival. I’m talking about finding ways to make sure I get out of bed every day. And it’s the most basic stuff that makes it easier. It’s the daily maintenance of me that makes me capable of handling everything else. It’s putting my own oxygen mask on first.

Look, I’m totally aware that some of the things on my list are not feasible for some of you reading this. I’m so sorry for that. In an even slightly better world health care would be free and we’d all have some time in our days that didn’t have to be productive. But if you can’t do all of the things on the list, do one thing. If you can’t do any of the things on the list, make a list of things you can do to take care of yourself today. If you can’t make a list, do one thing. One thing today is taking care of yourself. Maybe you make a cup of tea. Maybe you get an everything shower. Maybe you just put on a song that makes you happy while you get some dishes done. Just a couple. Just the amount you can clean during that one song.

It’ll make you feel better, I promise. You deserve to be cared for.

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New Year, pretty much same me

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. I think they set up an unrealistic expectation that we’re going to become completly different people and somehow be able to make different health and productivity decisions just because we’ve just cracked open a new planner.

This isn’t to say that I don’t believe we can make changes in our lives. I think we’re all imperfect works in progress and we can choose something different for ourselves every day. I’m just saying we try to do too much too fast and at an arbitrary time. You can start something new any day. For instance, I’m already 25 days into a Dulingo streak.

What I do believe in is setting SMART goals at the start of the year. Just in case you don’t remember what that acronym stands for, it’s a goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevent, and Time Bound.

I do have some slightly ambitious writing goals this year. But I should let you know off the bat that there will be no major launches. At some point Woven will be going wide, so you don’t have to rely on Amazon to get it. But other than that, you will see no novel launches from me in 2025.

I did launch four books in 2024, after all.

My writing goals for 2025 are pretty simple.

– I want to officially join SFWA.

– I want to join another local writing guild.

– I want to write the rough draft and second draft of Aurora, the final Station 86 book.

– I want to write the third and fourth drafts of a secret novel that I’m hoping to tell you more about later.

– Finally, I do want to launch Woven on all platforms.

That sounds like a lot, and maybe it is. But I think I can reasonably do all of those things. And being reasonable with my goals this year was very important.

Many of you, like me, have a word of the year. My word for 2025 is Heal. I decided on this word in early November. I realized that I’ve been putting off dealing with some heavy emotional stuff. I’m also suffering from burnout, and not taking care of my health. I needed to dedicate some time, yes a whole year, to healing myself first.

Then, on December 8th, my husband had a stroke. I don’t just mean a little stroke. I mean a brain bleed stroke. And he’s still in the hospital.

I’m sharing this for two reasons. One, if you see less of me around you know why. I’m not planning on taking any time off, but you never know. And two, to remind you of what I said in the beginning.

January first is a nice day to make changes. But so are the other 364 days of the year. Just because everyone else is making these grand plans right now doesn’t mean you have to if now isn’t the time for that shit.

You can decide next week that you want to start working out and just do it. You can decide in April that you want to start drawing and just do it. You can decide today, right now, that you want to start writing a novel, and just do it.

Or you can decide that what you’re going to do is just your best. And you know what? That’s valid too. Just do that.

However, if you’re stuck on this and you want to make some sort of positive change, may I suggest drinking more water? You’re probably dehydrated.

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My top ten favorite books of 2024

The year is nearly over. And while the events of 2024 might have sucked (it sucked so hard) I read some great books. Like, some really great books.

So let’s focus today on the good books and not on the horrible life and world events.

Here are the top ten best books I’ve read this year. It was a tough decision. I was shocked that Rift didn’t make it, even though I loved that book. But here’s what made the cut.

Also, if the book in question is a horror book, assume that I reviewed it on Haunted MTL. Just in case you want a more in-depth perspective on one title.

You Like It Darker by Stephen King

I can’t believe a King book made the list at the bottom! Don’t worry, he’s coming out with a new Holly book next year, and I’m sure that one will make it higher.

I did a whole review of this one on Haunted MTL. But the short version is this.

You Like It Darker had stories for long-time King fans, like a follow-up to Cujo. But it also had some fantastic stories that any new reader will love. My favorite of the bunch is Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream.

A Well Trained Wife by Tia Levings

This is not an easy read. But it was so impactful. Here’s a link to my full review. But if you’re struggling with an abusive religion or an abusive marriage, this is the book to remind you that you are not alone.

Hekate by Courtney Weber

If you’re interested in witchcraft, or if you’re already practicing and want to deepen your understanding of the goddess of Witchcraft, this is a must-read.

Bad dreams in the night by Adam Ellis

If you’re not already following Adam Ellis on Instagram, do it. These stories were eerie, clever, and fun to read.

Hide comic by Kiersten White

This was a year of comic books for me, starting with Bone and ending here.

Last year I read Hide and loved it. When I found out there was a comic version, it seemed like a great read. And, it was. Whether you’ve read Hide the novel or not, you should check this graphic novel out.

Two sides to every murder by Danielle Valentine

If you’re a big slasher or true crime fan, like you know I am, this is a book for you. It had all the quaint and gorey charm of a good horror movie, with a modern feel.

The Hacienda by Isabel Canas

I read this book in January, and I haven’t shut up about it since. It’s a fantastic little ghost story with a love story built in. And, of course, a witch priest. Love it.

Three simple lines by Natalie Goldberg

I thought this would be a book about writing haiku, and in a way it was. But it was also about traveling to an unknown country and experiencing everything that had to offer. And, it turns out I needed to read that. Some of you might know I had to take a trip by myself out of my hometown alone for the first time in 16 years. But I had courage. Because if Natalie could go to Japan alone, I could go to another city alone.

So thank you, as always, Natalie.

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

This book was brilliant. It was so well thought out. The writing was so clever. It was so meta. The punchline was completely unexpected. I loved every second of it.

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

The fact that Mister Magic made number one on my list should not surprise anyone. This book wrecked me. I mean it led me down such a journey, I can’t begin to tell you.

If you are suffering from religious trauma, read this book. If you just want a beautiful, dark horror story, read this book. If you’re breathing, read this book.

Well, that is it for my top ten list and it for the year. But don’t worry, I’ll be back next Friday to start another year of reading, writing and struggling against the forces of evil.

See you then.

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Woven is now available in its entirety on Amazon! Click the image below to check it out.

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My 2024/2025 Winter reading list

It’s cold outside, I don’t want to go anywhere, and there’s nothing I want to do more right now than read. This mood isn’t likely to change through most of Winter.

Which, when you think about it, is what Winter is for.

So, here’s what I plan to read during the winter of 2024, 2025. If you’ve read my planned reading lists before, you might notice this list is shorter. I have more information to come regarding this. You might also see some repeats from my last list. This is because Maggie Smith died and I had to read all of the Harry Potter books again. These things happen.

As always, this is a reading list that encompasses my many hats. I’m a writer, a witch, a horror critic, and sometimes I like to read something for fun. Hopefully, you’ll discover something here that you didn’t know about or had forgotten. If you plan to read any of these, or if you have already, let me know in the comments.

Appalachian Folklore Unveiled by Darkness Prevails

I’m all about folklore and legends. And, of course, I live in Northern Appalachia. So this book looks right up my alley.

Also, I discovered this book exists because it was featured on my local library’s website. Get involved with your local library, my friends. The benefits are endless.

Writing on Empty by Natalie Goldberg

I recently discovered a treasure trove (like, four) of Natalie Goldberg books I’ve never read. And through a series of events, most of which sucked, I’ve only read one of them so far. But this one is about her struggles with writer’s block during Covid lockdowns. I can’t imagine Natalie Goldberg having writer’s block, so this one is near the top of my list.

The Morrigan by Courtney Weber

I’ve already read a book by this author about Hekate. It was fantastic, faith-affirming, and packed with information I did not have.

I’ve been fascinated by The Morrigan since reading Mists of Avalon as a child. I know, that’s pretty basic but there it is. So I can’t wait to learn more about Her.

Long Quiet Highway by Natalie Goldberg

This was originally published in 1993, and it’s about Goldberg’s journey as a student of Zen Buddism. It also feels like it’s going to be about America. I’ll let you know after I read it.

Poetry as spell casting byTamiko Beyer, Destiny Hemphill, Lisbeth White

Honestly, the title says it all. Art is witchcraft and vice versa for me. So using poetry as spell casting is right up my witchy little ally.

This book is also about bringing about good changes in the world. Which I think we could use right now.

An Apostate’s Guide to Witchcraft by Moss Matthey

Any of my very Christian readers might worry about this one. But it’s about a topic that I need some help with, healing religious wounds and trauma. Because Jesus loves me, but the church of my childhood did not. Or, at least it wasn’t a healthy love.

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

I actually don’t know a lot about this book except that it’s a dark, cold wintery haunted house story. And it must be damn well popular because I have been on the waiting list at my library for it forever. Watch Haunted MTL, I’ll be reviewing it as soon as I can get my hands on it.

Who holds the devil by Michael Dittman

I had the pleasure of meeting Michael at a local author’s event. He seems like a dear. And when he talked about this book, I had just one question for him. Is the witch the good guy? When he said yes, I had to read it.

Also, it’s about a tree that was holding back an ancient evil in my hometown. I also wrote about trees holding back an ancient evil. Obviously, I had to read it. Again, watch Haunted MTL for the review.

Fairy Heards and Mythscapes by Kerry E.B. Black

I also met Kerry at the same author’s event, and we swapped books. I always love someone else who understands that fairy’s are dangerous and should be treated with respect and caution. Can’t wait to crack into this one.

Witchcraft for wayward girls by Grady Hendrix

Two of my favorite writers are putting out books this year about witchcraft. I know it isn’t just for me, but I like to think it’s a little bit for me.

This is a story about a pregnant teenager sent to a school for girls in that situation, who learns witchcraft as a way to take back control of her life. Relatable.

We’ll prescribe you a cat by Syou Ishida and Madison Shimoda

This one is way different than anything else on this list, as it is not horror and still fiction. Essentially it’s a story about lonely people who are, for many reasons, given a cat. I have two, and a dog, and I can tell you they’ve saved me during some dark times.

Never underestimate the power of pets.

This one’s probably going to make me ugly cry on public transportation.

Don’t let the forest in by C.G. Drews

Finally, I put this book on my to-read list because Bookstagram will not shut up about it. Then, of course, there’s the cover.

This seems to be a story about a writer and artist who accidentally birth monsters. Which, you know, sounds like catnip to me.

And, again, have you seen the cover?

So that’s the plan. I hope to get through all of these books and find that they lived up to the hype.

Now it’s your turn. What are you reading this winter? Let us know in the comments.

You can find all of these books, and follow along with everything I’m reading on Goodreads.

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Free and low cost holiday ideas

The holidays are expensive. This isn’t a huge shocker, I know. And if you’re a writer and not John Grisham, money is probably tight. I know it is for me.

It’s so easy this time of year to feel like we must miss out on things. Like the lack of numbers in our bank account is holding up holiday joy. And it just shouldn’t be that way. Christmas shouldn’t have a price point for entry.

So today, I want to share some things that I do every holiday season that cost little or no money. Because while I’m on a budget now, I used to be dead broke. And this is how I made the holidays special.

Read

I have a full list of Christmas books that aren’t romance. I posted them here, here and here. I also wrote my own collection of Christmas stories, if you’re interested.

Reading is maybe my favorite solo activity during the holidays. And while reading is always a treat, there are ways to amp it up. I think reading with the electric fireplace on and a nice hot mug of Earl Gray tea with a slice of orange in it makes the whole experience next level. Before I had an electric fireplace, I was obsessed with fireplace videos on YouTube. I still use those if I’m reading in the bedroom, rather than lugging the fireplace all over the house.

We’ll talk more about YouTube soon.

Crafting

This will look different for everyone. And it’s something that I’ve leaned hard on ever since my first (very broke) Christmas on my own. Decorations, gifts, cards. These are all expensive, and they can be crafted.

On my first Christmas out, I made origami ornaments for our pathetic little tree. I drew portraits of my family in a circus. I hand-stitched a teddy bear. Over the years my family has received hand-knit and crocheted scarves, blankets and fingerless gloves.

While I’m in a better position this year, my loved ones are still getting handmade gifts. I crocheted my grandmother a sweater, which I can say safely here because she doesn’t read this blog.

Well, you might be thinking, that’s all well and good for someone handy with yarn and such. Or paint, sketch or pottery. What are the people who don’t craft supposed to do?

The answer is that there is always something you can create. For instance, my grandma is also getting a casserole dish of homemade mac and cheese, a dish she doesn’t need to return, with a nice note telling her the time and temperature to bake it.

You can cook something, take pictures, make fire cider, or make cute ornaments from a tutorial on Instagram. Or, since I’m assuming you’re a writer if you’re here, you could write something!

A handmade gift doesn’t need to be a traditional handmade gift. It can be anything that you create that someone else will value.

Repurpose decor in your home for holidays

So, we’ve got gifts out of the way. So, what about decorations? Well, there are lots of ways you can simply move things, and reorganize them. And make your home festive without buying new things.

I decorate my house plants with ornaments. I collect red and green books from the house to place in specific places. I leave my Christmas mugs or just ones that happen to be green or red, out on the counter where they can brighten up the place. When I’m putting out a hand towel or washcloth in my kitchen, I reach for the holiday-colored ones. Look over your home and belongings as though they’re all brand new. Get creative. And let me know what you come up with.

Forage

I love pinecones this time of year. I am also blessed to live in Western PA, where pinecones are plentiful. So are holly and pine. I can take a simple walk to a nearby wooded area and collect things to decorate my home and alter. I can make all sorts of things. People make some truly amazing things out of sticks, yarn and paint.

And, if you’re witchy inclined like I am, natural-made ornaments also match a more Yule-centered vibe. The whole reason we decorate trees is because people brought them in so the wood spirits would have somewhere warm to spend the darkest nights.

Just be careful your foraged goods aren’t harboring tiny pests. You want to invite wood spirits, not woodlice.

Check for local events that might not cost anything.

God bless my local library. They are doing all sorts of events for the holidays. Concerts, craft nights. There was even a local author event to help people out with their Christmas shopping.

Yes, I was there, and yes it was a delightful time.

We are blessed to have a local symphony as well, and they do free concerts every week. I am willing to bet that you have something local that is awesome and exciting. Check your local library website and any other cultural organizations you have. You’ll be amazed at what you can enjoy for no money.

YouTube’s holiday content is vast

Then, of course, there’s the question of Christmas TV. Everyone wants to cozy up and watch something festive and nostalgic this time of year.

But if streaming isn’t in your budget right now, don’t despair. YouTube has some fantastic holiday content. Garfield’s Christmas, those claymation videos everyone seems to like, clips of Pentatonix concerts. If you are looking for holiday watching, you will find it on YouTube.

Spending time is the best gift

This one is a bit cliche, but it’s true. The best thing about the holidays is spending time with people you love. Your family, your friends, your pets. Spend as much time with them as you can. Bake together, read together, go walking and look a the Christmas decorations together. (Oliver especially loves this one.) Decorate the house together, make homemade cards together. Break out the board games if your family likes that sort of thing. Put on matching PJs and take a million bad pictures. Because that’s what everyone’s going to treasure in the latter years. That’s the point of the holidays, to hold onto warmth and brightness during the darkest and coldest nights of the year.

I have, over the years, written several gift guides that include inexpensive or free gifts for readers and writers. If you’re interested, you can find them here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Now, it’s your turn. What is your favorite no-cost way to celebrate the holidays? Let us know in the comments.

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Stories Save Us

This is a speech I gave during the Stories We Share Event at the Butler Library event on December 27th. Several lovely people suggested that I publish it. So, here you are.

Hi there. My name is Nicole. I write stories about dragons, ghosts and spaceships. Sometimes I write about the ghosts of dragons on spaceships. And, like most people who are at least mildly funny, I have been through some hard life events.

Don’t worry, this isn’t all depressing, I promise.

I was raised by a mother with a lot of chronic health issues. This meant I spent more time in my childhood than I should have in waiting rooms, doctor’s offices, or just keeping myself occupied quietly so my mom could rest.

I passed the time by reading. Chronicles of Narnia, Goosebumps, Laura Ingells, Babysitter’s Club. These stories kept me company in dark places. I escaped into Secret Gardens and attic rooms enhabited by Little Princesses.

As an adult, I fell in love with and married a man who also has chronic health issues. Because of course, right? And again, books have come to my rescue. Stephen King, Philippa Gregory, Tamora Pierce, Kiersten White and Grady Hendrix keep me company through scary days.

Now I do more than read these stories, I write my own. And in the past few years, while almost everyone has fallen on hard times, it’s sometimes felt foolish to keep writing fiction. Indulgent, and insensitive even. A writer I’m very fond of named Matt Wallace, who wrote the Savage Rebellion series, said that marketing right now feels like standing outside of a burning building and yelling at the people coming out, “Hey, you wanna buy a book?”

But the answer is yes, yes I actually do want to buy a book and read it. I want stories.

Stories can save us. And they do this in two ways. The first is of course that they’re entertaining. It’s fun to read. And while you can’t run away from your problems, you can take a break from them. Maybe you need some time in Narnia, or a haunted house, or a world where sewing is magic. Because after we take that time, take that break in a book, we come out a little bit stronger. Maybe that gives us the clearer eyes we need to look for the helpers that Mr. Rodgers told us about. Maybe it even gives us the strength and courage to be the helpers.

Here’s the other thing that stories do for us. They tell us that we are not alone. Fear can make us feel like we’re the only ones suffering. That no one else understands the pain we’re going through. But that’s not true. We’ve all had those seasons in life where we’ve gotten a scary diagnosis, tried to leave a dangerous relationship, fought an addiction, moved far away from everything familiar, or worried about how we’re going to pay rent and get groceries, and keep the electric on. We’ve all said goodbye to people we never wanted to say goodbye to, or had something violent and terrible happen to us that we neither deserved or saw coming.

Neil Gaiman said this about writing Coraline. “Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” But we knew this before Gaiman. The author of Beowulf knew this and wrote about monsters and dragons that the great hero faced. These stories comforted and guided our first ancestors. They helped them cope, heal, and find the courage they needed.

We are not going to fight literal dragons. We aren’t going to face Voldemort, or a sentient haunted house, or a series of unfortunate events orchestrated by a school friend of our dead parents. But we are going to fight our own dragons. And a lot of the time we win, and live to see brighter days.

What worries me, is how many people can’t remember the last time they read something for pleasure. Most of us spend a lot more time doom-scrolling than resting our hearts in fiction. If that’s you, find a book you want to read today. We are standing in a library right now. Find a book to take home with you. Take half an hour, ten minutes, hell five minutes, and read a story you love. Maybe it’s something you read as a child, or maybe it’s a new book. Maybe it’s wildly out of your age range. Look, when I’m stressed I reach right for Beverly Cleary so I’m not going to judge.

Make the space for you to have joy, no matter how bad your day is going. Because we all need to remember that dragons can be beaten.

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