Latest Writerly Exploits

Now that we're halfway through the year, have you been wondering what I've been up to so far? I know you'll be shocked to hear that I've been writing. 😆

Early this year, I was fortunate to find two new beta readers for The Flower Maiden, the literary novel I started in 2018. I've made a few story edits based on their excellent suggestions, and plan on sending the manuscript out to literary agents next month!

My second novel project (double entendre, people) is a low fantasy—with elves! 🧝‍♂️🧝‍♀️ I'm about a third of the way through the first draft, and the current title is The Sanctuary. My plan is to make it an eco-fantasy, meaning the story addresses humanity's abuse of the planet—but—I am a "pantser", so the story will go where the story goes! I think that's what I love about writing the most—the fact that I can be surprised by a story's twists and turns during the process of writing it, as much as I hope the reader will be.

I'm continuing to submit previously written short stories and poems, and writing a few new ones as well. I wrote three very different tales to submit to the Pikes Peak Writers' second anthology (available next year), and hope to hear back from the editors about possible book-inclusion this fall. By the way, the anthology is accepting submissions through the end of July, so if you have stories, poems, or a memoir that fits the book's theme, click here to submit too!

Now, I know I already have a book going, but I like one of my newest short stories enough that I'm considering turning it into a book as well! It's a sci-fi story, so I'm having fun planning the setting and backstory when I'm not working on my other projects. 🤓

The summer is a wonderful time to sit in the shade and write, edit, or read. Have you stretched your creative muscles lately? Drop me a comment and let me know what you've been creating. 😎

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