#humblebrag ✨
🍂 new photos, accomplishments & life
Hi!!!! 🍂
I guess it’s time for my seasonal newsletter—since it seems that I only manage to send this out every 3 or 4 months. I don’t know if there is a right number of newsletters to send as an industry practice. I know people who do it once a week. Some do it once a month. I just don’t have that in me, not right now anyway!
This past summer was one of the busiest I had in a long time! There was so much travel, many book events, a photo shoot, and a terrible eye infection. But it was pretty good as summers go. Writing, friends, and fun. ✨
These days, work is busy, my office is a mess (this is not news) and I need a staycation! There are always random administrative things to do, and I’m behind on laundry. But! I did turn in my second packet of the semester, which means I’m only two packets away from getting my MFA! ♡
There is still a lot of work to do. My advisor is not letting me off easy. But it’s all good for me, and only strengthening my writing and storytelling skills.
♡ new photos!
In August, I had a photo shoot. The photographer took nearly 1,600 pictures. It was hard to narrow it down to the 10 for retouching but I did finally decide. Here are 3 of my favorites!
I hope you like them as much as I do!
♡ #humblebrag
As a chronically online author, it’s too easy to compare myself with all of my peers and fall short every time. I forget to celebrate the little wins because I still never feel enough when someone gets a splashy deal or invited to a con. But when I tell people outside of publishing that I have 2 book outs, they are so impressed. It reminds me that writing and publishing a book is a big deal, and that not everyone gets to do this. It helps.
Another thing that helps is external validation. It’s silly, but I’m only human. I got a lot of external validation for my writing this year, and it’s actually quite amazing! So allow me to humble brag (or maybe regular brag) here.
I won the Anne Tews Schwab Award for Critical Writing for my critical essay titled, “We Are the World…and the World Shows Us Who We Are: How Setting Reveals and Informs Character.” The award also included a $1,000 scholarship toward my MFA tuition.
I also won the Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Award for writers of color in the Hamline MFAC program who show great promise. This award gave me $2,500 toward my MFA tuition.
Highlights offered me a scholarship to their In Community Retreat for neurodivergent storytellers, based on the strength of my writing.
Illinois Reads—a yearly statewide project to promote reading for all Illinois citizens—picked This Night Is Ours to be a 2025 selection! I’m one of 36 books selected, and I feel so super honored.
My dear friend Jennifer Niven says that there are going to be a lot of people telling me “no.” I shouldn’t be one of them. This list is one way I’m not telling myself “no.”
♡ Right Now
Watching: Abbott Elementary, The Gentlemen Netflix series, Heartstopper (season 3)
Reading: Fourth Wing
Listening: The Gentlemen (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series)
Playing: Stardew Valley (AGAIN!), Fields of Mistria
What are you into these days?
♡ Connect with me
Please feel free to follow me on any or all of the social media platforms listed here:
instagram • threads • pinterest • twitter
♡ Final Thoughts
This Night Is Ours is officially in bookstores and retail book websites! People have been sending me pictures from all over the U.S. of my book in stores, and I love to see it! If you loved either of my books, please spread the word. Reviews, word of mouth, and social media posts help even a little bit.
If you can’t swing the cost of buying a book, I would absolutely love for you to request it at your local library. Libraries are some of my favorite places, and I love when I discover my book in one.
Thank you thank you for sticking around until the end! If you enjoyed, I hope you consider sharing with a friend. Sending you love and light ✨
I really needed the reminder to celebrate the small wins and not be one of the people saying "no" to myself. Thank you! And congrats on the wins!!