Christmas in July - a new short story is on its way!

I knew I'd forget something in my last post! I have MORE exciting news, which centers around a little story called "Return to Callidora." I wrote this story, which involves a princess in a dragon-guarded tower, a handsome knight, and a pied piper-type musician, several years ago. It was one of those writing experiences where I just couldn't get enough - I wrote every time I had an opportunity because the characters were so alive in my mind. But as much as I loved it, "Return to Callidora" was a rather unusual combination of Christmas, fantasy, romance, and spirituality, which made it hard to find a home for my beloved story. After many rejections, I sadly decided to set it aside.

A while later, I saw a post about submissions for a Christmas anthology by a new publisher, Mt. Zion Ridge Press. They were looking for stories that don't fall into the typical Christmas story mold - talk about a perfect fit for my knights and dragons! After a new round of edits and polishing, I submitted "Return to Callidora," and it was accepted! Here I am with my contract :)

Now, the anthology, titled Christmas Fiction off the Beaten Path, has a cover! The expected release date is November 15th, and I can't wait! Not only am I excited to share my own story with you, but the anthology also includes everything from historical to contemporary suspense to steampunk, so I expect it will be fabulous! More details to come!

I Signed a Publishing Contract!!!

I apologize that I missed posting in January, but I've been working hard behind the scenes, waiting to make this huge announcement... I SIGNED A PUBLISHING CONTRACT!!!

EEEEEP!!!! I'm pretty sure you can hear me squealing from wherever you are, because I am unbelievably thrilled to be joining the team at Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing! L2L2 is a small publisher that focuses on clean and Christian speculative fiction, which is a perfect fit for my book. Plus, they do amazing work with editing and cover design and have an amazing group of fun, talented writers. Seriously, someone pinch me, because this is an absolute dream come true!! (To find out how I got connected with L2L2, check out my post today on Lands Uncharted.)

My novel is a young adult fantasy (including some fairy tale romance, of course!) with a catchy new title: Common. It is the first book in my Tales of the Mystics series, and will release in early 2018. I can't wait to share it with you! Click on the "Books" tab above to find out more.

That leads me to my other exciting news! To celebrate the start of my publishing journey, I'm launching my monthly newsletter! My goal is to make it fun and easy-to-skim (because I know you're all busy!), and every month I'll be sharing my latest publishing updates, favorite quotes from books I'm reading, and an introduction to an author I adore. You can sign up by filling in your e-mail address in the box to the right, or by clicking here.

AND, to really make this feel like a celebration, let's add a few giveaways, shall we? Anyone who signs up for my newsletter by the end of the month (before 11:59 PM CST on February 28th, 2017), will be entered in a drawing to win a paperback copy (ebook for international entrants) of the L2L2 book of their choice. (Check out the list of L2L2's publications here.) TWO winners will be randomly selected and notified on March 1st, which also happens to be the day my first newsletter will be delivered :)

But wait, there's more! To be entered in a drawing for a $20 Amazon giftcard, share about my newsletter launch and giveaways on social media, or refer a friend to sign up for my newsletter. Every share and friend referral will count as one entry - just tag me in the post or send me a message to let me know what you shared or the name of the friend you referred. The Amazon giftcard giveaway will also close at 11:59 PM CST on February 28th, 2017.

Thank you for celebrating with me and helping me get the word out! I so appreciate your support, and I can't wait to take you along on my journey to publication!