Ready. Set. Launch!
It’s finally happened! Two of my books are available for purchase today! They both appear on the brand new Books section of my website. There are previews there as well. The first one, Spirit & Intent: A Collection of Short Stories & Other Writings, is a collection of illustrated short stories that I worked on with my sister, Alyssa. Alyssa is an awesomely talented artist and she’s been illustrating my work for years. It means a lot to me to finally be able to share our project. The art from the book will be available as prints on our website in a week or so. I love the paintings she did and how they took shape the more we researched and talked about the stories. At least half of the stories and writings in the collection focus on Jikonsaseh, a woman from the Story of the Peacemaker and also, a Haudenosuanee clanmother title. Working on this book created a lot of interesting discussion amongst my family and friends. It also helped me think about what it meant to be someone who was working towards peace—and how much personal growth was required to create peaceful relationships. It’s an area where I still have a great deal of work to do but I am definitely willing to go on the journey.
The second book available today, is called The Vampire Skeleton. It’s a fast paced Young Adult fantasy with hints of romance and a dose of magic. I’ve written about it in previous blogs here and here and here. It was the book I never planned to write. I started it right before my daughter was born and the story took on a life of its own. I decided to publish it first because it was another story that carried a lot of meaning for me and my little family—especially since I finished it when my baby was just a few months old and my husband illustrated the back cover. (Definitely a lot of sentimentality in these publishing choices). You can preview The Vampire Skeleton on my Books page and over the next few weeks I’ll be releasing chapters of it over at my Wattpad site, as well.
So there they are. The first two books I am publishing this year. I dearly love them both. And I totally understand that not everyone may love them the same way I do. That’s okay. Even if no one likes them as much as I do, it’s been 100% worth it to come this far. To have written them, edited them, toiled over them and shared them. It’s better than okay. It’s amazing!
When I first realized I wanted to be a writer, there was only one pathway to sharing your work—the traditional path. And while I think that is an absolutely fine path, I am extremely grateful there are other ways. I am grateful to share something that I love, inspired by the people and stories that I love. Truly, it is such a great time to be a writer!
The books are available on Amazon and Kobo. In the next few days, they will also be available on my sister and I's website, along with her art prints. I so look forward to sharing!
Happy Thursday Everyone! And as always—happy writing,
S.