About five years ago, I got it in my head to start a newsletter. In part, I wanted to talk about my work! As an author, I write speculative fiction, especially paranormal horror, sci-fi, and dark fantasy. (I do some monster romance too.) As an editor and reader, I engage with the same cool content…
5 Free, Paying, AI-Free Literary Magazines You Have to Submit to
I’ve been submitting my writing to literary magazines since about 2018. Based on my (mostly) reliable records, I’ve submitted around 10 short stories, 10 flash fiction pieces, and 100 poems to easily over 100 literary magazines. In turn, my work has appeared in about 20 different ‘zines, which have paid me a cumulative of about…
A Year in Review: Failures, Growth, Lessons
In January, I was a freshly agented author. I’d written two whole manuscripts, and my agent had both out with separate batches of acquiring editors. I was at the top of the world. Now was the moment! Finally, I could spare a few months to focus on my online presence. It was time for social…
WOLVES: Scary Books and Other Strange Content
When I chose this theme for November, I expected some gore. Maybe a fresh twist on body horror? The inevitable sexy-wolf-man romance, of course. Instead, I got so much more. The wolf and its inevitable extension, the werewolf, blew me away. The “alpha wolf,” the idea that a single dominant, aggressive male rules a pack, is a myth. It has familiar origins. In the 1970s,…
An Author Abroad: How to Build Community Across Countries
I grew up in Kentucky, but I’ve lived in Lima, Peru for about a decade now. Thanks to my husband, who was born and raised in Lima, this city has become “home” in my heart, right alongside Kentucky and Ohio. But living as an author abroad has its challenges, especially when it comes to networking….
DREAMS: Scary Books and Other Strange Content
Dreams are a huge source of inspiration for me. (That includes nightmares.) Every morning, I try to spend a few minutes in that in-between place, half awake, reviewing the night’s new material. I sift through what I remember, hunting for potential stories, any good imagery. If there’s something good, I’ll chew on it until I get to my laptop for the…
Why Human Collabs Are Crucial to Creativity: My New Logo
In January 2025, I launched the Author-Oddity Newsletter. After about eight months, as things started to gel, I decided to invest in a logo. Is branding crucial for a good author newsletter? Nope. But I figured, would it feel cool? Would it boost my confidence for a reasonable price? Would it be a whole bunch…
MERMAIDS: Scary Books and Other Strange Content
Most human–beast hybrids are on the brutish side. Inherently masculine. Centaurs. Minotaurs. Werewolves. But not mermaids. At least, not at first. Mermaids are graceful, tempting. Long-haired and beautiful. Part woman, part animal. There’s something ethereal about that combination: here’s a truly untamed woman. She lives on her own terms, far closer to nature (and perhaps far hungrier) than you. Am I wiggly with…
Haunting Reads for Ghost Pokemon: Lavender Town and My Love of Writing
I’ve played Pokemon since I was about 10 years old. I remember hiding under my blankets at night with a flashlight and a Game Boy Color, burning my batteries down. When I played, I didn’t just see pixels. I could smell that knee-high grass, and the caves had dank, sticky air like the storage unit…
EYES: Horror & Sci-fi Books, Art, and Other Strange Content
I see you . . . Okay, no I don’t. But who knows what might be watching? I like to think we’d sense something if there were watchers. Eyes have a way of touching without touching, raising goosebumps and tickling the back of your neck. But then again, maybe we’d sense nothing at all. I…