Hello, friends! Thank you for subscribing to my fledgling newsletter! I have absolutely no clue what I’m doing, or how often I will appear in your inbox, but I’m appreciative you’re here as we figure it out together.

What am I doing with a newsletter? Honestly, I don’t know! But my debut novel comes out next year and evidently being an author is not merely hiding away in a cave writing the little stories that pop into your head. You actually have to tell people about the books you write and nicely ask the dear internet to find them interesting. And so here I am with a newsletter, promising very sincerely not to spam your inboxes more than necessary.

The Plan…

I originally had this post drafted and scheduled back on Monday, but then last night I received the exciting/terrifying (EXCERRIFYING, if you will) news that my latest book is OUT ON SUBMISSION. EEK! (If you don’t know what being on submission means, it’s when your agent submits your book to editors at publishing companies to consider for potential publication - hence, excerrifying).

So instead of my original ramble through an attempt at introducing myself (I mean, most of you know me already, right?), I instead want to shove my book even more in your faces to celebrate.

And then top things off I will show you some AMAZING character art from the astoundingly talented Iz Martinsen.

But okay, maybe we’ll do a tiny little intro just in case you’ve gotten this far and are like, “but who are you??”

About Me

I’m an introvert who finds being perceived a bit like this:

So as you skim the rest of this, please know I am sitting at home looking like this hamster.

I wrote my first book (my debut coming out next year!) back in 2021 as a way to escape the walls of my apartment in a world grappling with the pandemic. I had no idea what I was doing, but I had a fun time doing it anyway.

And somehow, a small eternity later, I ended up with something book-shaped and strode confidently into the query trenches.

(I’ll save my query woes for another time, friends. Best not to scare you off too quickly.)

Let’s just say after quickly realizing my book needed SO MUCH MORE WORK and nine months of revising and frantically checking my inbox, I awoke one March morning to an offer of publication—followed, a week later, by a call with my now agent to offer representation. It was one of the best periods of my life, but my body thought we were under attack with all the shocked trembling I put it through.

And that about catches us up to now.

Okay, now I can shove my books in your face

Yay, I’m so glad you asked (unprompted) about my books! I write fantasy and horror, the darker and queerer the better. If you read a story by me, it’ll also likely be historical (though a contemporary idea is simmering on the back burner in my brain, so who knows?)

I have three projects in the works, but the third is my current problem child so I’ll save her for another day.

THE WIVES OF HERRICK HALL

My first baby. I’ll be sharing SO MUCH about this book in good time, and it will be in my hands (and maybe also yours?) next year in 2026.

As you can see, it’s queer! It’s gothic! There are ghosts! And there is a lot of sapphic yearning between two ladies trapped in a haunted house together. I don’t want to get in trouble with my publisher, but as soon as I can tell you more, I’ll be in your inbox right away.

TYRANT SPELL

My second baby is also queer and dark, but this time with magic-wielding poets and a dangerous murderer on the loose. AND SHE IS ON SUBMISSION!

Here’s the official pitch my agent and I put together for this dark fantasy murder mystery:

As a reader & writer, I love a good trope map, so of course I made one for Tyrant Spell.

If you were like, whoa that ART!! Let me just say, YES I KNOW WHOA THAT ART!! All flowers and credit due to the brilliant Iz Martinsen (@izmartinsenart on IG), who brought my main characters, Bronte and Marlowe, to life on the page.

But what’s even better is that they’re not just two scowling rivals. Iz created a whole masterpiece too:

I am so in love with this that I have it and another piece by Iz (for The Wives of Herrick Hall!) set as my phone’s lock and home screens. I get giddy every time I look at them.

Thank you for letting me yap your ear off, and I’ll leave you here to let you go about your day ❤️ I am off to celebrate the start of my last year in my 20’s by eating Korean fried chicken and raspberry lemon cake (and ice cream, of course)!

Until next time,

Julie