Carrie Gessner's Blog

Dear Elphie,We brought you home in September of 2014, and even though there were some growing pains (you were nervous, and--let's be real--house-training took a long time!), it was one of the best decisions of my life. Soon enough, we were pretty inseparable. Walks in the park and around the neighborhood, watching TV while lounging (or cockroaching) on the big red couch in the family room, you

 It's been a while since I gave a proper writing update! So, here it is. In case you missed it, I released an epic fantasy novella back in February called IN THE ARMS OF THE RESTLESS SEA. It's set in The Heartfriends universe, and it follows Nessa, Aurelia's childhood best friend, as she navigates life after the temple. Check out the synopsis:Sometimes, only when we’re lost can we discover who we

It's here! In the Arms of the Restless Sea is now available on Kindle e-book and in paperback. Click the cover photo above to go to Amazon.  The e-book will stay exclusive to Kindle for a while, but the paperback should be available at Barnes & Noble online and other online stores.

I have news! After working starting this project a long time ago, taking a break, and finally picking it up again last fall, I've made a ton of progress on In the Arms of the Sea, a novella set in The Heartfriends universe and revolving around Aurelia's old friend Nessa. I've been working hard to put this out in the world soon, so you can expect it in the next month or so. I'll be releasing more

As the year winds down, I'm reflecting on the pop culture I've consumed throughout the year. Below, you'll find my lists of the favorite TV shows, movies, music, and books I've enjoyed. Unsurprisingly, this is genre heavy! None of the lists are in any particular order.TV Shows1. Willow (Disney+)20 years after vanquishing the wicked queen Bavmorda, the sorcerer Willow Ufgood leads a group of

I like winter for many reasons: snow (when I don't have to drive in it), time off to spend with family, those pine cones that smell like cinnamon, cozy blankets and sweaters, tea and cookies, beautiful decorations. I could go on and on. But one thing I especially love about winter is that I associate it with fantasy stories, whether epic or simply high or other-world fantasy. I'm not really sure

I can't remember exactly how it started, but there's a running joke in my Dungeons & Dragons group that I love Mountain Dew (also known as MTN DEW). And, as I tend to do, I leaned into the joke. For a while now, it's been my Quest to try every flavor of Mountain Dew out there. This is my mountain to climb.If you're unaware, Mountain Dew comes out with a truly astounding amount of flavors. I swear

 Tales of Monstrosity: Monsters, Myths, and MiscreantsAn anthology of urban fantasy and horror stories about lesser known monsters of lore told with a creative twist.I have a story in this upcoming anthology from Cabbit Crossing Publishing, and the Kickstarter is now LIVE! Check it out! There's even a reward where I'll edit one of your short stories (up to 5,000 words). The Kickstarter will be

I did something new in July! I took an online class about writing an RPG adventure through the Storytelling Collective and then took a stab at actually writing an adventure. The fruits of my labor (which took a little longer than a month thanks to a planned vacation and an unplanned bout of illness) is a one-shot adventure called A Matter of Perspective. In a sleepy countryside village, a