If you follow me on social media, you’ll have seen the many posts about the current Barnes & Noble preorder sale. Sorry if you have, since another boost will be going in this very blog post 😅 For rewards members, preorders are 25% off and premium members get an additional 10% off. The sale ends on April 25th.

To be honest, I don’t really mind doing self-promotion. Making the little graphics, posting, and boosting other writers is actually very fun for me. It’s truly been lovely seeing all the support for Twin Tides and meet potential readers who are just as excited as I am!

However, I was telling my partner that I can’t help but feel like a dancing monkey, or some other circus animal doing tricks in the middle of a huge tent (perhaps a squirrel in a little hat or other small furry creature). Given the current sociopolitical context and a reality of near constant-violence in the U.S. and the world, trying to get people to buy my book does feel very off putting. I realize that’s going to seem hypocritical in a post where I once again promote my book.

I’ve spoken to other writers about this cognitive dissonance. It’s not much of a comfort, but it’s been heartening to know I am not alone in this. Self-promotion and going about business as usual isn’t something we are wired to do. It isn’t something we should be wired to do. Feeling bound to my community, both here and globally, is human. And feeling the exhaustion is also human. I am in such a massively privileged place in my life, so I’ve tried to make time during these moments of exhaustion to recalibrate why writing matters, and not succumbing to that exhaustion and staying engaged with my community.

I’ll be attending the 2025 Abode Press Virtual Writer’s Retreat, which I am so excited for. Being surrounded by passionate, empathetic, and talented creatives is one of the best parts of my writing life and looking for these opportunities to intentionally connect make all of this worthwhile.

As far as other writing and life updates goes—I’ve been making steady progress on my second book project (Mean Girls x The Craft) and have been working through the first pass pages for Twin Tides. Reading back my words with distance has been a fun experience. I am a decent writer after all 😂

I got into a space of roller skating semi-frequently as exercise, and it had been tons of fun! Until I wiped out going downhill and now out of commission. Not to be too TMI but I do have a massive hematoma on my posterior, hah. No fracture! But will be resting for the foreseeable future.

Lastly, I did also want to shout out Indie Bookstore day on April 26th. I encourage you to support your local indies or BookShop.org. Indies are standing at the forefront of the battle against censorship and book banning in the U.S. and all support helps!

And finally if you are a bookseller or librarian, the digital review copy of Twin Tides is officially available to request on Edelweiss!

As always, cheers to rest and restoration ❤️