On Tattoos, Publishing, and... 💖⚙️📚
More 2025 events coming soon! 📅
Hello!
I hope you’re taking the time to do something that brings you joy. That’s exactly what my sister and I did last week. Between current events and catching up on revisions, I was due for a break. My sister needed one, too, so Operation: Tattoos and Tacos was born!
This was my first tattoo and I’m so glad that I did it! I’ve been wanting a particular steampunk design for years. This spontaneous decision was not that one, but I’m so glad I did it! The whole process has me thinking about the relationship between fear, creativity, and publishing. (I’ll explain in a minute.)
We both chose Eevee out of a flash sale because it's a Pokémon we both love. For me, he also represents endless possibilities and change because he has so many different evolutions. 💖
I'm so grateful that I had my sister with me for this. Our adventure was much-needed after all the awfulness going on around us. We had a blast at the tattoo shop and then grabbing Mexican afterward. (For those interested, you can see our tattoos in this Bluesky post here. I thought perhaps including a pic of a new tattoo on my lower leg first thing on a Wednesday morning might be a bit much for my newsletter. 😂)
One of the biggest reasons that I had been holding out so long on getting a tattoo is because I had all these expectations and fears over having the perfect experience. I was worried about all the things that could go wrong or that aftercare would be terrible. Starting smaller with this design was so much easier on me. Everything turned out better than I imagined and now I know what to expect next time. (I've already booked my next appointment between spring conventions to get my dream tattoo. It’s a nod to the first stories I published in Monsters and Machines!)
So what does that have to do with publishing?
If you’ve been here long enough, you know that I started publishing short stories in 2020, after my two very young children were sent home from preschool along with everyone else. My whole world had been turned upside down, and I was hardly alone in feeling this way. I always dreamed of publishing books “some day”, perhaps when my boys were both in school full time.
The spring of 2020 completely changed my perspective. I knew I needed something to change because the path I was on was unhealthy. Waiting for “some day” was feeling too far away, but at the same time, I was overwhelmed. The whole process of publishing books looked like a huge mountain of tasks to overcome when I was already feeling pushed past my limit.
Even though I had been studying everything I could get my hands on about the ins and outs of publishing, the idea of beginning was intimidating. I wrote more about my author origin story here, but the short answer is I started small. I published the first Strange Happenings short story in the summer of 2020, then published a few more (with some stories drifting closer to novelette length.)
This tiny beginning was enough to snowball into publishing the weekly serial version of Forsaken Beauty and the Etherbeast, write stories for a couple anthologies, publish books, and start going to conventions. (Then I started getting invitations to come back to conventions and specifically to be on panels!) Starting small helped me overcome my fears and grow. Now I’m in the midst of revisions for two more books, with more on the horizon.
On the days where I’m feeling overwhelmed, I remember where I came from. (And if I need more reminders, I remember the girl I used to be, splitting her time between Robotics, playing in jazz band, making art, and writing stories. She didn’t always get the balance right, but she had all kinds of fun being creative!)
Would I recommend starting the same way as I did to a new, hopeful author? Not necessarily. There are a multitude of pathways into publishing (and things can change fast!) What I did worked for me, but I really don’t think there’s a wrong way to start, so long as you have the courage to begin. (Unless you do something like use a vanity press. Please don’t pay someone to publish your book for you. Always check Writer Beware if you’re uncertain about a publisher.)
Upcoming events and con news!
DSM Book Festival
DSM Book Festival (Des Moines Book Festival) on Saturday, March 22nd, 2025. I’ll be at my table from 2:45 pm to 4:15 pm with copies of Monsters and Machines and Forsaken Beauty and the Etherbeast, along with bookmarks.
The DSM Book Festival is a free event, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday, March 22nd, 2025, at the Franklin Event Center, located at 4801 Franklin Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa. There will be author programs, workshops, book signings, children’s activities, and more all day long. For more information about the Festival, click here!
DemiCon
I’ve been invited to be a Pro Guest at DemiCon 36 in Des Moines, Iowa, from May 2nd-4th, 2025. I’ll have a table in the vendor room with my books and I’m also participating in a few panels (perhaps a secret panel as well. 👀) For more info about DemiCon, click here.
DemiCon Panels:
Monstrous Women: Come explore the evolution of monstrous women, starting with their depictions in classic myths and fairy tales and concluding with their roles in modern speculative fiction, comics, movies, and more.
Fusion Worlds: Blending Fantasy and Science Fiction for Unique Narratives: Explore the art of merging the realms of fantasy and science fiction to craft compelling stories. We’ll discuss how genre mashups can complement and enhance each other, creating rich worlds and unforgettable characters.
Reading from Monsters and Machines: A Strange Happenings Collection
I'll be a guest on Alan Koslow's panel, Science Fiction from Ancient Greece Until 1890
Chicago Steampunk Expo
From May 30th to June 1st, I’ll be off to the Chicago Steampunk Expo! I’ll have a table in the Palace of Fine Arts (the vending room with artists and authors) and also presenting a few panels:
What if? Exploring Alternate History in Media
Reading of The Clockwork Coffin
New this year to the Expo, there will be a special screening of Myth of Man that you can read about here. This is a free event on the Thursday night before the convention officially begins. I can’t wait to see the movie!
New event: 2025 Nebula Conference
SFWA’s 60th Anniversary at the 2025 Nebula Awards Conference
Kansas City Marriott Downtown
Kansas City, Missouri
June 5 – June 9
This is more for other writers, whether you write books, short stories, comics, video games, sci-fi and fantasy poetry, or anything else speculative. I’m excited to back to the Nebulas this year! I always have fun meeting up with friends that I only get to see once a year, attending panels to fill my creative well, and dressing up for the awards ceremony. Registration isn’t open yet, but the details were just announced here.
I know there is so much going on in the world right now, but I sincerely hope that you are making time for yourself for rest, fun, and adventure. At the very least, I hope you can find a good comfort show, book to read, or game to play when you need to unwind.
Happy reading!
