Category Archives: WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

BLOG TOUR FOR SISTERS AND MORE WITCHY STUFF

Writing

First off, Aconyte has set up a blog tour for Sisters of Sorcery that starts TOMORROW, Aug 15, so you should totally check out each of these fine folks to see what they have to say about the book:

Sisters of Sorcery Blog Tour Schedule.

Next, I sold another witchy horror poem! This one is called “Final Arrangements” and will appear in the Bloodless anthology from Sliced Up Press. The book releases in October (just in time for Halloween!), but you can find pre-order links here.

Speaking of which, I have enough witch poems now for a chapbook or collection, so horror poetry publishers, HMU!

I also sold a (witchy) Halloween story to a very cool market, but I’ll have to wait to tell you about that one.

Also, also, I don’t know if you know I have an Instagram page, but I’ve been posting some mini-primers on various characters who appears in Sisters of Sorcery, so you should pop over there and read up before you get your copy!

Finally, I started a ko-fi page where I’m offering personalized poems, personalized poem-spells, and one-card Tarot pulls. Just some fun stuff I like to do that I thought other people might be interested in. You should check it out if you get a chance.

Everything Else

Well, let’s see, I slipped and fell TWICE (once UP the stairs, because I am just that talented) and had a pretty bad drug interaction between my antidepressants and ginkgo balboa (which my doctor had suggested for lingering post-COVID brain fog, saying it “couldn’t hurt” – ha! joke’s on her!) of all things. I’m doing betterish now, though.

Anyway, here’s a picture from our Sedona trip. My amazing photographer/writer/lots of other stuff husband Jeff Mariotte has better ones on his social media, so you should check those out, too.

Two birds flying over Sedona

78 more days until Halloween!

TCC, SCRIBE AWARDS, OTHER STUFF

Writing

It’s funny, I’ve been thinking I really needed to write a blog post to catch everyone up, and now that I’m here, I’m not sure what I have to catch people up on, LOL.

There are a few things, though. First, I somehow completely missed this when it was published back in May, but I have an interview up over at author Nico Bell’s website, so you should go check that out.

Next, I’ve been officially announced as a Featured Author Guest for Tucson Comic-Con.

Featured Authored Guest at TCC 2022

And speaking of TCC, there is a decent chance I will have early copies of Marvel Untold: Sisters of Sorcery there, so you can hopefully come pick up a copy and get it signed! (Of course, if you can’t make it, pre-orders are always MUCH appreciated.)

Filed under “This is not news,” my short story did not win this year’s Scribe Award, but you can check out the list of winners here.

I also have some other writing-related things going on that I’m not yet able to talk about, but hopefully soon(ish).

And that’s all she wrote, kids.

Everything Else

We took a very short trip to Sedona before school started for the youngest and now we are getting back into the swing of that whole routine, with the fun new addition of trumpet practice. Whee!

LINK-A-PALOOZA!

Writing

June has been a busy month! First, Diet Riot:A Fatterpunk Anthology has officially released! It contains a ton of great stories, one of which is my witchy, gender-bent Bluebeard retelling, “Blue Hair.” You don’t want to miss this one!

Next, Jeff and I have another Elin and Kord story out! (Well, minus Kord.) This one is in Cosmic Horror Monthly #24, entitled “Deep Into That Darkness Peering” (which some of you may recognize as a line from Poe’s “The Raven”). They did misspell my name, but what are ya gonna do? Buy it anyway!

I also had a short story nominated for the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers Scribe Award – “Stepping Stones” from the Voices of Varuna anthology. It’s about colonization and assimilation – in space! You should pick up the antho if you haven’t already – it’s awesome!

(Also, for those of you keeping count, that’s my fourth award nomination of the year; three for poetry and one for fiction. Just, you know, if you’re keeping count.)

Finally, the poem I wrote for the Horror Writers Association’s Mental Health Initiative, “The Bullfrog and the Black Dog,” is up. You should go check it out, along with the other great work being put out by members for this initiative. The anthology, Of Horror and Hope, which has more work than is up on the website, will be out on July 1st.

Whew! That’s a lot! Hope next month is even busier!

Everything Else

Recovered from COVID only to have a tooth fracture and have to be extracted. Fun! (Not.) It’s always something, LOL.

Anyway, this is a long weekend in the US. Not much to celebrate of late, but I hope you find some space for self-care this weekend. You deserve it. (Except you, Roy. You can fuck off.)

THERE IS TOO MUCH. LET ME SUM UP.

Writing

So, it’s been forever since I last posted, I know – my baby girl graduated from high school and then 3/5 of the household came down with COVID, so I haven’t spent a ton of time at the computer.

But I do have a few things to tell you about. First, I turned in what I hope will be my final edits on Marvel Untold: Sisters of Sorcery today. Don’t forget, the book is due out September 6, and you can (and should) pre-order here.

Also, my poem, “Damsel in Distress, Redux” (which you can read here) has been nominated for the SFPA’s Dwarf Stars Award, which honors short poetry under 10 lines.

(If you are keeping track, that’s 2 Rhysling nominations and 1 Dwarf Stars nomination for my poetry this year. Not too shabby.)

I’ve also had a poem accepted for the HWA’s Of Horror and Hope anthology, which is part of their Mental Health Initiative, an effort to promote hope and #EndTheStigma of mental health issues in the horror genre (and beyond). I’m honored to have my piece be part of such a worthy effort. They are rolling out pieces every day this month; I’m not sure if mine will be one of those posted on social media or not, but it will be in the anthology. More deets as I have them.

Also, my story “Blue Hair,” a witchy, gender-bent Bluebeard retelling, will be available in Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk Anthology later this month, so be sure and grab a copy of that.

Finally, Jeff and I will be attending the MCAO Citizen’s Academy in August, to learn more about the legal side of things for our various crime-related efforts. (Books, guys. I’m talking about books. Sheesh.)

Everything Else

Still struggling with COVID symptoms. Grateful that I’m fully vaxxed and boosted, as I know it could be much worse. Studies are showing lots of serious long-term effects even from mild cases, so stay safe (and masked), everyone!

MARVEL GIRL! EMDR! DARK TRIADS! OH, MY!

Writing

So, Marvel dropped the cover for Marvel Untold: Sisters of Sorcery sooner than I was expecting. You can check it out on their website here, and read the teaser copy. Here’s another look at the cover, which includes many of the “sisters” in question:

(art by Fabio Listrani)

The book is due out September 6th of this year, but remember that preorders –> future contracts, so please do get your order in soon!

Also, my trauma therapy poem, “EMDR,” is out in the new issue of Unnerving Magazine. And, no, it’s not at all autobiographical, why would you think that? LOL. April is National Poetry Month, so treat yourself!

Finally, my interview with Vickie Lan about Dark Triad Personalities (Psychopaths! Fun!) will be up on the Speculative Sandbox podcast next Wednesday, April 13th, so you should definitely give that a listen. Here are some fun teaser graphics:

(graphic courtesy of Vickie Lan)
(graphic courtesy of Vickie Lan)

Everything Else

Greedy little bastards, aren’t you? J/K

That’s it for now. Happy Cruelest Month!

I WROTE A BOOK FOR MARVEL! *KERMIT FLAIL*

Writing

…BREAKING NEWS…

I finally get to announce it! I wrote a book for Marvel! About witches! Squeeeeee!

Marvel Untold: Sisters of Sorcery releases from Aconyte Books in September. I can’t show you the cover yet, but here’s a picture to tide you over in the meantime (no spoilers, sorry).

Clea and Umar

(Also, I wound up not doing my podcast interview with Vickie at Speculative Sandbox until today, so I got to talk about the book there, which was serendipitous timing!)

Everything Else

We now return you to your regularly scheduled scrolling.

A POEM NOMINATED, A BOOK SUBMITTED, A PRE-ORDER LINK LINKED

Writing

First, I submitted my tie-in novel to my editor today. Hoping I can talk about it soon. I’ve seen the cover and it is GORGEOUS!

Second, my poem, “Reservation Fairy Tales 101 – Final Exam,” about #MMIWG2ST, was nominated for the 2022 Rhysling in the Long form category. Yaay!

Third, I can announce now that I made my first sale of the year! My story, “Blue Hair,” a Dark & Twisty gender-swapped witchy Bluebeard retelling, will be appearing in the super-cool Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk anthology, out in June 2022. Here’s the cover/TOC:

Fourth, my poem “The Honorable Iris C. Thaumantos, Presiding,” about a goddess who trades her rainbow for the black of a judge’s robes, will be appearing in the Musings of the Muses anthology from Brigid’s Gate Press this April. It’s available for pre-order now. You know what to do!

I think that’s everything for now. More bulletins as events warrant!

Everything Else

So, after two years of isolating, mask-wearing, social-distancing, etc., the kids got COVID. Grrr. Luckily, they were vaxxed (tested positive a week before they were scheduled for boosters), so it was pretty mild, and we are thankful for that.

Also, after more than two years of waiting, we have finally been able to schedule my youngest’s tonsillectomy. Hopefully when they are removed, his severe sleep apnea issues will resolve and he won’t have to use a CPAP anymore. Fingers crossed!

Happy Valentine’s Day if that’s your thing, and Happy Super Bowl Sunday if that’s your thing. Otherwise, happy generic weekend, because I’m pretty sure that’s everybody’s thing!

GOODBYE TO THE OLD, HELLO TO THE NEW

Writing

So, everyone is doing their end-of-year posts. I don’t usually do these, but it’s been a rough year and I’m proud of the things I managed to accomplish despite that.

In 2021, I:

  • Sold 13 new poems; saw 7 of those published
  • Sold 4 new stories; saw 3 of those published
  • Pitched, sold, & delivered a story for a WFH RPG anthology; saw it published
  • Pitched, scripted, sold, & delivered a comic book story
  • Pitched, sold, & delivered a WFH RPG adventure
  • Pitched & sold a WFH novel

  • (I can’t talk about those last two yet, but will of course share more when I can.)

    That’s a lot for me, especially considering that the nerve issues in my neck I’ve been dealing with since I was rear-ended in 2019 make it so I can’t spend a lot of time at the keyboard.

    Things I am looking forward to in 2022:

  • Finishing & delivering the WFH novel
  • Writing a solicited story for a WFH anthology

  • More RPG work? More WFH work? Nothing firm in those areas yet, but some good possibilities, so we’ll see.

    Also, I got this really nice tweet about my poem, “The Things We Pass Down,” in the Wanderers chapbook. (Note that “moved” in the tweet should be “woven.” Thanks, autocorrect! LOL)

    Nice tweet about my poem, “The Things We Pass Down.”

    Everything Else

    I hope you all had a wonderful [insert your preferred winter holiday/break], that you have a very happy New Year’s Eve/Day, and that 2022 makes up for how crappy 2020 & 2021 have been for most of us.

    A cool blurry picture of my youngest with a sparkler on New Year’s Eve (2020).