The Epistle

Fresh summer events, a life shift, and gothic reading recs

Welcome back to the epistle, my darling decadents. Recline on the grass, bite into the ripest strawberry you can find, and enjoy the sun sliding over your skin. Let’s dive into the cool, clear waters of summer together.

News

I got laid off from my Big Girl Finance Job due to restructuring, but I’m taking it in stride. I’ve been toying with writing full-time for some time, but I’ve always done the “responsible” thing and held down a dayjob, just in case.

I’m taking this as a sign from the universe to go for it, commit fully, and throw myself into making the best art I possibly can. My ultimate bad habit is hoarding jobs and income streams like an anxious dragon until I’m spread so thin I do nothing well, but I’m finally ready to be brave and see what I can accomplish when I focus on doing just one thing to the best of my ability. And if I need to go back to corporate work later, no harm no foul. No effort is ever wasted.

You’re likely to see more of me here, in the free version of my newsletter, and in the $7 a month paid version (early access to the prologue of SAVAGE BLOOMS dropping tonight!). To subscribe to the paid version and get access to all previously published essays, simply navigate to your settings in the profile drop-down on Substack, click on the Epistle, and select your payment tier. Your donations help me support my writing career in a precarious economy and industry.

Kiss kiss, love you all, thank you for being here and tossing me some human dollars, if you can. If you aren’t able to subscribe, you can support me by following me on Instagram, requesting my books from your library, or leaving a review online.

Events

I’m thrilled to share that shifts in my schedule have allowed me to accept an invite to appear at New York Comic Con this October! I don’t have solid event details for you yet, but there are some super cool panels in the works with some excellent people that I can’t wait to participate in. I’ll also be exploring artist’s alley, doing a signing if possible, and grabbing coffee with industry friends, so if you see me there, say hello!

If you’re in the Boston area, you can catch me on July 10th at a free author chat hosted by the Dedham Public Library! I was raised by libraries, and I’m so happy to have been invited to be a library guest. Tickets are free, but seating is limited in this intimate space, so grab your seat before they sell out!

And, if you haven’t already snagged your tickets for my Northeastern US tour, get them before they’re gone! We’ve already sold out a couple of the events, and I’m so pumped to see you guys on the road in less than a month.

To get your ticket, find your closest bookstore on the tour, and navigate to the bookstore’s event page. From there, you’ll be able to RSVP <3

Everything I’ve Been Loving Lately

I’ve been on such a fabulous reading kick this summer! First of all, I absolutely have to gush about UNDER THE PENDULUM SUN. Jeanette Ng I was unfamiliar with your game! This is a creepy, tragic, lovely Gothic with a capital G which runs theological circles around any other book that has ever tried to measure the soul of a faery. Crimson Peak enjoyers, this is for you in more ways than one.

I also absolutely gobbled up THE SIX DEATHS OF THE SAINT by Alix Harrow. People have been throwing this short story (somehow weightier and more satisfying than many novels) at me for years and I’m so glad I finally listened. The less you know going in the better, but if you’ve ever wanted to watch a deathless battle saint wrestle with her own purpose in the scope of history, and in the eyes of the two men who shaped her, this is for you. Get ready to cry!

Other than that, I’ve been loving drowsing on my porch, going to the beach with my friends, and watching the best show on television, Interview With The Vampire. Also, House of the Dragon brainrot will descend once again as soon as I carve out some time to watch the new season.

That’s all I have for you this time, dear reader! Be safe and well until we two meet again.

-S