Zipping Through the Grid: Musings on the Road to Georgia

The world narrows down to a ribbon of asphalt and the steady hum of tires against the earth, but tonight, the horizon feels entirely limitless.

Right now, we are chasing the dark south toward Georgia, cutting directly through the heart of Knoxville. Looking out the window, the city lights bloom against the ink black sky like a massive, glowing circuit board. In the quiet cabin of the car, surrounded by the soft breathing of my family, I feel incredibly small—a tiny ant lost in the machinery, or a lone program zipping down the digital interstate of Tron.

There is a strange, Gothic beauty to a highway at night, especially beneath a new moon. With no light from above, the shadows stretch long and heavy outside the glass, swallowing the familiar Tennessee hills and replacing them with a vast, velvet void. In this deep, welcoming dark, the ordinary rules of time and space seem to bend. The hours ahead of us don’t feel like a tedious delay; they feel like a liminal space where anything is possible, a quiet sanctuary before the chaos of dawn.

It is the perfect atmosphere for creation. With the world cloaked in pitch black I’ve been channeling the energy of the road in my new novel, Ethics of a Monster. There is something profoundly cathartic about writing dark, intense scenes while physically moving through the darkness of the world. It feels as though the shadows outside are bleeding right into the pages, giving life to the monsters we build in the quiet corners of our minds.

But the true magic of this nocturnal drive isn’t just the scenery or the prose. Tucked safely in the back is a very special cargo.

I am on my way to hand-deliver a custom PR package to my very first Advanced Review Copy (ARC) reader. Holding that book in my hands—knowing the months of solitary creation, the ink, the shadows, and the secret worlds poured into its pages—and realizing it is about to exist in the hands of someone else is an indescribable feeling. It makes the vastness of the world feel a little less intimidating, and a lot more magical.

We still have hours of black asphalt ahead of us, watched over by a quiet moon. But as we fly past the city lights and dive back into the deep, welcoming dark, I’ve never felt more alive. The grid is open, the road is ours, and the story is just beginning.

Until the next destination, may your night be filled with beautiful shadows and limitless inspiration.

With Love & Shadows,

The Ethics of My Own Monsters

Hey folks, it’s that time again.

It’s Wednesday evening, and as promised, I’m showing up. I’ve decided to treat this blog as a hybrid creature: part behind-the-scenes look, part very public journal. Only time will tell if letting you into the machinery of my mind is a good idea or a terrible mistake.

On Monday, May 25th, my debut novel, Blackwood, was officially released into the wild. I’ve already had a few sales, and I am immensely proud of that. But I’m also entirely human. I can honestly say I am terrified it won’t be the hit I dream it will be. I’ve poured my heart, my soul, and countless sleepless hours into this book. Personally? I think it’s brilliant. I hope, sincerely, that y’all do too.

Kindle Unlimited Blackwood edition

You’d think I would come into this week's post riding a high of bright, bubbly excitement from the premiere. But the truth is, this week has been heavy.

I’ve already begun drafting my next novel, Ethics of a Monster, and it demands a slow, deliberate pace. To write this story, I have to descend into some incredibly dark places—corners of my mind I still go to therapy to untangle. Writing it has forced me to re-live moments of my past where the trauma only has thin scabs over old scars. My therapist seems to think I should write an autobiography. Personally, I think channeling those bits of truth into dark romance is the better course of action. At least that way, I can entertain you while I exorcise my demons.

For those of you who don’t know me personally, I am currently navigating a deeply troubling chapter: my father is dying.

With that reality comes a conflicting storm of guilt, remorse, and—if I am being entirely transparent—relief. There. I’ve said it. Relief. I don’t know how to write that without sounding maniacal, or perhaps a little crazy. But aren't we all? Much of the trauma I carry is centered around him.

Maybe I shouldn’t type that out loud. Maybe I shouldn’t put something so stark and ugly into the public eye. I grew up in the South, where family secrets are meant to stay buried in the dirt. The cultured, "good Southern girl" never admits to a shit day. She never puts her business in the street. You are taught to show up with a smile on your perfectly made-up face, a great pair of shoes on your feet, and a flawless script. When someone asks, "How are you?" the mandatory response—even if your entire world is collapsing around you—is a bright, "I’m doing well, thank you. How are you?"

So, I’m sorry. (Another Southern reflex... we apologize whether we mean it or not). I'm sorry for being so morose today.

This new book has a lot of triggers, especially for its author. But as hard as it is to bleed onto the page, I am going to keep writing Ethics of a Monster. It is something my screaming Southern soul simply needs to say.

Happy Wednesday, y’all.

From the shadows,

Shadows & Storms: The Price of a Perfect Frame

They say that setting should feel like a character itself. If that’s true, then the Tennessee skies decided to audition for a starring role this afternoon.

We are exactly five days away from the official release of Blackwood on May 25th. Naturally, my brain has been a whirlwind of marketing strategies, launch countdowns, and formatting finalizations. But today, looking out at the gathering gloom, I realized I didn’t want to just talk about the atmosphere of my book from the safety of my desk. I wanted to capture it.

So, I drove down to the river.

By the time I reached the bank, the sky had completely opened up. I walked down to the edge of the water and stood right in the torrent of the rain. The wind was blowing so violently against the treeline that for a split second, I honestly thought I might blow away.

But I stayed. I stood on the mud of the bank, looking out into the rushing water, wondering what kind of deep, ancient secrets those dark currents held underneath the surface. Standing there, soaked completely to the bone and freezing in the wind, I felt like the tiniest of specks in a vast, overwhelming world. I just watched the rain pummel the surface of the river in absolute awe. It was heavy, it was isolating, and it was beautiful—the exact essence of the world I've spent the last year building in Blackwood.

The raw, beautiful inspiration behind the atmosphere of Blackwood. Taken at the river bank, right before the downpour won.

Eventually, the freezing cold won. I turned and ran back to the safety of my boujie little SUV, its sparkly stickers gleaming through the downpour, and started the trek back home to my family.

The drive back was an adventure in itself. The windshield was completely fogged up, the rain was coming down in a thick, blinding curtain, and it was so very hard to see the winding roads. I had to drive slowly, navigating carefully around the fresh limbs that the storm had knocked across the asphalt.

But as I finally pulled into the driveway, completely drenched but entirely inspired, I knew it was worth it. I captured the exact mood of the shadows I’ve been chasing. (Keep an eye on my social media tomorrow to see the footage!)

The cozy reality: Thawing out with a hot mug of coffee and jumping straight into Selah’s perspective for my next book.

Chapter 3: Selah’s POV

What’s Next in the Shadows…

When I finally dried off and sat down with a hot mug of coffee, the creative energy from the storm didn't leave me. Instead of working on launch logistics, I found myself opening up my laptop and diving straight back into the universe of my next book, Ethics of a Monster.

I’m currently deep into drafting Chapter 3, and Selah’s POV is already taking some deliciously dark, complex turns. There is something about a heavy storm that just makes writing a monster's ethics feel entirely natural.

Thank you all for being part of this digital sanctuary as the countdown ticks away. We have 5 days left. The gates are open, the new website is live, and pre-orders for both the Kindle and the physical hardcovers are waiting for you right here on the main page.

Step into the shadows with me. I'll see you next Wednesday.

With love and ink,

Welcome to the Shadows: Pre-Orders are Officially Open

The gates are finally open!

I am incredibly thrilled to welcome you to my digital home and to announce that pre-orders for my debut Gothic Paranormal Romance Novel, Blackwood, are officially live ahead of our official launch on May 25th.

This book is a labor of pure passion, woven from moonlit secrets, ancient tensions, and the haunting landscapes that inspire me. To celebrate this milestone, I am offering exclusive first editions directly through this site:

• Standard Editions: Printed on-demand with premium care and shipped straight to your door from the press.

• Signed & Personal Message Editions: If you select these variants at checkout, the book will travel to my desk first. I will be personally hand-signing and custom inscribing each one in ink before wrapping them up and sending them on to your personal library.

This space will serve as a journal for the journey beyond the page. Moving forward, I’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes writing updates, character sneak peeks, mood boards for upcoming projects, and a look into my creative world.

Thank you for stepping into the dark with me. Your support means everything.

Pre-Order Your Copy of Blackwood Here