The second chapter of my debut novel, The Gold in the Dark, drops today! If you missed the first chapter, click here to read it! New chapters release every other Sunday at 11 AM EST, accompanied by beautiful, custom illustrations.

I also wanted to write a quick blog post with an update about what I’m currently writing! Now that the serial release of The Gold in the Dark is smoothly underway, as well as the fact that the edits for my second book, Specter, are complete, this allows me to finally start drafting a new book! I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that this next story will be set in a modern-day school with a fantastical horror element. I’m in love with the story, but it’s sort of high-concept, and I’m hoping to pull it off successfully. I think I’ll have to especially pay attention to story structure and character development. Maybe it’s because this next book seems so daunting that I’ve had an idea in the last couple days for another story, one that’s relatively pared-down and simple, with a character relationship focus. The places our minds go when we’re scared of diving into a difficult task, amiright? But my writing buddies convinced me to let that one marinate a little longer and focus on the story that I’ve only been planning for, oh, six months or so. They’re good peeps, my writer friends. 🙂

(By the way, does anyone know of any human-alien love stories, less emphasis on sex and more emphasis on sweet romance? Asking for a friend…)

It feels good to be drafting again in a painful sort of way, like stretching stiff muscles. This new book, at least right now, feels a little bit more poetic than my normal, perhaps more stream-of-consciousness as well. My first chapters tend to differ a lot in tone from later chapters, so we’ll see if that voice sticks around. I’ve done enough planning; now I get to see where the words take me. That might sound weird, but anyone who writes will know what I’m talking about.

Anyway, enough blabbering. Enjoy the second chapter. I’ll see you guys on Tuesday for a Valentine’s Day-themed post. ❤