Hey friends! I know it’s been almost a year since I’ve posted, and I do apologize for the very long delay. Life and writing and deadlines have kept pummeling into me, despite my good intentions to update my blog. But there is lots to catch you up on, so hang with me for a few minutes while I give you all the deets.

This blog is moving…

First up, in an effort to consolidate my writing tips and updates in one place, I’m rolling this blog into my newsletter (The Inkwell) over at Substack. You can find all the goods over there, including archived copies of my newsletter, as well as new blog posts (as soon as I write any). If you subscribe, you’ll receive all new posts and newsletters directly in your inbox.

New website

I’ve also made the move away from WordPress.com into hosting my own WordPress site. This site has served me well for a number of years, but as I’ve gotten more experienced with web design, I’ve come up against the limitations of using prebuilt themes. Hence the wish for a new site. It was easier for me to start from scratch with Hostinger and WordPress/ Divi theme than try to migrate this one over.

There’s a lot of great content still here on the blog though, and I intend to keep it around for at least a while!

Upcoming book!

Last of all, I’m thrilled to share the cover for my upcoming debut YA thriller, THIN AIR. If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I signed with my agent back in 2019. We took two different YA fantasy manuscripts on submission before I tried my hand at writing a thriller. Since I also write adult romantic suspense (as Kellie VanHorn), it only made sense to give a YA mystery a go.

And as I shared in this post, we sold the book to Razorbill/ Penguin Teen back in spring of 2021, over two years ago! (Traditional publishing is sloooooow.)

Happily, the wait is almost over — the book releases on October 17, 2023. I’m so excited to share this fun, stabby, romantic story with you. Think of it as Murder on the Orient Express meets One of Us Is Lying, with a dash of The Westing Game. All on an 8-hour luxury airplane flight.

If that sounds good to you, may I ask a favor? Can you hop over to Goodreads and add THIN AIR to your want-to-read list? I’ll wait for you to get back. 😉

Many thanks! These kinds of stats help build buzz and show bookstores that readers are interested! Another way you can help is by requesting THIN AIR at your local library or preordering your own copy. Find out how to get your copy here (signed and personalized, or from your favorite retailer):

Save your receipt, because there will be preorder goodies! As soon as I get them figured out and commissioned… 😉 Here’s the book’s summary:

Eight hours. Twelve contestants. A flight none of them might survive. A flight to Paris full of teenagers seeking opportunity turns deadly in this suspenseful, locked-door YA thriller. Perfect for fans of Diana Urban, Karen McManus, and Jessica Goodman.

Seventeen-year-old boarding school student Emily Walters is selected for an opportunity of a lifetime—she’ll compete abroad for a cash prize that will cover not only tuition to the college of her choice, but will lift her mother and her out of poverty.

But almost from the moment she and 11 other contestants board a private jet to Europe, Emily realizes somebody is willing to do anything to win. Between keeping an eye on her best friend’s flirty boyfriend and hiding her own dark secrets, she’s not sure how she’ll survive the contest, much less the flight. Especially when people start dying…

As loyalties shift and secrets are revealed, Emily must figure out who to trust, and who’s trying to kill them all, before she becomes the next victim.

The cover designer and artist did a fantastic job! Feel free to drop me a comment to let me know what you think, and I hope to see you over on Substack!