So Here's The Thing...
I moved platforms, and I wanna talk about life.
What is this email? You have probably been subscribed to my newsletter in some form or another, whether through MailChimp or Substack. Regardless, I’m moving all my newsletter and blog publications to Substack, so if you’re getting this email, congrats! You’ve been subscribed in some way or another.
But what if I don’t want to be? That’s fine! You can pretty easily unsubscribe here if you no longer want to get updates from me. I’ll be sad to see you go, but I also won’t hold it against you.
Ok. The boring stuff is out of the way. Time to talk about the shitty stuff, because I can’t in good conscience send a newsletter after being silent for so long and not acknowledge the buffoonery that is the United States of Amerikkka right now.
There are several things I want to address. 1) Where I stand. Because I think it’s critically important to know these things about the people you interact with. Even if I’m just a small fish in a very, very large pond, I know my voice is important, too. And 2) What’s next for me. Because you are, ultimately, following me for the sake of my writing and knowing what is coming down the pipeline.
Where I stand…
It’s really easy to say that I stand with the correct side, that my values align with the people fighting for justice and equality and whatever else. But it doesn’t really get to the heart of what is happening.
I feel constantly disheartened (I wish I had a stronger word than this) by the barrage of information we are being fed with this administration. We are a country run by a cabal of rich, narcissistic, sadistic, paedophilic cannibals who truly only see the general populace as a resource to exploit.
Black women told us.
Native Americans told us.
Hawaiians told us.
So many people warned us of the dangers of allowing the “white man” to rule a country that prided itself on “freedom” and “individuality.” They warned us over and over and over again that we were allowing these atrocities to happen to people of color and minorities. They screamed at us, begged us, to pay attention.
And now, only when it has finally come knocking at our (yt ppl’s) doors, do we finally acknowledge they were right. I am included in this. I kept my head buried in the sand for entirely too long.
But I refuse to stay like this any longer.
The work I am undertaking needs to be discussed. Because although I have realized I am a private person about the things that really matter, that doesn’t work in a society like ours. People need to see action being taken by those they know and respect. (I’m not saying I’m an authority, because I sure as shit am not. But maybe my actions will inspire someone, and that’s plenty for me.)
The institution of white privilege is a challenging thing to unravel. Actively working to be anti-racist is the only way to continue forward in a world built exclusively for white people. Dismantling the system is so much harder to do when you haven’t dismantled your personal systems of oppression.
I’ve been doing my best to work on these things. Listening to literature (I can seriously only focus on audiobooks these days) written by people of color. Staying informed about what our elected leaders are doing and what they are voting for. Donating to causes I care about. Investing in my community and finding like-minded individuals. Shopping with small businesses. Funding mutual aid.
My work cannot be global. I don’t have that sort of influence. I am one, small person in a very, very large world. I have accepted that my sphere of influence may only touch a miniscule percentage of the world. But it’s more than nothing.
If you have one, single takeaway from this ramble, let it be this. Your community is the base of everything you must do. Your neighbors, your local officials, your friends and family. These people are your ticket to change.
So what does this mean for the future of my work and what I will be publishing?
It seems almost hilariously ironic now that my first published series is one of rebellion against corrupt governments and establishments. But I find this work to be more important than ever now, given the political climate of… ~gestures wildly to the world~
It feels even more important now to give better access to my work. The Brimstone and Fire series is being published in it’s entirety, to Tapas Novels. This allows readers to access it for free with the Wait Until Free program.
My piece in The Tongue Is Sharp anthology about female rage is essentially a female Dexter. All proceeds from the sale of this book benefit the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is an organization that helps to fight for and protect the rights of marginalized communities in the U.S.
My standalone romantasy, Solum Iris, was a response to the heaviness of the Brimstone and Fire series. I needed a break, a respite from the emotional turmoil of Kellan, Cassian, and Beck’s journeys, and thus Solum Iris was born. Because, in a time as turbulent as this, joy is resistance.
And, finally, my upcoming piece in a fantasy anthology (more details soon), Wings of Brass, is a deeper look into what happens when a woman is not allowed to thrive and takes matters into her own hands.
When I finish the Brimstone & Fire series, I’m not sure what will be next. My rebellion is my art, and I don’t think I have the words to accurately describe what I need to say just yet.
But they will come. And I hope you will be here when that journey continues.
Organizations to Donate to, if you need something to do:
Wisconsin Organizations I love:
And if you want to find local organizations doing amazing work in your community, I highly encourage you to google “[Issue] non-profit organizations in [Your Town/City/State]”