Forever Reaching for the Stars – May 2026 Wrap
May has come and gone. This was one of the busiest and most fun months of the year so far. From lots of music and publishing news to my twenty-ninth birthday, I’m delighted to share my May highlights.
Releasing Happy Ever After Doesn’t Last Forever
On May 29, I released my fairy-tale inspired EP, Happy Ever After Doesn’t Last Forever. I couldn’t be happier this project is finally out in the world.
Ahead of release day, I shared the lyric video for “If Your Heart Eclipses Mine,” one of the singles and my favorite song on the EP. You can watch the video on YouTube.
Also, before the EP dropped, I received an incredible review from Rock The Joint Magazine. You can read that here.
On release day, I celebrated with my Behind the Fairy Tale blog post, where I shared the inspiration for the project, what each song is about, and some favorite lyrics. I hope you’ll give that a read here.
If you would like to listen to Happy Ever After Doesn’t Last Forever, you can find the EP on all the music platforms. I hope you love this musical fairy tale as much as I do.
My Six Finalist Categories for the 2026 ISSA Awards
On May 2, I found out that I became a finalist in six categories for the 2026 ISSA Awards. There were over 73,000 votes cast in April, so I’m beyond grateful to be a finalist again this year.
My categories are USA Female Vocalist of the Year, Rising Star, Single of the Year for “If Your Heart Eclipses Mine,” Musician of the Year, Emerging Artist, and Radio Station/Podcast of the Year for Write on Track.
If you would like to read more about my finalist categories and what they mean to me, check out this blog post.
Thank you to all my Butterflies who voted for me last month. I’m lucky to have so many people supporting me on my songwriting journey. My fingers are crossed to win another crystal this summer.
The Friday Evening Music Club Recital
On May 15, I performed two pieces during the Friday Evening Music Club recital. It was magical getting to perform classical piano again.
The biggest plot twist of the night was finding out I was first on the program. This didn’t make me panic. Nope. Not at all.
I actually wasn’t that nervous, but for some reason, I couldn’t get my feet to stop shaking like leaves on the pedals. Performance anxiety is weird, my friends.
Anyway, I opened the recital with the Adagio second movement from Piano Sonata No. 12 in F Major, K. 332 by Mozart and Intermezzo in B Minor Op. 119, No. 1 by Brahms.
Also, the recital was a mini Seton Hill reunion. My friends, who was also a piano major, came to watch me play, and two of my professors performed as well. I loved catching up with them.
Both of my performances are on my YouTube channel. You can watch Mozart’s sonata movement here and Brahms’ intermezzo here.
I can’t wait to perform in more classical recitals soon.
Starting the First Draft of my Young Adult Gothic Thriller
Last May, I got the idea for my young adult gothic thriller. Since then, this story has lived rent free in my brain, and I’ve spent countless hours plotting, researching, and developing my characters.
I’m over the moon to share that I officially started drafting the book on May 24!
During the last week of the month, I wrote and edited the first three chapters, around 8,200 words. I absolutely love the story so far. My deadline to finish the draft is August 17, so I’ll be dedicating tons of time to the book over the next few months.
Finishing the Initial Outline for My Young Adult Dark Academia Thriller
This month, I finished the outline for my young adult dark academia thriller. After working on it for months, I’m super excited I have all my initial ideas down. I’m going to set the outline aside while I draft my gothic thriller because I can’t focus on more than one book at a time. Once my gothic thriller is drafted, I’ll return to the dark academia outline to make tweaks and fill any plot holes. Depending on how things go, I might be able to start drafting this one at the end of the year.
Two Anthology Publications
In May, I celebrated two anthology publications.
First, Sensual Magic: Spicy & Magical Romantasy Tales by Page Turn Press got published on May 1, International Love Day. My new adult dark romantasy, “A Fate So Sweet and Red,” is in this anthology. The story is a loose reimagining of Hades and Persephone that features fated soulmates, original strawberry folklore, and a girl who falls for the god of an unknown realm. Check out this blog post if you would like to read more about “A Fate So Sweet and Red.” Sensual Magic is the first invitation-only anthology I got invited to write for, so it’s a special one.
Second, my new adult literary fiction piece, “Piano Sonata No. 1 in A-Flat Major,” got published in Capture This by Linton Press on May 12. I wrote this story a few years ago, so I’m delighted it’s finally in an anthology. “Piano Sonata No. 1 in A-Flat Major” is about an aspiring concert pianist who sustains a hand injury and discovers her new dream as a composer. I can’t wait to get my copy of Capture This in June.
I’m so glad “A Fate So Sweet and Red” and “Piano Sonata No. 1 in A-Flat Major” are both in print. More publications are coming soon, so I’m already looking forward to those.
Short Story News
I really had no chill with short stories this month. From acceptances to new tales, it was my favorite kind of chaos.
In May, I received three acceptances.
First, I’m super excited to share that my young adult summer meet-cute, “Shorely Yours,” will be published in Dream A Little Dream With Me by KissMet Quarterly. This story features a photographer protagonist, songwriter love interest, and romantic twist on a message in a bottle. I loved writing “Shorely Yours,” so I can’t wait for my next KissMet Quarterly anthology to get published this summer.
Second, I received the exciting news that my young adult romance, “A Cinnamon Twist,” got accepted for A Taste of Romance by Micromance Magazine. This project is an anthology-cookbook combo, which is beyond cool. My story is set at a library fundraiser, and from the title, it’s clear that my recipe is for cinnamon twists. I can’t wait until this book gets published in the fall.
Third, my young adult flower dark fantasy found a perfect home. I’ll share the details in June.
On top of my acceptances, I wrote and submitted three new short stories in May.
First, I focused on my submission for a music-themed anthology. The story is a middle grade historical fantasy that blends Greek mythology with the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Second, I couldn’t pass up another cute romance anthology. My story is a young adult romance set at a fish outing in a small town that features a casting contest and rivals who absolutely like each other.
And third, my brain cooked up a wild young adult supernatural horror for a flash fiction anthology. All I’ll say about this one for now is that I played solo Tic-Tac-Toe with peppermint patties and milky ways before drafting. So yeah, this is one of my most unhinged stories yet.
Finally, I edited two short stories that are forthcoming in anthologies, my young adult fantasy, “A Diamond Reign,” in Mental Health and Magic by Fable House Press and my young adult folk horror, “The Legend of Lake Laryss,” in Perigean Tide by Wild Ink Publishing. I can’t wait for both of these stories to get published.
I’m going to try to chill a bit with short stories over the next few months because I’m drafting my new book, but we’ll see how well that goes.
Poetry News
I’m going to be a published poet!
Let me back up.
After writing my music prose poem at the beginning of the year, I didn’t think I would get into poetry for real. Well, I was wrong. My anthology obsession has officially entered the poetry realm.
In May, I wrote and submitted three poems, and guess what?
The first two already got accepted, and the third is for an invitation-only anthology.
First, I’m so honored to share that I’ll be featured in the inaugural issue of The Haikuist, a quarterly anthology of nature and romance themed haiku by Micromance Magazine. My poem, comprising four haiku that tell a metaphorical tale of soulmates, is called “Lonely’s Just a Phase.”
Poetry is way out of my comfort zone, even though I write lyrics, but I thought I would give haiku a try. This whole experience was wild because I woke up in the middle of the night and drafted the whole poem in my head. Thankfully I remembered it when I woke up because I was too sleepy to get out of bed and write it down. After tweaking the lines, I sent the poem to two friends. Both of them loved it and didn’t have any suggestions, so I submitted it to The Haikuist, and a little under three hours later, I received my acceptance. This is by far the quickest response I’ve gotten on a submission.
I’m over the moon that “Lonely’s Just a Phase” is my first poetry acceptance.
Less than a week later, I drafted a free verse poem in the middle of the night. This time, I got out of bed and typed it. Good thing, too, because my memory was fuzzy in the morning.
If I keep waking up at insane hours to write poetry, my sleep schedule is so doomed.
Anyway, the draft was a hot mess, which doesn’t surprise me because I wrote it when I was half asleep. So, I spent lots of time revising it before sharing it with a few friends. After making final tweaks, I submitted the poem to the anthology.
A few days later, I received my second poetry acceptance.
I couldn’t be more delighted to share that my poem, “Stardust,” will be published in Dissolution by La Rotonde Review. This piece explores the dissolution theme through art and inspiration, so it holds a special place in my heart.
Thank you so much to Gail at Micromance Magazine and Karina at La Rotonde Review for giving me my first two poetry acceptances. I can’t wait until “Lonely’s Just a Phase” and “Stardust” are in print.
As for the third poem, I can’t say much right now, but it’s another haiku series. I’m looking forward to sharing the details soon, most likely in June.
So, I guess I’m actually a poet now. I didn’t think this was on my 2026 bingo card.
Podcast Milestones
In May, both my podcasts reached milestones.
First, Write on Track turned five years old. I seriously can’t believe I’ve hosted this show for a whole five years. This is still only the beginning. I’m looking forward to sharing more fabulous conversations with talented individuals in the music industry.
Second, Literary Blend passed 6,000 total listens. I’ve hosted this show for a little over two years now, and I’m so grateful for all the love and support from my publishing family. I can’t wait to share more incredible chapters and come up with even wilder plot twists.
I love Write on Track and Literary Blend so much. Here’s to hitting more milestones in the future.
Chapter Two of the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy
Last summer, I went to the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy in Pittsburgh and had the best time ever. So, when I saw the event was coming back with four new stories and drinks, I had to go. Two of my friends went with me, and I even got them to wear black, too. We were totally in our gothic era.
For chapter two, the stories were “The Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” “Annabel Lee,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.” My favorite drink was the Swing of Fate for “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and my favorite performance was either “The Cask of Amontillado” or “The Fall of the House of Usher.” I love both those stories, so I can’t choose.
If there’s a chapter three someday, I’ll be in the front row again. I love Poe.
My Twenty-Ninth Birthday
On May 30, I celebrated twenty-nine trips around the sun.
Yes, my candles had butterflies on them.
And yes, I got flowers.
This was the best day, and I got to celebrate with family and friends. I can’t wait to see if my birthday wish will come true this year.
That’s a wrap on my May. This month was definitely one for the books. I’m grateful for all the memories and can’t wait to see what else is written in the stars for me.