Ready for a Year of Purpose – January 2026 Wrap

Wow, this January was one of the best starts to a year ever. I’m so excited to share the highlights, from preparing my book for submission to lots of anthology news.

My Word of 2026

On New Year’s Day, I chose my word of 2026.

Purpose!

This year is going to be one of intention, thoughtful decisions, and self-empowerment. I’m ready to take on the rest of 2026 with purpose.

Preparing Sweeter Than Revenge for Submission

I started 2026 by polishing my young adult locked room thriller, Sweeter Than Revenge, for submission. This is the thriller of my heart and soul, and I can’t believe it will be hitting editors’ inboxes soon.

Due to my past experiences, I have made the choice to not share when I’m on submission or any updates during the process. So, this is probably the last you’ll hear about the book for a while. Hopefully, a publishing deal is in Sweeter Than Revenge’s near future.

I wanted to share some fabulous graphics to give you a glimpse into the book.

First, here is the mood board that my friend, Aaliyah Paolucci, made for me.

Second, here’s a fun pitch graphic that Aaliyah also made, featuring the character art of my protagonist, Ember, illustrated by Isabelle Martinsen.

I love Sweeter Than Revenge so much, and I’m wishing upon all my lucky stars that it will be my debut.

Lots of News from Anthology Land

The new year, new me thing absolutely does not apply to me in the anthology world. I’m just as obsessed as I was in 2025, and I’m super excited to share lots of news from January.

On New Year’s Day, I received my first anthology acceptance of 2026, which was the most perfect way to start the year. My young adult folk horror reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood, “The Dark Side of the Wolf Moon,” found a home in Curse of the Sword, a fairy tale anthology by Dragon Soul Press. I can’t wait for this story to be in print this spring.

Also on New Year’s Day, I sent my first anthology submission of the year, a young adult meet-cute for a spring romance anthology. This story has my heart, and I should find out the decision in February.

The month wouldn’t have felt complete without at least one new short story, so I wrote and submitted a young adult cozy fantasy with a mystery plot. I had a blast working on this one, so my fingers are crossed for an acceptance.

In December, Seasons of Romantasy: Winter by Quill & Flame Publishing House came out, and I finally got my paperback this month. My new adult romantasy, “A Vow of Ice and Sapphires,” is the closing story in this anthology, and you can read all about Seasons of Romantasy: Winter in this blog post.

January brought my first anthology publication of 2026. My artsy and wintery new adult meet-cute, “Sculpted Love in Watercolor,” is now out in I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm by KissMet Quarterly. I can’t wait to get my copy in February.

Also, Enchanted Tales & Twisted Lore placed number thirteen in the top twenty-five fiction books of the year in the 2025 Outstanding Creator Awards Best of the Year Contest. Last year, the anthology won awards in the spring contest, and my story, “Dabria’s Shadows,” received honorable mentions. If you would like to learn more about Enchanted Tales & Twisted Lore, check out this blog post. “Dabria’s Shadows is still my all-time favorite short story, and I’m forever grateful it was published in an anthology that has gotten so much recognition.

Next, I’m beyond excited to share that my butterfly anthology, Kaleidoscopic Quill, is almost completely finished. The proof got sent out this month, so the project is very close to moving into its final stages. After working so hard on this book for nearly a year, I can’t believe publication day is only a couple months away.

My editorial work on Kaleidoscopic Quill is done, which means it’s time for another door to open. I’m delighted to share that I’m the editor for a new anthology, Books, Bats, and Bric-a-Brac, an attic-themed anthology by Conquest Publishing. One of my author besties is the anthologist, so I’m really looking forward to working on this project with her.

Finally, I received some exciting anthology news that I’m unable to share yet. So, stay tuned for the specifics hopefully soon.

January was full of anthology magic, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has in store for me.

My Music Poem

So, I’m a songwriter and author, but I have never written poetry, aside from when I took a poetry class in undergrad. Still, I’m all about trying new things, so I thought, why not give poetry a shot?

This month, I wrote a prose poem inspired by one of my all-time favorite piano pieces, “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy. I absolutely adore this poem and always love when I blend my two passions, writing and music.

Will this poem find a home someday? Hopefully. I’ll let you know if this ever happens.

Write on Track Hit 13,000 Total Plays

Only a few days into January, Write on Track hit 13,000 total plays. I truly can’t believe this. My conversations with my guests have been heard over 13,000 times. That’s so wild to me. Thank you so much to my listeners, guests, and everyone who has supported the podcast in some way. I’m so grateful. Hosting this show is such a gift, and I can’t wait to share many more unforgettable conversations this year.

That’s a wrap on my incredible January. I’m ready to make the rest of 2026 purposeful, memorable, and magical.