June Events
I have a lot going on this month, between a book release, livestream appearances, and…well, life in general. I figure now is a good time to share what I have coming up with my readers, since the fun begins on Tuesday.
June 10 at 8pm EDT / 6pm MDT: Author interview on the Already Overbooked YouTube Channel
I’m excited for this appearance, as this booktuber has read an early copy of Wraith and the Revolution. He reads a lot, so I felt pretty honored he managed to fit in my book amongst so many others already on his agenda.
You can check out his channel here: Already Overbooked
June 17: Wraith and the Revolution officially releases!
This was a really special book for me to write, and it has taken many, many years to reach this point.
This is from the author’s note at the beginning of the book, and explains some of why this story is so important to me:
Wraith and the Revolution is a story that I tinkered with off and on for almost thirty years. I’ve lost count of how many times I started this book, only to set it aside for one reason or another. It has been a long time in coming, and the finished product is markedly different than my original drafts.
But some of the characters remained the same throughout, those like Sorin Johnston and Reginald Zylar. They’ve been haunting my writerly thoughts for most of my life. I just never had a story worthy of sharing until now.
My husband was the first person to read the final draft of this book, and he told me something that, in retrospect, isn’t very surprising. He said there was more of me in this book than any of my previous works. Some of that was intentional, but other aspects just bled in from my personality. I have lived with some of these characters for decades, after all.
The intentional part, though? Our main character, Kye, has the same genetic condition that I have: sickle cell trait. It’s often overlooked, because it can be completely asymptomatic… Until something triggers an attack. And most of the time, an attack can be deadly without swift medical intervention.
I was fortunate enough to be tested at birth, and given the time (1983), testing wasn’t standard procedure at most hospitals. It is now, but not back then. Sickle cell trait has been a silent killer of many young athletes; there was a spate of news stories in the early 2000s about it, and most of the time, those athletes weren’t even aware of their condition.
I decided to write Kye as I did because I feel sickle cell of any form isn’t talked about enough. While the heterozygous condition of trait is manageable, the homozygous form of sickle cell disease is a serious ailment that afflicts a significant portion of the population.
But it’s rarely mentioned, and that isn’t right. More awareness should be given to this disease.
If you’d like to learn more about sickle cell or how you can help with research and awareness, please visit sicklecelldisease.org.
But back to Kye…
He also shared my dream of going into space, a dream that, because of my genetics, will never happen. Sickle cell of any form is an automatic disqualifier. Some studies indicate the G-forces required to leave Earth’s atmosphere will trigger an attack in those with trait.
As a kid, I wanted to become an astronaut. I wanted to experience the weightlessness of zero-G, I wanted to see the Earth from above, I wanted to go to Mars. Imagine my disappointment when I learned it was not, and would never be, possible.
So I’ve done the next best thing. I’ve written a space opera that begins on a future Earth, with a character who knows exactly how I feel.
Will he reach the stars one day?
You’ll have to read his story to find out… And I hope you enjoy his journey.
My goal for this book is to tell a story about friendship that transcends life’s struggles and imparts a bit of hope…even when situations feel hopeless. For more information on the book and where it can be preordered, use this link: Wraith and the Revolution
June 17 at 3pm EDT / 1pm MDT: Wraith and the Revolution Launch Party
The channel organizers at FanFiAddict were kind enough to allow me a spot on the schedule for an official book launch party…And I have a couple very special guests who will be joining me to chat about books, writing, and whatever happens to be on our minds at the time.
Timothy Wolff, author of The Legacy of Boulom series, C.B. Lansdell, author of Far Removed, L.L. Stephens, author of The Triempery Revelations series have graciously agreed to spend an hour or so with me. It should be a great time!
You can check out FanFiAddict’s channel here: FanFiAddict on YouTube
June 28, time TBD (but probably afternoon for US time zones): Book chat with the Four Beardsmen of the Bookpocalypse
This one has been a long time in the making due to time zone differences, and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun! Not only do they chat about books, but they do some D&D-style episodes too.
Check out their channel here: The Four Beardsmen of the Bookpocalypse
I’ll update my website’s homepage as I receive graphics and updates on all of these events. Watch that space for more details!