Going from "oh" to "OH!"

 Sometimes it takes a few minutes for things to click.

 

You probably know what I’m talking about. You hear something that is of vital importance, something that requires your immediate attention or action, or something that you realize could play an important role in a current project, and after a few minutes …. The realization hits.

 

That was me a lot recently, with some books I had pending publication.

 

The story for my first children’s horror book is actually one I was inspired to write after I purchased a book cover from a cover designer. This book cover had a zombie on it. I figured I would use the cover for a YA zombie story I soon began writing, but then another zombie story idea struck. This one was for kids. Since one of my publisher’s put out a call for children’s horror stories, I decided to submit this one.

 

However, I didn’t have a title yet. But I knew of a youngster who might be able to help me out with the title. I was chatting with his dad one day and this particular youngster became a part of the conversation. (His dad is also an author and we often talk shop.) That conversation led to throwing around ideas for what to title my children’s zombie story. Because the kid’s vote won, I dedicated the book to him.

 

Fast forward to a few weeks later. My book has been accepted by the publisher and it is in the queue to get published. I find out that the child I dedicated the book to has a birthday coming up!

 

At first, I was like, “Oh. Cool.” Then, later, I was, like, “OH!”

 

I contacted the editor of this imprint to let her know about the child’s upcoming birthday. We have been scrambling to get this book published in time for it to be available to give him as a birthday gift. (At first, I was all like, “I understand if we can’t make it happen” and my editor responded with, “WE’RE GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN!!” Have I mentioned lately how awesome they are??)

 

And guess what?? The books are out NOW! They are available today, on the birthday boy’s special day! How exciting!

 

You can check out this new book, Zombie Boy, here.

 

This kind of thing happened again later on with another book. I have a poetry book coming out by this same publisher soon. I have been promoting it here and there on social media. While trying to figure out the right hashtags to use, plus what angle to promote the book with, I realized that the poems as they were just didn’t get the themes across very well. I mean, to be honest, it was pretty weak.

 

It really could be better.

 

Then I saw ALL of these posts on X about how meaningful it is that a woman is running for President this year and just what kind of impact it could have for restoring reproductive rights. This happened right after I finished proofreading a story included in another forthcoming book that I wrote in response to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade in 2020. Women’s rights are important to me, as are reproductive rights, and I really wanted this theme to be stronger in the book. Plus, I just wrote a poem supporting gay relationships that my youngest really enjoyed reading, so I thought that poem should go into the book as well.

 

That’s when it hit me: With these poems in this book and with this stronger theme of the poems, it might have actually make a difference to readers during THIS particular election year.

 

That’s when I went from “oh” to “OH!” I realized the importance of that theme and it was good timing for this book to be published. (I actually thanked my publisher for scheduling this book’s release for before the election. She knew what she was doing!)

 

So I contacted my publisher and asked if I could add poems to this manuscript in order to make those themes stronger. She said yes, I added them after getting more feedback from beta readers, and now we wait for this book’s release. I am even more excited about this book’s pending release than I was before. I hope it really will send a message of strength and perseverance to the fight for women’s rights as well as LGBTQA+ rights!

 

It’s funny how things seem to happen at certain times. It’s like they are pieces of a puzzle we need to put together. I’m so glad that, in the case of these two books, I managed to put them together in time!

Redefining the Bad Girl: Triggered is a Collection of Stories of Teen Girls Recognizing Their Power

 

For years, girls have been told to be silent. To listen, not speak until spoken to, be submissive and stay out of trouble.

 

In other words, we have been told to be “good girls.”

 

But that shit doesn’t fly when being a “good girl” means being a doormat, getting trampled on, being abused, bullied, harassed and pushed around.

 

You know what? Screw that!

 

Girls need to stand up and make their voices heard. They need to make their boundaries clear, walk away from disrespectful jerks and fight for their rights.

 

This is especially true now more than ever, when females in this country have very little reproductive rights left and the government continues to keep trying to control them.

 

Being a girl is hard. Add being a teenager to that equation and it’s a recipe for chaos!

 

And that’s what the stories in my new book, Triggered, presents to readers who enjoy reading YA horror. These ten stories are about ten girls who fight back – one of them getting revenge from the other side! (This particular story, “The Soul Collector,” is an origin story for a YA novel I am currently writing.)

 

Filled with gore, bloodshed, murder sprees and hysteria, Triggered offers readers stories about what happens when someone awakens the beast within, unleashing the bad girl who turns deadly in order to seek justice.

 

Many thanks to my editor, Jennifer Horgan, for her hard work in helping me make the writing shine. Thank you also to my beta readers who offered valuable and helpful insights for these stories. And my cover designer, Ruth Anna Evans, for an outstanding cover.

 

Triggered was published by Twisted Dreams Press in September 2024 and it is available through Amazon, as well as Kindle Unlimited. Print copy of the book coming soon!

 

Here is the blurb:

 

The best kind of revenge is the kind that no one would expect.

 

Ten girls have been tormented by people who thought it was okay to hurt them. They never expected them to fight back.

 

But they do.

 

Not only do they fight back, but they delight in freeing their inner monsters on anyone who hurts them.

 

Ten girls who have been wronged. Who have been forced to conform. Who have been laughed at one too many times.

 

These girls find the power within themselves to fight back and get their revenge. And make their tormentors pay.

 

Here is the buy link