Song of the Week

Jesse Welles, “War Is a God”

Good morning!

I’m not sure if I can say I’m back yet, but I’m giving it a try. I’m almost done with Episode 9 of The Well Below the Valley, so that will be up on Patreon later this week (hopefully Wednesday), and then up here next week for free reading. As I work on the next episode, I’ll be trying to work out a sustainable posting schedule.

I’m also maybe two thirds of the way done with thumbnails for the first volume of the comic! Basically, I’m just sketching out panel layouts based on the script I’ve already completed. Once that’s done, I’ll be starting to draw.

Having given it some more thought, I’m not sure how much I love the title Chrysanthemum Dawn. It maybe has too many connotations of Imperial Japan, which I would like to tone down for two reasons: the setting is not Japan, though it takes some inspiration, and I’m opposed to imperialism generally as a human and more specifically as a human of Korean descent. I’ll do some brainstorming and get back to you. I’ll also take some pictures of the thumbnails to show you later this week.

Here’s some petitions that I’ve signed and you might like to as well:

Via Win Without War: Congress must pass War Powers Resolution

Via Civic Shout: Defend gender-affirming care to save lives

Via the Juggernaut Project: Don’t deport kids

As always, thanks for reading. I’ve missed you! Come by again soon.

Quick check-in

A baby wearing a black dress with gold hearts lies on a stack of books, including the Edge of the Empire RPG sourcebook, the D&D Monster Manual, Player's Handbook, and Dungeon Master's Guide, The Art of War, the Norton Shakespeare Anthology, The Golden Compass, Dune, The Night Circus, and Gulliver's Travels. She is turned toward the camera, eyes closed, her hands in her face.

This is Miranda. I made her out of love and…mostly cheese (I had gestational diabetes). She is here and real and healthy as can be–almost a month old now.

I’m not quite ready to get back to regular posting, but I wanted to let you know that I’m still alive and slowly picking my work back up. I’ve finished the script for the first volume of Chrysanthemum Dawn! I’ll have some sketches for you soon. I’m also outlining the next episode of The Well Below the Valley today, and should start writing it this week.

I’ll check back in again soon. In the meantime, happy Pride, and thanks for stopping by!

Announcement: Maternity Leave

Hello friends!

I will be absent from posting starting May 8, 2025. I plan to have new content starting sometime in June, and return to in-person events at the end of July, but I’ve never done this before and will have to adjust as I go along. I should be able to answer comments here or on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky) if you need me. Thanks for your patience, and wish me luck!

All my books are available wherever books are sold (but here are some options), and you can catch up on free reading as well. I appreciate you!

The Well Below the Valley, Episode 8: And In the Lowest Deep, a Lower Deep Opens Wide

A bleak, leafless tree against a sepia-toned sky. Text reads: Space Whales Press presents The Well Below the Valley, an audio drama

Table of Contents

Dramatis Personae
(in order of appearance)

FREYDÍS Emundrsdóttir, in search of closure. Female, late 20s, slight Icelandic accent.

Inspector ISKANDAR Meshkia, torn between following orders and pursuing the truth. Male, late 30s, strong Turkish accent.

Chief Superintendent Winston PEMBROKE, Sr., determined to put this whole affair behind us. Male, early 60s, English accent with audible mustache.

KURT Cross, former actor and perhaps current believer in magic. Male, early 30s, New York accent.

William “WILL” Grey, bartender and gatekeeper of the Cross and Coin. Male, late 20s, London accent. 

Dr. ERNEST Wilde, botanist and believer in rationality. Male, early 30s, Northern English accent.

Professor Frederick HALE, another of Milton’s victims. Male, early 50s, posh British accent.

Eloise “ELLIE” Westmont, descendent of a long line of occultists and eccentrics. Female, mid-20s, posh English accent.

JASMINE Indrani, interim director of the Whitmoor Area Women’s Home. Female, late 20s, could have a British or Indian Accented English accent.

MARJANI Kaur, resident doctor of the Whitmoor Area Women’s Home. Female, early 30s, could have a British or Indian Accented English accent.

CLAIRE Cooper, the chosen one. Female, late teens, Northern English accent.

Scene 1: Int. Scotland Yard – Day

Continue reading “The Well Below the Valley, Episode 8: And In the Lowest Deep, a Lower Deep Opens Wide” →

Song of the Week

This Cold Night, “Black Cathedral”

Hello!

This is almost certainly going to be the last weekly update before I go on maternity leave. My baby is proving incredibly stubborn and likely won’t be born without some help (she’s still head-up and seems very comfortable there), so I’m going in on Thursday to get that help.

The latest episode of The Well Below the Valley will be up here on Wednesday, then you won’t hear from me for a little while. I plan to return you to your regularly scheduled nonsense sometime in June, probably later in the month. I’ll have a new episode (and, baby willing, a new posting schedule) and some comic sketches shortly after. There will also not be another newsletter until the end of June, and I won’t be at any in-person events until the July edition of the Kenosha Book Festival.

If everything continues to go according to plan, I’ll put some maternity leave announcements up here and on my social media on Wednesday. I’ll be able to answer emails and comments (though likely not immediately) if you need me for anything, and of course, my books will be available from wherever you buy books.

In the meantime, wish me luck, and I’ll be back soon! Thanks for reading.

New Patreon Post/ The Well Below the Valley, Episode 8

If I don’t stay busy, I feel like I’m drowning again.

There’s brackish water in the back of my throat. My lungs burn. 

My vision goes black around the edges.

We depart London with our investigators for the rural town of Whitmoor, where strange things have had a good long time to get entrenched. This is the beginning of the second act! You can read this episode right now on Patreon for only $3 (as a per-month subscription, or to purchase just this one post).

Song of the Week

The Corrs, “My Lagan Love” (traditional)

Hello again!

What the Hex: Fates & Fae was a smashing success, though I may have gotten my name stolen by a fairy. I maintain that I did not give it up–she only noticed it on the front of a book. I did tell her that if she bought a book, she could have access to all the names within, but she didn’t take me up on my offer. I should be safe. At least she didn’t trick me out of my firstborn.

More to the point, I met some returning readers! These markets often have a different crowd every time, and I love meeting new people and talking about books, but it is so lovely to hear that someone liked my work (and in some cases, is coming back for more). So, thank you. You make all this worthwhile.

A new episode of The Well Below the Valley will be up on Patreon this week, hopefully by Wednesday. It’ll be up here for free reading next week. Sometime next week or the week after, baby should be here, and you won’t hear from me for a bit. I’ll be back with new episodes and some more about the comic sometime after the end of May, and I’ll be able to answer comments and emails through my maternity leave. I plan to be back to attending live events in July.

All of this is still up in the air, however, so I’ll keep you updated as much as I can.

A couple of petitions from my inbox this week:

Via No Business With Genocide: Strengthen the arms embargo on Sudan

Via Amnesty International: Return Kilmar Abrego Garcia and others

Via Free Speech for People: Investigate the Unlawful Kidnapping of Rümeysa Öztürk

Via Physicians for Human Rights: Keep immigration enforcement out of hospitals

That’s all I have for today. Thanks for stopping by!

What the Hex: Fates & Fae

What the Hex Witches Market Fates + Fae a marketplace featurin gover 30 vendors offering unique products that celebrate the enchanting worl dof fairies, fates, and magical realms. Explore a curated selection of free mystical workshops and whimsical creations. Sunday, April 27th 12-5pm $3 entry, Kids free Dresden Castle 3775 E Underwood Ave Cudahy, WI

This Sunday!

If you’ve never been to a What the Hex market before, you’re missing out. The venue is gorgeous (converted church with stained-glass windows), the people (vendors, performers, and perusers alike!) are lovely, and the vibes are excellent. There will be some tasty food and storytime for kids! If the image above isn’t cooperating, admission is $3 (kids are free) and doors will be open from 12-5. The address is 3775 E Underwood Ave., Cudahy, WI.

As mentioned before, this will be my last in-person event before I go on maternity leave, so I hope to see you there.

Somewhat relatedly, I haven’t managed to get the next episode of The Well Below the Valley ready for you (it’s about halfway done), so I’ll have it up next week. Thanks so much for your patience.

Song of the Week

Al Stewart, “Time Passages”

Good morning! It’s Monday again.

This Sunday, I’ll be at What the Hex: Fates & Fae! Admission is only $3, and doors will be open from noon until 5. I’ll be joining a delightfully eclectic selection of magical artists and craftspeople, and there will be performances, workshops, and even a storytime for kids. I’ll have all three books available and some new bookmarks. After this, I’ll be going on maternity leave, so I’m hoping to see lots of people there!

I got a little swamped with appointments, nursery furniture, and an unexpected car problem last week and this past weekend (Milwaukee potholes are a class unto themselves), so I’m behind on The Well Below the Valley, but I’m planning on having a new episode up on Patreon sometime this week–it just might not be the usual Wednesday. I’m hoping to have one more (in addition to this week’s) ready before the baby comes, but at this point, my timeline may be quite short. I’ll keep you posted as much as I can.

I’m also still working on the comic script. I hope to finish and start some storyboarding soon, which will give me something to show you!

A couple of petitions from my inbox this week:

Via Civic Shout: Don’t give refugees a death sentence

Via the ACLU: Free those detained in El Salvador

Via Win Without War: Demand the release of detained students and call ICE to testify

That’s all for today. Thanks for stopping by.

The Well Below the Valley, Episode 7: The Souls of the Heathens

A bleak, leafless tree against a sepia-toned sky. Text reads: Space Whales Press presents The Well Below the Valley, an audio drama

Table of Contents

Dramatis Personae
(in order of appearance)

Eloise “ELLIE” Westmont, probably the best investigator of the group. Female, mid 20s, posh English accent.

Detective Chief Inspector ISKANDAR Meshkia, lender of a small degree of official authority to the operation. Male, late 30s, strong Turkish accent.

KURT Cross, actor, veteran, and car-haver. Male, early 30s, New York accent.

The FIRST CULTIST at the scene, Milton’s enforcer. Male, any age, London accent.

The SECOND CULTIST at the scene, perhaps one with more focus on the magic and mysteries. Male, any age, London accent. 

Dr. ERNEST Wilde, a logical person about to be plunged into an illogical world. Male, early 30s, Northern English accent.

Sebastian MILTON, custodian of arcane lore and hidden mysteries. Male, mid 50s, London accent.

JASMINE Indrani, the late professor’s missing assistant. Female, late 20s, could have a British or Indian Accented English accent. 

Henry CARLTON, Ernest’s longtime friend and practical grounding influence. Male, early 30s, London accent.

EMILIA Niyazova, one of the only people in this Godforsaken city who can make a good cup of Turkish coffee. Female, early 20s, slight Russian (actually Kazakh) accent.

NIGEL Blackthorne, believer in magic. Male, early 30s, posh British accent.

Scene 1: Ext. South Bank market – Night

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