I have been an autumnal girlie for as long as I can remember, but I am particularly excited for winter this year. This probably has to do with my current WIP (moodboard below because hello, hi, it’s me) or that having a little one makes Christmas feel more magical. Either way, it’s inspiring me to knock out quite a lot, which is a wonderful feeling! Although we were fortunate enough to have a few inches of snow back in February (which my husband adorably watched fall from our back porch like a little kid), it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see any this year. Another reason I miss living in the mountains!

So, let’s dive into this month’s updates.

👀 Current Project

Progress is being made! I am aiming to complete my gothic dark academia manuscript by the end of February. Yes, that means my winter will be spent indoors, glued to my notebook and laptop. I even licensed some artwork from one of my favorite illustrators for it, and although it will be awhile before I can share more, here is the moodboard I promised. (Paid subscribers can also enjoy a lil snippet from this WIP at the bottom of this email 😏.)

☹️ Short Story Update

The press that accepted my short story, “Salt,” has unfortunately scaled back and will no longer be moving forward with this anthology. I’m still determining which direction I’ll take, but am considering submitting it to other places. I do have the opportunity to have this story publish under a new press (under direction of the editor who selected this story), so will hopefully have more updates soon-ish.

Gift Ideas for the Dark Academia Lovers In Your Life

I put this list together last year and it did modestly well, so I wanted to share again!

• Leather bound journals & notebooks
• Signature or special editions of classic books
• Literary-themed candles
• Cool writer accessories, like a vintage typewriter bluetooth keyboard or fountain pen
• Prints or artwork for their desk

For good measure, here are some of my favorite small bookish businesses!

Rustic Pages Co – bookmarks, mini art prints, blind book boxes, and more

Mystic Candle Co – amazing collection of aesthetic candles (and select book boxes)

Bookshire Creative – minimal yet adorable kindle cases

💻 Now Booking Author Websites for 2026

For those of you who don’t know, I am a freelance web designer websites for authors and small businesses. I have some capacity in January & February am looking for authors who want a new or refreshed website! Pricing is flexible and payment plans are available. My preferred platforms are Wix Studio and WordPress, but this entirely depends on your own author journey. You can learn more about my website services, or get in touch with me to chat directly!

As always, thank you for reading and supporting my newsletter!